The Dao of Foundation Establishment

With everything settled, Second Master Ming called his grand-nephew over to meet Kang Dabao. The boy's given name was Zhe, and he was eleven or twelve years old. He had clear eyes, looked intelligent, and his cultivation was quite good, already at the Third Layer of Qi Refinement Refining.

He simply possessed a strong scholarly air about him, the kind of person who had been raised at home, and lacked the bloodthirstiness of others.

"Ming Zhe greets Uncle."

"Let him become Brother Qing's apprentice," Second Master Ming added.

Kang Dabao nodded in agreement. Even though Jiang Qing Qingdao had physical defects, the elders Second Master Ming still felt that he was the most promising in the Chongming Sect. Second Master Ming was afraid that his descendants would be held back, so he mentioned it again, which was only human nature.

Instead of being annoyed by his interference in the sect's affairs, Sect Leader Kang Da was quite pleased with Second Master Ming's high regard for Jiang Qing.

The following morning, Kang Dabao, along with Ming Zhe and He Dezong, bid farewell to Second Master Ming.

The old man pulled his grand-nephew to his side and gave him many earnest instructions. Ming Zhe was already over ten years old. As a member of the Lineage, he was naturally precocious. Seeing his great-uncle's manner, he vaguely guessed what was going on.

The thought that the two of them might never see each other again in this life brought tears to Ming Zhe's clear eyes, which he barely managed to hold back.

Having lived for so many years, Second Master Ming had witnessed countless partings and deaths in the first half of his life. At this moment, his deeply lined face showed no sorrow or joy. In the end, he only whispered a message to Ming Zhe: "Study hard and acquire skills, so that you can take your own life in your own hands in the future."

Second Master Ming pulled Ming Zhe back to Sect Leader Kang Da's side with a rather solemn expression. The latter was not one to make promises lightly, so he simply said to Second Master Ming, "Take care, Master Ming," before pulling Ming Zhe back towards the Chongming Sect.

Kang Dabao rode his old donkey alongside He Dezong's colorful yellow horse. Sect Leader Kang Da was already slightly shorter than his elder brother, and the old donkey he rode was more than a foot shorter at the shoulder than the colorful yellow horse.

The two stood side by side, one tall and one short, which was quite comical, making Ming Zhe was following closely behind and was still somewhat sentimental, unable to suppress a laugh.

Kang and He were both preoccupied with their own thoughts, and Ming Zhe, having just left the Lineage where he was born and raised, was in low spirits and remained silent.

The three remained silent the entire way, the only sound the clatter of their pack animals' hooves hitting the ground, which made the atmosphere exceptionally quiet.

"Anle is truly a good boy, no less than Fellow Lu Xun. He manages his family's caravan quite well; even many of my old friends who rely on the mountains for their livelihood praise him when they see me."

In the end, it was He Dezong who broke the deadlock. He was clearly a very eloquent person, familiar with the temperament of Sect Leader Kang Da, and knew that praising Kang Dabao's disciples would please him more than praising him directly.

"Brother, you flatter me. He's just a good-for-nothing child. I'll have to keep an eye on him." Although Sect Leader Kang Da could tell that He Dezong had deliberately chosen these words of praise, a hint of joy still appeared on his face.

"Ah, you're just too modest." He Dezong shook his head with a smile, glanced back at Ming Zhe, and then quietly transmitted his voice, saying, "After we return, I will attempt to Foundation Establishment."

"Then I'll offer my congratulations in advance, Brother. Once you emerge from seclusion, I'm afraid I'll have to address you as 'Senior'." Sect Leader Kang Da was slightly surprised to hear this.

He Dezong cultivates the Vast-Tier Superior-Grade Cultivation Method "Heart-Concentrating Instruction," and without the assistance of Foundation Establishment spiritual object, the probability of independently achieving Foundation Establishment is over 10%.

For a Qi Refinement True Cultivator Lineage like the He Household, which has never even produced Foundation Establishment cultivator, this is an incredible probability, enough for him to take a gamble.

Moreover, the He Household has been merchants for generations. Even though most of their wealth was seized by the True Cultivator Lang Yi, they should still have accumulated enough resources over the generations to have a Foundation Establishment spiritual item of the Yi Wood Green Willow Heart caliber.

In this way, the probability of He Dezong successfully Foundation Establishment would reach 20% or even 30% or more.

