The salt-laden air of Foosha Village clung to Jiang Chen, now undeniably Ace, with a persistent familiarity. The rhythmic lull of the waves, a constant companion since his rebirth, filled his tiny ears, no longer a backdrop to chaos but a soothing, consistent beat. He was cradled by a gruff, tobacco-chewing woman named Curly Dadan, a bandit with a surprisingly gentle touch for an infant. His new home was a ramshackle mountain hut, far removed from the pristine cultivation chambers of his past life, yet here, amidst the dust and the crude comforts, his journey back to the pinnacle had truly begun.
The decision for a dual cultivation path—focusing on both physique and spiritual power—was etched into his very being. The stark, undeniable reality of his mother's death, the piercing impotence he had felt as a cosmic sovereign reduced to a helpless babe, fueled an unquenchable fire. This weakness, this vulnerability, was a scar on his ancient soul that only absolute power could heal. He would not just survive in this world; he would master it, surpass its natural limitations, and reclaim a glory beyond even his former cultivation realm.
His first, most critical step was the re-establishment of a foundational cultivation base. As an infant, his body was incredibly fragile, a far cry from the formidable vessel that had once withstood heavenly tribulations. Yet, it was also remarkably pure, unburdened by past impurities, a blank slate for his profound knowledge.
Each breath was a microscopic victory. He visualized minute strands of this vibrant life force threading their way into his nascent meridians, the faint outlines of energy pathways he was painstakingly re-establishing within his fragile body. It was slow. Excruciatingly slow. A normal cultivator would scoff at such a meager intake, but for an infant, it was a monumental effort of focus and control. The world around him, with its vibrant sounds and smells, constantly threatened to pull his attention, but the core of Jiang Chen, the unbreakable Dao heart, held firm. He would spend hours in his crib, feigning sleep, while his inner world was a maelstrom of meticulous energy absorption and refinement.
Dadan and her mountain bandits, rough as they were, unknowingly provided ideal conditions. The lack of constant, overwhelming stimulation, the raw simplicity of their lives, allowed him extended periods of uninterrupted focus. He was rarely handled, often left to his own devices in the safety of his basket or a patched-up crib. This neglect, which would be detrimental to a normal child, was a boon for the reborn cultivator.
The bandits also unwittingly supplied his physical cultivation needs. "Here, brat, eat up!" Dadan would grunt, shoving a bowl of steaming, unidentifiable 'nutrient meat' stew into his face. It was usually wild boar, mountain beast, or whatever fresh kill they'd managed. To a normal child, it was simply food. To Ace, his infant senses keenly aware of its latent energy, it was a vital source of protein and primal life force. He devoured it with an intensity that often startled Dadan, consuming far more than any infant his age should, an instinctual drive for the fuel his body desperately needed to grow and restructure. He felt the coarse fibers break down, the nutrients absorbed, each morsel a building block for the 'special physique' he envisioned.
Years crawled by, marked by the changing seasons and the slow, steady progress of his secret cultivation. By the time he was two, his movements were already preternaturally coordinated for his age. His infant body, though still small, possessed a deceptive resilience. He would "play" by himself, performing subtle stretches and movements that adapted his old cultivation exercises to his current, limited form, slowly opening his joints and flexing his muscles, preparing them for the greater energy flows to come. He learned to walk and run with an innate grace, his balance impeccable, his steps unusually quiet.
His curiosity, fueled by his 'creator sense,' drew him inevitably towards the ocean, the boundless source of this world's primal energy, the very 'sea spirit' that negated Devil Fruits. He found a secluded tidal pool, far from the bandit hut, a place where he could immerse himself without drawing attention. The sensation of the seawater, initially alien, became strangely invigorating. While it would instantly drain the power from a Devil Fruit user, for Jiang Chen, whose spiritual core was re-establishing itself outside of the Fruit system, it was different.
The 'sea spirit' is not merely an antagonist to the broken Daos of the Devil Fruits, he mused, lying submerged in the cool, clear water, the currents gently swirling around his tiny limbs. It is the fundamental 'Dao of Life and Flow' in this world. It is the purest, most concentrated form of this universe's ambient energy. My previous understanding of it as purely an 'anti-Dao' was incomplete. For my own spiritual cultivation, it is a potent elixir.
He began to subtly absorb the 'sea spirit' directly through his skin, through his nascent spiritual core. It was a dense, vibrant energy, raw and untamed, far more potent than the trace elements he absorbed from the air. He felt it surge through his body, cleansing his meridians, nourishing his spiritual core, accelerating his cultivation. This was the secret hunt in sea water he had envisioned—not just for sustenance, but for spiritual nourishment.
