Breathing Technique

Back in their warm little home, Gu Xinlan was bent over the table, sewing clothes stitch by stitch.

The moment she saw her man return, she immediately tossed aside her work and came out to greet him.

"I'm hungry."

As soon as Chen Sanshi said it, Lan Jie'er got busy in the kitchen.

He sat down instead and leafed through the books he had obtained from Xu Wencai.

The book was titled Book of Great Sheng, a history recording the major events since Great Sheng's founding.

Before Great Sheng had been an era of chaos, much like the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms.

Grand Ancestor Cao Xie, founder of the current dynasty, had begun as a household slave. He had forcibly fought his way out of the encirclement amid the troubled times and reunified a realm that had been divided for over a century.

What was worth noting was this.

Cao Xie had also been a sword god of his generation.

Rumor had it that he could fly a sword from ten li away to take a man's life, and that he had once broken an army of two thousand three hundred alone.

"Hasn't this already gone beyond the scope of martial arts?"

Chen Sanshi sped up his reading.

Sure enough, Founding Ancestor Sheng had been the swan song of martial arts. Never again had such an outrageous one-man fighting force appeared.

Over the following three hundred years, every emperor had pursued the martial path in hopes of becoming like the Grand Ancestor, but none had succeeded.

After Emperor Longqing ascended the throne, he simply turned to cultivating the Dao.

He had even been willing to devote one-tenth of the nation's land to growing spirit grain as offerings to exalted immortals.

"Could Emperor Longqing really have met immortals?"

"Otherwise, he wasn't an idiot. How could he possibly have been willing to sacrifice one-tenth of the tax revenue for offerings?"

"He offered tribute to immortals and made the common people foot the bill."

Skill: Reading (Minor Mastery)

Progress: (18/800)

Effect: Seven Orifices Exquisite, Spirit Revitalized, Eidetic Memory

Chen Sanshi grew angry just reading it and simply shut the book. The meal was ready as well.

Half a bucket of rice, stir-fried beef, salted duck eggs, and a bowl of fish soup.

In a whirlwind that swept away the clouds, he devoured every last bit.

Chen Sanshi did not idle for even a moment. After recovering a little strength, he went outside.

"I have to finish learning all the stance exercises tonight!"

In the countryside deep at night, beneath a round moon, beside an old house, stood two figures.

One was outside, lithe and tall, practicing martial arts with full concentration beneath the frost-white moonlight.

The other was inside, graceful and shapely, threading needle and cloth beneath the flickering candlelight.

"Huff—"

"The thirty-six forms of stance exercises are finished!"

Having finally completed every stance movement, Chen Sanshi collapsed onto the ground in exhaustion.

The stance exercises were done. Starting tomorrow, he would formally begin practicing spear techniques—and he could not forget the breathing technique, either.

After eating the midnight meal prepared in advance, he rested briefly before preparing to practice archery again.

Gu Xinlan followed him out, resentment hidden in her almond eyes as she chided him sweetly, "Are you trying to work yourself to death?"

"Don't worry. Archery isn't as exhausting as martial arts practice. I know my limits."

As Chen Sanshi spoke, he raised his longbow, only to be yanked back.

"No more practice. If you don't care for yourself, I do. It's not like our family can't afford to eat, so why are you working this hard?

"Come on. Go inside and sleep with me."

The next day.

The first light of dawn rose, thin rays dispersing the mist.

Chen Sanshi rose early to practice archery.

Skill: Archery (Mastery)

Progress: (350/500)

Drawing the Two-stone bow was exhausting, but the improvement came faster too. His sweat had not been shed in vain.

Chen Sanshi was quite satisfied.

Seeing that the time was about right, he packed up and headed out. Before leaving, he did not forget to dig eight taels of Silver Flakes out of the chest.

"Damn, that's expensive!"

After deducting the expenses for food, drink, and daily necessities over this period, as well as cloth for new clothes, he had only twelve taels of silver left. This one payment had practically emptied out their savings.

"Once this busy stretch is over, I still need to keep hunting. I can't throw away the craft that puts food on the table."

After taking the silver, Chen Sanshi changed into his armor and went to report to the Military Camp.

The moment he stepped outside, someone called out to stop him.

Zhao Qiao and Wu Da came running over, one after the other.

"Uncle Zhao?"

Chen Sanshi asked, "What is this about?"

