4 I would become top in everything I strive for!

Lin Li gave a long sigh and proceeded towards the first zone of the imperial city. Shi Xiao has the imperial edict so he is allowed to use his flight abilities. He flew towards the imperial palace for informing the Emperor and also to give medical attention to his grandson.

Lin Li didn't remind Shi Xiao of his original goal. She was more than capable to company her son the first zone for the genealogy records. In fact, she wouldn't have come here if she thought her son's life is in danger. No one would dare to murder an imperial descendant in the Empire. Her son, Zhen Han, has the blood of current Skyrise Emperor. Though the bloodline connection is faint as Skyrise Emperor is the great-grandfather of Zhen Han the very presence of bloodline gave him protection.

It was due to this reason that Zhen Han's grandfather used assassination attempt as a coverup to hide the secrets of his birth. What could be a more important manner when a newborn imperial child is tried to be murdered? Of course, Zhen Ling was aware that using assassination attempt for a coverup has its own disadvantages such as imperial enquires, etc. Being an old sly fox he was more than adept to hide the clues.

As Lin Li was deep in her thoughts her son started rubbing his eyes. The little rascal woke up moments later. Lin Li's forehead was full of blacklines when he demanded food. His expression was saying she was starving him.

"You create such trouble but yet you have no qualms in asking for food."

Zhen Han showed his puppy-like eyes at her words.

"Mom, what trouble? I don't remember doing anything bad," Zhen Han's face was full of innocence.

"You don't remember what happened before you fell asleep? "

"Ah! I remember you saying something about a young man deserving to mate with beasts! Mom, what happened to him?" Zhen Han asked with great curiosity. The only thing he remembered is that he agreed with his mother and nothing more.

"Ssshhh! You will never mention that to anyone!"

The black lines on Lin Li's face were getting more. She was blaming her son but now her son has passed the blameto her. She knew most likely his son changed the natural laws unconsciously. His expression made her guess more strong.

She made a mental note to discuss his strange powers with her father-in-law when she returns back to the state. This time luckily no one noticed when he used his powers but what about in future? If someone notices him using powers which only people from Divine Manifestation realm can use then he would bring a life-threatening calamity. How can a child who didn't even started cultivating change the natural laws?

Mating is a trait which concerned the very existence of a species so how can such natural laws be influenced? Such laws were far too more advanced and difficult to understand. Much less change them.

Natural laws are the very foundation of a world. They govern every aspect of the world including the weather, natural calamities, the fertility, the types of species and their natural instincts including lust, etc. If anyone can influence such laws then the world would be destroyed long ago. Even people from Divine Manifestation can only control the low-level natural rules such as weather and that too for a small range. Even Divine King realm cultivators couldn't high-level laws which affect the very existence of a species. Only someone from World King realm can influence such high-level laws.

Lin Li didn't know much about the working of natural laws but she has a strong premonition that not even her father and father-in-law could change such natural laws even though they are at Divine Manifestation.

But now her son did the unbelievable. If such secret was known then all the experts out there would come for him. There would be zero chance of survival.

No matter how she would need to find ways to make him control this powers.

"Mom, I'm hungry!" Zhen Han once more shouted for food.

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Zhen Han and Lin Li arrived at a high-end restaurant in the second zone. They chose a private cabin for food. Zhen Han helped himself with the local delicacies. No matter how much he ate he felt that he was still starving. Lin Li didn't feel any worry. She has scanned his body with her divine sense and could see that his cells were absorbing energy at a very fast rate. Seems like his body has lost a great amount of energy when he used his powers earlier. She was glad that there was a cost for such great power. Even she was jealous of his abilities but of course, she also prided herself on giving birth to such a child.

She cleared her mind and thought of a very important matter. More important than the heaven-defying abilities her son has. What if her son got drunk in power by achieving such abilities at such a young age?!?

Now he doesn't know how powerful he is compared to his peers but what about the near future when he learns of his abilities? Soon he would start his cultivation journey and see the difference in his abilities compared to his peers.

Even old people destroy their potential by becoming blindly arrogant. She has seen far many geniuses who became waste after getting high of themselves just because they were born superior. That's a very common occurrence in the Endless Continent.

Would Zhen Han become same? Is it possible for him to NOT get arrogant and self-satisfied when he learns of his heaven-defying abilities? The answer is no. Lin Li was totally frightened by the possibility.

Originally she didn't plan to lecture him about cultivation before he turns five as that is the age when a person becomes ready for cultivation.

But she realized she has to teach not only about cultivation but about working of the world as soon as possible. She has to make him learn that there is a mountain beyond mountain! She has to make his foundation strong so that he doesn't become self-satisfied like a frog in the well.

"Han'er, do you know how the imperial city is divided?"

