Daily life of a teacher in the martial arts department

"He can't kill me"—this isn't blind confidence, but a judgment based on objective facts. Of course, one could argue that he'll conquer the world and then use his technological prowess to kill me. But that's meaningless. Putting aside whether it's possible, how long it would take, and why even do it, ultimately, death is the end of all life, even the earliest ancestors. Thinking too much about the future is, in Changfeng's view, nothing more than needless worry.

"Whether he wins or loses, it's all the result of my guidance. No matter the outcome, I will not seek your help to rewrite it." The hazy figure slowly shook his head. This was the truth. Changfeng was the founder of the neutral faction. He didn't care about alien races or humans, and he had no interest in fighting for supremacy. Whether the hazy figure stood on the side of humans or alien races, he was destined not to be able to persuade Changfeng to come.

Changfeng picked up the teacup and took a small sip.

"Since you know..."

The hazy figure said:

“I have come to you to deal with Cain.”

This is an ancient and terrifying name. Changfeng's body trembled slightly. He is one of the very few people besides the hazy figure who possesses a real timeline. He once faced the Doomsday Cain, who was even more terrifying than the current Cain. He was defeated by the overwhelming force and was almost torn apart.

Although the hazy figure later reversed the timeline, a being with a second timeline can never be resurrected by 'time reversal' after death. This is why the second timeline is called the 'true timeline'; your 'death' is the most 'real'.

This is not hard to understand. Fragile beings without a true timeline are easily manipulated. No matter what they gain or achieve, a single time rewind can wipe it all out. However, beings with a true timeline are not necessarily invincible. What they lose or gain is preserved forever. They will not regain what they lost or lose what they gained simply because of a time rewind.

He was silent for a moment, then said, "That's beyond our capabilities... You should understand that, but you came to me... You saw it?"

"I can no longer see it." The hazy figure shook its head and said, "This ability was set up by Ji Chaoge and was eventually taken away by Cain... But he doesn't have a true timeline. Even if he obtained my ability, he wouldn't be able to observe the future in the present timeline."

"If you can't see it... then why did you come looking for me?"

"I hope you can help me find Ji Chaoge."

"..." Changfeng frowned slightly. He wasn't stupid and wouldn't say something like, "Why are you looking for him? Aren't you going to deal with Cain?" The meaning of the hazy figure was quite clear.

"You mean... you think Ji Chaoge has a way to deal with Cain?"

The hazy figure said, "If anyone in the world can do this, then it's him."

"Only"... Changfeng caught this key word and realized that someone had already lost.

He remained silent for a moment, somewhat unable to accept the idea of ​​a blurry figure.

"Let's sort this out first. You're on the side of humanity, and you want to deal with Cain and Ji Chaoge. I'm neutral and will only deal with Cain. As for Ji Chaoge, all we know for now is that he wants to rule the world. So, let's put aside for now why you think he can deal with Cain, and whether he can actually do it or by what means. I'm just curious, what makes you think he'll help you?"

The hazy figure retorted, "Who do you think he is? What do you think his ultimate goal is?"

"...I have nothing to say." Changfeng was convinced by this question. He sighed and slowly said, "In that case, I will find Ji Chaoge for you."

Chapter Six: Undercurrents

"Betrayal and betrayal of heroes is the beginning of a nation's decline."

Mu Nandong left his brief comments.

The book, titled *The Traitor Named Estrela*, is a work by a literary master. Mu Nandong's comments on non-professional books tend to be more moderate. This is because literary works can be interpreted in multiple ways, and Mu Nandong's literary skills certainly cannot compare to his achievements in alchemy.

More than a year has passed, and Mu Nandong still maintains his habit of coming to the library every now and then to borrow a book and leave his comments after reading it. This habit has continued for many years and will continue indefinitely if nothing unexpected happens.

But Mu Nandong is someone who is bound to have accidents. He has his own things to do, which are very important and cannot be abandoned.

"Justice delayed because of the parties' inability is disgusting, but it's better than justice never coming at all."

