Tian Shu Wu Wang Lu

Lin Ye spent most of the day leisurely strolling around the outskirts of the secret realm, with no intention of going deeper. His steps were as casual as a deliveryman taking detours to familiarize himself with the business district and scout out backup routes. He followed the sound of babbling water carried by the breeze through the forest and walked slowly forward.

The Star Ember on my shoulder was fast asleep, its snow-white fur swaying gently in the wind, the golden flame-shaped star pattern on its forehead glowing softly, its sapphire-like eyes half-open and half-closed, and tiny starlight slowly flowing around it.

Even while it was taking a leisurely rest, the supreme aura of the ancient star spirit fox in its bones had not been completely concealed. Any small insects or beasts along the way that sensed this faint noble aura were so frightened that they shrank into their nests and dared not move, taking a detour to avoid it, not daring to make the slightest sound.

Lin Ye looked at the obedient little fox in his arms, a faint smile playing on his lips.

In his previous life, he worked as a food delivery driver, enduring wind and rain to meet orders, squeezing into elevators and climbing stairs. He never had such a leisurely time. After transmigrating and cultivating immortality, he didn't want to live a tense and oppressive life. Steady progress and following his heart were the cultivation rhythms he wanted. Just like he never took illegal orders or drove dangerous roads when delivering food, he would never be impatient for quick success in his cultivation.

Before long, a wide-open valley came into view, with a clear and bright spring of star energy sitting quietly in the middle.

The spiritual spring bubbled and gurgled, its water shimmering with a faint, luminous blue light. Pure and gentle star power continuously overflowed from the springhead, transforming into a thin mist that swirled around. The spring was surrounded by spiritual herbs with glossy leaves, and even the ground exuded a warm, luminous aura of star power, making it a rare and precious cultivation ground within the secret realm.

"This is a good place to rest." Lin Ye's eyes lit up, and he quickly walked to the spring.

This spiritual spring is clean, tranquil, and full of star energy. It is also sheltered from the wind and undisturbed. It is simply a five-star exclusive takeout station in the secret realm. It can not be more suitable for resting and recovering health, and for slowly nourishing one's cultivation.

He casually sat on the blue stone by the spring. Unlike other cultivators who immediately sat cross-legged and frantically absorbed star power, he simply scooped up a handful of spring water. The cool and sweet sensation spread along his fingertips, and the fatigue from his journey instantly dissipated.

Xingjin instantly perked up, twisted its small body, and lightly leaped down from Lin Ye's shoulder. Its paws landed without making a sound, displaying the elegant demeanor of a high-level spirit beast.

Sapphire's eyes were fixed on the surface of the spring with curiosity. Its little nose twitched slightly as it felt the pure star power in the spring water. The star pattern on its forehead glowed slightly, and starlight shimmered all around it.

It is an ancient star spirit, the Celestial Fox, and is naturally drawn to pure star power. Although the star power in this spiritual spring is far inferior to the power deep within its bloodline, it is still particularly appealing to it.

The little paws gently stirred the spring water, splashing up tiny droplets, having a great time. It showed none of the arrogance of a top-tier spirit beast, but rather resembled a playful, fierce little dumpling, lively and adorable.

As Lin Ye watched it play, he also relaxed his mind and body, naturally circulating the Star Technique within his body. The Star Pivot in his dantian slowly rotated, and the star power emanating from the surrounding spiritual spring gently swirled around his body, seeping into his meridians little by little, steadily solidifying his foundation at the mid-stage of the Star Pivot. Throughout the entire process, there was no deliberate effort involved; it was entirely a matter of going with the flow.

As he sorted out his cultivation, he subconsciously looked around, his professional habit kicking in: the terrain was open, the escape route was clear, there were no hidden blind spots, the aura of the surrounding spirit beasts was not strong, and the danger factor was extremely low... the safety factor was maxed out, making it suitable for taking a long time to rest and relax.

Just as the human and the fox were immersed in this leisurely moment, a dull, resentful snoring sound suddenly rang out.

Behind a giant rock on the other side of the spring, a plump star-bellied porcupine slowly emerged.

This porcupine was covered in snow-white fur, with sharp quills on its back gleaming faintly. It had an endearing, clumsy appearance, with a round belly that made it look like a fluffy ball of meat. Yet, its eyes were wary, clearly indicating that it was the exclusive overlord of this spiritual spring. Seeing Lin Ye trespass into its territory and take its most comfortable spot by the spring, it immediately became furious and filled with hostility.

It huffed and puffed, its plump body swaying, the spikes on its back slightly raised. With a sudden burst of power, it charged straight into the forest at a surprisingly fast speed. The ground trembled slightly wherever it passed, displaying a fierce attitude of "Dare to take my territory, I'll knock you away."

If it were any other cultivator, they would either immediately launch a strong attack or hurriedly dodge, but Lin Ye's eyes lit up. Instead of panicking, he stood up, stretched his limbs, and even curled up a smile on his lips.

"Perfect timing, I've got some free time, might as well practice."

