Chapter 99: Formally Inviting Her to Join the Organization

Shangguan Ying walked to the back door of the small storeroom, reached her hand toward the fluorescent vortex she couldn't see, and said an even more shocking line, "The ancient era you went to, the Xiao Qidi you know—whether the world or his fate—has already changed."

Ning Jinli got goosebumps all over her body at that moment!

A short sentence, the information volume was about to burst her brain!

How does Sister Ying know everything? How does she know this?

But what concerned her more was, Sister Ying said that whether that ancient world or Xiao Qidi's fate had already changed—what does that mean?!

All her efforts so far have been hoping that Xiao Qidi wouldn't end up like that in the secret history records.

Sister Ying saying this now, could it mean……she succeeded?

But……why does she feel nothing?

If history has already changed, could it have no impact on later generations? And the modern world today hasn't seen any change because of it either?

"I know you have a lot of questions," Shangguan Ying turned her body, gazing at Ning Jinli's eyes filled with shock, "About why I know these things, you can gradually learn later; you have plenty of time."

"As for Xiao Qidi and the world he's in, from the moment you made contact, it has already changed."

"It hasn't caused a historical paradox, nor has it produced any effect on our modern world; the reason is actually quite simple."

"That is——the ancient world you went to is not the same universe as the one we're in, namely a parallel universe."

Hearing this, Ning Jinli's brain boomed.

The biggest doubt that had arisen in her heart at this moment has been resolved.

Shangguan Ying continued explaining: "Within the same universe, history truly cannot be changed, but if one enters a parallel universe, by crossing the timeline through a spacetime portal, one can alter the course of events in that other parallel universe; therefore, for the history of the universe you yourself inhabit, there is no effect at all."

Although Ning Jinli had resolved this doubt, her mind still had some blanks.

She stood there dumbfounded.

Shangguan Ying walked up to her, lightly placed her hand on her shoulder, and said meaningfully, "Your mood must be very complicated now; I know you're not only thinking of saving Xiao Qidi, you also hope to rewrite the various tragedies in our Huaxia history by saving him."

"But I'm sorry, you changed a parallel universe, so in our universe, the thousands of years of tragedy and suffering our nation has endured, even up to now, still exist."

"However, you saved the Huaxia of that parallel universe."

"As long as you keep acting, our country in that parallel universe's world will eventually become what you hope for."

"Moreover, what you can do goes far beyond this."

"Believe me, although our world hasn't been changed in the past, in the future, because of you, our nation will ultimately return to the pinnacle of the world, and at an unprecedented height."

The information volume of this passage is still explosive.

The first half Ning Jinli could still understand, but the second half left her completely confused.

It seems Sister Ying knows far more than she had imagined.

"Sister Ying," Ning Jinli came to her senses, her eyes showing determination, "Although I still have many things I don't understand, ……being able to change the fate of the Huaxia in that parallel universe, enabling its people not to suffer as many historical hardships as we do, is also worthwhile."

Shangguan Ying gazed at Ning Jinli's clear, bright big eyes, suddenly froze, then tightly embraced Ning Jinli, her eyes lighting up, murmuring to herself, "I understand! I finally understand why today is a critical juncture, why I was asked to rush to your factory at this time! Not only to help you get out of trouble, but also……"

Ning Jinli looked bewildered, "Sister Ying……what are you saying? I really can't understand this at all."

Shangguan Ying trembled all over with excitement, quickly loosened the embrace, "Ning Jinli, I now invite you to join the organization as the overall head of the 'Repair Plan'!"

Ning Jinli was completely dumbfounded, "Repair Plan? What does that mean?"

Shangguan Ying's face full of joy, "Actually what you're doing is an important part of the Repair Plan! I knew you've always been doing the right thing!"

"Sister Ying……the more I listen, the more confused I get."

Ning Jinli's brain was about to crash; she understood each word spoken, but when combined, she couldn't grasp the meaning at all.

"It's okay if you don't understand now," Shangguan Ying said with a smile, "later you'll know everything."

Shangguan Ying casually asked, "Jinli, what level have you cultivated the Tian Xuan Heart Method to?"

Ning Jinli's scalp went numb, she exclaimed, "You even know this?!"

