The Spiritual Pivot of Mortal Cultivation

The next morning, before the mountain mist had completely dissipated, Bai Xuanxin had already left the back mountain.

The summons must not be delayed.

He walked slowly, his expression extremely calm, as if he were just an ordinary outer disciple who had suddenly received a summons from his instructor. Even if there were some ripples in his heart, they were all suppressed in his sleeves and steps. But if you really looked closely, you would find that he took each step very steadily, and even his breathing was a little heavier than usual.

I'm not here today to save face.

It's not about gambling for empty fame.

Bai Xuanxin knew very well that the reason he had painstakingly prepared these past few chapters and revealed his unorthodox skills of "Luoyan Step" and "Dissolving Force and Dismantling Bones" in the outer sect's ten-day examination was never to have a group of outer sect disciples applaud him.

He's after something that's "pleasing to the eye".

First impressions are what the instructors notice.

The eyes of the temple re-enter.

Only then will one be qualified to have their name recognized by those in higher positions.

In a place like the Seven Mysteries Sect, a gray-robed outer disciple, no matter how careful he is on a daily basis, is nothing more than expendable material that can be used to fill border posts, mines, or escort duties at any time. But once he is on the list of those who can be "polished," even if he is far from becoming a personal disciple or confidant, his status is already different.

At least, it's no longer a matter of dying or being abandoned at will.

And this is exactly what Bai Xuanxin needs most right now.

Because the situation within the sect will become increasingly tense as time goes on.

The Wild Wolf Gang will cause trouble at the border sooner or later.

The Seven Mysteries Sect's halls, instructors, sect leader, and senior uncles will all be drawn in layer by layer.

And the connection between Mo Juren and Shenshou Valley will not remain confined to a corner of the valley forever.

If Bai Xuanxin only supports Han Li's side, it's equivalent to placing only one bet.

However, if one can first establish a foundation in the mortal realm of the Seven Mysteries Sect, then in the future, whether it is to gain merit by shedding blood, to do things by leveraging the sect's influence, or to protect oneself in a more chaotic situation, one will have an extra layer of support.

To put it bluntly, everything he's doing now is just paving the way for himself.

A path for ordinary people to establish themselves.

A path to reach for more chips in the future.

Thinking of this, Bai Xuanxin slightly raised her eyes.

Heading from the front of the mountain towards the main hall, one can catch a glimpse of a corner of Divine Hand Valley halfway there. The morning mist has not yet dissipated, and the medicine shelves in the valley are vaguely visible, only revealing a layer of varying shades of dark blue-black shadows. Bai Xuanxin has excellent eyesight; even through the mist, he can still see a slender figure among the medicine shelves, bending over and turning over medicinal herbs, the movements unhurried and extremely steady.

It's Han Li.

Bai Xuanxin glanced at it once before looking away.

At this time, Han Li was probably still in Shenshou Valley, dealing with Mo Juren while gritting his teeth and trying to squeeze a little progress into the "Eternal Spring Skill." Now that Mo Juren had returned to the mountain, his days would only be more difficult than before. On the surface, he had to pretend to be obedient and honest; secretly, he also had to find ways to accelerate the ripening of medicinal herbs and extract that little bit of spiritual liquid to try and find a way to survive that he didn't know if it would work.

That was Han Li's scheme.

My meeting with Instructor Li today is on a different track.

Neither side can be loosened.

Bai Xuanxin's mind raced, but his feet didn't stop. After turning a corner of the corridor, the small training ground in front of the hall was already in front of him.

This place is completely different from the outer training ground.

The place was small, but extremely quiet. The ground was not paved with rough bluestone, but with a smooth, polished stone slab. Weapon racks, wooden dummies, short wooden blocks, sandbags, and other items were all neatly arranged. At a glance, one could tell that this was where the experienced members of the sect practiced moves, taught boxing, and tested their disciples.

Coach Li was already standing on the sidelines.

Today, instead of the blue robe he wore yesterday, he wore a neat short jacket with the cuffs tightly bound. His back was straight, and the sight of him standing there immediately revealed the vigorous strength that belied his age. Standing beside him was a middle-aged steward, the same one who had discussed Bai Xuanxin with him in the outer side hall yesterday, surnamed Zhou.

Bai Xuanxin approached and first bowed with his hands clasped in greeting.

"Disciple Bai Xuanxin greets Instructor Li and Deacon Zhou."

Instructor Li's gaze fell upon him, sweeping over him from head to toe. It wasn't particularly sharp, yet it made one feel that no part of him could escape his eyes.

"I watched your two performances in yesterday's exam," Instructor Li said bluntly. "Your footwork was good, and your hand techniques were also quite impressive. I called you here today not to listen to you talk, but to see if your skills are something you learned from books or something you practiced yourself."

