All one had to do was use the Dao Seed as a vessel, break through the three gates of Foundation Establishment, merge with the Primal Ancestral Qi, and establish Yin, Yang, and the Five Elements to construct a small, inner world within one’s Inner Scape. Succeeding in this would mean achieving Foundation Establishment and making a leap in one’s very level of existence.
The three gates of Foundation Establishment were divided into the Heaven, Earth, and Man gates, corresponding to a Cultivator’s Three Treasures: Essence, Qi, and Spirit.
Breaking through each gate would cause the Three Treasures Dao Seed to undergo an ultimate sublimation, bringing it progressively closer to the essence of the Primal Ancestral Qi.
These three gates were said to be the most perilous part of the Foundation Establishment process. Heart Demons would proliferate, and the slightest mistake could cause the Dao Seed to shatter and one’s Cultivation to be utterly destroyed.
But for a Slime Lord with a max HP exceeding four hundred thousand and immense Spiritual Power, it was child’s play.
He imagined himself standing within the dark chaos of his Inner Scape. Facing the tiny Dao Seed, he waved his hand majestically.
"Break!"
BOOM!
It was like the first great roar that split the heavens and the earth.
The "Earth Gate," located at the base of his tailbone and corresponding to the root of Essence, was instantly shattered by his sea of vitality and life force. The stagnant, turbid yin qi accumulated in the gate’s aperture was completely washed away, transforming into pure energy that merged into the Dao Seed.
The Three Treasures Dao Seed abruptly erupted in a brilliant radiance. It swelled slightly, faintly threatening to illuminate a small patch of the surrounding dark chaos.
But it wasn’t enough.
"Break again."
Essence and Qi were drawn forth, surging up like a world-splitting Giant Axe to directly smash through the "Man Gate," located in the middle of his spine and corresponding to the hub of Qi.
Within the aperture, illusory Heart Demons born from the seven emotions and six desires had just begun to manifest—a dragon of greed, a shadow of fear, a specter of lust... Before they could even fully form, Chen Yu imagined his own round, Gel butt and sat right on top of them.
SPLAT~
All the illusory Heart Demons burst in an instant, like soap bubbles in the sun.
The Three Treasures Dao Seed once again erupted in radiance. This time, it became even more solid and grew another size larger, its light illuminating a wider expanse of darkness.
But it was still missing something.
"The last gate. Break!"
Spiritual Power gathered at the Fengfu acupoint at the back of his head—the "Heaven Gate," corresponding to the gateway of Spirit—and charged straight through.
BOOM!!!
The moment the Heaven Gate opened, Chen Yu felt his mind become crystal clear. His speed of thought, range of perception, and control over his own power all instantly leaped to a whole new level.
His mind became suffused with Spiritual Light, as if a layer of dust obscuring his wisdom had been wiped away.
At this moment, he felt as if he had become the Three Treasures Dao Seed itself, expanding, expanding, and expanding endlessly.
Finally, it pushed against the chaotic Primal Ancestral Qi and actually managed to force it apart right down the middle.
The clear qi ascended, becoming a vast, azure sky where stars faintly glimmered.
The turbid qi descended, becoming a thick, solid land that could bear all things.
A minuscule yet complete inner world had taken its initial form.
High in the sky, the five Zang-organs of the human body transformed into five stars, each shining brightly.
The Star of Heart Fire pulsed with scorching heat, facing the distant, deep, and tranquil Star of Kidney Water. Water and Fire were now in harmony.
The Star of Liver Wood was full of vitality, harmonizing with the sharp, austere nature of the Star of Lung Metal. Metal and Wood, generating and overcoming each other, maintained the balance between growth and decline.
The Star of Spleen Earth was stout and stable. Positioned in the center, it governed the four cardinal directions and harmonized the properties of the other four stars, just as the earth bears all things.
At this point, the nascent inner world now possessed the Five Elements. Deep within the earth, scorching Earth Fire began to surge and flow like the planet’s lifeblood, bringing warmth and energy.
Crystal-clear spring water gushed from the earth’s veins, converging into a meandering stream that flowed eastward. It eventually emptied into a calm, deep inner sea, symbolizing all rivers returning to the ocean and all energy returning to its source.
Tender green shoots broke through the moist soil and grew rapidly, transforming into lush forests and grasslands brimming with vigorous life.
Veins of ore quietly formed deep within the soil and rock, glittering with the faint light of metals, jades, and crystals, representing latent potential and wealth.
Yet, at this moment, the world was still shrouded in darkness.
The sky had no sun or moon, and the land lacked the alternation of light and dark.
Though the Five Elements were present, Yin and Yang had not yet been separated.
The most crucial element was still missing: Yin and Yang.