Primordial Survival? First, Distinguish East and West!

"Live... "

These three words pressed down on Lin Xuan's heart like heavy stones, dispelling the unrealistic fantasies in his mind and the slight excitement of just obtaining his golden finger.

The Primordial Era world, this is not a game, there is no chance to save and reload. Here, one wrong step means complete annihilation, and even reincarnation might be a luxury.

He forced himself to calm down, leaning against the cold rock, and began to carefully sort out his current situation.

First, himself. He felt his body; it seemed to be that of a thirteen or fourteen-year-old boy, extremely thin. But strangely, his bones and muscles felt much tougher than his programmer body from his previous life, which had been hollowed out. At least he could move under this terrifying pressure. Was this the only benefit of transmigration? Or perhaps the rules of this world were different, and all living beings had a higher starting point?

Second, the environment. He looked up again, gazing in awe at the colossal silhouette supporting the heavens and earth—Buzhou Mountain. The pillar of heaven formed from Pangu's spine, the mere pressure emanating from its foothills felt like carrying a mountain on his back. Although this pressure was terrifying, it also seemed to contain a trace of indescribable ancient Dao rhythm. With each breath, although his lungs stung, a subtle, almost imperceptible warm current flowed into his limbs.

"Spiritual Energy?" Lin Xuan suddenly realized, "This must be the legendary Innate Spiritual Energy. It's terrifyingly dense, but also so violent it could tear mortals apart."

He recalled the countless novels he had read where protagonists, after transmigrating, often couldn't absorb spiritual energy directly because it was too concentrated. He seemed to have no such problem? Was it because this body was a product of this world, or was it the credit of the Nine Revolutions Profound Technique or the Chaos Bead?

Thinking of cultivation techniques, he immediately sank his consciousness into his mind. The introductory chapter of the Nine Revolutions Profound Technique was profoundly mysterious, with every word a gem, expounding on the most fundamental path of body refinement, unlocking the body's potential, simulating the Great God Pangu, and proving the Dao through strength. Merely understanding the most basic Qi-guiding method made him dizzy.

"This difficulty... truly lives up to its reputation." Lin Xuan gave a wry smile. But he had no choice; this was the foundation of his survival in this world.

He tried to assume a strange posture as described in the technique, coordinating it with a specific breathing rhythm, to draw in the violent Innate Spiritual Energy around him. The process was extremely painful, as if countless tiny steel needles were piercing his pores, but with each successful breath, a faint yet undeniably real sense of strength flowed into his muscles and bones, offsetting some of the pressure from heaven and earth.

"It's effective!" Lin Xuan's spirits lifted. Although the progress was incredibly slow, he was genuinely getting stronger!

He cultivated for about half an hour (he roughly estimated the time based on his heartbeat and breathing) until his mind was utterly exhausted, and then he stopped. His stomach was growling with hunger.

The other great challenge for survival—food and water.

He carefully crawled out of the rock crevice where he was hiding, cautiously observing his surroundings. The aura of the Chaos Bead (incomplete) naturally emanated, seeming to have the effect of driving away low-level beasts. Along the way, he only saw a few small creatures the size of rabbits, resembling squirrels, fleeing in panic. He did not encounter any aggressive creatures like the rock pigs.

Using his programmer's logical thinking, he began to analyze: there were plants, and small herbivorous creatures, so there must be a water source nearby. He observed the terrain and moved towards the direction that seemed relatively low-lying and had denser vegetation.

As expected, after passing through a forest of strange rocks, he heard the sound of trickling water. Following the sound, a clear stream, only about ten feet wide, appeared before him. The stream emitted a faint spiritual energy. Drinking a mouthful, it was sweet and refreshing, not only quenching his thirst but also relieving some of his fatigue.

"Innate Spiritual Water?" Lin Xuan was overjoyed. He quickly used a large leaf he found to make a container, drank his fill, and stored some in the mustard seed space of the Chaos Bead.

The water problem was solved, but what about food? He looked at the stream; small, finger-sized fish, crystal clear all over, swam within. He tried to catch them, but found his speed pitifully slow; he couldn't catch any at all. He looked at the surrounding trees; some bore strange fruits, brightly colored, but he didn't dare to eat them randomly—who knew if they were poisonous.

Finally, he could only set his sights back on those "docile" small creatures. With great effort, using the terrain and a simple trap (digging a small pit), he finally caught one of those squirrel-like animals.

