strokinit Chapter 3: The Golden Finger Arrives
Chapter 3: The Golden Finger Arrives
The last vestiges of consciousness were swallowed up by the boundless agony and the terrifying feeling of having one's soul torn apart.
That's not a coma.
That was the entire existence of the "self," thrown into a high-speed vortex of pure pain and ultimate chaos.
Every thought is ground into the most basic particles by an invisible millstone. Every memory—from the past life, this life, clear, or blurry—is like a kaleidoscope shattered by a heavy hammer, flashing with dazzling, multicolored light spots that can never be pieced back together, spinning, splashing, and annihilating in the endless void.
Just when Xuan Tianyi thought that this complete annihilation, in which even the concept of "existence" itself would vanish, was the final destination—
Everything, without warning, came to a standstill.
It's not the disappearance of sound.
The concept of "sound" has lost its meaning here.
It is not a relief of pain. It is that the senses and the vessel that bear the "pain" cease to exist here.
He "woke up".
It "exists" in a form that is absolutely incomprehensible and indescribable.
It has no body, no limbs, no facial features, and not even a definite shape or boundaries.
Only a wisp of the purest and most primal "consciousness" remains, or rather, a faint "aura" shimmering with the light of self-awareness, suspended in a place... indescribable by any known language or logic.
This is "chaos".
It was not the dusty, murky scene one might imagine.
Rather, it is a realm of "nothingness" that transcends the category of "scenery," being magnificent, vast, supremely simple, yet also supremely complex and wondrous.
There is no up, down, left, right, no east, west, south, north, no past, no future.
Time and space lose their inherent form and meaning here. They are like two vast ocean currents of opposite nature but originating from the same source, gently and violently intertwining, mixing, annihilating, and being reborn.
Ultimately, it transformed into a chaotic current of energy, undeveloped and without beginning or end, yet seemingly containing all "beginnings" and "ends," slowly flowing, colliding, separating, and merging in "nothingness."
"Gaze"—if this pure and direct perception can be called gaze—
Everywhere you look, there is a primordial "aura" that is neither light nor darkness, flowing and swirling.
Sometimes they coalesce like primordial nebulae, surging and powerful, as if within them the birth and death of stars and the beginning of the universe; at other times they disperse into absolute "nothingness," devouring all concepts and existence.
This is not simply an ocean of energy, nor is it a material world. Rather, it is more like a manifestation of some supreme law, a manifestation of the concept of all things in their most primitive and authentic state, containing infinite creative possibilities and also harboring the ultimate destination of annihilation.
An ancient, vast, and almost Dao-like supreme aura silently permeated every inch of this chaotic "void".
Faced with this aura, Xuan Tianyi's faint glimmer of consciousness felt its own extreme insignificance, like a speck of dust gazing at the Milky Way, or a mayfly facing the heavens and earth.
In the center of this boundless, chaotic sea, which could cause any being to lose its way and eventually dissipate, a tiny glimmer of light floats quietly.
That "spot of light" was mysterious and inexplicable, beyond the realm of common sense.
It seemed infinitesimally small, as small as a mustard seed, the most basic element that makes up all things, as if it would be assimilated and annihilated by the ever-flowing chaotic currents around it at any moment, returning to the beginningless and endless "nothingness".
It is as if it were the "singularity," the point before the beginning of the universe, which contained unimaginable mass and energy, and contained all possibilities and contradictions.
At the same time, it seems to be infinitely large, so large that it fills the heavens and the earth and encompasses the universe. It is the undisputed and absolute center and foundation of the entire Chaos Sea.
It seems that this boundless, chaotic sea, which enacts the cycle of birth and death, is merely an insignificant and ever-changing "shadow" naturally cast by its very existence.
The light spots emitted a soft and pure "black" glow.
It was a mysterious and indefinable color.
It is as if it is extracted, purified, and finally fused into a single "original color" from billions of colors, countless opposing laws, light and darkness, life and death, creation and destruction, order and chaos... in the process of eternal birth and death collision.
It is neither dazzling nor dim, but quietly radiates light, like an eternal lighthouse guiding the way in the vast darkness and boundless chaos.
Like the first flame that ignited in absolute nothingness at the beginning of creation and the birth of the universe, defining "existence," it burns quietly and stands eternally.
It floated there quietly, and every barely perceptible, breath-like slight "pulse" caused the vast chaotic aura around it to rise and resonate like the tides, as if it were the "heart" of this chaos.
Xuan Tianyi's "consciousness" instinctively "stared" at that mysterious central light.
A strange sense of peace, like warm spring water, quietly enveloped his wisp of fleeting inspiration.
