Enlightenment: Attaining the Dao at Age 8

This thing was a ticking time bomb. Anyone who got their hands on it would find it a hot potato, unsure of how best to handle it.

Of course, some were more decisive. After obtaining the Revised Martial Arts Manual, they immediately and secretly began promoting its cultivation within their tribes. After all, this world had never been short on rebels.

Many people had long held a deep-seated resentment toward the Cultivation System of the Celestial Realm and its Guardian Gods.

Now that the Fusang Tribe had developed a system that allowed humans to cultivate and become Extraordinary, only a complete fool would hand it over.

…

When he heard that every member of the Fusang Tribe had a copy of the Revised Martial Arts Manual and was spreading the Cultivation Method wherever they went, the Golden Lion’s thickly furred face broke out in a cold sweat.

The order from the Gods of the Celestial Realm was to annihilate the Fusang Tribe and purge any and all tribes associated with them.

But as things stood, he was still busy chasing the Fusang Tribe’s Guardian God!

And in the meantime, the Fusang Tribe’s Cultivation Method had spread throughout the entire Three Rivers Region.

He didn’t even dare to imagine how much effort it would take to clean up this mess if things were allowed to continue like this.

Just the thought of it gave the Golden Lion a splitting headache, and he couldn’t help but roar, “We should have annihilated this stinking, dogshit tribe at all costs over six hundred years ago!”

He had never imagined Li Chang’an would pull such a move, and now it was too late for regrets.

The chieftain of the Sunlight Tribe, who was part of the hunting party, wore an equally grim expression.

Still, he patiently tried to placate his Guardian God. “As long as we capture the main culprit, we’ll at least have something to report to the Celestial Realm. As for those scattered rogue cultivators… they’re a hassle, to be sure, but we have a thousand and one ways to deal with them!”

Hearing this, the Golden Lion’s expression eased somewhat. He waved a paw and said, “You’re right. There’s no use panicking. We must capture that bastard as soon as possible. I’ll kill him a thousand times over!”

They had been tracking Li Chang’an for nearly a month, chasing him all the way from the Three Rivers Region to the borders of the Central Plains.

Fortunately, according to the images in the Water Mirror, they were drawing nearer and nearer. They should be able to catch him very soon.

Just as they finished their long pursuit and arrived at a riverbank, they began to examine the area’s distorted temporal fluctuations. Suddenly, without any warning, a massive Fire Dragon erupted from the water beneath them.

With lightning speed, the Fire Dragon enveloped the Water Mirror, scorching its surface until it warped and let out an agonized series of CRACKS and POPS.

The Golden Lion reacted in a flash. He opened his mouth and spat, unleashing dozens of strangely shaped golden Weapons at once.

“HUMMM…”

“BOOM!!!”

A violent explosion rang out. The golden Weapons plunged from the sky into the river, instantly churning up a section dozens of meters wide and exposing the damp riverbed below.

Li Chang’an sensed how formidable this opponent was.

Judging from the speed and power of that attack alone, his opponent had likely completed his Molting and stepped over the threshold into the Divinity Transformation Realm.

The current Li Chang’an could, with some difficulty, handle an existence of this level.

But one couldn’t forget that his opponent had backup—and plenty of it. Among them, Li Chang’an could even sense beings just a sliver weaker than the Golden Lion.

Thus, having landed his surprise attack, Li Chang’an had no intention of sticking around to fight. He immediately turned tail and fled, vanishing into the river channel at incredible speed and making for the nearby jungle.

In a fit of shock and fury, the Golden Lion spat out dozens of golden Weapons.

The golden Weapons tore through the air in pursuit and slammed heavily into Li Chang’an’s back.

The other Guardian Gods weren’t idle either, and they all attacked at once.

In an instant, all manner of Magical Treasures, Weapons, and Attack Techniques rained down upon him.

Although Li Chang’an did his utmost to evade, the sheer number of attacks was overwhelming. No matter how he dodged, there was always something hot on his heels.

In the end, a few Techniques and Weapons still managed to strike Li Chang’an’s spine, causing him to stagger in mid-air.

“PFFT…”

Li Chang’an coughed up a mouthful of golden blood.

This was the first time he had been injured since arriving in this world.

Fortunately, his body had already evolved and transformed several times, reaching a state of incredible resilience. Even after suffering such a grievous wound, he was still able to steady himself and continue his escape.

The Golden Lion and the others certainly weren’t about to let him escape. They all unleashed their signature abilities, preparing to execute Li Chang’an on the spot.

However, Li Chang’an’s speed and physique were nothing to scoff at.

Among all those Guardian Gods, only the Golden Lion could barely keep up with him.

The two of them played a game of cat and mouse through the jungle for a good while until the Golden Lion fell for a Soul Fire trap Li Chang’an had casually laid, scorching all his fur black.

Although the immensely powerful Golden Lion wasn’t seriously injured by the Soul Fire, the incident caused him to lose Li Chang’an’s trail.

The Golden Lion was livid. The fur all over his body stood on end like steel needles.

Frantic with rage and with no other outlet, the Golden Lion swiped a paw, sending a chunk of earth dozens of meters wide flying. The entire land trembled and shook in response.

After venting for a moment, the Golden Lion finally calmed down. His gaze returned to the cracked surface of the Water Mirror. “Well?” he asked. “Can you still trace that damn bastard’s whereabouts?”