A powerful hunger surged through Feng Qi.
His body continued to shrink and wither, his vital energy rapidly depleting as his body absorbed and converted it.
At this moment, he finally understood the true nature of the Training Space's miraculous power—
It didn't just allow unrestricted growth through training inside.
Every enhancement gained from training would be reflected onto the physical body the moment the consciousness returned.
That was why, the instant he woke up, his entire body was drenched in sweat, his muscles sore and aching from exertion.
The result?
His vital energy reserves were insufficient to sustain his body's sudden growth and transformation, leaving him completely drained.
Nearby, the Mist Lord transformed into a fog-like form, floating toward the blood pool in the distance.
A crimson vortex erupted from the pool, forming a blood tornado that surged into his fog-like body.
The swirling black mist churned as the Mist Lord absorbed the life essence, replenishing the massive energy depletion caused by his training.
At the same time, Hei Xuan approached Feng Qi.
With a wave of his hand, a mountain of spiritual plants appeared out of thin air, their rich fragrance triggering an overwhelming appetite within him.
Then, with another wave, large chunks of spirit beast meat materialized.
Feng Qi didn't hesitate.
He pounced on the food and devoured it ravenously.
As soon as the spiritual plants entered his stomach and were digested, a surge of spiritual energy coursed through his body, gradually restoring his depleted strength.
However, he soon ran into a problem—
He lacked Mu Qing's digestion ability.
Eating fast and digesting fast were two completely different things.
Luckily, Feng Qi had anticipated this issue.
Without pause, he activated the half-developed technique created by Lin Ran—
"Devouring Technique."
This technique was specifically designed to aid digestion.
As the technique activated, his digestion rate skyrocketed.
His body, previously as dry and lifeless as parched earth, soaked in the nourishing energy like rain, quickly regaining its former vitality.
His skeletal frame rapidly filled out, muscles swelling back to normal, reversing his malnourished state.
After stabilizing, Feng Qi finally slowed down his eating pace.
Glancing down at his half-recovered body, he realized that the Training Space had a serious drawback—
If one didn't control the intensity of their training properly, they could literally starve to death the moment their consciousness returned.
This miraculous artifact essentially functioned as a conversion tool for resources.
Its unique trait was precise transformation, allowing users to select specific attributes for enhancement.
However, whatever power boost one gained inside the Training Space, the same amount of energy had to be replenished upon returning to reality.
Despite this limitation, its effectiveness was undeniable.
It locked in training results, without any bottlenecks or growth ceilings.
As long as resources were sufficient, this "Training Space" was essentially a god-tier artifact.
Swallowing a flame-like fruit, Feng Qi chewed and gulped it down, then lifted his gaze toward Hei Xuan.
Hei Xuan, who had been observing the Mist Lord, finally turned his attention toward Feng Qi.
Thanks to the Mist Lord's earlier analysis, Feng Qi had already pieced together Hei Xuan's true ambitions—
Ever since they broke away from the ancestral land faction, Hei Xuan's group had never intended to return.
They refused to surrender their control over the Sacred Spirit Consciousness Vault.
Now, they were cultivating external forces to cripple the ancestral land faction, preparing for the day they would overthrow them entirely and claim the true leadership of the Psionic Race.
This guy… was dangerously ambitious.
Beneath his calm and friendly demeanor, greed and hunger for power burned intensely.
Even Hei Ying, the rogue agent currently embedded in the Institute of Technological Research, was likely being manipulated by Hei Xuan from behind the scenes.
It was no surprise that Hei Xuan possessed Mu's "Task System".
He clearly had a much deeper collaboration with Mu than anyone realized.
Now that Feng Qi understood the bigger picture, a new question arose in his mind—
In the grand scheme of history, which side ultimately won?
Through his many visits to the future dreamscapes, he had never encountered the Psionic Race.
But that didn't necessarily mean they had disappeared.
After all, his explorations in the future timeline had been limited to Star City.
The Psionic Race primarily operated in Old Day City and beyond, making it entirely possible that he had simply never crossed paths with them.
Considering their potential for growth, it was highly probable that they still existed 1,500 years in the future—
And perhaps, by then, they had become one of the dominant forces in the interracial struggle for supremacy.
After all, the Psionic Race had an incredible head start.
The miraculous artifacts currently in their possession included:
Sacred Spirit Consciousness Vault
Training Space
Time Reversal
Curses
Five-Sense Suppression
Task System
And out of these, the "Curse" ability was the very thing that, in the later stages of the war timeline, had resulted in the death of Mu Qing, who had been severely wounded defending the city.
Besides these six, the Psionic Race likely possessed other miraculous artifacts as well.
Unless their internal faction conflict escalated into complete civil war, dragging them into self-destruction, their growth potential was limitless.
Even the Mist Lord's authority over the Tiger Soul Research Institute wouldn't be enough to stop the rise of the Psionic Race.
For them, even Blood Rituals were meaningless.
All powerful factions had their own unique paths to strength.
The Psionic Race had long since abandoned traditional physical cultivation, meaning that the Mist Lord's "crop harvesting" strategy wouldn't work against them at all.
