The return to Notting Academy marked the beginning of a subtle shift in hierarchy.
Before the spirit hunt, he had merely been "talented." After returning with a strengthened Mandala Snake ring and Rank 11 spirit power, he became something else entirely — a variable.
Students whispered when he passed.
Instructors observed him longer than necessary.
And most importantly, Tang San adjusted his training intensity.
Tang San began practicing later into the night.
That alone confirmed it.
Pressure had been successfully applied.
He didn't rush growth.
Instead, he stabilized.
The system rewarded emotional impact, but reckless divergence could attract forces he wasn't ready to confront. His current priority was foundation — spiritual density, combat refinement, and deepening threads.
That night, the diary opened with a heavier presence.
He began writing calmly.
"Power gained too quickly collapses easily. Compression matters more than expansion."
The words glowed steadily.
[Philosophical Depth Detected][Reward Multiplier x1.4][Spirit Power Density Increased]
Interesting.
The system wasn't purely event-based.
It valued insight.
He continued.
"Tang San is accelerating his training. He's adapting."
He paused.
"But adapting doesn't mean surpassing."
The page shimmered darker gold.
[Rivalry Thread Strengthened][Future Confrontation Probability Increased]
Good.
Rivalry was long-term fuel.
But tonight wasn't about Tang San.
It was about Xiao Wu.
Earlier that day, during sparring, she had been unusually aggressive. Her strikes were sharper, faster — almost irritated.
After class, she cornered him near the training field.
"You didn't tell me you were going to be in danger," she said.
He raised an eyebrow slightly. "I didn't know you cared that much."
Her cheeks flushed instantly.
"I don't! I just—" She stopped herself.
Her frustration wasn't childish.
It was personal.
That meant attachment was deepening.
Now, as he wrote in the diary, he chose his words carefully.
"Xiao Wu pretends she doesn't worry."
"But she does."
"She feels strongly. She just doesn't like admitting it."
The diary flared brightly.
[Copy Holder Emotional Resonance — High][Trust Level Increased][Attachment Level: Stabilizing]
Somewhere in the girls' dormitory, Xiao Wu sat upright, reading the glowing lines with widening eyes.
"How does he always know…" she whispered.
Her heartbeat quickened.
The realization struck her slowly.
She wasn't just curious anymore.
She was invested.
And that frightened her.
Far away, within the luxurious halls of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, Ning Rongrong paced her chamber restlessly.
She had reread every entry three times.
The forest. The danger. The rivalry. The quiet confidence in his words.
She had never seen someone speak about fate as if it were negotiable.
It fascinated her.
It irritated her.
It drew her.
That night, when the diary appeared again, he deliberately wrote her name more frequently.
"Ning Rongrong would hate being underestimated."
"Ning Rongrong would leave her clan earlier if she wanted freedom."
"Ning Rongrong isn't as fragile as people think."
The diary trembled with intensity.
[Name Frequency Threshold Reached][Karmic Thread Strengthened — Ning Rongrong][Hidden Event Seed Planted]
He smiled faintly.
Hidden Event Seed.
That meant her canon timeline might shift soon.
And indeed—
Across the continent, Ning Rongrong stopped pacing.
Her thoughts crystallized suddenly.
Why should she wait years before leaving?
Why follow a path designed by others?
If someone out there believed she could choose differently—
Then maybe she should.
The seed had been planted.
Back in Notting Academy, the air between him and Tang San grew denser by the day.
During a training match, their spirit powers clashed briefly — just enough for sparks of venom and hidden weapon precision to collide.
Neither spoke.
But both understood.
This was no longer parallel growth.
It was convergence.
That night, as he prepared to write again, the diary pulsed with unfamiliar intensity.
The system panel expanded without prompt.
[System Expansion Progress: 45%][Network Growth Approaching Threshold][Warning: Third Copy Holder Selection Imminent]
His breathing slowed deliberately.
Third holder.
That could only mean one of two paths.
Another academy-level heroine.
Or…
A high-tier political figure.
If the latter—
Things would escalate quickly.
He began writing carefully.
"The continent is bigger than one academy."
"Some eyes are watching shifts in fate."
He did not write her name.
Not yet.
The diary darkened slightly.
[High-Fate Entity Awareness Rising]
Spirit Hall.
Which meant—
Bibi Dong
He leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes.
Too early.
He needed at least Rank 20 before attracting that level of gravity.
But the system was accelerating.
And acceleration always came with consequences.
Outside, wind moved through the academy trees.
Inside the Spirit Hall's towering cathedral, Bibi Dong paused mid-step.
For the second time in days, she felt a faint disturbance.
Not threatening.
But deliberate.
Something was rewriting currents beneath the surface.
And she did not tolerate unknown variables.
Back in his dormitory, he opened his eyes slowly.
This wasn't just a romance web anymore.
It was becoming continental.
The next move had to be precise.
Because once the third copy holder awakened—
The game board would expand dramatically.