Chapter 7
"I must leave. Even if enlightenment fails to meet its mark, random variables must be taken into account, anticipating dismemberment and the end of the self, only to become nourishment for the soil."
Understanding that the scope of the area was far from safe, every step forward was oriented toward survival, ensuring continuity in his pace as he pressed beyond the standard limits, striving to maintain his presence as the Enlightened Exiled God.
Every so often he turned his head, sharp glances sharper than any blade, cutting through the shifting shadows of passing faces.
Though he understood that ugliness required no more than a countdown from this very moment.
Yet when judged from various angles, the absence of one or two anomalies was proof enough—it was far too much for a wandering herbalist like Ling Xu to handle so calmly.
Calamity—it was none other than the grandeur of catastrophe itself, impossible to repel.
Deep within his own heart, Ling Xu also knew, his instincts had been pressed too tightly, the suppressed reactions now erupting in excess, forcing themselves to surface.
Since childhood, he had trained, forcing an orphan like himself to master intuition.
After hearing, from whispered lips, of the disgraceful deaths of his parents, his survival in the wilderness became a test, sharpening his thoughts, training him to decide at the very edge of life and death.
It was difficult to deny, but it was this vigilance that allowed Ling Xu to survive.
Each warning bell echoed from his subconscious, meridians flaring to life, compelling him to act swiftly—packing up, leaving, abandoning routine before death itself could seize him.
Adding to this was the bitterness of experience, now second nature, which made his feet hasten further—choosing to flee from danger rather than face the delay of hesitation.
"The borders of Jingshen Capital stretch across tens of miles, while the southwest of Yun Dong extends into the millions."
'An extra journey of several months.'
"There's no choice. Staying in the Xuelan Camp must be the top priority. Less than a mile away—it's the best option for this escape."
He decided to halt, to weigh the best choices available. Concentrating his energy, he compressed the fluctuations of his aura into his legs. In an instant, the winds tore around him, striking his face again and again as his body no longer touched the earth.
Though it was not overwhelming, he kept careful control over his energy, ensuring his body remained afloat.
Concealment was, without doubt, the utmost priority.
He had faced various possible places of refuge, yet the distances forced him to alter course, turning toward Xuelan Camp as the logical destination.
The beginning of this journey had never been meant to change so suddenly.
It was no coincidence that the tents of Xuelan Camp were known as the best zones of safety.
Around tens of miles away, requiring only two to ten days of flight at full speed, it was indeed feasible.
But whether capital, village, or household within the region of Jingshen, all were cruel, spreading rumors everywhere, tormenting slaves, especially Exiled Gods.
Most Buangan were forced to work unpaid.
Even worse, men were stripped of their freedom, reduced to little more than dogs.
Women, whether grown or children, were taught to serve as cheap prostitutes.
Millions of miles away, however, Yun Dong was filled with peace in every corner.
Though strict patrols often captured countless criminals, what was gained was no more than a surface glance—just a fraction of the vast business surrounding the trade of Basic Stars.
At times, dismembered limbs were displayed in public. Only days before Ling Xu had chosen this path, rumors spread that not one, but dozens of bodies had been scattered across neighborhoods.
Each week, one or two corpses were found in pieces. Worse still, such crimes became a mere joke, defining the absence of strangeness, underlining the apathy of individuals in a land where the strong shook heaven and earth.
As for Xuelan Camp, although many leaders were lustful, often marrying outsiders, they were still known for holding hands with their people—helping not only fellow Xuelan, but also travelers from beyond.
Even if the women were sometimes anxious, peace could still be maintained, and lascivious behavior tolerated, at least within certain bounds.
For now, handling it was enough, until the time came.
And should it ever be revealed that Ling Xu was to be taken as yet another concubine, an outlet of lust, he would step away or act in ways that shamed those leaders in front of all.
After all, he was only a guest.
Beyond strengthening his cultivation for his own sake, his services remained available, waiting to see if anyone desired the aid of a wandering healer.
With such clarity of conclusion, flight resumed toward the horizon.
It was not impossible for him to soar across the skies.
Though the mandate of the Great Star was stripped from him, his innate talent still clung tightly, refusing to vanish, refusing to be erased since the presence of the Great Star—symbol of God and Power—was inseparable.
More than that, in recent years of wandering, healing without asking for capture, he had often heard it said—cultivators at any level could fly.
Wishing to shorten time, to test himself, he took flight for the first time. Words of awe scattered within his thoughts, marveling that his body floated at a height neither too close to the clouds nor too close to the earth.
Not belonging to either state brought joy again and again, happiness undeniable as his lightened body surged forward with ease.
He had gone far, his stamina still unbroken.
Even setting aside Humanity's principle buried deep in his subconscious, the balance of dual forces was excessive, beyond his expectations, closing less than a mile in distance with steady rhythm.
Half the path had already been crossed.
In only moments, his feet would touch the ground, allowing him to walk to keep his legs healthy.
It was an achievement—one well earned.
"Now I've become an Enlightened Beginner. But how do I advance to higher realms?"
Various methods flashed across his mind, for though the Great Star had been left behind, days still lay ahead—enough time to chase success. Thus every opportunity must be seized, every advantage taken, regardless of wounds or sacrifice.
Advancing, as written by fate.
"So many options, right? Then what about killing? You know, eliminating one another."
It was orthodox, yes—but also the best gain. To break through with only a few steps, to navigate the complex vows required for ascending step by step, uncaged by borders.
"By the way, healing a Warrior—is it worth a full tenth of a Great Star fragment?"
Precisely so.
"Combining and merging shattered Stars to forge an additional one? I see now—cultivation is far too heavy to interpret from only one side."
To be continued…