After closing the future version of his own message archive, Feng Qi turned his attention to the information Wei Wei had left him.
From Wei Wei's account, he learned about the developments that occurred after his death.
Old Wang had resisted his fate by choosing to take his own life, escaping the control of the Black Mist Lord. However, this did not alter the trajectory of the future.
Lin Ran became Old Wang's replacement.
In this timeline, after Lin Ran joined the Tiger Soul Research Institute, he demonstrated unparalleled talent in the field of spell research. Yet, he did not abandon his focus on cultivation techniques.
He eventually established the "Infinite Group" at the Tiger Soul Research Institute, continuing to research cultivation techniques and striving to fulfill his grandfather's unfinished wish of creating a technique capable of changing the future.
Although Lin Ran's influence was not as great as Old Wang's, he was still an idol to many cultivators and had already secured his place in history as the founding father of the "Seal Formation" school of techniques.
Naturally, he became the Black Mist Lord's optimal choice.
Leveraging Lin Ran's influence, the Black Mist Lord successfully introduced the groundbreaking cultivation technique "Flesh Sacrifice" to humanity.
The technique significantly increased the bloodline purity of cultivators, granting them physiques comparable to domain creatures. At the same time, it served as an excellent foundational cultivation technique.
In Wei Wei's words:
"If you ignore the hidden dangers within it, this technique could easily be called a divine-level cultivation method."
By practicing this technique, cultivators found it much easier to progress with other techniques later. The increase in bloodline purity enhanced their affinity for spiritual energy, dramatically improving their ability to sense, guide, and adapt to it.
Whether pursuing physical refinement or spellcasting, most cultivators began with "Flesh Sacrifice" as their foundational method.
As a result, "Flesh Sacrifice" became the first choice for humanity's cultivation practices.
Reading this, Feng Qi couldn't help but sigh deeply.
He was now almost certain of one thing: the cultivation technique Lin Ran had developed was tampered with by the Tiger Soul Research Institute.
In previous timelines, Lin Ran had likely developed an outstanding cultivation method through his own efforts—one capable of rewriting humanity's path in the field of cultivation.
The issues arose not during Lin Ran's development or testing phases but after his technique was published and disseminated.
In this timeline, with Wang Jinsheng gone, the Black Mist Lord naturally needed a new figure to replace him and promote "Flesh Sacrifice."
Lin Ran, with his considerable influence and his aspirations to transition to cultivation research, became the perfect substitute.
The rest followed like a replay of history. Lin Ran retraced Old Wang's path, ultimately bringing forth the "Bloodline Switch."
At the end of Wei Wei's messages, she left one final note:
"I've prepared a little surprise for you."
However, she didn't specify what the surprise was.
Feng Qi speculated that Wei Wei might have left a valuable gift at the Crimson Research Institute, possibly a high-grade talent capsule.
After closing Wei Wei's archive, he opened the search bar and entered Lin Ran's name.
The filtered results displayed Lin Ran's information:
[Lin Ran (Historical Luminary)]:
Lifespan: 253 years
Cultivation Technique Details: Visitor access restricted.
Cause of Death: Visitor access restricted.
Biography:
One of the top ten most gifted individuals in history, Lin Ran made numerous groundbreaking contributions in the field of spell research. He was the founder of the Seal Formation school of spellcasting and later became the leader of the newly established "Infinite" Group at the Tiger Soul Research Institute, where he delved into cultivation technique research.
During this time, he developed the epic cultivation method "Flesh Sacrifice," which used one's body as a cauldron to temper flesh, muscles, and bones. This method significantly improved the physical constitution and cultivation talent of practitioners.
In the following years, Lin Ran continued to make remarkable strides in the field of cultivation science, creating a series of exceptional techniques that advanced humanity's cultivation practices and benefited future generations.
Historical Achievements:
Historical Luminary, S-Class Human Elite, Leader of the Tiger Soul "Infinite" Group, Elite Member of the Tiger Soul Research Institute, Winterfell Academy Distinguished Graduate, Founder of the Seal Formation School of Techniques, Creator of the Five Elements Mutual Growth Techniques, Architect of Spell Trajectory 3.0…
After reading humanity's evaluation of Lin Ran, Feng Qi wasn't surprised.
By retracing Old Wang's historical path, Lin Ran inevitably earned the same accolades.
However, what puzzled him was why the details of Lin Ran's research into cultivation techniques were restricted from visitor access.
With lingering doubts, he opened the cultivation technique directory and searched for "Flesh Sacrifice."
Once again, a restriction message appeared on the screen:
"Visitor access restricted: Unable to view this technique."
Feng Qi froze at the sight of the message.
It made sense for other techniques rated three stars or higher to be restricted for visitors. After all, the domain forces sought to prevent humanity's cultivation system from advancing too rapidly, so they imposed various limitations on cultivation methods.
But "Flesh Sacrifice" should have been heavily promoted. Why was it restricted?
[Ah Qi, don't forget that domain creatures are also hostile toward one another. Flesh Sacrifice may benefit the Black Mist Lord, but it could pose a threat to other domain forces. Restricting access to it is understandable.]
[Just like how the Tiger Soul Research Institute might have orchestrated Little Black's malfunction, other domain forces could also be sabotaging the Black Mist Lord, preventing him from successfully promoting Flesh Sacrifice.]
Hearing the narrator's explanation, Feng Qi suddenly realized the rationale behind restricting access to "Flesh Sacrifice."
It made sense. Even among the domain forces, there was hostility. Their conflicts didn't cease simply because humanity had fallen. Naturally, they wouldn't want other domain forces to grow too strong.
