The Love of Mingya in the Fox Spirit

When the compression of the galaxy first began, everything seemed so calm. The galaxy's volume gradually decreased, eventually becoming half its original size, and its state remained unchanged. But just as Zhuge Ming was about to continue compressing it, it suddenly exploded! Yes, it exploded, and it was a very sudden and violent explosion.

Although Zhuge Ming was prepared, the power that exploded directly in his dantian still spread throughout his body via his meridians. As a result, Zhuge Ming was in trouble; he lay in bed for three whole days, unable to move at all.

At first, Zhuge Ming's condition startled Zhuge Shi and Tianyun Daoist, who thought that Zhuge Ming had gone mad from being too eager to cultivate.

So Tianyun Daoist carefully examined Zhuge Ming's body and was relieved to find that he was alright. Seeing that Zhuge Ming was unable to speak, Tianyun Daoist could not ask what had happened, so he simply instructed Zhuge Shi to take good care of Zhuge Ming and went to a nearby clinic to get medicine.

Of course, since others cannot see what is inside the dantian, Daoist Tianyun did not notice the abnormality in Zhuge Ming's body.

"I don't know how many people on this continent have had accidents because of cultivation, but my suicidal behavior of planting a bomb in my own body is probably unprecedented and will never be repeated," Zhuge Ming thought to himself with a self-deprecating smile as he lay on the bed.

However, self-deprecation aside, giving up easily is not Zhuge Ming's style. He reviewed his previous experience and found that the Milky Way suddenly exploded when it was compressed to half its original size. So maybe he could just stop compressing it to half its original size.

Therefore, as soon as Zhuge Ming recovered, he started a new round of experiments (courting death).

Chapter Six: "Leaving the Mountain"

Beside the same lake, by the same boy, the dawn slowly drew back the curtain, and another vibrant morning descended upon the world with its freshness. With the first rays of sunlight, Zhuge Ming began his unfinished experiment once more.

Having learned from his previous experience, Zhuge Ming skillfully compressed a portion of the galaxy to half its original size without any mishaps. The compressed galaxy appeared more solid, emitted a more intense light, and was otherwise indistinguishable from an ordinary galaxy.

However, having learned from his previous painful experience, Zhuge Ming dared not be careless at all. He quickly used his magic to envelop it to prevent the compressed galaxy from exploding again.

An hour passed, and the compressed galaxy remained quietly in Zhuge Ming's dantian without showing any abnormalities. So Zhuge Ming began to carefully and slowly withdraw his magic power.

As the last bit of magic power was withdrawn, but the compressed galaxy still did not explode, the huge weight that had been hanging over Zhuge Ming's heart finally lifted, replaced by unspeakable ecstasy, because this meant that he had turned his idea into reality, and his strength would undergo a dramatic change from this moment on.

Subsequently, Zhuge Ming spent half a day compressing all the galaxies within his dantian. After compressing them, he began to absorb the spatial power of heaven and earth to fill his dantian, and then compress it again. He repeated this process many times until the sun withdrew its last ray of light, at which point Zhuge Ming finally completed the compression of all the galaxies.

After seeing the galaxy that had been successfully compressed within his dantian, Zhuge Ming felt his body go limp and then lay down on the grass behind him.

Although Zhuge Ming was truly exhausted, both physically and mentally, to the point that he couldn't even move a finger, he still smiled with relief, because he knew that this would be the first step for him to become stronger, but it would definitely not be the last.

After lying there for a long time, Zhuge Ming finally got up from the ground and dragged his exhausted body toward Tianyun Pavilion.

The next morning, Zhuge Ming, who was exhausted from the previous day, was still lying in bed and reluctant to get up. In his drowsy state, he heard Zhuge Shi calling out from outside the room: "Ming, get up! Master said he has something to tell us to do today."

Zhuge Ming replied helplessly, "Okay, I'll be right there."

Upon hearing that it was his master's instruction, Zhuge Ming, despite being so tired that his eyelids were drooping, quickly got out of bed, washed up as fast as he could, and ran towards the square.

