Unveiling the Secrets of Cultivation: Foreshadowing in "Legendary Cultivation's Wuxia Edition" and the Subsequent Layout of the Immortal Realm Arc

"The Legend of the Cultivation God: Martial Arts Chapter" is the first part of "The Legend of the Cultivation God," also known as "Forgetting Each Other in the Jianghu." It is the true external chronicle of True Person Xiao's path to godhood and sainthood. In contrast, the second volume of "The Legend of the Cultivation God: True Cultivation Realm Chapter," along with the later "The Legend of the Cultivation God: Immortal Realm Chapter" and "The Legend of the Cultivation God: Primordial God Realm Chapter," are considered the main chronicles in the strictest sense. Due to the poor performance of Tanhua's first work, "Forgetting Each Other in the Jianghu," Qidian was reluctant to greenlight a new book. Consequently, the first and second parts were merged, and the story of True Person Xiao became known as "The Legend of the Cultivation God."

The first part, "Forgetting Each Other in the Jianghu," approximately 4 million characters, was Tanhua's practice work. The early plot was slow with extensive foreshadowing, and occasional humorous elements caused many readers to break immersion. However, I read "Cultivation God" almost in one sitting, with the only discomfort being the sudden switch to Xiao Hua as the protagonist at the beginning of the second part, "Light Escape: Dawn Rain Continent." In hindsight, after delving deeper into Tanhua's works, it's clear that the author had laid the groundwork and planned for Zhang Xiaohua to become Xiao Hua early on. Perhaps readers found it abrupt because it was their first encounter with this type of cultivation novel. But enough of that, let's focus on the foreshadowing and arrangements in "Forgetting Each Other in the Jianghu" for the later works like "Light Escape: Dawn Rain Continent," "Light Escape: Four Great Continents," "The Legend of the Cultivation God: Immortal Realm Chapter," and "The Legend of the Cultivation God: God Realm Chapter."

I. Stone Bracelet

The remarkably light stone bracelet is the biggest plot hole in this book. It not only forms the foundation of Zhang Xiaohua's cultivation but has also saved him from danger multiple times. The following five divine properties suggest the bracelet originates from the God Realm:

1. The stone bracelet can draw upon outer-worldly starlight, which possesses life-giving power. For example, Zhang Xiaohua survived a lightning strike in the Misty Sect's medicinal garden. 2. The bracelet enabled Zhang Xiaohua to summarize secret manuals and deduce the 108 Forms of the Big Dipper Divine Fist, which aids in body tempering. 3. During cultivation on the deserted island, the Azure Blood Azure Ink technique caused a mysterious black spot to form behind his head. This black spot would later absorb the Earth's Core, becoming the origin of the space behind Xiao Hua's head. 4. In the Yaoshan Immortal Mansion, the Nirvana Heavenly Phoenix transformed Zhang Xiaohua's physical body into ash, which then rapidly regenerated, leading to the Heavenly Phoenix Body Sculpting. 5. In Huanghua Ridge, while playing with Xiaobai, the bracelet activated a light spot, causing him to glow and distorting space. 6. The Wutuo Pill, formed by outer-worldly starlight in Jingpo City, could remove the Zhu family's curse. 7. Xiao Hua's Light Escape technique, the ability to shelter within light, was derived from the bracelet's tracing of light, a method that allows Xiao Hua to achieve sainthood against the light.

II. 108 Forms of the Big Dipper Divine Fist and 360 Forms of the Great Heavenly Star Fist

The Big Dipper Divine Fist was obtained by Zhang Xiaohua from the stone bracelet. It can be cultivated forwards or backwards and is used for body tempering. This is the fundamental reason why Xiao Hua's Lightning Escape technique in "Light Escape: Dawn Rain Continent" could reach great mastery, and it's also the basis for his Light Escape. Furthermore, it's one of the reasons Zhang Xiaohua wasn't crushed by inter-dimensional teleportation at the end of the first part.

The 360 Forms of the Great Heavenly Star Fist is a body-tempering technique from the Demon Realm. It was created by the demon general Di Shitian on the continent where Xiaohua first appeared and later became the source of various fist techniques. In "Light Escape: Four Great Continents," when Xiao Hua and his clones became Demon Emperors, the Great Heavenly Star Fist was recognized by the Demon Marshals and Demon Kings, who noted its similarity yet distinctness from the other two fist techniques. These two fist techniques will reappear later in the Immortal Realm when Xiao Hua maps the Demon Realm.

III. Xiao Hua and the Legacy of the Incense-Passing Sect, and the Teleportation Array in Sour Jujube Forest

In "Light Escape: Four Great Continents," the Incense-Passing Sect entrusted some of their elite disciples to Xiao Hua due to the Primordial Star Burst, bringing them to their homeland billions of years in the past and leaving behind the sect's legacy. Di Shitian, Yue Mingxin, and others also teleported, but billions of years later than Xiao Hua (tens of thousands of years before Zhang Xiaohua's birth). Is the legacy Yue Mingxin discovered the one Xiao Hua left behind? What happened to the Incense-Passing Sect that Xiao Hua left? And is the teleportation array in the Sour Jujube Forest at the end the one Xiao Hua created? All remain mysteries.

