At present, Chu Huaixu has indeed opened the second acupoint.
All morning, he was painstakingly cultivating.
His body was telling him that doing three circulations a day was already pushing it; any more would be overloading.
And this was even with the 1 point he had gained in [Physique].
Once he finally accumulated enough cultivation technique experience points, Chu Huaixu spent a full five minutes mentally preparing himself before gritting his teeth: "System, upgrade me!"
Despite being ready, he almost fainted from the pain.
Clearly, in the three realms of "enduring pain," "getting used to pain," and "enjoying pain," he was still in the most rudimentary realm.
The first breakthrough felt like someone was running over him with a motorcycle.
The second breakthrough made him suspect that the motorcycle's backseat was carrying someone—a very fat pig, no less.
It could actually hurt even more...
Despite his fox-like face, with a classic fox appearance, inside he's a werewolf, ruthless to himself.
The more this stupid cultivation technique tortured him, the more stubbornly determined he became.
"Bring on the scriptures! Give me the most painful ones!"
I'll train until you die, damn it!
"Three sessions a day is my body's limit, not my will's limit."
"Come on, try and kill me with pain!"
...
...
"He really is like me, a cultivation genius," Han Shuangjiang thought to herself as she stood outside the door.
After everything that had happened before, even if she were stupid, she should now know she had an exceptional cultivation talent.
Sitting by the stone table outside, Han Shuangjiang shared her money-saving plan.
"You can cook?" Chu Huaixu's tone was surprised.
"A little," Han Shuangjiang nodded, answering modestly.
Upon hearing this, the fox-faced man, who wasn't picky about food or taste, immediately concealed his incredible cooking skills.
The cultivation path was already so tough, he'd take it easy whenever he could.
Forget about "Gorgeous Glutton Falls in Love with Me," just step aside.
As for why Han Shuangjiang could cook, naturally, it was because of her training in the brothel.
Some sisters would personally make small dishes to welcome guests, to let those who were unhappy at home experience the warmth of a home outside.
"Cooking for ourselves—this works too," Chu Huaixu agreed immediately.
A man and a woman dining outside—that's a date.
Dining at home every day—that's life.
Han Shuangjiang was delighted to hear him agree, but her tone remained cold as usual, without a trace of emotion, as if speaking purely rationally:
"I calculated that at your and my cultivation speed, the silver taels will definitely be enough."
"Are you sure?" Chu Huaixu laughed.
Han Shuangjiang heard this and cast a puzzled look, without speaking.
The fox-faced man began to explain: "You should know, once a registered disciple pierces through the nine acupoints, they can enter the Library Pavilion in the Outer Sect to acquire the First Realm's cultivation technique."
The cold-faced girl nodded slightly.
"Whether it's a cultivation technique or technique, they're divided into Celestial, Earth, Mystic, and Yellow levels, you're aware of that, right?"
She nodded again.
"Then do you know how to obtain a High Tier Technique?" Chu Huaixu looked at her.
Han Shuangjiang replied, "It's all written in the registered disciple's manual."
She was signaling him to get to the point.
On the first floor of the Library Pavilion of the Outer Sect, there are four areas, with the worst Yellow Level techniques on the outermost area and the Celestial Level techniques further inside.
Each area has an array.
A registered disciple need only forcefully break it to enter.
In simple terms, it's a test.
"We, at the Acupoint Opening Stage, cannot retain spiritual power within our bodies; each breakthrough primarily strengthens our bodies," Chu Huaixu began emphasizing the points.
"Therefore, these arrays need us to... break them with force!"
"As for you, with your Profound Yin Body, a naturally top-notch Spiritual Embryo, it will help you absorb the [Acupoint Opening Pill] and strengthen your physique, with no wastage of its effects."
"So, purely through cultivation, your body's functions will improve more than that of an ordinary person."
"That's your advantage."
Chu Huaixu clapped his palms, spreading them to the sides: "So, here's the problem."
"With your inherent advantage, do you know... how to punch?"
"Like this? Or like this?" He waved his arms twice in the air: "How can you exert the most force?"
Upon hearing this, Han Shuangjiang immediately understood: "You mean we need to train, need to learn."
"What else?" Chu Huaixu chuckled.
They needed to learn some simple moves.
The moody girl, big brother will take you to learn [skills].
The high-cold-temperamented girl wasn't dumb; she had already caught on and inquired: "Will it cost silver?"
"What else?" Chu Huaixu repeated those three words again.