When Zhuge Ming arrived at the center of the square, Tianyun Daoren and Zhuge Shi had already been standing there for quite some time. Zhuge Shi, who was pretending to be solemn, saw Zhuge Ming arrive and, taking advantage of the moment when Tianyun Daoren turned his head away, bared his teeth at Zhuge Ming. But when he saw Tianyun Daoren looking at him again, he quickly put on a serious expression.

However, Daoist Tianyun didn't say anything. Seeing Zhuge Ming arrive, he asked, "Little Ming, how is your recovery from the last injury?"

"Thank you for your concern, Master. I am now fine."

Daoist Tianyun nodded and asked, "Hmm, that's good. Just now, I observed your magical power manifesting. Have you already completed the accumulation of magical power?"

Zhuge Ming replied, "Yes, Master. I just finished accumulating my magical power last night."

Upon hearing Zhuge Ming's answer, Daoist Tianyun didn't say anything. After all, it was already quite slow in this world to accumulate spiritual power in two years. However, Daoist Tianyun also knew Zhuge Ming's talent, so this was within Daoist Tianyun's expectations.

"How are you doing with the 'Basic Way of Formations' that I gave you?"

"I have memorized all the contents of this book and can draw the basic array seals, but I don't know how to set up the array."

"Oh? You can already draw array seals?" This surprised Daoist Tianyun. You should know that although "The Basic Way of Array Formation" is only an introductory book on array formation, the way of array formation is extremely complex. It is already very difficult to finish reading and understand all the contents within two years, let alone draw array seals, which is a high-difficulty technique that requires extremely high precision in controlling magical power.

Zhuge Ming did not answer, but instead stretched out his finger and used his magic to draw an extremely complex mark in the air.

Looking at the array seals in the air, Daoist Tianyun had no choice but to accept the fact that Zhuge Ming had already mastered the array seals, and at the same time felt a sense of defeat.

"It really is an array seal. Good lad, it took me five years to finish reading that book and another three years to barely grasp the basics of how to draw an array seal. Although I was only studying array formations as a side practice at the time, my master still praised me for a long time. How can I bear this?" Tianyun Daoist thought to himself.

"Ahem, it seems that Xiaoming, your talent in formations is quite good, not inferior to your teacher. Of course, you should not become complacent just because you are talented. Always remember what your teacher said: talent can only determine how high you can go, but hard work can determine how far you can go."

Zhuge Ming respectfully bowed and said, "I understand, Master."

Seeing this, Daoist Tianyun nodded in satisfaction and said to the two of them, "After two years of cultivation, you two have finally transcended the mundane world and officially entered the path of cultivation. I congratulate you."

Once a cultivator has accumulated enough mana, they can begin to refine their own natal magic weapon. According to the sect's rules, all disciples must leave the mountain alone to forge their own natal magic weapon after entering the Spirit Guiding Realm, for a period of one year.

So the reason I called you here today is to let you go out of the mountains to gain experience, to find your own opportunities and rare treasures, so that you can refine your own destiny magic weapon.

Of course, although I have readily available magical treasures here, fledglings always belong to the blue sky. The world of cultivators has never been peaceful since ancient times; it has always been accompanied by bloodshed and turmoil. Therefore, I sent you out to gain experience so that you could learn about these things in advance.

Zhuge Shi's eyes brightened as he listened, and he said excitedly, "Master, you mean we can go out and play... no, I mean we can go on an adventure? That's great!"

Upon hearing Zhuge Shi's words, Daoist Tianyun was speechless. He sighed helplessly and said, "Little Shi, actually you are the one who worries me the most. Although Xiaoming is young, he is steady and knows how to act. I feel at ease when he goes out. But you, sigh. Never mind, after all, you are still just a child."

Zhuge Shi, who was thinking about how he would have fun after he got out, paid no attention to what Tianyun Daoist said and was still immersed in his wonderful fantasy.

