The State of Chu was located in the northern region of the Yuheng Territory, one of the seven domains under the Big Dipper Constellation.

Within its borders lay the Li Family of Twilight Cloud City—a martial arts clan that, until now, had remained relatively obscure.

Today, however, was a grand occasion for the entire Li household. The estate was adorned with lanterns and banners, every face beaming with joy. The reason? Their prodigy, Li Mu, had achieved the pinnacle of the Solid State realm in martial cultivation and was poised to break through to the Houtian Realm on this very day.

The Li Family had spared no effort in preparation. Not only had they spread word throughout Twilight Cloud City well in advance, but they had also made sure neighboring cities were abuzz with the news. Numerous distinguished figures had been invited to witness the ceremony.

Normally, a cultivator advancing from the Solid State to the Houtian Realm, while noteworthy, wouldn’t warrant such fanfare. After all, within the vast expanse of Chu, Houtian experts were uncommon but not exactly rare.

Li Mu, however, was an exception—because he had just turned twelve.

A twelve-year-old reaching the Houtian Realm was unprecedented in Chu’s millennia-long history. If he succeeded, it would send ripples through the entire martial world of the state. *This* was what it meant to be a true genius.

Yet, at this moment, the boy in question—slender, fair-faced, and undeniably gifted—stood alone in the Li Family’s rear garden, staring blankly at the sky.

“The Houtian Realm,” Li Mu muttered under his breath. “All this just to feed their vanity? Years of relentless training, nothing but cultivation day after day. If life is this dull, what’s the point of pursuing martial arts? What’s the point of immortality, let alone ascending to the Heavenly Realm?”

Though the entire household bustled in preparation for *his* breakthrough, the protagonist himself seemed indifferent, even uneasy.

This was a world where strength reigned supreme, where people sought the pinnacle of martial prowess, chasing the dream of ascension and eternal life.

Through cultivation, mortals could grow ever stronger—and Li Mu appeared exceptionally gifted in this regard. At such a tender age, he had already reached the peak of the Solid State, standing on the threshold of the Houtian Realm.

As far as Li Mu knew, martial cultivation was divided into multiple realms: Solid State, Houtian, Xiantian, and Divine Ability. What lay beyond Divine Ability remained a mystery to him, for the strongest cultivators he had encountered barely touched the peak of the Houtian Realm.

The Solid State, comprising ten tiers, focused on absorbing the world’s vital energy to temper the body. A warrior who mastered the tenth tier could wield the strength of a thousand pounds, with physical capabilities pushed to the absolute limits of human potential. It was the crucial foundation for the path of a true powerhouse.

The Postnatal Realm can be considered the true beginning of one's cultivation journey, while the Solidification Stage's ten layers merely lay the foundation. Warriors at the Postnatal Realm can open dantian energy cavities to store vital energy, begin harnessing the cultivated energy within their bodies, and awaken their spiritual senses—unlocking unimaginable marvels.

The Innate Realm grants warriors doubled lifespans, allowing both their vital energy and spiritual senses to extend beyond their physical forms. Such individuals are revered as "Unstoppable Forces," standing as the mightiest figures in the mortal world.

As for the Divine Ability Realm, those who reach this level transcend the boundaries of humanity. They can soar through the skies, traverse hundreds of miles underground in an instant, and command the elements with a mere gesture—truly godlike beings.

"Third Brother! There you are!" Li Mu was lost in thought when a little girl, no older than four or five, came running up to him.

With fair, delicate skin and an adorable, doll-like face, the child was so endearing that anyone would be tempted to pinch her chubby little cheeks.

"Xue'er, what brings you here?" Li Mu instinctively gave her cheek a gentle squeeze. This was his younger sister, Li Xue, one of his few blood relatives in this world.

"Father sent me to find you! There are so many people outside—all here to witness your breakthrough into the Postnatal Realm. They're waiting for you!"

Li Xue pouted slightly, mildly annoyed by her brother's habit of pinching her face.

"Oh? They arrived fast. Let's go together, then." Li Mu patted her head and stood up.

"Wait, Third Brother! A few days ago, I saw Uncle and Third Uncle giving you gifts. Well, I have one for you too—look!"

With a mischievous grin, Li Xue dug into her pocket and pulled out a pale-green pill, offering it to him.

"A Spirit Channeling Pill? Xue'er, these are incredibly rare and valuable—even within our family, they're hard to come by. Where did you get this?" Recognizing the pill immediately, Li Mu felt both touched and curious as he accepted it.

"That's a secret! I can't tell you. This pill will help you break through to the Postnatal Realm. It's a gift from your dearest, most beloved Xue'er, so you can't give it to anyone else—or I'll be very upset!" She puffed out her cheeks in mock sternness.

