Cherreads

Chapter 38 - History's Judgment

 

Translator: CinderTL

 

Feng Qi was deeply moved by the comment from the user "Fallen Leaves Return to Their Roots."

He had never imagined that Mu Qing would stand by him so resolutely during his darkest hour, willingly facing the world's condemnation.

A single spark in the darkness warms the heart far more than a raging fire in the daylight. What you consider a trivial act of kindness might be seen by others as a beacon of hope, a dawn that brings warmth and promise.

"Narrator, when did you get so poetic?" Feng Qi asked, surprised.

I just wanted to tell you to stop being so melodramatic and get your ass back to work!

Feng Qi: ...

While still moved by the sentiment, he wasted no more time. He opened the search list and typed in Lin Ran's name.

Immediately, Lin Ran's information appeared:

Lin Ran

Lifespan: 103 years

Character Introduction: Once hailed as the most talented newcomer at the Tiger Soul Research Institute, Lin Ran possessed an unparalleled grasp of theoretical knowledge and made numerous outstanding contributions to the study of techniques. He pioneered the "Handseal Flow" school of technique. Later, he was transferred to the newly established "Infinity" group within the Tiger Soul Research Institute, where he served as team leader, attempting to research cultivation techniques.

History proved that Lin Ran possessed talent only in technique research. His exploration of cultivation techniques led him down a misguided path, leading his entire research group astray. The cultivation techniques they developed contained numerous hidden flaws, and their release resulted in the severing of meridians in millions of cultivators, causing catastrophic consequences that severely hampered humanity's progress. Overwhelmed by guilt, Lin Ran never again ventured into the domains of cultivation techniques or art magic in his later years, dying in despair.

Historical Achievements: S-Class Human Elite (Revoked), Leader of the Tiger Soul Infinity Group (Revoked), Elite Member of the Tiger Soul Research Institute (Revoked), Outstanding Graduate of Winterfrost Academy (Revoked), Founder of the Hand Seal Flow Technique, Founder of the Five Elements Mutual Generation Flow Technique, Architect of the 3.0 Art Technique Trajectory...

Character Tag: Historical Catastrophe

Netizen Comments:

Time's Relentless Flow: Lin Ran's achievements are undeniable. The Hand Seal Flow Technique he pioneered remains one of the five dominant art magic schools even eight centuries later. Though he undoubtedly strayed from the right path, his intentions were for the betterment of all humanity. Revoking all his honors seems excessive.

I haven't forgotten: revoking all of Lin Ran's honors was unavoidable. The incident had such a massive impact at the time. If we hadn't revoked them, can you imagine how crazed the families who lost loved ones would have become? The Tiger Soul Research Institute faced immense pressure just to save Lin Ran from the death penalty. It's truly a tragedy that this once-in-a-generation prodigy never set foot in the domain of techniques again. This loss is undoubtedly a blow to all of humanity.

Technique Genius: Lin Ran was the founding ancestor of the Hand Seal Flow Technique. Setting aside everything else, his innate talent for technique research was unparalleled. Throughout history, only Shi Wudi could rival him. Seeing those few photos of Lin Ran's desolate later years truly breaks my heart. What a waste.

Walking Like the Wind: Speaking of Lin Ran, we can't ignore Feng Qi. During Lin Ran's most glorious days, at an open-air lecture attended by hundreds of thousands, he mentioned Feng Qi while explaining the principles of techniques. He said that Feng Qi was the only person whose talent he truly admired. When he spoke of Feng Qi's untimely death, he couldn't help but shed tears of grief. I wonder if Feng Qi was truly as remarkable as the legends claim.

Ruthless Iron Hand: Lin Ran is forever a legend. He was reviled by the world in his own time, yet seven centuries later, he has been deified once more. However, we can't deny that his transgressions outweighed his contributions. The catastrophic impact he caused severely hindered the progress of human civilization. For a time, no one dared to experiment with newly developed cultivation techniques. What a tragedy.

Future People's opinions of Lin Ran were divided.

Early reviews, written within 700 years of his death, were overwhelmingly critical. Later assessments, however, tended to be more positive than negative.

