The sudden appearance of transfer student Hei Xuan made Feng Qi realize that the bait had been taken.
Old Day Academy always had transfer students each year, but they typically chose other majors. Domain Studies was too dry and boring. Aside from Mist Lord, there hadn't been a transfer student in over a decade.
This Hei Xuan was clearly a member sent by the Psionic Tribe to test the waters.
There was one more piece of evidence to prove this. His name was Hei Xuan, while the leader of the Institute of Techological Research, the shadowy figure known as Hei Lin, shared the same surname.
In the Domain World, most groups only had one surname, with very few exceptions.
At this point, Feng Qi even began to suspect that the Psionic Tribe had already discovered Mist Lord's true identity.
Otherwise, with the depth of the Psionic Tribe, they wouldn't specifically come to make contact over a single talented individual.
After all, the Psionic Tribe, with their Sacred Spirit Consciousness Vault, had achieved a level of genius across all their members. The only thing limiting their development was the availability of resources and miraculous items.
Only someone like Mist Lord, a special genius, was an exception.
Feng Qi didn't know the Psionic Tribe's exact purpose in recruiting potential species, but previous intelligence suggested that Mist Lord was the Psionic Tribe's top candidate for recruitment.
In the following days, nothing unexpected happened.
Hei Xuan, aside from attending classes, didn't make any deliberate attempts to contact them.
This was a bit different from what Feng Qi had expected.
But he knew Hei Xuan would eventually approach them. Otherwise, why would he choose this moment to come to Old Day Academy?
Now, it seemed the Psionic Tribe was likely gathering other information, ensuring that when they did make contact, there wouldn't be any surprises.
These infiltrating forces were always cautious.
While waiting for the situation to unfold, Feng Qi didn't neglect his studies.
Looking at Domain Studies from a different perspective, it wasn't as boring as it seemed. It was like flipping through the history of another tribe and discovering new knowledge in the process.
The dull part of Domain Studies came from the various exams, which required massive memorization.
Interest was the primary driving force, and the higher-ups in Old Day Academy undoubtedly knew this.
But as the field of Domain Studies expanded, the amount of content to be learned increased. For many, it was a lifelong endeavor, and the cram-learning method had become the most effective way to keep up.
As for the future, the direction of Domain Studies was gradually shifting to a categorized model.
In the future, each batch of students would only need to focus on one category of Domain Studies, to lessen the pressure.
These categorized majors had already been established, but due to various restrictions, the full implementation had not yet taken place.
Their batch was the first to test out the new model.
That evening, after dinner, Feng Qi and Mist Lord were walking back to the dormitory.
It was early autumn, and the summer heat had faded.
On both sides of the main road, the osmanthus trees were flourishing, lush and green. A breeze blew through, and the branches swayed, scattering small, pale yellow petals, filling the air with a fragrant aroma.
"Qi-ge, I don't understand why you insist on staying in Domain Studies. It's a complete waste of time to remain here... I've told you, the future situation is grim. We should focus on planning for the future, not waste time here."
Hearing Mist Lord's serious advice, Feng Qi smiled widely and replied:
"I understand, but you also know that I'm still unclear about what kind of tribe I belong to. Domain Studies might help me find out... Even if I might be the last member of my tribe."
Hearing these words, Mist Lord's eyes flickered, and after a moment of silence, he nodded helplessly.
"Alright, I'll accompany you through this phase of your academy life. In the future, you'll accompany me to the top."
"Now that's the brother I know!"
Amidst Mist Lord's slightly disdainful expression, Feng Qi stepped forward and threw an arm around Mist Lord's shoulders, the two walking side by side toward the dormitory.
Just then, a figure appeared beside them.
Feng Qi and Mist Lord immediately turned their heads, and to their surprise, it was none other than Hei Xuan.
"Is there something you need?" Mist Lord asked expressionlessly.
"Can we talk for a moment?"
"What's the matter?"
"Could I speak to you in private?" Hei Xuan asked with a friendly expression, his gaze shifting to Feng Qi.
"Just speak freely. He doesn't need to leave."
