Kai Xian’s heart still raced from the events of the morning. The Power Check, the Spirit Test, and the Beast Taming Trial had tested him in ways he had never imagined. Yet, despite the whispers, the mockery, and the heavy weight of expectations, he had endured. The results were not impressive by the Kai Clan's standards, but they were a statement—a declaration that the former Kai Xian was not dead, that the spirit of the man who had once wielded the powers of time and fate had merely been lying dormant.

As the afternoon sun bathed the courtyard in a golden glow, Kai Xian found himself sitting alone in the secluded training grounds, his thoughts swirling. Today had been a step forward, but the road ahead was long and uncertain. The trials had tested his body and spirit, but they had also revealed the undeniable truth: his connection to his past cultivation was still very much alive. His power, fragmented and scattered, hummed beneath his skin, waiting to be unlocked.

Li Mei approached, her presence a calming influence. She had been by his side through the most difficult moments, and while she had her own burdens to bear, she always managed to offer support. Her gentle smile was a reminder that, despite the isolation he often felt, he was not truly alone.

“You did well today,” she said softly, sitting beside him. “I know it didn’t go as you hoped, but it’s a start. You showed them that you’re still capable.”

Kai Xian’s gaze lingered on the distant horizon, his eyes distant. “It wasn’t enough. They’ll never see me as I was—how can they, when I am so weak?”

Li Mei placed a hand on his shoulder, a comforting weight. “They will see. It just takes time. The power you once had is inside you, Kai Xian. You only need to remember how to reach it.”

A sigh escaped him as he closed his eyes. Time. That was the key to everything. He had always been able to control it, bend it to his will, and yet now he could barely hold onto his own. It was frustrating, knowing that the answer to his weakness lay within him, but he had no idea how to access it.

“There is more you need to learn,” Li Mei said, her voice more serious now. “The Kai Clan’s techniques go beyond mere cultivation. They are rooted in time manipulation, elemental Qi, and other powerful secrets. But they are not freely shared with everyone. You will need to prove yourself—again and again—before the elders will even consider teaching you.”

Kai Xian nodded, determination flickering in his chest. He had already proven his resilience today. Now, he had to show them that he could master their techniques, that he could rise from the ashes of his previous life.

---

The following days were filled with grueling training. Every morning, Kai Xian would wake before the sun, pushing himself to his physical limits. His body was still frail, his Qi weak and erratic, but he refused to let that stop him. The Kai Clan’s training grounds were vast, and he made full use of every inch. From the Elemental Pools to the Time Weaving Chambers, where the clan’s elite practiced their manipulation of time, Kai Xian trained relentlessly. Every strike, every breath, every movement was a reminder that he had to push past his limits.

But despite his efforts, his progress remained slow. His body was still young and fragile, and his Qi could barely be molded. The Kai Clan’s techniques demanded focus and control, the kind that came with years of rigorous practice. As much as he pushed himself, the power of time still eluded him.

One evening, after another exhausting training session, Kai Xian sat alone in the clan’s library, pouring over ancient scrolls and manuscripts. The Chrono Strikes, the legendary techniques of the Kai Clan, were known to manipulate time—slowing it, speeding it up, even reversing it in small increments. But the key to mastering them was elusive, hidden behind layers of complex theory and intricate cultivation practices.

His fingers traced over the yellowed pages of a forgotten tome. It spoke of the Weaver of Fates, the mysterious entity who had once guided him in his past life. The more he read, the more he felt a familiar presence, an echo of the power that had once been his. The Weaver of Fates was said to have shaped the very fabric of time itself, and the techniques it bestowed were not meant for mere mortals.

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But Kai Xian wasn’t just anyone.

A faint pulse of energy shot through him as he read a passage about the Threads of Time. According to the text, these threads connected every living being to the flow of time. Those who could tap into them could manipulate time in subtle ways, but only those with a deep understanding of their own past and future could fully control them. It was a technique that required an immense amount of spiritual energy, something Kai Xian had almost none of.

As his thoughts swirled, the door to the library creaked open. Li Mei stepped inside, her expression unreadable.

