bookpower Chapter 280: Past Life of a Nascent Soul
Chapter 280: Past Life of a Nascent Soul
Read 30 Chapters Ahead On Patreon :D /zilawere
At the moment when the last wish was fulfilled, Lan Chang'an experienced a profound realization.
It felt as though he had resolved a karmic bond, breaking free from certain shackles.
The prerequisite conditions were met, and the life of Master Lihuo had now been transformed into a past life.
This was entirely different from soul-searching, where memories were forcibly extracted.
The Nine Seal Stele was not a prison for confining souls; its essence lay in the manipulation of the power of reincarnation.
Where there is reincarnation, karma is inevitably involved.
Thus, one of the three reincarnation methods of the Nine Seal Stele — turning someone else's life into one's past life — required fulfilling the deceased's most significant wish during their lifetime.
A deceased person's wishes were unlikely to be limited to one, but the Nine Seal Stele selected the one with the strongest obsession.
By dissolving this obsession and fulfilling the wish, it seemed to align with the rules of the Nine Seal Stele and even the laws of reincarnation in the universe itself.
At this moment, Lan Chang'an thought of a chilling possibility.
If Master Lihuo became his past life, would there still be a next life for him?
Or rather, would Master Lihuo’s next life become Lan Chang'an?
The concept of reincarnation had existed in the cultivation world since time immemorial and had even been proven across various human realms.
This was because there were numerous examples of powerful cultivators who, after reincarnation, unlocked their memories of their previous life in their new one.
Rebuilding one's path in a new life with the memories of the past, and embarking on the immortal path once more, was not unique to Lan Chang'an.
However, the Nine Seal Stele made Lan Chang'an's reincarnation and cultivation far more stable and precise.
It even allowed him to control his reincarnation to a certain extent.
“There are three reincarnation methods, and I still have a choice to make.”
Lan Chang'an withdrew his consciousness from the Nine Seal Stele, pondering for a long time.
After all, this was the first time he had gained the ability to choose his own reincarnation.
In his first two lives, reincarnation had been passive, triggered only after his death.
The other two reincarnation methods were as follows:
One, a customized new reincarnation life. He could choose his birth background, the region where he would be reborn, his spiritual root aptitude, and even his luck and fortuitous opportunities. RΑNꝋ฿Ěꞩ
However, under the overall rules of fate, gains and losses were inevitable. If one pursued a balance across all aspects, the result would be mediocrity.
Second, enter a dream of an alternate cultivation life, where the person in the dream would be another "Lan Chang'an" who coexisted in the same cultivation world.
The outcome of this method was highly unpredictable, with immense potential for both gains and losses.
The "other Lan Chang'an" in the dream might perish midway during the Qi-Refining, Foundation Establishment, or Core Formation stages. Conversely, it was also theoretically possible for him to ascend to the Nascent Soul, Deity Transformation, or even achieve immortality.
...
Three days later.
In the underground stone hall beneath Yunlai Peak, the quasi fourth-rank formation was activated.
Lan Chang'an, his spirit, energy, and essence brimming, decided to proceed according to his original plan.
The insights and enlightenment gained during a Nascent Soul Tribulation alone were priceless treasures.
His first two lives as a Qi-Refining cultivator and Core Formation cultivator had provided immense assistance to Lan Chang'an, forming the foundation that allowed him to survive and thrive in the cultivation world.
Without his past lives, he would have had no way to establish himself in the early stages of his current life.
Without his past lives, he wouldn’t have been able to achieve a Third-Turn Golden Dan and use his immensely powerful merged spiritual sense to hide his identity through the Hundred Illusions Mask, fooling everyone in Wangyue Immortal City.
Without his past lives, when he was intercepted by Master Lihuo back then, he would have passed out during the first wave of spiritual soul attacks.
The Nine Seal Stele was merely immune to Nascent Soul possession; it did not grant immunity to soul-based attacks.
Caution alone was not an omnipotent solution.
For ordinary cultivators, even with double the lifespan, it would still be extremely difficult to form an Immortal Golden Dan and ascend to the Nascent Soul Realm.
The disasters and tribulations in the cultivation world, both great and small, could not be resolved with longevity alone unless one possessed both vision and the ability to defend their path.
Additionally, the spirit veins of various ranks, and key strategic resources of various realms were controlled by major powers.
This meant that cultivators could not isolate themselves entirely; they had to interact with major cultivation forces.
“Begin!”
Without further hesitation, Lan Chang'an closed his eyes, his consciousness entering the Nine Seal Stele to initiate his fourth reincarnation.
Buzz!
The soul imprint of the purple-robed Daoist from his fourth life frame began to glow with a crystalline white radiance. The depiction of the Daoist, with his celestial aura and profound bearing, slowly lost its brilliance and faded.
It was like a vivid portrait gradually losing its color and vitality, becoming a lifeless black-and-white memorial.
Boom!
Lan Chang'an’s sea of consciousness trembled violently.
It felt as if a veil concealing the mysteries of the womb had been lifted, and the vast memories of this new past life surged forth like an overwhelming tide.
This sensation was identical to when he had awakened the memories of his first two lives in this lifetime.
