Darkness.

The last thing he remembered was the pale light of his bedroom, the familiar glow of his phone illuminating the ceiling as rain tapped softly against the window.

He had laughed at yet another fantasy novel.

"If I were ever reborn, at least give me a system."

Sleep had claimed him moments later.

Then...

Nothing.

No dreams.

No sound.

No sensation.

Until warmth embraced him.

It was not the warmth of sunlight.

Nor that of a blanket.

It was gentle... profound... ancient.

As though the universe itself were cradling him.

A faint fragrance of lotus blossoms drifted through the air.

He slowly opened his eyes.

Golden light greeted him.

Above him stretched a ceiling carved from translucent jade, upon which stars flowed like living rivers. Countless divine runes shimmered across its surface, illuminating the palace with a soft celestial radiance.

His vision remained blurry.

Shapes slowly came into focus.

A woman.

Her silver-white hair cascaded like moonlight to her waist. Her beauty surpassed anything human words could describe. Her eyes, bright as twin moons, carried immeasurable gentleness.

Tears rested within them.

"My child..."

Her voice was quiet.

Elegant.

Every syllable carried the calm dignity of one who had ruled countless ages.

"You have awakened."

The infant blinked.

...Infant?

He attempted to move.

Tiny fingers curled before his eyes.

Tiny feet kicked helplessly beneath embroidered blankets woven from clouds.

His thoughts froze.

...No.

No way.

I'm... a baby?

Before panic could settle in, another presence approached.

The air itself seemed to bow.

Every servant inside the palace lowered their heads simultaneously.

No command had been spoken.

None was needed.

A tall figure stood beside the bed.

His white robes shimmered with threads resembling flowing galaxies. A golden crown rested upon his head, yet it failed to draw attention away from his eyes.

They were calm.

Deep.

As though countless heavens existed within them.

The man looked down upon the child.

His expression remained composed.

Only the slight trembling of his hand betrayed his emotions.

"Our son."

His voice echoed softly throughout the chamber.

"The destiny of Heaven has taken form."

The woman smiled gently.

"He is beautiful."

"He resembles you."

The man slowly shook his head.

"No."

"He possesses your eyes."

For a brief moment...

The rulers of the Heavenly Realm simply gazed upon their child.

No throne.

No court.

No wars.

Only parents meeting their son.

---

The infant stared between them.

They're... gods.

Not actors.

Not cultivators pretending to be immortals.

True divine beings.

Even without understanding who they were, every instinct within him whispered the same truth.

These two stood at the pinnacle of existence.

Then...

A voice echoed inside his mind.

【The Ruler System has detected a suitable host.】

His tiny eyes widened.

【Binding...】

【10%...】

【42%...】

【78%...】

【Binding complete.】

Host Confirmed.

Name: Pending.

Race: Primordial Heavenly Immortal.

Identity: Sole Crown Prince of the Heavenly Realm.

Primary Objective:

Ascend beyond Heaven itself.

Become the Supreme God.

For a long moment...

His mind became completely blank.

A system...

It actually exists...

If only he could laugh.

Instead...

A tiny hiccup escaped his lips.

The Moon Empress smiled.

"He has heard our voices."

The Heavenly Emperor carefully extended a single finger.

The baby instinctively reached toward it.

His tiny hand wrapped around the Emperor's finger.

Time itself seemed to pause.

Outside the palace...

Billions of heavenly soldiers stood guard.

Ancient dragons slept beneath floating mountains.

Phoenixes soared across seas of clouds.

Within the palace...

The Emperor of Heaven remained perfectly still.

He looked at the hand no larger than a peach blossom holding his finger with surprising determination.

A faint smile appeared.

It was small.

Almost imperceptible.

Yet every servant witnessing it lowered their heads even further.

For throughout endless ages...

Their Emperor had smiled only a handful of times.

The Moon Empress quietly laughed.

"It would appear..."

"Our son has accepted you."

The Emperor answered after a thoughtful silence.

"It is I who has received the greater honor."

The child blinked.

...Did the strongest being in existence just say that?

Before he could think further...

A powerful yet gentle aura enveloped him.

The Emperor carefully lifted him into his arms.

Despite possessing strength capable of shattering stars...

His movements were extraordinarily delicate.

As though holding the most precious treasure in all creation.

"My son."

The Emperor's deep voice resonated softly.

"You need not fear this world."

"As long as your father stands..."

