I Hijacked the Timeline (IHT)

The duel between Xia Long and his opponent was a one-sided domination.

From start to finish, Xia Long didn't make a single move. Yet no matter how hard his opponent tried, they couldn't break through his defense. In the end, the frustrated opponent gave up, looking utterly defeated.

The subsequent matches were so uneventful that Feng Qi and Lin Ran struggled to stay awake.

It wasn't that the new students were weak; it was the strict rules that held them back, preventing them from showing their true strength.

In these close-combat matches, those with a focus on physical cultivation had a clear advantage. Students specializing in spell techniques were severely handicapped, unable to showcase their abilities.

The only reason Feng Qi stayed was to see the inevitable showdown between Xia Long and Lü Yue.

Both of them were promising talents, and as long as they weren't traitors, they were worth nurturing.

He had plans to form a domain combat squad in the future. With the wealth of knowledge from the future database, Feng Qi essentially held the "cheat codes" to numerous domain field strategies.

Domains also contained the resources he needed for his dream exploration and the operation of his future organization.

Furthermore, creating the revolutionary game "The Savior" would require an enormous amount of funding—for things like art design, virtual engine development, and so on.

Funding for these projects would primarily come from exploiting domain fields.

To build a strong domain combat squad, he needed exceptional talent, which made him particularly attentive to Lü Yue and Xia Long's performances.

Finally, after much waiting, Xia Long and Lü Yue stepped onto the center of the field.

Seeing this, Feng Qi immediately perked up.

"Who do you think will win?" he asked, turning to Lin Ran.

"Lü Yue always carries his sword, which means his specialty is swordsmanship. If he could use his sword, the outcome would be uncertain. But since the rules prohibit weapons, I think Xia Long will definitely win," Lin Ran replied confidently.

Feng Qi chuckled at his answer.

"Then why don't we make a bet? You bet on Xia Long, and I'll bet on Lü Yue."

"You seem pretty confident in Lü Yue. What's the wager?" Lin Ran asked curiously.

"If I win, you have to give up researching cultivation techniques and focus solely on spell studies from now on," Feng Qi said with a sly grin.

Lin Ran: …

"That's way too big of a bet! You're basically asking me to gamble away my life's dream. I refuse! Even if your wager was personally tutoring me in cultivation techniques, I still wouldn't agree!" Lin Ran adamantly shook his head.

"Come on, take the chance. Go big or go home!" Feng Qi urged, trying to coax him.

"No way. I'm afraid I'd lose not just the bet but my entire future," Lin Ran retorted, rolling his eyes.

Seeing that Lin Ran wouldn't take the bait, Feng Qi sighed inwardly and turned his attention back to the field.

By this time, Lü Yue and Xia Long were standing face-to-face at the center, sizing each other up.

When the referee shouted "Begin!", neither of them moved. Instead, they started talking.

"Brother, I've watched your matches and noticed you've never gone all out. You're carrying a sword, so I'm guessing your greatest skill is your swordsmanship. I won't take advantage of you. For this match, I'll allow you to use your sword," Xia Long said with a confident grin.

"It doesn't draw against comrades," Lü Yue replied expressionlessly to Xia Long's provocation.

"What's it called?" Xia Long asked curiously.

"Jian Lan."

"Good name."

"A sword is a weapon, and swordsmanship is a killing art. No matter how beautiful the name, that's the truth. Whether the name sounds good or not doesn't matter," Lü Yue said flatly.

"Then why didn't you call it Iron Stick, if names don't matter?" Xia Long teased with a wide grin.

Lü Yue: …

"Come on, let me see your strength. I'll allow you to use your sword at any time," Xia Long said, stepping into his combat stance.

As the referee standing nearby couldn't hold back any longer, he sternly interjected:

"Have you two chatted enough? What do you mean by 'you allow'? Who do you think you are? Did I allow it? The rules clearly say no weapons—do you not understand?"

Xia Long: …

Taking a deep breath, Xia Long adopted a fighting stance. As he focused his strength, a layer of earthy yellow energy materialized across his body—a protective aura.

"Bring it on!" he taunted confidently.

Facing Xia Long's provocation, Lü Yue didn't hesitate. He stepped forward, pointing his index finger straight at Xia Long's chest.

For some reason, a sudden gust swept across the field. The ancient sword strapped to Lü Yue's back began to tremble, emitting a faint humming sound.

When his finger touched Xia Long's chest, the grin on Xia Long's face froze. His expression shifted from calm to red, then to a deep purple. Stumbling backward several steps, he barely managed to regain his footing.

Looking down, he noticed a faint red imprint of a finger on his chest. A mysterious energy seemed to emanate from the mark, spreading through his body. Sharp, stinging pain made him grit his teeth.

"What… what was that?" Xia Long asked, his voice filled with shock as he stared at Lü Yue.

"Sword Intent," Lü Yue replied flatly.

"What kind of nonsense is that?" Xia Long asked again, clearly not understanding.

"It's a type of aura. If you're talented enough, you'll encounter it someday. My intent is sword-based; that's why I always carry Jian Lan. It's not just a weapon—it's an extension of my power, a companion through every moment," Lü Yue explained calmly.

"I still don't quite get it, but it sounds impressive. I concede," Xia Long admitted without hesitation.

Though he hadn't yet used any body refinement techniques, Xia Long knew he couldn't withstand Lü Yue's power. A single strike had shattered his protective aura. Accepting his defeat with grace, Xia Long turned to leave, but not before speaking once more:

"Can I feel your Sword Intent again?"

Lü Yue nodded in response. He raised his hand, pointing toward Xia Long. Instantly, the air around them stirred once more, and the ancient sword on Lü Yue's back began to hum with life.

Invisible waves of Sword Intent surged forth like a storm, crashing into Xia Long. Standing his ground, Xia Long felt a prickling sensation across his skin, the relentless stabs of pain forcing him to clench his jaw.

"Incredible. I don't feel bad losing to you. But I didn't use my full strength this time. I hope we'll get another chance to fight—next time, without any restrictions."

"Sure," Lü Yue replied with a nod, agreeing without hesitation.

As the two left the field, Feng Qi turned to Lin Ran, curious.

"What exactly is this 'intent' Lü Yue mentioned? Do you know much about it?"

"I've heard of it but don't know much. They say it's a tangible form of aura, but developing it is incredibly demanding. It requires an unshakable belief and immense willpower. Honestly, it's almost mystical—like a whole different system of power," Lin Ran replied thoughtfully.

"Apparently, the training process is grueling and often pushes people to the brink of a mental breakdown. Most people never even get a chance to learn about how to cultivate intent. I only know about it because one of my teachers mentioned it offhand," he added.

"Can you find information about intent cultivation online?" Feng Qi pressed.

"Of course not. Any method with significant risks is usually censored. You know there are always idiots who think they're geniuses, trying dangerous techniques and ending up dead," Lin Ran said, shaking his head.

"Many so-called restrictive rules are actually lessons learned from countless tragedies. What looks like stubborn tradition is often built on hard-earned experience," he explained.

"Qi-ge, why are you so interested in intent? Most of the time, cultivating it requires a weapon, and you don't even have one," Lin Ran asked curiously.

"Who says I don't have a weapon?"

"Then where is it?" Lin Ran asked, clearly confused.

"In my dreams—it's absolutely unbeatable!"

Lin Ran: ???