The Mist Lord's clues helped Feng Qi piece together fragments of information in his mind, forming a new line of intelligence.
Previously, he hadn't considered any direct connection between Mu Yan and Mo, but after the Mist Lord's analysis, he began to realize the similarities between them.
From Mu Yan's memories, it was clear that she had always been searching for miracles—miracles that could refer to humans with potential or those possessing some special traits.
One such miracle was Tian Shu, who had been personally cultivated by Mu Yan and later imprisoned in the underground base of Tiger Soul Research Institute.
Mo's situation was strikingly similar.
He, too, had been searching for powerful individuals within the domain world, cultivating them in exchange for a binding contract that required them to serve him in the future.
Following this line of thought—
In the memory images, Mu Yan perished after the sun disappeared, turning into a statue.
This indicated a strong connection between Mu Yan and the sun.
Meanwhile, in Ling Zhan's memories, Mo himself stated that he was merely a clone, not his true body.
And now, the Mist Lord had just revealed that the Blood Moon had another name in the domain world—Mo Yue (Mo's Moon).
If that was the case, then Mo's true body was most likely the massive blood moon that Feng Qi saw 1,500 years later, looming over the sky.
If these speculations were indeed the truth, then many lingering questions would finally have an answer.
Feng Qi turned to the Mist Lord, his expression solemn.
"Old Mist, does this mean that Mo's goal is to invade the human world? And that Mu Yan is his greatest enemy?"
The Mist Lord shook his head.
"I don't know the full truth, but if our deductions are correct and Mo's true body is the Blood Moon, then his recruitment of strong warriors is most likely in preparation for his battle against Mu Yan during his invasion of the human world."
Feng Qi frowned.
"Why does Mo want to invade the human world?"
The Mist Lord chuckled.
"That question isn't hard to answer. Our domain clans came to the human world because of the crisis of the Great Momentum. We had no choice but to leave our own world. Perhaps Mo Yue is facing the same problem. He knows his world is about to collapse, and when that happens, he will die along with it. His only escape route is the human world."
"In essence, his situation is exactly like that of the domain clans that migrated to the human world."
The Mist Lord fell into deep thought for a moment before continuing.
"Let's analyze this from Mo's perspective… If I were Mo Yue, and the Great Momentum crisis had already begun affecting my world, draining its spiritual energy and bringing everything toward decay, I would realize that if this trend continued, my demise would be inevitable. At that moment, my only way to survive would be to escape to the human world. But there's one problem—I cannot simply enter the human world. The human world's sun is incompatible with me. In that world, only one of us can exist."
"So, if I wanted to escape my dying world before the Great Momentum destroyed it completely, I would need to prepare in advance for my descent into the human world. The biggest challenge I would face is how to eliminate the human world's sun and take its place."
"Thus, I would begin recruiting strong warriors, binding them with contracts that prevent them from disobeying me, in the hopes that they would fight for me in the future. Since many of these warriors might die before reaching their full potential, my best strategy would be to 'cast a wide net,' signing contracts with as many potential powerhouses as possible. This is why we see figures like Ling Zhan, who had signed such a contract."
The Mist Lord fell silent for a moment before continuing.
"Now, let's fast-forward to 1,500 years later. By then, my world—the domain world—would be nearing complete collapse. The Great Momentum would be moments away from descending completely. My final battle with Mu Yan would be about to begin. If I cannot kill her, I will be doomed. And so, at my command, all the warriors who signed contracts with me would heed my call and descend, launching a final war against Mu Yan. And in the end… I win."
The Mist Lord turned to Feng Qi.
"That's why, 1,500 years later, you saw not the sun, but Mo Yue."
Feng Qi's heart trembled.
A scene flashed through his mind—one of the future dreamscapes he had experienced.
In that vision, when he opened his eyes, he had not seen just the Blood Moon. Instead, half the sky was covered by the Blood Moon, while the other half was illuminated by the sun.
The domain world and the human world were separated by a distorted spatial boundary.
During that time, the Blood Moon was pressing down on the sun, tilting the balance, while the domain world was slowly devouring the human world.
At that moment, spatial vortices constantly appeared in the sky, and countless terrifying domain creatures and powerful warriors descended, launching an invasion toward the east.