Like a lone boat adrift and adrift, having weathered a cataclysmic storm, it finally sailed into a calm and eternally existing harbor. That mysterious light is the ever-burning guiding light in that harbor.
But at the same time, a profound and instinctive sense of awe, stemming from life (or "existence"), also arises spontaneously. It is an uncontrollable tremor and sense of submission that a tiny individual feels when faced with the ultimate mystery of the universe and the manifestation of the fundamental principles of the universe.
"Where...am I...dead again? Or...?"
Xuan Tianyi's consciousness fluctuated, filled with extreme bewilderment and shock.
He tried to understand, but all existing cognitive frameworks seemed naive and ridiculous here.
As if in response to the faint "ripples" caused by his fluctuation of consciousness, a pure and ancient flow of information, like warm and deep spring water, flowed silently yet naturally from the surrounding chaotic aura, or more precisely, from the central mystic light, directly merging into the core of his consciousness, instantly "understood" by him, rather than "read":
[A soul vessel meeting the criteria has been detected... Fusion level detection...]
[The trajectory of fate has taken a dramatic turn... The threads of cause and effect are tangled and disordered... The initial binding conditions are met...]
[In the process of determining the compatibility of the original Daoist essence...]
[Compatibility confirmed.]
[The Modified System of the Myriad Heavens' Path is Activating...]
[Drawing upon chaotic energy to construct the initial interactive interface...]
[Please concentrate and choose one of the following three initial Dao options to bind to. This choice will serve as the foundation for the evolution of this system, determining the host's future path. The choice is irreversible and must align with your true nature; please choose carefully.]
As this information emerged, the chaotic energy flowing calmly around the dark spot of light in the center of the chaos began to surge and accelerate, and the scene began to change and condense accordingly.
On the left, a portion of the mysterious light separated out and did not move away. Instead, it began to rotate and compress, vaguely condensing into an ancient, heavy, and seemingly ancient "scroll" phantom, as if it were formed from the sedimentation of civilization and time.
The pages of the book are neither gold nor jade, yet they exude a majestic, upright, enlightening, and righteous aura that commands respect and influence.
The pages moved on their own without any wind, and the faint sound of ancient recitation could be heard, each word a gem, containing profound legal principles.
On the cover of the book, two ancient and powerful seal characters slowly emerge – The Analects.
Below, a slightly smaller annotation of the Daoist rhyme appears:
[Establishing laws through words, embodying the law of heaven. With righteous spirit, cleansing away evil, establishing order in people's hearts, and shaping the principles of humanity and law.]
On the right, another part of the mysterious light flowed, transforming into a slowly blooming, pure and flawless "lotus" phantom.
The lotus platform is crystal clear, as if it were carved from the finest glass and moonlight, exuding a profound and mysterious atmosphere of purity, compassion, penetrating wisdom, and transcendence of the cycle of birth and death.
Within the lotus heart, faint, almost imperceptible chanting and Zen sounds linger, pointing directly to the true nature of the human heart. At the center of the lotus, two scriptures, seemingly imbued with boundless wisdom, rise and fall—the Heart Sutra.
Below, the Daoist commentary appears:
[Seeing that the five aggregates are all empty, one transcends all suffering. With prajna wisdom, one dispels delusion to reveal truth, clarifies the mind and sees one's true nature, crosses the sea of suffering and delusion, and reaches the pure shore.]
At the center, the core black light spot expanded slightly, its light flowing and transforming into an ancient and profound "jade disc" phantom, seemingly carrying the ultimate truth of the universe.
On the jade disc, endless mysterious patterns naturally arise, change, and flow.
The first thing to evolve was two "yin-yang fish" chasing each other, head to tail, black and white, forming a unified "Tai Chi" diagram, slowly rotating, illustrating the profound principle of unity of opposites and harmony of movement and stillness.
Following this, Taiji generates "Liangyi" (the two polarities), representing the rise and fall of the pure and the turbid; Liangyi then transforms into "Sixiang" (the four symbols): Shaoyin, Shaoyang, Taiyin, and Taiyang, which stand in the four directions, symbolizing the rotation of time and space.
The Four Symbols derive from the "Pre-Heaven Eight Trigrams": Qian, Kun, Zhen, Xun, Kan, Li, Gen, and Dui. These eight trigrams, symbolizing the most basic objects and forces in the universe, are arranged according to a supreme order and slowly rotate to represent the elements of heaven, earth, wind, thunder, water, fire, and lake.
The eight trigrams did not stop there; they overlapped and combined with each other, instantly giving rise to the more complex and ingenious "sixty-four hexagrams," symbolizing the more subtle and complex evolutionary laws of all things in the world.
