White Eagle Country.
Supreme Command Center.
Even from halfway across the globe.
Dragon Country's News Broadcast was simultaneously translated and projected onto the central screen.
When the host on screen announced that the Basic Breathing Technique would be made available free of charge to all Dragon Country citizens.
The entire round-table conference room fell into brief dead silence.
Then.
A burst of ecstatic laughter nearly blew the roof off!
"Idiots!"
"Dragon Country has gone completely insane!"
The Minister of Defense slapped the table, laughing so hard tears nearly came out.
He pointed at the screen, his tone dripping with mockery.
"Giving it away for free? To 1.4 billion people?"
"Do they think they're handing out bread?"
The intelligence director adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses, unable to suppress the corners of his mouth.
"This is simply the best news we've heard this century."
"Before this, I was still agonizing over how many agents to send to steal the cultivation secrets within Dragon Country's military."
"Now, things are much easier."
"They've opened the gates themselves."
The Grand Commander swirled his wineglass.
The crimson liquid reflected a greedy gleam beneath the lights.
"Human nature has always been greedy."
"With enough greenbacks, they would sell not only a Breathing Method, but even their souls."
"Mobilize every sleeper agent, comprador, and so-called public intellectual we have within Dragon Country."
"Before eleven tomorrow morning."
"I want that Basic Breathing Technique sitting on my desk!"
"Whoever brings back the complete version will receive five million dollars and green cards for their entire family!"
"..."
Imperial Capital, Dragon Country.
Third underground level of the Martial Arts Research Institute.
The defenses here surpassed even those of the highest-grade nuclear shelter.
A massive holographic tactical map floated in midair.
"Have all the arrangements been made?"
Elder Zhan stood with his hands behind his back, like a towering mountain.
He stared fixedly at the densely packed, flashing points on the map.
Every point represented an armed force moving at high speed.
"Reporting, sir!"
"Everything is ready!"
"Across all major military districts nationwide, a total of 135,000 reserve martial artists who have sensed spiritual energy have fully armed themselves and finished boarding their vehicles!"
"The first batch of 50,000 instructors is rushing toward first- and second-tier cities nationwide by Military Transport Aircraft, dedicated high-speed rail trains, and heavy trucks!"
"The second batch of 80,000 instructors will be deployed to every prefecture-level city and county within twenty-four hours!"
At those words.
The adjutant standing behind Elder Zhan immediately straightened his back.
His voice rang out, brimming with barely restrained excitement.
"Tell the people below."
"The next forty-eight hours will be a turning point in Dragon Country's destiny."
"No matter what emergencies arise, they must be resolved at the fastest possible speed!"
"The people are afraid right now."
"We must bring them swords and courage!"
Elder Zhan nodded slightly.
A trace of resolve flashed through his sharp eyes.
The adjutant gave a forceful military salute and turned to leave the command center.
Elder Zhan turned around and looked at the scrolling online comments on the screen.
Many netizens were worried that making the Cultivation Technique public would leak it overseas.
Elder Zhan could not help snorting coldly.
"A leak?"
"If you people could really steal it, what would the Martial Arts Research Institute be for?"
Top floor of the Martial Arts Research Institute.
Open-air sky garden.
Lin Yuan leaned against the railing, holding a can of ice-cold cola.
He was not wearing a military uniform, only a simple black training uniform.
The contours of his muscles flickered beneath the fabric, displaying the terrifying explosive power of a Third-Tier Martial Artist.
Click.
The sound of high heels approached.
"Still thinking about tonight's news?"
Su Qingxue walked over.
She came to Lin Yuan's side, braced both hands against the railing, and gazed out over the dazzling nightscape of the Imperial Capital.
"I was thinking..."
"What kind of reaction are those foreign higher-ups having right now?"
Lin Yuan pulled open the can tab.
The fizzing of carbonation sounded especially crisp in the night.
Upon hearing Lin Yuan's words.
Su Qingxue immediately laughed softly.
Her laughter carried undisguised mockery and contempt.
"What other reaction could they have?"
"They're definitely popping champagne and celebrating."
"They'll surely mobilize all their money and spies, planning to pay a high price for intelligence at ten tomorrow morning."
"After all, there are 1.4 billion of us."
"There will always be a few rotten eggs who think the moon is rounder overseas and are willing to sell the information for a few greenbacks."
Lin Yuan nodded.
He understood the ugliness of human nature all too well.
The woods were large; every kind of bird could be found within them.
Faced with the temptation of enormous profits, someone would definitely send the Basic Breathing Technique overseas.
"Profit moves people's hearts."
"It can't be prevented."
"Once the Basic Breathing Technique is made public."
"It's only a matter of time before it spreads overseas. It might not even take ten minutes."
At that point.
Lin Yuan paused.
He turned his head and looked at Su Qingxue beside him.
"But."
"You aren't worried at all."
"Neither are Elder Zhan and the others."
"Tell me. What's the catch?"
Su Qingxue turned around.
She leaned back against the railing, smiling like a crafty fox.
"The catch is that they simply can't understand it."
"Lin Yuan."
"You're a true genius, so you think cultivation is simple."
"But have you ever considered that Dragon Country's language is the most complex in the world, and the one that places the greatest emphasis on artistic conception?"
"What fills the Basic Breathing Technique from beginning to end?"
"Qi Sinking to the Dantian, the Ren and Du Meridians, Circulation of the Heavenly Cycle, Five Hearts Facing Heaven..."
"Let those foreigners try translating what Qi Sinking to the Dantian means."
"Gas sinks to the stomach?"
"Sink gas into the stomach?"
"Are they supposed to cultivate a massive burp?"
"..."
As soon as Su Qingxue finished speaking.
Lin Yuan nearly sprayed out the cola in his mouth.
He could already picture a group of foreigners desperately swallowing air into their bellies until their faces turned purple.
No wonder Dragon Country had dared to toss out the Basic Breathing Technique so generously.
It was itself a genetic lock unique to Chinese civilization!
Without the foundation of five thousand years of cultural heritage, reading this Cultivation Technique would be like reading a heavenly book.
Soon.
Su Qingxue continued driving the point home.
"More importantly."
"The Basic Breathing Technique is only the foundation!"
"Its limit is allowing people to sense spiritual energy and barely touch the threshold of a First-Order Martial Artist."
"To keep advancing and break through to the Second-Tier Stage and Third-Tier Stage, they must cultivate real martial arts cultivation techniques!"
"Like the Heavenly Dipper Qi Refining Formula you cultivate!"
"And the country will never make these genuine martial arts cultivation techniques public."
"In the short term."
"Only those who pass strict political background checks will be qualified to access these cultivation techniques."
At that point.
Su Qingxue's gaze became somewhat complicated.
She looked at Lin Yuan as though she were looking at a monster.
"In your previous life."
"The person who had no support from any subsequent cultivation techniques."
"Yet forcibly pushed himself to the Peak Second-Order Stage with only a Basic Breathing Technique..."
"There was only one in the entire world."
"You were the sole anomaly, an irreplicable miracle."
"If those foreigners think they can create gods with the Basic Breathing Technique alone, then they can prepare to be torn to pieces in the Beast Tide."
Lin Yuan fell silent.
Of course, he knew why he could become a god.
Because he had the [Heaven Rewards Diligence System].
As long as he worked hard, he could ignore bottlenecks and wildly raise his proficiency.
This was his greatest trump card. He could never reveal it to anyone.
"I see."
"If that's the case."
"Then let those foreigners slowly chew on a heavenly book."
"By the time they figure it out, Dragon Country's army of martial artists will probably be able to use Second-Tier Ferocious Beasts as mounts."
"..."
Before you continue