Put away your magical powers now!.

Chapter 262 [The Theory of Reincarnation] (6000 words)

Chapter 256 [The Theory of Reincarnation] (6000 words)

Chu Keqing sensed a complex emotion in Chen Yan's words and looked at him with confusion.

As Chen Yan looked into Chu Keqing's beautiful eyes, which were filled with longing, he recalled the barren and dangerous environment of the Badlands Mountain... and the bloody battle at the foot of Snow Cliff Pass!

Human slaves, who were used as food, were slaughtered one by one and thrown into large pots.

The stench of blood filled the air, staining the snow and ice red...

It was screams and wails...

·
After thinking for a moment, Chen Yan shook his head, sighed, and said solemnly, "If the opportunity hasn't arrived, don't think about it too much."

Chu Keqing hurriedly composed herself and obediently nodded, "Yes!"

Afterwards, Chen Yan asked Chu Keqing to find him some books.

"Journey to the West? Investiture of the Gods?" Chu Keqing was stunned.

The senior himself is a cultivator, so why would he need to read these mythological and legendary novels created by mortals?

Chen Yan smiled and said, "Actually, these ancient myths and legends of the Dragon Kingdom are not necessarily all false. Cultivators have always existed in our world, and even earlier and longer than you imagine."

Some of the stories actually contain traces left by cultivators from this world in ancient times. Although 99% of them are fabricated, there are occasionally a few elements of truth mixed in.

Chu Keqing took it to heart and nodded solemnly, secretly making a decision in her heart: she would also have someone buy some ancient mythological stories and novels to read later!

·
The academy has many ancient classics, but no mythological novels.

Fortunately, there was a bookstore nearby, so Chu Keqing asked her assistant to go out and buy some books. Soon, the assistant returned with a large bag of books.

Chen Yan casually picked out a few books, then told Chu Keqing to leave, as he was going to practice his martial arts in seclusion.

After lighting a stick of incense infused with sandalwood for Chen Yan, Chu Keqing respectfully took her leave.

Chen Yan casually set up a small magic array to isolate the sound and communication between the inside and outside of the house.

He first took out the seed of the Origin Fruit, pinched off a small piece the size of a fingernail, swallowed it, and then meditated to digest it with his vital energy.

It then underwent another expansion of the world of thought and consciousness, and nourishment and strengthening of the consciousness.

That bittersweet feeling, after experiencing it a few times, actually becomes quite nice.

After a period of cultivation, the effects of the primordial fruit seed dissipated, and Chen Yan took another Nourishing Spirit Pill to nourish his primordial spirit.

The divine sense grew stronger and stronger—but it was only stronger, not dense enough.

Chen Yan has now found a way to cultivate his primordial spirit.

He doesn't use any cultivation techniques related to the primordial spirit.

Eating the seeds of the flower fairy's original fruit allows the primordial spirit to expand and grow.

Then, using the method of "sharpening a knife," the primordial spirit is thoroughly honed.

By repeating this process, one's primordial spirit can grow, and the resulting primordial spirit will be more solid than that of ordinary cultivators in the realm!
Actually, doing it this way... seems a bit wasteful!

Because the growth of spiritual consciousness brought about by the seed of the original fruit is often reduced by 50% to 60% after a period of "sharpening"!
In the end, although he managed to solidify his divine sense, only about 40-50% of it remained.

If he hadn't sharpened his knife, Chen Yan's cultivation level of primordial spirit and divine consciousness would probably have increased more than twice as fast!
However, Chen Yan only thought about it briefly before decisively giving up.

Even if it takes a greater amount of effort, we must ensure that our primordial spirit and divine consciousness are dense and strong!
That vast and sprawling primordial spirit, though large, is not strong enough.

A large wad of cotton and a small knife collide; who will die? It's self-evident!

In one morning, Chen Yan had successfully cultivated his primordial spirit.

He didn't eat lunch, so he simply picked up a novel and started reading.

Journey to the West, Investiture of the Gods...

Chen Yan browsed casually, only stopping to examine certain chapters carefully, pondering as he read.

