In the Dou Qi Continent, Northwestern Region, Jia Ma Empire — Wu Tan City.
Xiao Clan.
In an inconspicuous little house tucked away in a narrow alley, a boy in white sat cross-legged in quiet meditation.
His hands formed ancient yet strange hand seals, and thin streams of pale white air flowed into his body from the surrounding world. The energy nourished his limbs and cast a faint glow on his still-childish face.
As the gentle surge of airflow moved through him, the boy shifted his hand seals. Suddenly, a muffled sound echoed from within his body. His aura spiked, becoming slightly more intense.
Lowering his palms to steady his breath, the boy slowly opened his eyes, revealing pupils as bright as starlight.
"I've reached the Second Stage of Dou Zhi Qi," he murmured, clenching his fists and feeling the growth in strength.
It had been four years since Shen Tian was born in the Dou Qi Continent. Six months had passed since he began his cultivation journey.
Like Xiao Yan in the original novel, his soul — having lived two lives — was stronger than that of ordinary people. This naturally increased his cultivation aptitude.
His talent wasn't low to begin with. Combined with his adult mentality and disciplined focus — far beyond that of typical four-year-olds — his training bore rapid results. In just half a year, he had reached the Second Stage of Dou Zhi Qi.
"I just don't know how talented that actually makes me…" Shen Tian muttered.
Born into poverty, with no backing or notable family name, he was well aware of how this world worked. He remembered the details from the novel: in the Dou Qi Continent, **strength ruled everything. The weak were trampled; the strong rose above.
So, he kept to himself.
No socializing.
No distractions.
Just quiet, focused training.
As a result, he had no clear reference for how his progress compared to others his age.
Still, he thought, if he could maintain this pace — one stage per year — then by age eleven, he might reach the Ninth Stage of Dou Zhi Qi.
That would be remarkable.
After all, at the start of the original story, Xiao Xun Er had reached the Ninth Stage at fourteen, and that already made her the second-most talented person in the Xiao Clan in a century.
"So... my talent's not bad at all."
He sighed.
In terms of aptitude, he wasn't too far from Xiao Yan.
But talent alone wasn't everything.
He got off the bed, picked up the plain white steamed bun on the wooden table, and sighed again. In this life, he hadn't been nearly as lucky.
Xiao Yan was born into the Xiao family — one of the eight ancient clans. Even in decline, they were still among the three great families in Wu Tan City. As the son of the clan leader, he never had to worry about food, clothes, or survival.
Shen Tian, by contrast, lived in a shabby thatched hut and ate cold buns for breakfast.
A commoner by birth.
His father had once been a Three-Star Dou Zhe, a modest but respectable rank. His mother, on the other hand, never advanced beyond the Dou Zhi Qi Stage. The family's income came mostly from his father hunting low-rank magical beasts, while his mother worked as a maid in the Xiao family residence to supplement what little they had.
Together, they barely scraped by — but they still managed to save a little.
But not long after Shen Tian was born, tragedy struck. His father was killed in the Magic Beast Mountain Range. His mother, devastated and alone, did her best to raise him.
Their lives became harder and harder.
And that was just one part of the gap between them.
Xiao Yan wasn't just a genius — he was the destined protagonist of the Dou Qi Continent.
Even after losing his cultivation for three years, he would eventually gain a powerful master — Yao Chen, the Flame Mantra, and a series of fortunate encounters. He'd rise again, surrounded by beautiful and loyal companions, eventually becoming Dou Di and ascending to the Great Thousand World.
Shen Tian felt a sour twinge in his heart.
They were both transmigrators from Earth's "Blue Star."
But the gap between them was… massive.
Four years in this world, and he still didn't have a system, cheat ability, or secret inheritance. Just hard work.
He shook his head and forced the thoughts away.
What was the point of comparing fates? Daydreaming wouldn't help. Only discipline, effort, and quiet growth would.
He finished the steamed bun in silence and fell back into thought.
Staying in Wu Tan City for the next few years seemed like the best plan.
Though remote, the city wasn't without safety. Outside of Xiao Xun Er's bodyguard Ling Ying, the strongest person in the city was merely a Da Dou Shi.
As long as Shen Tian avoided offending any major clans or arrogant young masters, he could live unnoticed — invisible to those with power.
His parents had lived honestly. They didn't make enemies. Neither would he.
And as a four-year-old who rarely left the house except to help his mother, he remained out of sight, out of mind.
So for now, his path was clear:
Focus on cultivation.
The Dou Zhi Qi Stage centered around expanding the meridians and strengthening the body — a crucial foundation for when true Dou Qi could begin to form.
In this stage, with their fragile meridians, young cultivators couldn't rely on external aids. Pills or special techniques would only damage them. Everything had to be done slowly, steadily.
And Shen Tian was ready for that.
Step by step.
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