Mo Tiange stared blankly at the three Foundation Establishment Pills rolling on the tray.
After she had presented the pill recipe, as expected, someone delivered the rewards later. It wasn't just the promised three Foundation Establishment Pills; there were also other treasures, pills, and spirit stones. On the second day, another disciple brought over some items, including a bottle of newly refined Foundation-Solidifying Pills of much higher quality than hers, sent on the orders of Uncle-Master Shoujing.
To be honest, the value of these two rewards exceeded all her worldly possessions. Therefore, she didn't feel any resentment about the recipe being taken. At least, these two members of the Qin family weren't outright robbers; they had treated her quite well indeed.
After a chaotic jumble of thoughts, she put away the items and headed for Perfected One Xuanyin's cave abode.
Using her own token to open the outermost formation, and after being announced by a gate-keeping disciple, Mo Tiange entered the main hall of Perfected One Xuanyin's cave abode.
Upon entering, Wei Jiasi was also there. Seeing Mo Tiange come in, her face remained expressionless.
Mo Tiange paid it no mind, first bowing to Uncle-Master Xuanyin. "Disciple Mo Tiange pays her respects to Uncle-Master Xuanyin."
Perfected One Xuanyin's expression was kindly. "Rise."
"Thank you, Uncle-Master." Mo Tiange stood up. She then performed a Daoist salute towards Wei Jiasi. "Senior Sister Wei."
Wei Jiasi's expression was indifferent, responding somewhat coldly before turning her head away, not looking at her.
Mo Tiange wasn't angry either, just standing properly with her hands respectfully at her sides.
Perfected One Xuanyin looked at her and asked gently, "Tian Ge, have you come because you have something to discuss?"
"Yes," Mo Tiange lowered her head to report. "Disciple received Foundation Establishment Pills bestowed by Ancestor Jinghe a couple of days ago. Therefore, I've come to seek your guidance, Uncle-Master. May I enter closed-door cultivation immediately?"
"This..." Perfected One Xuanyin pondered for a moment before asking, "You've just been in closed-door cultivation for half a year. Do you feel fatigued?"
Mo Tiange shook her head. "Disciple does not feel fatigued. My mind is solely focused on the matter of Foundation Establishment."
Perfected One Xuanyin then said, "In principle, Qi Refining cultivators, with their unstable mental states, should not undergo closed-door cultivation for more than half a year, and certainly not consecutively. However, your will is firm. I imagine it won't be a major issue. If you wish to enter closed-door cultivation immediately, you may. However, Foundation Establishment requires a calm mind and smooth flow of spiritual Qi. If you feel restless, you must stop immediately."
Hearing this, Mo Tiange said happily, "In that case, disciple will continue closed-door cultivation starting tomorrow."
Perfected One Xuanyin nodded with a smile. "You already know the steps for Foundation Establishment. There's no need to report again. Decide for yourself."
"Yes. Disciple takes her leave."
Having received permission, Mo Tiange once again immersed herself in preparations for her closed-door cultivation to attempt Foundation Establishment.
She still had one Foundation-Solidifying Pill left from what she obtained from Jiang Chengxian. Last time, she had only refined two Foundation-Solidifying Pills and had used one. Fortunately, among the items sent by Uncle-Master Shoujing was a bottle of newly refined Foundation-Solidifying Pills. Once everything was prepared, she notified the people she could consider friends—Luo Fengxue and Ye Jingwen—about her renewed closed-door cultivation. Ye Jingwen rushed over before her seclusion to give detailed instructions, while Luo Fengxue promised to take good care of her medicinal garden while she was in seclusion.
With all miscellaneous matters settled, Mo Tiange once again closed her cave abode.
Perhaps for others, attempting Foundation Establishment again just days after a failure would seem too hasty. But Mo Tiange was very calm. In truth, during the last three months of her previous seclusion, she had already known Foundation Establishment would fail. Yet she had still used the medicinal power of the Foundation Establishment Pill to thoroughly cleanse the spiritual Qi throughout her body. Therefore, she didn't feel any sense of urgency.
With a calm heart and closed eyes focusing her mind, Mo Tiange once again immersed herself in the world of cultivation.
