Feng Qi had always felt that the name Zhang Daowen sounded incredibly familiar.
However, after searching through nearly a century's worth of Star City's historical records, he couldn't find any mention of such a person.
It wasn't until he was reviewing the information sent by the Ministry of Education just now that a sudden flash of realization struck him—he finally remembered where he had heard this name before.
During one of his future dream timelines, he had entered the Star City Shelter and met humans from the future. Together with Suction Cup, he had worked with them to cleanse the shelter of domain creatures.
Before that mission, while wandering through the shelter, he had stumbled into a classroom, where a teacher was lecturing on historical figures. The teacher had briefly mentioned Zhang Daowen, describing him as a historic polymath.
That moment made Feng Qi fully aware that the little boy doing push-ups nearby was someone extremely renowned in human history.
If he was recognized as a historic polymath, then it meant that Zhang Daowen had made significant contributions to humanity across multiple fields.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have been labeled as such.
But there was one major problem that puzzled him.
He had reviewed the records of outstanding individuals over the past hundred years, yet there was no mention of Zhang Daowen. Did this mean that Zhang Daowen didn't rise to fame in this era but rather in the centuries to come?
For now, there was no way to be certain.
The only thing he could confirm was that in the normal historical timeline, Zhang Daowen had also stood on humanity's side.
However, it was clear that humanity had failed to fully unlock his potential.
Though he was renowned as a polymath, it had nothing to do with martial arts.
Just as Feng Qi had previously speculated, Zhang Daowen most likely ended up working in an elite research institute, helping to pave new paths for humanity.
But in Feng Qi's eyes, Zhang Daowen's greatest strength wasn't just his intelligence—it was his bloodline potential.
His training efficiency was exponentially greater than that of an ordinary person, allowing him to advance at speeds hundreds of times faster, potentially growing far beyond anyone's expectations.
Between research and combat, the future battlefield clearly showed that what humanity needed most was top-tier combat power.
Without supreme warriors, humanity couldn't even ensure its survival, let alone peaceful development.
History had shown that after the Dark Turbulence Era of the Dawn Army, all major cities began to decline.
The Star City Shelter project had also been conceived during that period.
Bringing his thoughts back to the present, Feng Qi stopped overanalyzing Zhang Daowen's future and returned his focus to the tablet in his hands.
Since he now knew that Zhang Daowen had made great contributions to humanity, he felt reassured about the boy's potential and became even more determined to cultivate him into a true powerhouse.
After a while, he set the tablet down, stood up, and walked over to Zhang Daowen, joining him in physical training to lay the foundation for his future growth.
He had high expectations for the boy's future.
Feng Qi had lived in the Crimson Research Institute for nearly six months.
It was now the eve of a new graduation season.
Since Lin Ran and other members of the Dawn Organization had already dropped out ahead of time, Feng Qi didn't need to attend the Star City Academy's graduation ceremony.
This time, he had a different target.
Xiao Xin of Galaxy Academy.
If things went according to plan, Xiao Xin would be the next challenger of Blood Sacrifice, taking over Old Wang's role.
Before leaving the Crimson Research Institute, Feng Qi brought Zhang Daowen to Wei Wei's side.
However, Zhang Daowen, who had grown accustomed to Feng Qi's presence, became extremely reluctant to part ways. He cried, shouted, and threw a tantrum, refusing to let him leave.
It took a long time of coaxing and comforting before Feng Qi was finally able to break free.
Boarding the Crimson Research Institute's aircraft, Feng Qi arrived in Victory City half a day before the graduation ceremony began.
As the aircraft descended through the clouds, the sight of Victory City unfolded before his eyes.
Victory City was a historically significant stronghold, and among the most legendary cities in the Eastern Region.
Its origins dated back to the earliest days of the Domain Invasion.
The name "Victory" embodied the resolute will of the region's early inhabitants, representing their determination to resist the domain fields and their unwavering desire for triumph.
The city's ultimate victory had been paid for in blood, secured through the sacrifices of millions of soldiers and civilians.
Through this baptism of fire, Victory City had been forged, and from its history emerged Victory Academy—the only institution in the Eastern Region specializing in training military commanders.
Many of Star City's high-ranking military officers had once graduated from Victory Academy before undergoing frontline experience and officially becoming part of Star City's military leadership.
However, Feng Qi's true target this time was Galaxy Academy.
In terms of cultivation system development, Star City's Tiger Soul Research Institute and Galaxy Academy stood at the pinnacle, recognized as the two most formidable research institutions across all major cities.
Under the umbrella of Galaxy Research Institute, Galaxy Academy was widely acknowledged as humanity's number-one cultivation academy.
The key difference between Galaxy Academy and Star City Academy was that Star City Academy offered a wide range of disciplines, including Cultivation Techniques, Combat Studies, and Spiritual Medicine.
But Galaxy Academy was different.
It did not offer combat training programs. Instead, its focus was solely on the advancement of cultivation techniques and mystical arts, along with several newly developed fields of cultivation research.
This academy had once been Feng Qi's dream school.
