Lu Yan'an

In the first month, the light snow had just cleared. After the snowfall, Anping City was draped in a layer of bright white silver gauze. A biting breeze wove through the streets and alleys of Anping City, and a faint scent of hearth smoke drifted through the afternoon air. Where the breeze passed, the cedars in the forest shook off their pristine white, revealing their original verdant green.

The Lu Family back courtyard.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..." As a low, whistling sound of air being torn apart echoed throughout the backyard, streams of air continuously lashed out at every obstacle. Rockeries, the surface of the lake, and even the weeds on the walls were swept by these low-frequency currents, causing the once calm and ripple-free lake to stir with wave after wave.

"Second Brother is so strong! You've already broken through the Nine Turns of Source Qi at only sixteen. I wonder if I'll be able to break through in the future?" A small, milky voice rang out. Suddenly, the sharp, surging aura that had filled the backyard tightened, then slowly dissipated into nothingness.

"You can. As long as little Lu Jilian practices hard, the Nine Turns of Source Qi won't be a big problem!" In the small pavilion in the backyard, Lu Yan'an, whose aura had yet to stabilize after his breakthrough, smiled and said to his young brother, Lu Jilian.

"After all, the Nine Turns of Source Qi is just another beginning..." Harboring many secrets, Lu Yan'an did not voice these words. Instead, he reached out and began to tease the little one's soft, fair cheeks. The little guy laughed heartlessly, and the two of them, one big and one small, began to play in the pavilion—a warm, cozy scene set against the snowy landscape.

The Feng Kingdom is the only country in existence on Yuan Planet, representing the most advanced cultivation civilization on the planet.

The entire Yuan Planet is saturated with a special power called Source Qi. It exists in the sky, the earth, the mountains, the rivers, and the vegetation of Yuan Planet. As long as you live on Yuan Planet, Source Qi is subtly influencing everything. One could even say that as long as you live on Yuan Planet, even an ordinary person can live a long, disease-free life.

The Lu Family is one of the few prominent clans in the Feng Kingdom. Their ancestor was Gaoyang of the Zhuanxu Clan. After Zhuanxu passed away, the power of the clan fell into other hands and was replaced by the current Feng Clan. However, as an old-established family, the Lu Family's foundation is unfathomable. Even though their power is not what it once was, due to certain special reasons, the Lu Family and the imperial family maintain a united front. Or, to put it another way, in the Feng Kingdom, the noble families and the royal family have always been in the same boat...

This general alignment in foreign affairs makes the entire political regime appear incredibly awkward yet remarkably harmonious. Both sides silently accumulate their foundations within this awkward harmony to prevent any unexpected situations from arising.

"The most ridiculous thing is, this is clearly a feudal high-martial dynasty with no signs of technological development, so how do people on Yuan Planet even know the concept of a planet..." Lu Yan'an thought, absentmindedly kneading his little brother's soft cheeks while his mind wandered infinitely.

Ever since Lu Yan'an was reincarnated into this place called Yuan Planet, he had lost his temper over the contradictory aspects of this world.

Since his birth, he had secretly learned the common language and script of this place. Benefiting from the crude and simple—one might even say ubiquitous—method of Source Qi cultivation, and piecing together fragments of conversation from the adults, he independently figured out the path of cultivation. At only two years old, Lu Yan'an became the youngest cultivator on Yuan Planet.

But for most ordinary people, the efficiency of cultivating Source Qi is extremely low, and it is limited by each person's unique constitution. Cultivation cannot be separated from innate talent, nor can it be separated from persistent effort. Therefore, those who can truly become strong are few and far between. A "test" to judge the level of talent is the "Nine Turns of Source Qi" currently circulating throughout the Feng Kingdom.

The passing grade for the "Nine Turns of Source Qi" is to complete the nine turns before the age of thirty. The earlier you finish, the more it proves your talent. If you haven't completed the nine turns by thirty, it simply means your talent is mediocre and your path of cultivation has reached its end; it is not recommended to stubbornly persist on this path.

After all, in a world where the average lifespan is two hundred years, cultivation is by no means the only path, though it is undeniable that those who can embark on the path of Source Qi look down upon other paths.

"I hope Father can tell me about the cultivation methods beyond the Nine Turns today. I can't fall too far behind Big Brother." In a high-martial feudal era, stripped of the conveniences of modern technology, perhaps only curiosity about cultivation could drive a modern person to strive so diligently!

Lu Yan'an is the second child in the family, with an older brother and a younger brother.

