Fitness Starts With The Mind

Hua Daiyi clearly didn't expect Gu Chengming to refuse so decisively.

He froze, forgetting to bring the wine gourd he had just picked up to his mouth.

One must know, this was an opportunity to become a direct disciple of a Hunyuan Sect elder, along with top-tier cultivation methods and massive resources.

If it were anyone else, they would probably have already called him master.

But this kid? He actually said "cherishing one's own broom" and "not daring to forget one's roots"?

At the same time, system prompts chimed in Gu Chengming's mind.

"Qingxin Art favorability +5"

"Current favorability: 35/Friendly"

"It believes you understand the bigger picture, know when to advance and retreat, and do not waver your original intention due to external factors. This is what it considers a qualified protagonist... ah no, a qualified host should be like."

"Hundred Bones Resonating favorability +3"

"Current favorability: 28/Unfamiliar"

"Hundred Bones Resonating breathed a sigh of relief, even feeling a little touched."

"It thought to itself, 'As expected of its golden finger! It still sides with me at critical moments!'"

Although rejected, Hua Daiyi clearly hadn't given up.

Such an excellent prospect, with both talent and character, if he let him go just like that, he would probably regret it for years.

"Kid, don't be so quick to shut the door."

Hua Daiyi chuckled, a hint of slyness flashing in his cloudy old eyes.

"I know what you're worried about. You're afraid that if you go to Hunyuan Sect, your sword dao talent will be buried, right?"

"But what I said just now is absolutely true. Although I am in Hunyuan Sect, my attainments in sword dao are definitely not inferior to those old fogeys in Wenjian Sect. And I disdain such deceptive tricks; since I want to take you in, I will naturally give you the best."

Saying that, he reached out and pointed into the void.

"Hunyuan Sect's foundational cultivation method is restricted by sect rules and cannot be passed on to non-disciples. But this sword art was created by me and does not belong to any sect. Today, I shall pass it on to you."

"Watch closely!"

Before his voice faded, a stream of light shot from his fingertip, instantly entering Gu Chengming's glabella.

Gu Chengming only felt a boom in his mind as a large stream of information surged in.

A cultivation method named "Cangxian Wine Sword Art" was clearly imprinted in his sea of consciousness.

This sword art...

Gu Chengming merely glanced at it, and his heart trembled.

This method was not a mundane sword technique; it used wine as a medium, containing the universe within a gourd, and a sword as a brush, writing freedom across heaven and earth. It was a remnant of ancient rogue immortals, fully embodying the profound essence of "viewing the true realm with drunken eyes, and long days and months within a gourd."

It was clearly a high-realm sword art.

Before he could recover from the sword art, Hua Daiyi casually tossed over a token.

The token was entirely black, made of unknown material, with only a vigorous "Hua" character carved on it, exuding an ancient and profound aura.

"Take this sword art and practice it. Once you master it, you will naturally understand its wonders."

Hua Daiyi waved his hand, saying indifferently:

"As for this token, keep it. If one day you get tired of Wenjian Sect, or regret it, you can always come find me with it."

Gu Chengming looked at the token in his hand, feeling it was incredibly hot.

This old man... this was forced buying and selling!

He quickly cupped his hands, wanting to decline:

"Senior, this... I cannot accept a reward without merit, this junior truly..."

"What's with all these rules!"

Hua Daiyi impatiently interrupted him, glaring:

"If I want to give, I give! If you want to learn, you learn! Don't be so wishy-washy like a woman!"

"I'm off!"

After speaking, he didn't wait for Gu Chengming to say anything more. His figure flickered, and he transformed into an afterimage, instantly disappearing from the spot.

Only a faint scent of wine lingered in the air, proving that everything just now was not an illusion.

..............................................................................................

After leaving the small courtyard, Hua Daiyi hummed a tune, his mood seemingly not soured by the rejection.

To be honest, while Hua Daiyi was somewhat surprised, he had actually prepared himself for the possibility of rejection.

After all, his previous observations had already shown that this kid was someone who knew how to repay kindness, so it was normal that he couldn't persuade him with just a few words.

But this didn't mean he had given up.

The human interactions in the cultivation world, how could they be as simple as one back-and-forth?

This kid accepted his sword art; once he started cultivating it, the karma would be established.