The difference was that the memories of this past life were more immense than those of the previous three lives combined, by at least tenfold.
Fortunately, this vast and boundless memory inherently belonged to his "reincarnated past life," causing no resistance or rejection within him.
It was as if a missing segment of his memory had been restored.
As time passed, a look of clarity appeared on Lan Chang'an's face.
“So, it turns out that beyond my first life as a Qi-Refining loose cultivator and my second life as a peak Core Formation cultivator from a cultivation family...”
“I also had a third life — a glorious eight-hundred-year-long journey as a Nascent Soul True Monarch!”
In the brief span of time, Lan Chang'an awakened and reviewed the life of his fourth reincarnation.
Yet, his true self remained unaffected, still retaining the mindset of a modern youth from Earth before crossing over, untouched by the vicissitudes of his several lifetimes of cultivation.
...
I, Poor Daoist Lihuo Shangren, True Monarch Lihuo, Supreme Elder of the Flame Departing Palace.
Before this Poor Daoist embarked on the path of cultivation, my mortal name was Duan Daniu.
I was born in the Eastern Region of Great Qing, Hengshui Prefecture of Liang Kingdom, in Leyang County...
Before the age of ten, an anomaly occurred around me, revealing my talent: a Heavenly Fire Spiritual Root. My aptitude was discovered.
Amidst the fierce competition between several sects, I was admitted to the strongest sect in the Liang Kingdom's cultivation world — Flame Departing Palace.
At the age of twenty-five, I successfully advanced to the Foundation Establishment stage without the need for a Foundation Establishment Pill, breaking a three-thousand-year record in the Liang Kingdom's cultivation world.
In the years following Foundation Establishment, I married several concubines.
They were the descendants or disciples of the Supreme Elder, the Palace Lord, or Inner Sect Elders. They were all extraordinarily beautiful, pure, and ethereal.
I could not refuse them and reluctantly accepted.
At the age of eighty-one, after polishing my cultivation at the peak of the ninth level of Foundation Establishment for many years, I attempted to form an Immortal Golden Dan.
With my heavenly spiritual root aptitude, a superior Crystal Condensation Pill, and three superior Core Formation items... I lived up to everyone’s expectations and successfully formed an Immortal Golden Dan. The true fire I condensed burned at a significantly higher temperature, though it had limited use in combat.
I made a decision then — to pursue both alchemy and artifact refinement alongside my cultivation.
Later, I discovered that my talent in alchemy was mediocre, but I had some aptitude for artifact refinement.
At the age of 256, after lingering at the peak of the Core Formation stage for over twenty years, I ventured out for experience, tempered my spiritual sense, and returned to the sect to attempt forming a Nascent Soul.
However, the advantage of my heavenly spiritual root was far less effective during this pivotal breakthrough to the Nascent Soul Realm than it had been during Foundation Establishment or Core Formation.
Fortunately, with a solid Core Formation foundation and being in my prime, I managed to break through and form a Nascent Soul.
The Nascent Soul Tribulation, however, was fraught with danger.
I endured the initial lightning tribulations, though I suffered severe injuries.
The final Heart Demon Tribulation nearly led to my downfall, as a demon from beyond attempted to exploit my weakness.
But this poor Daoist had lived life with a clear conscience and eventually overcame the tribulation of the heart.
So many Restriction-Breaking Talismans? My formation couldn’t hold him!
What’s more, there was even a third-rank Great Demon assisting him?!
This man was far too peculiar—he must have had a tremendous fortuitous encounter.
Wang Feng was injured and buried under an earth wall.
I had no choice but to unleash my Nascent Soul to pursue and capture him.
If I let him escape, I would lose this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity forever.
I had a strong intuition: if I offended this man and allowed him to leave, it would spell disaster for the Flame Departing Palace in the future.
With no other options, I risked everything and unleashed my Nascent Soul.
Fortunately, the Core Formation soul within him had already been greatly depleted, giving me a more than 70% chance of success.
What?!
This Nine Seals Stone Tablet?!
My soul was utterly defenseless! Could this be a legendary Heaven-Defying Spiritual Treasure?
No—
...
“This Poor Daoist—no, this ‘Lan’—was defeated by the Nine Seal Stele in my past life. I cannot claim it to be unjust. The Nine Seal Stele must surpass ordinary spiritual treasures and is likely a reincarnation treasure on par with supreme treasures like the Xuantian Treasures.”
Inside the underground stone hall, Lan Chang'an opened his eyes, returning to the present reality.
Not long ago, he had initiated the fourth cycle of his reincarnation and reviewed the illustrious life of his fourth incarnation as the "Poor Daoist."
With a Nascent Soul-stage past life, Lan Chang'an’s perspective had completely changed, granting him a much deeper understanding of the Nine Seal Stele.
The Nine Seal Stele appeared to contain the laws of reincarnation, which prevented Master Lihuo’s soul from entering the great cycle of reincarnation after his death.
Xuantian Treasures often embody the corresponding laws of a specific world.
From this perspective, the Nine Seal Stele resembled a special kind of Xuantian Treasure.
“A Nascent Soul past life—truly extraordinary! Even just a fragment of the knowledge it provides can change the destiny of lower-tier cultivators.”
