"Dean Long, you're finally here."
Luo Yun bowed respectfully. Her gaze swept over Long Jinyu's still somewhat pale face, full of concern.
"Mr. Tuoba has been awake for three days and has been wanting to see you. It's just... his mental state doesn't seem very stable, and he's rather confused. A few days ago, I sent you a letter about him. I don't know if you've had a chance to read it?"
Long Jinyu gave a slight cough, looking apologetic. "...I haven't had time to read it. I came straight here as soon as I woke up. What did it say, roughly?"
"Nothing particularly important, just a detailed account of Mr. Tuoba's condition."
Luo Yun stepped aside to lead the way.
"Dean, I have a few questions I'd like to ask you. Could we go to your office?"
Long Jinyu nodded, then turned to Ma Xiaotao. "Senior, why don't you look around for a while? Be careful."
Ma Xiaotao was very considerate. "Sure, go take care of business. I was just about to see how that girl Tang Ya is recovering."
"That would be perfect."
The two parted ways, and Long Jinyu followed Luo Yun to the office.
As soon as the door closed, Luo Yun set up a soundproof barrier. Her expression turned serious. "My lord, I'll get straight to the point. Mr. Tuoba Xi's physical condition is no longer a concern. The foundation of a Titled Douluo is indeed formidable. But his mental state and the various psychological evaluations... are seriously abnormal."
She paused, then continued, "If I had to describe it, his condition is a little like a hypothetical syndrome mentioned in Dean Su's early notes—'Transmigrator Syndrome.' It's as if... his understanding of the current era has become severely fractured and confused, accompanied by conflicting memories and an intense sense of unreality."
A flicker of surprise crossed Long Jinyu's eyes. The people at the Medical Pavilion really are no ordinary bunch. It soon gave way to appreciation. "Ahem... Sister Luo Yun, you're even more perceptive than I expected."
Luo Yun's pupils contracted. She blurted out, "My lord! Does that mean transmigrators really—"
"Ahem." Long Jinyu cut her off with two light coughs, his eyes carrying a hint of warning.
Luo Yun immediately realized she had misspoken and lowered her head. "Sorry, my lord. I spoke out of turn..."
"It's all right," Long Jinyu said, waving a hand. His tone held a trace of sincere apology. "I'm the one who should apologize. There are some things I can't explain to you yet. I hope you'll understand."
He had his own reasons. Though the Medical Pavilion was more trustworthy than Shrek, it was still Sister Su's enterprise. The others might regard him as their lord because of the Yanhuang Order, or because they needed a leader.
If Sister Su returned one day, he would naturally return everything to its rightful owner. When that time came, there was no telling if people's hearts might change. The fewer people who knew certain core secrets, the better.
Luo Yun was clever, too, and didn't press him. Instead, she asked, "I understand, my lord. Would you like to see Mr. Tuoba Xi now?"
"Yes. Please bring him to my office. I'll wait for him here."
"As you command."
A little while later
Long Jinyu sat in the wide chair, his fingertips lightly tapping the desktop as he wondered how Tuoba Xi would react when he saw him. Confusion? Resistance? Or the absolute loyalty promised by the system?
Just then, a steady knock came from outside the door.
"Knock, knock, knock."
"Come in."
The door opened, and a tall, resolute-looking middle-aged man walked in. He closed the door, then made his way to the middle of the office with somewhat stiff movements. It was Tuoba Xi.
His face was full of struggle and bewilderment as he looked at Long Jinyu, his eyes complicated.
Then, as if driven by some invisible force, he suddenly dropped to one knee and lowered his head. His voice was painfully halting as he forced out the words one by one:
"Tuoba Xi... pays respects... to my..."
The movement and the title were like instincts branded into the depths of his soul, impossible to resist. Yet the pride of a Titled Douluo, of a sect master, made the process a painful tug-of-war.
Long Jinyu took in every trace of his struggle and understood. So this was the system's so-called "absolute loyalty" at work.
He didn't make the other man finish that awkward "my lord" or "master." Instead, he interrupted at just the right moment:
"Rise. Sit down."
