Transmigrated into a Grandpa, Embracing the Laid-Back Life

Su Ming nodded. He channeled the water spiritual energy within his meridians, letting it surge through his fingertips into the small seal. A deep blue stream of spiritual energy enveloped the turtle knob, but the seal remained utterly unresponsive. The water spiritual energy vanished like a mud ox sinking into the sea, disappearing without a trace, not even causing a ripple.

Su Ming withdrew the water spiritual energy. “No good. Water-attributed spiritual energy can’t activate it.”

“Try fire-attributed,” Lin Yu suggested. “Use that refined fire poison you had before.”

Su Ming took a drop of refined fire poison from another storage pouch. Wrapping it in his spiritual energy, he carefully touched it to the seal’s underside.

The moment the crimson fire poison touched the seal script, it extinguished instantly. Still, no reaction whatsoever.

“Neither of the five elements’ mutual overcoming works,” Su Ming said, wiping the fine sweat from his brow. “This thing has exclusivity.”

Lin Yu stroked his chin. “Since the Great Yan Dynasty dared to turn against the sects, their core inheritance must have had something unique. Try the power of stars.”

Su Ming’s expression shifted slightly. He recalled that Lantai Secret Garden’s location corresponded to a specific celestial division of stars.

He activated the *Star Guidance Manual*. The liquid spiritual energy within his Dantian altered its circulation path.

A pure strand of the force of the stars flowed out through his meridians. Su Ming slowly pushed it into the seal’s turtle knob.

A sudden anomaly erupted.

The originally dull and lusterless seal abruptly burst forth with a blinding silver-white light.

The patterns on the turtle knob’s back shell lit up one after another, like some ancient star chart being illuminated in an instant.

The small seal floated in mid-air. The four seal-script characters on its base broke free from the material’s constraints, transforming into tangible projections of light onto the stone table.

The light rapidly interwove and expanded, forming a miniature three-dimensional formation array about a foot wide right before Su Ming’s eyes.

Within the array, thousands of spiritual energy threads were weaving and intertwining in a pattern that defied understanding.

“Sure enough, it’s the law of stars.” A sharp gleam flashed in Lin Yu’s eyes.

Su Ming activated his *Observation Micro State* ability. A deep blue halo flickered deep within his pupils.

His vision pierced through the outer light projection of the array, and he saw its core structure within.

“Master, this array…” Su Ming’s voice was dry. “It isn’t just a key.”

Lin Yu leaned closer to the projection. “What do you see?”

“The spiritual energy circuit lines inside this array perfectly match the Nine-Lock Linked Ring Formation I saw on the stone gate,” Su Ming said, pointing at several key nodes within the array. “But it has an extra thirty-six reverse-circulating circuits.”

He paused. “This is a living lock. It’s constantly changing the password. Only by injecting spiritual energy in accordance with these thirty-six reverse circuits can you truly push that door open.”

Lin Yu let out a cold snort. “What a vicious design. If someone got their hands on the key and forced it straight on, it would definitely trigger the door’s self-destruct restriction.”

He looked up at Su Ming. “This Great Yan imperial family carved calculation right into their bones.”

Su Ming felt a lingering fear. He withdrew his star power.

Deprived of energy support, the floating seal fell onto the stone table. The light-projection array vanished in an instant.

The cave dwelling returned to dimness, with only the Profound Shadow Egg still emitting a faint golden light.

Su Ming picked up the small seal. This unremarkable stone now felt heavy in his hand.

“The Great Yan Secret Garden involves a great deal,” Lin Yu broke the silence. “Hidden inside is a cultivation dynasty’s hereditary secret treasure.”

He stared into Su Ming’s eyes. “But likewise, its defenses are absolutely at the Nascent Soul level. There might even be guardian monsters left behind by the Great Yan imperial family.”

“You’re only at early Foundation Establishment now,” Lin Yu emphasized. “In the eyes of those millennium-old monsters, you don’t even count as an appetizer.”

He straightened up in mid-air. His soul body exuded an undeniable pressure.

“This key—you don’t even have the right to touch it yet.” Lin Yu tapped the table with his finger. “A common man’s only crime is possessing a treasure.”

Su Ming lowered his gaze. He understood his master’s meaning.

