Three Realms Theory, Subduing the Heart

Old Liang's single room wasn't large, about fifty to sixty square meters, and surprisingly neat and clean.

The desk was by the window, piled with stacks of paper books, their covers yellowed and worn, showing their age.

Behind it, a two-tiered iron shelf held miscellaneous items on the top layer, with wooden boards and a mattress on the bottom, serving as a bed. By the head of the bed were several large, thick books piled like a small mountain.

Empty wine bottles stacked in the corner, a clay pot for boiling medicinal herbs, a rice vat half the size of a person, and a ceramic jar for pickled vegetables – the overall impression was one of rich domesticity.

Old Liang sat on the edge of the bed, changing into slippers.

"Boil your own water to drink. I won't be serving you."

Qin Shi glanced out of the corner of his eye. Old Liang's crippled leg, propped on the bed frame, was thin and shriveled, having shrunk considerably over the years. The muscles were severely atrophied, and rough, stitched scars resembling centipedes crisscrossed the surface.

It was quite a horrifying sight!

"How could I let Teacher Liang do it himself?"

Qin Shi nimbly washed a cup, filled it with water, and placed it on the coal stove to boil. The staff dormitory conditions were primitive, unlike the renovated family housing.

"You're such a clever child, always knowing how to read people and please them."

Old Liang chuckled, a hint of satisfaction hidden within.

"It's been several days since the freshman stage. How's your vitality growth?"

Qin Shi replied truthfully:

"It's around fifteen points now."

What?

How much?

Old Liang's smile froze, and he was stunned for a moment.

He had told Qin Shi not to come to school for a while, to focus on the transformation of his Mortal Body.

He had expected him to gain maybe three or four points, which would have been quite good.

After all, the Nutritional Paste could only fill his stomach; it couldn't supply the rich vitality hidden within his flesh and blood to help it grow vigorously.

"I'll sleep tonight, and when I wake up tomorrow, I should break sixteen points."

Qin Shi said confidently, with full conviction.

After all, he had devoured all the high-energy food at Lin Yunqing's house.

A full seven or eight extra-large portions, leaving him so full he had to lean against the wall to walk.

Following the title of "Legendary Endurance King."

He had once again earned the title of "Legendary Big Eater"!

Just by sleeping, it increases?

Speak like a human!

As a master, Old Liang's feelings were complicated.

His disciple's rapid progress was naturally a good thing.

But seeing his disciple progress so easily, he inexplicably gritted his teeth.

Shouldn't developing vitality through the Old Martial Arts path be arduous and fraught with peril?

Shouldn't one suffer greatly, with every tiny bit of growth requiring thousands of times the sweat and effort to cultivate?

Recalling the beatings, punishments, and downpours he endured while learning from his grandmaster and master, Old Liang couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions.

So, Burning Sinews in Old Martial Arts could be overcome by sleeping.

So, breaking through physical limits and undergoing the transformation of a new life could increase vitality by six or seven points at once.

So... this is what a genius looks like?

"Xiao Shi."

Old Liang was silent for a long time, then said glumly, "This kind of talk that easily invites hatred, it's best to say less next time.

Even I, your master, can't help but want to hit you, let alone others!"

Huh?

Did I accidentally show off just now?

Qin Shi scratched his head, only realizing afterward, feeling a sense of generational gap similar to the communication between speedrunners and masochistic players in soul-like games.

The former: "This is offense, this is defense, got it. Waiting for the boss to deliver!"

The latter: "A cup of water and a pack of cigarettes, one boss for a whole day!"

Relying on the super recovery buff of [Deep Sleep], the enhanced training effects of [Muscle Memory], and the gluttonous talent of [Overgrowth].

As long as he could survive, his development speed would undoubtedly far surpass his peers.

He might even soon catch up to the Martial Artist Heavenly Prodigies who were once as distant and unattainable as stars in the sky!

"Sixteen vitality, and just a little more, and I can touch the true legacy of Hong Sheng, Hundred Forms Cultivating Momentum."

Old Liang's eyelids drooped as his gaze swept across the cramped room.

If this were a dojo in Jingzhou, or if Master had personally cultivated him, Qin Shi wouldn't have to worry about supplies.

Old Martial Arts secret arts, high-energy serums, cosmic oddities... If he thought of enough ways, he could always get his hands on them.

But Hengzhou had sealed off external shipping routes for too long, gradually becoming a borderland, with resources controlled by higher-ranking nobles.

Especially clans like the Chen, Lin, Qin, and Zheng, who had been deeply rooted in various cities since the New Star development period, their influence intertwined.

In recent years, they had infiltrated administrative bodies like the Martial Arts Association and the Education Department, their momentum unstoppable, almost blotting out the sun!

Fighting for resources with them was incredibly difficult!

"Right, Master Liang. I had a comprehensive vitality test at Teacher Lin's place in the Youth Palace, and I found my mental strength is also fifteen points."

Qin Shi explained the situation. Old Liang had been to Jingzhou before and had seen the vastness of the star sea; he was an old hand, more reliable than that dog Lin Yunqing.

"I heard from Teacher Lin that the 'spirituality' and 'activity' of a Mortal Body follow the law of conservation; if one is high, the other is low.