Han Shuangjiang now understood why wealth came first in the path of cultivation that emphasized wealth, law, companions, and land.
However, she quickly encountered a new confusion.
"If that's the case, wouldn't those who go down the path of Body Refining have an advantage in this situation?" she said.
"Naturally," Chu Huaixu replied.
Strictly speaking, the "Evil Skill" he cultivated—the "Refining Sword Formulas"—actually had a bit of inner and outer cultivation, somewhat similar to Body Refining.
On top of that, he had added 1 point to the [Physique] attribute, making his physical condition much stronger than others.
But he was an exception.
Chu Huaixu explained, "Do you know how slow the progress is with Body Refining, how arduous the process is?"
"You, with your innate Profound Yin Spiritual Embryo, can fully absorb the effects of the Acupoint Opening Pill. Just this alone improves you more than an ordinary body refiner could achieve in a year of hard practice."
"When there is effort, there should be reward, shouldn't there?" Chu Huaixu said, "Breaking the Array of the Library Pavilion, that's the reward."
Han Shuangjiang was convinced.
But soon she, like a problem-seeking girl, had another doubt: "What if one takes other elixirs or relies on medicinal baths to enhance the body?"
"That's certainly a shortcut," Chu Huaixu nodded.
"But let me tell you two points."
"First, the Acupoint Opening Pill was created by the Dao Ancestor. It's the most suitable Body Refining Pill for everyone in the Acupoint Opening Stage at present; no one can surpass the Dao Ancestor's expertise in elixirs."
"In this situation, taking other elixirs or soaking in medicinal baths during the Acupoint Opening Stage provides very limited improvement."
"Of course, no matter how limited, there's definitely some effect."
"So, let me tell you the second point."
He propped his face with one fist, tilting his head to look at her, asking a straightforward question:
"Do you have money?"
Han Shuangjiang fell silent, profoundly silent this time.
Neither elixirs nor medicinal baths seemed affordable for the two of them at their current financial state.
After leaving the Joy Sect, she had been wandering around without money, a perpetual and vexing problem surrounding her.
Unexpectedly, it was the same even at the Daoist Sect.
Chu Huaixu, however, remained quite composed about it.
There is no absolute fairness in this world.
The rich have their way, and geniuses can compensate through their talents.
The most pitiful are often the mediocre.
And yet, the mediocre are the majority.
They strive for a lifetime only to realize their mediocrity and accept it.
Han Shuangjiang, with her Heavenly Daughter quality of a Profound Yin Body, wasn't just blessed by Heaven liked a favored child; it was as if Heaven chased her down just to feed her.
"Come on, let's spend some money to learn a few moves," Chu Huaixu said, getting up first. "I don't have enough silver for us to last long."
Han Shuangjiang followed behind him moodily.
Not just because of the inescapable poverty, but also because she felt as though she'd just received a lecture from him.
But soon, the cold-faced girl adjusted her mindset and quietly muttered to herself:
"See! I told you we should buy groceries and cook for ourselves!"
...
...
All along the way, Chu Huaixu walked ahead, while Han Shuangjiang followed with her long, graceful legs, managing to keep up with him.
Her naturally well-defined curves swayed elegantly as she walked.
"We don't need to learn much, just spend a little money to learn a move or two," said the fox-faced Chu Huaixu.
He was excited to learn some [Skills], which would directly improve his fighting abilities.
He looked back curiously and asked, "By the way, have you ever gotten into a fight?"
Han Shuangjiang looked at him, once again responding with silence.
Fight?
What fight could there be at the [Hongxiu Restaurant], pulling hair and slapping faces with the sisters?
She had only ever been beaten by the "madam."
As for the time spent at the [Joy Sect], that's even more out of the question.
The most popular fights there were bedroom battles, intense and passionate.
Either the man would yield, or the woman would swoon.
Then, Chu Huaixu asked another question.
"Have you ever killed someone?" he asked.
Looking at his back as he walked ahead, Han Shuangjiang frowned, somewhat speechless, and replied, "Of course not. Have you?"
No sooner were these words spoken than she saw that Chu Huaixu, who was three steps ahead, halted.
It all happened so suddenly that she didn't stop in time and came up alongside him.
And at that moment of being side by side, Chu Huaixu turned his head to Han Shuangjiang.
The noonday sun shone on his shoulder and that fox-like face.
"I have," he said.
...
(ps: Asking for monthly votes~)