Facing Mu Qing's suspicion, Feng Qi completely understood her reaction.
Before acquiring the ability to traverse timelines, if someone had claimed to him that they could travel through time freely, he would have dismissed them as either a fool or a lunatic.
Such delusions would definitely have earned them a one-way trip to Star City Psychiatric Hospital, complete with heavy medication.
After all, the ability to travel through timelines went far beyond the limits of current scientific understanding.
As he looked at Mu Qing's stunned expression, he solemnly nodded again and said, "Senior, I'm not lying to you."
"I believe you," Mu Qing replied honestly, "but I don't trust you while you're under mind control. Whatever you have to say can wait until I've dealt with the domain creature controlling you." With that, she turned to leave.
"Senior, time is of the essence. Let me explain quickly," Feng Qi said urgently.
Mu Qing hesitated for a moment, her eyes clouded with worry, but she eventually turned back around.
If it had been anyone else, she wouldn't have cared. But Feng Qi was different.
Mu Qing's life had two pillars of support. The first was a shared drive among all scavengers: to avenge their ancestors and loved ones by exterminating the domain creatures.
Every scavenger was once a city resident who had been forced into exile due to the arrival of domain fields.
Countless people had lost their families and homes, and the souls of their loved ones now lay buried beneath the ruins of what were once cities.
Hatred for domain creatures coursed through the veins of every scavenger, and Mu Qing was no exception.
As a child, her parents had told her about how her grandparents and other relatives had died. She grew up understanding her parents' hatred for domain creatures.
Later, her parents themselves fell victim to a transcendent domain creature during a migration.
They were poisoned, and their bodies began to decay from the inside out.
Even with help from Star City's defense forces, the technology of the time couldn't remove the toxin. It could only slow its spread.
In the end, her parents volunteered for the rune modification program led by the Crimson Research Institute.
Their reasons for doing so were twofold:
First, they hoped that by participating in the program, the institute would look after their young daughter. They didn't wish for her to live a luxurious life—just one where she wouldn't have to wander or starve.
Second, they wanted to contribute to humanity's efforts to defeat the domain forces, even in death.
Mu Qing inherited both their hatred and their yearning for a better future.
One of her life's purposes was to fight against the domain forces and contribute to humanity's rise.
Her other pillar of support was Feng Qi.
This was something she had once recorded in a journal during a particular timeline:
"I never understood why people would place their hope in gods—beings that clearly don't exist and can't change reality. But later, I realized that when you're drowning in despair, even a fleeting spark in the darkness can warm your entire world."
This belief sustained her even in the heat of battle, providing a sense of solace and security.
It wasn't love, but it was something akin to faith.
When she was at her most lost and helpless, Feng Qi had been her beacon of light.
Her later friendships with Lin Ran and others were built upon the warmth Feng Qi had once given her.
It was Feng Qi who had told her to believe in herself and in humanity's eventual victory.
She had no doubt that without Feng Qi, she would have succumbed to the darkness within her long ago.
Without him, she would have become nothing more than a killing machine, consumed by hatred and fighting endlessly like a soulless husk.
But Feng Qi had brought her back, reminding her of her humanity and keeping her from being swallowed whole by vengeance.
Her childhood had been spent wandering the wastelands with her family.
Her happiest memories were the days spent at Star City Academy with Feng Qi and their friends.
For a brief time, she had been able to set aside her hatred and discover the joys of life.
She was willing to sacrifice herself to pave a path of hope for humanity.
But for Feng Qi, she was just as willing to sacrifice everything.
The white harmonica Feng Qi had gifted her had replaced her father's shattered one and had become her most cherished possession.
It was far more valuable to her than anything else in the world.
In Feng Qi's presence, she found it impossible to harden her heart. She was willing to give him countless chances to explain himself.
Taking a deep breath, Mu Qing straightened her posture, her gaze resolute as she looked at Feng Qi.
She had already made up her mind.
Even if Feng Qi was truly under mind control, even if that control could never be broken, she would protect him.
No one could harm him—not on her watch.
...
Looking at the conflicted expression on Mu Qing's face, as if she were wrestling with her thoughts, Feng Qi sighed deeply.
He could more or less understand what she was feeling at that moment.
After all, he had experienced a similar struggle before.
Back when he discovered that Wang Jinsheng was the Mist Lord, the foundation of his beliefs had crumbled.
It was Wang Jinsheng who had taught him courage, fearlessness, and sacrifice.
It was also Wang Jinsheng who had shown him that steadfastly pursuing one's ideals was a beautiful and romantic endeavor.
Wang Jinsheng had been his hero, the guiding light that made him choose the path of saving humanity.
He had been a symbol of faith.
When that faith was shattered, it brought nothing but pain and despair.
But now, Feng Qi had the chance to explain everything before the same happened to Mu Qing.