Chen Yan is focusing on one aspect of the content.

Reincarnation and tribulation!

Or... be reincarnated to complete a great mission!

·
In fact, there is a very obvious example of reincarnation in Journey to the West:

The monk Xuanzang.

Jin Chanzi, a disciple of the Buddha, has been reincarnated nine times!
The reincarnation of Jin Chanzi was not actually a "tribulation," but rather a way to fulfill a grand vow he had made.

But this is not important.

Chen Yan felt that whether it was transcending tribulations or making grand vows, it was really just a goal.

Once the goal is achieved, the project of reincarnation is considered successfully completed.

then……

Many myths and legends, especially those from the prehistoric era, follow a fixed plot pattern:

A powerful being, after calculating with his fingers, foresaw his own calamity and began preparing to face it.

At this time, the powerful being, having arranged everything, even took the initiative to face the calamity head-on.

However, when disaster strikes, one has already prepared a contingency plan, leaving behind a trace of one's sanity—like making a backup of one's memories and personality.

Then, in a battle or war, they die peacefully.

However, after death, that last bit of consciousness will be retained, and the person will be reborn as another person.

Then came the process of retraining and re-entering the Dao. After experiencing various trials, one day, a specific event occurred...

This incident is quite interesting.

Or it could be that a specific plot point was encountered, such as committing murder (achieving revenge on an enemy) or experiencing a major event, and obtaining a specific item (which triggered memories of a past life).

In short, it fulfilled a certain obsession.

Or perhaps, they encountered a specific person, such as another cultivator or powerful being, who enlightened them.

Yes, enlightenment!

Then, that backup "wisp of intelligence" will awaken!

It's like awakening memories of a past life.

Memories of past and present lives have been reunited.

but! !

Often in these kinds of passages, the author's descriptions give Chen Yan a chilling feeling!

Because, it is said, the memories of the past life and this life have been merged together.

But in the novel, the powerful being after the fusion, in terms of speech and mannerisms, seems more like the personality and speech of the one from the previous life!

There's almost no taste left of this life.

It's as if... the personality from the past life devoured the personality in this life.

·
Chen Yan didn't care about reincarnation or tribulation.

His biggest concern was: once the tribulation was completed and the memories of his past and present lives merged... would Lu Sisi still be Lu Sisi?
If Lu Sisi is no longer Lu Sisi after completing her tribulation, then even if she was some kind of Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden in her previous life, it would still be an unacceptable result for Chen Yan!

In mythology, there is another kind of reincarnation, which Chen Yan is even more wary of.

Reincarnated with memories of a past life!!

Here's an example that many people know, but actually don't:
Nezha.

It's not Nezha from the movie.

It is Nezha from the novel Investiture of the Gods.

The Nezha in the original book is a... bastard.

Lingzhuzi was reincarnated as a human. Li Jing's wife became pregnant and gave birth to Nezha after three years.

The Nezha in the book is a complete bastard.

The character Shi Ji in the movie is adorable and chubby, but she is actually a villain.

However, in the original novel, Lady Shiji is an innocent victim.

The plot in the book is that when Nezha was practicing his skills, he tried shooting an arrow and accidentally killed the disciple of Lady Shiji—he killed an innocent person by mistake.

Lady Shiji sent someone to visit, and Li Jing brought Nezha to explain and apologize.

Out of fear of punishment, Nezha went on a killing spree, even killing another disciple of Lady Shiji. Faced with his crime of killing innocent people, Nezha tried every means to deny it, and finally, together with Taiyi Zhenren, they killed Lady Shiji.

The Nezha in the book is a being utterly devoid of kindness and morality.

And the most crucial part is...

Li Jing turned against Nezha because he couldn't stand Nezha's evil deeds.

Nezha was about to kill Li Jing—to commit patricide!
Li Jing was chased by Nezha and nearly died at Nezha's hands several times.

Taiyi Zhenren advised Nezha against killing his father, because it would incur karmic consequences.

