Chapter 5: Phantom

Translator: Exodus Tales  Editor: Exodus Tales

Phantom was very dejected. He was nothing but a soul and a failure of an assassin. He lived in a small Moore Stone, what could he actually give Xia Fei as compensation?

As the sea breeze blew across his face, Xia Fei took off his clothes and jumped into the sea and confronted the waves.

This might be Phantom’s imaginary world, but the feeling of this sea was no different from a real sea.

After swimming a lap in the sea, Xia Fei returned to the beach and laid down with his bare body.

It was unknown since when Xia Fei had a pattern on his left inner thigh. The pattern was very small and wasn’t obvious. It was just like a flower that was about to bloom.

“Eh?” Phantom fixed his eyes on Xia Fei’s thigh.

“What are you doing?” Xia Fei felt disgusted for a moment and looked at Phantom as though he was looking at a homosexual person. It made Xia Fei very uncomfortable.

“I’ve got it! I can teach you the ‘Shadow of Moon’! You have the talent to surpass the speed of light. If you successfully cultivate the Shadow of Moon, your prospects will be limitless.” Phantom said excitedly.

“Shadow of Moon? What is that?” Xia Fei was confused.

“Shadow of Moon is the absolute martial art of my master’s lineage. It is an orthodox, elite assassination technique. Many wish to learn but can’t find a proper master.”

“Oh, so it is an assassination technique. Will I become a failed assassin like you after learning it? It doesn’t really attract me, you better think of something else.” Xia Fei giggled while stating.

Phantom said impatiently, “What failed assassin? I am the worst among the discipleship, and I can still kill an interplanetary judge with a single attack. How can this technique be that bad!”

Xia Fei chuckled and asked, “Who did you say you killed earlier?”

Phantom scratched his head, he accidentally let his mouth slip earlier. “Just treat it as I didn’t say anything. There are things that I cannot tell you. You need to understand that you might have unlocked the seventh brain region with the gene optimization fluid and optimized the body composition, but this gene optimization fluid has a side effect that you can’t imagine.”

“Right now, you already possess the greatest potential, but at the same time, your cultivation wouldn’t make any progress with any technique. Unless you have my help, you will remain at the pitiful Primary Star Light rank for your entire life.”

Xia Fei was bewildered as he listened before he blinked and asked, “What do you mean? Why wouldn’t my cultivation have any progress? If my cultivation can’t progress, then what is the need to teach me the Shadow of Moon? Also, what is the meaning of having the greatest potential?”

When Phantom noticed that Xia Fei’s curiosity was piqued, he felt rather proud. “It’s like this. You have consumed an abnormally violent gene optimization fluid, and it has fully unlocked your seventh brain region. Right now, you are already at a 100% activated state.”

“The dark poppy flower on your left thigh is the best proof. Individuals who possess the dark poppy totem shall have limitless potential. If you have enough fated opportunities, you can reach an unimaginable level. Most humans who unlocked their seventh brain region wouldn’t have limitless potential because they didn’t unlock it to 100%.”

“You might have fully unlocked the seventh brain region, but the excessively violent energy has also completely sealed the progress system within your body. In the future, you will not be able to rely on cultivation to increase your rank. You can only use a huge amount of medicine to increase your cultivation.”

Xia Fei nodded. “I understand now. You mean that if I wish to increase my rank, I will need to consume the medicine that you mentioned. If not, I will be stuck at this rank for my entire life.”

Phantom pointed gently at the sky; the sky curtain suddenly appeared with countless rare and strange plants, animals, and bottled medicinal fluid.

“Look, these are the medicines that can help you to increase your rank. I admit that I’m not a successful assassin, but among my discipleship, in terms of pharmacology, no one else is better than me, apart from my master. My superiority isn’t assassination but knowledge.” Phantom was very proud, as he said.

Xia Fei laughed heartily. “Brother, you said that your poetry is the best among your discipleship, but your standards are truly wretched.”

