Awakening to the Dao, Spirit Turtle Breathing Technique

"Is this a bottleneck?"

Feeling the surging Vitality within him, Li Changqing knew very well that his Vitality Concentration had reached 99%. Breaking through again would inevitably transcend the meager potential of this physical body.

Something like that could not possibly be simple.

His attention finally turned to the Old Technique Tai Chi he had learned.

"Chengtian Tai Chi Fist is the only Old Technique I cultivate that can raise my Vitality. If I want to break through the shackles of this body, I have to start here."

With that thought in mind, Li Changqing tried continuing his fist practice against the resistance of the water.

Compared with air, water offered far greater resistance. Every movement of his muscles and fascia had to overcome not only the resistance of his own body, but the disturbance caused by the current, which had instead become the foremost obstacle.

It was pressure that air could never provide.

"Effective!"

Li Changqing's gaze sharpened.

Ever since he had broken past his limits and begun transforming yesterday, this was the first time practicing Tai Chi Fist had made him feel strained.

Strain meant he still had room to improve. He was on the right path.

With that realization, his spirits grew ever more fervent. His powerful Mental Power gradually began to meld with his flesh, and the transformation of his physique accelerated.

Ten minutes later.

As Li Changqing practiced, a whirlpool one meter across unexpectedly appeared in the center of the pool.

This was the strange phenomenon caused by the force throughout his body bursting outward and stirring the water.

Chengtian Tai Chi Fist, Proficiency: 72%

Military Breathing Technique, Proficiency: 85%

After completing another round, Li Changqing felt the obvious improvement in both his fist art and breathing technique, and his heart burned with excitement.

Beneath the flowing water, his muscles rose and fell with his Vitality, lean and powerful. A jade-like sheen even glimmered across the surface of his skin.

This was the transformation caused by impurities within his body being continually forced out as his Vitality underwent condensation.

Once all this was over, his physique would surely rise to another level, and he would officially become a Martial Artist.

"Continue!"

Li Changqing suppressed the slight restlessness in his heart. Since breaking his limits, his improvements had no longer been limited to his physique. The strengthening of his will not only enhanced his intangible Mental Power, but also made his state of mind increasingly clear.

This time, his movements became faster.

In merely eight minutes, he completed the fist routine once more.

Chengtian Tai Chi Fist, Proficiency: 80%

Military Breathing Technique, Proficiency: 93%

But faster did not mean better. If his speed had increased, it meant the resistance of the water was becoming less effective on him. That was not a good thing.

Again.

Li Changqing did not pause. He continued practicing his fist art, and the whirlpool in the pool grew larger and larger.

By the time he completed his third round.

Chengtian Tai Chi Fist, Proficiency: 85%

Military Breathing Technique, Proficiency: 99%

The Military Breathing Technique had also reached 99% proficiency. At the same time, Li Changqing noticed that the increase in his Chengtian Tai Chi Fist proficiency was becoming slower and slower.

"Has the water lost its effect?" Li Changqing frowned. He stopped moving, and the whirlpool at the center of the pool gradually vanished as well.

"No. The resistance of the water is only the icing on the cake. What I need is to understand the rhythm of flowing water and use it to perfect my Tai Chi."

Li Changqing simply shut his eyes tightly, casting aside every distracting thought in his mind.

Thanks to the three points of agility gained when he had previously broken through his physical limits, his neural perception was far stronger than it had been a few days ago.

With near-microscopic control over his muscles, every hair on Li Changqing's body stood on end like countless fine signal receivers, faithfully transmitting every minute change in the water into his brain.

He stood motionless in the middle of the pool.

Until the whirlpool caused by his force passing out through his body completely dissipated.

Ripples stirred.

The waterfall crashed down, splashing against the rocks and sending nature's rhythm into the pool.

Beneath the placid surface, undercurrents surged. Countless fine waves propelled the entire stream, spreading toward the distant river channel.

This was the feeling.

Li Changqing finally grasped that trace of natural rhythm.

Buzz—

His muscles trembled. A faint force passed out through his body, stirring the undercurrents and raising tiny, almost imperceptible ripples beneath the surface.

He had found this rhythm.

At first, it was only the faint trembling of his muscles. Countless undercurrents resonated with his force, yet the water's surface remained calm.

As he engaged more and more muscle groups, Li Changqing's right arm moved first.

It seemed to slowly trace an arc beneath the water, but in places the naked eye could not perceive, every tiny muscle group in his arm seemed to possess an independent awareness, resonating with the surrounding undercurrents and merging with the pool water.

First his right arm, then his left.

Fine ripples gradually spread across the once-still water.

As Li Changqing's movements grew larger and larger.

The surface of the water was no longer as tranquil as before.

His fist art unfolded completely, but unlike before, every time Li Changqing extended his limbs, the muscle groups throughout his body erupted under the push of his Vitality, perfectly matching the flow of the water.

A massive whirlpool appeared on the surface, growing larger and more urgent with Li Changqing's movements.

Until, at last, it spread across five meters, swallowing up more than half the pool.

Thunderous breathing echoed through the mountains. Vast amounts of air were drawn into his lungs, causing every cell in Li Changqing's body to burst forth with terrifying energy.

Chengtian Tai Chi Fist, Proficiency: 90%

Military Breathing Technique, Proficiency: 99%

At this moment, Li Changqing's fist art had completely surpassed Kang Tianchen's.

If the latter had seen Li Changqing now stirring the pool water with his fist art, he would likely have been astonished beyond belief.

