First Steps into Immortal Cultivation

In Hundred Stars Village, Ye Fan had spent the past few days feeling out the many changes the new world had brought to him. In the new world, an aurora of energy had merged into heaven and earth. The Primordial Star had fully stabilized, the power of the earth constantly fed back into him, and the Spring of Life flowed quietly, bringing the earth the conditions needed for all things to grow. Nourished by the Spring of Life, Ye Fan's body was gradually changing too. His senses had grown sharper, and he had become closer to nature.

His repeated attempts to open the new world over the past few days had borne considerable fruit. With a single thought, the entrance would quietly open. His connection to the new world seemed to have grown closer! The bluish-green orb of light had completely merged into the earth's veins, and he could no longer sense it.

"Could this world have formed naturally? Was the bluish-green orb merely a catalyst, a source of energy from the beginning of the world, rather than an actual living being?"

Ye Fan scratched his head. He couldn't figure it out!

"If I can't figure it out, I might as well stop thinking about it. For now, it's done me nothing but good. I can deal with whatever happens later when the time comes, right?"

"Father's been gone for three days. I wonder how things are going with the place we're moving to? I really should have gone with him!"

"Brother Fan!" As Ye Fan was lost in thought, he suddenly heard someone call his name.

Xiao Ke'er had come!

He got up and went outside. Xiao Ke'er was greeting his mother. His mother was carrying a wooden bucket, and he didn't even have to ask: as usual, she was either feeding something or on her way to feed it.

"Brother Fan, you finally deigned to come out today. You're just like a little girl! I've come looking for you several times, and I haven't seen you once!"

For the past few days, Ye Fan had been absorbed in feeling out the new world, only coming into the courtyard at mealtimes. He had missed Xiao Ke'er several times. Xiao Feng, on the other hand, had behaved himself these past few days and hadn't gone anywhere. Whenever he tried to go out, his sister would give him a scolding. She hadn't spoken to him for days. When Xiao Ke'er cooked, she made food only for herself, paying no heed to her elder brother. Young Master Xiao had been eating dried meat for days on end. It had to be said, only his sister could handle this fellow!

Mother Ye simply thought that Little Fan had been apart from his father for too long and missed him, so she hadn't given it much thought. Who could have known that her son had gone off to open up a new world?

"Mm, Ke'er! I've been at home thinking about some things these past few days. I haven't gone out at all!"

Brother Fan must be missing Uncle Ye! He really has been gone a long time.

"Brother Fan, maybe they'll be back in the next day or two? I miss them too!"

"Come on, Ke'er. There's nothing to do today, so let's go for a walk."

"Mm!" Xiao Ke'er nodded, bobbing her head like a chick pecking at grain.

The mountain path was shaded by green trees, with orioles and swallows singing. Nature's presence was strongest here. The two walked side by side, and though they didn't say much, it was still warm and pleasant. The Endless Mountains were terribly dangerous, so they didn't go far.

Xiao Ke'er kept glancing back nervously. They weren't very far from the village. She had to be careful; how embarrassing would it be if someone ran into them?

Ye Fan wasn't thinking that much. Nature's presence was strong here, echoing the new world, and he could feel the new world's joy. When will the new world inside me teem with life like the real world?

They walked on like that, finding a rock to rest on when they were tired. When they were thirsty, Ye Fan picked some wild fruit.

Xiao Ke'er: I wish we could spend our whole lives like this!

Ye Fan: This fruit is crisp, sweet, and juicy. It's really good. I'll bring some back for Mother!

Ye Fan, that big pig's trotter, really didn't understand a woman's heart!

Cooking smoke curled into the air, rosy light stretched for ten thousand miles, the Endless Mountains were green as jade, flocks of birds flew together, and egrets went in pairs. The mountains at dusk were truly as beautiful as a painting.

"Ke'er, it's time to go back."

"Oh."

They returned the way they had come. Xiao Ke'er clasped her hands, fingers interlaced, and stole occasional glances at the person beside her. Brother Fan seems a little different, doesn't he? Of course, she couldn't say exactly what was different.

Ye Fan escorted Xiao Ke'er back to the medicine shop. Xiao Feng was sitting in front of the door, leaning against the doorframe in a half-reclining position. The soles of his feet were pressed together, his legs bent into an O, and his hands rested naturally on his belly. Something about him just begged for a beating.

The moment he saw Ye Fan-

"You bastard, Ye Fan, die!" Xiao Feng went mad. He sprang to his feet and clamped both hands around Ye Fan's neck!

