The Outer Sect Teaching Hall.
"The Great Dao is nameless, it nurtures all things. The Mysterious Feminine Gate is called the root of heaven and earth. Subtle yet ever-present, its use is inexhaustible. The Valley Spirit never dies, it is called the Mysterious Feminine..."
Inside the hall, green incense smoke curled upwards like clouds. Hundreds of Outer Sect Disciples, all wearing identical cyan robes with cloud patterns, sat cross-legged on meditation cushions woven from Heart-cleansing Grass, as if seated upon clouds. Each held a scroll, either the "Basic Qi Training Compendium" or "Preliminary Explanation of the Five Elements."
The disciples would occasionally look up, their expressions focused as they listened to the elder's Dao teachings that filled the entire hall, and occasionally lower their heads, frowning as they sank into contemplation and comprehension.
Without exception, all gathered in the hall were Outer Sect Disciples below the sixth layer of Qi Training. Among them was the Little Slime, transformed into a young man in cyan robes.
The leader was an old man with a snow-white beard and a face as rosy as a baby's. His Dao title was Elder Violet Gold, an elder from the Earth Origin Peak of the Inner Sect, a great cultivator at the Foundation Establishment stage, with a lifespan nearing two hundred years, highly respected within the sect.
As the main hall of the Outer Sect mountain range, the Teaching Hall often had Inner Sect elders or late-stage Inner Sect Disciples come to give lectures.
Although the lecture content never involved the specific cultivation methods or formulas of each peak's secret transmissions, what they taught were the most practical universal theories and knowledge on the cultivation path. These included the nature of Spiritual Energy, the circulation of the Great Cycle, the generation and restraint of the Five Elements, the nourishment of the spirit soul, and so on.
The Three Origins Sect upheld the principle of widely transmitting the methods and teaching without discrimination. Regarding the dissemination of these foundational concepts and theories, they did not intend to hold back much.
The white-robed elder sitting upright on his cushion held a silver-threaded horsetail whisk in his hand. His eyes seemed half-open, half-closed, appearing drowsy, yet his spirit voice echoed in the ears of all the disciples like spring thunder.
"As the saying goes, the Dao Ancestor transmitted the methods within chaos. Chaos first divided, clarity and turbidity separated, yin and yang were established, and all phenomena began to emerge."
"Our path of cultivation begins with sensing qi and ends with transcendence. Among the passes in between, Foundation Establishment is crucial. It is like mortals building a house;
if the foundation is not solid, a towering building can collapse in an instant..."
A young disciple below could no longer suppress the doubts in his heart and raised his hand to ask, "Dare I ask, Elder, the classics often say that Foundation Establishment is the foundation of the Great Dao. What exactly is Foundation Establishment, and what is its essence?"
Hearing this, Elder Violet Gold slowly opened his half-closed eyes. His gaze was warm and gentle as it fell upon the slightly nervous young disciple. He said leisurely, "Examining its root, it is merely four words—establishing the cauldron and settling the furnace."
"Drawing the spiritual essence of heaven and earth, gathering the essence of the sun and moon, containing it within the Dantian Qi Sea, condensing it without dispersing, as if casting a divine cauldron—this is establishing the cauldron. Operating the meridians throughout the body, circulating the Great Cycle, harmonizing the water and fire of Kan and Li within, mastering the power of the dragon and tiger—this is called settling the furnace."
After hearing this, most disciples still wore expressions of confusion on their faces. This explanation was still too profound and mysterious.
Chen Yu's Little Slime also raised its hand at an opportune moment and asked, "Elder, this disciple is foolish. May I ask specifically how to establish the cauldron and how to settle the furnace?"
The old man chuckled softly and gently swayed his whisk. "Young man, don't be impatient. A restless and impetuous heart is a major taboo in cultivation."
