Dan Lake

He Xiaoxing reached out and pointed toward Chen Chuan's chest. "You should be able to sense that the mutated organs, while attached to the original organs, can also operate independently." Chen Chuan nodded. That was indeed the case, though at present it was only like this during low-exertion daily routines; in combat, they had to operate in unison, and neither could function without the other. He Xiaoxing said, "The potential of mutated organs is enormous. However, because your original organs are sufficient to meet daily demands, during non-combat times they remain in a near-dormant state. Although they grow steadily stronger under your guiding technique, they won't take the initiative to perform any functions. That's why you have to tell them what your needs are. "With different needs, the mutated organs will react and develop differently, and their future developmental paths will vary as well. There is no absolute best here, only what suits you best. Even so, the foundational training is the same across the board. The next phase of your training will be to wake them through specific methods, so they can sense your needs at any time." Hearing this, Chen Chuan largely understood. He said, "Teacher, please instruct me—what should I do next?" He Xiaoxing looked toward the foot of the mountain. "Do you see that lake?" Chen Chuan turned his gaze and looked. "I see it." "That is the famous Dan Lake, a tourist attraction. There are thousands of them, big and small, across this plain. The water contains a unique mineral that a type of algae called 'stone algae' feeds on, which is why the lake takes on a vermilion hue. "The trouble is that this algae is parasitic. People who come into contact with it become infested, which is why some locals tend to suffer from a red skin condition. Some of it can even enter the human body through water sources. You've probably noticed that most of the drinking water here is hauled in from elsewhere." Chen Chuan recalled his journey here. Indeed, along the way he had seen quite a few people with faintly reddish skin. Meals and lodging were very cheap here, but domestic water was relatively expensive. He Xiaoxing said, "However, for fighters who have crossed the limit, if they are contaminated by only small amounts of this substance, they can expel it through breathing techniques and organ regulation. "In the old era, a local sect discovered this unique trait of stone algae and used the distinctive environment here to aid their cultivation. Today's training starts here." With that, he walked over to the side and struck a small bronze bell hanging there. After a brief wait, an automobile drove up from the small town and soon reached the hilltop. Chang Ba poked his head out of the driver's cab, waved to both of them, and called, "Teacher He, let me give you a ride." He Xiaoxing said nothing more and walked toward the vehicle. Chen Chuan climbed in as well. Once both were seated, Chang Ba started the car and drove them down the hill. After a ride of a little over fifteen minutes, they arrived at the shore of Dan Lake. Here, one could see that the lake's outer edge was a pale red, while the middle was deep crimson like blood. Not a single ripple stirred across the surface, as if a slab of jade had been set into the ground. The blue sky, white clouds, yellowish plains, and vermilion waters formed a vividly colorful tableau, offering an intensely rich and striking visual contrast. The three stepped out of the car. He Xiaoxing instructed Chen Chuan, "Go over there and submerge your arm in the water. No matter what strange symptoms occur, do not resist. Don't take it out until I tell you to." Chen Chuan nodded. Walking across the sandy lakeshore, he rolled up his sleeve and plunged his arm into the water. At that very moment, whether it was an illusion or not, he felt as if the lake water had suddenly come alive. Within just a few breaths, a red sheen coated the skin of his arm, accompanied by a faint numbness and itch. At the same time, he saw it spreading, but held back immediately. After about two or three minutes, He Xiaoxing said, "That's enough." Chen Chuan straightened up. He found that his entire forearm had turned a deep red, and the discoloration was gradually spreading. Then He Xiaoxing's voice came from behind. "This is the stone algae. Now, use the mutated tissue inside your body to expel it." Chen Chuan nodded. He began adjusting his breath. Under his deliberate guidance, the mutated tissue beneath his skin membrane stirred into motion, pushing outward to drive out the microscopic foreign matter that had penetrated his flesh. After only four or five breaths, the faint red on his arm turned to an ashen black, curling and wrinkling across the surface like an extra layer of dead skin. He gave it a gentle brush with his hand, and it sloughed off toward the ground with a soft rustle, drifting down like a layer of ash. Chang Ba had been watching his movements closely all along. Seeing him expel the stone algae with such effortless ease, his eyes widened in disbelief. He had taken this test himself back then, but it had taken him over ten minutes. Crucially, the expulsion process had been excruciatingly itchy and agonizing, practically comparable to the agony of initial conditioning. Yet Chen Chuan had maintained an impassive expression throughout, looking as if he had hardly felt a thing, which left Chang Ba thoroughly impressed. He Xiaoxing said, "You expelled the foreign matter very easily just now, using external breath-guiding. Now I will teach you a set of