Chapter 15: Mysterious Breathing Technique

This breathing technique had an unusual, complex rhythm, sometimes deep and heavy, at other times faint, and constantly changing in speed.

Despite Chu Feng's intelligence, he initially struggled to adapt. Several times, as he tried to match the fluctuating heavy and light breaths, he choked and coughed violently, as if he had swallowed water.

The golden calf opened its eyes, saw the scene, and immediately broke into a wide grin, laughing uncontrollably.

"What are you laughing at!" Chu Feng glared at the calf. He could now fully understand Zhou Quan's frustration; being mocked by a mere calf indeed made him want to hit it.

The morning glow was brilliant and vibrant. The golden calf sat steadily, taking in the essence of the air. A fragrant white mist emanated from its mouth and nose as it breathed.

As it continued to breathe, the pristine white mist moved in and out of its nostrils and mouth, blending with the morning light as if gathering the essence of the sun and moon.

While performing this unique breathing, its body shimmered with an extraordinary radiance, looking as if it were cast from pure gold.

"Moo!" With a low rumble, a blast of white mist erupted from its mouth and nose, crackling in the air like distant thunder. The sound was deafening and astonishing.

The abrupt sound startled Chu Feng. He imagined that if that white mist were to hit a person, they would likely be sent flying, and he couldn't even guess if their body would remain intact.

"That powerful?!" Chu Feng was amazed that a mere breath exhaled by the golden calf could possess such destructive force.

"Can I learn this breathing technique?" His eyes burned with intense desire and longing.

The golden calf looked triumphant, holding its head high with an air of immense confidence and pride.

Chu Feng instinctively sensed an extraordinary level of pride in the calf regarding the breathing technique it practiced. He felt it must be something truly remarkable.

"Does this breathing technique have a significant origin?" Chu Feng asked. He reasoned that a mere meter-tall calf couldn't possibly have developed such a skill on its own.

The golden calf instantly became agitated, adopting an extremely wary posture.

Chu Feng was surprised. Could it be even more mysterious than he had imagined, so much so that the calf was hesitant to even speak of it?

"Can I learn it from you?" he asked, filled with hope.

He harbored a hidden worry and hoped to be able to protect himself in the future.

All regions were undergoing drastic changes, with various anomalies appearing. Some humans were mutating, acquiring supernatural abilities. No one could say for certain what the future held.

It was plausible that, besides humans, other species were also evolving—for instance, the colossal vine suspended in the sky that had pulled down a satellite.

From now on, danger would be ubiquitous.

Moreover, in famous mountain ranges and rivers, such as the depths of the Taihang Mountains, hundreds of towering peaks had inexplicably appeared, accompanied by ferocious birds and monstrous beasts.

And all of this might only be the tip of the iceberg!

Consequently, Chu Feng felt an urgent need to protect himself and survive amidst these continuous global changes. The golden calf, with its mysterious abilities, offered him a glimmer of hope.

The golden calf seemed conflicted, remaining motionless as it sat, apparently deep in thought.

"You know, I've seen the unusual little tree on Bronze Mountain; I can take you to find it later," Chu Feng said with a tempting smile, then added, "That is, if I survive."

"Moo!" The golden calf let out a low growl, as if making a decision, and then nodded solemnly.

Chu Feng was delighted, surprised by how smoothly things had progressed.

He had genuinely feared the golden calf would act stubborn and ignore him entirely.

The golden calf pointed a front hoof toward the sun, then motioned for Chu Feng to do as it did: face east, towards the morning glow, and begin the unusual breathing technique.

Chu Feng was a fast learner, and this instance was no exception. He diligently mimicked the calf's breathing rhythm, sometimes heavy and at other times faint and silent, appearing to do it quite well.

To an outside observer, his imitation would have seemed quite accurate and well-executed.

However, Chu Feng felt no comfort whatsoever. Several times, he nearly choked, feeling a stifling sensation in his chest and a growing light-headedness.

This was clearly abnormal because he observed the golden calf emitting comfortable snores as it breathed, eyes closed, nearly falling asleep, and even exuding a subtle fragrance.

It was truly remarkable that a mere calf, simply by breathing in this manner, naturally exuded a clear fragrance.

Chu Feng frowned and stopped. He realized a serious problem: this breathing technique, while perhaps extraordinary, might not be suitable for humans.

The golden calf sensed his pause, opened its eyes, and looked at him with a puzzled expression, as if asking why he had stopped.

Chu Feng was straightforward: "I'm a little concerned whether humans can adapt to this breathing rhythm."

To his surprise, the golden calf nodded without hesitation, giving him a very definite affirmative answer.

This astonished Chu Feng. He pressed for confirmation, asking, "Are you absolutely sure there's no problem? What kind of breathing technique is this, and can other races perform it too?"

With an arrogant air, the golden calf grinned and held its head high as it indicated the technique, seemingly consumed by extreme self-importance. Its posture clearly implied it considered this the supreme breathing method in the world.

"A truly remarkable breathing technique?" Chu Feng asked, still skeptical.

The golden calf sat with its front hooves raised, one pointing towards the sky and the other towards the ground, continuously uttering, "Moo, moo, moo..."

"Alright, alright, I understand. You're the most supreme being in heaven and earth," Chu Feng quickly interjected, fearing it might start to moo out a Buddhist scripture.

