Chen Chuan realized he could not go on like this. With a shift of his will, the pain began to recede, transferred over to his Second Self.
The Second Self was capable of bearing both physical harm and pain, but this time, he had only transferred the sensation of pain.
He understood that the harm caused by the medicine was likely the direct source of stimulation. Without that harm, the medicine could not penetrate his body and achieve its intended purpose.
Even so, removing the pain was enough. Free from that agonizing distraction, he could focus his mind entirely on the breathing technique.
Standing nearby, Yu Gang watched him in silence.
He had fully expected Chen Chuan's breathing to fall into disarray right at the start. Almost everyone who tried the breathing technique for the first time reacted this way. If Chen Chuan could not endure it and failed to carry on, Yu Gang would step in immediately to halt the process, using rhythmic slapping and washing to disperse the stagnant medicinal potency before waiting for another attempt. Otherwise, the body would suffer pointless damage.
He had never expected Chen Chuan to succeed on the first try. He knew all too well how excruciating the stimulation was, especially during a person's first exposure. Few could withstand it.
Generally speaking, even someone with resolute willpower needed two or three attempts just to adapt and perform the technique with any degree of normalcy. Taking a few more tries was hardly unusual. Far more often, people simply broke under the torment and quit halfway through.
Yet soon, a flicker of surprise broke Yu Gang's calm expression. In merely half a minute, Chen Chuan's breathing had stabilized.
He stared fixedly at the young man. This kid was anything but ordinary.
Chen Chuan was guiding his breath with absolute focus, but after two complete cycles, he had found no trick, no pathway, and no underlying rhythm. He remained completely at a loss.
As the medicinal potency began to dissipate, the remaining time was insufficient to finish a third cycle. To avoid leaving behind any hidden ailments, he had his Second Self take on the physical damage inflicted during the process as well.
As a result, dense patches of blurring appeared across the Second Self, varying in size and intensity like hollows carved out by mist. Seeing this, Chen Chuan felt a sudden spark of inspiration...
"Alright, stop for now," Yu Gang called out. "Time's about up."
Chen Chuan hurried to ask, "Mr. Yu, can I continue in a bit?"
Yu Gang looked at him. Far from showing any aversion or resistance, the boy's expression held a hint of eager anticipation. Yu Gang fell silent for a moment before saying, "Go rinse off in the washroom next door. Rest for half an hour first."
Chen Chuan acknowledged him, picked up the large cup of salted water Yu Gang had set on the table, drank it down, and headed into the adjoining washroom, turning on the simple showerhead to wash off.
He felt famished. After all, he still had not eaten lunch, and the breathing technique stimulated his vitality and drew upon his qi and blood, which took a heavy toll on the body. Once he stepped out after rinsing off, he asked, "Mr. Yu, do you have any food here?"
Yu Gang had come prepared. He tossed him a vacuum-sealed plastic container about two fingers wide and fifteen centimeters long. "Nutritional paste from Longde Foods. It doesn't taste like much, but it has all the nutrients necessary for combat training. If you go to Wuyi College, you'll be eating this every day."
Chen Chuan tore open the outer packaging and found a solid tube of green paste. Without hesitation, he shoved it into his mouth and swallowed it in a few bites. It was indeed flavorless, but before long, he felt his vigor return and his hunger ease. The effect was immediate.
After resting for another ten minutes or so, he had Yu Gang help him reapply the medicinal paste and began his second attempt.
Having gained experience, the moment the scorching pain swept over him again, he immediately used his mind to transfer the pain and a small portion of the harm. As he practiced the breathing technique, he also kept his eye on his Second Self. Sure enough, as the breathing progressed, varying degrees of blurring manifested across the figure once more.
Observing carefully, he confirmed that these blurred manifestations were closely linked to his breathing.
The degree of blurring in those areas fluctuated in strength and continuity, which was likely due to the breath guiding his vitality and qi and blood. The damage from the medicinal potency alone would never display such complexity.
Through this, he could see the concrete effect of the breathing technique. Right now, because his breath control was imprecise, the qi, blood, and vitality were mobilized in a scattered, chaotic manner. Could it be that once these blurred regions showed no disparity in intensity, smoothing out into continuous, harmonious alignment, they would achieve the 'unified whole' Yu Gang had spoken of?