At the time, Feng Qi hadn't understood what was happening.
But now—
It was clear.
That moment was the final battle between Mo Yue and the Sun, the decisive struggle for control over the world.
(The narration hints at key events in Chapter 138, where the split-world scene was mentioned, and Chapter 141, where the monster invasion toward the east was depicted.)
A new doubt arose in Feng Qi's mind.
"Old Mist, if you were Mo, why wouldn't you just collaborate with the powerful clans of the domain world to kill Mu Yan? Why go through the trouble of cultivating potential warriors yourself?"
The Mist Lord chuckled.
"That's easy to understand. First, Mo's abilities might be extremely limited. He might not have the means to command the truly powerful beings of the domain world. Therefore, recruiting and binding warriors through contracts is the safest, most reliable method… This is evident from the fact that Mo was once imprisoned by the Psionic Race. Even though it was just a clone of him, it seems that his combat abilities are actually quite weak."
"With this deduction, we can also speculate about the true purpose of the Path of Ascension, as well as the meaning behind the spatial node you mentioned."
The Mist Lord smiled at Feng Qi and asked, "Ah Qi, following the train of thought I've given you, what do you think is the true purpose of the Path of Ascension? And why did Mu Yan abandon her pursuit of killing my future self when the spatial node was about to form and instead chose to leave early?"
Faced with the Mist Lord's question, Feng Qi fell into deep thought.
After a long silence, he spoke.
"Mu Yan created the Path of Ascension Warriors to intercept the arrival of domain forces as much as possible. Can I understand it this way—each time a domain field descends into the human world, a corresponding spatial node forms? And when the number of spatial nodes reaches a certain threshold, it signals the imminent arrival of Mo Yue. Mu Yan trained the Path of Ascension Warriors to stop or delay Mo Yue's descent as much as possible, buying time for human civilization to develop."
The Mist Lord nodded.
"Your reasoning makes sense, but why do you think Mu Yan was trying to buy time for humanity rather than acting purely out of self-interest?"
"I've seen fragments of Mu Yan's memories. She repeatedly mentioned fighting for humanity. I believe she always maintained a friendly stance toward humans and considered them her comrades. Even in her final moments before turning into a statue, her words, 'No one to stand with me at dusk,' referred to humanity."
"Moreover, in the development of human cultivation studies, Mu Yan's influence is everywhere. Unlike Mo, who only nurtured potential warriors to fight for him, Mu Yan's plans were often aimed at advancing human civilization. For instance, she trained the first dean of Crimson Academy and nurtured Wei Wei. These acts weren't simply for her own survival."
The Mist Lord suddenly nodded in realization.
"The intelligence we have does support the idea that Mu Yan was fighting for humanity. In fact, there is a fundamental difference between her existence and Mo Yue."
"What difference?" Feng Qi asked curiously.
"Although the Blood Moon shines over all domain fields, its significance in the domain world is awkward at best. Each domain clan has its own unique domain field, each with an entirely different environment. The Blood Moon's influence on the domain world is minimal, and it wasn't until 1,500 years later that it became the sole origin after all domain fields merged."
"But the human world is different. As the Sun, Mu Yan is inextricably linked to the survival and prosperity of humanity. In a sense, human civilization was born under the Sun. Everything in human society—culture, history, mythology, even modern technology—depends on it."
"On the other hand, in the domain world, the Blood Moon is more of a symbolic existence. Each domain clan lives in its own domain field, and the Blood Moon's importance pales in comparison to the Sun in the human world. This might be the primary reason why Mo couldn't garner the support of the powerful domain clans."
Feng Qi was stunned.
"So that's how it is. I never expected that the information we gathered earlier contained so many hidden connections. Old Mist, you're truly something else."
The Mist Lord shook his head.
"We're merely piecing together fragmented intelligence to form educated guesses. But whether our deductions are the absolute truth remains uncertain. We still need to investigate further. After all, speculation isn't necessarily reality."
Feng Qi nodded.
"Old Mist, what are your plans moving forward?"
"Me?"
The Mist Lord fell silent for a while before answering.
"First, I need to heal and regain my strength. After that, I have to start adapting to the rules of this world."
