Foundation Establishment

Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Mo Fei put away both the Foundation Establishment Pills and the pill furnace. He sat down where he was, restoring the spiritual energy expended during alchemy, and only then did he leave the courtyard.

Outside the gate, Irene and Vivian had long been drawn by the fragrance of the pills wafting from within. Their wide eyes sparkled with anticipation as they stared at the door. Mo Fei had told them that no one was to disturb him while refining pills, so although their curiosity was overwhelming, they resisted the urge to push open the door and take a peek.

As soon as Mo Fei opened the gate and stepped out, the two women hurried up to him and asked, “Well? Did you succeed in making the Foundation Establishment Pills?”

“Do you think there’s anything your husband can’t do when he takes matters into his own hands?” Mo Fei replied with a proud grin.

“Brother, hurry and show us!” Irene urged eagerly.

Seeing their expectant faces, Mo Fei shook his head indulgently and took out the bottle of Foundation Establishment Pills from his storage pouch. As soon as he uncorked the bottle, a rich, intoxicating fragrance drifted into the air, making Vivian and Irene instinctively flare their nostrils and take a deep breath. Instantly, they felt refreshed and invigorated.

“Remarkable! Just the scent alone is enough to lift the spirits. I can only imagine what happens if you actually swallow one!” Vivian exclaimed in amazement.

“You can’t take them just yet! You need to be fully prepared, and you must take them under my guidance to achieve the best results,” Mo Fei said sternly, gently swatting away Vivian’s eager hand as she reached for a pill.

“Why not?” Vivian pouted, clearly displeased.

“The medicinal power of this Foundation Establishment Pill is simply too strong. First, I fear your bodies won’t be able to withstand such potent energy. Second, I must guide the medicinal power through your meridians to clear the blockages. Only then can you achieve the effect of cleansing the marrow and reinventing the body. Furthermore, after taking it, your bodies will expel a great deal of impurities. You wouldn’t want to wake up reeking, would you?” Mo Fei said, smiling at them.

…

That evening, inside the room, Vivian and Irene sat cross-legged with their backs to Mo Fei.

“Listen carefully, both of you. After you take the pill, the medicinal power might be a little overwhelming. When it rushes through your meridians, it’ll hurt a bit, so prepare yourselves. I’ll guide the medicinal power through your bodies and help open up some of your blocked meridians. All right, you can take the pills now—I’ll be here to protect you,” Mo Fei instructed them carefully.

Without hesitation, Irene and Vivian each took a Foundation Establishment Pill. The pill dissolved instantly in their mouths and slid down their throats. At once, a fiery sensation rose from their abdomens and spread throughout their bodies. It felt as if they were being roasted alive, and both cried out in pain.

“Focus your minds. Endure it, and it will soon pass!” Mo Fei’s voice sounded at their ears, snapping them back to attention and helping them resist the agony.

The burning sensation faded after a short while. Mo Fei placed his hands on their backs. “Now I’m going to guide the medicinal power to clear your blocked meridians. It’ll hurt a little—bear with it,” he said, his voice gentle but firm.

Suddenly, both Vivian and Irene felt a cool, gentle force enter their bodies from Mo Fei’s palms, circulating through their meridians. This force merged with the medicinal power of the pill, guiding it as it surged through their bodies.

“Ah!” Mo Fei manipulated his spiritual energy like a sharp awl, suddenly driving it against their blocked meridians. The piercing pain made both women cry out, and the assault did not stop there. Mo Fei continued to direct the energy, attacking each blockage one after another, their cries of pain echoing through the room.

Finally, after a deep breath, all the meridians in the women’s bodies were unblocked. Exhausted by the ordeal, both fell into a deep sleep. Mo Fei carefully channeled the remaining medicinal power, gently nurturing their newly opened but fragile meridians. After circulating the energy through two cycles, he finally let out a long breath and ended the nurturing process.

“Sigh… Helping two people establish their foundation and open their meridians at once was a bit too ambitious. I may have overestimated myself,” Mo Fei muttered to himself, shaking his head. His complexion was pale, and his forehead was beaded with sweat. He pushed open the door and stepped outside.

