60: Chen Changxi was born

Stellar Year 99791, a year destined to be recorded in the annals of the Human Federation.

Federation Academy of Sciences, Kunlun Star, Pillar of Leaders.

Today, this floating heart of human civilization in the starry sky is bathed in an unprecedented Aura of joy and glory.

Countless massive holographic beams rise from various areas of the Pillar of Leaders, weaving brilliant patterns against the backdrop of deep space.

The holographic patterns include the Federation's star emblem, symbols of hope, and a lifelike virtual image of a baby enveloped in soft starlight.

Solemn yet celebratory melodies echo through every corner of the Pillar of Leaders via the omnipresent broadcast System, and are simultaneously transmitted to over a thousand life-supporting planets and 120 trillion citizens within the Federation's territory through the super-spatial communication network!

Federation Channel One, live interstellar broadcast.

The backdrop is a meticulously arranged studio, with a vast floor-to-ceiling window offering a view of the jubilant scene in the central plaza of the Pillar of Leaders and the distant depths of space.

A elegantly dressed female host with a graceful demeanor and beautiful features stands before the camera, her Face radiating uncontainable excitement and pride.

With a voice that trembles slightly yet remains crystal clear, she announces to the entire Federation:

'Citizens of the Federation, good evening! This is Federation Channel One, live from the heart of our Federation—Capital Star, Kunlun Star, at the Pillar of Leaders!'

'At this very moment, we are filled with immense excitement and pride to announce a momentous piece of news to the entire Federation and all of humanity! A miracle worthy of being recorded in the annals of civilization!'

Her voice suddenly rises, filled with infectious enthusiasm:

'Following the birth of Su Xingyao five years ago, today, our Federation welcomes the arrival of another Innate Star Body!'

'Blessings to the Federation! Blessings to the Human Race!'

The scene seamlessly transitions to a processed image showing a baby wrapped in brilliant starlight, the pure and powerful life energy palpable even through the screen.

'Another Innate Star Body!'

'Five years! Only five years! Does the Universe's Law favor our Human Race so?'

'This is wonderful! The future of the Federation is bright!'

At this moment, countless planets and families erupt in thunderous cheers and tears of joy!

The host, Su Qing, also has moist eyes.

She composes herself and continues, her voice filled with emotion:

'As we all know, an Innate Star Body signifies boundless potential, a future pillar of our society, and hope for the continued survival and growth of human civilization in the vast Universe!'

'Perhaps many citizens are not fully aware of the greatness of Innate Aptitude.'

'Today, we are honored to invite Dr. Kalvin, a renowned expert in life evolution and energy studies from the Federation Academy of Sciences, and a Named Disciple of the esteemed Mo Heng, to provide us with a detailed explanation!'

The camera turns to a middle-aged scholar in a Academy of Sciences white coat, wearing smart glasses and exuding an air of refinement.

'Thank you, host.'

'Let us set aside the complex terminology.'

'The path of a Martial Artist becomes increasingly divergent as one progresses.'

'At the Warrior Rank, War General Rank, and even War God Level, the focus is still on the accumulation of energy, physical training, and force techniques.'

'The Bottleneck at War General Rank is mastering the threefold body amplitude technique, while at War God Level, it is mastering the tenfold body amplitude technique.'

'A War God Level expert, with higher accumulation and amplitude, might defeat a hundred War General Rank Peak experts, but this is still a difference in quantity.'

His tone becomes grave:

'However, everything changes at the Planetary Level.'

'The Planetary Level requires understanding Domain!'

'Domain is the embryonic form of the Universe's Law!'

'Even with the most basic first-level Domain, a Planet-level Expert can easily overwhelm ten thousand War God Peak experts!'

'This is a difference in rules, a dimensional strike!'

A dynamic demonstration appears on the studio's screen: a light point representing a Planet-level Expert releases wave-like Domain, instantly overwhelming a cluster of light points representing ten thousand War God Level experts.

Countless viewers gasp in awe!

'Ten thousand War God Level experts, just like that?!'

'Many people haven't seen even one War God Level expert in their lifetime!'