Looking at Mu Qing, who now appeared more confident and mature than in his memories, he began to speak.
"Senior, do you remember the cultivation techniques I developed while at Star City Academy? The truth is, I didn't actually invent them..."
He then carefully explained his ability to travel through timelines, recounting how he had obtained knowledge from the future.
However, he deliberately left out key information about the Crimson Research Institute, Lin Ran, and other critical secrets.
It wasn't that he didn't trust Mu Qing—he absolutely did—but she was not alone in this timeline.
There was a spy in her midst.
Any information she inadvertently leaked could result in this sacrificial timeline ending in total failure.
He could have told her about the existence of a spy, warning her to remain vigilant.
But the issue was that the spy might not yet exist in her present timeline but instead emerge in the future, when the Dawn Army was formed.
How could he ask Mu Qing to suspect every comrade around her in the future?
Such paranoia would undoubtedly disrupt the formation of the Dawn Army, causing significant deviations in history.
The repercussions could be unpredictable.
While some changes might be beneficial, there was just as much chance they would bring disaster, wiping out the potential of this sacrificial timeline entirely.
There would be opportunities to expose the spy in future timelines, but this timeline's purpose was far more urgent.
Its primary goal was to pass on critical information to his self in the distant future, 1500 years ahead.
When Mu Qing asked why he had infiltrated the Mist Lord's side, his explanation was simple:
He recounted how, in a timeline where humanity was already extinct 1500 years in the future, he had encountered the Mist Lord and learned of the secrets surrounding him.
This time, infiltrating the Mist Lord's ranks was his way of uncovering valuable intelligence.
Finally, he made one request.
Regardless of how this sacrificial timeline played out, even if it ended with him on the executioner's block, he implored her not to interfere.
Only by doing so could this timeline remain within his control, ensuring it served its purpose without unnecessary variables.
After hours of conversation, Mu Qing finally understood everything. Her shock was evident in her eyes.
But she chose to believe Feng Qi.
Taking a deep breath, a smile slowly spread across her face. She stepped forward and patted him on the shoulder.
"Feng Qi, you've done well. You didn't let me down."
"Senior, you're not too bad yourself," Feng Qi replied with a grin, imitating her and patting her on the shoulder in return.
It was then he realized something surprising. The petite senior who had once only reached his shoulder was now nearly his height.
"Senior, how did you grow so much taller over the years?"
"Maybe it's because I've been eating better. Back at the academy, the food was decent, but the energy content in the meals was too low, and I was always hungry late at night. Out on the frontlines, though, we often eat domain beast meat—it's highly nutritious."
At that moment, the cold facade Mu Qing usually wore was gone. Her face lit up with a warm smile, revealing a rare glimpse of her softer side to Feng Qi.
But behind her smile, Feng Qi noticed a flicker of concealed sorrow.
He knew that Mu Qing was feeling a pang of guilt and heartache for all the sacrifices he had made across countless timelines.
"Senior, the fight for the Bloodstone is still ongoing. Let's head back. If possible, help me ensure the Mist Lord survives."
"Got it!" Mu Qing agreed without hesitation.
Having learned of Feng Qi's efforts, her worries faded, replaced by a deep sense of compassion.
Now, all she could do was stand firmly by Feng Qi's side.
Just as they had promised one another that summer night by the lake.
"To fight for humanity's rise, even unto death, without regret."
...
As the first light of dawn broke, Feng Qi and Mu Qing arrived back at the canyon battlefield, where the fighting remained intense.
The ground around them had been transformed by the relentless combat, with deep craters and shifted terrain marking the area.
"Was I part of this battle in the original timeline?" Mu Qing asked curiously.
"I'm not sure," Feng Qi admitted. "I think you probably were, but only because you had no choice."
Turning to her puzzled expression, he explained, "Here's my guess: in the original timeline, you stayed on the sidelines, observing to figure out which combat squads were secretly domain forces.
"But when the Super Domain Creature appeared, its barrier would have enveloped the area, forcing you to take action."
"Super Domain Creature?"
"Yes. It'll show up soon. It's a big one and extremely powerful. History records that you killed it, but whether you have that same strength now, I can't say. Still, I'm certain you'll survive the encounter."
"I'd really like to see just how powerful this so-called Super Domain Creature is," Mu Qing said, her tone laced with anticipation as the mysterious bloodline energy within her began to stir.
"Alright then. I'll leave it to you. Just make sure the Mist Lord doesn't end up dying in some unexpected way," Feng Qi replied.
But before he could finish his sentence, Mu Qing had already transformed into a streak of jade-colored light and shot toward the heart of the battlefield.
Watching her swift movements, Feng Qi was momentarily reminded of Little Suction Cup, madly galloping forward with all four limbs while leaving a trail of dust in her wake.
The image brought a wry smile to his face, though he let out a sigh of relief as well.