"You mean becoming a transcendent domain creature? By the way, something has always puzzled me—why can some domain creatures move freely in the human world while others can't? For example, you nearly perished while trying to merge with this world's rules. Yet, other domain creatures can roam freely from the start."
As he asked, Feng Qi recalled the Mist Lord's painful struggle before his death.
During his attempt to merge with the world's rules, the Mist Lord's essence shattered. If not for the intervention of Miracle Will, he would have been completely destroyed instead of resurrected.
It was only after that event that the Mist Lord became one of the rare domain transcendents capable of walking freely in the human world.
Faced with the question, the Mist Lord explained.
"The reason is simple. The compatibility between my domain field and the human world's rules is extremely low. Because of this, my existence—born from the Mist Domain Field—also had a very low compatibility with the human world. To become a transcendent domain creature, my domain field had to gradually merge with the external world's rules. During this process, my body was affected, slowly adapting to this world. Only then did I become what you call a domain transcendent."
"As for those domain creatures that could move freely upon arrival, it's because the rules of their domain fields were already highly compatible with this world. They didn't even need to descend with their domain fields to move around freely. For example, the Silver Moon Clan and many of the smaller races within the Domain Weak Tribe Alliance. This has nothing to do with strength—it's purely determined by the compatibility between their domain field and the human world."
Feng Qi nodded in understanding.
"So what's your next step? Are you planning to force your way into the outside world for integration, or will you stay put for now?"
"My domain field still needs time to merge with this world's rules. The sooner I leave, the better. Once I've regained my strength, I'll try to fully integrate with this world. But before I do that, I need to confirm the process in your future timeline first. After all, factors like changes in mentality might lead to different results."
"The me from the Sacrificial Timeline could do it, but that doesn't guarantee that I—after learning the truth—will succeed under the same conditions."
"Alright. I'll find you again when the Sacrificial Timeline is activated."
The Mist Lord nodded.
After chatting with the Mist Lord for a while longer, Feng Qi finally stood up and left the Mist Domain Field, walking toward Winterfell City as snowflakes swirled around him.
Three timelines, like three visits to seek out a wise sage.
At last, he had successfully recruited his trusted brother to his side.
As for the Mist Lord's abilities, multiple experiences across different timelines had already proven just how invaluable he was.
With Old Mist backing him up, Feng Qi felt reassured. Even if he were to die young, humanity's future would still move toward a better direction. It wouldn't be like the bleak outcomes he had seen in previous future dreamscapes, where humanity became one of the weakest forces in the future world, struggling to survive at the bottom of the food chain, lost and without hope.
[Or maybe, because Old Mist is helping you push for humanity's rise, he'll end up getting dragged down by endless trouble in the future timeline, leading to his downfall. Next time you wake up in the future dreamscape, you might not see Old Mist or any trace of human forces—just a brand-new domain race building its civilization over the ruins of human graves.]
"Shut that crow's mouth of yours."
[I'm just offering a possibility. It's not a certainty. The butterfly effect is massive, and every historical change alters the future in infinite ways.]
"I know. My job is to keep correcting history and guide everything toward the future I want."
[I'll be with you.]
"Thanks. When I get strong enough, I'll definitely create a brand-new body for you."
[Remember to make it muscular. Otherwise, I'll possess your body instead.]
Feng Qi: …
"Damn system, go eat shit."
[Damn zombie, I wouldn't eat you.]
As they bickered, Feng Qi's figure disappeared into the wind and snow.
—
Crimson Research Institute.
A Crimson-class aircraft landed on the helipad in the Crimson Base Plaza.
When the hatch opened, Feng Qi stepped out.
Descending from the aircraft, he walked straight into Crimson Base, heading toward the Crimson Conference Hall.
Even before boarding the aircraft, he had already contacted Old Dean Bai and requested an urgent Crimson Conference.
Following the familiar twists and turns through the base, Feng Qi arrived at the security checkpoint outside the conference hall.
He placed his phone into a designated toolbox and stepped forward. The scanner probes on the device swept over him three times, emitting a green light to confirm that he carried no electronic devices.
Even though he was one of Crimson's highest-authority members, this step could not be skipped.