Bai Xuanxin bowed his head and replied, "Please enlighten me, Master."

Instructor Li grunted in response and said no more, simply tossing a short white wax stick, about an inch thick, to Deacon Zhou.

"Come here."

Deacon Zhou was taken aback, then smiled wryly and said, "Is the instructor using me as a whetstone?"

"Enough with the nonsense." Instructor Li said calmly, "He's just an outer disciple. If I were to be too ruthless with him personally, people would think I'm bullying the weak. You test him with 30% of your strength first."

Upon hearing this, Steward Zhou had no choice but to step into the arena, straighten his sleeves, and bow to Bai Xuanxin, saying, "Junior Brother Bai, please forgive me."

Bai Xuanxin returned the greeting, her expression becoming even more composed.

He understood that although Deacon Zhou only tested "30%", that was in relation to Instructor Li. For him, this 30% test for a hall deacon was already far superior to that of the vast majority of disciples in the outer sect's ten-day test.

This match is one we cannot win, nor can we possibly win.

What really matters is whether the loss is worthwhile.

Let Instructor Li see how fast I can go.

See yourself accurately.

I see myself as stable.

We must also recognize that our methods are not dirty tricks that we've come up with randomly, but rather something that has a basis, a logic, and a method.

Thinking of this, Bai Xuan focused his mind slightly and gently stepped forward.

But Deacon Zhou didn't give him much time to prepare.

With a sway of his body, he was already right in front of her.

There were no fancy moves like the outer disciples' shouts, footwork, or attempts to get ahead; only a straight and short punch. The fist traveled along the center line, the shoulder not high, the elbow not raised, yet the force was extremely heavy, like a flattened iron stake, pushed out flat. Bai Xuanxin's eyes flashed, and almost instinctively, his body slid sideways, his instep rolling first, his knees and hips retreating, his entire body already half a foot away from the edge of the fist's edge.

It's still based on "Luo Yanbu".

But as soon as the slide was completed, Deacon Zhou pressed down with his lower body.

Unlike Gu Sanhuai who snatched the attack, or Shi Jian who charged headlong into it, he naturally followed Bai Xuanxin's slide, pulling his front fist back half an inch and extending his back hand half an inch. His steps were small, but his stance was pressed down tightly layer by layer. Bai Xuanxin's "leakage" technique, which had worked so well in the ten-day test, was blocked halfway through its application.

Bai Xuanxin felt a chill run down her spine.

The seasoned members of the sect are indeed completely different from the outer disciples.

Similarly, Gu Sanhuai guessed which way you were going, and Shi Jian blocked it with his fists; but Deacon Zhou's move was to naturally press in along with your body's posture, not fast, not ruthless, but making you feel like you had nowhere to land.

Bai Xuanxin dared not think only of "slippery" anymore. His right hand suddenly shot out, his fingers like a cone, aiming straight for the numb tendon on the outside of Deacon Zhou's elbow.

This technique is the "bone-breaking force" that he has been practicing diligently recently.

But Deacon Zhou didn't even lift his eyelids; his arm merely slumped slightly, and his fist technique subtly shifted by half an inch, even as he aged prematurely. Bai Xuanxin's finger strike missed its mark.

No, it's not an empty space.

It hit the mark, but only on the thickest part of the skin.

In that instant, Deacon Zhou's entire elbow line sank down, and the previously exposed "tendon" was hidden between his muscles and bones.

Bai Xuanxin's heart trembled again.

This is not about hiding.

Instead, it means "to protect".

This shows that Steward Zhou not only understands where he is attacking, but also knows how to collect that area in advance.

The moment this thought arose, Deacon Zhou's other hand swept across Bai Xuanxin's wrist with a motion as light as dusting. But Bai Xuanxin only felt a numbness on the outside of his wrist bone, and for a moment, the strength in his entire forearm went limp.

Yangchi.

Bai Xuanxin's pupils contracted slightly, and she quickly retreated.

This retreat revealed traces of the "Luoyan Steps" again.

Deacon Zhou didn't give chase, but simply said, "Your movement technique is quite good, but it's a pity you trust it too much."

Before the words were even finished, the second round had already begun.

This time, Bai Xuanxin no longer simply moved around, but instead cut diagonally with his feet, his body cutting in close to the outside of Deacon Zhou's arm. His right hand grabbed the wrist, and his left hand flipped the elbow, using the same "reverse twist and grab wrist, dislocate bone and lock force" technique he had used against Shi Jian in the ten-day test.

However, this approach didn't work so well when dealing with Deacon Zhou.

