Breathing Method

Late at night two days later, moonlight filtered through the clouds, spilling a silvery glow across the ground.

Wang Yue silently sat up from his bed. When his feet touched the floor, they made no sound at all. The footwork experience from the Great Accomplishment Harmonious Flow Fist had long taught him the trick of "landing lightly, steadying the heart."

Xu Li, Wang Shun, Wang Chen, and Wang Qiang, who shared the room with him, were sleeping soundly, their breathing rising and falling in turns.

Ever since Xu Li entered the Lineage to train in martial arts, he had lived in this plain room with collateral descendants like them, rather than being assigned to the western dormitories specially reserved for disciples of outside surnames like the other externally recruited disciples.

At first, Wang Yue had found it strange. Though externally recruited disciples and collateral descendants were both considered "not of the main house," they rarely lived together. But as time passed, he gradually grew used to Xu Li's presence.

Wang Yue touched the fist manual tucked into his clothes. Without lighting a lamp, he used the faint glow coming through the window lattice to gently push open the door and slip into the courtyard.

The air in the open space behind the house carried a slight chill. The other rooms were utterly silent.

Wang Yue walked to the center of the clearing, stopped, and closed his eyes.

Within his consciousness, a pale golden Martial Soul interface floated silently: Martial Soul (Golden Finger): Great Accomplishment Harmonious Flow Fist (Incomplete). Status: Extracted. Cooldown: 5 days.

Wang Yue took a deep breath and, following the guidance contained in the Martial Soul's experience, slowly began cultivating the Harmonious Flow Fist Breathing Method.

When inhaling, he no longer breathed casually as before. Instead, he deliberately sank his shoulders and lowered his abdomen, guiding the breath down his throat as if sending it deep into his waist and belly.

When exhaling, he controlled his Blood Qi to surge along with the airflow, slowly flowing toward his limbs and bones.

This was his first time formally practicing this Breathing Method. At the start, it felt as though a stone were pressing against his chest. His breathing rhythm was so awkward it made him uncomfortable, even leaving his arms somewhat stiff.

But the Martial Soul's experience had long engraved into his mind every detail of how to adjust his breathing and coordinate it with his body's movements.

Before long, Wang Yue found the trick—the rhythm of exertion in his fist technique when inhaling.

With each inhale and exhale, his breath gradually merged with his fist technique.

Outside was the fist: his arms carved arcs like flowing water, his punches shot out like startled thunder.

Inside was the breath: airflow sank into his waist and abdomen, Blood Qi moved with his fists.

"Qi is the qi of the fist technique; breath is the breath of the Breathing Method." Words he had once seen only in the fist manual finally took on a real, tangible meaning.

Wang Yue became more and more absorbed. His fist technique gradually quickened, Splitting Wave Hand flowing into Wave-Stacking Fist, Wave-Stacking Fist connecting to Harmonious Flow Strike. The variations came like a gale and sudden rain, yet showed not a trace of brute force—only the exquisite subtlety of technique, as though every move had been tempered a thousand times over.

Under the moonlight, the youth's figure darted across the clearing. His fist wind swept up fallen leaves from the ground without making much sound. Only the faint vibrations of Blood Qi circulating through his body grew clearer and clearer with his breathing.

He didn't know how long he practiced. The eastern sky gradually turned the pale white of a fish belly, and a ray of newborn sunlight pierced the clouds, spilling over the rear courtyard wall and dyeing it a faint golden red.

"Creak."

A soft sound of a door opening reached him. Wang Yue abruptly withdrew his fists, his breath slowly calming.

He lowered his head and looked at his hands. A faint warmth spread through his palms, while a subtle flush seemed to radiate from his entire body. Beneath his skin, it was as though warm currents were slowly flowing—an indication that his Blood Qi had been stirred to a certain degree.

"Wang Yue."

A dull voice sounded. Wang Yue looked up to see Xu Li leaning against the doorframe. He was still wearing the coarse short shirt he slept in, sleepiness lingering in his eyes, yet he stared fixedly at Wang Yue as if he had been watching for a long time.

Xu Li walked over to Wang Yue. His gaze fell on Wang Yue's flushed arms. After a moment of silence, he asked, "Did you practice Harmonious Flow Fist before?"

After sharing a room for so many days, he had long noticed that Wang Yue's progress in fist techniques was abnormally fast. Especially when he occasionally woke in the middle of the night, he would always hear Wang Yue practicing outside. Catching him early this morning only confirmed that Wang Yue seemed to have practiced Harmonious Flow Fist before.

Wang Yue didn't answer directly. He merely picked up the fist manual from the ground, brushed off the dust, and said calmly, "Fist techniques need practice. Time reveals skill."

He knew Xu Li had already noticed something unusual, but the secret of the Martial Soul could not be casually revealed. He could only fend him off with such an ambiguous answer.

