Superman

"Mom...what's this about low profile?"

"Grandmother, hold him."

"Child, no need to fret. Just hold still for Granny." Zhao Jia paralyzed Tian Cai with her Empyrean power.

"Granny? Mom?"

Zhao Wen pulled out a stone slab and a sharp axe. "Cai'er this is a grade 3 Black Steal weapon. Martial Initiates can use grade 1 weapons. Martial Adepts grade 2 and Martial Masters grade 3. Grade 4 weapons are used by Martial Kings. This stone is grade 3."

With a simple chop, she spit the stone in half like slicing tofu.

"As you can see, this grade 3 ax is so sharp that it can cut open grade 3 stone. In comparison, witness how it works against your arm."

With a swish, she hacked at Tian Cai's small arm. His eyes screamed open in horror, but to his surprise, the ax head shattered.

Zhao Jia released him and Tian Cai fell back on his buns in shock and astonishment. Immediately, he erupted with "WTF!"

Zhao Jia frowned, "Child you seem to be developing an uncouth mouth. It'll break Granny's heart if I have to show you the Punishing Wall."

"Cai'er you are now the Youngest Master of our Zhao Clan. Your persona and behavior needs to reflect your status. As you can see, this grade 3 weapon was unable to hurt you. This is because you have the physique of a Martial King...this is because you are the blood descendant of three Grand Empyreans."

Zhao Wen threw the broken ax aside. Striding over to Tian Cai, she raised him high in the air. With a proud beaming face she said, "Don't let this go to your head. In this second life..." She started to twirl him. "...In the Nine Chaos Heavens...You're a once in an era genius!...You're my Zhao Wen's son!!"

Feeling warm joy in his heart while becoming dizzy from the twirling, he mumbled, "I'm-I'm a genius?"

Zhao Wen nodded aggressively with a bright smile. "This is because with my blood, you are a descendant of an Archaic Grand Empyrean...one that is a descendant of a Celestial. Thus with regards to cultivation, when others are just starting their path, you are leaps and bounds ahead."

"Mom, are you saying I can't be killed?"

"It's not that you can't be killed, its just that no one below Martial King can hurt you," said Zhao Wen, gently settling him back down.

Zhao Jia walked forward. Rubbing Tian Cai's hair, she said, "Granny's dear little genius...although its difficult to hurt you...you absolutely can't be going to look for trouble. You have to remain low profile."

"What are you saying? Can't I just walk around proudly as a son of our Zhao Clan?"

"No...you absolutely can't reveal your innate talent and power. Your Masters committed a taboo by accepting you as their disciple. Their sects will kill you, the Zhao Clan and the clans of your Masters. You are an anomaly...malicious powers will want to kidnap you and dig out every single secret you body holds."

"Kidnap me?"

"Child, really powerful cultivators will read your memories...others can consume your soul."

"Son, not only do you carry the secrets of your Masters, but you may also have the most coveted secret of them all. Within our Zhao bloodline may be the secret to become a Celestial."

"Child, Granny loves you the best. She needs you to hurry and remember how to rise to celestial. If you do this, Granny will give you all the sweets you want."

Tian Cai looked up at the two women. Pointing to himself, he said, "I have such secrets?" Zhao Jia's eyes glittered, giving Tian Cai the feeling she was looking at him like her favorite piece of jewelry.

"Mhm. Buried somewhere in my son's beautiful head may be the answer everyone in Nine Chaos Heavens desires the most."

Tian Cai's eyebrows twitched, his eyes peering up as he tilted his head.

Zhao Wen giggled, "Son, what-what are you doing?"

"Obviously, he's trying to remember for me. Sigh...Only Tian Cai is the most filial of my descendants."

"Grandmother, didn't you say I was the most filial?"

Tian Cai shook his head, "I-I'm unable to recall the Ancestor's memory."

Abruptly, Zhao Jia smacked his head. "How about now?"

