The journey back to Heaven Dou City was quieter than before.
The carriage wheels rolled steadily along the stone road.
Luo Tian sat upright, eyes calm, though his body still ached faintly from absorbing the four-hundred-year spirit ring.
Across from him, Gu Rong leaned back lazily.
Beside him sat Uncle Xuan, steady and silent as ever.
After a while, Uncle Xuan asked, "How do you feel?"
"My body hurts," Luo Tian answered honestly.
Gu Rong snorted. "Good. That means you didn't waste the opportunity."
Luo Tian lowered his gaze slightly. "The cry… still echoes a little."
Gu Rong studied him for a moment.
"That will fade," he said calmly. "But don't force it to. A cultivator who forgets too quickly becomes reckless."
Luo Tian nodded.
"I won't forget. But I won't hesitate next time either."
Gu Rong's lips curved faintly.
"Then you're learning."
Testing Spatial Sense
By late afternoon, Luo Tian stood once more in the training courtyard of the Crown Prince's estate.
Uncle Xuan crossed his arms.
"Show me."
Luo Tian closed his eyes.
The Void Cube within his spirit sea rotated steadily.
His yellow spirit ring shimmered faintly as he activated his first skill.
A ripple expanded outward.
The world unfolded in layers.
"Four guards on the roof," Luo Tian said calmly. "One on the eastern wall. Two at the gate."
Uncle Xuan remained expressionless.
"Continue."
"A servant in the kitchen just dropped something ceramic."
A faint clatter echoed seconds later.
Uncle Xuan's eyes narrowed slightly.
"And me?"
"You're suppressing your aura," Luo Tian replied. "But space compresses subtly around your right leg. You were preparing to shift your stance."
Uncle Xuan glanced down briefly.
Correct.
A low chuckle sounded behind them.
Gu Rong had appeared without warning.
"Did you sense me?" he asked casually.
Luo Tian turned and frowned slightly.
"Only when you were within fifteen meters."
Gu Rong nodded approvingly.
"Honest. Good."
He stepped forward, hands behind his back.
"Remember this — perception depends on your level. Against those far stronger than you, your awareness will be blurred."
"I understand," Luo Tian replied.
Gu Rong's eyes sharpened.
"Then tell me — what is your next step?"
Luo Tian did not answer immediately.
Then, calmly:
"Expand range. Increase precision. And eventually… interfere."
"Interfere?" Uncle Xuan repeated.
"If I can sense spatial flow," Luo Tian explained, "then I should be able to disturb it in the future."
Gu Rong laughed softly.
"A self-created path."
Luo Tian nodded.
"Yes."
Gu Rong turned to leave.
"Good. Walk it properly."
Conversation with the Crown Prince
That evening, Luo Tian was summoned.
In a quiet chamber stood Xue Qinghe, illuminated by warm lantern light.
"How was the absorption?" Xue Qinghe asked.
"Successful, Big Brother Qinghe."
"And the year limit?"
"Four hundred and five."
A flicker of surprise passed through Xue Qinghe's eyes before settling into approval.
"You exceeded expectations."
"I was fortunate."
"Luck favors those who dare," Xue Qinghe replied calmly.
He paused slightly before asking, "Did killing trouble you?"
Luo Tian answered honestly.
"Yes. But I understood why it was necessary."
Xue Qinghe studied him for a moment.
"That understanding will keep you steady."
Luo Tian bowed lightly.
"I will cultivate diligently."
"I expect nothing less," Xue Qinghe replied with a faint smile.
That Night — Why Cultivate?
Moonlight poured across the courtyard stones.
Luo Tian stood alone beneath the quiet sky.
He activated Spatial Sense lightly.
The estate unfolded in his awareness.
Orderly.
Structured.
Stable.
He folded his arms behind his back.
'Why am I cultivating?'
The thought surfaced naturally.
A faint smirk tugged at his lips.
'Maybe to open a harem and wander across the world… that would be fun.'
He imagined carefree travels, beautiful companions, legendary adventures.
Then another thought surfaced.
Stories of protagonists betrayed by lovers.
Destroyed by misplaced trust.
Schemes hidden behind smiles.
He shook his head slightly.
'Nah. I'll leave those dramatic plots to someone else.'
His expression softened.
'I do want to return home.'
The thought was quieter.
Less joking.
More real.
But he did not dwell on it.
Returning required power.
Surviving required power.
Living freely required power.
He exhaled slowly.
"Immediate goal," he murmured softly, "become strong."
Then he recalled a sentence from his previous life.
"True freedom is not doing whatever I want… it is not doing what I don't want to do."
His eyes steadied.
If he was weak, others would decide for him.
Where he stood.
What he lost.
What he endured.
Strength was not about arrogance.
It was about choice.
He was only six.
It was far too early to claim he understood the world.
Far too early to decide the road ahead.
But he was certain of one thing—
He would walk step by step.
Experience the future personally.
Not as a spectator.
But as a participant.
The Void Cube rotated steadily within his spirit sea.
His first ring was only the beginning.
And somewhere beyond the quiet walls of Heaven Dou City—
The vast continent waited.