The flow of memories didn't end at Yang Mo's death. There was still one more memory. The last memory was a sense of pulling, of floating, and then being surrounded by warmth. Then, the influx of memories finally ended.
'....'
Karo looked at the oval-shaped item. This was an amulet that the orphanage's director, an amiable granny, gave him on his 18th birthday.
In his past life as Yang Mo, he lived in an orphanage since young. According to the director, he was left at the doors of the orphanage when he was about one year old.
During the few times when people came to adopt children, he wasn't chosen. Therefore, he lived in the orphanage until 12. Then, he decided to drop school and start working to help support the orphanage. The director scolded him and tried to stop him, but he ran off to work and live in a Chinese restaurant, returning once every week to visit the orphanage.
He worked and learned hard, wanting to make a future for himself as a cook. By 22, he was already the head chef of the restaurant. He was planning to save up money and open a small eatery himself next, then find a gentle village girl to marry.
But... he was diagnosed with late-stage cancer when he was 24... He was anguished, blaming fate for treating him so, but in the end, there was still nothing he could do. If he sought treatment, he might be able to prolong his life for two to three more years.
He rejected this path. Rather than using up all his savings just to live in pain for a few more years, he decided to donate the money to the orphanage and just live his last days in peace.
Therefore, he quit his job and went back to the orphanage to live the last few months of his life. After all, that was the only place he could call home.
...
Karo woke up from his memories and observed the amulet carefully.
'To be able to transmigrate my soul from to this alternate reality, this amulet must be very powerful. But how did it end up on Earth?'
Karo knew that this was an alternate reality to the previous Earth. After all, it was now the year 2021, not hundreds or thousands of years in the future. Moreover, from his mother's bedtime stories in this life, he knew that the past history was roughly similar, but 200 years ago, a portal to another world opened, and everything changed from then on.
Unfortunately, the bedtime stories weren't about history, but about the heroes that appeared in the past years. Plus, he was just a normal child before his past memories awakened, he was naturally not interested in history then.
'Since I'm given this chance to start a new life in this world that's far more interesting than my last one, I shall embrace my new life as Karo and live it to the fullest.' Karo looked at the amulet and 'said' softly, "Thank you."
The amulet had returned to normal, like nothing had happened.
'It's been a while, Dad and Mum should be still waiting for me.'
Karo's consciousness left his soul space and returned to his body. Then, he got up and stretched.
Instantly, he noticed the difference. His control over his body seems to have increased. There was a feeling of ease when moving his body as compared to before. Also, his sense of the world was different too. He seemed to be able to sense some sort of energy flow in the air.
"Is this the spiritual energy in the world?" Murmuring softly to himself, Karo raised his left hand and grabbed the air, as if grabbing for something.
Smiling, he opened the door and left the room. As for the soul awakening spirit stone, it had completely entered his mind just now and didn't have any residue left.
Going down the stairs, as expected, Karo saw his parents sitting on the sofa and looking in his direction. They were obviously waiting for him.
"How is it, Son? Did you activate your soul space?" Seeing Karo appear at the staircase, Morfas hurriedly stood up and asked.
Lin Ting stood up and discretely pinched her husband's waist. She gently said, "It's normal if you didn't succeed, it's very hard for children of your age to open the soul space. Just cultivate your body for a few years first. When your body becomes stronger, it will also nourish your soul core and strengthen it. That's how I started off too."
"Yes, that's right. Don't worry, we'll save up money to buy soul strengthening potions and pills for you to open your soul space as fast as possible." Morfas patted his chest and guaranteed.
Karo was quite touched. He knew that what his parents mean was to delay their own cultivation to save up money in order to help him open up his soul space first.
At the same time, he was also a little speechless. "Dad, Mum, I succeeded."
Even though he had awakened the memories of his past life, he didn't feel awkward in calling them Dad and Mum. After all, he had already been calling them so for the past five years. It was just that his memories were sealed until now.
"Wh-what? You succeeded? Haha, I knew that you will definitely succeed. You are my Son, after all. Haha!" Morfas instantly laughed in delight.
Lin Ting was also surprised. She didn't expect that her son was really one of those few talented children. After all, she knew that except for the soul awakening spirit stone, her son had never received any additional resources as compared to other normal children.
Then, she smiled broadly and walked up to hug Karo who had climbed down from the stairs.
"Congratulations, Karo. Your starting has already won over the majority of the children in this world. But remember, in the path of rune cultivation, the one you need to challenge is never others, but yourself.
"When you win others, don't be proud. When you lost to others, there's also no need to be dejected. Those who have more resources will naturally improve faster and stronger, but in the end, what matters most is where you end up at. The one who's still standing at the end is the winning, not the one who climbs the fastest. Understand?" Lin Ting said to Karo in a solemn tone.
She had seen many geniuses in her generation, they were all much stronger than her. But many of them were dead now. Some died in internal conflicts, some died in the war against the demons, some died while fighting for resources, and so on.
Therefore, she understood very well that the most important thing was to stay alive, even if it means giving up some chances to become stronger. As long one was alive, they would have hope of improving.
Karo was slightly surprised by his mother's response, but he hugged her back and said firmly, "I understand, Mum. I'll keep a modest mind and walk the path of rune cultivation steadily."
He had already died once, he didn't plan on losing this second life of his easily. He wanted to take a good look at this vast new world, at the other side of the portal, and to climb to the peak of rune cultivation. Only so would his rebirth not be wasted.
"Hey, hey, this is a good thing. Why are you two acting so solemnly? Come, let's celebrate this with a good meal outside!" Looking at his wife and son's solemn behavior, Morfas scratched his head in puzzlement and hurriedly said.
Lin Ting stood up and held Karo's hand, then smiled and said, "Yes, let's go have a good meal. When Karo's school starts, he won't have much chance to taste the food outside anymore."
"Huh? What do you mean by that?" Karo asked in puzzlement.
"Hm? We didn't tell you yet? The elementary school for runecraft is practices enclosed education. Meaning you have to stay inside most of the time. You can only come home for one day per week," Morfas casually said while walking out.
"What? But aren't the students all young children? How can they bear to leave their parents for so long? Moreover, why is there a need for this enclosed type of education?" Karo asked in shock.
"You are also one of these young children. Do you mean you can bear to leave us for long periods?" Lin Ting asked with a dangerous look.
"Ha... ha... that's not what I mean. I'm just asking why is the school being so tough on young children like me." Karo replied in a panic. Every time his mother gave this look, it means that his cheeks were in danger of being pinched.