"No force beneath Heaven shall bring harm upon you."

The Moon Empress rested her hand upon the child's forehead.

A soothing warmth flowed through his tiny body.

"And should sorrow ever find your heart..."

"You need only return home."

Her smile was as gentle as moonlight upon still water.

"For this palace shall forever remain your sanctuary."

Nestled safely between them, the infant slowly closed his eyes.

For the first time since awakening...

He felt completely at peace.

Outside, heavenly bells rang across the immortal realm.

The birth of the Crown Prince had been announced.

The heavens rejoiced.

And unseen by every god present...

The faint blue screen of the Ruler System shimmered once more

Three months passed.

For immortals, three months was less than the time it took for a single lotus blossom to bloom.

Yet within the Celestial Palace, every day had become precious.

The reason...

Was a child.

---

Morning sunlight filtered through the floating curtains of immortal silk.

Outside, cranes with feathers of pure jade glided gracefully through the clouds while waterfalls poured from floating mountains into an endless sea beneath the heavens.

Inside the nursery, however...

The mighty Heavenly Emperor sat perfectly still.

Across his lap lay the sleeping infant.

No one dared breathe too loudly.

The Emperor's golden eyes never left the tiny face peacefully resting against his chest.

A minister entered quietly before lowering himself onto one knee.

"Your Majesty."

"The Court of Ten Thousand Immortals has assembled."

Silence.

The Emperor did not answer.

The minister waited.

Several moments later, the Emperor finally spoke without moving.

"Let them wait."

The minister blinked.

"...Your Majesty?"

"My son has only just fallen asleep."

His voice remained calm.

"The affairs of Heaven can endure another hour."

The minister lowered his head even further.

"As Your Majesty commands."

He vanished instantly.

Not because he feared punishment...

But because everyone in Heaven already understood one truth.

When the Crown Prince was sleeping...

Nothing short of the destruction of creation itself warranted interruption.

---

Elsewhere...

The Moon Empress wandered through the Celestial Garden.

Flowers that bloomed only once every hundred thousand years opened at her passing.

Butterflies woven from spiritual light danced around her sleeves.

In her arms rested the little prince, his curious sapphire eyes wandering everywhere.

"So curious..."

she whispered softly.

"You truly wish to see everything."

The baby stretched both tiny hands toward a glowing butterfly.

It landed gently upon his fingertip.

His eyes widened.

Then...

He giggled.

A clear, innocent laugh echoed across the garden.

For a brief instant...

Every flower bloomed together.

Even the ancient World Tree released countless golden leaves.

The Empress smiled.

"So even Heaven celebrates your laughter."

---

Inside his mind...

A blue screen appeared.

【Daily Task Issued】

Smile at your mother three times today.

Reward: Primordial Spirit +10

"..."

The infant stared at the screen.

Seriously?

This system...

It's making me farm affection.

Still...

A reward was a reward.

When his mother looked down at him...

He smiled.

Not once.

Not twice.

But three times.

The Empress stopped walking.

"..."

Her attendants exchanged confused glances.

"Your Majesty?"

The Moon Empress gently kissed his forehead.

"It appears..."

"Our little one enjoys his mother's company."

The attendants secretly smiled.

None of them knew...

The Crown Prince had just completed his first mission of the day.

---

That evening...

The Heavenly Emperor returned after settling matters of the Heavenly Court.

The moment he entered...

The infant turned toward the sound.

Tiny hands stretched into the air.

The Emperor's usually composed expression softened.

"He remembers."

The Empress looked amused.

"Of course he remembers."

"You insist on carrying him every evening."

The Emperor accepted his son into his arms with movements so careful that one would never imagine these hands had once shattered an invading world with a single strike.

"My son."

The child reached upward.

His tiny fingers touched the Emperor's cheek.

The Emperor became still.

The palace attendants silently looked away.

Their sovereign...

The supreme ruler before whom all immortals bowed...

Was once again completely defeated by a baby's hand.

---

Days became weeks.

Weeks became months.

The little prince slowly learned to crawl.

His favorite destination...

Was trouble.

One morning, while the palace maids briefly turned away...

The child escaped.

Or rather...

He crawled with remarkable determination.

Tiny hands.

Tiny knees.

A very serious expression.

He crossed one corridor after another until he reached the Hall of Heavenly Judgment.

Inside...

Hundreds of immortal officials were discussing matters affecting countless realms.

