Dao Gu: The Ultimate Dao is Solitary

Xiao Chen wakes up in a dilapidated temple, his head wounded and memories scattered. A little girl named Xiao Ya, six or seven years old, calls out to him joyfully, and two older boys, Huzi and Shi Tou, soon arrive, relieved he has regained consciousness after three days. They are a group of orphans struggling to survive in the wilderness, eking out a living by scavenging food. Xiao Chen slowly pieces together his identity and his bonds with these companions.

The group's daily life is harsh. Huzi, the oldest, insists on practicing martial arts at dawn, but without cultivation techniques, their training is only physical. Xiao Chen is initially skeptical of its use, but he understands that a strong body is necessary for survival. Xiao Ya, the youngest, often stands night watch. Xiao Chen's injury came from a fight over a wild rabbit, when someone struck him on the head with a stone, nearly killing him.

While recovering, Xiao Chen discovers a strange stone wall within his mind—a fragment that had struck him during a meteorite fall. This fragment is part of the Cosmic Wall, and by focusing on it, he briefly witnesses the birth of the world, the primordial chaos and the formation of heaven and earth. Though he does not yet understand its purpose, he realizes it is no ordinary stone.

Huzi and Shi Tou depart for a distant mountain range called Luoshan, hoping to find food and a better life. Days pass, and they do not return. Xiao Chen and Xiao Ya wait in growing worry, their nights filled with danger. A large wild beast approaches their shelter, stopping just outside the door, but after a tense standoff it retreats. The two endure the wilderness nights, their bond deepening.

On the third day, an immortal elder arrives asking for water. He is immediately struck by Xiao Ya's clear eyes and offers to take her as his disciple, promising her a path of cultivation. Xiao Chen, suspicious and protective, questions the elder's abilities, pointing out that the elder cannot perform the miraculous feats Xiao Chen asks about. The elder, flustered and unable to answer, gives Xiao Ya a jade token and says she may summon him if she ever changes her mind. He then leaves, flying away on a rainbow light.

Xiao Chen and Xiao Ya watch him disappear into the distance. Xiao Chen feels a profound sense of relief. Though the elder left without answering his questions, Xiao Chen understands that the world is larger than he imagined. He stands with Xiao Ya, the two of them leaning on each other, ready to face whatever hardships come next, sustained by their newfound hope and the mysterious stone within his mind. The broken temple remains their home, and the wilderness still stretches around them, but the encounter with the immortal has opened a door to possibilities beyond mere survival.