internal breath-guiding techniques. It performs gas exchange with the outside world through the mutated tissue under your skin and your mutated organs, without needing to pass through your mouth or nose." With that, he began explaining the finer points of this breathing technique. Chang Ba tried following along for a bit, then gave up with a grimace, knowing he could never master it. This involved the coordinated use of a substantial amount of mutated tissue; only someone with relatively complete, well-rounded mutated tissues could execute it fully. If any part was missing, even if one could manage it, the effect would be severely diminished. He had only been able to complete part of it back then, and even though he had grown stronger since, that had not changed. Chen Chuan cultivated the Zhouyuan Jin technique, possessing every piece of mutated tissue required by it. Following the method He Xiaoxing taught, he grasped the principles in only about half an hour. He Xiaoxing said, "Go try it again now. This time, do not guide with external breathing; use only the internal breath-guiding technique you just learned." Chen Chuan agreed. He walked back to the lakeshore and submerged his arm. When enough time had passed, he pulled it out and began attempting to expel the algae purely by drawing on his mutated tissue through internal breathing. This time felt many times harder. Because he was so accustomed to external breathing, internal breathing gave him a persistent feeling of being unable to exert his full strength, and the pushing motion felt exceedingly clumsy and rough. At first, as his focus deepened, he would even inadvertently slip into external breathing. Although he caught himself and stopped immediately each time, it still forced him to divide some of his attention just to keep from making that mistake again. He Xiaoxing said, "I give you one day to master this. If you can master it by this time tomorrow, we will proceed to the next stage." Chen Chuan nodded. He Xiaoxing did not say what would happen if he failed, but this was undoubtedly the most basic requirement, and if he couldn't even... Still, he was not worried, because as long as he utilized... Seeing him quickly become absorbed in training, He Xiaoxing turned and walked away. Chang Ba looked over and called to Chen Chuan, "Hey, we're heading back first. Take your time practicing—should I come pick you up tonight?" Without turning around, Chen Chuan replied, "No need, thank you. Could you please take my things out of the car? I'll be staying here tonight." Chang Ba shrugged. "Suit yourself." In any case, it wasn't far from the town, and the wilderness here posed no danger to a fighter. He returned to the vehicle, unloaded Chen Chuan's belongings, and set them aside. Giving Chen Chuan another shout of farewell, he got back into the driver's seat. Once the car started, he asked, "Uncle He, just one day—can he really manage it?" It had taken him half a month back then; wasn't this a bit too harsh? He Xiaoxing said in a low voice, "For him, one day is plenty." Chang Ba uttered an "oh," feeling a twinge of envy in his heart. After the two left, Chen Chuan stayed focused on his practice. Yet after practicing for a while, he still could not grasp the knack. Instead of stubbornly bashing his head against the wall, he stopped, walked over to his pack in the distance, took out a tube of nutritional paste, and ate it. Then he carefully analyzed where his technique was falling short before trying again. His efforts continued all the way until evening. After another round of guiding, he inspected his faintly red arm. Although all these attempts had driven out some of the algae, he knew it was far from where it needed to be. He looked up then. The glow of the setting sun diffused across the sky, and Dan Lake in the distance seemed to merge into it, ablaze with an eye-catching crimson—a magnificent spectacle rarely seen anywhere else. After gazing at it for a while, inspiration suddenly struck him. He looked out at the world around him once more. That's it—an integrated whole! Although He Xiaoxing had told him which mutated tissues to coordinate, that did not mean he was restricted to only those tissues. He Xiaoxing had also said that everyone needed to find the way that suited them best. The reason he had failed earlier was that the mutated tissues involved weren't strong enough on their own. But what he cultivated was the Zhouyuan Jin technique! He possessed more numerous and more complete mutated tissues than other fighters. When conducting internal breath-guiding, he could fully enlist his other mutated tissues to assist and take part! And wholeness—integration as a unified whole—was the very principle that had run consistently through his martial cultivation ever since his initial conditioning. With this line of thought unlocked, he stood up immediately. As he engaged his internal breath-guiding, he attempted to mobilize the mutated tissues throughout his entire body in coordination. At first, there was no dramatic change. But about ten minutes later, rustling gray powder drifted down beneath his feet, and his entire arm completely returned to its original appearance! From a distance, he could see Chen Chuan sitting on a rock near the lakeshore, pant legs rolled up, feet submerged in the lake water, his head turned toward the morning sun rising on the horizon. Hearing the car arrive, Chen Chuan rose from the rock. As he stood and walked from the water onto the sand, it was clearly visible that not a single trace of red marked his legs or feet.