"Oww! Granny!!"

"Grandmother, you-you!"

"Relax, you don't know how many times I've had used this method to jog your father's memory."

"You-you hit my father!?"

"Mhm..At least once per week. Sigh...he's like the lost generation of our Zhao Clan. The only thing he's good at is fighting and drinking. Of course, your older brother gained his martial talent from him."

With a surprise, Tian Cai blurted, "That actually didn't hurt! I thought it was the end of days for me."

"See! Isn't he alright? Humph! Stop looking at me that way...Remember the first face on the Punishing Wall was yours. You do remember who put it there, correct?"

Zhao Wen gritted her teeth, looking away.

"Mom, I'm okay...I thought Granny would be stronger, but with her strike being so weak, its obvious she's seen better years."

"Humph! How about now?" Tian Cai immediately fell down. A huge pressure like at thick block of iron, flattened him to the floor. Straining, he look up with a red face.

"That mountain that's your Mom..Well's there's even a bigger mountain above her. You do well to remember this. Also, let me show you something." Zhao Jia pulled out a thick spiked paddle. "Say hello to Granny's Heavenly Punishing Paddle. Granny loves you best so she long prepared this special grade 4 spiked, black steel paddle. You dare misbehave...Humph...you see how I use this paddle to send your head into the Punishing Wall."

"Granny, Tian Cai was wrong! Tian Cai was wrong!"

Releasing him, she said, "Wen'er...with unruly sons you need to punish them well. The earlier they learn from wrong to right, the better. Cai'er remember Granny's does this so that you can grow up to be a fine and noble master of the Zhao Clan."

Patting himself and smoothing out his robes, Tian Cai said, "Granny, I'm a 45 year old man-child."

"Humph! You'll always be my little grandson. It's Granny's duty to educate you well."

"Enough, we keep on getting off topic," said Zhao Wen. "Son, you don't remember because your cultivation isn't high enough. You also need to know that your Martial King physique also makes you faster and stronger than others. For a five year old, its abnormal, so we have to hide this fact. Mother needs you to pretend your like all the other boys."

Without even blinking, Tian Cai flashed and punched one half of the previously cut stone. BAM! He shattered it into a pile of rubble. Instantly, he started hopping with excitement. Shooting a holding a fist into the air, he yelled, "Cool-Cool! I'm f*cking superman! I'm f*cking superman! Again!!"

Smashing his fist into the remaining slab, it suffered the same fate. "Haahahaah! Haaahahaaa!"

The two women looked at each other. Zhao Jia shrugged her shoulders. Befuddled, Zhao Wen asked, "Cai'er are-are you okay?"

"Haaa! Mom, you know I come from a world of mortals. People in my dimension don't have strength like this...it would be the stuff of fantasy. In books, we call these people superheros. One of the greatest of all superheros is superman...This is like a dream! I'm f*cking superman!" With that, Tian Cai couldn't contain himself and started roaring and hopping about the room with raised fists. Soon he was dancing and wiggling his butt.

"Wen'er, Grandmother's sure that isn't a 45 year old person. No matter how I view it, he's a 5 year old."

"Mhm."

"Wait-Wait!" yelled Tian Cai, running up to Zhao Wen."

"Child, your like a jumping bean with boundless energy," commented Zhao Jia.

Excitedly grabbing Zhao Wen's arm, Tian Cai desperately asked, "Mom-Mom can-can I fly?"

"Fly? Well yes when you become a Grand Empyrean. Empyreans can use flying artifacts to fly."

"So-so I just need to become a Grand Empyrean and I can fly??"

Zhao Wen nodded in affirmative.

"Yahooo! I'm f*cking superman!" yelled, Tian Cai as in he sprinted off pretending his arms were wings.

"Child, don't make Granny use the Divine Punishing Paddle to clean your mouth."

"Grandmother, let him be...this-this is the first time since waking up he's enjoying his life," said Zhao Wen.