Seeing that Hei Xuan intended to have Feng Qi step aside, Mist Lord immediately frowned and said, "If that's the case, bring him along. Let's talk in another place." With that, Hei Xuan turned and walked toward the training field.
But Mist Lord clearly had no intention of following. He turned to Feng Qi and said:
"Don't mind him, let's go back to the dorm."
As Mist Lord was about to head toward the dormitory, Hei Xuan suddenly turned around, smiled, and addressed Mist Lord:
"Mist Tribe?"
After speaking, he turned back and continued toward the training field.
At the mention of this term, Mist Lord's body visibly shook, his expression a mix of disbelief.
Feng Qi also pretended to be shocked.
After a brief hesitation, Mist Lord decisively spoke:
"We've been exposed. Let's follow him and see what his intentions are."
On the way, Mist Lord's expression fluctuated, his gaze uncertain. Clearly, he was extremely uneasy about his identity being exposed.
Feng Qi understood his discomfort.
Mist Lord's personality meant that he preferred to control the situation, and once things became uncontrollable, he would become alert and anxious.
At this moment, Mist Lord turned to look at him, his expression worried:
"Qi-ge, it's not that I don't want to stay at Old Day Academy with you, but if things get out of hand, I think we need to leave here early. You should come with me, staying here is very unsafe."
"Alright." Feng Qi nodded immediately.
Following Hei Xuan, they arrived at a deserted corner of the training field. At this point, Hei Xuan turned around, looking at Mist Lord, and a warm smile appeared on his face.
"Speak. Who are you? What exactly is your purpose in finding me?" Mist Lord asked expressionlessly.
"We're not strangers. I believe your true identity is the current Mist Tribe leader, right? My people should have already made contact with you when you first arrived in the human world."
"Psionic Tribe?!" Mist Lord exclaimed in surprise.
Upon hearing the mutual recognition of their identities, Feng Qi, standing to the side, was not at all surprised.
He had already known, from multiple timelines ago, that when Mist Lord first arrived, the Psionic Tribe had contacted him.
At that time, Monk had informed him, sharing an intelligence report from the Psionic Tribe about Mist Lord.
It was possible that the Psionic Tribe had already considered recruiting Mist Lord back then, but at that time, Mist Lord had not yet fully integrated with the world's rules. He could not even leave the Domain Field, and recruiting him would have been meaningless.
Now, the only reason Mist Lord could act freely outside was because the "Miracle Will" within him had assisted him in forcibly adapting to the world's rules while healing his injuries.
After Hei Xuan nodded and confirmed his identity as a Psionic Tribe member, Mist Lord, after a brief moment of shock, suddenly asked:
"Are you here to take revenge?"
Upon hearing this, Hei Xuan immediately shook his head:
"Don't misunderstand. Although we are somewhat enemies, the Psionic Tribe was once enslaved by your Mist Tribe, but that was in the past. We understand the law of survival of the fittest. The weak get bullied. Even if it wasn't the Mist Tribe, we would have been enslaved by another strong tribe, or worse, become food."
"Don't talk nonsense. I don't believe there's a race that doesn't hold grudges. Even if there were, no race without bloodshed could have a future... I thought it was strange. When I was at my weakest, why didn't the Psionic Tribe member who passed by act against me? Now I realize they must have had ideas about me even then." Mist Lord sneered at this.
Upon hearing this, Hei Xuan revealed an ambiguous smile:
"Well, maybe."
"Alright, speak. What do you really want?"
"I hope you can pledge your loyalty to the Psionic Tribe."
"Are you kidding me?!"
Upon hearing this, Mist Lord immediately widened his eyes.
Beside him, Feng Qi was also feeling a bit embarrassed.
He had expected Mist Lord's reaction.
This was undoubtedly an insult to him. What's worse, the Psionic Tribe had once been enslaved by the Mist Tribe, making this an insult on top of an insult.
Hei Xuan, however, was not surprised by Mist Lord's reaction. Instead, he spoke calmly:
"Don't get angry. Do you remember, when I was a child, my parents used to use you to threaten me when I misbehaved? In my impression, you are a smart person. You should know that things are different now. You are no longer the leader of the Mist Tribe, and the Mist Tribe has long lost its former glory."
