Ever since that day, Feng Zian had noticed a profound change in his ninth brother.

  The boy still greeted him with the same bright smile every time, yet whenever Feng Zian stood near him, an inexplicable chill settled over his body. It was as though invisible walls had closed in, trapping him in helpless dread.

  From that very day onward, the ninth young master displayed a talent that stunned the entire marquis residence. In just one month, he advanced from the third layer of Spirit Awakening to the ninth layer—an ascent so rapid it seemed almost unnatural.

  Even the long-silent ancestral figure of the residence, the Marquis of Pacifying the Seas, was roused from seclusion. He personally took the boy under his wing for direct guidance.

  Feng Zian sighed to himself. "I only wanted Ninth Brother to enjoy a carefree childhood. I can't think of anywhere I might have offended him."

  After careful reflection, he found nothing and finally relaxed.

  …

  Inside a resplendent palace hall, Su Chen stood beside an old man clad in purple robes.

  The elder's hair was snow-white, his appearance frail with age, yet the vital energy coursing through him surged like an endless, raging river. Merely sitting there, he seemed to occupy the very center of heaven and earth, radiating overwhelming divine might.

  This was the Marquis of Pacifying the Seas—one of the ten strongest figures in the Heavenly Wind Kingdom. A powerhouse at the sixth layer of the Spirit Soul realm.

  "Spirit Soul realm… so this is what a Spirit Soul expert feels like. A marquis-level figure—practically no different from an immortal. If I had faced someone at this level in my previous life, a single glare would have killed me."

  Su Chen's heart trembled. This was the closest he had ever come to a Spirit Soul cultivator. He had heard that upon reaching the Spirit Soul realm, one cultivated the power of the divine soul—an existence fundamentally distinct from anything below it.

  Time and again, when the Heavenly Wind Kingdom teetered on the brink of collapse, it was these Spirit Soul powerhouses who turned the tide.

  "Not bad at all. This level of aptitude has appeared only once before in the entire recorded history of our Heavenly Wind Kingdom!"

  A delighted smile spread across the Marquis of Pacifying the Seas' face.

  He had heard rumors that the current useless family head had produced a ninth son with astonishing talent, but he had paid it little mind.

  Then, two months earlier, word reached him that the boy had suddenly awakened, leaping from the third layer of Spirit Awakening to the ninth in a single month.

  Regret gnawed at the old marquis. He should have brought the child to his side much sooner. This boy was clearly a blessing upon his own bloodline!

  Four precious years of such talent had been squandered. Had those years not been wasted, the child might already have shattered every cultivation record in the kingdom.

  "Thank you for the praise, Grandfather Jinghai," Su Chen said.

  His small frame tilted upward, large eyes sparkling and innocent. The sight made the old marquis' fondness grow even deeper.

  "But Grandfather Jinghai," Su Chen continued, curiosity shining in his gaze, "who was the number-one genius recorded in the Heavenly Wind Kingdom's history?"

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  He was genuinely interested. In this life, his cultivation talent held every promise of breaking through to the Spirit Soul realm.

  Yet even so, compared to the true monsters chronicled in the kingdom's annals, he paled in comparison. Take the man before him—the Marquis of Pacifying the Seas, already at the sixth layer of Spirit Soul. Su Chen doubted he could reach that height even if he cultivated until his dying breath.

  His current speed stemmed from two advantages: the experience of walking the path twice in his previous life, and the Burning Spirit Secret Art recorded in the Spirit Communion King's manual—a technique that burned away lifespan in exchange for explosive short-term progress.

  In his former life, breaking through to the Spirit Sea should have granted him three hundred years of life. After using the Burning Spirit Secret Art, that lifespan shrank to only two hundred.

  The drawbacks were severe—it devoured potential and lifespan alike—but Su Chen no longer cared. In this life, he harbored only one thought: Every single member of the Feng clan must die.

  With such overwhelming advantages—and at such a terrible cost—his cultivation speed was undoubtedly unparalleled. At least within the Heavenly Wind Kingdom, he believed no one could match it. Yet now he had just heard that someone else had once been even more monstrous.

  The Marquis of Pacifying the Seas narrowed his eyes and chuckled. "That is a legend. It is said that the very founding of our Heavenly Wind Kingdom is tied to him. Our Feng clan's Grand Ancestor befriended that mythical figure, and together they overthrew the previous dynasty to establish the Heavenly Wind Kingdom. Even the Grand Ancestor once admitted that his own cultivation fell far short of that man's. He said that standing before him was like a fish in a pond gazing up at the boundless sky."

  Su Chen's eyes flickered. A kingdom's founding ancestor was undoubtedly a legendary figure, yet he had spoken of himself in such humble terms.

  "Is that lord still in seclusion somewhere within our Heavenly Wind Kingdom?" Su Chen asked curiously.

  The old marquis shook his head. "After helping the Grand Ancestor establish the kingdom, that mythical figure set out alone into the wider world. No word of him has been heard since."

  Su Chen blinked, a surge of delight rising in his heart. A being of that caliber was no longer in the Heavenly Wind Kingdom. Heaven itself was aiding him! On his face, though, he let his expression droop as though deeply disappointed.

  The Marquis of Pacifying the Seas laughed and scolded him fondly. "You little rascal, don't tell me you're actually scheming to challenge that myth? Are you saying this old man's cultivation isn't enough to guide you anymore?"

  Su Chen hurriedly shook his head. "Grandfather Jinghai ranks as the number-one powerhouse in the Heavenly Wind Kingdom in Chen'er's heart—the kingdom's pillar, the greatest man alive, and the foremost warrior of our Feng clan!"

  The old marquis grinned so widely his mouth nearly reached his ears. "Still as smooth-tongued as ever. I'm nowhere near as grand as you make me out to be."

  Seizing the moment, Su Chen pressed gently. "Then who exactly was that mythical man who helped the Grand Ancestor found the kingdom?"

  In an excellent mood, the Marquis of Pacifying the Seas shared the secret with him. "That mythical figure… his name was Li Shenhua! He was the divinely favored one of the Li family!"

  …

  Five years passed in the blink of an eye.

  Under the Marquis of Pacifying the Seas' personal tutelage, Su Chen's cultivation soared. He soon reached the first layer of Spirit Vein.

  A fourteen-year-old at the first layer of Spirit Vein—such a feat would shock anyone who heard it.

  That year, after careful consideration, the old marquis decided to send Su Chen to the Heavenly Wind Martial Mansion for further tempering.

  Within the Marquis of Pacifying the Seas' branch of the family, Su Chen had long since become the undisputed young lord—often the "young" part was dropped altogether. All the overt and hidden forces of the marquis residence answered directly to him.

  In this life, his useless father was nothing more than a figurehead. To the Marquis of Pacifying the Seas, Su Chen was the true heir.

  Returning once more to the royal capital, Su Chen felt a tide of emotions. In this life, both his status and his talent stood at the pinnacle of the Heavenly Wind Kingdom. If he chose to slow down and walk this path carefully, he might live a fulfilling existence.

  Unfortunately…

  He closed his eyes, and the scenes from his previous life flooded back.

  Outside a luxurious carriage, heavy snow fell in thick goose-feather flakes.

  "Young Marquis, we have arrived at the Heavenly Wind Martial Mansion."

  The steward stood respectfully outside the carriage, speaking in a low voice as though afraid to disturb him.

  Su Chen stepped slowly out.

  Beyond the carriage waited a crowd of instructors and students from the Heavenly Wind Martial Mansion. All eyes turned curiously toward the opulent vehicle. There he was—the number-one genius of the Heavenly Wind Kingdom!