The Foundation of Power

Xing Wuye sat cross-legged in the secluded cave, his eyes locked on the golden pill resting in his palm. The pill's surface shimmered, hints of cloudy wisps swirling across its golden hue like an omen of potential power. He turned it thoughtfully between his fingers, feeling its dormant energy pulse faintly, waiting to be unleashed.

Was it made for Soul Sensing or Foundation Building? he mused, the corner of his mouth curling into a faint, almost cynical smirk. It hardly matters. Power is power.

He steadied his breath, grounding his thoughts. He was at the Meridian Awakening stage, with four primary meridians already opened. The next phase was to gather energy in those meridians, but not indiscriminately. He needed to channel it purposefully to accelerate his progress. In his mind's eye, he envisioned the steps—every stage, each layer that would bring him closer to the kind of power that lay at the apex of cultivation.

This pill will do the work in a fraction of the time, he thought coolly, his expression as still as stone. And after Meridian Awakening comes Condensation. I'll have to compress the qi into forming mini-cores within the twelve major meridians. Once that is stable, Foundation Building will be within reach.

Without further delay, he placed the pill on his tongue, letting it dissolve slowly as the rich essence seeped into his bloodstream. A slow, subtle burn began to spread from his core, the pill's potency unmistakable. Closing his eyes, he focused inward, directing the pill's energy flow into his meridians, swirling it through his minor channels in a disciplined pattern, ensuring an even distribution.

The qi came in waves, surging, flooding him with power—intoxicating, overwhelming. Wuye's expression betrayed no struggle, only a faint gleam of satisfaction as he absorbed the energy. The sheer potency of the pill was almost more than his channels could handle, but he forced his body to endure it, pushing past the limits of comfort and pain. Gradually, his main meridians began to stabilize, pulsing with fresh vitality as they held the condensed qi. He pushed further, letting the energy solidify into tiny spheres—qi orbs that would become the cores of his Foundation Building stage.

It was a painstaking process, channeling energy into each orb and refining it, feeling it coalesce and harden like stone. But just as he reached his seventh orb, an intense pressure surged within him. His chest tightened, and he felt the qi orb swell uncontrollably. The concentrated energy fought his control, expanding beyond its limit, throbbing wildly within his meridian.

Gritting his teeth, Wuye forced his focus to remain cold and razor-sharp. Shatter it. Without hesitation, he released a blast of his own qi, ruthlessly shattering the failed core. Pain exploded within him, tearing through his channels, as sharp as if a blade had been driven through his body. Blood welled up in his mouth, dribbling from the corner of his lips. But he swallowed it down, his expression unwavering as he steadied his breath, feeling the ache in his meridians with cold detachment.

Pain is part of the price, he reminded himself. It was a lesson ingrained deeply into his psyche, a price he had long resigned himself to pay on his journey to power.

Ignoring the sting in his organs, Wuye returned to cultivating, summoning another surge of qi to reattempt the core formation. This time, he moved with calculated precision, allowing his qi to flow more slowly, keeping the pressure in check until, after painstaking effort, the seven orbs were stabilized.

Exhaling softly, he paused, feeling the remaining energy from the pill radiate within him. The excess qi coursed through his body, uncontained, potent and abundant.

A thought sparked in his mind—a thought to push further.

This energy is more than enough. I'll attempt the Foundation Building stage now, he decided, his gaze hardening. To do that, I need to open my acupoints and absorb the qi directly from the surrounding, since I'm in a forest there should be an earth vein...somwhere.

Steadying his breath, he sent a pulse of qi outward, spreading it into the ground beneath him. Like invisible tendrils, his qi stretched out, searching the depths until it reached a hidden current of qi within the earth. It was an ancient vein, pulsing with natural energy that had lain untouched for centuries.

Drawing a deep breath, he began to siphon the qi from the earth, feeling it surge up from the ground and pour into his body like a river. As the energy flooded his meridians, he activated his acupoints, drawing in every ounce of qi from both the pill and the earth vein. One by one, his acupoints opened, each unlocking with a burst of power that flowed through his channels, filling him with raw, almost primal strength.

The pain was excruciating. Each new acupoint he opened felt as though he were tearing through sinew and bone, yet Wuye's face remained as still and emotionless as ever. His cold determination carried him through each surge of agony until, at long last, he reached the final stage.

With a final push, he unlocked his twenty major acupoints, feeling the power flood his system in a relentless wave. In tandem, the 361 minor acupoints opened, threading together with the major points, completing the intricate network of his Foundation Building stage. He felt the transformation settle within him, solidifying his body and elevating his cultivation to a new peak.

He opened his eyes slowly, breathing in the stillness around him. A surge of exhilaration thrummed through his veins, tempered only by the cool satisfaction in his gaze.

So this is Foundation Building, he thought, clenching his fist and feeling the raw, enhanced strength coursing through him. Every fiber of his being felt sharper, stronger, transformed.

Rising to his feet, he gathered his strength and sprang up from the cave, shattering the stone ceiling with ease. He landed atop a nearby tree, the impact barely registering. His surroundings felt strangely subdued, the shadows of the forest no longer oppressive but welcoming, his vision clearer, sharper.

Flexing his fingers, he gazed into the distance, where the tumult of the conference continued to stir the heavens. He clenched his fist, feeling the power coil within him, ready to be unleashed.

Foundation Building is only the start, he thought with a cold, relentless glint in his eyes. The Soul Sensing realm, the peak of power… every stage is just a step toward my goal.

He looked toward the horizon, his gaze fierce, resolute.