They Would...
Balaur rarely got to explain much of anything to this disciple of his, so when he got the chance to, even though he was certain Ryu knew at least 90% of the answer, he still chose to explain.
"The first time your Spiritual Foundation has any sort of relevance it at your Awakening. It becomes the foundation for your future cultivation and you lay the ground work for it immediately. The further you progress through your Rites, the larger it becomes and this foundational size becomes important toward your later strength.
"When you step through your Rites and enter the Pulse Opening Realm, the Qi Fumes your Spiritual Foundation releases become the driving momentum you need to open your Qi Pulses. The larger your Spiritual Foundation, the more Qi Fumes will waft into your Meridians, and the faster you will be able to open your Qi Pulses. Of course, this will also be reliant on the sturdiness of your Meridians as well…