Celestial Taoist

Chapter 20 Foundation Establishment

Before long, Li Mofan had finished eating. He put down his chopsticks, wiped his mouth, and the servants, seeing this, quickly stepped forward and methodically cleared the food from the table. Seeing that he had finished eating, Marquis Chen slowly spoke, his tone more solemn than before: "My lord, regarding the matter of inviting you here, I have a request."

Upon hearing this, Li Mofan nodded slightly, his tone calm yet carrying a hint of unquestionable authority: "Your Majesty is too kind. To be honest, I was unexpectedly attacked on the altar just now. Although I was lucky to escape unharmed, I still lost a lot of spiritual energy. I urgently need a quiet room to recuperate. I hope Your Majesty will grant my request."

Upon hearing this, Chen Hou's expression changed slightly. He quickly stood up and cupped his hands in greeting, saying, "My lord, you have been frightened. It was my oversight. The quiet room has been prepared long ago; it is serene and elegant, perfect for recuperation. I will have someone lead you there immediately." With that, he summoned a trusted attendant and whispered a few instructions. The attendant bowed and accepted the order, then stepped forward and bowed to Li Mofan, saying, "My lord from the Upper Realm, please follow me."

Li Mofan rose to return the greeting and followed the attendants out of the main hall.

The room is minimally furnished, with only a wooden cushion, a low table, a thick straw mat on the floor, smooth walls, and a small incense burner in the corner, which can soothe the mind and help calm the mind.

The servant bowed and stepped back to the door, saying softly, "My lord, I will be waiting outside. If you need anything, just call out." With that, he gently closed the door.

Li Mofan walked to the futon and sat down, slowly closing his eyes. He took a few deep breaths to calm the restless spiritual energy within his body. After a moment, he opened his eyes and opened the method for forming a Dao foundation given to him by Su Qingyao. Although the steps for forming a Dao foundation were complicated, the principle was simple: it was based on the spiritual root, driven by spiritual energy, and integrated with one's own soul and bloodline to forge a furnace and form a Dao foundation.

Li Mofan already had enough spiritual energy in his body, and his spiritual root was naturally perfect. The place was also safe at the moment, which was the best time to form a Dao foundation. He first activated his spiritual power to summon his spiritual root according to the method. Then a blurry phantom entered his spiritual root from his body. It was time to integrate into his bloodline. The process of extracting bloodline was a bit painful, but fortunately there were no major setbacks.

As the last drop of bloodline was drained, Li Mofan channeled the remaining spiritual energy within his body into the lump before him using a complex technique. As the spiritual energy was consumed, the refining process gradually came to an end.

The mixture of red and yellow bloodline, soul, and spiritual root, nourished by Li Mofan's spiritual power, became increasingly solid and stable. After a moment, the chaotic mixture slowly shrank and shaped, eventually transforming into a palm-sized, translucent golden sphere, its surface shimmering with wisps of spiritual light.

With a thought, Li Mofan released the golden sphere, which nimbly entered his body like a fish. Controlling it felt completely natural, like a new limb he was born with, every sensation crystal clear. From that moment on, he had truly transformed into a Taoist priest.

This golden sphere is his Dao Foundation, and also his main means of combat. According to the information given by Su Qingyao, the Dao Foundation itself is the best weapon. Ordinary Taoists generally do not purchase additional main weapons besides the Dao Foundation—fighting can also serve to temper the Dao Foundation to some extent.

Open your personal panel

Rating: 25

Talent: Taoist

Spirituality: Max level

Identity: New Recruit (Heavenly Path Legion)

Qi and blood: 95

Spiritual Power: 414/1320

Attack: 76

Defense: 85

Agility: 71

Taoist Arts: 2

He discovered that even after forming the Dao Foundation, he still had a considerable amount of spiritual power remaining, while his Qi and blood had decreased significantly due to the extraction of his bloodline.

Other attributes remained unchanged, but as Li Mofan activated his Dao Foundation, the panel data for attack, defense, and agility immediately increased by more than 500 points.

This is another Taoist technique in the list—the [Basic Taoist Technique] that every Taoist who has formed a Taoist foundation possesses.

