Daily life of a teacher in the martial arts department

First of all, this technology is important to humans, but not necessarily to Ji Chaoge.

With Cain dead, he'll immediately launch his plan to conquer the world; this technology is irrelevant. He'll transform everyone into his own race, establishing an eternal dynasty and ruling for all time.

If the plan succeeds, that's how it goes. If the plan fails... then you die. Well, Xun Jiang, you damn unlucky bastard, you can go to hell with your misfortune, it's none of my business!

Yes, once you're dead, you can't control anything anymore, so it doesn't matter.

This technology was of no importance to Ji Chaoge, so he could give it away casually.

As for the benefits it brings, there are two points. First, it prevents the hazy figure from rewinding time at will, which is very important. Otherwise, even Ji Chaoge would not be able to determine how the hazy figure will act. Knowing this is very important to him.

Secondly, although the benefits were substantial, Ji Chaoge believed he would not need them, nor did he want to. Strategically, he did not think he would have the opportunity to use these benefits, but tactically, he still made the arrangements.

Strategically driven by emotion, tactically rational... a contradictory combination, Ji Chaoge.

After the initial shock, the blurry figure quickly came to his senses and understood everything except for the second benefit.

She suppressed her elation and said coldly:

"This technology is not important to you, and you've already used it to confirm my status... What a clever scheme."

If the hazy figure represents the suppression of one's true thoughts, then Ji Chaoge is making no attempt to conceal them, immediately donning a mask of pain.

"Ugh... I can't stand it. They're clearly happy but have to pretend they're at a disadvantage. Let's be honest, who really benefited more?"

—Needless to say, even if Ji Chaoge has grand schemes, humans are still bound to fall for these sugar-coated bullets.

The two then signed a contract, an ancient method used by few remaining creatures.

The hazy figure turned the contract over and over, reading it word by word, and finally confirmed that there were no problems. As for whether there were any problems with the technology, that was not her concern; she believed that the humans would have their own methods to determine that.

"If I were to rewind time now, this contract, which has no second timeline, would naturally become invalid," the hazy figure said. "Obviously, I won't do that... Tell me, what exactly is your method?"

"It's quite simple, really just a matter of saying one sentence..."

Ji Chaoge paused slightly before speaking.

"First, let Cain inherit the destiny of the progenitor, and be demoted from something unknown to the progenitor."

"Wait... are you so sure he'll be demoted to an ancestor?"

"Whether it will succeed or not, even after studying the mysticism for so long, I still can't be sure. The act of inheriting the ancestral destiny is something that the ancestor could also do, which means that lower-level humans can be promoted and the same-level ancestor can be replaced. But if Cain is really a higher-level being, he may really not be able to inherit the ancestral destiny... Then there's nothing we can do. He has no weaknesses. When he bathed in dragon blood, he probably took care of not only his heels but also his large and small intestines. He can only wait to die."

".."

The indistinct figure remained silent. Ji Chaoge's meaning was clear from the beginning: he wasn't confident of victory... and no one could be confident of victory.

"Even if he is downgraded to the progenitor, my abilities are still insufficient to deal with him. I cannot lock onto him, nor can I rewind the entire world's timeline. That is related to historical variables, not to the status of a single being."

She paused slightly, waiting for Ji Chaoge to process the information... Clearly, the hazy figure didn't want to explain too clearly, so she deliberately left a lot of blank space.

"Secondly, regarding a single time rewind, as I mentioned before, it's the time coordinates that are shifted, not the spatial coordinates... Wait, you previously said that during the ancestral ritual, the successor will connect with the gate?"

"What you gain, you lose." Ji Chaoge nodded calmly. "When humans obtained the destiny of the progenitor, they also lost their own destiny. But unlike the progenitor, their destiny was not qualified to enter the 'gate'. After being rejected, it disappeared forever. At first glance, it seems like they unilaterally plundered the progenitor's destiny, but in reality, they also lost a lot."

The inheritance of one's ancestral destiny has occurred no more than three times in thousands of years, so it is normal that the obscure figure has not studied this matter.

"However, this kind of 'rejection' also takes time, and it takes quite a while, which is enough."

".."

The blurry figure pondered for a moment, then shook its head.

"Even if he is demoted and then associated with the door, it won't help. My ability can work on the door, but I can't select the door at all, just like I can't lock Cain. It's just that I can't lock Cain, but the door won't let me lock it."

“You don’t need to lock onto Cain,” Ji Chaoge shook his head and said, “You just need to lock onto someone else.”

"..?"

The indistinct figure still doesn't understand: what's the point of locking onto someone else?

She guessed that Ji Chaoge was referring to Shenxin, since the other party had initially stated that she needed both her and Shenxin. However, what was the point of locking onto Shenxin? This regression was entirely personal; there would be no "chain reaction." Things eaten in the past wouldn't be vomited up, and actions done wouldn't be restored. What was the significance of locking onto Shenxin?

Suddenly, the hazy figure's mind froze... She also had a considerable understanding of the occult, and now she had thought of that method.

