The Spiritual Pivot of Mortal Cultivation

Behind Caixia Mountain, the forest is deep and the fog is heavy.

The morning mist had not yet dissipated, and a damp, chilly air hung heavily over the branches and leaves. A thick layer of decaying leaves had accumulated under the trees; it was soft and silent underfoot, with only the occasional startled mountain bird fluttering once more before falling silent again.

Bai Xuanxin stood alone in front of an ironwood tree, his gray clothes tightly bound, sleeves rolled up, and his expression extremely indifferent.

He did not make a move immediately, but instead lowered his eyes and adjusted his breathing for a moment.

With each breath, the breathing was extremely slow, unlike the forceful shouts of ordinary outer disciples during their morning practice. Instead, it resembled the breathing techniques of Daoists, gentle and subtle, almost imperceptible. However, beneath that long and drawn-out breath, the blood and qi in the chest and abdomen gradually rose, and the two streams of yin and yang qi that had been forcibly diverted in the meridians the previous night also began to stir subtly.

When the energy level reached a perfect point, Bai Xuanxin slowly opened her eyes.

The next moment, he slipped and slid forward.

This movement was swift yet subtle, incredibly skillful. First, a diagonal slash, then, taking advantage of the moment before the fall, a half-step to the side. Just as the body seemed to shift slightly, the waist and hips twisted, the spine thrust forward, and the body bent to the other side, like a wisp of smoke in the wind, fleeting and unpredictable.

These steps form the framework of the "Luoyan Steps".

However, what Bai Xuanxin was practicing at this time was still just the "form".

Last night, he realized in the library that the most wonderful aspect of this step was not its speed, but its changeability. First, shift your weight, then use that shift to take another step. If you can connect the weight at the ankle, knee, and hip, you will have a chance to survive. If you cannot connect the weight, this step will not save your life, but will lead you to your death.

Therefore, he is not in a hurry to speed things up right now; he only seeks a smooth process.

Three steps later, Bai Xuanxin had already closed in on Tie Mu. His right hand, fingers together like a sword, did not strike out with wide, sweeping movements, but instead, he pressed close to his ribs and used the slight force of a twist in his waist and abdomen to strike a slightly protruding knot on the tree trunk.

A soft "snap" sound.

He withdrew his hand and stepped back, looking down at the ironwood bark. He saw a shallow dent on the bark with fine cracks along the edges. Although it wasn't alarming, it was enough to show that his finger strength had penetrated the wood.

Bai Xuanxin stared at the dent, her expression showing little joy, and slowly exhaled a long breath.

The original owner's body was indeed quite good.

With long tendons and light bones, agile waist and hips, and years of training in both arms and lower body, he was already far superior to most outer sect disciples of his age in terms of ordinary martial arts. It was only because the original owner was greedy for advancement and attempted to forcibly combine the "True Yang Strength" and the "Yin Water Technique" that he brought about his great disaster.

But last night's qi deviation wasn't entirely without its benefits.

The two streams of true energy clashed fiercely within his body, nearly costing him his life, but also loosening some of the previously narrow and stagnant meridians. Bai Xuanxin then forcibly diverted the flow using the principles of the Five Elements, using the spleen earth to moderate the fire and the kidney water to store the cold, temporarily suppressing it. Now, when he mobilized it again, it was even more harmonious than before.

By the standards of the mortal martial arts world, the original owner of this body was at most barely touching the threshold of the third-rate. But now, after this ordeal, Bai Xuanxin estimated that he had already reached the very top of the third-rate. As long as he gradually perfected his footwork, grappling, and internal energy, stepping into the second-rate wouldn't be too difficult.

This progress, however small, is far from enough to give rise to any delusions in him.

Third-rate, second-rate, and first-rate—in the end, they're all just ordinary martial artists. Among the outer disciples of the Seven Mysteries Sect, they're certainly considered outstanding; but if they were to use such skills against someone like Mo Juren, it would still be tantamount to suicide.

What makes Mo Juren most terrifying is never just his martial arts skills.

Instead, he is old, vicious, ruthless, and extremely suspicious.

