Meiche Peak Cave Dwelling.
Before going into seclusion, Li Tongya often pondered to himself, What is an immortal foundation..?
The Supreme Yin Breathing Meridian Nourishment Sutra says: The essence of Supreme Yin is gathered from the Cold Lunar Palace; the essence of Supreme Yang is in the Golden Solar Palace... When these two energies combine, the immortal foundation can be formed.
Li Tongya believed that this phrase referred to a secret technique of gathering the Supreme Yin Moonlight and the Supreme Yang Sun Essence, suggesting that the immortal foundation was a metaphor for a special divine ability.
Later, Li Tongya obtained the River One Qi Technique , which included the phrase— The qi of rivers is whole and complete, rising and sinking through the great depths... The qi of heaven and earth is clear and bright, wandering above and below. By harnessing this qi to shape rivers and seas, one can build a foundation known as the Boundless Ocean.
Having now consumed the Essence Gathering Pill which was beautifully etched with pale gray patterns, the six chakras appeared from his sea of qi and sea of consciousness, disintegrating simultaneously above the foggy sea of qi into six bright streams of light.
Li Tongya felt a wave of weakness wash over his body, and he instantly knew that if he could not transform these into an immortal foundation, he would perish without a doubt.
Following the methods of the River One Qi Technique , the six streams of light formed by the chakras swirled above his sea of qi, stirring waves of qi. The true essence in his sea of qi bounced up and infused itself into the streams of light.
Li Tongya's sea of qi was remarkably vast, and the streams absorbed the essence quickly. They swirled for an unknown length of time until the sea of qi had dropped by half. Only then did gray light begin to rise... and a talisman appeared.
Deep Ocean Long Whale Talisman.
The talisman qi spiraled above the sea of qi, reflecting and blending with the six streams of light. It hovered above quietly.
Li Tongya could not discern whether this was a good or bad sign, but he had no other choice but to continue cultivating according to the technique. After a while, the sea of qi finally emptied, revealing a faint gleam.
"Hmm..?"
Li Tongya was slightly surprised when beams of light emerged from the bottom of the sea of qi, revealing a white pellet that radiated brilliantly.
"The Talisman Seed..."
The white pellet leaped into the six streams of light, and Li Tongya knew he could not afford to waste any time, so he immediately activated the technique to form the immortal foundation.
"This...!"
Each of the six streams of light became full, and when they collided mid-air, they coalesced into flowing clear water that gently descended into the sea of qi.
Li Tongya felt weaker as his qi churned relentlessly. He finally understood why people said it was crucial to break through to the Foundation Establishment Realm before sixty.
Suppressing his growing frailty, the six streams of light within Li Tongya spun faster and faster, and the sound of rivers flowing emanated from within his body.
After an unknown amount of time, a silver beam of dazzling light fell upon him. Li Tongya opened his eyes and let out a cough, releasing a jet of white qi that struck the stone wall in front of him, leaving a small dent in its surface. The dark chamber suddenly lit up with the booming sound of crashing waves.
Li Tongya remained seated for a few breaths before he could not help but chuckle softly to himself.
"After sixty-two years... I have finally built my immortal foundation!"
He chuckled a couple of times and wiped away a glistening tear from the corner of his eyes. He then slowly stood up, still feeling puzzled.
"This was... almost too simple."
The process of Li Tongya's breakthrough went smoothly with barely any obstacles, and could even be considered somewhat effortless.
"The secret techniques accumulated by the three sects and seven gates over generations can increase the chances of successfully breaking through to the Foundation Establishment Realm... While my family is considered a clan, we can't even estimate our chances of achieving the Foundation Establishment Realm. Worse still, after the breakthrough... we don't even understand where the advantages lie."
Li Tongya slowly stood up, his early-stage Foundation Establishment Realm cultivation radiating powerfully. The mystical aspects of the immortal foundation known as Boundless Ocean filled his mind.
" Boundless Ocean
arises from the rivers and inherits the extraordinary strength of the Qi Cultivation Realm... In rivers, its power is even greater, excelling in water-based techniques. Mastering this immortal foundation grants mastery over water manipulation. It grants the ability to predict droughts and floods by studying water channels, enter the waters without disturbing crabs or fish, suppress hunger through breathing, remain unharmed by water or fire, and even bless water with talisman qi to heal and aid people..."
After a few moments of contemplation, Li Tongya was puzzled by the abilities of the Boundless Ocean immortal foundation and thought to himself, Entering the water with greater strength, excelling in water manipulation, and imbuing water with talisman qi are understandable... But not disturbing fish, being unharmed by fire and water, and predicting water channels seem rather useless.
Bestowing talisman qi upon water was only beneficial for cultivators of the Embryonic Breathing Realm and Qi Cultivation Realm, since it only required consuming some mana.
However, being unharmed by normal water and fire meant little, as even Embryonic Breathing Realm cultivators could resist them with simple spells. Predicting water channels and not disturbing fish were even more pointless...
"The Purple Mansion Realm and Golden Core Realm... what kind of cultivation are they exactly?" Li Tongya pondered aloud as he sighed.
Even the information from the Moonlight Origin Mansion remained obscure, let alone the origin of the immortal Dao itself. As a mere Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator, he was noteworthy around Moongaze Lake but insignificant in the Yue State.
He set aside his doubts and gently pushed open the stone door, leaving the dark chamber like the wind.
Outside, the main hall was empty, and the stone tables and chairs were spotless. However, he observed that they were wet with clear water. Puddles littered the floor, and the spiritual qi concentration had recovered significantly now that Li Tongya had stopped cultivating.
The cave dwelling's main entrance was slightly ajar. Eager to test the power of a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator, he cast an illusion spell and walked through.
Outside, Li Xuanfeng, who had been meditating, suddenly opened his eyes. He glanced around in confusion, then bowed his head when he saw that the dewdrops were undisturbed. He finally closed his eyes to resume cultivation.
"Feng'er is at the sixth heavenly layer of the Qi Cultivation Realm... This should take about three to five years."
Li Tongya stepped out of the cave dwelling, and the brilliant, dazzling morning sun was rising between the distant mountain peaks. The golden sunlight flowed down the mountains, filling him with joy. He smiled faintly and flew swiftly toward the town.
————
Lijing Town.
This town had stood for many years. The stone roads were now worn with cracks from years of travel by carts, horses, and pedestrians. The stone path around the pear orchards of Lijing Town was especially scarred, having been worn down daily by various wheels of sorts.
The white walls were stained black, and the pear orchard was one of the few places where influential lords and commoners alike gathered to shed tears together and applaud in unison.
The singing from the stage drifted out, and a group of children outside pressed their ears to the wall, listening attentively.
"Ahhh... On the Golden Platform, I, Jianixi, shall rise! With a beast crown upon my head and my iron armor draped upon my shoulders!"
On stage, an actor was dressed in black armor and was waving around a black banner. He was adorned with animal tusks and jade and had a fierce face painted on, inspiring a commotion among the crowd. Some were indignant, some sighed, and others wept silently.
The actor, donning the black armor and waving a black banner, shook his robe and shouted, "Mu Jiaoman!"
"Your servant is here!"
A slightly plump man in golden armor this time—with a neatly drawn mustache that made him look quite sly—jumped onto the stage, immediately eliciting a chorus of boos from the audience.
In the crowd stood an elderly man, shaking his head and sighing with his hands clasped behind his back. Unexpectedly, a warm voice came from behind him, "Elder, what is this play about?"
With gray hair at his temples, the old man squinted and smiled warmly as he replied, "It's about Jianixi's tragic end at the Great Jueting."