Before he gained the ability to traverse time, Feng Qi's aspirations were simple—he had wanted to enroll in Galaxy Academy to study cultivation techniques, graduate, and then join either Tiger Soul Research Institute or Galaxy Research Institute to become a researcher in cultivation methodology.
But plans never keep up with change.
A single dream in the classroom had derailed his entire trajectory, leading him down a path entirely different from his original aspirations.
The road ahead was fraught with endless dangers, but he firmly believed that a brilliant era awaited in the future.
The journey toward one's dream is just as significant as the dream itself.
Stepping off the aircraft, Feng Qi hailed a taxi and headed directly toward Galaxy Academy.
Galaxy Academy was located in the western outskirts of Victory City, an area that had once been a barren tidal flat.
With the establishment of the academy, the surrounding area rapidly developed, and new buildings and facilities rose, transforming it into one of the most prosperous districts in Victory City.
Compared to the historical charm of the city's old districts, the region where Galaxy Academy stood was modern and vibrant, with state-of-the-art infrastructure.
As he neared the academy, both sides of the street were lined with spiritual material shops.
With graduation approaching, numerous banners congratulating the graduates had been hung across the shops.
Graduation season was undoubtedly one of the liveliest times of the year for any city.
Although graduates of Galaxy Academy did not head to the frontlines, their battlefield was just as perilous, and they fought just as hard for humanity's future.
The vehicle came to a stop at the entrance of Galaxy Academy.
As Feng Qi stepped out of the car, his gaze immediately fell upon a towering stone pillar standing to the left of the academy's entrance.
Carved on it were the four powerful characters "Galaxy Academy", the strokes flowing like dragons and phoenixes.
At the upper-right corner of the stone, a wooden sword hung from a hook, adding an ancient charm to the otherwise modern institution.
Stepping through the entrance, he turned back slightly, his gaze landing on the back of the stone tablet—names upon names were inscribed there.
The names belonged to graduates of Galaxy Academy who had made remarkable contributions to humanity.
At the center of the back of the stone tablet, a faintly eroded inscription could still be seen—"Victory Academy – Cultivation Studies Branch".
Feng Qi had long researched the origins of Galaxy Academy.
After all, it had once been his ultimate goal.
The academy had been founded decades after Star City Academy, originally as a branch of Victory Academy's Cultivation Studies program—a popular major at the time.
As society's understanding of cultivation deepened, people began to realize its increasing importance.
This led to intense discussions among Victory City's leaders on whether they should increase investment into the development of cultivation studies.
Back then, Victory City was still recovering from widespread destruction, and domain forces continued to threaten its borders.
Many officials argued that resources should first be allocated toward combat-related disciplines to secure the city before focusing on cultivation studies.
After all, Star City already had well-established research on cultivation techniques, and Victory City could simply rely on their findings.
However, at the time, the Vice Principal of Victory Academy adamantly opposed this view.
He firmly believed that Victory City's cultivation research should not be entirely dependent on Star City.
If something were to happen to Star City, even if the research data remained intact in databases, without the right experts, cultivation studies would regress to the catastrophic state it was in at the dawn of the calamity era.
For the sake of both security and the advancement of cultivation research, he insisted that Victory City must establish a dedicated institution for cultivation studies.
After multiple rounds of debate, the proposal was finally approved.
Thus, Victory Academy's Cultivation Studies Branch began construction on this barren tidal flat.
It took five years for the school to be fully built.
In its early years, the facilities of the new campus were rudimentary.
The first principal of the branch was none other than the Vice Principal of Victory Academy himself—the very man who had championed the creation of the cultivation research institute.
Time ultimately proved his decision to be correct.
Every faculty member and student in the newly established cultivation branch became pioneers in the field, dedicating themselves fully to advancing the study of cultivation.
Through years of effort, the institution grew in prestige, producing countless influential figures who shaped the future of cultivation science.
Eventually, the school shed its status as a branch campus, becoming an independent entity—Galaxy Academy.
The name "Galaxy Academy" stemmed from a profound statement made by its first principal.
He had once said:
"The knowledge of cultivation is as vast as the Milky Way. We are but travelers in this cosmic river, and each star we reach may take us a lifetime to explore. The journey is long, measured not in years, but in the lifespan of an entire civilization."
From those words, Galaxy Academy was born.
Though the old principal never lived to see the renaming, his vision had already shaped the institution's foundation.
It was a place built solely for the advancement of cultivation sciences.
Later on, Galaxy Research Institute itself was also established under the academy's rich pool of talented researchers.
While Galaxy Academy's influence was not as widespread as Victory Academy, it remained the top choice for students seeking to enter the field of cultivation studies.
After passing through security checks, Feng Qi stepped into the academy grounds.
The path leading inside was lined with osmanthus trees, and during freshman enrollment season, the golden blossoms would scatter across the road, filling the air with a light, fragrant aroma—a warm welcome for new students.
Exiting the osmanthus-lined path, he arrived at a fork in the road.
At the center of the grassy median stood a wooden signboard.