Using the murmuring flow of water to cultivate martial arts—what a genius, what a mad idea.

Water had no fixed momentum, nor any constant form. Every moment brought countless changes.

Yet Li Changqing could use his fist art to send force out through his body and resonate with the water.

Even many veteran Lower-Rank Martial Artists could never achieve such a level.

Li Changqing could do it not only because of his understanding of fist arts, but more crucially because his repeatedly enhanced agility points had granted him neural senses beyond those of ordinary people.

Otherwise, he would never have been able to perceive the intricate, minute changes in the water flow.

At this point.

Tai Chi Listening to Strength had reached mastery!

The whirlpool continued expanding, while Li Changqing had already brought his Tai Chi to the twenty-fourth form.

The next instant, the fist routine reached completion. His stance abruptly changed, and he actually drove the sequence back to the first form, creating a perfect cycle.

Chengtian Tai Chi Fist, Proficiency: 99%

Military Breathing Technique, Proficiency: 99%

Vitality Concentration: 99%

At last, both his breathing technique and Chengtian Tai Chi Fist had reached their limits, while his Vitality had completely overflowed.

An opportunity. I need an opportunity.

Li Changqing continued practicing his fist art with his eyes closed, searching for that spark of inspiration.

Just a little more—the most crucial push.

"Exhale—"

His unbroken breathing stretched long, as though it had no end.

The subtle yet weighty breaths were extraordinarily clear in Li Changqing's ears beneath the tinkling sound of the flowing water.

"This is!"

He suddenly opened his eyes and saw that at the edge of the pool, the mud along the riverbank had been overturned by the water he had stirred.

It revealed a snapping turtle that had been sleeping for who knew how long.

Its body was covered in long algae. If not for its swaying head, Li Changqing would have nearly mistaken it for an empty shell.

Awakening from its long slumber, the snapping turtle stretched out its neck and slightly opened its jaws. A heavy, prolonged breath came from within.

Its movements were slow, and even its breathing was the same.

Yet it was precisely this slow state of existence that allowed turtles to outlive other animals by far.

Amid the roaring water, that insignificant breathing was as tiny as dust.

But to Li Changqing's ears, it was like thunder splitting the sky.

It tore open that last thin veil over the window.

"Exhale—"

The rhythm of his breathing changed.

The breathing rhythm that had rung like clashing blades in the military suddenly turned.

Heavy, prolonged.

Like the clear breeze in the mountains and the bright moon over the river.

Those who lived forever without food—their sighs directed toward the vault of heaven.

His breaths were long and unbroken.

The boiling Vitality was no longer filled with fighting intent. Instead, it settled.

Accumulating without end.

His light, thin Vitality was continually compressed, condensed, then compressed again.

It kept shrinking alongside the change in Li Changqing's breathing.

The mist-like Vitality grew increasingly viscous, until it actually began to turn liquid and slowly drip down.

The Vitality that had occupied every part of his body gathered in his Dantian into a ball of liquid no larger than a fist.

A single drop of Vitality was far heavier than the majestic dragon of Vitality that had previously surged through his body.

Vitality Concentration: 1%

Vitality was like mercury; embrace the core and return strength.

Vitality had ascended. Light, thin power was compressed into a single mass, like five fingers curling into a fist, like bamboo chopsticks bound into a bundle.

The energy contained within liquefied Vitality far surpassed the mist-like Vitality from before.

Even the heavy water flow could no longer obstruct Li Changqing's fist practice.

The Vitality within him was like mercury, and his body was like a thousand-pound weight. As his fists moved, the light flow of water actually sent waves of force surging beneath the surface. With every stance and strike, the water crashed against the shore, continually shredding the earth and gravel along the bank.

At the same time, Li Changqing's body, which had previously been unable to grow any further, had been emptied out, leaving behind broader space for improvement.

It also meant that Li Changqing had broken the shackles of his original flesh, and his talent for physical cultivation would no longer be mediocre.

Vitality was like mercury; embrace the core and return strength.

This was a talent that surpassed Jiang He's and ranked above B, marking a path that guaranteed he could become a Psionic User.

Li Changqing's breathing had still not ended. His eyes remained tightly shut.

His increasingly resounding breaths actually sent wave after wave of echoes reverberating through the mountains.

Buzz—

Violent sound waves shook the surface of the lake.

They startled the snapping turtle that had only just awakened from its slumber. It fled in panic, plunging headfirst into the pool and drifting downstream with the current.

That mysterious breathing sound came to an abrupt halt.

Li Changqing opened his eyes. The snapping turtle's departure had not interrupted his breathing. Even after he stopped practicing his fist art, that prolonged breathing remained unchanged.

He had done it. He had integrated this mysterious breathing technique into every movement he made.

Every moment, it tempered his body.

Likewise, the name of the breathing technique had changed. Li Changqing focused inward.

Spirit Turtle Breathing Technique, Proficiency: 10%

This breathing technique had actually been placed on the same level as Chengtian Tai Chi Fist.

Above Tai Chi Throwing Style.

"I comprehended an Old Technique on my own?" Li Changqing's heart trembled, yet he also felt it was only natural.

The breathing technique he had gained through comprehending the Dao should indeed rank among the Old Techniques.

His gaze shifted and settled upon the first Old Technique he had mastered.

Chengtian Tai Chi Fist, Proficiency: 100%

Now that his Vitality had transformed and his breathing technique had risen another level.

Old Technique Tai Chi.

It was time for it to break through as well.