The Butterfly Effect:
The empty classroom stretched before me, chairs arranged in neat rows that reminded me of university lectures from my previous life. Twenty minutes until class began ~ plenty of time to prepare for the confrontation I'd been anticipating for thirteen years.
Popcorn would make this perfect, I mused, then paused. The idea sparked something. Golden Spirit Corn ~ I'd never seen anything like it in this world, yet I knew exactly which variety would work. My knowledge from before whispered of alchemical properties, qi-enriched kernels perfect for blood enhancement. Glory City's alchemists had no clue such methods existed.
I pulled out my sketching papers and began writing in standard English, documenting the process:
Harvesting the Spirit Corn: Golden Spirit Corn requires careful harvesting under full moon conditions when spiritual energy peaks. Only cultivators with refined soul force control can extract kernels without essence loss.
Aura Popping Process: Kernels must be popped using alchemically-summoned flame while infusing soul force. The process demands precise management ~ mishandling causes explosive energy waste.
Spirit Salt and Essence Butter: Seasoning involves Spirit Salt, an aura-filled mineral that amplifies spiritual benefits. Coating with Essence Butter from spirit beast milk enhances both potency and flavor.
My excitement must have shown because I sensed someone entering my perception zone. Behind me, naturally.
"Why are you giggling so early in the morning? And what ancient language is that?"
Xiao Ning'er. Of course.
Trouble always found me when I wasn't paying attention. My perfected body felt no embarrassment ~ I turned with an unchanged expression. "I was trying to draw a snow wind beast. Turns out I can't draw."
An obvious lie. Every cultivator possessed advantages over mortals in such areas.
"That doesn't look like a... never mind. I don't want to know." She recognized my poker face's finality.
Students gradually filled the room as class officially began. Shen Xiu entered wearing wealth, arrogance, and status in fabric form ~ her scarlet red fox transformation radiating superiority.
As a Sacred Family direct member, she viewed herself inherently above others, especially commoners. Family loyalty blinded her to relatives' wrongdoings while fueling her hatred of threats to their dominance. Her constant status assertions revealed deep-seated fears of losing privilege. Viciousness served as defense mechanism for maintaining position.
Law energy fluctuations caught my attention. Below me, Nie Li suddenly awakened, mumbling and trying to orient himself. This is the moment. Dumb Nie Li transforms into Heaven's favorite.
I enveloped him within my shield range, using creation concept to recreate his astral soul's new memories ~ excluding love affairs and tragedies. The process produced a small glowing ball in my palm, invisible to everyone else. Instead of direct absorption, I used Library of Heaven's Path to gather information without mental strain. It added 127,600 books directly: cultivation techniques, martial arts, martial intents, inscription studies, Ying Yueru's teachings, alchemy, heavenly laws, character profiles, future events, unknown geography.
Five hundred years of knowledge would normally require a full day to absorb, yet Nie Li gazed at Ye Ziyun reminiscing romance without mental exhaustion. Plot armor, courtesy of Heavenly Dao ~ otherwise how could someone with measly soul force of five manage this?
The restored creation energy from destroying memory fragments allowed me to copy the 'Heavenly Sacred Vine Seed' within Nie Li, stripping associated fate and luck. Examining the item through LoHP revealed:
[Heavenly Sacred Seed of Vine Form: Culmination of martial arts knowledge and 'Great Way of the Dao' understanding from high-ranked cultivator.
Flaws: Incomplete grade one; flawed understandings involved; requires very high comprehension to grow...]
Since this represented knowledge concept, I could absorb it through LoHP first. Not now though ~ sudden realm breakthrough would trigger alarms everywhere.
My perception detected the outside world as he raised his first question.
'Blood moon marsh, Heavenly luster mountains, Toxic forest...' If questioned about his knowledge source and why he hadn't shared survival information with the city before, what would he answer? Only outsiders possessed such knowledge. Known outsiders under suspicion: Dark Guild.
Next question arose: 'Isn't Ye Mo once a commoner?' Where was the part informing everyone about his cyan soul? Not everyone possessed stupidly strong cultivation techniques.
Shen Xiu berated him for smart mouth talk despite possessing measly soul force of five. Even through ridicule, she asked why not study seriously ~ a valid question answered with typical protagonist lines about aptitude not determining achievement, going against heaven, continuous fighting spirit. Bleh.
The momentum of his speech swept like a tidal wave. His aura shifted, aweing classmates who barely understood the concepts.
Is Nie Li's aura lowering everyone's intelligence? Does heaven's shielding protect me?
As Nie Li proceeded toward betting, I extended my shield to cover Shen Xiu. Effects were immediate ~ she stopped his momentum with "Shut up," stirring just enough soul force to silence everyone.
I withdrew the shield. What had I done? Nie Li's betting got interrupted.
"You are very eloquent, I'll give you that. You almost had me. Now betting? What's your end goal here?