What Hei Xuan said obviously struck a nerve with Mist Lord.
However, Mist Lord's expression softened, and he coldly spoke:
"What if I refuse?"
"Why refuse? For dignity? To me, that means nothing. Even if it's very important to you, only the life that survives has the right to fight for dignity, don't you think?"
Before Mist Lord could respond, Hei Xuan continued:
"Perhaps before you refuse, you should first understand the benefits my tribe can offer you."
"Go ahead."
At this moment, Mist Lord appeared unusually calm.
"According to the intelligence I have, when you crossed the world-spanning portal, you encountered some obstacles. The Mist Tribe is down to only you. We can help you rebuild the Mist Tribe, and even... resurrect your people."
This statement had a huge impact on Mist Lord.
But Mist Lord remained impassive, speaking in a dull tone:
"I can also make empty promises. If the Psionic Tribe pledges allegiance to me, I guarantee that you will survive the great upheaval in the future. What do you think of this deal?"
"How about you first resurrect my people, then we'll talk about loyalty?"
Hei Xuan was momentarily stunned, then shook his head:
"Resurrecting your people is something we can't do at the moment. However, we have a clear direction. This is a project we are currently working on, but I guarantee it will be achieved sooner or later... Besides resurrecting your people, we can also offer you a large amount of resources to help increase your strength."
"From your words, it sounds like the Psionic Tribe is very strong now?"
"Perhaps not weaker than the Mist Tribe at its peak!" Hei Xuan said this in a calm tone, but his eyes revealed a hint of pride.
Upon hearing this, Mist Lord's eyes showed clear surprise.
The Mist Tribe had a long history, and its peak period was undoubtedly when the Mist Tribe's Ancestor was still alive.
At that time, the Mist Tribe's Ancestor possessed some of the power of the Pillar God, and the power the tribe wielded swept through many layers of worlds, occupying vast territories. That was the Mist Tribe's most glorious period.
However, after the ancestor was injured in a battle with a mysterious powerful being, the Mist Tribe entered a period of decline.
From controlling several large domain-layer worlds, the Mist Tribe had retreated step by step to the Lingyu Second Layer World, losing the foundation laid by their Ancestor. The descendants of the Mist Tribe, after losing their Ancestor, were no longer able to hold on to the land their ancestor had conquered.
Upon hearing Hei Xuan mention that the Psionic Tribe might now rival the Mist Tribe at its peak, Mist Lord's first thought was to laugh. However, after observing the changes in Hei Xuan's expression, he slowly realized that Hei Xuan might not be joking.
"Do you know the strength of the Mist Tribe at its peak?" Mist Lord asked cautiously.
"I have a rough understanding through historical records. At that time, my Psionic Tribe was your Mist Tribe's subordinate slave tribe and witnessed the peak of your Mist Tribe."
This statement made Mist Lord realize that the Psionic Tribe, which had arrived earlier in the human world, had truly grown to an unimaginable extent.
However, many doubts filled his mind. He then looked at Hei Xuan and asked:
"Since the Psionic Tribe has already developed to this point, why do you still want my loyalty? With your strength, one more or one less of me shouldn't matter, right?"
"That's not the case. Your potential is limitless."
"Potential?" Mist Lord looked at Hei Xuan in confusion.
"Inside you flows the bloodline of the Ancestor, who once wielded the power of the Pillar God. This bloodline may still be dormant, but our tribe can figure out a way to activate it, granting you infinite growth potential!"
"What benefits will this bring your tribe?"
"Our tribe's current situation is quite special. We need a group of potential races to carry out tasks we cannot attempt ourselves, and these tasks must not expose our tribe's identity. Training strong individuals is the only way forward for us."
"Please, explain in more detail."
"You will understand, as long as you agree to my terms. Loyalty to our tribe is undoubtedly a shortcut to growth for you in your current state. Once you agree, our tribe will immediately start supporting you."
"Don't make it sound so nice. I'm sure you have ways to limit me from betraying you. That kind of method will likely trap me forever, and no matter how strong I get, I'll never break free from your control." Mist Lord coldly said.