Feng Qi analyzed the available information and concluded that the Psionic Race most likely still existed 1,500 years into the future.
As his thoughts swirled, the Mist Lord reformed his physical body and appeared beside him.
Turning his head, Feng Qi saw that the Mist Lord had shed his temporary human body, returning to his original form—a purple-haired, purple-eyed youth.
Hei Xuan spoke at that moment:
"From now on, you two should stay here. There's no need to return to Old Day Academy. Focus all your time on growth. During this period, I will periodically send resources to aid your development… You may leave if you wish, but do not step beyond Old Day City's boundaries."
"As for missions, I will call upon you when needed. Don't disappoint me."
As his voice faded, Hei Xuan's figure gradually disappeared.
Once he was gone, Feng Qi turned to the Mist Lord.
"Old Mist, what's our plan? Are we staying, or are we heading out?"
The Mist Lord grinned in response.
"Obviously, we're staying here to train. Think about it—Hei Xuan is working his ass off to gather resources for us, while we just eat, train, and grow stronger. On the surface, he controls us, but in reality, we're the ones exploiting him."
He chuckled.
"The more resources we consume, the more we profit. So logically, the best way to win… is to burn through as much of his stuff as possible!"
Feng Qi was stunned for a moment before giving the Mist Lord a big thumbs-up.
That logic was absurdly brilliant.
"As long as I consume enough," Feng Qi thought to himself, "I'm actually the one draining Hei Xuan's resources."
At this moment, he noticed a faint blue imprint on the Mist Lord's forehead.
Focusing his consciousness, Feng Qi quickly entered his mental sea.
What he saw was a golden ocean, completely different from the main timeline's version of his mental world.
In this version, there were no talent pathways or floating talent spheres.
Instead, a single, light-blue crystal hovered in the sky above the sea.
As soon as his consciousness touched the crystal, it twisted into a black vortex and pulled him inside.
A brief moment of dizziness followed.
When his vision cleared, he found himself back inside the Training Space.
Not far away, the Mist Lord was already at the endurance training equipment, getting started.
After a brief moment of thought, Feng Qi walked over to the neatly arranged stone weights, preparing to start his strength training.
Through careful testing, he selected the second-tier stone weight, which was most suitable for his current strength level, and began lifting.
As he repeated the movement, he felt warm currents occasionally surging into his body, and he instinctively imagined the changes happening within him:
Strength +1. I'm getting stronger.
Strength +1. I've grown stronger again.
This kind of visible and measurable growth made training incredibly satisfying.
Days passed.
Feng Qi and the Mist Lord remained in the Training Space, training without pause.
Whenever they felt mentally exhausted, they would exit the Training Space, consume the resources Hei Xuan provided, and recover their depleted energy.
Under this method, their growth rate skyrocketed.
On this particular day, as Feng Qi and the Mist Lord were in the middle of training, a new figure suddenly appeared in the Training Space.
Feng Qi, who had been lifting weights, immediately stopped and turned his gaze toward the gradually materializing figure.
The newcomer wore a white bone mask and was over two meters tall, with massive, muscular arms and a powerful build.
Noticing Feng Qi and the Mist Lord inside the Training Space, the masked man paused in surprise.
"Who are you?"
Feng Qi narrowed his eyes.
"You first. Who are you?"
That bone mask…
Feng Qi wasn't unfamiliar with it.
In one of the previous timelines, he had been captured alive by this very man, and in the end, dragged to the execution platform.
He had done some research on the origins of this masked individual.
Rumor had it that his ancestors had once produced a near-demigod powerhouse, who went on to establish the Dark God Clan.
And this man… was a descendant of that once-mighty clan.
Unfortunately, his clan had long since declined, and by the time it reached his generation, the Dark God Clan was a mere shadow of its former glory.
In pursuit of reviving his bloodline, this man had chosen to ally himself with the Psionic Race, becoming one of their subordinate factions.
However, despite also being a vassal under Hei Xuan's faction, the Dark God Clan's treatment was significantly worse compared to the Mist Lord's faction.
Yet there was something odd about this timeline.
Feng Qi was puzzled—
Why was the masked man here?
Based on the normal course of events, Hei Xuan was only supposed to recruit the Dark God Clan as a backup when he couldn't find the Mist Lord.
But now, the Mist Lord was already present.
So why was the Dark God Clan still being trained?
Could it be that… the Dark God Clan was already a vassal of the Psionic Race even before Hei Xuan had chosen them as a replacement for the Mist Lord?
Feng Qi had always viewed the Dark God Clan as a race with immense potential.
As for the Psionic Race's future, there was still no conclusive evidence proving their survival 1,500 years later.
But he was certain that the Dark God Clan had endured.
In fact, their ultimate plan had succeeded—they had even created a "Dark God."
The only problem was that by the time of the future timeline, the Dark God was physically incomplete, severely crippling his strength.
At best, he had reached the level of a demigod, but he fell short of true godhood.
Compared to the Pillar Gods, he was far too weak.
