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I Transmigrated 10,000 Years Too Late

Tác giả: FluffyRice

Chương 1: Am I 10,000 Years Too Late?

Early morning, Cloud Mist¹ Mountain Range.

As home to one of the oldest jungles in Daxia, the Cloud Mist Mountains have always been a daunting region for climbers.

Not only due to the countless snakes, insects, and rodents within, but more importantly, the Cloud Mist Mountains experience a foggy season lasting up to half a year each year. Within a radius of a hundred kilometers¹, a thick mist envelops the area, where even the most exceptional mountaineering teams can get lost easily amidst the towering trees of this ancient forest.

However, on this particular day, this ancient mountain range welcomed a special guest.

Wearing a thin coat and straddling a massive travel backpack on his back, Shen Yuan proceeded through the woods. In his right hand, a military shovel casually brushed away a section of branches, sending a hidden snake slithering away into the distance.

It was already the third day since Shen Yuan ventured into the depths of the Cloud Mist Mountains. Containing one of the few primeval forests in Daxia, the outskirts of the Cloud Mist Mountains had long been developed into a scenic area. All visitors were strictly allowed to explore only under the guidance of experienced tour guides to prevent them from venturing deep into the heart of the Cloud Mist Mountains.

Even Shen Yuan had to join a tourist group, disguising himself as an ordinary visitor to gain access to the Cloud Mist Mountains. Shortly after entering the scenic area, Shen Yuan snuck away from the group and ventured alone into the deeper regions of the Cloud Mist Mountains.

The reason Shen Yuan dared to take such risks was that he was no ordinary person.

Coming to a slight halt, Shen Yuan stood in place, sensing the mist thickening around him. His breathing gradually became long and rhythmic, and suddenly, a warm current formed and circulated within his body, dispelling the morning chill.

After a while, with a prolonged exhale, a white breath resembling a dragon rising through clouds in the sky, spewed from his lips, leaving a deep mark on a prehistoric tree trunk a meter away.

"Indeed, the worldly distractions and impurities¹ in the mortal realm hinder cultivation. This Cloud Mist Breathing Technique should be cultivated near nature. After just three days of delving into the Cloud Mist Mountains, I feel a significant improvement in my cultivation, equivalent to the hard work of the previous half month."

A smile appeared on Shen Yuan's face. He was not an ordinary person; more precisely, he was not a person from this world.

Half a year ago, Shen Yuan transmigrated to the Xuanhuang World, a realm with a technological level not too different from the Earth he came from. The only significant difference was that, in the Xuanhuang World, there existed legends of immortals, demons, and mythical creatures dating countless years back. Particularly Daxia, where Shen Yuan is situated, has had a history of more than three thousand years.

Although there was no concrete evidence of these immortal beings from online sources, Shen Yuan remained convinced of their existence in this world.

That was because of the portable Immortal Ascension System that came along with Shen Yuan's transmigration. According to the system, it would issue a series of tasks to aid Shen Yuan in ascending to the immortal realm and achieving eternal life.

With the system's assistance, Shen Yuan spent the past six months mastering the Cloud Mist Breathing Technique provided through the system's novice guidance, successfully entering the Essence¹ Refinement Stage².

Refining essence into qi; refining qi into spirit; refining spirit into void; refining void to merge with the Dao – these are the four steps to ascension¹ passed down by ancient cultivators.

In the Essence Refinement Stage, one circulates spiritual energy throughout the body to strengthen their essence, making their physical body far superior to that of an ordinary person, preparing for the next step, the Qi¹ Transformation² Stage.

Upon reaching this realm, Shen Yuan was no longer affected by extreme weather conditions. His internal energy circulation could ward off the cold, and creatures like snakes, insects, and rodents would not approach him.

Achieving such results in less than half a year in this world could be attributed not only to the assistance of the system but also to Shen Yuan's diligent cultivation.

However, the Cloud Mist Breathing Technique was only a basic cultivation method. To break through the Essence Refinement Stage, Shen Yuan needed to obtain a more advanced technique. This led him to the novice guidance mission issued by the system.

With this in mind, Shen Yuan glanced at the system interface.

Novice Guidance: Use the Ascension Token to join the Fallen Cloud Sect in the Cloud Mist Mountains and obtain the "Purple Cloud¹ Qi Refinement Technique".

From the two words "Novice Guide", Shen Yuan assumed it would be a straightforward task. So straight after entering the Essence Refinement Stage, he seized the opportunity to venture into the Cloud Mist Mountains.

