The Love of Mingya in the Fox Spirit

Zhuge Ming grasped the key point in Tianyun Daoren's words: the old patriarch of the Dongfang family had passed away a few years ago, and Tianyun Daoren had not submitted the Dongfang orphan. This meant that Dongfang Yuechu had not yet entered Tushan. Knowing the clichés of anime, he knew that only by staying by the protagonist's side would he be safe and have more opportunities. After all, the evil protagonist's halo was not something to be trifled with.

"It's all about the halo, so if I stand next to him, I might be able to benefit from it." Thinking of this, Zhuge Ming secretly decided that he had to quickly accumulate strength, at least to have some self-protection ability, and he had to survive in this dangerous world.

Because he knew that only by living could one do what one wanted to do. No matter how high one's position or how famous one was in life, after death one is nothing more than a handful of dust.

"Alright, the complexity of this world cannot be explained in a few words. It's better to wait until you grow up and have enough strength to explore it. Telling you too early will only hinder your growth. Alright, we should set off now."

"Oh, okay." Zhuge Shi nodded like a chicken pecking at rice, and replied.

Having said that, Daoist Tianyun summoned his flying sword. He leaped forward first, landing steadily in the middle of the sword. Then, he placed Zhuge Ming and Zhuge Shi on the sword, one in front of the other, and stood between them. Once in position, Daoist Tianyun shouted, "Rise!"

Then the flying sword slowly rose into the air, and the people who came to see the two off waved goodbye to them. Seeing this scene, Zhuge Shi's mother hugged Zhuge Shi's father and couldn't help but cry.

Although Zhuge Shi's father was also reluctant to let his son leave, his sense of responsibility as a man prevented him from showing it. He could only say to his wife with a stern face, "Why are you crying? Our son has made something of himself. We should be happy."

But his deliberately tough tone couldn't hide the slight moisture in his eyes...

Now, let's talk about Zhuge Shi. After Tianyun Daoist gently placed Zhuge Shi on the flying sword, he focused on controlling it. Zhuge Shi was initially a little scared as he ascended into the air, since it was his first time flying on a sword. However, after the initial fear came excitement. He began to look down at the village from the flying sword, shouting, "Ah Ming, Ah Ming, look! Our village is so small!"

"He's just a kid after all, still very playful." Zhuge Ming smiled as he watched Zhuge Shi jumping around restlessly. He himself hadn't even felt his heart race when riding roller coasters, and flying on a sword was nothing to him. However, Zhuge Ming had no idea what awaited him.

"You're about to leave. Is there anything you'd like to say to your families before you go?" Daoist Tianyun asked.

Zhuge Ming shook his head. After all, he had just arrived in this world and wasn't very familiar with the people in this village. In addition, this body belonged to an orphan, so Zhuge Ming didn't feel particularly attached to this village. When Zhuge Shi saw his father and mother, he put his hands to his mouth in a cupped-mouth gesture and shouted, "Father, Mother, Grandfather, everyone, I will definitely come back."

Zhuge Ming rubbed his forehead. At such a sad moment of parting, why did the words coming from your mouth remind me of that wolf with the yellow hat? Thinking of this, Zhuge Ming couldn't help but laugh.

"Let's go!" At that moment, the melodious sound of bells in the distance began to drift back and forth among the clouds. This continent also ushered in the twilight of the day. The sun rose from the eastern sky and was about to disappear. The stars began to emerge and slowly show their brilliance in the sky. But who knows which bright star Zhuge Ming will be?

Chapter Four: "Beginning the Cultivation"

Night fell, and the enchanting night sky was captivating. The presence of night brought boundless tranquility, calming the weary city. In the starlit night sky, a shooting star seemed to streak across the sky, but upon closer inspection, it was discovered that it was not a shooting star, but a flying sword. Standing on the flying sword were three people, none other than the three disciples of Daoist Tianyun.

"Ahhh..." However, the tranquil night sky was shattered by a pig-like scream, and that scream undoubtedly came from Zhuge Ming.

