Chapter 44: When Successful, Benefit All Under Heaven

Do you know what breathing techniques are?

Under the moonlight, Fang Shi stood on the rooftop, gripping a long sword, cold moonlight spilling over him.

Like a hermit immortal apart from the world.

Zhao Wenjun hid near the rooftop stairs and replied respectfully: “Master, I do not know.”

Fang Shi said: “In fact, breathing techniques are an internal cultivation method.”

“First, strengthen the lungs; then the heart. After gaining control over your heartbeat, the blood circulates throughout the body, placing all muscles and internal organs under stress—equivalent to an anaerobic workout.”

“In truth, this is very difficult. Most people can only strengthen their lungs and gain slight control over their heartbeat before they can progress no further.”

“It’s not that they lack talent—it’s that breathing techniques require coordinated movement exercises. Practicing breathing alone will never achieve internal cultivation.”

Zhao Wenjun listened, thoughtful: “Master, are you going to teach me movement techniques?”

Fang Shi did not answer, but asked: “What are your six attributes?”

Zhao Wenjun suddenly felt embarrassed: “My attributes are strange—all thirteen.”

“That’s fine. I don’t care about your other attributes—your Perception at thirteen is enough.”

“Master, is there some mystery behind this?”

“Don’t rush. Let me show you something.”

“Shh!”

The steel sword thrust out—a flash of light—and a diving Firewing Bird died instantly on the rooftop.

“Piercing attack activated.”

“Target received fatal damage.”

“You dealt 27.5 damage to the target.”

“Target deceased.”

“Extracting target’s soul energy. You gained 30 experience points and 3 Survival Points.”

Fang Shi slowly sheathed his sword: “Understood?”

Zhao Wenjun was deeply shaken—he had only heard rumors that Fang Shi could single-handedly kill Firewing Birds.

But those were all secondhand accounts, nothing like witnessing it firsthand.

He hadn’t even seen the attack motion—the Firewing Bird was already dead.

The gap between them was exactly like the gap between them and the Firewing Birds.

The Firewing Birds pecked at them one by one; Fang Shi slew them with one sword each.

Is this the Master’s strength?

Is this the strength gained from cultivating Fang’s Breathing Technique?

Zhao Wenjun’s heart burned hot. He had once harbored a slight resentment toward bowing to a younger man as his Master.

Now, all of it vanished—learning knows no age; the capable are the teachers.

With such strength, the Master was willing to pass on his cultivation method—it was a blessing earned over three lifetimes.

To fail to appreciate this would be to lack gratitude.

“I didn’t understand. Master’s sword was too fast—I couldn’t see it.”

“Good. Not seeing it is exactly right.”

“Huh… what do you mean by that?”

“Do you know how many strength points your Master has?”

Zhao Wenjun estimated: “Master’s strength must be at least 18 points.”

Fang Shi smiled slightly: “No. My strength is only 15 points.”

Zhao Wenjun was startled: “Is this the effect of the breathing technique?”

“Not entirely—but this is what I want to tell you: post-apocalypse breathing techniques alter the very essence of life.”

Zhao Wenjun, quick-witted, immediately grasped the key point: “Master, your explosive technique—can it only be used after cultivating the breathing technique?”

“And is the post-apocalypse breathing technique different from the pre-apocalypse one?”

Fang Shi nodded in approval—he still admired Zhao Wenjun’s intelligence.

Like any teacher, he preferred clever students who understood at once, needing no repetition.

“Correct. Even after the apocalypse, when Blue Star’s primal energy is scarce…”

“…due to its connection with another world, some of that world’s primal energy has flowed into Blue Star.”

»

“Post-apocalypse breathing techniques harness primal energy’s ability to enhance individual life forms, enabling more efficient internal cultivation.”

“In ordinary exercise, primal energy utilization is 1. In breathing techniques, it’s 10.”

“This is why breathing techniques surpass ordinary training methods.”

“Better breathing techniques require a certain level of Perception.”

“Those with high Perception can finely control every muscle, indirectly regulating the five organs and six viscera, and blood flow.”

“Thus, they can also indirectly control primal energy entering the body, inducing oscillations at specific frequencies, altering life’s essence, and drawing in external primal energy.”

“This is why I asked about your Perception.”

