Asking Questions

"The destruction of Earth? How is that possible?"

Babata shook her head, crossing her arms. "Even if humanity went extinct, Earth would be very hard to destroy. This entire region is concealed by my master's Space Secret Technique!"

"The odds of anyone stumbling in are infinitesimally close to zero. The starry sky is simply too vast!"

"Besides, even if someone did get in, nobody would be bored enough to destroy a living planet. That'd be like burning their own money."

"What's more..."

Babata stopped there, but Zhou Ze could guess what she meant. Earth was sitting on some huge ticking bomb, and if it woke up, everyone would die.

I hate people who speak in riddles! One teacher like that is more than enough...

Luo Feng thought bitterly.

"Calm your mind and think it through." Zhou Ze's gaze was deep.

Luo Feng thought Zhou Ze was guiding him in cultivating his state of mind. After a moment's thought, he replied seriously, "Earth is my home. As long as there's even the slightest chance, I'll do everything I can to stop its destruction and humanity's extinction."

At some point, Babata had taken out a bottle of soda and started drinking. Hearing Luo Feng say this, she spoke up:

"Don't worry. Earth will be fine. Besides, even if something did happen, you could hide inside the Fallen Ink Star Ship. Even ordinary Immortal Experts wouldn't be able to destroy it."

"And by the time anything like that happens, I'll have built a spaceship that can take you all away from here."

Luo Feng raised an eyebrow but said nothing. He knew Babata and the others didn't think alike.

"What if there were also a chance to prevent the disaster ahead of time, but succeeding meant wagering your future?" Zhou Ze asked, calmly meeting Luo Feng's gaze.

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

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

"If I really had the ability to stop it in advance, then I'd have to be the one to do it. I'd definitely go without hesitation. Of course, you've told me that there's hope only as long as I'm alive, so I'm not about to throw my life away for nothing. I'd only go if there were truly no other way..."

Compared to his personality in the original story, Luo Feng had indeed changed somewhat under Zhou Ze's influence.

Babata said unhappily, "Luo Feng, you're the sole inheritor of my Fallen Ink Star! My master's only remaining Inheritance Soul Seal was given to you. I won't let you die!"

Luo Feng joked, "Stop talking about dying all the time. It's bad luck. Didn't Teacher say I'd be wagering my future?"

"Even if something affected me and I couldn't improve my strength, I'd still have you, Babata, and Teacher to help me, right? Hahaha."

Babata snorted. "Don't compare great Babata to this guy. He's not worthy! I, the great Demon Babata, followed my master and roamed the universe for billions of years. How could some little thing who hasn't even lived a fraction of my age compare to me?"

Zhou Ze laughed. "That's right. You're an old woman who's lived for billions of years, yet you still act like a little girl..."

Babata flew into a rage. In an instant, she appeared behind Zhou Ze and locked her iron tail around his neck...

"sigh..." Seeing Zhou Ze and Babata fool around, Luo Feng couldn't help sighing.

If I wagered my future, would that mean I could never improve again? The thought suddenly crossed Luo Feng's mind.

Zhou Ze immediately severed his mental connection with Babata.

"Not quite. It just means your future would become much more uncertain." Zhou Ze smiled.

Luo Feng's gaze was resolute. "Isn't that just like my concerns before I entered the No. 9 Ancient Civilization Ruins? The future is uncertain by nature. How could anything in this world be set in stone?"

"Just like how I only wanted to improve things at home back then, to buy a big house for Mom and Dad and A Hua. I never imagined I'd end up here!"

"If I had to give up my future or die, I might have to consider whether there was a better way. But just having more uncertainty in my future? What does that matter?"

"Cultivators need the courage to cut through everything and charge forward without hesitation. It's only uncertainty. If I don't even have the courage to face that, what future can I talk about? How can I become a strong fighter?"

Zhou Ze smiled faintly. "That's true."

After speaking, Zhou Ze leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes to rest, leaving Luo Feng standing there, lost in thought.

After a long while, Luo Feng finally asked, "Teacher, what do those two questions have to do with cultivating one's state of mind? I still can't make heads or tails of it."

Luo Feng felt that his brain, with its Brain Domain Width of 22, wasn't enough to figure it out. He didn't understand why Zhou Ze had asked those questions. They seemed to be related to cultivating one's state of mind, yet also seemed to have nothing to do with it.

With his eyes closed, Zhou Ze said, "Didn't I tell you a long time ago? Cultivating your state of mind means experiencing more, training more, and tempering yourself more. Don't always think about taking shortcuts."

"The convenient method is to understand the stirrings of your heart, recognize your true nature, and focus on what you truly want!"

"Set your heart in order, and don't let anything inside or outside disturb you."

"When you can truly do all that, you'll have achieved clarity of mind and insight into your true nature."

Luo Feng pondered for a while, then said, "I think I understand a little. I'll go back and think about it."

"Mm. Go ahead." Zhou Ze waved lazily.

Luo Feng returned home to the Training Hall on the second floor. When Babata saw that he wasn't cultivating Genetic Energy, reading, or practicing Secret Arts, she couldn't help appearing and speaking earnestly:

"Luo Feng, even if you want to cultivate this so-called state of mind, there's no need to spend so much time and effort on it! Origin Energy, mental power, the Inheritance Secret Technique, and so on—all of those need to be cultivated."

"Although I don't think this so-called state of mind you talk about is very useful, I understand Earth's culture quite well. You can't force this sort of thing!"

"More often than not, it takes a lifetime of experience before someone suddenly realizes it all at once. You're in too much of a hurry. You've already committed the greatest taboo in cultivating your state of mind!"

"Besides, I've searched through all the ancient texts from Huaxia Country. The sages of every era in Huaxia said that walking, sitting, and lying down are all forms of cultivation. In other words, focusing on the present moment is itself a way to cultivate your state of mind."

"That guy's words about setting your heart in order and not letting anything inside or outside disturb you—he was talking about focusing on the present and not letting emotions or desires sway you..."

Luo Feng suddenly understood. He said earnestly to Babata, "Thank you, Babata. I get it now!"

Babata looked smug. "Heh, there's no need to thank me. This stuff is child's play to me. It's that Zhou fellow who keeps pretending to be profound and speaking in riddles!"

Luo Feng was speechless.

"Come to think of it, the sages of Huaxia did have some wisdom. Those ideas about state of mind and character, from my perspective, are basically about helping someone develop the mindset of a strong fighter. They've got a point, but not much of one."

Babata floated in the air and yawned.

"All right, Luo Feng. Focus on cultivating the Secret Arts of our Fallen Ink Star. I've been working hard for your sake for ages. I haven't hidden anything from you or embellished a thing."

"Even if you value cultivating your character and state of mind, you can't rush it."

Luo Feng nodded. "I understand. Actually, Teacher has been emphasizing this all along. I just got blinded by my Domain!"

Babata was furious again and roared, "Your teacher now is my master! That rotten Zhou Ze is only your enlightenment teacher. You've already graduated!"

Luo Feng didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Every time Babata argued with his teacher, merely mentioning him would set her off into one of her demonic roars.

He was practically the one caught in the crossfire.

He hurriedly changed the subject. "By the way, Babata, didn't you say you'd read all the ancient texts of Huaxia? What exactly is a Domain? What does it have to do with one's state of mind?"