The Epochal Ascendance Academy spread before them like a miniature world, but Sarah led them away from the main grounds toward a quieter section reserved for faculty residences.

"As a guest teacher, I maintain a mansion here," Sarah explained as they walked along paths that reorganized themselves to accommodate their destination. "It's smaller than my main residence in the Sovereign district, but it has everything we need—including cultivation chambers I've never bothered to fully utilize."

"Smaller" turned out to be relative. Sarah's academy mansion was still a sprawling complex that existed across five dimensions simultaneously, with gardens that shouldn't be possible and architecture that made Aria's eyes hurt if she looked too closely at the structural impossibilities.

"This is your 'smaller' residence?" Kaelen asked with amusement.

"Well, I am a Sovereign," Sarah said with a slight smile. "They give us adequate accommodations."

They entered through dimensional barriers that recognized Sarah's aura, and Aria immediately began exploring with Lumie bounding ahead. The mansion had the same comfortable elegance as Sarah's main residence—clearly designed by someone who valued both function and beauty.

"There are guest rooms on the second floor," Sarah told Kaelen. "And the cultivation chambers are—"

"Suboptimal," Elias said, his divine sense having already mapped the entire structure. He was standing in what appeared to be the main cultivation chamber, examining the arrays with critical assessment. "The time dilation only reaches ten-to-one. Energy concentration is adequate but not exceptional. Dimensional stability could be significantly improved."

"Elias," Kaelen said warningly. "Don't insult Sarah's mansion."

"I'm not insulting. I'm assessing." He turned to Sarah. "May I upgrade the arrays? Particularly the time dilation chamber. Aria needs intensive preparation before tomorrow's trials."

"Intensive preparation?" Aria had returned from her exploration, catching the tail end of the conversation. "Father, the trials are tomorrow. How much preparation can we possibly do?"

"A significant amount, if we optimize the temporal differential properly." Elias was already calculating, his Quantum Divine Processor running through possibilities. "Sarah, what's the maximum time dilation the chamber's structure can handle without destabilizing?"

Sarah considered, her own Sovereign-level understanding analyzing the mansion's foundations. "The current arrays can safely handle about twenty-to-one. Beyond that, the dimensional anchoring starts to stress. Why?"

"I can reinforce the dimensional anchoring using Stage 4 Dimensional Infinity principles and my own... specialized techniques." He was careful not to mention Quantum Law directly. "With proper modifications, I could push the time dilation to three years internal for every hour external."

"Three years per hour?" Sarah calculated quickly. "That's about 26,000-to-one ratio. That's... actually feasible with proper reinforcement. Much more reasonable than some of the insane ratios I've heard people attempt."

"The key is not to overreach," Elias explained. "Excessive time dilation creates dimensional instability. But three years per hour is sustainable for extended periods with proper monitoring."

"How long were you planning to run it?" Kaelen asked.

"Six external hours. That gives Aria eighteen years of subjective training time before the trials." Elias looked at his daughter. "With intensive instruction, unlimited Infinity Essence, and proper guidance, you could reach 100% Quantum Law and advance to 50% Infinity Law—peak of Stage 2 Multiplicity. Your cultivation base would naturally advance to Adept level with that comprehension."

Aria felt her heart race. "Eighteen years of training in one night? Father, that would put me at the peak of Stage 2 before the trials even begin. Most students here are at 10-20% Infinity Law. I'd be competing at a completely different level."

"That's the point," Kaelen said softly. "You're not entering this academy to be average, sweetheart. You're entering to excel. And if your father can give you this advantage..."

"I'll be training alongside you," Elias added. "Eighteen years for both of us. I have my own breakthroughs to pursue—I'm currently at 91% Stage 4 Dimensional Infinity. With proper focus, I should reach 99% and breakthrough to the peak Sovereign realm."

Everyone stared at him.

"You're going to breakthrough to the peak of Sovereign?" Sarah's eyes widened. "Elias, that's incredible! That would make you one of the youngest Sovereigns in realm history!"

