Old Day Eastern Supply Zone, Death Star Third Combat Brigade Base.
6:00 AM.
Feng Qi, already awake, stepped out of his residence dressed in a lightweight training outfit, heading toward the open-air training field located within the manor's grounds.
On the way, he passed by the orchard and casually plucked a few fruits to stave off his hunger.
Ten minutes later, he arrived at the spacious open-air training field situated in the rear left corner of the manor. The training field was larger than a football pitch and divided into three sections.
The left section was the equipment training area, lined with various pieces of equipment for strength training, coordination exercises, and speed improvement. The right section housed a weapons training area with three rows of weapon racks. They held blunt weapons, sharp weapons, and concealed weapons, while a line of targets for spell precision training was set up at the front. The center section was the combat training area, its surface covered with a thick layer of soft sand, designed for sparring among the base's combatants.
Although the open-air training field lacked the comprehensive facilities of an indoor training center, it remained one of the most critical zones within the Death Star Manor.
Jogging to the equipment training area, Feng Qi began his regimen with body conditioning exercises, focusing especially on his new blood-red left arm.
This new limb had fused with his body but hadn't yet reached full compatibility with the Demon Dragon Rune Crystal embedded within him. To enhance this synchronization, Feng Qi had to subject the arm to rigorous daily training, similar to his regimen at the Crimson Research Institute.
He had to admit that the arm crafted by the Mist Lord was far superior to his original. It wasn't just about its strength—within the new arm, the Mist Lord had condensed a blood core, granting Feng Qi the ability to absorb blood energy.
However, the efficiency of converting blood energy was relatively low, ranging between 1% and 3%. Still, the arm significantly boosted his physical capabilities.
After a quick warm-up, Feng Qi lifted his blood-red arm, directing it toward a wooden barrel in the distance. With a subtle motion, the blood within the barrel of field creature fluids was drawn into the air, swirling and morphing in midair under the pull of the blood core within his arm.
With another motion, the floating blood returned to the barrel. This exercise was part of his daily practice, honing his ability to manipulate blood. Feng Qi theorized that such precise control might yield unexpected results in combat—for instance, disrupting an opponent's spellcasting by accelerating the blood flow within their body.
The Mist Lord had taught him several advanced blood control techniques over the past few days, significantly broadening his understanding of the skill. However, his capabilities in this area still lagged far behind the Mist Lord's—an insurmountable gap at this stage.
After hours of intense training, Feng Qi was drenched in sweat. Flipping out of a handstand supported by just his index fingers, he made his way back toward the residential quarters.
After showering and changing into fresh clothes, Feng Qi headed to the brigade leader's office.
Pushing open the door, he saw the Mist Lord seated at his desk, his expression serious as he tapped away on a tablet. Taking a seat in front of the desk, Feng Qi casually brewed himself a cup of tea and smiled.
"What's wrong? Did that Mu Qing character stir up trouble again?" he asked.
The Mist Lord glanced at him before responding, "The Dawn Combat Brigade she founded has already been promoted to an A-rank brigade. It's just one step away from reaching S-rank. Looking at the detailed mission records of her recent joint operations, I feel like the gap between her and me is only getting wider."
Realizing that the Mist Lord was brooding over Mu Qing's rapid progress, Feng Qi grinned. "Why bother worrying about her? Do you think her growth potential surpasses yours?"
The Mist Lord shot him a glare. "Why do I feel like you're enjoying my frustration?"
"Of course not," Feng Qi replied, feigning innocence. "I'm just curious why you're so fixated on her."
"It's not like I want to. News about her is everywhere lately. She's constantly making headlines on frontline combat reports. Even if I tried to ignore her, it's impossible. Damn it, the more I see, the more it annoys me."
Draining his tea, Feng Qi laughed. "Alright, old Mist. Tell me your detailed evaluation of her."
"She has an extraordinarily strong physique, reflexive combat instincts, and a jade-like aura that makes her nearly indestructible," the Mist Lord began. His tone grew increasingly grave as he spoke, his mind conjuring an image of Mu Qing.
Particularly, he recalled the times she entered a berserk state, with a phantom beast manifesting behind her. The sheer presence of the beast exuded a terrifying dominance that made him feel suffocated, as if he were standing before a monstrous creature wreathed in demonic flames—a force capable of reigning over the world.
Feng Qi listened intently to the Mist Lord's account.
He was particularly intrigued by the origins of the rune crystal embedded in Mu Qing. While he hoped the Mist Lord might provide some clarity, it was evident the latter was equally clueless.