He sat down and tried again, matching the golden calf's breathing rhythm. However, the effect remained minimal; he felt no wondrous sensation.

Chu Feng persisted, refusing to give up.

Despite the complexity and unusual rhythm of the breathing technique, he managed to memorize it perfectly. Yet, it still had no effect.

Then, quite suddenly, a thunderous sound resonated. The calf, completely absorbed in its breathing, let out a deafening "moo" that seemed to contain a strange power.

At that moment, everything in the vicinity seemed to resonate with the sound.

A faint, clear fragrance permeated the air, and a cloud of pristine white mist enveloped the area, accompanied by continuous rumbling.

Chu Feng felt his ears ringing, and then his own body seemed to resonate. He couldn't hear any other sounds; only a single breathing rhythm filled his ears.

It was the golden calf's breathing rhythm, precise to the utmost degree.

What he had mimicked earlier was merely the outer form; only now did he perceive its inner "spirit."

He even heard the sound of blood flowing within the golden calf's body, harmonizing with its breathing rhythm. It was this unified action, he realized, that gave the technique its extraordinary power.

Chu Feng finally understood. He had learned the form first, and now he had gained the "spirit" of the technique!

The "spirit" of the breathing technique was imparted to him by the golden calf through a very special, almost secret, method. Without it, simply mastering the "form" would have been useless.

The "moo," the thunder, and the white mist all appeared simultaneously, carrying the essence of the technique. He finally perceived it clearly, thus receiving the full inheritance.

Chu Feng opened his eyes. The white mist had dissipated, reabsorbing into the golden calf's body. He nodded solemnly, expressing his gratitude.

He then calmly began practicing the breathing technique, and everything changed. It had an immediate effect. Facing the rising sun, he could feel a surge of vibrant life essence with each breath.

That morning, he felt an unprecedented sense of relaxation and comfort. All his pores opened, and a warm current coursed through his body.

Gradually, Chu Feng became motionless, fully immersing himself in the practice. As the golden morning light fell upon him, his face took on a faint golden sheen.

The golden calf's mouth parted slightly in surprise, and it stared at him for a prolonged moment.

When Chu Feng next opened his eyes, the sun was already high in the sky. He felt invigorated and brimming with strength. Even though he had only slept for two or three hours, he felt better than ever before.

"This is truly remarkable!" Chu Feng exclaimed.

He felt incredibly comfortable. Every movement was powerful and dynamic, his body now possessing a subtle, translucent glow. He was brimming with vitality, as if he had an inexhaustible supply of energy.

He wanted to continue, finding the practice to be an enjoyable experience.

However, the golden calf stopped him, signaling that he had done enough.

"Just a short period of this breathing technique each day is sufficient?" Chu Feng asked, surprised.

The golden calf nodded.

This was quite unexpected for Chu Feng.

Afterwards, Chu Feng cleaned the house he hadn't used in a long time, then went out for a substantial grocery run.

The supermarkets were surprisingly sparse. He visited several places, doing his best to gather enough essential supplies to last for some time.

Clearly, recent reports had incited widespread panic, nearly emptying out all major retail stores.

"Fatty Zhou was right; I should give you a name. Otherwise, what do I call you normally?" Chu Feng considered asking the golden calf its original name, but it only mooed a few times, making it impossible to understand.

"Actually, 'Bull Demon King' isn't a bad name," he suggested.

However, the moment it was mentioned, the golden calf immediately displayed disdain. It evidently found the 'fatty' to be idiotic and had no desire for a name he concocted.

Left without options, Chu Feng simply rattled off a few names. To his surprise, the golden calf took a liking to "Yellow Ox," a name he uttered completely by chance.

Chu Feng was taken aback, opening his mouth to object, but the golden calf had already settled on the name.

Chu Feng's expression became peculiar. He wondered what "Fatty" Zhou's reaction would be next time they met. He had put so much effort into giving the golden calf an imposing name like 'Bull Demon King,' only for it to reject it in favor of 'Yellow Ox.'

"How about we pick a different one?" Chu Feng tried to reason with it.

"Moo!" Yellow Ox glared, clearly displeased.

Its entire body was golden, a source of apparent pride. Chu Feng wondered if there was a hidden reason for its preference, perhaps a "golden bloodline" that made it particularly fond of the name "Yellow Ox."

At noon, Chu Feng prepared some fresh grass, pears, and apples for Yellow Ox. He also ate a simple meal himself.

Afterwards, he carefully produced a three-inch-tall, square stone box. It appeared ancient and unremarkable.

Upon seeing the stone box, Yellow Ox's eyes glinted with an unusual expression, and it quietly crept closer.

"Don't move! You absolutely must not eat this!" Chu Feng warned.

Yellow Ox stared at the three seeds—one dark, one flattened, and one shriveled—and instantly displayed a look of profound disdain.

"Don't underestimate them; I tell you, these are no ordinary seeds," Chu Feng said, deliberately sounding mysterious.

He knew that the more mysterious he made them sound, the less likely Yellow Ox was to pay them any mind. Otherwise, he genuinely feared it might just gobble them all up.

"Moo!" Yellow Ox shook its head and grinned mockingly.

Chu Feng began digging in the courtyard. "I'll tell you," he said, "with this first seed, I plan to grow the Queen Mother of the West; with the second, the Mysterious Lady of the Nine Heavens. As for the third, let me think about it a little longer."