I Hijacked the Timeline (IHT)

Staring at the weathered book in his hand, Feng Qi was at a loss for words.

It seemed he had completely misunderstood Monk. It was just a Buddhist scripture, and his initial assumption that Uniform Temptation referred to something scandalous was clearly his own dirty mind at work.

In truth, the content was all about conquering inner desires.

Still, with his curiosity piqued, Feng Qi flipped a few more pages. His expression froze again as he came across illustrations of policewomen, nurses, and teachers in suggestive poses.

His intelligence felt insulted.

His feelings shifted dramatically: from slight admiration for Monk, to baffled disappointment, and then outright frustration.

Why on earth was Monk reading this kind of material in the sacred library of the academy?

Feng Qi was still processing this absurdity when Lin Ran came up beside him. Seeing the explicit illustrations, Lin Ran immediately burst into laughter. Realizing they were in the library, he quickly lowered his volume but couldn't hide the grin on his face.

"Qi-ge, I like Monk's personality already. With him around, Combat Class Three will never be boring."

A vein twitched on Feng Qi's forehead as he sighed in exasperation.

From their first meeting, he'd noticed how Monk seemed like a tightly reined-in horse suddenly given freedom upon arriving at Star City Academy. His heart had run wild ever since.

With this kind of personality, there was no way Monk could focus on his studies. It was highly likely he'd end up as the bottom of the class.

Old Wang had always said not to give up on any student, regardless of their talent—or lack thereof.

But Feng Qi hadn't expected to face such a challenge so soon after becoming a teacher.

At that moment, Monk emerged from the restroom and headed toward them.

When he saw Feng Qi holding Uniform Temptation, Monk's expression froze for a moment before realization struck.

Monk had already figured out during training that Feng Qi would be the instructor for Combat Class Three.

Now, being caught red-handed by his future teacher was more than a little awkward.

Still, Monk held his ground and walked up to Feng Qi with forced composure, greeting him casually.

"Good evening, Teacher Feng. Lin Ran. What a coincidence!"

"Monk, care to explain this?" Lin Ran asked with a smirk, pointing at the book.

"Oh, that? It's a Buddhist scripture, meant to temper the mind," Monk replied nonchalantly.

"And this?" Feng Qi asked, flipping to one of the illustrated pages.

"My master always said the best way to overcome fear is to face it directly. Similarly, the best way to resist temptation is to confront it head-on. That's why I'm studying these illustrations—to master my desires."

"Monk, you're something else!" Lin Ran gave Monk a thumbs-up, barely containing his laughter.

Feng Qi could only shake his head at Monk's absurd logic.

Still, this was Monk's personal matter, and Feng Qi wasn't about to meddle. He understood that young people had their impulses, but he couldn't wrap his head around why Monk chose to read such material in the library of all places.

"Monk," Feng Qi said at last, "next time, don't read stuff like this in the library. It gives the wrong impression."

He handed the book back to Monk.

"Losing face for yourself is one thing. Losing face for Combat Class Three is another," Lin Ran added with a laugh.

Monk scratched his head as he took the book. "We're still in the training phase, so we're not allowed to stay in the dorms. The instructors conduct random checks. I had no choice but to come here to read."

"Alright, just keep it discreet once classes officially start," Feng Qi said.

"No problem, Teacher Feng," Monk replied with a grin.

Back at his seat, Feng Qi and Lin Ran exchanged a look and chuckled.

"Qi-ge, Monk's probably been suppressed for too long. Now he's fully unleashed. If you can't control him, you might need to use your ultimate teacher's weapon."

"And what's that?"

"Call his guardian—his master."

"What, to have his master join him in 'conquering temptation'?" Feng Qi said with a mischievous grin.

"Ha! You're ruthless!"

The brief interlude over, Feng Qi and Lin Ran opened their books and began studying.

As night fell, the academy grounds were bathed in soft light.

The world outside the library was lively, but inside the reading room, the atmosphere was serene. Under the warm glow of the lamps, only the rustle of pages and the scratching of pens broke the silence.

"To read for the rise of humanity" was no empty slogan here.

Once, there was a movement advocating for the rapid development of aerospace technology. The proponents argued that humanity's future lay in the stars and that only there could they find a path to survival.

Faced with the expanding domain fields that consumed their world, they proposed abandoning Earth to find a new refuge among the stars.

This idea gained traction among certain factions, despite knowing that only a fraction of humanity could escape. They argued that preserving even a small spark of human civilization was better than extinction.

As members of the elite class, they considered themselves the natural candidates for survival.

But many others opposed this view. At one debate, someone stood up and said:

"You think humanity isn't strong enough to face the domain invasion? Then study and make us stronger. There's an old saying in Xia: 'To read for the rise of Xia.' From now on, let it be: 'To read for the rise of humanity.'"

Since then, "to read for the rise of humanity" became a rallying cry for generations.

The flaws in human nature could never fully eclipse its brilliance.

Those pioneers who stood firm in the face of despair were like beacons in the darkness, lighting the way forward for humanity.

