Enlightenment: Attaining the Dao at Age 8

Chapter 1: Chapter 1: Transmigration, Activate

“Silence! The Rebirth Ceremony is about to begin!”

“The following students, please line up to enter the Rebirth Hall immediately as your names are called!”

“Long Su, Sun Yue, Wang Yibei, Zhao Xiaoling!”

「Dragon Country, Linjiang First Middle School.」

The middle-aged, balding dean announced with a resonant voice.

The students whose names were called rose with nervous expressions, walking toward the spacious and magnificent Rebirth Hall nearby.

As Li Chang’an watched them leave, a complicated expression crossed his face.

’This is a dangerous world, overrun by Exotic Beasts and ruled by monsters!’

In the face of Extraordinary Life Forms capable of unleashing cataclysmic destruction, the lives of ordinary people were like weeds on the roadside, liable to be trampled mercilessly at any moment.

For an ordinary person to become a Transcendent and join the ruling class, there was only one path: to enter the Rebirth Hall on their eighteenth birthday, become a Permanent Reincarnator, and bring back a new evolutionary system from a Rebirth World.

Like the college entrance exams of his past life, it was a true bottleneck—a thousand armies fighting to cross a single-plank bridge.

As a visitor from an Otherworld, Li Chang’an had firmly believed his fate was his own to decide when he first arrived. However, as he gradually came to understand this place, he realized just how hopeless it was to be an ordinary person in an Extraordinary World.

No matter how grand your ambitions, no matter how much wisdom and wealth you amassed, before the powerful Reincarnators who had mastered extraordinary evolutionary systems, you were ultimately nothing more than a groveling ant, ready to be crushed at any moment.

For an ordinary person who wanted to climb the ladder, there was no other choice but to pledge allegiance to a powerful Reincarnator, slaving away in exchange for a path to evolution.

As the students gradually disappeared from view, Li Chang’an slowly drew back his gaze, his expression firm. ’No matter the cost, I have to get at least a C+ Level evaluation and become a Permanent Reincarnator. And if I can, I’d better find an evolutionary path that suits me!’

Only by achieving a C+ Level evaluation or higher in a Rebirth World could one receive divine favor and obtain the Rebirth Mark.

And only by acquiring a suitable evolutionary path could he shed his ordinary status and step into the realm of the Extraordinary as soon as possible…

Li Chang’an’s mind was still racing with calculations.

Suddenly, a chubby, baby-faced young man beside him tugged on his sleeve and whispered, “Chang’an, the first group of students who entered the Rebirth Space are out!”

The chubby young man’s name was Li Jianfei, one of Li Chang’an’s few friends in this world.

His words snapped Li Chang’an out of his deep thoughts.

Following the chubby Li Jianfei’s gaze, he saw nearly a hundred figures emerging from the exit of the Rebirth Hall.

The vast majority of them looked completely dejected, with only a few lucky ones practically dancing with joy, their faces alight with excitement. If they weren’t afraid of losing face in public, they probably would have thrown back their heads and roared in triumph right then and there.

It was no wonder they were so ecstatic. Becoming a Permanent Reincarnator was like receiving the key to the Extraordinary World. From that moment on, a vast chasm would separate them from ordinary people in terms of both status and identity.

The difference between the two was like night and day.

Li Chang’an felt a pang of envy but quickly suppressed it. He did a rough calculation: the first group to enter the Rebirth Space had been about one hundred and fifty students, yet only a handful of them were still smiling.

In other words, over ninety-five percent of the students had become cannon fodder on their journey.

Those odds were undeniably brutal.

…

As the students whispered amongst themselves, the balding dean seated on the high dais coughed twice and began to read out another list of names, which included Li Chang’an.

Seeing the tension on his friend’s face, Li Jianfei flashed a bright smile and pumped his fist in a gesture of encouragement. “Hey, we promised we’d make it big and become Official Reincarnators together, right? You’d better give it your all in the Rebirth World!”

His voice was loud enough to draw glances from many students nearby.

For a moment, the air was filled with sneers.

’That chubby guy is dreaming. As if becoming an Official Reincarnator is so easy. Getting even three or five out of nearly a thousand students would be a blessing from the heavens!’

’The odds of both of them becoming Official Reincarnators at the same time were lower than winning the lottery. That’s not just dreaming; it’s pure fantasy!’

Li Jianfei, however, paid them no mind.

’What’s the difference between a young person with no dreams and a salted fish?’

Li Chang’an returned the smile and nodded at Li Jianfei. He then stood up, let out a slow breath, and walked with the other chosen students toward the Divine Favor Hall.

Outside the Rebirth Hall, two officials from the Provincial Education Bureau had been waiting for them for some time.

