Enlightenment: Attaining the Dao at Age 8 - Chapter 70 - 65: Child of Destiny?
Chapter 70: Chapter 65: Child of Destiny?
Seeing the eager look on his face, the old man realized for the first time just how annoying it could be when these princes and princesses were so dedicated to the Martial Dao.
He couldn’t help but wave his hand. “Forget it, forget it. Go on. If you find your answer in the future, you can come and tell me. I can even help you ascend to the throne!”
Li Chang’an smiled and started up the wooden stairs to the second floor. Only then did he call back, “If I wanted to be the Emperor, I’d just do it. I don’t need anyone’s support!”
What he said could be considered an act of high treason.
But the old man was stunned for a moment, then burst into a hearty laugh. “You’re right! If you want to be the Emperor, just do it. You don’t need anyone’s support. If all your brothers and sisters had your resolve, how could I ever worry about the prosperity of our Great Derivation?”
Clearly, after so many years, he had developed an entrenched belief.
He seemed to believe that the Emperors of Great Derivation all needed the support of old-timers like them to secure the throne.
In reality, however, the throne of the Great Derivation had always gone to the most capable. As long as a succeeding Prince’s fist was strong enough to crush all dissent, he needed no help or support from anyone.
The only reason things had become this way was, ultimately, a lack of capability.
…
And so, the two-year-old Li Chang’an began to peruse the collection of books on the second floor of the Library Pavilion.
The second floor mostly housed the numerous Second-class Cultivation Techniques the Dayan Imperial Family had collected over millennia. While the number of volumes was less than a third of the first floor’s ocean-like collection, the value of these Cultivation Technique Secret Manuals was nearly ten times that of the first floor’s.
As Li Chang’an read every day, he could clearly feel his flashes of inspiration increasing.
Higher-value Cultivation Techniques provided more nourishment for his Heaven-defying Comprehension, and thus the insights he gained were naturally more complete.
However, just as he had unknowingly devoured more than half of the Cultivation Techniques on the second floor, he suddenly heard a commotion downstairs. Frowning, he put down his book and looked down toward the entrance of the Library Pavilion.
At the entrance of the Library Pavilion stood a young man and woman who had arrived at some unknown time. The man, dressed in a Python Robe, was remarkably handsome and exuded an air of indescribable nobility.
The woman wore a pale yellow Peony Phoenix Patterned Flower Brocade Skirt. Her black hair cascaded like a waterfall, and she carried herself with a sharp, clever grace.
The pair approached the entrance of the Library Pavilion.
The man in the Python Robe took a White Jade Pipe from his sleeve and presented it to the old man, speaking with the utmost respect. “Six Ancestors, I heard you enjoy a good smoke. This Prince took the liberty of searching the Inner Treasury and specially selected this White Jade Pipe for you. I hope you will accept it.”
The young woman then produced a green wine gourd, gave it a little shake, and said, “Sixth Grand-ancestor, this is the finest wine sent as tribute from Jiangnan this year. My father, the Emperor, rarely even indulges in it himself. I snuck a little gourd out for you! Make sure you drink it alone, and please don’t let my father find out!”
The old man glanced at the White Jade Pipe but didn’t accept it.
He did, however, take the fine wine from her. “Alright, Lin Girl,” he said nonchalantly, “don’t waste your breath on me. Whether or not your brother becomes the Emperor isn’t something I can decide all by myself.”
Seeing the Grand-ancestor refuse his pipe, the man in the Python Robe looked rather awkward and reluctantly withdrew his hand.
Hearing this, the woman’s gaze darkened for a moment, but she quickly forced a smile. “Sixth Grand-ancestor, don’t be so modest. Everyone knows you were a world-renowned Grandmaster three hundred years ago! But we really didn’t come to beg for favors. We came to the Library Pavilion to look for a powerful Cultivation Technique Secret Manual!”
The old man sounded surprised. “Oh? You know how to read now? Did the sun rise in the west this morning?”
The woman, the one called Lin Girl, stuck out her tongue playfully. “Sixth Grand-ancestor, have you forgotten what next month is?”
