From Now On......

"What's up, dude!" Hearing this exclamation, I had hurriedly turned around by reflex. The person in front of me was a man on the same height as me. His hair was shiny but rough, his hair was rough, the shiny part must be from his hair product. His face was weathered with clear wrinkles already event, he was evidently middle aged going to his elder status.

He was wearing a suit but it was quite thin and flimsy, a low quality product. His belly also protruded like a pregnant lady. Here i was judging him the instant i saw him but it was a natural human response based on sound facts and logic, even more so was that i viewed him as a stranger so of course i sized him up.

I saw the lit up face and smile and judged that he was absolutely genuine, i knew how to spot a snake. Evidently, he was a forgotten acquaintance, i had quite a few of those. Especially as a billionaire, people just suck up to you and act like they're your friends when they really have a hidden motive, sometimes they were genuine, rarely though.

From what i could see, this man was the latter. His body language was unlike the materialistic snakes.

"Sorry?" I slightly smiled and queried.

"It's me Wayne! From highschool remember! Man those were the days, we talked about anime in whispers so the girls didn't hear and you didn't want to talk to the others were had anime debates blatantly infront of them. Even then you were so cool. Its good to see you again man!" His expression grew brighter with each word. I always liked genuine people and i didn't get on my high horse for old friends.

"Ah Wayne. Its been ages right? I still remember how we joked about becoming rich in the past." I went up to him and put my hand on his shoulder with a smile.

"Yea, we always knew you'd be rich but not THIS rich. That's so good man!" I felt nostalgic as he brought me back to the past, all those years ago... Even then i was looking ahead, to this very moment even, i saw it all coming. Farsight and Self control were two of my traits that i sought to embrace.

Now i'm fit and in shape. Still youthful while most of those from my past were salary-men, ragged and crooked, barely making ends meet. Time was really ruthless. I had the urge deep within me, my sensitivity, my kindness: my weakness. To take pity on those like him. But some would find me arrogant and call it charity. Most of all money ruined friendships. It had ruined many of mine. And also I made it my goal not to show my weak side ever.

Like them, as i saw the poor man begging on the street, i felt pity. But i can't save them all, even though i really wanted to. I wanted to be hero in my youth as well. Even as a mature cynic i still despised watching people suffer. Their faces alone broke my heart.

But while i was weak inside, i knew how to control it. Because i knew the truth of human nature, using the money given as charity to gamble etc. Spitting in the face or biting the hand that fed, it happens. As it was human nature. Just as i was confused as to which religion was right; from being exposed to all them. I just adopted attitude of waiting and seeing. My money wouldn't be passed to my descendants as i had none. I gifted my family self sustaining businesses and backup money in secret. At my death my billions would be scattered in charity. That was the best i could do as a normal selfish human, admittedly if i dedicated my life and time to it, i probably could have changed even more lives.

The ones i saved would have to do.

********

As i looked around the streets and bars, i saw it again. Human nature. I had to live with it but thankfully we have our charms as well. If i was an otaku who never touched a woman or a poor failure at life perhaps i'd seek to satisfy my regrets but i had none. I did the best i could. As much as i loved women, i needed 'me' time. I wasn't thirsty for anything but freedom which even then i could not have, well not just yet.

As i looked out the window and activated my spiritual detection, within a thousand metres, i felt the presence of several soul masters, soul scholars, soul grandmasters and even a few soul elders. However they were all over 30 years old.

Spirit master's cultivation, before twenty years of age is an extremely important process; one can say that achievements up to twenty years of age decides future success. Thirtieth rank is the fire and ice dual heaven threshold. If crossing this threshold before twenty years old, then future prospects are limitless. If unable to cross over in twenty years, then, also forever unable to leap beyond.

Youth has the advantage, youth can have the potential.

He would be free spirited in these early years starting when he milked all he needed from Shrek, it wouldn't take all that much time.

As a world traveler in a sense, he appreciated martial souls and soulforce more than this world's inhabitants. How could he dare waste his talents? How could he dare to waste his dreams of becoming strong enough to fly? How could he dare to waste the dream of every anime fan when he was lucky enough to world travel and reincarnate? Who didn't want to be like a series main character eat, sleep, fight and adventure!

" Speaking of which I'm hungry." Stretching his limbs, Sei Meio got up and yawned. His eyes were brighter than they'd ever been, they were practically burning with purpose.

Everything in this life so far and from now on were things he chose and nothing was forced upon him, he didn't have to worry about what people thought either. What more could he ask for? His dreams had come true. He'd make the most of it.

****************

A figure sat cross legged, with his back ramrod straight. The peek of sunlight through the blinds started to warm up the little room.