Ning Jinli was truly frightened.

This is impossible!

She only learned the Tian Xuan Heart Method because, by various coincidences, she accidentally encountered the birth mother who had unintentionally time-traveled to that ancient world in the parallel universe.

From learning it to opening the spacetime portal and returning here, it hasn't even been twenty-four hours yet!

How does Sister Ying know?!

"Later you'll also know why I know this," Shangguan Ying blinked mysteriously, "Oh right, about why I know the spacetime portal, I can explain that to you now."

Ning Jinli quickly perked up her ears, focused, afraid that another information-packed content would leave her confused.

Shangguan Ying said, "Actually our country has been researching this for a long time, and we once accidentally opened a spacetime portal, but that was all we did."

"This thing is too unstable; we still can't figure out its true principle, only staying at various theories. Moreover, we can't control it."

"But through countless trials, the number of successful openings is barely countable, not to mention they're fleeting, the locations completely random. To this day we still haven't figured out how to get through, after all……we can't even see it with the naked eye."

"Until the most recent time, we detected that a spacetime portal had opened again—correct, it's this one in your factory's warehouse."

"Soon we discovered that you could actually come and go freely."

"Even you obtained the Azure Mist Jade Disc from the ancient world of the parallel universe connected by the spacetime portal……"

Hearing this, Ning Jinli's goosebumps were about to fall all over the ground.

She widened her eyes in shock, "That is to say, when I first passed through the spacetime portal, you already……already knew? Including the later situation, the things I did……Sister Ying you……"

Shangguan Ying smiled, "Otherwise you'd think anyone could casually ask me for blasting materials?"

"Hiss……" Ning Jinli sucked in a breath of cold air, embarrassed, "I thought it was because I turned in the national treasure Azure Mist Jade Disc for merit……"

Shangguan Ying also said, "Of course, I originally wanted to tell you all this from the start, but there are some opposing voices in the organization, saying they need to further evaluate your performance."

"So have I……passed the evaluation now?" Ning Jinli asked.

Shangguan Ying helplessly said, "I've told those guys, I can guarantee you're absolutely trustworthy, but they just won't relax, after all it concerns the 'Repair Plan', which must be handled with utmost caution."

Ning Jinli puzzled, "What is the evaluation? I don't know anything about it."

"The evaluation is of character," Shangguan Ying said softly, "If it were someone else, they'd basically try to use the spacetime portal for personal gain; when human greed is infinitely magnified, it inevitably leads to unimaginable severe consequences. Only someone like you, with a pure and kind nature, having no selfish greed in their bones, would avoid problems. From your performance over this period, the previously uneasy folks in the organization have also largely put their minds at ease."

Ning Jinli muttered, "Come to think of it, I thought I was the one who opened the spacetime portal..."

"It wasn't at first," Shangguan Ying said solemnly, "but later we detected that the spacetime portal was influenced by some energy emanating from you, so all the changes that followed were because of you; you should now be able to open it yourself, right?"

Ning Jinli nodded, "This time I just came back from opening the spacetime portal over there, but I still haven't figured it out. The spacetime portal here has only one entrance/exit, but over there it can open to other places; I wondered if it was because of Xiao Qidi—where he is, that side's exit opens there—but this time the situation is somewhat different."

Shangguan Ying extended a finger and lightly tapped Ning Jinli's heart area, saying, "Actually, it's that wherever your heart goes, the spacetime portal can reach."

That sentence left Ning Jinli stunned for several seconds.

"But..." Ning Jinli frowned, "When the entrance/exit of the spacetime portal over there changes, I don't even know where other people are."

Shangguan Ying said with a smile, "Your mind may not know, but your feeling, your heart, does."

"Is it really that mystical?" Ning Jinli blinked her big eyes.

Shangguan Ying shook her head, "It's not that mystical; if we must explain it with current scientific theory, quantum entanglement might offer a purely speculative, unverifiable answer. Our technology is still not advanced enough—too many phenomena can't be fully explained—so we can only analyze patterns from phenomena, then summarize experience and apply it."

"It's like how ancient people thousands of years ago didn't know the principle of rain, but by summarizing the weather phenomena before rain, they could roughly judge when and where it would rain, and apply that to life."