"It seems you've thought of that too... You're right."

Ji Chaoge spoke calmly, saying, "Let the Divine Heart plunder your destiny, and then let Cain plunder the Divine Heart's destiny. At the moment of completion, let the Divine Heart, which has gained your power, rewind its own time. In the mysticism, the Divine Heart and 'Cain' at this time are 'from the same ancestor,' and with the connection to the Gate... if nothing unexpected happens, Cain will be taken away by the 'Gate.'"

Chapter Eleven: Undercurrents

".."

This is the umpteenth time today that the indistinct figure has fallen silent.

From a purely biological perspective, the Primordial Ancestors completely overwhelm humans or other races. However, the specific numerical differences are not necessarily true. A classic example is Kui, who in a direct confrontation could render all Primordial Ancestors incompetent, not to mention issues like thought speed. The silence of the hazy figure is a sign of contemplation; her logical thinking far surpasses Kui's. But if they were to truly consider a problem, Kui would be much faster. In situations like this, if Kui hesitates, it's not because he's thinking, but because he's giving his opponent time to think.

Ji Chaoge waited quietly.

The indistinct figure spoke, his tone calm and devoid of coldness, yet this was a clear indication that the negotiations were beginning to break down.

"...You've got a good plan, taking care of two...maybe three at once."

The conversation was finally coming to an end. Ji Chaoge put away her casual expression and slowly turned her gaze to the hazy figure.

“I really like the saying, ‘Truth becomes clearer through debate.’ You don’t need to act like you’ve suffered a great loss. We were never on the same side to begin with. Your destiny will be in Shenxin’s hands. Considering your ability is time, plus the cooperation of the destiny holder, the probability of a quick resurrection is probably over 80%. You will be fine. The one who will really have a problem is that little girl. She lost her destiny and then returned it to you, allowing you to be resurrected. Of course, you can also give your destiny to her so that she can live, but in any case, the choice is in your own hands.”

This is a very reasonable speculation. In Ji Chaoge's hypothesis, if the plan really proceeds to the final step, and Cain is demoted to the ancestor by the ancestral ritual, then at that moment, the hazy figure, Shenxin, and Cain are intertwined through the hazy figure's destiny and are considered 'the same person'. Moreover, the 'gate' is also involved, and the 'remnant soul of the hazy figure' within it might be 'reverted'. At that time, the hazy figure would be resurrected on the spot, while Shenxin would activate his ability to send himself back to his state more than a month ago, causing him to lose his ancestral destiny and become an ordinary person.

The reason this knowledge is called mysticism is because it has never been systematically speculated or verified. The divine heart's 'fate' should theoretically have been taken by the 'gate,' but in reality, it dissipated into the world. If 'human fate' also possesses a 'true timeline,' then in the instant of time reversal, the hazy figure would revive, and the divine heart would die. Or perhaps the gate is supreme and unaffected by the hazy figure's abilities...

There are far too many possibilities, and neither the hazy figure nor Ji Chaoge has any certainty of victory.

No one is absolutely certain of victory. For thousands of years, humans, ancestors, and even other races have had very limited understanding of the "gate." Even Ji Chaoge's entire plan revolving around the gate is not something he is very confident about.

However, Ji Chaoge believed his guess was correct. The world has certain rules that prevent perpetual motion machines from appearing, especially the ability to rewind time. The world cannot be trapped in a certain period of time forever, let alone be fooled and deceived by the "gate". Therefore, he was convinced that one of the divine heart and the hazy figure must pay the price. Who it is will depend on who holds the ancestral destiny.

"Black Dragon..." the hazy figure lowered its voice, "You know that's not what I'm talking about. You can use us to achieve everything you want without paying anything, using your enemies' lives to kill your enemies... I have to suspect that this isn't your real plan at all; you must have a better one..."

This "better" is relative; the hazy figure was clearly referring to something better for her.

Ji Chaoge shook her head and said, "You think too highly of me... You wouldn't believe such a thing, would you? There's nothing I can do, but the truth is what it is. Whether you accept it or not is entirely up to you."

The hazy figure countered, "Do you think I have no choice but to do it?"

“It’s your actions that make me think this way,” Ji Chaoge said. “There’s something Cain didn’t think about, and you’re trying to avoid it… but actually, no one can escape it, which is why I’m sure you’ll come looking for me.”

The hazy figure was finally speechless... She knew that Ji Chaoge would definitely notice that, which left her with no other choice.

"Your and the God of War have a strange reason for wanting to deal with Cain, saying that he will destroy the world."

Ji Chaoge crossed her legs, interlaced her fingers, and placed them on her chin. She calmly said, "But Cain's goal is to resurrect a dead man. So the question is, why does resurrecting one person mean destroying the world? I've been in contact with Cain for a while. He's not an antisocial personality; in fact, he's quite good-tempered. Perhaps he wasn't like this thousands of years ago. But that's not a reason for you to directly kill him. If you can persuade him, at least persuade him. Tell him that your method is unacceptable, and then guide him onto the right path. In any case, directly fighting a ruthless character who can destroy world history is not a good choice."

