Chapter 30: Reverse Application of the "Breathing Method"

Goose Lake.

The lake was encircled by railings and embraced by weeping willows, exuding an incredibly invigorating spiritual energy.

Xu Xiaoshou hadn't just idled his way here this time. He held his sword, carefully observing his surroundings, hoping to encounter the old man with the straw hat and dark circles once more.

If he did, he intended to fulfill the vow he had made last time right there.

Unfortunately, even as the full moon climbed high into the sky, he still didn't find the old man.

Goose Lake, being such a serene place, was truly ideal for cultivation. During his wait, Xu Xiaoshou quickly assimilated the insights into swordsmanship he had gained that afternoon.

After acquiring "Sword Mastery," his perceptive talent for swordsmanship seemed to have been forcibly elevated by several levels. Moreover, at such a high level, his overall aptitude for swordsmanship appeared to be continuously improving as this passive skill's level increased.

Once he calmed his mind, he quickly grasped many insights.

For instance, he recalled his fight with Di Xin'er. At the time, her sword had appeared riddled with flaws to him, and he'd assumed her swordsmanship was simply unrefined. Now, he realized it was likely his own skill level that had already surpassed that of ordinary practitioners.

Only the single-minded... err, Zhou Tianshen, who had similarly comprehended the Post-Heaven Blade Dao, was the sole person who could exert pressure on him within these realms of artistic conception.

Xu Xiaoshou had no mentor, so he could only constantly ponder and research his sword intent on his own. The more he delved into it, the more he felt that fighting purely with sword intent seemed more rational and natural than relying on spiritual techniques.

He rubbed his head, falling into deep contemplation.

"Hmm... it must be an illusion," he mused. "After all, I only know one move from the 'White Cloud Sword Art,' so what right do I have to discuss which of these two is stronger or weaker?"

He quickly dismissed this potentially fruitful idea. If a master of the sword dao were to appear and answer his questions, perhaps he would continue his research in that direction.

However, it was clear he lacked such an opportunity.

Above his dantian, the "Cinderflame Seed" hung like a scorching sun, searing his qi sea a fiery red. In merely one day, Xu Xiaoshou's own spiritual energy had been warped almost beyond recognition.

Every time he circulated it, this scorching spiritual energy would tear through his meridians.

Even with his Innate physique, the effect was so severe. If this substance were to be placed in an ordinary person, their body would likely perish within seconds.

While his attack power had naturally increased significantly, it was a costly victory, akin to harming himself eight hundred to defeat a thousand enemies.

"'I must completely refine this thing,' he thought. 'Otherwise, even with 'Endless Vitality,' I estimate that in just a few days, my cultivation will be crippled, even if my body remains unharmed.'"

He checked his mental interface: Passive Points: 27899.

Earlier that afternoon, after his battle with Zhou Tianshen, he had used five thousand passive points to upgrade "Sword Mastery," leaving him with just over five thousand.

However, after enduring more than three hours of this internal searing, his passive points had surged by over twenty thousand. Of course, some of these points were gifts from enthusiastic spectators.

While the increase in passive points was welcome, this internal searing was excruciatingly painful. Xu Xiaoshou would rather endure a beating from a hundred people in the arena for half a day than continue suffering like this.

Moreover, he had no idea what hidden dangers this object, sitting atop his qi sea, might pose.

"'That cursed old man...' he muttered."

His mind was made up; he decided to completely refine the object tonight.

Xu Xiaoshou took out two crimson-gold pills, holding them in his hand. After a moment of thought, he directly exchanged five skill points and invested them into "Breathing Technique."

"Breathing Technique (Post-Heaven Lv.6)."

Despite leveling up five times consecutively, Xu Xiaoshou felt no discernible change.

This was perhaps the only passive skill that showed absolutely no immediate reaction upon leveling up.

Yet, upon seeing this message, he instinctively flinched. If he had to name the most terrifying skill, it was this very "Breathing Technique" that he feared the most.

He had originally intended to refrain from upgrading this technique until he reached the Innate realm, but now he had no choice. If he were to refine the "Cinderflame Seed" later and the crimson-gold pills proved insufficient to replenish his energy, he would be utterly doomed.

Furthermore, his body had developed significant drug resistance from the recent rapid consumption of pills, and the associated pleasure had markedly diminished. This was also why he dared to level up five times in one go.

With these preparations made, Xu Xiaoshou attempted for the first time to mobilize his spiritual energy and actively engage with the "Cinderflame Seed."

Hiss—

His spiritual energy surged forward, but upon encountering the "Cinderflame Seed," it instantly scorched, leaving only a faint wisp. Xu Xiaoshou seized the opportunity, using this remaining spiritual energy to draw out the essence from within the fire seed.

