Babata: Now That's Something You Don't See Every Day

To be fair, Babata's sudden question caught Qi Fei off guard.

But he had come here to receive the inheritance, so he didn't hesitate.

"If I can, then yes."

Qi Fei replied.

"Hahaha, of course you can."

Babata suddenly burst out laughing.

His laughter was unusually intense, as if he were venting his feelings.

Even Qi Fei, a Planet Level Warrior, found it a little grating. He silently used his Spiritual Force to block out some of the sound.

"Sorry. I've waited fifty thousand years, and I got a little carried away."

After laughing, Babata's tone grew much more relaxed.

"With your comprehension, you naturally qualify to become the master of the Black Ink Star."

"My comprehension?"

Qi Fei asked, pretending to be confused.

"Your aptitude isn't in cultivation, but in comprehending laws. In practical terms, your natural aptitude is actually quite poor. I imagine you obtained a Bloodline Potion to break through to the Planet Level, didn't you?"

Babata asked.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Qi Fei simply avoided the question.

"We've only just met. It's perfectly normal that you don't want to tell me because you're wary, but you can't hide it from me."

Babata projected a screen showing Qi Fei's current physical condition, along with records of his past performance.

"If you'd had this kind of aptitude in the past, you wouldn't have been stuck at the Apprentice Level for so long."

"I can only say you really are lucky. You actually managed to find a potion on Earth that would be worth a fortune even in the universe."

Of course, your greatest stroke of luck was being discovered by the great Lord Babata.

Qi Fei remained silent, as if Babata had exposed a secret he'd been keeping.

Babata looked pleased with himself, then changed his tone.

"But being able to use a single ordinary injection to gain entry into the Origin Law proves that you're not truly dull. You were simply held back by Earth's human bloodline."

He looked at Qi Fei approvingly.

With talent like this, even the Black Ink Star at its peak would have taken Qi Fei in.

Now, there was even less reason to let him slip away.

"Come with me. You should pay your respects to your teacher."

As Babata turned around, the metal floor of the hall suddenly parted, revealing a passageway.

Qi Fei followed Babata down the passage until they reached an empty octagonal hall.

When they arrived, a transparent crystal coffin rose from beneath the floor. Hu Yanbo lay inside.

After hearing about Hu Yanbo's illustrious past, Qi Fei followed Babata's instructions and kowtowed to become his disciple.

Then Babata placed a strange power into Qi Fei's Sea of Consciousness.

Having read the original story, Qi Fei knew this was the Inheritance Mark Hu Yanbo had left behind before his death. It would help his disciples transform their telekinetic power so they could master the Black Ink Star lineage's secret techniques more quickly.

So Qi Fei didn't resist.

Afterward, Babata gave Qi Fei the Black Wristband he had been residing in.

He also gave him an Arc Blade Disk, a Space Ring, a Black God Set, a large quantity of Wood Bud Crystals, and a small fragment of the Black Ink Star Spaceship.

This palm-sized fragment was actually the most valuable item Qi Fei possessed at the moment.

It was made of Red Mixed Copper Mother, a material so tough that even an Immortal's attacks could hardly destroy it.

Even after the battle that had killed Hu Yanbo, the spaceship had only lost a small corner.

Never mind a Planet Level Warrior like Qi Fei—even a Star Level or Universe Level expert carrying it could easily bring disaster upon themselves.

So Babata repeatedly warned Qi Fei never to use it carelessly.

Qi Fei naturally nodded again and again in agreement.

Next, Babata helped Qi Fei complete the bonding ritual with the Cloud-Touching Vine seedling.

The Cloud-Touching Vine was a plant lifeform, a kind of specialty of the Swallowed Star universe.

It could transform into armor to protect its owner and could also help attack enemies, making it popular among the various races.

"Babata, do you have any other Cloud-Touching Vines?"

Qi Fei remembered that in the original story, when Babata had fashioned all kinds of treasures on Mist Island to attract human experts, he had brought out a Cloud-Touching Vine cultivated with Wood Bud Crystals.

Now that Mist Island was gone, Babata should still have the seed.

They'd have to prepare one for Luo Feng eventually anyway, so they might as well do it early.

Of course, Qi Fei wasn't asking Babata for one solely for Luo Feng. He needed the Cloud-Touching Vine to bring up the next topic.

"I have another seed. Do you want it?"

Babata asked.

"I want to prepare one for my disciple."

Qi Fei answered honestly.

"The treasures my master left me are only enough to cultivate your Cloud-Touching Vine. If you're willing to let your disciple use a vine with the poorest cultivation results, I don't mind giving you one."

