Surviving in the Primordial World? First, Figure Out Which Way Is North, South, East, and West!

"Stay alive..."

Those three words weighed on Lin Xuan's heart like a massive boulder, driving away his unrealistic fantasies and the little excitement he'd felt at just having acquired a cheat ability.

The Primordial World wasn't a game. There were no save files to load. Here, one wrong step could mean the destruction of body and soul, and even reincarnation might be nothing more than a pipe dream.

He forced himself to calm down, leaned against the cold rock, and began to carefully assess his situation.

First, there was his own body. He examined it and found that it looked to be about thirteen or fourteen years old, and was exceptionally thin. Strangely, though, his bones and sinews seemed far more resilient than those of his hollowed-out programmer's body in his previous life. At least he could still move under this terrifying pressure. Perhaps this was the only benefit of crossing over? Or maybe the rules of this world were different, and all living things started out stronger?

Next, there was his environment. He looked up again, gazing reverently at the colossal shadow holding up heaven and earth—Buzhou Mountain. It was the pillar of heaven formed from Pangu's spine. Even the pressure radiating from its foothills weighed on him as if he were carrying a mountain. The pressure was terrifying, yet it seemed to contain a trace of an ancient Dao Charm beyond words. Each breath stung his lungs, but an almost imperceptible warm current also flowed into his limbs and bones.

"Spiritual energy?" Lin Xuan murmured, beginning to understand. "This must be the legendary Innate Spiritual Energy. It's so dense it's terrifying, but so violent it could tear an ordinary person apart."

He recalled the countless novels he'd read, where protagonists often couldn't absorb spiritual energy directly after crossing over because it was too dense. He didn't seem to have that problem. Was it because this body belonged to this world, or was it thanks to the Nine Revolutions Profound Technique or the Chaos Bead?

Thinking of the technique, he immediately focused his consciousness on it. The introductory section of the Nine Revolutions Profound Technique was profoundly mysterious, every word precious. It expounded the most fundamental path of body cultivation: unlocking the body's hidden potential, emulating the great Pangu, and proving the Dao through strength. Just understanding the most basic method of drawing in energy left him dizzy.

"This difficulty... really doesn't discriminate." Lin Xuan gave a bitter smile. But he had no choice. This was the foundation on which he'd have to survive in this world.

He tried to assume an odd posture described in the technique and use a specific Breathing Rhythm to draw in the violent Innate Spiritual Energy around him. The process was agonizing, as though countless tiny needles were piercing his pores. But with every successful breath, a faint yet unmistakable strength flowed into his muscles and bones, counteracting some of the pressure from heaven and earth.

"It works!" Lin Xuan's spirits lifted. His progress was painfully slow, but he really was getting stronger!

He practiced for about half a shichen—roughly estimating the time by his heartbeat and breathing—and stopped only when he was utterly exhausted. His stomach was already growling with hunger.

Food and water—the next major challenges to survival.

He carefully left the crack in the rocks where he'd been hiding and warily surveyed his surroundings. The aura of the Chaos Bead (Fragment) naturally radiated outward and did seem to repel low-level beasts. Along the way, he saw only a few small creatures about the size of rabbits and resembling squirrels fleeing in panic. He didn't encounter anything aggressive like the rock boar.

Relying on a programmer's logical thinking, he began to analyze the situation: there were plants and herbivorous creatures, so there had to be a water source nearby. He studied the terrain and cautiously made his way toward an area that looked relatively low-lying and more densely vegetated.

Sure enough, after passing through a field of strange rocks, he heard the faint sound of running water. Following it, he found a stream barely a zhang wide, its bottom clearly visible. It gave off a faint spiritual aura. He took a drink. It was crisp and sweet, and not only quenched his thirst but eased some of his fatigue.

"Innate Spiritual Water?" Lin Xuan was overjoyed. He hurriedly made a container from a large leaf he found, drank his fill, then stored some in the Mustard Seed Space inside the Chaos Bead.

With the water problem solved, what about food? He looked at the stream, where tiny, translucent fish the size of fingers swam about. He tried to catch them but found himself far too slow. He couldn't get anywhere near them. Then he looked at the surrounding trees. Some bore strange, brightly colored fruit, but he didn't dare eat any—who knew if they were poisonous?

In the end, he had to turn his attention back to those "docile" little beasts. After exhausting himself and using the terrain to his advantage, he finally caught one of the squirrel-like animals with a simple trap—a small pit he'd dug.

