Innate Fetal Breathing Art

After dinner, Qin Heng went up to the rooftop.

The houses in the Slum District were all "pigeon cages"—small, dark, with hardly any open space.

If he wanted to train, he could only come to the rooftop.

But even the rooftop was terribly crowded.

There were clothes poles and lines, needless to say. Some people used foam boxes to grow scallions, garlic, chives, and bok choy, while others used them to pile up old belongings that would not fit in their homes but that they could not bear to throw away.

Luckily... no one else was there, so no one would interfere with his training.

"Time to cultivate. Today, I'll try the meditation method Coach Yang taught us."

Qin Heng sat down.

After his punching strength broke through 500 kilograms during today's test, the coach at the Trial Martial Hall had taught him a special cultivation method called the "Innate Fetal Breathing Art."

It was said to be a cultivation method used by all Quasi-Martial Warriors, jointly researched and developed by the Seven Martial Gods.

For the evolution and growth of all humanity, the Seven Martial Gods had freely shared this cultivation method with every Martial Hall. As long as one's punching strength reached 500 kilograms, one could begin cultivating it.

Following the guidance of the technique, Qin Heng first sat quietly and regulated his breathing, bringing himself into a state close to sleep.

Then, he used his consciousness to control his internal organs, making breathing no longer the exclusive privilege of the lungs. He activated every organ and his skin, drawing energy from nature.

A martial warrior's cultivation was not merely about increasing muscular strength. More importantly, it was about absorbing Cosmic Energy.

For sixty years, human martial warriors had continuously explored the path of evolution and probed Cosmic Energy, discovering countless things that had never existed before.

What Qin Heng was doing was borrowing the wisdom of those who came before him to strengthen himself.

As his cultivation state continued, his skin began to absorb the energy around him.

Moonlight, breeze, magnetic fields...

Every kind of existence had its own corresponding flow of energy.

Strands of invisible energy slipped through his pores and into his body, nourishing his muscles and fascia, subtly transforming his body's structure.

Zzz~

Between his cells and tissues, it felt as though tiny electric currents were wandering about, bringing a tingling numbness.

The currents traveled throughout his body, passing through every meridian and acupoint without obstruction.

Qin Heng was secretly astonished. Coach Yang said that the body's meridians are blocked at first, and cultivation causes a sluggish, obstructed feeling. They need to be gradually forced open through repeated cultivation. Why is it... completely unobstructed for me?

He did not quite understand.

But his subconscious told him that this was not a bad thing. He only needed to be happy and continue cultivating.

Qin Heng steadied his mind, maintained the state of Innate Fetal Breathing, and allowed the energy of the outside world to nourish him.

The moonlight was bright and clear. A few stars twinkled in the sky, along with a streak of white light hanging beside the moon like a bridge built of starlight, gleaming brilliantly.

Qin Heng bathed in the moonlight like this, silently undergoing the transformation brought by his first cultivation session.

When Qin Heng woke up, it was already morning.

He had cultivated on the rooftop for the entire night.

Because he had been in a fetal breathing state, the cultivation process had been much like sleep. After a night of adjustment, he was now brimming with energy.

Dew had soaked his clothes. Qin Heng stood up and stretched lazily.

Crack, crack, crack...

A series of sounds from his bones came from within his body.

He only felt incomparably refreshed from head to toe, as though he had just undergone an exercise session that surpassed the limits of his body.

"Huh... why do I feel like I've gotten taller?" he said in surprise.

His viewpoint was slightly different from usual.

And his muscles and bones seemed to have grown even tougher!

"Could this be the effect of cultivating the Innate Fetal Breathing Art last night?"

It had only been one night. How could there have been such a huge change?

"This is unbelievable... I need to hurry back to the Martial Hall and measure my strength and height."

Qin Heng was somewhat excited and immediately went downstairs.

He came down through the stairwell. The door to his home was not locked. His mother had already gotten up to make breakfast, while his father was still asleep.

"Xiao Heng, where did you go last night? Why didn't you come back to sleep?" Sheng Yuhan asked when she heard him.

"I was cultivating on the rooftop. I just finished," Qin Heng replied.