Li Mofan simply dusted himself off, got up and pushed open the door. The servant at the door suddenly woke up and scrambled to his feet. "My lord, please forgive me! I was sleepy and lost my manners. Please punish me!" He bowed deeply, his forehead almost touching his chest, looking flustered, afraid of displeasing this "upper realm master".

Li Mofan waved his hand, his tone indifferent: "It's alright, take me to see Marquis Chen." The attendant dared not say anything more and quickly responded to lead the way: "Yes, sir, please follow me."

The two walked through the corridor, but instead of going to the main hall, they headed towards a secluded courtyard on the west side of the mansion. From afar, they could hear the soft sounds of string and wind instruments coming from the courtyard, mixed with a woman's gentle laughter. It was completely different from the solemnity of the main hall, exuding a sense of languor and comfort—this was the elegant residence that Marquis Chen had specially prepared to entertain Li Mofan.

Entering the courtyard, one sees a profusion of flowers and plants in full bloom, their fragrance filling the air. The main house is brightly lit, and the sound of string and wind instruments emanates from within. A servant gently pushes open the door, bowing and saying, "My lord, His Majesty is already waiting inside."

Li Mofan stepped inside. The room was elegantly furnished, with soft brocade carpets and exquisite silk paintings hanging on the walls. Fruits, snacks, and warm wine were laid out on the table. Several maids dressed in plain silk skirts were carrying utensils and moving about lightly. Two other women, holding guqin, sat on one side, their fingertips lightly plucking the strings, and the music was melodious and graceful.

Chen Hou was sitting in the main seat, with two beautiful concubines beside him. When Li Mofan entered, he quickly stood up, cupped his hands, and spoke in an even more humble tone: "Your Excellency has finished your meditation and must have recovered well. I have specially prepared this elegant room for you to relax and relieve your fatigue." After speaking, he gestured to the maid to lead Li Mofan to a seat and then waved for the concubines to come forward and serve wine.

Two concubines, with graceful figures and gentle manners, filled Li Mofan's wine cup with earthenware pots, curtsied, and said in a gentle tone, "Please have some wine, my lord." Li Mofan nodded slightly and accepted the wine cup.

After sitting down, Chen Hou picked up his wine cup and said with a smile, "Sir, you are a highly accomplished person from the upper realm. It is truly an honor that you have graced this humble place with your presence. Today, I have prepared a simple feast with some elegant music. I hope you will not find it too simple and will enjoy yourself to the fullest."

After saying that, he gestured for two maids to go up and massage Li Mofan's back. Li Mofan did not refuse. He had just broken through and was in high spirits, so he should enjoy himself. The music became more and more melodious, and the atmosphere in the room became more and more relaxed.

After several rounds of drinks, Chen Hou noticed that Li Mofan's brows were relaxing, guessing that his interest had been piqued. He suppressed his smile and cautiously inquired, "Sir, have you enjoyed yourself?"

Li Mofan gently stroked the warm ceramic cup, the mellow aroma of the wine lingering on his tongue. He looked up at Chen Hou, without the slightest formality: "Your Majesty is too kind. Elegant music, beautiful women, and fine wine—all to your liking."

Upon hearing this, Chen Hou's anxiety eased slightly, and an even more humble smile spread across his face. He gestured to dismiss the concubines, maids, and the woman playing the zither, leaving only him and Li Mofan in the room. The music ceased. He rose and walked to Li Mofan, bowing deeply. His expression was even more solemn than in the main hall, and his tone was earnest: "I am glad that Your Excellency is satisfied. In truth... I invited Your Excellency here today not merely for entertainment, but because my Jianhe region has recently encountered a great calamity and is desperate. Only a sage like Your Excellency from the upper realm can save my people from this dire situation."

Li Mofan raised his eyebrows slightly, signaling him to continue. Chen Hou's hospitality was so warm, and he even prepared a quiet room for him to meditate. What he sought must not be as simple as an ordinary gift.

Marquis Chen straightened up, his brow furrowed with worry. He sighed and slowly began to speak: "My lord, you are unaware that three months ago, the Dragon Palace's heirloom, passed down through generations, was unfortunately lost. Since its loss, the Dragon King of Jianhe has been furious and has stopped rainfall throughout the entire region for three months. Now the land is cracked, the crops are withered, and if there is no more rain, the millions of people in the Jianhe region will likely not survive this dry season."