His developing senses, already sharpened by his cultivation, allowed him to easily catch fishes from the tidal pools and even the shallow sea. He would move with an unnerving stillness, his tiny hands darting with impossible precision, grabbing fish that ordinary children wouldn't even see. He would then bring them back to the hut, presenting them to Dadan with an innocent smile, who would only grunt about him being a "weird kid." He ate them with some salt using fire spell to grill them, savoring the fresh life force they contained, further fueling his physical development.
His internal progress was astounding, a testament to his ancient foundation. He communicated only in babbles and simple words when around Dadan or the bandits, maintaining the facade of a normal, albeit exceptionally quiet and observant, child. But in the quiet moments, especially when alone by the ocean or nestled in his crib, he engaged in silent dialogues with himself, his analytical mind constantly assessing, planning, and strategizing.
My physical body, though still small, has undergone a fundamental transformation, he observed during one such internal monologue, his gaze fixed on the endless horizon. The 'nutrient meat' and the ambient life force have coalesced, refining my bone structure, strengthening my muscles, and purifying my blood. The foundation for my special physique is being laid. It is robust, capable of withstanding energies far beyond what this world currently recognizes.
He continued to push his spiritual cultivation. The absorption of 'life force' from the air and, crucially, the 'sea spirit' from the ocean, propelled his internal energy circulation. The faint ember of his spiritual core began to glow brighter, the nascent meridians solidifying into clear, distinct pathways.
And then, just before his fourth birthday, it happened. A powerful surge of energy, a distinct 'pop' from deep within his spiritual core, rippled through his entire being. He felt an undeniable expansion, a heightened awareness of the world around him, a greater ease in drawing in ambient energy. The sensation was exhilarating, a familiar thrill from a distant past.
Qi Gathering Realm, Third Stage!
He was only four years old, a mere infant by the standards of his past life, yet he had already broken through three foundational stages of the Qi Gathering Realm. In his previous universe, cultivating to this stage at such an age would be hailed as a monstrous genius, a prodigy born once in a millennium. Here, in this world where cultivation was an alien concept, it was a silent, unheralded miracle. He had successfully adapted his ancient techniques to this new reality, proving the universality of the Dao.
The breakthrough brought with it not just increased spiritual power, but also a deeper connection to the 'life force' around him. He could feel the subtle currents of the wind, the vibrations of the earth, the very pulse of the plants and animals with a heightened clarity. His senses sharpened further, his mind becoming even more acute.
The Qi Gathering Realm is the accumulation of energy, he reminded himself, the ancient scholar taking precedence over the joyous infant. The next stage, Foundation Establishment Realm, is the true solidification of one's cultivation path. It's where the nascent spiritual core forms its first stable foundation, where true internal power takes root.
He frowned, a tiny wrinkle appearing on his forehead. But this world… it has a Heavenly Dao of its own. Not the all-encompassing, omnipotent Heavenly Dao of my original universe that oversaw cultivators, but a unique, subtle 'Dao of Fate and Balance' that governs the flow of this world's narrative. My rebirth here, my very existence as Roger's son, is already a major deviation from the natural order I created. If I openly cultivate, if I break through to Foundation Establishment, it could draw unwelcome attention from the omnipotent Heavenly Dao.
He closed his eyes, his mind already formulating complex equations of energy and causality. The Foundation Establishment Realm is a pivotal breakthrough. It causes a subtle resonance with the ambient energies, a ripple in the fabric of reality. This resonance, however faint, could be detected by those capable of perceiving the deeper aspects of this world's laws—perhaps the World Nobles, or even some of the more ancient, powerful entities I inadvertently wove into the background.
I have to set up an array to evade from Heavenly Dao. The thought was audacious, bordering on impossible for an infant, but Jiang Chen was never one to shy from a challenge. Not a physical array of stones and diagrams, not yet. But a subtle, spiritual array. A complex formation of energy suppression and redirection, woven into his own meridians and spiritual core. It would function as a cloak, dampening the ripples of his breakthrough, concealing his true cultivation progress from the 'Dao of Fate and Balance' of this world. It would allow him to build his foundational establishment realm without triggering an unintended cosmic response, without attracting the attention of forces far more insidious than the Marines.
The task was immense, requiring intricate planning and years of subtle energy manipulation. But Ace, the four-year-old child with the soul of an ancient sovereign, was undaunted. He had already tasted power, felt the familiar hum of energy within. He had a lifetime ahead of him in this vibrant, dangerous world. And he would not waste it. He would ascend, silently, secretly, defying the very fate he had once decreed for himself. The journey to Foundation Establishment would be his next, monumental step.
Ace internally thought "I am now as strong as Marines Commodore and if I breakthrough late stage of Qi Gathering realm, I would be as strong as Vice-Admiral of Marines"
No No No - One Step at a Time "No Rush, I want to build my physique which can easily stand heavenly thunder tribulation , I have to focus on my memory for ancient body cultivation method "