He believed the probability was high, and with no other clues to go on, it was worth a shot. Even if he was wrong, he could remove any damage through his Second Self. From then on, he began deliberately adjusting the rhythm of his breathing according to the blurred patterns on his Second Self.
Half an hour later, he was forced to stop once more. Though fatigued and breathing somewhat heavily, he felt exhilarated. He sensed he was brushing against the edges of it—he was very likely on the right path!
Yu Gang looked at him, then at the mixture of sweat and medicinal paste pooling beneath his feet. "Even with restorative medicinal food, a person can try this at most three to four times a day. Do you still want to go on?"
Chen Chuan replied with absolute conviction, "Yes!"
After rinsing off and resting, he immediately began his third attempt.
Under his repeated adjustments, those blurred marks gradually began to converge, appearing to link up with one another. He slowly began to sense something tangible, but just as he was about to grasp that thread of understanding, the medicine's duration ran out once more.
He would have to wait for the next attempt.
Yet when he stood up this time, a sudden wave of dizziness and breathlessness hit him. His footing gave way, and he slumped back down. Even though the pain and a small portion of the harm had been moved away, the physiological strain from the remaining medication was very real.
Seeing his state, Yu Gang said, "Let's call it a day. Practicing the breathing technique, surging your qi and blood, and enduring the stimulation of the medicine places a heavy burden on your internal organs."
Chen Chuan looked up and said, "You said a person can try up to four times, Mr. Yu. I want to try once more."
Meeting his gaze, Yu Gang felt the unyielding resolve within the youth. He said in a deep voice, "Since you insist, one last time."
As before, Chen Chuan went to rinse off. Upon returning, he ate two tubes of nutritional paste in a row, rested, and then began his fourth attempt.
He was confident he had found the right direction. The damage reflected on his Second Self served as a corrective ruler, guiding him closer and closer to the right balance.
This time, he had to push through in one breath.
Yu Gang watched Chen Chuan intently. The toll taken by the medicinal paste was immense, not merely physically, but mentally. When subjected to such repeated dual torment, how many people could endure it?
Four attempts was merely a theoretical limit. Most people could not bear more than one or two. He had never expected Chen Chuan to persevere to this point.
Having finished boiling the meat downstairs, Lu Ke hurried back up. When he saw Chen Chuan throwing himself into attempt after attempt with such desperate intensity, his eyes widened.
He had tried the breathing technique once at the start of the year, and he would never forget the sensation.
At first, it was a stinging burn. But later on, it felt like countless ants crawling under his skin, stirring an indescribable agitation that made one want to scream, thrash, and flail about.
Because Lu Ke could not endure it after several tries, Yu Gang had judged that he was not yet ready and temporarily suspended that part of his training.
Even now, he had not escaped that shadow; phantom pain twitched whenever he looked back on it.
Yet this city young master, whom Lu Ke had assumed had never endured hardship in his life, had pushed through all the way. Lu Ke could not describe what he was feeling—a mix of admiration and jealousy, perhaps, with even a small part of him wishing Chen Chuan would fail.
Unable to hold back, he asked, "Master, can Young Master Chen pull it off?"
Yu Gang said, "Combat cultivation requires six elements: objective, determination, action, perseverance, along with luck and talent. At the start, I confirmed his objective and determination, and now I have seen his action and perseverance. He already possesses four of them."
Lu Ke gave an "oh." Without looking at Yu Gang, he asked, "Then, Master, since Young Master Chen has four of them, he should find the knack soon, right?"
Yu Gang replied in a heavy tone, "No. Out of the six, talent is the hardest to possess, but the one that is truly indispensable is luck."
At this moment, Chen Chuan's entire mind and body were completely immersed in his breathing, almost entirely oblivious to the outside world.
Just a little more. Just a tiny bit more.
Under his painstaking efforts, the refinement of the breathing technique had reached its final stage. When all the flickering gleams settled into unison, he sensed the presence of a hidden inner current. He could not put it into words, but following this pathway, the previously disjointed breaths gathered into a single flow.
In that instant, he finally grasped what Yu Gang had meant by a unified whole.
Right then, the medicinal potency had just about run its course, and he brought his breath to a halt.
Yu Gang watched him sitting motionless, his chest rising and falling gently with his breath. "No need to rush. You must eat some restorative medicinal food first, then try again tomorrow."
Chen Chuan slowly raised his head, his eyes shining bright. "I think... I think I've found the knack."
Chapter 7