From Fanwu to Xinghai

Chapter 31 Father's Manuscript

In a corner on the third floor of the library, Lin Chen held the booklet his father had left behind thirty years ago, his fingertips trembling slightly.

The words on the cover were like a key; turning it gently opened a door in his heart that had been sealed for many years.

To my future children.

Time will tell you everything, but you don't have to wait for time.

He had never seen his father, not even a portrait of him. His mother disappeared the year he was born, and Uncle Chen raised him. He only heard snippets about his father from Uncle Chen: a taciturn man with a faint mark between his brows who left on a dark and windy night and never returned.

And now, the man's handwriting lies in his hand.

Lin Chen took a deep breath and turned to the first page.

The paper is a specially made sacred paper, still intact after thirty years, covered with dense text written in an ancient handwriting.

"If you are reading this letter, it means I am no longer living in this era."

The first sentence made Lin Chen's heart tighten.

"First, I want to apologize to you. As your father, I couldn't be there for you as you grew up, I couldn't teach you to walk, talk, or hold a sword. These are things that should have been my responsibility, but I had to leave them to others. If you were raised by Uncle Chen, please thank him for me; if not, thank the person who was willing to take care of you."

Lin Chen's eyes felt a little hot.

"But I don't regret leaving. Because there are some things more important than spending time with family. Although it sounds cruel coming from a father."

"The first thing I want to tell you is this: our bloodline comes from an ancient tradition. The Guardians of Time, that's its name."

Lin Chen subconsciously touched his brow. There, the mark of the River of Time was slightly warm, as if responding to these words.

"The Time Guardians are not a cultivation sect, nor are they a particular cultivation technique. It is a responsibility, a mission that has existed since the very beginning of the river of time. To safeguard the flow of time, prevent the collapse of the timeline, and guide civilization in the right direction at crucial moments."

"Each generation of Time Guardians awakens at a certain historical juncture, then influences that era in their own way. Some become emperors, some hermits, some scholars. And I... chose to become a father."

Lin Chen's breathing became heavy.

"Your mother, Su Wan, is no ordinary person. She is the embodiment of a dimensional ruler, the last fragment of consciousness scattered across a lower-dimensional universe after an ancient civilization failed to ascend to a higher dimension."

"Thirty years ago, I saw you in the river of time. I saw your birth, your growth, and the choices you were about to make. At that moment, I knew that the bloodlines of the Guardian of Time and the Ruler of Dimensions would merge within you."

"This has never happened before."

"Throughout history, Time Guardians and Dimensional Rulers have each appeared countless times, but never has anyone possessed both bloodlines simultaneously. You are the first, and perhaps the only one."

Lin Chen's fingers tightened, and the paper made a slight rustling sound.

"What does this mean? It means you possess the ability to alter the timeline, and also the potential to break dimensional barriers. Theoretically, combining these two powers allows you to do something never before possible."

"To lead the entire civilization to a higher dimension."

Lin Chen raised his head and looked out the window.

The Qingyun Mountains appeared and disappeared in the mist, and the distant horizon was dyed golden-red by the setting sun. Somewhere in the north, an agent of a higher-dimensional civilization was at work, and at this moment he sat here, reading the prophecy his father had written thirty years ago.

A strange feeling welled up inside me. It was as if time itself had folded over at that moment, with the past, present, and future intertwined.

He continued reading.

"But this path is extremely dangerous. The power of the Time Guardians comes from the River of Time, and the River of Time comes at a price. Every use of time-manipulation abilities will deplete your lifespan. Overuse will cause you to burn out quickly, like a candle."

"More importantly, dimensional ascension is not a solitary endeavor. It requires the cooperation of the entire civilization, the efforts of countless individuals, and the perfect combination of all factors: technology, cultivation, resources, and willpower."

"If you decide to take this path, you need to be mentally prepared: you will lose a lot—it could be friends, it could be your lover, it could be yourself."

"But if you don't take this path..."

The handwriting paused here, as if the writer was also hesitating.

"...Civilization will face a catastrophe in fifty years. Not a natural disaster, not a man-made one, but a dimensional selection process. All civilizations unable to ascend will be eliminated by time, becoming dust in the river of time."

"I have seen that future. In a tributary of the river of time, I witnessed this civilization's demise."

"So I have to leave. I have to find a way to stop all of this, even if the price is never being able to come back."

Lin Chen's eyes finally welled up with tears.

He remembered what Lin Yuan had said, "Last time, I was late."

It turns out that wasn't the first time. Before Lin Yuan's "last time," his father had already tried to change the future.

"The eight years I spent cultivating at the Qingyun Sect were the most peaceful time of my life. I met many good people, learned a great deal, and left behind these manuscripts. If you need them, they will help you grow quickly."

