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....
It was the first day of school, and since it was mostly introductory, classes let out early. After Teacher Xue finished explaining the fundamentals of meditation, she dismissed us for the day.
In this timeline, things were already looking up. Because of my intervention, Mo Fan hadn't been forced to trade away his family home. He was beaming—actually smiling like a total fool—as he prepared to head back and share the good news with his father. Tomorrow, he'd be moving into the school dorms with Zhang Hou and me, but for today, he just wanted to be with family.
"Yuzi, Monkey, I'll be shifting to the dorms tomorrow," Mo Fan said, his excitement practically radiating off him. "I'm gonna head home first to see my old man."
Monkey nodded with a grin, waving goodbye as he turned to head out. But as Mo Fan started to walk away, I stepped forward and caught his arm.
"Mo Fan, wait," I said, my voice dropping slightly. "I have something for you. It should help with your magic cultivation."
As I spoke, my eyes drifted to the pendant hanging around his neck. To anyone else, it looked like a simple, weathered loach, but I knew the truth. That "loach" was a sleeping dragon—the very foundation of his future rise.
Mo Fan noticed me staring at his chest and immediately recoiled, covering himself dramatically with both hands. "Whoa, Yuzi! Listen, I don't swing that way. I have zero interest in a 'sword fight,' alright? I'm a straight man!"
My eye twitched. For a second, I had a violent urge to smash that smug, idiotic look off his face, but I took a deep breath and centered myself.
"Stop messing around," I snapped, pointing toward his collar. "I'm looking at that pendant—the loach. It's a growth-type magic tool."
Mo Fan stopped his act and scratched his head in genuine confusion. "A growth-type... what? Yuzi, what the hell is a magic tool?"
I sighed and began to break it down for him. I explained the rarity of magic tools—how they assist in nourishing the Stardust and accelerating cultivation. I specifically emphasized the value of 'growth-type' tools, which evolve alongside the user rather than becoming obsolete.
I kept the deeper secrets to myself, though. I didn't mention the Totem Beasts or the Azure Dragon sleeping within the metal. Sometimes, knowing too much is a burden, and right now, Mo Fan just needed to focus on not falling behind.
"Wow, is it really that incredible?" Mo Fan asked, his eyes wide with excitement. He began fumbling with the pendant, turning it over in his hands. "Then how come I haven't felt any special energy from it yet?"
He clearly had no idea how to tap into the Loach's potential.
"That's because the Little Loach is damaged," I explained calmly. "It needs a massive amount of energy just to repair its foundation. But don't worry—I brought a little 'jump-start' for it."
I reached into my system space and withdrew a **Commander-level Soul Essence**. The air around us seemed to hum with the raw, concentrated power of the orb. It wasn't just some low-level scrap; this was the refined essence of a powerful creature.
The moment the essence appeared, the pendant around Mo Fan's neck began to tremble violently. A sudden, powerful suction force erupted from the Loach, and before Mo Fan could even blink, the glowing essence was pulled inside.
Mo Fan, being the 'magic idiot' he was, just stared at his chest with a gormless expression. I knew I'd have to explain the concept of Soul Essences to him all over again—and how much a Commander-level one was worth on the black market—but I was distracted by the pendant.
The dull, rust-like layer covering the Little Loach began to crack and peel away. Beneath the grime, a brilliant, polished surface emerged, shimmering with a light that hadn't been seen in ages.
I studied the pendant closely, sensing the new rhythm of its energy. I could hardly believe it: the Little Loach had already reached **Soul-grade**. While further Soul Essences wouldn't be enough to evolve it to the next tier yet, its current state was more than sufficient for a beginner.
In the original timeline, it took Mo Fan ages to upgrade this thing. He had to practically risk his life for the Underground Holy Spring just to reach this level. Now that he had a Soul-grade tool on day one, he was going to be leagues ahead of his "original" self.
After I finished drilling the instructions into his head—explaining exactly how to use the tool and, more importantly, swearing him to absolute secrecy—we finally went our separate ways.
When I arrived home, the quiet of the house was broken by the sight of Brother Zhu. He was sitting on the sofa, his bags already packed and tucked neatly by his feet. He looked up as I entered, a heavy sort of silence hanging over him.
"Brother Zhu, you're leaving already?" I asked, seeing him ready to go.
"Yes," he replied, standing up. "It's been a few weeks since I arrived in Bo City, and it's time I headed back. As for the matter regarding **Pearl Institute**, I'll personally oversee the selection. I'll find the most talented young mages from Li Mountain—those around twenty years old—and ensure they're prepared to enroll."
A few days ago, I had tasked Brother Zhu with a specific mission: scout the best talent from our mountain and get them into Pearl Institute as students.
My reasoning was simple: I was already aiming for the **World College Tournament**. The official national team would set off in about two years, and the brutal competition for those coveted spots would begin two months before that. It would be a massive prestige boost for the Li Family if our members could secure spots on the national team.
In the original timeline, China's performance in this upcoming tournament was underwhelming. But this time, with the strength of Li Mountain backing the roster, I intended to rewrite that outcome entirely.
Even if China couldn't secure a total victory in the tournament this time around, breaking into the Top 5 was well within reach. Such a feat would be a massive boost to the prestige and influence of Li Mountain, cementing our family's place among the magical elite.
"Alright, Brother Zhu. Take care and have a safe journey," I said, seeing him off.
"I will. Focus on your own growth here, Riku," he replied with a brief nod before heading out.
Once the door closed and Brother Zhu had left, the weight of the day's events finally settled. I retreated to my room and locked the door. I didn't sit down to begin my usual meditation or practice, though. My mind was focused on something else entirely.
It was time to see what the fates had in store.
It's time to spin the wheel.
To Be Continue...