Two days later.
At night, by the river dam.
Jiang Ning rode his mountain bike, facing the night breeze, which rustled his Adidas clothes and scattered the gloom in his heart.
The mountain bike was a gift from Jiang Junlong, given to facilitate his daily commute to school. Junlong had insisted, and Ning hadn't refused. He planned to repay him with a few Elixir Pills later.
The Adidas clothes and Nike shoes he wore were bought by his uncle, who had purchased two sets totaling over two thousand yuan. His uncle treated him well; he used to give him spending money. Later, worried his parents might think he was wasting it, they had spoken to his uncle, who then switched to giving him clothes instead.
These past two days, he had been eating at his uncle's home, and his relationship with his uncle's family had become increasingly harmonious.
In his previous life, he had lived with his uncle. Over time, irreconcilable differences stemming from daily habits had emerged, eventually making them strangers despite being relatives.
Now, seeing them from a different perspective, he found much more comfort.
The past had its lessons, but with his rebirth and the butterfly effect, many people and events had changed. Jiang Ning wouldn't view everything with the same old perspectives.
This was a brand-new life.
Jiang Ning pressed the brakes and stopped next to an electrical box, activating his Cultivation Technique.
As his physical strength continually increased, he became more adept at absorbing electric currents. After two days of tempering, his slender body hid strength comparable to an adult male's—not just in strength, but in overall physical condition.
In modern society, many office workers were strong but in a sub-healthy state, experiencing various issues like back pain and other minor or hidden ailments.
Jiang Ning's body, constantly tempered by electrical currents, was in a state of perfection. If he maintained this, even without breaking through to new realms, he could still extend his lifespan significantly.
However, he would probably only be able to come here in the evenings starting tomorrow.
Today was August 30th, and tomorrow, the 31st, was the opening day for freshmen at Yuzhou Fourth Middle School.
Classes would be assigned, military training uniforms distributed, and a week-long military training session would begin.
Now that his body was adapting to the electric current, he would be able to attempt further advancements in a week.
But he couldn't neglect his Cultivation Method. After all, he needed mana to discreetly take the Golden Altar in the future.
Body Cultivation wasn't just about practicing the technique; nutritional intake was equally crucial, or else his body would fail.
Recently, his appetite had significantly increased. He could dine at his uncle's for a short period, but it wasn't appropriate long-term.
Jiang Ning needed money for nutritional supplements like milk, ribs, and fruits. If he consumed these in large quantities, his living allowance would definitely be insufficient.
Jiang Ning pondered these details until late into the night before he finally headed home.
Xue Yuantong was a night owl. She had enjoyed her summer vacation, usually not sleeping until after midnight. Hearing the sound of the door next door, she curiously thought:
"Jiang Ning has been running around all day and only comes home at 11 p.m. Could he be going to internet cafes?"
Nowadays, Yuzhou City had many internet cafes; even minors could get cards to go online. Games like CrossFire and Dungeon were popular, League of Legends was on the rise, and though smartphones were becoming trendy, internet cafes were still thriving.
"Whatever!" Xue Yuantong turned on her electric fan and continued playing games on her phone.
...
August 31, the first day of school.
At 7 a.m., Jiang Ning pushed his mountain bike to the front door and lightly tapped his temples.
Last night, he had practiced the Divine Sense Secret Skill until 3 a.m., finally falling asleep amidst intense fatigue.
Just a few hours of practice had already begun to show promising results.
His eyesight had improved significantly. In the distance, the utility pole connected with several wires, where a few sparrows perched, combing their brown feathers with their beaks. At the leaf junctions of the big official Yang Tree in front of the house, a black bug lay prone. Every detail entered his sight, distinct and clear.
In ninth grade, Jiang Ning's obsession with smartphones had led to an increase in his eyeglass prescription to around 50 degrees, but he felt that the world was not as clear as before. Now that he had trained his Divine Sense, his Five Senses had tremendously improved, and his eyesight had completely returned to normal, even surpassing its previous state.
The neighbor's elderly man had just returned from his morning run, holding a cup filled with oil tea, its unique spicy aroma drifting through the air. The yellow dog following him panted with its tongue out.
The entire world was in his perception, extraordinarily miraculous. This was the effect of enhanced Divine Sense.
If Jiang Ning practiced the Cultivation Method and broke through to the Fourth Level of the Qi Cultivation, his Divine Sense would gain even more benefits.
Riding his mountain bike along the Huishui River Dam, though it was summer, the morning was still refreshingly cool.
Halfway through the ride, Jiang Ning spotted a small figure ahead. Xue Yuantong, from next door, was also going to school.
"Xue Yuantong, let me give you a ride!"
Jiang Ning tapped his toe on the ground, making the invitation.
Ordinary mountain bikes don't have a rear seat, but the mountain bike given to him by his cousin, Jiang Junlong, not only had mudguards installed on both the front and the back but also had an exceptionally sturdy rear seat with a cushion, perfectly suitable for carrying someone.
Xue Yuantong glanced at Jiang Ning's mountain bike, a bit tempted, but with her personality, she couldn't bring herself to ride on a boy's bike:
"No need, I'm used to walking."
Jiang Ning said, "Come on, get on, we're going to be late."
He would be digging in her family's house in a while and felt somewhat guilty; offering this ride was a small compensation, at least making things a bit more comfortable.
Seeing Jiang Ning's insistence, Xue Yuantong almost agreed. It was three kilometers to Fourth Middle School, and it would take her more than forty minutes to walk, and she felt exhausted before even reaching halfway.
However, thinking that she wasn't close to Jiang Ning, and that he had rented their house and paid them rent, she felt embarrassed about accepting the ride.
Xue Yuantong, with her head lowered and voice muffled, said:
"You go ahead, I get carsick."
Jiang Ning almost laughed out loud, the first time he had heard of someone getting carsick from a bicycle.
"Alright then, bye."
Jiang Ning pedaled a couple of times, stylishly passing Xue Yuantong.
As Jiang Ning's figure disappeared, Xue Yuantong's head drooped down; her family actually had an electric scooter that she could ride to school.
But the first time she rode it, she had rushed down the dam, speeding down the slope, nearly scared out of her wits. If not for a tree blocking her, she probably would have ended up in a ditch. Even so, she had scraped her arms and legs, and it hurt for a long time.
Since then, she dared not ride the electric scooter again; her mother always accompanied her.
During middle school, her mother used to drop her off and pick her up, but now that she was a high school student, a mature adult, she had casually refused her mother's offer to take her to school.
A joke, really? Xue Yuantong needing someone to pick her up and drop her off?
Now, facing the long road ahead, Xue Yuantong could only sigh in frustration, swallowing the bitter pill alone.
She had initially planned to get a part-time job during the summer break, but looking young and still not fully developed, she was often mistaken for an elementary school student, making it hard to find suitable work.
Later, her mother told her to focus on her studies, so Xue Yuantong ended up playing at home for the entire summer break. She was genuinely happy and had completely forgotten the feeling of going to school.
Now that school had started, she suddenly felt a wave of hardship descending, extremely resistant inside.
Why on earth did something like the beginning of school exist?
Not to boast, but even if she studied at home, she felt confident she could easily rank first.