Leaving aside the first half of the sentence, the meaning of the second half is very clear: no matter what, it's better to come than not to come, and it's better to do something than not to do it well.

Mu Nan Dong and Kui are very similar, even though they don't overlap in any way—from race to appearance, height, ability, physical attributes, and areas of expertise. But they are truly alike, both carrying certain burdens, becoming philosophers against their will, with philosophies they've gleaned from their own lives that they simply cannot share with others.

In this respect, Kui is probably in a worse situation. Although Mu Nandong suffers from various unfair treatments due to his family background, at least his life is not threatened.

Mu Nandong put the book back on the shelf, turned and left the library. Ahe, who worked as a signboard girl at the front desk, said goodbye to him with great enthusiasm. Sometimes Mu Nandong really didn't understand what she did.

Leaving the library, Mu Nandong turned and went to the board game arcade... This sounds a bit surreal.

Putting the board game arcade and Mu Nandong together is like describing Ying Qinguan as someone who admits his mistakes and corrects them—it feels completely out of place. Of course, Mu Nandong didn't go to the board game arcade to play cards; he went to find someone, but not Ying Qinguan, but the owner.

Zhu Jue... He's practically a middleman between the Seven Luminaries and Mu Nandong. Why only half? Because Zhu Jue isn't a member of the Seven Luminaries, but he's involved in many of their affairs—of course he's not a member of the Seven Luminaries, the Time-Space Killing Company's lifespan is more than twice that of the Seven Luminaries. When Zhu Jue's ancestor registered the company, the grandfather of the Seven Luminaries Emperor, Nineteen Qi, hadn't even been born yet.

The deal between Qiyao and Mu Nandong was a secret between them, and they were very tacitly in cahoots. For many years, Qiyao had imprisoned Mu Huai Ren on the grounds of "pending treason" rather than "treason," and neither side had any evidence. Here, we must mention P.E. Back then, Mu Huai Ren was suspected of deserting, and public opinion in Qiyao was overwhelming, with everyone demanding that Mu Huai Ren be sentenced to death.

Despite the many doubts surrounding the incident and the uncertainty of the truth, public opinion was unstoppable. Mu Huai-ren was once on the verge of being beheaded, but thanks to this legendary marshal's open stance on the battlefield and his fearless defiance, he managed to stem the tide of public opinion. P.S. was not one of the Seven Luminaries. However, he had become a symbol in the eyes of the military and thus possessed a certain degree of influence in public opinion.

If this happens, Ji Chaoge, who is adept at manipulating people, might gain another powerful general by his side. He has many capable people around him, and they come and go. But he doesn't have any exceptional talents who can conduct research like him; he relies entirely on himself. That's why Black Dragon's technology tree is so skewed... It's like Ji Chaoge is single-handedly challenging all areas of alchemy. It would be strange if it weren't skewed.

Thanks to P.S.'s righteous words back then, Mu Nandong has grown up without any major incidents and has not yet turned to the dark side. Not long ago, he completed the final step of the "Courage" process and created this legendary item. After decades of effort, the plan has finally moved on to the second step - to find out the truth of what happened back then.

Previously, Mu Nandong had never deliberately sought the truth of what happened back then. He was convinced that the enemy was either a clown or "fear," and that finding the truth wouldn't change anything about them; knowing it would only add to his troubles. Therefore, he never bothered to explore the truth. But now, things are different.

Through his boss as an intermediary, Mu Nandong launches his assault on the truth and revenge... If he succeeds and ultimately proves Mu Huai Ren innocent, then he can hand over the technology, achieve fame and fortune, and the country will exonerate him. If he succeeds, but it turns out Mu Huai Ren is indeed not innocent, then needless to say, he'll hand over the technology and continue his current life. If he fails... there's not much to say; clowns and fear, neither of them seems like good people.

This idea had been tacitly practiced by both sides for several years. However, recently, Qiyao suddenly reduced its support for Mu Nandong's research... It was sudden and inexplicable, and the specific time was around early February of this year... Mu Nandong guessed what had happened during that period. But a lot of major events happened during that time: the Bird City massacre, the Crimson Beast on the Huanxing Plain... Mu Nandong had some guesses in his mind, but as before, he didn't verify them.