"But remember, the manuscript is only an aid. True power comes from your own choices."

Finally, I have something to tell you. It's about your mother.

Lin Chen's heart raced.

"Su Wan's trapping in the dimensional rift within the Qingyun Sect's forbidden area was not an accident, but rather a choice she made herself. As the embodiment of the dimensional ruler, she had to maintain a certain balance in that position; otherwise, the entire dimensional structure would collapse."

"But this isn't permanent. The moment civilization ascends to a higher dimension, the dimensional rift will open, and she will be able to emerge."

"Therefore, there is only one way to save her: achieve dimensional ascension."

"My child, I don't know how old you will be when you read this letter, nor what you will have been through. But I believe that the fact that you've come this far proves that you have the courage to bear all of this."

"The mission of the Time Guardians is not to control time, but to protect what is worth protecting."

"For me, the one most worth protecting is you."

May you be safe and well.

"Father Lin Yuan, Qingyun Sect's Scripture Repository, thirty years ago..."

Lin Chen closed the booklet and remained motionless for a long time.

The sun had completely set, and the third floor of the library was shrouded in darkness, with only the faint starlight filtering in through the windows providing illumination.

He sat there, like a statue.

His father's image gradually became clearer in his mind. Not a specific appearance, but a feeling. Silent, firm, gentle, willing to give up personal happiness for a greater responsibility.

He looks a lot like Lin Yuan.

No, it should be said that Lin Yuan resembles his father.

Lin Chen suddenly realized a problem: if Lin Yuan really came back from the future, then the "last time" he mentioned, was it the failed timeline that his father had seen?

Was the father's departure also an attempt to change that future?

Time is like a circle, with its beginning and end connected, and everyone plays their own role in it.

He stood up, carefully put the booklet away, and then walked to the bookshelf.

My father said he left behind "these manuscripts," which means there was more than one.

Sure enough, there were two other booklets on that small bookshelf.

The cover of the second book reads: "The Basic Cultivation Method of Time Guardians".

The cover of the third book reads: "Detailed Explanation of Foundation Establishment Stage Techniques: Breaking Through with the Power of Time".

Lin Chen took down the second book and opened to the first page.

"The cultivation of Time Guardians differs from that of ordinary cultivators. Ordinary cultivators cultivate spiritual power, while we cultivate time perception."

"Phase One: Perceiving the Flow of Time."

"Phase Two: Manipulating Local Time."

"Phase Three: Entering the River of Time."

"Phase Four: Time Splitting."

"Phase Five: The Domination of Time."

"Each breakthrough requires a specific opportunity and sufficient accumulation. Don't rush things; time is a double-edged sword, and if used improperly, it can hurt you."

Lin Chen continued flipping through the pages and discovered that it was a complete cultivation guide, with detailed cultivation methods and precautions for each stage, from the Qi Induction stage to the Core Formation stage.

In the blank spaces of the book, the father made many annotations in different handwritings.

"This method requires the use of a spiritual vein. There is a small spiritual vein in the back mountain of the Qingyun Sect with a moderate concentration of spiritual energy, suitable for Qi Induction stage cultivation."

"When you break through to the Foundation Establishment stage, time will briefly stop. This is normal; don't panic."

"After reaching the Dan Yuan Realm, one can condense a time imprint within the Golden Core; this is the mark of a Time Guardian."

Each annotation was detailed and practical, as if the father had foreseen that he would come to the Qingyun Sect and need this guidance.

Lin Chen picked up the third booklet.

This one is thinner, but the content is more concentrated.

"Foundation Establishment is the first hurdle on the path of cultivation. For ordinary cultivators, Foundation Establishment only requires accumulating enough spiritual energy, opening up the meridians, and condensing the Dao foundation."

"However, for a Time Guardian to establish their foundation, the laws of time need to be integrated into their Dao foundation."

The specific method is as follows...

The following content involved many complex cultivation terms, but Lin Chen could understand them. The knowledge he had acquired in the outer and inner sects of the Qingyun Sect was just enough to support his comprehension of this content.

"The core of Time-Based Foundation Building lies in utilizing the ability of time to slow down at the moment of breakthrough, thus prolonging the breakthrough process and imprinting a time mark on the foundation."

"The benefits of doing this are: your Dao foundation will resonate with the laws of time, your subsequent cultivation speed will be greatly increased, and your control over time abilities will become more precise."

"The risk is that the extended breakthrough time means a longer period of exposure to the impact of spiritual energy from heaven and earth. If preparations are insufficient, it may damage the meridians."

"Recommendation: Before breaking through, prepare enough Spirit Recovery Pills and Meridian Protection Pills, choose an environment with moderate spiritual energy concentration, and ideally have an elder protecting you."

