Pef decided to name the other woman Xia. Like a twin of Xie, sharing her body. She wasn't pleased...

"Xia...that's not our name, I don't like it!" she yelled, with a qi infused voice. Apparently a novice skill.

"Yes, whatever. Nobody chooses their name. Unless you can speak at a few months old"

"I can also speak now. Hear the words coming out of my mouth?" Xia retorted in a light sarcastic tone.

"You said I. And you're not Xie. Thus, you are Xia!" Pef decided with a firm nod.

"Grrrrr." the woman growled while staring daggers at Pef.

"Forget about the name. You surely had another, just like I did. I only remembered Pef. Seemed important to me, for some reason. And mom agreed."

"Fine! But no kissing today" Xia promised while glaring at the boy.

Pef glared at her too."Who wants your kisses, brutal wife, you even bit me last time! Anyway. Back to the lessons..."

"Right. While this Practice is called Foundation in my mind, it does the same thing. The energy of heavens flows through you, depositing the wisdom into your body. There are nine levels to achieve when building your Foundation. The firmer the foundation, the stronger the palace you will build on top" Xia said mystically, while layering water layers like an artesian fountain.

"It is better to focus on three things, and establish a triangle made solid knowledge. Like Sword, Bow and Spear. Become an expert, and the qi along the inner pathways will flow into your dantian and form the Core."

"Got it. People here just Practice. It takes them a hundred years to form their Core, like Xie did" Pef agreed with a nod.

"Yes, I know what our body knows. After that, we begin compressing the Core, using breathing or other methods. Like killing something strong.

But breathing is the normal way. Gather qi from the heavens, circulate around the core, and squeeze. There are nine stages as well, which require three pillars: meditation, desire, and action." the sage explained in a profound voice.

Pef agreed and smiled. "So consider your goals, salivate really hard, then go and marry the girl"

"Sigh. Yes, sometimes. Beautiful people have an easy way. They make lots of love. Nurtures the soul. But this is about kind gestures, a caress, a compliment, a flower. Gifts freely given.

And it's not always possible or practical. Breathing is better. Not simply breathing to live.

Breathe in the qi, hold it and compress it. The air that comes out should be devoid of qi"

"Unless there's a worm sucking it out. I tried this" our Sky rank hero complained.

"And then we have Spirit formation. Once you have the new sense of soul, you use it to refine qi. Air and water are the natural way of sensing the soul, and one should use this instead of eyes. Slowly the world will become visible, to your soul. Other people, plants and animals. You learn to sense them and discern them. New colors appear. Then one day, there's a breeze, a calling in your soul. And then your element becomes your Spirit, that will respond back to you" Xia said softly, forming a water wave above her palm and making it go back and forth.

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Pef built his water shield and nodded "I almost drowned, under the sea. Made a bubble of water around me"

"You forced it. The water will aid you anyway, you just need to listen."

"And then, Earth rank?"

"Later. This is Stoneport in the distance, right?" the woman asked to make sure.

"Ah. Yes. We are close."

"Xie wants to see it, farewell for now"

Pef blinked and the silver eyes were gone, replaced by confused brown eyes.

She came to hug him, with sleepy movements "Hey, Pef. I slept so long..."

"Xia is teaching me cultivation. Damn she's so smart!"

"You named her, like a twin...I don't mind. Xia sounds nice, if I had a sister..."

"Yes. That was my thought too. So, ready to visit Stoneport?"

Xie's eyes lit up with fire "Hell yes! Maybe there's some bandits? Ah, I want to kill something..."

Pef gulped and nodded. The other terrifying woman was back.

'I detect 11 minor revolts in progress, inside Stoneport. 10 of them, criminal in nature. Looters'

Pef eyed his wife and felt sorry for the looters. But such if life. Sometimes an angry woman descends from the sky with a big maul, and crushes you.

"It's our lucky day. Some rioters are looting the city. Want to help me restore order?" Pef asked sweetly.

Xie cried in joy, weapons appearing in her hands.

Pef unleashed the beast from a safe 300 meter distance, and flew towards the last revolt, something about farmers being oppressed.

Soon after, he lead the farmers towards to evil noble's mansion, and vanquished him heroically.

With a huge fine, and 20 lashes.

The farmers got one lash each, for disturbing the peace, and went home content.

Then Pef, now flew towards the Guardians barracks, where a hundred young Guardians lay wounded and beaten.

"What happened guys? Someone bully you?" Pef asked with a twitch of his eyebrow.

"Ah Master Xi, there's a gang of bandits, lead by strong cultivators, like 8 Nascent and 2 Spirit ranks. They took over the city...even the Core Guardians got defeated"

"Oh. Some of you have Core ranks?" Pef wondered scanning the newbie recruits.

Indeed, 6 of them had formed Cores. They were also the ones who suffered the most. Or fought harder.

"Master Xi, save...sisters. They captured a dozen..." a Guardian reported between sobs.

"Okay, I'll bring them back" Pef said with a gentle voice, patting the wounded man on his head.

He rose up and took off, and immediately landed again, at the first riot scene.

Hundreds of citizens cheered as our hero advanced fearlessly, mowing down mooks left and right.

If they had the red contour, they died. In a few minutes, 200 bandits lay dead, and Pef flew to the next spot.

At the fourth site, he found the Guardians, and rescued their lives. Their dignity was a bit mudly, be he didn't ask.

He just offered spare clothes, and led the angry women to the next spot, offering them the chance for revenge and growth.

By the time he met with his wife, all 12 Guardians had formed their Core, by butchering dozens of bandits each. Although it was a bit easier if the bandits lacked arms.