A hint of envy flashed in Sect Leader Kang Da. He thought to himself that his virtuous elder brother, whom he had admired since childhood, was truly extraordinary. He had only managed to gain a slight advantage over him by leveraging the influence of the Fei Household and the Daoist Black Shoes, and now Kang Da had found another easy path to catch up.

"You, you..." He Dezong laughed for a while after hearing the joke from Sect Leader Kang Da, but he also felt much more relaxed.

"My dear brother, if anything were to happen to me..."

"Ha, my esteemed brother, you are being rather worldly. Not to mention that you are certain of your immediate success, even Yuanhe is still studying the True Disciple at the Stone Mountain Sect in Pu Prefecture. The He Household is so large, filled with talented and virtuous individuals, why would we need my care?"

"Yes, yes. You're right, brother. I was being a bit too worldly." He Dezong also raised his head and laughed heartily.

He Dezong entered the Dao in just seven months, became a Middle Qi Refinement cultivator at the age of fourteen, and inherited the position of head of the He Household family at the age of thirty. He then made the already sizable He Household caravan even more prosperous.

Among the heroes from the surrounding counties, and the high-ranking officials sitting in the main hall, which one of them wasn't a close friend of He Household's eldest son?

It's just the Foundation Establishment, it sounds like a big deal, but it's really just a small hurdle on the Dao Path. He Dezong has diligently cultivated for forty or fifty years, all for the chance to transform into a dragon amidst the storms of life.

Why are you cowering in fear now that this day has finally come?!

The sudden surge of pride in He Dezong's heart swept away the slight dejection he had felt from the cold reception he had received at the Iron Mansion.

Sect Leader Kang Da was also pleased. If He Dezong truly succeeded in Foundation Establishment, then Chongming Sect would have another close Foundation Establishment power.

Even if He Dezong truly Foundation Establishment, his influence would be far less than that of the Daoist Black Shoes and Sima Fei, and he might not be able to provide much assistance to the Chongming Sect.

But Kang Dabao still hoped that his elder brother could successfully Foundation Establishment, just like before.

After this, both of them became more talkative.

Ming Zhe, who had been following closely behind, was not neglected either. When the two elders paused their conversation, they would ask each other a few questions, taking turns testing them.

Ming Zhe's family background was quite good, and neither Kang Dabao nor He Dezong could find any fault with him, so they both showed a degree of satisfaction on their faces.

The three of them reached a fork in the road, He Dezong sighed with regret, "After decades of cultivation, I still haven't achieved liberation. I've toiled half my life, constantly on the move. Otherwise, I would really like to return to the Chongming Sect with you, my virtuous brother, and drink with the brothers for a few days before returning home."

Upon hearing He Dezong's words, Sect Leader Kang Da felt a pang of sympathy, but even so, he still offered words of comfort, "Brother, your Dao Path enlightenment is long. You'll only live to be four hundred years old after reaching the Foundation Establishment. You'll have plenty of time to come and drink with us brothers then!"

"Haha, my good brother, you're quite the smooth talker! I'll take your kind words! I'll need your help with my Foundation Establishment ceremony in the future!" He Dezong banished his worries and laughed again. Then, he lightly tapped the belly of his yellow horse with his heel and said loudly, "Let's go! Take care, my good brother!"

Kang Dabao bowed again to his elder brother's retreating figure before turning to Ming Zhe, who was riding Black Bone, and said softly, "Kid, let's go. We should go back and get back to our cultivation."

--Zither Leaf Forest, Jade Toad cave abode

The Daoist Black Shoes upright, eyes closed, regulating his breathing. Jiang Qing, with his palms facing upwards, continued to breathe in and out.

After the Daoist Black Shoes heard that the latter had completed thirty-six cycles of qi circulation, he gently opened his eyes and softly praised, "Good!"

After Jiang Qing finished his practice, a hint of joy appeared on his face. He bowed to the Daoist Black Shoes and said, "Thank you for your guidance, Uncle-Master."

"This 'Guo Mountain Qi Circulation Method' was originally picked up from the corpses of cultivators from the Five Aspects Sect by your foolish senior brother. However, he didn't recognize its value and regarded it as an ordinary introductory Qi circulation method, so he put it on a shelf and never paid attention to it again."

"If it weren't for you, Brother Qing, finding this for me to see, this superior foundational method would probably still be gathering dust and infested with insects in the library."

After the Daoist Black Shoes finished speaking, a look of satisfaction appeared on his face.