Babata exaggerated the outcome a little.

The main reason was that they only had so many resources and couldn't afford to waste them.

Qi Fei knew Babata would say that.

In the original story, Babata hadn't even wanted Luo Feng to share the basic Warrior techniques that weren't part of the Black Ink Star inheritance with anyone else.

There was even less chance he'd agree to something that consumed precious resources.

But that worked out perfectly.

"Then what if..."

Qi Fei paused, as if unsure whether to continue.

"?"

Babata looked at him in confusion.

"What I mean is, what if I could reduce some of the cultivation costs?"

Qi Fei asked after hesitating for a while.

"You obtained other treasures along with the potion? In that case, it might be possible."

Babata understood.

After all, if Qi Fei had managed to get something like a Bloodline Potion, which circulated only among powerful organizations, it wasn't unreasonable to think he might have resources for cultivating plant lifeforms too.

"Not exactly."

Qi Fei shared his Planet Level 3 cultivation with the Cloud-Touching Vine and placed several Wood Bud Crystals beside it.

Thanks to the fruit Babata had fed it earlier, the Cloud-Touching Vine had reached the Planet Level without absorbing much of the Wood Bud Crystals at all.

When it reached Planet Level 3, Qi Fei ended the sharing.

"Why did it absorb them so quickly? How did you do that?"

Babata's astonished voice rang out in Qi Fei's mind.

"That wasn't all I got."

Qi Fei patted his body.

Babata thought he meant the Bloodline Evolution Potion.

"I also obtained some special abilities. That was one of them. It lets me share my cultivation, aptitude, insights, and so on with other beings."

Qi Fei explained.

"Special abilities? What kind of special ability can do that?"

Babata was baffled.

"According to the information left in my mind, these four things seem to be called Innate Secret Techniques. I don't understand how they work at all, but I can use them. Babata, do you know why?"

Qi Fei put on the air of someone who knew nothing about any of this.

Babata, meanwhile, was left reeling by Qi Fei's words.

Even with the processing power of an intelligent lifeform, he could barely wrap his head around it.

Innate Secret Techniques, four of them, and a human—could those words even belong in the same sentence?

If I remember correctly, even my master, an Immortal Deity, never managed to obtain a servant with two Innate Secret Techniques, let alone four.

And an ordinary human like Qi Fei has four?

Could I have actually been discovered by my master's enemy and trapped in some kind of illusion?

Could all of this be fake? Is someone messing with me?

"...Babata, Babata."

Qi Fei's calls brought Babata back to his senses.

"Qi Fei, I think I just had a dream. I dreamed you told me something about Innate Secret Techniques, and it scared me awake."

Babata sounded dazed, as if he'd just woken up.

"It wasn't a dream. It's real."

Qi Fei said.

Babata jolted awake.

"Was everything you just said true?"

He hurriedly pressed him for an answer.

Qi Fei didn't explain. Instead, he sent Babata information about all four Innate Secret Techniques through his Spiritual Force.

Fire in Wood—not bad.

Expert Appraisal Technique—there's something to it.

Sharing—pretty impressive.

Life Bead...

?

Even with Babata's extensive knowledge, he couldn't quite understand this Innate Secret Technique.

It could copy the Innate Secret Techniques of other powerful beings on a massive scale. Had Qi Fei made it up to trick him?

But Babata didn't ask that aloud.

Qi Fei had even told him a secret like this. To doubt him now would be going too far.

After his shock came an uncontrollable rush of joy.

Babata's original goal had only been to cultivate Qi Fei and carry on the Black Ink Star inheritance.

But now, it seemed Qi Fei might be able to avenge the Black Ink Star.

Hold it together. Don't laugh. Qi Fei is only a Planet Level Warrior. He's still a long way from becoming an Immortal.

"Qi Fei, try not to tell anyone else about these things."

Babata did his best to keep a serious expression.

"I know. I'm telling you because I trust you."

Qi Fei said plainly.

Whether he trusted Babata or not, it wouldn't make a difference. He and Babata would be spending a long time together, and he couldn't go without using his Innate Secret Techniques even once.

Especially his Life Bead and Fire in Wood, which helped him comprehend laws.

"Although you probably don't understand what this means, thank you for trusting me."

Babata said solemnly.

"It's nothing. We're all in this together now."

Qi Fei said casually.

"In this together..."

Babata echoed, then remembered something.

"Speaking of ships, remember to gather some materials. I need to build a spaceship so I can take you out to see the universe when the time comes."

With Qi Fei's aptitude, he'd probably reach the Star Level by the time the ship was ready.

