The forest was silent as night slowly covered the mountains.
Cool wind moved through the tall trees, carrying the scent of earth and leaves. The sky above was filled with countless stars, shining quietly over the dark mountains.
Lin Tian walked calmly along the narrow forest path.
Inside his jacket were the seven remaining energy stones he had discovered in the hidden cave earlier that day. Even through the cloth bag, he could faintly feel the spiritual energy radiating from them.
For ordinary people, the mountains were simply a place for hiking or camping.
But for Lin Tian, they had now become something much more important.
A cultivation ground.
A hidden training base.
He stopped near the hillside where the cave entrance was concealed by thick vines. After carefully checking his surroundings, he pushed aside the vines and stepped inside.
The narrow entrance swallowed the last traces of moonlight.
Soon he was surrounded by darkness.
But his senses were sharper than ever.
Every step echoed softly as he walked deeper into the cave.
After several minutes, he reached the underground chamber again.
The place was quiet and still.
The only light came from the faint glow of the energy stones in his bag.
Lin Tian looked around the chamber slowly.
"This place is perfect."
Hidden deep in the mountains.
Protected by rock.
Far from human eyes.
Even if someone passed near the cave entrance, they would never suspect that someone was cultivating underground.
He placed the cloth bag on the ground and sat cross-legged in the center of the chamber.
Before starting cultivation, he carefully observed the surrounding environment.
Years of experience from his previous life had taught him one important rule:
A cultivator must always control their environment.
Even a small disturbance could cause serious consequences during deep meditation.
Satisfied that everything was safe, Lin Tian took a deep breath.
Then he slowly opened the bag.
Seven energy stones lay inside.
Their soft blue glow illuminated the cave walls.
The spiritual energy surrounding them felt calm but powerful.
Lin Tian picked one up and held it gently between his palms.
His eyes slowly closed.
Entering Meditation
His breathing gradually slowed.
Inhale.
Exhale.
His mind became quiet.
The familiar cultivation technique from his previous life began circulating inside his body.
At first, the energy moved slowly through his meridians.
Like a thin stream flowing through a dry riverbed.
But as soon as the technique connected with the energy stone—
Everything changed.
A strong current of spiritual energy burst from the crystal.
The energy rushed into Lin Tian's body through his palms.
It traveled through his arms, across his shoulders, and into his chest.
Then it flowed down toward his dantian, the center of spiritual power within the body.
Lin Tian remained completely calm.
He guided the energy carefully.
Too much power too quickly could damage the meridians.
Even someone with his experience had to remain cautious.
The energy began circulating in a steady cycle.
Each full rotation strengthened his body slightly.
His muscles tightened.
His bones vibrated faintly.
His meridians slowly widened, allowing more energy to pass through.
Inside his mind, Lin Tian focused on maintaining balance.
Energy in.
Energy circulation.
Energy refinement.
Again and again.
Time passed quietly.
Pain and Growth
After nearly an hour, Lin Tian suddenly frowned.
A sharp pain spread through his chest.
His meridians were beginning to reach their limit.
The energy stone was releasing more power than his current body could easily handle.
Sweat formed on his forehead.
But Lin Tian did not stop.
Instead, he adjusted the flow of energy.
Instead of allowing the power to rush directly into his dantian, he began spreading it through his entire body.
This process was much slower.
But it had a different benefit.
Body strengthening.
The spiritual energy entered his muscles, bones, and skin.
Each cell absorbed small traces of power.
The process was painful.
His muscles trembled.
His bones felt like they were being slowly compressed.
But Lin Tian endured it silently.
Pain was nothing new to him.
In his previous life, he had endured far worse during cultivation breakthroughs.
Compared to those experiences, this was minor.
The cave remained quiet except for the slow sound of his breathing.
Finally—
Crack.
The energy stone in his hand shattered softly.
Its power had been completely absorbed.
Lin Tian slowly opened his eyes.
The broken crystal fragments turned dull and gray.
All their energy was gone.
But Lin Tian could clearly feel the difference.
His body felt lighter.
Stronger.
More stable.
He clenched his fist slightly.
A faint surge of power moved through his arm.
"Good."
His cultivation had improved again.
Deep Underground Secret
Lin Tian stood up and walked toward the rock wall where the energy stones had originally been embedded.
He placed his hand on the cold stone surface.
His senses expanded.
The deeper his perception reached underground, the more curious he became.
Earlier, he had already suspected something.
The energy stones had likely formed because spiritual energy gathered here over long periods of time.
But the amount he found seemed too small.
There had to be another reason energy was concentrating in this location.
He focused carefully.
His energy threads spread through tiny cracks in the rock.
Slowly descending deeper into the earth.
Several meters below…
Ten meters…
Twenty meters…
Then—
Lin Tian's eyes narrowed slightly.
"There it is."
Far beneath the cave chamber, he sensed something unusual.
A faint but steady flow of spiritual energy.
Not as concentrated as the energy stones.
But clearly present.
Almost like an underground stream.
"Interesting…"
It appeared that deep beneath the mountain, natural energy was slowly rising toward the surface.
Over time, small amounts condensed into crystals.
That explained the energy stones.
Lin Tian stepped back from the wall.
If his senses were correct…
This place might continuously produce new energy stones in the future.
It was like discovering a hidden treasure mine.
A rare opportunity for any cultivator.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"I'll make this place my training ground."
Training Routine
Lin Tian returned to the center of the chamber.
He picked up another energy stone.
But this time, he did not begin absorbing it immediately.
Instead, he began practicing energy control exercises.
Thin threads of spiritual energy extended from his fingertips.
He practiced shaping them.
Stretching them.
Contracting them.
Turning them into sharp cutting lines.
Or soft flowing currents.
Control was just as important as power.
A cultivator who only relied on raw strength would eventually fail.
True mastery required precision.
Lin Tian practiced for nearly another hour.
The energy threads moved faster and smoother each time.
At one point, he even sliced a small piece of rock from the cave wall using nothing but a thin thread of energy.
Satisfied with the improvement, he finally began absorbing the second energy stone.
This time, the process felt easier.
His meridians were already slightly expanded from the previous session.
The energy flowed smoothly.
His cultivation foundation became more stable.
By the time the second stone was fully absorbed, the night outside had grown deep.
The cave was completely silent.
Lin Tian opened his eyes again.
Only five stones remained.
But he decided to stop.
Overtraining could harm his progress.
Slow and steady cultivation would lead to better long-term results.
He placed the remaining stones back inside the cloth bag.
A Hidden Beginning
Before leaving the cave, Lin Tian looked around the underground chamber once more.
This place would become extremely important in the future.
A secret training base.
A place where he could cultivate without interruption.
A place where his power would grow.
He covered the cave entrance carefully with vines again before leaving.
The forest outside was peaceful under the moonlight.
The stars above seemed brighter tonight.
Lin Tian looked up at the sky for a moment.
In his previous life, he had traveled among those distant stars.
He had fought in cosmic wars and faced enemies from countless worlds.
And now…
He was starting again.
From Earth.
From the very beginning.
But this time, things would be different.
He now had experience.
Knowledge.
And a hidden training ground beneath the mountains.
Lin Tian turned and walked back toward the distant city lights.
Behind him, the quiet mountain concealed its secrets once more.
Deep underground, the faint stream of spiritual energy continued flowing silently through the earth.
Slowly.
Patiently.
Waiting for the cultivator who had discovered it.
Lin Tian did not know it yet—
But this hidden place would soon become the foundation of his rise.
And the beginning of something far greater. 🌌