Early winter.
Jiang City welcomed its first snowfall of the year.
Feathery snowflakes drifted down from the leaden-gray Sky Curtain, turning the entire city a pristine white.
The heating was on full blast in the living room, and the morning news was playing on the television.
"...Regarding the paranormal incident at Lijing Residential District in West City District, which has recently drawn widespread public attention, our reporter learned from the Special Investigation Team that the case was solved yesterday."
"According to reports, the incident was not caused by a ferocious beast in the traditional sense, but by a new form of life never before documented."
"The creature looked much like a human infant, but its body was extremely frail. It fed on living beings' emotions and could create illusions..."
A photo covered in heavy mosaic blur appeared on the news screen. A human-shaped silhouette was just barely visible.
The scene changed to show expert Wang Xiaoming, who faced the camera with an excited expression.
"...Its discovery fills a gap in our country's research into the mental domain!"
"We have reason to believe that studying it may allow us to develop martial arts that truly harness spiritual power!"
"This will be of epoch-making significance not only to the East Continent Alliance, but to all of humanity!"
Chen Yan stared at the familiar old man, pondering his words.
So... humanity's martial arts had barely scratched the surface of developing spiritual power...
Holding her son, Du Qionghua watched with lingering fear and couldn't help tightening her embrace around the little one.
"Thank goodness they caught it. That was terrifying."
Chen Kefa sat nearby, peeling an apple. At her words, he smiled.
"Don't worry. With me here, no monster can hurt either of you."
After the arrest, Chen Kefa had also gotten a brief vacation.
Lately, he'd been busy building a father-son bond with Chen Yan.
The pride in his eyes whenever he looked at his son was practically overflowing.
Ever since tests on his hundredth day had revealed his heaven-defying constitution, Chen Yan had been specially approved by East Continent Alliance headquarters for direct admission into the highest-level Grandmaster Project, becoming its youngest member ever.
Of course, given that he was still a baby,
his so-called training currently amounted to Chen Kefa and Du Qionghua "looking after" him at home.
The Alliance, meanwhile, would regularly provide top-of-the-line nutritional supplements and growth reports.
At that moment, nestled in his mother's arms, Chen Yan's big, bright eyes were open.
He seemed to be staring blankly, but his mind had long since sunk into the system panel.
[Host: Chen Yan]
[Age: 10 months]
[Cultivation: Amateur Rank 1]
[Qi and Blood: 1305/2000 (Qi and blood of an infant at the same stage: 3.5)]
[Spirit: 503/2000 (Spirit of an infant at the same stage: 3.5)]
[Charm: 92/100 (A child blessed by nature)]
[Fortune: 15 (Can find money just by going out)]
[Constitution: Innate Dao Body (Born close to the Dao, proficient in all methods)]
[Skill: Qi Nurturing Foundation Art (Beginner) (2500/10000)]
[Achievements: Self-Disciplined Baby Boy (Green), Vigorous as a Dragon and Tiger (Green)]
Over the past seven months, the daily bonuses from his two green achievements (+5 qi and blood, +2 spirit) had steadily raised his qi and blood and spirit to astonishing levels.
The change in his fortune, however, had surprised him.
It had risen from its initial 5 to 15 for no apparent reason, despite him doing nothing.
After observing for a while, Chen Yan had gradually figured out a pattern.
Whenever he did something that seemed like the act of a "genius baby," astonishing, delighting, or making his parents proud, his fortune seemed to increase by an imperceptible amount.
For example, the first time he clearly called "Mom" in front of a stranger, Du Qionghua had been so thrilled she kissed him all day. Fortune +1.
For example, when he used building blocks to make a complex castle far beyond what children his age could understand, Chen Kefa had taken a photo and bragged about it in his comrades' group chat. The chat had filled with "Holy crap!" Fortune +1.
So... making his parents proud really could increase his fortune!
"Be a good child who makes your parents proud"—the task description was plain and unadorned, yet contained the great principles of the Dao.
But his greatest gains had come from exploring the side quest, "Raising an All-Round Baby."
With the terrifying bonus from his Innate Dao Body, every seemingly ordinary baby activity had become a step on his path of cultivation.
[Walking (999/1000)] → [Godly Movement] → [Square Inch Universe] → [Time Stroll] → ???
[Resting (999/1000)] → [Deep Sleep] → [Dream Weaver] → [Lord of Dreams] → ???
[Eating (999/1000)] → [Efficient Absorption] → [Refining All Things] → [Internal Furnace] → ???
