Galaxy Shattering Blade c3

Alrighty, chapter 3. Now then, since some things became a bit more clear this chapter, I made some slight edits to chapters 1 and 2. Chapter 1 was super minor, just the dialogue of the VP, not very important. With regards to chapter 2, I changed the description of cultivation to make this chapters and how the skills are ranked as well.

P.S. Please do let me know what you guys think about that “Heaven and Earth energy” –> “energy of the universe” thing that comes later on in the chapter. The same words come up in Desolate Era that RXW is translating, I think he uses “natural energy” or something like that? Not too sure, I only checked some initial chapters to get a feel.

Oh, and I probably won’t be translating until next weekend if I do. Have midterms to write and placements to do. But in any case, enjoy!

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Chapter 3: Titanium Core

After his fingerprint was confirmed, Lin Feng entered the training room.

It was a room of 50 square feet. The only things insider was a standard sized genetic nutrients basin, paired up with a simple VR helmet. There was a faint glimmer in his eyes. All sorts of memories were coming back to Lin Feng. These six years, he had spent the majority of his time in here.

Absorbing genetic energy, increasing brain region depth, and training his blade skills in the VR world…

His strength steadily increased; he was the envy of everyone his age. Merely 16 years old, and his brain region depth was already as high as 9.95%. Although he couldn’t compare to his brother, but in the Blazing Sun District, and even Sunset City, it was a rare feat. Even the head of the Three Big Advanced Genetic Institutes, “Crown Elite Institute”, offered him extremely favourable conditions in order to recruit him in advance.

Originally, everything was going smoothly. He was going to enter Crown Elite Institute, become a genetic warrior, train hard, and follow in his brother’s footsteps. Yet…

Because of that accident, everything changed.

Lin Feng’s eyes lit up, he stared at the genetic nutrients basin, and his tightly gripped right fist lightly trembled.

That day was no different from his regular training days. He was immersed inside the genetic nutrients basin, his body absorbing the genetic energy, while his consciousness was in the virtual space training his blade skills. But, just as his training began to get more vigorous, he suddenly felt an extremely, terrifying acute pain…

PENG! PENG! PENG! Lin Feng’s hands were on his chest, and his complexion unsightly.

Thinking back to the boring acute pain his heart felt that day, even now, he still feels a lingering and terrifying fear.

It was a pain he never experienced before, his brain felt like it was about to burst, all of his pain receptors ruptured. He had no feeling in his body; he couldn’t feel his heartbeat nor feel himself breathe…

He…fainted.

By the time he woke up, three days had already passed.

This incident, Lin Feng had always kept it hidden in his heart and never told anyone—including his mother and sister. This was because he didn’t want to make them worry. Originally, he thought it was just a random accident, but afterwards, when he entered Crown Elite Institute’s Brain Region Depth Testing Apparatus … his nightmare broke out.

7.50!

This was no more than a brain region depth of 6th rank!

That instant, everyone was stupefied, including himself and Crown Elite Institute’s vice principal who had tested him, while smiling ear-to-ear. Looking at the figure displayed on the testing apparatus, the vice principal’s expression abruptly changed, and roared, “WHAT KINDA JOKE IS THIS?!”

That look of rage and contempt was like a sharp sword that ruthlessly stabbed into my heart, a pain that made him wish he was dead.

6th rank and 1st rank, this was a difference between Heaven and Earth!

However, this wasn’t the end of it, his nightmare was just beginning…

His brain region depth started to degenerate bit by bit, no matter how he trained, he couldn’t keep up with the degeneration rate. That feeling, it was almost like his life-force was leaving him; like death was approaching him, and he had no way to stop it. It’s said that ‘blessings don’t come in pairs’ and ‘misery doesn’t come singly’, it was at that time … he received the grievous news of his brother’s disappearance—this made him completely fall apart.

…

“Hu~~” Lin Feng let out a deep breath and relaxed his tightly clenched right fist. His palm was full of sweat.

It was a nightmare he couldn’t bare to recollect. The haze that persisted for an entire year, just a bit more, and he would’ve been at the point of no return…

“Why does my brain region depth degenerate?” Lin Feng looked at his two hands, baffled. This was like a big riddle that left him perplexed. He rummaged through many booked, but could not find a single answer.

“Pa!” Radiant light flashed in Lin Feng’s hands.

It looked white, yet transparent, and even resembled a metallic colour; brimming with the feeling of power.

Genetic energy!