As the Mist Lord recounted his encounter with Mu Qing, his description was vivid and unsettling. It was akin to an ordinary person confronting a starving tiger—just a glance at her eyes sent shivers down his spine, an instinctive dread that couldn't be quelled.
This primal fear was precisely why Mu Qing had left such a lasting impression on him.
"I have no idea how humanity managed to produce such a monster. Sometimes, I wonder if she has a Miracle Item hidden within her," the Mist Lord muttered with a sigh.
Feng Qi nodded silently. Miracle Items could take various forms, and it wasn't out of the realm of possibility that hers resembled a rune crystal.
One of the Mist Lord's earlier conjectures further supported this theory. He had speculated that Miracle Items might be formed from the primal power of the Pillar Gods. While there was no concrete evidence to substantiate this claim, it remained an intriguing hypothesis.
If the theory were true, it stood to reason that Mu Qing's crimson rune crystal could be a crystallized form of a Pillar God's primal essence. Furthermore, the shadowy beast that appeared behind her during her berserk state might very well be the lingering projection of a long-dead Pillar God-level entity.
Of course, this was nothing more than speculation pieced together from fragmented information. The true nature of the crystal was likely something he, in this sacrificial timeline, would never uncover.
Feng Qi sighed inwardly. Life was short, and his purpose was to follow the predetermined trajectory of this timeline, creating as much value as possible in the limited time he had. As for the mysteries that lay beyond his reach, they would have to be solved by another version of himself.
After a moment of contemplation, his gaze shifted to the green bracelet adorning the Mist Lord's right wrist.
"By the way, have you figured out what this Miracle Bracelet does?" Feng Qi asked.
The Mist Lord shook his head. "I've been experimenting with it over the past few days, but I still have no idea how to activate it. In its current dormant state, there's nothing remarkable about it. I've tried channeling different types of energy into it, but nothing works."
"Could it be that we were mistaken? Maybe it's not a Miracle Item after all?" Feng Qi mused.
"No, it's definitely a Miracle Item," the Mist Lord said firmly. "The energy that the humanoid leader used to summon that shadow creature clearly originated from this bracelet. I do have a theory, though. The shadow bore a striking resemblance to the humanoid tribe. When the other tribe members saw it, they immediately knelt in reverence. I suspect this bracelet has the power to summon ancestral spirits."
Feng Qi chuckled at the seriousness of the Mist Lord's expression. "Summon ancestral spirits? Spirits of the dead?"
The Mist Lord glared at him. "You're underestimating the potential of Miracle Items. Their abilities often defy the rules of cultivation we know. What you think is absurd could very well be the true power of a Miracle Item."
"Take this for example: there's a Miracle Item capable of summoning the consciousness of ancient ancestors who have been dead for countless ages. Humans refer to these as souls."
"These Miracle Items are insane," Feng Qi admitted, nodding.
Reflecting on it, he realized the Mist Lord was right. He had encountered plenty of Miracle Items with outrageous capabilities. The most egregious of all was undoubtedly Little Black. Following that, Qin Shikong's "Deduction Fragment" was similarly absurd—it allowed him to simulate others' destiny trajectories and foresee parts of their future.
Compared to those, a Miracle Item that could summon ancestral spirits to augment its wielder's strength didn't seem all that far-fetched.
Their conversation was interrupted by a notification that popped up on the Mist Lord's tablet. A video call request appeared on the screen.
The Mist Lord glanced at the request and shot Feng Qi a meaningful look. Understanding the unspoken signal, Feng Qi immediately fell silent.
The Mist Lord accepted the call. On the screen, a bald man appeared, his expression respectful.
"Commander Wang Yi, I represent the Institute of Technological Research. I am here to formally invite you to the upcoming Research Institute Exchange Conference."
The Mist Lord's face remained stoic as he nodded. "I understand."
Without another word, he ended the call.
"What was that about? Did the shadows behind the Research Institute summon you for a meeting?" Feng Qi teased.
"Yeah," the Mist Lord replied, shrugging. "As one of the core members of this organization, it's only natural they'd call me to a meeting after so long. Besides, it's a good opportunity to gather intel."
"Go on then, and make sure you don't get yourself killed," Feng Qi joked.
"Do I look that weak to you?" the Mist Lord retorted, rolling his eyes. However, his gaze fell on Feng Qi's blood-red left arm, and he stopped himself from saying more.
The sight reminded him of how Feng Qi had saved him not once, but three times—first during their initial encounter in the snowy forest, and later in two life-threatening battles where Feng Qi had risked everything to protect him.