Even if such a person is frail and his internal organs are decaying, he will inevitably still have hidden tricks up his sleeve that others cannot fathom. Poison, hidden weapons, arrangements in the valley, or even other objects of interest—Bai Xuanxin absolutely did not believe that Mo Juren would willingly place his life directly under someone else's blade.

So he understood things very clearly from the very beginning.

We cannot force our way in, nor can we show ourselves first.

The safest approach is always the same: first train yourself to be qualified, then wait until Han Li and Mo Juren truly turn against each other, and then step in from the sidelines to seize the opportunity.

Thinking of this, Bai Xuanxin raised her hand and pressed her right wrist bone, then pinched her elbow and the area around her shoulder, feeling the subtle changes after exerting force.

The three steps of "Luoyan Step" just now still had a slight stiffness in the ankle, indicating that the ankle was not smooth enough when the steps changed. As for the finger strike just now, although the force was put in, the last half of the force was still floating in the knuckles and the back of the wrist, and failed to sink completely to the elbow.

This is the difference between "knowing" and "doing".

What you can understand in your mind doesn't mean you can apply it in your body.

To transform "I know how to exert force" into "My body will naturally exert force," there are countless hours of arduous practice in between.

Bai Xuanxin didn't look at the tree trunk again, but turned around and stood still in the same spot.

This time, he didn't practice the footwork first, but rather the starting stance of "The Great Capturing Hand".

This martial art wasn't considered profound within the Seven Mysteries Sect; in fact, it was quite ordinary. Yet, Bai Xuanxin had taken a liking to it.

There is no other reason.

This grappling technique doesn't focus on fancy moves, but rather on the muscles, bones, joints, and the dislocation of tendons. If you only practice it according to the book, it will naturally be just a set of external grappling techniques that are somewhat useful; but if you understand where the joints of the shoulder, elbow, wrist, knee, and ankle bear the force, and you also understand the intersection of meridians, acupoints, nerves, and blood vessels, the usefulness of this martial art in actual combat will suddenly become much greater.

For example, the "grab the wrist" move.

Most ordinary martial artists only know how to twist and bend, thinking that if they turn their wrists, their opponents will naturally feel extreme pain. But Bai Xuanxin knows that the reason why the wrist joint is uncomfortable is never because of "twisting", but because when the axis of force is disrupted, the power of the entire forearm will dissipate.

Once the base of the thumb is restrained, the web of the hand will loosen first.

When the ulnar carpal bone is pressed back, the rotational force of the forearm is immediately disrupted.

If you then gently pull along the Yangchi and Yangxi areas, the opponent's entire arm's strength will often be reduced by three-tenths.

For example, "close your throat".

The book describes choking someone to stop their breath, which seems fierce but is actually too direct. In close combat, the first thing a person protects is the front of their neck. If you focus solely on choking, you often end up in a grappling hook. But in a life-or-death struggle, grappling hooks are the worst thing you can do. Traditional Chinese medicine says that the Renying and Futu areas are crucial for the flow of Qi and blood. Anatomically, those areas are also close to the carotid artery and the lateral cervical nerves. If you really want to subdue someone, you don't necessarily need to choke them tightly on the throat. Instead, feign a strike along the midline and strike the side of the neck; that will be much faster.

Bai Xuanxin is not yet able to achieve the exact same level of precision in these matters.

But at least he now knows where to practice.

As he practiced, Bai Xuanxin gradually started sweating on his forehead, and his breathing became heavier.

Last night my meridians were impacted, and this morning I practiced footwork and grappling techniques in the forest. Naturally, my muscles, tendons, joints, and ligaments have all suffered some minor damage. If left untreated, it may not be visible now, but it will likely accumulate into hidden injuries in the future.

"You still need a medicinal bath."

Bai Xuanxin stopped and muttered something to herself.

The right combination of herbs—invigorating blood circulation, clearing the meridians, dispersing blood stasis, and nourishing tendons—is enough to mitigate most of today's losses. Since he intends to go the distance, he cannot afford to ruin his body. Many ordinary martial artists suffer from chronic illnesses in their later years; the root cause, frankly speaking, is not incorrect techniques, but rather a lack of understanding of restraint and nourishment, resorting instead to brute force.

