Day 4 After Transformation - Morning
The Cross family's backyard had been transformed into a training ground. Jake had set up protective barriers around the perimeter—not to keep things in, but to prevent nosy neighbors from observing too closely. Wooden training weapons hung on racks, meditation mats were arranged in neat rows, and a small spirit gathering formation hummed softly in the corner, providing ambient qi for cultivation practice.
Celestia arrived early, as she had every day since Runar's transformation, practically bouncing with excitement. Her mother Seraphina accompanied her, carrying a bag of what Runar assumed were more spirit candies and treats.
"Good morning!" Celestia called out, waving enthusiastically. "Are you ready to practice the new technique? Mama downloaded it last night and we've been studying it together!"
Jake and Lirien emerged from the house, both looking somewhat nervous. They'd been studying the Stellar Foundation Unity Method as well—trying to master it themselves while also preparing to guide their son and his friend.
"Alright, children," Jake said, settling onto one of the meditation mats and gesturing for them to sit. "Your mother and I will help you get started with the technique. It's quite advanced, requiring precise qi control, but—"
"We already started!" Celestia interrupted excitedly."I managed to open three more meridians using the method!"
Jake blinked. "Three meridians? Just today? That's... that's actually quite impressive, Celestia. Most cultivators take weeks to properly open even one using this technique."
"Runar helped me understand the qi flow patterns!" She turned to Runar with a bright smile. "He explained it in a way that made it really easy. Like, he said to imagine the qi as water finding the path of least resistance, and to use tiny spiral motions instead of trying to force it through all at once."
Lirien and Seraphina exchanged glances. That was... actually excellent advice. Advanced advice.
"Runar," Lirien said slowly, "have you been studying cultivation theory?"
Runar adopted his best 'confused seven-year-old' expression. "I just read some stuff on the database last night. It seemed to make sense, so I told Celestia about it. Did I do something wrong?"
"No, no, not wrong," Jake said quickly. "It's just... very insightful for someone your age. Have you tried the technique yourself yet?"
"A little bit," Runar admitted, which was technically true—he'd analyzed the public version thoroughly in the Comprehension Space. "It's interesting. The geometric qi structures are really cool. Like building with blocks, but inside your body."
Over the next hour, the four adults attempted to guide the two children through the Stellar Foundation Unity Method.
It became apparent very quickly that something unusual was happening.
Whenever Jake or Lirien tried to explain a concept, Runar would nod along—but then would ask a question that revealed he'd already understood it at a deeper level than they had. When Seraphina demonstrated a qi circulation pattern, Celestia would copy it, but then Runar would quietly suggest a "small adjustment" that somehow made the entire process 30% more efficient.
By the time lunch rolled around, the parents were less teaching and more... learning.
"Wait," Seraphina said, watching Celestia successfully complete a complex meridian reinforcement sequence that should have taken days to master. "Show me that circulation pattern again. The one Runar suggested with the semi-hexagonal stabilization flow."
Celestia demonstrated it, and Seraphina's eyes widened. "That's... that's brilliant. The efficiency increase is substantial. Where did you learn this, Runar?"
"I just tried different patterns until I found one that felt better," Runar said with perfect innocence. "Is it wrong?"
"Wrong? No, it's—" Seraphina looked at Jake and Lirien, who both appeared equally bemused. "It's actually an improvement on the public technique. The kind of optimization that usually takes masters decades to discover."
The three adults shared a long look.
"Perhaps," Jake said carefully, "we should let the children practice on their own. They seem to have a natural understanding that we're... not contributing to as much as we'd hoped."
"Agreed," Lirien said, trying not to sound too relieved or too concerned. "We'll be inside if you need us. But Runar, Celestia—be careful. If you feel any pain or discomfort, stop immediately and call us."
"Yes, mama!" both children chorused.
As the adults retreated to the house—ostensibly to prepare lunch but actually to have a serious discussion about their apparently genius children—Runar and Celestia were finally left alone.
Celestia immediately turned to Runar with sparkling eyes. "Okay! Now show me the really cool stuff you were holding back on!"
Runar laughed despite himself. "What makes you think I was holding back?"
"Because you always are." She poked his arm playfully. "You do that thing where you act like you don't know something, but then you say something super smart and everyone gets confused. I can tell. So come on, teach me the good stuff!"
She's more perceptive than I gave her credit for.
"Alright," Runar conceded. "But this stays between us, okay? Our secret training."
"Secret training!" Celestia's eyes lit up even more. "Like in the webnovels my mom read to me at night! Yes! I promise I won't tell anyone!"
Over the next hour, Runar began teaching her properly.
Not overtly—he couldn't reveal too much without raising questions. But he could guide her, correct her mistakes before she made them, and suggest "experiments" that were actually optimized cultivation exercises.
"Try circulating your qi in this pattern," he'd say, demonstrating with his own energy. "It's like... imagine you're drawing a rune in the air with your qi. See? That shape makes the energy flow smoother."
Celestia would try it, and her eyes would widen as she felt the difference.