"Foundation Establishment, Foundation Establishment, it is the so-called yin and yang complementing each other, the dragon and tiger converging at the Yellow Court, the Five Elements being complete, and the three treasures of essence, qi, and spirit condensing into a single Dao Seed."
"In reality, it requires breaking through the three passes, establishing the foundation for a hundred days, operating the Five Elements, harmonizing the dragon and tiger, subduing the heart monkey, and refining the Golden Core to begin laying the foundation."
"This is a wondrous method that relies on the transformations of yin, yang, and the Five Elements to construct the beginning of an inner heaven and earth. If the foundation is solid, then the Dao path can be anticipated."
Another disciple, after listening, said with an embarrassed expression, "Reporting to Elder, what you said... this disciple still doesn't quite understand."
The old man was not annoyed. He still said slowly, "It's normal if you don't understand. If you could truly comprehend these True Words, you would also be not far from Foundation Establishment."
"Establishing the Dao foundation is the beginning of cultivation, comprehending the foundation of the Great Cycle's circulation."
"The heart fire and kidney water interact, the liver wood and lung metal harmonize, the spleen earth resides in the center and operates in all directions. From then on, the body forms its own universe, with yin, yang, and the Five Elements constructing a small inner heaven and earth."
"In simple terms, one must cultivate the methods of the Five Elements and harmonize yin and yang to achieve the Dao foundation."
Chen Yu was thoughtful.
Methods of the Five Elements... these were available in the Three Origins Sect's book pavilion;
finding them shouldn't be too difficult.
But this harmonization of yin and yang sounded even more mysterious. How exactly should it be done?
A disciple harbored the same doubt and asked the old man again.
The old man stroked his beard and explained, "The manifestation of yin and yang within the human body is often compared to a dragon and a tiger."
"The dragon represents the heart's origin, its attribute is yang, symbolizing the spirit soul. It is active and difficult to tame, like a dragon ascending to heaven. The tiger represents the kidney essence, its attribute is yin, symbolizing the vital life force. It is heavy and descends, like a tiger pouncing upon the earth."
"Harmonizing yin and yang means using these two treasures of yin and yang as guides to erect the furnace and cauldron. Using one's own essence and qi as fuel, the furnace fire refines them. If successful, the dragon and tiger merge, transforming into a chaotic 'Primordial Ancestral Qi'."
"If you young friends feel you lack complete confidence when establishing your foundation in the future, you can seek out items of extreme yang or extreme yin in advance to summon the dragon and call the tiger, assisting in Foundation Establishment..."
"Two treasures of yin and yang?" Chen Yu silently noted this key information.
Viewed this way, so-called Foundation Establishment seemed more like opening up a small world within the body, making its internal Five Elements operate and yin and yang balance, endlessly generating life.
Once Foundation Establishment succeeded, even if a cultivator fasted and did not absorb external energy, relying solely on the circulation of the inner heaven and earth, their cultivation could still slowly increase.
After the morning lecture ended, Chen Yu found Shao Qingsong and inquired about information regarding the two treasures of yin and yang.
Shao Qingsong chuckled wryly, "Junior Brother, you are quite impatient."
"However, these two treasures of yin and yang are not as rare as you might think. Even mere mortal objects of extreme yang or extreme yin can achieve the harmonization of yin and yang. The key lies in whether these two treasures possess pure attributes and are compatible with oneself."
Chen Yu thought for a moment and asked, "If it's as Senior Brother says, as long as one finds suitable two treasures of yin and yang, establishing the Dao foundation wouldn't be as difficult as I imagined, would it?"
Hearing this, Shao Qingsong sighed lightly and shook his head, "Although I don't know why you bring up Foundation Establishment, you need to understand that the number of cultivators who can reach the limit of the ninth layer before the lifespan barrier is ultimately extremely few."
"These nine layers are themselves a multiple test of temperament, aptitude, and opportunity. Those who can step through them all have actually completed most of Foundation Establishment. The remaining merging of dragon and tiger, condensing the Dao foundation, is more a matter of things coming naturally."
