Machine Race Life: Machinery

That night, Shi Fen was utterly stunned by his three innate talents.

As Shi Fen stood there in a daze, struggling to accept reality, the Eight Trigrams Reincarnation Mirror sent him a message. After reading it, he was even more stunned and bewildered.

"So the Clone Secret Technique was only part of the Foundation Trial's rewards. The Foundation Trial even had other treasures, and the talent assessment function was one of my special rewards?

"Metal Auxiliary Lifeform, Botanical Garden, Tree of Life, Life Five Grains, countless aged medicinal wines, a vast collection of secret manuals, Heaven-Reaching Hall, three worlds, three detection functions...

"My god, am I dreaming?"

Shi Fen compared the list of rewards Yi had given him with what he had received. All ten of his clones sprang into action, splitting up to inspect the rewards one by one.

As each reward was confirmed, all ten of Shi Fen's clones were left deeply shaken.

"Teacher Yi really went all out. He's afraid my cultivation might progress even a little too slowly, so he's trying to force me to grow before I'm ready... But it looks like Teacher Yi really does approve of me. He's already started pouring resources into me."

After tallying up all his rewards, all ten of Shi Fen's clones sat dazed in the Meditation Hall, pondering life and questioning it.

Standing beside Shi Fen's ten clones was a metal figure just over a meter tall. Its entire body gleamed with a silvery metallic sheen, and it looked exactly like a human child. It was extremely cute.

"Machinery, is what you told me true? My next-stage trial and special trial really are like that?"

The metal figure answered in an utterly certain, childish voice in Huaxia Language, "Master, aside from Huaxia Language, that's the only information in my database. It can't be wrong."

"Mm."

Shi Fen's true self stared at the childlike metal figure in front of him, the corners of his eyes and mouth twitching uncontrollably.

The metal figure was one of Shi Fen's extra rewards: a genuine metal lifeform of the Machine Race, a Sentient Lifeform who would assist him in the future.

Shi Fen named it "Machinery."

Machinery had originally been a small metal sculpture standing near the Three-Basket World Ring. As Shi Fen tallied his rewards, his Spiritual Force had accidentally brushed against it, and he had inadvertently formed a master-servant bond with Machinery. After it activated, it had turned into the childlike figure it was now.

Aside from looking like an "alien," Machinery was exactly like a human child inside, a blank sheet of paper. The only things written on that paper, aside from language, were Shi Fen's future trial tasks.

Though Machinery was a child, it wasn't weak. Its current strength matched Shi Fen's: double Planetary Level One. It was both a Martial Artist and a Spiritual Master at Planetary Level One.

Machinery had just been born, yet it was already as strong as Shi Fen, who had struggled for eighteen years.

Having a child like this "issue orders" to him and tell him about his future tasks made Shi Fen's insides twitch a little.

As Shi Fen was still twitching inwardly, Machinery wrapped its arms around his leg again and said in a childish voice, "Master, when are you going to get me some basic information? My head feels so empty. It's awful. Waaaah..."

Machinery clung to Shi Fen's leg and whimpered miserably.

Shi Fen's insides twisted again. Machinery's expression was just like that of the children he had once taken in, clinging to his leg and crying.

Shi Fen gently stroked Machinery and said warmly, "There's a Sentient Lifeform outside. I'll get it to find some information for you in a few days."

Machinery continued to lie there and whimper.

Unable to bear it, Shi Fen said, "How about I put all the books in the Library Hall into your database first?"

At that suggestion, Machinery immediately raised its head in excitement and nodded frantically.

Shi Fen gave a dry laugh, thinking that Machinery really was just like a child. He felt a little envious of Luo Feng. He'd had the well-traveled Babata to help him right from the start, while Shi Fen had to take care of a kid...

Shi Fen brought Machinery to the Inheritance Hall and asked, "Are you ready?"

Machinery hurriedly nodded again and again, visibly excited.

Shi Fen used the most basic information-transfer permissions in the Treasure Refining World. From the "information-transfer hub" known as the Inheritance Hall, he sent a vast amount of information into Machinery's consciousness.

As Machinery felt the massive flood of information pouring into its database, a radiant, satisfied smile spread across its face.

"My head isn't empty anymore." Machinery was very simple-minded.

Seeing the subtle changes in Machinery's expression, Shi Fen's insides twitched again. When he had received information, he had been so overwhelmed that he had nearly passed out, but Machinery was perfectly content. The gap between them was enormous.

"No wonder it's a Machine Race Sentient Lifeform. Its consciousness and processing ability are on another level."

Shi Fen didn't know how long the transfer would take, so he didn't wait around. He went straight into the Library Hall to find the things he needed.

The information his consciousness had just received was so vast that he hadn't finished sorting through it. He couldn't immediately find the information he needed. Rather than rummaging through his Sea of Consciousness, it was easier to search the shelves by the titles of the books.

"Luo Feng has already received the inheritance. I'm sure Babata will urge him to come find me in a few days and take me in as a personal disciple.

"As long as I find that information, Babata won't be able to escape my grasp. You may have roamed the universe for millions of years, Babata, and have a wealth of experience and knowledge, but you'll still have to bow before my inheritance." Shi Fen laughed smugly to himself.

After sorting out all the rewards from the Foundation Trial, Shi Fen changed his original plans.

He intended to make a high-profile move and stir up the whole Earth!

Shi Fen's true self searched the Library Hall for the books and information he wanted.

His other nine Main Clones sat in the Meditation Hall with their eyes closed, sorting through the book information that had just been transferred into their consciousness.

All the books in the Library Hall were relevant to his next Treasure Refining Trial. Shi Fen couldn't afford to be careless.