“Is something wrong?” Kai Xian asked, his voice tinged with concern.

Li Mei’s eyes flickered with something akin to worry. “I’ve been hearing strange things,” she said quietly, sitting beside him. “The elders have been talking about you. They know about the Power Check, the Spirit Test, and the Beast Taming Trial. They’re... intrigued, but they’re also wary.”

Kai Xian frowned. “Wary? Why?”

Li Mei leaned in closer, her voice barely above a whisper. “There are rumors that your presence might have attracted the attention of something... dangerous. Something from the Divine Realm. The Kai Clan’s strength in manipulating time is known across the realms, and not all beings are happy with that. Especially those who were once your enemies.”

A chill ran down Kai Xian’s spine. His past life had been filled with power, but it had also been filled with enemies—immortal beings, cultivators of unimaginable strength. Could they have followed him into this life? Could they have sensed his weakness and sought to finish what had been started?

Before he could respond, a loud crash echoed from outside the library. The ground trembled, and the very air seemed to grow thick with tension. Li Mei’s face paled as she stood up, her hand reaching for the hilt of her blade.

“What is that?” Kai Xian asked, his senses heightened.

Li Mei’s expression was grim. “It’s coming from the Beast Taming Grounds.”

The two of them rushed outside, only to find chaos unfolding in the courtyard. Beasts were rampaging, their eyes glowing with unnatural ferocity. The Thunder Bear, which Kai Xian had tamed just days before, was thrashing violently in its pen, its mighty roars echoing through the air. Other beasts—creatures that had always been under control—had begun to break free, their bodies pulsating with dark energy.

“Is it a rebellion?” Kai Xian asked, his thoughts racing.

Li Mei shook her head. “No. This isn’t natural. Someone’s controlling them.”

Before they could react, a figure appeared at the edge of the courtyard—Zhao Xing. His face was twisted in a wicked grin, his eyes gleaming with a malice that was both familiar and unsettling. In his hand, he held a dark, glimmering crystal—an object that radiated a strange, oppressive energy.

“You’ve done well to attract attention, Kai Xian,” Zhao Xing said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “But now you’ll see what happens when you meddle with forces beyond your understanding.”

With a flick of his wrist, the crystal pulsed, and the beasts howled in pain, their bodies twisting and contorting as dark energy coursed through them. Zhao Xing’s laughter filled the air as the chaos intensified.

Kai Xian clenched his fists, his heart pounding in his chest. This wasn’t just an attack—it was a challenge, a test. Zhao Xing had always resented him, but now it was clear that there was something more behind this assault. Could it be that Zhao Xing was somehow connected to the dark forces that had once pursued him in the Divine Realm?

Kai Xian’s eyes narrowed. He could feel the remnants of his power stirring deep within him, but it wasn’t enough. Not yet. He needed to tap into something greater.

As the beasts charged toward them, Kai Xian reached for the Threads of Time—the knowledge he had read about earlier in the library. He could feel the threads tingling beneath his skin, the very fabric of time reaching out to him.

With a roar, he plunged into the depths of his own mind, willing the threads to bend to his will.

The air shimmered.

For a brief moment, everything froze.

---

Cultivation Level of Kai Xian:

Kai Xian’s cultivation level is currently Spirit Master (low-level), still far from the heights of his past life. Despite his breakthrough during the trials, his body is still weak, and his connection to time is fragmented.

Physical Strength: Weak (due to his frail, eight-year-old body)

Qi Cultivation: Low-level Spirit Master, barely able to stabilize his Qi.

Time Manipulation: Incomplete, currently able to slow or speed up small moments in time, but lacks full control.

Beast Taming: Intermediate, able to tame lower-tier beasts like the Thunder Bear but not yet capable of forming deep spiritual bonds.

Spiritual Energy: Low, fluctuating with his emotional and mental state, but able to tap into deeper connections with time and fate under extreme stress.

Kai Xian’s cultivation is a work in progress. His past power is still buried deep within, but with each challenge, he begins to awaken fragments of his former self. The road ahead will require more than just physical strength—it will demand mastery over his past life’s techniques and a deeper understanding of the forces that shape time itself.