Defying Heaven?

Days trickled slowly by as Si Chen learned to "play an ordinary child."

Compared with his experience as a star, when a hundred years passed in an instant, human time seemed infinitely stretched, especially childhood, when every day was distinct.

Was it because this period held extraordinary significance for humans?

Si Chen often wondered about that. Perhaps this was precisely why human memory favored childhood so much.

After the testing incident, the Lineage's protection of him was airtight.

His third uncle, Si Shuo, had practically become his shadow. Once a hearty, easygoing man, he now scrutinized everyone he saw, and whenever Si Chen was arranged to meet children from other aristocratic clans, his nerves stretched taut.

He feared that a moment's inattention would let his precious nephew do something astonishing again.

It was also during this outwardly peaceful period that the Lineage formally began introducing Si Chen to this world's cultivation system.

At first, Si Chen had little expectation.

He had seen far too many civilizations' methods of harnessing energy. To him, "cultivation" was essentially much the same.

Until he saw a word in the texts of the Lineage's library-"ascension."

Ascension?

Leaving this world? Going to a higher dimension or plane?

"Shattering the void," "Radiant ascension," "Ascending to the upper realm"... The descriptions varied, but their essence pointed toward leaving this world and entering a more "advanced" realm.

That raised a question.

If ascension meant going to a higher dimension, was the dimension he had inhabited as a star higher or lower than this one?

Once that thought arose, it would not leave him.

This unprecedented curiosity made him genuinely interested in the Lineage's cultivation arrangements for the first time.

To others, his cultivation could no longer be called smooth. It was a miracle.

The cultivation methods in the Lineage's library held no secrets from him.

The routes for circulating qi, which others had to ponder deeply and study painstakingly, were not particularly troublesome in his eyes.

As he had said, spiritual qi knew where to go on its own.

That day, Si Chen was sent into a Quiet Chamber prepared especially for him to enter "seclusion," ostensibly to sense spiritual qi, draw it into his body, and consolidate his foundations.

For this, the Lineage solemnly stationed his third uncle, Si Shuo, nearby to stand guard, grandly calling it "protecting his cultivation."

Had outsiders heard of this arrangement, countless jaws would surely have dropped. Whose qi refining cultivator needed someone to guard their cultivation?!

Inside the Quiet Chamber, Si Chen sat cross-legged, his eyes half closed.

The "hurdles" and "bottlenecks" others spoke of seemed nonexistent to him.

Like a hundred rivers flowing into the sea, spiritual qi poured spontaneously into his small body. With virtually no resistance, his cultivation soared as though riding a rocket.

Qi refining first layer came as naturally as water flowing into its channel.

Qi refining second layer passed in an instant.

He swept onward like an axe splitting bamboo, all the way to qi refining ninth layer.

He felt that one more step would bring him to the boundary called "foundation establishment."

But just then, he remembered his mother's gentle instructions and what an "ordinary child" was supposed to be like.

How long would an "ordinary child" take to reach foundation establishment? Two hours? Four? He was not quite sure.

At that thought, Si Chen immediately dispersed the spiritual qi still gathering around him and stabilized his cultivation at qi refining ninth layer. He felt this was probably the performance of a "fairly outstanding" ordinary child.

He deliberately stayed in the Quiet Chamber a little longer. Once he felt enough time had passed for a "proper" session of seclusion, he stood and pushed open the door.

Outside, his third uncle, Si Shuo, leaned against the wall, yawning in utter boredom, with a few tears squeezed from the corners of his eyes.

Seeing Si Chen emerge, he casually turned his head and asked indistinctly, "Chen'er, why are you out so soon? It's your first time. Just sensing qi counts as a success... You should be at qi refining first layer now, right? Make sure you consolidate..."

Si Chen looked up and corrected him in his calm, still babyish voice. "Third Uncle, it's qi refining ninth layer."

His Third Uncle nodded absently. "Mm-hmm, qi refining ninth layer is pretty good too... Qi refining ninth... What now?!"

His eyes widened like bronze bells as he looked Si Chen up and down, as though trying to find a flower blooming on him.

He hurriedly probed with his divine sense. The dense, solid fluctuations of spiritual qi in his precious nephew, almost brimming over, clearly belonged to the great perfection of qi refining ninth layer-only a hair's breadth from foundation establishment!

But how much time had passed? Two hours! Other children needed three to five days just to draw qi into their bodies, and those with poorer talent needed months!

And he was already... almost at foundation establishment?

Every trace of sleepiness on Si Shuo's face flew beyond the ninth heaven. He felt as though his Dao Heart had cracked a little.

