Questioning

"Earth destroyed? How is that possible!"

Babata shook his head, his arms folded. "Even if you humans go extinct, Earth would be hard to destroy. This entire region was concealed by the master using spatial secret techniques!"

"The probability of someone barging in is infinitely close to zero—after all, the starry sky is far too vast!"

"Besides, even if someone did come in, no one would be bored enough to destroy a life-bearing planet. That's just burning their own money."

"Moreover..."

Babata trailed off there, not continuing. Zhou Ze, however, guessed what he meant—basically, Earth had a big landmine, and if it woke up, everyone would die.

Hate riddle-speakers! Having one teacher is already enough...

Luo Feng thought fiercely.

"Calm your mind and think," Zhou Ze said, his gaze deep.

Luo Feng assumed Zhou Ze was guiding him on cultivating his mental state. After pondering for a moment, he said seriously, "Earth is my home. As long as there's even a sliver of possibility, I'll do my utmost to prevent Earth's destruction and humanity's extinction."

At some point, Babata had pulled out a drink and was sipping it. Hearing Luo Feng's words, he spoke up:

"Relax, Earth will be fine. Besides, even if something does happen, you can hide inside the Fallen Ink Star Ship. Even ordinary Immortal-level powerhouses can't destroy it."

"And by the time such a situation arises, I'll have already built a spaceship to take you all away from here."

Luo Feng raised an eyebrow but said nothing more. He knew Babata's way of thinking was different from theirs.

"What if there's also a chance to prevent the disaster ahead of time, but the price of success is betting your future?" Zhou Ze stared calmly at Luo Feng.

"A bet?" Luo Feng smiled. "Teacher, I once read a line in an ancient text..."

"'My fate is mine to command, not Heaven's!'"

"If I truly have the ability to stop it early, then I have to be the one to step up. I'd go without hesitation. Of course, Teacher, you said it yourself—only the living have hope. I won't throw my life away for nothing. Only if there's truly no other way will I go..."

Compared to the original novel's personality, Luo Feng now, influenced by Zhou Ze, had indeed changed somewhat.

Babata said irritably, "Luo Feng, you're the sole inheritor of my Fallen Ink Star! The master left behind only one Inheritance Soul Seal, and he gave it to you. I won't allow you to die!"

Luo Feng joked, "Don't keep talking about dying—it's bad luck. Didn't Teacher say it's about betting my future?"

"Even if I'm affected somehow and can't improve my strength, isn't Babata here? And Teacher's here too. You'll definitely help me out, haha."

Babata snorted. "Don't compare me, the great Babata, to that guy. He's not worthy! I, Demon Babata, have existed alongside the master, roaming the universe for billions of years. That little thing, not even a fraction of my age, how dare he compare to me!"

Zhou Ze chuckled. "Right, right. An old woman who's lived for billions of years, still acting like a little girl, pretending to be young..."

Babata instantly exploded with rage. In a flash, he appeared behind Zhou Ze, his iron tail locking around Zhou Ze's neck...

"Sigh..." Luo Feng watched Zhou Ze and Babata roughhousing and couldn't help but let out a sigh.

"Betting my future... if I do this, will I never be able to improve again?" Luo Feng suddenly thought.

Zhou Ze directly severed his mental connection with Babata.

"Not exactly. It just means the future will have a lot more uncertainty," Zhou Ze said with a smile.

Luo Feng's gaze turned resolute. "Isn't that similar to the hesitation I had before entering the No. 9 Ancient Civilization Ruins? The future has always represented uncertainty. Since when was there a predetermined future in this world!"

"Back then, I only wanted to improve my family's situation, buy a big house for Mom, Dad, and A Hua. I never imagined I'd be where I am today!"

"If it meant cutting off my future or dying, I might need to consider whether there's a better way. But if it's just a little more uncertainty, what's the big deal?"

"A martial artist needs the sharpness to cut through everything and charge forward without looking back. Uncertainty is nothing. If I don't even have that much courage, then what future am I talking about? How could I ever become a true powerhouse!"

Zhou Ze smiled faintly. "Indeed."

With that, Zhou Ze leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and rested, leaving Luo Feng standing there, dazed.

After a long while, Luo Feng finally spoke up. "Teacher, what do these two questions have to do with mental cultivation? I still can't wrap my head around it."

Luo Feng felt that even his 22-point Brain Domain Width wasn't enough. He couldn't grasp the significance of Zhou Ze's questions. They seemed related to mental cultivation, yet also completely disconnected.

Zhou Ze kept his eyes closed. "Didn't I say it long ago? Mental cultivation is about experiencing more, training more, and enduring more hardships. Don't always look for shortcuts."

"The convenient method is to understand every stirring of your heart, to realize your true nature, and to focus on what you truly desire!"

"Regulate all thoughts of the heart, and let neither internal nor external disturbances affect you."

"When you can truly achieve this, you will have reached the state of seeing your true nature clearly."

Luo Feng seemed to grasp something. "I have some thoughts. I'll go back and think it over."

"Mm, go ahead." Zhou Ze waved his hand lazily.

Luo Feng returned to the Training Hall on the second floor of his home. Seeing that Luo Feng wasn't cultivating Genetic Energy, reading books, or practicing secret techniques, Babata couldn't help jumping out and said seriously:

"Luo Feng, even if you want to cultivate this so-called mental state, you don't need to spend so much time and energy on it. Genetic Energy, telekinesis, inherited secret techniques—all of these need training too."

"I don't think this 'mental state' you talk about is very useful, but I do have a good understanding of Earth's culture. This kind of thing can't be forced!"

"It usually requires a lifetime of accumulation, and then a sudden enlightenment one day. You're too impatient. That alone violates the biggest taboo of mental cultivation!"

"Besides, I've flipped through all your ancient Chinese texts. Every sage in Chinese history has said that walking, sitting, lying down—all are forms of cultivation. That means focusing on the present moment is itself mental cultivation."

"What that guy said—'regulate all thoughts of the heart, let neither internal nor external disturbances affect you'—is exactly about focusing on the present, free from the influence of emotions and desires..."

Luo Feng suddenly understood and said seriously to Babata, "Thank you, Babata, I get it now!"

Babata said smugly, "Heh heh, no need to thank me. These things are way too simple for me, practically child's play. It's just that guy Zhou who's been putting on airs and talking in riddles all along!"

Luo Feng was speechless.

"That said, you Chinese have had some worthy sages throughout history. Those things about state of mind and mental cultivation—from my perspective, they're basically about developing a strong mentality. They have something, but not much."

Babata lay in the air, yawned, and said:

"Alright, Luo Feng, focus on cultivating our Fallen Ink Star's secret techniques. I've been working so hard for you all this time, and I haven't held anything back or exaggerated anything."

"Even if you place great importance on mental and spiritual cultivation, you can't rush it."

Luo Feng nodded and said, "I understand. My teacher actually emphasized this all along, but I was blinded by the domain!"

Babata got angry again and roared, "Your current teacher is the master! That bastard Zhou Ze was just your first teacher. You've already graduated!!"

Luo Feng didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Every time Babata argued with his teacher, the moment he mentioned him, Babata would let out a demonic roar.

He was practically becoming the biggest scapegoat.

He quickly changed the subject: "By the way, Babata, didn't you say you've read all the ancient Chinese texts? What exactly is a domain? And what's its real relationship with the state of mind?"