His purpose in entering the secret realm was to hone his skills and familiarize himself with the control of the power of the Star Pivot. This Star-velvet Porcupine had a low cultivation level and its attacks were straightforward and honest, making it an excellent free sparring partner. It was practically a "cultivation achievement" delivered to his doorstep.

Lin Ye moved lightly, using agile footwork to calmly deal with the porcupine.

He didn't unleash his immense stellar power or employ any fierce techniques. Instead, he relied on his solid agility to easily dodge the porcupine's charges, precisely avoiding each attack. At the same time, he used the gaps in his dodges to gradually familiarize himself with the flow of stellar power within his body and hone the precision of his power control.

Just like in my past life as a food delivery driver, I precisely control the delivery route and time, prioritizing stability, remaining calm and patient, and never losing my rhythm.

Upon seeing this, Xingjin's sapphire eyes widened instantly, and he immediately entered a protective stance, yet also exuded an air of arrogance.

Its snow-white fur tightened slightly, but it did not immediately pounce. Instead, it squatted on the highest blue stone by the spring, like a little commander-in-chief overseeing the scene. A golden star pattern on its forehead flashed slightly, quietly emitting a faint ancient star spirit pressure.

The pressure wasn't strong, but it landed precisely on the porcupine, instantly freezing the ferocious creature, slowing its charge by more than half, and softening its attack—a true professional crowd control and support.

It neither directly defeats the opponent, thus spoiling Lin Ye's interest in practicing, nor does it fail to steadily protect its master. It strikes the perfect balance and exudes an air of arrogance that says, "I don't need to lift a finger; I can suppress you with just my aura."

The star-bellied porcupine was completely bewildered. It charged again and again, but couldn't even touch Lin Ye's clothes. Instead, it exhausted itself, panting heavily. Its round, plump body swayed, and its flesh trembled as it ran. Its movements became increasingly sluggish, and finally it collapsed on the ground, panting heavily. The quills on its back drooped down, and it lost all its aggressiveness. It looked utterly hopeless and even let out a couple of pitiful whimpers.

Seeing this, Lin Ye immediately stopped and shook his head with a smile.

This practical experience honed his skills, making him more proficient in controlling the power of the Star Pivot and his power flow more smoothly, achieving results several times better than simply meditating and practicing.

He had no intention of harming the porcupine guarding the spring. Seeing that it had given in, he ignored it and sat back down by the spring to rest.

Instead, Xingjin strolled over to the porcupine with elegant little steps, tilted its head back, and looked at the porcupine with a hint of arrogance and disdain in its sapphire eyes. It gently tapped the porcupine's fat belly with its little paws, as if to say, "You dare to steal territory with such little skill?" Then it tiptoed and rubbed its little head against the spiritual herbs by the spring, declaring that this precious land belonged to it and its master from now on.

The adorable porcupine looked at the small, seemingly delicate yet incredibly noble little fox that was pressing down on it, and shrank back in fear. It obediently lay down on the spot, not daring to move, its head buried in its paws. It had lost all of its former aura as the guardian of the spring and looked like a chubby little brother admitting his mistake.

Seeing that it had given in, Xingjin wagged its tail in satisfaction, turned around and hopped back to Linye's side, not forgetting to glance back at the porcupine, looking both cute and fierce, adorable and funny.

Not long after, several inner disciples followed the aura of star power to the spirit spring. They saw Lin Ye sitting leisurely by the spring, with a snow-white little fox playing around with its tail wagging beside him. Even the porcupine guarding the spring was obediently lying to the side as a "background." They immediately thought he was a new disciple with little strength who only knew how to hide in the treasure land and slack off.

The group looked at him with disdain, not wanting to associate with him, and also wary of the porcupine by the spring. Not wanting to cause any trouble, they glanced at him briefly and then turned away, hurrying off to continue vying for the opportunity.

Lin Ye didn't care about other people's opinions at all. While others were busy competing fiercely for treasures and fighting tooth and nail, he just focused on steady training and improvement.

When Xingjin got tired of playing, he jumped back onto Linye's lap, curled up into a soft ball of fur, surrounded by tiny starlight, basking in the warm sun. He would occasionally rub against Linye's palm, being docile and clingy, completely losing his previous arrogant little tyrant demeanor.

Lin Ye gently stroked its smooth fur, letting the star power around the spiritual spring slowly nourish him. While honing his cultivation, he enjoyed the leisure in the secret realm, and unknowingly made his foundation more and more solid.

As the sun gradually sets in the west, its golden afterglow spills onto the spiritual spring, creating shimmering waves. The surrounding starlight is tinged with a warm gold, creating a tranquil and beautiful scene.

Lin Ye glanced at the sky and decided to get up and continue his stroll, not lingering any longer.

He gently picked up Xingjin from his knees, placed it on his shoulder, patted the dust off his clothes, and his eyes were clear.

The path of spiritual cultivation does not require rushing for quick results. Taking one step at a time and growing slowly through experience is enough.

Star Ember lazily rubbed against his neck, the star pattern on his forehead glowing softly. Its little paws were still tugging at Lin Ye's collar. Every now and then, it would glance at the porcupine lying obediently in the distance. The man and the fox continued to walk slowly along the secret path, starting a new round of trials.