He spun around and bolted, nearly swinging his arm and leg on the same side together. So stunned that he stumbled as he ran, he left behind only a hoarse, tearful shout drifting on the wind:

"Eldest Brother! Second Brother! Something-something huge has happened!!"

His panicked retreat looked for all the world as though a hundred thousand demonic beasts were chasing him.

Si Chen stood where he was, watching his third uncle disappear, and tilted his head in bewilderment.

Something huge?

He had deliberately slowed down, even stopping to wait a while instead of breaking straight through to foundation establishment.

Was this... still not ordinary enough?

A short while later, the Si Household's core members gathered once again in the secret chamber behind the Ancestral Hall.

His father, Si Kai, his mother, Ye Fu, his second uncle, Si Che, and several white-haired, white-bearded elders who rarely ventured out had all hurried over as fast as they could.

After hearing Si Shuo's incoherent report, the secret chamber sank into a numb silence.

One session of seclusion, starting from nothing and going straight to qi refining great perfection?

They had suffered so many shocks that their capacity for astonishment was wearing thin.

Si Chen sat on a chair a little too tall for him, his short legs dangling in the air, and quietly watched the adults. Gentle strands of divine sense settled cautiously on him, probing and confirming before withdrawing in disbelief.

In the end, everyone had to face the truth.

"One day... No, two hours. Qi refining ninth layer..." an elder murmured, stroking his snowy beard and nearly pulling out a few hairs.

Another elder looked at Si Kai and said gravely, "Lineage Head, whether this brings fortune or calamity... is difficult to say. If word spreads, Chen'er may become the target of every arrow!"

Si Kai's brows were tightly furrowed. As a father, he was both proud and worried.

He looked at his son. The little boy sat quietly, his eyes clear, seemingly unable to understand why the adults around him were so tense.

Ye Fu held her son's hand tightly. She did not care how gifted he was, only that he was safe. "We must keep this hidden! At the very least, no one can know Chen'er's true progress."

"But how much do we hide? And how?" His second uncle, Si Che, was comparatively composed and raised the practical questions. "Do we tell people he successfully drew qi into his body and reached qi refining first layer? But Chen'er's aura... Though restrained, anyone who senses it carefully will find that his foundations are far stronger than an ordinary qi refining cultivator's. No beginner could compare."

They discussed it back and forth without reaching a decision. Should they say he had reached the third layer in a day? That was equally staggering!

But if they concealed too much, would that be fair to Si Chen's future development? Surely they could not keep making him suppress his cultivation and stay out of sight forever?

Listening to the adults' discussion, Si Chen gradually understood the heart of the problem-they needed a "reasonable" standard.

He tugged his father's sleeve. When Si Kai lowered his head, he asked clearly in his babyish voice, with a hint of confusion, "Father, what is the standard for an 'unparalleled genius'?"

The secret chamber instantly fell silent.

Everyone looked at the little boy sitting on the chair, his expression utterly serious.

That was right-an unparalleled genius!

Why were they agonizing over what "ordinary" should look like? This child of their Si Household could not be measured by "ordinary" at all!

Since mediocrity could not conceal him, why not use the highest standard as cover?

A sharp gleam flashed in Si Kai's eyes. He exchanged glances with the elders and saw the same resolve in theirs. Drawing a deep breath, he said solemnly, "Indeed. My son possesses unparalleled talent. Why compare him with ordinary people? In that case..."

He looked at Si Chen, his tone carrying a trace of helplessness, but far more determination. "Chen'er, I'm sorry we must ask this of you. From today onward, we will tell outsiders that you reached qi refining third layer during your first session of seclusion."

An elder added, "Even that will be enough to shake the entire city. But compared with reaching the ninth layer in two hours... the third layer seems more reasonable."

Si Chen nodded to show he understood.

Though he still did not quite understand why the "third layer" was reasonable while the "ninth layer" was not, this seemed to be a new "local rule" he needed to follow.

With the decision settled, everyone felt a little more at ease, though their gazes toward Si Chen grew even more complicated.

This child would surely stir the winds and clouds in the future. They only hoped the vessel that was the Si Household could shelter him as he grew.

Late at night, when all was quiet, Si Chen recalled another passage he had read in the library. It said cultivation meant "defying heaven," enduring countless tribulations and wrestling heaven for one's life.

He recalled his years as a star.

His light had shone upon countless living beings. When had he ever cared about the joys and sorrows of drifting motes of dust?

His flames had consumed all things. Why would he ever need to ask the wishes of insignificant creatures?

Defying heaven?

But what if heaven and earth themselves did not mind?