Seeing this, Daoist Tianyun didn't say anything more. He shook his head and said, "Alright, you should all go back and pack your things. Meet here in an hour." Without waiting for their reply, he left.

After seeing Tianyun Daoist leave, Zhuge Shi looked at Zhuge Ming with stars in his eyes and said, "Ming, where are you planning to go later? I've already decided, I'm going to go to the big city to have some fun and see what good food there is."

Zhuge Ming replied helplessly, "Master sent us out to find materials to refine our natal magic weapon, not to go out and play. If Master knew this, he would be furious."

Zhuge Shi licked his tongue and said nonchalantly, "It's alright. Master isn't going out with us. If you don't tell and I don't tell, how would he know?"

Zhuge Ming's eyes instantly turned into beady pupils as he chuckled to himself.

"That's not necessarily true. The outside world is much more dangerous than you imagine. How could Master possibly let two weaklings like us go out alone? I reckon that no sooner we leave than Master will follow us and then secretly protect us."

Although he thought so in his heart, Zhuge Ming still agreed, "Yes, yes, you are right."

"Right? Hehe, let's go, let's pack our things, let's go out and have some fun, finally we don't have to cultivate like crazy every day." Zhuge Shi didn't notice the teasing in Zhuge Ming's tone, smiled at Zhuge Ming, and ran to his room to pack his luggage.

Watching Zhuge Shi's receding figure, Zhuge Ming began to ponder.

"He's still just a child, inexperienced and naive. You're this excited about just one trip. But it's good this way. I can use this trip out of the mountains to figure out the current timeline and prepare for the plot. But first, I need to figure out where the plot is at."

Half an hour later, seeing the two who were ready to set off, Daoist Tianyun smiled imperceptibly, then tossed each of them a money bag and said, "This contains some travel expenses, enough for your journey, but far from enough to last a year, so you'll have to find your own way to keep it. Alright, without further ado, let's set off."

The two men clasped their hands in greeting and said, "Yes, Master. Take care, Master."

After saying that, Zhuge Shi looked at Zhuge Ming and said in a provocative tone, "Ming, how about we have a competition a year from now to see whose magic weapon is more powerful? Whoever loses has to wash the dishes for a year."

Zhuge Ming knew that Zhuge Shi was reluctant to part with him, so he was just pretending. After all, the two had grown up together since childhood, and even after leaving the village, they had never been separated. So Zhuge Ming laughed heartily and deliberately mocked, "Okay, then I'll thank you for washing the dishes for me."

Zhuge Shi seemed not to hear Zhuge Ming's sarcasm, and simply stared into Zhuge Ming's eyes and said, "See you in a year."

"See you in a year," Zhuge Ming replied solemnly.

The two then propelled their makeshift flying artifacts toward their respective skies. Sunlight streamed down their shoulders, and the sky seemed even bluer than usual, as if it were cheering for their return from the mountains.

Chapter Seven: "Dongfang Yuechu"

Beyond the borders of Tushan, in the heart of the forest. (Source: www.Biqushu.net)

At this moment, three people were playing a game of cat and mouse in the forest. In the lead was a little boy who was dressed in rags, covered in wounds, and had two tufts of hair sticking up on his head. Behind him were two middle-aged men, one strong and one thin.

In the sky, Zhuge Ming, who was using his magic to conceal himself, looked at the little boy's ahoge (cowlick) and couldn't help but feel a surge of joy. "Hmm, it seems this is Dongfang Yuechu. I've finally found you."

Just as Zhuge Ming was secretly pleased to have found Dongfang Yuechu, Dongfang Yuechu was in danger. Hu Xian leaped up, his powerful physical strength sending him flying into the air, before laughing and pouncing on Dongfang Yuechu. "Haha, brat, let's see how you dodge this."

As Dongfang Yuechu ran, he kept looking back, but all he saw was the tiger immortal's large hand getting closer and closer. Seeing this, he realized that he could not avoid it. Dongfang Yuechu was filled with despair and closed his eyes in despair, thinking sadly, "It seems that this is all I can do. Father, Mother, I am unfilial and cannot avenge you."

