NOVEL WEB Chapter 9: Strengthening the Foundation
In the northern part of Shanhai Village, on the outskirts of the old forest.
"Whoosh—!"
A sound, faint and barely noticeable, suddenly pierced through, mingling with the rustling of leaves, both hidden and swift!
In the next moment.
"Ah Huang, go—!"
With a soft command, a flash of yellow darted out from a pile of dried yellow leaves, chasing after the source of that earlier sound.
A few breaths later.
A large dog, standing about seventy centimeters at the shoulder, with soft yellow fur on its head and back and white fur underneath, its muscles robust, trotted back from the distant forest with a struggling grey hare clamped in its jaws.
"Ah Huang, well done!"
Zhang Lei took the hare that Ah Huang handed over, rubbing the dog's head appreciatively with his other hand, praising without reservation.
Over the past two and a half years, Zhang Lei, who had just turned six, had grown a bit round thanks to improved family conditions and sufficient nutrition, his small frame at about one meter thirty appearing quite sturdy, yet not chubby, surprisingly exuding a sense of robustness at such a young age.
Weighed the hare in his hand, stole a glance at another brown hare tied up and hidden under dry leaves behind him. Satisfied, Zhang Lei nodded and said to Ah Huang, "Alright, let's go find Ah Yi."
"I wonder how his traps are doing over there..."
With that, Zhang Lei followed Ah Huang, heading west to the outskirts of the old forest.
...
Over five hundred meters away, under a tall tree with slight metallic sheen on its brown-black bark, Ling Yi leaned against the trunk, sitting casually on the ground, his eyes half-closed as he took a leisurely nap.
With the rhythm of Ling Yi's breathing, a radius of ten meters around him, every "Blue Silver Grass" swayed gently with its light blue leaves, as if in harmony.
Suddenly!
As if stimulated by something, all the blades of "Blue Silver Grass" abruptly straightened and stiffened, revealing a long, mottled yellow-green snake within the grass.
This was a 'Earth Dog Snake'. While not a spirit beast, its venom was quite potent. For ordinary people or spirit warriors below level ten, a bite could be lethal.
At this moment, realizing it was exposed, the 'Earth Dog Snake' no longer lay in ambush, instead it slithered swiftly towards Ling Yi at the base of the tree.
At this moment, Ling Yi was entirely unaware, still maintaining a serene repose with his eyes closed.
When the Earth Dog Snake was merely three meters away from Ling Yi, needing only a few breaths and a spring, its venom-filled fangs would pierce Ling Yi's skin, injecting its poison into his body.
In the old woods north of Shanhai Village, villagers who succumbed to the Earth Dog Snake's venom were not few and far between.
Ling Yi's uncle, Ling Changshan, whom he had never met, ventured deep into these woods over a decade ago. He might have encountered soul beasts and other predators, but it was also possible that he fell victim to one of the many poisonous creatures here.
"Swoosh—!"
Like a withered yellow specter, the Earth Dog Snake launched itself as expected, its mouth gaping wide, the stench of venom seeming to mingle with its impending bite...
Meanwhile, at the other end of a branch, a small white hand grasped it firmly.
At some point, the seemingly slumbering Ling Yi had opened his eyes. In a flash, he picked up a nearby branch, lifting and aiming it.
Without giving the struggling Earth Dog Snake, which instinctively writhed and flicked its tail, a chance to misstrike, Ling Yi, his expression unperturbed as a still pond, casually flung the branch far away in the direction of the snake's flailing force.
Before the seemingly deep-impaled Earth Dog Snake could hit the ground and continue its flailing, a primarily gray tabby cat descended from the skies. Placing its forepaws on the snake, a swift slash from its sharp claws tore through the resilient snake skin, extracting its gall, heart, and other organs.
Lowering its head, the cat devoured the organs in a few swift bites. Meow Meow licked its lips with its tongue, scrubbed its claws against the "Blue Silver Grass" leaves on the ground, then, with elegant poise, sauntered to Ling Yi's side. It adroitly rested its head on Ling Yi's leg, curling up contentedly.
Ling Yi glanced up at the large tree branch from which Meow Meow had just leapt down, sparing a quick look at the three wild chickens with broken necks hanging there. As he petted the cat with one hand, he pondered silently:
'Since the beginning of last year, I've been able to awaken my mental power by inducing self-hypnosis into deep sleep. Now, I can extend my mental energy outward, sensing the vitality of the world around me—'
'But...' Ling Yi's eyes shone with determination, a spark of light flickering within: 'It's still not enough!'
Continuing to pet the cat with his left hand, Meow Meow purred contently. Ling Yi raised his right hand, clenching it into a fist, feeling the power within it — unsatisfied with the results.
In "The Galactic Emperor," the path of spiritual cultivation begins with deep sleep.
The first stage requires long periods of calmness, breathing, and guidance to achieve deep sleep.
Ling Yi had spent over a year utilizing his innate mental talent brought about by his reincarnation, along with the naturally sleepy state of his young body, to tame his restless mind and achieve deep sleep.
He then spent nearly another year crafting the "Crystal Meditation Method 1.0," reaching the second stage, wherein he can enter deep sleep anytime, anywhere, for even longer periods!
Since mastering deep sleep, Ling Yi finds an hour of this rest grants him the recuperation once achieved by eight hours of ordinary sleep, alongside enhanced physical development.
Now, at nearly four years old, Ling Yi stands as tall as the six or seven-year-olds in the village, only slightly shorter than his cousin Zhang Lei, with skin white and delicate enough to earn the admiration of young women and wives from the nearby villages.
Though still young, because the Ling family's living conditions have improved to a moderately prosperous state in recent years, becoming one of the wealthier households in Shanhai Village, many have come forward seeking to arrange childhood engagements for him, not any fewer than for his cousin Zhang Lei!
In the forest, under a massive "Iron Birch Tree," Ling Yi radiates an aura of peace and tranquility.
He gently transfers this calming energy through his touch to Meow Meow, who is lounging comfortably on his lap.
With each stroke from Ling Yi's delicate hands, Meow Meow closes its eyes in contentment, drifting into a drowsy state.
Its nose twitches ever so slightly, producing a sound resembling soft snores.
Meow Meow's little belly rises and falls rhythmically, emitting a "gurgling" sound like a quietly humming engine, creating a unique and soothing cadence.
"Ah Yi—!!"
A loud call resounds from nearby, pulling the half-asleep Meow Meow from its slumber.
Startled, the tiny creature leaps up, fur bristling!
In an instinctive reaction, Meow Meow arches its back, its spine like a great dragon stretching and flexing, emitting a series of crackling sounds!
Sensing all these vibrations through his palm resting on Meow Meow's back, Ling Yi feels the energy sink into his consciousness, reverberating in his mind!
Ling Yi's lips curl into a slight smile: 'The sound of tiger and leopard thunder...'
He soothes Meow Meow by gently combing its sleek fur back into place, calming it down. Looking toward the direction the voice came from, Ling Yi spots two figures approaching him and asks with a smile:
“Brother Lei, Ah Huang, how was the haul?”
(End of Chapter)