Bai Xuanxin walked to the stream, scooped up water to wash the sawdust off her hands, and had already almost perfectly prepared the prescription in her mind.

Within the Seven Mysteries Sect, there is only one convenient place to obtain these medicinal herbs.

God Hand Valley.

Thinking of this, Bai Xuanxin's gaze darkened slightly.

He originally didn't want to go there too soon. But there was no way to avoid it. Since he was bound to run into Han Li and Mo Juren sooner or later, he might as well take advantage of an ordinary medicine-getting trip today to take the first step.

Bai Xuanxin tidied herself up by the stream, tightened her cuffs and belt, and headed towards the front of the mountain along the path.

After an incense stick has burned, the Valley of Divine Hands is already in sight.

The aroma of Chinese medicine in the valley is very mixed.

As soon as Bai Xuanxin stepped into the valley, he could distinguish several layers of scents. In front, there were common blood-activating herbs drying in the sun, mixed with some pungent and dispersing medicinal aromas. Further in, there was a slightly bitter and numbing smell, as if some rare medicinal material was being dried.

These smells, which most others would find bitter and pungent, were distinctly different to Bai Xuanxin.

He kept his eyes straight ahead, walking straight into the medicine shelf without looking around or stopping for long.

As I rounded a bamboo trellis, I saw a boy squatting beside a large bamboo tray, turning over a tray of dark purple tubers.

The boy had slightly dark skin and an ordinary appearance; if thrown into a crowd, he would stand out in no way. But when Bai Xuanxin looked at that face, her heart still stirred slightly.

Han Li.

At present, Han Li is still just a nominal disciple working in the Divine Hand Valley, silent, steady, and inconspicuous. But Bai Xuanxin knows better than anyone else where this seemingly inconspicuous person will end up.

Bai Xuanxin stopped three steps away from Han Li and glanced at him first.

Han Li's movements were steady, his breathing even and fine. His wrists moved with remarkable stability as he flipped the medicine, seemingly nothing out of the ordinary. Yet, a subtle yet enduring wisp of life force was clearly circulating within his body. This energy was different from ordinary internal energy; it was neither agitated nor dissipated, but rather carried the vital energy of the wood element.

Bai Xuanxin immediately understood.

"Changchun Gong" has indeed taken hold of me.

Han Li had already noticed someone entering the valley. His movements paused slightly, and he stood up. His expression remained unchanged, but the wariness in his eyes was deeply hidden.

"Senior brother, Divine Hand Valley has rules that outer disciples cannot enter freely," Han Li said calmly. "If you are seeking medicine, you need a sect token."

Bai Xuanxin didn't beat around the bush with him. She directly took out the wooden token for applying for medicinal herbs from her sleeve and handed it over.

"Outer disciple Bai Xuanxin," he said in a moderate tone, "had some mishaps while practicing a few days ago, injuring his tendons and meridians. Today I've come to get some herbs to invigorate blood circulation and clear the meridians."

Han Li took the wooden plaque, examined the markings, and nodded after confirming that everything was correct.

"Master Mo is away and hasn't returned yet, so I'll be looking after the medicines in the valley for the time being. If Senior Brother Bai only wants ordinary herbs, that's fine." He said, then looked up and asked, "Which ones do you need?"

Bai Xuanxin had already prepared the prescription in the forest and immediately announced: "Three qian of Angelica sinensis, five qian of Clematis chinensis, and two qian of Panax notoginseng."

Han Li turned to get the medicine, but when he heard the last ingredient, his steps paused almost imperceptibly.

The food was extremely light; most people wouldn't even notice it. But Bai Xuanxin had come to test him, so he wouldn't miss it.

Han Li did not ask any questions immediately. He simply went into the pharmacy, weighed out the medicines, wrapped them up, and handed them to Bai Xuanxin.

