The night was unusually quiet.
After sensing the strange energy pulse from the northern mountains, Lin Tian did not return to sleep. Instead, he spent the remaining hours before dawn meditating, stabilizing the flow of spiritual energy inside his body.
But his thoughts kept returning to that mysterious fluctuation.
It had been brief.
Yet incredibly pure.
Much purer than the thin spiritual energy floating through Earth's atmosphere.
"Whatever produced that energy… it isn't ordinary," Lin Tian murmured softly.
The sky slowly brightened as the first rays of sunlight appeared on the horizon. The city began to awaken—cars moving, people walking, distant sounds of life filling the air.
Lin Tian stood on the rooftop and stretched slightly.
His body felt lighter than ever.
The improvement in energy control from last night had strengthened his cultivation foundation.
But something inside him was urging him toward the mountains.
His intuition—honed from countless battles in his previous life—rarely failed.
And right now, it was telling him something important waited there.
Journey to the Mountains
After finishing school that day, Lin Tian did not return home immediately.
Instead, he quietly left the city.
The northern mountains were only a few kilometers away. To ordinary people, they were just part of a natural park filled with hiking trails and dense forests.
But to Lin Tian, they felt different.
As he walked deeper into the forest, the noise of civilization faded away.
Tall trees stretched toward the sky.
Cool air flowed between the rocks.
Birds chirped softly among the branches.
But beneath that peaceful surface…
Lin Tian sensed something else.
Spiritual energy here was slightly denser.
Still weak compared to cultivation worlds, but noticeably stronger than in the city.
He nodded slightly.
"Interesting."
Places where spiritual energy gathered often hid natural treasures.
Or ancient ruins.
Or sometimes… danger.
Lin Tian moved carefully through the forest, his senses expanded outward using the energy thread technique he had practiced the night before.
Thin invisible threads of energy spread around him, touching the surrounding environment like delicate spider silk.
Every movement within several meters became clear to him.
A squirrel running along a branch.
A falling leaf drifting through the air.
Even the faint vibration of insects in the grass.
But then—
The energy threads trembled.
Lin Tian stopped walking.
He slowly turned his head toward a rocky hillside nearby.
"There…"
The energy pulse came from inside the hill.
It was faint but steady.
And unmistakably pure.
The Hidden Cave
Lin Tian approached the hillside slowly.
At first glance, there was nothing unusual about it.
Just ordinary rocks covered with moss and vines.
But his spiritual senses told a different story.
He brushed aside some thick vines.
Behind them—
A narrow opening appeared.
A hidden cave entrance.
The opening was small, barely large enough for a person to enter.
Judging by the surrounding vegetation, it had likely been hidden for many years.
Lin Tian crouched slightly and examined the area.
No human footprints.
No signs of recent disturbance.
"Good."
He stepped inside.
The cave was dark and cool.
Only a faint beam of sunlight reached inside through the narrow entrance.
But Lin Tian didn't need light.
His senses guided him forward.
The deeper he walked, the stronger the energy became.
A few minutes later, the cave widened into a small underground chamber.
And there—
Lin Tian stopped.
His eyes widened slightly.
"…Energy stones."
The Discovery
Embedded in the stone wall were several glowing crystals.
They were small—each about the size of a walnut.
But they emitted a soft blue light.
Pure spiritual energy radiated from them.
Lin Tian walked closer, his gaze focused.
"These are definitely energy stones…"
In the cultivation worlds he once knew, these stones were extremely valuable.
They formed naturally when spiritual energy condensed underground over long periods of time.
Cultivators used them to accelerate training, refine techniques, or power magical formations.
But on Earth?
Finding such stones was extremely rare.
Lin Tian examined them carefully.
There were about eight stones embedded in the rock wall.
Not a large deposit.
But for a world like Earth, it was incredible.
He gently placed his hand on one of the stones.
Warm energy flowed into his palm instantly.
His body reacted immediately.
The spiritual energy inside his meridians became more active.
