Gu Zhi obviously had different plans. He wanted to at least have an A- in every category with the goal set at A+ if he could manage. This was already very tough as most people only focused on one category of foundation to build up what kind of cultivator they would become. Body cultivators had a high combat strength but low rate of cultivation progression. Mind or Qi cultivators had a high rate of cultivation progression but a low combat strength, or rather a low survivability rate against a body cultivator of the same level. Finally soul cultivators were an enigma, they were so rare Gu Zhi didn't even know their strengths and weaknesses. He realistically only had the choice of maybe getting an S- body in time or trying to get all the rest to an A or higher. The answer was so obvious to him he didn't really need to think about it. He would chose getting all A's instead of focusing on an S. Just like what elder Ming had suggested but more ambitious. Elder Ming didn't know that Gu Zhi had a reliable way of increasing his soul strength. So Gu Zhi's plan moving forward was to focus on Qi and let his technique do the work of building up his soul strength. With his technique his soul would slowly gather up strength on its own. Requiring no further effort from Gu Zhi other than time passing. Meaning what he needed now was Qi refining resources, and a suitable technique. The blood transformation art was mostly a body technique that had minor applications in the mind category. For example he could strengthen his meridians and that was about it. He would need a technique that solely focuses on increasing the quality of his qi. Although the pills he took helped a lot, they weren't everything, his dual cultivation also helped but it was more of one aspect of dual cultivation rather than its main focus. That is, unless he could find a dual cultivation technique that made it its focus. Most of the techniques and treasures he's used up until now effected his body the most giving him the A- rating. At just 23 years of age he could step into core formation, he would be viewed as a genius by almost all of the cultivation world. But rather than doing that, it was time for him to focus on other aspects of his foundation.
"I think I should also focus on my mind foundation. Do you have any techniques that you would recommend me father?" he asked.
"Hmm, that's a good question... probably the talent refinement art" he finally said. "As you know your cultivation talent is mostly made up of how well you can absorb qi into your body to further your cultivation. This art should be the first one you learn because it can help reduce time spent on all the techniques. Although this art is highly controversial, as its seen as a trap to the people with low cultivation talent. I think you have just the right amount of circumstances to make the best use of it" he said.
"Why is the technique considered controversial" Gu Zhi said as he also didn't want to rush into a trap.
"It's mostly because of its name. Although the technique does exactly what it says it does, people usually spend to much time on it. Let's say I give you a scenario of a man named Ji Lan. Ji Lan has a talent score of 34 and as seen as not the best in terms of talent. To make up for this he picks up the talent refinement art planning to use the art to make up for his weaknesses. Now here is where it goes bad. Ji Long uses the technique and is able to increase his talent score by around 1 point every two years. By the time he has a talent score of 50, he is considered to have around average talent but already spent 32 years making it to this point. By the time he reaches foundation establishment he already spent so much time in his early years just trying to fix his talent making it hard enough but he eventually makes it to core formation. However ironically due to his lacking talent and the time he already spent, he doesn't have enough time to make it to nascent soul and he passes away" elder Ming said. "Even though there are ways to increase one's talent, sects still prefer to take people in with good talent for obvious reasons. If you start with such a disadvantage of lacking talent its very hard to make it up in time. But almost all things can be made up for thanks to the heavens. It's just mostly a problem of resources and time. If Ji Lan had a longer lifespan he could have spent more time refining his talent. If he had found some resources that improves his cultivation he could have saved a lot of time in his cultivation allowing him more opportunities. Ultimately though, my point is you have enough time already to spend improving your talent as your 23 and can already enter into core formation. You also already have a good talent score, but its low enough to perhaps warrant you to increase it. So that's why I think you have just the right amount of circumstances to make use of the technique. You can spend a decade or two increasing it to around 80, with the resources you'll continuously get from the clan, if you play your cards right and enter the political game. You could also increase various parts of your foundation in other areas" elder Ming said.
"That sounds like a good plan" Gu Zhi stated.
"Then its settled, I'll get you the technique and try to get you into the political game. Although I can help you a lot from my side, I can't do everything".
"Then it sounds like I'll have to get into politics" Gu Zhi said as he made plans for the future.