Phantom’s complexion turned dark. “Your poetry is indeed far superior to me. Therefore, I am willing to help you. I am using my knowledge in pharmacology and the elite technique, Shadow of Moon, as compensation. This condition should be enough, right?”

“I agree.” Xia Fei replied straightforwardly.

The so-called poems were things that were left behind by the predecessors. By using them to exchange for an elite technique from Phantom was simply a no-cost trade. If Xia Fei didn’t agree, he would be the one with mental lapse.

…

At the top floor of the Earth Federation’s A-class Citizen Management Office, there was a computer.

This computer wasn’t an ordinary computer; it was an AI computer that could connect with the interplanetary internet.

Using this computer, one would be able to enter the Universal Pan-Human Alliance’s network and be connected with the other planets within the alliance.

There were only ten such computers on Earth, and they were all gifts from the Universal Pan-Human Alliance. In the entire continent of Asia, apart from the Beijing sub-bureau, there was another one in the Tokyo sub-bureau.

After a smooth application process to use the computer, one of the staff members led Xia Fei to the room where the computer was set up.

The computer was placed alone in a sealed room. The thick metal doors had sealed up this room tightly, and there wasn’t a single window in the room.

“Sir, you may use it now. This computer charges a fee by the hour. The fee is 10,000 federal dollars an hour. I wonder how long would you need to use it for?” The staff member smiled while inquiring.

Xia Fei felt a heartache. He would have to pay 10,000 dollars for each hour. This much was enough for him to live half a year in his pre-gene optimization fluid life.

“Two hours then.” Xia Fei pondered before giving a response.

The staff member activated the computer before exiting the room, resulting in utter silence.

This computer wasn’t something that ordinary people could use. Only the federation’s A-class citizens had the qualifications to apply for usage.

In fact, the Earth had only joined the Universal Pan-Human Alliance for a short period, and there were very few A-class citizens within the federation. Most of these ten computers were in the idle state most of the time.

The machine was square-shaped, but it was shining with a beautiful silver luster. After it was activated, a projected screen popped up. A young female and mechanical voice said, “Alpha Type-379 AI computer has been activated. Linked connections are normal. Please issue an instruction.”

She was using a general language of the universe, Charlotte language. Earth was still at the initial stage of universal civilization, and only a few individuals were familiar with extraterrestrial languages. This was also the main reason for the low usage rate of AI computers.

Of course, it wasn’t a problem for Xia Fei, who had been planted with the translation microchip.

“Enter the interplanetary internet.” Xia Fei instructed.

“Yes, please wait for a moment…” A female responded with an icy voice.

The projected screen flashed and complicated words appeared in front of Xia Fei.

The disorderly words and diagrams were blurring Xia Fei’s eyes.

Xia Fei could only feel a headache. The extraterrestrial people might have superior technology, but they did it in such a messy and unreliable manner. People with poor vision basically wouldn’t be able to see anything.

“You just have to get used to it slowly. Once you have money, you can buy a virtual reality helmet. By then, you will feel as though you are actually inside. Right now, you can only make do with this simple display system.” Phantom said.

“Virtual reality helmet? That sounds very interesting. How much do they cost?” Xia Fei asked.

Phantom chuckled. “It isn’t really costly. If you have money, you can even upgrade the AI computer. This machine is only a basic model and can only allow you to visit the nearest star region’s network. The universe has countless star regions, and if you wish to browse everything while having a comprehensive AI computer with all the functions, you will need a huge amount of money.”

“Everything is about money.” Xia Fei shook his head and asked, “Phantom, can we really earn money with your method? This fee isn’t cheap, and with my miserable bank balance, we can only make a few more trips.”

Phantom nodded his head forcefully. “There is absolutely no problem. Your poems will definitely drive those poem lovers crazy. To be honest, I have been in the poetry world for dozens of years, and I have never heard such a wretched poem.”