Qi Cultivation Style

The morning sun spilled into the dilapidated courtyard of Baruch Manor, gilding the desolate land with a faint layer of gold.

Lin Yun followed Linley out of the room and across a corridor that felt both familiar and strange—familiar because six years of memories told him he had walked this path countless times; strange because those memories belonged to "another him," and this was the first time he was experiencing them with a clear, conscious mind.

The manor was even more dilapidated than he had imagined.

Many of the stone bricks on the walls were cracked, with moss growing in the fissures; several wooden beams in the corridor had been hollowed out by insects, emitting a "creaking" sound whenever he walked beneath them; the lawn in the courtyard had not been mowed for a long time, and wild grass grew rampant, nearly reaching his ankles.

The only thing that still hinted at its former glory was the Dragon Stone Sculpture in the center of the courtyard. It depicted a giant dragon poised to take flight, its head held high and wings spread wide; even after being eroded by a thousand years of wind and rain, it still exuded an air of majesty.

On the open ground to the east of the manor, one or two hundred children were already standing.

These children ranged from six to over a dozen years old, dressed in various types of coarse cloth, some even wearing patches. They were divided into three groups: the group to the far north consisted of children roughly six to eight years old, the middle group was around nine to twelve, and the group to the far south was composed of teenagers aged thirteen to sixteen.

They were all children of farmers, blacksmiths, and hunters from the territory of the Baruch Clan—although the Baruch Clan had declined, as descendants of the Dragonblood Warrior, they still held centuries of prestige over this land near Fenlai City. Every year, Hogg would have the children of the territory come here to receive basic warrior training, a bond passed down through generations between the Baruch Clan and the residents of the territory.

"Linley! Lin Yun! Over here!"

A dark-skinned boy waved at them. It was Hadley, the blacksmith's son, who was on good terms with the two brothers.

Linley pulled Lin Yun over and stood in the middle of the group.

Lin Yun scanned the surrounding children, silently comparing them in his mind. Most of the youngest children in the north had blank expressions; some were still yawning, others were whispering to each other, and some were squatting on the ground playing with pebbles. To them, coming here to train was probably just something slightly more interesting than doing chores at home.

No one truly understood what "cultivation" meant.

No one knew that in this world of magic and Battle Qi, strength was the fundamental basis for a person to stand tall.

Lin Yun withdrew his gaze and stood quietly, waiting for the training to begin.

He didn't need to be as excited or curious as the other children. He knew better than anyone how long the road ahead of him would be.

"Silence!"

A deep, resonant voice came from the entrance of the main manor house.

All the children immediately quieted down and looked in unison toward the source of the sound.

A burly middle-aged man strode out. He was in his early forties, nearly 1.9 meters tall, with broad shoulders and a wide back, standing there like a wall. He wore a faded short vest and coarse trousers, with a broad-bladed greatsword hanging at his waist—the scabbard was covered in scratches, the marks left by countless battles.

He was Hillman, the captain of the Baruch Clan's guard and a Level 6 Warrior.

In the warrior ranking system of the Yulan Continent, a Level 6 Warrior was considered to have crossed the threshold into the intermediate ranks. It might not be much in a large city, but in a small place like Wushan Town, a Level 6 Warrior was already a top-tier combatant.

Behind Hillman followed several members of the Baruch Clan guard. They were there to assist in maintaining order and guiding the children's training.

"Stand straight!" Hillman's voice echoed through the courtyard like thunder. "You are all commoners; you cannot cultivate the powerful Battle Qi secret manuals like the great nobles. If you want to get ahead and not be looked down upon in the future, you must train according to the oldest, simplest, and most basic methods: train your bodies and temper your strength. Do you understand?"

"Understood!" the children shouted in unison.

"Very good." Hillman nodded, his gaze sweeping over the faces of the children, lingering for an extra second on Linley and Lin Yun. "In the morning, as the sun rises, all things are full of vitality. This is the best time to absorb the essence of heaven and earth and increase our physical potential. The old rules: feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, hands positioned at the waist to form the Qi Cultivation Style. When performing the Qi Cultivation Style, remember to 'concentrate your attention and keep your heart calm.'"

Hearing the words "Qi Cultivation Style," some of the older children showed expressions of recognition. Hadley whispered to his companion, "My brother said this is exhausting; your whole body aches for days after practicing it."

"Silence!" Hillman barked, and all sound ceased instantly. "Whoever speaks again will run twenty laps around the manor today."

The courtyard became so quiet that a pin drop could be heard.

Hillman nodded with satisfaction, walked to the center of the open ground, spread his feet to shoulder-width, let his hands hang naturally, and slowly closed his eyes.

"Watch closely."

He took a deep breath and then began to exhale slowly.

The rhythm of his breathing was very peculiar—first a slow three-second exhale, then a sudden acceleration, with the airflow rushing out of his nasal cavity to produce a sound similar to a whistling wind. After two seconds, it stopped abruptly, switching to a slow exhale through the mouth for the remaining breath. The entire breathing process lasted about fifteen seconds before cycling again.

Lin Yun watched intently, his brain working at high speed.

He noticed several key points: when inhaling, Hillman's abdomen rose first and then contracted, the exact opposite of a normal person; the rhythm of the exhale was very regular, seemingly following a specific frequency—three fast, one slow, repeating in a cycle.

