Left with no other choice, they could only return to the old path under Li Chang’an’s control.
...
「In the blink of an eye, ten years passed.」
Thanks to Li Chang’an’s protection, more and more people began entering the mountain via the rugged path.
This, naturally, brought Li Chang’an tremendous benefits.
In fact, his cultivation progressed faster during this period than at any other time in his past.
He enhanced his Spirituality by collecting Incense from the hunters and herb gatherers along the path.
After years of accumulation, one day in his thirties, Li Chang’an finally obtained the "Cultivation Entry Ticket." He established a faint connection with the world and could now begin to absorb the essence of heaven and earth!
This was, without a doubt, another enormous leap forward.
After all, while Li Chang’an did have an offensive ability similar to "Soul Fire," he himself possessed no real combat strength.
He couldn’t even move his own heavy body.
In the eyes of the world, Li Chang’an was just an ordinary stone. How could an ordinary stone possibly move on its own?
But as his Spirituality grew, Li Chang’an gradually transcended the category of an ordinary stone. Once he became capable of absorbing the Essence of Spiritual Qi, the situation became completely different.
Take his species, for example.
If, in the world’s perception, Li Chang’an was nothing more than an "ordinary stone" before awakening his Spirituality, then after accumulating enough of it, he had transformed into a "Stone Monster."
The former was a cold, inanimate object; the latter, a unique life-form born with intelligence...
One could only imagine the immense difference between the two.
Discovering he could cultivate, Li Chang’an was overjoyed. He began to face the morning sun each day, absorbing the purple qi.
As the massive stone began to faintly glow, the surrounding mountain mist seemed to breathe in rhythm with its light. From a distance, the sight was quite miraculous.
[Ding! You have successfully defied fate!]
[At thirty-three years old, you have undergone a complete transformation by stealing Incense, changing from an ordinary stone into a Stone Monster acknowledged by the world. You have taken your first step on the path of Cultivation.]
[However, the Path of Incense and Fire is like sailing against the current. From the moment you set foot upon it, your fate is no longer your own to control.]
[Reincarnation rating increased. You have gained an additional 30,000 Rebirth Points!]
Seeing the message on his retina and another thirty thousand Rebirth Points being added to his account, Li Chang’an’s already good mood became even better.
However, the warning that followed caught his serious attention.
After all, the Rebirth Mark generally didn’t reveal much information to a Reincarnator beyond the world’s background and their predetermined fate.
But now, the Rebirth Mark had issued an uncharacteristic warning.
This was clearly out of the ordinary.
’The Path of Incense and Fire is like sailing against the current. From the day I set foot on this path, my fate is no longer my own...’
’So isn’t this thing basically like capitalism?’
’From the moment I became involved with Incense, I’m no longer just a Cultivator. I’ve become a vessel for Incense.’
In truth, Li Chang’an found it very strange as well.
After all, the cultivation speed of the Incense and Candle Divine Dao was simply absurd. If it were really that powerful, its followers should have colonized other worlds long ago.
And yet, the ones Li Chang’an knew more about were still traditional Cultivators.
In other words, the Incense and Candle Divine Dao must have some kind of restriction.
Without such a restriction, this path would seem too incongruous.
Of course, even so, Li Chang’an had no regrets. He was just a stone in this life, after all, and the world didn’t offer many options for a stone.
For now, the Incense and Candle Divine Dao was the only way he could possibly escape his current predicament.
He shook his head. ’Those aren’t things I need to worry about yet. The only thing I need to focus on now is how to survive these first hundred years.’
’Or rather, how to survive this wildfire currently engulfing half the sky.’
Li Chang’an didn’t know when the wildfire had started. He only knew that by the time he saw the billowing smoke, the flames were already less than a few dozen meters away.
The scorching flames devoured everything. It took only a matter of minutes to incinerate a massive tree dozens of meters thick.
Trees continuously toppled throughout the mountain range.
From a distance, the red flames resembled a sunset.
It engulfed nearly half the sky.
Under the relentless, searing heat, more and more stones began to crack and explode. Li Chang’an could feel the scorching wave rolling toward him.
The flames drew ever closer.
Li Chang’an silently mulled over his options.
’According to my original fate, this fire—and the lightning strikes that might follow—were supposed to turn me into an Innately deficient, broken-horned bull.’
’For me now, the damage from this fire wouldn’t be as severe as it would have been originally, but if I let myself be engulfed by the flames without any precautions, I would definitely pay a heavy price.’
That was an unacceptable outcome.
Therefore, he had to find a reliable way to protect himself from the flames.
However, just as Li Chang’an was contemplating the most rational course of action...
a commotion arose from down the mountain.
A group of hunters and herb gatherers, along with their families, were hauling buckets of water up the mountain. They covered Li Chang’an with wet thatch, continuously dousing his body to cool it down.