Sustenance was a problem. Rubbing sticks to make fire? In this place rich in spiritual energy, the wood was as hard as iron, and no sparks could be produced. Just as he was worrying, the system's voice in his mind sounded lazily:

[Detected host's survival needs, triggering mini-quest: First Fire.]

[Quest Requirement: Successfully start a fire.]

[Quest Reward: Basic Living Skill · Art of Fire Control (Minute Level).]

[Failure Penalty: Host may suffer diarrhea from eating raw meat, and diarrhea in the Primordial Era... good luck.]

Lin Xuan: "...Thank you for the reminder!"

Although the system's words were harsh, the quest reward was exactly what he urgently needed. He gathered dry twigs and flammable dry moss, recalling the techniques for starting a fire used by primitive humans. His hands were rubbed raw, and finally, in the afterglow of the sunset, a faint flame flickered to life!

[Ding! Quest Complete. Reward Issued: Art of Fire Control (Minute Level).]

A piece of simple information flowed into his mind, detailing small techniques for using a minuscule amount of magic power to ignite and control a flame. Lin Xuan tried it, and indeed, a small cluster of flames could be condensed at his fingertip. Although it could only light a cigarette, it was more than enough to control the fire.

He placed the prepared beast meat on the fire to roast. Although there were no seasonings, the meat itself contained spiritual energy. After roasting, it exuded an enticing aroma, making his mouth water. After eating it, a warm current spread throughout his body, even providing a slight boost to his cultivation of the Nine Revolutions Profound Technique!

Night fell, and the nights in the Primordial Era world were exceptionally dangerous. All sorts of terrifying roars and insect chirps came from afar, making one's heart palpitate. Lin Xuan found a relatively hidden cave and blocked most of the entrance with a large rock, leaving only a gap for ventilation. He dared not sleep deeply, maintaining the posture for cultivating the Nine Revolutions Profound Technique while vigilantly listening to the sounds outside.

In the darkness, he gazed at the faint starlight filtering through the gap in the rock, his thoughts racing.

This truly was the Primordial Era. Buzhou Mountain was undeniable proof. So, what era was it now? Had the Dragon-Phoenix Tribulation ended? Had the Witch and Demon races already risen? Had the Dao Ancestor Hongjun attained sainthood? Had the first sermon begun?

Each time period meant different opportunities and fatal dangers.

"I must become stronger quickly!" Lin Xuan clenched his fist. "The Chaos Bead and the Nine Revolutions Profound Technique are my greatest reliance, but they can't solve immediate problems. The most important thing right now is to familiarize myself with the environment, use the system's sign-in to gain immediate combat power, and then... find a way to leave the core area of Buzhou Mountain."

Buzhou Mountain was the pillar of heaven, a treasure trove, but also the eye of the storm. The true Primordial continent was a relatively "safe" place to develop.

The next day, as dawn broke, Lin Xuan woke up. After a night of cultivation and rest, he felt his physical strength had increased slightly. After finishing the remaining roasted meat, he decided to continue exploring while also completing the system's quest [Ascend Buzhou Mountain].

He climbed upwards along the mountain's slope. The higher he went, the stronger Pangu's pressure became, and the more violent the spiritual energy. But correspondingly, the grade of the Spirit Grass and Immortal Herbs he encountered seemed to be higher. Relying on the Chaos Bead's senses and his own shallow knowledge, he carefully collected several herbs that appeared to have the most concentrated spiritual energy and stored them in his space.

Along the way, he encountered several more dangers. One was a strange vine that could shoot poisonous thorns, and another was a creature like a giant crocodile hidden in a swamp. He managed to pass through both with minor peril, thanks to the deterrent effect of the Chaos Bead's aura and the agility brought by the Nine Revolutions Profound Technique.

Just as he climbed up a relatively flat slope, panting, and prepared to rest, a peculiar sight ahead caught his attention.

It was a small valley, and in the center grew a small tree, crystal clear all over, as if carved from white jade. Three dragon's eye-sized, bright red fruits hung on the tree, emitting an alluring fragrance and pure energy fluctuations.

"Spirit Fruit!" Lin Xuan's heart leaped with joy. This was definitely a treasure!

But he did not rush forward. Countless novels he had read in his previous life warned him that heavenly treasures were always guarded by exotic beasts. He held his breath and observed carefully. As expected, not far from the jade tree, under the shadow of a large rock, coiled a giant python as thick as a bucket, with a single horn on its head! The python seemed to be dozing, but the aura it exuded was far more terrifying than the rock pigs he had encountered before!

Lin Xuan's heart sank instantly. This guardian beast was definitely not something he could deal with now!

Should he take a risk, or decisively give up?