IV. Earth's Core and the Triangular Monster

When Xiaohua collected the Earth's Core in the Incense-Passing Sect's Huanxu, why did the giant triangular monster become enraged? Why did the triangular monster sense the blood and bone fluctuations triggered by the Moon God Ruins in "Light Escape: Four Great Continents," and why was it also alerted when Xiao Hua teleported from the Primordial Continent to the Great Snow Mountain? The giant triangular monster sighed, and countless stars shattered. What is its connection to the Earth's Core? Is it involved in the Primordial Star Burst?

V. Yaoshan Immortal Mansion

In Yaoshan Immortal Mansion, Xiao Hua's nephew, Zhang Jian, can use it almost without any refinement. Since Zhang Xiaohua's nephew is the Jade Emperor, Yaoshan Immortal Mansion is the Lingxiao Treasure Hall. The Lingxiao Treasure Hall is not in the Immortal Realm. In "Light Escape: Dawn Rain Continent," Xiao Hua obtained a fragment of the Execution Stage in the Misty Sect. This can be inferred and extended to the following:

1. Yaoshan Immortal Mansion is not in the Immortal Realm. Is the Immortal Realm damaged? Who placed Yaoshan Immortal Mansion on this continent? Yang Haoya, the founder of the Misty Sect, established his sect near Yaoshan Immortal Mansion based on ancient secrets. Who moved Yaoshan Immortal Mansion from the Immortal Realm?

VI. Heavenly Phoenix and Primordial Violet Qi

The three most important opportunities for Zhang Xiaohua's divine certification in "Forgetting Each Other in the Jianghu" were: the Earth's Core, Heavenly Phoenix Body Sculpting, and Primordial Violet Qi. Combined with the life-giving power of outer-worldly starlight drawn by the bracelet, this allowed Xiao Hua in "Light Escape: Dawn Rain Continent" to become a Divine Body, with a space behind his head that could grow with his cultivation.

The Heavenly Phoenix is a huge foreshadowing. The dialogue of Xiao Hua collecting the Supreme Sacred Bloodline in the Legacy Realm of "Light Escape: Four Great Continents"; Huangtong's speculation about the Demonic Phoenix in the Profound Origin Space; and why the Phoenix Clan has many Great Sages in the Myriad Demon Realm, but no Dragon Clan, is likely related to the Demon Alliance's path to godhood. It is predicted to be explained in the later Immortal Realm or Primordial God Realm.

VII. Zhang Xiaohua and Xiao Hua

Zhang Xiaohua is also known as Xiao Hua. He appears twice in the first volume: the first time as Yue Mingxin's primordial spirit projection, "It is better to forget each other in the Jianghu than to stay together," and the second time as Ya, who sees Xiaohua undergoing Heavenly Phoenix Body Sculpting and is surprised why Xiaohua would transform into the True Person Xiao Hua, whom she hates and fears the most (which is actually Xiaohua's true appearance). With this foreshadowing and arrangement, Tanhua tells us that Xiao Hua in "Light Escape" is Zhang Xiaohua.

VIII. Zhang Ping'er, Shenzhou Ruins, and Outsiders

Zhang Ping'er is a supporting character in "Forgetting Each Other in the Jianghu." Her karmic connection with Xiaohua is in the Youlan Blood Refinement, with "Zhang Xiaohua Saves Zhang Ping'er Once" and "Zhang Xiaohua Saves Zhang Ping'er Four Times." If you compare these titles with "True Person Xiao Enters Shenzhou Ruins Once" in "Light Escape: Four Great Continents," you'll find that "Once" in "True Person Xiao Enters Shenzhou Ruins Once" is a major plot point, foreshadowing True Person Xiao's future "second" and "third" entries into Shenzhou Ruins. Combined with the unresolved plot holes from the first part, True Person Xiao's second or third entry into Shenzhou Ruins will definitely be related to the Earth's Core and Yaoshan Immortal Mansion. The "Outsiders" at the end of the first part is also a plot hole; the title should have been "True Person Xiao Enters Shenzhou Ruins Four Times," similar to "Saves Zhang Ping'er Four Times." Tanhua loves to play with foreshadowing and arrangements like this to trap readers.

IX. Zhang Xiaohua's Birthplace and the Mysterious Shenzhou Ruins

Zhang Xiaohua's birthplace is Shenzhou Ruins. This can be inferred from the chapters "True Person Xiao Enters Shenzhou Ruins Once" and "Familiar Starry Sky."