Yet Feng Qi noticed that all commenters agreed: Lin Ran's mistakes far outweighed his achievements, highlighting the catastrophic impact he had at the time.

In Feng Qi's era, excluding auxiliary professions like healers, spirit pharmacists, and formation masters, there were only tens of millions of cultivators worldwide.

By severing the meridians of millions and causing countless cultivators to die within days of practicing his technique, Lin Ran had single-handedly crippled one-tenth of the world's cultivators.

What puzzled Feng Qi most was why Lin Ran would release an incomplete cultivation technique.

He could understand why millions would follow suit and practice it.

After all, before researching cultivation techniques, Lin Ran had already been a world-renowned genius in art magic research, with a massive global following. He was arguably one of the most influential figures of his time.

Therefore, Lin Ran's release of a new cultivation technique would inevitably become one of the era's most significant events, making it perfectly reasonable for millions to adopt it.

The problem was, how could the Tiger Soul Research Institute, renowned for its meticulousness, have approved Lin Ran's incomplete cultivation technique for public release?

To find the answer, Feng Qi began searching the database.

Moments later, he found the explanation.

It turned out that the several new cultivation techniques Lin Ran had developed performed flawlessly in simulated tests, showing no issues whatsoever. Subsequent tests by the Tiger Soul Cultivation Technique Review Group, which involved manipulating spiritual energy within animal bodies, also yielded no problems. Even Lin Ran's own practice showed no adverse effects.

However, when released for ordinary people to cultivate, catastrophic issues arose.

Ultimately, the problem stemmed from Lin Ran himself.

Animals can cultivate it without issue, and he can cultivate it without issue, but ordinary people can't? Is this guy some kind of beast?

Feng Qi: ...

The Narrator's sarcastic commentary was so sharp it almost seemed reasonable.

While feeling both amused and exasperated, Feng Qi became even more determined to persuade Lin Ran to abandon cultivation arts and focus on art magic instead.

If successful, Lin Ran's future would undergo a complete transformation.

He might even become a historical figure like Wang Jinsheng, his research results driving the advancement of human civilization and leaving a profound legacy.

After reviewing his future evaluation information, as well as Mu Qing's and Lin Ran's, he decided to check the major historical events of his current era.

But glancing at the time, he realized that little black would arrive in less than half an hour.

For safety's sake, he decided to leave first and return to access the database after little black had departed.

He immediately turned and headed toward the metal corridor.

Before leaving, he tried pushing and pulling the retracted metal door to see if he could close it.

But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't budge the massive metal door even an inch, forcing him to give up in frustration.

He already had a plan for where to go next.

Since the Narrator had said to continue east, he would head east.

Though the Narrator was snarky and sharp-tongued, its instructions were always reliable, making it a trustworthy companion.

The outside world was deathly still, with icy winds howling through the desolate landscape.

The mournful wails of the living dead echoed intermittently, adding to the chilling atmosphere.

As he journeyed eastward, he didn't spare a single living dead he encountered, treating them as nourishment for his growth, absorbing their strength.

After an unknown amount of time, a sprawling urban complex, now reduced to ruins, came into view.

Looking ahead, he saw a scene of utter devastation. The ruined city was littered with rubble and architectural debris.

Entering the ruins, he climbed atop a towering building and gazed into the distance, trying to grasp the full extent of the world's transformation.

But as soon as he looked up, he spotted a familiar figure rapidly approaching from the west, where piles of bleached bones lay scattered.

Realizing little black was still pursuing him, he felt a wave of annoyance.

"This guy just won't give up."

At that moment, the Narrator's voice echoed in his mind:

Seeing little black's relentless pursuit, I can't help but marvel at the depth of his devotion… (A brief pause, then music swells) For you, I spent half a year's savings, crossing oceans to see you. For this reunion, I even practiced my breathing before we met... How I long to accompany you to the ends of the earth, until the mountains and rivers run dry, to spend my life clinging to you.

Feng Qi: ...

With a vein throbbing on his forehead, he unhesitatingly scrambled down the building and sprinted away the moment his feet hit the ground.

His life was too precious to risk. Sometimes, running was the only sensible option.

Facing danger head-on was the folly of reckless fools.

(End of the Chapter)

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