Vol. 1 - Ch. 25 - Foundation Establishment

Chapter 25: Foundation Establishment

The stall owner didn't care who was older or younger. As soon as he received the money, he treated them both as valued customers. It was rare for someone to gamble five times at once, so he welcomed them courteously.

Ji Yaoge put away her half-empty money pouch and gestured for Gao Badou to proceed. Gao Badou snorted, arrogantly crouched in front of the stall, and scanned the Snow Pine Stones. With a few quick flicks, he picked out five rocks and tossed them back to Ji Yaoge.

"Catch them," Gao Badou instructed.

Ji Yaoge caught the first stone, then the second, third, fourth, and fifth in quick succession. Gao Badou had finished selecting in no time and stood up, saying, "Done."

When the stall owner saw the first Snow Pine Stone Gao Badou had picked, his face turned pale. As the subsequent four were selected, his previously cheerful expression turned ashen white. His lips quivered with intended politeness, "Are you sure you’re done? Not considering changing a few?"

"No need. I trust my... brother," Ji Yaoge smiled warmly.

Apparently, her calling him "brother" pleased Gao Badou. His stern face softened a bit.

Someone in the crowd urged, "Open them and see your luck!"

Ji Yaoge, however, put all five Snow Pine Stones into her ring. "No, I won't open them here. Whether good or bad, I've bought them and will check them later. Let's go, brother."

With that said, she grabbed Gao Badou and hurried away. A few steps later, voices arose from the stall.

"Hey, did someone just faint?"

"Heart attack, maybe?"

"He's waking up! What's going on here?"

The stall owner, after regaining some composure, looked at his stall and suddenly wailed, "My books...!"

Meanwhile, Ji Yaoge and Gao Badou had already disappeared into the crowded streets.

She wasn't interested in staying to open the Snow Pine Stones, risking unwanted attention. Anything picked by Gao Badou was bound to be good. Once they left the market and found a secluded spot, Gao Badou shook off her hand and raised an eyebrow, "Aren't you curious to see what's inside?"

To be honest, Ji Yaoge was curious. Finding an empty spot, she took out one stone and crushed it. Inside, a jade slip radiating purple light emerged, engraved with the words "Eight Directional Fire." Judging by its spiritual aura, it was a powerful offensive technique, at least of medium grade.

A medium-grade technique like this could fetch ten thousand spirit stones in the market. If it had special qualities, it could easily go over a hundred thousand.

Just this one technique was worth more than all the money she spent today. Gao Badou was practically her treasure trove.

"Amazing, Brother Gao! I am in awe," Ji Yaoge said, clasping her hands in respect. She finally got to experience the thrill of gambling.

Proud, Gao Badou instinctively tried to stroke his beard but remembered he had no facial hair in human form. Embarrassed, he rubbed his nose and transformed back into his bug form, returning to the jade tube. "I'm tired. Let me sleep. Don't bother me unless it's important," he murmured. After secretly absorbing a lot of spirit energy at the market, all he wanted was to sleep.

Ji Yaoge carefully stored away this financial blessing, holding a few potentially medium-grade techniques, and ran back to Bai Yan's stall.

Bai Yan was struggling to sell two bottles of elixirs, unable to haggle up the price. Ji Yaoge snatched the elixirs from the customer's hands, threw them to Bai Yan, and said, "We're done here. Let's go."

Bai Yan, confused, watched as the annoyed customer walked away. He hurried to stop Ji Yaoge, who was packing up, "What's going on, Miss?"

Ji Yaoge bundled everything in the cloth and handed it to him, "We're leaving!"

Bai Yan had no choice but to pack up. He summoned their worn flying sword and, with Ji Yaoge, wobbled back to Chixiu Palace.

When he saw the two medium-grade techniques laid out on the table in front of Ji Yaoge, he was in disbelief. He had never even touched a medium-grade technique before.

"This 'Withered Water Curse,' you can sell it for me and exchange it for some items. Your body has a fire attribute, the Semi-Fire Spiritual Body; this 'Eight Directional Fire' is suitable for you. Take it. Whether you want to cultivate it or sell it, it's up to you," Ji Yaoge said, pushing the jade slip toward him.

"For me?" Bai Yan was even more surprised.

"Yes. Stop forcefully enhancing your cultivation with drugs. The cultivation path is long. It's not worth sacrificing hundreds or even thousands of years for quick gains. If you cultivate this fire technique honestly, it will still be a powerful skill. Whether you seek revenge or prove your strength, you'll achieve your goals. Don't be short-sighted," Ji Yaoge explained. It was up to him whether he would heed her advice.

Bai Yan, stunned, asked, "Why are you being so kind to me?"

"There's no special reason. If you need one, consider it my repayment on behalf of the original owner of this body by looking out for her friends and family," Ji Yaoge said softly.

Bai Yan remained silent for a moment, then accepted both techniques. His eyes brightened as he spoke, "Give me a list of things you want to buy, and I'll get them for you. If you need any help in the future, just ask."