Upon hearing this, Hei Xuan was silent for a few seconds before speaking:
"Shortcuts always come with a price. We also don't want the strong individuals we train to betray us... But for you, maybe we can make an exception. We appreciate you, and as long as you can fulfill our ultimate goal, we can give you the freedom you want."
"Another empty promise?"
"Don't worry. The way we control you is through a miraculous divine artifact. Once the contract is signed, it will take effect, and neither of us can betray the contents of the contract, or we will surely be killed by the rules."
"Miraculous divine artifact?"
Hei Xuan nodded at this moment. With a wave of his hand, several almost transparent barriers appeared around them, and then he stretched out his hand toward the front, instantly projecting an image.
On the image, an ancient scroll appeared.
It was covered with twisted blood-red characters, exuding the aura of ancient times.
"This contract scroll allows the signatories to be monitored by the rules. Once the contents of the contract are violated, the violator will be killed by the rules."
Looking at the ancient scroll in the projection, Mist Lord seemed somewhat speechless:
"You don't expect me to believe this just from a recorded image, right?"
Hei Xuan frowned and then relaxed, turning to Mist Lord, saying:
"Since that's the case, why don't you come with me... Do you need to bring him?" Hei Xuan turned his head and looked at Feng Qi standing to the side.
"Of course!" Mist Lord nodded firmly.
Upon hearing this, Hei Xuan turned to look at Feng Qi, his curiosity showing:
"I've checked your information. Your name is Feng Qi, you come from Star City, and the database on you is very clean. I once suspected you were human, but when I saw the footage from Star City, I realized you also come from our world... It seems your people have been laying the groundwork for infiltrating human society for a long time."
"What information?" Feng Qi, realizing something, deliberately asked.
"Star City's Domain Alliance investigated your information, and they sent some details about you, including the footage of what you looked like when you exposed your true form."
"I see. Looks like I didn't hide it well enough." Feng Qi replied casually.
"Which layer world do you come from?"
"Don't ask me, I've lost my memory, and I've forgotten many things." Feng Qi decisively shook his head.
Upon hearing this, Hei Xuan did not press further, instead looking back at Mist Lord:
"I'm not interested in him, but I'm curious, what exactly is your relationship with him? Why are you with him?"
"None of your business. Where are we going next? Do we need to ask for leave?" Mist Lord couldn't help but roll his eyes.
"No need, just wait a moment."
Saying that, a golden leaf mark appeared on Hei Xuan's forehead, and his golden hair began to sway without wind. Soon, a translucent tendril made of golden energy extended from his forehead.
The tendril stretched into the air and suddenly pierced through the air, disappearing from sight.
"Take me back." Hei Xuan suddenly looked toward the air and spoke.
"Elder Xuan, wait a moment."
A voice suddenly appeared, and immediately the space around them began to distort and ripple.
More than ten minutes later, a black dot suddenly appeared in Feng Qi's line of sight.
The black dot rapidly expanded, engulfing his vision, and an intense feeling of weightlessness hit him, causing him to instinctively tense up.
He could clearly feel the overwhelming pressure coming from all directions.
But this feeling only lasted for a few seconds before disappearing. A translucent bubble, which appeared from nowhere, enveloped Feng Qi and protected him from the external pressure.
The blackness before his eyes quickly faded, and when he could see clearly again, he realized they were no longer on the academy's field but had been teleported to an unfamiliar place.
Before them lay a square, roughly the size of several football fields, surrounded by various oddly shaped buildings. In the center of the square stood a tree, more than ten meters tall, entirely composed of golden energy. The tree was connected to numerous energy transport devices above it, resembling blood vessels, wriggling in the air.
The ground of the square was paved with crystal-like tiles, through which Feng Qi could clearly see liquid spiritual energy flowing within.
This place felt like a spiritual energy processing plant, and Feng Qi could feel the rich spiritual energy filling his body with every breath.
"Spatial teleportation?" Mist Lord said in a low voice.
"To be precise, it's spatial pinpoint transmission. As long as we have a spatial coordinate, our tribe can teleport our people to various regions. This is one of those places." Hei Xuan explained.
"I'm starting to believe what you said earlier," Mist Lord remarked.
Upon hearing this, a smile appeared on Hei Xuan's face. He then stepped toward a nearby platform.
