----------
π 2nd Anniversary MEGA Giveaway! Approaching in 17 Days! Join Us on Discord Now to Be Eligible!
----------
Translator: CinderTL
Feng Qi had long anticipated reuniting with Lin Ran after entering the Tiger Soul Research Institute.
What he hadn't expected was that it would happen so soon.
He had barely set foot inside the institute when he encountered Lin Ran.
Lin Ran rose from his seat and walked over, punching Feng Qi lightly on the chest. "Brother Qi! I couldn't reach you for years. Where on earth have you been?"
"Training on the front lines for a few years."
Looking at Lin Ran, whose hair now had streaks of gray and whose face had matured considerably, Feng Qi smiled and returned the punch.
A familiar warmth flowed through him.
"Why didn't you tell me you were going to the front lines? I almost thought you'd vanished into thin air!" Lin Ran said, punching him again. His face lit up with anticipation. "Are you planning to return to the Cultivation Technique Research path now?"
"Something like that. I'm just looking for a way to earn a living at the Tiger Soul Research Institute." Feng Qi nodded with a smile.
Hearing this, Lin Ran's face finally broke into a genuine smile.
Few geniuses truly earned his admiration.
Feng Qi was undoubtedly the most outstanding individual in his eyes.
During his time at Star City Academy, he witnessed Feng Qi's terrifying innate talent. Sometimes, Feng Qi could develop a cultivation technique from a flash of inspiration in just a few days.
After joining the Tiger Soul Research Institute, he gained a deeper understanding of cultivation technique research and realized just how extraordinary Feng Qi's talent had been.
Normally, developing a cultivation technique requires numerous steps, from initial concept to final implementation.
The process of creating a cultivation technique can also be described as refining the concept of cultivation.
However, there will always be a significant gap between concept and reality.
The effort required to create a cultivation technique is unimaginable.
Even after a technique is born, it must undergo multiple versions of updates and testing to ensure its path is free of hidden dangers before it can be safely released to the public.
After joining the Tiger Soul Research Institute, he had always wanted to join the Cultivation Method Research Group.
However, the institute's leadership never approved his application. Despite this, he continued to study cultivation technique research knowledge whenever he had free time and frequently reviewed the institute's historical research materials on cultivation techniques.
These materials included the data on the cultivation techniques Feng Qi had developed.
He was astonished to discover that all the cultivation techniques Feng Qi had developed passed their testing phase on the first attempt, requiring no further refinement or revisions.
This innate talent made Lin Ran understand even more profoundly how terrifying Feng Qi's talent had been in those days.
Years had passed, and Feng Qi's dazzling halo had faded. He hadn't developed any new cultivation techniques since.
Yet Lin Ran remained convinced that Feng Qi would inevitably make a triumphant return one day.
When that day came, he would be the most dazzling new star of this era, writing his own legendary chapter in the long river of history.
He believed this with unwavering certainty.
But over the years, Feng Qi's disappearance had deeply puzzled him.
He had even emailed the Scarlet Research Institute to inquire about Feng Qi's whereabouts, but the institute provided no response.
During inter-institute exchange conferences, he also asked Scarlet Research Institute researchers about Feng Qi, but they claimed to be unaware of his location.
He desperately wanted to use the Tiger Soul Research Institute's highest-level authority to track Feng Qi's movements through consumption and residency records.
Unfortunately, he didn't have the authority to casually access others' information.
Feng Qi's disappearance remained an unsolved mystery in his heart.
Yet he hadn't given up on finding him.
He planned to wait until he was promoted to management at the Tiger Soul Research Institute, then use his authority to access relevant records.
Under Lin Ran's enthusiastic welcome, Feng Qi sat down on the sofa.
Lin Ran sat beside him, a spark of anticipation in his eyes.
"Brother Qi, I'm sure with your abilities, the Tiger Soul Research Institute will create a dedicated Cultivation Technique Research Group just for you. When that happens, remember to poach me for your group!"
"As the head of the art magic research group, your next step should be to become the boss of the Art Magic Research Department, not to keep focusing on developing cultivation techniques."
Hearing this, Feng Qi couldn't help but roll his eyes.
"Developing cultivation techniques is my true dream. If I can't contribute to this field in my lifetime... I'll die with regrets."
Lin Ran felt a pang of shame hearing this.
After all these years, Lin Ran's passion for developing cultivation techniques hadn't diminished one bit.
"By the way, tell me, what exactly have you been doing on the front lines all these years?"
When asked, Feng Qi began reciting the carefully prepared explanation he had already prepared.
Watching Lin Ran nod occasionally, he felt a sudden pang of unease.
With Lin Ran's current influence, once the Lord of the Mist infiltrated the Tiger Soul Research Institute, Lin Ran would become the perfect target for body possession.
As it stood, Lin Ran was the most renowned genius in cultivation studies.
Every newly released art magic would draw a crowd of academy freshmen and front-line soldiers eager to learn it.
This level of influence held immense allure for the Lord of the Mist.
What the Lord of the Mist lacked most was an influential medium to promote his improved Flesh and Blood Sacrifice cultivation technique. At this moment, Lin Ran was clearly the ideal choice.
Just as the Lord of the Mist had once said:
Once the Flesh and Blood Sacrifice was initially spread, it would spread like a virus, fast and unstoppable.
Not only human cultivators but even Domain Forces would become "sacrifices" after attempting to cultivate it, and then pass it down to their descendants.
The influence of the Flesh and Blood Sacrifice was invisible.
On the surface, this cultivation technique offered hope to humans and Weak Domain Races, but in reality, they had already become nourishment for the Lord of the Mist's growth from the very beginning.
Yet he couldn't warn Lin Ran now.
After completing the body possession, the Lord of the Mist gained the ability to read fragments of memory.
In the Lord of the Mist's own words, the memories he read were random and couldn't accurately retrieve specific events from a particular time period.
But he couldn't take that gamble.
If the Lord of the Mist read the part where he confessed the truth to Lin Ran, the Sacrifice Line would be completely ruined.
That would be irresponsible to himself and, more importantly, to his companions on this timeline.
Their efforts would be reduced to nothing by his recklessness.
During their casual conversation, he suppressed his emotions and smiled, chatting with Lin Ran about the fabricated front-line experiences he had already prepared.
(End of the Chapter)
---------------------------
π Continue Reading [HTT] on ππππππππ.πππ.
π Read upto [130] Free Chapters ahead. No Login Required! Members can read upto [456] Chapters ahead.
Read 16 other high quality novels with 11.8K Chapters, only on ππππππ£π₯π.ππ π.
---------------------------