Breathing Technique

As Lin Mu headed home.

Elsewhere, inside a Training Ground, Li Yan stood at the center. Before him stood a figure covered in various sensors.

With a mechanical voice sounding out, that figure charged at Li Yan.

Li Yan moved, unleashing ferocious punching force.

He continuously exchanged blows with the figure, while streams of data appeared on the display screen beside them.

About ten minutes later, the two stopped, and a progress bar appeared on the screen, constantly analyzing.

Roughly two minutes later.

"Analysis complete!"

"Subject: Li Yan."

"Fist Technique proficiency: Black Iron Grade (29%)."

"Movement Technique proficiency: Black Iron Grade (17%)."

"Martial Skill: Meteor God Fist (Minor Mastery 21%)."

"Overall evaluation: Excellent."

"..."

As that data appeared, the expressions of quite a few people present visibly changed.

"His Fist Technique proficiency increased by 5%, his Movement Technique by 3%, and Meteor God Fist by 18%—did he take drugs?" someone could not help questioning.

"Even drugs shouldn't be this terrifying. Something must have happened."

"How could he improve so quickly? Meteor God Fist is a Tier 3 Martial Skill. Improving by 10% in a month would already be impressive!"

"..."

Many people began discussing heatedly.

The Middle-aged Man standing in the center of the crowd had excitement written all over his face. He could not help saying, "Good! Just as expected of my son!"

Li Yan looked at the data before him, and his expression visibly changed as well.

He could feel that he had improved, but he had never imagined the improvement would be this great.

For a moment, his admiration for Lin Mu rose another level.

My master is awesome!

He secretly thought to himself.

At this moment, quite a few people also gathered around.

"Li Yan, what's going on with you? How did you suddenly become this fierce?"

"Yeah! Your talent is decent, but it shouldn't be enough to make you this absurdly strong, right?"

"You're incredible! Got any secret? Share it with your brothers!"

"..."

The crowd talked over one another, their eyes full of envy.

Seeing everyone's gazes, excitement appeared on Li Yan's face as well.

What was all that hard cultivation for?

Wasn't it just to show off?

At that instant, his vanity reached its peak.

"Alright! There's no harm in telling you. The reason I improved so quickly is because I have an unbelievably awesome master!" Li Yan said proudly.

"Master? What master?"

Someone asked.

"A very formidable person. His understanding of Martial Skills has already reached the realm of the miraculous!"

"As long as he's around, forget Second-Order Martial Artists—even Third-Order Martial Artists are nothing to me!" Li Yan bragged.

For a moment, many people cast envious looks his way.

"Who's your master?"

"Yeah! Can you recommend him? I want to become his disciple too!"

"As long as he can make me a Second-Order Martial Artist, I'm willing to call him Dad!"

"Your dad is still alive!"

"..."

The group chattered noisily.

Li Yan's face was full of pride, but he did not reveal Lin Mu's name at all.

Showing off was one thing!

Causing trouble for his master would be bad!

If Lin Mu knew what he was thinking, he would definitely kick him.

He was only a sparring partner—when had he become Li Yan's master?

Among the group, a pretty figure stood in the distance. She watched Li Yan, surrounded by the crowd, with a thoughtful look in her beautiful eyes, then walked to one side.

"I need his movements and whereabouts during this period!"

"Yes!" a figure standing not far away replied.

Lin Mu had no idea what had happened over there. Lying in bed, he cultivated the Five Hearts Facing Heaven Art and gradually drifted into sleep.

There were only a little over two months left until the Martial Arts Exam.

He had to cultivate with all his strength.

The night quickly passed. Lin Mu opened his eyes and headed outside.

But just as he opened the door, a girl around 1.67 meters tall, with fair skin and delicate features, stood outside.

Her beautiful eyes sized Lin Mu up, and a smile appeared on her face.

"Hello!"

"You are?"

A trace of confusion appeared on Lin Mu's face.

"My name is Chu Miaomiao. I heard you're Li Yan's master, so I came to pay you a visit!"

The girl extended her fair hand.

"I'm not his master, just his sparring partner. And I don't plan to keep doing it," Lin Mu said.

"Did you find a better job?" Chu Miaomiao asked.

"Something like that," Lin Mu said.

Now that he had a B-grade Contract, money was not quite so tight, and he still needed to prepare for the Martial Arts Exam.

"What a shame. I wanted to take you as my master too!"

"Don't. I don't have that kind of ability!"

"No! You're better than many instructors!"

"So what? I wasn't planning to keep doing this anyway!"

"I'll pay you double, and you'll only need to guide me for one hour a day. How about it?"

Lin Mu froze slightly.

Double the pay!

Six hundred thousand!

And only one hour a day.

Looking into Chu Miaomiao's serious eyes, he realized she was not joking.

"You're spending that much just for me to guide you?" Lin Mu asked.

"Mm!" Chu Miaomiao nodded.

Lin Mu pondered it. He truly was not that short on money now, but he was still somewhat short on it.

If it was only an hour, perhaps he could consider it.

Seemingly afraid that Lin Mu would refuse, Chu Miaomiao added, "If that still isn't enough, I'll throw in a fragment of a Breathing Technique!"

Lin Mu's expression changed.

A fragment of a Breathing Technique!

That was an exceedingly precious thing.

One had to know that a complete Breathing Technique could sell for over a hundred million.

And that was only an ordinary Breathing Technique.

More powerful Breathing Techniques cost even more.

Even a fragment of a Breathing Technique was worth at least several million.

Lin Mu really wanted to refuse, but she was simply offering too much.

"Alright! But let's make this clear first—you can't go back on your word!" Lin Mu said.

"No problem!" Chu Miaomiao nodded.

"Then come with me!" Lin Mu said.

"Alright!"

She followed Lin Mu outside.

"Also, if you don't have time, you don't need to go guide Li Yan. I can cover the breach penalty!"

Chu Miaomiao said.

A smile appeared on Lin Mu's face. "Do you have a grudge against him?"

"A competitor," Chu Miaomiao explained. "Our families have always been competing, so we've been competing since we were children."

Lin Mu nodded slightly. "It really would be good for me, since I'd have more time to cultivate. But a gentleman's word is worth a team of four horses; since I agreed to someone else's request, I naturally have to do it properly!"

A trace of surprise appeared in Chu Miaomiao's beautiful eyes.

She had not expected Lin Mu to value his word so highly.

Under his lead, the two arrived at the Cultivation Room beneath the Virtual Duel Room.

Seeing the Cultivation Room before her, Chu Miaomiao's expression changed slightly.

She knew very well that anyone able to cultivate here possessed at least a B-grade Contract.

For this young man to secure such a contract at his age, he was definitely far from ordinary.