Hijacking the Timeline

Upon reflection, he realized this was indeed a possibility.

The Scarlet Rune Crystal on Mu Qing was completely different from other rune crystals, possessing unlimited growth potential.

This extraordinary characteristic perfectly aligned with the capabilities granted by miracle items.

However, he found one aspect of this theory puzzling.

If Mu Qing’s rune crystal was a miracle item, why had she never been targeted by Blue-skinned Assassins?

When she first encountered a Blue-skinned Assassin, Mu Qing appeared genuinely surprised, clearly having never encountered one before.

Yet if it wasn’t a miracle item, he struggled to imagine how terrifying the owner of this Scarlet Rune Crystal must be.

The data Wei Wei had left him explicitly stated that Mu Qing had personally slain a Dragon-Tier (Fourth-Tier) super domain creature.

Mu Qing’s strength was at least Dragon-Tier, possibly even higher.

This indicated that the owner of the rune crystal possessed combat power far exceeding Dragon-Tier.

For example, when a Demon Dragon Rune Crystal is implanted into a human body, the individual’s growth potential cannot reach the level of a true demon dragon. There will inevitably be some degree of attenuation.

Wei Wei’s statistical analysis showed that this attenuation typically ranged from 40% to 95%, depending on the degree of integration.

However, these statistics were only valid after reaching one’s peak potential.

When Mu Qing died in battle, her body was still in its growth phase, far from reaching its peak.

Therefore, it was impossible to accurately gauge the Scarlet Rune Crystal owner’s true strength based on Mu Qing’s capabilities.

The thought sent a chill down his spine.

Such a domain creature might have reached chaos-tier (Fifth Tier), a level of calamity capable of annihilating all of humanity.

While pondering these matters, he began to eat voraciously.

About ten minutes later, Lin Ran arrived with his tray.

”Brother Qi, Senior Sister, good morning!” Lin Ran shouted, plopping down next to him with his usual boisterous energy.

Grabbing a fried dough stick, Lin Ran turned to Feng Qi. ”Brother Qi, Jiang Nanqiu is giving a lecture at our academy this morning. I’m going to check it out—wanna come?”

Feng Qi, who was mid-bite, immediately looked up.

Jiang Nanqiu was a name Feng Qi knew well. Old Wang had recounted his life story in detail during class.

Jiang Nanqiu had graduated at the top of his class from Victory Academy before rushing to the front lines to become a domain warrior.

During his service, he rose rapidly through the ranks, dispelling numerous Domain Fields and earning remarkable merits.

After half a lifetime spent on the battlefield, he was forced to retire due to severe injuries.

Rather than settling into a mundane existence, he continued his studies and spent years traveling between cities, promoting the spirit of humanity.

Like Wang Jinsheng, he sought to awaken the collective consciousness of humanity at a spiritual level.

The North Sea Battle Group, which he personally founded decades ago, remains active on the front lines today and has even been promoted to one of the Top Ten Battle Groups.

Currently, he is a highly renowned scholar in human society.

Having learned about Jiang Nanqiu’s extraordinary life, Feng Qi held him in deep respect.

When Lin Ran mentioned that Jiang Nanqiu would be giving a lecture at Star City Academy that day, Feng Qi immediately nodded.

”Alright, let’s go together.”

After finishing lunch, they bid farewell to Mu Qing and arrived at the academy’s lecture hall early.

The hall was already filled with students.

The front rows were completely occupied, so Feng Qi and Lin Ran settled into seats near the back.

After waiting for about an hour, a frail, white-haired old man walked onto the stage.

Compared to the textbook photos, Jiang Nanqiu’s body was now frail with age, but his spirit remained vigorous, his eyes brimming with youthful energy.

Jiang Nanqiu smiled and greeted the students in the audience.

During his speech, he didn’t dwell on grand ideals of human unity or the legacy of the human race. Instead, he shared personal stories, particularly poignant tales of scavengers—their sacrifices and struggles that moved the audience deeply.

Feng Qi recognized Jiang Nanqiu’s underlying message: to bridge the divide between city dwellers and scavengers, fostering greater unity among humanity.

The approach proved remarkably effective. By immersing the students in these stories, Jiang Nanqiu made them realize that scavengers, too, were selfless warriors willing to sacrifice for the greater good. They were humans, tirelessly fighting for humanity’s future.

The speech concluded with thunderous applause.

After leaving the lecture hall, Feng Qi bid farewell to Lin Ran and headed toward his dormitory. He planned to enter the Dream Realm and enlist Mist-Dyed’s help in eliminating the Three-Tailed. Only after obtaining the Mental Purification ability could he progress along the Future Dream Timeline.

However, before he reached the dormitory, Bai Fusheng called, instructing him to report to the Principal’s Office.

Puzzled, Feng Qi changed direction.

Moments later, he arrived at the Principal’s Office.

Pushing open the door, he saw Jiang Nanqiu and Bai Fusheng seated on the sofa.

”Grandmaster, Old Jiang,” he greeted them respectfully.

Bai Fusheng nodded with a smile and gestured for him to sit down.

