A Dream (1400+)

Heavenly Dragon City.

A tavern.

Ash Gray the Daoist watched Aaron wolf down meat and guzzle wine by the bowl, his expression rather strange.

It was probably the feeling of seeing a wine-and-meat monk—especially one who looked so young!

Aaron ignored him and tore apart a roast chicken, devouring it.

This body was still young. It needed more nutrition to grow.

As he ate and drank, he chatted with Ash Gray the Daoist.

Fortunately, this old Daoist was quite an interesting fellow. He claimed to come from Three Ram Temple, which had been destroyed amid the ravages of war, leaving its disciples scattered and adrift. Yet he had still managed to muddle along—not well, but at least he had neither starved to death nor been killed by bandits in some desolate wilderness. Instead, he had gained a wealth of experience.

That happened to make up for Aaron's lack in that regard.

"In the ninth year of Xianzong, a demon star appeared, and the realm fell into chaos..." Ash Gray sighed. "Mars guarded the Heart, and Kill-Break-Wolf descended into the world... Alas, what sin had the common people committed?"

"That's too far off. Tell me something closer to home..." Aaron picked up another braised pork knuckle. "Are there really people fated by demon stars in this world?"

"The two of us—one Buddhist, one Daoist... What do you think?" Ash Gray gnawed messily on a chicken claw, wiped the wine from his beard, and tossed the question back at him.

"I don't know..."

Aaron shook his head. He truly didn't know.

There was even less to say about this body. Born a savage, what the hell could it possibly know?

The little Great Liang script he knew had been learned from reading Buddhist scriptures at Rotten Buddha Temple.

Unfortunately, before he could