Sidekick Fights Back (Married The Protagonist’s Mother)

Foundation of The Soul Pagoda

“What should I do first?” he asked.

“Begin with the soul cultivation. Strengthen your soul and refine your will. You’ll need mental resilience for what lies ahead. At the same time, begin the Star Tempering Exercise, a preparatory technique to gradually ready your body for reconstruction.”

Su Kang nodded. “Understood. What about my Qi cultivation technique?”

“I’ll decide once I see how your body and soul progress. To maintain balance, your Qi technique must emphasize harmony. Otherwise, controlling both body and soul will become difficult,” Fate said.

"What about the thing you promised me?" Su Kang asked, thinking of the item he'd awaited since his wedding night.

“It’s best used after you change your Qi technique. If you use it now, altering your cultivation path later will become extremely difficult.”

“This…” Su Kang exhaled in disappointment. Weeks of waiting, and still more patience was required.

“Can’t I start with a harmonious Qi technique now?”

"You could,” Fate said, “but it’s wiser to wait until your transformation. These techniques are highly specific. You can’t afford to be reckless.”

He sighed again but relented. A few more months were a small price to pay for truly powerful techniques.

“Alright then. Let’s begin.”

A moment later, Su Kang felt memories flooding into his spiritual consciousness—detailed insights into the Star Tempering Exercise and the foundational soul method of the Sanctuary of the Unwavering Soul.

He needed an isolated space with potent starlight for his practice and transformation. After brief contemplation, he chose a secluded mountain within the vast domain of the Su Manor.

It was far from the bustling training grounds, shrouded in mist, and quiet enough for uninterrupted cultivation.

Remote from prying eyes, yet close enough for convenient return—it was ideal. At the summit, he established a simple cultivation chamber, arranging spirit stones and defensive formations.

Inside the stone chamber, Su Kang sat cross-legged in a meditative posture, beginning with the fundamental soul cultivation technique.

He quieted his thoughts, focusing inward as his awareness plunged into the depths of his spiritual sea. His breath grew silent, almost imperceptible, mirroring the profound inner stillness he sought.

His spiritual sea resembled a vast lake of shimmering liquid gold, nearly three kilometers wide and over a hundred meters deep. White-gold mists drifted lazily across the glowing surface, like a fog. At the very heart of this sea, the light condensed—dense, luminous, and radiant—pulsing in harmony with the rhythm of his spirit.

Soon, the dense, radiant light took the shape of an avatar of him, ready to act upon his will.

He began summoning wisps of soul energy, each thread shimmering faintly as it emerged from the glowing mist. He began tracing the intricate strokes of the first foundational rune directly above his spiritual sea.

His goal was to inscribe five distinct soul runes in the space above the sea, destined to serve as the anchoring pillars for his soul's foundation.

He focused intensely, guiding the golden energy to trace the intricate lines of the first rune. The energy flowed, leaving shimmering golden trails in its path, but maintaining the complex structure proved difficult.

Despite his Core Formation-level control, the first completed rune flickered and collapsed after mere moments.

He began again, patiently. This time, the rune held slightly longer. A realization dawned—it would likely take days. Undeterred, he dedicated himself to the practice.

Many hours later, he finally left the stone chamber, a sheen of sweat on his forehead and exhaustion evident in his eyes, yet his expression held a quiet satisfaction.

Without delay, he made his way toward Bai Yunxi’s courtyard. Though only temporary, her body held the ability to improve his spiritual clarity. And right now, he needed that clarity.

...

A few days passed.

Within the golden soul sea, Su Kang sat at its center, his consciousness manifesting amidst the radiant fog. Floating above the glowing mist, five soul runes now hovered in a pentagonal formation.

The next step was to reinforce them. He began channeling soul energy into each one, guiding threads of essence to coil and layer around the runes.

It was a slow, draining process. The soul energy wove like golden silk, wrapping each rune until their shape transformed—round, smooth, solid—each one becoming a golden, oval-shaped boulder suspended in the misty void.

“One is complete… The rest will take another week,” his avatar whispered.

He paused his cultivation for now. Each day, he poured his efforts into establishing his soul foundation. And when night descended, he turned his focus to the Star Tempering Exercise.

After dual cultivation with Bai Yunxi, he would either meditate beneath the open starlight in her courtyard or return to the stone chamber atop the mist-shrouded mountain.