In terms of talent, Jiang Qing Qingzhi is indeed among the best in the Chongming Sect today.

Even more fortunate is the opportunity to find this superior foundational method, "Guo Mountain Qi Circulation Method," at this time, which will greatly assist Jiang Qing in his Foundation Establishment process.

Hearing the praise from the Daoist Black Shoes, Jiang Qing was delighted but didn't forget to add a few words of explanation for Sect Leader Kang Da: "Senior Brother is busy managing the household, so it's normal that he was momentarily distracted."

The Daoist Black Shoes smiled after hearing this. These two brothers, though they bicker among themselves, cannot tolerate any criticism from others. It's quite amusing.

"Alright, let's not talk about that dejected fellow anymore. Now that we have the Limb Restoration and Spirit Renewal Decoction Elixir given by Shuhe and the Upper-Grade Foundation Establishment Pill from Kuang Liuting, if you spend another year or two mastering this Qi Circulation Technique, you'll have a 20% chance of achieving Foundation Establishment."

The Daoist Black Shoes began to ponder, and his expression brightened.

If Kang Dabao is somewhat of a far-fetched "illegitimate son" of the Daoist Black Shoes, then Jiang Qing is undoubtedly the Daoist Black Shoes's prized disciple.

With exceptional talent, superior comprehension, and handsome appearance, he is far superior to that of the certain sect leader surnamed Kang.

However, when the Daoist Black Shoes looked at Jiang Qing's severed arm, a sense of regret arose in his heart.

If I had stood firmly on the side of the Cloud Horn Prefecture Court back then, things might have turned out differently.

After thinking about it, Hei Daoist Black Shoes cloud has a silver lining. If he really went, given Kuang Liuting's personality, he might not show much mercy.

At that time, the Chongming Sect will follow him, and they might even be drawn into the struggle against that False Core Fei Nanying. If that happens, it might not be much better than it is now.

The conflict between the state court and the Two Instruments Sect is far from over. The battle at Little Wu Mountain looked exciting, but it resulted in the Two Instruments Sect losing a Pill Master and the entire Cloud Horn Prefecture.

Although the state court seemed to have gained a great advantage, it did not actually harm the core of the Two Instruments Sect, this behemoth.

His family still has seven True-Grade Golden Core listed among them; that is the foundation of the Two Instruments Sect.

Only a few people have died so far. The real battle between the two sides will only get interesting after Kuang Liuting, this member of the royal family, forms his Golden Core.

The young tiger is not afraid of the ox; this battle is sure to be a spectacle.

If a real fight breaks out, it might be even more intense than the struggle between the legitimate and illegitimate Ye Prefecture Yang Household next door, and the fighting could last for decades without ever subsiding.

If it were truly such a formidable force, even Golden Core cultivator would struggle to protect themselves; the Daoist Black Shoes certainly did not wish to get involved.

Thinking of this, the Daoist Black Shoes composed himself and said to Jiang Qing, "Brother Qing, listen carefully. The so-called Foundation Establishment is to build the foundation for seeking the Dao. As the saying goes, a tall building rises from the ground, so this step is much more important than Drawing Spirit into the Body."

Regarding the details, I have several insights left behind by True Cultivator Foundation Establishment; please study them carefully. I will only briefly share them with you now. The Dao must be realized through one's own efforts; even elders and close relatives cannot teach you much.

The first step in Foundation Establishment is to circulate one's essence through the hundred meridians. First, one nourishes the spirit with emptiness, then transforms the spirit into qi, and finally generates essence with qi. After this essence circulates and nourishes the hundred meridians and acupoints, the cultivator achieves unobstructed meridians and strong meridians, and then begins the next step: transforming Spiritual Qi into liquid.

Because Qi Refinement cultivators haven't lost their impure nature, the Spiritual Qi in their meridians is inevitably impure. The process of liquefying Spiritual Qi energy is to refine and solidify the Spiritual Qi within the body, removing impurities and retaining the pure essence, in order to achieve the goal of pure Spiritual Qi.

The Daoist Black Shoes paused here, "Many unorthodox cultivators without a lineage often fail to even complete the first step, ending up with all their meridians severed. But compared to the third step, these two steps are relatively simple and shouldn't be too difficult for you, Brother Qing."

Jiang Qing listened attentively, without the slightest sign of relaxation, until the Daoist Black Shoes said again, "The third step is, the Divine Furnace Gives Birth to a Lotus."

