Chapter 172: Secret Technique
Chapter 172: Secret Technique
Due to Chen Chuan's decision, the three of them did not linger in the testing ground any longer. They boarded a vehicle and left, returning to the outer perimeter of the barbed wire fence.
Chen Chuan disembarked here and decided to intensify his training from this point onwards.
To increase the difficulty, he did not choose the area he had previously traversed but instead selected an unfamiliar region.
He specifically inquired from He Xiaoxing about areas with relatively higher danger levels, but even these places couldn't compare to the waters beneath the testing ground.
After adjusting his state, he entered the water but did not rush to dive. Instead, he sat at the bottom of the abyss pits for two hours.
To be honest, if it were just about staying still, he believed that as long as he could overcome the psychological pressure of confinement and his Alienation Organization could withstand it, enduring for half a day wouldn't be an issue.
So this wasn't merely sitting; it was a practice of releasing emotions and then subduing them. He chose this location for his training to increase the difficulty and enhance his self-control.
Only after this did he begin to cross the abyss.
He was no longer fixated on one hour but extended the time, only surfacing when he felt he was reaching his limit.
After a short break and a bite to eat on the shore, he dove back into the water.
Chang Ba, who was reading a comic book nearby, seemed to still be processing what was happening.
Chen Chuan repeated this diving process throughout the day, stimulating his Alienation Organization with this method, and each subsequent day's training was more intense than the last.
With shorter rest periods and a full day of training, the intensity was entirely different from before. In the initial days, he felt more fatigued. After returning each day, he would quickly freshen up and fall into a deep sleep. Then, in the early hours of the next day, he would resume his training.
Perhaps it was because he had a goal to pursue, but his Alienation Organization understood his urgent need and actively responded, cooperating with him. After just five or six days, he gradually adapted to this rhythm.
By now, it was mid-July, and he felt that the vanishing signs of the Mountain Ghost's defeat had completely disappeared. It was time to use the medicine he had brought.
This time, he didn't plan to take the medicine back with him but intended to use it all up before returning. A rough calculation showed that at his current level, he could maintain it for about half a month without issues.
After ten consecutive days of training, he clearly felt progress and expressed to He Xiaoxing his intention to try again. Thus, he visited the testing ground for the second time.
Chang Ba watched with anticipation, curious to see if Chen Chuan would succeed this time.
Chen Chuan focused on a pit not far ahead, and as per his usual practice, he chose a different entrance. He didn't know what he would encounter inside.
But none of this mattered; he knew he would exert himself to pursue the goals he had set. If he didn't pass, he would intensify his training and try again.
He stretched his body and then leaped into the water, his posture graceful and natural. Anyone with a keen eye could see that he was more confident and powerful than before.
Chang Ba propped himself up on his knees, craning his neck to look into the pit. Since most markers were likely to be bitten off, making it impossible to determine contact with the target by shaking the tether rope, he could only wait for Chen Chuan to surface and report the names of the markers he had touched to know how many he had encountered. So, for now, he could only wait.
Suddenly, he remembered that Chen Chuan hadn't eaten grilled fish before descending this time, meaning he couldn't use toxins to deter the fish. This undoubtedly increased the difficulty.
After waiting for a while, Chang Ba picked up a comic book and started flipping through it to pass the time. But soon, he noticed He Xiaoxing moving swiftly around the pits, throwing down a marker at regular intervals.
This excited Chang Ba because if Chen Chuan couldn't touch the markers, He Xiaoxing wouldn't need to throw them down one by one.
The set standard was twelve markers in one hour, but on average, he needed to retrieve one every five minutes. However, the complex terrain and harsh environment below limited his performance, and Chen Chuan couldn't precisely time his actions, requiring him to leave a buffer and surface earlier.
Was it truly possible to achieve this?
Time ticked by, and Chang Ba checked the time—fifty-six minutes had passed. If Chen Chuan didn't surface soon, even if he retrieved enough markers, he would exceed the time limit, resulting in failure.
Two more minutes passed, and just as an hour was about to elapse, there was a loud splash. Several large fish flew out of a pit, flopping on the ground, followed by Chen Chuan breaking through the water's surface. He briefly supported himself with his hand and then propelled his body upward.
Chang Ba stood up and quickly walked over, asking, "Chen, how was it?"
Chen Chuan adjusted his posture and then recited the numbers of the markers he had touched during his ascent. The total was exactly twelve.
Chang Ba's eyes widened, and he turned to look at He Xiaoxing.
He Xiaoxing looked at Chen Chuan and said slowly, "If your goal was twelve markers, then you have passed."
Chang Ba's gaze shifted back to Chen Chuan.
