After enjoying another round of training and care, Yunchuan followed the same routine as the day before—rising, brushing his teeth, washing up, and preparing for the day.
Just like yesterday, Bibi Dong carried him in her arms and flew through the dawn skies toward the training grounds. Breakfast was skipped this time—he was still full of energy, or rather, sustained by what he jokingly considered a "source of vitality" far more nourishing than food.
Today's session was the same: run a full lap along the enormous training path while wearing a weighted vest that easily exceeded several hundred jin. Bibi Dong stood once again at the start and finish line, quietly waiting for him to complete the circuit.
But unlike the day before, Yunchuan's mindset—his spirit, even his body—had transformed. There was no reluctance in his eyes. No resistance in his heart.
This time, as his feet touched the ground and the rhythm began, there was steadiness in his breath—and purpose in every step.
The moment he began to run, the mysterious rune etched between his brows stirred once again. Just like yesterday, it radiated strange pulses that softly guided his every movement—how to breathe efficiently, how to set his stride, how to regulate the flow of his energy.
It was as if everything—his blood, his bones, his soul power—was being artfully set into motion.
That sense of full-body coordination returned, lifting him into a trance where every part of him moved in perfect concert, beyond conscious intent.
Once again, Yunchuan sank into a state of selfless immersion. He memorized every sensation attentively, trying to imprint the feeling of complete control deep into muscle memory. He strongly believed that if he could enter this state at will, it would multiply his combat power many times over.
Everyone had strength—but if they couldn't control most of it, it barely mattered. A person with full control over ten percent of their strength was already stronger than most. But someone who could unleash one hundred percent with precision? That was peak mastery.
That was invincibility at the same level—and the key to defeating those beyond it.
But it was easier said than done. Yunchuan knew that fully mastering this state, invoking it at any time without the help of the rune… would require perseverance. Possibly years of disciplined training.
Time passed quietly as he ran.
Eventually, the figure of Bibi Dong appeared in the distance.
As before, her silhouette jolted him out of the trance. Breath returned to normal. Thoughts cleared. He realized quickly that something had improved—unlike yesterday, he wasn't about to collapse from exhaustion. He was tired, sore, yes—but not overwhelmed.
He let the strange state fade gently, and as it dissolved, he felt a familiar regret. Without it, his body returned to its clumsier, imbalanced self. But this time… he could linger in the descent, slow it with mindfulness.
Still, as the feeling left him, soreness struck his limbs like a wave.
Pain. Tightness. Fatigue.
He slowed to a walk.
Each step now heavy and deliberate, he finally trudged to where Bibi Dong waited.
He was gasping, drenched in sweat, unable to speak.
Seeing how pale and shaky he looked, Bibi Dong didn't hesitate. She stepped forward and caught him wordlessly in her arms, ignoring the sweat. Her expression was gentle but full of heartache.
Without a word, she took off into the air.
The wind rushed past them. Yunchuan, completely drained, simply rested his head on her shoulder, his eyelids growing heavy.
Before long, the wind faded, and they landed.
Yunchuan didn't even need to open his eyes—he could already smell the rich herbal fragrance in the air.
They were back at Chrysanthemum Douluo's residence.
Half conscious, he sank further into Bibi Dong's arms, outlining the familiar journey with his senses.
Through the door.
Carried across stone floors.
Hands lifting his sweat-drenched clothes.
Warm, rippling liquid.
A long, relieved sigh escaped his lips as he was gently lowered into the bath.
The comfort of it was immediate.
That faint fragrance… the tingle of warmth seeping into his skin… Every cell in his body began to stretch and breathe.
Then, right on cue, the rune in his brow glowed faintly once more.
A wave of strange sensation swept through him. Instinctively, he began to breathe in rhythm with its pulses.
Inhale. Exhale.
Slowly and naturally, his own blood and soul energy followed, flowing through his meridians like revitalized rivers.
This breath—intuitive and synchronized with body and spirit—brought everything into resonance.
Muscles. Tendons. Bone. Blood.
All humming together like tuned strings.
Yunchuan felt like a dry sponge, suddenly dropped into water. He absorbed the bath's essence rapidly, almost greedily. The soreness faded, the tightness unraveled. He could feel his body not just being healed—but refined.
Only now did he realize just how critical this rune had been.
Yes, his high-quality herb bath and his natural talent helped. But without the rune, none of this would have worked so efficiently. Even yesterday, while asleep, he had likely activated this guided breathing unconsciously. That alone explained how he recovered so quickly overnight.
If not for the rune's guidance, he would've likely woken up sore and aching—even with medicinal help.
After all, Chrysanthemum Douluo's medicine was top-tier without question. But the body could only absorb so much at once. The rest usually just... lingered in the water, wasted.
And even the absorbed energy had a delay. It took time to settle, to manifest recovery.
But the rune... the rune made that entire process instantaneous.
It turned his body into an efficient, focused vessel for healing.
Other people, with equal talent and medicine, could never catch up without this advantage.
Now he truly understood: this rune wasn't just a tool—it was a teacher.
One that didn't speak. One that didn't explain.
But at every critical moment, it corrected his path—gently, silently, and perfectly.
It might look humble compared to the flashy powers or god-tier systems in that prize wheel's high-grade section...
But for where he was right now?
This little rune was everything.
(End of Chapter)