"As long as one's qi and blood haven't declined, or the spirit soul hasn't suffered irreparable damage, establishing the Dao foundation is merely a matter of time."
His tone carried a hint of desolation, "Although I, your senior brother, pride myself on usually cultivating diligently and diligently, my aptitude is limited. I've wasted years, and I'm still only at the fourth layer of Qi Training. My lifespan is already nearly half past the major barrier. Perhaps... in this life, I have no chance to glimpse Foundation Establishment."
He patted Chen Yu's shoulder encouragingly, "Junior Brother, you are still young, and your aptitude seems extraordinary. As long as you proceed steadily and surely, guard against arrogance and impatience, there will always be a chance."
"If you truly break through to the late stage one day and begin preparing for Foundation Establishment, you indeed need to start paying attention to and searching for these two treasures of yin and yang early on."
"Although they don't affect the success of Foundation Establishment, high-quality two treasures of yin and yang can not only serve as catalysts but often also have additional effects of increasing cultivation and stabilizing the foundation."
He lowered his voice and revealed, "It's said that the quality and characteristics of these two treasures of yin and yang can even influence, to a certain extent, the inherent nature of the initial 'inner heaven and earth' after Foundation Establishment."
After hearing this, Chen Yu was about to cup his hands in thanks and take his leave to search for the two treasures of yin and yang.
Seeing his appearance, Shao Qingsong seemed to realize that Chen Yu had truly taken the matter of Foundation Establishment to heart and wasn't just momentarily curious. He quickly added another sentence.
"Junior Brother, remember, these two treasures of yin and yang are best when they are compatible with oneself. If they are not compatible, even if they are legendary immortal treasures, they may only bring harm to you."
"They could even lead to an imbalance of yin and yang and failure in Foundation Establishment."
Chen Yu showed confusion, "Then how should I judge which two treasures of yin and yang are compatible with myself?"
"That's actually simple. One can make a preliminary judgment based solely on the cultivator's own qi sense."
"When you come into contact with a spiritual object, if you can feel your magic power resonating with it, experiencing a comfortable feeling like water and milk blending, then that is a treasure relatively compatible with your own small heaven and earth."
"If you feel repulsion, stagnation, or mental unease, it indicates conflicting attributes and is definitely not a good choice."
"Understood. Thank you for your guidance, Senior Brother." Chen Yu thanked him sincerely.
After bidding farewell to Shao Qingsong, Chen Yu transformed into the appearance of an ordinary middle-aged cultivator and headed to the market outside the Deep Cloud Bamboo Forest. He began lingering among shops selling spiritual materials and pills, trying to find the two treasures of yin and yang that could produce a qi sense resonance with him.
To his surprise, this process was far smoother than imagined.
Merely after inquiring at a few shops, he sensed the two treasures of yin and yang compatible with him.
After some picking and choosing, he finally spent three hundred Spirit Stones at an old-established shop named "Hundred Refinements Pavilion" to purchase a positive spiritual herb called "Crimsun Yang Grass" and a negative spiritual jade called "Mystic Yin Jade."
Returning to the bamboo forest wooden cabin, pushing open the door, several gel Little Slimes responsible for daily chores were still huffing and puffing as they worked. One of them was by the lotus pond behind the courtyard, scattering fish food to feed several rather spiritual multicolored koi in the pond.
Chen Yu's main body got up from the bed. He took the two treasures of yin and yang from his doppelganger's hands, then sat cross-legged, placing them in front of him. He tried to operate the "Nine Mounds Life Palace Technique" to cultivate.
However, he never did the hard work of cultivation like this;
his cultivation level always came from eating.
These two treasures of yin and yang might be of considerable help to ordinary cultivators, but for him, the effect of promoting cultivation was not that important.
Their greater role was still to serve as catalysts to guide and harmonize yin and yang during future Foundation Establishment.