Because he knew that the answer would come naturally when the time was right.

For example... today.

Mu Nandong walked into the board game arcade. The owner was sitting at the front desk with a cat in his arms. When he saw Mu Nandong, he smiled and waved, then pointed in a direction to a set of games inside the arcade.

Mu Nandong understood. He calmly nodded to the boss and went inside.

Inside the room was the second prince of the empire, who had once been classmates with Mu Nandong, and their relationship... could be said to be slightly better than that of strangers.

The second prince appeared prematurely aged... He looked very mature and composed, making it hard to believe he was only in his early twenties.

Fortunately, he wasn't just at a disadvantage because of his looks. He also had a mature way of doing things and knew how to deal with someone like Mu Nandong. He didn't waste any words and got straight to the point after Mu Nandong opened the door and sat down.

"Mr. Mu, let me be frank, you should have noticed by now that the Empire no longer supports your research."

"Yes."

"I can't reveal too much about this, but with your intelligence, you must have guessed it. I'm telling you now, you're right. The Progenitor is not a monster that humanity can defeat in this era. Therefore... the Seven Luminaries will no longer provide any support for your actions. I hope you understand."

Mu Nandong nodded calmly, left the suite, and gazed into the distance.

"Courage is a weapon created to 'kill' the progenitor. For so many years, the Seven Luminaries have secretly supported me, but this year, their support suddenly ceased. So..."

Bathed in the warm sunshine of late August, Mu Nandong felt a chill in his heart.

"The progenitor...can he really be resurrected?"

Chapter Seven: Undercurrents

Ji Chaoge sat in front of the television, holding a magazine in his hands... He seemed to be in a rare state of leisure.

The TV was playing a movie, the one starring Ying Qin Guan, and the plot had just reached the point where Su Mingyi received help from the ancestor.

Ji Chaoge shook her head and looked at the magazine in her hand. It was an interview with a social celebrity about his views on fear. The celebrity spoke eloquently, believing that fear is a real thing.

"fake."

Ji Chaoge shifted her gaze from the magazine to the television, paused for a moment, and then laughed, "It's fake too."

He turned off the TV, closed the magazine, and rested his chin on one hand.

"However, this art form, where the progenitor is witnessed by humans at a crucial moment of tribulation, is indeed widely circulated. So, is it possible that such a situation actually exists, for example..."

Ji Chaoge suddenly shut her mouth and looked to the side. A hazy figure passed through the wall and arrived there.

He said calmly, "You found me a little later than I expected. I almost thought you wouldn't be able to find me again."

The hazy figure said calmly, "I should have found you before Cain appeared."

"Before Cain appeared, the neutral faction wouldn't have come to me for you; after Cain appeared, you can no longer return the world to what it was before."

Ji Chaoge knew of Changfeng's existence, but didn't know his specific name... Clearly, it was the clown who had been in contact with him.

In this respect, the Obscure Figure was no exception; the Joker's lifespan wasn't long among the Originals. But he was definitely the kind of person who had a wide circle of friends... He was incredibly adept at causing trouble.

Ji Chaoge's tone was always sarcastic and smug. The hazy figure, unwilling to be outdone in this confrontation, coldly retorted, "It sounds like you know my abilities quite well."

“Perhaps I understand your abilities better than you do,” Ji Chaoge said with a smile. “Because your ancestors only received the favor of mysticism, without understanding its true principles. But I am a genuine master of mysticism… albeit one that is somewhat unbalanced.”

—No one but Ji Chaoge would dare to call himself a master of mysticism in front of someone like the hazy figure so soon after he started studying mysticism.

"It's best not to make big promises too early."

Ji Chaoge shrugged, making no attempt to persuade the hazy figure. He was already used to being misunderstood. To be precise, no one had ever truly understood him, except for a certain guy whose catchphrase was rather irritating... unfortunately, he was dead too.

Generations come and go, but the only one who stays with you forever is yourself.

Ji Chaoge remained calm and said, "You came to see me not just to spout this nonsense."

