Enlightenment: Attaining the Dao at Age 8

With the Lanji Tribe’s Guardian God slain by Li Chang’an, and their elite soldiers routed and scattered in terror on the mountain, it was the perfect opportunity to invade the Lanji Tribe and seize their resources.

Over the next half a month, the Fusang Tribe hauled back cattle and sheep, loads of grain, and all sorts of miscellaneous goods that filled their storehouses to the brim.

It was the first time in many years that the Fusang Tribe had been so prosperous.

However, the attitude of the neighboring tribes was strangely furtive, as if they were plotting something in secret.

Cang Shan had apparently guessed what they were up to.

The day before the ceremony, he sought out Li Chang’an. “Lord Guardian God,” he said, his voice heavy with worry, “we’ve reclaimed most of the Lanji Tribe’s resources, but we still haven’t seen any sign of their elite troops… I think they’ve likely gone to other tribes to call for reinforcements!”

Hearing this, Li Chang’an smiled. “And so?”

Cang Shan’s brow tightened. “With your immense power, Your Excellency, dealing with a minor tribe like the Lanji is a simple matter. But if we let this pack of defeated dogs run around seeking aid, it will ultimately be a threat to our stability. Therefore, I want to take the offensive after the ceremony and wipe out the entire Lanji Tribe in one go. Let’s see if their chief can stand by and do nothing then!”

In truth, Li Chang’an didn’t really care.

But since he had been asked, Li Chang’an thought for a moment before replying, “You are the current chief of the Fusang Tribe. There is no need to consult me on such mundane affairs. Do as you see fit!”

That night, Li Chang’an observed the heavens and discovered that the next day’s ceremony would likely be held on an overcast and rainy day.

This discovery overjoyed him.

Because for him, this was the perfect time to assume his Transformed Form!

…

The next day, the Fusang Tribe, which had been in a state of panic after being attacked by numerous other tribes, finally regained some of its Vitality.

“BLAAAAAAARE!”

As the Priests, dressed in black-feathered robes, blew on giant ox horns, the grand sacrificial ceremony began.

Offerings of chickens, ducks, cattle, and sheep were placed upon the massive altar in front of the Divine Hall. The billowing smoke from the burning Incense stained half the sky red, and a peculiar fragrance filled the air around the entire platform.

The Power of Incense surged ceaselessly into the Divine Hall.

While the amount from any one individual was small, the cumulative total was immense.

Li Chang’an sat enthroned in the center of the Divine Hall, basking in the sacrificial Incense. Beside him stood the Divine Attendant Group, a formation of young women led by the Divine Envoy Banyue. Amid the swirling smoke, he truly cut the figure of an Incense Fire God.

As he felt more and more Power of Incense pouring into his body, Li Chang’an’s form grew increasingly ethereal. Yet his eyes, which possessed no physical substance, remained fixed on the sky.

He was waiting.

Waiting for the moment the dark clouds would appear.

The young Divine Attendants did not know what Li Chang’an was thinking. They only knew that in that moment, his form was emanating a terrifying aura the likes of which they had never felt before.

This ceremony was of a very high standard and an immense scale.

The Fusang Tribe had offered nearly all the supplies and food seized from the Lanji Tribe to Li Chang’an, and as a result, the ceremony was exceptionally long.

The ceremony lasted from morning until afternoon.

Just as the Priests were preparing to announce the end of the ceremony, a pitch-black cloud drifted in from nowhere. It seemed to have physical substance; the moment it drew near Santi Town, it blotted out all light from the sky.

Such a sudden cloud was clearly unnatural.

It threw the Fusang Tribe’s plans and arrangements into disarray.

But just as the people of the Fusang Tribe sensed something was wrong, ferocious battle cries erupted. In the nearby mountain forests, thousands upon thousands of soldiers, weapons in hand, emerged.

Among them was the chief of the Lanji Tribe, who had been missing until now.

When they saw him leading the charge, followed by the Guardian Gods of several other tribes, the celebrating members of the Fusang Tribe were clearly stunned.

They never expected that right after their Guardian God had made his show of power, these tribes would turn around and launch a counter-attack.

They were caught completely off guard.

Of course, that wasn’t the most important thing. What was most important was that the allied tribes had dispatched not just one Guardian God, but three!

Seeing the look of utter astonishment on Cang Shan’s face,

the Lanji Tribe’s chief spat on the ground and laughed maniacally. “Your Guardian God is certainly mystical and powerful. But it is precisely because your Guardian God is so powerful that we had to unite!”

Here, the Lanji chief paused before continuing, “In the last few days, I successfully persuaded the other chiefs. Rather than sit by and watch the Fusang Tribe grow, only to eventually begin devouring the lands of our smaller tribes, we decided it was better to call upon our Guardian Gods and strike a fatal blow while you were completely unprepared!”

“Now, not only will you become a feast for the taking, but your immobile Guardian God will become the nourishment we need for our own advancement!”

Hearing the Lanji chief’s words,

Cang Shan’s expression turned grim.

Evidently, while he knew the current Lanji Tribe chief was a ruthless and ambitious warlord, he never imagined the man could go to such lengths.

His own Guardian God was dead and his stronghold raided.

With no foundation left, he had still managed to persuade several other tribes—ones that were already considering retreat—and forcibly drag them onto his war chariot.