The signpost in front of Feng Qi clearly marked two directions. The right path led to the teaching buildings, student dormitories, and other academic facilities, while the left path was labeled "Training Grounds."
Compared to other academies, Galaxy Academy had significantly higher physical training requirements, and every year, students had to undergo physical assessments.
Feng Qi had looked into the reason behind this policy.
Due to the academy's specialization in cultivation studies, students spent most of their time immersed in theoretical knowledge, leading to poor physical fitness overall.
This resulted in graduates sent to Tiger Soul Research Institute and Galaxy Research Institute being notoriously frail and prone to illness.
After repeated complaints, Galaxy Academy introduced reforms, forcing students to undergo mandatory physical training alongside their academic studies, with quarterly physical assessments.
Failure to meet the minimum fitness standard would negatively impact their academic credits.
A senior researcher at a well-known cultivation institute had once left a sarcastic message for new students of Galaxy Academy on a public forum:
"Your entire freshman class has the physical constitution of sickly chickens. How do you expect to pull all-nighters with us in the future?" (dog-head.jpg)
In high-intensity research environments, a healthy body was just as crucial as an intelligent mind.
Without hesitation, Feng Qi chose the left path toward the training grounds.
As he walked, graduates wearing ceremonial robes hurried past him.
From their expressions and gazes, he could see a hint of uncertainty about the future, but even more so, an eagerness for what lay ahead.
Along the way, various academic buildings came into view.
Cultivation Technique Testing Institute, Spell Effect Testing Hall, Cultivation Path Simulation Building… Each structure was directly tied to the study of cultivation, showcasing Galaxy Academy's absolute focus on the field.
It was this unwavering dedication that allowed Galaxy Academy to rival Star City Academy and claim its title as the premier cultivation academy.
Supported by Galaxy Academy, the Galaxy Research Institute had eventually overtaken Tiger Soul Research Institute, becoming the most powerful cultivation research institution in human history.
Everything here intrigued Feng Qi.
After some time, he arrived at the training grounds.
Despite being called a training ground, there were no facilities for combat drills.
Aside from a single running track, the entire area was just a massive expanse of green turf.
The training equipment was shockingly simplistic, resembling the elderly exercise equipment found in public parks.
However, this did not surprise Feng Qi.
Galaxy Academy's physical training requirements were never meant to create warriors.
They only wanted their students to maintain basic health, without enforcing any bloodline-strengthening requirements like combat academies.
At this moment, the entire training field was filled with dining tables and banquet setups.
Much like Star City Academy's graduation ceremonies, Galaxy Academy followed a similar format.
The only difference was that Galaxy Academy's graduation events were much more low-key.
There were no extravagant stages, no celebrity performers—everything was student-organized.
Every performance at the graduation event was choreographed and executed by the students themselves, leaving behind a final cherished memory of their time at the academy.
Near the makeshift stage, a group of students was already rehearsing their performances, making last-minute adjustments before the official event began.
Feng Qi scanned the vast green field, then moved to an isolated corner to wait.
As time passed, the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the training ground.
As twilight arrived, the lights around the field flickered on.
At this moment, Feng Qi noticed something unusual.
The arrangement of tables and chairs on the field was not random.
Under the illumination of the lights, they formed a distinct pattern.
It was a pattern Feng Qi knew well.
In cultivation studies, this pattern was referred to as "The First Step of Cultivation".
This formation represented humanity's initial breakthrough in cultivation studies—the very first prototype of a cultivation technique.
Though it looked simple, this formation carried a deep historical significance.
Behind it lay countless struggles and breakthroughs, marking the beginning of humanity's long and arduous journey into the unknown.
The night breeze brushed against Feng Qi's face as he waited.
Soon, Galaxy Academy's graduation banquet officially began.
With the arrival of countless students, the field quickly filled with noise and laughter.
Feng Qi swept his gaze over the crowd—and then, he saw Xiao Xin.
Compared to his memories of her, Xiao Xin had grown much taller, her figure now leaner and more mature.
But her signature bright smile remained unchanged.
As she chatted with her classmates, she still displayed her usual over-the-top enthusiasm.
Seemingly agitated by something in their discussion, Xiao Xin suddenly bared her teeth and swung two fists into the air, as if shadowboxing an invisible enemy.
In that instant, Feng Qi's memories came flooding back.
"Feng Qi, I challenge you to a duel!"
"Feng Qi, next time, I'll be the top-ranked student! Prepare yourself!"
"Accept my challenge! If you ignore me, I'll take it as an insult!"
Her fierce but childish voice echoed in his mind.
Memories always had a way of stirring emotions.
If he had never met the Narrator, if he had never gained the ability to traverse time, then he, too, would have been part of this moment.
Like Xiao Xin, he would have been wearing a graduation robe, grinning as he looked forward to the next stage of life.
Just then, Xiao Xin suddenly turned in his direction.
Their gazes locked across the crowd.
A hint of confusion flashed across her face.
Then, that confusion shifted into shock.
Feng Qi grinned, raising a hand to wave at her.