Nezha said something along these lines, roughly meaning: Li Jing was just my nominal father who was born as a mortal. So what if I killed him? It's no big deal.

This passage shows that Nezha knows he is the Spirit Pearl and is also very clear that he is a reincarnation.

He did not consider Li Jing to be his father.

·
Which type of tribulation is Lu Sisi undergoing in her reincarnation?

Chen Yan pondered this in his heart.

Lu Sisi definitely doesn't know what kind of reincarnation she is. But... how did that ghost awaken?

How long has it been awake? Has it always existed, or did it awaken recently?

Thinking back to twenty years ago, the voice from that jade stone...

Chen Yan could tell that this ghost (that is, the powerful being in the previous life) had existed for at least twenty years.

but……

Lu Sisi was unaware of her own situation, and Lu Sisi's personality was... gentle, kind, and innocent.

Chen Yan didn't believe that she carried memories or personality traits from her past life.

Therefore, the reincarnation of Tang Sanzang in Journey to the West is, in Chen Yan's opinion, the most acceptable scenario!
Tang Sanzang was the reincarnation of Jin Chanzi, but after experiencing eighty-one tribulations...

Tang Sanzang was granted Buddhahood.

But... his personality and behavior still seem to be that of Tang Sanzang.

He did not revert to his former self, Jin Chanzi.

Tang Sanzang seems to still be Tang Sanzang.

and so……

If Lu Sisi absolutely must complete her tribulation...

This is the situation that Chen Yan can accept the most.

Therefore... reincarnation and tribulation can be broadly divided into three situations.

The first type, the worst kind of Nezha (in the original novel of Investiture of the Gods), is reincarnated with memories of his past life.

The second possibility is that a powerful being leaves behind a backup, which is then reincarnated after death. After experiencing various events in this life, and upon encountering a specific opportunity or completing a certain task, the backup memories from the previous life are activated. After the memories are merged, the person becomes the same consciousness from the previous life.

The third type is like Tang Sanzang! After reincarnation, he still retains the personality he had in this life.

"Therefore, as long as we figure out the conditions for achieving each of these three different reincarnations, perhaps we can... according to specific conditions, allow Lu Sisi to retain her personality after reincarnating and undergoing tribulation!"

Chen Yan closed the book and pondered deeply.

Although Chen Yan had considered preventing the tribulation before, he knew after calming down that he probably couldn't do it.

They could only try to delay as much as possible to buy themselves time to do something underhanded.

Chen Yan sighed.

Although I haven't found the answer, at least I've figured out a direction and a line of thought that I can work towards.

It wasn't a complete loss.

·
In the afternoon, Chen Yan put away his books, opened the door, and walked out of the practice room.

The scent of incense in the room had dissipated, but in fact, besides the smell of incense, there was also a faint, sweet fragrance of a woman.

After all, it was Chu Keqing's training room.

Chen Yan took a deep breath. He knew he shouldn't practice at home until Lu Sisi's problem was resolved.

It's best to keep the Origin Seed Fruit a secret from that ghost; it might just become a trump card for a surprise attack in the future.

It seems I'll have to bother Chu Keqing more often.

Seeing that there was no one in the courtyard, Chu Keqing probably went out, perhaps to work at the nearby academy.

After Chen Yan took out his phone and sent a message to Chu Keqing, he suddenly transformed into a bird and soared into the sky over the courtyard...

As evening fell, Chen Yan landed in a mountain. After transforming into human form, Chen Yan quickly darted into the mountains!
This is the "ancient tomb" he found back then.

That is, the ancient tomb that Lu Xiuting's father and brother excavated, the place where they found the "voice in the jade".

After pondering for a while, Chen Yan felt that he must have missed some ideas, so he came back here to search for them.

Upon entering the ancient tomb, the dense aura of death that had been present had largely dissipated.

Chen Yan walked on and finally arrived at the location of the "suppression" magic array that he had discovered back then!
Staring at the sealed underground palace, Chen Yan took out a high-brightness flashlight and waved it around.

He took out his phone and started snapping photos.

Then, he took out a chisel and a knife.