"Age is meaningless in the Infinity Realm," Elias said practically. "Cultivators here are functionally immortal—even Reality Law experts live forever. What matters is comprehension and power, not chronological age."

"Still, reaching Sovereign level in just over a year since arriving..." Kaelen shook her head in amazement. "You really are impossible."

"I simply apply optimal methods." Elias turned back to the chamber. "The modifications will take three hours to design and implement. Another hour for testing. We can begin at midnight and emerge at dawn—six hours external, eighteen years internal."

Sarah looked at Kaelen. "What do you think?"

"I think..." Kaelen walked over to Aria. "Eighteen years. That's not an overwhelming amount of time, but it's still significant. You'll be older, more experienced, more mature when you come out. Are you ready for that?"

Aria considered seriously. "Mother, I've been cultivating for over a century already. Eighteen more years isn't that dramatic. And with Father teaching me personally..." She smiled with determination. "This is an opportunity I can't pass up. I want to be the best. I want to prove myself."

"You've never needed to prove yourself," Kaelen said gently. "But if this is what you want..."

"It is."

"Then we support you." Kaelen hugged her daughter. "Just remember to take breaks, eat properly even if it's just essence pills, and don't push yourself to the point of injury."

"I'll monitor her condition constantly," Elias assured her. "If I detect any signs of mental or physical strain, we'll take extended rest periods."

"Good." Kaelen released Aria and turned to Elias. "Take care of our daughter. And take care of yourself too—don't get so focused on teaching that you neglect your own cultivation."

"I'll be advancing simultaneously. Teaching Aria will help solidify my own understanding—explaining principles forces deeper comprehension."

Sarah stepped forward. "I'll prepare nutrient pills—sixty thousand doses should cover eighteen years with three meals per day. Kaelen, help me with the preparation arrays?"

"Of course."

As the women left to handle preparations, Elias turned to his daughter. "Are you certain about this? Once we begin, interrupting the process wastes resources and potentially destabilizes the array."

"I'm certain, Father." Aria's expression was determined. "You've always taught me that excellence requires dedication. This is my chance to prove I've learned that lesson."

"You've never needed to prove anything to me," Elias said quietly. "But I understand the desire to test yourself. Very well—go meditate and prepare mentally. When the chamber is ready, we'll have eighteen years together."

Aria nodded and went to find a quiet spot in the garden. Lumie followed, chirping encouragement.

Elias stood alone in the cultivation chamber and began his work.

Three Hours Later

The cultivation chamber had been transformed. Complex arrays covered the surfaces, each one precisely calibrated to handle the 26,000-to-one time differential without destabilizing the dimensional structure.

Kaelen examined the formations with her Reality Law comprehension. "This is elegant work. The temporal load is distributed perfectly across multiple dimensional layers."

"Efficiency requires precision," Elias replied, making final adjustments. "The chamber is ready. Where's Aria?"

"Meditating with Sarah. I'll get her." Kaelen hesitated. "Elias... eighteen years for them. Six hours for us. She'll come out changed."

"She'll still be Aria. Just more experienced." Elias turned to face his wife. "Change is inevitable with cultivation. We can't protect her from growth."

"I know. I just..." Kaelen smiled sadly. "She's growing up so fast."

"She's over a century old already."

"She's still my baby."

"That won't change regardless of how much time passes."

They shared a moment of understanding before Kaelen went to collect their daughter.

Aria entered the chamber with Lumie on her shoulder, Sarah and Kaelen following behind. The array formations made the room feel charged with potential.

"This is incredible," Aria breathed, examining the work. "Father, the precision of these arrays... I can barely follow the logic."

"You'll understand it perfectly by the time you emerge. Array theory will be part of our curriculum." Elias gestured to the raised cultivation platform. "You'll cultivate here. I'll work beside you—we're both advancing, so we'll share the space."