“Bury the matter of Lantai Secret Garden deep in your gut,” Lin Yu said sternly. “Wait until you’re confident—at least after you form a Core—before considering going in to look. For now, you must increase your strength as quickly as possible.”

Su Ming nodded. He took out a special jade box for isolation.

Placing the turtle-knob seal inside the box, Su Ming pasted three high-level *Concealment* talismans onto it.

He stuffed the jade box into the deepest part of his storage pouch, completely severing its aura.

“On the path to immortality, the one who lives to the end is the winner.” Su Ming met Lin Yu’s gaze. “Disciple won’t take a risk with no chance of success.”

Lin Yu’s expression softened. He drifted back above his meditation cushion.

“I’m glad you can see it that way,” Lin Yu said, raising his right hand faintly. “That Formation Peak Secret Realm pass token of yours—when are you planning to use it?”

Su Ming pulled out the purple starlight token. “All necessary supplies are ready. The materials for bonding the Profound Shadow Egg are also prepared. Disciple plans to enter the secret realm in three months.”

“Half a year.” Lin Yu raised two fingers. “Two goals.”

He looked at Su Ming. “First: fully master and thoroughly integrate the three hundred-plus basic runes you know. I want you to reach the point where you can form an array with a single thought.”

Su Ming listened attentively.

“Second.” Lin Yu’s gaze turned serious. “Use the secret realm’s high-concentration spiritual energy to break through the barrier to late Foundation Establishment. Your Dao foundation is damaged, making breakthrough harder than for ordinary people. You must rely on external pressure.”

“Disciple understands.” Su Ming put the token away.

He turned his head to look at the Profound Shadow Egg in the center of the formation. Dark-gold lines swirled endlessly on its shell.

Following Lin Yu’s gaze, Su Ming spoke, “Second Senior Brother Qin Yi said this Profound Shadow Egg is in its final energy accumulation stage before hatching. It won’t be more than half a month before it’s born. Disciple has already exchanged for Spirit-Communion Jade Marrow and Star-Pattern Silk from the Administration Hall and is ready to form a blood contract at any time.”

“That Qin Yi brat does have a sharp eye for spirit beasts.” Lin Yu rubbed his chin, the ghostly beard seeming as real as if it were there. “But relying solely on Spirit-Communion Jade Marrow and Star-Pattern Silk will only ensure it acknowledges you as its master; it won’t squeeze its potential to the absolute limit.”

Su Ming was taken aback, leaning slightly forward. “Master’s meaning is…?”

“This is an ancient beast that grew up devouring the force of the stars.” Lin Yu sneered, his tone carrying a hint of mad scientific inquiry. “Your *Like Water Art* spiritual energy may be all-embracing, but it still lacks an ultimate edge. At the moment of forming the blood contract, I want you not only to soak the Star-Pattern Silk with your essence blood, but also to forcibly imprint your divine sense’s insights into the three high-level runes—‘Edge,’ ‘Concealment,’ and ‘Obliterate’—onto its newborn soul!”

Su Ming sucked in a sharp breath. Engraving rune laws onto a newborn spirit beast’s soul? He had never even heard of such a thing. With the slightest misstep, the spirit beast’s soul would be torn apart by the powerful laws of energy, turning it into an idiot!

“Scared?” Lin Yu cast him a sidelong glance.

“No.” Su Ming took a deep breath, a flicker of ruthlessness flashing in his eyes. “The Way of Survival isn’t about blind retreat. Since its future fate is to be my guardian beast, it can’t be a mindless brute of pure force. Disciple is willing to try!”

“Good!” Lin Yu clapped his hands in satisfaction. “Your teacher will protect its origin with his divine sense on the sidelines. As long as it survives, you won’t have just a pet—you’ll have a sentient assassination weapon!”

“Alright, that’s everything that needed to be said.” Lin Yu turned his back to Su Ming and waved his hand. “Get to work and regulate your breath. Your teacher is going to look around this cave dwelling and get used to this ‘new body.’”

Before sitting down to regulate his breath, Su Ming gazed at his master’s broad back, a feeling of reassurance rising in his heart.

Within the cave dwelling, silence once again settled in. Only in the corner, the Profound Shadow Egg pulsed faster and faster under the star’s radiance, as if eagerly awaiting the imminent new life.