This "Cangxian Wine Sword Art" was his proud creation. As long as Gu Chengming practiced it, he would naturally carry the imprint of his lineage.

By then, he would be considered half his disciple, no matter what.

This was an overt scheme.

Open and aboveboard, yet making it impossible for you to refuse.

"Hehe, kid, we'll meet again."

Hua Daiyi thought to himself, picking up his wine gourd to take another swig.

However, just then.

His figure suddenly stiffened, his relaxed and comfortable expression instantly freezing on his face.

The wine gourd hung at his lips, but the wine inside seemed to be frozen, not a single drop pouring out.

The surrounding air became incredibly thick; the sound of the wind stopped, and the chirping of insects ceased.

The person who arrived was Ren Wencai.

The Great Elder of Huiyuan Gate stood in the air with his hands behind his back.

He had witnessed the entire process, from Hua Daiyi's appearance, to being rejected by Gu Chengming, and then to this old fellow shamelessly forcing a cultivation method and a token upon him...

Ren Wencai was furious.

"You old wine geezer, you usually act so proper, but I never expected your skin to be this thick!"

Failing to poach someone, you still wouldn't give up, and actually resorted to this "forced buying and selling" trick?

Giving a cultivation method? Giving a token?

His calculations were clear: he wanted to cook the rice into a meal first, forcibly claiming the master-disciple title!

Absolutely shameless!

Ren Wencai took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to directly strike the man, and forced a smile that didn't reach his eyes. He looked at Hua Daiyi, who was trapped, and slowly spoke:

"Fellow Daoist Hua, what brings you to visit my Wenjian Sect with such enthusiasm?"

Hearing this sarcastic tone, Hua Daiyi felt a chill down his spine, and cold sweat instantly broke out.

Damn it.

Caught red-handed.

To be honest, if he had encountered Ren Wencai in the wilderness outside, Hua Daiyi wouldn't have been afraid.

They had been acquaintances for hundreds of years, knowing each other inside out.

If they really fought, it would be a fifty-fifty chance.

But this was Wenjian Sect, the opponent's home ground, and since he was poaching first, he felt a bit guilty about being caught in the act.

Hua Daiyi's eyes darted around, trying to come up with an excuse to get by.

Seeing him silent, Ren Wencai wasn't in a hurry. He slowly straightened his sleeves and spoke to himself:

"Just now, I was in seclusion, when I suddenly detected a very subtle sword intent fluctuation nearby. I wondered which esteemed master had arrived, so I came to take a look."

"Never thought..."

He raised his eyelids, staring at Hua Daiyi with a half-smile:

"It would be Fellow Daoist Hua."

"What? Is Hunyuan Sect having a tough time recently? Are talents so scarce that Elder Hua himself has to personally come to other sects to 'seek people'?"

Hua Daiyi's old face flushed. He chuckled twice, trying to gloss over it:

"Ahem, Fellow Daoist Ren, you jest. I was just... just passing by, merely passing by. Seeing the beautiful scenery here, I felt an itch to practice, so I couldn't help but perform a few sword moves. I didn't expect to disturb Fellow Daoist, my apologies, my apologies."

"Oh? Passing by?"

Ren Wencai raised an eyebrow, his smile growing even brighter.

"If you were just passing by, what were you doing at my disciple's residence?"

Hua Daiyi secretly cursed.

This old fox, he indeed knew he wanted to poach.

Just as he was still racking his brains for words, Ren Wencai's smile suddenly vanished completely.

"Hua Daiyi!"

Ren Wencai abruptly stepped forward, his hair and beard bristling, and a terrifying pressure erupted like a mountain collapse and a tsunami, instantly locking onto Hua Daiyi.

"What do you take my Wenjian Sect for? Come and go as you please? And you dare to poach my sect's disciple right in front of me?!"

"Do you really think my Wenjian Sect has no one?!"

Before his voice fell, countless sword qi appeared out of thin air, like a myriad of stars hanging upside down, instantly sealing all of Hua Daiyi's escape routes.

However, at this critical moment.

Hua Daiyi was already prepared.

He had moved an instant before Ren Wencai's expression changed.

"Hehe, old ghost Ren, don't be so angry! I'm leaving now, leaving now!"

