Enlightenment: Attaining the Dao at Age 8

The young woman crawled out from her hiding spot and walked over to Li Chang’an. Her eyes were sparkling, her expression a complex mix of emotions. After a long silence, she finally spoke. “You’re the one who saved me, aren’t you?”

Li Chang’an didn’t make a sound.

He had no way of speaking.

The young woman didn’t seem to find it strange. With a sigh, she said earnestly, “In any case, thank you!”

Li Chang’an remained quiet and still upon hearing her words.

’He had saved her because she was from the Fusang Tribe. In the original trajectory of Destiny, she was to be his friend.’

’As for what she thought of him, he didn’t care.’

The young woman was clearly not in high spirits. After all, she had only survived because that burly man had sacrificed his life for her.

Otherwise, she would have long since been captured by the Sunlight Tribe and forced into slavery, just like the survivors from the other small tribes.

After a moment of sorrow, the young woman finally composed herself.

She walked over to Li Chang’an’s crystalline body and circled it, her sense of wonder growing with every passing moment.

When the burly man had spoken of Li Chang’an’s miraculous nature earlier, she hadn’t paid it much mind.

After all, in her view, it was highly unlikely for any wondrous object to appear in a place so sparsely populated, with almost no Incense or Destiny to speak of.

But upon closer inspection, she discovered it was far more incredible than she had ever imagined.

The young woman reached out, carefully stroking the fine Dragon Scales on Li Chang’an’s body and his two crystalline, purple-gold horns. “To evolve to this stage while stuck in these remote mountains, just one step away from achieving a Transformed Form as a Spirit Monster… you must possess a great deal of Divinity,” she murmured in awe.

Clearly, the young woman’s understanding of Incense and Destiny was deeper than Li Chang’an’s.

And for that very reason, she understood just how difficult it must have been for Li Chang’an to evolve this far.

Of course, this was without her knowing that Li Chang’an’s true form was merely an ordinary stone. If she knew that he was just a common rock that had spent a mere thousand-plus years to reach this stage, she would have been utterly astounded.

According to the fundamental Logic of this world, Spiritual Objects are born with Spirituality. An ordinary stone, an object possessing neither Spirituality nor Divinity, should be completely incapable of evolving into a Spirit Monster, let alone achieving a successful Transformed Form.

After observing him for another moment, an idea clearly sparked in the young woman’s mind.

She took the initiative and said, “My name is Bi Yue, and I am the last of the Fusang Tribe’s Royal Family. As thanks for saving my life, I would like to invite you to my tribe to become our Guardian God. In return, the thirty thousand remaining members of the Fusang Tribe will become your faithful worshipers, offering you an endless supply of Incense day and night…”

She paused, then added with a serious expression, “If you don’t say anything, I’ll take it as a yes!”

Hearing this young woman named Bi Yue be so… adaptable, Li Chang’an was rather speechless. The corner of his mouth twitched. ’…Well now. Taking advantage of the fact I can’t talk, are we?’

He couldn’t speak, it was true. But his long years of growth had made his soul increasingly solid. As a result, Li Chang’an had been able to communicate with other living beings through his soul for several years now.

The reason he’d never used this ability was twofold. First, Li Chang’an had lost his sense of time, so he preferred to be alone most of the time.

Second, the tribes at the foot of the mountain had developed so rapidly over the years that fewer and fewer hunters came up the mountain.

Li Chang’an had no desire to reveal himself to unfamiliar outsiders.

And so, even though Li Chang’an had been able to communicate with the outside world for a long time, he hadn’t used the ability a single time until today.

Upon hearing his voice, Bi Yue’s ears twitched.

When she realized she couldn’t hear anything with her ears, it dawned on her that Li Chang’an was communicating through his soul.

Bi Yue’s voice was now filled with even more awe, and a hint of excitement. “Greetings, Senior! Are you willing to leave this place? I can have my tribe carry you down the mountain. A place bustling with people will be much more conducive to your growth!”

Being chased by the Sunlight Tribe into these desolate mountains was bad enough. To make matters worse, the last of her Celestial Guards had disappeared, his fate unknown, all to protect her.

It was safe to say that recent events had been an absolute disaster.

But perhaps it was true that things turn around when they hit rock bottom.

Just as her heart filled with Despair, she had found such a miraculous stone among the rubble—one that was not only on the verge of its Transformed Form but had even gained sentience ahead of schedule…

It didn’t seem to have any combat power at the moment.

But with a little more time to grow, its potential would be limitless!

If she could convince it to join the Fusang Tribe… then despite the recent disasters, the Fusang Tribe would at least have a new pillar of support.

They wouldn’t end up like other tribes that, lacking a leader and a Guardian God, fell apart like loose sand and silently vanished into the river of time.

’Hearing her invitation, Li Chang’an found that he was actually considering it.’

’After all, while it was peaceful in the mountains, his cultivation speed was far too slow.’

’Besides, he was only a little over a thousand years old, yet his thoughts were already starting to feel numb, and his perception of time had dulled.’

’If he remained alone for another few thousand years, he was afraid his way of thinking would truly and completely ossify—just like a stone.’

’He had to find a place with people to continue his cultivation.’