After giving the king some reassurance, Ray and his father ascended into the sky aboard a vibrant hot air balloon, the warm wind carrying them gently over the rolling landscapes. The sun dipped low on the horizon, casting a golden hue across the clouds, as they made their way back to the Walker family estate.
Upon arrival, Ray quietly made his way through the familiar halls, each step echoing softly against polished floors. He approached his mother's room and paused at the threshold. Inside, Diana sat cross-legged, eyes closed, her body enveloped in a faint, silvery aura as she cultivated. The gentle hum of energy resonated in the air around her, pulsing like a quiet heartbeat.
Ray didn't interrupt. Instead, he settled nearby, folding his legs and watching her with a calm, patient expression.
It wasn't long before Diana's aura flickered and dimmed, and she slowly opened her eyes. A warm, knowing smile spread across her face as she noticed her son waiting. With a soft chuckle, she tilted her head and said, "You're also curious about what's inside that box, aren't you? Alright, let's see what the king has gifted."
She retrieved the ornate box Ray had handed to her earlier—one he had received directly from the king, as he still couldn't use a storage ring. The box gave off a faint shimmer, its surface etched with mysterious symbols.
Ray opened it with a steady hand. Inside lay a scroll and a relic that pulsed faintly with an ancient, quiet power. His eyes widened the moment he saw it, a gasp escaping him. Diana, noticing his reaction, furrowed her brows with curiosity.
"Mother," Ray said, his voice trembling slightly with excitement, "remember I told you two relics helped me defeat Jack? This is the third one. And it will also help me increase my soul cultivation. Let me check what's written on the scroll."
Diana leaned in, her curiosity growing. As they read through the scroll together, silence fell over the room, thick with disbelief. Line after line revealed staggering information.
The scroll detailed that the land of crystal stone previously gifted to Ray was only part of a much larger offering. The surrounding lands—expansive and unclaimed—were also to be transferred to him. Nearly 250,000 additional acres. Combined with the crystal mine area, the total landholding now reached approximately 300,000 acres.
Diana's eyes widened, her lips parting in astonishment. "What have you done that the king wants to give you such high-level gifts?"
Ray shrugged slightly, a sheepish grin tugging at his lips. "It's because I made friends with the library caretaker. Seems he's been good to me. I'll need to thank him next time I visit."
Diana looked at her son as if seeing him in a new light. A mix of pride and concern stirred in her eyes. Then she smiled and said teasingly, "Then I'll make some preparations for you, you little glutton. This time, I need to make sure we have enough resources. You dried everything I gave you last time."
Ray scratched his head with a guilty laugh, sweat forming on his brow. "After I finish cultivating, I'll go to different places and start recruiting. I want to build my own city. I'll finally get people to help me create the internet. I'm close... but every time I get there, something holds me back."
Diana didn't say anything at first, but the fire in Ray's eyes—his determination—made her heart swell. She nodded, left the room, and returned soon after with arms full of supplies. She laid out soul crystal stones, space runes embedded within elegant formation disks, and a plethora of soul pills that radiated pure energy.
Ray's jaw nearly dropped. The room was now practically humming with power.
"These... these are ten times more than before," he said, blinking.
Diana only chuckled. "Little glutton, your appetite is growing with your cultivation. You need to get stronger—to protect your mother in the future. Imagine that, reaching the Iron Stage at just seven years old. No one I know has done that—not even Wood Stage at that age. So go ahead—grow strong. Make me worry a little less."
Ray nodded, a sense of purpose grounding him. He crossed his legs, closed his eyes, and activated his matrix. Diana nodded solemnly, then activated the soul cultivation formation. The room lit up with soft blue sigils as energy began to swirl around her son. The relic in the box shimmered and floated toward Ray, slowly merging into him.
Suddenly—
[Warning: System Error]
[Rebooting]
[Warning: System Error]
[Rebooting]
[Warning: System Error]
[Rebooting]
[Fixing the Error]
Ray's body tensed. He had felt this pain before—but not like this. He gritted his teeth, sweat forming instantly as his nerves screamed in protest. The resources helped soothe him briefly—but only briefly. He had underestimated the third relic.
The pain surged—a thousandfold. His matrix convulsed, twisting violently inside him. It wasn't just cultivation—it was evolution. The relic was rewriting parts of him.
Diana rushed to his side the moment she saw him groan and writhe. His small body trembled, his hands gripping the floor as he rolled in agony. Tears welled in his eyes, unbidden. Diana pulled him into her arms without hesitation, holding him close, whispering soft words, her warmth a beacon amidst the storm.
Resources drained rapidly. Formation lines flared, burning brighter as they were consumed. Diana remained still, her arms wrapped protectively around Ray, silently urging him to endure.
After what felt like an eternity—hundreds of reboots and blinding flashes of light—a new notification flickered to life.
[Matrix System absorbing an ancient relic]
[The system completely absorbed the ancient relic.]
[Update Complete]
[Matrix evolved]
Ray gasped for air. The pain began to fade gradually, like a storm breaking into soft drizzle. His limbs were heavy, but his mind was alight.
He opened his system interface, heart pounding.
[Name: Ray Walker]
[Spiritual Cultivation: Not Awakened]
[Soul Cultivation: 2nd Iron Stage]
[System: 2/3]
[Telecommunication tower: 1/2]
[Telecommunication mini towers: 0/100]
[Telecommunication Devices: 30/100,000]
[Attributes:]
Strength: 15 (+7)
Stamina: 25 (+10)
Health: 180 (+40)
Agility: 25 (+10)
Intelligence: 30 (+12)
[Swordsmanship | Formation | Talisman | Library | Ancient Relic | Storage]
He clicked through the tabs, each one revealing new surprises:
[Formation]
Silver early-stage formation master
[Talisman]
Silver early-stage talisman master
[Swordsmanship]
Sword Force: Peak Qi Stage
[Ancient Relic: 3/9]
Information: ???
You need to learn an ancient language to understand this information.
[Storage]
Description: There are thousand cubic meters of space in the matrix. Now you can store items as you wish.
Ray sat frozen, breathing heavily. His heart thudded as the realization sank in: the matrix had evolved—and not just in strength. His capabilities were expanding beyond what he imagined.
He could now construct another telecommunication tower using his soul. And the mention of mini towers caught his attention—wristwatch-like devices, each with a 200 km signal range. But they had to remain within a 1,000 km radius of a soul-powered main tower to work.
His system still read 2/3, meaning the evolution wasn't yet complete. But the foundation had changed.
His mastery in formations and talismans had risen to the silver stage. His swordsmanship stood at the precipice of the apprentice stage. All he needed now was to comprehend intent.
The ancient relic had rewritten a part of his matrix, unlocking something buried deep. Yet the language tied to the relic was still unknown—none of the scripts he had studied in the library matched. That mystery would have to wait.
And perhaps the most joyful discovery: a personal storage space. A thousand cubic meters, fully his. No longer would he need to rely on others to carry his burden.
Ray turned to his mother, his expression calm, yet filled with something deeper—gratitude, pride, and determination. "I'm alright, Mother," he said softly.
Diana gave a relieved nod, brushing a damp strand of hair from his forehead.
Ray crossed his legs again, his expression serene as he began to solidify his foundation. The glow of the formation pulsed around him once more—quiet, steady, and strong.