Douluo: A Century-old Legend I Am the Second Uncle Chenxin

Chapter 1865 A Gift of Breathing Techniques to Ma Liang
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Chen Xiaojun slowly composed himself, opened his eyes, and was enveloped in the dim light of the quiet room. Only the Seven Killings Sword of the Underworld on his lap emitted a faint blue light, reflecting the deep depth in his eyes.

I felt slightly tired, but my mind was unusually clear.

He stood up, stretched his slightly stiff muscles, pushed open the heavy stone door, and walked towards the courtyard.

Sure enough, before we even got close, we could hear faint conversations and a few hearty laughs.

Turning a corner, the courtyard came into view.

Zhu Wuneng's burly body occupied most of the stone bench, Dugu Fu leaned against it, Ma Liang was gesturing something, Qiu Qingquan, An Mingyuan, and Yuan Run were also there, and the group sat around a sturdy stone table.

Scattered on the table were some dried fruit shells and a few simple side dishes. The most eye-catching item was a rough-looking, dark brown earthenware wine bottle, and the wine in each person's glass, which had a strange amber color.

The color appeared exceptionally warm under the soul-guiding light, faintly exuding a unique aroma of herbs and minerals.

Chen Xiaojun strode over, his footsteps startling them.

"Young Master!" Zhu Wuneng was the first to see him and grinned.

"Sixth Brother!" Ma Liang stopped talking and greeted him with a smile.

Qiu Qingquan, An Mingyuan, and others also stood up or nodded in greeting.

Chen Xiaojun's gaze fell on the wine bottle and the amber-colored liquid, and he asked, "What kind of wine is this?"

Qiu Qingquan picked up his cup and swirled it, explaining, "This is rock marrow wine. The ground around Tieyabao is damp and humid, with a lot of miasma. The locals brew it by mixing the roots and stems of moss buried deep underground, shade-tolerant dendrobium flowers, and several kinds of underground fungi that can dispel dampness and warm the body with rye. It's not particularly strong, but it makes your stomach feel warm after drinking it, and it can dispel cold and dampness. It's a staple for them."

He pointed to the liquid, "Look, this color comes from the roots and fungi that were soaked in it."

"Young Master, have you finished meditating?" Zhu Wuneng put down his wine cup, casually took out an exquisite silver pocket watch from his pocket, opened the lid with a "click," looked at it, and exclaimed in surprise, "Wow! It's been almost two hours!"

Chen Xiaojun was slightly taken aback: "Two hours already?"

Dugu Fu chimed in, "That's right! Xiao San has been waiting for you for a long time, but seeing that the young master is deep in thought, she didn't dare to disturb him."

Ma Liang quickly waved his hand: "It's alright, Sixth Brother, you should focus on your meditation. I saw that you were in a deep state and your breathing was steady, so I didn't call you."

Chen Xiaojun nodded, with a hint of apology: "Yes, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."

He walked to an empty seat at the table, picked up an empty cup, and Zhu Wuneng poured him half a cup of rock marrow wine.

Then, Zhu Wuneng got up, walked to a large bamboo food basket covered with a thick white cotton cloth, lifted the cloth, and a warm aroma mixed with grains and meat wafted out.

He deftly brought out several steaming dishes from inside: a plate of stewed meat with a rich, dark brown sauce, a plate of stir-fried, unidentified underground vegetables, and several thick, golden-brown flatbreads (mo) with charred edges.

He placed the food in front of Chen Xiaojun and pushed a small dish of sauce over to him.

"Young Master, the food I left for you has been kept warm in a food box wrapped in cotton cloth. I was worried that the rice would get stale and not taste good, so I asked Uncle Gu and the others to leave a few freshly baked stone buns. They're fragrant and filling, and they go perfectly with this stewed meat and pickles." Zhu Wuneng grinned. He knew that Chen Xiaojun preferred rice, but in this underground environment, hot and substantial buns were more practical.

Chen Xiaojun smiled and said, "You've worked hard, Wuneng."

