Chapter Fifty: Enlightenment

In truth, Su Li had not gone far. At this moment, she stood atop a massive boulder, gazing into the distance.

“Sister Tuan, what are you looking at?” Azure Bird sidled up close.

Everywhere her eyes reached was marked by devastation and chaos.

What’s there to see? it thought, though it dared not utter such words aloud. It sensed keenly that Sister Tuan’s mood was low, so it quietly lingered by her side, its beady eyes flicking from her to the surroundings in bored intervals.

The wind blew softly; the afterglow of sunset spilled across the sky. In the stillness of all creation, standing between heaven and earth, the tangled threads of Su Li’s heart gradually settled into calm. Ever since a quarter of the seal on her beast core had been lifted, her perception had noticeably sharpened.

Her ears twitched slightly. Faintly, she seemed to hear hushed whispers. Holding her breath, she listened intently. The voices surged from all directions, growing louder, more chaotic.

What was this?

The feelings of tens of thousands of ill-fated demon beasts who had perished! There was grief, anger, defiance against fate, and helplessness at their own weakness… It surged toward her like a boundless sea, enveloping her completely.

Was it truly because of human greed that countless lives had been lost? Was this what was called a rule, or the so-called Way? If so, should such a Way even exist?

Suddenly, her eyes changed color.

A clap of thunder exploded from a clear sky, and a bolt of lightning as thick as a wrist split across the heavens. A wild wind howled, inky clouds gathered and roiled, making all creatures beneath them tremble.

Azure Bird, terrified, curled itself into a ball, but found the aura emanating from Sister Tuan even more intimidating. Its claws felt as if they’d taken root—unable to move at all.

In an instant, thunder rolled and churned, plunging heaven and earth into gloom.

Su Li abruptly looked up.

Her golden eyes were tinged with faint anger, her lips curled with a half-smile. She asked, “What is the Way? If the Way gives birth to One, One to Two, Two to Three, Three to all things—why does life arise, why does it perish, and to where does it return?”

Thunder boomed.

Her senses suddenly expanded without limit. She was a particle, a speck of light, a wisp of wind… She saw the myriad phenomena of the world revive, spring blossom, and all things flourish.

She asked again, “If all beings dwell within the Way, and all things embrace yin and bear yang, harmonizing the vital breath, then how can those who have passed find peace, and how can the endless cycle of life be ensured?”

Thunder rumbled on.

In that moment, she seemed to stand within the universe itself, feeling sunrise and sunset, the turning of the seasons. From destruction to rebirth, the cycle repeated endlessly.

She asked once more, “Then where does the Way reside? If yin and yang blend and merge, and beyond the limitless is yet the limitless, if something primordial forms before heaven and earth, transformed by the Way, returning to the root and fate, becoming all things…”

“Sister Tuan!”

A cry of alarm broke abruptly by her ear, snapping Su Li out of her revelation. The golden light faded from her feline eyes.

The thunder in the sky ceased instantly; in a moment, all strange phenomena vanished without a trace.

The same gentle breeze. The same setting sun.

Sensing it had made a mistake, the foolish bird shrank itself into a tight ball, trying to minimize its presence.

Just then, Su Li glanced sidelong at it, a hint of amusement in her eyes.

She was clearly smiling, yet Azure Bird felt a chill down its spine, its feathers standing on end.

“S-sister Tuan…” it heard its own trembling voice.

Su Li said nothing, just looked at it, the coldness in her gaze seeping through.

Azure Bird dared not even sweat.

Seeing her suddenly lift her paw, it squeezed its eyes shut. Its tail unconsciously lifted, as if making it easier for her to strike.

Fool!

Utterly foolish!

Su Li couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity.

Forget it, the time is not yet right. Even though she hadn’t fully grasped her insight, she now understood what the furball’s third hidden skill was. Given time, she would certainly master it.

As for this one before her… Su Li chuckled softly and plucked a colorful feather from the tip of its tail.

Pain shot from its rump to the top of its head. Azure Bird shuddered, opened its eyes, and saw Sister Tuan smiling. Dazed, it offered its rear, wearing the tragic expression of a martyr, and said, “Sister Tuan, take as many as you like. Pluck as many feathers as you wish.”

Bald is bald! Trading tail feathers for a life was worth it.

Su Li merely hummed, her tone unreadable.

The foolish bird grew even more anxious.

As the last rays of the sun dipped below the mountain, dusk deepened.

“Let’s go.” Su Li set off.

Azure Bird was left momentarily stunned. What did that mean? Why wasn’t she going to hit it? It was still waiting, after all.

Staring at her receding figure for a long while, it failed to recover its wits.

“Foolish bird, aren’t you coming?” Her lazy voice drifted back on the cool evening breeze.

Azure Bird blinked, then hurried after her. “Sister Tuan, wait for me!”

When the two beasts returned to the cave, the youth was already cultivating. Spiritual energy poured into his body, his consumption even greater than that of Tiger Soul or Blue Jade Flood Dragon, both several realms above him.

Su Li watched for a while, confirmed his state was steady, and relaxed. She nestled into a soft little bed made from a folded cloak. Before her was a storage ring without spiritual awareness, filled with all kinds of spirit pills and fruits, even her favorite snack—dried silverfish.

The youth truly was attentive.

Her tail unconsciously curled up. Su Li tucked the feather she had plucked into her left side, shot a sidelong warning glance at the silent fool, and said, “Don’t you dare come near tonight.”

Azure Bird nodded fervently.

By the second half of the night, as the cave fell silent and the wind howled outside, the trembling fool crept closer in secret…

“Chirp!”

A cerulean shadow was slapped out of the cave.

Within, the one youth and two beasts, deep in seclusion, remained oblivious, quietly absorbing spiritual energy as always.

They trained diligently, and Su Li and Azure Bird were not idle either.

At sunrise, the chubby, round bird bore her across the secret realm, rambling about as her beast of burden. They gathered spirit fruits, dug up spirit herbs, and returned punctually at sunset.

After more than half a month of hard practice, the foolish bird had not grown thinner, but fatter still, its body ballooning like an overfilled bladder, which left Su Li somewhat exasperated.

One day, as drizzling rain fell outside the cave, the two demon beasts lounged about, gnawing spirit fruits.

Suddenly, the spiritual energy around them began to churn, rushing madly toward the youth lost in cultivation. Vast, domineering energy rapidly forced open his meridians, tearing his fascia inch by inch, only to be instantly repaired and nourished, his tendons and bones growing tougher with every cycle.

Agony!

Pain to the marrow.

A metallic taste filled Shen Luo’s mouth as he clenched his teeth, patiently guiding the flow. The spiritual energy roamed through his body, condensing ever denser and purer, finally gathering in his dantian.

This was the sign of a breakthrough!

The two demon beasts sat close, forming a circle beside him. The youth’s reciprocated spiritual energy fell like spring rain, nourishing all around in silence.

Su Li only felt a wonderful ease, her exhaustion of days swept away.

As for Azure Bird, it benefited immensely—still young and weak, it drew in the energy with all its might. Before long, its sky-blue feathers turned a bright orange, while its rotund shape remained unchanged… Hah! Wasn’t this exactly like the big yellow rooster at the village gate?