Transmigrating

Shi Xuan woke up from the darkness, his head splitting with pain. He vaguely remembered the immense agony of being hit by a ten-wheel truck. He saw sunlight warming his chest. Slowly, he felt his body exist, marveling at his luck. He had been hit by a truck and sent flying so far, yet he was still alive. At this moment, fragments of memories surged into his mind, making his head ache as if it were a bucket.

He had actually died. But the antique bead he had bought as a protective charm suddenly shone brightly, enveloping his soul, tearing open a spatial rift, and bringing him to this world, possessing this unlucky fellow.

This current body belonged to a young Daoist priest, one with a bit of magical power. His original name was Du Bai. Ten years ago, during the great drought in Qingzhou, his parents had taken the then eight-year-old him south to escape famine. Both had died by the roadside. Du Bai, however, had good fortune. Before starving to death, he was noticed by the passing Old Daoist Xu, who took him as a disciple. Du Bai himself had good aptitude. In just ten years, he had cultivated to the Qi Nourishing and Soul Strengthening Stage, earning the deep regard of Old Daoist Xu.

In his memories, Old Daoist Xu often said that in the Two Capitals and Thirteen Provinces, there were only about ten people with true magical power. Those with his level of power, including those in seclusion, were likely no more than the fingers on one hand. It was only because he had spent his life searching for the immortal path that he was not well-known throughout the land.

Old Daoist Xu had a fortuitous encounter in his youth and received a true transmission. He also cultivated diligently with a strong desire for the Dao. He never married and reached the Soul Departure realm at the age of thirty. However, for the next ten years, his power deepened, but he found no direction for further breakthroughs in his cultivation. Therefore, he traveled to famous mountains and immortal waters, and places with various spiritual legends, searching for immortals, but all were like dreams and illusions, unattainable. By the age of one hundred, although there were still a few places he hadn't visited, he was disheartened and decided to return home.

On his way back, he thought that at his advanced age, he only had ten years or so left to live. He did not want his received Daoist lineage and all his learning to be lost. This was why he had taken Du Bai as a disciple.

After returning home, Old Daoist Xu found that although his family still existed, the familiar relatives of his branch had all grown old and passed away within the last sixty years. He didn't recognize the few younger generations who were still alive. So, he simply bought a small courtyard west of the city and settled down to diligently cultivate Du Bai. He taught him Daoist techniques and recounted his experiences of traveling the land, exorcising ghosts and eliminating demons. Ten years passed. The old Daoist's lifespan neared its end. One night, he fell asleep and never woke up.

Du Bai and the old Daoist had lived together for ten years, so Du Bai was naturally overcome with grief. After burying the old Daoist, during a meditation session, he couldn't clear his mind of杂念 (miscellaneous thoughts). A heart demon arose, leading to Qi Deviation. His body died, and his soul was annihilated.

Shi Xuan slowly sat up, stood by the bed, and moved his limbs. After calming his mind, he sat cross-legged and began circulating Qi according to the method from the memory fragments. After one circulation, he opened his eyes and thought that he was quite lucky. If this kid had suffered Qi Deviation while meditating instead of practicing Qi circulation, he didn't know how much damage his meridians would have sustained. Even if he possessed the body, he didn't know how long he could live, and whether he could transmigrate again would be another matter. Now, the body's meridians only had minor damage. With medicine and tempering, they would be healed within half a month.

As for the small bead that had brought him here, as soon as he had memories, he wanted to investigate it. However, he had just received the memories, his thoughts were chaotic, and he had just transmigrated, his emotions were unstable. Forcing himself into a state of concentration and introspection at this time might lead to the same tragedy of a heart demon attacking as that foolish boy.

Relying on his memory, Shi Xuan found three incense sticks in a compartment by the head of the bed. These were sandalwood incense that could calm the mind and spirit, made by Old Daoist Xu himself from collected materials, and were very precious. He placed the incense next to the incense burner on the wooden table, picked up the copper basin, and pushed open the door. He drew a basin of water from the small well in the courtyard, which felt like revisiting his past experience of drawing water from wells in the countryside.

