Chapter 167: Submerged Breath
Chapter 167: Submerged Breath
Chang Ba watched as Chen Chuan approached from the beach, casting a long shadow in the rising sun, his demeanor relaxed and natural. He couldn't help but mutter, "He really has mastered it."
Indeed, there are differences between people.
But are the differences this significant?
As the car came to a stop, He Xiaoxing stepped out.
Seeing that Chen Chuan was maintaining his internal breathing without using his mouth or nose and appearing in a very natural state, He Xiaoxing knew that he had already mastered the technique.
"That's enough. Starting today, we'll move on to the next phase of training. Get ready, we're going to another location," He Xiaoxing said.
Chen Chuan acknowledged, packed up his belongings, and got into the car. The vehicle slowly started and soon left the place.
Once in the car, although he no longer needed to reject foreign objects, he did not switch to external breathing at this moment.
The day before, after finding a solution, he discovered that this internal breathing technique was equally effective in guiding the mutated internal organs and even more targeted.
If the previous breathing technique was based on the original internal organs to drive the other mutated tissues, now, every time he used internal breathing, it was the mutated internal organs that took the lead.
This allowed for a deeper understanding and control of the mutated internal organs, and by doing so, their growth accelerated.
However, he was still in the initial stage, and everyday guidance and the actual combat situation were two different things.
He needed more time to master it.
Putting aside other matters, even if he only learned this technique on this trip, it was worth it.
After driving north for half an hour, they arrived at a place with peculiar terrain. The ground was filled with pits of various sizes, some as small as one or two meters wide, while others were ten to twenty meters wide.
These pits were filled with reddish liquid, seemingly from the same source as the Crimson Lake. From a distance, they looked like red gems embedded in the ground.
Although not far from the Crimson Lake, the scenery here was vastly different from what they had seen earlier. If the lake was majestic, this place was eerie.
Chang Ba knew what they were there for and was familiar with the area, so without waiting for instructions, he chose a spot to park the car, and all three of them got out.
He Xiaoxing said, "Some of these pits are naturally formed, while others are man-made. Beneath these pits are underground wells of varying depths, some as shallow as ten meters, while others reach several miles, and there might be even longer ones.
Your task is to choose one of these wells and descend, utilizing the unique properties of the liquid and the pressure below to train your endurance.
Underwater, you can only use internal breathing, and you'll need to rely on other mutated tissues to resist the pressure and maintain yourself. This will comprehensively train your mutated internal organs, making them stronger and more active, so the longer you can endure, the better."
As he spoke, he walked to the edge of a pit and stepped on it, "Start here." Then, he said to Chang Ba, "Give him the gear."
"Yes, Uncle He."
Chang Ba ran back to the car, grabbed an unopened wetsuit, and placed it on the ground, boasting, "This 'Swimming Carp' wetsuit is cutting-edge technology from Central City. It's so lightweight and breathable that you barely feel it when swimming, and it's durable enough to protect against scratches from hard edges even at high speeds. It's top-notch gear, and I've never used it myself."
Of course, he couldn't mention that he couldn't endure this training for long, so the suit was of no use to him.
Chen Chuan walked over to the wetsuit and said, "Thank you, Brother Chang."
Chang Ba chuckled, no matter how impressive Chen Chuan was, he still had to call him 'brother.' He happily ran over, "Let me help you with that. You open it like this, and then..."
After Chen Chuan put on the wetsuit, he moved his arms and legs, feeling the comfort and ease, contrary to the expected tightness. It was as if he had gained an extra layer of skin.
Anticipating a lengthy session, Chen Chuan drank some water and ate a nutrient bar before standing at the edge of the pit.
The pit's diameter was less than two meters, which felt narrow to him.
He crouched down, reached out, and felt a sticky sensation. The water had an immense buoyancy, as if it could lift his palm. Moreover, the stone algae were present, meaning he would have to constantly resist their parasitism if he immersed himself.
The challenge was not insignificant.
He stood up, adjusted himself, took a few steps back, jumped, and with graceful movements, entered the pit.
Underwater, he swam, fighting against the buoyancy, and slowly descended deeper. He realized the pit wasn't that deep, perhaps only twenty meters or so. He felt the omnipresent pressure squeezing him, and remembering He Xiaoxing's instruction to endure as long as possible, he sat cross-legged at the bottom and maintained his internal breathing.
Above ground, Chang Ba walked to the edge of the pit. The splashes from Chen Chuan's jump had quickly subsided, and the water's surface regained its calm.
