Sidekick Fights Back (Married The Protagonist’s Mother)

Star Forged Baptism (Part 1)

After establishing his soul foundation, Su Kang rested for several hours within the chamber. The constant consumption of Soul Energy had taken a toll on his mind.

He had succeeded in forming the foundation more quickly than usual, largely due to his high cultivation realm and perhaps the temporary increased comprehension granted by Bai Yunxi.

Technically, even a peak Foundation Building cultivator could achieve this foundational stage—but the process would take far longer due to their weaker Soul Essence and inferior control.

However, after establishing the foundational floor, advancing further with this technique required one’s soul to reach the Third Realm, equivalent to a Core Formation cultivator's soul strength. A Foundation Building cultivator would likely exhaust 70–80% of their Soul Essence just to complete the floor itself.

Within his spiritual sea, Su Kang's avatar floated above the newly constructed platform. Its surface shimmered a dull, stormy gray, edged with a faint golden hue from the integrated anchors.

'The technique description didn't mention a specific color,' Su Kang mused, analyzing the gray shade.

'Perhaps it reflects the integration of my confronted darkness and unwavering willpower.'

The cultivation method had mentioned nourishment. Following the instructions, he guided the platform to gently settle onto the surface of his golden soul sea essence.

Like a thirsty stone absorbing water, the platform began to slowly draw sustenance from the sea, its gray surface subtly deepening, its golden edges brightening almost imperceptibly.

This strengthening process was vital before attempting the next stage: building the Bastion of Will, the first true floor of his Soul Pagoda.

With the initial soul foundation established and nourishing itself, Su Kang shifted his focus back to the arduous task of body tempering in the following days. Every night, under the watchful gaze of the stars, he diligently practiced the Star Tempering Exercise.

He sat in meditation, carefully drawing in the gentle, warm wisps of Star Qi, circulating them through his body according to the technique's intricate pathways.

His goal remained the same: to attune his body and senses, hoping to finally perceive and grasp the threads of true Astral Qi hidden within or alongside the starlight.

For weeks, the process yielded no tangible results. Then, one night, as he guided the Star Qi through a specific meridian pathway near his dantian, he felt it—a distinct sensation utterly different from the familiar warmth of starlight.

It was a tiny, almost imperceptible thread of energy, thin as silk, yet possessing an undeniable presence. It felt profoundly cold, carrying the chill of the void, and heavy, exerting a minuscule but definite pressure against his meridians.

Its color, perceived through his spiritual sense, was a shimmering silver-black, unlike the white-silver hues of Star Qi. It felt raw, ancient, and untamed.

Fate had explained the distinction: Star Qi originated from stellar bodies after Astral Qi passed through stellar purification in their nuclear furnaces. In contrast, Astral Qi was the fundamental, unrefined power of the cosmos itself—the chaotic energy that existed between the stars.

This raw energy moved with careless abandon, ignoring the established pathways and attempting to flow directly through his flesh, organs, and bones. A sharp, biting pain accompanied its passage—a clear indication of its damaging potential if uncontrolled.

Gritting his teeth against the discomfort, Su Kang immediately applied the principles of the Star Tempering Exercise. He didn't try to force the Astral Qi thread directly.

Instead, he used the circulating Star Qi almost like a gentle current, a binding agent, coaxing and guiding the hostile, cold energy, encouraging it to follow the pathways already warmed and prepared by the starlight.

It was like trying to gently nudge a shard of cosmic ice through a warm channel without letting it freeze the sides solid. Astral Qi couldn't be easily sensed or commanded like spiritual Qi or even Star Qi; it was fundamentally different. Yet he persisted, forcing his meridians to accommodate it, preparing them for the future reconstruction.

The Astral Qi flowed into his meridians for some time before inevitably passing through his body and escaping into the surroundings. Su Kang wasn't disappointed; instead, he immediately circulated whatever Star Qi he possessed through the same meridians, using both it and his own spiritual Qi to heal the minor damage left in the Astral Qi's wake.

"I understand now," he thought grimly, staring at the injury caused by the tiny, thread-like energy.

There's a high chance of injury, even if I manage to cultivate this in the future. I can't pursue an aggressive Qi cultivation path if my body cultivation techniques are this dangerous for me.