“Genes suffered damage?” Lin Feng shook his head and directly refuted it. Even though this was the publicly accepted reason. Indeed, if Innate Genetics suffered damage, it would be hard to make progress. But, there was never the case of brain region depth degenerating. Moreover, he knew his body the most, if his body had any defect there was no way he wouldn’t feel it.

“After the incident, the statistics for my physical capabilities increased significantly.”

Lin Feng pondered deeply.

Before the incident, the statistics for his physical capabilities were average for initiate genetic warriors. Yet, after the incident, my physical capabilities not only didn’t fall, but rather, they rose above the average initiate genetic warrior. There was no reason to be found for this, just as mysterious as the degeneration of his brain region depth.

“Whatever.” Lin Feng smiled with relief.

The past belongs in the past, no matter what, reality can’t be changed.

“In reality, I should be glad,” Lin Feng pondered, “If my brain region depth degeneration occurred while breaking through the limit, after becoming a genetic warrior and fusing an Elemental Core with my dantian, that would truly be a dead end. Now, at least I can still go back and take another path to become an ancient martial artist.”

Lin Feng smiled.

Take a step back and open up your perspective.

When a door closes, another one opens.

Walking behind the genetic nutrients basin, Lin Feng pressed down on a silver button. In an instant, rows of sealed, glass bottles appeared. These were all the genetic fluids his brother prepared for him.They were all expensive, it’s a pity that he wasted quite a bit of them in that one year.

“6, 7, 8 … there’s still 12 bottles,” Lin Feng quickly made an inventory check, “In addition to the ones gifted by the institute, it should be enough for sister to use for half a year.”

Blazing Sun Primary Genetics Institute gifts a bottle of genetic fluid every month. In accordance to his training experience, roughly three bottles a month should be enough.

Since he knew his sister possessed Innate Genetics, he naturally made preparations in advance; arranging the best training path for his sister on her behalf, just like what his brother did for him. Counting the next three months, in other words, he still had nine months to prepare. Time was actually quite urgent.

“I still have three months until graduation, so I can still receive another three bottles of genetic fluid.” Lin Feng tidied up the bottles.

He planned to give the three bottles from the institute to Ah Li. Even though he had no way of entering the Three Big Advanced Genetic Institutes, but Ah Li still had hope. With regards to Ah Li’s talents, it was actually pretty good, it’s just too bad his family circumstances is only so-so. If he had enough genetic fluids to intake from a young age, even if he couldn’t breakthrough the limit, his strength would definitely not be inferior to Shi Wenlong’s.

As his good brother, if he could help out he would definitely do so.

After he finished tidying up the bottles, Lin Feng was just about to get up, suddenly——

“Hm?” Lin Feng was slightly in a daze.

His gaze fell upon a corner where genetic fluid used to be. After tidying everything up, a small pitch-black coloured object unexpectedly showed up. The colour was similar to the interior of the storage, if one didn’t look carefully it would be hard to differentiate. Lin Feng shifted away a bottle of genetic fluid and his eyes suddenly lit up.

A black, metallic case was peacefully laying there.

“This is?!” Carrying a bit of suspicion, Lin Feng took the case out and weighed it in his hand.

Heavy, yet light.

Heaviness, from the case; Lightness, from the content inside.

“Pa!” Lin Feng opened up the black, metallic case. In an instant, a dazzling silver light shot out and lit up the entire training room. It was a clearly defined “heart”, seemingly formed by millions and millions of crystal shards; crystal clear and refracting silver rays of light as if it were an emperor-like existence.

Lin Feng was in shock.

He stared at the not too big, silver, heart-shaped crystal, unable to breathe.

Elemental Core!

This was a genuine Elemental Core. The source of all genetic energy that genetic warriors absorb, store, and put to use comes from “Elemental Cores”. To put it simply, this was a genetic warrior’s “dantian”.

Elemental Core’s according to their ranks are divided into: E rank, D rank, C rank, B rank, and A rank. There’s also the legendary S rank that surpasses A rank. Each rank is then subdivided into nine levels, for example: with E rank, the worst is E9, while the best is E1.

However, even the worst E9 Elemental Core is still worth a lot.

Certainly, if one were to enter into the Three Big Advanced Genetics Institutes, or perhaps the enlist into the City Guards, or even become the bodyguard of a rich merchant, then it is possible to receive one of the three types of E9 Elemental Cores for free. When Crown Elite Institute recruited Lin Feng in advance, one of the conditions they gave was that Lin Feng was free to select a core from any category of D1 Elemental Cores.

The price for D rank Elemental Cores is already pretty outrageous, not to mention C rank.

But, the silver, heart-shaped crystal in front of Lin Feng right now is actually——

A rank.

