Transmigration

Chapter 1: Transmigration

"My name is Sanjeev, and in this world, I am on the cusp of godhood. Today marks the ceremony where I will officially ascend to become a god of this realm. I know what you must be thinking: 'This world?' Not 'my world'? You are correct. My journey began far from here, on a planet called Earth, in a country named India."

"My life there was… different. I worked at the Taj Hotel in Mumbai. One day, a terrorist attack plunged the city into chaos. In the midst of the carnage, I found myself trying to save a child. A terrorist's bullet struck me in the chest. I remember a deafening silence, the inability to hear anything, yet I was driven to protect that boy. With my last ounce of strength, I whispered the name of God, 'Hare Krishna,' and then… darkness."

"The darkness dissolved into a blinding light. When my eyes opened again, I was no longer in my body. I was in a new one, lying in a room shrouded in shadows. A faint sliver of light pierced the gloom through a window. I was parched. 'Water,' I croaked, my voice unfamiliar. 'Can someone please give me water?'"

"My plea triggered a flurry of activity. A man's voice, filled with urgency, echoed through the room. 'Young Master is awake! Young Master has awakened!' He rushed about, his words spreading like wildfire. Soon, a man with a long beard and long hair, dressed in the style of ancient Chinese culture, stood before me."

"'My child,' he said, his voice thick with emotion. 'You're awake! What happened? Do you not recognize me? I will summon the finest physicians in the continent to heal you!'"

"It was then that the truth began to dawn on me. My situation mirrored the protagonists of the Chinese manga I used to read. I had been transmigrated, my soul transported from Earth to a new body in a different world. But instead of landing in an Indian country, as I might have expected given my faith, I was here, in a place that felt ancient and Chinese. The realization washed over me, leaving me disoriented and overwhelmed."

"I asked again, my throat still burning, 'Please… water.' A woman in traditional Chinese robes offered me a cup. I drank it in one long gulp. Then, I asked the questions that burned in my mind: 'Who are you? Who am I?'"

"As the words left my lips, a searing pain lanced through my skull. Memories flooded my mind, not my own, but those of this new body. I learned his name was also Sanjeev, a name derived from a legendary and rare medicine. My father was Xian, and my mother, Xai. I had an older brother, Xia Xian, and a younger sister. My family name was Xue."

"Weak but driven by a desperate need to understand, I tried to stand, to leave the room. What I saw outside the door defied all logic. Massive beasts soared through the sky. Plants, unlike any I had ever seen, glowed with an inner light. People flew on swords, performing tasks with casual grace. I watched, dumbfounded, as a muscular man shattered a fifty-foot rock with a single finger from a distance. It was a scene of breathtaking wonder and utter disbelief."

"Before I could process what I was seeing, the muscular man appeared before me in the blink of an eye. His face was a mask of raw emotion, tears streaming down his cheeks. 'Brother!' he exclaimed, his voice thick with relief. 'You're conscious! Mother! Father! Mother! Father!'"

"My father and mother arrived quickly. My father, Xian, seemed to already understand my condition, perhaps from the memories I had inherited. My mother, Xai, rushed to me, her embrace filled with a fierce, protective love that transcended worlds. It was a feeling I recognized, the same unconditional love my own mother had shown me whenever we were apart. 'Are you alright, Mom?' I asked, the word feeling foreign yet familiar on my tongue."

"My question surprised them all. In this life, I had apparently been… difficult. My mother's eyes widened. 'My son,' she whispered, her voice trembling. 'You are speaking so gently. Did you lose your memory?'"

"'No, Mom,' I replied. 'My memory is… intact.' I then turned to my brother, Xia Xian. 'How are you feeling, brother?' Xia Xian asked, his brow furrowed with concern. 'Do you feel any power within you? After consuming those hundreds of medicinal herbs, you fell unconscious.'"

"'Medicinal herbs?' I asked, confused. 'Why did I take so many?'"

"Xia Xian explained. 'To clear your meridians. Your meridians are blocked, preventing you from drawing power from the gods and practicing cultivation.'"

"The words were strange and new. 'Power of the gods?' I asked. 'Cultivation?'"

"Xia Xian sighed, realizing the extent of my… amnesia. 'It seems you have forgotten much,' he said. 'In our world, people can cultivate, refining their spiritual energy to become immortals. The path doesn't end there. Through further cultivation, a select few can even ascend to godhood. But gods are rare, legends among legends. Throughout human history, perhaps only a few thousand have reached such heights. Their power is… unimaginable.'"

"I pressed him further. 'What are the levels of cultivation?'"

"Xia Xian explained, 'There are seven major realms of cultivation, each divided into seven sub-levels. Only by reaching the pinnacle of cultivation can one achieve immortality and, potentially, earn the favor of the gods, allowing them to wield divine power.'"

"As he spoke, I couldn't help but draw a parallel to the seven chakras in Indian spirituality. Could the concept of cultivation in this world be related to the spiritual practices I knew from Earth? I possessed a comprehensive knowledge of various religions, including their spiritual practices, different types of yoga, and even Ayurveda. Perhaps this knowledge could help me in this new life."