'And at Planet-level Peak, one must perfect Domain to the tenth level to have a chance of glimpsing a true Universe's Law and ascending to... the Stellar Level!'

At the mention of 'Stellar Level,' his voice is filled with reverence.

'Stellar-level Experts begin to touch and manipulate the Universe's Law!'

'Their every move is imbued with the power of the Law!'

'A newly ascended Stellar Level Expert, with a mere glimpse of the Law, can effortlessly annihilate ten thousand Planet-level Peak experts!'

The screen demonstrates again: a Stellar Level light point manipulates countless threads of the Law, instantly shredding ten thousand Planet-level light points.

The audience is shocked beyond words!

'Ten thousand Planet-level Experts, just like that?!'

'What kind of concept is that?!'

'Our leader, Yun Xi, is a supreme Stellar Level Peak expert!'

'According to Yun Xi, the gap between Stellar-level Experts is also immense!'

'To condense one complete drop of the Universe's Law, one must fuse ten thousand threads of the Law!'

'The difference between a Stellar Level Expert with one thread of the Law and one with nine thousand nine hundred ninety-nine threads is not one to five layers, but one layer to the stratosphere! It is the difference between an ant and the cosmos!'

He takes a deep breath and finally reveals the core point:

'So, what does all this have to do with Innate Aptitude?'

'It is crucial!'

'Innate Aptitude is a gift from the Universe's Origin, a favorite of the Law!'

'Like a fish breathing in water, it is natural!'

'For ordinary people, even SSS-level geniuses, grasping even one level of Domain is extremely difficult!'

'But with the Federation's resources and various Secret Manuals and Cultivation Techniques, an Innate Martial Body has a much higher chance of mastering Domain and breaking through to the Planetary Level!'

'And an Innate Star Body has an unparalleled advantage in understanding the Law and breaking through to the Stellar Level!'

His voice becomes heavy as he continues:

'But the Universe's Origin favor has a time limit, a window period!'

'After this period, the difficulty of sensing the Universe's Origin Law increases tremendously!'

'For an Innate Martial Body, it is before the age of one hundred!'

'For an Innate Star Body, it is before the age of one thousand!'

'For an Innate Moon Body, it is before the age of ten thousand!'

'This is why our leader is so great, able to protect the Federation for nearly a hundred thousand years!'

'Because our leader is a magnificent Innate Moon Body, with a ten-thousand-year period of closeness to the Origin!'

'I once heard my esteemed teacher Mo Heng mention that our leader has already grasped nine thousand nine hundred ninety-nine threads of the Law!'

'Just one more step to condense a complete drop of the Law and break through to the legendary Star Arm Level, extending our nation's fortune for another million years!'

Dr. Kalvin excitedly waves his arms:

'Let us cheer for our great leader! Long live the leader! May the leader live for a hundred thousand years! A million years! A billion years!'

'Long live the leader! May the leader live for a hundred thousand years! A million years! A billion years!'

'Long live the Federation! May the Federation live for a hundred thousand years! A million years! A billion years!'

At this moment, the entire Federation is in an uproar!

Countless citizens spontaneously stand up, facing Kunlun Star, facing the Pillar of Leaders, excitedly shouting!

Expressing their highest respect and best wishes!

The host, Su Qing, is also moved to tears of joy.

'Thank you, Dr. Kalvin, for your enlightening explanation!'

'It has made us understand the great significance of an Innate Star Body even more!'

'It has made us even more grateful for our leader's protection!'

'And it has made us even more look forward to the bright future of our newborn little princess!'

'To celebrate this great moment, the Federation Council has passed a resolution for a three-day holiday for the entire Federation! Universal rejoicing!'

The live broadcast quickly switches to various locations within the Federation.

The scene first appears on an industrial planet, where a energy tycoon worth trillions of source coins announces to the entire company:

'...In celebration of 'Hope Day,' all employees of the group will have a paid month-long vacation! Let us all wish the Federation well!'

[part:deepseek-chat]

An executive who loved to flatter whispered a suggestion, 'Chairman, taking a vacation is fine, but with pay...'

