Chapter 12, Foundation

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As Zhou Huan was moving his way around the market, his eyes were glued upon a blacksmith shop.

Knowing that he still has the golden wool from that beast from earlier, he made his way inside the shop.

It was hot, humid, smelly and scent of metal was everywhere.

A person spotted Huan before greeting him. "Hey Kid, welcome! Do you need something?"

Noticing that the voice came from a tall old man with a burnt white beard, Huan replied back. "Ahh" Huan sized up the man before shaking his hand energetically. He then said, "Nice to meet you! Nice to meet you indeed! I need some help with making a cool type of armor with this material that I worked soooo hard for!"

He then handed the blood soaked golden wool to the old man.

The old man felt disgusted on how he didn't first clean it before actually asking for something but that thought immediately diminished when he saw that the material was quite rare.

"This is some fine grade beast wool, it might be the best I have ever seen." Said the old man as he was astonished.

Zhou Huan became estatic and happilly came close and asked, "Really?" Though he fakely coughed afterwards before saying, "You know, I'm actually quite a powerful individual being able to slay such a beast."

The old man ignored his remark and payed more attention to the wool.

Some moments passed since the old man had to inspect and tested the wool before he replied back. "In deed I can. Though it'll take some time, so come back tomorrow."

The old man then handed 30 silvers to Huan before saying. "Here's money to you just in case that you would think I would steal it. Return it by tomorrow with an extra 50 silver and by then it'll be ready."

Huan placed the coins inside his pouch before nodding and walking out the shop.

He could finally breath fresh air as he couldn't stand another moment in that hot smelly place. He then stretched his body before excitedly shaking his pouch and hearing the jingle inside. Eventually he stopped when he noticedd countless people staring at him. He felt embarassed to he walked away to another spot.

As he looked around there, he spotted Tengfei and Lihua side to side. His eyes narrowed before thinking 'They sure became closer since the last time I met them. I still don't understand why would you treat her like that after going through all those sufferings.'

His head shook before making his way towards Tengfei who was getting poked on the cheek by Lihua.

Noticing the presence of him, Tengei called out "Brother! What were you doing here?"

Huan smiled as he takes out a pouch and said "It seems I was lucky and killed another beast which racked me a total of 30 coppers/3 silvers!"

His other pouch which had 97 silvers was hidden inside his bag as he doesn't want them to know about it.

He even thought 'It's not like I don't trust you brother, it's just that you are beside someone right now who likes stealing from me.'

Tengfei gave away a hearty laughter before asking "I'm going to buy some food supply before heading back to the inn."

Huan raised one of his eyebrows before saying. "But we still got meat..."

Sweat started to form on Tengfei's forehead before he says, "Eh, I had enough of eating that meat..."

Even Lihua was about to puke thinking about eating another dinner filled with meat again.

Noticing their expressions, Huan forcefully smiled before saying, "Fine, both of you can look for that while I return back to the inn cause I'm quite tired."

Both of them nodded to Huan before walking away.

He rolled his eyes as he watches both of them act like newlywed couples. A sigh was uttered before he made his way and started fishing for mature women.

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Inside the Inn

Zhou Huan, who had slap imprints on his cheeks, just recently returned. He had a nasty grin due to witnessing lots of the things he could only dream before.

He lazily opened the inn's door and immediately spotted someone familiar speaking with the inn keeper.

Noticing the black hooded cape on that lady, he immediately knew it was her.

His mind felt numb and he couldn't help but feel tired all of a sudden.

Now he has to act like someone else even while he's in the inn. Huan didn't want her to notice him as he made his way back to his room.

When he thought that he successfully escaped unnoticed, a voice was uttered out. "It seems we are going live in the same place."

His heart shook before he replied back with a nod before entering his room.

After entering, he closed the door before he could exhale. Huan felt like just falling down to the floor due to fatigue of everything that happened today.

Though he still had to first try out the scroll. So he took a bath first before hiding his bag containing his most prized treasures.

When everything was set, he sat down on his bed before unsealing the scroll with a happy expression.

Slowly a bright light emitted from the scroll as it unwinds. Lots of information then appeared inside of his head.

He was like in a state of peace as all the words flood inside of him. In his head, he knew what entered and it was called 'Method of forming solid foundation'.

All types of information was now known by him and something inside was opened.

It was the door of cultivation, a mythical door that won't be opened unless one started cultivating.

He now knew that he has the right to start but first, he must prepare the foundation.

Huan sat on the wooden floor before clearing his mind of everything else.

Nothing was heard except for the sound of the nearby tree waving from the window.

Slowly his conscious faded away.

Before he knew it, he has entered inside of him and through the large gate. The place where all cultivators frequently entered to observe how they were progressing.

