I Hijacked the Timeline (IHT)

Star City Academy, Principal's Office.

"What do you think? After graduation, how about joining Star City Academy?" Bai Fusheng's expression was warm and persuasive as he posed the question.

Facing Bai Fusheng's kind and enticing demeanor, Feng Qi already had his answer in mind.

Once, his dream had been to attend Galaxy Academy. He had aimed to pursue studies in cultivation technique research there, hoping to secure a position within the academy's prestigious research institution.

But now, with the dream realm at his disposal, whether he could enter Galaxy Academy no longer mattered as much. In contrast, Star City Academy presented a better choice. Beyond his concerns about Lin Ran and Mu Qing, the ticking time bombs, he also knew that in the future, Old Wang would return to start anew.

He looked forward to witnessing Old Wang's rise.

Still, Feng Qi didn't immediately accept Bai Fusheng's invitation for guaranteed admission.

The art of negotiation was about tug-of-war, about securing the best deal through back-and-forth dialogue. With that in mind, Feng Qi spoke up:

"Shi-gong, I have something I'd like to discuss."

Hearing those words, Bai Fusheng's eyes lit up, sensing hope. With a beaming smile, he replied, "Say it. As long as it's not asking to become the principal, I'm sure we can work something out."

"Joining Star City Academy isn't a problem, but I don't want to be a student."

"Not a student? Don't tell me you really want to be the principal?" Bai Fusheng's face was filled with confusion.

Feng Qi: "..."

"Actually, I want to be a teacher at Star City Academy, sharing my knowledge about cultivation techniques with the students. You know my talent—no exaggeration, but with my ability, I'm more than qualified to be a teacher."

Hearing such a boastful statement, Bai Fusheng didn't refute it.

He had heard Feng Qi teach before—his solid foundation, clear explanations, and structured content were like a model template for classroom instruction. From a practical standpoint, allowing Feng Qi to teach was feasible.

The issue, however, wasn't about ability. Being a teacher at an academy wasn't something anyone could do. It required presenting numerous credentials and passing evaluations from the Ministry of Education.

One of the mandatory requirements was a graduation certificate from an academy—a hurdle Feng Qi couldn't overcome.

These rigid qualifications weren't about bureaucracy but for the students' benefit. After all, teaching cultivation techniques was no trivial matter. Poor instruction could lead to students making fatal errors in their practice, sometimes resulting in severed meridians or even death.

Years ago, major academies had invited renowned domain combat experts to teach, but their lack of teaching experience led to frequent safety issues in cultivation.

Thus, the distinction between being strong and being a good teacher became clear. The strict regulations were born from those past lessons.

Glancing at Feng Qi, Bai Fusheng found himself in a dilemma. It wasn't that he doubted Feng Qi's ability but that meeting his request was practically impossible.

"Shi-gong, you're the principal. I'm sure you can handle such a small matter effortlessly," Feng Qi insisted.

"Small matter? Granting you this could cost me my position! Without a teaching qualification, how can I justify letting you teach?" Bai Fusheng huffed, blowing out his cheeks in frustration.

"Then let's think of another way. I can enroll as a student at Star City Academy, but you need to grant me teacher-like privileges. For example, let me lead a class. On the surface, I'll still be a student."

"This… I'll have to think about it."

Allowing Feng Qi to occasionally teach a class was within Bai Fusheng's authority, but giving him an entire class to manage seemed a step too far.

"Just let me try. If I don't do well, I'll obediently settle down as a regular student. How about that?" Feng Qi continued persuading, hoping to secure Bai Fusheng's approval.

As for whether he could teach effectively, he wasn't worried.

The future dream realm's cultivation technique instructional videos could solve any problems that arose. If copying the future didn't work the first time, he could always copy again.

After some hesitation, Bai Fusheng gritted his teeth and said, "Since you're so confident, I'll let you try. But why do you even want to do this? Isn't it easier just to be a student? Why give yourself unnecessary trouble?"