He slapped the wine gourd at his waist, and a large mouthful of strong liquor sprayed out, turning into a sky full of wine mist.

Immediately after, his figure shrank, and he actually merged into the wine mist, transforming into a stream of light that forcibly tore open the sword qi blockade, which hadn't fully closed, with incredible speed.

His voice still echoed in place, but the person had already fled several miles away, escaping with such fluidity that it was clear he was a habitual offender.

Watching Hua Daiyi's escape light disappear into the sky, Ren Wencai snorted coldly and didn't pursue.

After all, they were both prominent figures; if he really chased after him for a fight, making a big scene wouldn't look good.

"Fortunately, I was extra cautious and specifically came to check."

Ren Wencai withdrew his gaze and turned to look at the quiet small courtyard not far away, a wave of lingering fear washing over him.

"Otherwise, that old ghost would have succeeded."

Thinking of Gu Chengming's righteous refusal just now, the admiration in Ren Wencai's eyes grew even stronger.

"What a promising talent, able to uphold his original intention in the face of such temptation. He truly lives up to being a talent who can endure three years of desolation and cultivate the ancient Bitter Sword method. Such character is truly rare."

In fact, before coming, he had specifically investigated Gu Chengming's background.

This investigation was significant, and the results made even him, the Great Elder, feel a bit embarrassed.

Gu Chengming had been in the sect for three years, and the resources for his first two years had actually been claimed by someone else!

Such a thing, happening to any disciple, would likely cause resentment towards the sect, even making them wish to leave.

He had been on pins and needles just now, fearing that Gu Chengming would agree.

In that case, even with his immense power, he wouldn't be able to stop the disciple from seeking a new master.

After all, it was Wenjian Sect that owed the disciple first.

Sword cultivators emphasize clear thoughts and actions, repaying grudges and grievances.

If someone was wronged, and then someone came offering great benefits to poach them, it would be perfectly reasonable for them to agree.

Thankfully, thankfully, this young Gu has excellent character.

But then, he frowned, and a sense of crisis arose in his heart.

He refused this time, but what about next time? And the time after that?

That old ghost Hua, having set his sights, definitely wouldn't give up easily.

If he persisted, tempting with benefits, say no more, it might really allow him to poach this talent.

Thinking of this, Ren Wencai could no longer sit still.

The "compensation" due to young Gu probably needed to be delivered sooner.

...............................................................................................................

In the courtyard.

Gu Chengming sat cross-legged, eyes slightly closed, comprehending the newly acquired "Cangxian Wine Sword Art."

This cultivation method was good in every way, the only downside was...

He couldn't cultivate it.

Looking at the system prompts stating "Strength attribute does not meet standard," "Constitution attribute does not meet standard," "Spirit attribute does not meet standard," Gu Chengming thought, "As expected."

Such advanced sword arts, or any advanced cultivation method, had strict attribute thresholds for cultivation.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have chosen "Hundred Bones Resonating," a body refining method with extremely low thresholds, in the first place.

"It seems I still need to lay a solid foundation first."

Just as he was pondering how to improve his attributes.

Suddenly, the atmosphere around him changed again.

That familiar feeling of being spied upon returned, and this time, the aura was even deeper and heavier than Hua Daiyi's earlier.

Gu Chengming's heart skipped a beat.

Again?

He quickly stood up, bowed his head and cupped his hands towards the direction of the aura, subconsciously saying:

"Senior Hua has returned, for what reason..."

Before he finished speaking, he looked up and found that the person standing before him was not the disheveled old man with the wine gourd, but an old man with white hair and beard, dressed in brocade robes, looking like an immortal master.

Not Hua Daiyi?

Gu Chengming's heart tightened, and he quickly shut his mouth.

Hearing the "Senior Hua," Ren Wencai's expression subtly stiffened.

However, as an old fox who had lived for hundreds of years, Ren Wencai's emotional control was impeccable.

He acted as if he hadn't heard the previous remark at all, maintaining his warm, spring-breeze-like smile, and spoke gently:

"Are you Gu Chengming?"

Gu Chengming quickly affirmed, but his heart was pounding.

This elder had an extraordinary demeanor; he was clearly a big figure in the sect. Why would he suddenly seek him out?

"May I ask who senior is...?"