Zhen Han's mouth was full of food when he listened to his mother's question. He replied in negative.

"It's not surprising for you to be unaware. Let me explain you about the imperial city."

Lin Li can't directly tell him to not become arrogant in the future. Such lessons have to be given in a subtle way otherwise they lose their effects. She planned to teach him those valuable lessons through the example of the imperial city.

The imperial city was divided into nine circular zones with the ninth being the outermost zone. The ninth zone occupied the most area but it was least developed. A large number of mortals lived in it. From the eighth zone, the residence of cultivators starts appearing.

Even though it is titled as a city the imperial capital has more than ten thousand mountains in it. The cities of cultivators are different from the mortals. Cultivators need essence springs and spiritual energy which is usually rich in mountainous regions. The imperial capital is located in the core of a divine rank spiritual vein. The heart of spiritual vein is located in the innermost zone i.e. the first zone.

Mortals aren't allowed to live in imperial residence! If someone without talent is born in the imperial family then he/she is exiled to the second zone.

Zhen Han finally gained interest in Lin Li's words when he learned about the plight of mortals.

"Mom, that is cruel. How can someone discard their family members just because they are ordinary?"

Lin Li face was full of smiles as she realized that her trick was working.

"The world is full of hardship. My child, you have no idea how cruel the world is. You ask why to discard mortals but that's how the world works. Everything is for the benefit."

She took the opportunity to further explain the working of the world.

Every breath in the first zone is full of spiritual vigor so how can it be wasted on mortals?

Sure you might be from imperial family but you wouldn't be given any benefits if you don't show potential! No matter which world it is they all share a common law: survival of the fittest.

No matter whether it is the imperial family, rich clans or religious sect their very existence depends on two things: their current strength and their 'future potential'.

The current strength is the number of strong experts an organization has. The strong experts of today can make sure the organization exists for the time being but what about the future?

Even the strongest expert would die someday. There are no immortals in the world. Eternal life is nothing but a hollow dream.

So who can protect the organization when its founding pillars die or become weak due to old age? That's when the 'future potential' comes in place. Future potential is referring to the younger generation.

Why do the powerful clans invest resources on young geniuses if not for their future potential? The very reason the clans invest so much on young talents is for the future possibility that they would become someone who can return the investment multiple times.

Of course, most talents fail to live up to their potential. They would either die or suffer mental scars which would make them useless. Sometimes the talented geniuses lose themselves in the carnal and other pleasures. All of these scenarios would make the investment of clans turn into losses.

The great clans know of the possible losses but yet they invest so much for a single hope. It was similar to how a mortal spends money to buy thousands of lottery tickets in hope of getting a ticket which would be the key to the jackpot. If he gets the jackpot then the initial investment was more than worth it. Sometimes it's possible that all thousand lottery tickets are blank and in that case, one can only blame oneself for poor luck.

The concept of investment in the young geniuses by great clans is of similar nature. Everything is for the eventual possibility. Of course, there are times when people of low talent have achieved greater things. The probability is far too low for such a case to occur so the clans don't spend much on such people.

The imperial family is also same as those of great clans. The resources are there for talented geniuses. If you have talent then you can have everything otherwise nothing.

In the imperial family, there is no sense of kinship. A brother would readily kill his own brother for the throne. A son wouldn't hesitate to pierce his father's chest for obtaining the throne. If a person is more talented then it means he might become trouble later. Some secret records mention that the current Skyrise Emperor killed his own brother during his youth just because he was more talented.

What happens to such talented people if they are not corrupted by the pleasures of life? Most times they are killed by a rival organization. Very few talents can reach their potential.

"You see my child? That's how the world works. Unless one is at the top of the food chain it's useless to be self-satisfied. Even if one lack worthy rivals in the same generation that doesn't mean one is invincible. Can he/she defeat the older generation? Unless one is the strongest existence in the world it's nothing but laughable to be self-satisfied."

Zhen Han didn't understand the hidden meaning in her words due to his young age but he understood how the world works. He didn't say anything but look at her. Lin Li understood that he would be able to understand the hidden meaning in future.

"Han'er, you should have grand aspirations. A true man is never satisfied with small accomplishments. I want you to be top in everything you strive for!"

Zhen Han could see the love and kindness in his mother's eyes when she spoke those words. He didn't know what was considered as grand aspirations but he promised himself that he would make her words turn into reality.

"Mom, I promise you that I would have grand aspirations! I would become top in everything I strive for! I promise!"

Lin Li felt joy at his words. She could sense the firmness of the promise he made and was finally at ease. She secretly complimented herself for her skills in words.

Alas, a couple of centuries later she would regret her choice of words. Her son would live up to his promise but in a way, she could never have imagined!