"Planting seeds after 6 days of germination, though they haven't cracked open at all"

The above statement contradicts itself. Germination is the process where the seed begins to grow not the process you put it through to make that happen. If it has not done anything yet, then it has not started germinating.

If you have been soaking or toweling the seed for 6 days and it has not started to do anything, your temps might be too low.

Shoot for soil, towel or other medium temps in the high 70 s

A heating placed pad under a cookie sheet and the cups, containers, or germinating medium on top of that might be a way to raise the temps.

You can plant seeds directly in soil without germinating them first. Just wet it thoroughly when you plant and then keep it moist until they pop through.