He was a southerner in his previous life and did indeed prefer rice, but after years of traveling, he had long since gotten used to the northern-style steamed buns and breads. He picked up a still warm bun, which was fluffy to the touch. He broke it open to reveal the slightly yellow and soft interior, stuffed a large piece of stewed meat inside, dipped it heavily in the sauce, and took a big bite.

The aroma of meat, wheat, and soy sauce explodes in your mouth—it's incredibly delicious!
Uncle Mai's cooking skills are indeed superb.

He chewed contentedly and mumbled to the others, "I'll eat mine, you guys chat."

He was indeed hungry; the meditation had been very taxing, and the hot meal was just in time.

Zhu Wuneng poured himself another cup of rock marrow wine, but instead of starting a conversation, he reminded him, "No rush, wait until you finish eating, it won't make a difference. By the way,"

He looked at Chen Xiaojun, "Young Master, didn't you send Xiao San to find you? Is something wrong?"

Chen Xiaojun hummed in agreement, swallowed the food in his mouth, put down his chopsticks, and wiped his right hand on his storage soul tool.

A flash of light appeared, and a book with an antique-looking, deep red cover appeared in his hands.

On the cover, five bold, powerful characters stand out prominently: "The Breathing Technique of Flame"!
He gently pushed the book in front of Ma Liang.

Ma Liang was stunned, his eyes widening instantly.

Breathing technique! Of course he knew what that was!
Zhu Wuneng, Dugu Fu, Qiu Qingquan, An Mingyuan, Yuan Run and others... these followers or clan members of Chen Xiaojun almost all possess this precious secret technique, which is different from the Soul Master system but can greatly enhance basic combat power and expand combat methods!

Its value is priceless in the Douluo Continent!
But who is he? He is Ma Liang, a member of the Ma family of the Nine Heavens Rainbow Phoenix Sect!

Although he chose to follow Chen Xiaojun and go through trials and tribulations together due to various reasons and shared interests, he was ultimately a descendant of the Ma family.

Such a precious secret technique...

"Sixth Brother... this?" Ma Liang's fingers curled up subconsciously, his eyes filled with shock, longing, but even more so with hesitation and helplessness.

Chen Xiaojun picked up the steamed bun and took another bite: "You've been calling me Sixth Brother for so long, and you've been through thick and thin with me and everyone else several times. I told your Second Uncle back then that I would treat you as a brother, so there's no need for pretense of politeness between us."

He paused, looked into Ma Liang's eyes, and said seriously, "Look at the rest of them, they all have breathing techniques. I can't leave you behind. Here, take it."

Zhu Wuneng chimed in from the side, his tone matter-of-fact: "Yeah, Xiao San, what are you standing there for? The Flame Breathing Technique is perfect for your Nine Heavens Rainbow Phoenix Martial Soul! Your phoenix flames paired with this breathing technique, just thinking about it is awesome!"

Dugu Fu also smiled and nodded.

Ma Liang was almost overflowing with emotion and excitement, but he still had a slight concern. He lowered his voice and said, "Sixth Brother... I'm not following you for this... it's just... this breathing technique is too precious, what about your family elders..."

Dugu Fu chuckled and patted Ma Liang on the shoulder: "Little San, you're usually quite sharp-witted, where did it go this time? Since the young master can take it out and give it to you personally, it must be safe. When has the young master ever made a mistake?"

Chen Xiaojun picked up his wine cup, took a sip of the warm and slightly spicy rock marrow wine, and felt the warm current slide into his stomach to dispel the chill before slowly saying, "It's alright. The family has its own considerations. You are not the first person to obtain the family's external breathing technique, nor will you be the last."

His gaze turned serious as he stared at Ma Liang, saying each word clearly, "However, the rules cannot be broken. Without my permission, you must not pass this on to a third person, including your closest relatives, understand?"

Ma Liang stiffened, straightened his back, and solemnly picked up the deep red book, "The Breathing Technique of Flame," with both hands. He nodded emphatically, "Sixth Brother, rest assured! I, Ma Liang, swear on my martial spirit and my life that this secret technique will never be passed on to anyone! If I break this oath, may my soul and body be annihilated!"

Seeing his solemn expression, Chen Xiaojun smiled gently and said, "Alright. I believe you."

(End of this chapter)