As this thought crossed his mind, an idea took shape.
In the next timeline, perhaps Wei Wei could record the detailed contents of "Flesh Sacrifice" in the message archive, so he could bring it back to reality. Then, together with Old Wang or Lin Ran, he could research ways to eliminate the hidden dangers in the technique.
"Flesh Sacrifice" was rated as a divine-level technique for a reason. Its potential benefits were undeniable.
Instead of trying to suppress it, why not address the root problem? If they could find a way to resolve the dangers embedded within "Flesh Sacrifice," they could neutralize this crisis completely.
[Ah Qi, that's a clever move. You could analyze 'Flesh Sacrifice' in reality and collaborate with Old Wang or Lin Ran to develop a technique that counters its hidden threats. Then you could promote the new version widely.]
[If this plan works, just imagine the Black Mist Lord confidently snapping his fingers in front of Mu Qing, only to realize that his millennium-long trap had already been unraveled. That would be a sight to behold!]
Feng Qi grinned. "I'll definitely consider this as a direction for the next timeline."
The future remained shrouded in mist, but with his ability to traverse timelines, he could afford to make mistakes and try again.
Once he addressed the immediate dangers in reality, he could focus on fostering humanity's growth. Ultimately, his goal was to prepare humanity to face the final battle of the apocalypse with confidence.
Now that he had answers about Lin Ran and Old Wang's historical roles, Feng Qi felt some clarity. However, many questions still lingered:
What was Mu Qing's true identity? Why did Lin Ran's and Mu Yan's paths intertwine? What secrets did the Path of Ascension hold? What exactly was the connection between the Black Mist Lord, Little Black, and the broader network of domain forces?
And beyond these mysteries, the overarching issue remained humanity's lack of collective strength.
Even if internal threats were eradicated, external dangers still loomed large. The encroaching domain fields were those external threats, with countless domain creatures expanding their reach into humanity's fragile sanctuary.
During the apocalyptic war, Mu Qing had faced an endless horde of domain creatures. These, Feng Qi believed, were the external dangers that had to be neutralized.
Clearing internal obstacles was vital for humanity's healthy growth. But to counter external threats, humanity needed to become collectively stronger.
Balancing both fronts—internal stability and external defense—was the only way to withstand the invasion of the domains.
The path to ultimate victory was still long and arduous.
[Move it, buddy! Quick escape route needed!]
The narrator's abrupt reminder pulled Feng Qi back to the present. Little Black was approaching.
Without hesitation, Feng Qi turned and left the shelter, heading eastward.
As he traveled, he began contemplating a new possibility.
The message archive left by his future self had suggested that he consider joining either the Tiger Soul Research Institute or the Institute of Technological Research in a future timeline. By infiltrating one, he could gather intelligence and use their resources to counter the other.
For instance, joining the Tiger Soul Research Institute to target the Institute of Technological Research—or vice versa.
This strategy had now made its way into his plans for future exploration.
Following this train of thought, Feng Qi wondered: could he find a way to control Little Black from within the Institute of Technological Research?
If Little Black's malfunction was indeed caused by the interference device created by the Tiger Soul Research Institute, perhaps a counter-device could be engineered.
Such a "controller" could be his key to infiltrating the Institute of Technological Research's core and planting it within Little Black.
How to build such a device? Feng Qi had a simple answer: time. By accumulating knowledge across multiple 1,500-year spans, he was confident he could eventually crack the problem.
The prospect excited him.
If he could control Little Black, then with both Little Black and Suction Cup at his side, he could become nearly unstoppable in the Dream Realm.
He recalled the brief clash between the Black Mist Lord and Little Black during a previous timeline.
In the end, the Black Mist Lord had chosen to retreat rather than risk a prolonged battle with Little Black. That moment alone spoke volumes about Little Black's terrifying potential.
If he could gain control of Little Black, Feng Qi envisioned storming the Black Mist Lord's domain with Little Black and Suction Cup at his side, dragging the Black Mist Lord out of his lair for a thorough beatdown.
If possible, he even wanted to leave the Black Mist Lord in such a dazed state that he could use Nightmare's abilities to pry into the Black Mist Lord's memories and strip away every secret hidden in his mind.
[Bro, snap out of it. If this keeps up, you might as well start writing a power-fantasy novel about Feng Qi the Overlord. The next scene would probably feature the Black Mist Lord kneeling before you, begging for mercy, calling himself a fool for offending the great Feng Qi Supreme… Pfft, just thinking about it is so cringe!]
Feng Qi: "…"
"If I really were that powerful, the first thing I'd do is drag you out of my head, stick you in a physical body, and make you beg for mercy."
[Heh. By that point, my true form would already be revealed. I'd possess your body and crown myself the new Feng Qi Supreme.]
Feng Qi: "…"
"Now I'm genuinely a little nervous."
[Don't be. When the time comes, just call me 'father.' Maybe I'll show you some mercy.]
"Spit!" Feng Qi growled.
As they bantered, Feng Qi arrived at the outskirts of the city's ruins.
This terrain was familiar to him. Slowing his pace, he adjusted course toward the secret base of the Crimson Research Institute.
Wei Wei's "surprise" lingered in his thoughts.
Feng Qi speculated that she might have left him some top-tier rune modification technology or even a unique talent module.
If he could bring such technology back to reality, it would allow the Crimson Research Institute to enhance humanity's abilities in future timelines. Much like how the Spicy Lobster's modifications had granted him "Cellular Regeneration," humanity could benefit greatly from customized talents.
These thoughts reignited his determination as he marched forward. Whatever lay ahead, he would face it with unwavering resolve.