Shenzhou Ruins has a profound origin; it is a fragment of the Primordial God Realm, and its plane is higher than the Immortal Realm. The reasons for this inference are as follows:

1. In the billions of years old Shenzhou Ruins, there are beings like the Dragon God Venerable, the Golden Body Fifth Transformation Maitreya Buddha, the Huālelè Heavenly Demon, Diting, Tun Tian, and the Primordial Five Minors. A mere mosquito from the Primordial Continent caused immense suffering to Xiao Hua, who was at the Great Vehicle cultivation level. 2. When Xiao Hua arrived at the Heavenly Prison and then the Ruins, the Zizai Heavenly Demon said Xiao Hua carried the aura of Primordial dust. At this time, Xiao Hua had not yet visited Shenzhou Ruins from billions of years ago. 3. In the first part, Xiaohua obtained the Earth's Core, the Eight Trigrams Purple Gold Furnace, the Kunlun Mirror, the Seven Treasures Exquisite Tree, the Chiyou Banner, Yaoshan Immortal Mansion, and Primordial Violet Qi. It is particularly significant that Xiao Hua obtained Primordial Violet Qi twice. For details, please refer to Xuan Hong's discourse.

X. Why Shenzhou Ruins Entered the Age of Dharma Decline

Billions of years ago, when Xiao Hua visited Shenzhou Ruins, the entire Primordial Continent was incredibly powerful! By the time Yue Mingxin, Di Shitian, and others teleported, their strength had greatly diminished. When Xiaohua was born, it was the Age of Dharma Decline, and he was the only one cultivating the immortal path on the entire continent, reaching the 18th level of Qi Refining with no further progress.

The reasons for the disappearance of the immortal path in Shenzhou Ruins during the Age of Dharma Decline are as follows:

1. The spiritual energy of heaven and earth disappeared, making it impossible for cultivators to practice, thus leading to the prevalence of martial arts. 2. With no path for cultivation, and Shenzhou Ruins being a higher plane than the Immortal Realm, unlike the lower cultivation realms where one could ascend to the Immortal Realm, the cultivation techniques were also inferior, not sufficient for ascending to the God Realm. 3. Time Light Cones: Time Light Cones trapped Shenzhou Ruins in a corner. Even the Huālelè Heavenly Demon could not escape, let alone the cultivators of Shenzhou Ruins. 4. Primordial Star Burst or Triangular Monster: Shenzhou Ruins may have experienced the shattering of heavenly rules and the disappearance of spiritual energy due to the Primordial Star Burst or the triangular monster.

XI. Dreams and the Heart-Tied Spell

Meng and Ya are one soul and one body. Ya's karmic connections have already been revealed in the Ruins of "Light Escape: Four Great Continents" – Zhang Xiaohua's true form, Xiao Hua after Heavenly Phoenix Body Sculpting, and the Kunlun Mirror, among others. Meng's mole's karmic connections were arranged with Fairy Hongxia in "Light Escape: Dawn Rain Continent," but her karmic connections continue. With Fairy Hongxia's innate spiritual body and Supreme Sacred Bloodline, plus the spiritual light of the Shenhua Continent, Hongxia will soon ascend to the Immortal Realm. Meng's karmic connections are likely even more profound. Meng and Xiao Hua's Heart-Tied Spell will fill the significant plot hole of comprehending the Heavenly Dao and integrating with it through body-to-Dao fusion in the path to reversing light and achieving sainthood.

XII. Heavenly Dao, Path of Life and Death, and Path of Karma

In "Forgetting Each Other in the Jianghu," Xiaohua experienced the Heavenly Dao several times, had two superficial insights into the Path of Life and Death, and several insights into the Path of Karma, which evolved from the Hand of Karma to the River of Karma. In "Light Escape: Dawn Rain Continent," with ten primordial spirits, he began cultivating the Heavenly Dao and the Path of Karma again. These will be major highlights in the later Immortal Realm and God Realm. Tanhua will surely provide us with many exciting moments. For example:

1. Combat Techniques: Path of Time. Time Swamp, Time Reversal, Slow Time. This can be combined with Law Manifestation techniques to instantly turn an opponent's magical treasures into raw materials, or accelerate the loss of their lifespan, or slow down their attacks. 2. Combat Techniques: Path of Space. The Path of Space in the Immortal Realm must have some achievements, otherwise Ye Jian would not be able to accept disciples upon arriving in the Immortal Realm. Therefore, an upgraded version of "Nanyuan Beizhe" can be used: Spatial Folding, Spatial Ripples, Spatial Cutting, etc. 3. Path of Space and Time: For example, the attack methods of monsters in the Star-Moon Palace and Ghost Plains. Different time in different space. 4. Path of Karma: Hand of Karma + River of Karma. Severing the opponent's karmic threads, but be careful of backlash! 5. Path of Five Elements: Law Manifestation techniques can imitate the attacks of the Five Elements, or use Qi Stripping techniques. 6. Path of Balance: Utilizing the principle of "Cheng Wu" (riding and insulting), to disrupt the opponent's pháp tắc (laws) or alter their physical laws, severely wounding them. 7. Formations + Law Manifestation Techniques + Sword Manifests the World. 8. Auxiliary Cultivation Methods: Techniques for condensing and strengthening the primordial spirit: Sun-Shading Sky-Supporting Art. Primordial Spirit Attack Spell: Five Thunders Striking the Top.