When it was Li Chang’an’s turn, one of the officials said, “You should already be clear on the precautions for entering the Rebirth World, so I won’t repeat them. This is a Divine Prayer Stone. It will record the evaluation from your first rebirth, so remember to keep it on your person at all times!”

After he finished speaking, the two officials swept their gazes over the students one last time.

Then, the great doors slowly swung open.

[Welcome to the Rebirth Space!]

[Temporary Reincarnator: Li Chang’an]

[Evolution Level: None]

[Citizen Rights: None]

[Exclusive Talent: Heaven-defying Comprehension (Unique)]

[Current Status: Consciousness Rebirth]

After completing the divine prayer ritual in the Rebirth Hall, Li Chang’an successfully entered a pure white Rebirth Space.

However, as he stared at the personal talent information that appeared on his retina, Li Chang’an couldn’t help but feel stunned. ’What the hell? How can I have an Exclusive Talent on my first rebirth?’

To make sure he wasn’t hallucinating, Li Chang’an rubbed his eyes several times. Once he confirmed the text on his retina was real, his heart skipped a beat, and he muttered, ’Could this be it? My long-overdue cheat for being a transmigrator?’

At the thought of this possibility, Li Chang’an’s breathing quickened.

’After all these years since transmigrating, I’d long given up hope of getting a cheat. I never expected a surprise like this to come so suddenly!’

Before he had much time to think, more information began to refresh on his retina.

[Acquiring Information… Acquisition Complete!]

[Loading World… Load Complete!]

[Matching Character Model… Match Successful!]

[Predestined Fate/World Background: The Demon Clear Era. The dynasty’s Destiny wanes, giving rise to a chaotic age of supernatural turmoil and rampant Demon Fiends. The people suffer in abject misery.]

[Age 0: You are born to a carpenter’s family in Li Family Village, Sanhuang County, Fengzhou. Your arrival brings a rare spark of joy to the otherwise somber household.]

[In this absurd, damn world, the relentless exploitation by various factions is a mountain crushing the masses, leaving them unable to breathe. Even born into a carpenter’s family, you can only just barely avoid starvation.]

[Age 3: A new County Magistrate takes office in Sanhuang County and demands every household contribute grain and silver coins as tribute to the River God.]

[Your father’s savings from years of hard labor are wiped clean. From then on, your family is plunged into a crisis, never knowing where the next meal will come from.]

[Age 5: Chronic malnutrition leads to congenital weakness, and your growth is severely stunted. Seeing you so thin and frail from hunger when you should be growing vigorously, your parents can only weep in secret.]

[Age 6: A sudden flood strikes Fengzhou, submerging your family’s land. The Imperial Court, however, continues to collect the exorbitant taxes of a bountiful year. Feeling they can no longer raise you, your parents, after an agonizing internal struggle, carry you nearly ten miles overnight and abandon you outside a Daoist temple.]

[Terrified, you burst into loud wails. Your crying attracts a nearby Dog Demon. It snatches your tender body in its jaws and begins to chew you to pieces.]

[A Daoist from the temple hears the commotion and bursts out, slaying the Dog Demon. But your frail body is already torn to shreds, leaving behind nothing but a gory mess.]

[You are dead. Your short life was completely worthless.]

’An Ancient Martial World, huh?’

’I wonder if I can obtain a complete Martial Dao Cultivation Method in there?’

Staring at the gory text on his retina, amidst the excitement and tension, Li Chang’an felt goosebumps prickle all over his skin.

’Damn it, this is a total hell-mode start!’

’At least they feed you in prison! In this crappy world, you can’t get enough to eat or warm clothes, and you have to constantly watch out for rampaging fiends… The only start that could possibly be worse is the legendary ’spawning naked in a piranha tank’ scenario, right?’

However, no matter how much Li Chang’an complained internally, the background and events of the Rebirth World were set in stone. All he could do was accept his fate and try his best to rewrite it. After all, the Rebirth Mark system was fair. The higher the initial difficulty, the greater the evaluation and rewards for successfully Defying Fate, and vice versa.

Instead of complaining uselessly, he’d be better off getting his thoughts in order and preparing to come out swinging in the Rebirth World.

Right now, Li Chang’an’s only hope was his newly acquired “Heaven-defying Comprehension” cheat. He prayed it would be powerful enough to let him do more than just survive in the Rebirth World; perhaps he could even achieve something great.

[Starting Point Locked!]

[Your Rebirth Evaluation will be assessed based on several factors: Degree of Fate Alteration, World Impact, and Historical Renown. The more thoroughly you alter your fate and the greater your impact and renown become, the more bountiful your rewards!]

[Begin Rebirth?]

Looking at the prompt on his retina, Li Chang’an took a deep breath and said with a touch of grim humor, “Begin Rebirth!”

…