Slowly starting to inhale through his nose, gently exhaling through his mouth; continuous inhalations and faint exhalations that, in the end, became a splendid cycle.

During this process, his eyes suddenly opened wide. A faint trace of purple qi seemed to flash in the light of the growing bright grey dawn in the distant horizon. Without astonishing vision and concentration, it would be impossible to notice it.

At the sight of the purple qi, the boy's spirit was so completely focused he no longer even exhaled, only a light and slow inhalation. At the same time the two eyes firmly stared in concentration at the flickering purple light.

The purple qi didn't last long; by the time the eastern light gradually rose to become daylight, the purple qi had completely vanished already.

Only then did the boy, with a long exhalation of internal turbid qi, slowly close his eyes. White qi poured out through his mouth like a bolt of unrolling silk before it slowly dispersed.

After sitting quietly for a long time, the boy once more opened his eyes. In the center of his eyes there was surprisingly, perhaps because of that impure purple qi, a glimmer of light purple. Although this purple didn't remain long before quietly disappearing, that very existence was nevertheless distinct.

A wise man once said, how you do anything is how you do everything. Sei Meio was a perfectionist in all his tasks, even the simplest like making in his bed

"To obtain something you must give something, to surpass everyone that ever lived before me and after me, I'll have to sacrifice something truly precious.... I already have the answer to what that is, and it seems like fate itself is telling me that it's the right thing to do."

It was ironic really, to surpass them, he will be forever inferior to them in that one thing.

He was pondering about his future and how he should go about it, and this was the conclusion he came up with.

Sei Meio was a business tycoon in retirement getting to start over his youth, his talent, luck etc, including his martial souls could be likened to money, they were billions. As a tycoon he knew, to get himself in the mindset. It was the point of view that he used to everyday for years, it was natural for him to substitute his talents as 'assets'. As such he knew exactly what to do.

"I wish I'd" He'd heard it plenty of times and made it his goal not to be one of the ones who said it but no one is perfect. He knew exactly what to do. If you had one million dollars when Facebook or Amazon was starting up what would you do? He knew that he already that not only did he have the capital but he had amazon itself too, not just Amazon but Facebook, Microsoft, Apple, Google, Instagram, Twitter, Tiktok and two of the recent ones before he passed Welope and Kodane.

He had all those companies and the capital. If he didn't become a multi-trillionaire or trillonaire at the very least, there would have to be a new word to be invented, to describe his idiocy, stupidity and incompetence. There would be stories about him. Parents would tell their kids 'Don't be like Sei Meio'.

He didn't know what his future would bring but he knew what was required of him, he couldn't be like huo yuhao, or tang san. For the sake of perfection he had to sacrifice the most precious thing of all but he felt it like all those times before, that it was the right thing to do.

The concept of equivalent exchange from the legend itself, Full Metal Alchemist, it was ever so real. He had one thing that marched the value of what he wanted and he was prepared to give it up.

As if making a big decision Sei Meio took a deep breath and clenched his fist. He then left the room after checking up on the girls.

(In case you were wondering, No I'm not going to tell you what it is, yet. It'll be revealed in a key moment but I've left hints:-) , A.N.)

....

His spear was a trash martial spirit, it had no presence soulforce wise, he had tried it a few times and it proved successful, he could use all three martial souls at the same time, he could use his eyes as they were always a part of his body, the spear however just had too weak or an entire lack of presence to conflict with his Snow Emperor Martial Spirit.

It remained to be seen if that would hold for the future when he added soul rings.

He hadn't a clue where to start in terms of adding rings to his spear, yet. He could only focus in the spear itself and ignore everything else. A plus was that it took very little soulforce to materialize so he could use it for an entire day.

Someone of this time period was so focused and dedicated that they achieved the intent level of the sword, why should he limit himself to any less.

Thankfully, his spear had no presence, he used his Spiritual Detection and senses to detect it's soulforce fluctuations and found a very low intensity vibration. Even then he couldn't be sure as his mind could be tricking him. Wish for something enough and it'll appear. If you're wishing to see someone, chances are a vague silhouette will look like that person right until the moment it's not.

Wish for something and the moment you see something unclear you'll automatically assume or hope it's what you want. So he couldn't know if his desire for there to be a soulforce fluctuation had created a phantom one.

As for his spear training regime, he could only go after the basics and the spear techniques he learned from veteran masters back on earth. He wanted to create something purely 'him' but that couldn't just appear out of nowhere, so until it came to him, he'd practice the basics.

' Should I follow them or not, Damn it now it's in my head and I can't get it out.'

The them in question or two psychos, One punch Man and another mc from a novel, they did their practice 10 000 times.