Sarah handed Aria a spatial ring. "Sixty thousand nutrient pills. Take one every eight hours. They'll sustain you and provide minor cultivation benefits."

"Thank you." Aria accepted the ring, then turned to her mother. "I'll see you in six hours."

"Six hours for me. Eighteen years for you." Kaelen pulled her into a tight hug. "Remember what I said—stay yourself. Don't lose your joy in the pursuit of power."

"I won't. I promise." Aria hugged back fiercely. "I love you, Mother."

"I love you too, sweetheart. More than anything."

They separated, and Aria settled onto the cultivation platform with Lumie in her lap. Elias sat across from her in meditation posture.

"Once I activate this, time will flow three years per hour inside the chamber," Elias explained. "From your perspective, it will feel completely normal. Ready?"

"Ready."

Elias activated the arrays. Reality bent. Time compressed. The chamber filled with golden light as the temporal differential engaged.

From outside, Kaelen and Sarah watched father and daughter begin to move in apparent fast-forward—eighteen years compressed into six hours.

Inside the Chamber - Year 1

"We'll start with Quantum Law refinement," Elias said as the arrays settled into stable operation. "You're at 89% currently. Let's identify the gaps in your understanding."

They spent the first months in deep discussion, Elias explaining the subtle principles Aria had missed. The edge cases. The probability interactions she hadn't considered. The ways quantum states could collapse unexpectedly.

Aria absorbed everything like a sponge, her natural genius showing through. By the end of year one, she'd reached 94% comprehension.

"Excellent progress," Elias noted. "Take a week to consolidate, then we'll continue."

During that rest week, they talked about more than just cultivation. About life in the Infinity Realm. About the nature of power. About maintaining humanity across infinite time.

"Father, do you ever get tired?" Aria asked. "Not physically—I mean existentially. You've been conscious for centuries. Does it ever feel like too much?"

"Sometimes," Elias admitted. "But having family makes existence meaningful. Your mother, you, now Sarah—these connections give purpose beyond mere advancement."

"I'm glad I have you here with me," Aria said quietly. "Eighteen years is a long time to be alone."

"You'll never be alone. Not while we're family."

Years 2-5: Quantum Law Mastery

They dove deeper into Quantum Law, exploring applications Aria had never considered. Combat techniques. Defensive strategies. Ways to manipulate probability that bordered on reality warping.

Elias didn't just teach theory—he demonstrated. They sparred regularly, Elias carefully calibrating his power to challenge without overwhelming. Aria learned through practical application, her skills growing with each exchange.

By year three, she'd reached 97% Quantum Law comprehension. The final three percent took another two years of intensive study, but finally, at the end of year five, something clicked into place.

Every principle unified. Every technique made perfect sense. Aria didn't just understand Quantum Law—she embodied it.

100% comprehension achieved.

"Well done," Elias said, genuine pride in his voice. "You've achieved in five years what takes most cultivators never achieved. Now—rest for a month while I share my insights about the transition to Infinity Law."

Years 6-18: Infinity Law and Advancement

The shift to Infinity Law required different thinking. Elias guided Aria through Stage 1 Endless Path first, helping her understand potential infinity.

Progress came faster than expected. Aria's perfect understanding of both Reality and Quantum Law gave her frameworks to comprehend infinity from multiple perspectives.

10% by year seven. 20% by year nine—crossing into Stage 2 Multiplicity.

Stage 2 was where they spent most of their time. Countable infinity, ℵ₀, the realm where one became infinite through discrete steps. Elias shared every insight from his own journey through this stage.

30% by year eleven. 40% by year fourteen.

Aria's cultivation base advanced naturally with her comprehension, her body and soul refining themselves to handle higher levels of power. She crossed from Initiate to Adept around 30% comprehension.

During this time, Elias pursued his own advancement. He'd been at 91% Stage 4 Dimensional Infinity when they began. By year ten, he'd reached 95%. By year fifteen, 98%.

