"Hmm. The heavenly root spirit pill. The pillar forming pill. The dream of young cultivators. One of the treasures of this sect. No, it's not the pill, but something similar. This one is a cheaper low-grade pill, although towards the same effect."
The Alchemist said while examining Ju Feng further.
"What of the Heavenly Root pill?"
"As I said before, the heavenly foundation pill is a treasure of the Last Sages sect. By now, you must have already taken one Heavenly Root pill, what do you thimk of it?"
"It was very powerful."
"That's why the secrets and usages of the pill are well guarded by the sect. It's nearly impossible to find it in the open market. But if there's money to spend, it's possible to get one secretly. After all, its usefulness stops at the Zhuji stage."
"The pill doesn't work after the Zhuji stage?"
"Yes. The heavenly root spirit pill is only made for creating a solid foundation for cultivators. It works wonderfully well for any disciple less than the Zhuji stage, but it no longer has any significant effect after that. It'll be like drinking water when you are already full. In this life, I know it's all about the cultivation levels, however, the strength of the foundation is what truly counts. Let me tell you something, young one. There are some spirit pill that could make a Zhuji cultivator form a golden core. Even from the Ningchi stage."
"What? Senior, a golden core from the Ningchi stage?"
"Yes, I've seen it before. A pill that could only be concocted by hegemon Alchemists. And they're very expensive. However, those pills have a particular major flaw. The pillars of their foundation. Those advancement pills leave flawed foundation pillars behind. Sadly, this could make most cultivators stuck at the golden core stage without any further advancement. These pills are mainly good for people with less chances in cultivation. But make no mistake, they may have flaws, yet they still gives the cultivators the immortality of thousands of years. If they could survive their tribulations."
"Formidable pills. Thank you senior for telling me."
Ju Feng replied with a cupped hand. He initially wanted to ask the price of the alternate pill, but changed his mind after hearing the words of the alchemist. He didn't want his foundation to have faults and be unable to advance in the future. So, he decided to look for other ways to reach the Zhuji stage.
Leaving the marketplace, Ju Feng went directly to his room and locked the door from the inside. Sitting down in the lotus position, he took out the last blue crystalline he was given and chewed it before swallowing it. He clenched his teeth tightly before sprawling on the floor as the energy gripped his dantian in a vice. At least, he avoided losing consciousness. That was due to the sect's foundation pill which had made him stronger than before after reaching the late stage of Chi refining.
After a few minutes, his laboured breath began to soften. His body was beginning to radiate a faint white light while noticing the power of his body and soul had increased, making his senses sharper and keener than before.
Closing his eyes, he started to cycle his Chi by moving it from his dantian through the meridians and back to the dantian. Ju Feng could see the massive white gates getting closer to where he was sitting while cultivating. The gates of Zhuji. Since he had learned about the Zhuji stage from his mother and grandparents, he knew what to expect on the other side of the foundation gate. Orb of liquid energy. Liquid Chi was the absolute form of condensed energy which was different from the other state of energy.
The liquid energy in the form of white light was the true beginning of primordials.
After opening the white gates, the lower dantian which was the root of the spiritual tree, would then transform into a large palacium square where the pillars of Zhuji would extend to the middle dantian.
Ju Feng felt strangeness in his body as he continued to cultivate. The sensations and feelings of looking at himself through a stranger's eyes while getting closer to the white gates, was simply incredible.
Heavens tears.
He couldn't wait for the giant sphere of Chi to transform into a massive orb of liquid white light when he would become a premier. The stage where heavens defying cultivation would truly start from. If he was fortunate enough, It seemed he would soon be undergoing the heavenly tribulations. His family had told him to prepare for a minor heavenly tribulations once he reached the pillars forming stage.
There were four stages where a cultivator would experience the heavenly tribulations.
The Zhuji stage, the embryonic defiance phase. The cultivator having ideas about defying the heavens.
The Jindan stage, low defiance phase. The cultivator defying the heavens by forcefully gathering spiritual energy from the heavens.
The Yuanying stage, half defiance phase. The forming of the nascent soul by the cultivator in an attempt to be a true immortal showing heavens defiance.
And, the Shenxian, total defiance phase. Where the cultivator would be attempting to finally escape tribulation by becoming a god.
But that wouldn't be the end of tribulations. There would be the cosmic tribulation for any cultivator to survive on the way to becoming a divine.
Ju Feng stood up, stretched his muscles and executed the shifting heavens hand technique. Without using Chi, the force of the hand technique was so strong and decisive he had to stop the execution mid way. Wondering how his Chi energy would be like, Ju Feng released a little bit of energy from his body which vibrated throughout the room. He smiled and nodded at his progress. He stopped his martial arts training and sat down again in a lotus position.
Deep in cultivation, he felt a vibration on his body. He was trying to locate the source of the vibration when he felt it once again. It looked as if it was coming from the spatial sac he was carrying. Still trying to be sure, he felt the vibration the third time and became certain it was coming from the spatial sac. He cautiously opened his spatial sac and discovered the vibration was coming from the pagoda. Then, he removed the pagoda from the sac and placed it on the floor in the middle of room. Immediately it touched the floor, the pagoda grew to the size of a small door.
The pagoda? A door? Observing the door closely, he remembered he had seen the door before. The door he saw in his trance which happened to be true. But he had no assurance the door wouldn't lead to the belly of a divine beast. He was having mixed thoughts but finally made up his mind to enter through the door after much deliberation.
"I'm impressed, childling. How long has it been? Months? And here you are."
"You flatter me, senior."
"That means you're at the entrance to Zhuji stage."
"I just advanced a level, senior Qiyuan."
"You should have enjoyed your moment lounge and advance to the Zhuji stage before using the door. Anyways, do you want to take a look at any world in particular, childling? The worlds are at your fingertips."
"Senior, now? I never been outside our continent before."
"There are many worlds out there, childling. You can even check a smaller world to see, what do you say?"
"Okay senior, I guess I can try. But how will I leave the place?"
"There will be a door like this one on the other side, when you want to come back you only need to enter the door and you will be back here. The door will be a portal for you."
"Senior, what if I can't find the door back?"
"Then make sure you know where the door is. Now, let's try the Planet Charat."
"Senior, maybe we should check these worlds carefully before- nooooo."
Before he could finish his words, he was sent out through the door to planet Charat planet.