At this point, the situation in Star City was clear—the possibility of Crimson being infiltrated was nearly zero, but these security protocols remained in place.
Everything was done in the name of safety.
After all, the Crimson High Council discussed matters that determined the future of humanity. The stakes were too high to take any risks.
Passing through the blue-lit corridor, Feng Qi entered the Crimson Conference Hall. The room was already filled with high-ranking members, with only his seat remaining empty.
As he took his seat, his gaze swept across the assembled council members.
"Everyone, I'm back. Now, let's go over the results of my meeting with the Mist Lord."
He then detailed his encounter with Old Mist, focusing on the key deductions they had made.
The true identities of Mu Yan and Mo were the core topics of discussion.
At first, the council members listened calmly, but as Feng Qi continued, their expressions shifted from seriousness to shock.
By the time he finished speaking, Wei Wei, who was seated beside him, couldn't help but speak up.
"I've met Mu Yan before. She possessed ageless beauty and an unending lifespan. If the Mist Lord's deduction is correct… then perhaps she truly is an avatar of the Sun, while Mo is the embodiment of Mo Yue."
Feng Qi nodded and added, "Everything we've gathered so far points in that direction. But to uncover the full truth, we need firsthand experience and deeper investigations. Besides, there are still many unanswered questions."
The discussion on Mu Yan and Mo grew intense.
—
By the time the meeting ended, it was already 9 PM.
After having dinner at Crimson Research Institute, Feng Qi returned to Star City Academy.
He pushed open the dormitory door and flipped the light switch on the wall.
The familiar surroundings came into view.
Closing the door behind him, he walked straight to his desk and sat down.
After countless efforts across multiple timelines, many truths hidden behind scattered intelligence were finally surfacing.
But at the same time, even more mysteries remained unsolved.
Was this world truly just a game?
What was the real reason behind the Dawn Army's massacre of an entire city?
What were the origins of the Miracle artifacts he carried, and what was the true nature of the narrator?
What exactly was the Great Momentum?
What was Little Black, and why was it hunting him?
How many human powerhouses existed on the Path of Ascension?
Were all of Mu Yan's elaborate plans really just to fend off Mo Yue's invasion?
For every mystery he unraveled, a dozen more appeared.
The road to the ultimate truth was still long.
Yet, despite this, Feng Qi felt no confusion, no hesitation in his heart.
There was a time when he had felt lost, struggled, and drowned in pain.
But the experiences from every Sacrificial Timeline had not only brought him suffering and intelligence—they had also tempered his resolve.
The narrator's voice suddenly echoed in his mind.
[The Sacrificial Timelines didn't just give you pain and information. They also transferred the unwavering determination of the you who walked those paths.]
Hearing this, Feng Qi nodded.
He opened his notebook.
Before planning for the next Future Timeline, he carefully reviewed all previous intelligence, reinforcing his memory.
After finishing his review, he picked up his pen and began drafting his next timeline strategy.
Future Line: Dawn Line.
Sacrificial Line Objective: Use this timeline to come into direct contact with Mu Yan and uncover the true events behind the Dawn Army's city massacre.
In the past, Feng Qi had no clear understanding of the world's power structure.
When he attempted the Mu Qing Line, where she established the Dawn Rebel Army, he encountered countless obstacles. But in this Sacrificial Timeline, Star City's political landscape had already become crystal clear, and now, he also had the support of the Mist Lord.
After countless attempts across multiple timelines, he felt it was time to retrace his steps on the path where he had previously failed.
If he could survive long enough to witness Mu Yan appearing at Mu Qing's side, then perhaps many unanswered questions would finally surface. He could use this opportunity to uncover the true nature of this world—and the truth behind everything.
Even more importantly, Mu Yan might hold the answer to the Great Momentum's descent.
At the same time, the development and construction of Star City would be a key focus of this Sacrificial Line.
After all, Mu Yan was expected to appear decades later. He couldn't afford to waste those years waiting.
If he could plan and build up Star City, perhaps it would bring a ray of hope to humanity's future.
Finishing one page, Feng Qi flipped to a new sheet and continued writing.
Time passed.