"Master, fly slower, I'm afraid of heights!" As it turns out, flying in an airplane and flying on a sword are two completely different experiences, as can be seen from Zhuge Ming's screams. After all, airplanes have the protection of the cabin around them, which can give people a sense of security.

However, the flying sword was completely exposed. Previously, Zhuge Ming had scoffed at Song's act of installing guardrails on the flying sword in the chat room, but now he wished he could apologize immediately and give a thumbs up: "Brother, I'm sorry, I was wrong. You were right to have foresight."

In fact, Tianyun Daoist had been using his magic to protect the two of them. Otherwise, with the powerful wind pressure generated by the speed of the flying sword at this moment, it would have been impossible for Zhuge Ming to stand still, let alone speak.

Hearing Zhuge Ming's screams, Tianyun Daoist ignored them, smiled slightly, and said, "We're almost at my cave dwelling. Xiao Ming, Xiao Shi, hold on tight to your master, let's go."

After saying that, the flying sword accelerated again, and accompanied by Zhuge Ming's even louder scream, it pierced the starry sky and disappeared into the mountains.

As the sun rose in the east and the stars disappeared into the sky, the first rays of sunlight shone on this beautiful land, and the three masters and disciples finally arrived at their destination.

"Amin, we've arrived! Look, it's so beautiful here!"

At this moment, Zhuge Ming, who dared not open his eyes at all while on the flying sword, slowly opened them after hearing Zhuge Shi's voice. Before him lay a lake, its surface calm and clear, reflecting the white clouds high above and the surrounding mountains, creating a seamless blend of water and sky. The only creatures floating on this tranquil lake were a few birds.

Surrounded by mountains, the area is covered in dense, green forests. Looking through the sparse foliage, the nearby mountains appear lush and verdant, while the distant mountains are also covered in trees, appearing as dark, inky black.

This place truly boasts towering mountains, lush forests, and tall bamboo groves—a veritable paradise on earth.

"Did you see that? Have you seen enough? Get off your teacher now!"

Just as Zhuge Ming was immersed in the boundless beauty, a cold voice came from beside him, causing the surrounding air to drop several degrees, making Zhuge Ming shiver.

Zhuge Ming turned his head and saw that he was clinging to Tianyun Daoist like an octopus, and the voice from earlier had come from Tianyun Daoist. Zhuge Ming quickly got off Tianyun Daoist and said awkwardly, "Sorry, Master, it's just human instinct. Who told you to fly the sword so fast just now?"

Daoist Tianyun feigned anger and said, "So you're saying it was my fault?"

"No, no, you're right no matter what you say." Zhuge Ming could only reply like this under the pressure of Tianyun Daoist, though the second half of the sentence was only in his heart.

Master Tianyun nodded in satisfaction, looking at them with an expression that said, "You're a promising young man, you know what's good for you." He then said to the two of them, "Let's go, follow me to my cave to cultivate."

Zhuge Ming and Zhuge Shi quickly followed, only to see Tianyun Daoist walk up to an unremarkable little tree, then chant a spell and utter a low shout: "Open!"

The sapling trembled and then turned into a phantom image. Suddenly, a mansion appeared in front of the two of them.

Seemingly aware of their doubts, before Zhuge Ming could ask, Daoist Tianyun took the initiative to explain: "It's just the most basic illusion technique. I prefer peace and quiet and don't like to be disturbed by others, so I like to make some arrangements so that I can cultivate in peace."

Daoist Tianyun pointed to the mansion and sighed softly.

"This is where I cultivate."

Zhuge Ming looked up and saw a nearly decaying plaque hanging above the ordinary wooden gate, with three large characters "Tianyun Pavilion" written on it in a flamboyant style.

Unlike the interior decorations of wealthy homes, stepping inside reveals only a few buildings arranged around a large open space in the center. The buildings are not overly decorated, exuding a simple and rustic charm.

