Mortal Cultivator: Lin Tianzun

Chapter 52 Qilin Pavilion

Lin Fan, like a meteor, descended from the sky with a fierce aura, landing steadily on the broad reception platform of Qishou Mountain in the blink of an eye. Looking up, Qishou Mountain was covered in lush green. This lush forest, owned by Qilin Pavilion, was overflowing with vitality and mystery, as if hiding countless unknown and wonderful secrets, waiting to be discovered by those who were interested.

As soon as he landed, a low-ranking female disciple swiftly approached him, as swift as a bird. No more than sixteen or seventeen, she was in the bloom of youth, like a flower about to bloom. Dressed in a pale green disciple's uniform, she blended beautifully with the surrounding forest and gave him a lively and agile air. She politely saluted Lin Fan, her voice clear and melodious, like the sound of a flowing spring: "Uncle Master, are you here to rent a spirit beast?" A glimmer of anticipation flickered in her bright eyes, like twinkling stars in the night sky, filled with anticipation for Lin Fan's response.

Seeing this, Lin Fan's lips curled up slightly, revealing a gentle smile. He said softly, "Are there any free double-eyed rats on the mountain right now? I'm planning to rent one for a few days."

When the female disciple heard this, her face instantly lit up with a brilliant light, as gorgeous as spring flowers, and she said excitedly: "Yes, of course! Uncle, wait a moment, I will go and get one for you!" As soon as the voice fell, she turned around and ran towards the spirit beast enclosure as lightly as a deer in the forest, as if carrying Lin Fan's needs was her most important and honored mission at the moment.

After the female disciple left, Lin Fan quietly waited at the reception desk. Bored, his gaze shifted like a serpent, scanning the surrounding restrictions. This mountain, dedicated to the breeding of spirit beasts, was divided by a dazzling, dreamlike array of restrictions, with the exception of Lin Fan's peak. These restrictions cleverly carved the mountain into spaces of varying sizes, each enclosed by a designated habitat for a specific spirit beast. To ensure the safety and orderly domestication of the spirit beasts, trespassing was strictly prohibited except for the disciples on duty at the Qilin Pavilion.

Not long after, the female disciple didn't keep Lin Fan waiting. After about a meal's time, she emerged from a restricted area, clutching a fist-sized beast in her arms as if she were holding a rare treasure. She quickly walked towards Lin Fan.

"Uncle Master, this is the double-eyed rat. If you want to rent it, you'll need a low-level spirit stone every day." The female disciple said as she gently stroked the soft fur of the little animal, her movements as gentle as soothing a sleeping baby, and then she said respectfully to Lin Fan.

Recalling the story of Han Li finding the Eye of the Spiritual Spring in just one day in the original novel, Lin Fan knew he didn't have such incredible luck. To ensure his chance, he made a quick decision and decided to rent the Double-Eyed Rat for a longer period of time. With this thought in mind, Lin Fan's heart stirred. He opened his lips and said slowly, "Okay. Here are five Spiritual Stones. I'll rent it for five days."

His expression was calm, like a still lake, letting the outside world's clamor ripple through his heart. As soon as he finished speaking, he raised his hand and gently tapped his storage bag. His slender fingers nimbly reached in, and in a flash, he pulled out five spirit stones. His movements were fluid and effortless. Then, he extended his arm slightly and steadily handed the spirit stones to the female disciple, as if this were nothing more than a trivial matter, without any trace of the nervousness of renting a spirit beast in a strange place.

"After five days, uncle, as long as you let go of the double-eyed rat, it will return to Qilin Pavilion by instinct. During this period, I beg uncle to treat this little beast well. Here is a bag of its favorite pear fruit. If you have time, uncle, please feed it a few and it will be happy." The girl took the spirit stone with a smile as warm as the spring sun, and then carefully handed the spirit beast to Lin Fan, and then took out a small white bag and patiently instructed.

Lin Fan nodded slightly, his expression calm, as if he had already understood everything. Then, under the girl's respectful gaze, he controlled his magical instrument, which instantly burst into a dazzling brilliance. He transformed into a brilliant stream of light, soaring towards the northwest.

During the flight, Lin Fan couldn't help but glance down at the docile, double-eyed rat in his arms. This little creature, covered in yellow fur, could easily be mistaken for an ordinary earth rat at first glance. Its body was small and dainty, like a round pearl, its yellow fur smooth and soft like the finest silk, and its slender tail gently swayed like a thread swaying in the wind. However, a closer look revealed that its biggest difference from earth rats lay in its strikingly large eyes. This single difference made the little creature instantly adorable, like an elf fallen into the mortal realm. In particular, a faint, multicolored light flickered in its eyes, reminiscent of the mysterious stars twinkling in the night sky, adding a touch of mystical aura to its appearance.

