Chapter 106: Talent Title: Unfilial Son

The enhanced mental acuity brought by Feng Qi's increased spiritual strength significantly improved his learning efficiency.

The second session of the cultivation theory class took him only about two-thirds of the usual time to complete.

While he still needed to review the material once more, his progress was undeniably more efficient compared to before.

If learning a subject were likened to a journey, then Feng Qi now felt like he had acquired a vehicle to traverse the same distance, making the trip far more efficient and shortening the time needed to reach his destination.

[A good analogy, but unfortunately, you're riding a bicycle right now. Infinity memory is the equivalent of a spaceship—'zoom'—you'd reach the finish line instantly. Not only could you master all knowledge in one go, but you wouldn't even need to memorize it carefully. A glance at the screen would be like taking a screenshot, instantly ready to flip to the next page.]

Feng Qi: …

Ignoring the narrator's mental jabs, he fully immersed himself in learning.

The joy of learning came from the accumulation of knowledge. This process felt akin to leveling up a game character, with his skills and equipment steadily improving.

Mastering knowledge from previously unexplored domains was like conquering a challenging game dungeon.

For this reason, Feng Qi always maintained an optimistic and proactive attitude toward learning.

After completing two episodes of foundational cultivation research classes, Feng Qi began searching the database for knowledge related to biological sciences.

He had already decided that his next timeline would involve infiltrating the Crimson Research Institute.

Thus, knowledge in biological sciences became particularly crucial, as it could help him climb the ranks and step into the institute's core research.

During his search, he stumbled upon an interesting technical document in the field of biological sciences.

The document primarily discussed solutions for hair loss.

Modern hair transplant technologies, while useful, were not genuine treatments. Even successful hair transplants could not completely solve the problem of hair loss.

This technology, however, addressed the root cause and provided a definitive cure.

This was a problem yet to be resolved in the real-world timeline. From a young age, teachers had preached that knowledge could change destiny—but more often than not, it changed hairstyles instead.

As youthful black locks receded like an ebbing tide, they left behind only a steadily retreating hairline. The idea that "balding makes you stronger" was just a myth, but balding certainly made one uglier.

This often impacted self-confidence and, in severe cases, even affected one's prospects for procreation.

Feng Qi found this technology intriguing because it wasn't overly complex and could potentially serve as one of his research achievements after joining the Crimson Research Institute.

From a certain perspective, it could even be considered a contribution to society.

However, while memorizing the document's content, he encountered the same issues as before.

Many specialized terms eluded him, making the reading process less cohesive and hindering his memorization efficiency.

When it came to content he couldn't understand, rote memorization was the only option—there were no shortcuts.

Fortunately, the boost in his spiritual strength made rote learning noticeably easier.

Time flew by as Feng Qi immersed himself in his studies. After finishing this document, he selected another piece of knowledge from the biological sciences and resumed learning.

During this venture into the dream realm, he hadn't acquired any significant intelligence. Thus, he resolved to devote the remaining time to studying and preparing for the next timeline.

While studying, he suddenly recalled something and closed the document he was reading. Typing "Destiny Association" into the search bar, he began looking up information.

Numerous headlines instantly populated the screen:

[A 15-year-old malignant tumor: The Destiny Association—A Roadblock to Humanity's Progress, Born of Three Mischievous Kids.]

[Unveiling the History of the Destiny Association: Misguided Thinking Born of Ignorance.]

[Perhaps the Three Kids Never Imagined the Impact Their Actions Would Have. By the Time They Regretted It, It Was Already Too Late.]

Seeing these headlines, Feng Qi realized that his earlier "disciplinary measures" hadn't resolved the issue.

The three mischief-makers had still gone ahead and established the Destiny Association in secret.

[The fluttering wings of these moths have prepared yet another whirlwind of chaos. Preparing to locate their position now.]

Feng Qi: …

The narrator's words aligned with his own intentions. Feng Qi began searching the database for the location where the trio had formed the Destiny Association.

After entering the relevant keywords, the information appeared on the screen.

This time, the three had changed locations, choosing a teahouse in the outskirts of Star City. The event was set to take place in just over ten days.

With the coordinates confirmed, Feng Qi resolved to deliver a harsher lesson next time.

If they still refused to change, he'd escalate until they finally learned their lesson—no matter how many attempts it took.

Closing the relevant document, Feng Qi returned to his studies for the remainder of his time.

Between lessons, he occasionally browsed historical records for a ten-minute break.

Constantly maintaining an intense learning pace wasn't conducive to efficiency. Overlapping bits of knowledge could tangle in his mind, creating unnecessary confusion.

Browsing history, on the other hand, didn't require rote memorization and provided a relaxing way to absorb information while taking a mental breather.

History, he mused, was like reading a collection of books authored by those who had passed.

Some people became historical classics, while others were deemed forbidden texts. Some were little more than joke anthologies, while a rare few became beacons that illuminated the paths of future generations.

This was the nature of history. People from every era read the stories of those who came before them, while awaiting their own turn to be written into history.

The vast majority of individuals, however, would be drowned in the tides of history, like dusty, forgotten books buried in the deepest corners of a library.

