“I don’t get it. How were you able to get in just a day later? What happened to the overbearing mother who loves her son?”

“Can you stop talking? It’s bad enough that I have to cradle you in my arms as I’m feeding you, but doing it to a talking baby is oddly creepy. And can you change your expression? Your deadpan, impassive, babyface just makes it worse!”

“No, I was beaten by my uncle pretty much all the time. So my impassiveness is one of the consequences of the trauma that it caused. Plus, trauma prevention didn’t fix what was already wrong with me. Back to what we were talking about. How did you get in?”

“Good God! You’re already broken! How in the world are you able to so eloquently identify the ramifications of your trauma!?”

“First of all, we prefer the term put-together deprived. Second of all, I went on the internet before we came here and took a short course in psychology. I’m also a licensed therapist from the school of ‘Trust Me Bro.’ I ask again, how did you get in?”

“Don’t you see how beautiful this goddess is? How could they not be bewitched by my charms and forced to-”

“You bribed them, didn’t you?”

“Shamelessly and beyond all reason.”

I guess that makes sense in a way. After all, I did overhear them talking about not having the necessary funds to procure certain herbs that would help in these times. I guess the never-ending wars are a thing that constantly draws from the coffers of any who has it.

“So where did you get the gold coins needed to do that, anyway?”

Coins are the currency used in this world. I’m sure spirit stones are a thing. I just haven’t come across them yet. Isn’t it exciting? Spirit stones, cultivation, spirit qi and isekai.

Speaking of which, I should probably check out those other isekai skills too, but since I’m only a few weeks old, I’ll hold off on that for now. I mean, I can’t even hold up my own head for Pete’s sake, so I’ll get to it when I’m older… so maybe next week.

“I am a goddess.”

“Goddess doesn’t rhyme with money.”

“Fine, I was able to use my godly powers toooooo… borrow some money.”

“From who?”

“I’m not telling you!”

“Don’t they find it suspicious that someone would come to work for them and pay them instead? What kind of parents do I have?”

“Don’t blame them too much. I am still a goddess after all, and I have something called Grace. It allows my words to be a bit more… susceptible. Still, I can’t release too much since my Grace is now tied to your blessings. My powers in this world are limited and will continue to be so until I take back your blessings.”

“… Mind control got it.”

“It’s not mi-”

“This place seems pretty big. I need you to go and find some books for me. Mostly about history, if you will. I need to know how developed this world is for now.”

“Listen to me, you uncultured cur!”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk, calling a baby an uncultured cur. Do you have no shame, goddess?”

She got flustered upon seeing my adorable baby face I bet. “B—But I, but you… ‘sighs…’ I’ll go get your books.”

“Aawww, is this the young master?”

Just as Mina was putting me back in the crib, an elegant lady and a little girl came strolling in.

Leading them inside was my mother, who looked much better than before. The woman she led must be another wealthy person in this city… or maybe it’s a town, ooh or maybe it’s a province. I want to say noble, but I still don’t know what the hierarchy in this world is like.

“Yes, this is him, and how is he doing today, Mina?”

“He is doing well, madam. I can advise that he has successfully broken through to the 2nd Vessel Qi Gathering Stage.”

That’s right, strut my success, Mina. Let them drink in the awesomeness that is Long Di, that is this soon-to-be OP Isekai’d Cultivator MC.

“What?! He’s already a Qi Gathering cultivator!? Wait, he’s at the 2nd Vessel!?”

“Oh, my! I-I knew he broke through to the first vessel already, but not the 2nd vessel. When did this happen?”

“Just this evening,” Mina responded with an elegant bow.

Nice, even mom is surprised. I wonder how long it normally takes to ascend through the ranks, though. Can’t be all that fast considering I’m at the 2nd Vessel within a few weeks of being born.

“Long Nǚhuáng, you said this was heaven’s son, not a monster! Doesn’t this speed seem a little too fast to you?

It normally takes months for even a single breakthrough to happen. I mean, how does he even know what the main starting qi meridians are?”

A few months? Wow, maybe everyone else sucks.

If you are wondering what the main starting Qi meridians are, allow me to explain.

You see, one can become a cultivator by absorbing the energy from their surroundings and circulating it.