Furthermore, this primordial Qi was exceedingly rare in the cultivation world. He had no other choice. He couldn't rival Heaven's Favored in talent. If the Heavenly Dao took notice and deemed him a threat, he wouldn’t even have the power to resist. So, he would use everything at his disposal.

In the following week, he managed to sense and guide more wisps of Astral Qi. As the chaotic energy flowed alongside the Star Qi, it left trails of destruction, yet the Star Qi acted as a buffer, lessening the damage.

After each session, his meridians felt slightly stronger, more resilient, capable of holding the wisps of Astral Qi for fractions longer.

Meanwhile, as his soul foundation was nourished, subtle changes appeared. His mind felt clearer, his control over his own Qi increased noticeably, and a new calmness settled within him, strengthening his willpower bit by bit.

It had been more than two months since Zhu Zhihao had left. Su Kang felt he was finally ready to attempt the first true stage of the Starforged Physique.

The wind howled through the jagged peaks, carrying the biting chill of the night. Silver mist coiled around the desolate mountaintop where Su Kang stood, prepared.

The array beneath his feet pulsed with a faint glow, gathering starlight around his body. Two vials rested in his hands—one filled with a swirling silver-black mist radiating an ancient, cold aura, the other containing a thick golden pill exuding gentle warmth.

Astral Dewdrop—a single, condensed drop of primordial Astral Qi capable of shattering his physical form. Healing Elixir—the lifeline provided by Fate, designed to counteract the destruction and initiate reconstruction. Without the elixir, attempting this would be suicide, reducing his body to scattered ashes.

"Are you ready? Do you need more time?" Fate's voice echoed in his mind.

Su Kang's eyes flickered with nervousness. If he failed, there was no second chance. Fate didn't have another Astral Dewdrop. His grip tightened around the vials.

"Yes, I'm prepared. Let's do it."

He closed his eyes, breathing deeply, centering himself. Hours passed in silence as he meticulously adjusted his mental state and circulated trace amounts of Astral Qi through his prepared meridians. This was the final moment of preparation.

The vial containing the Astral Dewdrop floated before him, pulsing with cold, silver-black light. Even without touching it, he could feel its raw, ancient power, like a primordial beast barely contained within a fragile shell.

"Su Kang," Fate's voice carried a trace of caution, "once consumed, your body will be destroyed and reformed. The elixir will facilitate healing, but the pain will be immense. Furthermore, this condensed Astral Qi will attempt to erode your soul and consciousness. Resist it with your Soul foundation. You must endure for several hours. If you feel you cannot handle the influx, focus your will to expel the excess energy from your body into the surroundings."

"There's no room for hesitation now," Su Kang replied inwardly, steeling himself. "Let's see what happens." This wasn't just about power—it was about survival, about protecting those he loved.

He reached forward, grasped the vial containing the Healing Elixir, and swallowed its contents first. A profound warmth spread through his body and dantian, a comforting counterpoint to the impending ordeal. Then, with unwavering determination, he brought the vial of silver-black mist to his lips.

He braced himself for bone-chilling cold, but instead, searing heat erupted in his throat as he consumed the Astral Dewdrop. It wasn't the heat of fire, but the terrifying heat of dissolution, like lava tearing through his throat and stomach, spreading through his veins like molten steel. His senses exploded with blinding pain.

Flesh and blood felt like they were being reduced to their very essence, stripped down to fundamental particles. His muscles spasmed violently, twisting and contorting beyond recognition.

His body collapsed onto the cold stone platform, bones snapping audibly under the internal pressure. It felt impossibly heavy, as if a molten mountain had been poured into his meridians; he couldn't lift a finger, let alone maintain his posture.

“Aggg……aaaa……” A raw, primal sound escaped his throat, barely recognizable as human.

He wanted to question the heat, remembering the cold he'd felt from the wisps, but couldn't form the thought.

He didn't yet understand the true nature of Astral Qi. It was the primordial essence of the cosmos—not bound to yin or yang, but holding both extremes in potential. Its aspect could manifest as heat or cold depending on where it originated within the void.

The Astral Dewdrop continued its destructive rampage, dissolving him from the inside out, while the golden light of the elixir desperately struggled to knit him back together.

It was a terrifying battle of forces – annihilation against restoration, chaos against life – and his body was the ravaged battlefield.