The peaks of Mount Taikang were rich with spiritual Qi. Here, right next to Perfected One Xuanyin's cave abode, the spiritual Qi was especially abundant. Mo Tiange slowly circulated the spiritual Qi throughout her body, starting from her dantian, flowing through her meridians, and finally returning to her dantian. Around her, spiritual Qi gathered bit by bit, surging towards her body and gradually merging into her meridians.
The Yin-attributed spiritual Qi within her body circulated steadily. Although it absorbed a great deal of spiritual Qi, it didn't increase by the slightest bit. That spiritual Qi circulated once through her body before gradually dissipating. Qi Refining Perfection meant that, without establishing her foundation, her cultivation could no longer increase. However, she wasn't anxious at all. She simply slowly controlled her spiritual Qi, circulating it through the Grand Heavenly Cycle over and over until her entire being became accustomed to this repetitive cycle.
She didn't know how much time had passed, only feeling as if her entire body had become a universe. She began swallowing the auxiliary pills one by one, and finally, the first Foundation Establishment Pill.
The spiritual Qi within her body surged violently once more, her meridians feeling as if they were splitting inch by inch. But this time, her expression didn't even flicker. She still steadily followed the original pace, controlling the world within her body, operating it bit by bit, absolutely refusing to change due to external factors.
That powerful force gradually dissolved into the Yin-attributed spiritual Qi, even being assimilated step by step.
As that spiritual Qi slowly weakened, she almost without thought swallowed another Foundation Establishment Pill together with a Foundation-Solidifying Pill.
The two divine senses observing this place were both startled, almost wanting to immediately order her to stop. But seeing her still calmly circulating her spiritual Qi, they ultimately refrained.
If swallowing the first Foundation Establishment Pill caused a gale to whip up within her body, then this time, it stirred up towering, monstrous waves. Wave after wave crashed down, solidly striking her meridians. Yet she remained utterly motionless—not blocking, but merging herself into it, going with the flow. Once she gradually grasped the rhythm within, she slowly seized control.
Upon swallowing the third Foundation Establishment Pill and Foundation-Solidifying Pill, the gradually calming waves turned into a deluge of seawater, washing everything away, submerging everything, completely surrounding that Yin-attributed spiritual Qi as if to devour it in one gulp. But she remained calm and persistent, circulating that weak spiritual Qi, slowly driving it, slowly assimilating it.
She didn't know how long it took, but that spiritual Qi was finally assimilated, becoming a massive river current, widening her meridians bit by bit. Finally, a hundred streams converged into the sea, rushing towards her dantian.
At this moment, a strange phenomenon appeared on Qingquan Peak. Countless strands of spiritual Qi, as if drawn by something, surged towards a certain place.
Numerous disciples of Qingquan Peak emerged from their cave abodes, watching as this spiritual Qi transformed from formless to tangible, finally gathering at a certain location.
A few clouds drifted leisurely over, lingering above that cave abode, intertwining with the spiritual Qi, gradually weaving into a rainbow bridge.
"Core Formation! Someone is forming their Core!" shouted a disciple who had seen a senior of the sect undergo Core Formation, attracting other disciples to gather and watch.
Spiritual Qi gathered, auspicious clouds faintly appeared. The Core Formation Elders from the various peaks of Mount Taikang also emerged from their own cave abodes to observe this spectacle.
Qingquan Peak became a bustling crowd, countless people surging towards the cave abode located halfway up the mountain.
At this moment, a figure appeared in mid-air, hands clasped behind his back as he surveyed the crowded masses below. He shouted, "All disciples of Qingquan Peak, return to your cave abodes immediately! Do not disobey!"
His voice was clear and resonant, as if spoken right beside one's ear. Seeing this figure standing in the air, the disciples all performed a Daoist salute and complied with the order. Yet they still discussed in small groups.
"Junior Brother Shoujing!" Core Formation cultivators from other peaks hurried over, pressing for answers. "What's going on? It looks like someone is forming a Core, yet the aura seems somewhat insufficient. Could it be a disciple of your Qingquan Peak is practicing some secret technique?"
