3rd of September, Year 312 of the Vastel Calendar
A month had passed since Jiang Ning's return to the past.
He had spent August adjusting to his younger body and relearning its limits. Every morning was training; every night, reflection.
The world around him moved exactly as he remembered. The same faces, the same words, even the same wind across the northern hills. It was as if fate itself were tracing the same pattern all over again.
Besides his daily exercises, Jiang Ning began quietly venturing into business with his mother's help. Though he carried the knowledge of the future, he quickly learned how little that meant in the realm of trade. His mother's steady hand and keen sense for profit humbled him more than once.
He smiled faintly while dressing for training.
Mother really is remarkable.
Today his heart beat faster than usual. "After today's mission, my EXP should finally reach a hundred," he murmured.
He opened the blue screen to confirm:
Jiang Ning — Apprentice Cadet
EXP: 99 / 100
Potential: B
Talents: Horseback Riding (D), Marksmanship (SSS), Close Combat (D), Tactics (E)
Strength 18 +
Stamina 18 +
Agility 15 +
Vitality 17 +
Will 17 +
Focus 3
Battle Points 1290
Stat Points 30
He had been saving his stat points for a special moment. Today felt like the right day.
"Good morning, my lord!" one of the guards called as he entered the courtyard.
"Sir Ronan is here too!" another shouted.
The baron was away on inspection duty, so Jiang Ning went straight to work.
100 push-ups ☑️
100 sit-ups ☑️
100 pull-ups ☑️
10 km run ☑️
100 vertical strikes ☑️
100 diagonal strikes ☑️
100 horizontal strikes ☑️
100 thrusts ☑️
The system chimed softly.
[You received 10 Battle Points.]
[You received 1 EXP.]
[You received 1 Stat Point.]
[You have accumulated enough EXP to advance. Use 1000 Battle Points to promote to the next realm?]
[Yes] [No]
He grinned. "Finally."
His finger hovered only a moment before pressing [Yes].
– 1000 Battle Points
[You have advanced to the Knight realm.]
The numbers on the blue panel surged upward:
Jiang Ning — Knight
EXP: 0 / 500
Potential: B
Talents: Horseback Riding (D), Marksmanship (SSS), Close Combat (D), Tactics (E)
Strength 18 → 28 +
Stamina 18 → 28 +
Agility 15 → 25 +
Vitality 17 → 27 +
Will 17 → 27 +
Focus 3 → 13 +
Battle Points 300
Stat Points 29
Power rippled through him. Mana, once faint and unreachable, flowed freely under his skin. The air around him stirred, and faint dust lifted from the ground.
A nearby guard dropped his weapon. "Lord Ning just released mana!"
Heads turned. Even those who couldn't sense mana felt the pressure radiating from him.
"An eighteen-year-old Knight," someone whispered. "Impossible."
Knighthood marked the moment a warrior's body could safely channel mana. Only the strongest achieved it before twenty-five. The youngest recorded Knight in imperial history had been Emperor Phillip Vastel himself, sixteen years old at ascension, more than a century ago.
Jiang Ning flexed his hands, awe spreading across his face. I really did it.
In his previous life, this step had taken him until twenty-four.
The commotion drew the attention of Baron Ren Ning, who hurried across the yard. When his eyes fell on his son, the faint glow of mana was unmistakable.
"You've reached the Knight realm already?" he asked, astonished. Even for him, it had taken until twenty-two.
Jiang Ning nodded silently, still catching his breath.
Ren Ning broke into a rare smile. "Good! You've done better than your father." Pride warmed his usually stern tone. "This deserves a celebration. We'll hold a gathering next week."
"That's not necessary, Father," Jiang Ning said quickly, embarrassed by the attention. "I didn't reach it through the usual training."
"How can you say that? Such talent should be celebrated! Even the crown prince himself advanced at a similar age. You'll be the talk of the province." Ren Ning laughed, clapping his son on the shoulder. "It's decided. I'll invite my comrades and old friends."
Jiang Ning couldn't help smiling. In his first life, his father had already been gone by the time he achieved this. Seeing that genuine joy on Ren Ning's face was worth any amount of explaining later.
"Alright, Father. I'll leave the arrangements to you. I still need to visit the workshop to check on things," he said.
Ren Ning raised an eyebrow. "The new workshop you opened with your mother's help?"
"Yes. The workers began production two weeks ago. The first batch should be finished today. I want to inspect it myself."
"In that case, invite your workers to the celebration too."
Jiang Ning's eyes brightened. "I will. They deserve it."
Ren Ning waved him off. "Go, then. I'll start sending invitations."
Jiang Ning bowed. "Yes, Father."
As his father walked away, still muttering happily about guests and food, Jiang Ning watched and thought.
So he can smile like that after all.
When the baron left the yard, the guards crowded around Jiang Ning, congratulating him one after another. He returned every bow and handshake with quiet thanks.
After a few minutes, he motioned to Ronan. "Let's head out."
They crossed the manor gates and mounted a carriage waiting by the road. Their destination lay an hour south, the bustling trade city of Vale, a settlement of stone walls and smoke-filled chimneys, home to hundreds of thousands.
The wheels clattered along the cobblestones as the countryside blurred past. Jiang Ning's eyes fixed on the distant skyline.
I'll build something greater than this one day. A city that belongs to House Ning.
When the carriage rolled through Vale's massive gate, the smell of spice and iron filled the air. Merchants shouted prices from both sides of the street.
At the city's heart stood his new workshop, a sturdy two-story building freshly painted in pale gray.
"We're here, my lord," the coachman said.
Jiang Ning stepped down and surveyed the building with satisfaction. Just a month ago, it had been half-ruined; now the polished signboard gleamed in the morning light.
"Stay here, Ronan. I'll take a look inside alone."
"Yes, my lord." Ronan bowed, remaining near the carriage.
Inside, the familiar scent of lilies and jasmine drifted through the air. Jiang Ning inhaled deeply and smiled.
Exactly as I remember.
Two attendants looked up from behind the counter and froze.
"My lord! You didn't tell us you were coming!" said the younger one, a cheerful woman with chestnut hair and a bright figure.
"There's no need to wait outside in this heat," Jiang Ning replied. "Where's the manager?"
"The manager is inspecting the production room, my lord. He asked us not to disturb him," said the older attendant, a calm woman with pale skin and sharp eyes.
"Are there any finished products?"
"Yes, my lord," the younger answered quickly. "The manager brought several samples this morning. Would you like to see them?"
"Of course."
The women fetched five rectangular boxes from a cabinet and set them carefully on the table.
"Please inspect them, my lord. The manager put a great deal of effort into these," the elder attendant said.
Jiang Ning lifted each lid in turn. A delicate fragrance filled the room, roses, lilies, and fresh citrus blending softly together. Inside each box lay a smooth bar of pale soap.
He smiled to himself. Scented soap. Exactly as I remembered.
In his past life, this humble invention had taken the empire by storm. Before its creation, people washed with mixtures of animal fat and wood ash that stank worse than the dirt they removed.
When scented soap appeared, nobles and merchants alike paid silver for it. The inventor, a commoner from Vale, had grown rich overnight, until a corrupt official seized his wealth and had him executed to steal the recipe.
The scandal had shaken the capital for years afterward.
This time, that fate changes here. Jiang Ning ran a thumb across one of the soap bars, feeling the smooth surface.
"This will be the foundation of everything," he whispered. "My first step toward the future."
He closed the lid, his mind already racing with ideas.
With the system's help and what I remember from before, House Ning will rise higher than ever.