Lin Fan and the double-eyed rat soared through the sky for a full day. Finally, they slowly descended to the outermost region of the northwestern Taiyue Mountains. A hundred miles further north, they would enter the territory of Yuanwu State. That region was under the purview of the Tianxing Sect, a major Yuanwu State immortal cultivation sect. The Tianxing Sect had meticulously established a market there. This market, facing the market in the Yellow Maple Valley, resembled two opposing stars, creating a subtle east-west confrontation.

Lin Fan slowly landed and pulled a thin, pre-prepared rope from his storage bag. The rope was tough, as if forged from millennia-old iron, yet so thin it was practically invisible. He carefully looped it around the rat's neck. The little creature was incredibly docile, offering no resistance, as if it understood his intentions. Lin Fan did this out of concern for the rat's agility. If it took off running, its lightning speed would make it easy for him to lose it.

Then, he pulled a bright yellow round fruit from the small cloth bag. The fruit's color was enticing and exuded a sweet aroma. He gently tossed it, and it traced a graceful arc in the air. The little fellow instantly perked up, leaping up like lightning and catching the fruit with a precise bite. He then began to chew it with relish, slurping up the juice.

Before long, the double-eyed rat devoured the pear fruit, instantly perking up and brimming with energy. It purred twice, its calls like the chirping of birds, as if announcing its readiness to Lin Fan. Then, with a whoosh, it shot off into the nearby bushes like an arrow, so swift it left only a trail of dust. Lin Fan, observing this, remained calm and composed. He simply followed the rope, taking steady steps. Each step was firm and powerful, as if surveying this mysterious land.

……

After an unknown amount of time, Lin Fan arrived at the foot of a precipitous mountain. He looked up and saw a massive cliff face, over a hundred feet high. Its sheer sheerness, like a sharp sword piercing the sky, was a formidable sight. Lin Fan stared blankly at the cliff face, a look of astonishment written all over his face, as if he had witnessed the most incredible sight in the world.

The rope holding the double-eyed rat in his hand was passing through an incredibly narrow crack in the mountain wall. The crack was as thin as a hair and extended straight into the mountain wall. Lin Fan's heart skipped a beat. He knew this was the Eye of the Spiritual Spring mentioned in the original book. Although the Eye of the Spiritual Spring was small, it could still increase the speed of cultivation by 10%. For him, who was in the Foundation Establishment stage, this was more than enough to meet his cultivation needs. It was a treasure sent by heaven.

With this in mind, Lin Fan slapped his storage bag. Instantly, the Star-Shattering Sword, like a thunderclap, unsheathed, its blade radiating a chilling cold light, as if it were about to rend all obstacles between heaven and earth. He quickly formed hand seals with his hands, muttering something to himself. Under his control, the Star-Shattering Sword transformed into a dazzling ray of light, darting fiercely towards the gap before him.

Lin Fan's unremitting efforts lasted for over an hour. Finally, a crude stone path several dozen feet long gradually took shape. The rocks on either side of the path were jagged, yet exuded a sense of tenacity. When Lin Fan swung his sword again, pouring all his strength into the chopping, a resounding crash was heard, a sound like the earth collapsing and the stone wall before him finally being broken.

Lin Fan was overjoyed upon seeing this, his joy evident in words. He immediately gathered all his strength, slashing wildly at the stone wall like a mad beast. Under his furious assault, the stone wall was soon completely split open. He flashed, ghostlike, and swiftly walked out.

Suddenly, a natural cave over ten feet in size appeared before him. As soon as Lin Fan stepped inside, a surge of spiritual energy, so dense it almost became tangible, rushed towards him. Like a surging wave, it instantly submerged him, leaving him stunned.

However, his gaze quickly followed the rope in his hand, and he saw that the slender rope extended to the very center of the cave. There, a miniature spring gurgled continuously. The water was crystal clear, reflecting the rocky ceiling like a mirror. The double-eyed rat lay leisurely in the center of this spring, only a few feet in size, swimming back and forth comfortably, enjoying the spiritual atmosphere.

Lin Fan's expression was astonishing, a hint of pride flickering in his eyes. He hurried to the spring, squatted down, and carefully scooped up a pool of water. The water rippled gently in his hands, emitting a faint glow. He carefully observed it, his eyes filled with joy and anticipation.

"This is the Spirit Eye Spring, absolutely!" Lin Fan was extremely proud, secretly lamenting his advantage of foresight. In this world of immortal cultivation, being able to know about such an opportunity in advance was truly a great blessing.

"Although the spiritual energy contained in the spring isn't as exaggerated as rumored, but..." Lin Fan pondered. This Spirit Eye Spring could at least increase his cultivation speed by 10%. Such an effect was truly astonishing. With the aid of this Spirit Eye Spring, his path to immortality would surely be even more powerful, speeding along.

He immediately decided to open a cave dwelling right here. He knew that with this Spirit Eye Spring, his future cultivation would be twice as effective with half the effort. Lin Fan calmed down and began planning the layout of the cave dwelling. He planned to first set up several defensive arrays at the cave entrance to ensure safety; then, he planned to establish a spirit gathering array around the spring to enrich the spiritual energy.

……

(End of this chapter)