In a small town under the jurisdiction of a sect in a remote border region, in a small house in the eastern part of the town.
The house was extremely modest. Apart from a common wooden table and chairs and a small tea set in the living room, there was nothing else unusual. The living room was also empty.
In the bedroom, a young man was staring blankly at his face in the mirror.
He was stunned for a moment, then a slow smile bloomed on his face, finally erupting into loud laughter:
"Haha... I'm not dead, I, Lu Hui, have transmigrated!"
Just thinking back to that moment made him feel scared. He had graduated high school, worked for a year, and died of a stroke due to overwork. In a daze, he felt as if a crack had sucked him in, and when he woke up, he was here.
He had been an orphan since childhood, adopted by others. When his adoptive father was alive, he treated him very well, but after his death, his adoptive mother and siblings despised and shunned him.
After growing up, he often worked part-time to earn money to support himself, until that incident happened when he graduated and started working.
Was death also a release?
Perhaps. He had died, but he had also been reborn into a new life.
Wasn't that the greatest happiness?
No longer burdened by family pressure, no longer needing to face a hurried life or society's whispers, wasn't a life of freedom and ease now the ultimate happiness?
As he indulged in thoughts of his future, Lu Hui suddenly felt his head splitting apart.
It turned out this was the moment his memories were merging with those of the original owner.
As he reviewed them, he was startled and horrified.
The original owner was, unexpectedly, a grand master of the demonic path. Not only that, he had committed countless evil deeds, making Lu Hui's throat clench just by reading about them.
In his previous life, he had never witnessed such bloody events. Even when he heard about online murder cases, he only skimmed them. Now he truly understood how terrifying they were.
The original owner shared his name. He was an influential figure in the demonic path, the master of a large sect, referred to as the Demonic Lord by his disciples. While exploring an ancient cave dwelling, he was seized by the remnant soul of an ancient powerful being. Both perished together, and then Lu Hui transmigrated.
As his soul was in immense pain while merging memories, a surge of energy suddenly flooded his mind, bringing him immense comfort.
Lu Hui felt as if his entire soul was being cleansed and strengthened.
With a slight mental thought, Lu Hui unexpectedly found himself manifesting in a vast and boundless ocean, with countless mists pouring into him.
After a brief contemplation, Lu Hui understood this was the Sea of Consciousness people often spoke of. The body in the sea was his manifested soul, and the mist was likely the pure soul power of the original owner and that ancient powerful being.
The fact that both had perished together now benefited Lu Hui.
The original soul of the original owner had merely had its spiritual essence destroyed by demonic forces. Now that Lu Hui had transmigrated into it, he not only absorbed the memories but also the original essence, making him perfectly compatible with the body. There was none of the discomfort associated with the 'Soul Seizing Great Art' that he knew from the original owner's memories.
After the successful integration, Lu Hui began to plan his future.
— ADVERTISEMENT —
Originally, the original owner's soul had been damaged, but when Lu Hui transmigrated, that problem also disappeared. Not only that, his soul power had increased; frankly, it was even stronger than the original owner's.
If he wanted to go somewhere, the best place would be the original owner's sect, but he didn't want to get involved in the struggles of the demonic path.
Moreover, when he transmigrated, he had already devoured the original owner's soul essence, so it could be said that he was also a Demonic Lord and wouldn't leave any weaknesses. Yet, Lu Hui still felt a sense of unease.
Although the sect was already under the original owner's control, who knew if some demonic cultivator might suddenly go berserk one day, attack him, and self-detonate?
So the best course of action was to join the righteous path!
But he was a demonic cultivator; once caught by righteous cultivators, death was his only outcome.
No, that's not right. The original owner had always acted cautiously, never showing his face to the righteous path. As long as he didn't reveal his demonic cultivation, it wasn't certain anyone would know he practiced demonic arts.
Hmm, the renowned righteous sects always cared about their reputation, always proclaiming to uphold justice and chivalry. Perhaps they wouldn't act without reason.
Moreover, once there, if he just found a place to settle down and live out his days, wouldn't that be perfect?
What sect, what cultivation? In his previous life, he died from hardship and toil; now that he was reborn, shouldn't he enjoy peace and leisure?
Alright, first, I'll go out and assess the situation!
Lu Hui stepped out of the wooden door, his eyes met with a bustling crowd, and the sounds of hawking never ceased in his ears.
Although he possessed cultivation, out of habit, Lu Hui gently pulled aside a passerby and asked, learning that this city was called Qingyong City.
Qingyong City was not large; it was a remote city within the demonic path's jurisdiction. Its City Lord was an early-stage Foundation Establishment realm expert.
To mortals, the Foundation Establishment realm was already like an immortal capable of riding clouds and treading wind, but Lu Hui felt they were no better than ants.
*Cough... cough...*
Ah... Hmm, that's how it was from the original owner's perspective.
The cultivation levels on this continent were similar to the xianxia novels he had read.
It started with the Qi Condensation realm, guiding qi into the body, then Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Soul Manifestation, and finally, the Soul Transformation realm.
