The nights in Notting Academy had grown heavier.
Not physically — spiritually.
Ever since the sparring match, the golden thread between him and Xiao Wu pulsed more frequently. It no longer flickered faintly. It felt alive. Reactive. Almost aware.
And tonight, something felt different.
He sat cross-legged on his bed, eyes closed, circulating spirit power through the meditation technique the system had rewarded him earlier. His level had stabilized at Rank 10, only waiting for a spirit ring to break through properly. For a six-year-old, that was already monstrous.
The diary appeared.
But instead of the usual calm golden glow, the cover shimmered erratically.
A notification burst across his vision.
[New Copy Holder Selected][Karmic Thread Established]Name: Ning Rongrong]
He froze.
Ning Rongrong
Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan's little princess.
This was no longer just academy romance tension.
This was politics.
A thin, elegant golden thread extended outward into the distance — far, far beyond Notting City.
The system panel expanded on its own.
[Diary Influence Network Updated]
Active Copy Holders: 2
Fate Distortion Rate: 7%
Hidden Condition Progress: 18%
His breathing slowed deliberately.
Ning Rongrong at this age would still be within her clan territory. Which meant one thing.
The diary was not bound by distance.
It targeted "qualified individuals."
Important female characters with high fate weight.
That meant eventually…
He didn't finish the thought.
Instead, he began writing.
He described the academy day as usual, but this time he deliberately added a new name.
"Ning Rongrong."
He wrote about her future — spoiled, proud, yet deeply lonely inside. A girl burdened by expectations of being the clan's treasure. A girl who acted arrogant because she had never been treated normally.
He did not insult her.
He analyzed her.
Then he added:
"She doesn't need worship. She needs someone who sees past the title."
The diary vibrated.
Across the continent, within the luxurious chambers of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, a young girl with delicate features stared at a glowing book in her hands.
Confusion turned into disbelief.
"How does he know my name?"
Her cheeks flushed faintly as she read the description.
Lonely.
Burdened.
Seen.
Her pride flared first.
Then something softer crept in behind it.
She had never told anyone those things.
Back in Notting Academy, a surge of energy rushed through his meridians.
[Copy Holder Emotional Resonance Detected][Reward: Spirit Power Compression Increased][Foundation Stabilized — Breakthrough Probability Enhanced]
He exhaled sharply as spirit power condensed more densely within him. His aura became sharper, more refined.
This was dangerous.
Not in a bad way.
But in a scaling way.
If every emotionally impactful entry granted exponential growth, then the true key to power wasn't combat.
It was connection.
The next morning, he noticed Xiao Wu staring at him longer than usual. There was something new in her gaze — a faint trace of competitiveness.
During breakfast, she suddenly asked, "Do you think I'm childish?"
He almost laughed internally.
The diary copies were not isolated.
They created subtle emotional interference.
He answered calmly, "No. I think you're strong."
She held his gaze for several seconds before looking away.
Across the courtyard, Tang San observed again.
Tang San was beginning to sense an invisible shift in dynamics. Xiao Wu was still close to him, but something was changing beneath the surface.
And he did not yet know why.
That afternoon, during combat class, the instructor announced something that made the students buzz with excitement.
They would soon hunt spirit beasts for those who had reached Rank 10.
His heart steadied.
This was the first major canon checkpoint.
In the original timeline, Tang San would gain his first spirit ring and begin pulling ahead.
But now—
He was already equal in base level.
And his foundation was stronger.
That night, the diary appeared faster than usual.
Before he even wrote, another panel opened.
[System Upgrade Achieved][New Feature Unlocked: Diary Insight Projection]— Once per month, project a "future fragment" to a copy holder.— Emotional impact directly scales reward tier.
His pupils contracted slightly.
Future fragments?
That was essentially controlled spoilers.
If he showed Xiao Wu a tragic possibility… or Ning Rongrong a future humiliation…
He could accelerate attachment dramatically.
But misuse would create fear.
This system wasn't brute force.
It rewarded intelligence.
He began writing carefully.
He described the upcoming spirit ring hunt.
He wrote about forests, danger, unpredictability.
Then he added a subtle line.
"Some hunts change destinies."
The page flared brilliantly.
[Fate Divergence Opportunity Approaching][Warning: Major Canon Event Ahead]
His lips curved faintly.
Good.
He wanted major events.
Because major events meant major multipliers.
Across the continent, Ning Rongrong clutched the diary tighter.
A spirit hunt.
Danger.
Destiny.
For the first time in her life, she felt anticipation toward someone she had never met.
And in Notting Academy, Xiao Wu lay awake longer than usual, staring at the ceiling and wondering why the thought of him entering danger made her chest tighten uncomfortably.
Threads were forming.
Not just romantic ones.
Political ones.
Emotional ones.
And fate — the rigid path that once belonged solely to Tang San — was beginning to fracture.
The spirit hunt would not go as written.
And when it didn't—
The entire continent would feel the ripple.