My Celestial Ascension Chapter 4 Learning Divine Rank Skill

Yuan, Lily, and their mother Anna were all present in a rather spacious room, holding each other close on a large bed. For over half an hour, they had been wrapped in each other's embrace. Having lost all track of time due to Anna's recovery from her illness that very day, emotions ran high. The three of them were still overjoyed, even if they knew it was only a short-term solution.

"Let's break this embrace for now; it's nearly lunchtime... In the meantime, you can help Mom get used to walking again! ... We'll be eating in the dining room together today for the first time in ages, so I'll go ask the maid to prepare something special for this occasion." With these words, Lily quickly left the room, leaving Yuan and his mother alone.

Once his sister departed, Yuan helped his mother adjust to walking. Initially, she wavered like an infant, but after several tries, she managed to stand on her own without Yuan's support.

"Now that you can stand steady, Mom, why not attempt to walk on your own?" Yuan commented, observing his mother's newfound stability. Witnessing the miracle of the pill, he felt it was also important for himself to begin his cultivation journey.

"Alright! Let me give it a try then," Anna replied, carefully moving her leg and taking her first step in a very long time. She immediately tried to take another step but lost her balance, finding herself on the brink of falling.

"Mom! Be careful!" Just as she was about to hit the floor, Yuan caught her by the waist, steadying her. "You shouldn't rush things right now; just take your time and get accustomed to it thoroughly first."

"..."

"..."

The words he intended to say to her again caught in his throat, preventing him from uttering them as he pressed his face against his mother's. Their lips were mere moments from touching, and feeling the warmth of each other's breath, they both paused.

'This is my son and no one else; calm yourself. Why is my heart racing so fast? Yet, I must admit, he is truly handsome!' she thought. His brown eyes, now tinged with gold, captured Anna's attention as she mused. With each passing second, her heartbeat quickened.

Meanwhile, Yuan simply continued gazing into her eyes. They remained motionless, oblivious to their surroundings, lost in each other's gaze.

Tap! Tap!

"Mom! Someone's approaching!" Yuan exclaimed, hearing footsteps outside the room, which jolted his mother back to reality.

"Huh? Ah, yes..." she stammered, her face flushing crimson as she took a step back from him.

"From now on, be a bit more cautious, Mom!" Yuan advised, his own face slightly red. He had never experienced such intimacy with a woman in his previous life, having died a virgin.

"Umm," Yuan received only a nod from Anna, who then averted her gaze.

Neither could meet the other's eyes directly, leaving the situation incredibly awkward for both.

Click!

A stunning woman with a graceful and elegant demeanor, appearing to be in her late twenties and dressed as a maid, entered the room as the door swung open. This was Emma, whom he recognized instantly from his memories. She had been a loyal servant to their family for over two decades, long before Lily and Yuan were even born. Her devotion to Anna was profound, as it was Anna who had rescued her from destitution at the age of nine and raised her as her own.

Emma froze upon seeing Yuan and Anna standing together, looking remarkably healthy; tears began to stream down Anna's face.

"Mistress? You've truly recovered! I thought Young Miss was playing a trick on me. But it's real! Mistress, I am overjoyed for you." She had prayed fervently to the heavens every day for Anna's recovery, but all pleas were in vain. Witnessing Anna standing unaided, she was overcome with emotion, bursting into tears.

"I appreciate it, Emma. However, my healing is only temporary, so there's little reason to celebrate just yet. By the way, is lunch ready? It's been far too long since I've had a proper meal." Anna was eagerly anticipating her lunch, feeling well enough to eat whatever she desired. She had grown weary of the bland taste of oatmeal, which she had been subsisting on solely because she couldn't stomach anything else.

"Well, I almost forgot why I came here in the first place... Young Master and Young Miss, the meal is ready; please come downstairs as soon as possible before it gets cold." Emma replied with a peculiar smile.

Anna nodded, "Alright, you go ahead; we'll be there shortly." Emma offered a slight bow in Anna's direction and then departed.

Upon conversing with Emma, Yuan observed her unusually long, bifurcated tongue, reminiscent of a snake's, and her striking snake-like yellow eyes. Her slightly pointed ears further confirmed her heritage as a member of the snake tribe within the beastman race. These distinct features were undeniable proof of her serpentine lineage.

"Let's eat lunch while it's still hot so we don't keep them waiting!" Yuan suggested, offering his mother a steadying arm as they walked.

Anna's cheeks flushed, and her heart fluttered at Yuan's unexpected gesture of holding her hand, though she did not pull away.

'Calm down, there's nothing between us; he's merely assisting me with my walking!' Anna admonished herself internally as they ambled out of the room, trying to regain her composure.

As they proceeded towards the dining room, Anna's gaze swept across the interior of the house. With each slow step, she gradually regained a sense of stability, with Yuan walking closely beside her, attentively watching her movements.

"It's just as I remember it!" she exclaimed, a smile gracing her lips as she turned towards the living room. Vivid memories of Yuan and Lily's childhood playtimes in that very space flooded her mind.