Even his breathing felt smoother.
Lin Tian smiled faintly.
"This will save me months of cultivation."
Without energy stones, he had been relying on absorbing the thin energy from the atmosphere.
That process was slow.
Painfully slow.
But with these stones…
Everything would change.
Extracting the Stones
Lin Tian carefully examined the surrounding rock.
Energy stones were fragile.
If broken carelessly, much of the energy would escape.
He focused his spiritual energy into his fingertips.
Then—
He began cutting around the first stone using a thin energy thread.
The invisible thread sliced through rock like a razor.
Small fragments fell quietly to the ground.
After a few careful minutes—
The first stone came loose.
Lin Tian caught it in his hand.
Up close, the crystal looked even more beautiful.
Its surface shimmered like frozen light.
Tiny streams of spiritual energy flowed inside it like mist trapped in glass.
He nodded with satisfaction.
"Perfect condition."
One by one, he carefully removed the remaining stones.
It took nearly an hour to extract them all safely.
When he finished, eight glowing stones rested in his palm.
Their combined energy was already affecting the cave environment.
The air felt warmer.
More vibrant.
Lin Tian placed them gently into a small cloth bag.
Then he sat down cross-legged in the center of the chamber.
He decided to test one immediately.
Absorbing the Energy
Lin Tian held one stone between his hands.
He closed his eyes.
Slowly, he began circulating his cultivation technique.
The reaction was instant.
The energy inside the stone flowed outward like a small river.
It entered his body through his palms and moved directly into his meridians.
Lin Tian's breathing deepened.
His heart beat steadily.
Pure spiritual energy flooded his system.
Compared to the weak atmospheric energy he normally absorbed, this was like drinking from a clear mountain spring instead of collecting dew drops.
His cultivation technique accelerated.
Energy flowed through his meridians at incredible speed.
His dantian expanded slightly.
His muscles tightened.
His bones felt stronger.
Even his senses sharpened further.
Minutes passed.
Then—
Crack.
A faint sound came from the stone.
Lin Tian opened his eyes.
The crystal in his hand had turned dull.
Its energy was completely absorbed.
He exhaled slowly.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"So efficient."
Even a single stone had produced such a strong effect.
With the remaining seven…
He could significantly increase his power.
But he did not rush.
Cultivation required balance.
Too much energy too quickly could damage the body.
Especially this weak human body he currently possessed.
He stood up slowly.
His gaze returned to the empty rock wall.
"Interesting…"
If these stones formed naturally here…
There might be more hidden deeper underground.
Or perhaps this was just a small fragment of a larger deposit.
Either way—
This discovery confirmed something important.
Earth's spiritual energy was slowly awakening.
And where energy gathered…
Opportunities appeared.
A New Resource
Lin Tian left the cave quietly as the sun began setting outside.
The forest was bathed in golden light.
Birds returned to their nests.
The wind moved gently through the trees.
To anyone else, it looked like an ordinary peaceful evening.
But Lin Tian knew the truth.
Hidden beneath this calm world were many secrets.
Energy stones.
Ancient ruins.
Monsters.
And possibly other cultivators.
He placed the small bag of crystals safely inside his jacket.
"These will become my foundation."
With them, his cultivation speed would increase dramatically.
But more importantly—
They gave him something he had been lacking since arriving on Earth.
A reliable energy source.
Lin Tian looked toward the distant city skyline.
Lights were beginning to glow as night approached.
His eyes sharpened slightly.
The path of cultivation was never easy.
But with every discovery…
Every challenge…
He moved one step closer to reclaiming his true power.
And this time—
He would walk the Cosmic Path again.
Stronger than before.
Much stronger.
As Lin Tian disappeared into the forest shadows, the remaining traces of spiritual energy quietly settled back into the mountains.
But deep underground…
Far below the small cave he had discovered…
Something ancient stirred slightly.
As if responding to the disturbance.
The awakening of Earth had only just begun.