On the Maya Continent, within the imperial palace of Blazing Flame City, capital of the Leo Empire.
"Is this the world of Coiling Dragon?"
In one of the larger palaces, a little boy with black hair and amber eyes closed a copy of General History of the Leo Empire. His brows furrowed slightly, and a depth of thought far beyond his age flickered in his amber eyes.
Yesterday, on his fifth birthday, he had finished integrating the memories of his previous life. He had only just awakened with those memories. Combining the extraordinary warriors and magicians he had seen as a child with the legendary account in General History of the Leo Empire—how Emperor Leo cultivated himself, reached the Saint Domain, eventually became a god, and founded the Leo Empire—as well as information on the seven elements, four Edicts, the Church of Light, the Church of Darkness, and cultivation—
Lin Tian was somewhat bewildered. Though he truly did not want to believe it, he knew there was a high chance he had been reborn into the world of Coiling Dragon.
He had awakened two days ago, and he was still called Lin Tian in this life. Thinking about the name he had chosen back then, it was probably his subconscious at work.
He was Leo XIII's third child. Above him were an elder sister, Fanny Leo, and an elder brother, Mickey Leo. For the time being, he had no younger siblings. His father, Hubble Leo, and mother, Nicole Rossi, had fallen in love freely at school, and both possessed exceptional talent—his father was already an eighth-level warrior at the peak, while his mother possessed mid-eighth-level strength. His father had only reluctantly accepted the throne because his grandfather had reached the Saint Domain, so although they were royalty, he still had only one wife.
For the past two days, worried that his sudden change in behavior would arouse suspicion, he had stayed inside the palace without going out. Fortunately, his father was currently in seclusion, attempting to break through to the ninth level. His mother had to help manage state affairs, while his sister and brother were both studying at the academy.
Only today had he finally gathered the courage to sneak out and find this book in the Library Pavilion. After reading the detailed account of Emperor Leo, from his birth to the founding of the empire and up to the present day, he finally confirmed that he was in the world of Coiling Dragon.
Thinking of this, Lin Tian could not help feeling extremely excited. Back when he had read Coiling Dragon in school, he had fantasized about transmigrating into its world, beating up the Sovereign of Light with his fists, kicking the Sovereign of Fate with his feet, then becoming a Hongmeng Controller and building a universe for fun.
"I'm already five. Can I start training in battle qi now? I wonder whether I have magical affinity. After all, I have memories from two lives, so my spiritual force should be decent. If my magical affinity is high, then my talent will be better, and compared to a warrior, it should be easier for me to reach the Saint Domain. The Saint Domain!! As long as no one kills you, you have eternal life. Just thinking about it is exciting. Good! I'll work hard to reach the Saint Domain first!"
The boy spoke excitedly, his little face flushing slightly from excitement. He paced back and forth through the palace, constantly recalling the cultivation system from the original Coiling Dragon—warriors cultivated battle qi, magicians cultivated spiritual force and Magical Power, and magical affinity was the key factor determining whether someone could become a magician.
"If I could become a magician, that would be great..." Lin Tian murmured. "Based on the original novel's description, magicians have an easier time reaching the Saint Domain."
The more he thought about it, the less he could sit still. He immediately decided to find his mother. Although his father was in seclusion, his mother, Nicole Rossi, was a mid-eighth-level warrior and a member of the Rossi Family. She surely knew a great deal about cultivation.
Lin Tian straightened his clothes, took a deep breath, and pushed open the palace doors.
The imperial palace of Blazing Flame City covered an enormous area. Pavilions and towers stood in harmonious arrangement, and everything exuded solemnity and luxury. But Lin Tian had no mind to appreciate any of it. He hurried through the corridors toward his mother's chambers.
"Third Prince!" The maids and guards along the way all bowed in greeting.
Lin Tian nodded slightly without slowing down. He was now the Third Prince of the Leo Empire. Though still young, he still had to observe royal etiquette.
When he arrived outside his mother's chambers, Lin Tian had the maid at the entrance announce him. Before long, the maid returned and respectfully said, "Third Prince, Her Majesty the Empress requests your presence."
Lin Tian pushed open the door and entered. His mother, Nicole Rossi, was sitting on a cushioned couch with a document scroll in her hands, a trace of weariness between her brows. She was barely in her thirties, with beautiful features. Her long black hair was arranged in an elegant bun, and her fitted outfit made her look particularly valiant. When she saw Lin Tian enter, she set down the document and revealed a gentle smile.
"Xiao Tian, why did you suddenly come looking for Mother? You locked yourself in your palace these past two days. Mother was worried you might be sick." Nicole beckoned him over.
Lin Tian quickly went to his mother's side, climbed onto the couch, and nestled into her embrace. He could smell the faint fragrance of jasmine on her. It was the most familiar and reassuring scent of his life in this world.
"Mother, I'm fine. I was just reading." Lin Tian raised his little face and looked seriously at his mother. "Mother, I want to cultivate."
Nicole was slightly startled, then smiled. "Xiao Tian, you're only five. Why did you suddenly think about cultivation?"
"Because..." Lin Tian had already prepared his explanation. "Because I read General History of the Leo Empire and saw the story of Emperor Leo becoming a god. I want to become strong too! I want to protect Mother, protect Father, and protect Sister and Brother!"
He spoke with complete sincerity, determination shining in his amber eyes.
Looking at her son, warmth surged through Nicole's heart. She gently stroked Lin Tian's black hair and said softly, "Xiao Tian has grown up. You already know you should protect your family. But cultivation is not easy. It requires a great deal of effort and sweat. Can you persevere?"
"I can!" Lin Tian nodded firmly. "Mother, I'm not afraid of hardship!"
Nicole pondered for a moment. "If you want to start learning about warrior cultivation early, you can begin with the Qi Gathering Stance. This is the most basic method of warrior cultivation. It mainly tempers the body and lays the foundation for cultivating battle qi in the future."
"What about magic?" Lin Tian asked eagerly. "Mother, I want to test my magical affinity!"
Nicole laughed and pinched his little nose. "You little fellow, you certainly have quite an appetite. Testing magical affinity requires a special Magic Crystal ball, and it is generally done after the age of six." She thought for a moment. "You need to wait until your spiritual force is more stable. Otherwise, the test results may not be accurate."
Lin Tian was somewhat disappointed, but he quickly cheered up. "Then, Mother, can I practice the Qi Gathering Stance first?"
"Of course." Nicole nodded with a smile. "How about this? I'll have Kahn, the captain of the palace guards, teach you personally. Kahn is a Ninth-Level Warrior, more than qualified to teach you the basics. As for the magical affinity test, Mother will arrange it for you. We'll do it once your spiritual force is more stable, all right?"
"Thank you, Mother!" Lin Tian said happily.
Nicole smiled as she hugged her son, her heart filled with gratification. Of her three children, her eldest daughter Fanny was lively, her eldest son Mickey was calm and reserved, while this youngest son, Lin Tian, usually did not speak much but always gave people a feeling that he was different. Perhaps this child truly possessed extraordinary talent for cultivation.
"All right." Nicole gently patted Lin Tian's back. "Go make preparations. Starting tomorrow, go to the Martial Arts Arena every morning and find Captain Kahn. Remember, cultivation cannot be rushed. You must proceed step by step."
"Yes, Mother!" Lin Tian jumped down from the couch, gave a respectful bow, then skipped happily out of the room.
Watching her son's cheerful retreating figure, Nicole's smile gradually faded, replaced by a thoughtful expression. She murmured softly, "Xiao Tian... seems somewhat different from before. Is it because of those books?"
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