Originally, Feng Qi had planned to dive into the fray himself to ensure he could shield the Mist Lord from any unforeseen dangers, even at the cost of his own life.
But now that Mu Qing was stepping in, he no longer needed to take such a risk.
Instead, he backed away from the battlefield.
If he got too close, his spiritual energy would spiral out of control, recklessly absorbing the chaotic mental power scattered across the area.
Once his physical body could no longer contain it, the only outcome would be his body bursting apart.
His consciousness wouldn't survive either—there was no possibility of spiritual immortality for him.
What made this method particularly dangerous was that the mental energy he absorbed wasn't refined. It was filled with countless impurities from various sources, making it volatile and unstable.
Such an amalgamation of spiritual power was akin to an unstable bomb that could explode at any moment.
Using this method to seek "immortality" after death? Completely out of the question.
Feng Qi shifted his focus to the Mist Lord, who was now moving through the battlefield.
Unlike the immensely powerful Mist Lord of 1500 years into the future, the current one wasn't nearly as formidable.
At the moment, he skulked through the chaos like a cunning assassin.
While keeping an eye on the Bloodstone, he took every opportunity to drain the blood of injured opponents, ensuring his own survival.
Whenever he absorbed blood, the impurities would become corrosive energy that merged with his gray mist, while the purified essence was refined into a potent life force.
The Mist Lord had perfected the art of utilizing blood to its fullest potential.
Even amidst the dense barrage of spells and attacks raining down across the battlefield, he managed to survive using his shameless regenerative abilities, growing stronger with every fight.
Every wound on his body would heal the moment he drank blood.
By now, Mu Qing had also entered the battlefield.
Unlike the Mist Lord, who weaved through the chaos, darting between attacks like a snake, Mu Qing strode through the fray with unshakable confidence.
Spells and abilities bombarded her, but they couldn't even penetrate the protective jade-colored aura surrounding her body.
She calmly stood on the edge of the battlefield's core, her gaze sweeping over the chaos. From time to time, she glanced at the Mist Lord, her expression focused and unwavering.
Internally, she was prepared. Should an emergency arise, she would intervene and ensure the Mist Lord's survival in a way that appeared purely coincidental.
Mu Qing's arrival quickly drew the attention of many Domain Creatures.
After all, her presence was far too conspicuous.
In a battlefield rife with chaos, desperation, and carnage, she stood out like a serene island amidst a raging sea.
Even the Mist Lord, who had been biding his time for an opportunity, noticed her.
As his gaze landed on her, he caught sight of the familiar jade-colored aura emanating from her body. A suffocating memory of near-death resurfaced in his mind, sending chills down his spine.
His movements faltered.
"Get out of my way!"
A Domain Beastman wielding a massive black iron club charged at the Mist Lord, swinging the weapon with all its might to clear a path toward the Bloodstone.
The Mist Lord's expression turned cold as he sidestepped the attack.
He might not be able to defeat Mu Qing, but against other Domain Creatures, he was far from powerless.
With a swift wave of his hand, his arm transformed into a plume of gray mist. A surge of life essence condensed into a blood-red spike that shot forward, piercing through the Beastman's chest.
The moment the gray mist made contact with the Beastman's blood, it acted like a vacuum pump, draining every drop of blood from its body in an instant.
The Beastman's lifeless, withered corpse crumpled to the ground.
Without hesitation, the Mist Lord retrieved his blood spike and glanced toward Mu Qing once more.
Seeing that her gaze wasn't focused on him, he breathed a sigh of relief.
By now, he was certain that Mu Qing had completely forgotten about him.
After all, so many years had passed. To her, he was likely just a vague memory—someone whose presence felt faintly familiar at best.
This realization emboldened him.
At that moment, the first rays of dawn broke over the horizon.
Despite an entire night of fighting, the struggle for the Bloodstone continued.
Instead of thinning, the number of Domain Forces joining the fray was steadily increasing.
Just as the chaos reached its peak, the sky above darkened without warning.
A small, twisting black spot appeared in the air, rapidly expanding as it rotated.
The distortion grew into a spatial rift, from which an enormous hand emerged, blotting out the light and casting a shadow over the battlefield.
An earth-shaking roar echoed across the canyon as more black specks materialized in the sky.
The specks moved with purpose, tracing out the intricate lines of a massive formation in midair.
From the center of the formation, a black veil began to unfurl, spreading outward until it enveloped an area spanning several kilometers.
This veil formed a barrier, cutting off all external energy flows, including the ambient spiritual energy.
The Super Domain Creature had descended.
The oppressive power emanating from its presence was so overwhelming that all combatants on the battlefield froze.
The bloodline suppression they felt was visceral, forcing even the bravest among them to tremble in fear.
Realizing that death loomed closer than ever, the combatants hesitated, their frenzy momentarily subdued by sheer terror.