And Lu Hui was now at the peak of the Soul Transformation realm – the very pinnacle of the continent.
Haha, wouldn't my reclusive life be even safer then?
Although there were certain dangers, like the remnant souls of ancient old monsters, as long as he didn't actively provoke them, who would come knocking?
With a slight thought, Lu Hui vanished from the spot, reappearing in the sky outside the city.
— ADVERTISEMENT —
For the first time riding clouds and treading wind, he felt a profound novelty. There was a carefree freedom, a blending with heaven and earth. The gentle breeze brushed past, and Lu Hui had never felt so refreshed.
If people only focused on seeking the Dao of longevity, without fighting and killing, or simply lived a happy, peaceful mortal life, how wonderful that would be!
Having experienced the original owner's memories, Lu Hui's mindset, though changed by the power he now possessed, still yearned for simple peace. If not for this transmigration, perhaps in his previous life, he would have married a wife, had children, worked, and lived a plain life.
But now, if he were to follow the path of defying heaven and changing destiny, with a chance to seek the Great Dao of Longevity, how many moments of peace would he truly have?
Cultivation required experiencing life and death; without life and death, one could not achieve the Dao. Success meant stepping onto the immortal path of immortality; failure meant turning to dust and smoke.
Following this train of thought, Lu Hui's state of mind gradually broadened and opened. The sorrows and malevolent thoughts of the original owner also vanished.
Although he was a powerful demonic cultivator, the one who committed evil was the original owner. Now it was him – Lu Hui, and he would act according to his own heart.
I will only do what I want to do. I don't seek longevity, nor do I seek fame or glory; I only want to live a peaceful life.
Just then, a mechanical voice rang out:
[Ding!
Congratulations, Host, for unlocking your mental realm and passing the trial.
The System is now activated! ]
“Who?” Lục Huy spun around and demanded, his divine sense instinctively sweeping across ten thousand miles, yet there was no one within its range.
“Could it be…”
“System?” Lục Huy’s voice rang out, full of doubt.
[ Present.
What does Host require? ]
The mechanical, emotionless voice rang out once more.
“Hahaha…” Hearing this, Lục Huy let out a faint smile.
I didn’t expect that not only do I possess peak cultivation on the continent, but I also have a system? If word gets out, wouldn’t countless people die of envy?
But he didn’t want to cultivate immortality, nor did he want to establish a sect… So what use was a system to him?
Yet, unable to suppress his curiosity, Lục Huy softly asked,
“System, what kind of system are you?”
[ Host does not meet the conditions to activate the System.
]
“Then when will I meet the conditions?” Suppressing the urge to curse, Lục Huy tried his best to ask.
[ Host does not meet the conditions to activate the System.
] The System maintained its tone.
“If I don’t meet the conditions, then why did you pop out here?” This time, he was truly enraged. Who would have a system that just pops out, greets you, and then sits there for display?
— ADVERTISEMENT —
[ Host does not meet the conditions to activate the System.
]
Hearing this, Lục Huy stumbled, almost falling from mid-air.
He had obtained a system, but it was an unactivated one.
His cultivation was already at its peak. He already had a sect. As for wealth and spirit stones… he lacked nothing!
Could it be a system that sends the host to reincarnate?
Damn it!
Perhaps only now did he understand what it meant to be given a useless burden!
Even as a modern youth, having experienced the many ups and downs of two lives, his emotions had never been as intense as they were now.
It said he didn’t meet the conditions, but it didn’t say what conditions were needed. Was he supposed to spend his entire life fumbling around trying to activate it?
“Phew!” After gently circulating his qi and regulating his breathing for a moment, Lục Huy finally calmed his emotions.
“Hmph, isn’t it better if it doesn’t activate?”
“What if it activates and throws out a few quests? Wouldn’t my retirement plans be ruined?”
“System, you’d best go find a new host!”
System: […]
…..
After careful consideration, Lục Huy began to conceal his aura, which was still at the peak of the Foundation Establishment realm. He wanted to slowly travel and enjoy the scenery of this other world.
Lục Huy then pulled out several orthodox cultivation techniques and began to study them.
These cultivation techniques were all obtained by the original host while killing orthodox cultivators, in addition to the basic techniques the original host used when he was still on the righteous path.
Recalling those memories, Lục Huy felt a pang of sorrow for the original host. Though ostensibly “exterminating demons and defending the righteous path,” they had sought to harm him and seize his opportunities, forcing him to wander and eventually fall into depravity, cultivating the demonic path.
Although he didn’t understand much of these cultivation techniques by simply looking at them, with the original host’s insight, his true qi automatically circulated according to the techniques. In just the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Lục Huy had thoroughly reviewed them all.
Orthodox and demonic cultivation techniques are two completely opposing forms of cultivation. If one cultivates both simultaneously, they will inevitably suffer a backlash.
However, Lục Huy’s cultivation was profound. Suppressing the backlash from Foundation Establishment techniques was well within his capabilities.
After making thorough preparations, Lục Huy set off towards the territory of the orthodox path.