Then he'd be able to access the wealth in the first account his master had left behind.

"Okay. I'll find someone to trade with."

Qi Fei nodded.

In reality, Earth had a pretty impressive spaceship that could still fly. But it was far too impressive for him to dare touch it right now.

If some powerful expert noticed it and decided to kill him for it, he'd be in trouble.

Things would be fine after the Genius Tournament.

"By the way, Babata, I didn't know you could build spaceships."

Qi Fei deliberately sounded impressed.

"I'm the intelligent lifeform of an Immortal Deity. I can make more than spaceships. I even know how to make high-level Telekinetic Weapons."

Babata said smugly.

"That's incredible. Can I take a look?"

Qi Fei asked curiously.

"You? Your priority right now is to cultivate properly. Why do you need to look at that stuff?"

Babata put on the air of a strict teacher.

"I'm curious. I'd like to look at it as a way to relax after cultivating."

Qi Fei made up an excuse.

"Besides, I'm pretty good with fire. Maybe I could earn money by forging equipment or making potions. After all, the teacher's wealth won't last forever."

That was made up too.

As long as he got into the Virtual Universe Company through the Genius Tournament, Qi Fei would never be short of money. There was no need for him to forge equipment himself.

He was getting it for the other Qi Feis.

Dou Po Qi Fei needed medicinal recipes from various worlds to broaden his horizons.

Heavenly Jewel Change Qi Fei needed weapons from various worlds for reference, so he could design Physical Manifestation Blueprints.

Witch Qi Fei also wanted to absorb the technology of other worlds, both technological and cultivation-based, to improve her equipment-making skills and make money.

After all, with Sharing, he could get as many biological materials as he wanted.

Not learning how to process them himself would just mean letting others make money for nothing.

Even Shen San Qi Fei was greatly interested in the Swallowed Star World's technique of combining Monster materials with metal.

He planned to study it and earn himself a title like Divine Weapon Forger.

Only Coiling Dragon Qi Fei had no interest in any of this. All he did was comprehend laws and spy on Linley.

"All right, I'll organize the information and send it to you later."

Babata had been persuaded by Qi Fei's reasoning.

Considering that Qi Fei's future advancement to Immortal was practically guaranteed, the wealth his master had left him might indeed not be enough.

Qi Fei could earn money with his skills without having to go out adventuring, which was much safer.

"But for now, just treat it as a hobby. Don't waste too much time on it."

Babata reminded him.

"Of course."

Qi Fei assured him.

Don't worry. When the time comes, I won't even open the books. I'll just use Sharing and stuff it straight into my brain.

He knew full well that cultivation was what mattered most at this stage.

"Good. By the way, you said you're best at the Fire Attribute?"

Babata asked, puzzled.

"That's right."

As he spoke, Qi Fei used his comprehension of the Law of Fire Origin to conjure a fireball for Babata.

Incidentally, while adjusting his comprehension of the laws, he had discovered that the Origin Laws of the same element in his world weren't as clearly divided as they were in the Coiling Dragon World.

More precisely, the laws of the same element in his world had different aspects, such as the Three Phases of water. But all three were encompassed by the broader Water Law and naturally unified within it.

Unlike in the Coiling Dragon World, where each had to be comprehended separately, and once they were all comprehended, one still had to find a way to fuse them.

In fact, after comparing them further, Qi Fei had discovered that most worlds worked this way. It was just especially obvious in his own.

This discovery had left Coiling Dragon Qi Fei overjoyed. The seven Paragons were finally within reach.

"That really is the Law of Fire Origin. Wait, don't tell me you know wood too?"

Babata asked, looking stunned.

"I haven't studied wood much. For now, I can only use the Domain."

As Qi Fei spoke, he dismissed the fireball, and green Genetic Origin Energy, like vines, wrapped around him.

It was the Domain of Wood.

"But I should be able to get started in a while."

Qi Fei wasn't boasting. He really did intend to do that.

Besides, it would make things easier for him in the future.

He planned to borrow Hong's Domain of Light, Thor's Domain of Lightning, and Luo Feng's Domain of Metal to see if he could get started on the corresponding laws.

--The Law of Light in the Swallowed Star World encompassed darkness, so after the other Qi Feis shared their Darkness Attribute with him, Qi Fei figured he already had the aptitude for light.

He would need these laws eventually anyway, so he might as well comprehend them ahead of time and gain recognition from the Origin Laws.

"...Impressive."

Even Babata could only offer that assessment.

To get started on two Origin Laws while still at the planetary stage—and even be on the verge of starting on a third—was truly terrifying comprehension.