“Ah, so that’s it. Next month is the grand tournament for the Clan Relatives!” The old man realized, shaking his head with a wry laugh. “Never putting in the effort, then waiting until you’re about to shit your pants to pull them down. You youngsters…”
Hearing such vulgar words, the woman’s pretty face flushed bright red. Her slender brows shot up. “Sixth Grand-ancestor, what are you talking about? We practice all the time!”
The old man just shook his head, though his tone softened slightly as he gestured to the Library Pavilion behind him. “Go on up. You both know the rules.”
At this, the two nodded and walked straight into the Library Pavilion.
The pair clearly had high standards, as the Cultivation Technique Secret Manuals on the first and second floors were beneath their notice. They headed straight for the third floor, never crossing paths with Li Chang’an.
Li Chang’an merely glanced down from the second floor before losing interest.
He turned back to the bookshelves to continue his search.
But at some point, the old man had come up behind him, wine gourd in hand. “Kid,” he said, “the Imperial Clan Grand Tournament is next month. Interested?”
Li Chang’an replied without even turning around, “What do you think?”
The old man knew he wasn’t interested, of course, but he just swirled the wine gourd and asked with a knowing tone, “Are the books on the second floor enough for you to read?”
Li Chang’an didn’t understand his meaning. He replied while flipping through a book, “When it comes to Cultivation Technique Secret Manuals, the more the better. There’s no such thing as ’enough’.”
Seeing this, the old man said in a relaxed, unhurried manner, “The Library Pavilion has six floors. But that Waist Token of yours only grants you access up to the third. Aren’t you the least bit curious about what’s hidden on the fourth, fifth, and sixth floors?”
At these words, Li Chang’an, who had been flipping through a book, suddenly froze.
Seeing that he had captured the boy’s full attention, the old man felt the fine wine in his mouth suddenly taste a little sweeter.
In their previous encounters, Li Chang’an’s nonchalant attitude had more than once left him fuming in frustration.
But now, he had discovered that Li Chang’an seemed to have only one particular interest: the Cultivation Technique Secret Manuals in the Library.
The boy was absolutely ravenous for them.
Now that he had found Li Chang’an’s weakness, an idea immediately formed. He said bluntly, “I’ll be honest with you. Even your father, the Emperor, can only enter the fourth, fifth, and sixth floors alone. The highest clearance he can grant to you Princes is access to the third floor of the Library Pavilion!”
He paused, and seeing that Li Chang’an had finally turned to face him, he took another sip of wine. With a glint in his eye, he continued, “If you want to get permission to enter the fourth floor, this grand tournament is your chance. Well? Are you interested now?”
Li Chang’an put down his book. “I think I can,” he said seriously.
At this, the old man burst out laughing, a truly hearty and unrestrained sound. After guarding the Library Pavilion for so many years, he had grown used to the sole, dull company of books.
The sudden appearance of Li Chang’an had allowed the old man to feel a spark of genuine amusement he hadn’t experienced in a long, long time.
“Sixth Grand-ancestor, what are you doing? Why are you laughing so loudly all of a sudden?” The displeased voice of the woman called Lin Girl drifted down from the stairwell between the second and third floors.
She had already found the Cultivation Technique she was looking for, and upon hearing the laughter, she had called her brother over to come down to the second floor, a place they seldom visited.
When she saw that their normally eccentric Sixth Grand-ancestor was speaking with a boy who looked no older than five or six, her expression grew even stranger. “Sixth Grand-ancestor,” she asked, puzzled, “who is this?”
She had never seen Li Chang’an before.
But anyone who could enter the Library Pavilion was no mere nobody.
Thus, her curiosity was immediately piqued.
The old man suppressed his smile, his gaze growing profound. “Oh, him? He is your youngest brother. He is also the Child of Destiny, sent by the ancestors to save our Great Derivation!”
Hearing this, not only the young woman, but even the man in the Python Robe behind her found their eyes widening in disbelief. They even wondered if they were hearing things.
’The Child of Destiny, sent by the ancestors to save our Great Derivation?’
’What does that even mean?’
But the old man had no intention of explaining. He looked straight at Li Chang’an and chuckled. “Kid, I’ve stoked the fire for you. Don’t let me down!”
Seeing this, Li Chang’an could only give a wry smile.
…