Of course, one cannot just haphazardly circulate this energy that can defy the heavens. If this is done, one can damage their body, and in the worst cases, die. The technical term is Qi Deviation. Some even lose their senses and go on a rampage.

The path one must follow in the beginning and even later down the line is called the ‘Great Path.’

I’ll spare you the details of where the meridians that comprise the great path are.

However, in normal cases, the meridians are mostly closed up. So much so that up to ninety-five percent of the Great Path’s main meridians are closed. There are few people, though, who are born with more open meridians than others.

You would call these people born cultivators. The number of opened meridians you have dictates how easy the starting stages are.

Now opening the meridians is not easy, and the body can easily break from the stress one must go through to have this done.

As such, because of past failures, the number of meridians you have opened at birth is something that most people believe will foretell your destiny as a cultivator, and thus have built levels around it. I took the liberty of listing it out for you.

If you’ve opened 0 of the main meridians, then you have a Wooden destiny. It’s no surprise that this Destiny consists entirely of mortals, and even amongst mortals, they are usually weak and pallid, not able to do much and can only live day by day.

Above this, you have those who have opened one meridian. These would be categorised as Copper Destiny.

In reality, the two Destinies don’t have that much difference between them as they are made up of normal people, the muggles, if you will.

The only difference would be that those with 1 opened meridian are able to absorb a practically negligible amount of the spiritual energy between heaven and earth. Though this amount is nothing to cultivators, it at least allows these people to be a bit stronger than Wooden Destiny mortals, thus giving them the ability to lead slightly better lives.

As stated, these realms usually comprise ordinary people or mortals. You can find them anywhere as farmers, housekeepers, or small shop owners. These usually make up this list.

With these Destinies, opening any more meridians is practically a death wish, as their body, being as weak as it is, would be unable to bear the strain.

Two to three opened meridians nets you a Bronze Destiny. These individuals are slightly stronger from the beginning and usually end up becoming regular soldiers that defend their countries.

Though higher than a Copper Destiny, Bronze Destinies are still at great risk in trying to open any more meridians.

Four to five is where we step into the cultivator’s world, and they are known as Silver Destinies. These individuals are eligible to join what is known as a sect. To put it bluntly, cultivating ain’t cheap, so joining sects will allow one to shave the costs of buying resources and so on.

It is at the Silver Destiny that cultivating finally becomes possible. However, cultivating with a silver destiny is very slow and these cultivators are not known for getting very far.

Therefore, few try to ascend to the next destiny, but there is still a very large risk involved where you can even damage all the main meridians, becoming a cripple.

Six to seven opened meridians at birth is something that even the noblest of families hope for, a gold destiny. Opening another meridian within the set that categorises a gold destiny is like trying for another destiny, so not many actually attempt this.

These individuals go on to become someone great and powerful. Known to be very influential with the possibility of becoming elders or great elders of their sects.

Eight to nine opened meridians are known as platinum destiny and are incredibly rare. The speed of cultivation here is near unparalleled. It is also said that those who possess platinum destiny hold so much luck that even the land that they are from can benefit from their conception.

I think there are higher destinies but none of the books or scrolls here has any info about em.

“How many meridians does he have open!? I—Is it seven? Is he a gold destiny? O-Or is he actually a platinum destiny!?”

The lady that followed my mother in started asking a bunch of questions. She seems to be just as loud as my father—wonderful.

From what I can tell, my mother suddenly became angry. I wonder why?

“What kind of question is that!? My son is only a few weeks old and you want us to test his meridians!? Are you mad Qin Dongmei!? Don’t make this lady throw you out!”

I could see how the rage reddened my mom’s cheeks. Speaking of red cheeks, at this time my eyes drifted to the little girl that hid behind the skirt of that Qin Dongmei.

She was what people would call not ugly; I think the technical term is cute. Her eyes were a frosty blue and were also wide and bright as she stared at me with a somewhat curious gaze. I’m gonna perform an experiment or two on and with her when I get a bit older.

Still, at the moment, I could feel a bit of coldness coming from her. I wonder what that’s all about?

It made me feel uncomfortable, so I’ll just soil myself and fix everything.

“Hngh.”

Ah, there we go. You see, we babies can soil ourselves and no one gives us sh… er, I mean, ‘what’s in my diapers’ about it.

“Whew! Goodness Long Di! Where did that maid go?”

Mina has been a huge help these few days.