"There's no other option." Whilst squeezing these words out of his lips reluctantly, Sei Meio brought out a small notebook and carved out words on its beautiful leather silk like cover, it was a crime to damage to book made with such advanced techniques. It read thus: "Training Manual to become an Op Mc". He was reluctant but it had to be done. He couldn't waste all his bountiful assets. He opened the book to the blank pages but he didn't write just yet.

I have a combined knowledge of at least a hundred anime, manga, webtoons and novels. There are a lot of overpowered mcs there able to destroy even planets (Goku) and I've never made it that far or I just don't clearly recall but those novels take it a step further with some galaxy, universe destroying mofos. I've got to sort through all that knowledge to make a training guide. Sei Meio looked up to the sky. The clouds floated away along with his beautiful sleep and laziness. He looked up into the heavens and down into the earth.

He then collasped dramatically to the ground. Tears, sorrowful tears, running down his cheeks. He didn't know why but foreseeing the future, he saw pain. Every mc had trials and tribulations. He might even die from them since he wasn't a real mc! The future seemed bleak.

"I guess every mc is masochist. Some of the anime ones had sadist instructors. But this poor potato has to torture himself ...…F***k my life."

After some rounds of pep talk, back patting and self motivation, Sei Meio finally got off his ass and started practicing. His first pre training exercise:

If anyone had caught sight of him at this moment, they definitely would be staring wide-eyed in astonishment. Each of his steps was shockingly capable of bringing him nearly 3 ⅓ meters. The mountain's crevices and uneven ground could not be said to have any effect on him as he effortlessly dodged and rapidly advanced between openings. Even compared to adults he would still be much faster.

With his increase in spiritual power, his mind processed things more smoothly. His comprehension ability seemed to increase. Tang Ya's notes were also top tier as they had 10 000 years of tang sect leaders writing down their insights with the techniques. Surely a sect master only treatment but he also benefitted from robbing her.

Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record only described six types of martial skills, separated into the inner strength internal technique Mysterious Heaven Skill, hand skill practice technique Mysterious Jade Hand, vision cultivation technique Purple Demon Eye, capturing technique Controlling Crane Capturing Dragon, light body technique Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, as well as hidden weapon use technique, Hidden Weapon Hundred Separation.

He had gained proficiency in the record, he wasn't sure exactly how his comprehension was. It should be average or so.

*************

As he looked at, the droplets of water falling from the morning sky, the sound of the pitter patter against the rocks, the picturesque scene of small drops on the green veiny leaves, the cold air swishing to and fro, the dark cloudy sky and the chirrup of the birds and insects; all lulled him into a state of serenity.

His senses fed to him something he had once lost, the rush of the beauty of nature in it's raw form to extreme detail from his enhanced senses. Not only from being normal but also from possessing a spiritual type martial soul.

As someone who once wore glasses for myopia, it was bliss. Especially since he wasn't born with it and only later had to wear glasses. The impact hit him harder, he always liked to watch nature, he had always entered a trance like state and found his mind wandering freely from staring fixatedly at just one grain of sand amongst its brethren.

It brought him a feeling of relaxation.

'Now that I think of it, it was a day like this wasn't it?'

The day he truly 'saw' his mother, at least this life's mother. It was quite the unexpected occurrence to say the least.

He had already possessed the memories and immortalized statue of his mother of his previous life so he resisted strongly at first.

But ironically, he suffered from the same problems as he had with his first mother. Obviously love wasn't a given especially deep rooted love. It was something you had to earn. His first mother had done so. Of course , it was only this life he had the mind of an adult. Previously in his childhood he was just as bratty as any child.

His mother punished him here and there. They didn't see eye to eye sometimes and quarreled, she married a drunkard for a husband, let that drunkard walk all over, the list went on. But it was hard to maintain malice with your mother not just because of some 'blood' BS. But reality, he lived in her house, she worked six days a week, she fed him, put food on the table.

Washed his clothes, sent him to school, bought him everything he needed and wanted that was in her ability. Despite all her faults, she always put him first and went through a lot working by herself at a shitty job. With a drunkard husband who stole her money regularly to drink.

He always thought that stupid, why didn't she fight back for real and leave. All she did was curse and did nothing to stop him. It was only until later when he was about to move out and turn into an adult he understood. He couldn't be judgmental because he was the same, he suffered in a toxic relationship he put himself in. As any teenager in the 21st century, social media and the added bonus of anime, manga and novels sucked out the most precious thing of all, time.

And he let them, he let it happen. When he should've been hard at work to get them all a better life out of the barely middle class level. Of course, thankfully he for focused and on point but as someone who married procrastination he had no right to judge her. She had also proven time and time again, the sacrifices she made for him and his siblings.