At midnight, the clock in Star City Academy chimed, and Feng Qi finally put down his pen.
After carefully reviewing the notes he had written, he stood up and walked to the fridge, retrieving a pre-prepared bottle of Clear Mind Brew.
Settling down on the sofa, he drank the remaining half bottle in one gulp.
As time passed, he noticed that the energy progress bar was rising—but at a noticeably slower rate than before.
Just as he had expected, in the past, half a bottle of Clear Mind Brew was enough to fill the bar completely. Now, it could only fill a third of the required energy to enter the future dreamscape.
At that moment, the narrator's voice echoed in his mind:
[It's probably because you've advanced into a higher-tier human. The energy requirement to activate the Sacrificial Line has increased.]
Hearing the explanation, Feng Qi nodded to himself.
A nearly threefold increase in energy demand wasn't much of a problem for him.
After all, he now had the full support of Crimson Research Institute and Tiger Soul Research Institute.
Forget about tripling the energy cost—even if it increased by three hundred times, it still wouldn't be enough to exhaust Crimson and Tiger Soul's resources for a single day.
The only real problem was the increasing burden of stacked negative emotions that came from entering the future dreamscape.
But the energy cost itself? That was no longer a concern.
At that moment, Feng Qi stood up and retrieved two more bottles of Clear Mind Brew from the fridge.
He gulped them down, allowing the energy progress bar to slowly fill. At the same time, he changed into fresh clothes and lay down on the bed.
Soon, the progress bar was maxed out, and Feng Qi closed his eyes.
—
Time passed.
Yet, Feng Qi found himself unable to sleep.
Staring at the ceiling, he realized something was wrong—he had insomnia.
Sleep was fundamentally a process of body repair and regulation.
But with his current physical condition, he had long surpassed the need for daily sleep. He simply wasn't tired anymore.
And that was only one of the reasons.
The second reason was that Clear Mind Brew no longer had any sedative effect on him.
With his enhanced body, the brew's medicinal effects dissipated almost instantly before it could even begin to work.
The third reason was the ever-accumulating negative emotions from past timelines.
Now that he could no longer be sedated, every time he closed his eyes, his mind would be flooded with memories from the Sacrificial Line.
Instead of making him sleepy, it made him more awake.
Realizing that he wasn't going to fall asleep anytime soon, Feng Qi sat up, ruffled his hair, and sighed in frustration.
At this point, he knew that Clear Mind Brew was still useful for energy replenishment, but it could no longer help him fall asleep.
"A-Bai, is there a talent that lets someone instantly fall asleep?"
[Of course, but the chances of you acquiring it are slim. You only extract the strongest talent from any domain creature you kill. Finding a creature whose strongest ability is sleeping would be harder than acquiring Infinite Memory Talent.]
"What if Wei-jie breeds one instead?"
[That could work—but tell me, what kind of creature's best ability is sleeping? And how would you even evolve that ability into a true talent?]
Feng Qi: …
Picking up his phone from the nightstand, he dialed Wei Wei's number.
After several rings, the call connected, and Wei Wei's voice came through.
"Calling me at 3 AM? What's up?"
"Wei-jie, I can't sleep. I need your help."
"Oh? You need me to keep you company in bed?"
"Cut it out. I'm serious. I need a way to fall asleep fast. Clear Mind Brew doesn't work on me anymore."
"Ah, got it. No big deal. Come over to Crimson Research Institute. I'll whip up a customized anesthetic for you. One dose, and you'll be out in seconds."
Hanging up, Feng Qi couldn't help but grin.
Having allies really was amazing—he didn't have to handle everything alone anymore.
With just one phone call, his problem was already solved.
Throwing on a fresh outfit, he left the dormitory and headed for the academy gates.
By the time Feng Qi arrived at Wei Wei's private laboratory in Crimson Research Institute, he saw her still busy at work.
It was clear that Wei Wei hadn't slept at all that night.
For her, pulling all-nighters had become a regular part of life.
Fortunately, due to her special constitution, staying up late had minimal adverse effects on her. If an ordinary researcher tried to follow her work schedule for a month, hair loss would be the least of their worries—they would probably end up half-dead.
