This is a question from Ravi Vakil's notes I've been stuck on, namely 18.2.I.
Let $X$ be a scheme over a field $k$, and let $K/k$ be any field extension. Let $\mathcal{L}$ be an invertible sheaf on $X$. Then I would like to show $\mathcal{L}$ is base-point free if and only if the pullback of $\mathcal{L}$ to $X_K$, say $\mathcal{L}\otimes K$, is base-point free.
I know that $H^0(X, \mathcal{L})\otimes K\cong H^0(X_K, \mathcal{L}\otimes K)$. In particular, a basis of $H^0(X,\mathcal{L})$ over $k$ yields a basis of $H^0(X_K, \mathcal{L}\otimes K)$ after tensoring with $K$.
If $\mathcal{L}$ is base-point free, then so too must the pullback be base-point free. Otherwise there exists a base point $p$ in $X_K$, whose image in $X$ is $q$. As $q$ is not a base-point of $\mathcal{L}$, there exists some global section $s$ such that $s$ doesn't vanish at $q$, and thus the pullback of $s$ doesn't vanish at $p$.
I'm not sure how to proceed showing the converse, namely that $\mathcal{L}\otimes K$ being base-point free implies $\mathcal{L}$ is. If I try to proceed by contradiction I run into the issue where a point of #X# may not have a point in $X_K$ lying over it (as $K/k$ is not necessarily algebraic).
Could someone point me in the right direction?