Carrying the copper basin, he returned to the room, placed it down, and locked the door from the inside. Then, he washed his face with cold water and dried it. Shi Xuan immediately felt refreshed. He then slowly changed into a new Daoist robe. These actions were merely means to an end. The purpose was to gradually settle his emotions through these solemn actions, making his mind gradually unified. This was also why many religions always had many rituals; one of the reasons was this: to settle emotions and clear the mind. Of course, in religion, with the influence of the atmosphere of many people doing the same thing, it was more convenient for proselytizing.

Shi Xuan imitated the method from his memory, circulating the body's Qi and Blood, then forming hand seals and chanting incantations. After about ten breaths, a small flame appeared on his finger, igniting the three incense sticks. Shi Xuan felt both novelty and disappointment. As someone who was deeply fond of Xianxia in his previous life, transmigrating to a world where one could cultivate immortality and use Daoist magic was certainly novel. Coupled with the fact that his parents in his previous life had passed away from exhaustion before the age of sixty, he had no attachments and could accept the fact of transmigration relatively quickly, so he became curious about this world. The disappointment was that such a weak Ignition Technique took so long to cast and had such little power, which was truly disappointing.

In his memory, Celestial Master Xu had said that in the first stage, Body Tempering and Soul Nurturing, one's body was merely strong and could not yet cast spells. Only in the second stage, Qi Nourishing and Soul Strengthening, could one cast spells, but their power was small, the steps were many, and the time taken was long. In direct combat, they were not on the same level as Internal Art Masters (who were also in the Qi Nourishing stage) in the Jianghu. Therefore, they often used talismans and prepared magic altars and rituals beforehand to use spells. Of course, if one had magical artifacts, they would definitely prioritize using them.

Only in the third stage, Soul Departure, when the soul became extraordinary, could one gradually develop some minor divine abilities. In addition to a few basic ones, minor divine abilities also varied depending on each person's soul and cultivation method. This stage and the Subtle Realm masters in the Jianghu had their own strengths and weaknesses. With preparation, they were stronger than Martial Arts Grandmasters. As for Daoist magic, its power increased, but circulating Qi and Blood, forming hand seals, and chanting incantations were still necessary. For more powerful Daoist magic, one still needed to concentrate their spirit, visualize, and tread the Big Dipper, which was truly time-consuming. Therefore, in combat, they generally used talismans, minor divine abilities, magical artifacts, or even fist and foot combat.

Of course, Daoist magic was miraculous, and one didn't necessarily have to win in direct combat. Daoists in the Qi Nourishing and Soul Strengthening stage, with preparation, could kill Internal Art Masters relatively easily. As for the later stages, Celestial Master Xu was not very clear. He only knew from old tales that in the Golden Core Cultivating Spirit Stage, one could cast spells with a mere thought, destroying cities and rivers, and could be considered figures like immortals.

Collecting his thoughts, Shi Xuan held the three incense sticks and bowed three times to the air, as if to comfort the soul of this body. Then, he inserted the incense and sat cross-legged on the bed, with his five limbs facing the sky. Fortunately, this body often entered a state of meditation. Now, with the help of the sandalwood incense, Shi Xuan slowly entered a state of meditation. As soon as he entered meditation, he felt his soul being drawn to the cinnabar field in his glabella. The small bead was quietly suspended there, its light dim, but a beam of light was emitted from it, bringing a piece of information to Shi Xuan's soul.

