"No, Lin Hao, it's getting late, I should head back early to review my lessons. My parents are waiting for me at home," Lin Shiran diffused Lin Hao's previous assertiveness, her cheeks flushing red.
She really wanted to walk the streets with Lin Hao, but the college entrance exam was only ten days away, and her parents were strict.
"Alright," Lin Hao said with a charming smile, "I'll walk you home."
"But..." having almost made it through the three years of high school, Lin Shiran's parents would certainly not allow her to bring a boyfriend home at this time; she was hesitant.
"Don't worry, I'll only walk you to the opposite side of your house, your parents won't notice."
Having been reborn, Lin Hao would not allow anything to happen to the people he cared about; it was already getting late, who knew what could happen on the way.
"Okay, let's go," Lin Shiran said with a sweet smile.
For some reason, Lin Shiran felt a sweet feeling in her heart. Before today, Lin Hao had always been shy; despite her frequent expressions of affection, he always kept his distance from her, never taking the initiative to walk her home.
Just thinking about the possibility of finally being together with Lin Hao made her heart sing with joy, smiling sweeter than honey along the way.
Without realizing it, the two of them were already holding hands, walking side by side, strolling under the setting sun.
"Shiran, the college entrance exam is in ten days. Have you thought about which university you want to attend?" Lin Hao asked gently.
"Um, I've considered two, one is Binhai University, the other is the Electronics Science and Technology University," Lin Shiran asked, "How about you?"
"Me? Of course, it's Binhai University."
Lin Hao answered with a smile, Binhai University, being the best in Binhai City and the strongest of the neighboring three provinces, had richer educational resources than some private elite universities. Whether wealthy businessmen or noble officials, they all wished to send their offspring to Binhai.
There are only two types of students at Binhai University, those with powerful family backgrounds and those who excel above all peers in their schools.
Every year, from every high school, only five students are admitted to Binhai University!
Of course, Lin Hao's desire to attend Binhai University was not truly about studying, as the knowledge he possessed in this reborn life far exceeded the scope of this world.
He had two reasons for wanting to get into Binhai University.
One was due to the expectations of his parents.
The second, more importantly, was because Binhai University, seemingly just a school, was in fact a splendid place for cultivation, rich in cultivation resources.
And there were already people cultivating there right now!
This world isn't as simple as it seems; its true nature and the extent of its marvels are beyond the reach of ordinary people in all their lives!
"Great, I hope we both get admitted as we wish," Lin Shiran blushed and said, "My dad said, after graduating from high school, I can start looking for a boyfriend... If we're at the same university..."
"Don't worry, no 'ifs', we definitely will be at the same university," Lin Hao said assertively, "You don't have to wait until graduation, from now on, I'm your boyfriend!"
Lin Shiran's cheeks had turned red to her ears, her heart thumping wildly with happiness that came too suddenly. She nodded vigorously, somehow mustering the courage to tiptoe and kiss Lin Hao on the cheek, then scampered across to the other side of the road.
"Shiran, don't worry, in this life, I'll definitely help you get into Binhai University!"
On this day in his last life, Chen Yifan died, and Lin Hao spent it in fear, and from then on, he never saw Lin Shiran again.
Because...
Lin Shiran didn't go to Binhai University!
Due to a special reason, after graduating from high school, she went abroad!
It wasn't until Lin Hao fortuitously rose from his downfall and became a cultivator that he went abroad to find her, only to learn that she had passed away from a severe illness in a foreign land!
The various events of his previous mortal life were almost all his inner demons, demons which he, even as an Immortal Emperor, could not let go!
Now, given another life, he would not allow the same things to happen again!
Lin Hao touched his face but did not chase after Shi Ran; right across the street was Shi Ran's home, a somewhat upscale villa district in Binhai City.
This area was also the wealthy district of Binhai City, bustling like a spectacle during the day and brightly lit at night, with luxury cars frequently seen on the roads.
