Comprehension

Everyone's expression turned strange, including Yu Feng's.

He seemed not to have expected Chen Chong to be worried about that. He paused for a moment before saying,

"It'll be enough to fill you up. Same goes for you."

Chen Chong nodded.

"I'll learn it."

"Good."

Yu Feng gave him a long look, then began explaining the key points to the five of them.

"Remember, you have to use abdominal breathing every time. Make sure your breath reaches deep into your body..."

"Three short, three long, three short, then five long and four short. But that doesn't mean there are pauses in between. Treat it as one continuous sequence. Watch..."

"Relax your chest and abdomen. Don't keep your back rigid. This is a breathing method, not a horse stance. Do you always strike a pose before you breathe?"

"Idiot."

This was the first time the four of them had tried a breathing method, and each had some trouble getting the hang of it. But before long, their progress began to diverge.

Chen Chong was the fastest. He had a good grasp of things and could basically learn by listening once. He was quick to imitate it, too, and after Yu Feng corrected him once, he didn't make the same mistake again.

Li Xiaoguang came next. He was a student preparing to enter Martial University, so he had a solid foundation in this area. He wasn't slow to pick it up.

Wang Li struggled much more. He frowned, his face flushed red, and panted like an ox, yet still couldn't find the knack. He was the one who got scolded the most.

As for Liu Hetao, he seemed unable to understand much of it at all, let alone practice. He looked utterly bewildered, but Yu Feng didn't scold him.

The breathing method was long. A complete cycle took five to ten minutes, and they couldn't stop partway through.

But Chen Chong quickly noticed the pattern.

"Every time the rhythm changes, it's at nine breaths or a multiple of nine. There are corresponding parts before and after, like the verses and choruses in a song..."

So in less than an hour, he had memorized the entire sequence and was quietly attempting to practice it from beginning to end.

His progress was astonishingly fast. He hadn't said a word, but Yu Feng had been watching him closely and soon noticed.

Yu Feng waved for everyone to stop, then pointed at Chen Chong.

"Give it a try."

A few thoughts crossed Chen Chong's mind, but in the end, he decided not to hold back. He followed the method he had just learned and went through it once. His movements were a little stiff, and his rhythm slightly slow, while thin strands of white vapor curled beside his face like little snakes.

At first, Li Xiaoguang and the others didn't understand why Coach Yu had asked him to do it. But as Chen Chong settled into the rhythm and the white vapor began to flow in a certain pattern, they all looked astonished.

Nearly ten minutes later, Chen Chong finished. The others' astonishment had turned to shock.

Even Li Xiaoguang, who was the fastest, had learned less than half of it. Chen Chong had already managed to complete the whole sequence?

Liu Hetao looked impressed and stammered,

"That's amazing."

Li Xiaoguang's expression was much the same, though he had a little more fighting spirit in his eyes. Wang Li clicked his tongue, unconvinced.

But now they understood why Yu Feng had brought Chen Chong along, too.

A flicker of emotion passed through the depths of Yu Feng's eyes, but quickly faded. He nodded.

"How do you feel?"

Chen Chong furrowed his brow and answered slowly,

"I feel... like my blood is flowing very fast, as if I'd just finished running a hundred meters. But it's much more exhausting than that. A lot more."

Yu Feng stared at him.

"Anything else?"

Chen Chong was already sweating. He continued to think it over, then said hesitantly,

"I have a vague feeling that the air I breathe in and out, and even my blood, are seeping into my body."

Then he shook his head. If his blood were seeping into his body, that would be a serious problem.

Yu Feng nodded slowly. The flicker in his eyes was even stronger than before.

A natural gift for understanding, perhaps...

His throat bobbed, but no one heard what he murmured.

After a while, Yu Feng interrupted Li Xiaoguang and the others, who had eagerly started asking Chen Chong for advice.

"Once you've mastered the breathing method and can get your breath and blood flowing, you can improve your physical fitness. Seeping into your body—that's the key. It's an illusion, but it isn't, either. You wouldn't understand if I explained more right now.

"But this process takes a lot out of you and puts a heavy strain on your body. When experienced practitioners are just starting out, they shouldn't practice for more than an hour a day. As for you—"

He looked at Chen Chong.

"Your physical condition is a little better than I expected, but how many more times can you keep this up?"

Chen Chong really did feel exhausted, and he was drenched in sweat. If he didn't eat anything, after two or three more rounds, he would probably be sweating cold sweat.

But he could indeed feel that he was a little stronger. Thanks to watching the numbers in front of him rise over the past few days and comparing them with how his body felt, he had also gotten better at understanding his own condition.

"At most, one more time."

Chen Chong replied.

Yu Feng glanced at him, told them to discuss it among themselves, then went to the side and said something into a walkie-talkie.

Half an hour later, an employee arrived carrying an insulated container and handed it to Yu Feng.

Yu Feng opened it, revealing a pot of black meat soup. A foul, fishy stench immediately spread through the entire Training Room, and even with ventilation on all sides, it didn't dissipate right away.

He ladled out the soup, filling exactly four bowls, then said,

"The breathing method needs to be paired with nutritional supplements. First, they replenish what you've used up and help your body recover. Second, they strengthen your blood and improve the results. Even if you haven't learned the method yet, drinking this will get your blood flowing and help you master it. Come on."

Chen Chong and the others didn't move.

"It doesn't taste great, but if you're going to train, don't worry about that."

Yu Feng spoke calmly.

Wang Li's expression shifted several times. His face darkened.

"There isn't anything in there like what you gave us yesterday, is there?"

Yu Feng glanced at him.

"No, but this soup is made from Red Earth Dragons from the Wasteland. The recipe is exclusive to the General Manager, and its effect on blood circulation is better than that of the stuff at most Martial Universities. It does have side effects. It's a little addictive."

Wang Li sneered.

"See? 'A little addictive'? I don't buy it. Is it cough syrup or something?"

"You used to sell Heaven Powder, didn't you? This is a bit stronger than that."

Wang Li's expression changed dramatically. He cursed,

"Fuck! It's stronger than T-Powder? You son of a—"

Seeing Yu Feng's expressionless face, he stopped himself and spat.

"Whatever. I'm not drinking it! Anyone who wants it can have it."

Chen Chong had heard of Heaven Powder. It had been a popular drug for a while, but he didn't know much about what it was like.

Still, judging by Wang Li's reaction, he understood that this was probably something they shouldn't touch.

Yu Feng said,

"Everyone at Thunder Dragon who trains drinks this Earth Dragon Soup. Apart from having to take it regularly, it won't do you any harm. Are you sure you don't want it?"

His voice dropped at the end, and his eyes swept over them like cold lightning.

All four shuddered. They understood that they probably had no say in the matter.

If they drank it, they would be completely under these people's control from then on.

But if they refused, Long Zhibin's words—"We don't keep idle people here"—echoed inexplicably in their minds.

Their expressions shifted again and again, but none of them could make up their minds. Yu Feng's face grew darker, and his massive fists slowly clenched.

The wind in the Training Room seemed to stop, but the air grew even colder.

Just then, Chen Chong stepped forward and picked up a bowl of soup, wrinkling his nose.

Then he tipped his head back and drained it in one go.

64%...66%.

The number in front of him rose by two points in an instant.

Chen Chong wiped his mouth with his hand and nodded slightly.

"It tastes pretty good."

He walked off to the side and, using the warmth that had settled in his belly, immediately began practicing the breathing method.

Li Xiaoguang and the others stared at him blankly. They watched as white vapor streamed from his nostrils, slightly thicker than before.