These words from Feng Qi carried an air of casualness that felt strangely natural.
Noticing the faint guilt in the Mist Lord's expression, Feng Qi stood up, patted the Mist Lord on the shoulder, and said with a smile, "Remember your promise. When you reach the pinnacle, make sure there's a place for me by your side. I'll take my leave now."
The Mist Lord didn't reply but nodded solemnly as he watched Feng Qi's departing figure.
The following day, late at night.
The Mist Lord left the Dead Star Third Combat Brigade's estate and boarded a plane bound for Future City.
For the next half month, the Mist Lord neither returned nor contacted Feng Qi.
During this time, Feng Qi was solely responsible for managing the brigade's various affairs. Beyond his administrative duties, he dedicated the remainder of his time to rigorous training aimed at enhancing his body's adaptability.
The compatibility between his blood-red left arm and the Demon Dragon Rune Crystal continued to improve as a result.
Now, the only noticeable difference between his left and right arms was coordination. In every other aspect—recovery speed, durability, and strength—the left arm far surpassed the right. The power it could unleash was more than three times greater than his original arm.
One morning.
After finishing his training, Feng Qi headed to the commander's office early. His routine began as always—brewing a pot of tea and then picking up the latest reports on the desk to review.
Suddenly, the door swung open. A familiar figure wearing a mask and carrying a black backpack appeared.
"You're back?" Feng Qi put down the report in his hands as he recognized the figure.
The Mist Lord removed his mask, closed the door, and sat down at the desk with a grim expression. "Guess what I discovered at the Research Institute conference this time?"
"Not interested. Just tell me," Feng Qi replied, rolling his eyes.
The Mist Lord felt slightly deflated at the blunt response but pressed on. "During this core meeting, the shadow forces behind the Institute of Technological Research assigned me to participate in a project currently underway. It's called the [Black Reaper Project]. Over the coming days, 90% of the institute's resources will be allocated to accelerating its development."
"I don't understand. What does that even mean?" Feng Qi asked, frowning.
"I don't know the full details either. What I do know is that this project consists of countless sub-projects bundled together—things like the 'Eternal Project,' the 'Spiritual-Energy Nanobot Project,' and so on. All these smaller projects form a part of this larger initiative."
"As for the project's ultimate goal, the shadow forces didn't disclose much. They only told me I'd be responsible for a resource acquisition sub-project, which basically means earning spiritual resources to fund this grand initiative."
Hearing this, Feng Qi's heart sank.
If his suspicions were correct, this so-called "Black Reaper Project" was undoubtedly connected to the creation of Little Black.
He had previously assumed that the plan to create Little Black was solely called the "Spiritual-Energy Nanobot Project," based on information provided by Mo Fei. Later, when his sacrificial timeline led him into the second echelon of the core circle, he still thought the project centered on psionic nanobots.
But the Mist Lord, as part of the first echelon, clearly had access to more comprehensive information. This was the first time Feng Qi had heard the term "Black Reaper Project."
If psionic nanobots were merely one component of this initiative, then it was almost certain that the "Black Reaper" referred to his old acquaintance from 1,500 years in the future: Little Black.
The Mist Lord's voice broke Feng Qi's train of thought.
"This project is clearly abnormal. The shadow forces are devoting 90% of the Institute of Technological Research's resources to it, while also increasing efforts to obtain external resources. I'm really curious—what is this project aiming to achieve?"
"What's the point of being curious? In the eyes of the shadow forces, you're just a grunt. You'll never get access to the core research details," Feng Qi said flatly.
"That's exactly why I'm considering whether we should cultivate a research talent to infiltrate the core circle of the Institute of Technological Research and uncover the secrets of this Black Reaper Project."
Feng Qi stared at the Mist Lord in surprise, momentarily speechless.
It seemed that history had aligned once again.
Previously, he had believed that the Tiger Soul Research Institute had uncovered the secrets of the Institute of Technological Research, prompting them to send spies to infiltrate it. During his sacrificial timeline, he had even used one of these Tiger Soul spies as a scapegoat.
But to his astonishment, the Mist Lord had entertained this idea long before infiltrating the Tiger Soul Research Institute.
"What do you think?" the Mist Lord asked. "If this project has profit potential, we could start planning ahead. When they're on the verge of success, we swoop in and seize the results for ourselves."
Feng Qi couldn't help but nod at the proposal.
However, what the Mist Lord said next left him stunned.
"The shadow forces behind the Research Institute are surprisingly clever. They infiltrated a human research institute to serve their agenda. Maybe we should try something similar?"