Enlightenment: Attaining the Dao at Age 8

”Companion? Who does she think she is? She’s not worthy of being a companion of mine,” Zhou Ze said disdainfully. ”But, this girl is quite pretty. I might consider taking her on as a maid.”

”Zhou Ze, don’t you go too far!” Li Chang’an said angrily.

”Too far? So what if I am? What are you going to do about it?” Zhou Ze said arrogantly. ”If you know what’s good for you, scram. Don’t get in the way of my treasure hunt!”

”Treasure hunt? You’re looking to die!” Li Chang’an said, raising his Saw Chain Sword to charge at Zhou Ze.

”Captain, don’t be rash!” Shen Qiuyue quickly stopped Li Chang’an. ”We need to save Ruo Xi first, that’s what’s important!”

”But...” Li Chang’an hesitated.

”Don’t worry. I’ll handle Zhou Ze,” Shen Qiuyue said, stepping in front of him. ”Young Master Zhou, I suggest you leave. This is no place for you.”

”Leave? What a joke! Why should I leave?” Zhou Ze sneered. ”The treasures in these ruins are all mine. Don’t any of you even think about taking them!”

”Treasures? You mean this Crystal Ball?” Shen Qiuyue asked, pointing to it.

”That’s right. One look at this Crystal Ball and you can tell it’s no ordinary item. It must be worth a fortune!” Zhou Ze said smugly.

”Young Master Zhou, you’ve misunderstood. This Crystal Ball isn’t some treasure. It’s a device for a Seal,” Shen Qiuyue said.

”A device for a Seal? What’s that supposed to mean?” Zhou Ze asked.

”A powerful creature is sealed within this Crystal Ball. If that Seal is broken, the consequences will be unimaginable,” Shen Qiuyue explained.

”A powerful creature? How powerful?” Zhou Ze asked.

”More powerful than you can possibly imagine. Powerful enough to destroy the entire planet,” Shen Qiuyue said.

”Destroy the entire planet? Who are you trying to fool?” Zhou Ze said, unconvinced. ”I don’t believe a word of your nonsense. You’re just trying to trick me into leaving so you can have the treasure for yourself!”

”Believe what you will. I’ve given you my warning,” Shen Qiuyue said flatly.

”Hmph. Enough talk. I’m opening this Crystal Ball today to see what’s really inside!” Zhou Ze said, moving to touch it.

”Stop!” Shen Qiuyue cried, trying to block him. ”You can’t open it!”

”Get out of my way!” Zhou Ze shoved Shen Qiuyue aside and reached for the Crystal Ball.

”You’re asking to die!” Shen Qiuyue roared, drawing her Dueling Sword and lunging at Zhou Ze.

”Stop!” Li Chang’an suddenly shouted. ”Don’t hurt him!”

Shen Qiuyue froze, looking at Li Chang’an in confusion.

”Captain, why did you stop me? This guy is nothing but trouble!” Shen Qiuyue said.

”I know. But he’s from the Galaxy Group, after all. We can’t kill him,” Li Chang’an said.

”But...” Shen Qiuyue started to say, but Li Chang’an cut her off.

”Say no more. I know what to do,” Li Chang’an said, walking up to Zhou Ze. ”Young Master Zhou, I advise you to listen to Shen Qiuyue. Don’t open this Crystal Ball, or you’ll regret it.”

”Regret? The word ’regret’ isn’t in my vocabulary!” Zhou Ze said disdainfully. ”Stop with your scare tactics. I’m not falling for it!”

”In that case, you’re on your own,” Li Chang’an said, stepping aside.

”Hmph, good that you know your place!” Zhou Ze smirked, reaching out to touch the Crystal Ball.

Just then, the Crystal Ball suddenly erupted in a blinding flash of light that illuminated the entire space.

Zhou Ze let out a piercing scream as the light blasted him away, sending him crashing heavily to the ground.

”Second Young Master!” The two bodyguards rushed forward to help Zhou Ze up.

”COUGH, COUGH... What was that?” Zhou Ze asked, clutching his chest and coughing.

”We don’t know. Perhaps it’s some kind of self-defense mechanism on the Crystal Ball,” one of the bodyguards said.

”Self-defense mechanism? Hmph, I refuse to be spooked by this!” Zhou Ze said, walking toward the Crystal Ball again.

”Young Master Zhou, don’t!” Li Chang’an shouted.

But Zhou Ze paid him no mind, reaching for the Crystal Ball once more.

This time, the Crystal Ball didn’t flash with light. Instead, a black vortex appeared and sucked Zhou Ze inside.

”Second Young Master!” the two bodyguards cried out. They tried to save Zhou Ze, but the vortex’s power threw them back.

The vortex vanished, and the Crystal Ball grew calm again, as if nothing had ever happened.

”Wh-what just happened?” one bodyguard asked in terror, staring at the Crystal Ball.

”I don’t know... maybe... maybe he was sucked inside,” the other bodyguard said.

”Sucked inside? Then what do we do? Should we try to save the Second Young Master?”

”Save him? How? We have no idea where he was taken!”

”Then... what should we do?”

”What else can we do? We have to hurry back and report to the Master!”

With that, the two bodyguards stumbled away from the core area.

”Captain, Zhou Ze... he was sucked into the Crystal Ball?” Sun Yang asked in disbelief, staring at the sphere.

”Yes,” Li Chang’an confirmed with a nod.

”Then... what will happen to him?” Sun Yang asked.

”I don’t know. He might be dead, or he might have been teleported somewhere else,” Li Chang’an said.

”Dead? Then... won’t the people from the Galaxy Group come after us?” Sun Yang asked, worried.

”We’ll handle whatever comes our way. There’s no need to be afraid of them,” Li Chang’an said calmly.

”But...” Sun Yang began to protest, but Shen Qiuyue cut him off.

”Enough. Don’t overthink it. Saving Ruo Xi is our priority right now!” Shen Qiuyue said.