Before leaving, the Mist Lord took two-tenths of the remaining blood crystals.
After he left, Feng Qi immediately began the deployment for Star City's spatial passageway construction.
Unlike the technique of tearing open space to create a spatial rift, what he was building this time was a stable spatial passageway, which required far more advanced technology than simply ripping through space.
To ensure the project was completed as quickly as possible, Feng Qi mobilized all departments in Star City to accelerate the engineering progress.
The first department he contacted was the energy division of Star City.
A stable spatial teleportation array wasn't a one-time-use tool. It had to be continuously operational, requiring a constant energy supply.
Thus, the first step in constructing a stable spatial passageway was to lay down an energy supply pipeline connected to the teleportation array.
This step had already been planned in advance.
Feng Qi had specifically designated an independent energy supply station in the eastern outskirts of Star City.
This energy station had remained dormant all this time, waiting for the teleportation array project to commence.
After explaining the situation to the head of the energy division, the construction of the energy transport pipeline officially began.
Besides that, Feng Qi also contacted the urban development division, the water resources department, and the Crimson Materials Division.
Once everything was in place, the grand project of building the spatial teleportation array was officially launched.
Decades of spatial technology research were finally being put to use.
However, Feng Qi knew that constructing a stable teleportation array would be an immense challenge.
The technology used in past decades for tearing open spatial rifts was vastly different from building a stable spatial array—this required far greater precision and complexity.
Even after decades of human research into spatial technology, they were still in the early stages of development.
It was only in the past ten years that Breaking Dawn Academy had even started offering a "Spatial Technology" specialization.
In the future, human advancements in spatial technology would be largely driven by the new generation of students from Breaking Dawn Academy.
In the following months, Feng Qi frequently visited the eastern outskirts of Star City to monitor the progress of the teleportation array construction.
This project was crucial, as it would accumulate a wealth of knowledge on spatial transmission.
More importantly, it was the first step in establishing a deep alliance with the Mist Clan.
With the two factions linked through this array, their resources could be exchanged, and they could support each other, creating an immense potential for future growth.
Perhaps Feng Qi in this timeline wouldn't live long enough to see the full impact, but another version of him in the future—1,500 years from now—would witness the flourishing result of this vision.
At seventy-two years old, Feng Qi lay on the operating table of the Crimson Research Institute.
By now, his hair had turned completely white, his eyebrows carried deep exhaustion, and his body radiated the aura of age and decay.
After years of struggling to hold on, his body had finally reached its limit.
Today, he had made a decision—he would inject the gene extension serum.
"Wei-jie, my life is in your hands now. Try not to shake during the procedure, alright?"
Hearing this, Wei Wei shot him a sideways glance.
"Relax. You're not gonna die."
She calmly injected the anesthetic into his bloodstream.
A wave of drowsiness quickly engulfed him, and Feng Qi drifted into unconsciousness.
Then, Wei Wei began the surgery.
At this point, Feng Qi's body was barely functioning properly.
Besides using the gene serum to restore cellular activity, some of his organs had to be replaced.
His body could no longer endure extensive surgeries, but Wei Wei's hands were fast and steady—her every movement was muscle memory, swift yet precise.
Feng Qi slowly opened his eyes, greeted by the steady beeping of monitoring instruments.
Looking up, he saw eight mechanical arms hanging from above.
Everything in his vision seemed clearer than ever, and he could even hear the rhythm of his own heartbeat.
Turning to the side, he saw Wei Wei leaning against the bedside, her lips slightly parted as she slept.
Glancing at the monitoring screen beside her, he noticed the surgical log—it had been four whole days since the operation began.
It was clear that Wei Wei had been operating on him non-stop for four days straight.
Sensing movement, Wei Wei's eyes fluttered open.
She abruptly sat up, her dazed gaze locking onto him.
"Wei-jie... thank you."
Hearing Feng Qi's gratitude, Wei Wei broke into a wide grin.
She stood up and patted him firmly on the shoulder.
"Xiao Qi, how was it? Your Wei-jie's skills still top-notch, right?"
"Absolutely flawless." He responded without hesitation.
Wei Wei smirked.
"Take care of this new body of yours. I've replaced some of your organs, but this only buys you time. How long it lasts depends on whether your condition worsens."
"As for your mental trauma..." She sighed. "I can't do anything about that. Whether you last long enough to see the establishment of the Dawn Army is still unknown."
Feng Qi nodded. "Got it."
After chatting for a while, he decided not to disturb Wei Wei's rest any longer.
Bidding her farewell, he left the Crimson Research Institute.
In the following days, Feng Qi could clearly feel his physical condition improving.
His frequent coughing fits gradually diminished, and the constant fatigue that plagued him also disappeared.