"Since Senior Brother Bai says it's damage to the tendons and ligaments, ordinary Panax notoginseng can already promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis." Han Li's tone was flat, as if he were casually reminding him, "Black-backed Panax notoginseng is too potent and is mostly used as a strong medicine to restore strength after fractures and tendons. If it's just a meridian injury, using too much of it can easily disrupt the flow of qi and blood."

This statement sounds ordinary, but it is actually a test.

Bai Xuanxin understood, but didn't say anything. She simply took the medicine packet, lowered her eyes to smell it, and then looked up at the purple tuber behind Han Li.

"Junior Brother Han is right, it's true that this isn't necessary for ordinary injuries." Bai Xuanxin slowly put the medicine packet into his sleeve. "However, my injury is internal, not superficial. If I don't use this to clear the stagnation, the medicine won't be able to penetrate."

As he said this, his gaze lightly touched the bamboo plaque.

"But the way you dried this tray of herbs isn't quite right."

Han Li's expression remained unchanged, but a subtle darkening appeared in his eyes.

"Oh?" His tone remained calm. "Senior Brother Bai also knows about herbs?"

Bai Xuanxin took a half step closer, but remained at a perfectly safe distance, not touching the plaque of medicinal herbs. He glanced at it briefly and said, "If I'm not mistaken, this is the root of the Purple Monkey Flower. This plant is predominantly yin in nature, and the medicinal properties within the root are contained within. It is most susceptible to damage from direct midday sun. If you spread it out in the bright sunlight like this, although it will dry quickly, the true yin and moistening properties that retain the medicinal properties within will likely be lost by half."

Han Li was genuinely taken aback this time.

Bai Xuanxin's expression remained calm as he casually continued, "For this type of root, it's best to avoid the scorching sun and let it slowly absorb moisture in a cool, well-ventilated place. If you want to lock in the medicinal properties, you can spray a little yellow wine before turning it over to dry. The wine is pungent and can guide the medicinal properties without dissipating, and it can also lock in some of the moistening properties inside. In this way, it won't get moldy, nor will the medicinal power be killed by the sun."

Han Li remained silent for a moment before whispering, "Did your family teach these things, Senior Brother?"

"The elders in my family know a little about processing herbs, and I've only seen a few basic things from them," Bai Xuanxin answered smoothly. "I used to think it wasn't very useful, but now it comes in handy."

This statement, though only partially true, is the most fitting.

He came today not to befriend Han Li, nor to open his heart to him.

All he wanted was to leave a mark on Han Li's heart first.

This Bai Xuanxin knows medicine.

Moreover, he is quite knowledgeable.

As long as this mark is preserved, many things can proceed smoothly from now on.

Han Li didn't ask any more questions. He just looked down at the plaque with the purple monkey flower roots, as if he was thinking about something.

Bai Xuanxin didn't linger. He cupped his hands and respectfully performed the fellow disciple's salute.

"Thank you for your help today, Junior Brother Han." He said calmly, "I usually stay at the outer sect residence on the back mountain. If there are any uncertainties in the processing of medicinal herbs in the valley in the future, it is common for us to consult each other as fellow disciples."

After saying that, he turned and left the valley without waiting for Han Li's reply.

Only after reaching the valley entrance did Bai Xuanxin finally breathe a sigh of relief.

This trip has reached its destination.

I got the medicine.

Han Li's reaction made it clear.

Most importantly, the mark has already been made.

Not too heavy, not too light, just enough for Han Li to remember, but not enough to arouse his suspicion.

That's enough.

Bai Xuanxin lowered her head and pressed the medicine packet in her bosom, a faint smile slowly appearing on her lips.

"We've taken the first step."

He walked towards the back of the mountain against the mountain wind, his steps slow, but he felt more at ease than when he came.

Now that the game at Shenshou Valley has a point of contact, many things that follow can be planned slowly.

Right now, the most important thing is still that medicinal bath, and truly mastering the "Luo Yan Bu" and "Da Qin Na Shou" techniques.

After all, no matter how much you know, you have to live long enough to use it in the future.

The mountain road winds its way through the landscape, and the morning mist is gradually being dispersed by the sun.

Bai Xuanxin straightened her sleeves and walked steadily toward the back mountain.

The real dormancy begins from this moment.