The absence of a portrait depicting Yuan and Lily's father stemmed from their mother's disdain for him. She had been compelled into marriage with Jacob, the third son of Count Blank born to a concubine, making him ineligible for true nobility. Consequently, after marrying Anna, he had departed the Blank estate to serve as a high-ranking magic knight in the kingdom's army. Tragically, mere months after Yuan's birth, he perished while defending a city from a beast tide. The original Yuan had only learned about his father secondhand from Anna and, having never met him, ceased his inquiries.

"Mom! You can explore the house later; let's eat our meal first."

"Alright, sweetie, let's go!" Anna readily agreed, her appetite spurred by the suggestion. They promptly made their way to the dining area for lunch.

Upon entering the dining room, they found Lily and Emma already seated, awaiting their arrival.

"Mom! You can explore the house later; let's have our lunch first," Yuan reiterated.

"Alright Dear, let's go!" Anna, feeling hungry, concurred with Yuan, and the two proceeded directly to the dining room to eat.

They soon arrived at the dining room, finding Lily and Emma already waiting.

"Little brother, you two took your time getting here!" Lily commented, a hint of envy coloring her expression towards Yuan.

"Sigh! It wasn't his fault; I'm the one to blame as I was moving slowly due to my limitations!"

"I'm not blaming you at all, Mom! Sister Emma, would you kindly bring the food and join us?" Lily addressed her mother before directing Emma to serve the meal.

Emma began serving the food as Yuan and the others took their seats. She then placed an additional chair at the table.

Once their meal concluded, Yuan, eager to commence his cultivation journey, was the first to finish.

"I'm done! I'll be relaxing in my room if you need anything... Mom, you should rest today as you just recovered and your body is very weak at the moment." With his declaration, he left the dining area and retreated to his room.

"Young lady, I sense a change in the young master; he now possesses a certain maturity... In my opinion, it's a positive development for everyone. Wouldn't you agree?" Emma inquired, slicing a piece of meat from her plate. She subtly glanced at Lily from the corner of her eye.

"I suppose you could say that, as it's his age of maturity, which is typical for him to mature," Lily responded to Emma's observation.

"Indeed! Children grow so quickly. Regrettably, I was unable to provide him with a proper childhood, but I will now support him in any way I can." Anna sighed, lamenting her illness which had kept her from witnessing his childhood. She inwardly vowed to offer him unwavering support by staying close.

"From now on, I'll also do everything I can to support him as much as possible! I am his big sister, after all," Lily declared, puffing out her chest slightly.

"You still carry on like a child, my daughter, hahaha!" Anna chuckled.

—

Returning to his chambers, Yuan settled onto his bed in a relaxed posture. Despite his eagerness to cultivate for the first time, he resolved not to rush, desiring instead to savor the experience of cultivating peacefully in reality.

"Hey, Nora! ... How long will the pill's effect last?" He inquired, uncertain about the duration of the high-grade healing pill's efficacy after giving it to his mother. The possibility of his mother's condition worsening before he could acquire a cultivation technique for her weighed heavily on his mind.

[The pill's effect typically lasts for an hour, but for a mortal like your mother, it will extend to a full day. Do not fret; your priority should be to commence your cultivation, after which you can purchase a Divine-grade technique for her from the system shop.] Nora provided an update on his mother's current status.

"Alright, I shall follow your guidance. Nora, please present the cultivation method," Yuan requested, and a golden tome soon materialized in his grasp.

Clutching the book with both hands, Yuan mused, "So this is how skill books appear in reality; it's a peculiar sensation to hold one." The cover was adorned with intricate symbols he didn't recognize, emanating a profound aura that gave him the distinct impression of holding something divine.

[Cease your reverie, host. Assume the lotus position, open the book, and begin learning the technique immediately!] Nora's voice cut through his thoughts as she observed him becoming lost in contemplation instead of focusing on the task at hand.

"Right, ohh!" He jolted back to awareness at Nora's prompt, his fingers cautiously opening the book. Upon viewing the page, he found it inscribed with a peculiar, symbolic script that eluded his comprehension.

Despite being unable to decipher a single word, he continued to pore over the book. Unconsciously, he closed his eyes. In doing so, a sensation of rejuvenation and tranquility washed over him, reminiscent of a cool shower on a scorching day, as if under a hypnotic spell.

Gradually, the enigmatic characters within the book began to make sense, and unfamiliar knowledge flowed into his mind. This process continued for nearly an hour until a sharp, computerized female voice broke his concentration.

[Ding! You have successfully learned Heaven's Secret Arts!]

"Heaven's Secret Arts... That name certainly sounds impressive!" Yuan exclaimed, a wide grin spreading across his face.

**********

(I am aware that some might claim this technique's name is borrowed from Cultivation Online by MLB. However, I wish to clarify that I will only be utilizing his technique names and character concepts within this novel, and nothing more. The reason for this choice is simply my fondness for how they sound.)