Translator: CinderTL
Feng Qi woke up early.
He summoned his status panel and saw that his energy progress bar had dropped from 148.27% to 48.27%.
Just as he'd suspected, each time he entered the dream, he would have to replenish the progress bar from scratch.
Unfazed, he got out of bed and began his morning routine.
Today's schedule included a Cultivation Exchange Class, so he planned to attend that first, then spend the afternoon in the library studying cultivation studies.
After leaving his dormitory, he headed straight to the academy cafeteria.
His gaze swept across the north side of the cafeteria, where Mu Qing was still sitting in her usual corner, rain or shine. Her cheeks were puffed out like a hamster's, making her look adorably squishy as she chewed.
Judging by her appearance alone, Feng Qi couldn't reconcile her with the image of a great demon king who had plagued an entire era.
"Saving the misguided great demon king starts with sharing meals!"
He grabbed a tray, raided the self-service food area, and carried his loaded tray over to Mu Qing, settling down across from her.
"Senior Sister, what a coincidence! You're here for breakfast too."
Mu Qing: ...
Stuffing a meat bun into his mouth, Feng Qi continued with his usual familiarity:
"Senior Sister, about learning the harmonica from you... have you considered it?"
Mu Qing looked up, her gaze meeting his directly.
"There are plenty of tutorial videos online. You could learn on your own, or hire a music teacher from outside the academy."
"I'm too dense to learn on my own, and I can't afford a music teacher."
"Senior brother, are you short on cash? I have some. Do you need me to lend you some?" Lin Ran appeared beside Feng Qi, holding a tray, and sat down as he spoke.
Feng Qi: ...
He had finally found an excuse to approach Mu Qing, only for Lin Ran to ruin it.
"What if I don't pay it back?" Feng Qi snapped irritably.
"Why wouldn't you pay it back?" Lin Ran asked, bewildered.
"I borrowed it fair and square! Why should I have to return it?"
Lin Ran fell silent, shamefacedly lowering his head to sip his millet porridge.
The three fell silent, each focusing on their meal. Feng Qi, however, was lost in thought.
Despite his efforts to connect with Mu Qing, she remained distant and resistant. He couldn't even begin to understand or change her.
Yet he still wanted to try again. He didn't want to become an executioner, stained with the blood of his own kind, unless absolutely necessary.
Half an hour later, Feng Qi finished his meal and pulled Lin Ran, who had been waiting nearby, to his feet.
"Senior sister, we'll be leaving now."
Just as he turned to leave, Mu Qing suddenly looked up at him.
"If you really want to learn, come to the lakeside by the dormitory tonight. I'll teach you."
Feng Qi's expression shifted from surprise to a wide grin. "I'll be there on time!"
Mu Qing's sudden change of heart caught him off guard, but this was a rare opportunity to truly understand her. He couldn't let it slip away.
Leaving the academy cafeteria, Lin Ran's expression turned ambiguous.
"Senior brother, you're making progress!"
"Progress my ass! Women only slow down my sword draw. I'm doing this for all of humanity."
Lin Ran stared blankly, utterly unable to connect Feng Qi's pursuit of women with the fate of humankind.
Chatting idly, they arrived at the classroom for Combat Class One.
Just before entering, Feng Qi suddenly glanced up at the nameplate outside the door, his expression freezing in shock.
"Did they change the class? Why is this Combat Class One now?"
"No, this is the right place. You took the body cultivation class here last time, remember? I was so engrossed listening from outside. What's worse, Elder Bai notified me to attend Combat Class One, only for it to turn out he was trying to suppress me..."
Hearing Lin Ran's explanation, Feng Qi's mind pieced together a clear timeline.
"So I went to the wrong class before?"
Recalling how the students had immediately urged him to start teaching when he entered the classroom, and how their attitudes had shifted throughout the lesson, he instantly understood what had happened.
He had accidentally taken Lin Ran's place for the entire class.
Then he remembered the students' glowing praise of Lin Ran on the Star City Academy forum.
He finally understood: the praise hadn't been for Lin Ran, but for himself.
Thinking about it, it made sense. The Future People's assessment of Lin Ran was: "Technique research aptitude: S-Class; Cultivation Technique research aptitude: 'Malignant Tumor' level." How could Lin Ran possibly have any talent for researching body cultivation techniques?
"Senior Brother, are you going to teach the Cultivation Exchange Class again?" Lin Ran asked excitedly.
Lin Ran was deeply interested in Feng Qi's research on body cultivation techniques. Now that he had another chance to observe, his enthusiasm surged.
Seeing Lin Ran's eager expression, Feng Qi felt a sense of foreboding.
According to the Future People's assessment, Lin Ran was a historical malignancy and a scourge. While he had achieved remarkable results in technique research, the cultivation techniques he developed had harmed millions.
I must suppress his ambition to research cultivation techniques.
With this thought, Feng Qi turned to Lin Ran, his expression grave. "Lin Ran, are you particularly interested in researching cultivation techniques?"
"Yes! Since childhood, my parents have guided me in studying cultivation techniques. I'm determined to develop a cultivation technique that will shake the world!" Lin Ran declared confidently.
"It's not just a sensation, it's a full-blown explosion," Feng Qi muttered inwardly.
With this in mind, he earnestly advised, "I think you're still young. There are more important things to do than just researching cultivation techniques."
"Senior Brother, what do you mean?" Lin Ran asked, startled.
"Like, while you're young, go experience a passionate, earth-shattering romance. Feel the beauty of love," Feng Qi coaxed, trying to change Lin Ran's mind.
"No way. Women would only slow down my sword strikes," Lin Ran replied, shaking his head and sighing in Feng Qi's usual tone.
Feng Qi: ...
As they chatted, they arrived at the Cultivation Exchange Class.
The Cultivation Exchange Class brought together students from different classes every week to share their experiences.
The learning atmosphere was intense, with students gathered in small circles, discussing cultivation studies.
Feng Qi and Lin Ran found an empty spot and sat down.
But after a short while, they got up and left.
Feng Qi found the topics being discussed too advanced for his current level, leaving him completely bewildered. Lin Ran, on the other hand, found the content far too basic, nearly falling asleep.
That afternoon, Feng Qi and Lin Ran simply spent their time in the library.
During their casual conversation, Lin Ran learned that Feng Qi had developed a rudimentary body cultivation technique called the "Body Tempering Art." He immediately became as excited as a hyperactive puppy, eagerly pressing for details about its progress.
Feng Qi, never one to hold back, explained the opening principles of the Body Tempering Art to Lin Ran.
When Lin Ran pressed him about how he had conceived this entirely new path for body cultivation, Feng Qi adopted a deliberately arrogant expression and declared:
"I didn't even try to think about it. The inspiration just came to me, unstoppable as a flood. It wouldn't even let me sleep properly! Sigh, I had no choice but to get up and jot down the ideas swirling in my mind, which naturally led to drafting the foundational chapters of the Body Tempering Art. I'll refine the rest later."
Hearing such boastful words, envy flickered in Lin Ran's eyes.
Seeing Lin Ran's expression, Feng Qi knew he had successfully hoodwinked him. Now it was time to crush his confidence in developing cultivation techniques.
In Feng Qi's eyes, Lin Ran was a ticking time bomb on humanity's path to progress—a threat that needed to be neutralized.
Otherwise, this single individual could single-handedly stall the advancement of the entire human race.
Such destructive potential far surpassed that of ordinary domain creatures.
(End of the Chapter)
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