I Hijacked the Timeline (IHT)

Sitting at his desk, Feng Qi was flipping through the roster of new students.

With the information passed to him from the future, one thing was clear: among these 11 new students, there was a "mole."

To be more precise, someone among these students had already been working for the mysterious organization before they even entered Star City Academy.

If he wanted to investigate the force targeting the Crimson Research Institute and orchestrating his downfall, he needed to start with the backgrounds of these new students.

He opened his notebook and began listing the names of the students alongside their affiliated factions.

Hui Xu (Faction: Golden Immortal Temple)

Lü Yue (Faction: Unknown)

Yang Xiaoxin (Faction: Star City Military Department)

Le Ping'an (Faction: Institute of Technological Research)

Yan Fu (Faction: Mountain Domain Combat Squad)

Jia Yi (Faction: Eight Trigrams Formation Research Institute)

Xia Long, Xia Hu, Xia Bao (Faction: Hundred Beasts Domain Combat Squad)

Cai Guo (Faction: Eighth Military Medical Research Institute)

Xu Hongyun (Faction: Fractured Sky Group)

Each of these students had an impressive background, but Feng Qi quickly ruled out Hui Xu as the mole.

After all, Hui Xu hadn't joined the organization Feng Qi established in the future. After graduation, Hui Xu had gone his own way, making it unlikely that he had access to internal information to leak to the enemy.

As for the remaining ten students, any one of them—or even several—could be the mole.

Lü Yue's mysterious background raised suspicions, but given that Lü Yue was the one who first brought up the existence of the mysterious organization and passed it to the group, his likelihood of being the mole was low.

Similarly, Yang Xiaoxin was the second person to be captured by the organization, so her likelihood was also lower. However, no one could be completely ruled out.

Revisiting the roster, Feng Qi stared at the photos of the students, sinking into deep thought.

The mole could be just one person, or there could be multiple infiltrators.

This time, he resolved not to hastily form an organization or reveal his situation. If he did, history might repeat itself the next time he entered the dream realm of the future.

The existence of the mysterious organization also made him more curious about the Crimson Research Institute.

Why were they targeting it?

Could the Crimson Research Institute be an organization safeguarding humanity's geniuses, while the mysterious organization was the predator hunting them?

Unable to unravel the reasoning, he rubbed his temples and left his dorm.

The rain had cleared, and a faint morning glow illuminated the campus.

By the lake, students in athletic gear were jogging, while couples sat on benches, enjoying the fresh air. Compared to the desolation of the future dream realm, the real world was brimming with vitality.

Taking a deep breath of fresh air, Feng Qi smiled with contentment.

Human civilization had both good and evil, but as long as there were moments of beauty worth preserving, it was worth fighting for.

After breakfast with Mu Qing and Lin Ran, he headed to the academy's training grounds with Lin Ran.

The arrival of new students was a major event at Star City Academy.

All the freshmen, except him, had been scheduled for a month-long intensive training.

Much like the pre-cataclysm military training, the purpose of this regimen was to cultivate resilience and teamwork.

However, this training came with an additional component: the practice of the latest version of the cultivation technique, which Feng Qi had "borrowed" from the future.

The improvements made to the techniques had drawn the attention of the Tiger Soul Research Institute. After incorporating the updated version into the cultivation database for global access, the institute had issued a directive to all academies.

Each university was instructed to have its freshmen practice the techniques for a month and provide detailed reports on their progress to the Tiger Soul Research Institute afterward.

At the end of the notice, there was even a detailed introduction of Feng Qi's achievements, essentially recommending him as a talent worth prioritizing.

This attention led to a flood of scholarship offers from various academies during his return to Star City.

When the examination delegation arrived, teachers from various academies personally approached him, offering enticing benefits, such as an annual scholarship of 500,000 credits or a luxurious single-person dorm.

Their intentions were clear: as long as Feng Qi joined their academy, they were willing to negotiate any terms.

However, Feng Qi had already promised Bai Fusheng he would attend Star City Academy. Furthermore, Lin Ran and Mu Qing were there, so he politely declined all the offers.

At the training grounds, Bai Fusheng personally led the training instructors for the freshmen.

The post-rain weather had cooled considerably, but as the sun rose higher, the air grew warmer.

In the sweltering summer heat, even standing still could leave one drenched in sweat. For the freshmen engaged in high-intensity exercises, the conditions were grueling.

While the new world infused with spiritual energy had improved the general physique of ordinary people compared to pre-cataclysm times, most of the freshmen had yet to be exposed to cultivation techniques beyond the techniques. Their physical capabilities were nowhere near those of actual cultivators.

Thus, the training was a true test of their willpower.

Of course, there were exceptions. Those accepted into Star City Academy were top talents, and it wasn't uncommon for some to have already started learning cultivation techniques.

Feng Qi had already gained a significant understanding of cultivation studies under the guidance of Wang Jinsheng before his graduation. This foundational knowledge had allowed him to excel early on, making significant strides in the field.

During the special training sessions, a few new students had already begun to stand out, showcasing remarkable performance.