"Because I'm a genius—I need to stand out," Feng Qi said with a cheeky grin.

Looking at the increasingly self-satisfied Feng Qi, Bai Fusheng was momentarily at a loss for words.

For some reason, Bai Fusheng suddenly felt that Feng Qi's smug face was begging for a punch.

…

Returning to his dormitory from the principal's office, Feng Qi sat at his desk, opened his notebook, and began documenting the gains from his recent journey into the dream realm, as well as preparing for his next trip.

The encounter with "Suction Cup" in the dream realm had sparked his curiosity. It seemed that something about him attracted Suction Cup, making her dependent on him. The exact reason eluded him, but he planned to investigate thoroughly the next time he entered the dream realm, combing through the database to see if there were any records related to her.

However, the most significant takeaway from this trip to the dream realm was the revelation that humanity harbored hidden enemies. The enigmatic Crimson Research Institute appeared to have fallen under the control of those enemies, becoming a tool for domain creatures to suppress human civilization's development.

Through the messages left in the email archive, Feng Qi speculated that secret research projects harmful to humanity's progress were ongoing within the Crimson Research Institute. These projects were likely spearheaded by domain transcenders, creatures capable of leaving domain fields.

As for the specifics of these research projects, the future offered only limited information, leaving many questions unanswered.

Having returned from the dream realm, Feng Qi now set a new goal for himself: to covertly build an organization capable of rivaling the Crimson Research Institute and to protect those human geniuses who might otherwise meet untimely deaths.

If he could achieve this, the future was bound to change dramatically.

Feng Qi's mindset had shifted subtly with each trip to the dream realm. When he first entered the Star City Shelter and learned of humanity's destruction 1,500 years in the future, he had been shocked and incredulous.

Before that revelation, he had firmly believed that humanity would inevitably triumph in its long battle against domain invasion.

But now he understood that the end of human civilization was no coincidence—the truth was far more brutal.

There had never been an era of tranquility.

The notion that human efforts alone would someday dispel all domain fields and achieve ultimate victory was a lie.

Beneath the veneer of peaceful progress lay turbulent undercurrents—a series of crises capable of obliterating human civilization.

The Crimson Research Institute, Mu Qing, Lin Ran… And possibly many other unseen threats lurking in the shadows. Like antivirus software, he would have to traverse the future, detect the viruses hiding in history, eradicate them, and ensure the healthy growth of human civilization.

Feeling the weight of his responsibility, Feng Qi took a deep breath, his gaze firming once more.

Having decided to step forward, he would not back down.

The end of human civilization was 1,500 years away, far beyond his own lifetime. By the time the world reached its apocalypse, he would have already been long gone, free to live his life carefree without concerning himself with the future's turmoil.

But that wasn't who he was.

He believed that, faced with the same dilemma, others would make the same unhesitating choice to resist.

History bore testament to this belief.

Star City itself had once teetered on the brink of being consumed by the encroaching domain fields. During that time, countless people had risen to the challenge, sacrificing themselves in the battle against the domain fields' expansion, ultimately dispelling them through immense collective effort.

The peace and serenity enjoyed in Star City today were built upon the lives of those martyrs.

If everyone chose to retreat, humanity would have no future.

Thinking of this, he suddenly felt the heavy weight upon his shoulders.

As he had browsed the Star City database, he had felt as though he stood on the shoulders of the future. But now he realized that modern civilization stood on his shoulders too.

In truth, the future itself rested upon him.

Because his every action could influence and change the future.

Thus, he bore the burden of an entire future.

Closing his notebook, Feng Qi stepped out onto the balcony and gazed at the starry night sky, the weight in his heart easing.

The cool breeze brushed against his face, and as he soaked in the serene beauty around him, a smile spread across his face.

"I can win!"

If the future wasn't what he envisioned, then he would reshape it into his ideal vision.