A black crow flew over a hill. A glint of light from the ground caught its attention.
Amidst the bushes, Daotian's body was no longer the ancient metal sphere but had gradually taken on a more lustrous appearance.
Whether by chance or perhaps fate's arrangement, the crow swooped down into the bushes, snatched him up, and flew towards the city.
...
After being dropped off by the group at his original location, Lin Hao said he wanted to walk the rest of the way himself. Naturally, Su Chen's bodyguards had no reason to bother him further and readily agreed.
Just as he stepped in front of his house, a strong wind blew, stirring up a dense cloud of dust and sand, making him squint.
A crow cawed high in the sky. The strong gust had caused it to drop Daotian.
THUMP!
Daotian fell straight onto Lin Hao's head. Lin Hao didn't even make a sound before collapsing unconscious, a large wound on his crown bleeding profusely.
Daotian's soul consciousness abruptly awakened, his mind filled with confusion.
'What's this? I haven't been asleep for long, and I've already encountered someone with trash-tier cultivation talent? Ah, damn it. Why is his life force fading so quickly? I wonder if this metal sphere has the ability to save people?' Daotian thought to himself, feeling somewhat rushed.
There were plenty of people in this world with trash-tier talent; he didn't necessarily believe Lin Hao possessed great will or determination.
But this was, after all, the first person he had luckily encountered so soon. He couldn't just let him die like this.
A stream of unfamiliar memories surfaced in his mind, and he immediately knew what to do next.
'So, I just need to make him my host to save him.' Daotian thought, then immediately acted.
The metal sphere now stirred, moving like a slime towards Lin Hao's right arm and enveloping it.
Its shape rapidly changed, finally transforming into a platinum-colored 'wristwatch.' It just looked very strange, more like a superhero transformation device than a timepiece.
The wound on Lin Hao's forehead also healed rapidly as a result, but he still hadn't regained consciousness.
...
In a dazed state, Lin Hao saw an unfamiliar ceiling.
He took a gentle breath; the scent of 'sickness' in the air made him freeze.
"Damn, my head hurts so much. Why does this place look so much like a hospital?" Lin Hao held his forehead, squinting as he looked around.
"You're awake?"
The unfamiliar voice made Lin Hao jump.
He looked left and right, sweat beginning to bead on his forehead.
'My head hurts this much, and now I'm hearing strange voices. Could it be... I hit my head so hard I've gone crazy?' The thought flashed through his mind, but he immediately shook his head.
"That doesn't make sense. If I were crazy, how could I think so clearly? What in the world is going on?" Muttering to himself, Lin Hao scanned the area where he thought the sound came from.
A slight heaviness on his wrist made him pause for a moment. Looking down, he saw a very cool-looking 'watch' that resembled a toy more than a functional timepiece.
"What's this? Why is this thing on my arm?" Lin Hao frowned, muttering as he prepared to take it off.
He wasn't a thief; if it wasn't his, he wouldn't use it.
???
Lin Hao gritted his teeth, his face contorted as he pulled hard on the watch, but it seemed fused with his body. No matter how he tugged or pried at it, it wouldn't budge an inch.
"Don't waste your effort. Now that I've chosen you as my host, you can't get rid of me." Daotian said, his tone carrying a hint of arrogance.
Even without a physical body, the initiative still lay with him. That was something to be proud of.
Lin Hao's eyes widened as he stared at his arm, his expression as bizarre as if he'd seen a ghost in broad daylight.
At this point, he no longer believed he was hallucinating. Clearly, the thing on his arm was no ordinary object.
"What exactly are you? Why did you call me your host?"
Though wary, a flicker of hope shone deep in his eyes. In this world that had only been in contact with cultivation for a hundred years, strange occurrences could signify a great opportunity.
"Wait a moment; it seems I've gained a new ability." Daotian didn't answer the question but instead focused his mind.
He had just discovered that after Lin Hao woke up, he had awakened a new capability.
'This feeling... It seems I have more initiative now, he thought to himself while willing the metal body to move.
The watch twisted and writhed like a wobbly water balloon, then detached from Lin Hao's arm.
Starting from a liquid form, it slowly rose to a height of just over a hand's span before stopping. More detailed features began to appear.
Three colors—platinum, gold, and blue—emerged and gradually became more defined. The metal sphere had now transformed into a small robot with a head half the size of its body.
"Ha ha ha, excellent!" Daotian raised his little fists to the sky and laughed heartily.
Compared to being limited to a watch or a metal sphere, the freedom to move around in this robot form was vastly superior.
He ran back and forth on his short, stubby legs, his speed as slow as a child's toy.
"Too slow. I think... I can fly," Daotian muttered, then closed his eyes to sense the space around him.
It felt very different from using spiritual energy to fly in the past. It was easier, as if his harmony with the world had skyrocketed.
He gently glided in a few circles around Lin Hao before landing on the bed.
"Haha, this speed is passable. Not exactly fast, but it'll do," Daotian nodded in approval, then looked at Lin Hao.
"Little friend, it's time we had a talk."