The suppressing pillar that runs through the enclosed underground palace, along with the petrified artifacts and statues scattered around...

Chen Yan photographed them one by one, and then tapped and hammered them with a knife and chisel.

I removed many fragments and carefully collected them one by one.

This magic array is undeniably very clever.

It's so sophisticated that Chen Yan finds it hard to understand.

The secret manual left by the old lady only contains basic records of crafting tools and magic arrays.

Clearly, the Ghost Clan is probably not good at these two areas.

Chen Yan couldn't help but sigh inwardly, feeling a slight pang of regret.

I should have done these things when I first came here.

If you record this magic array and the materials, then you can ask someone in the Heavenly Demon Yin Yang Joyful Union Sect for help when you were in the Realm last time.

That guy Nangong Sheng, and Senior Brother Wang, should both know more about magic arrays than I do.

·
After Chen Yan finished doing all this, he sent a message to Lu Sisi and went home.

By the time I got home, it was already evening and quite dark.

When Chen Yan entered the house, he saw that Lu Xiuting had actually come out of her room today and come downstairs to sit in the dining room talking with Lu Sisi.

Lu Xiuting looked normal, and her originally pale face had regained some color.

However, his breathing was still somewhat weak, and if one were to use the Qi Observation Technique, one would find that his body was also tainted with some illness.

Apart from that, she is not much different from ordinary people.

"You're back?" When Lu Sisi saw Chen Yan enter the room, a happy smile immediately appeared on her calm face. She got up and walked over, reaching out to help Chen Yan take off his coat.

"Huh? Why is there still dust on my clothes?" Lu Sisi took off her coat, patted it off, and hung it on the coat rack by the door.

Chen Yan naturally couldn't tell Lu Sisi that he had just come out of the ancient tomb.

He smiled and went to wash his hands. Lu Sisi followed him and said with a smile, "I stewed a pot of beef brisket this afternoon. I did a good job this time. I tasted it, and it tasted very good. It should be the kind of flavor you like."

Chen Yan nodded, touched Lu Sisi's face, and smiled, "You've worked hard."

Back at the dining table, Lu Sisi skipped and hopped into the kitchen to serve rice and dishes.

Chen Yan helped, but then he noticed Lu Xiuting sitting there, secretly glancing at him several times.

After Chen Yan sat down, Lu Sisi added, "I stewed the beef brisket, but my mom made this stir-fried yam with pork..."

Chen Yan nodded, ignoring the hint of flattery hidden in Lu Xiuting's eyes, but still gave her face by picking up his chopsticks and putting a slice of yam into his mouth.

The yam was overcooked, becoming too soft and mushy, while the meat slices were a bit tough.

As for the taste, too much sugar was added. Normally, adding less sugar would enhance the flavor, but now the sweetness clearly overpowers the salty and savory taste, making it a bit cloying.

However, considering that Lu Xiuting's cooking skills are not very good—after all, a woman who has lived the life of a wealthy housewife for twenty years rarely cooks at home.

Even if I used to be able to cook a few dishes, I've long since given up those skills.

This dish is acceptable as long as it's not burnt to a crisp.

Chen Yan remained calm and composed, taking his first bite and then stopping, instead focusing his attention on the pot of stewed beef brisket.

Yes, it has to be my Lu Sisi, her cooking skills have improved!

After taking a few bites, Chen Yan smiled calmly and asked, "What were you guys talking about before?"

"It's nothing," Lu Sisi shook her head. "We were just chatting about everyday things."

After a pause, Lu Sisi glanced at Lu Xiuting and said slowly, "Mom said she wants to move out in a few days."

"Hmm." Chen Yan didn't show much reaction, and said calmly, "Where are you moving to?"

“Move...home.” That was Lu Xiuting’s reply.

Chen Yan glanced at Lu Xiuting: "Your relationship with Sisi's father... has improved?"

Lu Xiuting sighed. In front of Lu Sisi, she could only say some high-sounding words and slowly said, "We're all getting on in years. We can't keep making a fuss like this. After all, there's still Sisi and Sisi's younger brother."