"Thank you," Ji Yaoge smiled and nodded.

————

Bai Yan, being resourceful and well-connected, soon found a buyer for the other medium-grade technique, selling it for fifteen thousand spirit stones, which he converted into fifteen middle-grade spirit stones. Ji Yaoge kept six for herself and gave Bai Yan two as commission. Though reluctant at first, Bai Yan agreed when Ji Yaoge explained she would need his help often in the future and couldn't have him working for free. Bai Yan then readily went to procure the items for her.

With these matters in Bai Yan's capable hands, Ji Yaoge felt assured. Their relationship was a balanced mix of emotional and practical support, avoiding both excessive detachment and undeserved favors. It was a partnership built on mutual respect.

She gave Bai Yan a list of items needed for her seclusion and also asked him to find a cave dwelling near the mountains and forests, suitable for absorbing spirit bones during her retreat. Bai Yan quickly found a suitable cave, previously owned by a senior brother who wanted to sell it for money to buy a treasure.

The news of Ji Yaoge moving into the cave caused a mild stir among the sect members. Seeing Bai Yan handling the purchase, rumors that they would become Dao companions resurfaced.

Bai Yan, aware of the attention, quietly agreed but Ji Yaoge didn't mind.

When everything was in place, just as Ji Yaoge was about to enter seclusion, a visitor arrived.

————

"Senior Sister, please have some tea," Ji Yaoge personally brewed tea and served it to Yue Xiao.

Yue Xiao, dressed in a sky-blue gown, glanced around Ji Yaoge's new cave with a haughty look in her eyes.

The cave was larger than her previous dwelling, divided into two rooms. Bai Yan had decorated it nicely when he bought it, making it look elegant, although still simple compared to Yue Xiao's standards.

"Are you really going into seclusion?" Yue Xiao took a sip of tea.

"Yes," Ji Yaoge replied.

"Considering the timing, you'll miss the Dual Cultivation Duel Conference and many other opportunities. If you want, you could lead the Twelve Immortal Demon Dance. Why give up such a chance?" Yue Xiao asked.

"Even if I make a stunning impression in the dance, so what? Opportunities are about being chosen by others. Senior Sister, that's not what I want," Ji Yaoge said calmly.

"Given your talent, wouldn't it be better to find someone to depend on and live your life easily?" Yue Xiao's eyes hinted at subtle seduction.

Ji Yaoge poured herself a cup of tea, drinking it slowly, "People plan, but success depends on fate. Even if I achieve nothing in my life, I'll never depend on others."

"Good," Yue Xiao praised quietly, erasing her previous disdain. "That’s the spirit I like. I thought you were just a sycophant clinging to others, but I was wrong. Do you blame me for targeting you before?"

"Senior Sister, I accepted the Twelve Immortal Demon Dance trial because I shirked my duties, so I have no complaints. As for the earlier targeting, I've forgotten. No need for you to worry," Ji Yaoge shook her head. Yue Xiao’s several acts of making things difficult were minor and she bore no grudge.

"Alright. In Chixiu Palace, I'll look after you. Don't count on Ye Long," Yue Xiao said, smiling.

Ji Yaoge hesitated but then said, "Senior Sister, I think the person you were targeting wasn't me, but Senior Sister Ye Long, right?"

Yue Xiao's smile froze, and Ji Yaoge continued, "Senior Sister Ye Long told me that the reason she helped me is because I remind her of the past you. She still cares about your past relationship. Maybe there’s a misunderstanding between you two..."

"No misunderstanding!" Yue Xiao interrupted, her brows knitted in anger. "Don't speak for her. She had plenty of chances to explain over the years but never did. No need to be a mediator."

Seeing Yue Xiao's anger, Ji Yaoge immediately stopped talking to avoid causing more trouble for Ye Long.

Yue Xiao, hearing Ye Long's name, became enraged and stomped to leave. At the door, she turned back, annoyed, "Almost forgot. I’m here about the Twelve Immortal Demon Dance. Since you completed the trial, I'll teach you the Wuliu String Technique as promised. But since you’re going into seclusion, we’ll do it when you come out."

After a pause, she added, "Don't worry, I can teach better than Ye Long!"

"Thank you, Senior Sister," Ji Yaoge replied submissively.

Only then did Yue Xiao leave.

Ji Yaoge immediately sealed the cave after Yue Xiao left, setting a mid-level protective formation outside with the costly materials Bai Yan had procured for her. She added two more layers of restrictions before sitting cross-legged on her lotus seat.

Closing her eyes lightly, she opened her spiritual eye. Lights of various colors floated around her, converging on the vermilion mark between her brows, which grew redder and more mesmerizing. The spiritual ocean within her gently flowed, like a whirlpool absorbing the spirit bones, forming a delicate stream of stars into the vast sky.

With an absorption speed ten times faster than ordinary people, the stream flowed endlessly. Over time, countless spirit bones floated and sank in the dark spiritual sea, gradually emitting a faint light like swirling nebulae.

