"Yes!"
Chu Lingguang frowned slightly. 'What does Guo Wei want to tell me in private?'
「After dinner.」
Hei Hu left with a long sigh.
Chu Lingguang went to the backyard and found Guo Wei polishing a Long Spear.
"Master, is there something you wanted to tell me?"
Chu Lingguang asked.
"Catch!"
Guo Wei tossed the Long Spear in his hands to Chu Lingguang.
Chu Lingguang reached out and caught it. He had intended to twirl the Long Spear to dissipate the force of the throw, but the momentum was far greater than he had imagined. He was forced back several steps before he could steady himself.
Seeing that Chu Lingguang hadn't fallen, a sharp glint flashed in Guo Wei's eyes.
"Block!"
He grabbed a long staff from the Soldier Landing Platform and smashed it down at Chu Lingguang.
Hearing the command "Block," Chu Lingguang instinctively raised the Long Spear to stop Guo Wei's strike.
BAM!
A powerful force traveled from the staff, down the shaft of the Long Spear, and into Chu Lingguang's arms. He felt his hands go numb, and he almost dropped the spear.
"Master, what is this?"
Chu Lingguang was confused.
"You brat! How dare you secretly learn a Breathing Technique? Who gave you the nerve?"
Guo Wei demanded.
For the past three months, Chu Lingguang had excelled with the Heavenward Force. His Qi Blood grew stronger by the day, far exceeding the rate at which a diet of meat could nourish him.
After careful observation, he had finally noticed something was amiss. Today's test confirmed it: Chu Lingguang had learned a Breathing Technique. Since he had never taught him one, there was only one possibility—Chu Lingguang had taken advantage of a moment of inattention to secretly learn his Breathing Technique.
The Great Yuan Dynasty placed great importance on revering one's master and their teachings.
One had to diligently study the Martial Arts a master taught. As for things a master had not taught, one was forbidden to watch or practice them.
For Chu Lingguang to dare learn in secret was a major taboo.
"Master, I didn't steal it."
Chu Lingguang argued.
"Still trying to argue? With your physique and talent, how could you have your current Qi Power without the aid of a Breathing Technique? Tell me, when did you steal my Breathing Technique? When did I let it slip?"
Guo Wei's Qi Blood surged as he brandished the staff, pressing Chu Lingguang for an answer.
"Master, I have indeed practiced a Breathing Technique, but I didn't steal yours. I learned it over a year ago. I sold all my fields and learned it from an old beggar. I thought he was just trying to trick me out of a couple of steamed buns, but I never expected it to actually work after I practiced it diligently for a year."
Chu Lingguang understood the root of the problem and hurriedly explained.
He had prepared this story long ago, precisely for a situation like this.
"Is that true?"
Guo Wei was already partially convinced. Chu Lingguang trained diligently day after day; he didn't seem like the type to be opportunistic or cut corners.
"If you don't believe me, Master, I can demonstrate it for you."
Chu Lingguang suggested.
"Fine."
Guo Wei retracted the staff and sat to the side, watching Chu Lingguang's Breathing and Exhaling.
He watched as Chu Lingguang held his breath inside his body before exhaling the turbid air. After this repeated a few times, Guo Wei tossed the staff back onto the Soldier Landing Platform. "I was wrong about you," he said. "However, this Breathing Technique of yours is a relatively basic Skill. If not for your personality, treating it as a lifeline and training bitterly day and night for a year, it would have been nearly impossible to see any results."
"This disciple is untalented. Even the best Cultivation Technique would take me a long time to master."
Chu Lingguang said, scratching his head.
"You and Hei Hu are both my introductory disciples. Sooner or later, I would have taught you both the Breathing Technique. The reason I haven't is not because I'm being secretive.
It's because you and Hei Hu are at a critical age for your physical development. Having you rely on a Breathing Technique to expand your Qi Blood too early would prevent you from tapping into your full potential.
