We arrived at the university, and Alexis was already set up in front of the building where our first classroom was.
I was about to walk by with Lila and Zari when inspiration struck. I could buy the rocks, then Zari would ask to buy some from me, and I could just give them to her. I was originally a little disappointed she would have to pay for them for the scam to work, but now she doesn't have to.
I altered my path slightly and walked up to Alexis' table. Zari followed and almost immediately recognized them but was slower than me to ask for them, "Hello, may I please buy them?"
Alexis flashed a slightly confused expression at the change in the script but smoothed it out, putting on a happy smile, "Sure, how many do you want?"
I already knew she had 200 rocks, so it was 100 dollars. But I still had to ask, "All of them. How much?"
"$100."
I smiled and pulled a 100 dollar bill from my wallet, handing it over. Her expression was delighted at playing her part, and it worked well for the little stunt we were pulling.
The rocks were in a basket, "Thank you very much. Would you like the basket to carry them?"
"Yes, thank you; that would be wonderful." I picked up the basket and put it in the trunk of my car before returning to where Lila was standing with Zari, who looked extremely disappointed.
We walked towards the class when Zari finally spoke up, "May I please buy some of those rocks from you? I want to try something with them."
I see an opportunity for fun. I'll drop a hint and refuse to say more until she learns who I am.
I patted her back, "You can have them all for free. What else am I going to do with them? Those little crystals are useless to me but you can use them."
"No no, I'll buy them from you. Wait what? You know what they are?"
"Little girl, don't think you can scam me, your only 19. Think of it as a late birthday gift if you want."
Actually, her birthday was in closer in the future rather than the past, but then I couldn't give her something at that time if I gave her something now. Actually, she'll learn who I am in only a few more days, so then I can give her gifts whenever. Well, whatever; I already said it.
Hahahaha her world is in turmoil, and she began muttering, "I'm not a... well, am I? If he's old then maybe I am. Oh god, then I ate, oh god!"
I'm not old!
---
I refused to say anything else no mater how many times she tried to ask and eventually she gave up. I could tell she had a burning question, or maybe it was many. It really was so much fun to see her brain frying as she though way to much about it and payed no attention to class. I know she's gonna be mad later so I don't mind having a little fun at her expense now.
We sat in the hot tub again. Rather than waiting this time, I put my arm around her right away and leaned her into me. She gave a faint, unintentional smile and relaxed much faster this time also.
She didn't stay quite as long this time, though; she was way too excited about her new rocks. Even though she was happy where she was sitting, she was just too excited to try. I was a little sad, but tomorrow she'll stay longer.
I sat on her roof, she was able to make it through an entire lesser energy crystal tonight before she fell asleep from exhaustion with a happy smile. Again tonight, I helped her become more efficient by planting ideas in her mind that would help her.
Another 5 crystals, and she would break through to Qi Refinement. I think she'll be able to absorb one in the morning if she can understand everything I teach her tonight. Then tomorrow night will be probably 2, then 1, then the next morning, so she should break through the day after tomorrow when she gets home after class and the hot tub.
---
I waited patiently for the next 2 days for when she would break through. I could tell she was feeling good while she was absorbing the crystals, but she wasn't nearly as strong as she felt like.
The amazing feeling would fade after she broke through to Qi Refinement and became a true cultivator. The feelings just weren't as strong for every speck absorbed, only on breakthroughs do cultivators feel a little drunk on power.
She left the hot tub to go home, and I immediately teleported to her roof after she got inside.
She ran up to her room after greeting mom and sat down on the floor. She pulled one of the crystals from where she hid them under her bed and began absorbing it. She was still quite slow, but she was getting a little faster.
There were sudden fluctuations in the lesser energy, and an audible snap as she broke through. She stood up and was about to celebrate when she sniffed the air. When she broke through, some impurities were expelled from her body. She almost gagged and ran off to the shower.
I grinned and teleported back to my house where Luna and Lila were having an argument over how to make a cake. It sounded ridiculous to me as I don't think either of them have cooked in their lives.