The magnate's eyes widened, his voice booming like a bell, 'Foolish! This is a momentous occasion! It's the future of the Federation! The hope of our civilization! What does a little money matter? The happiness of our employees, their sense of belonging to the Federation, is priceless! Say one more word! Get the hell out of here!'

The executive was so frightened he didn't dare utter another sound!

He had tried to flatter but ended up kicking the horse instead!

The scene then cut to an agricultural planet, where an old farmer looked at his bountiful, faintly glowing energy grains and grinned from ear to ear, telling the reporter, 'The holiday is good! Very good! My son and daughter-in-Law work in the city, now they can come home for a visit! With new hope for the Federation, even farming feels more worthwhile!'

On a border military planet, the garrisoned soldiers saluted in unison towards the camera and roared, 'We celebrate the Federation! We celebrate the Leader! May the Little Princess grow up healthy and strong! We pledge our very flesh and blood to guard the future of the Federation!...'

...

Zhao Ming, the Deputy Minister of the Federation's Supreme Propaganda Department, stood behind the scenes in the live broadcast control room, watching the screens with satisfaction as they fed back scenes of cheers and celebration from every corner of the Federation.

An unconcealable, smug smile graced his Face.

In his own estimation, this round of propaganda had been executed to Perfection!

It had both popularized the significance of the event, boosting national patriotic fervor and unity, and lavishly flattered the Leader. Even though he didn't know exactly how many threads of Law the Leader had comprehended, it never hurt to exaggerate a bit!

Most importantly, he had perfectly curried favor with the newly born Little Princess with the Innate Star Body!

When this Little Princess grew up in the future, becoming a new Stellar Level magnate, and recalled the grand spectacle of her birth, watching this footage, she might still remember Zhao Ming's 'contribution' today. The benefits then...!

Thinking of this, Zhao Ming felt that his promotion to full Minister, and perhaps even further advancement in the future relying on this 'connection of goodwill', was not impossible!

He could almost see a bright political future beckoning to him.

...

The Glory Avenue leading to the Central Square at the Pillar of Leaders was now packed with a sea of people.

Invited dignitaries from all sectors, celebrities, and media reporters streamed in continuously, each Face etched with excitement and honor!

Although the banquet hadn't officially begun yet—handled by the Logistics Department—the pre-celebration atmosphere had already reached a fever pitch!

Chen Jun strolled leisurely among them...

He had just visited Lin Wei and her newly born fifth daughter, named Chen Changxi.

Chang: symbolizing 'longevity' and 'endurance'.

Xi: the morning sunlight, symbolizing light, hope, and vitality.

The little one, just like her older sister Chen Xingyu, had stirred stellar energy at birth and was so adorable it could melt one's heart.

Lin Wei looked radiant post-delivery, her Face beaming with a blissful, contented smile, her strength having reached War God Peak!

Seeing his wife and daughter safe and well, Chen Jun felt a deep sense of peace and warmth in his heart.

Another year had passed.

On his System panel, [Remaining Lifespan] had quietly jumped to [22 years 104 days 11 hours 10 seconds...20 seconds...30 seconds...] and was steadily increasing.

The mindset of an immortal grew ever more settled.

He no longer deliberately checked his remaining lifespan.

He looked upon the noisy, excited crowds who had come with various motives to celebrate as if observing a vivid ukiyo-e painting.

He could understand their excitement, their awe, their calculations.

But he himself was like a detached spectator, possessing a faint, all-seeing sense of superiority.

You celebrate the birth of an Innate Star Body?

And I!

Am her father!

You praise the Leader's greatness, hoping for her Breakthrough?

And I!

Know my daughters are destined to surpass her in the future!

You cheer for a three-day holiday?

And I!

Possess eternity itself!

...

This feeling was peculiar, causing an involuntary, faint smile to touch the corner of his mouth.

He savored this tranquility and the pleasure of observation unique to an immortal, casually walking towards the Central Square, wanting to see the bustling scene outside.

However, just as he neared the periphery of the live broadcast area, a discordant voice interrupted his thoughts.

'Halt! Who are you? This is a restricted area for a Federation-wide live broadcast. Unauthorized personnel are not permitted near!'