The hazy figure sat down on the sofa and said, "There's a saying in Southern Qin, 'How can one tolerate another's snoring beside one's bed?' It's a metaphor for defending one's own interests and not allowing others to infringe upon them... Black Dragon, what do you think is the greatest interest a person can possess?"

Ji Chaoge remained calm and said, "Aside from a very few people with lofty spiritual pursuits, it is undoubtedly one's own life."

“That’s right…it’s your own life.” The hazy figure nodded in agreement. “So, do you think you have the ability to protect your life from Cain?”

Ji Chaoge looked languid and raised his hands in a gesture of surrender.

"No way, no way, it's impossible. That guy is from another dimension. Ten thousand... no, even a hundred thousand Jue Tian soldiers, a million, ten million, even if everyone in the world turned into that kind of monster, they still couldn't kill him."

Ying Qin Guan once shattered over 1,300 Jue Tian soldiers (out of a total of 1,500; a few died attacking Southern Qin, leaving dozens to suppress various regions; the remaining 1,300 encountered Ying Qin Guan on their return journey), thus achieving legendary status in one battle. However, Cain indeed possessed power from another dimension, which could not be defeated by mere brute force. But Ji Chaoge's example is not very good; the Jue Tian army could not be killed too many times, and Wang Qiushui, the Ancestor, Ying Qin Guan, and Ye Jiaofang could also escape depending on the situation.

Examples like "how many Jue Tian Army soldiers can be defeated" are certainly more appropriate, but even Ji Chaoge could not estimate Cain's strength at all, so this number had lost its meaning.

"Black Dragon." The hazy figure calmly called out to Ji Chaoge, "You know perfectly well why I came here. If you continue with this attitude, then we cannot talk. We both understand that Cain is the most terrifying enemy, don't we?"

“You’re wrong.” Ji Chaoge’s smile faded as he said, “For you, Cain is the most terrifying enemy because he will lead the world to destruction, and then I am. The two are in an absolute superior-subordinate relationship. But for me, his threat level is about the same as yours. I only have two endings: to rule the world, or everything else. Whether I fail or the world is destroyed by Cain, it makes no difference to me. Please be aware of this.”

The hazy figure said coldly, "Are you trying to say that you're in a superior position in this conversation?"

Ji Chaoge laughed again, but did not answer.

Only lies need to be repeatedly emphasized; the truth is the same whether it's said once or ten thousand times. Especially since Ji Chaoge knew that the hazy figure was a rational and intelligent person.

Sure enough, the next moment, the hazy figure resumed his normal tone, naturally and abruptly skipping over the topic again—naturally referring to the hazy figure's state and tone, and abruptly referring to the complete lack of connection between his and her previous statements.

"You must have some thoughts about this at all, right?"

"Even if I said no, you wouldn't believe me... As you might think, I'm considering it."

Ji Chaoge's sudden and decisive answer startled the hazy figure. The other party had answered her so readily... that by retaining this memory, she could completely change Cain's stance!

"I know what you're thinking. It's easy to guess. You definitely don't understand Cain." Ji Chaoge said with a smile, not dwelling on the matter. Cain possessed astonishing magnanimity; perhaps he wouldn't even get angry. Even if he knew Ji Chaoge wanted to kill him, he would most likely just say, 'Of course, if I were him, I would also want to kill Cain.'

Of course, this all hinges on one crucial premise: that Ji Chaoge cannot kill Cain. Only if this premise holds true can Cain remain so calm and composed. If Ji Chaoge truly had a plan to kill Cain, then they would indeed become enemies... But as Ji Chaoge stated earlier, the greatest enemy of the elusive figure, or rather, of all living beings in the world, is Cain, and only then do others come into play.

In other words, if Ji Chaoge had a way to kill Cain, the hazy figure wouldn't be able to use that to turn them against each other... Clearly, Ji Chaoge had figured all this out before she even spoke, while the hazy figure was a step behind. But she quickly understood, and stopped dwelling on the matter, instead asking:

"Have you figured something out?"

Ji Chaoge nodded.