The final push to 99% came in year seventeen, and with it, his cultivation base surged. Master realm gave way to Sovereign realm—a fundamental transformation that made the chamber's arrays flicker with stress from his power increase.

"Congratulations, Father," Aria said during a rest period after his breakthrough. "You're a Sovereign now."

"The advancement was inevitable," Elias said, but there was satisfaction in his tone. "One percent from theoretical maximum comprehension of Stage 4. Only Stage 5 Hierarchical Infinity remains beyond this."

"Will you pursue 100%?"

"Eventually. But not today. Today is about you." He smiled slightly. "Speaking of which—you're at 48% Infinity Law. With the time remaining, you should be able to reach 50%. Peak of Stage 2 Multiplicity."

The final year was intense. Aria pushed herself hard, Elias guiding every step. Combat training. Technique refinement. Understanding the boundary between countable and uncountable infinity.

Finally, as their eighteen years together approached conclusion, Aria felt the final barrier break.

50% Infinity Law achieved. Peak of Stage 2 Multiplicity. Adept-level cultivation base solidified.

"You're ready," Elias said. "The trials will be trivial for you now."

"Not trivial," Aria corrected. "But manageable. There's a difference."

"Accurate assessment. Come—let's meditate for the final hours and prepare to rejoin the world."

They spent their last time together in peaceful cultivation, father and daughter, teacher and student, organizing eighteen years of memories and insights.

Then Elias stood and walked to the array controls.

"Ready?"

"Ready."

He deactivated the arrays, and time snapped back to normal.

External Perspective - Dawn

Six hours had passed. Dawn light filled Sarah's mansion as Kaelen sat outside the cultivation chamber, having barely moved all night.

The arrays dimmed. The golden glow faded. The chamber door opened.

Elias emerged first, and his aura made everyone take a step back. Sovereign realm. The power radiating from him was on a completely different level than before.

Then Aria stepped out, Lumie on her shoulder, and Kaelen gasped.

Her daughter looked the same physically—still young, still recognizably Aria. But her presence had transformed. She radiated confidence and power that put her solidly in Adept territory. Her eyes held the depth of genuine experience.

"Hello, Mother," Aria said warmly. "Did you have a nice six hours?"

Kaelen rushed forward and embraced her. "How do you feel?"

"Different. Stronger. But still me." Aria hugged back tightly. "Eighteen years with Father was exactly what I needed. I'm ready now."

Sarah stepped forward, examining their auras with Sovereign-level perception. "Elias, you broke through to Sovereign. And Aria..." Her eyes widened. "50% Infinity Law? You reached peak Stage 2 Multiplicity? In eighteen years?"

"Father is an excellent teacher," Aria said simply.

"And you're an exceptional student," Elias countered. "Your comprehension speed exceeded even my projections."

Kaelen pulled back to look at her daughter properly. "You're really okay? Eighteen years is still a long time, even if it's not as extreme as millions."

"I'm perfect, Mother. Better than perfect." Aria's eyes sparkled with excitement. "And now I'm ready to show this academy what I can do. When do the trials start?"

"Six hours," Sarah said. "Just enough time to eat breakfast, get oriented, and head to the trial grounds."

"Perfect." Aria looked at her father. "Thank you. For everything. Those eighteen years..." Her voice caught slightly. "I'll never forget them."

"Neither will I," Elias said quietly. "You've made me proud, Aria. Not just with your advancement—with who you've become."

"Group hug!" Kaelen declared, pulling them all together. Even Sarah got dragged in, and Lumie chirped happily from her perch.

They stood like that for a moment—family, united, ready to face whatever came next.

Then they separated, and Sarah clapped her hands. "Alright! Breakfast, then we head to the trial grounds. Aria, prepare to shock the entire academy with what you're capable of."

Aria grinned. "Oh, I intend to. They have no idea what's coming."

As the sun rose over the Eternal Ascension Dimension, the Vance family prepared for Aria's trials.

She was ready.

More than ready.

And the Epochal Ascendance Academy would never be the same.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.