Chang Ba recalled his own descent into a different pit, about ten meters deep, and how long had he endured? Perhaps twenty minutes...
He coughed, but this was just a training attempt. His mutated internal organs weren't suited for this, so no amount of practice would help. At best, enduring longer would only prove his physical quality.
Deep within the pit, Chen Chuan sat in quiet contemplation, but it felt as if an eternity had passed. The relentless pressure from the surroundings was secondary; the true challenge lay within, a torment that gnawed at his very being.
The inescapable darkness, devoid of any external sounds or light, and the cramped space around him, akin to being trapped in a confined chamber, weighed heavily on his psyche.
His sole focus, at this moment, was on his internal breathing.
He had no choice but to concentrate, for beneath the surface, the struggle for oxygen was vastly different from above. He had to delve deep within himself, harnessing every mutated organ that could aid in this endeavor, to prolong his endurance.
He Xiaoxing remained nearby, not leaving this time. Chang Ba, after a while, fetched a folding stool and a small book, sitting down to read while he waited. But as he flipped through the pages repeatedly, his thoughts wandered to the pit. "It's been nearly two hours, and he's still not out. I hope nothing's wrong."
Yet, he knew his worries were unfounded. He Xiaoxing, standing above, was well aware of the situation below. If there were any issues, he would have taken action by now.
Chen Chuan wasn't likely to emerge anytime soon, so Chang Ba retrieved a barbecue grill from the car and some skewered mutton from the cooler. He began grilling, and soon, the air filled with the aroma of roasting meat. He skillfully turned the skewers, seasoning them as they sizzled.
After a while, he handed over a dozen skewers to He Xiaoxing and began to eat, muttering to himself, "If he doesn't come up soon, I'll finish these."
Time seemed to stretch on, and it wasn't until four hours later that He Xiaoxing signaled for him to stop. Chang Ba quickly stood, lowering a rope with a heavy object attached to its end into the pit.
Beneath the surface, Chen Chuan remained motionless, minimizing all unnecessary energy expenditure. He focused on maintaining his existence and repelling the encroaching foreign entities.
As he sensed something descending, he roused from his meditative state, tugging the rope to signal his readiness. Slowly, he ascended from the pit.
Upon reaching the surface, a sense of liberation washed over him. Simultaneously, a wave of exhaustion and weakness hit him, a result of the immense energy he had expended. But as he inhaled, the combination of internal and external breathing worked in tandem, infusing his blood with oxygen and rapidly restoring his strength.
He reached for the nutrient cream, consuming over a dozen tubes, finally feeling some relief.
These supplements were the only means to replenish his energy. Regular food, though satisfying to the palate, offered little nutritional value and required more time.
This disparity made him reflect on the past. Fighters from the old era required immense resources, and without the backing of powerful factions, sustaining their energy demands would have been impossible.
As Chen Chuan regained some strength, He Xiaoxing asked, "Do you feel you've reached your limit?"
Chen Chuan considered this. "Even if I haven't, I'm close."
With his second self, he could endure much longer, but in his normal state, he was nearing his breaking point. He Xiaoxing's ability to accurately gauge his condition from above and bring him up at the right moment was a skill Chen Chuan couldn't fathom, likely achievable only through higher-level training.
"Training isn't about squeezing out potential," He Xiaoxing explained, "but about growth. You can continue this exercise, and you'll gradually adapt. However, you must clearly understand your limits."
"Your mutated organs will also comprehend this," he continued. "With ample nourishment and medication, they'll continually adapt and push your boundaries."
Chen Chuan pondered these words, then asked, "Is this where a fighter's willpower comes into play, as Mr. He mentioned?"
"It's excellent that you've made this connection," He Xiaoxing replied. "A fighter's willpower is crucial. Self-belief can unlock hidden potential, manifesting in seemingly impossible feats. But remember, every phenomenon has a cause. The ability to unleash strength beyond one's normal capacity is due to the untapped potential of mutated organs, most of which remain dormant.
Only through special methods can you awaken and command them, and willpower is a vital part of this process. In normal circumstances, it's often insufficient to drive such changes, but in life-or-death situations, it can be forced to the surface."
"We don't need to go to such extremes," He Xiaoxing assured him. "Through external influence and stimulation, we can gradually activate more mutated organs, consciously mobilizing them until they are fully under your control."
Chen Chuan nodded, understanding. "Mr. He, how long should I persist in this training to consider it successful?"
He Xiaoxing's voice took on a grave tone. "You've already met the requirements for the next stage. From now on, find time to practice on your own. I'll arrange the next training session for you."
(End of Chapter)
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