"Maybe we'll never truly understand the spacetime portal's principle, but after you try it over and over, being able to use it well is enough, right?"

These words made Ning Jinli suddenly understand.

She blurted out, "Ah! Just like Shennong tasting a hundred herbs—Shennong didn't know what chemical components the herbs contained, nor the reaction principles once those elements entered the human body, but by constantly tasting herbs and recording the resulting phenomena—whether they alleviated illness and pain—he accumulated and summarized the corresponding prescriptions."

"Yes," Shangguan Ying said with a bright smile, "Looking at the whole of human history, every aspect has progressed this way—constantly exploring, summarizing rules and experience; even if we don't find the principle, we can still find how to use it."

"What should I do next?" Ning Jinli asked.

Shangguan Ying looked at her sparkling eyes, "You don't need to ask me; just do what you think. I and the entire repair plan team will support you from behind—go ahead boldly."

Ning Jinli thought for a moment, "Then... can I build an oil factory?"

She still remembered the top-quality oil that gushed out after the blasting at Lin Xian Village.

If we could develop and utilize this resource well, it would play a huge role for both our nation here and Xiao Qidi's side there.

After all, whether ancient or modern, energy is an important foundation for societal development.

"Of course!" Shangguan Ying agreed readily, then added, "You can not only build an oil factory but also an arms factory; you weren't having your factory director apply for a permit to produce cold weapons, were you? I'll simply arrange it—grant you a special permit here covering both cold weapons and hot weapons. Your site is huge, and there's a large vacant lot unused—don't waste it."

"Thank you, Sister Ying!" Ning Jinli exclaimed, jumping three feet high with excitement.

"All right," Shangguan Ying said with a smile, "It's late; time to sleep. Rest well first. I'll send someone to investigate thoroughly the accident at your factory tonight—I'm leaving now, no need to see me off."

After Shangguan Ying left, Ning Jinli paced back and forth excitedly in the small warehouse.

Her spirit was too heightened; she felt not the slightest fatigue, unable to sleep anywhere.

After pacing back and forth for a dozen or so circles, her emotions gradually calmed, allowing her to sit quietly and think things through.

"Sister Ying said the key to opening the spacetime portal lies with me, so..."

Ning Jinli looked toward the back door of the warehouse.

With a mindset of giving it a try, she began circulating the Tian Xuan Heart Method, focusing all her attention, her mind imagining the portal's other side connecting to Lin Xian Village.

And this time, it actually worked.

Even before she entered the fluorescent vortex, a sensation naturally arose in her heart.

Then she tried again, shifting the other side's entrance/exit to Yaowang Gu, and then again to the Sect Leader's training chamber in the Tian Shu Sect.

Without exception, all attempts succeeded!

Ning Jinli lifted her foot to go over and tell Xiao Qidi this good news.

Moreover, she also needed to tell him about this matter of the parallel universe.

This is incredibly important!

Oh right, not only does she need to tell Xiao Qidi, but she also has to let Mom and Dad know!

Especially Dad!

This way, Dad won't have to worry about causing an impact in that world and thereby altering history here.

Because these are completely separate universes, they fundamentally cannot affect each other, so the historical paradox ceases to exist.

From now on, she will boldly use modern technology to help Xiao Qidi develop society, and then she won't have to worry about Dad stopping her the way he once stopped Mom.

Ning Jinli eagerly went through the spacetime portal, brimming with joy, returned to the Tian Shu Sect, and then headed straight to the Sect Leader's residence.

It was already past midnight, and all was silent.

Ye Zhiqiu's courtyard was still lit by candlelight, and the main house's door was also open.

Ning Jinli tiptoed in, saw Ye Zhiqiu with her back to the door, sitting beside the candle stand, busy with something unknown, so she crept up behind her, covered her eyes with both hands, and said with a grin, "Guess who I am?"

Ye Zhiqiu gently took her daughter's hand, turned her head, and suddenly revealed a deathly pale, completely unfamiliar face, speaking in a gloomy tone, "Guess... who I am?"

"Ah!" Ning Jinli screamed, her hair standing on end, stammering in terror, "You-you-you... who are you?!"