The target to capture is a cultivation method?
Gu Chengming's brain froze for a full three seconds as he stared blankly at the two lonely options on the panel.
【"Huiyuan Sword Art," the basic sword art of Huiyuan Gate. Its moves are broad and sweeping, yet its sword path is cold and distant, an extremely tricky sword technique.】
【"Qingxin Art," an auxiliary cultivation method that helps cultivators clear their minds of distractions and maintain clarity.】
What is this... a cultivation version of a Non-human Girl Collection?
But shouldn't a cultivation version of a Non-human Girl Collection be something like fox demons or sword spirits? What the hell is a cultivation method?
Gu Chengming took a deep breath, calming himself down.
No matter what, this was currently his only way out.
The death countdown from his depleted essence and blood wouldn't joke around with him.
Capture, then capture. Isn't it just about raising favorability?
As a veteran master who had dominated the galgame world for over ten years, with hundreds of completed games under his belt, what kind of situation hadn't he seen?
Aliens, robots, ghosts, monster girls—he had captured them all.
Now, the capture target had just become a cultivation method.
The problem, it shouldn't be... that big, right?
His finger hovered in mid-air, briefly hesitating between the "Huiyuan Sword Art" and "Qingxin Art" options.
Finally, he gritted his teeth and made his choice. His fingertip lightly touched the former.
【"Capture target selected: Huiyuan Sword Art"】
The panel flickered and switched to a new interface.
【"Huiyuan Sword Art"】
【"Favorability: 10/Stranger"】
OK, this is the most familiar galgame interface.
Seeing this classic UI, a sense of familiarity inexplicably welled up in Gu Chengming's heart.
But, wait a minute.
Where's the character portrait? Where's the most important character portrait? Without a concrete character image, I won't feel immersed in the capture process!
Who's going to fill in this missing character portrait for me?
Putting aside the character portrait, returning to this familiar interface, Gu Chengming quickly got into the zone.
A new problem arose.
Why is the initial favorability so low? Generally, shouldn't initial character favorability be between 30 and 50?
A value of 10 is basically the level of a roadside NPC, which could turn negative at any time if you bump into them while walking.
As if hearing his thoughts, a new line of small text slowly appeared below the name "Huiyuan Sword Art" on the panel, in a resentful gray color.
【"Huiyuan Sword Art believes that you are no different from other disciples of Huiyuan Gate. You struggle with even the simplest things and have never truly persevered with it."
Huh?】
The tone emanating from these words... why does it feel like a resentful woman's aura?
Before Gu Chengming could ponder further, new gray small text appeared consecutively.
【"Huiyuan Sword Art believes that you will soon go looking for new cultivation methods. Those more powerful, more excellent, more dazzling cultivation methods."】
【"A common basic sword art of the sect like it, who would truly value it? Its ultimate fate is to be forgotten in a corner, becoming a stepping stone to a more profound sword dao."】
Holy crap, it really is a resentful woman! And the kind filled with overwhelming resentment!
Looking at this overwhelming, almost tangible aura of resentment, a subtle sense of déjà vu arose in Gu Chengming's heart. A flash of inspiration struck him, and a precise label was affixed.
"Hmm, a widowed wife. Got it."
Regarding this type of capture target, although relatively niche in the galgame market, it has an extremely loyal fixed audience.
As a master connoisseur who had appreciated countless works, Gu Chengming had naturally dabbled in many.
He could even immediately recall several classics, such as "I am a Weak Widow," or "The Temptation of a Young Widow Innkeeper."
As is well known, the core of such characters, whether resentful women or widows—their complaints, sarcasm, and keeping people at arm's length—all stem from the same thing: extreme insecurity.
What they lack most is companionship that can break through their defenses and consistent affirmation.
Therefore, compared to tsundere, natural airheads, or energetic girls, these characters are actually the easiest to capture once you find the right method.
Once he figured this out, the confusion in his heart immediately vanished.
Isn't it just practicing swordplay? Let's go!
On the panel, "Huiyuan Sword Art's" self-pity continued.
【"It has seen too many disciples like you. They make solemn vows upon entry, but within three months, they cast it aside and pursue those sword arts that sound more impressive..."】
Gu Chengming ignored these nagging complaints.
