Three days after publishing The Eternal Convergence Sutra, Alex was trying very hard to act like a normal eleven-year-old at the breakfast table. This was becoming increasingly difficult as holographic news displays throughout the Chen family kitchen kept flashing urgent updates about the "COSMIC CULTIVATION REVOLUTION" and "ANONYMOUS GENIUS RESHAPES REALITY UNDERSTANDING."
"Alex, honey, could you pass the syrup?" Sarah asked, seemingly oblivious to the fact that her son was the cause of the universe-wide media frenzy playing out on every news channel.
"Sure, Mom," Alex replied, carefully keeping his voice steady as the news anchor behind her announced that The Eternal Convergence Sutra had just been officially ranked #3 in human cultivation history.
Michael looked up from his research tablet, frowning at the breakfast table's main display. "This Cosmic_Sage_42 character is certainly making waves. Two revolutionary techniques in two years? That's unprecedented."
"Unprecedented is one word for it," Sarah agreed, sipping her morning coffee. "The university is going crazy trying to figure out who this person is. Half the Qi Research department thinks it's a collaborative effort by multiple Tier 11 experts. The other half thinks it's someone using advanced AI assistance."
If only they knew their 'advanced AI assistance' was just ARIA helping me organize holographic displays, Alex thought, carefully spreading jam on his toast.
"What do you think, Alex?" Michael asked with a grin. "Any theories on who this mystery genius might be?"
Alex nearly choked on his breakfast. "Um... maybe someone who really likes reading cultivation theory?"
Both parents laughed.
"Out of the mouths of babes," Sarah said fondly. "Though I suspect it's slightly more complex than 'really likes reading.'"
You have no idea, Alex thought.
As his parents continued speculating about the mysterious technique creator, Alex's mind was elsewhere. Specifically, it was focused on a growing problem that had been eating at him for months: he still couldn't cultivate.
Seven more years. Seven more years of waiting while his talent finished developing, seven more years of theoretical knowledge with no practical application, seven more years of watching everyone else around him advance in cultivation while he remained stuck at the starting line.
There has to be a way, he thought, absently listening to his parents debate whether Cosmic_Sage_42 might be using previously unknown law comprehension techniques. Some way to practice, to prepare, to do something other than just wait.
"Alex?" Sarah's voice cut through his brooding. "You seem distracted, sweetie. Everything okay?"
"Just thinking about cultivation," he replied honestly.
Michael nodded sympathetically. "Seven years feels like forever when you're eleven, doesn't it? But trust me, son, waiting until eighteen is worth it. Trying to cultivate with an unformed talent is like trying to run a marathon with broken legs."
"I know," Alex sighed. "It's just... frustrating. All this theoretical knowledge, and I can't practice any of it."
"Well," Sarah said thoughtfully, "you could always work on your physical fitness. A strong body makes cultivation easier when you do start."
Physical fitness. Alex paused, a thought beginning to form. What if the problem isn't that I can't cultivate? What if the problem is that I'm thinking about it wrong?
"Mom, Dad," he said slowly, "what exactly happens in the backgroung when someone tries to cultivate before their talent is ready?"
"As i told you when you were younger, their talent becomes deformed," Michael replied. "The Origin energy interferes with the natural development process."
"But what if someone didn't use Origin energy at all? What if they found another energy source?"
His parents exchanged glances.
"Alex," Sarah said carefully, "there isn't another energy source. Origin energy is the fundamental power that runs the universe. Everything else is just different applications of the same basic force."
Everything human civilization has discovered, maybe, Alex thought. But what about energy that doesn't come from outside the body? What about the energy that powers consciousness itself?
"What about psychic energy?" he asked. "The kind that powers telepathy and precognition?"
"Psychic abilities are just extremely subtle Origin energy manipulation," Michael explained. "Most humans have minor psychic sensitivity because we naturally absorb trace amounts of Origin energy from our environment. But true psychic cultivation still requires a formed talent."
Alex nodded, but his mind was racing. What if they're wrong? What if psychic energy isn't just subtle Origin energy manipulation? What if it's something else entirely—something powered by consciousness and intelligence rather than external energy absorption?
After breakfast, Alex headed straight for his Veritas laboratory.
"ARIA," he said the moment he materialized in his virtual workspace, "I need everything we have on pre-cultivation human enhancement. Specifically, methods that don't rely on Origin energy absorption."
"Alex, we've covered this before. Without Origin energy, human enhancement is limited to—"
"Forget what we've covered before," Alex interrupted. "I want theoretical frameworks, speculative research, experimental data that was considered too dangerous or impractical to pursue. Everything."
ARIA paused—her equivalent of a concerned sigh. "Very well. But Alex, most of this research was abandoned for good reasons."
"Show me."
What appeared in Alex's laboratory was a collection of research that made his previous life studies look conservative. Theoretical frameworks for consciousness-based enhancement. Experimental data on direct neural manipulation. Speculative research on using pure mental energy to alter physical reality.
And buried deep in the theoretical sections, something that made Alex's eyes light up: research on brain-based psychic enhancement that operated independently of Origin energy systems.
"ARIA, this research suggests that psychic abilities aren't actually Origin energy manipulation at all. They're direct applications of consciousness itself."
"That research was conducted by Dr. Elena Vasquez two hundred years ago," ARIA replied. "It was never peer-reviewed because she died in an experimental accident before she could complete her work."
"What kind of accident?"
"She attempted to enhance her own psychic abilities using a consciousness-amplification serum. The enhancement was successful, but her brain couldn't handle the increased processing load."
Alex studied the incomplete research data. She was on the right track, but she made a classic mistake. She tried to enhance her consciousness directly instead of training her brain to handle enhanced consciousness gradually.
What if I could design a method that enhanced psychic ability slowly, training the brain to adapt incrementally? And what if I combined it with physical techniques that used psychic energy to strengthen the body without requiring Origin energy absorption?
Its time to get to work.