We still need to maintain the appearance of a home.

Chen Yan smiled.

Suddenly, an idea struck him, and he smiled, "Hmm, it means 'a family living a good life is more important than anything else,' right?"

Lu Xiuting gave a dry laugh: "Yeah, that's exactly what I mean."

Chen Yan nodded.

Lu Sisi said, "My mom and dad have made up. They're not arguing anymore, and they're not mentioning... divorce anymore. Mom said she's decided to move back home and give Dad another chance. Dad agreed... and he'll take better care of the family from now on..."

As Lu Sisi spoke, her tone was somewhat guilty.

Are you more family-oriented?
What about the one outside?

It's just that everyone is temporarily refraining from mentioning it.

If the problem can't be solved, just shovel some soil on top to cover it temporarily and pretend you can't see it.

Chen Yan took a deep breath, put down his chopsticks, looked at Lu Xiuting for a moment, and then his tone became sincere.

“Aunt Lu, you are Sisi’s mother. In principle, I shouldn’t interfere too much in the affairs of elders. But Sisi and I have a good relationship. If you need anything in the future, you can call me. I will definitely help if I can.”

Lu Xiuting knew that Chen Yan spoke to her so kindly only because Lu Sisi was there.

Otherwise, how could this kid have such a good attitude!

However, Lu Xiuting also understood the meaning behind those words.

Call only if you need to – don't call unless you need to!
I'll help if I can—but don't come to me if I can't. You should know what you're doing!

I won't interfere too much—you know what you should and shouldn't do, so don't make me urge you anymore!

Lu Xiuting nodded, but there was still a hint of expectation in her eyes as she asked, "Um... Chen Yan, about my current health condition, my illness..."

"Oh." Chen Yan didn't intend to keep Lu Xiuting in suspense any longer. Since he had ordered her to do things, as long as she did her best, Chen Yan wouldn't go back on his word—besides, as long as she was alive, he could delay Lu Sisi's ordeal.

Such a calamity—the destruction of one's family and the death of loved ones—can be avoided.

"Your recovery is going well. Before you leave, I'll give you one last check-up to see if you need anything. If you do, I'll bring you some medicine back with you. As long as you take good care of yourself, you shouldn't have any major problems in the short term."

Lu Xiuting breathed a sigh of relief. Lu Sisi looked at Chen Yan with her big, watery eyes, a hint of gratitude in them.

·
Lu Xiuting left two days later.

The man who came to pick up Yang Jiaming personally was very composed this time, even deliberately lowering his posture.

He didn't come alone; he brought his son with him.

Watching this couple, each with their own ulterior motives, trying so hard to create a sense of harmony as if their relationship had been "reconciled," Chen Yan wanted to laugh, but he didn't show it on his face.

To reassure Lu Xiuting, Chen Yan prepared two pills for her to take away.

Actually... they are two ordinary Chinese medicine pills for nourishing qi and blood.

That one sip of the mortal version of the divine tree sap, now diluted, was enough to restore Lu Xiuting's body to a certain extent!

Even the diluted version for mortals was diluted again by Chen Yan.

That's also sap from the sacred tree!!
It is a sacred object of the ferocious beast race!
If it weren't for delaying Lu Sisi's tribulation, Chen Yan wouldn't have been so generous as to waste this on someone like Lu Xiuting; even a small sip would have been a waste!
Lu Sisi is kind-hearted and compassionate. Although she has grown distant from her mother, she still cares about her.

He actually accompanied his parents and their family of three all the way out of the yard, and even to the intersection, almost to the gate of the residential area.

At that moment, Chen Yan's eyes suddenly lit up!

Because he saw it too—the semi-transparent ghost had followed him out!

Lu Sisi walked out of the courtyard, and A Piao followed suit.

but……

As Lu Sisi walked away, the ghost drifted further and further away from the courtyard.

Its originally translucent form flickered on and off like a short-circuited light bulb...

Disappeared! !

·
I kept my word! See you tomorrow!

·
(End of this chapter)