Inside of him was nothing, plain and white empty space of never ending horizon.

'So, this is inside of me. I always thought that city toppling goddesses would be here but... that's unfortunate.' He though as he moved around.

As he looked around he couldn't help but find a half full dirty liquid inside the small pond surrounded by unarranged stone around it.

His eyes twitched due to how the pond was random in shape because of the messy stone placements.

He made his way to the pond before one by one arranging the rocks around the pond. Trying his best to make a circular shaped out of the arrangement. Eventually his hard work paid off as the pond now looked beautiful. Though he couldn't help but notice how heavy each rock and pebble were dispite their actual size. Actually too heavy that he felt like carrying a person each time.

Even though he's worn out, Huan couldn't help but smile from the looks of the pond. His curiosity then lead him into test the water in it. To his surprise the liquid didn't cling to his hand and he couldn't feel anything in it as if it's like air.

After thinking a while he then submerged himself in the pond as the water level reaches till his knee.

A feeling then struck him as if he was in a state of calmness and happiness. He liked the water and so he sat down in a meditation position and felt the profound aura seeping into him.

Though instead of the pond turning empty, it was actually the opposite as golden liquid started emerging from the skin of Huan. (Not his piss)

The liquid merged with the pond and blended as the water level rises.

He didn't notice that the pond was getting filled and has a profound golden color to it.

Though eventually he blackened out.

When he awoke, he found himself sweating a lot as his breathing was rough and haggard.

His bones felt like they were dislocated and relocated. He couldn't help but groan in pain.

Huan was too busy in the abyss of never ending pain that he didn't notice the lady beside him.

It was Li Meixiu who was curious about what was happening in here and so she barged in earlier.

By watching as to how Huan was like currently, she already knew that he has gone through the first stage of foundation.

She brought out a pill from the pouch which was tied to the side of her waist before letting it enter his mouth.

Meixiu then told him. "Swallow it, if you don't want to feel the pain."

Like what was instructed, Huan forcefully allowed the pill to enter inside him. Eventually the pain subsided though it took some time.

He looked up and said to her "Thank you." Before succumbing into darkness.

The lady sighed before leaving a note next to him.

She then thought to herself 'He has a long way ahead of him before he can finish his foundation... though in his first encounter... he succeeded in straightening his Qi pool/mana source. Not many could do this in one sitting as it normally takes 5 tries...' She looked at him before continuing 'You need a strong spirit in order to stay longer in that place...'

Li Meixiu then exited the room after knowing that his breathing pattern came back to normal.

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Lihua and Tengfei finally returned back to their room to find Huan on his bed reading a scroll.

They didn't want to disturb him due to his intense focus on to it.

Knowing that they returned, Huan closed the scroll before placing in his bag. He then asked them "I presume the food stuff were already bought?"

Tengfei nodded before asking "What was that scroll about?"

Huan smiled in a perverted way before replying back. "Can you guess?"

This caused both individuals to be disgusted before saying in unison "No thank you."

Luckily Huan was a fast thinker and could hide most the stuff that he wants to with ease.

He then probed. "So, who'll be the one cooking?"

Tengfei looked at Lihua before saying "She will."

The princess was baffled from his words before asking "I will?"

Which then Tengfei replied back with a happy nod.

Though Zhou Huan couldn't help but ask "Can she even cook?"

A shrug was shown by Tengfei before replying back "We will not know until she tries."

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Some time has passed

Currently Zhou Huana and Tengfei were sitting on chairs beside a table as they wait for Lihua's food to be served.

The princess was carrying a tray as she walks towards the table. She then placed it on the table before sitting down next to Tengfei.

She already felt exhausted from cooking many cabbage buns but at least it was worth it.

Huan was the first one who took a bite on the bun, before exclaiming out while chewing "Hey, this is actually pretty good."

Tengfei also did the same before commenting, "It is tasty, though quite familiar."

"Now that you mentioned it, this bun does taste like the ones from back then." Said Huan before he took another bite.

Lihua had this victory expression before destroying them with a statement "You guys have been eating the food I made for almost a year and only now appreciate the things I made?"

That sentence dropped on them like a bomb which caused both Tengfei and Huan to cough badly.

Tengfei looked at her before saying "You are the one who cooked those food? But Huan usually steals food from the kitchen..."

Huan scratched his cheek before replying back "Umm I kind of lied there... the food was normally found in front of my room in a tray while also asking to share it with you."

Lihua made a 'hmph' noise before saying "If it weren't for me, both of you wouldn't have such luxurious food in that place."

'Though it was only for Tengfei. Sister told me to do so...' She thought.

Tengfei and Huan couldn't help but laugh dryly.

In the middle of their discussion a lady approached and sat beside them before started munching on a bun.

It was 'Li Meixiu' again.

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