But ever since you joined the Martial Arts Hall, you've trained so hard every day that your potential has already been completely drawn out. Practicing a Breathing Technique now won't have any negative impact on you."
Guo Wei said slowly.
"I understand your good intentions, Master. But after I've finished learning this Basic Breathing Technique, can I learn your Breathing Technique in the future?"
Chu Lingguang asked.
"You can. However, it's best to train a Kung Fu to its absolute limit. Switching easily is the same as giving up halfway, and it can affect your fighting spirit."
Guo Wei reminded him.
"I understand."
Chu Lingguang was overjoyed. 'The Basic Breathing Technique's value is already over eighty. Once I reach Perfection, learning Guo Wei's Breathing Technique will let me get twice the results with half the effort!'
Chu Lingguang vaguely recalled the shocking scene from his first day in the backyard, when Guo Wei had exhaled a single breath of turbid air.
Afterward, Guo Wei asked a few more questions about the old beggar, all of which Chu Lingguang managed to bluff his way through. In the end, the old beggar became, in Guo Wei's words, a pitiful man whose family had fallen on hard times, whose Qi Blood was in decay, and who had no one to rely on.
「The next morning.」
Guo Wei said to Hei Hu, "Hei Hu, starting today, I will teach you a Breathing Technique to help you improve your Qi Blood Power."
"Thank you, Master."
Hei Hu knelt and kowtowed, not expecting such a huge surprise so early in the morning.
"Remember, don't rely too much on the Breathing Technique. You must train until exhaustion each day before you practice it."
Guo Wei reminded him.
He could see that Hei Hu's morale had been affected. If he was constantly overshadowed by Chu Lingguang, he was afraid Hei Hu would lose his fighting spirit, which would in turn affect his training talent.
"Yes, Master! I will take it to heart and will never disappoint you!"
Hei Hu thanked him profusely and kowtowed several more times.
Coming from a landlord's family, he had long known that Guo Wei possessed a powerful Breathing Technique. Once his disciples mastered it, they could achieve great results in either the Daoist Examination or the Provincial Examination.
"Oh, right. Master, where's Junior Brother?"
Only after finishing his thanks did Hei Hu remember Chu Lingguang.
'Could he have taught the Breathing Technique to him yesterday?' At that thought, he felt a little disappointed.
"He doesn't need to learn it. Don't worry about him."
Guo Wei said.
"Yes, I understand."
Hei Hu was taken aback, and his gaze toward Chu Lingguang now held a hint of pity.
He thought about how no matter how hard one trained, it was no substitute for talent. Guo Wei was teaching him the Breathing Technique alone because he wanted him to inherit his mantle and had high hopes for him.
At this thought, Hei Hu shared his meat with Chu Lingguang over the next few days, hoping it would help nourish Chu Lingguang's Qi Blood.
Chu Lingguang was deeply moved. The next day, in front of both Guo Wei and Hei Hu, he lifted a two-hundred-fifty-pound Stone Lock over his head.
BAM!
The Stone Lock smashed onto the ground, and Hei Hu felt his heart tremble along with the earth.
SWOOSH!
Chu Lingguang grabbed a Long Spear and thrust it at a straw dummy. Guo Wei had told him not to hold back anymore, hoping that his strength would motivate Hei Hu.
"Junior Brother, let's spar!"
Unconvinced, Hei Hu challenged Chu Lingguang.
"Senior Brother, my Spear Technique is not as good as yours."
Chu Lingguang said earnestly. 'I've been practicing the Basic Thirteen Spear Techniques for a month, but it still hasn't been recorded by my panel. I'm starting to feel anxious.'
"Who said anything about Spear Technique? We're practicing Saber Technique."
Hei Hu tossed a long saber to Chu Lingguang, who caught it swiftly. Seeing Guo Wei nod at him, Chu Lingguang immediately crouched and executed a Moon in the Water, slashing up toward Hei Hu's groin.