Ren Wencai smiled slightly, his tone calm but carrying an undeniable authority:

"I am the Great Elder of Huiyuan Gate, Ren Wencai."

Gu Chengming's heart jolted. Great Elder?

Could it be that his contact with that old man from Hunyuan Sect was discovered? Was he here to interrogate him?

Gu Chengming felt uneasy, wondering how to explain.

But Ren Wencai waved his hand, signaling him not to be nervous, and even actively stepped closer, appearing quite approachable.

"Young Gu, no need for formalities."

Ren Wencai looked at him with a beaming smile, his tone exceptionally cordial:

"I have come today for a past matter."

"Past matter?" Gu Chengming was puzzled.

"Precisely."

Ren Wencai nodded, his expression becoming a bit more serious:

"A few days ago, while the Merit Hall was auditing the sect's past accounts, an unpleasant incident was unexpectedly discovered."

"You entered the sect three years ago, and the monthly resources for your first two years were actually claimed by someone else. This matter is due to the sect's lax supervision, and you have been wronged."

Gu Chengming was confused. This Great Elder of Huiyuan Gate actually came to him for such a small matter?

Ren Wencai said: "As for the resources that were previously claimed on your behalf, I have specifically prepared a compensation plan for you."

Saying this, he took out a heavy brocade pouch from his sleeve and handed it to Gu Chengming.

Gu Chengming subconsciously took the pouch, feeling its considerable weight.

Opening it, he saw several exquisite jade bottles neatly arranged inside. Even through the stoppers, a refreshing medicinal fragrance wafted out.

"Inside, there is one 'Glazed Pure Spirit Pill,' and several 'Awakening Spirit and Clarifying Consciousness' pills."

Ren Wencai pointed to the jade bottles, explaining earnestly:

"I heard that you have been diligently cultivating sword intent, which is very good. But the path of a sword cultivator, besides refining the body, places more emphasis on refining the heart."

"This 'Glazed Pure Spirit Pill' is a sacred item for cleansing the soul and clarifying the sword heart. After taking it, it can help you clear away distracting thoughts, make your sword heart more transparent, and elevate your comprehension of sword intent to a higher level."

"As for the others, they are all pills that assist in spiritual cultivation. For you right now, these are precisely what you need most urgently."

This was the result of his careful selection and deep consideration.

In his opinion, since Gu Chengming cultivated the "Ancient Bitter Sword" lineage, physical resources would actually be a burden to him, and might even disrupt his cultivation concept of "the more bitter the body, the firmer the will."

But soul-type pills were different.

While Bitter Sword cultivators emphasized physical suffering, the soul should be as clear and powerful as possible.

Only with a strong soul could one better wield the innate sword intent honed through adversity.

Therefore, he specifically chose these invaluable pills that wouldn't disrupt the "bitter cultivation" atmosphere.

If these items were converted into ordinary spirit stone resources, their value would be dozens of times more than Gu Chengming's previously claimed two-year quota!

Although Gu Chengming didn't know the exact price of these pills, just by hearing their names and smelling their fragrance, he knew they were definitely not ordinary items.

"This..."

Gu Chengming quickly cupped his hands in thanks:

"Thank you for your generosity, Great Elder! This disciple... this disciple truly..."

"Ah, no need to say more."

Ren Wencai waved his hand, smiling, and interrupted him.

"This is what you deserve. Since the sect made a mistake, it naturally has to compensate. As long as you cultivate well, that will be the best repayment to the sect."

The two exchanged a few more pleasantries.

After this interaction, the atmosphere was quite harmonious.

Ren Wencai saw that Gu Chengming had accepted the pills, and not only held no resentment towards the sect but was full of gratitude, which finally made him completely relieved.

"Alright, I won't disturb your cultivation anymore."

Ren Wencai patted Gu Chengming's shoulder, and finally earnestly advised:

"Practice your sword well. If you encounter any difficulties, or... if you meet any strange people looking for you again, just come find me."

After speaking, he gave a meaningful glance towards a certain direction outside the courtyard, then his figure flickered, transforming into a breeze, and drifted away.

........................................................................................................................

In the following days, Gu Chengming lived quite luxuriously.

The Glazed Pure Spirit Pill truly lived up to its reputation as a top-grade second realm pill; its effects were immediate.