Through the control panel screen, Feng Qi noticed that Wei Wei had pulled up his biometric data, seemingly running tests for the anesthetic formula.
Sensing his presence, Wei Wei turned her head and looked at him.
"Wei-jie, is it ready?"
She smiled and nodded.
"Of course. I already have anesthetic solutions on hand, like the one used for extracting your memories. But that formula is extremely rare, and my supply is limited. It's unnecessary for simple sleep induction. I'll prepare an alternative."
"Thanks for the trouble."
"Don't distract me now. Go do whatever you want while I work."
She turned back to the screen, adjusting the parameters with focused precision.
—
An hour later, Wei Wei stood up, retrieved a batch of spiritual materials from a refrigerated cabinet, and walked over to the workbench.
Before long, a vial of liquid blended from over a dozen spiritual ingredients was ready.
However, instead of giving it to him immediately, she brought it over to a testing device in the corner to analyze its effects.
Not knowing how long the research would take, Feng Qi got up from his seat.
"Wei-jie, I'm going to get breakfast. Want me to bring you something?"
"Anything's fine." She didn't even turn around.
Watching how completely immersed she was in her work, Feng Qi sighed internally and then left the lab.
—
On the way to the cafeteria, every Crimson Research Institute staff member he passed greeted him warmly.
In their eyes, he saw expectation—a hope for the future he would lead.
He was no longer fighting alone.
—
Returning to Wei Wei's lab with breakfast, he saw that she was already conducting live tests on lab mice.
After several hours, she finally came over with a vial of dark green liquid in her hand.
"Done. As expected, I'm a genius."
Looking at her smug expression, Feng Qi glanced at the now cold breakfast and sighed.
"Wei-jie, the food's gone cold."
"No worries. One missed meal won't kill me. I'll just have lunch instead…" She paused, then grinned mischievously. "So, are you going to eat first or just pass out on the spot?"
Her words left Feng Qi both touched and annoyed.
What did she mean by "pass out on the spot"?
At that moment, the narrator's voice echoed in his mind:
[I gotta admit, her wording is pretty accurate. Right before you fall asleep, your face is always super calm—peaceful, even.]
Feng Qi: …
Looking up at Wei Wei, he made his decision.
"Wei-jie, I'm not hungry. Let's get this over with."
"Suit yourself. This isn't an injectable anesthetic—it's a drinkable formula. I'm off to get lunch. I'm starving."
Leaving the vial on the table, she stormed off to the cafeteria.
Now alone in the lab, Feng Qi picked up the medication and left, heading to his private quarters within the Crimson Research Institute.
—
After verifying his identity, he entered his room and sat on the sofa.
Lifting the vial, he downed the liquid in one gulp.
At first, it was sweet, but then the taste quickly shifted to bitterness, and finally, a fiery burn spread through his throat.
The flavor kept changing, and soon, his tongue went numb. A heavy drowsiness swept over his body.
At that moment, the narrator's voice spoke again:
[Hurry up and sleep. With your recovery ability, this sedative won't last long. If you don't fall asleep before it wears off, this entire dose will go to waste.]
Without hesitation, Feng Qi lay down on the sofa and closed his eyes.
This anesthetic wasn't as strong as the memory-extraction formula, but it was still potent.
Drowsiness engulfed his mind.
Just before drifting off, flashes of images filled his thoughts.
This time, humanity had the Mist Lord's support. The future held endless possibilities.
When he opened his eyes in the future dreamscape, would he see a different Star City?
Would humanity be one of the dominant forces?
This Sacrificial Timeline had been paved by countless loops—obstacles had been removed, key figures had been brought into the fold, and everything was set for him to finally reach Mu Yan.
Through her, he could unravel many truths that still eluded him.
For the first time in a long while, Feng Qi felt truly hopeful.
[Uh… sorry to interrupt, but… what if—you know—what if you still don't live long enough to meet Mu Yan? There's still decades to go, you know. That's a long time for you to survive.]
Just as he was about to fall asleep, the narrator's words jolted him back to wakefulness.
Feng Qi instinctively flipped off the narrator in his mind.
Time flowed onward.
As thoughts churned in his head, the overwhelming sleepiness finally claimed him.
His expression became calm and serene.