Imagine seeing a whole universe in just a flower.
That's how small the mortal world seems in the grand scheme of things, controlled by both Divinities and Demons for ages.
Rivers and mountains that stretch for miles? They're just like reflections in a mirror.
Mortals come and go, living countless lives until they've used up all their chances with providence and return to the vast expanse of the stars.
At the surface of that, there's the Dao Layers, endless layers of cosmic expanses stacked on top of each other, hiding catalyst worlds where epic tales begin, feared even by transcendent beings.
...
『What is… this?』
A newborn baby stretched out its arms.
『』Where in the world… am I?』
It looked like the baby expected to see the slender yet muscular arms of a young adult, not the chubby arms of an infant.
...
The Empyrean Continent.
It is one of the three continents in the Tranquil Sky Domain, a Tao Dimension in the Flower Firmament, which is one of the countless Greater Dao Layers out there.
In the Empyrean Continent, a fate-determining event kicked off in a mountain range in the Central Province known as the Sacred Mountains. It had two peaks - Mount Tianzhu and Mount Xuanwu. The Song Clan practically owned Mount Tianzhu entirely, having been there for as long as the sun had been in the skies.
In one of the three great houses of the Song Clan, there stood a man on a surprisingly rundown balcony, wearing clothes that barely qualified as fitting for a Clan Division Patriarch. He was bald and looked quite frail, with holes visible around his neck.
"Finally, I have a child! A child!"
That was all that mattered to him – an heir to carry on his name. Hopefully, this child would have great talent, because without it, there was no hope for their branch.
"I, Song Zhixuan, have waited patiently for this day!"
Before long, someone shouted, "Clan Head, Madam has safely given birth! It's a boy! A boy!"
This news filled Song Zhixuan with so much joy that he was blushing. If he could shout, he would, but he knew his malnourished body couldn't handle such stress. He had made sure his wife ate well throughout her pregnancy, which luckily lasted only two months.
However, something bothered him…
Typically, the fastest way to appraise a person's talent grade, was by time of conception. In other words, how long it took the person in question to be born.
There were nine talent grades: Iron-born, Bronze-born, Earth-born, Spirit-born, Royal-born, Saint-born, Emperor-born, Heaven-born, and Providence-born talent grades.
Babies born in one month or less were considered "defective children" with iron-born talent grade, meaning they'd never possess the talent to cultivate and would struggle in the mortal world until death greeted them. On the other hand, providence-born talent grade babies, conceived eight or nine months earlier, were a once-in-a-millennium phenomenon. Not a single one of them failed to become a legend and transcend the mortal world.
Song Zhixuan dropped to his knees, rubbing his palms together as he begged the heavens, "I know my son might be born with a bronze-born talent grade, but I hope the heavens and our Clan Founder, Song Yuhua, will show mercy and grant him the talent to restore our Song Scholarly House!" He knew the chances of his son having such low talent were high, but there were rare cases of unparalleled talent despite a shorter time of conception. "Please, help me…"
If Song Zhixuan could cry, he would, but after not eating for 20 days, he didn't want to exhaust himself.
He stood up and hurried into the house.
While his wife, Song Meixiu, rested, he was handed his baby boy, swaddled in a clean yet worn-out blanket. Tears of joy streamed down Song Zhixuan's cheeks as he whispered, "My little boy, I'm so happy you're alive..." he sobbed softly.
One of Song Meixiu's mid-wives warned him, "Clan Head, please don't cry, you might pass out again!"
Song Zhixuan sealed his lips and nodded, though the only one seemingly confused was the baby, who just stared at the crying man.
『Why is this hungry man crying next to me? When did I become so light that this skinny guy could carry me? Scratch that, when did I start leaving my apartment? Wasn't I supposed to be reading that new cultivation novel one of my followers recommended?』
A midwife asked, "So, is there hope for our clan?" Even she knew there was little hope; her question was more wishful thinking than anything else.
That's why there wasn't even a grand ceremony to celebrate the child's birth.
The Song Scholarly House, Song Zhixuan's clan branch, didn't have the money for such extravagance, especially for a child who was unlikely to be talented. Frustrated clan members knew this and decided not to involve themselves in Song Meixiu's pregnancy.