Xu Li frowned. Clearly seeing that Wang Yue didn't want to say more, he gritted his teeth as if making up his mind and suddenly said, "If Brother Wang is willing to teach me fist techniques, I can give you a push when you enter the main house's Martial Academy."

Wang Yue's gaze instantly turned cold.

The main house's Martial Academy? That was a place only main house descendants and a handful of extraordinarily gifted disciples of outside surnames could enter. Though Xu Li lived with collateral descendants, he was still fundamentally an externally recruited disciple. How could he possibly have the ability to get Wang Yue into the Martial Academy?

Full of lies, and he still dared try to deceive him?

Xu Li's heart tightened under Wang Yue's stare. Knowing Wang Yue didn't believe him, he hurriedly explained, urgency in his voice. "I didn't lie to you! Before my father died, he was Wang Hu's close friend. Back then, he even saved Wang Hu's life. Before he died, he asked my adoptive father to take me in as his adopted son. And my adoptive father has already promised that once I bring Harmonious Flow Fist to the entry level, he'll take me into the Martial Academy!"

"And that's precisely why the clan let me live with collateral descendants instead of sending me to the western dormitories for outside surnames. Wang Hu specifically arranged it."

Wang Yue froze.

He finally understood why Xu Li, an externally recruited disciple, could make an exception and live with collateral descendants.

Why Xu Li was always more persistent than others when practicing fists, why his eyes always carried a trace of unwillingness. So he had Wang Hu behind him, enough to receive special treatment even in his living arrangements. Could it be that the higher requirements for those of outside surnames to enter the Martial Academy were merely a small matter used to evade the Wang Clan's rules?

As the morning sun gradually climbed higher, Wang Yue looked at Xu Li's anxious gaze.

He quietly considered it. If Xu Li's words were true—

Then his proposal of "teaching fists in exchange for assistance" was not a bad choice.

Seeing Wang Yue remain silent, Xu Li added, "I know you don't believe me, but I can swear to heaven—if I've deceived you, may I never grasp the true essence of Harmonious Flow Fist!"

Wang Yue was silent for a moment, his fingertips lightly rubbing the edge of the fist manual. Then he suddenly raised his eyes and asked, "Then Xu Li, do you know the exact conditions for entering the Martial Academy?"

Xu Li's eyes instantly lit up, as if he hadn't expected Wang Yue to ask further. He hurriedly answered, "You only need to bring Harmonious Flow Fist to the entry level! The clan's rule is that if you reach the entry level in Harmonious Flow Fist within six months, it means you possess at least a Middle-Grade Root Bone and are qualified to enter the Martial Academy.

If it takes longer than six months to reach the entry level, the requirements afterward become stricter. I've heard you need to cultivate Harmonious Flow Fist to the Proficient Realm. But if you fail to reach the entry level within six months, that means you have a Low-Grade Root Bone, and the opportunity is gone."

He paused, his gaze falling on Wang Yue's flushed wrist, envy coloring his voice. "But judging from Brother Wang's performance—the steadiness in your moves when you practiced yesterday, and the way your Blood Qi surged this morning—your Root Bone must be excellent. It won't be long before you reach the entry level."

Wang Yue didn't respond, but his mind was rapidly calculating. Reaching the entry level within six months was as easy as pie for him. But the Breathing Method was a hidden danger. If someone discovered in the future that he knew an untransmitted Breathing Method, it would inevitably arouse suspicion.

He needed an opportunity to clear the Breathing Method's origin—an excuse that would make others think, "He learned his Breathing Method from someone, rather than gaining it from the Martial Soul."

At that thought, Wang Yue changed the subject, lowering his voice even further. "Then how much do you know about Breathing Methods?"

"Breathing Methods?"

Xu Li's expression changed drastically, as if someone had stepped on a sore spot. He instinctively took half a step back and looked around at the rear courtyard before leaning close to Wang Yue and whispering in a voice only the two of them could hear, "My adoptive father... Wang Hu taught me a little. I remembered the mnemonic, but I've never managed to learn it. It always feels like I can't sink my breath down."

A sharp glint flashed through Wang Yue's eyes.

He stepped half a pace closer, his tone probing yet carrying a measure of certainty. "If I teach you the secrets of fist techniques and help you bring Harmonious Flow Fist to the entry level as quickly as possible, would you be willing to teach me the Breathing Method Wang Hu taught you?"

The moment those words left his mouth, Xu Li's expression became complicated. Privately passing on a Breathing Method—if anyone found out, people could really die.

He clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white. His lips moved, but no words came out. After a long while, he finally said with difficulty, "Let me think... Give me some time to think."

The two stood in the middle of the clearing, and the atmosphere stiffened for a moment.

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