The Spiritual Pivot of Mortal Cultivation

The front hall and back courtyard were even quieter than Bai Xuanxin had imagined.

The ground was paved with blue bricks, edged with fine sand. Only a few commonly used weapons hung sparsely on the four corner racks, their blades concealed within their sheaths, inconspicuous in appearance. In one corner of the courtyard stood several old medicine jars, their surfaces tarnished, the clay intact for years, yet when the wind blew, a faint scent of wine and medicine still wafted from the cracks, mingling with the smells of wooden stakes, sweat, and sand, heavy and persistent in the courtyard.

It's obvious at a glance that this isn't a place for people to perform martial arts.

This is the place in the gate that is truly used to measure people, weigh bones, and test depth.

When Bai Xuanxin was admitted to the hospital, Instructor Li was already there.

Besides these, there were three other people standing there.

None of the three put on any airs; they simply stood there casually, yet the atmosphere in the courtyard seemed to be silently lowered. Bai Xuanxin had been moving between the side hall, the pharmacy, and the backyard these past few days. Although he hadn't truly gotten close to the top level of the gate, he had overheard quite a bit of gossip. Coupled with his prior knowledge of the events leading up to the chaos at the Seven Mysteries Sect, this one glance was enough for him to understand seven or eight tenths of the situation.

These three are most likely the three sect leaders and senior uncles who will be able to keep things under control for Wang Juechu later on.

in other words--

This is the Seven Mysteries Sect's true trump card.

Thinking of this, Bai Xuanxin's initial cautiousness turned into a calmer one.

Because he knew very well that he wasn't here to compete.

They're here to inspect the goods.

We need to examine his potential to see if it's worthwhile to delve deeper into his development.

Bai Xuanxin stepped forward and saluted:

"Disciple Bai Xuanxin greets the three grandmaster uncles and Instructor Li."

Of the three, one nodded slightly, one simply hummed in agreement, and the other didn't even respond, merely glancing briefly at his shoulders, waist, and feet before looking away.

This glance wasn't heavy.

But Bai Xuanxin clearly felt that the changes he had undergone in the medicinal pool and the root method over the past few days were as if someone had casually peeled off the surface, and whether the inside was still stable had been seen very clearly.

Instructor Li stood to the side and spoke calmly:

"Next game."

Bai Xuanxin didn't say anything more, but slowly walked into the arena.

He was extremely calm today.

After the recent bloodshed on the medicine road, the name left in the side hall, and the combined pressure of the inner medicine pool and the main stance technique, he is no longer the same person who could only rely on the "Luo Yan Step" to seize a half-step opening from others. In truth, he is no longer afraid of ordinary stewards and instructors, and he has enough confidence to directly confront them.

But these three people in front of me are not from "this level".

They are the few pillars that truly hold up the fate of the Seven Mysteries Sect.

Instructor Li was the first to go off the field.

He didn't carry any weapons or strike any poses; he simply stood five steps in front of Bai Xuanxin and pressed his palm flat forward.

This press doesn't look heavy.

Bai Xuanxin's heart sank immediately.

Because what Instructor Li did wasn't a test of technique, but a test of fundamental strength. That force didn't originate from the shoulder and arm alone, but rather pressed down neatly along the feet, knees, hips, and back, like an old wooden beam pushing the entire line forward. If you only think about dodging or sliding, you'll mostly only avoid the surface; the real, overwhelming force is yet to come.

Bai Xuanxin did not retreat.

His feet sank first, his shoulders didn't push up first, but his waist and hips were already stable. The words from the fundamental method—sinking the shoulders, locking the hips, and straightening the spine—were used almost instinctively. The next moment, he raised his arm to catch it.

And it actually caught!

It's not a rigid frame.

Instead, first lift half the line, then unload the other half.

The force that pressed down from Instructor Li's palm struck Bai Xuanxin's newly formed upright stance, but instead of immediately forcing him to retreat as before, it was steadily held for half a breath. Then, with a twist of his shoulders and back, he deflected the remaining force.

The imposing old man on the sidelines twitched his brow very slightly.