Each hexagram's six lines (the intersection of yin and yang) are further subdivided and illuminated, ultimately transforming into "three hundred and eighty-four" lines representing specific good and bad fortune, gains and losses, like the stars in the heavens, circling the jade disc, flashing and illusory, endlessly repeating without beginning or end.
They seem to be silently illustrating the supreme cycle of the universe, from which all things are born from chaos, undergo prosperity and evolution, eventually return to silence, and then give birth to new life from annihilation.
In the center of the jade disc, two ancient characters, seemingly written directly by the Great Dao, slowly emerged—the Book of Changes.
Below that, the Daoist commentary is the most concise, yet it seems to contain the deepest mysteries:
[Looking up at the heavens, surveying the earth. Investigating the relationship between heaven and humanity, understanding the changes of the past and present. Holding the reins of cause and effect, manipulating destiny. Using the I Ching to deduce the Dao, stealing the secrets of heaven, seizing the creation of heaven and earth.]
There are no lengthy introductory texts, nor are there detailed comparisons of advantages and disadvantages.
Only these three grand visions, these three true meanings that point directly to the supreme origin, are like three "roads" extending from beneath his feet, leading to completely different yet equally magnificent and unimaginable peaks. They clearly and without reservation lie before Xuan Tianyi's wisp of consciousness, awaiting his choice.
The three options represent three ultimate paths, three completely different future possibilities, and will shape three completely different "Xuan Tianyi".
"A system?! It really is a system?!"
Xuan Tianyi's consciousness trembled violently, the fluctuations mixed with disbelief, the ecstatic joy of escaping from a desperate situation, and a trace of deep vigilance from his soul's instinct towards the unknown and powerful existence.
As a soul from another world of information overload, he knew all too well what the word "system" meant in similar circumstances!
That is the greatest reliance to defy fate and change one's destiny; it is the strongest "benefit" and "trump card" that a transmigrator can imagine when facing a strange and cruel world!
A wave of ecstasy washed over every corner of his consciousness, almost making his spark of inspiration leap for joy.
But what followed was an unprecedented, chilling, and iron-like caution.
"This choice... will determine my future path... will determine what kind of person I become... will even determine how I see the world, and... how the world sees me."
He forced himself to cool down his boiling emotions and, with the utmost rationality, observed and felt the essential aura emanating from these three paths.
The Analects embodies a righteous spirit, a majestic and benevolent way, and its words carry the weight of law, establishing order and defining principles.
This is undoubtedly an extremely attractive path. If one can succeed, one may be able to educate all people, establish an immortal order, and even become a sage, with one's words carrying the mandate of heaven and one's words being law.
But... Xuan Tianyi "senses" that righteous aura and vaguely feels that this path may have a subtle discord with the underlying style of this post-apocalyptic world where the blood moon hangs in the sky, strange beasts roam freely, the strong prey on the weak, and humanity is constantly sinking and blooming in extreme environments.
Moreover, in my hazy memory, those so-called "Confucian scholars" and "people of propriety" seemed to be mostly rigid and inflexible, with strict rules and a focus on the group rather than the individual.
His deep-seated cherishing of freedom and individuality from his past life, along with the wildness that had just emerged from the life-or-death struggle, made him instinctively detached from this seemingly "orthodox" path.
The wisdom of Prajna in the Heart Sutra illuminates emptiness, liberates from suffering, and directly points to the true nature of the human heart; it is profound and extraordinary.
If one can see through the illusions of the mortal world and realize one's true nature, it is indeed a supreme path that leads directly to the source and transcends the sea of suffering.
In this world filled with pain and despair, seeking inner peace and liberation seems like a reasonable choice. But...
Xuan Tianyi's consciousness looked back at everything he had just experienced—
That life-or-death predicament, Uncle Lin's selfless protection and resolute departure, Ali's roar as he dragged Uncle Lin away, and the insane killing intent that erupted in his final moments, willing to perish together with others...
There are also lingering attachments from past lives to family and friends, regrets for unfinished business, and a persistent pursuit of "living" itself.
He can't let it go.
I don't want to let go either.
He harbored hatred in his heart—hatred for the blood moon, for those strange beasts, and for this damned world.
He felt a deep sense of gratitude to repay Uncle Lin and to those unfamiliar patrol soldiers.
He had questions in his heart that he wanted answered, about this world, about his own journey through time;
He had an even stronger burning desire for life and a thirst for power!
He needs the strength to fight against this unjust fate, to protect the people and things he might encounter in the future that are worth protecting, to explore the truth of this world, and to pursue that vague, perhaps non-existent, "path home"!
He did not want to pursue complete "emptiness," nor did he want to detach himself from all suffering.
He wanted to "engage with the world," to "compete," to "change," and to take control of his destiny!