A searing wave rushed through him, and Xu Xiaoshou reeled as if struck by lightning. Merely drawing out a fraction of the fire seed's power had instantly ravaged his meridians.

"Endless Vitality" once again demonstrated its incredible power, instantly restoring his meridians to normal. For a moment, the crimson-gold pills he had prepared seemed unnecessary.

Blood trickled from Xu Xiaoshou's seven orifices, and he was wracked with intense pain.

Enduring the pain of his body being ravaged and instantly repaired, he refined the drawn-out power of the fire seed, thoroughly integrating it into his qi sea. He could feel his spiritual energy undergoing a qualitative transformation.

His previously ordinary spiritual energy suddenly seemed to gain a hint of fire attribute.

This was an elemental power exclusive to Innate experts, yet he had managed to grasp a trace of it while still in the Post-Heaven stage. If he could refine it completely, wouldn't he be able to contend directly with Innate experts using his Post-Heaven cultivation?

Xu Xiaoshou pondered this.

Viewed in this light, that cursed old man's original intention in making him swallow this item might actually have been benevolent. If he could truly refine the "Cinderflame Seed," his strength could indeed surge dramatically.

Xu Xiaoshou calmed himself, feeling that this refining speed was far too slow!

Refining it wisp by wisp, it would likely take at least half a month to completely wear down this fire seed.

Just half a day prior, he had been tormented to near death by this object. Yet, now that he realized he truly possessed the ability to refine it, despite the pain, Xu Xiaoshou actually began to complain about the slow refining speed.

It had to be said, this fellow possessed extraordinary courage.

He could endure the agonizing pain of this refining process, which most people would find unbearable, without uttering a sound, gritting his teeth and holding on.

"'How can I speed this up...?'"

Xu Xiaoshou touched the blood on his face, watching the plump geese playing in the water, and pondered for a long moment.

Currently, he only had one method to refine the "Cinderflame Seed": using a conventional cultivation technique. The pain would persist, and the process would be excruciatingly slow.

However, for his daily cultivation, he used the "Breathing Technique," treating it entirely as a cultivation method.

If that were the case, could he refine it using the "Breathing Technique"?

"'Breathing Technique...'"

Xu Xiaoshou murmured softly, and suddenly, an idea sparked in his mind.

In the past, he had indeed only used this basic passive skill as a cultivation method for training and healing. However, the skill description never explicitly stated it *was* a cultivation method; instead, it was simply described as a fundamental passive skill.

Perhaps it had other uses?

"'Breathing Technique...'"

"'Exhale, inhale...'"

"'Exhale...'"

Xu Xiaoshou slapped his forehead. If he were to truly interpret the skill's name literally, his past cultivation and healing had, at most, only utilized the 'inhale' aspect of the 'Breathing Technique.' He had never once actively used the 'exhale' component.

"'Since I can absorb energy into my qi sea by inhaling the essence of pills,' he thought, 'can I then use the power of exhalation to expel the energy from the 'Cinderflame Seed' out of my body?'"

Xu Xiaoshou was startled by his own daring idea but immediately felt it had high feasibility.

No sooner had the thought crossed his mind than he decided to act!

He immediately regulated his breathing, took a deep breath, then shifted his complete focus to the "Cinderflame Seed." Imagining a normal breath, yet imbued with the intention of expelling the "Cinderflame Seed," he gently exhaled.

Hiss! Hiss! Hiss!

A surging torrent of scorching energy was drawn from the "Cinderflame Seed," flowing directly up his windpipe and out through his mouth. Wherever it passed, it was like molten lava, charring and melting his flesh.

Xu Xiaoshou choked violently, spitting blood as the searing energy erupted from his mouth and nose. In that single moment, he felt as though his throat had been half-melted, and he nearly died on the spot.

However, the presence of "Endless Vitality" miraculously sustained him. He hastily picked up the crimson-gold pill in his hand and inhaled deeply.

"'What the hell!'"

The very next second after inhaling the pill, Xu Xiaoshou panicked.

He watched helplessly as the crimson-gold pill between his fingers instantly vaporized. And the large mass of pure, scorching energy he had just expelled, now surged back into his mouth and nose with his inhale.

Under the clear moonlight, on the opposite side of Goose Lake, the old man with the straw hat, perched on a willow branch, suddenly shuddered, nearly falling off.

"'Is that kid trying to get himself killed?'"

...

P.S. Confirming update schedule: Two chapters per day, posted at 12:00 PM and 7:00 PM. This will generally be the schedule moving forward. Also, please consider leaving a recommendation vote.