Is this... resonance?

In his past life, Lin Yun had studied physics. Although he majored in theoretical physics and spatial structure, he was very familiar with the principles of waves and resonance. If Battle Qi could be triggered through breathing, then this specific breathing frequency was likely intended to create resonance with some kind of energy within the body.

Hillman completed ten full cycles of the Qi Cultivation Style, then finished his practice and opened his eyes.

"Did you see clearly? Who can repeat the key points?"

The children looked at each other, but no one raised a hand.

Linley hesitated for a moment before raising his hand.

"Linley, you speak." A hint of approval flashed in Hillman's eyes.

"Yes." Linley stepped forward and repeated earnestly, "The core of the Qi Cultivation Style is the breathing rhythm. When inhaling, first use the nose to inhale slowly for three seconds, then inhale sharply for two seconds, and finally use the mouth to inhale quickly for one second; throughout the process, the abdomen first contracts and then expands. When exhaling, first use the nose to exhale slowly for three seconds, then accelerate the rush through the nasal cavity for two seconds, and finally use the mouth to slowly exhale the remaining breath. One inhale and one exhale make one cycle."

Hillman nodded slightly but did not rush to praise him, instead looking at the other children. "Does anyone else have anything to add?"

Lin Yun raised his hand.

"Lin Yun?"

"There is one more point," Lin Yun said unhurriedly. "When Uncle Hillman performs the Qi Cultivation Style, his toes are gripping the ground, and his knees are slightly bent but not fully locked. This shows that the Qi Cultivation Style is not just a breathing technique; it also requires coordination with the state of the muscles throughout the body. If one only breathes while the body is relaxed, the effect would likely be greatly diminished."

The courtyard was silent for a moment.

A flash of shock appeared in Hillman's eyes, which he quickly masked, but the slight upward curve of his mouth betrayed him.

"Not bad." He nodded, his voice carrying a bit more gravity. "Lin Yun is quite right. The Qi Cultivation Style is not just a breathing method, but a cultivation technique for the whole body. Breathing is the primer, muscle state is the coordination, and intent is the core. When you perform the Qi Cultivation Style, you must concentrate your spirit and feel the flow of energy within your body."

He paused, looking around at all the children: "Now, everyone follow what I just taught and begin practicing. I will correct you one by one."

The children immediately scattered, each finding a spot to stand and beginning to clumsily imitate the breathing rhythm of Hillman.

The scene instantly became somewhat comical.

Some children inhaled too sharply, choking themselves into a coughing fit; others exhaled too quickly, letting all their air out at once before turning bright red from holding their breath; still others were so focused on their breathing that they forgot their posture, standing crookedly like bamboo stalks bent by the wind.

Linley and Lin Yun stood in a corner, also beginning to practice.

Linley's talent was truly outstanding. On his first attempt, he found the rhythm of the breathing; although it was not yet smooth, it already had some semblance of the form. His body was also cooperative, his stance upright, his muscles relaxed yet elastic, and his toes instinctively gripping the ground.

Lin Yun was even more cautious.

He did not rush to imitate, but instead closed his eyes, using his consciousness to sense his own body. For six years, although he had never systematically cultivated in the Swallowed Star World, he had been consciously training his sensory abilities. He could clearly perceive every muscle in his body, every heartbeat, and the faint energy flowing through every meridian.

Then, he began to adjust his breathing.

Slow inhale for three seconds—he slowly drew air in through his nose, feeling the airflow pass through his nasal cavity, throat, and trachea, finally entering his lungs. At the same time, his abdomen, following Hillman's demonstration, slowly expanded before suddenly contracting.

Sharp inhale for two seconds—he accelerated the speed of his inhalation, the airflow surging in like a torrent. At this moment, he felt a faint heat rising from his Dantian, slowly moving upward along his spine.

Quick inhale for one second—he used his mouth to quickly take in the final breath, filling his lungs completely. That heat suddenly accelerated at this moment, rushing to his chest before slowly receding as he transitioned into the exhalation phase.

The exhalation phase went just as smoothly.

Lin Yun completed a full cycle of the Qi Cultivation Style, taking about fourteen seconds—slightly faster than Hillman's demonstration, but the rhythm was entirely correct.

He opened his eyes to find Hillman standing in front of him, looking at him with a gaze that was almost scrutinizing.

"Do it again," Hillman said.

Lin Yun nodded and performed it once more. This time, he deliberately slowed his speed, extending the entire cycle to sixteen seconds to make the transition between each phase smoother.

Hillman was silent for a long time.

"Have you practiced this before?" he asked.

"No," Lin Yun shook his head. This was the truth—at least in the Coiling Dragon World, this was his first time encountering the Qi Cultivation Style.

Hillman stared at him for a few seconds, then slowly nodded: "Continue practicing."

He turned to walk toward the other children, but after a few steps, he stopped and looked back at Lin Yun, a complex expression flashing in his eyes—it was shock, gratification, and something else that was difficult to define.

Lin Yun did not pay attention to Hillman's reaction, continuing to focus on his own practice.

He knew where his advantage lay—not in talent, but in mindset. The other children treated cultivation as a task to be finished and forgotten; he, however, treated every breath and every muscle contraction as a precise experiment, adjusting repeatedly and striving for perfection.

This was a habit left over from his past life in scientific research, and it was also his capital for survival in these two worlds.