Qin Xi answered calmly, "There's no need for surprise, Senior Brothers. A disciple of our Qingquan Peak is merely establishing their foundation."
"Foundation Establishment?" Getting this answer made these cultivators even more astonished. "How could Foundation Establishment possibly trigger heavenly phenomena and create a spiritual Qi vortex?"
"I am still observing this matter. If there is news, I will discuss it in detail with you Senior Brothers later."
"This is not normal..."
Perfected One Xuanyin flew closer, exchanging salutes with the Core Formation cultivators surrounding Qin Xi. He said solemnly, "Senior and Junior Brothers, Junior Brother Shoujing and I will keep a close watch on this matter. Please return for now, lest you cause panic among the disciples."
This statement finally stopped the Core Formation cultivators from asking further questions. After discussing for a moment, they each left.
Qin Xi and Perfected One Xuanyin landed in front of Mo Tiange's cave abode, both with grave expressions.
"Junior Brother Shoujing, in your opinion, what exactly is the reason for this?"
Qin Xi remained silent for a long while before slowly speaking. "Several hundred years ago, a spirit beast from the Primordial Era awakened within a ten-thousand-year glacier. At that time, auspicious clouds gathered in the sky, and thunder rumbled as if in celebration."
When he reached this point, Perfected One Xuanyin was taken aback. "You mean..."
But Qin Xi shook his head. "I'm not certain either. However, a spirit beast that was utterly unremarkable in the Primordial Era could, by our time, trigger such heavenly phenomena. I imagine it's due to differences in realm."
Perfected One Xuanyin pondered for a long time but still didn't understand. "Even so, she cultivates a contemporary technique, unrelated to the Primordial Era."
Qin Xi didn't continue on this topic, only saying, "Let's watch. Once she emerges from seclusion, we'll know exactly what's going on."
But the time they had to wait exceeded their expectations.
Half a year passed, and Mo Tiange still hadn't emerged. She sat cross-legged in her cave abode like a silkworm in its cocoon, utterly unaware. The cave abode was filled with spiritual Qi so dense it was almost liquid. Around her, Yin-attributed spiritual Qi wrapped her tightly, layer upon layer, almost solidifying, encasing her completely.
A year passed, and Perfected One Xuanyin was beginning to grow restless. For cultivators establishing their foundation, it generally took a few months to half a year. By the time the heavenly phenomena erupted, Mo Tiange had already been in seclusion for nearly half a year. Counting that, she had been in closed-door cultivation for a full year and a half. No one in the Xuanqing Sect had ever taken this long to establish their foundation.
A year and a half passed, and even the sect's Chief Supreme Elder came to inquire. Even the heavenly phenomena for Core Formation wouldn't last this long. Why was this disciple taking so much time for Foundation Establishment?
Two years passed. Qin Xi stood before the cave abode, silent.
In the beginning, they could still use their divine senses to probe the situation inside the cave abode. But later, it was as if a dense, solid layer of spiritual Qi separated the inside. Even their Core Formation divine senses couldn't penetrate deeply. Now, they had no idea of the situation inside, only vaguely sensing that the person within was still alive.
During Foundation Establishment, outsiders absolutely must not disturb the process. Otherwise, the consequences could range from serious injury to cultivation regression. Whenever he had free time, he would come stand here for a while, not knowing when the door to this cave abode would open.
He raised his head, looking at the clouds above. Spiritual Qi had condensed into a rainbow bridge upon them, spirit magpies danced, beautiful as a fairyland.
Suddenly, the rainbow bridge shifted. In an instant, the clouds dispersed, the mist vanished, the spirit magpies flew up and disappeared without a trace, as if the previous scene had been an illusion.
His brow twitched. He turned his head, staring intently at the stone door before him.
The spiritual Qi of the cave abode was also rapidly dispersing. In less than a quarter of an hour, it had scattered completely.
The disciples of Qingquan Peak almost none the wiser, the scenery that had persisted for over a year had vanished silently.
The stone door finally opened. A person slowly walked out, smiling in greeting.
Volume Three: The Immortal Gate Begins to Reveal Itself
Now possessing a bit of cultivation, a bit of status~