"Tell me, with all your indomitable fighting spirit and going against heaven, why is your soul force still five? Why couldn't you increase physical strength through training? You didn't even try. Pathetic.
"Have some qualifications before arguing back instead of instigating my students and berating your elders. Since you believe my services aren't necessary, stand outside for the rest of my classes."
Any rebellious student thoughts died instantly as she reasoned properly this time. Nie Li, upset over his inability to reply, went outside after declaring he'd prove himself later. This time even Lu Piao didn't join him ~ it seemed like supporting a smooth talker rather than rebellious leader. No bet happened.
Shen Xiu congratulated Ye Ziyun, Xiao Ning'er, Shen Yue, and me for high soul force cultivation.
[Nie Li's POV]
I should have prepared. My hostility based on previous life lacks credible backing and brings trouble instead. But I won't fall. I'll make them suffer for endangering Glory City during her plight.
Shen Yue ~ Sacred Family heir naturally. Xiao Ning'er went to Black Devil Forest. I knew Chen Tao in previous life but have no recollection of his cultivation events or genius status.
[POV ends]
Since only one person stood outside, Shen Xiu managed to get the vice principal to call Nie Li to his office, warning of expulsion for next instances.
I wouldn't use this shield near him anyway ~ I'd probably make him a villain. What about the girl this morning? Should I interfere? Even if I did, how to view her? Subordinate? Girlfriend? If she separated from Nie Li's life, how would he earn initial money?
That afternoon, I visited the Alchemy Guild after sending popcorn business ideas and implementation strategies through trusted messenger to my family. Meeting Yang Xin, I mentioned Nie Li's performance ~ daring to talk against the Sacred Family when she asked about class.
I also noted how Nie Li went from ordinary guy months back to suddenly expressing explosive opinions and acting enlightened ~ suggesting some support, maybe Snow Wind Family backing or hidden masters. This caught her interest. Our gossip session ended late, and heading to my quarters, I spotted Nie Li's group entering academy training grounds.
I followed and approached them. They noticed, allowed me to join while Nie Li probably checked my microexpressions, gauging whether I should join the team. After convincing, I went with them.
"So why are you trying to hunt? Aren't you an alchemist apprentice?" Lu Piao asked.
"Why can't an alchemy apprentice hunt? Besides, we haven't reached Green Bronze Realm One yet. I need testing my physical strength."
Walking with my hand over Lu Piao's shoulder helped hide refined movements. Horned sheep hunting went successfully with Nie Li's actions, despite Lu Piao's performances. I attempted killing one using their crossbow after watching him kill two successfully. Took me two arrows to knock one down compared to Nie Li's single shot. Probably would improve after absorbing new LoHP items.
I stood before the first being I'd killed intentionally across two lifetimes. After brief silence, I turned to them. "That was my first kill, yet I feel no different."
Nie Li smirked, consoling me. "What were you expecting? Some deep heavenly revelation or sudden heart change? Killing isn't something that transforms you immediately ~ it's survival in this world. Real challenge lies in how you let it shape future actions, not immediate feelings. We aren't gods."
I looked at him, thanking him wholeheartedly though uncertain about that last part.
"Thank you, Nie Li. I guess I was overthinking. You're right ~ survival comes first. I need to go. You can collect my kill too. I'll move around these safe areas and probably won't join you later."
I left them, moving far from Nie Li's activity area toward the east. Finding a comfortable tree position, I concealed myself using technique and inscribed beast-warding inscription with soul force on nearby wood. Beginning flawless LoHP-optimized transfer of Nie Li's knowledge, starting with medical and alchemical techniques. I activated energy absorption ability to diminish mental exhaustion.
After four hours of continuous operation, I possessed his full knowledge. From compiled information, I could see Temporal Demon Spirit books still contained much more content than Nie Li had managed to absorb.
My Mortal Transcendence Scripture integrated flawlessly with these ~ I renamed it 'Boundless Ascension Scripture.' Now I could cultivate to Emperor level peak flawlessly, though that remained far from current power levels. Inscriptions and heavenly laws became clear. I felt nature itself trying to conform with me.
Time arrived. I integrated the heavenly sacred seed form ~ great cultivation knowledge itself. The moment it entered my soul realm as information, I felt an entity attaching to my soul form.
It positioned beneath the form's feet, generating a small prismatic translucent vine that rapidly grew into a small plant on the form's back. My flawless knowledge condensed into leaves upon it.
The situation oddly mirrored my physical self sitting before a tree outside my mindscape. Soul force surges assisted with converging aura around me while self-running scripture increased my Silver Soul Realm all the way to peak with painful cracks forming and immediately healing. The sacred plant extended ethereal threads to soul sea boundary's outer realms, enveloping it. I needed only minor push to reach Golden Soul Spiritualist.
Surroundings were mess despite inscription. I had improved version in mind, but observing outside revealed midnight had arrived as I spread my senses. My joy vanished suddenly ~ looking at the figure fifty meters ahead with wide open mouth, I understood my non-interference policy needed revision.