In contrast, Lin Hao's living quarters were quite ordinary. Situated outside the fifth ring of Binhai City, in an old neighborhood, it was already dark by the time he got home.
This place wasn't Lin Hao's home but his aunt's, where he stayed temporarily upon coming to Binhai City. His aunt, named Zhou Ziwei, was already forty years old. His uncle had died early in a car accident. Now she worked as an accountant in a large company, and life was fairly comfortable.
There was also a child, but he had long stopped attending school and was working in another city.
"Xiao Hao, you're back? Come get your bowl and chopsticks ready to eat," Zhou Ziwei's voice came from the kitchen, with a table already full of fragrant dishes.
Lin Hao responded and picked up his bowl and chopsticks to serve himself some rice.
Just then, Zhou Ziwei walked out of the kitchen with a bowl of soup: "Xiao Hao, eat up. There are only ten days left until the college entrance examination. After eating, start reviewing early."
"Mhm."
Lin Hao was not much of a talker. He carefully observed Zhou Ziwei for a while.
A thousand years, a full thousand years. When he became an Immortal Emperor in his past life, almost all his relatives and friends had passed away. This intense feeling of kinship, he hadn't felt for who knows how many years.
"Eat more." Zhou Ziwei enthusiastically served him food while speaking, "Your mom called me yesterday, saying everything at home was fine and you didn't need to worry. With the college entrance exams approaching, she wouldn't disturb you so you can focus on review."
"Okay." Lin Hao nodded.
Zhou Ziwei felt something odd, sensing that Lin Hao was a bit different today. Where exactly the difference lay, she couldn't quite put her finger on it, but it seemed that his aura was stronger than before.
After dinner, Lin Hao returned to his room and closed the door.
However.
He did not review, nor did he read any books. For him, the college entrance exam was just a piece of cake.
If he wished, prestigious universities around the world would scramble to admit him.
"In the Mortal World, there are nine major realms of Cultivation, each with Nine Layers of Heaven. I'm currently in the first realm, at the Body Transformation stage of the Fourth Layer of Heaven."
The first major realm, Transcend Mortality, signifies shedding the mortal body.
This realm consists of nine sub-realms, each corresponding to one layer, representing the Nine-Layer Heaven.
Qi Gathering, Meridian Passage, Concentrating, Body Transformation, Eye Opening, Miao Gate, Divine Communication, Hundred Transformations, Unity.
Lin Hao was eighteen this year. Normally, if he had started cultivating from a young age, he could reach the Fifth Layer of Heaven, while reaching the Seventh Layer of Heaven would be considered quite remarkable.
He had just returned to this life, and his talents from his past life allowed him to instantly enter the Body Transformation stage, possessing a body as strong as metal and stone, with the strength of five hundred jin.
But he was not satisfied.
He could crush ten thousand of such a realm with one hand in his past life!
"Let's put in a little effort and break through to the Ninth Layer of Heaven first."
Lin Hao considered briefly and decided that advancing to the Ninth Layer of Heaven first was appropriate. Given his current circumstances, advancing too quickly would leave him without any challenges, which would be a bit too boring.
In his previous life, he was a prodigy, starting his cultivation at the age of twenty, and within a thousand years, he ascended to be the Immortal Emperor, sweeping across all directions with an unsurpassed demeanor.
In this life, with two years of early cultivation and a thousand years of memories, no more inner demons to battle, he was confident that he could return to the peak in a hundred years!
For Lin Hao right now, the first realm of Cultivation was like a top math professor solving kindergarten math problems; it posed no challenge at all.
In the latter part of the night, Lin Hao's body emitted a dazzling white light—this was Primordial Qi. The thin Primordial Qi from the surroundings all converged here. In a moment, it was like Spiritual Medicine, rushing into his limbs and bones, purifying each inch of his body.
It wasn't until seven in the morning that Lin Hao opened his eyes, a hint of satisfaction in his gaze: "Transcend Mortality, Nine Layer of Heaven, let's stop here for now."