All the things you couldn't have in your past life, Mom will give you.

"Child, Granny will let you go just this one time."

About 15 minutes later, Tian Cai finally calmed down. Still slightly excited with a rosy face, he sat at the table sipping tea with his mother and great grandmother.

"Cai'er, you understand the importance of remaining low profile and hiding your strength?"

"Mom, Superman had a secret identity so that his enemies couldn't hurt his family and friends. Like him, by day Tian Cai will be Zhao Clan's mild-mannered young master. At night, I'll be Nine Chaos Heaven's once in an era genius. I'll cultivate like my buns are on fire?"

"You want your buns to be on fire? Granny can make your wish come true." Zhao Jia pointed up with one finger and an intense flame sprayed out like a blow torch."

"Cool! Granny, you're a superhero too?"

"Grandmother, stop giving him ideas."

"Son, you need to learn about this world as soon as possible. Mother want's you to read all the books in the Zhao Clan library."

Tian Cai's face blackened. "Uh, studying?? Mom, its not exactly my past life's talent."

Ignoring his words, she continued, "After reading everything, Mother wants you to remember everything you can about the Zhao Clan inheritance. There are 995 years left before the calamity. We must use this time to strengthen our clan roots. Your knowledge can help us, correct?"

"Does the library include all the current known martial and cultivation techniques?"

"The first floor is mundane history and knowledge of the Nine Chaos Heavens. Each lower floor then relates to your cultivation level... Initiate, Adept, Master and Empyrean."

"What about Grand Empyrean?"

"Those were-were lost millenniums ago."

Tian Cai's eyebrows twitched. With a wry smile, he said, "Not anymore."

"Son? You don't mean…?"

"Eh!"

"I just checked, our Ancestor did leave us Grand Empyrean level inheritances."

Both women jumped to their feet. Holding each other's arms, both women started hopping excitedly.

"Good! Good! Good!"

"Grandmother, the Divinities aren't blind! They see our Zhao Clan!"

"Mhm!"

Tian Cai laughed.

Weren't they like two little girls?

After a moment, they smoothed out their ruffled robes and quietly sat down. Both looked at Tian Cai with undying attention.

"Mom, I think this should be the immediate plan. Obviously, throughout the years things have changed greatly so I need to review all the inheritances. This way I can compare the Ancestor's knowledge with that of the Clan's, and attempt to fill in any gaps. We'll use this as a starting point to evaluate all clan members cultivation levels and constitutions. Those we can raise, we'll raise."

"Can you really do this?"

"Mom, we can only try. I think this should be my near-term priority. Long-term, I'll seek my Masters's guidance and start cultivating immediately." Pausing, Tian Cai giggled. "Son-Son really wants to fly as soon as possible."

"Child, don't slump in the chair. Just know, if you sat straight then one can foresee you as the future clan patriarch."

"Granny, this is my alias...I'm Zhao Clan's young wastrel."

Both women's faces blackened.

The next morning, Tian Cai was in his grandfather's chambers. Both stood in front of a large bronze mirror. Zhao Chen was busy slicking back two strands of hair, that represented the last of his hair. Whereas, Tian was busy performing bare chested muscle poses.

"This old man sure is still dapper. If I didn't still love my wife, I'd would surely have three concubines."

"Grandpa I thought Martial King's were all powerful...Can't you just grow your hair back?"

"Runt, what's with your strange poses?

Yeah..whose da superman? Tian Cai, you are!

"I'll tell you if you tell me," replied Tian Cai.

"Well I guess you're still too young to not know the differences between cultivation levels. When Grandpa reaches Empyrean, then he'll regrow his hair. This is because, I'll gain 15,000 years of life."

"15,000 years!!"

"Mhm. Now enlighten Grandpa about your strange poses?"

"I want to grow up to be a super strong Young Master. So I'm working my future muscles."

"Muscles? You should learn from your Uncle Qiang...he's our clan's strongest man. Heehee! He takes after his father."