At the courtyard gate, Crow and Tucker glanced at Mo Fei’s weakened state with curious expressions. The two had been stationed there by Mo Fei’s orders, just in case anyone tried to interrupt the ceremony.

“What’s with those looks? Do I have something on my face?” Mo Fei asked, puzzled.

“No, nothing at all!” the two replied hastily. Mo Fei didn’t seem to realize that, coupled with the cries of pain from the room earlier and his own haggard appearance, it was hard not to let the imagination wander.

But Mo Fei had no time to concern himself with their thoughts. All he wanted was to restore the spiritual energy he’d spent. He entered the spirit-gathering array, sat down cross-legged, and began to recover his strength—a meditation that lasted until dawn.

The next morning, Mo Fei was pulled from his cultivation by Irene and Vivian’s cries of alarm.

When the two awoke, they were immediately struck by a sticky feeling all over their bodies, and a pungent odor assaulted their noses, making them cry out in surprise. They hurried off to wash themselves. After the cleansing of marrow and body, their bodies had expelled a vast amount of impurities—it was no wonder there was such a stench.

When they came out of the bath, they found Mo Fei sitting leisurely in a chair, watching them with a knowing smile.

“Stinky Mo Fei! Why didn’t you wake us up last night? You made us sleep all night smelling like that!” Vivian protested, annoyed by his teasing expression.

“You were both so exhausted and sleeping so soundly—how could I bear to wake you?” Mo Fei replied innocently.

“Hmph, I suppose that’s a decent excuse,” Vivian grumbled, knowing Mo Fei had only been looking out for them, and let the matter drop.

“Well, how do you feel now?” Mo Fei asked, gazing at the two, who seemed even more radiant and beautiful.

The girls checked themselves over. “I feel amazing, as if my whole body has become lighter. I can sense the magical elements around me much more clearly!” Irene exclaimed with delight.

“Me too!”

“That’s exactly as it should be. Now, you both possess the physique required for cultivation. From this day forth, I’ll teach you the arts of spiritual cultivation!” Mo Fei produced two books from his storage pouch and set them before the women. “These are copies I made of the Cultivation Method of Jade Void. From now on, you’ll practice according to these instructions. Read through them, and if you have any questions, come to me.”

The two women took the Jade Void Method eagerly and began to leaf through the pages. Yet after just a few lines, they found themselves stumped.

Though Mo Fei had tried to translate the more abstruse theories into terms understandable to the people of this world, for Irene and Vivian—who had never been exposed to such concepts—it was still far too complex. Left with no choice, Mo Fei began to explain everything to them, word by word.

Fortunately, both women were bright and quick to learn. With Mo Fei’s guidance, they soon grasped the principles of cultivation. They learned that the legendary invincible figures of the continent—those called Mage Gods or Sword Gods—were only on par with Foundation Establishment cultivators. Beyond that realm lay Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Void, Tribulation, and Grand Ascension, and even the possibility of breaking free of the world to become immortals. Compared to cultivators, the so-called strongest of this continent were as insignificant as ants.

With a general understanding of cultivation, Irene and Vivian began to suspect Mo Fei’s origins, but neither asked him directly. Since he had already shared the secrets of cultivation and was willing to teach them, it was clear he intended to stay by their side for the long term. Why question him further? All they needed to do was devote themselves to cultivation and strive to keep pace with him.

As the two women drifted into daydreams, Cain arrived in the courtyard to report, “Lord Mayor, there are two people outside the city requesting to see you. I haven’t let them in.”

“Oh? Why not let them wait inside the city? Did they say who they are?” Mo Fei asked.

“They refused to reveal their identities but insisted on seeing you. Because their backgrounds are unknown and their strength is considerable, I didn’t let them in.”

“If even you think they’re strong and dare not let them in lightly, they must be at the Saint level. Very well, I’ll go and see for myself who these two mysterious visitors are.”