Transmutation

Inside the training room, Chen Chuan began another attempt at the breathing technique. Today, however, was completely different from before. His breath and body coordinated with seamless harmony; no longer did it feel rigid and difficult to mobilize, but smooth, clear, and unobstructed. Yet this did not mean true success, for his body had not produced signs of internal breath resonance like those Cheng Zitong had demonstrated in person that day. He recalled carefully: when Cheng Zitong had guided him to feel it, it seemed to originate from a single point in the body, slowly carrying the rest along before spreading throughout the entire body, ultimately triggering a resonance across all the mutated tissue and the whole physical frame. That point was the source of the "breath aperture"—initiated by the breath of a single aperture, mobilized by the qi of a single breath. From start to finish, Cheng Zitong had never explained this in concrete words. Yet through what he had felt that day, Chen Chuan understood it instinctively. What he grasped through personal insight was far stronger and deeper than anything conveyed by spoken words. Still, knowing in theory was one thing; actually achieving and controlling it was another matter entirely, carrying no small difficulty of its own. He turned his gaze toward his Second Self. As his breath guided him, dense blurred patches appeared on it each time, though these signs were chaotic and lacked pattern. This meant that while his breath could stir various parts of his body, it remained scattered and unsystematic. Although the Aperture Breathing Technique differed from the basic breathing technique, it still had to coalesce into an undivided whole. Unlike the basic breathing technique, however, it was not as simple as grasping and regulating physical strength. It required taking one place—a single "breath aperture"—as a starting point, gradually expanding to integrate everything. He recalled that Cheng Zitong seemed to have initiated it from the dantian, which was very likely the focal point for exerting jin in the future. Yet this did not have to be fixed. Everyone was different, and any location could serve as the origin of force, ensuring one wouldn't be subject to greater constraints. That was his own understanding, and that was how he planned to proceed. He first attempted to treat the dantian as the primary breath aperture. This was not particularly difficult for him, as he could refer to the blurred patches on his Second Self and make corrections at any moment. With each inhalation and exhalation, he gradually gathered the rest of his body into the cycle. The ripples were small at first, but driven by his breathing, their scope steadily expanded. Cheng Zitong had been sitting nearby, watching attentively while taking occasional sips of tea from his thermos. Seeing this unfold, he suddenly sat bolt upright, staring fixedly at Chen Chuan. After resonating throughout his whole body with the dantian as the breath aperture, Chen Chuan did not stop. He began attempting to use other points as origins. Thanks to the reference provided by the blurred signs and his enhanced control over his body, this step proved surprisingly smooth. After succeeding with another point, he immediately proceeded to the next. As more and more areas of mutated tissue were engaged as breath apertures, they seemed to awaken, resonating in unison. Gradually, an extraordinary cadence emerged within his breathing. Cheng Zitong couldn't help rising in astonishment. Stepping forward, he reached out and placed a hand on Chen Chuan's back, relaxing completely to sense what was happening. Before long, his own breath was caught up in it, vibrating in a slight sympathetic tremor. He stared at Chen Chuan for a few more moments, thinking in amazement: *Has he really comprehended a deeper level of "transmutation" on his own? Impressive. Truly impressive.* He did not disturb him any further, merely taking two steps back to wait patiently by the side. A whole day slipped by just like that. Chen Chuan finally concluded his breathing exercise. He felt completely refreshed and comfortable all over, but glancing outside, he was surprised to see that evening had already arrived. He blinked in surprise. *Is it this late already?