Tuoba Xi's body trembled slightly. He stood as instructed and sat in a chair nearby, his back ramrod straight, betraying his military upbringing. But his gaze remained lowered, and he didn't dare meet Long Jinyu's eyes, as if he were afraid.
Long Jinyu withdrew his pressure and looked at him calmly. He spoke slowly, his voice carrying a composure and authority at odds with his youthful appearance. "Tuoba Xi, now that you've been given a new life, the past is like clouds passing before your eyes. From today on, you must remember your new identity and responsibilities. You are no longer the sect master of the Holy Dragon Sect, but an outer elder of my Nine-Colored Dragon Valley. From now on, you needn't call me 'my lord' or 'master.' Just call me 'young master.'"
"Nine-Colored Dragon Valley... outer elder... young master...?"
Tuoba Xi repeated the unfamiliar words under his breath. The confusion in his eyes seemed to have found a vague anchor.
"Yes... young master."
Long Jinyu nodded slightly, his tone shifting to one of scrutiny and consideration. "The Codex brought you to me when you were on the brink of death. I gave you a new life, dispelled your chronic ailments, and granted you the possibility of glimpsing a higher realm. So tell me, what will you use to repay this kindness?"
Tuoba Xi raised his head and met Long Jinyu's gaze. It was clear yet deep, as if it could see through him entirely.
He said in a low voice, "Since the young master gave me this new life, I will naturally do everything in my power to serve you, even at the cost of my life! It's just..."
He paused, but in the end, he asked, "All of this is simply too unbelievable. I have too many questions weighing on my mind. If I don't get answers, I'm afraid I won't be able to focus on my duties in the future. Young master... would you be willing to clear up my doubts?"
Long Jinyu had expected as much. He replied calmly, "All right, I'll allow it. What do you want to know?"
Tuoba Xi asked the most pressing question without delay. "May I ask, young master—is this still the Douluo Continent? Why does this place feel so familiar to me, yet so strange in every way?"
Long Jinyu didn't dodge the question. He gave him a shocking answer directly. "This is indeed the Douluo Continent. But it's not the era you knew. This is... ten thousand years after the timeline you came from. The world has changed beyond recognition. It's only natural that everything feels unfamiliar."
"Ten... ten thousand years later?!" Tuoba Xi sprang to his feet, disbelief written all over his face. His voice trembled. "Then... what about Spirit Hall? What about the Spirit Hall Empire?! What became of them?"
"They've all turned to the dust of history."
Long Jinyu's tone was calm and merciless, shattering his last hope.
"Pope Bibi Dong fell at Tang San's hands. Angel God Qian Renxue's divine position was shattered, and the Spirit Hall Empire fell with it. As for your Holy Dragon Sect..."
Seeing Tuoba Xi's pale face, Long Jinyu felt a pang of sympathy. He paused before continuing. "I'm afraid it, too, was swallowed by the river of time long ago."
"Ten thousand years... It's already been ten thousand years... Everything is gone..."
Tuoba Xi took a blow as if struck by lightning. He staggered, then sank back into his chair, eyes vacant and silent for a long time.
His sect, his faith, everything he had once fought for—all had vanished into thin air. The shock was far more devastating than any physical pain.
Long Jinyu didn't disturb him, giving him time to absorb the earth-shattering news.
After a moment, he continued, his voice carrying a note of guidance and reassurance:
"Time turns, and the world changes. The end of an old era marks the beginning of a new one. There's no need to cling to the past—what matters is the present and the future."
"Tuoba Xi, you're not the only one. In the future, there may be more people like you, summoned here at my call. As the first, you must take on the responsibility. You'll need to remember everything I tell you later, so you can answer their questions and help them settle in."
Tuoba Xi slowly lifted his head from his immense loss and bewilderment, looking at Long Jinyu.
A mysterious, powerful aura seemed to surround this young "master," linking the past and the future.
After the world he had known had utterly collapsed, this new identity and new mission seemed to be the only driftwood he could grasp.
He suppressed the turmoil in his heart and stood again. This time his movements were much smoother, and his bow carried a measure of genuine sincerity.
"Your subordinate... Tuoba Xi, will obey the young master's orders!"
Before you continue