Gao Yang had originally thought he was ill, which is why he saw a different world.
But after listening to Twelve, he was no longer sure if he was truly sick.
If what he saw was real, then eating the Foundation Pill would be like consuming countless tiny worms.
In the end, Gao Yang made up his mind.
He had to eat it!
If he didn't, he would be trapped here forever.
The pill slid down his throat with a slippery, wriggling sensation, as though alive, until it reached his stomach.
Immediately, a searing pain erupted in his abdomen, like thousands of tiny creatures gnawing at him.
"Ugh!"
He clutched his stomach, rolling on the floor in agony.
Xiao Man, just returning to the room, saw this and was so frightened she ran out to call for help.
In the great hall on the other side, incense curled through the air. Immortal Mistress sat beneath a massive stone statue, explaining the essentials of Foundation Building to her twelve disciples.
"Foundation Building is fundamental. Only with a solid base can Qi flow through the body."
Noticing Twelve's distraction, she scolded, "Twelve, don't think that success in Foundation Building means all is settled. Foundation Building is just the first step. To stabilize your Dao, you must work much harder.
Look at Third Senior Brother—he once failed in Foundation Building and fell into demonic deviation. He had to remove his eyes to survive."
Twelve stuck out her tongue. "I know."
Her mind was fixed on that Foundation Pill.
If she could obtain it, her unstable Dao foundation would stabilize, and she could rid herself of her half-human, half-ghost appearance.
But the Foundation Pill was limited; Immortal Mistress could only give out one per year for new disciples.
Twelve would have to find another way to get it.
She bit her fingernails in frustration. "Damn it, Thirteen, if you eat the pill, I won't let you off!"
At that moment, Xiao Man ran in hurriedly. "Immortal Mistress, it's terrible! My Master ate the Foundation Pill and has collapsed in pain."
Immortal Mistress rose suddenly. The disciples only felt a gust of wind, and she vanished.
In the next instant, she appeared before Gao Yang.
He was nearly unconscious from the pain.
Immortal Mistress' right eye twitched, and a fat worm emerged.
This worm was larger than any Gao Yang had seen at home, almost human-sized, with a face identical to Immortal Mistress.
Once the flesh worm appeared, Immortal Mistress froze completely.
Gao Yang turned pale, heart racing, staring at the horrifying scene.
The worm wriggled onto him, almost face-to-face.
He pretended not to see it.
A sense warned him: if the worm realized he could see it, his life would be in danger.
The worm emitted a soft noise and retreated into Immortal Mistress' eye socket.
Immortal Mistress stepped back, covering her right eye, and gave Gao Yang a deep, meaningful look.
He didn't understand what had happened; the bizarre sight made him momentarily forget his physical pain.
She spoke calmly, "You won't die, but what a waste of a Foundation Pill."
Gao Yang hoarsely asked, "Did I fail in Foundation Building?"
She smiled. "Not entirely. Your talent exceeds my expectations. Your future achievements will surpass mine."
Gao Yang recalled the enormous flesh worm he had seen.
Surpass her achievements—does that mean cultivating an even bigger worm?
No! He couldn't accept that.
Just now, he couldn't even tell if Immortal Mistress was the worm or the person standing there.
She continued, "Rest these few days. Once your body recovers in a week, I will personally help you in Foundation Building."
Then she flicked her sleeve, and two red fruits bounced into his hand.
Gao Yang recognized them as the crying Baby Fruits he had seen outside Azure Mountain Sect.
The fruits giggled, rolling in his palm.
"These grew on graves, absorbing the aura of the dead. They can temporarily suppress the pain in your body. Remember, with your talent, you can only eat one every three days," she instructed.
Eagerly, Gao Yang bit into one.
The Baby Fruit cried loudly.
The pain drove him to ignore the discomfort and he devoured the fruit in three quick bites.
The pain indeed eased significantly.
He remembered his father had eaten one and asked, curious, "What would happen to an ordinary person?"
Immortal Mistress answered with a smile, "They would wish for death."
Gao Yang's facial muscles tensed. "Immortal Mistress, my father ate one too. Could you save him?"
Her smile froze. She swept her sleeve coldly. "You, Thirteen, a disciple of Azure Mountain Sect, have no parents. As it's your first offense, I won't punish you. Next time, grinding herbs will take three days."
She added, "Even if eaten immediately, it could save him. By now, after so long, he would have endured too much pain and killed himself."
Gao Yang felt an indescribable mix of emotions.
He hated his father.
Yet he was still his father.
Was this how he would die?
Something wet ran down his face.
He touched it—it was tears.
Seeing this, Immortal Mistress softened her tone. "I understand you can't accept it now. That's fine. Once you succeed in Foundation Building, you won't regard them as family."
Foundation Building again.
Would it replace a person?
Shivering at the thought, Gao Yang remembered a passage from Third Senior Brother's notes.
"I was ill, seriously ill. Master said after Foundation Building we would see a different world, understand the essence of the world, but why do I see myself?
Is this really me?
Is my body just a shell?
Am I me, or is it it?
I can't tell!
I even saw Master—no, she isn't Master, what is she?"
These words drained Gao Yang's spirit. His head ached unbearably, and he couldn't continue reading.
Seeing his suffering, Immortal Mistress said, "Once you complete Foundation Building, you'll understand. Don't overthink it. Rest for now."
After she left, Gao Yang lay on the bed, replaying those words in his mind.
The more he thought, the more terrified he became.
He seemed to realize something and suddenly sat upright.
"It dawned on me—Third Senior Brother is blind!"
"Xiao Man!"
He noticed she wasn't there.
He remembered that when he writhed in pain, Xiao Man had run out.
Did she bring Immortal Mistress to save him?
Warmth filled his heart.
Inside Azure Mountain Sect, Xiao Man was the only normal person.
What he didn't know was that she had nearly risked her life to save him.
A moment before.
Xiao Man had been blown to the ground by the wind from Immortal Mistress' sleeve.
As she stood up, she saw the dwarf's grotesque face.
The dwarf's head and body were equally large, his skin bluish, and he was still shorter than Xiao Man.
He envied anyone taller than him, forcing his slaves to remain kneeling.
"Don't you know this is where Master teaches? Slave, who allowed you in here?"
A nauseating stench hit her. Xiao Man, frightened, tears ready to fall, stammered, "I came to ask Immortal Mistress to save Master…"
"I don't care about your reason. Mistakes must be punished!"
The dwarf grinned, showing yellowed teeth, and blew a foul stench toward Xiao Man.
Wherever the stench passed, her skin immediately broke out in dense black spots.