'Did it work?'
Xian Tiandi struggled to open his eyes as a wave of weakness surged through his body.
His limbs felt heavy and uncoordinated, and his chest rose and fell as he struggled to breathe evenly. It took a few moments before his vision began to clear, revealing the worn-out ceiling above him.
Its chipped wood and crude carvings stirred something deep within him—a sense of familiarity that made his heart race.
'It worked?' he thought again, his mind a storm of uncertainty and cautious hope.
'This is...'
He tried to speak, but the only sound that came from his mouth was a soft, high-pitched "kyaa."
And that was all he needed to know.
'I've returned... to when I was still a baby!'
Far from discouraging him, the realization brought a surge of triumph. This wasn't just what he had hoped for—it was the exact outcome he'd meticulously planned.
A grin spread across his chubby, cherubic face, looking utterly innocent to anyone who might have seen him. But behind that baby's smile lay a mind sharper than any sword, housing memories of countless battles, discoveries, and revelations.
For this was no ordinary infant. This was Xian Tiandi, the former Dao Sovereign of the Origin Universe—the apex of all creation.
Xian Tiandi's rise to power was nothing short of legendary. He had started as a nobody, a mortal struggling to survive in a world where the strong thrived and the weak perished. His ascension to the immortal realms and eventual claim of the Dao Sovereign title was the stuff of myth, spoken of in awe and reverence across countless worlds.
But his journey had never been easy.
It wasn't until much later in his life that he discovered the truth about his origins: he was a scion of the Xian Immortal Clan, rulers of the Xian Heavenly Realm. Yet that prestigious heritage had brought him nothing but suffering.
Stripped of his divine talents due to internal clan rivalries, he had been discarded into the mortal realm—a humiliation orchestrated by his so-called "family." The extraction of his innate abilities had left him crippled, his cultivation journey excruciatingly slow and fraught with obstacles.
Only one thing had saved him: his innate physique, which had survived the treachery of his enemies. This physique, rare and precious beyond measure, granted him twice the lifespan of any other cultivator at each realm.
Where others burned out in their quest for power, Xian Tiandi had endured, his extended years allowing him to outlast and outlearn his rivals. Through grit and cunning, he had clawed his way to the apex, overcoming adversaries that even immortals feared to face.
But standing at the pinnacle of his world had revealed truths that shattered his understanding of reality. The Origin Universe was not the entirety of creation—it was merely a fragment, sealed off from a grander, infinitely vast multiverse.
Driven by a hunger for answers, Xian Tiandi had broken through the seal, embarking on a journey through other worlds. He had learned much, including terrifying truths about his limitations. No matter how hard he pushed himself, certain deficiencies from his early cultivation days—a consequence of his mortal upbringing—left him unable to ascend further.
It was in his darkest moment of despair that he stumbled upon the Ancient Hidden Dimension, a treasure trove left behind by a civilization so old and advanced that even Xian Tiandi couldn't fully comprehend it.
There, amidst relics of unimaginable power, he found the Golden Time Hourglass.
The artifact was simple in appearance, an hourglass of shimmering golden sand, its surface etched with runes that pulsed faintly with an ancient energy. Its purpose was clear: to turn back time and grant the user a chance to relive their life.
It was a one-time-use treasure, and even the ancient texts within the dimension offered no guarantees about its efficacy. Yet Xian Tiandi had clung to hope, pouring centuries of preparation into this gamble.
The hourglass had worked.
And now, as he lay in the fragile body of a newborn, Xian Tiandi couldn't help but feel exhilarated.
'This time, I will forge the perfect path,' he thought, determination blazing in his soul.
Xian Tiandi knew what lay ahead. The next tens of thousands of years were an open book to him, and his mind raced with possibilities. He knew the locations of countless treasures, the timing of catastrophic events, and the weaknesses of those who would become his enemies.
But most importantly, he knew how to awaken the greatest Beast Spirit of all time.
In this world, every child underwent the Awakening Ceremony at the age of ten, connecting to the Spirit Dimension to summon a Beast Spirit. This spirit would fuse with their soul, transforming their physique and granting them the Spirit Roots and Blood Meridians necessary for cultivation.
The type and quality of the Beast Spirit determined a cultivator's future. A powerful spirit could grant unique abilities and shape the destiny of its host. The stronger the spirit, the stronger the cultivator.
In his previous life, Xian Tiandi had awakened late and with mediocre results. His journey to the peak had been an uphill battle because of it.
'But this time will be different,' he vowed.
He would prepare meticulously, cultivating his soul power to ensure he awakened a Beast Spirit unparalleled in strength. And this time, he wouldn't settle for following existing paths.
He would pioneer a new Dao—the Dao of Beast Taming.
Xian Tiandi closed his eyes, forcing himself to focus. His infant body was weak, and the years ahead would require patience. He would have to relearn everything, but with his knowledge and experience, this was no hindrance—it was an opportunity.
In this life, he would rise faster, stronger, and wiser.
And when the world finally recognized him once again, they would witness the birth of a legend greater than any before.
Xian Tiandi smiled inwardly. The journey to conquer the heavens anew had begun.
'Let's see who can stop me this time.'