Lin Chen memorized all of this.

He is currently at the seventh level of the Qi Refining stage, still some distance from Foundation Establishment, but understanding the breakthrough method in advance will allow him to prepare in a targeted manner.

Late at night.

Lin Chen carefully put away the three booklets and prepared to leave the Sutra Repository.

The moment he turned around, the Time River mark between his brows suddenly began to throb violently.

It was a warning. Just like back in Qing Shi Town, it foreshadowed some kind of danger that was about to occur.

He stopped, closed his eyes, and tried to sense the source of the danger.

The pulsation of the mark grew stronger and stronger, pointing north.

The North... Yanhuang Pass.

Lin Chen suddenly opened his eyes.

Have the agents of a higher-dimensional civilization taken action?

He strode out of the library and down the stone steps.

The night breeze was a bit cool, scattering the tear stains on his face.

His father's manuscript gave him the answers and the direction. But now, he must first face the crisis before him.

When Qin Mo returned to Yunshejiqi, he was practicing his sword in the courtyard.

"You're back?" Qin Mo sheathed his sword. "You don't look well. What happened?"

"Something might have happened," Lin Chen said briefly. "I have a bad feeling about the Yanhuang Pass area."

Qin Mo frowned. He knew Lin Chen possessed some special abilities and wouldn't speak without reason.

"What do you need me to do?"

"Protect me first, I need to try out a cultivation method," Lin Chen said. "If my premonition is right, we may need to increase our strength as soon as possible."

"good."

Qin Mo didn't ask any more questions, he just nodded and stood at the entrance of the courtyard like a door god.

Lin Chen walked into the room and sat cross-legged on the cultivation platform.

He took out his father's manuscript from his pocket and turned to the first stage of "The Basic Cultivation Method of the Time Guardian".

"Perceive the flow of time."

Method: Calm your mind and focus your awareness on the mark between your eyebrows, feeling the flow of time around you. Beginners may experience dizziness, which is normal; with continued practice, you will gradually adapt.

Lin Chen closed his eyes and, as described in the book, focused his consciousness into the space between his eyebrows.

There, the marks of time are emitting a faint glow.

He "saw" it.

Not with his eyes, but in a way that transcends the senses. Time flows slowly around him like a river. Every second is stretched into countless frames, and he can clearly perceive every subtle change in time.

In the courtyard, Qin Mo's breathing was broken down into countless moments.

In the distance, the sound of the night wind rustling through the leaves was also broken down into fragments of time.

The feeling was strange and dizzying, like standing on the edge of a waterfall, watching countless water droplets fall in front of you.

But Lin Chen did not back down.

He continued deeper, trying to perceive further places. Northward, to the Fiery Wilderness Pass.

Then, he "saw" it.

In the distant northern sky, a black crack is slowly opening. It is not a crack in the physical sense, but a breach in the structure of time. It is as if someone has violently torn open the curtain of time.

A cold and unfamiliar aura emanated from the crack.

The agents of a higher-dimensional civilization are descending.

Lin Chen suddenly opened his eyes and gasped for breath.

The perception he had just experienced had consumed a great deal of his mental energy, but the gains were also enormous. He confirmed the existence of the danger and its scale.

It wasn't just one or two people, but a force, a force powerful enough to alter the flow of time in a given area.

"How is it?" Qin Mo walked in and handed him a glass of water.

"It's more serious than we imagined." Lin Chen took the water glass. "Something's coming from Yanhuang Pass. It's not a demonic beast, it's... something even more troublesome."

"Do we need to report this to the sect?"

"Elder Shen should already know," Lin Chen said, "but we should also be prepared."

He looked out the window at the northern horizon, where everything was still calm, but he knew a storm was brewing.

"Starting tomorrow, I will dedicate myself to cultivation," he said. "I will strive to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage in the shortest possible time."

"I'll stay with you," Qin Mo said.

Lin Chen glanced at him and nodded.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome." Qin Mo rarely showed a smile. "We're friends, aren't we?"

friend.

This word warmed Lin Chen's heart.

In this world full of unknowns and dangers, having friends to fight alongside you is something to be cherished.

It was late at night, and Lin Chen lay on his bed, but couldn't fall asleep.

He took out his father's manuscript and read it again under the moonlight.

"The mission of the Time Guardians is not to control time, but to protect what is worth protecting."

"For me, the one most worth protecting is you."

My father's words echoed in my mind.

Lin Chen gripped the manuscript tightly and looked out at the starry sky.

"Father," he whispered, "I will finish what you couldn't."

"I will save my mother."

"I will elevate civilization to a higher dimension."

"I will Survive."

Starlight shone on his face, and the mark between his brows glowed faintly, as if in response to his vow.