With a flick of his wrist and a loosening of his elbow, Deacon Zhou's arm bone seemed to collapse inward by half an inch, as if it had no bones at all. Bai Xuanxin's grab, which should have struck the opponent's pivot point, now felt like grabbing a slippery wad of cotton; he had the technique, but had nowhere to apply force.

Before Bai Xuanxin could process what was happening, a sudden weight settled on his shoulder.

Deacon Zhou's hand had already gently rested on his shoulder.

It wasn't heavy, and it wasn't even considered harsh.

But that strike landed too squarely. Bai Xuanxin felt the smooth, flowing energy in his shoulder and back suddenly dissipate by half, and he instinctively tried to shift his weight to avoid it.

But as soon as he dismounted, Deacon Zhou's other hand pressed down on the elbow, and he slightly shifted his foot.

Bai Xuanxin felt as if a wedge had been removed from his bones. His previously steady stance suddenly shifted, and he staggered back two steps before regaining his footing.

It was very quiet all around.

But it was precisely because of the stillness that Bai Xuanxin's heart shone even brighter.

—This is what the true veterans of the profession possess.

It's not fast, it's not fierce, it's not overwhelming.

Instead, he always anticipates your moves, anticipating where you're headed, which bone joint you want to stab, or which lifeline you want to break, and then preemptively takes that part, and then turns the tables on you by following your lead.

The reason I criticize others during my own exams is because they don't understand.

Now, when it comes to someone who truly understands the craft, the difference in skill level immediately becomes apparent.

Bai Xuanxin's mind raced like lightning. His shoulders slumped, and he simply gathered the scattered energy back into his dantian. Instead of fighting Zhou the Deacon head-on, he switched to using the "Luoyan Step" to circle around, turning three times in a row. His body moved like a shadow, skimming the ground, deliberately taking the most difficult angles to cover the opponent's line of sight and elbows.

This journey revealed even more true skill than before.

Even when fighting outer disciples during the day, he had to hold back, only revealing a fraction of his strength;

Since this was a trial run for the instructor, he dared to give it a little more playing time.

When the left foot lands, the arch of the foot rolls half an inch first to dissipate the lateral force.

Don't rush with your knees first; loosen your hips halfway first.

The back is slightly arched, the force is not exerted on the shoulders, but is secretly sent out from the Mingmen point.

Traditional Chinese medicine says that "the waist is the residence of the kidneys and the Du meridian governs the yang of the whole body." The key to agile footwork lies in the opening and closing of the waist and spine.

From a Western perspective, the core muscles of the lower back, pelvic rotation, and foot arch cushioning work in sequence to first prevent the ground reaction force from injuring the ankles and knees, and then send that force to the shoulders and back.

This is the "Luoyan Steps" that Bai Xuanxin has truly revised recently.

Deacon Zhou, who had been expressionless, finally let out a soft "Eh?"

"This step is not just about sliding."

Coach Li stood on the sidelines, his gaze finally fixed.

Because he figured it out.

Bai Xuanxin's footwork is more than just mastering the "Luoyan Step".

He was a student.

The movement was precise: every step, every movement, every turn, even the breath in his chest was controlled. While most Seven Mysteries Sect disciples focused on speed and unpredictability in their movement techniques, Bai Xuanxin's method emphasized smoothness.

Smooth the tendons, smooth the bones, and regulate the Qi.

Thus, it lost some of the sudden, sharp edge, but gained more of a sustained and steady quality.

And that is precisely what makes it so rare.

In the arena, Bai Xuanxin had already changed positions three times around Deacon Zhou.

Each time, it's only a little more than the average person's, just half an inch or an inch more.

But those tiny inch-long intervals are precisely the distance between life and death.

Deacon Zhou finally stopped guarding and, with a stomp of his foot, pressed forward with his entire body. This press was different from the heavy, forceful punches of Shi Jian in the mid-term exam; it was the press of a seasoned veteran of the orthodox path. It didn't look fierce, but in reality, it was layered and continuous, with the arms, elbows, shoulders, and knees all connected as if in a straight line. Once it touched him, it wasn't just a single point of force; the entire body would collapse halfway down.

The light in Bai Xuanxin's eyes faded.

It can't be refunded anymore.

If we back down further, we'll only become a laughingstock.

Suddenly, he made a sudden, sharp movement, passing right under Deacon Zhou's left arm. At the same time, his right hand, with fingers pointing straight down to the line below Zhou's collarbone, and his left hand, hooking at the outer pivot of Zhou's wrist—this was no longer the kind of "disassembly that outsiders could understand" that he used when he fought Gu Sanhuai and Shi Jian in the ten-day exam, but a "medical disassembly hand" that truly incorporated the meridians and joint pivots of traditional Chinese medicine.