---
Today was the day I died, well 2 years ago earth time. Universal time, it had been hundreds of thousands. Universal time is the average time of all multiverses. It had been a very, very long time for me, with the vast majority spent devouring mindlessly.
Zari left a little while ago; she just started walking towards town. I knew if she followed what she said she did on her social media last year, she would visit my grave alone, then go back home and drive in with mom later. It was Sunday, so there were no classes today.
It doesn't take nearly as much to make a body in the 1st sphere as the 3rd, so when I got hit, Kitty took a little bit and moved it to the 1st sphere where she reformed my body. Since she did that, I actually left behind a body here for them to bury and didn't just disappear.
My plan was to get to my grave just a smidgen ahead of her and have a conversation with Luna where I tell her about me a bit and that I don't know how to tell Zari. She will be in earshot and learn. This way, she won't think I'm lying and have to prove I'm not, as I have no reason to lie to Luna.
I watched her tracker as it slowly neared the graveyard. Luna was standing near me and ready to go. At the exact right time, I teleported. Zari had not quite come around the corner when we appeared; when she did, she saw us and was immediately confused before she hid behind some dude's giant gravestone.
I started my conversation, "Yes, it is weird to visit your own grave."
She put her arm around me and leaned against me, "I thought it probably was."
"When I first got hit and knocked into another world, I was excited. Then I found a city; it was medieval compared to this world and worked there for a while. Then I joined a sect where I fought in the arena and met you. We killed Kedron and ran away together. Thank you for coming with me."
"You're welcome. I love you and wouldn't trade you for anything."
"I love you too and wouldn't not go if I was actually given the choice, even though I had to leave mom and Zari. I met you and Lila, then was able to work my way back here."
Zari was crying with her hand covering her mouth as she pieced things together.
I continued, "It took almost 150,000 years to be able to go to the next world where I met Lila; she was only 7 and locked inside a pitch-black room by her second mother because she wanted her own kids to take the throne. We spent 10 years in there before we dug a tunnel and escaped. Then we walked for 6 months to another kingdom where we met Elaria on the way. We stayed in that kingdom and killed monsters. I also became the master of the magic tower.
It took around another 150,000 years to get close to this world, then that much time again to reach back home. Then you know the rest since you were here."
"Yes, you showed us the fort you built with Zari and booked the penthouse for a year. Then bought a computer and built guns for us and sent some to your mom and sister under the guise of winning them.
Then found the classes your sister takes and healed the university president's son so he would owe you enough to put you in those classes. Then that guy came along, and you put him in acrylic and had Elaria take her back home.
There was also that guy who threatened you and Lila, then his car mysteriously blew up for some weird reason.
You also sent them food when you thought Zari didn't have enough to eat because she ate canned green beans and bought all the houses in the neighborhood so you would have an excuse to give them money.
Lila convinced your sister to start hanging out with us. Then the little pervert did that. You also whispered in her mind how to cultivate while she slept and had Alexis glamour herself as a kid and sell 'rocks' for your sister."
"Yeah, now I have to figure out how to tell her who I am."
There were footsteps behind us, and we turned around with surprise on our faces. Zari was standing behind us with silent tears running down her face.
"Or not."
She seemed to have no idea how to feel as her face kept changing from sad to joyful to angry.
I just teleported across the short distance and gave her a hug.
Her voice was choked, "Brother, brother, you're my brother."
Her crying changed slowly from wailing sadness to being interrupted with laughter, and finally, she pushed me away and tried to punch me.
"You bastard! How could you cross the interstate?" Her fist landed on my chest, and she howled while looking at it.
I thought it was a perfect example, "Like that, I taught you cultivation and you still tried to hit me with only Qi Refinement. Now look at you. You'll get a bruise."
She scowled at me, then was back to crying while I held her. I looked at Luna, "Let's go home."
I teleported us to our spare room for her and lay her on the bed, then laid down holding her while stroking her long brown hair as she cried until she fell asleep.
A few hours later, mom knocked on our door, panicked.