"What about Mom, who does she take after? Is Uncle Qiang stronger than Mom?"

Zhao Chen's face softened, "Ah! Cai'er why-why you have to bring up your great grandmother?"

Squishing a soft bicep, "What do you mean, I was just asking about Mom?"

"Well..your Mom take's after my Mother of course. In fact, she looks just like her."

"Then whose stronger, Mom or Uncle Qiang?"

Zhao Chen snorted, "Your Mother."

"Then she's the strongest in the clan?"

"Yes and no. In a drawn out fight...she's the strongest. However, Mother's Instant Flash can immediately wipe out any enemy. Unfortunately, she can only use it twice."

Both the elder and younger refocused their attention to the mirror. Nodding they both had the same thought.

My Mother is the strongest.

Tian Cai followed his grandfather into the Zhao Clan's main hall. Fat Shadow was giving a report to Zhao Wen. Beside him were the rest of the Five Shadows: Death Shadow, Soundless Shadow, Small Shadow and Gray Shadow. Together, they represented Zhao Clan's secret warriors.

"Aunt, all went well except at Jin Clan's Weapons Pavilion, we ran into a dozen Martial Masters. Thankfully, Old Master was there to support us. We wiped them all out."

Bai Guang entered the Hall. "Master!" she said with a bow. Seeing Tian Cai, she quickly ran over. "Little Brother...you're awake?!"

"Big Sis! I'm fine."

Hugging him, she said, "Ah! Big Sis was so worried. In your honor, I personally used my Burning Fist to teach those foul complainers a fatal lesson. They'll never bother my beloved little brother ever again."

"Bai Guang, you think Master doesn't remember how you treated my son as a testing tool?"

Standing in front of Bai Guang, with his arm spread out in protection, Tian Cai said, "Mom, it wasn't like that. She's hiding the fact that I ran into the Weapons Pavilion first and broke several weapons by accident."

"Little Brother." Murmured Bai Guang, in a soft touched voice.

Zhao Wen snorted. "Since he's vouching for you, I'll let you off. Disciple, this Master will be watching you...A similar event better Never happen again."

Zhao Chen's shadow fell over Bai Guang. "Humph! This Old Man will be watching as well."

Tian Cai eyebrows knitted. Weren't his elders beyond protective?

"Fat Shadow, distribute the standard amount of rewards according to the number of kills. Also, from now on, two shadows will always escort the Young Master."

Bowing, Fat Shadow responded, "Nephew understands. Small Shadow..Gray Shadow, you two follow him.

"Son, what do you plan to do today?" asked Zhao Wen, winking a signal to Tian Cai.

"Mom, son had a dream last night where he was a world famous scholar. Son hopes to visit the library and read."

Zhao Wen's face broke with a wide grin. "Ha! Mother will never stop you from growing up to be a learned man. Go! You may enter the family library at anytime."

Swoosh! Without skipping a beat, Tian Cai disappeared in a flash.

"You two! What are you dallying for? FOLLOW HIM!" roared Fat Shadow.

"Yes, Father." replied Small and Gray Shadows. Bowing, they scrambled after Tian Cai.

Zhao Chen stood dumbfounded.

"Father, what's wrong," asked Zhao Wen.

"Cai'er he's five, he's already learned his characters? I didn't start learning until I was 10."

Looking away, Zhao Wen responded, "I started teaching him a year ago. I really do believe he'll be a talented scholar."

Frowning, Zhao Chen said, "The last thing I need is a wimpy whelp of a grandson. When Qiang returns, you should have him teach Cai'er how to be a man."

"Father, he's just 5 years old."

"Our Zhao Clan needs warriors...he needs to learn combat early."

"You heard him just now, he wants to be a scholar? Next year, I can enroll him in Savant City Academy."

"Never!"

"What if Grandmother says otherwise."

"Eh? Um-Um Father will allow him to be a scholar."