Lu Yan'an

In January, a light snow had just stopped. Anping City was wrapped in a bright white veil of silver after the snowfall. The chilly breeze swept through its streets and alleys, while a faint warmth of everyday life drifted through the snowy afternoon. As the breeze passed, the snow-laden pines in the woods shook off their white covering, revealing their original green.

The Lu Family's rear residence.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..." Low, rushing sounds echoed through the entire rear courtyard. Gusts of air battered everything in their path—the artificial mountain, the surface of the lake, even the weeds atop the walls. The lake, previously calm and still, rippled beneath the force.

"Second Brother is so strong! He's only sixteen and has already completed the Nine Turns of Source Qi. I wonder if I'll be able to do it when I'm older?" a little voice piped up. Suddenly, the fierce pressure that had filled the courtyard after the breakthrough tightened, then slowly faded away.

"You can, as long as little Jilian works hard at cultivating. The Nine Turns of Source Qi won't be a problem!" In the pavilion in the courtyard, Lu Yan'an smiled at his younger brother, Lu Jilian. He had just broken through, and his aura had yet to settle.

After all, the Nine Turns of Source Qi was only another beginning... Lu Yan'an kept his many thoughts to himself. Instead, he reached out and pinched his younger brother's soft, fair cheek, teasing the little fellow. The child laughed without a care, and the older and younger brothers played together in the pavilion—a heartwarming scene set apart from the snowy landscape.

The Feng Kingdom was the only country on Yuan Planet, and represented the most advanced cultivation civilization there.

A special force called Source Qi permeated all of Yuan Planet. It existed in the planet's sky, earth, mountains, rivers, plants, and trees. If you lived on Yuan Planet, Source Qi subtly influenced everything around you. You could even say that anyone living on Yuan Planet—even an ordinary person—could live a long life free of illness.

The Lu Clan was one of the few great clans in the Feng Kingdom. Its ancestors were Gaoyang of the Zhuanxu Clan. After Zhuanxu passed away, the clan's power fell into other hands, and the Feng Clan took its place. Yet the Lu Clan was an old, deeply rooted family. Though its influence had waned, for certain special reasons, the Lu Clan and the imperial family stood united against outsiders. Or, you could say that in the Feng Kingdom, the great clans and the imperial family had always been in cahoots...

Their shared stance against outsiders made the whole regime seem absurdly awkward, yet oddly harmonious. Within this awkward harmony, both sides quietly built up their strength, preparing for unexpected developments.

"The strangest thing is, this is clearly a feudal dynasty with powerful cultivators, and there's no sign of technological development. So how did people on Yuan Planet come up with the concept of a planet...?" Lu Yan'an absent-mindedly kneaded his younger brother's soft, fair cheek, while his thoughts wandered off in another direction.

Ever since Lu Yan'an had been reincarnated in this place called Yuan Planet, the contradictions of this world had left him at a loss.

After his birth, he had secretly learned the local language and writing. Thanks to the crude, simple, and practically ubiquitous method of cultivating Source Qi, and the scraps of conversation he overheard from adults, he had figured out how to cultivate on his own. At just two years old, Lu Yan'an had become the youngest cultivator on Yuan Planet.

For most ordinary people, however, cultivating Source Qi was extremely inefficient. And because people had different constitutions, cultivation depended on innate talent as well as perseverance. As a result, very few ever became truly powerful. One "test" used to judge someone's talent was the Nine Turns of Source Qi, now widespread throughout the Feng Kingdom.

The passing mark for the Nine Turns of Source Qi was to complete all nine turns before the age of thirty. The earlier you completed them, the more clearly it demonstrated your talent. If you were over thirty and still hadn't finished, it meant your talent was mediocre and your cultivation prospects were limited. You weren't advised to stubbornly persist on that path.

After all, in a world where the average lifespan was two hundred years, cultivation was never the only path. Still, cultivators who could follow the path of Source Qi tended to look down on other paths.

"I hope Father tells me how to cultivate beyond the Nine Turns today. I can't let Big Brother get too far ahead." In a feudal age of powerful cultivators, cut off from the conveniences of modern technology, perhaps only curiosity about cultivation could make a modern person so devoted to learning.

Lu Yan'an was the second son in his family. He had an older brother and a younger brother.