Zhao Ming, Deputy Minister of the Federation's Supreme Propaganda Department, was currently patrolling the venue, brimming with self-satisfaction, when he happened to see Chen Jun. Dressed in casual clothes, exhibiting no energy fluctuations whatsoever, yet with an excessively healthy complexion and a strange smile on his Face, Chen Jun was ambling towards the core area.

Zhao Ming's brow immediately furrowed.

What kind of occasion was this?!

A Federation-wide live broadcast!

A universal celebration!

Countless important figures watching!

Who was this guy?!

His attire didn't suggest any noble title, his demeanor didn't resemble that of an elite scion from a major Family, and most crucially, there wasn't a trace of energy fluctuation around him!

He was a complete and utter Mortal!

Wait!

The abundant scent of medicinal herbs within his body couldn't be completely masked.

Consumed so many medicines and still hadn't even broken through to Warrior Rank?!

He was a complete and utter waste! A waste of resources!

Zhao Ming hated this kind of useless second-generation waste the most in his life!

And he dared to approach the core broadcast area?!

Zhao Ming instantly labeled Chen Jun: He must be the offspring of some minor bureaucrat under an unknown Stellar Level Old Ancestor, or the descendant of some nouveau riche merchant. Probably ran some small entertainment company, managed to sneak into the Pillar of Leaders through some backdoor, wanting to leech off the immense hype of this occasion, to seek attention!

He had seen plenty of these spoiled young masters and opportunists trying to polish their own Face by attaching themselves to grand events!

On normal days, he might give them some Face, but today?

Absolutely not!

Today's grand event was the stepping stone for his political career! Not a single mistake could be tolerated!

If such riff-raff got into the camera shot, wouldn't it lower the tone of the celebration?

What if they offended some truly important figure? He'd be in deep trouble!

He had to be cleared out immediately!

Zhao Ming instantly assumed the imposing demeanor of a high-ranking Federation official. He strode forward, blocking Chen Jun's path, his Face dark, his gaze severe, filled with a condescending scrutiny and reprimand:

'I'm talking to you! Did you hear me? Is this a place for you to wander around casually?!'

He looked Chen Jun up and down, his tone growing even more disdainful:

'Look at you! What kind of appearance is this? Today is a solemn and sacred occasion! The entire Federation is watching! Which department are you from? Who are your elders? Don't you have any sense of propriety?'

'Do you even know there's a Federation-wide live broadcast going on inside?! If you disturb the broadcast, affect the Federation's image, can you bear the responsibility?! Huh?!'

'You have zero energy fluctuations—probably not even a Martial Artist, right?! Must have eaten a lot of good stuff just to build up this exterior?! Hmph! This kind of occasion is not for spoiled brats like you who rely on Family resources! Trying to ride the hype?! You've come to the wrong place!!!'

'Leave immediately! Otherwise!!! Hmph!'

Zhao Ming's voice was loud, carrying the authority and harshness cultivated from long years in a high position. It immediately attracted the attention of many people nearby.

Some reporters and guests looked over curiously, pointing and whispering about Chen Jun.

Although the live broadcast didn't capture this area, the atmosphere on-site instantly became tense and awkward.

Chen Jun stopped walking, the leisurely smile on his Face slowly fading.

He looked calmly at the furious Deputy Minister before him, his gaze profound.

His mindset was no longer what it used to be.

He wasn't angered; he just felt...

Somewhat amused...

Like an ant swaggering before a casually passing elephant, threatening to call for help if it didn't leave.

He could even clearly see the pitiful sense of superiority in the other's eyes, based on power and status, and the anxiety of fearing his meticulously arranged scene might be ruined.

This was the nature of Mortals!

Confined by fleeting lifespans, busily scrambling for immediate power and influence, racking their brains for mere scraps of benefit.

Pitiful, and laughable!

Chen Jun's mindset, at this moment, grew even more transcendent...

He suddenly felt a strong desire to see the Deputy Minister's expression when he learned that the person he was berating was the biological father of the true centerpiece of today's grand celebration.

Of course, he wouldn't say it.

On the path of immortality, low-key and steady progress was the true way.

He merely looked at Zhao Ming indifferently, his eyes calm and unrippled, yet seemingly capable of seeing through a person's heart.