"You child, don't push yourself too hard. You need to rest more. Here, eat an egg first." Sheng Yuhan lectured him while handing him a warm boiled egg.

"Huh, when did we buy eggs?" Qin Heng asked in surprise.

"Why do you care? Hurry up and go to the Martial Hall after eating. The assessment is the day after tomorrow, so don't you dare make any mistakes!"

"Got it, Mom. I'm going now!" Qin Heng said with a smile.

Today was the last day before the assessment. The coach would activate the punching strength tester and have every student undergo a punching strength test.

It was the perfect opportunity for him to test the results of his night of cultivation as well.

At 7:30 in the morning, Qin Heng arrived at the Trial Martial Hall.

There were many people.

Everyone knew that the punching strength tester would be opened today, so they had come early to line up.

Trial Martial Halls were spread throughout the city, but most of them were in the New City District and Rich Area.

As for District 7 Slums, there was only this one.

"Hey, Qin Heng, you're here too!"

"Congratulations in advance. You're about to become a Quasi-Martial Warrior."

"544 kilograms—that's a dream far beyond my reach."

The moment Qin Heng arrived, he heard a wave of flattering voices.

He smiled. "I was just lucky. Keep it up, everyone. You can definitely do it too!"

Everyone said, "Haha, then we'll borrow your good words!"

Qin Heng took his place at the end of the line. Someone in front wanted to give him a spot closer to the front, but he politely declined.

Soon, more students arrived at the Martial Hall, and the line wound around the open training ground several times.

The coach arrived.

"Everyone, are you ready?" Coach Yang Huai'an asked loudly.

This coach was a middle-aged man in his forties, short and sturdy. At a glance, one could tell that he was an exceptionally capable expert.

But he only had one arm. His right arm had been severed at the shoulder. It was said that he had been injured while fighting Monsters in the wilderness and had been forced to undergo amputation.

"Ready!"

The young students answered in unison.

Coach Yang patted the punching strength tester and said, "I'm about to activate the machine and give you a mock exam. Step forward in order. Each person gets three punches, and your highest result will be recorded. No sprinting, no stepping in. You may only punch from where you stand, or your result will be invalid. Understood?"

"Understood!" everyone answered in unison again.

"Good. Follow the line. Zhang Jun, you're first." Coach Yang pointed at the teenager at the very front of the queue.

Zhang Jun was Qin Heng's friend from the same alley, and his strength was quite good too.

He stepped forward, planted his feet, and threw a punch at the testing machine.

"First punch, 467 kilograms!"

After finishing one punch, he waited around three seconds before throwing the second.

"Second punch, 471 kilograms!"

Then came the third punch. "466 kilograms!"

Coach Yang said, "Taking the highest value, 471 kilograms. Not bad. Remember this result. If you don't pass the assessment the day after tomorrow, you'll definitely make it next year!"

Zhang Jun pulled a long face. "But this year is my last year of free training. If I delay another year, I'll have to pay a lot of money..."

Coach Yang Huai'an said irritably, "What's there to fear about paying? Can't you work while training? Once you become a Quasi-Martial Warrior, the salary will scare you to death!"

Zhang Jun said, "I guess that's true... I'll definitely work hard!"

He stepped down and gave the testing machine to the second person.

"Second, Li Mingyong. First punch, 376 kilograms. Second punch..."

The coach loudly announced the results, and everyone could hear them.

Zhang Jun came over to Qin Heng's side and sighed. "Qin Heng, looks like the two of us won't be able to keep being classmates this year."

Qin Heng patted his shoulder and encouraged him. "It's fine. Next year will be the same. Don't lose heart."

"Ow, pat lighter. I know your punching strength is over 500 kilograms. You don't need to tell me with so much force." Zhang Jun let out an exaggerated cry.

"Haha, how was that forceful? I barely used any strength," Qin Heng said with a laugh.

"It really was forceful..."

Zhang Jun grumbled, rubbing his shoulder, then said, "I'm going to train in the training room for a while. You all carry on."

"Mm, keep it up. Clutch the Buddha's foot at the last minute—maybe your strength will be enough the day after tomorrow!" Qin Heng said with a smile.

"Ha, where am I supposed to find a Buddha's foot to clutch..."

Zhang Jun shook his head and left.