The eldest of the Lu Family, Lu Kunwu, is graceful and handsome, possessing a scholarly air—the kind of temperament that leaves a gentle impression on anyone who meets him... However, completely inconsistent with this scholarly air is Lu Kunwu's sharp and formidable cultivation talent.

As the eldest grandson and the greatest pride of the Lu Family, he has already broken through to the realm beyond the Nine Turns of Source Qi at the age of twenty. Before Lu Kunwu, no one had ever broken through the ninth turn before the age of twenty. This talent can be described as unprecedented.

His younger brother, Lu Jilian, is currently four years old. He is still a milky, chubby little guy, also blessed with a bright and intelligent appearance. His favorite thing to do is to engage in a battle of wits with his eldest brother, Lu Kunwu. He is precocious and clever, and the two brothers combined have eight hundred schemes in their heads.

Lu Jilian is exceptionally gifted; at three years old, he could recognize a thousand characters and interpret essays. Although young, he has plenty of bright ideas, and his potential is evident. If nothing goes wrong, he will also be a cultivation genius.

And sixteen-year-old Lu Yan'an, by completing the Nine Turns of Source Qi, has, from a certain perspective, created history since the inception of the Nine Turns cultivation system on Yuan Planet.

Unlike his eldest brother, Lu Kunwu, who is heavily promoted by the family as a brilliant star, Lu Yan'an has always left the public with an impression of being plain and unremarkable. If not for the fact that the younger generation of the Lu Family produced a monster like Lu Kunwu, almost no one would have paid attention to Lu Yan'an.

"I wonder what the realm beyond the Nine Turns is actually like?" This has always been Lu Yan'an's question regarding cultivation. "Why does it seem like there's a gap, and why has no one ever spoken about what lies beyond the Nine Turns of Source Qi?" Once, carrying this question, he asked his father, Lu Zhong, but Lu Zhong was tight-lipped about the matter. He simply stated that the time was not yet right and dismissed Lu Yan'an.

Later, he asked his eldest brother, Lu Kunwu, and received a similar answer. It was as if an invisible hand had completely separated the realm beyond the Nine Turns from the mortal world. Today, Lu Yan'an, who was finally about to get an answer, couldn't help but feel a bit excited. He had a premonition that this answer would allow him to understand the reality of this world.

Just as he was thinking this, Lu Yan'an suddenly noticed that his eldest brother and father had arrived before him and his younger brother. His father, Lu Zhong, wore a look of excitement and joy. The moment he looked at him, his gaze was so sharp it felt as if he could see right through him, and he asked in a trembling, impassioned tone: "An'er, have you broken through the Nine Turns?"

After receiving Lu Yan'an's affirmative answer, a look of relief washed over Lu Zhong's face. He patted his second son on the shoulder, and after a moment of silence, said slowly: "An'er, haven't you always wanted to know about the realm beyond the Nine Turns? Today, I will tell you everything..."

As he spoke, Lu Father gave his eldest son a look. Lu Kunwu, understanding, picked up Lu Jilian, who was acting spoiled in Lu Yan'an's arms. "Little one, Big Brother will take you outside to play." Without waiting for the little guy to react, he carried him out of the backyard.

Once the two had completely left the back courtyard, Lu Zhong continued, "The Nine Turns of Source Power sounds impressive, and ordinary people can use this method to gain strength and speed beyond the average person, but it does not ultimately lead to a leap in life essence. Therefore, in essence, the Nine Turns of Source Qi is merely a foundational assessment." He paused, as if reaching the most critical point. "All experts beyond the Nine Turns refer to the state below the Nine Turns as the Apprentice Stage!"

It was as if a bolt of lightning had struck reality; Lu Yan'an thought of the most impossible possibility. Just then, his father's voice rose again. "Those of us who have broken through the nine stages of the Apprentice Stage are called 'Planetary Level', and beyond that, there are even stronger Star Level and Universe Level existences!"

Lu Zhong's words caused Lu Yan'an's mind to race. "So I have come to the world of Swallowed Star, and the current timeline is still several thousand years before the main story of City Lord Luo?" Thinking this, Lu Yan'an remained calm on the surface and asked his father: "So, the Nine Turns of Source Qi is just the starting point of the Planetary Level? Then how does one cultivate at the Planetary Level?"

Hearing his son's inquiry, his father did not answer, but waved his hand. "You need to think clearly. If you have made up your mind to walk this path, then come to our Lu Family's Heritage Tower after dinner tonight. Everything you want to know is there!" With that, not waiting for his son to react, he turned and left the back courtyard, leaving Lu Yan'an alone to ponder...