At this moment, Feng Qi and Lin Ran were crouched in a corner of the training field, savoring ice pops they had brought from the academy cafeteria. They couldn't help but notice the mixture of anger, envy, and longing in the eyes of the exhausted new students as they watched them.

Scanning the field, Feng Qi thought to himself that the students in his class didn't exactly look like the most honest bunch.

"Qi-ge, is that bald guy over there one of our new students?" Lin Ran pointed toward a figure in the distance.

The "monk" in question had clearly undergone a transformation. He was now dressed in a brand-new training uniform, and the tattered cloth shoes on his feet had been replaced with fresh athletic sneakers. The only thing that hadn't changed was his shiny bald head, which gleamed under the sunlight like a polished mirror, reflecting blinding rays of light.

Feng Qi nodded in response but was more focused on another student in the distance.

This particular individual stood about 1.8 meters tall, with a well-proportioned physique and a strikingly handsome face. His sword-like brows and bright eyes exuded a sense of uprightness.

What set him apart from the other students was the ancient, unadorned longsword he carried on his back, which remained with him even during training.

Throughout the training sessions, this student maintained a stoic expression. For him, the rigorous drills seemed completely effortless. Despite half a day of intense training, he showed no signs of fatigue—his breathing was steady, and not a single bead of sweat could be seen on his forehead.

What captured Feng Qi's attention wasn't this student's exceptional performance—after all, several students who had prior exposure to cultivation techniques were also handling the special training with ease.

What intrigued him was this student's identity—he was Lü Yue, the most enigmatic member of Combat Class Three's new cohort.

Feng Qi's curiosity deepened as he recalled the blank background information in Lü Yue's file. He was eager to uncover the origins of such a mysterious individual.

At that moment, Bai Fusheng's booming voice echoed across the field:

"Dismissed! Fifteen minutes of rest!"

Upon hearing the command, the previously upright new students collapsed onto the ground, chatting and venting their complaints about the grueling training.

Meanwhile, Lü Yue, who had caught Feng Qi's interest, walked straight toward him as soon as the dismissal was announced.

Stopping in front of Feng Qi, Lü Yue maintained his composed demeanor and asked directly, "You've been watching me. Is there something you need?"

Unfazed, Feng Qi smiled and introduced himself, "I'm Feng Qi, the instructor for Combat Class Three and your homeroom teacher in a month. I came here specifically to observe how my students are performing during training."

Lü Yue's expression flickered with surprise, as if he couldn't quite believe that his teacher was so young.

"Hi, I'm Lin Ran, also from Combat Class Three. Your senior, and now your classmate." Lin Ran stood up and extended his hand with a friendly smile.

"Lin Ran? Are you the same Lin Ran who was pre-admitted to the Tiger Soul Research Institute?"

"That's me," Lin Ran confirmed with a nod.

At this, Lü Yue's stoic demeanor softened slightly. He shook hands with Lin Ran, his attitude notably more respectful.

When he turned his gaze back to Feng Qi, the light of disdain in his eyes had disappeared entirely.

Although he still couldn't fathom how someone so young had been appointed as an instructor, Lü Yue concluded that Feng Qi must possess extraordinary abilities if he had earned Lin Ran's respect and was entrusted with teaching Combat Class Three.

"Student Lü Yue, may I ask you a question?" Feng Qi asked with a smile.

"Please go ahead," Lü Yue replied with a polite nod.

"Why is your personal information completely blank? Could you tell us a bit about your background?"

Before delving into any investigation, Feng Qi decided it was best to ask directly. If Lü Yue was willing to answer, great. If not, he would find another way.

Lü Yue hesitated briefly before shaking his head. "I'm afraid I can't disclose that. Not even the principal is privy to the details of my background."

"Wow, so mysterious! Could it be that you're some big-shot researcher's secret love child?" Lin Ran quipped, his curiosity evident.

"Absolutely not!" Lü Yue's calm façade cracked slightly as a vein pulsed on his forehead. After regaining his composure, he added, "Lin Ran, if it's you, there's a chance you'll find out where I come from someday. The place I hail from… you might have the opportunity to go there as well."

"Ugh, I can't stand riddlers. We're not even asking about your backer or any classified details, just your name. Can't you at least tell us that much?" Lin Ran said exasperatedly.

Feng Qi couldn't help but nod in agreement—Lin Ran had voiced exactly what he was thinking. Lü Yue's cryptic responses were beyond frustrating.

Seeing the disdain in both Lin Ran's and Feng Qi's eyes, Lü Yue appeared slightly flustered.

After a moment of hesitation, he finally spoke up.

"It's not that I don't want to tell you. The confidentiality level is simply too high. Even my name is classified under the highest security level."

Hearing this only made Feng Qi more determined to uncover the truth.

The more he knew, the better he could cross-reference information in the future database.

Faced with their continued skepticism, Lü Yue sighed and finally relented.

"I come from the Path to Ascension. That's all I can reveal!"

The Path to Ascension?

At that moment, Feng Qi made a firm decision—next time he entered the future dreamscape, he would search for all the information available on the "Path to Ascension."