Master Liang, do you think my excessively high mental strength might affect my advancement on the Martial Artist path?"

Mental strength?

How much?

Fifteen points!

Old Liang's head spun, as if he'd taken a solid punch.

He tried to get up but felt a bit dizzy and sat back down.

He braced his hands on the edge of the bed, his breathing gradually quickening:

"Wait, let me take a moment."

Whirr!

The hot water had just boiled, white steam churning.

Qin Shi obediently picked up a mug, sprinkled in some broken tea leaves, and brewed a simple cup, handing it to Old Liang.

The latter looked like an old farmer who had been poor his whole life and suddenly won the lottery jackpot.

Under the impact of the immense surprise, he appeared bewildered and lost, a sense of unreality washing over him.

"My disciple is... the second He Lanchán? Fifteen points vitality, fifteen points mental strength, so balanced."

Old Liang couldn't believe it. His emotions surged, and it took him a long while to calm down:

"That's right, the total amount of spirituality and activity in a Mortal Body is constant.

Therefore, to reach the highest point of one path, one often has to abandon others.

Martial Artists enhance 'flesh and blood activity,' constantly renewing and transforming.

As for professions like Mechanist or Psionicist, they emphasize 'true nature of the mind,' pursuing sublimation to achieve transcendence."

Qin Shi took a sip of the bitter tea. Dual cultivation of spirit and flesh didn't sound like a good thing.

Ever since ancient times, players who wanted to build a tanky character, a six-star warrior, had to either burn themselves out or pay heavily!

Neither was easy.

"Martial God and Grand Master of the Mind cannot be achieved simultaneously; it's almost a consensus.

But a seedling with the talent for spirit-flesh integration is still a hot commodity, attracting the attention of even the Four Great National Universities.

Do you know why?"

Looking at Qin Shi, who was unknowingly approaching the standards of Dongxia's top Heavenly Prodigies, Old Liang asked and answered himself:

"Once vitality breaks the hundred-point mark, one can become a professional-level Martial Artist.

If mental strength also reaches the standard, spirit-flesh resonance will likely result in a certain 'refinement,' expanding the limits of the Mortal Body and increasing its capacity to carry spirituality and activity.

In short, you can go further, with the potential to glimpse the two great ranks of Martial God and Grand Master."

Qin Shi frowned inwardly. It sounded like a "late-game specialist" Hex.

Save money, rush to level nine, and get paid to chase a three-star five-cost unit!

Betting everything on a dream!

"Moreover, there's a hidden benefit. All known spirit-flesh integrators who successfully accommodate two professional paths have achieved the perfection of the Seven Great Limits.

Old Liang added, "Many have reasonably speculated that this unknown 'refinement' greatly benefits the transformation of the Mortal Body."

Qin Shi pondered for a moment and humbly asked, "Master Liang, do you have any suggestions?"

The professional paths of Mechanist and Psionicist weren't something one could just pick up and follow.

In the entire Hengzhou New Star, it seems only Qiguang Hengda University and Keda University offer corresponding specialized courses.

Above that, there are the Four Great National Universities standing tall on the ancient star.

Old Liang pondered, "Actually, the Martial Artist path also has inheritances that strengthen mental power."

Qin Shi reacted quickly:

"Teacher Liang, are you referring to the Spirit Cultivation techniques within Cultivation Methods?"

Old Liang nodded:

"Yes. The fundamental requirement for Hong Sheng's true inheritance, Hundred Forms Cultivating Momentum, is twenty points of vitality. In the Old Martial Arts path, 'body' and 'spirit' are inseparable; a strong body leads to a full spirit.

Once vitality reaches twenty points, one's spirit will be radiant and Qi will be abundant, allowing them to withstand the consumption of comprehending the 'Visualization Diagram' and not be lost to the 'Momentum'."

He pointed to the water cup on the table and asked, "Xiao Shi, how would you pick up this cup of water?"

"Reach out my hand."

Qin Shi answered without hesitation.

"This action contains three parts. First, you must generate a 'thought,' then use that thought to drive your body, control your hand, and finally grasp the water cup to complete the action."

Old Liang said seriously, "This is the 'Three Realms Theory' proposed by the great master of the mind, Yan Tongxuan. The mind's thoughts and ideas originate from the subtle realm, while the water cup exists in reality, which is the material world.

Your Mortal Body serves as the bridge between the two.

A simple action like picking up water is actually your mind controlling your body to interfere with matter, encompassing the Heaven, Earth, and Human realms.

Therefore, to cultivate the mind, one must first cultivate the body and increase vitality.

Conversely, breaking through the limits of the body and tapping into its potential is also inseparable from the sublimation of the mind."

Qin Shi mused, then blurted out, "Everything lies in subduing one's heart?"

Old Liang praised, "It seems you've also read some classics from the Old Era. That's right, 'subdue one's heart,' these simple four words, perfectly encapsulate the true meaning of cultivation.

With your Mortal Body transforming and vitality increasing significantly, it's not impossible to let you get a glimpse of Hong Sheng's Hundred Forms Cultivating Momentum inheritance ahead of time."

He stood up, took out an ancient booklet from his desk drawer, and handed it to Qin Shi.

The latter concentrated and looked at it for a long time, then looked up with a confused expression:

"Teacher Liang, what is this? I don't understand..."