"Now, for the meridian reinforcement—instead of just pushing qi through, try this: make your qi into tiny geometric shapes. Triangles for stability, circles for flexibility, hexagons for efficiency. Layer them like building blocks."
These were concepts from his actual Eternal Nexus Ascension—simplified and explained in ways a five-year-old genius could understand and implement.
The public Stellar Foundation Unity Method was already excellent. But with Runar's guidance, Celestia was essentially practicing a version that was about 100 times more effective—approaching the efficiency of his actual Supreme-grade technique, though still far behind it.
And she was learning fast. Frighteningly fast.
She really is a genuine genius, Runar realized with some satisfaction. Not just talented—actually brilliant. She never makes the same mistake twice, adapts instantly, and her comprehension speed is exceptional for someone without any special advantages.
But he could make her even better, with pills.
That afternoon, when they took a break for snacks, Runar put his plan into action.
Celestia had brought her usual bag of spirit candies and crystallized fruits—treats infused with minor amounts of spiritual energy. They were expensive but harmless, meant to supplement a young child cultivator's diet.
Runar had brought something much more potent.
While Celestia was distracted explaining something to her mother through the window, Runar discreetly withdrew several pills from his system inventory:
Foundation Establishing Pills (Divine Grade) x5 Meridian Cleansing Elixir (Divine Grade) x3 Qi Condensing Pills (Supreme Grade) x2 Star Qi Pills (Peak Supreme Grade) x3 World Qi Pills (Low Divine Grade) x1
Each pill alone could cause a minor cultivation breakthrough. Together, they represented enough resources to bankrupt a small sect.
Using precise qi control, Runar crushed them all into an incredibly fine powder. Divine-grade pills didn't just crumble—they required Intent-level manipulation to break down. He used his perfect Rune Intent to deconstruct them at the molecular level, then combined all the powders into a single, tasteless mixture.
This would probably kill a normal person from energy overload, Runar thought as he worked. But Celestia has a dual-element physique and she's following the Unity Method now. Her body can handle gradual absorption. Moreover he put runic seals on the potency of the pill to gradually release the bit by but after consumption.
He divided the powder into two portions. Half he mixed into Celestia's juice using water-element qi manipulation to blend it completely. The other half he carefully infused into her spirit candies, using precise insertion techniques that left no trace.
When Celestia turned back, Runar was casually offering her the juice. "Here, you looked thirsty."
"Thanks!" She took it and drank deeply, completely unaware she'd just consumed resources worth millions of spirit stones.
Over the next days, this became routine.
Every training session, Runar would slip Divine-grade and Supreme-grade pills into her food and drinks. Foundation pills to strengthen her base. Meridian elixirs to clear impurities. Qi condensing pills to increase her reserves. Star Qi pills for cosmic attunement. World Qi pills for comprehensive enhancement.
He used them like vitamins, grinding them into tasteless powder and mixing them seamlessly into whatever Celestia ate or drank.
The effects were dramatic.
Day One Results
"Runar, look!" Celestia called out on the first day of training. "I broke through to Stage 4!"
Stage 4 of Stardust Awakening. In one day, she'd advanced an entire stage while simultaneously practicing a completely new cultivation method.
Jake, overhearing from inside the house, nearly dropped his tea. Normal cultivators took months to advance a single stage. His daughter had been cultivating for two years and had only recently reached Stage 3.
But he didn't interrupt. He just... watched. And worried. And wondered what exactly was happening in his backyard.
Day Two - The Acceleration
"Stage 8!" Celestia announced on the second day, spinning in excitement. "Runar, I'm advancing so fast! Is this normal?"
"Maybe it's because you're practicing the Unity Method," Runar suggested innocently. "It's supposed to make cultivation more efficient. And you're really good at qi control now."
Which was true—her qi control had improved dramatically. Between his guidance and the constant influx of Divine-grade resources, Celestia's foundation was becoming extraordinary.
Her ice-water affinity was manifesting more strongly too. Frost crystals formed naturally around her when she cultivated, and water seemed to flow more smoothly in her presence.
Seraphina noticed, of course. How could she not?
"Celestia's advancing incredibly fast," she mentioned to Lirien that afternoon while the children trained. "Five stages in two days. That's... unprecedented."
"Runar's doing well too," Lirien admitted. "He won't tell us exactly what stage he's at—says he's 'not sure' and 'doesn't really keep track'—but I can sense his foundation growing stronger every day."
Both mothers watched their children practice, complex qi manipulation exercises that looked more like an elaborate and sophisticated dance rather than cultivation.
"They're good for each other," Seraphina said softly. "Celestia's never been this motivated before. And Runar seems genuinely happy in seeing her improve."
"Should we be concerned?" Lirien asked. "About how fast they're progressing?"
"Probably," Seraphina admitted. "But I don't know what we'd do about it. Stop them from cultivating? That seems cruel. And they're not showing any signs of instability or deviation."
"Just... unnatural talent?"
"Just unnatural talent," Seraphina agreed, neither of them quite believing it.