A real, genuine A rank Elemental Core—Titanium Core.

With an initial rank of A8, Titanium Cores within the rare metals is considerably good. Belonging to the Strengthening System from the three big systems, perhaps … with regards to strengthening defense, it’s inferior to “Molybdenum Cores”; or perhaps, with regards to strengthening power it’s inferior to “Tungsten Cores”, but its succeeds in overall strength. Only the “Titanium Body” from neo-martial arts possesses more astonishing power.

It can be said that once this “Titanium Core” is brought out, it would definitely be earth shattering.

But, to Lin Feng, this “Titanium Core” had a completely different meaning…

“Ah Feng, which Elemental Core do you like the most?”

“Titanium Core!”

“Haha, you have good taste. Steady and earnest, yet out of the ordinary—fits well with your personality, Ah Feng!”

“It’s only a thought, brother. There’s not even a market for Titanium Cores, they’re too expensive. We can’t afford it.”

“Don’t be such a coward! Ah Feng, remember, as a man you must be willing to dream and willing to do. Don’t fear any challenge. A Titanium Core is nothing. Wait until the day you breakthrough the limit, brother will give it to you as present!”

….

That bold, confident voice still deeply lingers in his mind; but, the past is long gone.

To Lin Feng, the influence of his brother, Lin Zhan, is deeply engraved in his heart. Even now, he still vividly remembers the earnest teachings of his brother. This past year, despite all the unimaginable pressure and suffering, Lin Feng still tenaciously stood back up.

“Brother, you still remembered…” Lin Feng cupped the black case in his hands and softly murmured.

He didn’t expect that his brother had always remembered his thoughtless words from back then. Clearly, this black case has been here for more than a year. Just that…this past year he was too consumed by his nightmare and never noticed it.

Titanium Core, it’s precious without a doubt.

But, the most precious of all, are actually the feelings of his brother.

“Thank you, brother.” Lin Feng closed his eyes, his heart filled with warmth and gratitude.

Sure, he probably won’t be able to use this Titanium Core, but it’s still the best present he has ever received.

….

Very quickly, Lin Feng calmed his mind down.

Although the Titanium Core is extremely powerful, but to the current him it couldn’t provide any substantial help.

In front of him, there was only one path left.

“Shua!~” Flipping open the thin, brown book, Lin Feng’s heart was calm but also curious.

Hou! A dragon’s roar rumbled by the side of his ear. An enormous, vivid and life-like dragon head appeared, giving Lin Feng quite a bit of shock. Its pair of dragon eyes reflected a gem-like brilliance.

“Pa!” A hologram flickered and revealed three big dazzling, lofty words above the book——

Nine Dragon Sutra.

“What a powerful mastery of words.” A hint of reverence appeared in Lin Feng.

Just from the words alone, one could tell that the author had profound strength. Flipping through one page at a time, Lin Feng quickly entered into a state of mind; carefully reading and comprehending. Each word was precious, each sentence crucial. In an instant, he immersed himself into the ocean that is ancient mind cultivation.

10 minutes later.

“There’s actually three layers.” Lin Feng flipped to the last page and felt a bit pleasantly surprised.

For the most part, ancient mind cultivation skills from 9th to 1st tier only have one layer; two layers was rare. Sure enough, just like he expected, this 《Nine Dragon Sutra》 was above Huang level 9th rank. This was way better than whatever benefit Blazing Sun Dojo could’ve provided. Even if he entered the Sunset Dojo, the most basic cultivation skill they would’ve given him would’ve just been 1st tier.

“Great!” Lin Feng clenched his fists as his confidence increased.

At the beginning stages of cultivation for an ancient martial artist, having a good mind cultivation skill would no doubt yield greater results for less effort.

As for the origins of 《Nine Dragon Sutra》, since his mother didn’t tell him, she must have her reasons. There was no need to pry any further. The most important is that this can help him succeed in becoming an ancient martial artist, make a breakthrough in one of the seven souls[1], and raise his brain region depth above the limit; it would be sufficient enough to reach 10%.

10%, this was a real boundary line, also referred to as the critical point.

In the last era, mankind was bottlenecked at this critical line for quite a long time; unable to breakthrough. That is, until they discovered the existence of ancient martial arts and its profoundness. Only then did mankind finally step over that boundary. Even now, despite the impressive developments in science and technology, the proportion of the population that have brain region depth surpassing 10% and becoming ancient martial artists or genetic warriors is still not very high.

Breaking through would make one a giant amongst men; a future with endless prospects.

