I Hijacked the Timeline (IHT)

Walking along the city outskirts toward the west, Feng Qi observed how the surroundings differed from the dilapidated cityscape. The edges of the ruins were overgrown with bizarre plants of all shapes and sizes.

At this moment, Fang Tian Halberd clung to Feng Qi's chest, holding the silver harmonica with one hand. Her eyes were closed, and she seemed to be asleep.

Having Fang Tian Halberd with him gave Feng Qi a sense of security on the way to the Star City Shelter.

Though she wouldn't act unless there was danger, Feng Qi knew that if a threat arose, Fang Tian Halberd would undoubtedly protect him.

He even began to hope for an encounter with domain creatures along the way, not out of fear but anticipation. A confrontation would allow Fang Tian Halberd to demonstrate her overwhelming strength.

If possible, he hoped Fang Tian Halberd would leave them injured but alive so that he could deliver the finishing blow.

His repeated ventures into the future dreamscape had made one fact abundantly clear:

When he landed the killing blow on a domain creature, he would inherit its special abilities.

For instance, when he killed the undead, his physical strength increased.

When he killed the Death Worm, he gained the "Resilience" prefix title, enhancing his muscular elasticity.

When he killed "Nightmare," he obtained the ability to enter the subconscious of his target under specific conditions, allowing him to read their memories.

Thus, if he could kill the Crimson Eye, he was certain he would inherit its "Telekinesis."

Such a power would grant him the ability to move objects with his mind or even envelop himself with telekinetic force for flight.

Hunting domain creatures drastically amplified his abilities.

This was why Feng Qi eagerly sought opportunities to hunt them. The more prefix titles he accumulated, the more special powers he acquired. Moreover, the higher the title level, the more powerful the ability became.

Unfortunately, his current capabilities fell far short of what was needed to hunt most domain creatures.

Apart from the physically weak Nightmare, whose sole defense was its hypnotic ability, the other domain creatures he encountered were all terrifyingly strong, capable of killing him effortlessly.

Only low-tier derivatives like undead and Death Worms, whose bodies lacked rune crystals, were within his ability to handle.

But now, the situation had changed.

With Fang Tian Halberd by his side, it felt like having a personal bodyguard.

It would be a waste of her capabilities if he didn't make use of her.

As he walked, Feng Qi occasionally let out loud shouts, trying to lure nearby domain creatures into attacking.

His strategy worked. Before long, the grasses ahead of him began to sway violently, as if something large was moving quickly toward him.

Though his vision was obscured, the intense motion of the grass gave Feng Qi a sense of imminent danger. Without hesitation, he took a few steps back and clutched Fang Tian Halberd tightly.

Amidst the swaying grasses, the vegetation suddenly parted, revealing a massive, pitch-black spider.

The creature was monstrous in appearance, its forehead embedded with a jade-green rune crystal. Eight spiked legs protruded from its body, each one covered in barbs. Its abdomen bore a writhing human face that seemed alive.

The spider's unsettling gaze locked onto Feng Qi. Its abdomen writhed grotesquely before splitting open. From within the grotesque face, a thread of thick black silk shot out, hurtling toward him.

A chill swept through the air as the thread closed in. Fang Tian Halberd's eyes suddenly snapped open.

Her previously gray irises now gleamed with swirling starlight, resembling a spinning galaxy bursting with radiant brilliance.

In one smooth motion, she leapt from Feng Qi's arms. The force of her jump pushed him to the ground, while she effortlessly grabbed hold of the incoming thread.

As she landed, her grip tightened, and an immense force surged from her slender form.

No matter how the ghost-faced spider struggled, it couldn't resist her pull. Its massive body was dragged inexorably toward her, its eight legs carving deep grooves into the ground in a futile effort to resist.

As the ghost-faced spider closed in, Fang Tian Halberd suddenly released the spider silk she was gripping, leaping into the air with an explosive force. Her pristine white arm descended like a mountain-splitting axe, smashing directly onto the spider's head.

The impact forced the spider's body to the ground with a heavy thud, its abdomen compressed violently under the immense force. A spray of green liquid erupted from its writhing abdomen, splashing outward.

The green liquid sizzled upon contact with nearby plants, melting them in an instant. Clearly, it was highly corrosive.

Some of the liquid splattered onto Fang Tian Halberd as well.

Feng Qi, who had been watching anxiously, felt a moment of concern. However, to his astonishment, a shimmering jade-colored energy flowed across Fang Tian Halberd's body, causing the corrosive liquid to slide off harmlessly.

"Amazing!" Feng Qi couldn't help but exclaim.

[Look at her! Fang Tian Halberd is a powerhouse. And you? Besides swinging a bone club at undead, what else can you do?]

"I can also smack Death Worms," Feng Qi retorted.

[Heh, pathetic.]

Focusing back on Fang Tian Halberd and the ghost-faced spider, he noticed that the spider was struggling to rise after that single punch.

When he saw Fang Tian Halberd raise her fist for another blow, Feng Qi quickly shouted, "Fang Tian Halberd, leave it alive for me!"

Saying this, he sprinted toward the spider, hoping to land the final strike himself.

However, Fang Tian Halberd ignored his plea. Her second punch smashed down with unstoppable force, piercing straight through the spider's head. Its eight legs twitched violently for a moment before falling still.

Standing next to Fang Tian Halberd, Feng Qi looked down at the lifeless spider, sighing in defeat.

Once again, he had missed the chance to deliver the finishing blow and claim the spider's abilities.

"Hey, narrator, if I had killed the ghost-faced spider, what kind of ability would I have gained?" he asked, unable to hide his disappointment.

[Hard to say. Maybe the ability to shoot spider silk from your wrists? That'd be useful in an urban jungle with tall buildings. But without any skyscrapers around, your combat potential would probably plummet.]

Feng Qi: …

The sarcastic comment made his forehead veins twitch in frustration.

The fight was over, and Feng Qi was about to continue his journey with Fang Tian Halberd when he noticed something peculiar.

Fang Tian Halberd was devouring the spider's body.

As she consumed the ghost-faced spider, her jade-like glow became more radiant, and the shattered rune crystal embedded in her left arm began to shine.

The sight reminded Feng Qi of Mu Qing.

When Mu Qing ate, her rune crystal would also glow as it absorbed energy.

He recalled their first meeting in the academy's cafeteria. Back then, his curiosity had led him to stare at Mu Qing's glowing arm for a long time, which had made her quite wary of him.

…

Despite her childlike frame, no larger than a toddler, Fang Tian Halberd devoured the ghost-faced spider at an astonishing speed. In just a few moments, the spider's entire body was gone, leaving only a jade-green rune crystal behind.

Feng Qi bent down to pick up the crystal, a theory forming in his mind.

If he could gain abilities by killing domain creatures, could he also extract powers from the rune crystals at their cores?

Curiosity got the better of him. Holding the jade-green crystal, he tossed it into his mouth.

Chewing on it, he swallowed the crystal down. As the shattered remnants of the crystal settled in his stomach, a breeze stirred, dispersing the faint green mist it released.

[When it comes to embarrassing yourself, you never fail to impress me. Hats off to you, Feng Qi. Truly inspiring.]

Feng Qi: …

Glancing down at his mangled and incomplete body, Feng Qi's expression became rather awkward.