He stood up, walked to the weapon rack in a corner of the courtyard, and took down the most ordinary azure steel longsword. The sword felt cool to the touch, with the unique heavy texture of metal.
He took a deep breath and assumed the starting stance of the Huiyuan Sword Art.
Without another word, he got to work!
He began to practice the moves, one by one, based on the memories he had inherited.
His movements were clumsy, and his body felt weak and unsteady due to his "depleted essence and blood" state; even a simple lunge made his legs tremble slightly. The blade cut through the air, without a sharp whistling sound, only a slight, sluggish whoosh.
【"You have completed one full practice of the Huiyuan Sword Art, proficiency +1."】
A system prompt popped up on the panel. At the same time, the gray resentful woman's text reappeared.
【"Huiyuan Sword Art noticed your movements. It sighed inwardly, thinking this was just another three-minute burst of enthusiasm."】
Gu Chengming had no time to pay attention to it. He adjusted his breathing and started again. Thrust, chop, lift, parry, point... he repeated the moves from his memory over and over.
Sweat quickly soaked his undershirt, sticking to his skin and causing a clammy discomfort. His arms began to ache from the repeated swinging.
【"You have completed one full practice of the Huiyuan Sword Art, proficiency +1."】
【"As your movements became firmer, though still clumsy, Huiyuan Sword Art's sarcastic internal monologue gradually quieted down."】
【"It silently watched you practice your sword art."】
Gu Chengming was completely immersed in his own rhythm. He forgot the time, forgot his body's fatigue; only the flow of sword moves remained in his mind.
From clumsy to slightly fluid, from stumbling to barely coherent. He could feel that with each sword swing, his body's control was subtly improving.
【"You have completed one full practice of the Huiyuan Sword Art, proficiency +1."】
Unbeknownst to him, the setting sun sank into the distant mountains, the sky turning from golden yellow to crimson, eventually deepening into profound twilight blue.
The light in the courtyard quickly dimmed, with only a few early stars twinkling in the sky.
"Hoo..."
Gu Chengming finally stopped, propping his sword on the ground, breathing heavily.
He was drenched as if pulled from water, sweat dripping from his hair and chin, splashing tiny droplets on the bluestone slab beneath his feet.
The soreness of his muscles and the fatigue in his bones surged like a tide, making him almost unable to stand steady.
The gray small text on the panel updated again.
【"Huiyuan Sword Art silently watched your entire afternoon's practice. It doesn't know how much sincerity is in your enthusiasm."】
【"It also thought that a weak-bodied good-for-nothing like you can probably only practice basic cultivation methods like it. Perhaps you didn't truly choose it, but simply had no other choice."】
How dare it resort to personal attacks?
Gu Chengming looked at the line of text, his face darkening.
But then, a new prompt popped up on the panel, making him instantly cast aside his displeasure.
【"Huiyuan Sword Art favorability +5"】
【"Current favorability: 15/Stranger"】
Alright, so it's a tsundere who says one thing but means another.
Looking at the steady increase of five favorability points, Gu Chengming nodded contentedly.
Since it's willing to increase favorability, then let it insult him; anyway, what it said was true, this body was indeed an utter good-for-nothing.
Just then, an unexpected prompt suddenly popped up on the panel.
【"Qingxin Art watched the entire process from the side, finding it quite interesting."】
【"You suddenly felt a clear mind, as if a clear spring flowed through you, your spirit was unprecedentedly calm, and Qingxin Art automatically completed one cycle."】
Huh, there are unexpected gains like this?
Gu Chengming was slightly startled. As that cool sensation spread through his mind, he felt his spirit invigorated.
The sharp pain in his body, which was aching from exhaustion, seemed to be smoothed out considerably, becoming bearable.
Even more miraculously, the moves of the "Huiyuan Sword Art" he had practiced all afternoon now flowed clearly through his mind like a movie playback, frame by frame. Many details of force application and transitions he hadn't noticed before now became clear.
Did Qingxin Art originally have this effect?
He didn't have time to ponder why this was happening.
Knock, knock, knock.
The sound of knocking broke the silence of the small courtyard.
Rate on N.U.