"Follow me," Hei Xuan instructed.
Feng Qi and Mist Lord immediately followed him.
Upon reaching the platform, Hei Xuan waved his hand over it, causing the golden platform to sink. Then, a platform made entirely of energy rose up. In the center of the new platform lay an ancient contract scroll.
"You must be familiar with miraculous items. Feel free to examine it," Hei Xuan said, stepping aside to make room.
Mist Lord didn't hesitate. He walked up to the scroll, stopping in front of it, and began to examine it closely.
Feng Qi also stepped forward and started to inspect the ancient scroll.
The scroll was identical to the one shown in the image, but the sense of age and weariness was even stronger now.
Mist Lord reached out to touch the ancient scroll, and as his arm moved closer, it slowly began to turn into mist, covering the scroll.
"Since it's a miraculous divine item, would you mind if I try to damage it?" Mist Lord asked.
"Of course not." Hei Xuan appeared patient and smiled as he nodded.
With Hei Xuan's permission, Mist Lord no longer hesitated. He commanded the gray mist to cover the scroll, trying to devour and decompose it.
However, after a moment, Mist Lord abandoned the effort and withdrew the mist.
Looking at the blood-written scroll, Mist Lord turned to Hei Xuan, his curiosity growing.
"Where did you get this miraculous divine item?"
Hei Xuan didn't hide the truth, replying openly:
"A guy named Mo. His origins are mysterious. We haven't been able to uncover anything about him so far."
"Mo?"
"Yes, he's quite mysterious and one of the key factors that allowed our Psionic Tribe to rise in the past."
"Tell me more. I'm very interested in how your Psionic Tribe rose so quickly."
"If you're willing to cooperate with us, I can grant you partial access to our Sacred Spirit Consciousness Repository, so you can learn about the rise of our tribe. But now is not the right time."
Hei Xuan took a step forward, coming to stand beside Mist Lord. At that moment, his flesh began to fade away, turning into a solid black hue, with only a golden leaf-shaped mark left on his forehead.
Hei Xuan reached out to gently touch the ancient scroll, sighing.
"This scroll has powerful functions, but it doesn't mean much to our tribe. It's more like a forced transaction. For our tribe, there's no need to make deals through contracts for things we can obtain with strength. Yet, this scroll briefly made me question our world's reality. It made me wonder if the world we exist in is real."
"What do you mean?" Mist Lord asked, puzzled.
"Do you remember I mentioned Mo? He calls this contract scroll the 'Task System.'"
"I don't quite understand," Mist Lord furrowed his brow.
"You came into human society relatively late, and there are many things you haven't encountered yet. For example, in human society, there are many virtual games. In these games, NPCs issue tasks, which players accept. It forms a type of forced contract, where once the task is completed, the NPC must reward the player accordingly."
"Mo's name for this miraculous item, along with the appearance of a mysterious race, made me suspect the reality of this world. But it's just a suspicion. I lean towards this world being real. This scroll is likely just a special divine item formed from the power of an ancient Pillar God."
…
At this point, Feng Qi, standing aside, was shaken.
The speculations Hei Xuan had mentioned earlier, he had also considered.
During the War Line, he had heard Hei Yin say that the Psionic Tribe referred to the Blue-skin Tribe as test creatures, which made him realize that the Psionic Tribe might have gained some secrets from the Blue-skin Tribe.
Now, what Hei Xuan said seemed to confirm this suspicion.
Watching Mist Lord, still hesitant, Feng Qi felt a deep urgency. He hoped that Mist Lord would agree to Hei Xuan, joining the Psionic Tribe. Only then would Feng Qi be able to gain substantial information from within.
Hei Xuan had said that swearing loyalty to the Psionic Tribe would be a shortcut for Mist Lord's growth.
Feng Qi made no comment on this.
But he knew that if Mist Lord swore loyalty to the Psionic Tribe, it would be a significant shortcut in his growth.
Perhaps the many questions that had troubled him for so long would have answers within the Psionic Tribe.
Looking again at Mist Lord, Feng Qi couldn't help but shout in his heart:
"Brother, sell yourself, it's not shameful!"