Because what this move reveals is no longer just "slippery movements" and "fast techniques," but rather a true physique that is beginning to develop.

Instructor Li didn't stop, and pressed down again with his palm.

This time, the strength is even more substantial.

Bai Xuanxin did not retreat. The fine sand under his feet sank slightly. His waist and back slumped and contracted, and he managed to catch the pressure for a moment. Then, he smoothly deflected the force.

In a single transaction, it only takes three hands.

Someone on the sidelines had already spoken, their voice extremely faint:

"It has roots."

These three words carry far more weight than a simple "not bad".

Before this, Bai Xuanxin was seen by others as someone who was more about "danger" and "profit"—looking for gaps, seizing opportunities, and squeezing into the thinnest part of a person's body. But now, after these three short moves, what was first noticed was no longer those unorthodox methods, but that his entire body was finally starting to hold up.

Instructor Li stepped back half a step, turned his head and said:

"Please, senior, take another look."

Upon hearing these words, Bai Xuanxin felt a chill run down her spine once more.

The one who ended up was the old man who had previously said "I have roots."

The old man walked into the center of the arena, his aura not particularly intimidating, and he didn't even have a clear starting move like Instructor Li. He simply stood in front of Bai Xuanxin, and his whole being seemed to suddenly lighten, so light that it was almost imperceptible.

Bai Xuanxin felt even more anxious.

It can be connected and disassembled.

This kind of seemingly light but actually subtle approach is the most difficult to counter.

The old man raised his hand to check Bai Xuanxin's wrist pulse.

This seemingly ordinary touch was actually extremely subtle. The moment the fingers touched, Bai Xuanxin sensed that it was more than just a simple "take". The pressure of the other's fingers, the angle of the wrist, and the intention of the elbow were all precisely controlled at that one point that was least likely to be pulled away.

Bai Xuanxin's eyes narrowed. Instead of pulling his wrist away first, he lightly turned his wrist along the edge of the other's palm and then reached for the other's elbow.

This was swift and deadly.

If it were an ordinary person, the force axis of their entire forearm would probably be broken in half on the spot.

But the old man simply slumped his shoulder and loosened his elbow, and his entire arm seemed to suddenly lose its bones. Bai Xuanxin, who was about to make a firm grip, suddenly missed by half an inch.

The next instant, the other person's hand slid in along the thinnest line on his wrist.

Bai Xuanxin dared not retreat completely. He had only taken a half-inch step when he forcefully stopped, lowered his waist, and closed his shoulders and back, reaching back to grab the opponent's elbow.

This time, I actually managed to touch it.

But the moment they touched it, Bai Xuanxin understood—

I can understand it.

You can touch it too.

It can be disassembled but not taken apart.

It's not because the approach is wrong.

It's not because the other party's overall demeanor was too composed.

Shoulders, elbows, back, and waist feel as if they've been ground together. You can recognize the seams, touch them, and even pinpoint the most vulnerable part of the force axis, but once you actually get your hands dirty, you'll realize that the "seams" aren't for you to dismantle, but rather for people at the same level to test each other's strength.

The old man took a step back before giving Bai Xuanxin another look.

"I have something in my hands," he said. "I'm not just someone who knows how to squeeze into dead ends."

Bai Xuanxin heard it, but she understood better than anyone what the unspoken part of those words meant—

There is something there, but it's not thick enough.

At this moment, the heaviest old man finally spoke, his voice as deep as a stone hitting the ground.

"Like a knife."

After speaking, he paused slightly, then added three more words:

"It's a bit thin."

The courtyard was quiet.

Bai Xuanxin didn't feel embarrassed at all; on the contrary, her heart felt even brighter.

Like a knife, it means it's fast, sharp, and willing to draw blood.

If it's too thin, it means that although the blade has been sharpened, it hasn't pressed against the back and bone enough. If it encounters a tough opponent who can overpower it head-on, it will cut the other first, but it's also likely to break itself first.

That's absolutely right.

Moreover, it hits right where he's weak.

Just then, the most inconspicuous person who had been standing in the corner of the courtyard finally took a step forward.

With just one step, the atmosphere in the arena seemed to tighten silently.

