1 Leveling System

"Long ago, a man used to live on a blue planet known as Earth."

"Earth is the utopia of humans. They were unlike us who hid behind colossal walls. In that place humans were Overlord. Beasts? They were not threatening unlike here."

"Anyway, back to the topic, the man is 26 years old. He can't remember his exact age, but he had two children. The eldest was Naruto. The youngest was Sasuke. He used to be an anime lover so his children inherited his passion."

"His wife was a beautiful lady. She was a cultured woman and against his choice of names. They fight, no, they did not talk for weeks. Paranoid, the man assumed they were having a divorce."

"Divorce...that's a scary word."

"But the man dearly loves his wife, so with gritted teeth, he decided to change his children's birth name once and for all."

"The man approached her wife to talk, but he heard her mumbled. 'It would've been great if we named them Kakashi and Obito.'"

"..."

"Anyway, after that dramatic event, both husband and wife reconciled. The man moved on with life and got himself hooked on novels. His first novel was Tales of Demons and Gods."

"But fuck. The updates were too fucking slow. Dammit, remembering such unpleasant memories."

"Moving on. One day, the man found himself inside that novel, Tales of Demons and Gods!"

"That's why, I'm telling you, Xiao Yu, Glory City will soon be attacked by Demon Beasts!"

"We don't have time to chill and what should we be doing right now is to convince everyone to migrate as early as possible!"

An orange-haired boy raised his voice and jumped atop a rock.

The full moon peacefully hung on the heaven, as the cold wind swayed the bamboo trees around. The dim moonlight was the only source of light. Its light overhead the gaps in the bamboo leaves lit up the reflection of the little girl on the ground.

She sat with crossed legs and her pink hair tied in a bun. Her eyes sparkled as she excitedly clapped. "So what happened next? Big Brother Nie Li, tell me more of Earth!"

The eyes of the passionate boy on top of the rock dimmed, as he sighed.

"Ai..."

He leaped down and went up to the little girl and rubbed her head. "You cheeky girl. How many times do you want to hear it over and over again? I'm telling you we have a world to save!"

"That again..." The little girl pouted. "Big Brother Nie Li, if you spout nonsense again, I'm telling Auntie for real this time!"

"You..." The boy took a step back, sweating, and waved his hand in the air. "Did I? Huhu, I'm just messing with you, Xiao Yu. Don't tell them. Alright?"

The little girl nodded and said. "My father told me that there are scary beasts outside and the safest place in Glory City. There are walls around us so how can monsters invade us?"

The boy stared at the little girl with bared teeth.

'You don't know anything you little miss...'

Helplessness flooded inside him. He raised his head and the bright stars filled his eyes. It seemed inside them held an indescribable melancholy.

This orange-haired boy was not this world's Nie Li. The one who occupied his body was Jake from Earth.

Jake had no idea why he had been brought into this world. It was not an unfamiliar world as it was the world inside the book Tales of Demons and Gods.

Jake had now replaced the original protagonist and possessed his body.

As an avid fan, he was aware of the inside and outside of the novel.

So many years after, there were two things he had discovered.

Firstly, he had been transmigrated into Nie Li's first life. That meant many years before the main plot happened.

At the moment, he was ten years old. Three more years before he would be sent into the Academy, and also eight more years for the Demon Beasts Invasion.

Secondly, Jake had to obtain that item.

Temporal Demon Spirit Book.

It was the item that rewrote Nie Li's destiny. It was also the item that had ultimately let him break through the Supreme realm.

Although he died in the end because of Sage Emperor and six Deity Beasts, the Temporal Demon Spirit Book was still an invaluable item.

In Nie Li's first life, the book existed somewhere in Endless Desert, east of the St. Ancestral Mountain range.

Jake wanted to obtain it to protect the future of Glory City.

But if he went there, the chances of him dying midway through the journey were high, so let alone reaching the place.

Furthermore, the novel did not even state where Nie Li found the book.

Finding it was like looking for a needle in the ocean.

So when he first arrived in this world, Nie Li understood that getting the book was unlikely so he took another route.

He informed his elders two years ago that there would be a beast invasion in the near future.

But who would believe an 8-year-old kid?

(A/N: I use the name Nie Li from now on)

Although he tried his best to change the future, no one believed him.

He was treated as a weirdo.

"Ai...if only I was the protagonist who is shielded with a Divine Plot Armor..."

In his first life, Nie Li was simply an ordinary human. He was not a cultivator nor a wizard...he doubted that God must have brought the wrong person here.

After all, what a normal father like him could contribute to this world of Demon Beasts and Demon Spiritualists?

Sometimes he even wished that he had the regressor's Nie Li's memories. At least with that, he had the ability to change the future.

But since he did not have any of that, he could only wait till the doomsday arrives.

"Big brother Nie Li, what are you doing? Quick, tell me that story."

Nie Li sighed. "Xiao Er, it's already deep in the night. Don't frighten your mother. Now let us go back home."

"No! I won't go back home. I want to hear Big Brother Nie Li's story."

Nie Li watched the little girl glued to the ground.

"So you won't move?"

A grin curved into his mouth.

"Never!"

She shook her head resolutely.

"Fine...In that case..."

Nie Li stretched his hand and grabbed her clothes behind her neck. With a slight lift, he hoisted the little girl from the ground.

"Now let's go back."

Holding the little girl with him, Nie Li whistled as he walked away.

"Let...go of me!"

"Big Brother Nie Li...let go of me!"

The little girl cried out, punching and kicking the air.