Various emotions overwhelmed her—joy, anger, sorrow, and all mixed into a chaotic blend. She used the "Miaolian Mantra" to resolve these emotions, understanding and unraveling them slowly.

As the spirit bones melted into her spiritual sea, turning into spiritual energy, they traveled to her limbs and bones. The long-lost sensation arose again, guiding the precious spiritual energy towards her dantian...

This process, long and monotonous, was repeated endlessly. Time in the outside world seemed to stretch on until her dantian gathered enough spiritual energy to form a single mass. As her muscles and bones began to itch, Ji Yaoge opened her eyes.

She had reached the peak of Qi Refining; it was time to start Foundation Establishment.

The transition from Qi Refining to Foundation Establishment was a significant milestone in a cultivator's journey, transforming mortal flesh into immortal bones. This was the best opportunity to hone the body upon entering the path of immortality. If done properly, even someone with useless bones could become an immortal.

She brought out the Qiongxi Cauldron she bought from the market, using Phoenix Wood to ignite the fire. She threw all the herbs Bai Yan had collected for her into the cauldron. The roaring fire reduced the herbs to white steam, which enveloped her as she floated meditating over the cauldron, enduring the intense heat and steam.

Gao Badou had said her body was an Absolute Spirit Physique, where narrow and clogged meridians retained too many impurities. She needed to use this opportunity to expel the impurities and open her meridians, using the herbal power to refine her bones and muscles.

Her skin turned red from the steam, the Phoenix Wood fire almost scorching her very soul. Ji Yaoge gritted her teeth, enduring the burning pain, forcing spiritual energy inch by inch through her meridians. Her entire being was both burned and pricked, reaching the critical moment of Foundation Establishment.

Suddenly, a thunderous crash came from outside. Something heavy struck near the cave, causing the ground to shake. A terrifying pressure, belonging to a powerful being, followed instantly. Ji Yaoge didn’t know what was happening outside; she couldn't move or lose focus now.

The pressures were strange, one cold and one hot, squeezing her small stone chamber and her body. Already enduring intense pain, Ji Yaoge felt extreme discomfort, almost wanting to tear apart her flesh. Desperately, she pushed all her spiritual energy into her meridians to achieve balance.

In doing so, impurities rapidly surfaced and evaporated from her skin, making it nearly see-through. Her meridians became clearly visible, the turquoise spiritual energy expanding them to their limit, resisting the pressures.

One cold, one hot, like iron being forged.

Bang!

The cave door was suddenly smashed open, her protection formations and restrictions instantly destroyed. Outside noises filled the air, and she didn't know what was happening. In her daze, she saw Bai Yan rushing into the cave, sword in hand, standing in front of her and shouting something she couldn't hear or respond to; she couldn't stop now.

Bai Yan seemed anxious but saw she was at a critical juncture and had no choice. Turning, he guarded her, gritting his teeth as he formed seals. Just then, a strong force burst in, hitting his chest. He coughed blood but didn't stop forming seals, quickly covering the cave entrance with countless vines, sealing it tight.

Ji Yaoge couldn't care about anything else. Her bones and muscles were being reforged, her meridians expanded to the extreme by external pressure. Massive spiritual energy flowed through her limbs, no longer dull and stubborn.

"Senior Sister, hurry! I can't hold on!" Bai Yan called out as another wave of force approached.

Outside, the black-clouded sky was struck by a silent purple lightning bolt, covering the cave in a divine glow, hidden by the thick clouds, unseen by anyone.

Bang!

The vine wall Bai Yan created was shattered. A fierce force headed straight for his chest. In that critical moment, a loud phoenix cry echoed as the Qiongxi Cauldron broke, Phoenix Fire flaring. Ji Yaoge emerged from the flames, pulling Bai Yan and shooting through the cave ceiling.

In a loud crash, the small mountain collapsed. Ji Yaoge carried Bai Yan, soaring several miles away, stopping on a mountaintop and looking back at the distant mountains, now covered in charred debris, with continuous lightning flashes and rapidly swirling clouds.

"What’s happening?" Ji Yaoge asked Bai Yan.

Gasping, Bai Yan said, "Xiao Wuheng is really in Tiyu State. He's fighting with the Mountain Lord’s immortal friend, Immortal Yuan."

The battle spread from Fenghuang Mountain to Shuangxia Valley, affecting most of Tiyu State. They were fighting right over Chixiu Palace.

Even from a distance, Ji Yaoge felt the destructive power. She looked up but saw only occasional lightning besides thick clouds. Suddenly, a golden glow pierced the clouds, looking closely; it was a giant spider leg, piercing through someone's chest. The person, however, laughed wildly, echoing through the mountains.

"Yuan Huan, today's assault will be repaid someday." With that, the person turned into black mist and disappeared.

The giant spider vanished, the sky cleared, and a person fell from the clouds like a meteoric star, disappearing among the mountains.

The battle ended, but Tiyu State was left half-destroyed. As the weather calmed, hidden cultivators emerged, looking at the desolate landscape in confusion.

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