Finally, his consciousness, deep and lingering, was cast upon the ever-evolving, all-encompassing illusory image of the "jade disc"—the Book of Changes—that seemed to encapsulate the laws of the universe's birth and death.
The balance and change of Yin and Yang, the myriad phenomena of heaven and earth symbolized by the Eight Trigrams, the impermanence of worldly affairs as interpreted by the Sixty-Four Hexagrams, and the good fortune, misfortune, regret, and shame revealed by the Three Hundred and Eighty-Four Lines...
Isn't all of this just like this chaotic, cruel world, yet full of endless possibilities and variables?
He controls cause and effect, manipulates destiny. He uses the I Ching to interpret the Dao, steals the secrets of heaven, and seizes the creation of heaven and earth.
These few words of annotation, however, were like the strongest liquor and the sharpest blade, precisely piercing the deepest desires and ambitions of his soul.
He did not want to be bound by a fixed order, nor did he seek absolute transcendence.
What he wants is to see through the undercurrents in this unpredictable torrent of fate, seize the opportunity, and even... take the initiative to intervene, to manipulate cause and effect, to fight for a chance of survival for himself and for those he cares about, and to create a different future!
The path of the I Ching may be difficult, unpredictable, and full of variables.
But what it offers is possibility, initiative, and the power of "change" itself.
This power can be used for protection or conquest; it can be used to glimpse the secrets of heaven or to conceal oneself; it can be used uprightly or mysteriously.
This is what he wanted.
This is consistent with the ruthlessness and decisiveness etched into his soul, a result of his recent escape from a bloody battle in hell.
This is what allows him to survive in this world, and... to live a wonderful life!
"I choose..."
Xuan Tianyi's consciousness transmitted an incredibly clear and unwavering wave towards the illusory jade disc in the center.
"The Book of Changes!"
With his decision finalized.
"Buzz—!!!"
The illusory "jade disc" in the center, formed from mysterious light, suddenly burst forth with an unprecedentedly dazzling mysterious light!
The light was not dazzling, but it seemed to contain the power of creation, instantly illuminating the entire chaotic sea!
The illusory images of the Analects scroll on the left and the lotus flower of the Heart Sutra on the right trembled slightly, then transformed into specks of pure light, like countless rivers flowing into the sea, slowly merging into the mysterious light emanating from the jade disc.
It's as if they were born from the same source, and this moment is simply a return to their origin.
The patterns on the jade disc became clearer, more intricate, and full of spirituality.
The yin-yang fish swam faster, the eight trigrams flickered, and the phantoms of the sixty-four hexagrams and three hundred and eighty-four lines seemed to be infused with life, beginning to slowly rotate around the core of the jade disc according to a more mysterious trajectory, as if it were a miniature universe of heavenly laws that was evolving on its own.
Immediately afterwards, the radiant jade disc phantom began to slowly fly towards Xuan Tianyi's wisp of consciousness.
The speed seemed slow, yet it appeared to traverse endless time and space, ignoring the obstruction of chaos.
Getting closer.
Finally, under Xuan Tianyi's gaze, the illusory jade disc that carried the great principles of the I Ching and had become the core carrier of the system gently, yet irresistibly, touched his faint spiritual light.
There was no impact, no repulsion.
Only a perfect, harmonious fit, like water and milk blending together.
The illusory image of the jade disc, like ice crystals merging into the surface of water, silently disappeared into his consciousness.
next moment--
The vast torrent of information, as boundless as the sea of stars and as ancient as the river of time, carries the most fundamental Taoist principles of the I Ching, as well as countless profound knowledge about divination, deduction, formations, yin and yang, the five elements, destiny, fortune, and so on.
And the most basic rules of use and core logic of this "All Heavens Evolution Dao·Modified System" exploded, imprinted and merged into the depths of his consciousness like the Big Bang!
"Aaaaaah—!!!"
Even in this strange state of consciousness, Xuan Tianyi felt as if his soul was being filled with endless knowledge, and he felt an swelling and stinging sensation as if it were about to burst.
Countless hexagrams, hexagram texts, diagrams, symbols, and fragments of laws, like chaotic stars, spun, combined, and disintegrated wildly before his eyes...
The chaotic sea began to churn violently, and the dark light in the center, the core source light of the system, gradually receded, eventually transforming into an imperceptible "point" that was bound to his soul and inseparable from him, disappearing into the deepest part of his consciousness.
His consciousness, too, began to grow heavy and blurred under the impact of this information storm, pulled downwards by a gentle yet irresistible force...
It crashed down onto that battered body that had just been bound to the system.
Falling towards that place where the blood moon still shines and the slaughter continues...
A cruel world.