Take Away is a ruthless and invasive technique where a cultivator's Shén (神, Shén) forcefully occupies another cultivator, spiritual object, or beast's body, overriding their original Shén. This process is akin to a hostile takeover, where the invading Shén completely subjugates or destroys the original Shén, gaining control of the host body. This is considered a dark and forbidden art, often associated with demonic cultivators, rogue immortals, or desperate cultivators facing life-threatening circumstances. The invading Shén buries itself in the target's upper dantian or spiritual core and engages in a fierce battle for dominance.
The Shén in this place is visualized as a ball of energy, the color usually depending on their chosen cultivation exercise, their "purity", or their spiritual roots. The battle itself is in the form of biting, and tearing each other.
1. Suppression or Destruction of the Host Shén
Suppression: In some cases, the invading Shén may suppress rather than destroy the host Shén, trapping it in a mental prison deep within the host's consciousness. This allows the invading Shén to access the host's memories, skills, and emotions, effectively disguising itself as the original person. However, this suppression is risky, as the host Shén can occasionally regain strength, potentially fighting back to reclaim the body.
Complete Erasure: More often, the invading Shén opts to completely erase the host Shén to avoid any risk of rebellion. This erasure can be quick or drawn out, depending on the strength disparity between the two Shén. Once erased, the host Shén is permanently lost, leaving no trace of its former existence.
2. The consequences:
If the original Shén wins, it gains not only the knowledge of the invader but also a potential boost in cultivation. However, if the invading Shén succeeds, it takes control of the body, possibly resuming the original identity or escaping to start anew. The process leaves the body and Shén in a vulnerable state, particularly in the immediate aftermath.
The body may reject the invading Shén, leading to symptoms such as spiritual instability, weakened cultivation base, mental disorders, physical pain, or difficulty controlling the body's movements. Invading Shén may use temporary measures to stabilize the body, such as consuming special elixirs, spiritual herbs, or using forbidden formations. However, these are often mere stopgaps, and the body's rejection symptoms may resurface unpredictably, causing severe harm or death to the invading Shén.
3. Motivations Behind Take Away
Avoiding Death or Severe Injury:
Take Away is often a last resort for cultivators on the brink of death, whether due to failed breakthroughs, catastrophic injuries, or dangerous confrontations. By hijacking a new, healthy body, they can escape their current predicament and potentially continue their cultivation journey.
Escaping from Pursuers or Enemies:
Some cultivators use Take Away to evade capture or death at the hands of powerful enemies. By inhabiting an unremarkable body, they can hide in plain sight, concealing their true identity while biding time to recover strength or exact revenge.
Seizing a More Powerful Vessel:
Ambitious or malevolent cultivators may deliberately seek out talented hosts with exceptional spiritual roots, physical constitutions, or powerful bloodlines. These bodies provide a stronger foundation for future cultivation, potentially allowing the invading Shén to break through bottlenecks that would have been impossible in their original body.
Prolonging Life:
Cultivators facing the natural decline of their bodies due to age or cultivation side effects may opt for Take Away to extend their lifespan. By continually seizing new, younger bodies, they can theoretically cheat death indefinitely, though each takeover comes with diminishing returns and increased risks of rejection.
4. Heavenly Retribution and Karma
Take Away is considered a grave sin against natural laws, often attracting heavenly retribution in the form of spiritual tribulations or misfortune. The invading Shén accumulates severe negative karma, which can manifest as constant bad luck, sudden calamities, or even direct punishment from higher celestial beings. In extreme cases, cultivators who overuse Take Away may find themselves eternally trapped in lower realms or cursed with unending suffering.
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I pluck this from my 1st handbook: The Xianxia Handbook: A Guide to Cultivation and Beyond, Volume 4 : Introduction & some, Chapter: Spirit/Soul/God (神, Shén) & Divine Sense, take away-etc.
For more full explanation about this, you can read that chapter.