The child did not cry again.
After that first wail that shook heaven and earth, he merely stared—eyes dark, calm, reflective. Too calm for a newborn. Too aware.
Li Yuan noticed immediately.
The boy's gaze did not wander aimlessly. It anchored. On faces. On movement. On light.
On existence.
"He's quiet," Chen Yue whispered, a hint of worry beneath her fatigue.
Li Yuan gently adjusted the blanket around the child. "Quiet doesn't mean weak."
The system pulsed faintly, as if in agreement.
---
Outside the residence, the sect descended into confusion.
The spirit tree's sudden bloom could not be concealed. Elders gathered beneath it, pretending composure while exchanging silent, alarmed glances.
This tree had stood dormant for over a thousand years.
And now—
It bloomed for a child born in the outer sect.
---
"Heavenly coincidence," one elder said stiffly.
"Or heavenly warning," another replied.
Neither dared say more.
---
Li Yuan did not attend the discussions.
He had already felt it—the invisible walls forming.
The world was building a cradle.
Not out of kindness.
Out of necessity.
---
The system opened as he sat beside Chen Yue, watching the child sleep.
---
[Eternal Progenitor System]
Bloodline Stabilization Phase: Active
World Adjustments Detected: • Hostile convergence delayed • Local calamities rerouted • Minor fortune clustered around descendants
Explanation: The world seeks to ensure early survival.
This protection will diminish as the descendant matures.
---
"So even the world believes childhood should be spared," Li Yuan murmured.
He had no illusions.
Protection was temporary.
Attention was permanent.
---
Three days passed.
Then seven.
The child grew at a normal pace—no sudden maturation, no unnatural qi absorption.
And yet…
Cultivators near the residence reported unusual clarity during meditation.
Spirit beasts lingered near the courtyard, docile and curious.
A wandering stray fox refused to leave the gate, curling up beside it every night.
All coincidence.
All meaningless.
Unless one knew better.
---
Chen Yue recovered quickly.
Too quickly.
Her cultivation still did not advance, but her vitality surpassed that of most inner disciples.
She noticed it too.
"I feel… complete," she said one evening. "As if nothing is missing."
Li Yuan looked at her carefully.
That was dangerous.
Completion bred contentment.
Contentment dulled vigilance.
---
That night, the heavens tested restraint.
A faint tremor rippled through the spiritual field surrounding the sect. Not strong enough to alarm most—but Li Yuan felt it clearly.
The system reacted instantly.
---
[Eternal Progenitor System]
External Observation Detected.
Source: — Upper Realm Proxy (Minor) —
Intent: • Verification • Risk Assessment
Threat Level: Low (Current)
---
Li Yuan's expression hardened.
"So the upper realms have started peeking."
He looked down at his son.
The child slept peacefully, utterly unaware that his existence had already crossed worlds.
---
The proxy never manifested physically.
Instead, a dream spread across the sect.
Elders dreamed of rivers flowing backward.
Disciples dreamed of roots piercing the sky.
One elder dreamed of holding a child—only for the child to turn into a star too bright to grasp.
All woke uneasy.
None understood.
---
The Third Elder summoned Li Yuan again.
This time, privately.
"You've brought something into this world," the elder said without preamble.
Li Yuan bowed slightly. "I brought my son."
The elder studied him for a long moment.
Then sighed.
"I don't know whether you're a blessing or a disaster," he admitted. "But the sect… will not touch you."
Li Yuan raised his gaze.
"And in exchange?"
The elder smiled bitterly. "In exchange, we pretend we see nothing."
That was more than Li Yuan expected.
It was also less.
---
Back in the residence, the system updated.
---
[Eternal Progenitor System]
Shelter Agreement Recognized.
Local Power Entity: Azure River Sect
Status: — Neutral Protector (Temporary) —
Duration: Until bloodline influence exceeds local capacity.
---
Li Yuan chuckled softly.
"So even neutrality has an expiration date."
---
That night, he cultivated for the first time since the birth.
Not for power.
But for alignment.
Qi flowed smoothly.
Too smoothly.
As if the world itself guided it.
His cultivation did not breakthrough—
But his presence changed.
Subtly.
Irreversibly.
---
The child stirred.
Tiny fingers curled around Li Yuan's.
The contact sent a faint pulse through his meridians.
The system reacted one last time that day.
---
[Eternal Progenitor System]
Descendant Feedback Loop: Established
Effect: • Progenitor stability increased • Bloodline resonance initiated
Note: From this moment onward, growth is mutual.
---
Li Yuan smiled.
"So we rise together."
Outside, the night sky shimmered faintly.
Stars rearranged themselves by fractions too small to measure—
Yet enough to redraw destiny.
---
Far away.
Very far away.
An ancient existence opened its eyes.
"…A seed," it murmured. "In a lower world?"
The being closed its eyes again.
"For now… let it grow."
---