However, after three full days of traversing the mountains, Shen Yuan hadn't even caught a glimpse of the so-called Fallen Cloud Sect.

If it weren't for the faint sensation emanating from the Immortal Ascension Token in his pocket that guided Shen Yuan toward the direction of the Fallen Cloud Sect, he would have long given up navigating through these deep mountains.

Even so, finding the Fallen Cloud Sect within the Cloud Mist Mountains was still proving to be a challenging task. "Logically, the Cloud Mist Mountain Range that stretches thousands of miles in all directions should all be the territory of the Fallen Cloud Sect. I have been carrying the Ascension Token for three days here already, so the Fallen Cloud Sect should have sensed its presence by now.

But I still haven't seen any disciples of the Fallen Cloud Sect. Could it be one of those cliché trials that cultivators carry out to hone the wills of their disciples? Are they observing me in secret?"

Doubts began to form in Shen Yuan's heart as he thought to himself.

Regardless, he had already come this far, and the faintly glowing Ascension Token in his embrace seemed to remind Shen Yuan that the Fallen Cloud Sect was close at hand. Shen Yuan couldn't afford to give up halfway.

Climbing mountains and crossing ridges, he walked from dawn until the sun dipped below the western horizon. Finally, Shen Yuan arrived in a valley.

Clear spring water flowed down from the cliff. The rising mist from the waterfall, coupled with the lingering glow of the sunset, formed a picturesque wonderland. Occasionally, a few plum deer would come to drink by the spring beside the forest, curiously observing the uninvited guest.

"This should be the place."

Shen Yuan took out the slightly warm Ascension Token from his pocket, continually surveying the surroundings.

As a cultivator, he could sense that this place seemed to be covered by a layer of spiritual qi which seemed to be concealing something.

"Immortal sect formation? Barrier? Or is it the entrance to some kind of blessed land¹?"

Shen Yuan's eyes brightened, holding the Ascension Token, analyzing the environment around him.

However, soon Shen Yuan realized something was amiss.

Having traveled through mountains and rivers to reach the location of the Fallen Cloud Sect, someone from the sect should show up, no matter whether the Fallen Cloud Sect accepted him or not.

The current situation didn't look like there was anyone here, let alone a secluded sect.

Allowing his Cloud Mist Breathing Technique to carry his essence into the Ascension Token, a misty cloud with strands of hazy purple qi suddenly began to rise from the mountain stream before Shen Yuan.

Subsequently, as if layers of space were peeled off one by one, a completely new world presented itself before Shen Yuan's eyes.

It was a paradise filled with pavilions and towers, with dragon-carved buildings constructed atop a mountain peak. Winding and meandering stairs wrapped around the mountain, which stretched above a sea of clouds, a myriad of celestial phenomena emerging from the hidden radiance in the clouds.

Anyone witnessing this scene would surely praise the majestic aura of the celestial realm, a sight worthy of the adjective "immortal".

However, such a sight lasted only for an instant. The next moment, the illusion before him shattered, revealing only a collapsed mountain peak in front of Shen Yuan.

The dilapidated pavilions and towers had long been overrun by abundant greenery, and the sky above displayed a mottled pattern of cracks that tore apart the sea of clouds, presenting a scene of desolation. The once prosperous paradise was now nothing more than a cluster of ruins.

At the entrance of the sanctuary, a massive stone stele stood tall, bearing ancient and melodious characters that retained the lingering resentment and bitterness across millions of years.

"In the ninth year of Dayin, the Human Emperor, with his unparalleled divine might, closed off the path to immortality for eternity.

I, in my unwillingness, attained the position of an earthly immortal with the aid of the heavenly sanctuary, leading the sect to rise through the clouds. However, we encountered a great catastrophe, and the millennium-long legacy of the Fallen Cloud Sect was wiped out in one fell swoop.

The great ancestor once divined all possibilities. Where is the Immortal Daozi, who was destined to save the Fallen Cloud Sect from doom?!"

Shen Yuan stared blankly at the ancient characters on the stele, his mind in a state of confusion.

"This world has a long legacy. Before the current Daxia, there were three long periods of chaos with Daqin, Dayu, and the Hundred States War. The ninth year of Dayin should be over ten thousand years ago."

"The Fallen Cloud Sect was annihilated more than ten thousand years ago."

"Am I ten thousand years too late?"