"Alright, I'll take it when I attempt my breakthrough later." Li Mu chuckled, assuming she must have swiped it from their father.

"Hehe! You'd better thank me properly after you reach the Postnatal Realm, Third Brother!" Delighted that he had accepted the pill, Li Xue giggled brightly.

"You're the clever one, alright. Let's go." Li Mu scooped Li Xue into his arms and strode toward the Li family's central square.

"Honored guests, on behalf of the Li family, I extend our deepest gratitude for your presence today to witness my nephew Li Mu's breakthrough to the Houtian realm."

Just as Li Mu arrived with Li Xue in his arms, he heard a booming voice addressing the gathered crowd. The speaker was none other than Li Zhengkun, the current head of the Li family and his uncle.

The moment Li Mu appeared, all eyes turned toward him. Many from Muyun City even called out his name, their gazes fixed on the fair-faced young man who now stood before them.

"Mu'er, you've finally arrived. Are you ready?" A stern-faced middle-aged man rose from the front row of seats and approached, taking Li Xue from Li Mu's arms.

"Father, I've been ready for days. If not for Uncle's insistence on this ceremony, I would have attempted the breakthrough earlier," Li Mu replied with a stiff smile, masking the flicker of disappointment in his eyes.

The man was Li Zhenglong, his biological father. Despite his composed expression, Li Mu had never known the carefree joys of childhood—no games, no playful moments, no doting affection from his parents.

From the moment he could understand, his days had been filled with relentless training under his father's iron discipline. Not a single day of respite.

"Your uncle acts in the family's best interest. There's no room for complaint. Now go—it's improper to keep so many distinguished guests waiting."

Li Zhenglong's tone was cold, laced with faint disapproval.

A chill settled in Li Mu's chest, but he said nothing. Step by step, he ascended the raised platform at the center of the square.

Under the scrutiny of the crowd, his expression remained calm. With a practiced smile, he sat cross-legged and retrieved the Lingqu Pill gifted by Li Xue, swallowing it in one motion.

Seeing Li Mu take his place, Li Zhengkun gave a subtle signal. Two squads of armored guards, their auras formidable, marched out from the inner courtyard, encircling the platform in an impenetrable formation.

The spectators voiced no objections—after all, any family blessed with a prodigy like Li Mu would take every precaution, especially in such a public setting.

Everything was ready. Li Mu slowly closed his eyes and began circulating his family's Qi cultivation technique—the Qiankun Art.

Cultivation techniques were classified into four tiers: Heaven, Earth, Mystic, and Yellow, with each tier further divided into low, middle, high, and peak stages. The Qiankun Art was a powerful Mystic-tier technique.

For a small place like Twilight Cloud City, a Mystic-tier technique was already considered a rare and formidable treasure. Legend had it that this art could lead a cultivator all the way to the Divine Ability Realm.

And what was the Divine Ability Realm? It was said to be a state akin to that of immortals—soaring through the skies, tunneling through the earth, capable of anything. It was precisely because of this technique that the Li Family had managed to secure a foothold among the many powerful factions across several nearby cities.

The biggest difference between the Solid State's ten layers and the Postnatal Realm was that in the Solid State, the refined Qi was absorbed into the flesh, while in the Postnatal Realm, it was stored within the opened Dantian. To break through to the Postnatal Realm, Li Mu's first task was to open his Dantian.

As Li Mu regulated his breathing, wisps of Heaven and Earth Qi were drawn into his body, all converging toward his Dantian.

Opening the Dantian wasn't as simple as the name suggested—it required forming a Qi cavity within the Dantian to store the accumulated energy.

As time passed, a dense, radiant glow gradually brightened within Li Mu's Dantian. The light pierced through his body, instantly stirring up a clamor among the onlookers.

"His Dantian's Qi radiance is manifesting externally! He's already at the critical moment of forming the Qi cavity—half a step into the Postnatal Realm!"

"Twelve years old and already at this level? How the hell did this kid cultivate? I'm thirty-five and still stuck at the seventh layer of the Solid State!"

"It looks like the Li Family is about to rise. For Li Mu to achieve such cultivation at such a young age proves his extraordinary talent. Given time, he might even reach the Innate Realm!"

Voices of all kinds filled the air—some envious, some resentful, others awestruck. But none were happier than the members of the Li Family, their faces flushed with pride.

*Hmph! Twelve years old and already strong enough to break into the Postnatal Realm. I admit your talent is exceptional... but I won't let you succeed. The moment you step into the Postnatal Realm will be your last!*

Yet no one noticed the figure lurking in a shadowed corner of the Li estate, his face dark with malice as he glared at Li Mu on the platform. The man bore a faint resemblance to Li Mu, but his eyes burned with nothing but hatred.