Even so, the fact that the Dark God Clan managed to survive and produce such a powerhouse spoke volumes about their potential.
By leveraging their partnership with the Psionic Race, they had successfully forged their own future.
But… it was also possible that while the race itself had perished, the plan had succeeded.
Perhaps 1,500 years later, the Dark God was merely a pawn, with Hei Xuan pulling the strings from behind the scenes.
When Feng Qi asked for his identity, the masked man didn't respond. Instead, he walked straight into the Wooden Dummy Formation and began training. Clearly, he had no interest in engaging in conversation and maintained a wary distance.
Although Feng Qi was curious, he didn't press the issue and continued his strength training.
For the next few days, the masked man would occasionally appear, train for a while, and then quickly leave.
Unlike Feng Qi and the Mist Lord, who were practically living inside the Training Space, the masked man seemed to have many responsibilities outside.
Then, several months passed.
Another newcomer arrived.
This time, the arrival was a green-skinned warrior. His face was weathered with age, his eyes burned red like embers, and two sharp fangs protruded from his lower jaw. He carried a short-handled battle axe on his back, and his armor was covered in cracks, as if it had endured countless battles. A wild, untamed aura radiated from his entire being.
Spotting Feng Qi and the Mist Lord, the warrior visibly hesitated, seemingly surprised by their presence.
"You two… were you recruited by Hei Xuan?"
Feng Qi nodded.
"What's your name, brother?"
"Lie Ren, from the Wild Beast Clan. And you?"
"Feng Qi."
After a brief exchange, Lie Ren walked to the stone weights and began his own strength training.
Compared to the masked man, Lie Ren was far more talkative. As he trained, he and Feng Qi casually exchanged information.
Lie Ren revealed that before being recruited, he had never infiltrated human society. His domain field had recently merged with the world's rules, and only then did he and his clan members gain the ability to leave freely. It was at that moment that Hei Xuan approached him with an offer too tempting to refuse.
He also disclosed a key piece of intelligence—Hei Xuan was planning to cultivate five external factions.
Lie Ren and another warrior named "Xuan Feng" were the first two recruits. Feng Qi and the Mist Lord represented the third faction.
Hearing this, Feng Qi frowned in confusion.
"I've seen a masked guy around here recently. Was he not recruited?"
Lie Ren lifted a massive stone weight above his head, then shook his head.
"That guy's just a preliminary candidate. He's allowed to train here, but every time he finishes, he has to provide his own resources to recover. He hasn't officially been chosen as one of the five factions yet."
Upon hearing this, Feng Qi finally understood.
"So… what kind of missions does Hei Xuan give you?"
Lie Ren let out a low chuckle.
"Mostly sabotage. Disrupting the Psionic Race's activities or stealing resources they need." He glanced at the small stone weight Feng Qi was lifting and added,
"But for you, it's too early to think about missions. The Psionic Race is overwhelmingly powerful. Even with my current strength, I wouldn't stand a chance against them head-on. Your priority should be getting stronger—otherwise, Hei Xuan will discard you."
As their conversation continued, Lie Ren glanced at the Mist Lord in the distance.
"That guy over there… what's his story?"
Feng Qi saw no reason to conceal the truth and explained the Mist Lord's background.
When Lie Ren heard that the Mist Lord was the leader of the Mist Clan, his expression changed visibly.
"Wait… he's the Mist Clan's chief?"
"You've heard of them?"
"Not before I came to this world, but during my dealings with Hei Xuan, I saw a list of potential recruits. The Mist Clan was ranked at the very top. If Hei Xuan values them this much, that alone proves their strength."
He paused, then asked with genuine curiosity,
"Let me guess—his ancestors produced a demigod-tier powerhouse, right?"
Feng Qi set down his stone weight and stared at Lie Ren in shock.
"How do you know that?"
Lie Ren grinned, shifting his stance slightly before answering,
"My own clan, the Wild Beast Clan, once had a demigod ancestor too. We've fallen from our peak, but the divine blood still runs through our veins. And it's not just me—Xuan Feng, the masked guy, and several others all descend from bloodlines that have either reached the demigod level or come into contact with the power of the Pillar Gods."
Feng Qi's eyes narrowed.
This was a huge revelation.
If what Lie Ren said was true, then every faction Hei Xuan recruited had a demigod ancestor.
Suddenly, a thought struck Feng Qi.
Could Hei Xuan be cultivating these demigod bloodlines for a deeper purpose?
His mind flashed to the Dark God that would appear in the future.
Could it be that Hei Xuan was secretly orchestrating the rise of the Dark God from the shadows?
Was he trying to create an army of demigods?
Feng Qi's heart pounded as his suspicions deepened.
"…And what about you?" Lie Ren suddenly interrupted his thoughts.
"Who was your ancestor?"
Feng Qi blinked, then casually responded,
"My ancestor? Oh, you know… Nuwa, Pangu, Kuafu… maybe even all three?"
Lie Ren froze mid-lift, his face blank with shock.
"…Are you serious?"
Feng Qi shrugged playfully, unable to hide the amusement in his eyes.