Yet, a troubling issue persisted—he felt nothing from the Star Tempering Exercise. No stirrings of power, no internal shift. Though he followed the prescribed acupoint circulation with his Qi, nothing responded—not even the faintest reaction.

Meanwhile, the Su Manor remained quiet, though subtle changes were noticed. Su Ting, the most spoiled young master, was now getting mercilessly beaten during morning training. In the evenings, he would disappear with a charming, recently arrived guest.

Those unfamiliar with Su Kang—especially because of his childhood spent in the Qingyun Sect—grew increasingly uneasy about his intense training methods.

A few elders even urged younger disciples to approach him for guidance, but despite his high cultivation, most hesitated.

Su Kang’s soul cultivation, however, progressed steadily. In his spiritual sea, the five golden boulders now floated in harmony. They served as anchors—pillars for the sanctuary he would eventually construct.

Now, he needed to connect them, weaving a solid foundation—a 'floor' upon which the pagoda of his soul would eventually stand. It was like laying stones in the earth before building a massive structure, rather than relying on loose soil.

To do so, the five pillars had to be connected, forming a smooth, circular, and stable foundation from his spiritual energy. As long as Su Kang could manage this, the soul cultivation foundation would be almost complete.

He began weaving soul energy into thin wisps, each strand imbued with his willpower and intent. Slowly, faint walls of mist began to form, linking the golden anchors.

Then, images started to appear in his mind.

Memories from his past life as Arya surfaced—sudden and unexpected. Though caught off guard, Su Kang held firm. The walls of soul mist around the pillars trembled, but they did not collapse.

More memories came, this time from his current life. Again, the mist walls shook. Still, he endured.

Then came the image of his family burning. That was the final blow. The soul mist walls encircling the golden pillars collapsed all at once.

His heart seethed with rage, hatred, despair, and fear. His eyes shot open with a sharp gasp. Beads of sweat dripped down his face, and his eyes blazed with suppressed emotions.

“Why am I seeing something like this?” he muttered through rapid breaths.

“Fate… what’s the meaning behind this?” he asked, his voice heavy.

“You must form the floor using your willpower and thoughts, fused with soul energy. That’s what the technique requires,” Fate replied calmly.

“Dammit! I know that,” he growled. “But why must I see this nightmare—something that won’t happen anymore?”

“Perhaps,” Fate suggested after a moment’s silence, “you must confront and overcome it with your willpower. Otherwise, you may never truly begin practicing this technique.”

“At this rate… I might develop a heart demon if I continue like this,” he muttered bitterly.

“If you don’t cultivate, the suppressed emotions may still lead to a heart demon,” Fate countered.

“It is better to confront them, clear the negativity from your heart. The Sanctuary of the Unwavering Soul is designed to help purify the soul and resist such inner demons.”

Su Kang clenched his teeth. There was no escape—he understood the gravity of his situation. Either he faced his inner turmoil now or allowed it to fester and become a future weakness.

He sat in silence for a moment, letting his rapid breaths settle. Then, from his storage ring, he retrieved a calming elixir: Heart-Cleansing Tranquility Pill.

After taking the pill and circulating its effects through his meridians and spiritual sea, he attempted the process once more.

Yet again, the moment the golden mist began forming walls around the five anchors, they flickered like candlelight in the wind and collapsed in an instant.

His mind remained chaotic—a whirlwind of memories, emotions, and subconscious fears crashing into one another like waves during a storm.

“I need to take it slow... or I might be stuck here forever.” A faint sigh escaped his lips. He opened his eyes, staring at the ceiling of the stone chamber as sweat glistened on his skin.

The burden pressing on him felt heavier than any physical load. Realizing he needed to relax, Su Kang decided to step outside and relieve the mental pressure.

He headed to the Su Family’s training grounds. There, he quietly observed the younger disciples sparring and practicing formation-battles under the supervision of an elder.

Their raw enthusiasm, smiles, and sincere determination offered him a temporary sense of detachment from his inner struggle.

After a while, he walked to Bai Yunxi’s courtyard. She welcomed him with her usual calm grace, but her eyes revealed curiosity and concern.

She had already sensed the subtle shift in his demeanor over the past few days. Seeing him meditate and cultivate in her courtyard, she guessed that he was working on some techniques.