When it came to historical figures, Feng Qi first thought of Xiaoxin, the eccentric genius.

Searching for Xiaoxin in the database, he discovered that her fate had significantly improved in this timeline.

In this iteration, where he hadn't become a human traitor, Xiaoxin's growth had taken a dramatic turn for the better.

During the time when Feng Qi continued to shine in the future timeline, Xiaoxin had developed one four-star and six three-star cultivation techniques, creating considerable waves.

However, when Feng Qi later founded the Dawn Domain Combat Squad and his own research efforts began to falter, Xiaoxin's momentum also waned. She never again produced groundbreaking results, her growth stagnating entirely.

Feng Qi was utterly speechless about this situation.

A genius like Xiaoxin, who needed high pressure to grow, was exceptionally rare in history.

She was like a treasured sword sealed away in dust, requiring a strong whetstone to hone her edge and make her sharper.

But once the whetstone was gone, she would quickly fade, like a blade succumbing to rust, destined to be sheathed forever.

And the whetstone Xiaoxin had chosen—was him.

[These angsty teenagers are terrifying. If you were to plagiarize knowledge from the future database and used it to show off until you lived past a hundred, who knows how far she'd grow? She might even develop a god-tier cultivation technique that would shake the heavens!]

"That might actually happen," Feng Qi muttered.

[Too bad you're just a short-lived brat. Your record life span hasn't exceeded 34 years. Every time you break a new record, I feel like throwing you a parade. It's like 'longevity' brushes past you, not stopping for a moment, then pulls out a dagger to stab you right in your vital point.]

Feng Qi: …

"Next time for sure. Target: 100 years."

[he~tui!]

After reviewing Xiaoxin's related data, Feng Qi gained a deeper understanding of her situation, confirming his earlier assumptions.

She was a rare type of talent who thrived under pressure.

To ensure her continued growth, he realized he needed to constantly provide her with challenges to pursue and obstacles to overcome.

The rest of his time was spent combing through study materials, particularly in biological sciences.

As he delved deeper into his studies, he resembled a fisherman casting his net into the sea of knowledge provided by the database. Every haul brought a satisfying bounty.

[But what if you fish up a shark? This sea might have a megalodon waiting to swallow you whole. So, your analogy is flawed.]

"Can you just be quiet?" Feng Qi retorted.

Ignoring the narrator's antics, he continued poring over the material, gradually entering a deeply immersive state of learning.

In this moment, it felt like he had no concern for the outside world—his focus was entirely on the wisdom of the sages.

Time flew by unnoticed as he immersed himself in study after study.

When the narrator's voice suddenly interrupted his thoughts, Feng Qi realized that his time in the dream realm was about to end.

[End of shift! Goodbye, boss. I'm not seeing you out!]

Hearing the narrator's farewell, Feng Qi replied, "Then we'll meet in reality. Hopefully, you'll admit your existence in the real world."

[Confession leads to eternal shifts; denial means vacation time.]

"So you're admitting you exist in reality?" Feng Qi asked, stunned.

[Admitting what? Everything requires evidence. You magic-tainted fool, hurry up and die at the hands of Little Black so I can clock out!]

Feng Qi: …

Turning his head, he saw Little Black descending from the metal corridor, floating toward the underground plaza.

Realizing that he was about to meet his end at Little Black's hands, Feng Qi couldn't help but laugh bitterly. By now, he was used to it.

"Parting is near. What song will you send me off with this time?" he asked with a grin.

[You're full of demands. Fine, give me a moment to think… (pauses briefly; background music plays)… 'Across the millennia of sorrow, you waited for me at the end… The most beautiful touch is worth a lifetime of guarding.']

"That's quite fitting!" Feng Qi chuckled as his expression shifted.

Even if he had to die, he wasn't going to go down without a fight. He had to struggle, even if it was futile.

Facing the approaching Little Black, he concentrated, unleashing a burst of invisible force toward the creature.

The telekinetic push slowed Little Black's advance slightly but ultimately failed to stop him.

What truly shocked Feng Qi was how the telekinetic energy in contact with Little Black was rapidly dissipating, as if the black mist around the creature was devouring it.

Although telekinesis was invisible, to Feng Qi, it felt like an extension of his own body.

Thus, the sensation of it being consumed was vividly clear.

In mere moments, Little Black had absorbed all of his telekinetic energy.

Feng Qi adjusted his stance, adopting the opening posture of the Tiger Fist technique, preparing to deliver a final "Black Tiger Heart Strike" before his demise.

It didn't matter whether it worked or not—what mattered was maintaining his dignity.

As Little Black closed the gap, Feng Qi suddenly recalled a question he'd pondered before.

"What kind of talent ability do you think I'd gain if I managed to kill Little Black?" he asked.

[You're asking this ridiculous question again? Why don't you ask what talent you'd get if you killed me?]

Feng Qi paused for a moment before replying, "Alright, then what talent would I get if I killed you?"

[You'd unlock the 'Unfilial Son' talent title. Its ability would let you summon a blue knight's sword. Happy now?]

Feng Qi: …