One finger's width in front of the shoulder, preemptively sever the opponent's upper limbs;

With a flick of the wrist, the opponent's downward punching path is disrupted;

If both points are attacked simultaneously, even if Deacon Zhou is not injured, that one strike would be enough to momentarily deprive him of his entire right arm.

pity.

We're still just one step away.

Almost at the same moment Bai Xuanxin raised his hand, Deacon Zhou's shoulder shrank and his wrist sank, his arm sliding across Bai Xuanxin's grasp like a snake shedding its skin. The next instant, his palm was already pressed against Bai Xuanxin's chest, without exerting force, just a gentle push.

Bai Xuanxin felt a tightness in her chest, and she involuntarily retreated, taking three steps back before regaining her footing.

Lost.

And they lost completely.

But no one on the sidelines spoke up.

This was beyond the comprehension of ordinary outer disciples. The crowd only saw the two move with lightning speed, exchanging blows in a mere ten or so moves before Bai Xuanxin was forced back. But what truly sent chills down their spines was that—in those ten or so moves, Bai Xuanxin had actually gotten very close to Deacon Zhou three or four times, and his hand had indeed landed on him.

In other words, he is truly qualified to be among the most experienced in the field.

This is more terrifying than victory or defeat itself.

After Bai Xuanxin stood still, she did not try again, but simply clasped her hands in a salute.

"This disciple has lost."

Deacon Zhou stopped, his expression losing its previous casualness and gaining a genuine seriousness.

"You didn't lose unjustly," he said, then turned to Instructor Li. "Instructor, this kid's methods are too cunning and his techniques too subtle; he doesn't seem like someone trained in the outer sect."

Coach Li did not respond immediately, but instead slowly walked into the arena.

He glanced at Bai Xuanxin first.

This look was much deeper and more intense than the one during yesterday's examination.

"Just now, your last move—striking my left shoulder and grabbing my right wrist—was to disrupt my upper arm's momentum before throwing off my downward rotation, wasn't it?"

Bai Xuanxin bowed her head and replied, "Yes."

Do you know why you lost?

Bai Xuanxin was silent for a moment, then said, "I could see the other person's joints opening and closing, but my hand was still a fraction too slow; and once we got close, I was still thinking about 'dismantling' the opponent, and I failed to protect my own frame first."

Upon hearing this, a faint hint of surprise finally flashed across Instructor Li's eyes.

He neither immediately reprimanded nor praised, but simply said:

"I understand fairly well."

At this point, he raised his hand again and gently tapped the outside of Bai Xuanxin's left ankle.

"Your footwork still has a problem with your ankle. You think you've corrected your footwork and can avoid 70% of your old problems, but when you really encounter an experienced opponent, it will still show up here first. If I hadn't told Steward Zhou to hold back just now, and had really caught you in this position, half of your 'Luoyan Step' would have been ruined."

Bai Xuanxin's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately made a note of it.

Instructor Li added, "Furthermore, your technique is too much like a traditional Chinese medicine doctor dissecting bones, not like a martial artist fighting. It's sufficient for dealing with outer disciples, but when you encounter a true veteran who has seen blood and can protect their own joints, you can't just think about dismantling others; you also need to protect yourself first."

Bai Xuanxin agreed again.

Coach Li then turned around, hands behind his back, and walked towards the sidelines. After taking a few steps, he seemed to remember something, and without turning his head, casually said:

"If this kid is properly trained, he might actually amount to something."

This was said lightly, as if it were just a casual remark.

But when Deacon Zhou heard this, his expression immediately changed.

Those in the hall knew best what kind of person Instructor Li was. Getting a single word from him saying "he can be improved" was more valuable than winning three consecutive matches in the outer gate examination.

Bai Xuanxin stood there, hands hanging down, silent, but she had already made up her mind.

He lost this match.

It was a worthwhile loss.

Instructor Li noticed his speed.

I saw his accuracy.

I could see the "physician dissecting bones" flavor in his technique.

I also saw that he wasn't the kind of person who would get impatient and overconfident as soon as he started working.

That's enough.

Further on, the gaze from within the gate will no longer linger solely on the fact that "the outer gatekeepers have shown their skills."

Further away, the fog in the direction of Shenshou Valley had not yet dissipated.

Bai Xuanxin glanced up for a moment, then thought of Han Li again.

At this very moment, the future Celestial Master Han is most likely still in the valley, head down, turning over herbs, brewing medicine, and testing it, while keeping a watchful eye on Mo Juren and secretly urging the "Eternal Spring Skill" to progress. He himself is testing his skills in front of the hall today to gain the approval of experienced practitioners; Han Li, on the other hand, is fighting for a different, more dangerous, and narrower path to immortality.

We need to take both routes.

As for himself, he had finally managed to elevate the mortal line of the Seven Mysteries Sect by an inch.