He didn't make the first move, nor did he try to catch or take it like the previous two. He simply looked at Bai Xuanxin and said four words:

"Show me what you've got."

Bai Xuanxin felt a chill run down his spine.

He understood that what this person wanted to see was not whether he could fight, but rather how far "Luo Yan Bu" had progressed.

So he stopped thinking about it, picked himself up, and got started.

The first step is still smoke.

The second step: the bone is already in place.

In the third step, the waist and hip line gently supports the shoulders and back.

These days, with the combined pressure of the inner layer of medicinal pool, the correct root method, and the Kan-Li meridian, Bai Xuanxin is no longer like before, simply walking the "Luo Yan Bu" as a wisp of eerie smoke. Now, when he walks it, he is still fast and still deviates, but beneath that deviance, a little "sinking" has begun to grow.

It's no longer just drifting.

It's no longer just about sliding.

Instead, "shills" began to appear.

They can support themselves.

Only then could I hold it up.

If you can hold the hand firmly, then those techniques like dislocating the shoulder, locking the elbow, twisting the knee, and breaking the ankle won't all be superficial.

Bai Xuanxin completed the steps one by one, then stood still.

The courtyard was quiet for a moment.

The two elderly men who had left the stage earlier remained silent, and Instructor Li stood quietly to the side, his gaze fixed on the man in gray.

The man in gray then slowly spoke:

"You will win."

"It may not necessarily be oppressive."

These eight simple words, however, carried more weight than any of the previous attempts.

Bai Xuanxin felt a slight tremor in her heart.

Because of this one sentence, he immediately saw through the half-layer that he had been lacking all this time, despite his efforts to seize resources and increase military strength.

He took the right path.

A person with keen eyes, quick steps, ruthless hands, the ability to dismantle others' defenses, and the skill to carve out a way out for themselves from the most dangerous situations—such a person will naturally win.

But when you reach a higher level, when you have to confront, pressure, and control the situation head-on, simply "knowing how to win" is not enough.

You also need to know how to "press".

Suppress the opponent's ego.

Press down on the opponent's force line.

You must also suppress your own martial arts skills, so that they are not just scattered weapons in your limbs and bones, but are truly supported by a proper stance.

At this moment, Bai Xuanxin was completely at ease.

Because he finally realized that what he should be fighting for most in the Seven Mysteries Sect was no longer just the medicine pool, no longer just the tonics, and no longer just making his Smoke Steps more stealthy or his Dismantling Hands more insidious.

But -

A sturdy frame that can support everything about oneself.

If this foundation cannot be established, then even if he meticulously planned every step of the Bird Path, the Soul of the Curved Bird, and Mo Juren that night at Divine Hand Valley, he would ultimately only be someone who would seize an opportunity to strike, not someone who could truly control the situation.

Thinking of this, Bai Xuanxin cupped his hands and bowed respectfully to the man in gray:

"This disciple has learned much."

The man in gray glanced at him, his expression remaining unchanged, and turned to walk out of the courtyard. Halfway there, he casually uttered a sentence:

"Come to the backyard again."

After saying that, he said no more.

But this one sentence is enough.

The two elderly people didn't say anything more, but when they looked at Bai Xuanxin again, their gazes were different from when she first entered the hospital. Instructor Li was even more decisive; he waited until everyone had dispersed before speaking:

"If you hear that, go back and practice."

When Bai Xuanxin left the backyard, the sky was not yet fully dark, and faint voices could be heard rising and falling from the front hall. A mountain breeze swept through the corridor, causing the hem of her clothes to sway slightly. Further away, the direction of Shenshou Valley was still heavily obscured behind the mountains, and nothing could be seen.

But Bai Xuanxin knew better than anyone else that her ascent through the Seven Mysteries Sect was not for anyone in the back courtyard to give her a second glance, nor for anyone in the sect to say that she was "worth cultivating".

Before the decisive battle with Mo Juren, he pushed his body, his energy, his movements and techniques to a level where he could enter the game, strike, and escape alive.

Today's backyard memorial has truly transformed this path from a vague shadow into a solid bone.