After a while chatting, Shiratori Riku, Whitebeard, and Uncle had warmed up to one another.
[I Am Not Crooked-Path: "Shut it, old man. What is wrong with my plan? I say it's rock solid!"]
[Uncle: "You know nothing. If you create a second consciousness inside your own body, who controls it later, you or that?"]
[I Am Not Crooked-Path: "I can lock that consciousness into a fixed routine and make it a rigid program."]
[Uncle: "Yes, yes, Uncle does not know programs, but Uncle knows the more complicated a thing is, the easier it breaks."]
[Uncle: "What if someone disrupts your magic flow while you are dueling? Do you die on the spot?!"]
Riku and Uncle were debating automation and dan spirits for the inner elixir. Their systems differed.
But one had deep learning from a grand sorcerer's lineage, and the other had sky-high comprehension and had devoured countless Quanzhen texts.
Just by talking, they grasped the principles and uncovered the pitfalls.
Riku paused at Uncle's latest message, then deleted what he had just typed.
"Uncle is right. The great Dao is simple. The simpler a thing is, the tougher it is. Make it too complex and it fails easily."
"And the more fundamental the base, the more room there is to refine later. The more complex it is, the fewer levers you have."
He thought for a long time and concluded that honestly polishing his own life and fate was the simplest path.
"Our ancestors were geniuses. No, it is thousands of years of heritage that are just too powerful."
He suddenly understood why today's methods were the simplest and most unadorned.
They were the results of countless generations of experiments. They were standing on the shoulders of giants.
[Whitebeard: "You two make it too troublesome. Power comes from eating well, drinking well, and fighting without end."]
[Uncle: "You know nothing. With magic, the slightest mistake can cause huge problems."]
[Uncle: "Once, while studying a shrink spell, I put in the wrong ingredient. Instantly it turned into a gateway to another space."]
[Uncle: "A monster jumped out and almost ate Uncle."]
[Group member 'I Am Not Crooked-Path' uploaded file 'Inner-Elixir Arts']
[I Am Not Crooked-Path: "This version emphasizes health after my edits."]
[I Am Not Crooked-Path: "You two old-timers should learn it well. Practice properly and living to a hundred and eighty will not be a problem."]
Riku had already figured out how to revise his art. To thank the two for the inspiration, he uploaded the Inner-Elixir Health Arts.
It could be trained whether or not one had energy, and its health benefits were excellent.
[Whitebeard downloaded your file]
[Uncle downloaded your file]
In the One Piece world.
As soon as Whitebeard downloaded it, knowledge flooded his mind. Most of it was seated cultivation, with a small portion of physical movements.
"Hm? This kind of thing can train the body?"
He frowned in doubt. Just sitting and breathing could strengthen the body? He did not quite buy it.
Still suspicious, he followed the breathing method in the Inner-Elixir Health Arts. At first the rhythm felt odd.
After four or five breaths, he caught it easily. He was one of the sea's top fighters, after all.
His control over his body was formidable. This much was no challenge.
"Hm? My lungs really do feel clearer, and my body lighter."
His eyes lit up. He knew his condition well. Usually he needed IV drips and oxygen.
Yet with just a slight change, he felt a bit lighter. It was only a little.
But it was real.
He stood and followed the movement sequence, once, twice, and warmth slowly flowed through his frame.
GRUMBLE!
His stomach spoke up. He was hungry. "Gurararara. Boys, bring me food!"
Whitebeard strode out, exhilarated. He could feel his body recovering.
[Whitebeard: "These Inner-Elixir Health Arts are incredible. A little practice and I already feel healthier."]
[I Am Not Crooked-Path: "That is just your perception. The arts work step by step."]
[I Am Not Crooked-Path: "Bit by bit they activate your body, open your appetite, and smooth your breathing."]
[I Am Not Crooked-Path: "Breathe well, eat well, then sleep well. The body recovers on its own."]