Era of Mist

After 1919, this worldline and Shi Tiexin’s original worldline diverged onto two completely different paths. In other words, from that point in time, everything that followed was unique to this worldline’s history.

Shi Tiexin had discovered that studying this unique period of history didn’t advance his cultivation in Natural History, and he didn’t know the underlying reason. But Shi Tiexin himself was extremely interested in these differences. With time tight, he could only flip through the material briefly to satisfy his personal interest.

’The New Culture Movement?’

Before the Mist Era, the New Culture Movement had already started to emerge. In this world, the movement was intensified and pushed forward. During a series of campaigns like "Down with the Kong Family Village" and "Destroy the Eight Olds, Establish the Eight News," many traditional cultural elements and titles were discontinued and thoroughly reformed.

’No wonder the titles for students in this worldline are different from back home.’

Here, they’re called elementary, middle, high school, and university students. Back home, they were called novices, licentiates, scholars, and academicians. Here, they have the high school and college entrance exams; back home, we had the minor and major prefectural exams.

The different titles were a direct result of different histories leading to different cultures. The people here revered the New Culture—or, to a certain degree, Westernization. But in Shi Tiexin’s own worldline, things were completely different. There, Sinicization was revered, at least for a time and within the realms of language and art.

Back there, if a white or black person couldn’t manage a few phrases in Chinese when they were out and about, it was considered a huge embarrassment.

Ultimately, it was simply because after the Origin Saint enlightened the world and preached for twelve days, the Sinosphere demonstrated the fastest and highest levels of acceptance and comprehension of martial arts. While the foreigners across the sea were still cluelessly cursing "W, T, F" and debating whether the world-spanning voice was some new weapon, people in the Eastern Realm had already begun to cultivate and were rapidly mastering the basics.

One step ahead, always ahead. The international balance of power was turned upside down from that moment on. The people of the Eastern Realm had found, in the treasures of their ancestors, the right to stand at the apex of the world once more. Of course they weren’t going to destroy any "Eight Olds" or establish any "Eight News."

For a time, instigated by a small group of people with ulterior motives, a movement of total restorationism ran rampant, and the Eastern Realm nearly reverted to a feudal imperial dynasty.

Fortunately, those individuals with ulterior motives were eliminated by an unnamed vigilante.

The history books did not record that vigilante’s name, only that he was likely the very first Cultivator in the entire world during the Era of Mist to break through the Nourishing Essence stage and enter the Forging Aura stage.

In other words, he was the strongest person in the world at that time.

Surrounded by dozens of gunmen, the hero moved among them, unstoppable. He ultimately crushed the plot to restore the empire, "killing a man with every step and leaving no trace for a thousand li." His actions created a legend and cemented the formidable reputation of Strength Arts Cultivators.

Recalling this piece of history, Shi Tiexin couldn’t help but feel his heart surge with excitement.

Compared to the highly technical and complex Mind Arts, the direct and straightforward Strength Arts actually suited Shi Tiexin’s personality better. But what could he do? This was a society based on exams. You had to learn either Strength Arts or Mind Arts; otherwise, you were just an ignorant, useless good-for-nothing.

And as the old saying goes, the pen is for the poor and the sword is for the rich. Cultivating Mind Arts was expensive, to be sure, but if you really couldn’t afford it, you could still painstakingly study the simplest manual and learn a little. Even just passing the first level meant you weren’t a complete novice and could find some kind of job opportunity.

But cultivating Strength Arts was far more costly. Vigor-Nourishing meals weren’t cheap, and at certain critical junctures, it was truly like "sailing against the current; to not advance is to fall back." If you couldn’t break through a bottleneck, you would regress. At times like that, you needed Vigor-Nourishing meals for every meal, something Shi Tiexin was nowhere near being able to afford.

’So, I shouldn’t overthink it. Since I’m in the Champion Scholar Stone’s worldline, I should just let him carry me and break through to the Profound Realm in Natural History!’

’Once I achieve the Profound Realm in everything, I can focus all my attention on grinding Rhetoric to its limit. Then, I’ll push through to the second level with an ’Excellent’ rating in one fell swoop. Hehe, we’ll see who can stop me in the minor prefectural exam then!’

’I’ll make all those bastards’ eyes pop out of their heads!’

With that thought, Shi Tiexin picked up his book, ready to cram for Natural History.

Just then, a figure came running from the distance, waving and shouting, "Big Bro! Big Bro!"

’Hm? Zhao Qingmiao?’

Zhao Qingmiao zipped over, his face flushed red with excitement. "Big Bro, is it true? Is it really you?"

’What the hell? What’s "really me"?’

’What is he even talking about? This makes no sense—could it be that my Rhetoric skill is still too low?’

Seeing Shi Tiexin’s blank expression, Zhao Qingmiao asked in surprise, "You don’t know?"

’Know what?’

Without another word, Zhao Qingmiao grabbed Shi Tiexin and started pulling him along. "Come on, come on! This, this!"

’What? What’s going on?’

’Hm, looks like he’s pulling me toward that crowd over there, but isn’t that a private event for the elite class students?’

Zhao Qingmiao was too excited to speak properly. He threw caution to the wind, grabbed Shi Tiexin, and started bulldozing his way through the outer layer of the crowd. Shi Tiexin was completely baffled but let himself be pulled along.

Many people were still gathered in front of the announcement board, though far fewer than before. As Zhao Qingmiao shoved his way through, the people in front of him turned around in annoyance, but just as they were about to curse him out, they saw an imposing face bearing down on them from above. They quickly fell silent and moved aside.

Riding on the tiger’s coattails, Zhao Qingmiao quickly pulled Shi Tiexin to the very front of the big red board, pointed at the very top, and shouted excitedly, "This is it! This! Big Bro, you got first place in the whole school!"

WHOOSH. The surrounding students all turned their heads in unison to look at Shi Tiexin, who stood out like a crane among chickens. So this was the legendary Champion Scholar from the trash class.

Shi Tiexin paid them no mind, his eyes fixed on the large golden words at the very top of the ranking board. He finally realized this was where they posted the results and rankings.

’How unique.’

The other consciousness in his mind suddenly began to vibrate violently. ’Unique? Isn’t it... always... like this...’

Shi Tiexin scratched his head. ’No, it’s not like this back home. We rarely have formal exams. Actually, this is the first time I’ve ever gotten first place in an evaluated competition. It’s a tie, but still... this feeling isn’t bad at all. Champion Scholar Stone, what do you think?’

The other consciousness’s vibrations grew more intense. ’I feel... very happy...’

TING-A-LING. A strange, crisp chime rang out in his mind again, and the speed at which the consciousness was dissolving accelerated. A peculiar, indescribably wonderful and refreshing sensation spread from the depths of his psychic domain, expanding to every corner of his body.

His entire being seemed to sublimate, as if his mortal form, molded from clay by Nuwa, was gradually transforming into some kind of higher material. Shi Tiexin couldn’t find the words to express the feeling, but he was shocked to discover that his Mandate Mission 2 was suddenly complete!

No, to be precise, it was partially completed. Looking closer, he saw that the status for both of his Mandate Missions now read [Phase Complete].

’This so-called Phase Complete... what does it mean...?’

Before he could ponder it further, another sudden change occurred.

Suddenly, Shi Tiexin saw a beam of golden light descend from the sky, completely enveloping him.