The eldest son of the Lu Family, Lu Kunwu, was handsome and graceful, with a scholarly air—the sort that left people with a gentle impression after just one meeting... Yet his astonishing cultivation talent was completely at odds with that scholarly demeanor.

The Lu Family's eldest grandson and its greatest source of pride, Lu Kunwu had already broken through beyond the Nine Turns of Source Qi at the age of twenty. Before him, no one had ever completed the ninth turn before turning twenty. His talent was unprecedented.

His younger brother, Lu Jilian, was four years old. He was still a chubby little child, blessed with striking features and an adorable face. His favorite thing was to go head-to-head with his eldest brother, Lu Kunwu. Small but sharp-witted, he was clever and quick. Together, the two brothers had eight hundred tricks up their sleeves.

Lu Jilian was exceptionally precocious. By the age of three, he could recognize a thousand characters and read passages. Though young, he had plenty of clever ideas, and his bearing hinted at his promise. Unless something went wrong, he too would become a cultivation prodigy.

At just sixteen, Lu Yan'an had completed the Nine Turns of Source Qi. In a sense, he had made history since the cultivation system of the Nine Turns had first appeared on Yuan Planet.

Unlike his eldest brother Lu Kunwu, whose dazzling brilliance the family went out of its way to promote, Lu Yan'an had always seemed utterly ordinary and obscure to the public. If the Lu Family hadn't had a monster like Lu Kunwu among its younger generation, hardly anyone would have paid attention to Lu Yan'an.

"I wonder what the realm beyond the Nine Turns is really like?" Lu Yan'an had always had questions about cultivation. "Why does it feel like there's a gap? Why has no one ever said anything about what lies beyond the Nine Turns of Source Qi?" He had once asked his adoptive father, Lu Zhong, but Lu Zhong had been very tight-lipped about it. He had simply said the time wasn't right, then sent Lu Yan'an away.

After that, he had asked his biological older brother, Lu Kunwu, and received much the same answer. It was as if an invisible hand had completely cut off the world beyond the Nine Turns from the rest of humanity. Now, at last, Lu Yan'an was about to get an answer, and he couldn't help feeling excited. He had a premonition that it would reveal the true nature of this world.

Just then, Lu Yan'an suddenly noticed that his older brother and father had come over to him and his younger brother. His father, Lu Zhong, wore an excited, joyful smile. The moment he looked at Lu Yan'an, his gaze was so sharp it seemed to see right through him. In a trembling, fervent voice, he asked, "An'er, have you already broken through beyond the Nine Turns?"

After Lu Yan'an confirmed it, relief washed over Lu Zhong's face. He patted his second son on the shoulder, fell silent for a moment, then slowly said, "An'er, haven't you always wanted to know about the realm beyond the Nine Turns? Today, I'll tell you everything..."

As he spoke, Lu Zhong shot a look at his eldest son. Lu Kunwu understood at once and picked up Lu Jilian, who was cuddling in Lu Yan'an's arms. "Little one, Big Brother will take you outside to play." He didn't wait for the child to react before carrying him out of the rear courtyard.

Once the two had left the rear residence, Lu Zhong continued, "The Nine Turns of Source Qi sounds impressive. Even ordinary people can use it to gain strength and speed beyond what's normal, but it doesn't bring about a leap in life. In essence, the Nine Turns of Source Qi are just a way to test and build a foundation." He paused, as though he had reached the most important point. "The powerful beings beyond the Nine Turns call the stage below them the Apprentice Stage!"

His father's words struck Lu Yan'an like a bolt from the blue. He thought of the one possibility that seemed most impossible. Just then, his father continued, "Those of us who break through the ninth level of the Apprentice Stage are called Planetary Level. Beyond that, there are even more powerful Star Level and Universe Level beings!"

Lu Zhong's words sent Lu Yan'an's thoughts racing. "So I really came to the world of Swallowed Star, and the timeline is still several thousand years before City Lord Luo's main story?" He kept the thought to himself and asked his father, "So the Nine Turns of Source Qi are just the starting point for the Planetary Level? How do you cultivate at the Planetary Level?"

Hearing his son's question, Lu Zhong didn't answer. He merely waved a hand. "You need to think this through carefully. If you've made up your mind to take this path, come to the Heritage Tower of our Lu Clan after dinner tonight. Everything you want to know is there!" Without waiting for his son to respond, he turned and left the rear residence, leaving Lu Yan'an alone with his thoughts...