Just as Tiger Immortal was about to capture Dongfang Yuechu, Zhuge Ming finally couldn't sit still any longer. Although he knew that Dongfang Yuechu should be able to safely reach Tushan Honghong's place, it was clear that if he didn't take action, the story would be over. So Zhuge Ming quickly withdrew his magic power, took out the temporary flying sword given to him by his master, and stabbed at Tiger Immortal.

Tiger Immortal was startled by the sudden appearance of Zhuge Ming and the sword in his hand. Forgetting about grabbing Dongfang Yuechu, he crossed his arms in front of his chest and used his powerful physique to block Zhuge Ming's sword strike. Although Tiger Immortal was unharmed, he lost his best chance to capture Dongfang Yuechu.

"Ding!!!"

"This guy's skin is too thick." Seeing that his attack had missed, Zhuge Ming immediately gave up the idea of ​​continuing to fight them, grabbed the still stunned Dongfang Yuechu, and ran towards the border of Tushan.

"Damn it, where did this brat come from, daring to ruin my plans? Once I catch you, I'll tear you to pieces!" Tiger Immortal was furious as Zhuge Ming saved the fat meat that was right in his mouth. He shouted to Crane Immortal and chased after Zhuge Ming and the others in the direction they had fled.

"Who are you? Why did you save me?" Dongfang Yuechu asked, looking at Zhuge Ming, who was about the same age as him, as he ran.

Of course, because Zhuge Ming was currently in the form of a child, and had just saved him in a moment of crisis, Dongfang Yuechu did not connect Zhuge Ming with those who coveted his Dongfang bloodline. However, having experienced many hardships since childhood, Dongfang Yuechu knew the darkness of this society deeply, so he did not easily lower his guard.

"My name is Zhuge Ming. I was sent down the mountain by my master to find materials to refine my natal magic weapon. I just saw you being chased by those two strange uncles who don't seem like good people, so I stepped in to save you. Oh dear, let's not talk about that now. I just realized that I don't think I can beat those two uncles. Let's run quickly. We'll be safe once we reach the border of Tushan."

Zhuge Ming answered Dongfang Yuechu's questions with a mix of truth and falsehood, because he knew that a pure lie could not fool Dongfang Yuechu, who seemed a bit silly but was actually extremely shrewd. Therefore, only by mixing some truth into the lie could he deceive him.

Hearing Zhuge Ming's words, Dongfang Yuechu's doubts were largely dispelled. Although he still didn't quite trust Zhuge Ming, he didn't say much after hearing that Zhuge Ming's destination was the same as his initial assumption. After all, there were still people chasing them, and conserving their energy for escaping was the most important thing right now.

"Thank you." Dongfang Yuechu thanked him with a complicated expression and then stopped talking, simply running forward with her head down.

Dongfang Yuechu fell silent, which pleased Zhuge Ming. After all, the more questions Dongfang Yuechu asked, the more clues he would reveal. Thus, the two began their escape in silence.

......

"We've finally arrived." Looking at the stone tablet bearing the Tushan symbol, Zhuge Ming and Dongfang Yuechu exchanged a smile. Then they strode over the stone tablet and lay heavily on the grass.

The long escape had exhausted Dongfang Yuechu, so he really didn't want to move at all. Although Zhuge Ming had also completed the accumulation of magic power, his speed in the dense forest was not as fast as running. He couldn't abandon Dongfang Yuechu and run on his own, so he had been relying entirely on his physical strength to keep going, and he was also exhausted.

At this moment, the Tiger and Crane Immortals, who had been closely chasing the two, also arrived. Looking at Dongfang Yuechu and Zhuge Ming lying on the ground, as well as the landmark representing Tushan next to them, their expressions became increasingly grim.

"You two brats, if you don't get over here right now, believe me, I'll break both your legs in a heartbeat." Knowing the strength of Tushan, the Tiger and Crane Immortals dared not act rashly for the time being, so they could only threaten the two from outside the border, hoping that Dongfang Yuechu and Zhuge Ming would come out on their own.