Chen Chuan smiled and said, "I aimed high but fell short. My initial goal was fifteen markers, and I didn't quite reach it."
"This time, he managed to complete the task swiftly by employing various techniques to deal with the different types of fish, saving him a significant amount of travel time.
For instance, with the hardhead carp, he could quickly avoid them after understanding their movement patterns. Then there were the water plants with coiling vines, which he would push away using the current or his soft force as soon as he noticed them. And for the mollusks hiding in the corner, which were the hardest to guard against, he could easily deal with them now that he knew their location in advance. He would block one side before they fully closed, then burst out with all his strength to shatter the other side with his fists and feet.
As long as he wasn't facing hundreds or thousands of fish, these challenges were manageable.
He now had exactly twelve tokens, but he wasn't entirely satisfied with this result. He felt he still had room for improvement and could do better.
At this moment, Chang Ba couldn't contain his excitement and said, "This is incredible! Twelve tokens! Chen Xiao, you should know that no fighter at your stage has ever achieved this level before." He pounded his chest, making it reverberate, and declared, "I, Chang Ba, keep my word. From now on, Chang Family Inn will be free of charge for you!"
Chen Chuan smiled and said, "In that case, I won't hold back."
He Xiaoxing spoke up in a low voice, "Chen Chuan, come with me." He walked off in one direction.
Chen Chuan's expression shifted slightly, indicating that He Xiaoxing had something to say to him. After a quick farewell to Chang Ba, he followed.
The two walked for over a mile and reached a slightly elevated area. It was deserted, with only the howling desert wind and the distant mountain shadows on the horizon. Behind them, the stars twinkled like scattered blood beads.
He Xiaoxing stood there for a while, then turned to Chen Chuan, who had caught up, and said, "I told you before that at this stage, there's no need to overly focus on combat techniques. Strength and speed are the priorities."
"Yes, Teacher, I believe so too," Chen Chuan agreed.
He Xiaoxing turned around and said seriously, "Strength and speed are driven by the body's foundation. The stronger the body, the better these two aspects can be utilized. Today, I'll teach you the 'Furnace Breathing Method,' which is one of our Pure Sect's achievements and a breathing secret technique used to counter other sects' breathing methods."
This breathing method can delicately extract power from transformed organs and store excess energy within them. When needed, this energy can be released like burning firewood, providing fighters with formidable combat power.
The Furnace Breathing Method demands a high level of physical fitness from fighters. Ordinary fighters who force themselves to practice it will only harm themselves. But since you've reached the standard I set, it shows that your physical fitness has met the minimum requirements for this breathing method."
Chen Chuan had previously sensed that he seemed to have entered the final stage of training, but he felt that He Xiaoxing might still have something left to teach. This wasn't due to the latter's reluctance to share, but more likely because Chen Chuan's own requirements hadn't been met.
Now that it had been explained to him, he also felt that obtaining twelve tokens in that water area might indeed represent a certain standard.
He Xiaoxing extended his hand and placed it on Chen Chuan's shoulder, saying, "Carefully feel my breathing and remember each rhythm. I'll only teach it once."
Chen Chuan immediately focused his mind and nodded attentively.
He then felt a surge of immense heat emanating from He Xiaoxing's body, like a blazing furnace. His transformed organs seemed to resonate with it, activating to a certain rhythm, and he could sense his own breathing being drawn into this rhythm as well.
This was a breathing secret technique that combined external and internal breathing.
He dared not be distracted for a moment, carefully memorizing the breathing rhythms and immersing himself in the experience, oblivious to his surroundings.
After a long while, He Xiaoxing's body heat subsided, and Chen Chuan felt the heat fade away.
Chen Chuan sensed that this breathing method was more complex than any he had learned before, and it mainly operated within the internal organs, requiring intricate control.
However, after the previous training, his transformed organs seemed to remember certain things he urgently needed, so even with just one lesson, he had grasped it.
He Xiaoxing said, "When we get back, I'll give you a booklet with some details you should pay attention to. But remember, whatever you learn, it's just learning. To turn it into real combat power, you'll need more battles and more opponents to help you digest it."
Chen Chuan smiled, his eyes bright with a hint of radiance, and said, "Teacher He, I think when I return this time, the one thing I won't lack is opponents."
He Xiaoxing looked at him for a moment before slowly saying, "Student Chen, that's all for now. Your training arrangements with me are concluded. You can go back now, or stay if you wish."
Chen Chuan thought for a moment and looked up at him, "Teacher He, regarding that water area, before I decide to leave, I want to try once more!"
He Xiaoxing glanced at him and nodded, "Alright."
...
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(End of Chapter)"
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