Joining Black Ink Star

Inside a spacious, bright meeting room within the Limit Dojo's massive airship headquarters.

Yin Congyang, Hong, Thunder God, and Luo Feng sat around a low table, chatting with one another.

Having awakened, Hong and Thunder God had learned what happened after they fell into slumber. Thunder God grinned at Luo Feng. "This time, you really stole the spotlight, kid, haha..."

Then, exchanging a glance with Hong, the two clasped their fists and bowed to Yin Congyang. "Congyang, if not for you, we would have slipped into death during our sleep. Words can't express our gratitude. From now on, we're brothers—we'll support each other and grow stronger together!"

Yin Congyang smiled at them. "You two are too kind. It was a small effort, hardly worth mentioning. Your contributions to and guardianship of Earth are what I truly admire. I grew up hearing tales of your exploits, haha..."

Hong and Thunder God both knew that their desperate battle, burning their souls, had nearly drained them dry. Yet upon waking, they found their soul power almost fully restored, their condition better than ever before. Far from being cut off, their future path of cultivation seemed to stretch even further.

As the two former top powerhouses on Earth, they were well-traveled and knowledgeable. They understood that Yin Congyang must have provided them with something akin to a rebirth-like boost during the awakening process, allowing them to recover to peak condition the moment they woke. Such aid was bound to be extremely rare and costly—at the very least, they had never seen anything like it. Thus, their gratitude toward Yin Congyang came from the heart.

Hong looked at Yin Congyang. "Don't call me 'Dojo Lord' anymore. Just call me Brother Hong, like Thunder does." Thunder God nodded beside him. "Right, that's too formal. From now on, call me Brother Thunder. Same for you, Luo Feng."

Yin Congyang and Luo Feng exchanged a glance and nodded with smiles.

After the laughter subsided, Hong spoke solemnly to the three. "Both Thunder God and I have inherited knowledge from various ancient relic sites, even managing to create translation software. You can probably tell we know a lot about the universe. But the more we know, the more afraid we become."

"The vast universe is filled with countless powerful nations and individuals. For an unclaimed planet like Earth, being discovered would be a nightmare!"

Thunder God nodded. "A nightmare indeed. A few possible outcomes: one, it becomes some strongman's territory; two, it becomes a slave planet, with everyone sold off as slaves and Earth itself put up for sale..."

"So," Hong concluded, "we need to unite, cultivate together, and spar with each other to grow stronger faster. Only the strong can protect their planet and home."

Meanwhile, Luo Feng was conversing with Babata in his mind.

After a long moment, Luo Feng interrupted the conversation and said gravely, "I have something to say. Brother Hong, Brother Thunder, Congyang—think it over!"

Thunder God widened his eyes. "What's so serious?"

"It's like this. I once inherited a secret lineage, which includes methods for both Spiritual Masters and martial artists. However, this lineage absolutely forbids passing its techniques to outsiders, and I can't disobey that. So, I want to ask—would you be willing to join this lineage I cultivate?"

Yin Congyang's heart stirred. Joining Black Ink Star didn't seem like a bad idea.

"What faction is it?" Hong asked. "What are the conditions?"

"What sect?" Thunder God also asked. "What are its rules?"

"Do we have to leave Earth?" Yin Congyang added.

"Right now, this sect only has me left," Luo Feng said.

"What's there to think about? Of course we join," Thunder God said with a glare. "I thought joining a sect meant being treated as a subordinate or cannon fodder. If it's just you, then of course we're in."

Hong and Yin Congyang both nodded in agreement.

"This lineage belongs to the Black Ink Star lineage," Luo Feng said with a smile. "Don't spread it around later. After all, the entire Black Ink Star was destroyed by enemies, so announcing our name would be asking for death."

Yin Congyang, Hong, and Thunder God exchanged glances and laughed.

Suddenly, Yin Congyang's expression turned serious. "There's a problem here!"

Luo Feng and the others were startled by his gravity. Thunder God asked, "Congyang, what's the problem?"

Yin Congyang's stern face instantly collapsed. "...Luo Feng joined first, right? So wouldn't we all have to call him 'Senior Brother'?"

"..." Hong and Thunder God said in unison, "Hmm, that really is a problem!"

Luo Feng was caught between laughter and tears. "Let's just keep it separate. Call me whatever you want. If you want to call me Luo Feng, fine. If you want to call me Senior Brother, I'll answer to that too, haha..."

With that, Luo Feng summoned Babata and introduced him to the three. It was their first time seeing an intelligent lifeform, and they were all amazed.

Babata excitedly presided over the ceremony for the three to join Black Ink Star—simple yet solemn. Inwardly, he felt both proud and wistful: Boss, oh Boss, I've found three more genius disciples for Black Ink Star. Too bad you can't see this...

After the ceremony, Babata distributed basic martial arts manuals from Black Ink Star to Yin Congyang, Hong, and Thunder God.

The three stared at the manuals on their communication wristwatch screens, utterly captivated.

"Heavens, so this is how you channel force," Thunder God murmured. "Wrong—my Nine Layers of Thunder Blade is far inferior compared to this."

"So this is how it's done!" Hong's eyes shone as he devoured the manual with fascination.

Yin Congyang, too, was drawn deep into the manual on his screen. In the past, aside from the Thirty-Six Heaven-Opening Axes, all his other knowledge could be called mediocre. Now, seeing the techniques passed down through Black Ink Star for millions of years—even if they were basic—for a Planetary Level like Yin Congyang, basics were more suitable. Giving him higher-level manuals now might not only be incomprehensible but could also backfire, like over-forcing growth.

Babata's projection spoke from the side. "Laying a solid foundation is the most important thing. If you try to rush for speed from the start, your foundation will be weak. Later, breaking through from Planetary to Star Level, and from Star to Universe Level, will become extremely difficult. The foundation must be solid... Hey, are you even listening to me?"

Seeing Babata on the verge of losing his temper, Yin Congyang pulled his gaze from the wristwatch screen and said helplessly, "Babata, Brother Hong and Brother Thunder were already martial arts grandmasters on Earth decades ago. Of course, they know the importance of a solid foundation. As for me, I'm confident my foundation during the Apprentice Stage was very solid. Most importantly, all of us have domains—without a solid foundation, it's impossible to comprehend a domain!"

"What?" Luo Feng exclaimed, and Hong and Thunder God both turned to look.

"What, you have a domain too?" Babata shrieked. "How is that possible? On a tiny Earth, three Planetary Level fighters with domains? And you're only Planetary Level first stage! This, this is simply..."

Luo Feng looked at him with envy. "You really comprehended a domain?" Inside, a little voice screamed: I'm already Star Level third stage and still don't have a domain!

Seeing their strong reactions, Yin Congyang said nothing. He focused slightly, and faint golden patterns rippled around him. "After my breakthrough, I cultivated for the first time, and then I naturally comprehended a domain. Of course, I was already stuck at the Conception Level before!"

Luo Feng stared at the golden patterns and murmured, "It's the Domain of Gold..."

Babata stood nearby, dumbfounded, inwardly roaring: This Earth is wrong—there must be some secret I don't know about!

Hong and Thunder God's eyes lit up as well. They gained a new understanding of this young man they had met for the first time today—from now on, they were no longer alone on this path!