They believed that, no matter how broken and flawed the world might seem, it was still their home, their roots.

Thus, when facing challenges, retreat wasn't an option. Making oneself stronger was the best response.

As they studied, Feng Qi and Lin Ran completely lost track of time.

Throughout the night, the reading room saw a steady flow of people coming and going.

When Feng Qi finally finished reading Foundation of Cultivation Techniques, Volume 6, he glanced up at the clock on the northern wall of the reading room. It was nearing midnight.

Turning his head, he noticed Monk was nowhere to be seen. Yet nearly half the seats in the room were still occupied by diligent students engrossed in self-study.

"Qi-ge, heading back?" Lin Ran asked, putting down his book.

"Yeah, I think I'm done for the night. What about you?"

"Same here. Let's go together."

After returning the borrowed books to their shelves, the two of them stepped out of the library.

The night breeze swept away the day's heat, leaving a refreshing coolness in its wake. The pleasant temperature made the walk back to their dorms all the more enjoyable.

As they strolled under the soft glow of streetlights, Lin Ran seemed to recall something and suddenly spoke up.

"Qi-ge, I heard there's going to be a combat class team tournament soon. Are you interested?"

"Combat class team tournament?"

"Yeah, it's a competition between various schools' combat classes. The focus is on teamwork and collaborative strategies. After all, combat class students are usually destined to join domain combat squads in the future, where team coordination is key. The tournament is meant to instill that sense of teamwork early on."

"Our class, including me and Mu Qing-jie, has thirteen people. Sure, our numbers are a bit on the low side, but with me, Lü Yue, and the Xia family brothers, I think we have a decent shot at a high ranking."

Hearing Lin Ran's explanation, Feng Qi's interest was piqued.

But when Lin Ran mentioned his own role, Feng Qi couldn't help feeling exasperated.

"Do you think you're the strongest in our class?"

"Well, not necessarily. I think Lü Yue might be on par with me, maybe even stronger. But as for the others... honestly, they wouldn't last a single round against me."

"And what about Mu Qing-jie? What's your assessment of her strength?" Feng Qi asked with a faint smile.

"I don't really know her well, but I've done some research on rune-modified humans. I think Mu Qing-jie wouldn't last more than three moves against me. No offense intended."

"Remember what you just said, because it's going to sting when you get proven wrong."

Feng Qi couldn't suppress a laugh at Lin Ran's overconfidence.

Mu Qing, whom future generations hailed as a "Demon King," was undeniably one of the most powerful figures in human history.

Lin Ran, though talented, excelled more in the academic field of spell research. His combat abilities simply couldn't compare to Mu Qing's. The gap between them was an unbridgeable chasm.

"What do you mean by that, Qi-ge?" Lin Ran asked, his curiosity piqued.

"You'll find out eventually. Young people often don't know their limits."

"I hate it when people talk in riddles!"

As they bantered, they arrived at their dormitory building.

After saying their goodbyes, the two of them headed to their respective dorms.

Before entering his room, Feng Qi noticed a package sitting at his door.

This surprised him. He couldn't recall ordering anything recently.

If it were a gift from a classmate, they would've let him know beforehand. The unexpected delivery seemed rather odd.

Picking up the package, he glanced at the recipient's name and saw it was addressed to him.

The sender's information read: United Research Institute.

Instantly, Feng Qi understood what the package contained. Carrying it inside, he closed the door behind him.

The United Research Institute held a position similar to an early-era United Nations. While it lacked direct authority over individual research institutions—especially the more specialized ones—it served as a platform for collaboration and managed the cultivation technique database and reward distributions.

This package, sent by the United Research Institute, was clearly a reward for his contributions to cultivation research.

Sitting at his desk, Feng Qi carefully opened the package.

Inside was a deep blue metallic box.

The surface of the box was adorned with a silver emblem of symmetrical wheat sheaves, symbolizing the institute. Under the light, it shimmered with a futuristic elegance.

Opening the box, Feng Qi found a silver medal resting in its center.

The medal was about the size of a child's palm and felt weighty in his hand. It featured an intricately carved sword surrounded by blooming flowers.

On the back of the medal was an inscription:

To honor your trailblazing efforts for the advancement of human civilization—Silver Medal of Distinguished Contribution.

Holding the medal, a smile spread across Feng Qi's face.

Although he often claimed not to care for worldly accolades, receiving the medal filled him with a quiet pride.

Some honors carried a weight that far surpassed their physical form.

For over five centuries, countless exceptional individuals had held medals like this, dedicating their lives to forging a brighter future.

The very ground beneath Star City had been built upon the sacrifices of those pioneers, their blood and sweat forming its foundations.

This medal was more than just an award. It represented both history and spirit.

The former served as a guide, while the latter inspired.

Running his fingers over the engraved sword and flowers, Feng Qi's thoughts drifted to Old Wang's history lectures and the tales of the legendary figures of their time.

In that moment, it felt as though time itself had intertwined.

He could feel the gravity and inspiration behind this honor, a bridge connecting him to the heroes of the past.