Even for the weakest initiate genetic warriors or initiate ancient martial artists, enlisting in the City Guards would allow them to give their family a well-off life.

Those who can’t cross over are just powerless commoners with no authority—like meat on the chopping board.

“I must succeed!” Lin Feng’s eyes were ablaze.

“I cannot allow mother and sister live in fear and go through hardships.”

“I must become an ancient martial artist!”

“Hu, hu~”

In the training room, Lin Feng sat cross-legged with his eyes closed, his shoulders relaxed, his spine straight, and his hands forming a seal below his dantian. His very being resembled the Liuhe Pagoda, from bottom to top, he was as solid as a boulder.

With his state of mind gradually condensed, Lin Feng let out a drawn-out breath, time seemed as if it stopped for an instant.

A state of tranquility, all that was left in the training room were the sounds of Lin Feng’s minute and gentle breathing.

10 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour…

“Still no good.” Lin Feng opened his eyes, a look of contemplation on his face. He flipped through the 《Nine Dragon Sutra》 once again, carefully going over each and every word and softly muttered, “All ancient mind cultivation skills are the same, the first step to cultivation is sensing the existence of Heaven and Earth’s energy. After that, with the mind as the source, one communicates with Heaven and Earth. Only then can one officially begin to cultivate.”

“Hm…where did I go wrong?”

“Foot, hand, spine?”

Lin Feng wrinkled his brows, his heart slightly chilled.

This was because it was his first time cultivating, he had no teacher to guide him, hence he was not sure what the “criteria” was; his mind couldn’t grasp it.

“Sensing the energy of Heaven and Earth has no relations with the quality of the mind cultivation skill.”

“With good talent, one can sense it in about a day or less; with average talent, just this step of sensing would take about a year; and with horrible talent, one might not sense its existence in their lifetime.” Lin Feng thought in his mind.

With regards to the cultivation of ancient martial artists, he knew quite a bit.

As Lin Feng stared intently at the 《Nine Dragon Sutra》 his eyes suddenly lit up.

Then, he broke out into laughter and shook his head. A single word said it all——Calmness.

What is calmness?

Not only must the body be calm, but even more, the mind must be. He was too eager, his thirst to become an ancient martial artist was too strong. As a result, during his meditation there was obsession and too much desire in his mind. Hence, he couldn’t truly be calm. For an ancient martial artist to cultivate, they must use their mind as the source to communicate with Heaven and Earth. If the mind cannot be calm, how can it interact with Heaven and Earth?

The more urgent one is, the more chaotic one is.

“I understand now.” Lin Feng regulated his breathing and slowly closed his eyes.

This time he completely emptied his mind. His mind became tranquil and clear, almost instantaneously Lin Feng entered into perfect meditation. Opening up the book, Lin Feng felt that he looked precisely like the cross-legged figure portrayed within. He felt a change in his body; he was in perfect harmony with the world, as if he was a part of the world around him.

“The energy of Heaven and Earth.” Lin Feng’s heart stirred.

This was an invisible, intangible existence, yet Lin Feng could clearly feel it. This was completely different from genetic energy, it was just like a sheet of blank paper; pure and clean. Revolving all around his body, it began to gradually increase and gradually become richer.

“This?!” Lin Feng was extremely shocked, it was too hard to maintain the calmness of his mind, and in an instant he left the state of meditation.

“Peng!” “Peng!” Lin Feng could clearly feel his heartbeat get faster, even his breathing became quicker. There was no mistake. Just now, that was definitely the energy of Heaven and Earth without a doubt, but…how come there was so much?! According to his knowledge, ordinary ancient martial artists are only capable of sensing the energy in thin strands. Even the most talented ancient martial artists at most can sense the energy the size of raindrops. But, the way he sensed it…

Let alone raindrops, even if you described it as fog it would still fall short.

That was as dense as clouds!

“Si~~” Lin Feng drew a sharp intake of breath, he became restless and his eyes were shining.

This was truly astonishing!

Just as genetic warriors absorb genetic energy, even the ones who possess Innate Genetics there is a difference of strength between them; the rate of absorption is different, the quantity of absorption was different. Although Lin Feng wasn’t too proficient at the cultivation of ancient martial artists, but he at least knew the most basic principle——

The more energy of Heaven and Earth you can sense, the more you can absorb.

And naturally, cultivation would become faster.

[1] According to Daoism, humans possess 3 immortal souls and 7 mortal souls: 三魂七魄. The 2 souls mentioned last chapter are part of the series of mortal souls. The immortal souls correspond to Heaven, Earth and Man.

TOC

Chapter end