So it was hard to stay mad at her. Eventually he accepted it as it was. And she was his most beloved person in the world, his reason for living other than being too cowardly to die. He never had a purpose until he decided his purpose was to enjoy life. But he couldn't do that without being rich, this wasn't some fairytale.

He loved his mother wholeheartedly and died without any lasting regrets. He died feeling accomplished, he had 'lived'. That was why he had no problem leaving her as a beautiful memory. Besides, If was inevitable humans were like that non recurrence events fade into the sea of memories. Like your kindergarten friends who didn't keep in touch, most don't even remember their names and faces.

That was why he knew. That day made it clear. It was raining like it was now and they were in that shabby cottage.

* Cough! Cough! *

The hoarse sounds of her delicate throat beat against her voice box, as she had breastfed him and took care of him for years it was hard not to catch feelings he wasn't a rock. Although it was nothing compared to his first mother he still felt for her.

Seeing her ragged, cold, sick and pale, his heart ached a bit. He opened his mouth like a fish and tears almost dripped from his eyes , they would've if he wasn't worried about his image. It was then he let out his babyish voice that irritated him beyond end, but it couldn't be helped, he was seven. And born frail.

"Mother, let's leave this place. They don't treat us right at all, the world is big we can..!"

"Silly yuhao. What would you know about the world." She interrupted him and patted his head but the rage from seeing her in her current condition prevented her hand from soothing him.

"No! We can't stay here, no one wants us here so let's leave!" His heart beat increased rapidly as his little face turned red , ripe with emotion. His cheeks puffed still filled with baby fat , dramatically reducing the seriousness of the situation to his dismay.

"Not at all my son, your father wants us. One day I'm sure you'll become a great soul master like he is." She smiled gently, rustling her hand in his hair. Any normal child would give up but he was a grown man who had his own thoughts, and he WOULD make them heard, especially since it had to so with their wellbeing.

"No! He's nothing. He's a pile of cow manure. He doesn't want us that son of a b*tch doesn't know we exist, he's !"

Slappp!!!!!!

His little face was spewing out all their injustices before being cut short by a hard slap to the face. At normal times he was the type to bite back like a vicious hound fed on raw meat but this was his mother and the thought of hurting her didn't even register in his mind.

"Stop that at once Dai Yuhao. He's your father and the man I love most. Where did you learn such repulsive words. You must not say such words again. Are we clear?" Her previous kind and loving expression was gone and replaced by a cold glare.

He was still out of sorts from the surprise attack. He placed his tiny hand on his mouth subconsciously and found that it stung but the pain didn't register. The blood spilling from his mouth dyed his pink palm red. The dislocated tooth stabbed his nerves strongly causing him to tremble.

He looked towards her bleeding hand, she had struck him hard enough that even her frail hand was injured. And he was but a child. But even then he didn't notice. He was just full of shame and guilt and unwillingness. Like any other child in his shoes. And he was a child, he looked like one, talked liked one, was in the same position as one, he didn't know it, well he did know it, it started slow but eventually he accepted her as a mother. A flamethrower was useless underwater so was his knowledge in his family situation, a child helpless to world. His tiny limbs were even more frail than an ordinary child's.

He was a humbled child.

"I said are. we. clear." She slowly uttered those words but the gazing young boy saw her angry deathly gaze and could feel her displeasure in the air, placing pressure on his tiny frame, the person behind the gaze was his mother so his de facto response of violence was absent.

He held his mouth and nodded. Her glare then slowly disappeared. She replaced it with a smile and then rubbed her bloodied hand. Her gaze landed on his swelling mouth and red cheek.

"Ou , you're bleeding. Come let mommy look at it for you." Seeing him back up in fear, she hurriedly apologized but she didn't get through to him because he was just now noticing her eyes full of love. Any normal seven year old would be mistaken by her actions and pure love and think they were the one at fault , they wouldn't see it but he could.

Those eyes were looking at him but he wasn't reflected in her gaze. Another man was reflected in her gaze. And it wasn't him. It was then a biting cold assaulted his heart. He ran outside angry but he was still almost 50 in the end. It didn't even take a day for him to swallow it up, stomp it out, go back and apologize with a fake smile and act like everything was normal.

But from that day onwards. She was a mother in name only to him but still, she hadn't done the unthinkable so hating her was uncalled for, so was loving her when she didn't love him. She was reflecting the love she had for duke on him. So he spent his days as an obedient yes man. Thankfully children needed lots of sleep and when he wasn't sleeping he was cultivating with her urging.

So he hadn't to wear his hypocritical mask for too long. She bit the dust , he always had an inner conflict of indirectly causing her death by not helping. But he tried, he really did as much as he could have but she wouldn't budge and he was incapable of using force physically.