"Do you know what I've been through these past few days? Huh? Do you?"

Xiao Ke'er rolled her eyes. Ignoring her elder brother, she went back inside.

Ye Fan gave Xiao Feng's hands a light pat and knocked them away.

"Huh?" His blood rushing to his head, Xiao Feng paid it no mind. He lunged again. "Die..."

Ye Fan twisted and dodged, never letting Xiao Feng get close.

"Well, well, something's fishy!"

Xiao Feng's expression turned serious, and he assumed an opening stance. "Kid, did you find yourself a master? Let me, the Eternal Supreme Heavenly Dragon Emperor, have a go at you."

Ye Fan ignored Xiao Feng and turned to leave.

"Kid!"

"Ye Fan!"

"Little Fan!"

Ye Fan paid him no attention.

Xiao Feng muttered, "You little brat," then turned and went back inside.

"Ke'er, cooking?"

"My dear sister, won't you forgive your big brother? Put a little extra rice in the pot, will you? It's been days, and that dried meat is murder on my teeth!!!"

Xiao Ke'er didn't even look up at her elder brother. She said to herself, "The fire isn't hot enough, is it?"

With a sudden scuffle, Xiao Feng dashed off to the medicine shop's backyard to fetch firewood!

Xiao Ke'er covered her mouth and giggled, her eyes and brows curving like crescent moons. She looked utterly lovely!

When Ye Fan got home, Mother Ye had already made dinner. The sun was still stealing one last mischievous look from the western mountains, and red clouds covered half the sky. Sitting on a stone stool and eating his meal, Ye Fan savored the warmth of this life. It was pleasant and comfortable.

The night sky was deep blue, dotted with starlight. The bright moon shone on the Endless Mountains, adding a touch of poetry and beauty. Ye Fan quietly slipped into the courtyard, sat on a stone stool, and opened the new world.

As though space itself had been torn apart, a black hole appeared above the little house. No light flowed around it, and there was no thunderous sound of space tearing. An opening in space simply appeared there in silence.

As soon as the new world opened, the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi of the Endless Mountains came swarming in. As though the new world exerted a pulling force, it drew in the mountains' energy like a whirlpool.

Ye Fan carefully controlled the entrance to the world, slowly moving it away from Hundred Stars Village. Drawing in Spiritual Qi so frantically might cause something to happen.

With a thought, Ye Fan entered the new world, and the entrance slowly flew toward the depths of the Endless Mountains.

This should be far enough! Ye Fan looked out from the entrance at the unfamiliar mountains. Let's begin. Heaven and earth's energy swept inside, and as Spiritual Qi flowed past him, his whole body and mind felt refreshed! The new world was like a bottomless pit, drawing it in frantically.

The earth's spiritual veins grew stronger, and the Spring of Life flowed without end! Every meridian in Ye Fan's body felt unblocked, bringing him indescribable comfort!

He didn't know how much time had passed before a constant clamor of terrified beast roars from the Endless Mountains woke Ye Fan from his cross-legged meditation. He looked out through the entrance. "Hm?" Everywhere he looked was desolate. The trees had all withered and yellowed, leaving a bleak landscape. Did I draw in too much? Ye Fan hurriedly stopped drawing in Spiritual Qi. The Spiritual Qi ceased surging, and the beast roars gradually died down.

The new world had swallowed the mountains' Spiritual Qi like a whale gulping and a silkworm devouring leaves, creating a temporary vacuum of Spiritual Qi in the area! Spiritual Qi from outside replenished it slowly, so the new world could only draw on the Spiritual Qi within living things themselves! The new world drew in energy indiscriminately to begin with! The energy living things accumulated over long years was bound to exceed the natural Spiritual Qi! It was as though each living thing were a vessel for storing Spiritual Qi, capturing the energy wandering between heaven and earth and storing every bit it caught! Thus, the Spiritual Qi within living things exceeded that outside them! Heaven and earth's energy couldn't replenish it in time, so the new world could only draw from those storage vessels. Fortunately, Ye Fan had noticed in time. Otherwise, who knew what the consequences might have been?

Having figured this out, Ye Fan didn't worry too much. Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi was abundant, and the living things that had been drained would recover someday!

"I'll have to be more careful from now on."

He guided the spatial gate back. Hundred Stars Village was fast asleep. With a thought, Ye Fan returned to his own courtyard out of thin air! He closed the new world, stretched, and tiptoed back to his room to sleep!

By now, Ye Fan was surrounded by abundant Spiritual Qi, but he had no cultivation technique. He didn't know how to use this energy!