Body outside body

Lin Shi had just woken from her multiple dreams when she found herself still in the cave she shared with Lian Zheng. She was still in a meditative posture, and Lian Zheng, sitting opposite her, was also in a cross-legged meditation position. As soon as she woke up, Lian Zheng keenly sensed her movement and immediately opened his eyes, looking at her with concern.

Lian Zheng frowned and asked with concern, "Lin Shi, what's wrong? Are you dreaming?"

Lin Shi paused for a moment, then quickly replied, "Yes, I had a dream within a dream."

Lian Zheng quickly asked, "What dream?"

Lin Shi then briefly described the six reincarnations she was trapped in, but she subconsciously omitted many details.

Lian Zheng frowned deeply after hearing this. His expression was solemn. After thinking for a while, he said, "Use a body outside the body to dream within a dream. In dreaming within a dream, see the body outside the body or understand the body outside the body."

Upon hearing this, Lin Shi's eyes widened, and she raised an eyebrow, asking, "What do you mean?"

Lian Zheng explained, "There's a common saying in the cultivation world: 'Life is but a fleeting dream.' Beyond this physical body, there exists a true self (an immortal soul, or primordial spirit). An external body refers to a split body created by a cultivator through transformation of their main body or original body. From the Nascent Soul stage onwards, cultivators can separate their primordial spirit from their body to explore information, and even possess another body for rebirth. Higher-level cultivators can create an external body, a substitute, a second primordial spirit, or a reincarnation from their main body. An external body can fight independently and carry weapons. After using an external body, a cultivator can retrieve it through their main body, merging it back into their main body, and the main body can simultaneously gain the memories and experiences of the external body."

Regarding the concept of a dream within a dream, some high-level cultivators believe that life is like a dream, and one dreams within life. All the entanglements in life are nothing more than a grand dream. For a cultivator to dream within a dream is to wander in the universe and understand the insignificance of these entanglements in essence.

The meaning of "dreaming within a dream" is as follows: When a high-level cultivator is sleeping or meditating, their soul sometimes involuntarily leaves their body to wander elsewhere. Later, the cultivator's soul returns, and they feel awake in the dream, but in reality, they are still asleep, dreaming, or meditating; their soul has simply returned within the dream. Finally, when the cultivator truly awakens from the dream and returns to reality, they realize they have been dreaming within a dream. This is what it means to dream within a dream.

Finally, high-level cultivators must endure all the bitter fruits of the Six Paths of Reincarnation before they can reach the peak of the Mahayana stage and then transcend the Immortal Tribulation to ascend to the Middle Heaven Realm. The Immortal Tribulation is not simply an enhanced version of the Heavenly Lightning Tribulation; it is the most difficult tribulation of inner demons. Evil cultivators, demons, and monsters all find it very difficult to pass the Immortal Tribulation, as do ordinary human cultivators. Only a select few high-level cultivators who have experienced the bitter fruits of countless reincarnations can overcome the Immortal Tribulation and ascend to the Middle Heaven Realm.

Lin Shi nodded: "Then I understand. It means that high-level cultivators must go through countless cycles of true six realms of reincarnation or illusory reincarnation before they can finally reach the peak of the Mahayana stage and possibly overcome the Immortal Tribulation, and then ascend to the Middle Heaven Realm to be ranked among the immortals."

Lian Zheng: "Yes, that's the idea. This stage is also where most high-level cultivators perish. My parents couldn't overcome the Immortal Tribulation and perished."

Upon hearing this, Lin Shi's face immediately showed unease. She simply said, "I'm sorry."

Lian Zheng smiled slightly: "It's alright. Several hundred years have passed."

Lin Shi smiled slightly, but didn't reply. She silently climbed onto Lian Zheng's shoulders, hugged him briefly, and then prepared to let go. Seeing this, Lian Zheng pulled Lin Shi back into his arms. The two embraced quietly for a long time, like mandarin ducks with intertwined necks, before finally separating.