Starting as dockworkers, they swept through Chongqing.

Click click.

That was the sound of joints rubbing together under heavy pressure.

"Now!"

Renn suddenly shouted.

"Coordinate with your breathing; at the moment of exhalation, forcefully slam your fists downwards while simultaneously jerking your spine!"

"You have to channel this energy like cracking a whip, right to your fingertips!"

"It's like a powerful stroke of a steam engine piston!"

Xilun suddenly opened his eyes.

The exhaust gas in my lungs gushed out like a burst dam, gushing out of my throat.

"ha!"

He slammed his fists down.

The great dragon of the spine shuddered violently.

A surge of heat rushed down my spine to my limbs and bones.

Although it didn't have the terrifying effect of air distortion like in Raine, Siren clearly felt that his blood flow accelerated in that instant.

My heart felt like it had been squeezed tightly by a giant hand, and then it pounded violently.

Boom!Boom!Boom!

"Keep going! Don't stop!"

Renn surveyed the room coldly. "One breath is one cycle. Inhale to gather strength, exhale to unleash it. Treat your bodies like machines; breathing is the fuel!"

In just ten minutes.

Xilun felt as if his legs were filled with lead, every muscle screaming, sweat streaming down his forehead and into his eyes, stinging painfully.

This is more tiring than carrying goods at the dock all day.

That kind of tiredness is not just muscle soreness, but also a feeling of emptiness that seeps into your bones.

"teacher……"

In the front row, a dark-skinned, lean young man finally couldn't hold back any longer.

His legs were shaking and his voice was trembling.

"So... how long can you stand like that? How long does it take to master it in one session?"

Raine stopped and stared at him coldly.

"time?"

Ryan pointed to his lower abdomen.

"The important thing is to guide the energy, to bring it into your body through your breath; it's a warm current, a rat that can scurry around inside your body."

"Developing strength means that one breath is more effective than ten breaths for someone else. If you don't develop it, even if you break your legs, you'll just be a wooden stake that gets beaten."

After speaking, he swept his gaze across the crowd, his eyes sharp as knives.

"It's normal to be tired."

"Once you've developed your first breath of strength, which nourishes your body, you won't feel tired anymore."

Renn paused, his tone softening slightly, but still more ruthless.

"Those with good talent can feel the heat flow in three to five days. Those without talent will find it difficult to even get the hang of it in ten days to half a month."

Xilun gritted his teeth and remained silent.

He felt sweat trickling down his back and into his waistband, feeling sticky and uncomfortable.

Inhale.

Exhale.

The spine trembled, like a bowstring snapping.

Once, twice, three times...

Until the noon bell rang.

Clang—clang—clang—

"Alright, that's all for this morning."

Raine's indifferent voice rang out.

At that moment, a series of "thumps" echoed in the training room.

At least half of the people collapsed to the ground, like mollusks whose bones had been removed.

Xiren also felt his legs go weak, but he braced himself against his knees and did not fall.

It's lunchtime now.

The cafeteria is on the first floor.

It was more like a long, narrow distribution station than a canteen.

Each person had a lunch in front of them: a half-pound loaf of dark bread, a plate of offal, a bowl of vegetable soup, and a large bowl of stew with onions, potatoes, and carrots.

Xiren noticed that everyone's eyes were fixed on the thumb-sized glass bottle next to the plate.

The bottle contained a pale blue liquid that refracted a hazy glow under the gaslight.

This is the legendary "secret medicine".

It's also the most valuable part of the ten-pound tuition fee.

Xilun, carrying his tray, found a corner to sit down.

He felt his hands trembling, and he didn't even have the strength to hold a spoon.

All around me were the sounds of people swallowing saliva.

Xilen picked up the glass bottle and uncorked it.

A faint minty scent wafted out.

He tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp. The liquid slid down his throat, icy cold and slightly bitter.

But next second.

boom!

The icy liquid exploded instantly in my stomach, turning into a scalding fire.

The heat spread along the stomach wall and quickly rushed to the limbs and bones.

The muscles that were originally sore and screaming felt like parched land being nourished by rain after being washed by this heat.

That deep-seated fatigue is fading at an astonishing rate.

"call……"

Xilun let out a long breath, a look of relaxation appearing on his face.

Is this just a corner of the extraordinary world?

Even basic medicines have this miraculous effect.

No wonder nobles and wealthy merchants would go to great lengths to pursue extraordinary power, even at the cost of their entire fortunes.

This feeling of control over the body and pushing beyond limits is truly captivating.

Once the heat flow subsided slightly, Xilun immediately focused his attention.

"Crimson".

He meditated in his heart.

The air ahead of me seemed to distort slightly.

The semi-transparent panel that only he could see reappeared.

Name: Xilun

Age: 18

[Skill: Heavy Object Lifting (Expert)]

Progress: (0/1000)

【Characteristics: Stable arms, deep breathing, fatigue resistant, possesses the brute strength to single-handedly carry a medium-sized anchor (Note: a medium-sized anchor weighs approximately 136~227kg)】

[Talent: None]

Xilun's gaze swept across the panel several times.

The skill list does not contain any terms such as "breathing technique" or "Iron Wall Breathing Technique".

There isn't even a grayed-out "Introduction" section.

He hasn't yet grasped that so-called "qi sensation".

"As expected, it's not that easy."

Xilun clenched his fist, feeling the power gradually returning to his body.

Although somewhat disappointed, he was not discouraged.

This is only the first day.

As lunchtime ended, the crowd in the cafeteria dispersed like the receding tide.

Xilun sat in the corner, his fingers unconsciously stroking the rough tabletop.

The blue liquid called "Secret Medicine" was indeed miraculous, like an invisible hand soothing every tear in the muscle fibers. The soreness subsided, replaced by a vibrant lightness.

But this lightness cannot conceal another, more primal kind of lack.

hungry.

The stomach, like a sponge that has been squeezed dry, is frantically secreting acid, trying to digest food that doesn't exist.

That half-pound loaf of dark bread and vegetable soup was barely enough to feed a grown man whose body had just been subjected to extreme stress.

Xilen put his hand into his pocket.

My fingertips touched a few cold coins.

Six pence.

This was all the possessions he had left after paying the huge sum of ten pounds.

"Hey! Listen up, guys!"

A loud voice pierced the silence of the rest area.

Xilun raised his eyelids.

In the center of the crowd stood a dark-skinned young man. He wore a faded linen shirt with the cuffs rolled up to his elbows, revealing his lean but muscular forearms.

That face wore a smile that was unique to the lower-town area and extremely infectious.

Kanavi, Siren remembers hearing that name during roll call.

"White Sulun brand goat milk! Pure and fresh!"

Kanavi held up a tin can and slapped it hard, making a crisp sound.

"I know what everyone's worried about. Practicing breathing techniques really takes a toll on your foundation. How can the food in the cafeteria be enough? This stuff is rich in protein and dairy fat; it's the kind of good supplements those aristocratic gentlemen give their children!"