...
"Close your eyes, feel the rhythm, and try to breathe with it."
Liang Song said.
Lin Zheyu closed his eyes upon hearing this, calmed his mind, and blocked out the noise around him, as his master's breathing sound became more pronounced.
He breathed along with the rhythm, but his breathing was somewhat disordered, as he found it quite awkward to try abdominal breathing for the first time.
"Don't rush, the first attempt of Inner Breathing Skill can be quite challenging."
"Calm your mind and concentrate fully on my breathing rhythm and cadence."
Liang Song said.
He extended his palm, pressing it onto Lin Zheyu's abdomen, adjusting his muscle movements gently, with his fingertips subtly fine-tuning Zheyu's breathing rhythm.
As time passed, more than an hour elapsed.
Lin Zheyu's expression became increasingly calm, and his chest movements gradually aligned with the rhythm.
With Liang Song's guidance, his breathing also adapted to a special rhythm and cadence, and a magical sensation started to reverberate within his heart.
"Very good, that's the feeling."
"Remember this feeling, when you get used to it, practice the Wild Bull Fist with the Breathing Skill, and your efforts will yield twice the result with half the effort!"
Liang Song said softly.
Lin Zheyu learned quickly, and with his master's assistance, he grasped the basics in just over an hour.
"To grasp the foundational Breathing Skill in a little over an hour, is truly an astonishing sense."
Liang Song admired as he watched Lin Zheyu's breathing rhythm gradually improve.
Unexpectedly, in Songyi City, he would come across such a promising young talent.
...
Upon leaving Liang Song's home, it was nearly lunchtime.
Lin Zheyu wanted to invite his master for a meal outside, but Liang Song declined.
On his way back, about a mile from the courtyard, Lin Zheyu felt something was not quite right.
"Is someone following me?"
Lin Zheyu frowned slightly.
After mastering the Wild Bull Fist to an advanced level, his sensitivity had greatly improved, making him highly aware of the movements around him.
He sensed a gaze constantly fixed on him, as if a sneaky character was tailing him.
Lin Zheyu hesitated slightly but continued to walk as if nothing was amiss.
"Who is stalking me, and for what purpose?"
Lin Zheyu pondered, with various possibilities flashing through his mind.
No matter how he thought about it, he couldn't figure out who would target him.
Upon entering the inner city, he maintained a low profile and avoided conflicts with others.
Lin Zheyu turned onto another path, heading towards the bustling market.
Upon arriving at the market, Lin Zheyu browsed around, haggling prices and keeping an attentive eye, he finally identified the person tailing him.
"It's him!"
"Even after moving to the city, he's still haunting me!"
Lin Zheyu was speechless.
The sneaky individual, although slightly differently dressed than before, was unmistakably recognized by him.
Back when he lived at White Mountain District, he was robbed of food by a gang of thugs, and this man was one of the four involved.
Lin Zheyu didn't expect that even after moving to the inner city, the man would still linger around.
Do they really think he's easy to bully?
In the past, due to his weak physique and malnutrition, he'd steer clear of them.
Now with the Wild Bull Fist reaching an advanced level, his strength had soared, and he no longer feared these petty street thugs.
Such individuals, untrained in martial arts and only eager to cause trouble, Lin Zheyu confidently believed he could take on ten of them.
"It's tough to guard against a thief every day for a thousand days. I should seize an opportunity to investigate what this guy is up to."
Lin Zheyu muttered to himself.
...
After wrapping up the storytelling session, it was another day of great harvest.
Lin Zheyu received nearly three hundred wen in rewards today.
On his way home, he found himself being followed again.
Calmly returning home, Lin Zheyu quickly changed into some ordinary clothes and stealthily tailed the follower.
With his current strength, though his tracking skills weren't perfect, he managed to stay far enough that the follower couldn't detect him.
"They switched to someone else to tail me, still one of their gang."
Lin Zheyu distantly followed the person.
Reaching White Mountain District.
This place wasn't bustling like the inner city; many areas were silent and empty, with murders often going unnoticed for weeks.
The man weaved through small paths in White Mountain District, making several turns, arriving at an ordinary house.
He knocked, someone inside opened the door, and after entering, it was shut again.
"Strange, being so secretive, could they be planning something big?"
Lin Zheyu murmured, quickly following along.
These guys often loitering at the street corners chatting idly, now hiding in a house discussing matters, it seemed unusual to Lin Zheyu.
Knowing the situation involved him made him particularly concerned.
Lin Zheyu might not be a villain, but he wasn't exactly a good person either; good people struggled to survive among vagrants.
...
Dusk settled in.
Cautiously approaching the window, Lin Zheyu covered his face with a piece of black cloth.
He leaned against the window, eavesdropping on the conversation inside, hoping to figure out what they were plotting against him.
After his strength increased, Lin Zheyu's hearing became exceptionally keen.
Even if the people inside spoke softly, through the non-soundproof window, he could still distinctly hear their exchanges.
"Wen Biao, how did it go today?"
Gao Yu said to the man who just entered.
"Same old, that kid does nothing but storytelling and stays home. If he goes out for a walk, it's always to the lively places."
"And once it gets dark, he never steps out. I suppose after fleeing, he's scared and very cautious now." Yanling supplemented.
They had been tailing Lin Zheyu for over ten days, aiming to pinpoint his routine, seeking a chance to secretly attack him, avenging Shou Houzi while profiting from a theft of silver taels.
From their ten-day observation, this kid seemed quite wealthy.
Each day receiving at least two hundred wen in rewards, plus wages, exceeding three hundred wen daily income, making them all very envious.
An impoverished scholar fleeing to the city, managing such success in such a short time.
"These guys have been stalking me for so long!"
Lin Zheyu felt a chill run down his spine.
From their conversation, it was clear that they had been tailing him for a while.
If it weren't for his enhanced perception after his strength improved, he might've been caught off guard.
Luckily, he had been extremely cautious lately, never going out at night or taking secluded paths.
A person bears no ill intent towards a tiger; yet the tiger harbors malice in its heart.
Being unexpectedly targeted, Lin Zheyu found it extremely unpleasant, his eyes flashing with a hint of ruthlessness.
With a weapon in hand, murderous intent arises.
His courage also grew stronger with his increased strength.
"Oh right, Yi, I noticed that he seems to have picked up some martial arts skills from somewhere, as there are sounds of fists striking wooden stakes coming from his courtyard daily."
Wen Biao hesitated as he said, "Are we really going to make a move, against someone trained in martial arts?"
He wasn't too keen on making a move, as despite calling Shou Houzi a brother, they were merely drinking buddies. Putting himself at risk for Shou Houzi wasn't something Wen Biao was entirely willing to do.
Yet upon discovering this guy was a potential cash cow, alone and without any support, Wen Biao found himself tempted.
"What's there to fear, even if he started practicing martial arts upon coming to Songyi City, it's only been two months."
"It's good enough if he's managed to lay some foundations in those two months, what can he really achieve?" Gao Yu scoffed.
Yanling scoffed and echoed, "Exactly, Wen Biao, you're too timid."
"Since there's no chance to dispose of him, we'll sneak in at night."
"Yanling, go buy some incense sticks, stronger dosage, to knock out the dogs he's keeping in the yard."
"Wen Biao, prepare for climbing over the wall."
"In another ten days, we'll make our move, wait for the kid to earn more silver taels, hehe."
"..."