The only lingering issue was the overlapping memories—since there was no medication to ease their effects, he would occasionally fall into deep moments of reminiscence.
Under his supervision, the grand project of the spatial teleportation array steadily progressed.
At this stage, a hundred-meter-tall semicircular spatial stone had already been erected in the eastern outskirts of Star City, marking the completion of the first phase of the teleportation array construction.
Many challenges still lay ahead for the next phases of the project.
Feng Qi's goal was to complete the stable teleportation array within twenty years.
During this time, the little one returned for a visit.
Compared to how he remembered him, Feng Qi noticed that the young boy from his memories had become more resolute, his expression carrying newfound maturity.
It had been a long time since Feng Qi had last cooked a proper meal, but on this occasion, he prepared an entire feast for him.
To his surprise, the once obedient little one had learned how to drink while on the frontlines.
When questioned, he sheepishly claimed it was to bolster his courage in battle.
Feng Qi did not scold him.
After all, every child must grow up and make their own choices in life—his role was only to guide, not control.
Besides, with his strong physique, drinking was unlikely to harm him in any way.
After their short reunion, the little one had to return to the battlefield.
Before leaving, he gave Feng Qi a pendant.
It was a war trophy he had obtained on the frontlines—there were two identical pieces, which had once belonged to a domain clan leader.
This pendant had a peculiar effect—it allowed the wearer to sense the emotions and physical condition of the other person wearing the matching piece.
Before leaving, the little one said:
"With this pendant, Qi-shu can always sense how I'm doing. No more worrying all the time."
After he left, Feng Qi's life continued as usual.
With age catching up to him, even his newly modified body was starting to enter its twilight years.
Feng Qi had long mentally prepared for this outcome.
The only thing he could do now was take better care of himself, trying to stretch his remaining days as much as possible.
The sky was dimly lit, with light drizzle shrouding the eastern district of Star City, casting everything in a misty haze.
Feng Qi sat on the rooftop of the Tiger Soul Research Institute, leaning against a reclining chair.
Before him was a transparent glass wall over a meter high, allowing him to overlook the scenery of Star City's eastern district.
His murky eyes were filled with a deep yearning for life.
Star City was developing rapidly. Many of the towering skyscrapers in the distance were buildings he had personally planned years ago—now, they stood tall, bringing new vitality and prosperity to the city.
But he himself was already in decline.
"Cough… cough…"
A sudden coughing fit forced Feng Qi to bend over, his body trembling.
After a long moment, he opened his palm and saw a streak of crimson blood, sharp against his skin.
Taking a deep breath, he shifted his gaze to the tablet resting on his lap.
It displayed news updates from the frontline supply base in Star City's western district.
The headline image showed a handsome, bright-eyed figure waving at the camera, as if proudly declaring—"I've conquered another challenge!"
A gentle smile surfaced on Feng Qi's face.
The little one had not disappointed him.
Back then, when he chose to join the frontlines, Feng Qi had been deeply worried, afraid he would perish before fully growing into his potential.
But reality proved that the little one was strong.
In his first year on the battlefield, he would frequently call Feng Qi, often crying over the horrors of war.
Feng Qi still remembered vividly—during one of their video calls, the little one had been sobbing uncontrollably, devastated over the death of a close comrade.
It had taken a long time to comfort him and help him regain his composure.
Time had flown by since then.
The naïve young boy from back then had now grown into a leader who could stand on his own.
The Chess Guard Domain Battle Squads he led had made a name for itself, its reputation spreading across all five major cities.
Many even hailed him as the next rising human war hero, a successor to the Dawn Domain Battle Squads' legacy.
He was now a strong contender for the title of one of the Ten Great War Gods of the Era.
The world was changing.
Everything was moving in a better direction—except for him.
He was like an old hound from the past era, lingering in this new age, waiting for time to finally claim him.
Just then, a video call request popped up on the tablet screen.
Pressing "Accept", the image of a purple-haired, purple-eyed young man appeared in the center.
His first words were:
"Ah-Qi, you better hold on. Otherwise, I'm coming back to Star City to attend your funeral feast."
Feng Qi's expression twitched with mild annoyance.
He immediately responded, "My body is still in good shape. If I activate Blood Source, I can still wipe the floor with you."
After ending the Mist Lord's call, Feng Qi tilted his head back, gazing at the sky.
The drizzling rain gently fell on his aged face, causing him to narrow his eyes slightly.
The gray clouds overhead churned, and within them, faint purple lightning arcs flickered.
His vision gradually lost focus.
The effects of overlapping memories had struck again.
He seemed to walk through every sacrificed timeline once more. The moment he closed his eyes, tears slipped from his clouded gaze.
