Shen Xiang stood before a woman radiating the aura of a goddess. His gaze was filled with confusion and a hint of fear. The question she had just asked shook him to his core.
"What am I truly pursuing in this life? What is the real purpose of this second chance?" he wondered to himself.
The woman, who introduced herself as Shen Shizu, offered a faint smile. It was not an ordinary smile but one filled with meaning, as if it could pierce the depths of his soul.
"Are you still confused, Shen Xiang?" Shen Shizu asked, crossing her arms in front of her chest.
Shen Xiang nodded slightly. "I... I realize now that this world is far more dangerous than I ever imagined. I want to live freely, but how can I if I'm weak? I don't even know if I can protect the people I care about."
Shen Shizu stared at him sharply and then said in a firm tone, "This world leaves no room for the weak. However, your presence here proves that you have the potential to surpass your limits. The question is, do you have the courage to take the first step?"
Shen Xiang remained silent. Yet deep within him, something began to awaken. A powerful desire to become more than just a spectator in this cruel world.
Inside Shen Xiang's Soul Realm.
Shen Xiang found himself in his Soul Realm. The place appeared as an empty space filled with golden mist. However, standing in the middle of it was a man.
The man bore a striking resemblance to Shen Xiang but looked more mature. His face radiated calmness and wisdom.
"You've finally arrived," the man said with a faint smile.
"Who are you?" Shen Xiang asked, though he already had a hunch about the answer.
"I am you in your previous life," the man replied. "Or more precisely, I'm the remnant memory you carried into this world. However, my time is almost up. Your decision just now has opened a new path, and my presence is no longer needed."
Shen Xiang was stunned. "Does that mean I'll forget everything? My previous life? All that I've experienced?"
The man nodded. "Yes. Those memories are no longer relevant. But don't worry. I will leave behind a small fragment of my understanding of this world. If you manage to master the Dao of Space and Time, you might catch a glimpse of the future."
Shen Xiang could only nod. He felt a mix of emotions—loss but also relief. As the man slowly transformed into light and merged with his soul, Shen Xiang felt something within him change.
"I must become strong. I have no other choice."
Returning to the Eternal Heaven Realm.
After leaving his Soul Realm, Shen Xiang found himself once again before Shen Shizu. This time, however, his gaze was different. His eyes radiated a strong determination, which made Shen Shizu smile.
"I've made my decision," Shen Xiang said firmly. "I will move forward and become stronger. Please train me!"
Shen Shizu nodded in satisfaction. "Good. Starting tomorrow, I will train you. You must be prepared to endure pain and hardship, for the path to true strength is never easy."
Shen Xiang bowed deeply. "Thank you so much, Sister Shen."
"For tonight, you may return and rest. If you want to enter or exit the Eternal Heaven Gate, just think about it," Shen Shizu said. With a wave of her hand, she sent Shen Xiang out of the Eternal Heaven Gate.
Bang!!!
"Ouch!" Shen Xiang fell hard onto the floor of his room. He wanted to curse, but his body was too exhausted. He immediately fell asleep where he lay, unaware that the world outside was in turmoil.
Meanwhile, the Entire Star Boundary and Outer Realms Were in Chaos
Unbeknownst to Shen Xiang, several powerful individuals sensed the birth of the Son of Heaven.
The Southern Region, Star Boundary.
At the Star Soul Palace, a sect founded by the Bright Moon Great Emperor, a meeting involving all the Great Emperors of the Star Boundary was underway.
Out of ten Great Emperors, only two were absent: the Wandering World Great Emperor and the Night Shadow Great Emperor. The former was busy traveling across the world, while the latter had a conflict with the Bright Moon Great Emperor.
"Very well, let us begin this meeting. I'm sure you all felt the phenomenon that just occurred," said the Iron Blood Great Emperor, the strongest among them, initiating the discussion.
"Although this phenomenon has never happened within the Star Boundary, as Great Emperors, we can sense that a new era is about to begin. This means the Star Boundary will face chaos, or perhaps even war," said the Beast Martial Great Emperor, expressing his opinion.
The room suddenly fell silent, as the chaos of the last great conflict had claimed the lives of many Great Emperors. Out of ten, five had perished, while the other five had survived.
The fallen Great Emperors were the Heaven Devourer Great Emperor, Fire Martial Great Emperor, Yuan Ding Great Emperor, Blue Lotus Great Emperor, and Blue Sea Great Emperor. The surviving ones were the Iron Blood Great Emperor, Wandering World Great Emperor, Serene Soul Great Emperor, Heavenly Revelation Great Emperor, and the Miraculous Pill Great Emperor.
Author's Note:
The MC's memories of his previous life will completely disappear, but he will retain an intuition about major upcoming events. This is to avoid revealing too many spoilers.