Chapter 50: Parallel Worldlines, The Age of Mist (Part II)

According to later research, that mysterious fog, still incomprehensible to this day, never penetrated the solar system—not in any observable spectrum, at least. These enigmatic mists, whose origins and true nature remain unknown, enveloped the solar system from without by means of mechanisms beyond the understanding of humanity at that time. They neither intruded within Neptune’s orbit nor left any gaps; the solar system was sealed tightly within their embrace.

From this day forward, the starry river vanished, and the world was transformed. When humans looked up, they could no longer see the vast expanse of stars. Every celestial body was veiled, and only the sun shone in the sky, its light reflected faintly from the major planets, which remained barely visible.

Humanity’s connection to the cosmic depths beyond the solar system was severed completely by the fog. The entire solar system became like a cosmic black room, offering no view of the outside world.

Of course, if that was all, it would not have been so remarkable. For most people, the absence of stars was hardly troubling; after all, with the advance of industry, stargazing had become increasingly rare on Earth. Even in this world, if not for the clear skies and clean air of the previous night, and the diminished ground illumination, Shi Tiexin himself would not have seen any stars, nor would he have found their absence particularly peculiar.

But the changes far exceeded anything humanity had anticipated.

On January 22, 1919, the Origin Sage appeared. On the very day the solar system entered the fog, the Origin Sage enlightened humanity, preached for twelve days, and imparted the great path of martial cultivation, igniting a legendary fire of evolution. From that day forth, martial arts were revived, emerging from the dust of history into a new era.

Compared to the ancient martial arts and national techniques, the new martial disciplines bestowed by the Origin Sage were vastly more powerful, with lower thresholds and fewer requirements. Those with the will to cultivate could do so; it was nearly accessible to everyone.

From that point, the balance of power between nations shifted dramatically. Martial arts shattered the unchallenged hegemony of science established since the Industrial Revolution, becoming a new axis of strength for humankind.

After enlightening the world, the Origin Sage withdrew and disappeared among the stars. Following the Origin Sage, other sages arose in succession. Who these sages were, Shi Tiexin could not fully say, for his own knowledge of natural history was only at the first tier. However, he at least knew of the Scientific Sage, the Teacher of the Ages.

This Scientific Sage extended the path of cultivation beyond martial arts into the realm of science. By integrating the Origin Sage’s method of mind-energy cultivation with the study and research of scientific knowledge, the Scientific Sage opened a perfected and powerful new route of mind-energy cultivation.

The six fundamental mind techniques Shi Tiexin now practiced, if traced to their roots, were established and refined by the Scientific Sage.

From then on, learning and cultivation became one. Those who studied well and researched deeply advanced rapidly in their cultivation, rising through the ranks with unstoppable momentum. Scientists and martial artists became intimately intertwined. The stereotype of the mindless warrior, skilled only in violence and incapable of creation, was utterly overturned.

Countless talented individuals devoted themselves to both cultivation and learning, growing stronger and evolving in tangible ways; the passion for scientific research across the population reached unprecedented heights. Generation after generation of prodigies pushed the boundaries of cultivation and science ever forward, and humanity’s technological prowess soared as never before.

Aside from the Scientific Sage, several other sages appeared, each profoundly and thoroughly altering the conditions of human existence—even reshaping humanity’s worldview entirely. Shi Tiexin vaguely knew that the last sage to appear was the Sage of Time and Space, whose emergence was closely linked to the creation of the “Secret Realm.”

Beyond the extremely limited number of sages, there were also many sub-sages who replaced the celestial stars and illuminated the heavens. Though these sub-sages could not transform all of humanity, each could reshape rules and remake the world within their own domains.

Individual power climbed steadily; scientific advancement leaped forward. Theoretical breakthroughs emerged one after another, with practical applications appearing at astonishing speed. Humanity’s vision and stature soared at a pace unmatched in any era of history.

Naturally, humanity broke free from Earth and began large-scale exploration of the solar system.

From Venus, closest to the sun, to Uranus, the farthest, human footprints spread everywhere. Alien colonies expanded one after another, artificial celestial bodies were constructed in succession. Apart from the fog zone beyond Uranus’s orbit, humanity thrived throughout the solar system.

In this vast opportunity and completely new social landscape, all former systems and rules became obsolete, unable to keep pace with human progress. In 1941, driven by various internal and external factors, the nations of humanity set aside old grudges and disputes, founding the Human Federation and entering a new era of rapid development.

Thus, humanity quickly entered its golden age.

Mind techniques and power techniques advanced together, the divine path of science and the wonders of martial arts coexisted. Wherever the sun shone, there was the realm of humanity; beyond its light, the territory of the fog.

This immense tide of the era surpassed any cultural, industrial, or scientific revolution in history. No one knew whether the Origin Sage’s enlightenment was connected to the sudden fog, but the old calendar was entirely abandoned.

January 22, 1919: a turning point engraved in the annals of natural history.

On that day, the old era ended and the new era began.

Humanity bade farewell to the past and stepped into the Era of the Mist.

Yet, this world had not entered the Era of the Mist at all. The stars still shone, the nations remained, wars and conflicts persisted. There was no Origin Sage, no power techniques, no mind techniques, no scientific explosion.

What was going on?

Where had he arrived?

Moreover, when Shi Tiexin asked Zhou Nan about the calendar last night, he discovered something that was both unsurprising and intriguing.

That was, the calendar here did not match his own.

Since 1919, the old era was abolished and humanity adopted a new calendar. Shi Tiexin remembered vividly that just days ago, at Tumubao, there had been a grand “Mist Centennial” celebration. The event was spectacular, said to stretch from the Central Star—Earth itself—all the way to the remotest Uranus, with festivities and revelry everywhere.

There was no mistake: on Shi Tiexin’s side, it was precisely the centennial of the Mist Era. Converted to the Western calendar, it should be 2019. But Zhou Nan said it was 2020 here. In other words, time here was about a year ahead of his own.

Shi Tiexin himself vaguely sensed that the body he had arrived in was a year older than his own. This was hardly surprising; after all, having crossed worlds, anything was possible.

Yet, it was strange—so strange as to feel subtly unsettling.