Zhuge Shi stood there, stunned. The fragrance of grass and trees wafted in with the gentle breeze, making him involuntarily marvel at the visual feast he had witnessed along the way. After all, Zhuge Shi had grown up in Zhuge Village, where the houses were all built of mud bricks. He had never seen such a mansion before, though not magnificent.

When the three of them reached the center of the square, Daoist Tianyun stopped, turned around and said to the two of them, "With the square as the center, my room is to the east, the kitchen is to the north. As for food, you two have grown up in the village since you were little, so I don't need to tell you how to hunt. Your residence is to the south. Alright, enough of the small talk. From now on, I will formally teach you the cultivation method."

"Yes, Master."

"Long ago, humans and demons were born at the same time. Humans considered themselves the most intelligent of all beings, while demons also believed themselves to be naturally intelligent beings. Humans regarded demons as wild beasts, and demons regarded humans as animals, so conflicts were inevitable."

Later, humans discovered they were no match for the monsters, and the monsters, fighting with all their might, discovered a mysterious power within themselves. People called this demonic power. At this point, when humans encountered monsters, they could only flee in terror. However, people discovered something that could fight off the monsters—magical artifacts.

The activation of magical artifacts also requires magical power as an energy source.

Magical power is also divided into five elements. Humans are born with five elements, but different people have different levels of affinity for each element. The higher the affinity, the easier it is to cultivate that element, and the greater the power of spells related to that element.

Taking the most powerful royal family in the Dao Alliance today as an example, most members of the royal family have a metal affinity that is beyond ordinary people, so they have more advantages when using sword-shaped magic weapons, hence the reputation of "the sword of heaven and earth, the royal family".

Therefore, today, I will first teach you a meditation method. After you find the one that resonates most with you, I will then teach you a more suitable practice.

After saying that, Daoist Tianyun pointed his fingers at the foreheads of Zhuge Shi and Zhuge Ming respectively, and then Zhuge Ming found that a meditation technique suddenly appeared in his mind.

"If studying in my past life was this convenient, why would I have bothered with the grueling college entrance exam? I could have just memorized all the books! Wow, Tsinghua and Peking University wouldn't be a dream come true!" Zhuge Ming thought whimsically.

After a moment of thought, Zhuge Ming and Zhuge Shi quickly settled into their sitting positions and began meditating according to the meditation method in their minds.

“Once you enter a meditative state, you will see the element that is most compatible with you. If it is the water element, then it will look like water. The more water you see, the higher your affinity with water will be. The same applies to the other four elements,” Tianyun Daoist added.

As Zhuge Ming slowly entered a deeper state of meditation, he found himself in a dark world, without a single ray of light, only boundless darkness.

"No way, why can't I see anything? Master said that what you see is what you are compatible with, but I can't see anything. Does this mean that this body is the kind of useless physique that often appears in novels? That doesn't make sense."

Just as Zhuge Ming was in distress, a silvery-white light suddenly appeared in the dark world, as eye-catching as a star in the night. Then a second light appeared, and then more and more light appeared. They connected into lines, then into surfaces, and finally covered all the darkness, turning the dark world into a silvery-white world in an instant.

Zhuge Ming suddenly awoke, outwardly pretending nothing had happened and continuing to meditate, but inwardly a storm was raging.

"What exactly are those silvery-white specks? They are definitely not the Five Elements that Master mentioned. Perhaps this is related to my time travel. No, I can't tell Master about this," Zhuge Ming thought to himself.

After all, Zhuge Ming had just arrived in this world. Although Tianyun Daoist had saved Zhuge Ming and taken him as a disciple, one should always be wary of others. He had not spent enough time with Tianyun Daoist to truly understand his master. Therefore, Zhuge Ming planned to wait until a suitable time to consider whether to tell Tianyun Daoist.

Just as Zhuge Ming's mind was in turmoil, Zhuge Shi also exited meditation, opened his eyes, and then jumped up from the ground with joy, excitedly saying, "Master, Master, I saw it, I saw it, I saw a huge ball of fire, much bigger than the houses in the village."