Nie Li raised her in front of him and sighed.

"Stop whining, I'll tell you more tomorrow."

"Really?"

"I Promise."

"Fine!"

The little girl hummed and asked for a piggyback. Nie Li sighed and let her ride on his neck.

He listened to the hum as they descended the mountain in peace. Her hum flipped Nie Li's memories of his first life about her. This little girl was Nie Yu, Nie Li's young cousin. She first appeared during Nie Li's Returning Home Arc.

The reason he was fond of this little girl was because she reminded him of his children back on earth.

"Did they miss me?"

Nie Li stared at the night sky. It seemed as if his gaze penetrated beyond it and reached the myriad realms.

He missed earth.

He missed his wife and his kids.

But he could do nothing but continue living this life.

"The wind is soothing, plants, animals, trees...all living things withered, aged, and died. But when I think of my death, a sudden death, that I don't even know the reason for, I'm reluctant to die in such a way...I never even have the chance to bid farewell to them...I hope they are safe."

Nie Li muttered to himself as he lowered his head.

Soon after, a settlement appeared in his line of sight. It was a vast ranch with many houses around. Some houses stood around the mountains. There were bright lights around there. It illuminated the surrounding area. Human figures could be seen entering and leaving the houses here and then.

It was the territory of Heavenly Marks, and Nie Li's home was also there. As one of the twelve aristocratic families, they were rich and owned a massive farm. Although they were the weakest out of all the twelve clans, at least they live a better life than the common families.

Nie Li dragged Nie Yu back to her house and then bid farewell to Nie Yu's parents. He then headed back home.

When he was almost at his house, he paused and raised his head.

Two young men blocked his way. The youngest was clad in brown clothes and appeared to be around Nie Li's age. As for the other, it seemed he was around seventeen, with his forehead wrapped in a silver bandana.

After two years in this world, Nie Li had already familiarized himself with all the people here. He had read the manhua before so he had references.

These two youngsters did not appear in the novel, but Nie Li vaguely remembered they were mentioned by their Father, Nie Chong, who boosted the achievement of his sons.

The youngest was Nie Long and the oldest was Nie Yu.

(A/N: Nie Yu the little girl and this Nie Yu are not the same person. Different Pinyin.)

In the original novel, Nie Long was already 1-star bronze Demon Spiritualist and for Nie Yu, he was 2-star silver Demon Spiritualist. But at the moment, Nie Long had not yet entered the bronze realm and Nie Yu was 5-star bronze realm at the moment.

"Eh...isn't this our diviner cousin, Nie Li? What are you doing outside in the middle of the night? Don't tell me you've been communicating with Gods?"

Nie Long smiled widely as he stared at Nie Li. But deep in those eyes seemed to flash with mockery.

Two years ago when he had been constantly telling the Elders about the disaster in the future, he had earned the nickname 'Diviner'. It was not to praise him but instead some sort of a joke.

Everyone in Heavenly Marks Family did not believe him at all, including his parents. Because he had caused his family branch side to lose face in the clan, Nie Li reflected and no longer tried to persuade people to believe him.

His efforts would not bore any fruition. On contrary, it only affected his family.

"Yea. I've chatted with the Gods. Do you want to hear what they said?"

"Oh, what is it?" Nie Long's ears perked.

Nie Li smiled. "It said that today a young man will piss on his bed and die from shock."

"O....oh, I wonder who might that be?"

"I remember the name was something like...Long...Right, Nie Long."

Nie Long nodded but then as he realized, his face turned incredibly ugly. He pointed furiously. "Are you looking to fight Nie Li?"

"You were asking me and I responded. When was I asked for a fight?"

Nie Li narrowed his eyes in confusion.

"Enough." Nie Yu waved his hand as he yanked Nie Long's sleeves, and then they sauntered out. Then Nie Yu paused and turned to Nie Li. "You may be smart with your mouth, Nie Li, but do your best on tomorrow's Clan Academy Test. If you fail, you'll fall harder."

After this, Nie Yu dragged the whining Nie Long.

"Just you wait, Nie Li! Tomorrow, I'll show you the difference between us!"

Only the scream of the young man what remained between heaven and earth. Nie Li looked at where the two disappeared and frowned.

Clan Academy Test was an important occasion in Heavenly Marks.

Children at the age of 10 had to participate in the assessment test. Those who performed excellently during the test would be granted an opportunity to study at the Holy Orchid Institute.

Of course, everyone was not compelled to participate in it. If your parents had the financial ability to send you to the Academy then participating in the Assessment Test did not matter.

It was like Scholarship back in his first life. Jake assumed Nie Li in the original novel failed the Test and only had the opportunity to study in the Academy thanks to his parents.

After returning home, Nie Li sprawled in his bed as he spread his hand, looking at the ceiling.

"That brat Nie Long..."

He gnashed his teeth but then he sighed. "Nie Yu was right. I am not talented like the original Nie Li nor I have his combat experience or knowledge. Tomorrow's Clan Academy Test. I'd undeniably fail."

"But why did God send me into this world? For what purpose?"

He reached out his hand and grasped the ceiling. It seemed as if he wanted to grab heaven and earth into his palm. "Only if I had a system..."

Ding.

[You have unlocked the Leveling System]

Nie Li froze. He rubbed his ears and sat up.

"What was that?"

[You have bounded the Leveling System]

Then a system screen suddenly appeared in the air.

Looking at it, Nie Li was stunned speechless. His mouth trembled.

"I...really have a system?"