Accidentally Reincarnated in Cultivation World-Chapter 251: Contemplation

Where the physical bound the body, the spiritual bound the mind.

Each spiritual restriction broken expanded one’s perception, widened the mind’s horizon, and freed the mind from illusion.

As the saying goes, ’We do not see things as they are. We see them as we are.’

Old Yu remembered, when the Young Yu had stood in the Tower of Trials, his profile had read:

"Heavenly Restriction: Partially Broken."

That line referred not to the body, but to the spirit.

Now, Old Yu would take the next step, to break three spiritual restriction as his cultivation allowed, and awaken the Mind’s Eye.

For him, it would not be difficult. His cultivation technique existed to defy impossibility itself.

So he sat cross-legged once again, sinking into profound meditation.

His breathing slowed. His thoughts quieted. His consciousness turned inward, past his meridians, past his dantian, the deepest chamber of his mind.

The path ahead would be long. But Yu Xuan smiled faintly.

***

Outside the barrier.

"Congratulations, Martial Ancestor!"

"Congratulations, Martial Ancestor!"

"Congratulations, Martial Ancestor!"

Voices rang out one after another, echoing across the silent expanse.

The Martial Ancestor accepted their words with a faint nod. His expression, however, remained unreadable, neither joy nor pride could be felt from him.

Fang Wu was the first to step forward, smiling politely.

"With such a promising disciple, Ancestor, your prestige will surely rise again."

Wuji followed immediately, his tone full of flattery.

"Indeed. For one from the Lower Realms to possess such potential... it is truly Heaven’s will."

For a moment, the atmosphere was light, almost celebratory, until Baotian spoke.

"Ancestor," he began carefully, "about what you mentioned to Yu Xuan earlier..."

At once, the tone shifted. Everyone understood what he was referring to.

By accepting a disciple, the Martial Ancestor had reignited an ancient grudge. The Heavenly Demons would not remain idle.

Their movements would soon disturb the temporary peace.

The Martial Ancestor closed his eyes briefly. When he had checked the Great Divider, the signs were clear — the clash would begin within a year.

He eyed Tianling, the Spirit of the Heaven Immortal Sect for a bit.

"He is strong," the Ancestor said slowly, his voice deep and resolute.

"Unless one from the old generation acts personally, none within their younger ranks will be able to kill him."

The statement carried weight.

Fang Wu exhaled softly.

"Then it seems we can rest easy for now."

But Baotian was not so sure. His gaze lingered on the faint shimmer of the barrier.

"Let’s hope his mind can withstand what’s happening inside," he murmured.

The Martial Ancestor remained silent at that, eyes still fixed upon the barrier.

Time flowed differently in this space, yet even for them, it began to feel long.

After what seemed like ages, Baotian finally spoke again, frowning slightly.

"...Does it truly take this long?"

Even the Martial Ancestor looked puzzled now.

"Strange," he muttered, his brows furrowing slightly.

"The absorption should have stabilized long ago..."

And so, they waited.

Hours turned to days.

Days to weeks.

Weeks to Months.

The barrier shimmered faintly, concealing everything within.

***

Mind.

Mind is a strange thing.

Or perhaps — the Mind that houses Consciousness is the strangest of all.

Yu Xuan sat in absolute stillness, his breath faint.

Within the depths of his awareness, memories began to ripple, scenes of his entire life flashing one after another.

His childhood.

His cultivation journey.

Enlightenment does not arrive on a whim. It is born from reflection.

He was only fourteen.

He had seen life and death. And through it all, one truth echoed in his mind:

Life is fragile.

No matter how strong one becomes, life itself remains delicate.

Just as a human crushes an ant without thought, a powerful cultivator may erase a weaker one for the smallest of reasons — or none at all.

It was the Law of the Jungle dressed in heavenly robes.

A truth both brutal and absolute.

So Yu Xuan asked himself — in a world where people perform miracles and calamities, what should one seek?

Greatness?

Emptiness?

He did not know what others sought. But he had observed enough of the human race to find a pattern — people pursued interest, benefit, survival, at least in this world.

Their ambitions, no matter how divine they sounded, were built on practicality.

And thus Yu Xuan searched for his own answer.

His current goal was Impermanence.

Not the emptiness of inaction, but the impermanence of motion — to strive, to rise, to protect, to change.

To seek greatness yet not be bound by it.

To live for himself, for his family, for the fragments of meaning he chose.

Would this goal remain unchanged?

Probably not.

Humans evolve — shaped and shattered by experience.

He knew the world would change him again and again, and whether that would be for good or ill, only time could tell.

For now, he sought one thing — Strength.

The strength to be free.

The strength to be unrestrained.

The strength to change the world itself.

But such freedom required understanding — not just of the world around him, but of the truth within.

But, how one understand the world, when all things influence each other?

There was no answer — not yet.

He could only walk toward it, until he stood before the Ultimate Truth — the Dao itself.

But perhaps, before seeing the Dao, one must first see the true self.

Then, suddenly, a fragment of memory surfaced — a phrase that had carved itself into his soul during the Tower of Trials, the one he got from the eggs:

’The soul is the basis of existence. From the soul manifests the spirit. From the spirit manifests the will. Through the will, we influence the material.’

The words resounded through his consciousness like divine thunder.

And as their meaning unfolded — the boundaries between Old Yu and Young Yu began to blur.

The separate souls, slowly reached toward one another.

Like twin reflections meeting on the surface of still water, the boundary between them thinned.

And for the first time, Yu Xuan felt the wholeness of his being — the past, the present, and the eternal self converging as one.