Breathing and Exhalation

"Hong Ming, move!"

Qin Hao gave Hong Ming a look, urging him to hurry.

Without waiting for Hong Ming to answer, he scampered off and called loudly, "Coming, coming, Master Fu!"

Hong Ming hesitated somewhat, but when he thought of the payment this time, he ultimately chose to follow.

Along the way, he did not focus on rowing the boat, but rather on his earlier contact with Qin Hao.

Qin Hao had Traits too—not one, but two!

[Trait: Above-Average Aptitude]

[Status: Can Be Solidified]

[Fortune Required: 99 points]

[Solidification Effect: Greatly increases the efficiency of cultivating any martial art.]

[Note: Once solidified, it will overwrite the original aptitude.]

--

[Trait: Breathing and Exhalation (Level 1 · White)]

[Status: Can Be Solidified]

[Fortune Required: 2 points]

[Solidification Effect: Adjusts one's breathing to harmonize with the rhythms of all things.]

"Average Aptitude! Breathing and Exhalation!"

Hong Ming's gaze shifted slightly. Both Traits could be solidified, and their effects were entirely different.

The effect brought by solidifying the former tempted him greatly. A Trait that could increase cultivation speed was precisely what he currently lacked!

But the Fortune it required was as unreachable as that debt of ten taels of silver.

Although the Fortune required by the latter was within what he could bear, its description left him unable to make heads or tails of it.

He could not be entirely certain of its effect.

As he pondered, the Traits vanished. Qin Hao had already run far ahead, and Hong Ming hurriedly gathered his thoughts and chased after him.

Under the gazes of their fellow soldiers, the two ran toward the shore nearby, where boats were packed together.

Hong Ming noticed that the gazes along the way varied with the number of boats.

Where there were fewer boats, most of the looks were filled with envy. They came from poor soldiers.

They knew rowing boats could earn money, but either lacking the right connections or too concerned with their pride, few took part.

They could only watch others make money with wide-open eyes, their envy growing in vain.

Only a very small number secretly mocked Hong Ming and Qin Hao, saying they were clearly putting the cart before the horse—squandering time and wasting effort for such petty gains.

Where there were more boats, the onlookers were either wealthy or noble. Most merely looked on with calm silence, their faces carrying an air of having nothing to do with it.

It was the household servants and maids attending them who, upon catching sight of the pair, showed a hint of arrogance and contempt.

A short while later, the two arrived one after the other.

Qin Hao bowed to a household servant dressed like an attendant and smiled ingratiatingly. "Master Fu, we're late. Please forgive us!"

As he spoke, he quietly extended an arm and deftly offered up this time's tribute.

With a casual sweep of his hand, the servant slipped the silver into his pocket. After weighing it slightly, his expression softened somewhat.

His attitude remained indifferent as he snorted coldly and urged them, "You know you're late, yet you still aren't hurrying to row? If you delay my young master's important business, don't bother coming again!"

"Yes, yes, yes, we'll go right away!" Qin Hao hurriedly signaled Hong Ming to follow.

The servant brought them beside a boat and instructed, "Wait here first. My young master will arrive shortly."

With that, he ignored them and walked away.

"Hong Ming, how's your Coiling Dragon Stake coming along?"

Perhaps to ease the atmosphere, Qin Hao fell silent for a moment before making conversation.

"Not bad." Hong Ming glanced at the panel and answered.

Qin Hao gave a soft "oh" and fell somewhat silent.

Hong Ming had enlisted for nearly two months, yet he had made no progress. It was clear just how mediocre his talent was.

Furthermore, the Water Army's three-month training deadline was approaching, yet he was not diligently cultivating. Instead, he had chosen to make money.

He must have felt himself that hope was slim and martial success was beyond reach, so he had chosen to give up.

Not wishing to continue this depressing topic, Qin Hao looked toward the wealthy young men cultivating aboard the nearby boats.

They were all soldiers, yet Qin Hao and the others worked themselves to death every day for livelihood and resources, while those people cultivated with no distractions, comfortably enjoying the boats they rowed.

"Ah, if only I could achieve something in martial arts, have wives and concubines in droves, and a fortune worth ten thousand... I'd be willing to do anything!" Qin Hao sighed.

"..."

You certainly dream big.

Hong Ming's mouth twitched faintly as he muttered inwardly.

Just then, that household servant came over, respectfully leading a man in brocade and fitted martial attire.

This was the person Qin Hao and Hong Ming had rowed for that morning.

The moment Qin Hao saw him, he hurriedly stood and gave an awkward salute, smiling fawningly. "Young Master Wang."

"Begin." Wang Heng did not waste words and got straight to the point.

Then he leaped into the air and landed in the boat. He quickly steadied himself and assumed the opening stance of the Coiling Dragon Stake.

Qin Hao and Hong Ming exchanged a glance, then moved to opposite sides of the boat and slowly began rowing.

The boat rocked, yet Wang Heng stood as steady as a boulder, utterly motionless. His body swayed with the vessel as he began practicing his stake technique.

But before long, he frowned and called out, "Stop!"

Qin Hao and Hong Ming stopped at once. The servant beside them cautiously asked, "Young Master, what are your instructions?"

"Row again." Wang Heng glanced at Qin Hao, his tone indifferent.

Their rowing just now had been far too chaotic and did not match the rhythm of his stance. If he continued cultivating like that, he would get half the result for twice the effort.

At those words, the servant shot Qin Hao a vicious glare.

Qin Hao now understood that their rowing had gone wrong, which was why Wang Heng was dissatisfied.

He hurriedly apologized and tried to remedy the situation. "Yes, yes, yes, Young Master Wang. We'll row again immediately."

He then looked at Hong Ming and gave him a meaningful glance. "Hong Ming, switch places with me."

Hong Ming did as told. As they brushed past one another, Qin Hao bumped him lightly and whispered, "A Ming, follow my rhythm later."

"Alright!" Hong Ming knew his own mistake in rowing had caused Qin Hao to suffer for it.

Watching the two Traits appear again, he hesitated briefly before choosing to solidify "Breathing and Exhalation."

[2 points of Fortune consumed. Trait "Breathing and Exhalation" successfully solidified.]

When the panel's voice faded, Hong Ming felt nothing at all. He frowned slightly. Had his guess been wrong?

Suppressing his thoughts, Hong Ming received Qin Hao's signal and slowly began rowing the boat.

A change arose naturally. The instant his palms touched the boat, he seemed to sense an almost imperceptible connection.

As the boat rocked, that connection grew ever deeper.

It was as though his entire body had merged with the boat, moving in the same rhythm as it, in the same rhythm as the people and objects aboard it.

He could even vaguely sense, through the boat, a certain rhythm Wang Heng required.

His body reacted accordingly, adjusting amid the rocking and rapidly matching Wang Heng, causing the two to move in the same rhythm.

"This Trait is kind of fierce!" Hong Ming was rather surprised.

Though he did not know what Wang Heng had gained, he could feel that cultivating according to this rhythm would definitely be beneficial.

He simply did not know whether that benefit applied only to external things, or whether it worked on himself as well.

If it was the former, it meant he would stand head and shoulders above the rest in the field of rowing boats, making money as easily as turning his hand over.

If it was the latter, it meant he could use it to practice martial arts and speed up his cultivation progress!

At that thought, restlessness stirred in Hong Ming's heart, and he could not wait to test it.

But he quickly restrained himself. Now was not the time; it would not be too late to verify it after they finished.

Yet unexpectedly, Wang Heng's indifferent voice rang out once more. "Stop!"