The Foundation They Can't Steal!

White Eagle Country.

Supreme Command Center.

Even from half a world away.

Dragon Country's evening news was still translated simultaneously and projected onto the central screen.

When the anchor on screen announced that the Basic Breathing Technique would be made available free of charge to all Dragon Country citizens.

The entire roundtable conference room fell into a brief dead silence.

Then.

A wave of ecstatic laughter nearly blew the roof off!

"Idiots!"

"Dragon Country has completely lost its mind!"

The Secretary of Defense slammed a hand on 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 the gold-rimmed glasses on his nose, unable to suppress the curl of his lips.

"This is simply the best news we've heard this century."

"Before this, I was still worrying about how many agents I should send to steal Dragon Country's military cultivation secrets."

"Now things are easy."

"They've opened the gates themselves."

The President swirled his wineglass.

The crimson wine reflected a greedy gleam beneath the lights.

"Human nature is always greedy."

"As long as there's enough green paper, they'll sell not only a Breathing Method, but their souls as well."

"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!"

"..."

Dragon Country's Imperial Capital.

Third underground level of the Martial Arts Research Institute.

The security level here surpassed even that of the highest-grade nuclear shelter.

A massive holographic tactical map floated in midair.

"Has everything been arranged?"

Elder Zhan stood with his hands behind his back, like a towering mountain.

He stared intently at the dense clusters of flashing points on the map.

Every point represented an armed force moving at high speed.

"Reporting, Chief!"

"Everything is ready!"

"Across all major military zones nationwide, a total of 135,000 reserve martial artists who have sensed spiritual energy are fully armed and have completed boarding!"

"The first batch of 50,000 instructors is rushing toward first- and second-tier cities nationwide by military transport aircraft, high-speed rail special 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 loudly, charged 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 dealt with as quickly as possible!"

"The people are afraid right now."

"We must bring them blades and swords. We must bring them courage!"

Elder Zhan nodded slightly.

A glint of resolve flashed through his sharp eyes.

The adjutant gave a forceful military salute before turning and leaving the command center.

Elder Zhan turned around and looked at the lines of online comments scrolling across the screen.

Many netizens were worried that making the technique public would leak it overseas.

Elder Zhan could not help letting out a cold snort.

"Leak it?"

"If you could really steal it, what would the Martial Arts Research Institute even be for?"

Top floor of the Martial Arts Research Institute.

Open-air sky garden.

Lin Yuan leaned against the railing, holding a can of chilled cola.

He was not wearing a military uniform, only a simple black training outfit.

The contours of his muscles showed faintly 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 on the railing, and gazed out at the dazzling nightscape of the Imperial Capital.

"I was thinking..."

"What sort of reaction those foreign higher-ups are having right now?"

Lin Yuan pulled open the can tab.

The fizzing rush of carbonation sounded particularly crisp in the night.

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, preparing to spend heavily on 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 abroad is rounder and are willing to sell information for a few green bills."

Lin Yuan nodded.

He understood the ugliness of human nature all too well.

A big forest had every kind of bird.

Faced with the temptation of enormous profits, someone would definitely deliver the Basic Breathing Technique overseas.

"Profit moves the heart."

"You can't stop it."

"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."

"Elder Zhan and the others don't care either."

"Tell me. Where's the trap?"

Su Qingxue turned around.

She leaned back against the railing, smiling like a cunning fox.

"The trap is that they won't understand it at all."

"Lin Yuan."

"You're a true monster, so you think cultivation is easy."

"But have you considered that Dragon Country's language is the most complicated language in the world, one that places the greatest emphasis on artistic conception?"

"What fills the Basic Breathing Technique from beginning to end?"

"Qi sinking into the dantian, the Ren and Du meridians, circulating through the heavenly cycle, five centers facing heaven..."

"Let those foreigners try translating what it means for qi to sink into the dantian."

"Gas sinks to the stomach?"

"Putting gas into their stomachs?"

"Are they supposed to cultivate a gigantic burp?"

"..."

The moment Su Qingxue finished speaking.

Lin Yuan nearly sprayed the cola in his mouth.

He could already picture a group of foreigners desperately swallowing air into their bellies until their faces turned blue.

No wonder Dragon Country dared to release the Basic Breathing Technique so generously.

It was itself a genetic lock exclusive to Chinese civilization!

Without the foundation of five thousand years of cultural heritage, reading this technique would be like reading a heavenly book.

Soon.

Su Qingxue continued driving the point home.

"More importantly."

"The Basic Breathing Technique is only basic!"

"Its limit is allowing people to sense spiritual energy and barely reach the threshold of a First-Order Martial Artist."

"To continue advancing and break through to the Second-Tier Stage and Third-Tier Stage, they must cultivate genuine martial arts techniques!"

"Like the Heavenly Dipper Qi Refining Formula you cultivate!"

"And the country will never make these genuine martial arts techniques public."

"In the short term."

"Only those who pass strict political background checks are qualified to access these techniques."

At that point.

Su Qingxue's expression became somewhat complicated.

She looked at Lin Yuan as though she were looking at a monster.

"In my previous life."

"The person who, without any subsequent techniques to support him."

"Relied solely on a Basic Breathing Technique to forcibly push himself to the Peak Second-Order Stage..."

"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, 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 crazily raise his proficiency.

This was his greatest trump card. He could not reveal it to anyone.

"So that's how it is."

"If that's the case."

"Then let those foreigners slowly chew on their heavenly book."

"By the time they understand it, Dragon Country's army of martial artists will probably be able to use Second-Tier Ferocious Beasts as mounts."

"..."