It turned out that this small bead was an Acquired Spiritual Object in this world, called the Mountain River Pearl. It was obtained by the ancient Mighty One, Qingyunzi. However, after Qingyunzi condensed the two flowers of the Golden Immortal (Dao Integration), he committed a killing tribulation and perished with his opponent. Before dying, he thought that he had walked alone, and his master, Yuyu Daoist, had already seen through the Great Dao and escaped this world to open up a new territory. He could not let his Daoist lineage be lost in this world, so he left his master's Dao attainment and his own Fundamental Great Law, the Supreme Clarity Yuyu True Transmission for Overcoming Tribulations and Attaining the Dao Treasure Record, within this newly acquired and unrefined Acquired Spiritual Object, the Mountain River Pearl. Using his last bit of magical power, he broke through the void and sent it away.

Unexpectedly, the Mountain River Pearl encountered spatial-temporal turbulence on its journey and traveled to another world, which was Earth, where Shi Xuan was from. Over millions of years, it slowly accumulated strength. Under the stimulation of Shi Xuan's blood and then soul after his car accident, it unleashed its power. Using the Spacetime beacon left by Qingyunzi within the Mountain River Pearl, it brought Shi Xuan to the Great World of Yuyu Heaven, which Yuyu Daoist had once created to attain Dao, and was Qingyunzi's hometown.

After transmitting this information, it also transmitted an entire volume of profound Daoist texts to Shi Xuan's soul. The bead itself dimmed completely, seemingly recovering its strength slowly.

From Qingyunzi's opening message in the Daoist text, Shi Xuan learned that cultivation in this world was divided into two major realms: Qi Refining and Primordial Spirit. Qi Refining was further divided into seven stages: Qi Nourishing, Soul Strengthening, Soul Departure, Qi Induction and Soul Tempering, Spirit Soul Union, Golden Core Cultivating Spirit, and Yin Spirit Condensation. The Primordial Spirit realm was divided into Primordial Spirit, Yang Spirit, Celestial Being, Dao Integration, Creation, and Eternity.

Of course, the names of these stages were abbreviations. For example, the full names of the Qi Refining stages were: Body Tempering and Soul Nurturing, Qi Nourishing and Soul Strengthening, Soul Departure, Qi Induction and Soul Tempering, Spirit Soul Union, Golden Core Cultivating Spirit, and Yin Spirit Condensation.

After mastering the first two steps, Body Tempering and Soul Nurturing, and Qi Nourishing and Soul Strengthening, one could reach the limit of their natural lifespan. At Soul Departure, one could live an additional thirty years, around the age of one hundred and twenty. At Qi Induction and Soul Tempering, one's lifespan would reach two hundred years. At Spirit Soul Union, the lifespan would increase to three hundred years. Golden Core masters could live up to six hundred years, and Yin Spirit Venerables could live up to twelve hundred years.

Beyond the Primordial Spirit realm, Qingyunzi only vaguely mentioned Primordial Spirit True Persons, also known as Ghost Immortal True Persons, who could live as long as heaven and earth but had to undergo various tribulations. He instructed Shi Xuan not to let his physical body suffer catastrophic damage, otherwise, he could not achieve Primordial Spirit. He also stated that after achieving Primordial Spirit, the Treasure Record would reveal its latter half – the Primordial Spirit Chapter.

Shi Xuan awoke from his meditation. After a brief recollection, he remembered the contents of the first half of the "Overcoming Tribulations and Attaining the Dao Treasure Record." It seemed that the soul's memory was indeed much more effective. However, it was not yet time to practice. The most important thing now was to consider his future path and how to proceed.

As a transmigrator, he had no foundation. If he had no plans for the future, his heart would find it difficult to be at peace. With direction, steps, and goals, he would feel grounded. To use a common saying now, this would give him a sense of security. It is only by first stabilizing one's mind that one can then stabilize one's spirit. Don't you see how many people in modern society are spiritually empty and anxious because they have no goals or have goals but no plans or steps?

Of course, he didn't have much information yet, so he could only make a general plan. As he gained more knowledge in the future, or encountered something, he would make adjustments.

This was also the logic that Shi Xuan, a cautious Engineering type person, was most accustomed to.