* Just then, Cheng Zitong's voice rang out: "Not bad at all! You're really something, kid. You've basically grasped the Aperture Breathing Technique." Chen Chuan turned to him. "Teacher Cheng?" After a brief pause, he gave a slight bow. "Thank you for taking care of me, Teacher." Every time he practiced the breathing technique over these past few days, Cheng Zitong had stayed by his side to watch over him. It was clear that today he had once again waited from morning to dusk, and Chen Chuan was deeply grateful for his dedication. Cheng Zitong said, "Let me see... From the day you started practicing until today, it's been exactly nine days. Nine days—you're plenty fast. Those medicines weren't taken in vain." Chen Chuan asked, "Teacher Cheng, how long does it usually take to master the Aperture Breathing Technique?" Cheng Zitong replied, "The academy record is around five days—only one person ever did that, though nationwide there are probably even faster ones. The other quicker ones fall into your bracket, around eight to ten days. As for the slower ones, it ranges from several months to half a year or even a full year. That said, it isn't necessarily because they're poor learners; it could also be due to their instructors." Chen Chuan thoroughly agreed. His ability to master it at this speed owed not only to himself, but also to Cheng Zitong's attentive care and accommodating guidance. This was indeed a conscientious and capable instructor, and far from rigid. He thought for a moment and asked, "Teacher, does the speed of mastering the breathing technique affect subsequent training?" Cheng Zitong waved his hand. "It doesn't really determine anything. It merely reflects how quickly a student adapts. Combat arts involve many broad, varied elements; you can't conquer everything on a single talent alone. "Besides, no matter what it is, the higher you climb, the harder it gets, and the closer the gap between everyone becomes. Where you will reach in the future isn't decided by a matter of a few days. Being a little earlier or later doesn't make any real difference." Chen Chuan nodded in understanding, then said, "Teacher Cheng, does that mean I can officially start learning jin next?" Cheng Zitong replied, "That's right. Because you finished the breathing technique quickly, we can move into cultivating jin earlier, which will allow your mutated tissue to grow in a truly orderly manner. "However, you've just succeeded. You need to balance work and rest, and also consolidate your progress. As it happens, the next two days are the school's rest days. I'll give you tomorrow off so you can handle your personal affairs. You're a native of Yangzhi City and haven't been back since school started, right? Go home and visit your family. That'll also give your teacher a chance to relax and prepare your upcoming training curriculum." Chen Chuan said, "Thank you, Teacher Cheng." Cheng Zitong patted his shoulder and laughed. "You kid, always so polite. Oh, right—your classmates next door came looking for you a few times. You'll be spending three years together, and you have free time today, so go mingle with them a bit and relax while you're at it." Chen Chuan replied, "Alright." "Then it's settled. I'll come find you the day after tomorrow." "Let me see you out, Teacher." "No need, no need! You're too polite. I'm off." After leaving, Cheng Zitong did not go home to rest, but headed straight to the administration building. Along the way, everyone who saw him greeted him warmly, and he responded with smiles. Arriving at the Admissions Preparation Office, he knocked on the door and said with a smile to Master Gao inside, "Supervisor Gao, is there a cup of tea in here for me?" Master Gao glanced at him. "In the cabinet. Help yourself." Cheng Zitong didn't stand on ceremony. He walked over, pulled out a tin of tea, and inspected it. "Oho, Da Bai Feng. Generous of you, Supervisor Gao." Master Gao said, "Nobody can feel generous in front of the school's second housekeeper. If you have something to say, say it directly without beating around the bush. I've got work to do." Cheng Zitong asked, "Don't you want to hear about that student? Where are the other two? We can talk once they arrive." Without wasting words, Master Gao picked up the telephone receiver, dialed an internal number, and said, "Have Yue Hong and Bian Feng come to my office." Before long, Yue Hong and Bian Feng arrived at the office. Upon seeing the two men, they greeted them: "Master Gao, Supervisor Cheng." Master Gao said, "Sit and hear what he has to say." Yue Hong and Bian Feng exchanged looks and took seats off to the side. Cheng Zitong adjusted his posture and cleared his throat. "Senior Brother Gao, you asked me to be Chen Chuan's advising instructor, so today I'm here to report the results to you." Yue Hong smiled. "Impressive, Supervisor Cheng. Results in just nine days." "Well, it wasn't all me; it mostly came down to the student himself." Cheng Zitong gave a cough and added, "Under my expert guidance as his advising instructor, Student Chen Chuan has achieved preliminary mastery of the Aperture Breathing Technique. Moving forward, he can begin training in jin." Yue Hong was genuinely astonished. "Nine days? That's fast. If I recall correctly, there aren't many records like that, are there?" Bian Feng said in a deep voice, "It seems the upper limit of his mutated tissue is very high. He needs to master jin as soon as possible, or the impact on him will be too severe." "Exactly. Why I came today is to discuss with you..." Cheng Zitong's expression turned serious. "...what his direction should be moving forward, and what kind of jin he should cultivate."