Now it was Tianyun Daoist's turn to be shocked. You must know that ordinary people who have just started cultivating can only see a tiny spark at most. Even the Divine Fire Family, which was famous for its divine fire and specialized in fire-based magic, and whose direct disciples generally had a high affinity for fire, could only see a spark the size of a millstone at most.

Yet his seemingly dull and foolish disciple could see flames larger than houses; such talent was truly a once-in-a-millennium occurrence.

Chapter Five "Two Years"

Daoist Tianyun forcibly suppressed his inner shock, then looked at Zhuge Ming, who was pretending to have just finished meditating, and asked expectantly, "Xiao Ming, how was it? What did you see?"

Left with no other choice, Zhuge Ming could only make up a story: "Master, why can't I see anything?"

Upon hearing this, Daoist Tianyun shook his head in disappointment, but he didn't doubt the truth of Zhuge Ming's words. After all, many people in this world, although born with the Five Elements, don't have a high affinity with them. Therefore, although they can cultivate the Dao, their elemental power is ultimately inferior to that of elemental power when wielding magical treasures, thus preventing them from becoming true powerhouses.

However, Daoist Tianyu quickly let it go.

"Indeed, after all, it is already a blessing from heaven that I have the good fortune to take one of these once-in-a-millennium geniuses as my disciple. How can I be greedy and ask for more?"

Daoist Tianyun calmed himself down and comforted him, saying, "It seems that you are not compatible with the Five Elements, but don't give up on yourself. If your Daoist magic is not good, you can still use formations. I suggest that you focus on formations in the future. Although you may be slightly inferior to others in combat, if you master formations, once you set up a formation, ordinary people can only be surrounded and killed by the formation. How can they fight against you?"

Xiao Shi, your affinity for fire is a rare find, perhaps only seen once in a thousand years. As your teacher, I will now impart to you the basic Qi cultivation method of the Dao Alliance. This method can guide the spiritual energy of heaven and earth into the body and transform it into one's own magical power. Magical power is the foundation of cultivation, and the Qi cultivation stage is the process of accumulating magical power.

As the saying goes, "A tall building rises from the ground," meaning that only by laying a solid foundation in the Qi Refining stage can one achieve twice the results with half the effort on the path of cultivation. However, Xiao Shi, it's best if you only absorb fire-attribute spiritual energy, because with your talent, if the spiritual energy within your body is impure, it will actually hinder your cultivation.

Zhuge Shi happily replied, "Yes, Master."

At this moment, Zhuge Ming was still pondering what the silvery-white light spot he had just seen was, so he didn't really listen to what Tianyun Daoist was saying. When Zhuge Shi saw that Zhuge Ming was not speaking, he thought that Zhuge Ming was sullen because he was not talented.

So Zhuge Shi put his arm around Zhuge Ming's shoulder and said casually, "Ming, don't be sad. You still have me. If things get really bad, I'll protect you from now on. I'll beat up anyone who dares to bully you."

Looking at Zhuge Shi's innocent face, Zhuge Ming felt a warm current flow through his heart. He had suddenly come to this strange world, surrounded by no relatives or friends. He had been afraid and lost, but with Zhuge Shi's friendship, even though it came from a child, Zhuge Ming felt a greater sense of belonging to this world and had more hope for the future.

Looking into Zhuge Shi's clear eyes, Zhuge Ming said emphatically, "Ashi, thank you."

Zhuge Shi was taken aback by Zhuge Ming's sudden seriousness, so he let go of Zhuge Ming's small hand, scratched the back of his head, and smiled awkwardly at Zhuge Ming.

Seeing this scene, Daoist Tianyun couldn't help but smile with satisfaction. In his view, no matter how profound a person's Taoist skills are, if their character is flawed, then they are not worthy of being praised.

"Alright, alright, Xiao Shi, you can't protect anyone right now. You should hurry up and practice the Qi cultivation method I just taught you. Remember, only by becoming strong can you truly protect the people or things you want to protect."

