When Ash tried to check what the book was all about, he saw that it was lying quietly in his mind. Then the book started emitting a very bright light, and three large characters appeared on its cover. They read:
The Black Index
Then Ash heard a voice in his mind saying, "Hi, Ash. You can think of me as your friend and guide. I will help you to the best of my abilities so that you can take your revenge and reach the pinnacle of power in this world."
"Hey, how and when did you get here?" Ash asked, looking a bit flustered at the Black Index.
"I came from the source that helped you go back in time and change your fate."
"Who sent you here exactly, and what is their purpose?" Ash asked.
"I can't tell you that for now. You already know the answer to this question," replied the Black Index.
Ash said, "That's fine. Can you tell me what you can do for me now?"
"Sure, why not? I can help you access a very vast amount of knowledge regarding the people you call Transcendents or Extraordinary beings, and about how you can use your powers more efficiently and become stronger. I am one of the rarest treasures in this world, and now you are my master."
"I can tell you about things you never knew existed in this world, such as contracts, slave seals, formations, pills, and much more that you don't know about," replied the Black Index.
"Then how can I become a Transcendent? How do I gain those Extraordinary powers? Please help me," Ash asked the Black Index.
"Fine, I will help you. Now follow my instructions. First, focus your mind on the orb of light in your consciousness."
"What is that?" Ash asked.
"It is a part of your Extraordinary power—the power of Hypnosis," replied the Black Index.
"This power helps you develop your mind far beyond the ordinary, and with this power, you can manipulate people's minds and leave psychological hints in their subconscious to make them more obedient to you, without them ever knowing about it. You can do much more, but knowing this is enough for you now."
"Every Transcendent in this world has something like this in their mind. This orb of light helps people develop their powers. When it grows larger and more refined, you can understand it as advancing in rank."
"It's just that you can sense it because you are special, but other Transcendents generally do not know about this. Of course, there are exceptions, but it is very rare."
"Now let me tell you about the world of extraordinary people. The cultivation levels are divided into nine ranks, with the First Order being the lowest and the Ninth Order being the highest currently known order in this world."
"To become an extraordinary being, you need to train your body and temper your mind to break the boundary that separates an ordinary mortal from a Transcendent."
"To progress on your path, you need to circulate and refine the extraordinary orb in your mind. Through constant practice and tempering, the extraordinary orb grows bigger and more refined. When it reaches a sufficient size and its color changes, you advance in rank. This process remains the same all the way up to the Ninth Order."
"Now, to awaken your Extraordinary powers, follow my instructions."
After hearing this, Ash quickly sat down on his bed and began to calm his mind.
"Now focus on the orb in your mind."
When Ash focused on the orb of light in his consciousness, something extraordinary happened. The orb shone with a brilliant light, and Ash felt a strange energy flowing through his entire body.
This energy was strange—it was cold in nature, yet Ash felt very warm, as if he were bathing in a hot spring. The energy constantly caused his body to change, making it much stronger and tougher than before.
After some time, when Ash opened his eyes again, he found a black, very slimy substance attached to his body. He felt sticky all over, and a nauseating stench emanated from it.
Ash quickly jumped off his bed and ran toward the bathroom, frantically asking the Black Index in his mind what the hell was going on.
Seeing Ash's reaction, the Black Index started laughing and said, "There's no need to worry. These are just impurities discharged from your body. Go take a bath, and everything will be fine."
After taking a bath, when Ash came out of the bathroom and looked at his reflection in the mirror, he was stunned.
The boy in the mirror had a very handsome appearance, like the finest jade with its own halo.
Before this, Ash was not bad-looking—he was just slightly above average. But now, the boy in the mirror had sharp, angular facial features. His blue eyes were extremely attractive, capable of mesmerizing anyone with a single glance. He had a sharp, well-defined jawline and shiny, lustrous black hair.
"What happened to me?" Ash asked, staring at his reflection in disbelief.
"Don't be surprised. All the impurities in your body have been discharged, so your looks naturally improved."
"You should be happy, because I have a big surprise for you."
"Congratulations. You are now also an extraordinary being."