Chapter 49: Wishing You a Long Life

Feng Qi's conversation with Mo Fei had provided him with a new direction for humanity's future: unlocking the technological potential of civilization and breaking the bottleneck between science and spirit energy. With this, humanity could acquire the means to merge the two, developing revolutionary techniques.

However, before solving fundamental limitations—like memory retention—this plan could only remain an idea, impossible to implement.

Unlike cultivation, technological progress required vast amounts of accumulated data. Feng Qi couldn't rely solely on his memory to transport such extensive knowledge back to the present.

This realization deepened his longing for the "infinite memory" ability mentioned by the narrator. If he possessed such a capability, it would be like carrying a mobile hard drive into the Dream Realm, allowing him to copy and retrieve vast swaths of data from the future's databases.

As he thought about it, Feng Qi identified three major limitations hindering his progress in the Dream Realm:

The first limitation was his lack of access credentials for the Star City Shelter. Without an account, he was restricted to browsing cultivation techniques rated three stars or below, and even then, only a single time per visit.

The second limitation was the relentless pursuit by Little Black. Like a grim reaper, Little Black hunted him down every time he entered the Dream Realm. The Star City database had no information on this creature, leaving Feng Qi with no countermeasures.

He couldn't fight it, and he couldn't escape.

Were it not for Little Black, Feng Qi could have quickly grown stronger by hunting zombies or domain creatures, even without Star City Shelter credentials.

The third limitation was his ability to replenish the energy required to re-enter the Dream Realm.

This was the most solvable problem, but the elimination of stocks, futures, and other speculative markets in this era made it difficult for him to quickly snowball resources using information from the future databases.

While the database listed numerous lucrative business opportunities, most required time and effort to develop and were far from instant solutions—not what Feng Qi was looking for.

Still, he had identified a viable path to wealth: developing the game "The Savior."

Before this, however, he needed to locate the individual who had created the virtual engine that formed the foundation of the game.

If "The Savior" could be launched ahead of schedule, it would profoundly impact the future and resolve a pressing issue in the present: how to improve cultivators' combat skills while ensuring safety during training.

This method of making money appealed to Feng Qi because it not only advanced human civilization but also generated substantial profits. It was the only entrepreneurial endeavor he found truly worthwhile.

After pondering for a while, Feng Qi returned to the present moment.

Glancing at Mo Fei, who was deep in review, Feng Qi decided not to idle. He retrieved his tablet from his luggage and began reviewing fundamental knowledge of cultivation.

The sea of learning was boundless, and even with the Dream Realm as a resource, Feng Qi felt it was essential to maintain a strong grasp of the basics.

So far, the techniques he had copied from the future were all rated one to three stars. If he gained access to techniques above three stars in the future, their complexity would increase significantly.

A solid foundation in cultivation theory would improve his efficiency in "borrowing" such advanced techniques.

Knowledge was like building blocks: understanding principles first made memorization exponentially more effective.

To Feng Qi, studying wasn't a chore but a fulfilling process. The more knowledge he accumulated, the more content he felt.

As night deepened, the dormitory building remained brightly lit.

Aside from Feng Qi and Mo Fei's diligent efforts, countless students were also burning the midnight oil in preparation for the upcoming turning point in their lives.

In just five days, the graduation exams would take place. During this time, recruitment representatives from various academies would be present.

Students would not only need to pass foundational tests but also face interviews and evaluations by these recruiters.

While Star City High School boasted one of the top education standards in the region, nearly half its students were eliminated each year during these evaluations. Fewer than one percent gained admission to the top one hundred academies.

It was a harsh reality, but it was also a reflection of life's unforgiving truths.

Passing the exams granted students access to the best resources and an opportunity to focus solely on learning. It was almost certain that those who succeeded would become humanity's elite.

Failing meant attending a second-rate academy—or worse, entering the workforce immediately to scrape out a living.

In this world of finite resources, the upper echelons of humanity prioritized concentrating these resources on their best and brightest. The elite would then lead the charge in advancing civilization and fighting back against the threats from domain creatures.

Feng Qi and Mo Fei studied until two in the morning before finally turning off the lights to sleep.

The next morning, Feng Qi woke up lazily to the sound of Mo Fei's voice.

"Still in bed? If you don't get moving, we'll be lining up at the cafeteria."

For a moment, Feng Qi froze.

Then he remembered—he was no longer at Star City Academy, where a 24-hour free buffet was always available.

The cafeteria at Star City High School was far smaller and always crowded at mealtimes.

"Let's go! Time to eat!"

Realizing the "gravity" of the situation, Feng Qi leaped out of bed. After a quick wash and change, he and Mo Fei rushed toward the school cafeteria.

As the saying went: If you're not enthusiastic about eating, there's something wrong with your mindset.

Even though the meals at Star City High School couldn't compare to Star City Academy's, Feng Qi still found himself quite satisfied with his breakfast.

The only downside? The food wasn't free.

The meal cost over 300 credits, completely draining the remaining balance on his meal card. Mo Fei stared at him in shock.

Thankfully, Feng Qi had already secured his admission to Star City Academy. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to sustain such eating habits without bankrupting himself.

When they arrived in the classroom, many students were already there, revising for the upcoming exams.

Taking their seats, Feng Qi and Mo Fei also began their morning study session.

At eight o'clock sharp, history teacher Wang Jinsheng strode into the classroom, carrying a stack of blank paper.

Standing at the lectern, Wang Jinsheng announced, "In a few days, during the graduation ceremony, we'll have an activity called the Time Capsule. I'm giving each of you a blank sheet of paper. On it, you can write a message to your future self—something you'd like to say or your hopes for the future. These will be collected, placed in the capsule, and buried during the ceremony. One day in the future, you'll open it and reflect on what you've written."

He handed the stack of paper to a student in the front row, who began distributing them.

Soon, each student had a blank sheet.

Wang Jinsheng looked out over the classroom and smiled. "Take your time to think about what you want to write. It could be words to your future self, your dreams for the future, or something you regret right now. One day, looking back on it may leave you deeply moved."

"I'll collect your papers this afternoon," he said before leaving the room.

"What are you planning to write?" Mo Fei asked, glancing at Feng Qi with curiosity.

Feng Qi fell silent, contemplating the question.

He could see glimpses of his future, so what he wrote felt inconsequential in the grand scheme of things.

Still, he didn't want to dismiss the activity outright.

After some thought, he decided to leave a simple message for his future self.

Taking up his pen, he paused for a moment before beginning to write.

Beside him, Mo Fei was also bent over his desk, carefully writing his aspirations and messages to the future on the blank sheet.

The classroom was utterly silent, with all the students lost in thought as they penned their notes.

After a while, Feng Qi finished his message.

In bold letters, he wrote:

Wishing you a long life, Feng Qi!