Two months. That's how long it took to properly restore my fusion magic skills to calm-environment use. By school end, I should manage it in battle.
Having Mu Bai's memories, I navigated school and family fine. Honestly, not hard. Family treated Mu Bai like second-class until he showed grand talent, then they'd invest. Even then unlikely—the lion's share of business-free money for resources went to Mu Ning Xue at the Imperial Magic School, a big chunk to Mu Yuan, Mu Zhuoyun's adopted son, and the rest, including me, scraps. In two months, I got one icy mountain herb tincture, slightly aiding ice element star affinity. Mu Ning Xue gulped those daily; Mu Yuan once or twice weekly.
Only Mu He was kind to Mu Bai but didn't give resources—probably spent all on his hobby: membership in a civilization destroyer group, specifically the Black Vatican.
Won't touch him until Ancient Capital events, or I can't change them for the better. But no desire to maintain relations—I'll play the offended nephew card, whose favorite uncle skimped resources.
In school, I steadily hold first place, showing control of two ice stars (actually all; second spiritual boundary is peak high-tier mage level without special resources), genius speed. Building rep to fight for holy spring in final year—I'll need it for my plans. Planning nothing less than first trip between parallel realities.
With current reserve, I can stay there thirty minutes without spending time/space energy elsewhere. Want the white tiger totem vessel, knowing it's safe—in old sanctuary near Kunlun approach. We found it randomly after Holy City battle and gave to Mu Ning Xue—logical, she had contract with totem white tiger cub.
Why not take Mo Fan's pendant, cooler? Totem vessels bond to user; won't choose new until death. Won't kill Mo Fan. Not old camaraderie—pure logic. Mo Fan's talented mage, good guy, very useful. Especially without demonization element, avoiding Dark King puppet.
Home from school, lock room. No one bothers—think I'm cultivating.
Sit on bed, concentrate, merge time/space energies, input right intent via laws. Minutes later, forest breeze hits face. Open eyes: sitting by old small sanctuary, pillars carved with white tiger reliefs.
Stand, enter quickly, pull beautiful white tiger pendant from stone crack.
Once in hand, stop spell—back in room; pendant burns hand second—bond set. Congrats: now have totem vessel of one of China's four guardian beasts—White Tiger. Preferred phoenix totem, but unlike tiger, left no descendants, died fighting sea monsters over millennium ago. Don't know where its vessel is or if intact.
Know what to do next: sewers for one-eyed rats. Extract soul from one, upgrade pendant to elementary magic tool—then catch soul shards, synthesize artificial souls. In past life, envied Mo Fan's extravagant star upgrade method but only upgraded initial space/light/time to fifth step—money ran out, no magic totem vessel.