Most of them didn't even bother sending gifts to wish her a safe delivery. After all, what was the point of congratulating a woman on giving birth to a useless child? If the child died, they wouldn't care anyway.
Soon, Elder Song Ruyi and Song Tianyu arrived.
Like Song Zhixuan, Elder Song Ruyi was an elderly man with long gray hair and a medium-length beard. He was also one of the clan elders of the Song Scholarly House.
Song Tianyu, his eldest son, appeared to be a gentle soul.
"Finally, the child we've been waiting two months for has been born," said Song Ruyi, seeming happy that Song Meixiu had a safe delivery, regardless of the child's potential talent. "Let me hold the cute little boy!" he chuckled softly.
With a stern expression, Song Zhixuan replied, "Thank you for coming, friend. But first, I'd like your son to assess my boy here and check if his talent grade truly is bronze-born."
Song Ruyi frowned a bit. "You know that doesn't really matter, right?"
Song Zhixuan lowered his head, looking at his son with nothing but pity. He didn't want this child to suffer like he did. "Please, I just need confirmation, so I can have some peace of mind," he pleaded.
Song Ruyi glanced at his son, then nodded.
Song Tianyu stepped forward and placed a hand on the baby's head. After a brief moment, he stepped back in shock, shouting, "Impossible! This child has all nine spiritual seas! H-he'll become an immortal in the future, reshaping the cultivation world!"
Song Ruyi and Zhixuan's eyes nearly popped out as they exclaimed, "WHAT?! Nine spiritual seas?! So he possesses a providence-born talent grade?!"
Song Tianyu nodded, cold sweat beading on his forehead.
Spinning his baby in the air, Song Zhixuan screamed at the top of his lungs, "Haha! There's hope for our clan division! A child born with all nine spiritual seas will become unmatched in the cultivation world!"
If only that were true…
Song Ruyi tapped Song Zhixuan's shoulder, trying to snap him out of his daydream. "Zhixuan! Zhixuan! Snap out of it!" He even gave the Clan Head a slap, but it was necessary to bring him back to reality.
Song Zhixuan shook his head several times, realizing he'd been lost in his imagination. It seemed hunger had gotten the better of him.
"I'm sorry, Patriarch. The child only has one spiritual sea I can sense. If he's lucky, he might open one more when he starts cultivating, but there's not much hope for him in the cultivation world. Maybe he should become a scholar. If he's taught well and given…"
Song Zhixuan grew frustrated with Song Tianyu's words and shouted, "HIM BECOMING A SCHOLAR WON'T HELP OUR BRANCH!" His hands trembled with anger, yet he also felt the urge to cry.
Maybe there really was no hope.
The baby in his arms was so startled that he paled visibly.
『W-, Wait, how is this supposed to be fair?! Not only am I dead, but I'm also talentless trash?! I've read enough cultivation manhuas to know this is where I unlock my system, right?! Right?! Or do I wait a little longer and just hope that… I'm totally screwed!』
Song Zhixuan glanced back at his friend.
"Old friend, I think the only sensible choice now is to proceed with our other agreement."
Song Ruyi shook his head, still holding onto some hope for the child.
"Maybe we can still──"
Song Zhixuan cut him off sharply.
"NO! I've failed to produce a son strong enough to sustain our small clan division. We need to implement the other plan as soon as possible!"
He and Song Ruyi exchanged solemn looks, clearly unhappy with what they were about to do but feeling they had no other option.
"Son…"
Song Ruyi placed a hand on Song Tianyu's shoulder.
"I made a promise to the patriarch that if he couldn't birth a child strong enough to preserve our clan, we'd pass that child's position to you."
Song Tianyu tilted his head, looking shocked and confused.
"Wait, what…?"
Song Ruyi sighed.
"You're already a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, and you possess a royal-born talent grade. If you can crystallize at least three of your five spiritual seas and form a Core, we've agreed to make you the next patriarch."
The baby seemed to understand everything they'd said up until now, but those words were the ones that shocked him the most.
『H-, How is this fair…? I-, I just died. . . and now, I'm going to lose my birthright?』