HUFF. HUFF. HUFF...
On the sports field, most members of Team Eight were squatting by the track, gasping for breath. Even Xie Qiansi, who liked to chat up others, had no energy left to speak. He could only gulp in air, his face, neither sweaty nor teary, looked like it was about to melt. The others appeared much the same, their faces seemingly on the verge of dissolving.
"Have we been tricked?" Yuan Dang wiped his face with his sleeve and looked at the other teams on the field. "Why does it seem like only our team is as tired as a dog?"
"Even dogs aren't as tired as us," Qiao Muyi said despondently. She didn't have much sweat on her face but, like the other girls, was sitting on the grass, slowly regulating her breathing.
Following the method taught by Zhao Jingzhong, they ran around the sports field while practicing their Breathing. Although the technique was quite complicated, it wasn't hard to master with a dozen tries, creating muscle memory. After that, it was all repetition—just like radio calisthenics, which involve many movements that are merely combinations of simple actions.
Many of them had feared that the so-called Cultivation Technique would be an incomprehensible scripture. Instead, it turned out to be a very ordinary Breathing Technique. They had encountered similar practices while learning yoga online, so they weren't afraid to try. With intelligence at least above average, most mastered it in no more than an hour.
However, the problem was that they couldn't complete it sixty-four times.
Each Breathing cycle took an average of one minute to complete, so sixty-four cycles would take an hour. But when running while using this Breathing Technique, they found themselves tiring more quickly. Even when just jogging or power walking, they couldn't keep it up.
Every interruption meant starting over, but the exhaustion didn't reset; it accumulated. Most collapsed from fatigue soon after becoming familiar with the Breathing Technique. Only a few could persist for about ten cycles before they too collapsed by the track. Zhao Huo managed twenty-four cycles before he also simply gave in to exhaustion.
Xie Qiansi sensed something was amiss and abruptly went to check on the other teams. He returned shortly after, his face ashen with anger. "Damn it, we've been fooled by the instructor!"
"What's wrong? Did he teach us a fake technique?" Zhao Huo touched the iron ring on his earlobe and squinted as he spoke.
Xie Qiansi said, "My friend's Breathing Technique only required four cycles, and it was less complex than ours. When he asked the instructor, the instructor told him there are actually three levels of Breathing Techniques: the Basic one requires four cycles, the Intermediate sixteen, and the Advanced sixty-four. The more complex the technique, the more efficient it is at absorbing Spiritual Energy."
"They are all taught the Basic Breathing Technique first, allowing their bodies to slowly adapt to cultivation. Otherwise, in an environment with such highly concentrated Spiritual Energy, ordinary people simply can't withstand practicing the Intermediate and Advanced Breathing Techniques unless they have an exceptionally strong physical condition!"
The trainees immediately erupted in an uproar. "The instructor actually set us up like this!?"
"But it's allowed," Xie Qiansi said, his expression grim. "The instructors only have to teach a Breathing Technique. Their instructors mentioned that most soldiers start with the Intermediate Breathing Technique, as they're already in good physical condition from training. A select few can even use the Advanced Breathing Technique directly, which is significantly more efficient than the Intermediate version."
"Even if we question him, he can just claim we have good talent and that teaching us the Advanced Breathing Technique was for our own good. After all, if the average efficiency of the Basic Technique is 1, then the Intermediate is 2, and the Advanced is 4!"
"Cultivation requires physical strength, and one's daily reserves are limited. If you can master the Advanced Technique from the outset, you'll naturally progress much faster than others."
Li Qingxuan said, "Now, not only have we failed to complete a single full Breathing cycle, but we've also nearly exhausted our physical strength... At most, the instructor just wasted our morning; there's nothing we can argue."
Yuan Dang asked, "Master Xie, did you get the Basic Breathing Technique then?"
"Of course, I did," Master Xie lifted his head proudly. "The Basic Technique is quite simple. Just listen to me..."
"It seems none of you managed to complete a full cycle of Breathing, huh."
Suddenly, Zhao Jingzhong, who had also been practicing Breathing on the sports field, walked over. Observing the sweaty and disheveled trainees, he bellowed, "Team Eight, assemble!"
His voice seemed to be augmented by some Spiritual Energy technique. Though not particularly loud, the sound carried exceptionally well, diminishing very slowly and making it audible to everyone on the field. Even trainees resting scattered elsewhere returned to assemble.
"I assumed that you, a group of supposedly privileged talents, would quickly master the Breathing Technique," Zhao Jingzhong said, appearing regretful. "It seems I overestimated you. Now, I have no choice but to teach you the simpler Basic Breathing Technique so you can get started quickly."
The trainees' faces twitched, without exception. What could they do—blame themselves for not being geniuses?
They hadn't expected Zhao Jingzhong, with his thick eyebrows and large eyes—features often suggesting an honest nature—to be so vindictive as to subtly torment them like this.
"Alright, make sure you remember, the Basic Breathing Technique is... Huh? Is someone missing?"
The trainees were momentarily stunned and looked at each other. Not being well acquainted, they could only check if their own roommates were present. Soon, Yuan Dang exclaimed, "Ren Suo isn't here!"
"Ren Suo?" A few who knew him looked around and quickly spotted him. "He's on the track!"
Everyone looked over. Indeed, Ren Suo was jogging on the track, his expression focused, his attention completely on the task at hand. With every few steps, he gently exhaled a finger-length wisp of white mist—an extraordinary sight!
The trainees immediately recalled seeing Zhao Jingzhong himself exhaling an arm-length white mist while practicing on the field. That was why they had so readily believed this Breathing Technique could actually lead to cultivation. A few of them had even managed to exhale white mist themselves, though they couldn't sustain it for long.