"...The Eastern Immortal Domain requests-"

The speaker stopped.

Every gaze shifted downward.

There...

At the enormous entrance...

A tiny white-haired child sat happily chewing on the corner of his sleeve.

Silence.

One minister rubbed his eyes.

"...The Crown Prince?"

Another whispered in horror.

"Who allowed His Highness to crawl here?"

Before anyone could react...

The child crawled directly toward the magnificent throne.

The Heavenly Emperor watched quietly.

Without the slightest hesitation, the little prince climbed onto the first step.

Then another.

Then another.

His tiny face was filled with determination.

The ministers instinctively moved to help him.

The Emperor raised one finger.

"No."

"He wishes to climb."

"Allow him."

The entire court froze.

The little prince continued his difficult journey.

Halfway up...

He slipped.

Several ministers nearly screamed.

Before anyone could move, a gentle current of invisible spiritual energy caught him, placing him safely back upon the steps.

The Emperor had acted.

Yet his expression remained unchanged.

After what felt like an eternity...

The child finally reached the throne.

Instead of sitting beside his father...

He climbed directly into the Emperor's lap.

Then...

Without warning...

He yawned.

Curled into a small ball.

And fell asleep.

The Heavenly Court remained silent.

The Emperor looked down at the sleeping child.

After several breaths, he spoke.

"The session is concluded."

One elder hesitated.

"But... Your Majesty, several important matters remain unresolved."

"They shall remain so."

The Emperor gently adjusted the blanket around his son.

"My heir has chosen this throne as his resting place."

"It would be discourteous to disturb his sleep."

No one argued.

Not because they feared him.

But because every immortal present could see something rare beyond words.

The ruler of Heaven was not merely an Emperor today.

He was a father.

---

That night...

As the moonlight poured across the palace balcony, the little prince awoke in his mother's embrace.

She gently pointed toward the endless heavens.

"One day..."

"All beneath these stars shall look to you."

She kissed the top of his head.

"But before you become their protector..."

Her silver eyes filled with warmth.

"You are first our beloved son."

The child leaned quietly against her shoulder.

Inside his mind, the familiar blue screen appeared once more.

【Hidden Achievement Unlocked】

Heaven's Most Cherished Child

Description: You have unknowingly become the treasure of the Heavenly Realm.

Reward: Passive Skill Acquired—

Beloved by All Living Beings (Rank: Divine).

The young prince blinked.

Then smiled.

Far below the Celestial Palace, unseen by anyone...

In the deepest prison beneath Heaven...

An ancient pair of crimson eyes slowly opened.

"...The child has awakened."

A chain forged from divine law trembled.

"...Then the age of peace will soon come to an end."

A year passed.

To mortals, it was the beginning of childhood.

To immortals...

It was but the blink of an eye.

Yet throughout the Heavenly Realm, every immortal could clearly see one thing.

The Crown Prince was growing.

---

The Hall of Eternal Spring overlooked an ocean of clouds.

Ancient peach trees, whose fruits ripened only once every ten thousand years, swayed gently in the celestial breeze.

The little prince sat beneath one of them, surrounded by colorful spirit beasts.

A tiny snow fox rested in his lap.

A golden qilin cub lay lazily beside him.

Even a baby azure dragon had coiled itself around his shoulders like a living scarf.

The prince giggled as the dragon nuzzled his cheek.

"So, this is where everyone disappeared."

The warm voice belonged to the Moon Empress.

She approached slowly, her flowing robes brushing the grass without bending a single blade.

Every spirit beast immediately lowered its head.

The prince looked up.

His sapphire-blue eyes sparkled.

"Mother!"

His childish voice was soft, still carrying the innocent sweetness of youth.

The Empress knelt gracefully before him.

"You have learned another word."

She smiled.

"I should reward such diligence."

The prince tilted his head.

"Reward?"

Her slender finger tapped the tip of his nose.

"A son who studies well deserves praise."

She extended her hand.

A small crystal lotus appeared, glowing with gentle moonlight.

It floated into the prince's tiny palms.

The flower felt cool.

Comforting.

Almost alive.

"What is it?"

"It is a Moon Spirit Lotus."

She answered patiently.

"It will remain with you throughout your childhood."

"When your heart is restless, it shall calm you."

"When you are lonely, it shall glow."

"When danger approaches..."

Her gentle smile faded ever so slightly.

"It shall inform your father and me."

The prince looked down at the flower.