"Yes, Master."

After saying that, Zhuge Shi and Zhuge Ming sat cross-legged on the ground and began their respective cultivation.

In no time, Zhuge Shi was enveloped in red light, which dyed the surrounding environment red, like the sunset glow. At the same time, Zhuge Shi exuded a scorching and violent aura, which was undoubtedly the characteristic of fire.

The Taoist Tianyun, who was protecting the two, was also secretly startled upon seeing this.

"To absorb spiritual energy at such a speed on the first day of cultivation, such talent is truly enviable. This time we have really struck gold."

Tianyun Daoist looked at Zhuge Ming again, but found that Zhuge Ming was perfectly normal, as if he were asleep. Seeing this, Tianyun Daoist could only shake his head helplessly.

However, Tianyun Daoist was unaware that Zhuge Ming was surrounded by countless silvery-white light spots that he could not see, and Zhuge Ming was like a giant magnet, absorbing these light spots into his body at an astonishing speed.

After these points of light entered Zhuge Ming's body, they converged into trickling streams along his meridians, eventually all flowing into Zhuge Ming's dantian, forming a silver galaxy. The light emanating from this galaxy made Zhuge Ming's dantian shine brightly, as brilliant as a starry river.

As more and more points of light converged within Zhuge Ming's dantian, the silver galaxy within it was slowly growing larger, though its limits remained unknown.

There is no calendar in the mountains, and one does not know the year when the cold ends. In the blink of an eye, two years have passed.

Beside a lake in the mountains, a young man sat cross-legged, eyes closed, cultivating. Sometimes he would draw strange symbols in the air with his hands, and other times he would place his hands in front of his dantian to absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Although he seemed to be multitasking, the boy remained calm and composed. Yes, he was Zhuge Ming.

Zhuge Ming is now ten years old. Because he spends his days cultivating in the mountains, he has fair skin that even girls envy. It's so delicate, as if a gust of wind could break it. His long, thick eyelashes curl slightly upwards, covering his bright and deep eyes. His calm gaze is unpredictable, adding to his mysterious aura. In short, he's definitely a cute little boy.

Of course, this is not what Zhuge Ming looked like in his previous life; it can only be said that this person was lucky and had a good physical foundation for his soul.

After two years of exploration, Zhuge Ming finally figured out what those silvery-white spots were. They did not belong to the five elements, the basic forces of this world, but rather to the power of space. As for the reason why he had this power, Zhuge Ming was not quite sure, but he guessed that it was related to his time travel. After all, isn't the power of time travel the power of space?

However, with his current strength, Zhuge Ming is not yet able to utilize the power within his body. Although he has primarily focused on learning formations under the guidance of Daoist Tianyun over the past two years, he has never stopped refining his spatial magic. He knows that this special power will undoubtedly become a vital force for his survival in the future.

It is worth mentioning that Zhuge Shi had already completed the accumulation of magical power a year ago, and now he can perform simple manipulation of objects.

The reason why Zhuge Ming has not yet begun to truly cultivate is not because he is not working hard enough, but because when Zhuge Ming discovered that his power was spatial, he thought that space could be compressed, so could his magical power also be compressed? Once this dangerous thought appeared in Zhuge Ming's mind, he could no longer banish it from his mind.

"If I can successfully compress the magic power within my body, it means I can have more magic power than others. Compressing it by half will double the amount, and what if I compress it even more?" Zhuge Ming thought excitedly.

Zhuge Ming's education taught him that only by courting death... cough cough, practice can lead to true knowledge. So he began to try to compress a small part of the galaxy within his dantian.

What? You're asking why only a small portion? Please, Zhuge Ming is an outstanding young man who has received nine years of compulsory education. He knows perfectly well what "no zuo no die" means. Using only a small portion as an experimental template might allow him to control any unexpected events. Having already transmigrated once, Zhuge Ming doesn't want to unwittingly kill himself again.