With a single thought, countless insights and instincts surged into Lan Chang'an’s mind.
For example, the techniques and divine abilities Master Lihuo specialized in, along with his spells and crafts.
From the fourth life’s memories alone, there were at least seven or eight Nascent Soul-level inheritance techniques.
Beneath those, there were countless other cultivation methods.
Even body-refining techniques numbered over a dozen, most of which were superior to the Hundred-Refinement Vajra Art that Lan Chang'an had been cultivating.
Among the secret arts was a movement technique called the Crimson Sun Blood-Escape Technique.
This technique burned one's essence blood and lifespan to transform oneself into a blazing crimson sun, explosively boosting escape speed.
The Crimson Sun Blood-Escape Technique placed immense strain on the body. The more lifespan burned, the more terrifying the escape speed.
Theoretically, if one paid a sufficient price, it could allow escape from pursuit by cultivators of much higher realms.
This escape technique had six levels, corresponding to Foundation Establishment through late-stage Nascent Soul.
Master Lihuo had cultivated it to the fourth level.
Because of this, Lan Chang'an now intuitively understood and naturally mastered the first four levels of the Crimson Sun Blood-Escape Technique, saving him a great deal of effort.
However, with his current cultivation base, he estimated he could only use the second level, which corresponded to the mid-stage of Core Formation.
At the second level, the explosive speed was several times that of a mid-stage Core Formation cultivator—enough to escape even late-stage Core Formation cultivators.
Still, using this escape technique would cost him lifespan with every use.
“Divination arts... Zhou Tian Tui Bei Book... Nine Lives Divination Unraveling...”
Lan Chang'an was surprised to discover that he now possessed the ability to divine.
In his fourth life, he had studied divination but only reached the third rank. At that level, he could only calculate fates at the Core Formation stage or below.
If he had reached the fourth rank, it would have provided significant assistance to even Nascent Soul cultivators, predicting their fortunes and disasters and securing opportunities for himself.
“Divination and fate calculation are paths that pry into the workings of heaven. They cannot be used frequently, as they consume vitality and lifespan. That’s why, over hundreds of years in my fourth life, I only managed to reach the low third rank.”
Lan Chang'an understood the difficulty of this path.
For now, third-rank divination was sufficient for him. With his long lifespan, the occasional toll on his life expectancy wasn’t an issue.
With this thought, Lan Chang'an began to calculate his recent fortunes by pinching his fingers into a divination gesture.
Suddenly, an overwhelming feeling of inspiration surged into his heart.
A great fortune was imminent!
It felt as though he could hear the ethereal music of the heavens, lifting his spirits.
Lan Chang'an nodded slightly, feeling that unlocking the mysteries of his Nascent Soul past life was indeed an auspicious sign.
Divination, when paired with specialized tools and artifacts, could increase the precision and success rate of calculations.
The memories of his Nascent Soul past life were vast, and there was an overwhelming amount of useful knowledge.
He would need some time to sort through it all and adapt gradually.
...
Once more, Lan Chang'an sent his consciousness into the Nine Seal Stele.
The figure of the purple-robed Daoist from the fourth life now appeared shrouded in darkness, lifeless and dim.
“I wonder how long it will take to fully ignite the fourth life.”
Lan Chang'an had no immediate answer.
If the fourth life were fully ignited, it would be equivalent to a Nascent Soul possession.
At the Nascent Soul Realm, the soul undergoes a qualitative transformation, and the divine abilities brought about by such a possession would far surpass those of his first two lives.
At present, the first four seals of the Nine Seal Stele all had etched images.
Only the third life, represented by the figure of a white-clothed man, remained indistinct, flickering between light and shadow.
The remaining five seals were completely blank.
Curious, Lan Chang'an directed his thoughts to touch the blank fifth seal, probing the conditions for unlocking it.
Since devouring the Nascent Soul and lighting the fourth seal, the Nine Seal Stele seemed to have gained a touch of sentience. When he explored or inquired, it would provide abstract and vague responses.
“Ten... or one?”
This vague response left Lan Chang'an startled, but then he suddenly understood.
“Ten times the previous requirement?”
His expression shifted.
“Ten Nascent Soul spiritual bodies?”
Lan Chang'an couldn’t help but feel a chill run down his spine.
Opportunities to capture Nascent Souls were exceedingly rare and incredibly difficult to come by.
Devouring ten Nascent Souls? The difficulty of this task was almost unimaginable.
Even if he advanced to the Nascent Soul Realm in the future, capturing a Nascent Soul alive would be several times harder than simply killing one.
Every Nascent Soul cultivator had lived for hundreds of years and possessed unpredictable divine abilities and means.
Without overwhelming strength, each capture would entail immense risks.
Such a requirement was entirely at odds with his cautious and steady philosophy for cultivating in this life.
Shaking his head, Lan Chang'an exited the Nine Seal Stele.
Unlocking the fifth life seemed a distant goal, and by then, he might not even choose this method of reincarnation again.
For now, his priority was to digest the immense gains from the fourth life and use this newfound knowledge to plan his path to Nascent Soul with even greater clarity.