Survival was a problem. Making fire by rubbing sticks together? In a place so rich in spiritual energy, the wood was as hard as iron. He couldn't even produce a spark. Just as he was worrying over it, the system's lazy voice sounded in his mind:

[Survival needs detected. Triggering mini-task: Make fire for the first time.]

[Task requirement: Successfully start a fire.]

[Task reward: Basic life skill · Art of Fire Control (Novice).]

[Failure penalty: The host may get diarrhea from eating raw meat. Diarrhea in the Primordial World... good luck.]

Lin Xuan: "...Thanks for the warning!"

The system had a sharp tongue, but the reward was exactly what he needed. He gathered dry twigs and flammable moss, then recalled the techniques primitive people used to make fire. He rubbed his hands raw, but at last, in the glow of the setting sun, a tiny flame sprang to life!

[Ding! Task complete. Reward issued: Art of Fire Control (Novice).]

A simple stream of information entered his mind: a few tricks for using a trace of magic power to kindle and control flames. Lin Xuan tried it out. Sure enough, a tiny flame gathered at his fingertip. It was barely enough to light a cigarette, but more than enough to help him start a fire.

He roasted the prepared meat over the flames. There were no seasonings, but the meat itself contained spiritual energy, and once cooked, it smelled delicious enough to make his mouth water. When he ate it, a warm current spread through his body, giving even his cultivation of the Nine Revolutions Profound Technique a slight boost!

Night fell, and the Primordial World was especially dangerous after dark. Terrifying roars and chirping echoed from the distance, sending chills down his spine. Lin Xuan found a relatively secluded cave and used a boulder to block most of the entrance, leaving only a narrow gap for ventilation. He didn't dare fall into a deep sleep. Instead, he maintained the cultivation posture for the Nine Revolutions Profound Technique while listening warily for sounds outside.

In the darkness, he stared at the faint starlight filtering through a crack in the rocks, his mind racing.

This really was the Primordial World. Buzhou Mountain was undeniable proof. So what era was it now? Had the Dragon-Phoenix Tribulation—the battle between the dragons, phoenixes, and qilin—ended? Had the Wu and Yao Clans risen yet? Had the Dao Ancestor Hongjun attained sainthood? Had his first lecture begun?

Each of those milestones represented different opportunities—and different deadly dangers.

"I have to get stronger as soon as possible!" Lin Xuan clenched his fists. "The Chaos Bead and the Nine Revolutions Profound Technique are my greatest advantages, but they won't help me right away. For now, the most important things are to learn my surroundings, use the system's check-ins to gain strength I can rely on immediately, and then... find a way to leave Buzhou Mountain's core region."

Buzhou Mountain was the pillar of heaven and a treasure trove, but it was also the eye of the storm. The true Primordial Continent was a relatively "safe" place to grow stronger.

The next day, Lin Xuan woke at dawn. After a night of cultivation and rest, he felt that his strength had increased a little more. He finished the leftover roast meat and decided to keep exploring while completing the system's [Climb Buzhou Mountain] task.

He climbed along the mountainside. The higher he went, the stronger Pangu's pressure became and the more violent the spiritual energy grew. But in return, the Spirit Grass and immortal flowers he encountered seemed to be of a higher grade. Using the Chaos Bead's sensing ability and his own limited knowledge, he cautiously picked a few herbs that seemed to contain the densest spiritual energy and stored them away.

Along the way, he encountered danger several more times. Once, it was a strange vine that could shoot poisonous thorns. Another time, it was a crocodile-like creature lurking in a swamp. Thanks to the Chaos Bead's ability to frighten them off and the agility he'd gained from the Nine Revolutions Profound Technique, he made it through each encounter without incident.

Just as he panted his way up a relatively gentle slope and prepared to rest, a strange sight ahead caught his attention.

It was a small valley. At its center grew a tiny tree, crystalline all over as if carved from white jade. Three bright red fruits the size of longans hung from its branches, giving off an alluring fragrance and a pure energy fluctuation.

"A Spirit Fruit!" Lin Xuan was delighted. It had to be a treasure!

But he didn't approach recklessly. The countless novels he'd read in his previous life had taught him that rare treasures were always guarded by vicious beasts. He held his breath and watched carefully. Sure enough, beneath the shadow of a boulder not far from the jade tree lay a giant python as thick as a barrel, with a single horn growing from its head! It seemed to be dozing, but the aura it gave off was far more terrifying than the rock boar's.

Lin Xuan's heart sank. There was no way he could take on this guardian beast in his current state!

Should he risk it, or give up without a fight?