"Then please do as you please. Anyway, they don't have the strength to help me escape. As long as you dare to step into this area, I promise to offer you my legs. This is Tushan, so you two should think it through."

Knowing the rules of Tushan, Dongfang Yuechu didn't take their threats seriously at all. Instead, he acted like a tough nut to crack, which made the Tiger and Crane Immortals tremble with anger, but they couldn't do anything about Dongfang Yuechu.

Just as the Tiger and Crane Immortals were still arguing about who should capture the two, a soft, feminine voice suddenly came from behind them.

"The Tiger and Crane Immortals are well-known figures in the martial arts world, yet they're bullying a mere child here. It's truly laughable."

A pale-faced man in a wheelchair, with a full head of white hair and a fan in his hand, slowly appeared from the woods in front of everyone.

"It seems this must be the so-called Jade-Faced Wind Lord - Ximen Chuisha. He looks quite human, but unfortunately he does nothing human."

However, the fan in his hand gave me an idea. I was just wondering what kind of magical artifact I should forge, but his fan was too ugly, not nearly as stylish as the ancient Chinese folding fan. So, I decided to forge my magical artifact into a folding fan.

Zhuge Ming carefully examined Ximen Chuisha, but in the end, he only focused his gaze on the fan in Ximen Chuisha's hand. Then, his eyes lit up, and he determined the appearance of his own natal magic weapon in his mind.

...(I won't write out the rest of the dialogue to avoid any suspicion of padding. If you're interested, you can just watch the anime; I'll skip that part.)

Seeing that Ximen Chuisha's target was also Dongfang Yuechu, the Tiger and Crane Immortals knew that if they didn't make the first move, they would lose to this pretty boy. So the Tiger and Crane Immortals exchanged a glance, and then pounced on Dongfang Yuechu together. As for Zhuge Ming, under the lure of the Dongfang bloodline, he had long been forgotten by the two of them.

"You two weaklings think you can outrun me?" Ximen Chuisha sneered, and with a swift movement, he vanished from his wheelchair and flew toward Dongfang Yuechu at an incredible speed.

"So fast! I couldn't even see his movements. This Ximen Chuisha is definitely a master. He so skillfully controls the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to condense into wind to increase his speed. How could someone like that be instantly killed by Tushan Honghong? How terrifying must she be?" Zhuge Ming exclaimed as he watched Ximen Chuisha suddenly disappear from his wheelchair, overtake the Tiger and Crane Immortals, and arrive in front of Dongfang Yuechu.

However, Zhuge Ming was no longer worried about Dongfang Yuechu's safety, because even before they made their move, he had sensed a powerful, crimson demonic aura approaching. The only one capable of possessing such a demonic aura could be Dongfang Yuechu's fairy sister—Tushan Honghong.

Just as Ximen Chuisha's hand was about to touch Dongfang Yuechu, Dongfang Yuechu could even see a flush of color rising on Ximen Chuisha's pale face due to excitement. At that moment, a flash of red light appeared, and the Tiger and Crane Immortals, along with Ximen Chuisha, were all sent flying backward like cannonballs.

Then a tall fox spirit flew over Dongfang Yuechu's head (background music included, use your imagination). She wore a delicate, modern-style ancient-fashion long dress with white accents. Two red bows with bells hung from the waistbands. She had bare, exquisite jade feet adorned with beautiful golden bells, and her folded ears added to her charm. Her long, golden hair was tied up, giving her an ethereal, otherworldly appearance.

"Is this Tu Shan Hong Hong? She was already beautiful enough in the anime, but I never expected to see her in real life. She is even more stunning. As expected of the Demon Queen who combines beauty and power, Ximen Chuisha, who I consider a master, was sent flying without any resistance."

But all of that is secondary. She definitely flew directly above Dongfang Yuechu, wearing a skirt, and that guy was even looking up! I...

Sorry, although my thoughts were impure, I suddenly have an urge to kill Dongfang Yuechu. What should I do? I need help urgently.