Below the post, the comment section was flooded with laughing emojis, and the replies were especially sharp and cruel.
"1000 jin? Are you sure you didn't awaken a pig gene instead of an obesity gene?" "Why bother training? Just sit around and wait to die!" "You've already wasted humanity's food—do you want to waste our cultivation resources too?" ...
Cyberbullying existed in every era, with countless trolls, and the interstellar age was no exception. Those online haters were venomous, their words cutting like knives, deeply hurtful.
"What's wrong with being fat? Can't a fat person have a dream of cultivation?" Under the post, the OP with the ID "Fatty with a Cultivation Dream" couldn't take the abuse and fired back angrily.
But trolls are trolls because they don't reason with you; they just spew hate for the sake of it. Their ugly faces reveled in mockery.
"Haha! This kills me—a pig wanting to become a cultivator. That's the biggest joke in the galaxy!" "LOL! If you're fat, just accept your fate and wait to die!" "Agreed with the above!" "+1" "+1" "+10086!" "+∞" ...
At first, the ID "Fatty with a Cultivation Dream" kept defending himself, but after being battered relentlessly, he went silent, as if he had given up entirely. Seeing him not respond for a long time, the comment section erupted in smug laughter. A few who couldn't stand it spoke up, but their words were instantly drowned out.
Feng Lin watched this and snorted coldly. Insulting others for no reason, finding joy in someone else's pain—what was there to celebrate about that?
10,000 star coins? That was no small amount.
Could the obesity gene really not be used for cultivation?
Feng Lin began analyzing the obesity gene's information using the gene equation.
"Gene: Obesity Gene Grade: Low-tier Basic Gene Enhancement Points: 0 Ability: Fat accumulation, forming a ball-like shape that effectively cushions impact."
He realized that while the obesity gene was the lowest-tier basic gene, it wasn't entirely useless. The fat spread across the body created an effective protective layer, capable of buffering powerful impacts.
There are no useless genes, only useless people.
Feng Lin believed this obesity gene must have a unique evolutionary path. Hadn't the monkey gene and stone fetus gene he once carried been dismissed as waste genes? Yet in the end, he had forged his own path with them.
Using his gene potential, Feng Lin began calculations. The process was remarkably fast, and after consuming 42% of his gene potential, he got the result.
Obesity Gene 8 + Gluttony Gene 10 + Pigskin Gene 6 = Potbelly Gene.
"Gene: Potbelly Gene Grade: Mid-tier Primitive Gene Enhancement Points: 0 Ability: Astonishing appetite, stomach as large as a pig's, belly incredibly elastic like pigskin, capable of deflecting force and protecting the user from harm. Abilities grow stronger with enhancement points."
Feng Lin nodded in understanding. Just as he had thought. There were no useless genes, only people who didn't know how to develop them. Even the obesity gene could combine with other genes to evolve into a higher-grade one.
Through the paid internal channel of the Q&A platform, Feng Lin sent the answer to the OP, saying only, "The obesity gene can combine with the gluttony gene and pigskin gene to evolve into the mid-tier primitive gene, Potbelly Gene. There are no useless genes, only useless people. May you truly become an interstellar cultivator and fulfill your dream!"
He ended with a word of encouragement.
Of course, Feng Lin didn't foolishly reveal the gene formula. Every specific gene formula was the starting point of a new gene cultivation method—how could he casually leak it? 10,000 star coins were far from enough.
After answering that question, Feng Lin didn't dwell on it and continued browsing.
"I've awakened the hurricane gene and plan to pursue an energy-type gene path, but I don't know how to maximize its potential!"
This was a question with a 5,000-star-coin bounty, still unclaimed. It seemed the OP wasn't satisfied with any of the answers given.
This one was simple!
Feng Lin found it extremely easy; he didn't even need to use the gene equation to deduce the result. Recalling the abilities of various mythological figures, it was clear that combining hurricane with fire and lightning energy would maximize its power.
Wind and fire fuel each other—wind amplifies fire, creating a raging blaze that consumes everything. Wind and thunder unite—hurricanes howl, lightning strikes, destroying all.
Without a doubt, only the fire and lightning genes were the best matches for a wind-attribute gene. Wasn't that the case with mythological figures like Nezha and Leizhenzi?
Feng Lin submitted his answer and waited for the system to confirm. Once confirmed, the star coins would automatically be deposited into his account.
...
Then, Feng Lin got into the groove, rapidly scanning and answering questions. Each answer meant another deposit of star coins, though that wasn't his main concern. In the process, he gained a lot himself.
These questions were all challenges that various cultivators faced during their training, touching on the essence of cultivation. By answering them, Feng Lin was inspired to reflect on cultivation itself, gradually understanding that every myth was the essence of a path to godhood.
Each mythological figure was a supreme being who stood at the pinnacle of life during the era of mythological civilization. Their stories were recorded as myths, each one a magnificent epic chronicling every step of their growth. These paths had been proven correct and held the potential for godhood—calling them paths to godhood was no exaggeration.
As long as later generations had enough talent and followed the ancient mythological paths, they could step by step transcend the mundane and become omnipotent deities.
...
As he grew more proficient, Feng Lin's answering speed increased. His mind was immersed in a state of insight, and the cultivation doubts that had accumulated before were swept away.
In an unknown corner of the galaxy, a life-bearing planet a hundred times the size of Earth floated in the dark void. A small satellite orbited it, dotted with luxurious spacecraft and towering palaces. The satellite's interior had been hollowed out and transformed into a magnificent palace, where a man as fat as a pig lay on a bed, unable to turn over.
A group of elegantly dressed maids attended to him.
The fat man opened his mouth, chewing large mouthfuls of food. Waves of fat rippled across his belly, rising and falling like ocean swells.
His face was full of indignation. "I, Zhu Tiangang, have been dealt a terrible hand! Born into this illustrious family with every resource at my disposal, I had to awaken the obesity gene, with no talent for any other gene. Heaven must be blind—giving me a noble birth but no extraordinary talent is bad enough! Making me a waste? What's that about? The waste-to-strong trope isn't even popular in ancient Earth web novels anymore!..."
The fat man cursed loudly, showing no respect for the heavens.
Suddenly, a beeping sound rang out.
A maid handed him an identity chip with both hands.
The fat man couldn't turn his head, but his eyes shifted, and as soon as he glanced at it, he froze.
"What? The obesity gene can evolve into a mid-tier primitive gene with the gluttony gene and pigskin gene? If this is true, then I can cultivate!"
"Hurry, hurry, hurry! Contact this Hongjun immediately. As long as I can become an interstellar cultivator, I'll agree to any condition!"
"Don't you know, I, Zhu Tiangang, aside from this pile of fat, have nothing but star coins—as many as you want!"
...
The fat man's voice boomed with arrogance, echoing endlessly.