Enlightenment: Attaining the Dao at Age 8

Chapter 211: Chapter 136: The Demon Sect Branch at the Champion Scholar’s Mansion

The moment she heard the word ’Cultivator,’ the Female Demon Leng Yanran had such a violent reaction that she couldn’t help but stumble back a few steps.

Seeing her reaction, Li Chang’an knew she was privy to secrets unknown to ordinary people. He immediately asked, “Sect Leader Leng, it seems you know something about this. Would you be willing to tell me what you know about Cultivators?”

Leng Yanran knew her reaction had been a little too extreme.

She forcibly suppressed the turmoil within and said, “I do know of Cultivators. But why should I share that information with you?”

Li Chang’an smiled. “A fair exchange, of course. You tell me what you know, and I’ll tell you what I know. How does that sound?”

Hearing this answer,

Leng Yanran was clearly tempted.

In truth, she had been investigating the existence of Cultivators for years but had made no progress. This was the first time she had ever heard the term ’Cultivator’ from someone else.

That was precisely why her reaction had been so intense.

After weighing the pros and cons, Leng Yanran said, “My knowledge of Cultivators is very limited. Most of it comes from flipping through some of the ancient texts within the Sect.”

At this, she paused, a look of fascination on her face. “The ancient texts say that even the lowest-Level Cultivator has a lifespan of nearly a thousand years. The most powerful among them can achieve immortality, becoming true Immortals who sit high amongst the clouds, detached from the Mortal Realm.”

Li Chang’an found this a little strange. After a moment of thought, he asked, “Is that all?”

Leng Yanran continued, “The ancient texts also record that Cultivators seem to have visited our world in the past. They even established some of this world’s rules. As for what rules they created, the texts aren’t specific, only that they are related to cultivation.”

“For years, I’ve been trying to trace the presence of Cultivators. However, the history of the Liyang Dynasty has suffered countless, inexplicable fractures in its timeline. As a result, anything related to Cultivators has been completely covered up. Every lead I follow ends in a gaping void.”

“The Cultivators have been buried in the river of time. Someone is deliberately erasing any trace of their existence!”

“I don’t know who is doing it, but to have persisted for so many ages… no ordinary power or being could accomplish that. I even suspect that the ones concealing their existence are the Cultivators themselves.”

Li Chang’an fell silent.

On the surface, this information from the ’ancient texts’ seemed plausible, but Li Chang’an couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong.

’If Cultivators really had come, why weren’t there any detailed records in the ancient texts?’

’Why did they only mention such trivial, unimportant details?’

As a prominent figure of her time, Leng Yanran had clearly noticed these discrepancies as well.

To that end, she had conducted numerous investigations and formed her own theories.

Her theory that the Cultivators were covering their own tracks resonated with Li Chang’an.

He suspected that the Cultivators were very likely treating this world as a pigpen, and every so often, they would come from some unknown realm to slaughter the ’pigs’ for a feast.

Leng Yanran’s information wasn’t as complete as Li Chang’an’s because she didn’t know that in just over twenty years, Cultivators would appear to begin a new “harvest.”

When Li Chang’an didn’t respond,

Leng Yanran spoke again. “I suspect the Buddhist Sect also knows something, but no matter how I ask, they refuse to say a word. Because of this, I’ve snuck into the Buddhist Sect time and again…”

Here, her voice trailed off.

She glanced at Li Chang’an, then changed the subject. “I’ve revealed enough information. If you want to know more, you’ll have to offer something of equal value. Otherwise, I have nothing more to say to you.”

Li Chang’an was very curious about what happened when she infiltrated the Buddhist Sect.

But he wasn’t in a hurry to press for details. He stated directly, “In twenty-six years, a Cultivator will appear in this world. They will carry a Ten Thousand Souls Banner and refine every last one of us into a Magical Artifact!”

He didn’t hold anything back.

After all, his primary enemies in this life were the Cultivators, and it would be nearly impossible to stand against them on his own.

To that end, he needed to rally all possible allies.

But to Leng Yanran’s ears, his words

were like the sky falling and the earth rending.

Her voice cracked as she cried out, “How is that possible? Where did you get this information?”

Li Chang’an didn’t answer.

He wouldn’t explain his source. He knew that for some things, over-explaining would only be counterproductive.

And just as he expected, seeing his silence, Leng Yanran began to fill in the blanks on her own.

After a long moment, she regained her composure. “How am I supposed to believe any of this? What proof do you have?”

Li Chang’an held out his hands. “You don’t have to believe me. I don’t need to prove anything. Because regardless of whether what I’m saying is true or false, you have no choice but to believe it. You can’t afford to bet that I’m wrong.”

Leng Yanran scoffed. “Hah. I could just dismiss you as a raving lunatic and pay no mind to a single word you’ve said!”

Li Chang’an smiled back. “But you know I’m not a madman.”

Leng Yanran fell silent.

Because she could feel a powerful aura radiating from him—an aura so potent that even she found it chilling.

Seeing her fall into silence,

Li Chang’an knew the groundwork had been laid. It was time to close the net.