Being able to exhale white mist proved that he had completed one cycle of Breathing!
Zhao Jingzhong signaled the trainees to be quiet. "Let him run. We'll see when he collapses from exhaustion."
However, five minutes passed, then ten, yet Ren Suo was still practicing on the track, much to everyone's growing amazement. As nearly fifteen minutes passed, Ren Suo finally stopped. But instead of collapsing from exhaustion, he walked over looking refreshed and energetic!
"How is he not tired?" someone asked, astonished.
Zhao Jingzhong stated calmly, "The Advanced Breathing Technique I taught you, once a full cycle is completed, allows Spiritual Energy to surge back, restoring at least one-third of one's physical strength. Recovery speed is also enhanced, so it won't take long before you can perform a second Breathing cycle."
"The Basic Breathing Technique, however, doesn't offer such benefits. Therefore, overall, the daily cultivation progress using the Basic Breathing Technique is only about one-tenth of that achieved with the Advanced Breathing Technique. This is because the Advanced Breathing Technique allows for longer periods of effective cultivation!"
"However, this is just a general comparison. Some individuals with high talent might use the Basic Breathing Technique and still progress at ten times the average speed. Conversely, someone with poor talent might use the Advanced Breathing Technique and still not reach half the average standard..."
"Talent?" everyone exclaimed. Yuan Dang immediately asked, "Is it Spirit Roots?!"
"'Spirit Roots? You've been reading too many novels. Talent is merely a manifestation of one's physical condition.' Seeing their anxious expressions, Zhao Jingzhong chose not to alarm them further. 'Don't worry,' he said. 'Talent, much like physical condition, can be gradually improved. Take me, for example. My initial talent rating was 2.13. By last week's assessment, it had already reached 2.33.'"
Just then, Ren Suo walked over. Hearing the discussion about talent, he perked up and asked, "So, how can we find out our talent rating?"
"'Once you all generate a Qi Cyclone, you can get your talent tested. It's scheduled for Day Five.' Zhao Jingzhong glanced at Ren Suo. 'Completed a Breathing Cycle Completion?'"
"'Yes.'"
"'Your physical condition is quite good. Were you a soldier before?' Zhao Jingzhong asked. 'Everyone else collapsed from exhaustion; you're the only one who still looks presentable. With the Advanced Breathing Technique, Spiritual Energy only flows back at the very end. You have to endure the first sixty-three Breathing cycles relying purely on physical strength. Normally, people only attempt the Advanced Breathing Technique after they've formed a Qi Cyclone... You've done well.'"
"'No,' Ren Suo replied, glancing at the others. 'I... was just into fitness before.'"
Zhao Jingzhong looked skeptical but didn't press the matter. "Alright, rest for a bit, then continue practicing on your own. You can also listen to the explanation of the Basic Breathing Technique, though its efficiency is much lower than the Advanced one you're using. Listen up, everyone! The method for the Basic Breathing Technique is..."
Ren Suo knew it was definitely the 'Physical Fitness Optimization' reward that had allowed him to persevere and complete one session of the Advanced Breathing Technique. Otherwise, being the homebody he was, he would have undoubtedly collapsed from exhaustion too.
Moreover, he could clearly feel a heartbeat-like pulsation in his dantian area. Throughout the entire practice, he hadn't felt tired at all!
The effects of 'Physical Fitness Optimization' seemed even more potent than he had imagined. It didn't just enhance one specific aspect of his constitution but improved his overall physical condition fundamentally.
For instance, his waist had become slightly stronger, and so had his kidneys. This translated to potentially much-enhanced performance in a certain department—though it wasn't like he had any use for it.
After Zhao Jingzhong finished explaining the Basic Breathing Technique, Ren Suo found himself approached by Zhao Huo and Qiao Muyi. They hoped to join him in practicing the Advanced Breathing Technique later.
"Before, people kept collapsing one after another, so we didn't have anyone setting the pace. With you leading, I think we can challenge the Advanced Breathing Technique."
Ren Suo naturally didn't mind when Zhao Huo and the others suggested this. A few more trainees who overheard Zhao Huo also decided to join them.
He had no interest in trying to keep a low profile. Besides, as the saying goes, 'be humble in demeanor, but strive for distinction in action.'
During the training camp, it was crucial to showcase one's abilities as much as possible. This was the way to get noticed by the higher-ups and expand personal connections, paving the way for a promising future.Even though Ren Suo wasn't as calculating as Xie Qiansi, he certainly wouldn't refuse such readily available benefits.
Most importantly, this was his chance to get closer to Qiao Muyi!
He hadn't forgotten about the Treasure Box on his game console at home!
Strangely, Ren Suo had initially assumed that 'talented individuals' would be the ones possessing keys. Yet, so far, he had only found that Qiao Muyi, Li Dan, Yu Kuangtu, and two other trainees in Black Body Armor—a total of five people—had keys.None of the other trainees or instructors triggered that 'sense of excitement' in him.
He had imagined he'd be able to collect dozens of keys during this training camp to use at his leisure...
Meanwhile, in Kamiya Village near the Tadamia Mountain Range, a strange rumor was circulating. A blonde woman in flimsy clothing had reportedly been seen moving swiftly through the forest, effortlessly scaling mountains and navigating the woods with incredible speed and agility.
The only problem was that there were eyewitness accounts of this blonde woman from villages that were five kilometers apart in a straight line. However, the Tadamia Mountains were lofty and their forests dense. Even discounting the wild beasts, the treacherous terrain alone was daunting. It seemed impossible for anyone to cover such a distance on foot in a single day...