Whenever the medicinal power dissolved, Gu Chengming felt as if a clear spring flowed through his mind, washing away all the chaotic distracting thoughts.

That feeling of mental agility and clear perception was even more refreshing than "Qingxin Art" running at full power for dozens of cycles.

The most crucial aspect was that profound sense of "enlightenment."

Places that used to seem obscure and difficult to understand while practicing swordplay now became clear with just a little thought, like a sudden awakening.

However, problems also arose.

His understanding of "Huiyuan Sword Manual" was already very deep, and the upper limit of this basic sword art was fixed.

It was like asking a university professor to do elementary school math problems; even if they ate more brain-boosting walnuts, their problem-solving speed might increase, but their mathematical proficiency would barely improve.

Even consuming such expensive pills while practicing swordplay yielded very little new insight.

Most importantly—

The favorability of "Huiyuan Sword Manual" remained absolutely still.

No matter how he practiced, no matter how he praised it in his mind, the number seemed dead, firmly stuck at 90 points.

This further convinced Gu Chengming of his earlier speculation: these 90 favorability points were probably the bottleneck for this basic sword art.

To advance further, unless some qualitative change occurred, simply relying on such daily interactions would likely yield no further progress.

"Huiyuan Sword Manual also felt quite remorseful."

"It watched you swallow those incredibly precious pills one by one, yet it could only offer a negligible response, filling its heart with guilt."

"It wondered, 'Am I too useless?'"

"Instead of wasting these resources on it, it would be better to learn more profound sword techniques or cultivate more powerful methods."

Gu Chengming looked at this line of psychological activity, filled with an "empress-like demeanor," and felt a wave of helplessness.

If only these resources were body-refining resources.

If so, even if they didn't significantly boost cultivation, at least he could still increase the favorability of that money-grubbing "Hundred Bones Resonating," achieving a spiral ascension by stepping on his left foot with his right.

Wait...

A sudden flash of inspiration struck Gu Chengming's mind, as if he had grasped a crucial point.

Thinking about it carefully, although he had taken pills these past few days, his cultivation speed for "Huiyuan Sword Manual" hadn't qualitatively changed due to the medicinal power itself.

What did this mean?

It meant that, essentially, his efficiency in cultivating methods actually had no absolute linear relationship with the resources themselves.

Instead, it was strongly correlated with "favorability"!

Recalling "Hundred Bones Resonating"'s previous performance.

Did its favorability increase when using "Spiritual Rhinoceros Bone Tempering Dew" really because of how strong the medicinal power was?

Not necessarily.

It was more likely that the act of "spending money" itself made it feel valued, or it mistakenly believed that Gu Chengming liked it because he "enjoyed" it, thus self-strategizing and increasing favorability.

In other words...

As long as he could make "Hundred Bones Resonating" believe that these pills were for it, as long as he could trick it into believing these were actually "body-refining miracle medicines," then...

Could he use these spirit-cultivating resources to trick a wave of favorability for a body-refining method?

Just as he was thinking this, Hundred Bones Resonating's inner voice came through the system panel.

"Hundred Bones Resonating thought, 'All these high-grade resources are being used on a basic sword art, what a waste! It's a pity I'm just a body-refining method and cannot enjoy these resources.'"

However, the next second, the tone suddenly shifted.

"Hundred Bones Resonating then thought, 'No, this kid Gu Chengming's cultivation speed is strongly correlated with his favorability towards a certain cultivation method, not with resources.'"

"'As long as I can trick Gu Chengming into believing that these pills are actually body-refining pills, making him think these medicines can help him refine his body, then wouldn't his favorability towards me skyrocket?'"

"'As long as Gu Chengming has favorability towards me, wouldn't my cultivation speed take off again?'"

"Upon realizing this, Hundred Bones Resonating was ecstatic!"

"It felt as if it was incredibly talented and unparalleled in the world!"

"Such an opportunity, it should be used by me!"

"?"

A question mark slowly appeared above Gu Chengming's head.

The next moment, Hundred Bones Resonating's interaction appeared again.

"Hundred Bones Resonating attempts to explain a new theory to you."

"These pills in your hand are actually more suitable for body refining than for practicing swordplay."

"So-called fitness first, brain first..."

"??"