"...You worry that much?"

The Empress gently brushed aside a strand of white hair from his forehead.

"A parent's heart seldom knows peace."

---

That evening...

The Heavenly Emperor returned from court.

His arrival caused the stars themselves to brighten.

Unlike before, the prince no longer waited quietly.

The moment he saw his father...

He ran.

Well...

He attempted to.

His tiny legs had only recently learned to walk.

"Father!"

Two hurried steps.

Three.

Then...

Trip.

"Oh!"

Before he touched the ground, invisible spiritual energy gently lifted him.

Instead of embarrassment...

The prince puffed his cheeks.

"I almost had it."

The Emperor's lips curved ever so slightly.

"You did."

He bent down and lifted the boy into his arms.

"There is no shame in falling."

"What matters..."

"is that each attempt carries you farther than the last."

The prince rested against his father's shoulder.

"...Will I become as strong as you?"

The Emperor looked toward the endless heavens beyond the palace.

"No."

The answer came so calmly that the prince blinked.

"...No?"

"You shall surpass me."

The little boy stared in surprise.

The Emperor continued.

"That is the duty of every generation."

"If the son cannot walk farther than the father..."

"Then the father has failed."

The prince smiled brightly.

"I'll become stronger!"

"I know."

There wasn't the slightest hint of doubt in the Emperor's voice.

---

Later that night...

The familiar blue screen appeared.

【The Ruler System】

Daily Mission

Spend one hour learning from your parents.

Reward:

Divine Comprehension +5

Failure:

None.

The prince sighed inwardly.

At least today's task is reasonable.

---

The following morning...

The Heavenly Emperor personally began his son's first lesson.

Not cultivation.

Not swordsmanship.

Instead...

They stood upon the highest terrace of the Celestial Palace, overlooking countless immortal cities spread across the clouds.

"Tell me."

The Emperor spoke.

"What do you see?"

The prince looked carefully.

"So many palaces."

"So many people."

"They all look happy."

The Emperor nodded once.

"They are."

"And why are they happy?"

The prince thought for a while.

"...Because Heaven is peaceful?"

"Correct."

The Emperor turned toward him.

"A ruler's greatest achievement is not victory in war."

"It is ensuring there is no need for war."

The prince listened quietly.

"The sword exists..."

"Only so it may remain sheathed."

"If strength is used merely to dominate..."

"It is tyranny."

"If strength is used to protect..."

"It becomes justice."

The words settled deeply within the child's heart.

---

The lesson ended just as laughter echoed from outside.

Several children peeked through the enormous gate.

Each wore robes identifying them as descendants of Heavenly Generals and Immortal Kings.

One little girl with braided silver hair hid behind an older boy.

"...Is... is His Highness busy?"

The Emperor looked toward them.

His gaze remained majestic.

Yet his voice softened.

"You have come to play."

The children immediately bowed.

"Greetings, Your Majesty."

The Emperor nodded.

"The Crown Prince is free today."

Relief washed over their little faces.

The prince practically lit up.

"Friends!"

He slid down from his father's side and hurried toward them.

The older boy smiled.

"We brought cloud kites!"

"And I brought star sweets!"

The shy silver-haired girl carefully held out a tiny wooden horse she had carved herself.

"I... I made this for you."

The prince accepted it with both hands.

His face broke into a genuine smile.

"It's beautiful."

The girl's cheeks instantly turned pink.

---

The Heavenly Emperor watched the children run toward the gardens.

One of the palace guards stepped forward.

"Your Majesty."

"Shall we assign additional protectors?"

The Emperor observed his son's joyful laughter drifting across the wind.

After a long silence, he replied,

"No."

"For this afternoon..."

"He is not the Crown Prince."

"He is simply a child."

The guard bowed.

"As you command."

High above, hidden behind drifting clouds, the Moon Empress watched the scene with a peaceful smile.

"Our son is making friends."

The Emperor stood beside her.

"He will need them."

"For even the strongest ruler..."

He watched the little prince stumble while chasing the others, only to burst into laughter instead of crying.

"...should never walk eternity alone."

Far away, where even heavenly light struggled to reach, a dark crack spread silently across the boundary separating Heaven from the unknown.

A whisper escaped from beyond it.

"So..."

"The child has begun to grow."

The whisper faded.

But somewhere, unseen eyes had begun watching the young prince.

And fate, patient as ever, had taken its first step toward him.