"Yet you made that choice..."

Ji Chaoge's eyes were deep and unfathomable.

Why not try to persuade him?

"The reason is simple, as I just said... truth becomes clearer through debate. Even if a monster that can destroy the whole world by itself appears, it cannot distort objective facts."

"Destroying the entire world...is indeed one of the methods, ways, or means to resurrect people, right? And you can't deny that, you can't even make him believe it's false. Why? It's easy to guess, because this was probably told to him by Cain's wife. He couldn't possibly believe you guys and not his wife, who could almost be called the 'source of magic'."

"In other words, if things don't work out on my end and I can't resurrect God, then Cain will not hold back and will turn the world to ashes once again. You stopped him once thousands of years ago. However, you failed this time, so you really have no choice but to do it."

"You don't need to deny it, because denial is useless. The power of the divine heart and the divine truth is the same, as is Cain, who can verify this. Although I haven't asked any of them, I can't be wrong... If you can accept the demise of all life, then you don't need to carry out my plan. Now, give me your answer."

The hazy figure silently watched Ji Chaoge.

She was speechless. She didn't want to accept her fate, but she was also unwilling to make an ugly and powerless struggle. The truth becomes clearer through debate... Ji Chaoge was right.

Chapter Twelve: The Undercurrents End

Destroy the world, resurrect humanity.

These two things seem completely unrelated, and there's almost no reason to force a connection between them. Even Ji Chaoge could only logically deduce that there was indeed some connection between the two things, but he couldn't figure out what that connection was.

But this connection does exist; the hazy figure, the God of War, the God of the Heart, the God of Truth, and Cain all know this.

Cain's method of resurrecting the gods came from a magic trick, or rather, a ritual.

This ritual was recorded in the mind of the goddess and in the minds of her ancestors who shared the same power.

The effect of this ritual is to reverse the occult definition of life and death; the specific conditions for achieving the ritual are...

"Throughout history, every time a creature reaches a certain level of life, it is marked as +1, with the total number being x. Throughout history, every time a creature that reaches a certain level of life dies, it is marked as +1, with the total number being y. When x = y, the ritual is activated, completely distorting the occult definition of life and death."

Shenxin and her ancestors had access to a natural database, which included x and y... This number roughly represents all of humanity, all magical beasts, and all alien races. As for the primordial alien races and special alien races, their numbers were too small to be included in the calculation, and plants and animals were only counted as a very small portion.

Of course, it's okay if you can't see it, because there's no need to see it at all; all you need to do is make x=y.

So... here's the question.

When is x = y?

That goes without saying.

Cain wants to tear the entire world, the entire history, everything to shreds and destroy it all... If Ji Chaoge's actions fail, he will immediately lose patience and start his own plan.

"Whether you accept this plan or not, you will have plenty of time to make a decision. You may need to discuss it with Shenxin. It's up to you. Now I will tell you the specific time schedule. If you miss it, I will assume that you have made your own decision."

"Well then, listen carefully..."

-

In early September, the last holiday finally ended, and the Imperial Academy started school... but for some reasons, students and teachers continued to have holidays.

Upon receiving news from Yingqin Pass, it was learned that Zhong Hongyu, like the Seventh Princess, had chosen to suspend her studies.

He felt a mix of emotions; both Nocturne and Zhong Hongyu had vanished without a trace.

Ying Qin Guan always struggled to escape these complex emotions. His past experiences had given him too many inappropriate thoughts, and he was destined to never be able to break free from those memories. His life after that was made up of countless painful moments, and some things, once they happened, were destined to be insurmountable in this lifetime.

However, his troubles were yet to come... In early September, the Imperial Household Agency's traditional event arrived.

The exchange tournament, comprised of the royal academies (or higher institutions of learning) of the four nations of Ice Lemon, Seven Stars, Morgan, and City of Truth, is held at the beginning of each academic year. In earlier years, similar tournaments were banned, but were later retained as a tradition. However, the intensity has diminished considerably, and in recent years there's even talk of "promoting star athletes." Many students from the martial arts and magic departments go directly into the film and television industry after graduation, demonstrating their keen business acumen.

Last year, Ying Qin Guan and Iris Flower led a team of three from the Martial Arts Department and three from the Magic Department to participate in the competition in the City of Truth. This year, it should have been the Seven Luminaries' turn. But the alchemy students at the Royal Academy are always up to something; they caused some trouble right from the start of the semester, blowing up half of the Royal Academy and releasing some unpleasant gases in the process...

Yes, that's why the entire Imperial Palace was given a holiday—Luo Shui was overjoyed when she heard the news.

In short, since it is not convenient for the Seven Luminaries Imperial Academy to act as the organizer at the moment, after a brief discussion, it was decided to continue with the venue from last year, the City of Truth.

Jiu also convened a short meeting to inquire about the recommended candidates from the various teachers in the Martial Arts Department.