After a few more days, once he figured out a way to obtain the Five Elements cultivation methods from the book pavilion, the path to Foundation Establishment would be paved.
Thinking this, Chen Yu leisurely lay back on the bed. His consciousness gradually withdrew, slowly sinking into darkness, returning to the other end.
Sunlight lazily spilled through the window onto the wooden floor of the tree house. A Slime sitting dozing by the desk slowly opened its small eyes.
"Calculating the time, Nilly and those Stone Descendants should be coming for a formal visit soon. Need to make some preparations in advance." Chen Yu hopped, preparing to leave the tree house.
Walking on the road, the words of that Elder Violet Gold still echoed in his mind.
Constructing a small heaven and earth...
Why did it sound... somewhat similar to the World Tree in a Bottle inside his belly?
He couldn't help but look towards the World Tree sapling emitting a hazy glow in his belly.
Hmm?
Why did he feel that this World Tree sapling looked particularly pleasing to the eye today?
It even had a feeling of blending with his magic power.
Qi sense blending...
Holy crap!
Could it be that this World Tree sapling could also be considered one of the two treasures of yin and yang?!
His gel body trembled violently, revealing shock.
It seemed it really could.
Using a World Tree as one of the two treasures of yin and yang for Foundation Establishment... so he was this awesome all along?
But thinking carefully, if he considered his belly as the small world, the World Tree, due to its nature leaning more towards nourishment and stability, according to the yin-yang division, could only be considered an object of extreme yin.
Then he still lacked an object of extreme yang.
"Object of extreme yang, extreme yang..."
Chen Yu's gel became somewhat wilted.
Where was he supposed to find an object of extreme yang of a status comparable to a World Tree sapling?
Even if it was just an illusory World Tree, it was still a World Tree.
If yin and yang weren't coordinated, if the energy was imbalanced, wouldn't his entire Slime body explode into a rain of gel with a "boom" at the moment of Foundation Establishment?
Crap.
Thinking about it this way, didn't that mean he might be forever trapped at the Qi Training stage, unable to establish his foundation?
He finally understood why Shao Qingsong said the two treasures of yin and yang weren't necessarily better the more powerful they were.
Chen Yu was somewhat troubled.
An object of extreme yang of the same status as a World Tree... the only thing he could think of seemed to be the sun.
Could it be that he had to swallow the sun?
If his belly was really that amazing, it wasn't impossible.
Just as he felt this idea was somewhat fanciful, he suddenly remembered the lost sacred relic Arthur had mentioned during their previous casual chat.
The Crown of Ignis.
Legend said it was a sacred crown forged by the ancient sun deity Ignis. It was crafted from the final embers and radiance collected from the core of a fallen sun, mixed with faith gold that carried sacred oaths, forged within the Eternal Forge, symbolizing eternity and creation.
Right!
This thing... sounded high-profile enough, originated from a sun's core, contained solar power, and should count as a high-status object of extreme yang, right?
Unfortunately, Arthur and the others had gone to the White Horse Kingdom a long time ago, and there was still no news to this day.
This inevitably made him somewhat worried.
Although Count Bran was there keeping watch, he always felt that Arthur's somewhat dull and clumsy appearance made him prone to exposure.
An Undead mixing into a human town was no small matter.
"Just waiting like this isn't a solution either."
Just then, he saw Anvil and the Lizardfolk organizing carriages, preparing to go to the White Horse Kingdom for procurement and trade. An idea popped into his mind.
Since the reason was the distance being too great, making it impossible to contact Arthur and Count Bran.
Then if he quietly placed a Slime doppelganger within the White Horse Kingdom, perhaps he could use it as a relay to connect with that lost Slime.
After entering the border of the White Horse Kingdom, it would attempt to fly towards the kingdom's interior under the escort of Poison-stinger Wasps.
He hoped it would bring back good news about Arthur and Count Bran, as well as the Crown of Ignis he needed.