Section Forty-Seven: The Genius Unfolds, Foundation Established at Six Years Old [Seeking Followers]

Time passed swiftly.

Each day, the old emperor would make time to visit Lin Qiye, his precious son. Meanwhile, every few days, he would go out hunting, capturing spirit beasts brimming with the essence of heaven and earth, and cook them for Lin Qiye to eat.

Thus, within the opulent palace, Lin Qiye spent four peaceful years.

He reached the age of six.

Six marked a turning point in Lin Qiye's life.

He had matured!

His height soared to one meter eighty-two. Both his soul and body had fully crossed over into this world.

“Ah… at last, I can rise!” Lin Qiye laughed in a deep voice, tinged with excitement and trembling, as if sighing, but also brimming with the joy of a long-awaited reunion.

He clenched his fists, taking in a breath of spiritual energy from between heaven and earth.

Just one breath was enough to awaken the supreme innate talent!

In an instant, wild violet lightning flickered in Lin Qiye’s eyes.

Then, thunder and lightning roared through his body, with the earth-shaking cries of dragons and tigers echoing near the Yiyun Palace.

In no time, Lin Qiye’s aura climbed higher and higher. Violet lightning danced across his body, as if a true dragon were awakening.

Whether it was the grand eunuch or the old emperor, both were utterly stunned as they watched Lin Qiye.

"Seventeenth, wasn’t your innate talent already fully formed? How could there be another transformation?"

Lin Qiye smiled calmly. "A genius can awaken two kinds of gifts!"

He snapped his fingers.

A miniature thunder dragon appeared behind him, its cold gaze overlooking the world, making both the old emperor and the grand eunuch’s hearts race.

The quality of this thunder was enough to make Seventeenth invincible among his peers! If he cultivated to the half-step Core Formation stage, even the young master of the Wolf Tribe would have to retreat!

Of course, that was only if the Wolf Tribe’s young master hadn’t broken through to Core Formation.

Thinking this, the old emperor and grand eunuch’s eyes filled with hope.

Yet, the old emperor harbored a hint of concern.

"Seventeenth, how do you feel? Any discomfort? Will two innate talents clash?"

Lin Qiye remained serene. "No problem at all. Now… my body is flawless, immaculate, and my cultivation speed is phenomenal. At last… I can truly cultivate!"

As he spoke, Lin Qiye shook his body.

He activated the Energy Refining Technique!

At once, spiritual energy surged in from all around. His immaculate, flawless body acted like a dry sponge, greedily absorbing the energy of heaven and earth.

Then, with incredible efficiency, he transformed the spiritual energy into pure cultivation, which coursed endlessly through his body.

In just a few dozen seconds, the spiritual energy around Yishui Palace was completely devoured by Lin Qiye.

Of course, the energy from just one palace was nowhere near enough for Lin Qiye.

He kept absorbing!

Soon, the spiritual energy above the entire imperial palace was drawn in by the Energy Refining Technique, forming clouds that gathered above Yiyun Palace.

Yet, as soon as the clouds drifted over, they were torn apart by the vortex above Lin Qiye’s head and merged into his body.

Within five minutes, the palace’s spiritual energy was utterly depleted.

The old emperor and the grand eunuch exchanged glances.

"Is this… the power of a divine-level talent?"

"Your Majesty, you’ve sired a true dragon in this world!"

These two half-step Core Formation-level powerhouses could not contain their wild delight.

Yet, even in his jubilation, the old emperor didn’t interrupt Lin Qiye’s cultivation.

Instead, he took out tens of thousands of spirit stones from his storage ring and scattered them.

The eager Lin Qiye sensed the aura of spirit stones and resumed devouring them.

In no time, tens of thousands of spirit stones vanished.

Lin Qiye’s cultivation soared into the flawless Foundation Establishment stage. Spiritual energy surged in his body like a mighty river.

"Wonderful! No wonder this is the Golden Era—cultivation here is incredibly comfortable, perfectly suited for me!"

Lin Qiye exhaled a long breath, elated in his heart.

At this moment, he had reached Foundation Establishment.

His first transformation into the Dragon Elephant body was already sixty percent complete.

With the Nine-Colored Divine Thunder body, he could easily crush cultivators of the seventh layer of Foundation Establishment.

Seeing Lin Qiye’s cultivation leap instantly into Foundation Establishment, the old emperor and the grand eunuch’s eyes showed a hint of self-doubt—"Has the era changed? Are we already old?"

As half-step Core Formation cultivators, it had taken them four or five years to reach Foundation Establishment!

But Seventeenth had done it in just a few minutes?

Even more astonishing, Seventeenth’s cultivation wasn’t rushed or forced, but solid and genuine.

His foundation was a hundred times firmer than theirs had been!

Truly, today was an eye-opening experience.

The old emperor’s eyes burned with excitement.

After some time, he glanced at the nearby eaves, and secretly transmitted his voice, half in wild delight, half in boast.

"Old Cao, this is the bearing of a true emperor—did you see? Far stronger than I was!"

Eunuch Cao raised his brows, his lips curling into a smile.

"Your Majesty, the Seventeenth Prince is a born ruler. Congratulations, Your Majesty!"

"Well done." The old emperor stroked his beard, his face glowing as he walked over to Lin Qiye, feeling his arms with sincere affection.

"In the blink of an eye, six years have passed. You’ve grown from a little boy into a man…" The old emperor’s eyes shimmered with tears.

He remembered… Seventeenth had once been a tiny bundle barely the size of two palms.

Five years ago… he was a small child standing behind him, sweating as he healed the emperor’s wounds.

But now, in a flash, he had grown as tall as the emperor himself, a man who could stand tall and proud.

Truth be told, the emperor was reluctant to see him grow so fast.

Yet witnessing Seventeenth’s stature filled him with pride and comfort.

"Your growth is far beyond what I imagined…"

"I’ll prepare cultivation resources for you. Steady and slow, don’t rush. I can shelter you for another ten, twenty years."

"Besides, I’ll take you to the Library Pavilion to choose martial arts!"

"Martial arts are crucial. Only by mastering a technique to perfection can you unleash your cultivation one hundred percent, even two hundred percent!"

Hearing this, Lin Qiye’s heart thumped wildly.

In the Silver Era, cultivators crossed the cosmos at will, spiritual energy filled the skies, and martial arts were unnecessary, even undeveloped—they simply exchanged nuclear-level attacks.

But the Golden Era was different.

The rules were more refined; there was an art to combat.

Cultivators had to learn to control their spiritual power precisely to maximize their fighting strength.

Martial arts were the method to achieve such mastery!

Golden-quality martial arts could raise combat strength by twenty, even forty percent!

According to the knowledge Lin Qiye had acquired, he knew that some martial arts within the imperial palace were of golden quality, and perhaps even peak golden quality!

There was once a great wanderer who, in pursuit of such martial arts, castrated himself and worked tirelessly in the palace for four hundred years.

Finally, he was rewarded with a golden-quality martial art, propelling him to greatness!

He cut off his purity, endured four centuries, only to gain one golden martial art.

Was he lucky?

Yes.

But Lin Qiye’s luck was even greater.

He could choose martial arts freely, guided by the old emperor.

How could he not strike it rich?

Lin Qiye was brimming with anticipation, though he kept his excitement in check outwardly.

"Then… Father, please take me to choose some high-quality martial arts?"

The old emperor smiled indulgently.

"Come with me! The Treasure Pavilion of the Great Qin Palace holds some fine treasures—enough to honor your talent and innate gifts."

With that, the old emperor turned and led Lin Qiye toward the Library Pavilion.

…

PS: Seeking some support this Monday—thanks!