It felt as though he was wandering through old memories, where time slowed down, the sound of the wind swirling in the air echoed in his ears, and the soft patter of rain against the glass seemed to seep into his heart, stirring gentle ripples.
Through all these years, he never stopped moving forward.
But his worn-out body was like a ship with a hole in it, struggling to row toward the distant shore within sight, only to watch helplessly as the vessel slowly sank beneath the waves.
He had injected the enhanced version of the gene serum once again.
However, the primary effect of the gene serum was anti-aging, and the real issue with his body had nothing to do with aging itself.
"Showing off back then sure was fun, but now..."
Returning to his senses, Feng Qi shook his head helplessly, before being overtaken by another fit of violent coughing.
At that moment, the sound of a door opening came from behind him.
He turned his head.
The newcomer was a man in his early thirties, sporting a thick beard, with a tattoo of the Dawn flag inked onto his right arm, and a necklace made of bone fragments, likely a war trophy, hanging from his neck. His sharp, determined gaze held the depth of a seasoned warrior, and on his back, he carried a crimson battle blade.
"Elder Feng." The man stepped forward, bowing his head in respectful greeting.
Feng Qi nodded slightly.
This man was Gu Sha, the adopted son of Gu Ke, once an orphan from the East District of Star City.
"Elder Feng, from now on, I will be your protector." Gu Sha's voice was calm as he spoke.
Hearing this, Feng Qi was momentarily stunned.
"Where's Gu-shu?"
With his frail body, he could no longer withstand any direct confrontations, yet Blue-Skin assassins still occasionally attempted to take his life. Gu Ke had always been by his side, shielding him from any potential threats posed by the Blue-Skin beings.
"He… is getting old. Back in the day, the battlefield left him with many hidden injuries. After being modified into a Rune Warrior, his lifespan was further consumed. Now, he's no longer as capable as before. I've officially taken his place as your guardian."
Feng Qi let out a deep sigh in his heart upon hearing this.
"Can he still hold on?"
"Father said he wants to see who lasts longer between the two of you. He also asked me to pass on a message—don't you dare lose."
Feng Qi chuckled and nodded.
"I've got a few bottles of special Wood Spirit Liquid wine the little one sent from the frontlines. Bring them to Gu-shu when you have time—let's see if I can outlast him!"
Upon hearing this, Gu Sha's expression turned hesitant.
"Elder Feng, my father developed a drinking habit on the frontlines, but his health is declining. He really shouldn't be drinking so much anymore."
Feng Qi smiled and shook his head.
"It's fine. Gu-shu spent his whole life working at the Crimson Research Institute. Now that he's retired, he should be enjoying himself. How long he lives no longer matters to him—what matters is that he enjoys the days he has left."
"Alright, I'll bring it to him when I have time."
After a brief moment of surprise, Gu Sha understood Feng Qi's reasoning and nodded in agreement.
The light rain had already soaked through his clothes, but Feng Qi remained seated, overlooking the scenery of Star City, showing no intention of leaving.
Gu Sha stood behind him, silently accompanying him.
He knew very well how great the man before him was.
Through countless sacrificed timelines, this man had never given up, enduring pain and hardship beyond imagination.
He still vividly remembered his father's words about Feng Qi.
His father had said:
"The greatest fortune of the human race was having Feng Qi as our trailblazer. The Crimson Crisis, the Night Shadow Clan invasion, the Silver Moon Tribe war, the truth behind the Institute of Technological Research… this man walked through countless nightmares we never even witnessed. The booming prosperity of Star City today exists only because of his foresight and sacrifice. Sure, he had the ability to reset his life over and over again, but that ability never forced him to walk toward death without hesitation, never gave him the willpower to fight against despair time and time again, and certainly never granted him the unwavering courage to charge into darkness despite knowing he was alone. Throughout history, in my heart, there is only one true sage—Feng Qi."
Looking at Feng Qi, who seemed on the verge of sleep, Gu Sha removed his coat and tried to shield him from the rain.
But at that moment, Feng Qi's weary eyes fluttered open.
With a gentle wave of his hand, he dismissed the gesture.
"No need for that. I may be old, but I'm not weak enough to be killed by a few raindrops."
Gu Sha hesitated, but eventually obediently stood behind him once more.
And so, Feng Qi closed his eyes again.
His aging body constantly left him feeling tired, his energy no longer what it once was.
He was no longer the youth who could stay up for days without rest, brimming with boundless vigor.
The rain tapped gently against his skin, bringing a faint, tingling sensation—a quiet reminder that the world outside was still full of life.
Slowly, drowsiness washed over him.
His furrowed brows relaxed, his expression growing peaceful.