[Spacing Out (999/1000)] → [Meditation Method] → [Spirit Control] → [Mastery of the Soul Dao] → ???
After more than seven months of "persevering" practice, all four of his everyday skills had nearly reached perfection.
He was just one step away!
"Today's the day I witness a miracle!"
Resolving himself, Chen Yan began his plan.
First step: space out!
Leaning against his mother's warm embrace, he gazed at the snow drifting outside the window. His eyes gradually went unfocused, and his consciousness sank into a state of perfect stillness.
It was the "cultivation" he practiced most often.
To anyone watching, he was simply a quiet baby who liked looking at the snow.
[You are spacing out. Skill "Spacing Out" proficiency +1. Current progress: 1000/1000!]
[Maximum proficiency detected. Skill advancement commencing...]
[Congratulations! "Spacing Out" has successfully advanced to "Meditation Method (Beginner)"!]
[Current progress: Meditation Method (Beginner) 0/10000.]
A cool sensation burst from deep within Chen Yan's mind, sweeping through his entire body.
His spiritual power seemed to have been cleansed in that instant, becoming more condensed and clear.
The state of perfect stillness, which previously required him to deliberately "space out" to enter, had now become a passive ability.
The world grew clearer to his senses.
He could see dust motes drifting through the air, hear the faint sound of snow landing on the windowsill, and even sense the warm, familiar fluctuations of qi and blood in his parents.
This was the Meditation Method!
His spiritual power had surged!
"Baby, are you hungry? Mommy will make you some nutritious porridge." Du Qionghua's gentle voice reached him.
Here it came!
Second step: eat!
Chen Yan immediately opened his little mouth and clearly uttered a single syllable: "Eat!"
He was already ten months old. His sturdy build made him look like a two-year-old, and he spoke much more clearly now, too.
Before long, a bowl of deep-blue nutritional paste, specially supplied by the East Continent Alliance and brimming with energy, was brought to his lips.
Its taste was hard to describe, but it was several times as nutritious as Beast Milk.
Without hesitation, Chen Yan opened his mouth and ate.
[You are eating. Skill "Eating" proficiency +1. Current progress: 1000/1000!]
[Maximum proficiency detected. Skill advancement commencing...]
[Congratulations! "Eating" has successfully advanced to "Efficient Absorption (Beginner)"!]
[Current progress: Efficient Absorption (Beginner) 0/10000.]
Almost as soon as the system notification sounded, Chen Yan felt his stomach and intestines transform into a high-speed furnace!
The nutritional paste, which used to take half an hour to digest even in a small mouthful, became a torrent of pure energy the moment it entered his mouth. His body absorbed and converted it instantly!
Waves of warmth flowed through his limbs and body, and his qi and blood began rising at a visible rate!
After finishing a big bowl of nutritional paste, a wave of sleepiness washed over him.
The whole combo had flowed together perfectly!
Third step: rest!
Chen Yan yawned, let his head droop to one side, and "fell asleep" in Du Qionghua's arms.
[You are resting. Skill "Resting" proficiency +1. Current progress: 1000/1000!]
[Maximum proficiency detected. Skill advancement commencing...]
[Congratulations! "Resting" has successfully advanced to "Deep Sleep (Beginner)"!]
[Current progress: Deep Sleep (Beginner) 0/10000.]
This time, his consciousness did not completely sink into darkness. Instead, he entered a curious state between waking and dreaming.
In this state, his body rapidly digested the energy from his food, his spirit naturally recovered and grew stronger through the Meditation Method's passive effect, and his physical fatigue quickly faded.
Rest and cultivation had become one!
Only thirty minutes passed.
Chen Yan soon woke, feeling full of energy, vigorous as a dragon and tiger, as though he'd slept for a century.
He wriggled out of Du Qionghua's arms and stood steadily on the carpet.
Du Qionghua and Chen Kefa looked at him with affectionate smiles.
"Our little Yan is amazing. He's standing so steadily."
"In another two months, he'll definitely be running!"
Chen Yan's lips curved slightly, forming a mysterious, toothy baby grin.
You're thinking too small, Mom and Dad.
Next came the final step, and the most crucial one!
He looked at Du Qionghua, who was several meters away with her arms spread to encourage him, and silently thought:
Walk!
[You are attempting to walk. Skill "Walking" proficiency +1. Current progress: 1000/1000!]
[Maximum proficiency detected. Skill advancement commencing...]
[Congratulations! "Walking" has successfully advanced to "Godly Movement (Beginner)"!]
[Current progress: Godly Movement (Beginner) 0/10000.]
Success!
Before you continue