"The spiritual liquid formed from Spiritual Qi is used to nurture the Dao seed, and then the Dao seed is used to grow a Dao lotus in the Dantian. After the Dao lotus blooms, the petals are all red, the stamens are all dark blue, and the leaves are divided into four colors, forming the four grades of Dao Foundation, which are what ordinary people call purple, gold, ice, and green."

This step is extremely dangerous; the three treasures of essence, energy, and spirit must be kept secret. Those who lose their essence will die, those who lose their energy will perish, and those who lose their spirit will also die.

During the heyday of ancient cultivation, the Dao was advocated to Dao Emulates Own Inherent Spontaneity and Buxiu Dao of External Alchemy. The Foundation Establishment was a formidable barrier that only those with unwavering will and profound Dao affinity could overcome.

Therefore, the ancient Foundation Establishment were far superior to those of today, both in terms of the threshold for cultivation and the level of the Cultivation Method. The achievements of ancient cultivators also far surpassed those of people today.

Until several years ago, it was said that a former world lord of this realm brought the Dao of External Alchemy from another small world. Since then, Breakthrough Pill have become rampant in the Crimson Heaven Realm. As long as resources are plentiful, the path to enlightenment can be much smoother.

Although the Foundation Establishment Pill is small, it is one of the testaments to the flourishing of Dao of External Alchemy in this world. It can help people stabilize their three treasures and assist in the Foundation Establishment.

Although most cultivators who achieve Foundation Establishment through external forces are at the Green Leaf, and even Ice Leaf cultivators are extremely rare, they have indeed provided a path for advancement for many cultivators with less natural talent.

Brother Qing, your Dao body is still incomplete. Several major meridians are blocked, and you have lost more than a dozen major acupoints compared to ordinary people. This will also reduce your spiritual fluid intake.

The first two steps may not have been difficult for you, but you must still be careful. Fortunately, we have some ways to make up for it. In my opinion, Brother Qing, your formation of the Dao Foundation is just a natural progression.

"Thank you for your guidance, Uncle!" Jiang Qing bowed again sincerely. The theory of Foundation Establishment was extremely complex and numerous.

The fact that the Daoist Black Shoes could spend so much effort and provide such a thorough and insightful summary for Jiang Qing is a true act of kindness in imparting his knowledge.

If it weren't for the desire to be close to younger generations, which cultivator would be willing to share their insights?

Moreover, the Daoist Black Shoes didn't even utter a single word of warning against spreading this information. Jiang Qing could still pass on everything he had learned and heard today to his fellow disciples, thus leaving behind a legacy for the Chongming Sect.

Jiang Qing was deeply grateful and kowtowed twice.

"No need for that." The Daoist Black Shoes helped Jiang Qing Qingxu up, then let out a soft exclamation and said, "Who do we have here? It's your good-for-nothing senior brother."

"Uncle-Master, Third." Kang Dabao looked somewhat anxious, but after entering the cave abode and meeting the two, he relaxed and respectfully bowed to the Daoist Black Shoes.

"What, did you think that Brother Qing had already secretly gone into seclusion to Foundation Establishment?" The Daoist Black Shoes had a hint of mockery on his face.

"Phew, Uncle-Master is so perceptive. No, it's just that there's something important I need to discuss with you." Sect Leader Kang Da changed his mind halfway through his sentence and told the Daoist Black Shoes about the Han City auction that Commander Tie had mentioned.

The Daoist Black Shoes nodded after hearing this, "You finally did something worthwhile this time. Why bother with the Ming Household family's affairs now? Once Brother Qing reaches Foundation Establishment, your reputation will be worth more. Are you still worried about not being able to protect a Qi Refinement Lineage?"

Kang Dabao nodded in agreement, and Jiang Qing's expression also improved considerably. Facing the Sect Leader Kang Da, who had raised him, it was truly difficult for him to maintain a stern face any longer.

"That's settled then. Brother Qing still needs some time to cultivate the 'Guo Mountain Qi Circulation Method,' so I'll go to Han City to see if I can buy some spiritual items to repair his foundation."

Thank you for being a guest for a while, and I don't like red clothes, but I love armed a few brothers for their two monthly passes.

Thanks to Wu Fan Tian Tian, Thanks to Dao Ting Tu Shuo, wzhhhhh, Chang Ge Bu Xu He, Hei Yun Ke, Book Friend 20180801230837036, Book Friend 20200328221504881 for their monthly tickets.

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