Innate Fetal Breathing Art

After dinner, Qin Heng went to the rooftop terrace.

The houses in the Slum District were all "pigeon cages," small and dark, with very little open space.

If he wanted to practice, he had no choice but to come to the rooftop.

But even the rooftop was extremely crowded.

Not to mention the clotheslines and ropes, some people used foam boxes to grow scallions, garlic, chives, and small greens, while others used it to store old items they couldn't fit in their homes but couldn't bear to throw away.

Fortunately... there was no one else around, so they wouldn't hinder his practice.

Start the cultivation; today I will try the meditation method the coach just taught.

Qin Heng sat down.

After his punch power test broke 500 kilograms today, the coach at the Trial Martial Hall told him about a special cultivation method called the "Innate Fetal Breathing Art."

It was said that this was a universal cultivation method for all Quasi-Martial Warriors, summarized and developed jointly by the "Seven Martial Gods."

For the evolution and growth of all mankind, the Seven Martial Gods shared this cultivation method free of charge with all Martial Halls; as long as one's punch power reached 500 kilograms, one could begin practicing it.

Following the guidance of the technique, Qin Heng first sat quietly to regulate his breathing, allowing himself to reach a state of near-slumber.

Then, he used his consciousness to control his internal organs, making breathing no longer the exclusive privilege of the lungs, activating all organs and his skin to draw in energy from the natural world.

Martial warrior cultivation was not just about the growth of muscle strength; more importantly, it was about the absorption of Cosmic Energy.

For sixty years, human martial warriors had continuously explored the path of evolution and the nature of Cosmic Energy, discovering many things that had not existed before.

What Qin Heng was doing was borrowing the wisdom of his predecessors to strengthen himself.

As the meditative state continued, his skin began to absorb the energy from his surroundings.

Moonlight, breezes, magnetic fields...

Every existence had a corresponding flow of energy.

Invisible wisps of energy drilled into his body through his pores, nourishing his muscles and fascia, subtly changing his body's structure.

Szz~

Between his cellular tissues, it felt as if tiny electric currents were wandering, bringing a tingling sensation.

The currents traveled throughout his body, passing through every meridian and acupuncture point, completely unobstructed.

Qin Heng was secretly surprised in his heart: Coach Yang said that human meridians are initially blocked, and there would be a sense of stagnation during cultivation that needs to be slowly cleared away through repeated practice. Why is it... that mine are completely unobstructed?

He didn't quite understand.

But his subconscious told him this was not a bad thing, so he just felt happy and continued to practice.

Qin Heng steadied his mind, maintained the state of Innate Fetal Breathing, and let the external energy nourish him.

The moonlight was bright, and a small amount of starlight could be seen flickering in the sky, along with a white trail of light hanging next to the moon, shining brilliantly like a bridge built from starlight.

Qin Heng bathed in the moonlight just like this, silently experiencing the transformation brought about by his first session of cultivation.

When Qin Heng woke up, it was already morning.

He had practiced on the rooftop for the entire night.

Because he was in a state of fetal breathing, the cultivation process was similar to sleep, and after a night of adjustment, he was now full of energy.

Dew had dampened his clothes; Qin Heng stood up and stretched.

Crack, crack, crack...

A series of sounds originating from his bones echoed from within his body.

He felt incredibly refreshed, as if he had just finished a workout that pushed his body to its limits.

"Huh... why do I feel like I've grown taller?" He was somewhat surprised.

His perspective was slightly higher than usual.

Moreover, his muscles and bones seemed to have become increasingly tough and resilient!

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

It had only been one night; how could there be such a huge change?

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

Qin Heng felt a bit excited and immediately went downstairs.

He came down the stairwell; the front door was unlocked, his mother was already up making breakfast, and his father was still sleeping.

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

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

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

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

"Mind your own business. Eat up and hurry to the Martial Hall. The assessment is the day after tomorrow; you are not allowed to make any mistakes!"

"Alright Mom, I'm heading out now!" Qin Heng said with a smile.

Today was the final day before the assessment, and the coach would be activating the punch force testing machine to let every trainee perform one test.

It was perfect, as it would also allow him to test the results of his overnight cultivation.

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

There were many people.

Everyone knew the punch force testing machine would be turned on today, so they had arrived early to line up.

Trial Martial Halls were spread throughout the city, but most were located in the New City District or the Rich Area.

As for the 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."

As soon as Qin Heng arrived, he heard a chorus of compliments.

He laughed and said, "I just got lucky. Everyone keep at it, you can definitely do it too!"

The crowd replied, "Haha, we'll take your word for it!"

Qin Heng joined the end of the line. Someone in front wanted to give him their spot, but he politely declined.

Soon, more trainees arrived at the Martial Hall, and the queue wound around the open space of the training ground several times.

The coach arrived.

"Everyone, are you ready?" Coach Yang Huai'an asked in a booming voice.

This coach was a middle-aged man in his forties, short and sturdy; one look told you he was a formidable expert capable of a real fight.

However, he only had one arm, his right arm severed at the shoulder. It was said he sustained the injury while battling a Monster in the wilderness, leaving him no choice but to amputate.

"Ready!"

The young trainees answered in unison.

Coach Yang patted the punch force testing machine and said, "I am going to activate the device now for your mock exam. You will come forward one by one, three punches each. We will record the maximum value. No sprinting, no stepping forward; you must punch from a stationary position, or the result will be invalid. Do you understand?"

"Understood!" the crowd replied in unison again.

"Good, follow the queue. Zhang Jun, you first." Coach Yang pointed to the boy at the front of the line.

Zhang Jun was a friend of Qin Heng's from the same alley, and his strength was quite decent.

He stepped forward, stood his ground, and threw his punches at the testing machine.

"First strike, 467 kilograms!"

After the first punch, he waited about three seconds before throwing the second.

"Second strike, 471 kilograms!"

Then came the third: "466 kilograms!"

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

Zhang Jun made a bitter face. "But this is my last year of the free training period. If I drag it out another year, I'll have to pay a lot of money..."

Coach Yang Huai'an retorted impatiently, "What are you afraid of paying for? Can't you work while you train? Once you become a Quasi-Martial Warrior, your salary will be high enough to scare you!"

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

He stepped aside, yielding the machine to the next person.

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

The coach announced the results loudly so that everyone could hear.

Zhang Jun came to Qin Heng's side and sighed, "Qin Heng, it looks like we won't be able to be classmates anymore this year."

Qin Heng patted his shoulder, encouraging him, "It's fine, next year will be the same. Don't lose heart."

"Ouch, take it easy with the patting. I know your punch force is over five hundred kilograms; you don't need to tell me with such force," Zhang Jun complained with an exaggerated expression.

"Haha, I wasn't using that much force, I was very gentle," Qin Heng laughed.

"You were really using a lot of force..."

Zhang Jun grumbled, rubbed his shoulder, and then said, "I'm going to the training room to practice for a while. You guys continue."

"Mm, good luck. Maybe if you make a last-minute effort, your strength will be enough by the day after tomorrow!" Qin Heng smiled.

"Sigh, there's no such thing as a last-minute miracle..."

Zhang Jun shook his head and left.