Noor took a deep breath and lay down on the special cultivation couch in his room. A soft silver helmet settled over his head. The moment he activated it, his consciousness left his body and entered Veritas.
He opened his eyes inside an endless library. Crystal shelves stretched into the distance like shining towers. Gentle light filled the space.
"Welcome to Veritas, Noor Oswin," a calm female voice said. "I am ARIA, your personal research assistant. Shall we begin with basic cultivation theory?"
Noor tried to stay calm even though his heart was racing with excitement. "Show me everything first. I want to see the categories."
The world around him shifted. He now stood in a huge round chamber. Countless holographic labels floated around him like glowing planets.
**CULTIVATION THEORIES • TECHNOLOGICAL ARCHIVES • BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES • DIMENSIONAL MATHEMATICS • UNIVERSAL LAWS • HISTORICAL RECORDS • COMBAT TECHNIQUES • ENERGY MANIPULATION • ...**
The list went on and on.
"Wow," Noor whispered. "That's a lot."
"Indeed," ARIA replied, sounding slightly amused. "Most researchers spend their whole lives on one category. Where would you like to start?"
"Basic cultivation theory," Noor said. "Explain it as if I know nothing."
---
**Year One: The Foundation (Age 5-6)**
What followed was the most intense year of learning in both of Noor's lives.
Origin energy was everywhere — in the air, in the ground, even in thoughts and emotions. Cultivators absorbed this energy, stored it in their dantian, and used it to strengthen their bodies and souls. The talent system decided how well someone could use this power.
"Talent is like a key," ARIA explained one day, showing a clear holographic example. "Some people have simple keys. Others have master keys that open many doors."
Noor listened carefully. He already suspected his own talent would be special because of his past life and Samsara Law fragments.
By the end of the first year, he had absorbed every safe cultivation manual and theory available. It felt like earning several advanced degrees in cultivation studies.
His parents started to worry.
"Noor, you've been in Veritas for six hours every day this year," Vicky said gently during dinner. "Are you sure you're not pushing too hard?"
"I feel great, Mom," Noor answered honestly. "Learning like this makes me happy."
Troy smiled but looked concerned. "Most adults can't study at that pace. We also want you to play with other kids. Starting next week, you're joining the neighborhood hover-ball team."
Noor nodded. He didn't mind. Having friends and family was part of the life he wanted this time.
---
**Year Two: Advanced Integration (Age 6-7)**
"ARIA, show me the peak of human technology," Noor said at the start of his second year.
Some of the things he saw left him speechless.
Humans could turn pure energy into any object they wanted. They had devices that folded space, machines that could copy consciousness, and tools that changed how time flowed inside certain areas. Technology and cultivation worked together perfectly, making almost anything possible.
"Origin energy changed everything," ARIA explained. "Once people learned to use it well, the old limits of physics became flexible."
Noor thought about his old Earth. What he achieved there looked tiny compared to this.
By the end of year two, he understood technology at a level that could reshape entire planets. He still played hover-ball with the other kids, even if he sometimes felt a little out of place.
---
**Year Three: Biological Mastery (Age 7-8)**
In his third year, Noor focused on life itself.
Modern humans were stronger than the ones from his first life. Even without cultivation, they lived longer, healed faster, and had sharper minds. Talent formation started early and finished around age eighteen. Intelligence and soul strength seemed to help create better talents.
"Some parents use meditation to gently guide their child's talent," ARIA said. "It doesn't always work, but it can help."
Noor made a mental note. He began doing quiet visualization exercises at night.
His parents noticed how focused he was and invited his hover-ball friends over more often. Noor enjoyed those times. Talking about cartoons after studying alien biology felt strange but nice.
---
**Year Four: Universal Principles (Age 8-9)**
"ARIA, teach me about the universe itself," Noor requested at the beginning of his fourth year. "The laws that control everything."
This was the hardest and most dangerous part.
Universal Laws were the hidden rules of reality. Space Law controlled distance. Time Law managed cause and effect. There were many others. Understanding them was the true path to high-level power.
"Most cultivators need centuries to grasp even one law," ARIA warned.
Noor studied the complex, colorful models ARIA showed him. The mathematics felt familiar, but deeper. His fragments of Samsara Law — gained during reincarnation — gave him a special edge. Samsara Law governed birth, death, and rebirth. It was one of the most mysterious laws.
By the end of the fourth year, Noor had a foundation in universal laws that most high-level cultivators would envy. He was finally ready to start creating his own techniques.
---
**The Ninth Birthday**
On his ninth birthday, Noor sat in the family garden watching his parents set up decorations. Vicky chased Troy with a water sprayer, both of them laughing.
Four years in Veritas had given him knowledge most people could never dream of. But the best part was still the warmth of this family.
In his first life, he had knowledge but no one to share it with. Here, he had both.
"Noor!" Vicky called, correcting herself with a laugh. "Come help us!"
"Coming!" he answered with a big smile.
Tomorrow he would start creating techniques using everything he learned. Tonight, he would eat cake, laugh with his family, and enjoy being nine years old.
The universe did not know it yet, but its youngest and most dangerous genius was preparing to change everything.