After eating until he was full, Xiang Yun finally left the stall, leaving the owner smiling as he held a hundred Demon Spirit Coins in his hands.
"Thank you, Young Master! Come again!" the owner shouted, quickly stashing the money under the envious gazes of others.
In Glory City, a common family's annual income ranged between 2,000 to 3,000 coins, so earning 100 coins from a single meal was truly a stroke of luck.
The Xiang Family might be in decline, but that was only true when it came to inscription geniuses. The family's weapon forging business was still thriving and highly sought after by other families.
'Let's go! I want to reach Bronze Rank One-Star today.' Xiang Yun clenched his fists, full of confidence.
And so, he returned to the Xiang Family's estate, which was vast. There were dozens of courtyards, one for each family member, and of course, Xiang Yun had his own courtyard.
His parents were still relatively young, around 30 years old, so as soon as he arrived in this world, he moved out using the excuse of giving them more privacy—when in reality, he just wanted a place of his own.
Entering his courtyard, he retrieved a cushion from his spatial ring and sat in a lotus position. His eyes closed, and his breathing followed a set rhythm, drawing all the spiritual energy from the surroundings into his body.
Time passed, the sky darkened, and when the moon reached its peak—Bang!—an explosion erupted within Xiang Yun's body. A wave of cyan mist covered his body, signaling his breakthrough to Bronze Rank One-Star!
"I finally did it!" Xiang Yun smiled, clenching his fists as he felt power coursing through his body.
Without worrying about the time, he stepped outside into the courtyard to test a few moves.
A wild smile appeared on his lips. Raising a fist, he struck the air in front of him. It wasn't just any punch—it was a blow using his newfound strength. The air ahead vibrated, and one of the nearby stones shattered into countless fragments with a sharp crack, raising a fine cloud of dust.
The sound echoed through the silence of the night.
But he didn't stop. His feet barely touched the ground. One step, and he was already meters away. His speed was terrifying, almost a blur. He spun on his heel, unleashing a flurry of punches, leaps, and kicks into the air. Every move seemed choreographed, but it was merely the raw expression of the energy flowing within him. The white robe he wore fluttered in the wind, standing out against the dust rising in the courtyard.
The ground cracked slightly beneath the pressure of his landings, and the air kept whistling from the intensity of his movements. Xiang Yun laughed—a sound full of genuine joy and power. He wasn't just training; he was testing the limits of his new strength, tasting only the beginning of what he had achieved.
After a few more minutes of practice, he stopped, satisfied.
"This is amazing! I'm at least ten times stronger than before." He wiped the sweat from his face.
Neither Ye Ziyun, Shen Yue, nor Nie Li were the first—it was him! He was certainly one of the youngest to reach this level, and he had done so with a technique that wasn't even compatible with him.
To verify it, he pulled out the Soul Crystal and injected his soul force into it. As expected—102 Soul Force! Bronze Rank One-Star with Perfection.
"That's it. Tomorrow, classes at the Institute start again. If everything follows the novel, I'll soon find out which timeline I'm in."
Xiang Yun brushed the dust from his clothes and went back to his room. Since cultivation replaced the need for sleep, he continued cultivating until morning, when he opened his eyes to a new day.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
"Young Master, breakfast is ready. The Madam and the Patriarch are waiting for you," a voice came right after the knocks.
Xiang Yun recognized it as the voice of Mei Ling, his mother's personal maid.
"All right, Xiao Ling. I'm just finishing getting dressed. I'll be there in five minutes," Xiang Yun replied, quickly changing into something similar but more suited for the Institute.
He put on a white and blue robe, soft and smooth, and left his courtyard, heading to his parents' courtyard for breakfast.
Xiang Yun walked just a few steps before arriving at an elegant courtyard, decorated with flowers and a beautiful water fountain.
At the center of the courtyard, a man and a woman were already seated, talking and smiling.
Xiang Ming and Bai Lianhua—his parents in this world. Both were Gold Rank spiritualists. Xiang Ming was Gold Rank Five-Star, and Bai Lianhua was Gold Rank Three-Star.
They were very strong.
"You didn't come to dinner last night. May I ask where you were?" Xiang Ming asked as he noticed his son approaching.
Xiang Ming was a handsome and slender man, around thirty years old. He had long black hair, usually tied in a high bun or left loose down his back, and silver eyes. He wore a dark hanfu with gray and blue details—subtle, yet refined—highlighting his slim but strong figure.
"Answering Father, this child was in a critical moment of cultivation," Xiang Yun responded, not intending to hide the truth.
"Oh? A critical moment?" Xiang Ming smiled, looking at his son with interest, eager to know the result.
Xiang Yun didn't hesitate. With a breath, the air around him trembled, causing the breakfast table to shake slightly, and a greenish glow covered his body.
He smiled, locking eyes with his surprised parents. "This child has finally advanced to become a Bronze Rank Demon Spiritualist!"
"Oh! Yun'er, that's amazing!" Bai Lianhua smiled proudly, waving her hand and easily dispersing Xiang Yun's soul force with her own.
Xiang Ming nodded as well.
He knew this day wasn't far off, but he thought it would take another month or two. It seemed his son's talent was even greater than he had initially imagined.
Bai Lianhua didn't care about her husband's thoughts. She walked over and hugged her son, then led him to sit and have breakfast with them.
Bai Lianhua was a woman around thirty, with long white hair like Xiang Yun and soft amber eyes. She had fair skin, delicate features, and a curvy body with a full bust. She usually wore a traditional pale blue hanfu with white and gold details, fitted at the waist and with wide sleeves.
Her appearance, even without intention, carried a natural sensuality, with a gentle and innocent air, always accompanied by a soft smile and a serene aura.
Even though he shouldn't, Xiang Yun "suffered" when she hugged him, feeling her "white rabbits" pressing against him. After all, she was biologically his mother, but his soul was not…
Sitting at the table, he ate while chatting, talking about how he felt living alone, where he went each day, and his plans for the future.
It was mostly Bai Lianhua asking, Xiang Yun answering, and Xiang Ming listening.
Fortunately, time passed quickly, and after eating with his parents, he said goodbye to head to the Sacred Orchid Institute.
He was excited to meet the main characters with his own eyes, as he only remembered them from this body's memories and from the novel in his past life.
The distance from his home to the Institute was relatively far, so he took a carriage to get there. Upon arrival, he would have to rent a house to stay until the next vacation, before being able to return.
His Xiang Family, being noble, should reside in the center of Glory City, but as one of the families guarding one of the main gates, they lived in a more distant area. Thus, it took him about a day and a half to reach the city center.
Before leaving, he packed all his savings, several sets of clothes, and some weapons and armor.
"Sacred Orchid Institute, here I come!"