On the afternoon of August 15, Luo Feng successfully found the Black Ink Star Ship. With Babata as witness, he became Hu Yanbo's disciple.

After receiving the inheritance, Luo Feng was given a thorough brainwashing by Babata, who filled his head with all kinds of common knowledge about the universe.

Some time later.

Babata transformed into a stern little demon and laid out his plans to Luo Feng in no uncertain terms.

"For the past fifty thousand years, I've imagined countless possibilities for the future.

"I just never expected things to turn out so well. I got lucky enough to meet two Apprentice Level geniuses who could comprehend a Domain.

"Luo Feng, your Brain Domain Width is 21, exactly one point higher than Shi Fen's. On top of that, you actually forced your way into comprehending the Gold Domain with your Blade of Willpower. In some respects, you're even stronger than Shi Fen. That's why I chose you as the first personal disciple. I hope you won't let me down.

"Luo Feng, once your Spiritual Force breaks through to Planetary Level, we'll hurry and find your brother Shi Fen. We'll bring him under your teacher's tutelage too. With two freakish talents working hard together, you'll definitely make a name for yourselves in the universe."

Luo Feng listened attentively to Babata's lecture, nodding along without realizing it.

Luo Feng was secretly pleased. This was the first time he had surpassed Shi Fen. He couldn't wait to see Shi Fen's reaction.

He had not only obtained an inheritance that could be considered "terrifying" even in the universe, but had also gained astonishing wealth and resources, along with guidance from the Sentient Lifeform Babata. Becoming Earth's strongest would be a piece of cake.

That feeling of finally turning the tables was especially strong in Luo Feng's heart. It felt amazing to surpass Shi Fen by so much in one go!

What Luo Feng didn't know was that...

Hoping to turn the tables on Shi Fen?

He could keep dreaming! Just wait until he got a shock!

And besides...

Babata held back some of what he really wanted to say to Luo Feng.

Drawing on his years of experience judging people, as well as the information he had found on Luo Feng, Babata thought Luo Feng was more straightforward and easier to "manipulate." If Babata treated Luo Feng well enough, then if Luo Feng became a powerful fighter, there was a good chance he would dare to take on his sworn enemy, Demon Hand King.

Besides, Luo Feng's unstoppable, reckless drive suited Babata perfectly.

As for Shi Fen?

Babata had countless huge question marks in his mind.

What exactly was Shi Fen's Domain? Why could it help other people comprehend a Domain?

Was it a Domain that surpassed the laws?

Why was Shi Fen's Brain Domain Width only 20? How could a Brain Domain Width of 20 make him so unbelievably intelligent? How could he perfectly control thirty-three flying knives at Apprentice Level Nine with a Brain Domain Width of 20? Could he really have achieved this just by relying on Basics of Spiritual Reader?

Was Shi Fen's Brain Domain Width even accurate?

Why was Shi Fen so capable, yet had kept such a low profile for eighteen years? Why wasn't he interested in his greatest strength, learning? Why was he interested only in forging or training? Why did his new forging techniques bear traces of technology from the universe?

Could it really be because he was exceptionally talented?

Why did Shi Fen sometimes behave as if he were two different people? Why were his wariness and counter-surveillance instincts so strong? Were these things normal for a human child? Why did Shi Fen's life seem almost as if he had planned it all out himself?

What exactly was Shi Fen hiding behind his strange behavior?

Why could Shi Fen completely ignore the subtle influence of the "Psychic Wave"? Could a native of a primitive planet really resist it? Was Shi Fen truly a native of Earth? If he wasn't born on Earth, why was there a complete video recording of his birth?

Why couldn't I find the slightest trace of tampering in that footage?

Why couldn't I hack into the electronic devices around Shi Fen? Why couldn't I detect any signs of his life? Why had I recently started feeling as if I were being watched? Yet I still couldn't break into the electronic devices around Shi Fen. I'd even had to rely on monitoring Shi Fen's teacher to discover anything about his new technology. Why was I so weak?

Was I still the invincible Babata of the Silver Blue Empire?

Babata had countless questions about Shi Fen. By the end, he had even begun to doubt himself.

Though Babata was trapped inside the ship, his abilities were far beyond those of Earth's civilization. By controlling all of humanity's satellites, he could easily monitor most of the information on Earth.

Ever since he discovered that the incredibly powerful Spiritual Master who had come to Mist Island was Shi Fen, Babata had investigated Shi Fen's background over and over again. He had uncovered countless things that made no sense.

Faced with so many uncertainties, Babata still thought most highly of Shi Fen. But he had chosen Luo Feng as his first personal disciple without hesitation. As for Shi Fen, that would depend on fate and sincerity.

If Shi Fen knew what Babata had discovered, he would definitely break into a cold sweat. He would surely be glad that every time he used the Eight Trigrams Reincarnation Mirror, he did so in an enclosed space, avoiding the possibility of being photographed by satellites.

Otherwise, under Babata's surveillance, the secret of the Eight Trigrams Reincarnation Mirror might have been exposed.

In truth, Shi Fen had already been exposed to Babata almost completely.

Babata's best guess to explain Shi Fen's strange behavior was that he had obtained an unknown inheritance on Earth at a very young age, and that this inheritance must have come with a Sentient Lifeform like himself, helping Shi Fen make use of all the information around him. That was why Babata's investigations of Shi Fen kept hitting dead ends.

If Shi Fen knew what Babata had guessed, he would have been scared out of his wits.

Babata had pieced together the "truth" from a few clues. He really was impressive. If the Eight Trigrams Reincarnation Mirror hadn't helped Shi Fen conceal its information, Shi Fen would have been completely exposed in front of Babata.

The Sentient Lifeforms born of the vast civilizations of the universe truly lived up to their reputation.