After Feng Qi settled into his seat, Bai Fusheng introduced him to Jiang Nanqiu with a smile:

”Old Jiang, this is Feng Qi, our academy’s most outstanding student. He’s been granted special approval and is now a teacher.”

Jiang Nanqiu nodded amiably, then turned to Feng Qi and asked, ”Shall we talk?”

Though puzzled, Feng Qi immediately agreed. ”Of course, Old Jiang. What would you like to discuss?”

Jiang Nanqiu didn’t answer directly, instead glancing at Bai Fusheng.

Seeing this, Bai Fusheng’s expression turned slightly awkward. He quickly stood up.

”You two talk. I need to handle some matters.”

As Bai Fusheng left the Principal’s Office and closed the door behind him, Jiang Nanqiu turned to Feng Qi with a smile.

”I’ve been reviewing your research on cultivation techniques recently. I have high hopes for your future and believe you can go far in contributing to the advancement of Human Civilization.”

Then, Jiang Nanqiu’s tone shifted, his gaze locking onto Feng Qi’s eyes as he asked:

”If one day you discovered that pledging allegiance to a Domain Force could grant you longevity, power, and everything else you desire, would you betray humanity?”

Faced with the question, Feng Qi suddenly understood why Jiang Nanqiu had sought him out.

He surmised that Jiang Nanqiu likely knew some secrets about the Domain Forces’ infiltration of human society and was testing him.

With this realization, he immediately shook his head and said, ”No.”

”Why not? Everything you desire is within reach, and your future could have a far higher ceiling. Why refuse?”

”The future they offer me is definitely not the future I want.”

”You haven’t seen the future. How can you be so certain the future they offer isn’t the one you want?”

Hahaha, we’ll start with a question you can’t answer: you haven’t been to the future.

Hearing this, Feng Qi couldn’t help but smile.

But he clearly wouldn’t reveal his secrets to Jiang Nanqiu.

With a smile, he replied, ”Precisely because I haven’t seen the future, how can I know if the future they offer is the one I want?”

”It’s like the Domain Forces. Each one is a tightly knit group based on their species. I’m human. Even if I submit to a Domain Force, my future would only be as a dog. From a bloodline perspective, I could never truly integrate into their society.”

”If I were to abandon my dignity and betray my people for fleeting pleasure, my future would be utterly base and laughable.”

Hearing these words, Jiang Nanqiu smiled warmly. ”You’re right, but some things go beyond dignity and racial loyalty. I’ve reviewed your file. I know you lost both parents at a young age. If a Domain Force offered to resurrect them in exchange for your allegiance, would you still stand so firm?”

Feng Qi didn’t answer directly. Instead, he countered with a question: ”Old Jiang, what about you? If surrendering could restore your youth, grant you a new life, and fulfill all your regrets, what would you choose?”

Jiang Nanqiu shook his head. ”Life is fleeting, like a white horse flashing past a crack in the wall—gone in an instant. I’ve spent my entire life pursuing my ideals. Along the way, my convictions have only grown stronger. Now, my only regret is not seeing my ideal world realized. But at least I can ensure that the journey toward that ideal leaves me with no regrets.”

Feng Qi nodded inwardly.

The path to one’s ideals is undoubtedly arduous, but it is precisely through this struggle that one draws strength from their convictions, making their pursuit all the more steadfast.

He now deeply understood the meaning behind Jiang Nanqiu’s words.

”What about you?” Jiang Nanqiu asked again.

”Me? My life has been the exact opposite of yours—long, very long, like an endlessly revised and rewritten manuscript. Filled with constant failures and erasures, each time I put pen to paper, it’s for an idealized ending. For me, both the process and the outcome are equally crucial.”

Hearing this, Jiang Nanqiu’s face showed confusion. He clearly didn’t grasp the meaning behind Feng Qi’s words.

Feng Qi stood up, grinning. ”Old Jiang, rest assured, I stand firmly on humanity’s side, more steadfastly than anyone else. I’ve never wavered.”

With that, he turned and left the Principal’s Office without looking back.

In the corridor outside the Principal’s Office, Bai Fusheng stood waiting. The soundproofing was excellent, so he hadn’t heard a word of their conversation.

When he saw Feng Qi emerge, his face lit up with curiosity, but he refrained from asking what they had discussed.

”Finished chatting?”

”Yeah, Old Jiang was quite interested in me and asked some questions.”

Hearing these words, Bai Fusheng nodded in understanding.

Over the past few weeks, Jiang Nanqiu hadn’t been the only one seeking out Feng Qi.

Representatives from the Tiger Soul Research Institute and the Scarlet Research Institute had also visited. Now that Jiang Nanqiu had arrived, Bai Fusheng could fully comprehend the situation.

After all, Feng Qi’s recent performance had been truly remarkable.

He had even been hailed by the outside world as potentially the most gifted prodigy of this era, someone capable of forging an entirely new path in cultivation studies for the human race.

Inside the Principal’s Office, Jiang Nanqiu watched the door close behind Feng Qi, replaying his words in his mind. A smile spread across his face.

”May you uphold your promise and illuminate the path ahead for humanity,” he murmured, extending his palm.

At the center of his hand, a small, black sphere spun rapidly.

(End of the Chapter)

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