"We came to discuss something with you!"

Zhao Qiao glanced at the armor he wore but did not ask about it. He had probably heard of it already.

"That's right."

Wu Da took over. "Brother Shi, do you know about the Black Bear on Tiger Head Mountain?"

Chen Sanshi nodded slightly.

He had long heard that there was a Black Bear on Tiger Head Mountain, and that hunters fell victim to it every year.

"That beast killed someone again!"

Zhao Qiao said through clenched teeth, "Three Donkeys from the neighboring Stone Village went up the mountain a few days ago and never came back. It wasn't until last night that his father found him. The Black Bear had eaten everything but his head!

"On top of that, there's really been no game to hunt lately. A few of us discussed it and wanted to see if we could deal with that Black Bear. Then everyone could trade it for some silver to get through the winter. But we definitely can't manage it with just us—you need to come too. When the time comes, whoever contributes more gets a larger share."

"Hunting a bear..."

Chen Sanshi did not answer immediately.

It seemed the local hunters had all been driven mad by poverty. They had started setting their sights on the Black Bear.

Their hunting bows would be utterly insufficient.

He happened to have a heavy bow, but the risk was still far from small.

"Give it a couple of days."

Chen Sanshi agreed. After briefly discussing the timing with them, they went their separate ways.

As soon as he arrived at the Military Camp, he saw Zhu Tong cursing and swearing.

"Those dogfucking bastards! Eight taels of silver—why don't they just go rob people?!"

Since he had come to the Military Camp, he naturally had to struggle with all his might.

It was simply that the garrison was far too corrupt.

To learn martial arts, one had to pay first. Who knew how many talented people would be missed because of it!

"This is nothing."

Xu Wencai was much more at peace with it. "Do you know why, after the two of us got into trouble, we weren't sent far away for penal labor but were stuffed into the Military Colony instead? Because the higher-ups have been investigating ghost payrolls these past few years, and they need to make up the numbers. If they don't take the chance to squeeze out some silver, they'll feel they've suffered a loss."

"Stone!"

After Zhu Tong and Chen Sanshi had become familiar, his form of address had grown closer. He said warmly, "Are you learning the breathing technique? I'll teach you! Seriously, after learning it, stance practice isn't nearly as tiring, and the speed improves quite a bit too."

Xu Wencai grabbed him. "Old Zhu, are you tired of living?"

"I appreciate Old Zhu's good intentions, but there's no need."

Chen Sanshi shook his head.

Zhu Tong truly had no Mind's Eye. If the people below were allowed to teach one another in private, how would those above make money?

Looking around.

About five or six people had learned the breathing technique.

He did not intend to save money either. After asking for the details, he took the silver and went to find Commander Liu of the Thousand Household Office.

Lord Hundred Households looked him over. After asking his name, he immediately refused. "No time."

"Commander Zheng, could you..."

"I still need to teach others."

"Commander Zhang..."

"Not teaching."

"Commander Xiong."

"I don't know it."

"..."

Chen Sanshi went to several Hundred Household Commanders in succession, yet none of them were willing to teach him.

The price was clearly the same!

He sensed that something was wrong. With a probing mindset, he entered one final tent.

Commander Wang, who had taught them spear techniques yesterday, lounged in a chair, eating peanuts in boredom, with shells scattered all over the ground by his feet.

Chen Sanshi cupped his fists. "Greetings, Commander Wang."

Wang Zhi shot him a sidelong glance, then only slowly sat up after a long while. "What, you want to learn the breathing technique?"

"Exactly!"

Chen Sanshi said respectfully, "I ask Commander Wang to be generous with your instruction!"

"Easy, easy."

Wang Zhi spat out a peanut skin, spread out one large hand, and crooked his fingers. "Hand it over."

That easy?

Chen Sanshi had practically been ready to give up. He had not expected this at all.

Could it be that these Hundred Household Commanders had discussed it beforehand and divided the number of students evenly among themselves?

Something was strange...

But matters had reached this point. If he wanted to learn the breathing technique, he could only pay.

He respectfully handed over eight taels of silver, then stood quietly waiting.

"What are you standing around stupidly for?"

Commander Wang unceremoniously tucked the money into his clothes, then waved him away.

"Sir, this is...?"

"This official is tired today. I'll teach you in a couple of days."

Chen Sanshi's heart gave a thump.