“If your Perception is too low, I’ll teach you the breathing technique and movement exercises now. Later, when your Perception improves, I’ll teach you the complete method.”

Fang Shi’s words resolved Zhao Wenjun’s doubts.

He thought for a moment, then gritted his teeth: “Master, can you teach me both breathing techniques?”

“Oh?” Fang Shi saw through Zhao Wenjun’s intent at once, speaking calmly: “You want to teach others.”

“Yes, Master. I want to strengthen their strength. But I’ll only teach the one requiring movement exercises.”

Zhao Wenjun spoke with trepidation, unsure whether Fang Shi would accept such a bold request.

But he had to ask—he was no Master, could not walk alone, needed allies to cooperate.

The stronger his allies, the safer he would be—and they, in turn, would be safer too.

Fang Shi shrugged: “Fine. Teach them both. I don’t mind at all.”

Honestly, Fang Shi didn’t care if the breathing technique spread.

It was the apocalypse—no need to hoard secrets. Strengthening humanity’s power was better.

Had it not been for the soul contract’s restrictions, he would have spread it himself long ago.

Fang Shi wasn’t afraid others would use the breathing technique to threaten him.

His strength wasn’t built on just one breathing technique.

“Then, I’ll begin teaching you Fang’s Breathing Technique.”

“As for my special power technique, I’ll teach it after you alter your life’s essence.”

…

The next morning, energetic and alert, Zhao Wenjun led a group of followers to wait respectfully outside Fang Shi’s door.

Last night—or rather, this early morning—Fang Shi had hunted until the Firewing Birds dared not appear again.

Zhao Wenjun had stayed with him the whole time.

Yet due to cultivating the breathing technique, Zhao Wenjun felt no fatigue at all.

Though he hadn’t yet entered the realm, with the aid of numerous energy cores, he had absorbed vast amounts of primal energy.

Yes—numerous.

Fang Shi had handed all the dissection tasks entirely to Zhao Wenjun.

He had also plainly stated he didn’t need them, and Zhao Wenjun could keep them all.

“Listen well. When Master wakes, those among you with high attributes will follow me to explore with him.”

“The rest will continue processing the Firewing Bird corpses, eat more meat, train harder, and raise your physical attributes as quickly as possible.”

“Anyone who doesn’t appreciate this perfect start and dares to slack off—tomorrow, you’ll all go exploring.”

“I believe that under Master’s leadership, we will rebuild human civilization.”

After Zhao Wenjun finished speaking, his subordinates began clapping.

Xiao Xi and Zhai Yan were among them now, also his followers.

But Xiao Xi looked at Zhao Wenjun with envy.

Last night, Luo Bowen spread the news that Zhao Wenjun had become Fang Shi’s disciple.

Everyone was envious. Those who had survived the apocalypse understood.

In the apocalypse, everything else was illusion—only strength was real.

Without strength, you couldn’t even take a single step—you couldn’t even leave the door.

They all guessed that before the apocalypse, Fang Shi must have trained in martial arts.

And that he studied authentic Chinese martial arts, hence his power.

After all, Chinese martial arts carried a mystique in the hearts of the Chinese people—many believed they could produce superhumans.

If Fang Shi knew their thoughts, he would have laughed heartily.

Chinese martial arts were wondrous, and Fang’s Breathing Technique had its roots in them.

But they could never surpass human limits, never grant Fang Shi’s current reaction speed and Perception.

Nor could they produce Double Force.

Anything surpassing human limits was created after the apocalypse.

In the minds of Zhao Wenjun’s followers, Zhao Wenjun, having received Fang Shi’s legacy, would soar to unimaginable heights.

Unfortunately, they didn’t know that Zhao Wenjun had already planned to teach everyone the so-called inheritance.

If he hadn’t still been unable to master it himself, and didn’t want to mislead others, he would have passed it on long ago.

"Zhai Yan, why won't Master Fang take me as his disciple?" Xiao Xi whispered to Zhai Yan, his voice tinged with grievance.

Since Fang Shi declared his name was Fang Shi, everyone now knew Fang Shi’s name.

But they couldn’t just call him by his given name—that would be too impolite.

Yet for a while, no one knew what title to use.

Until someone suggested that “Fang Shi” was the ancient term for Daoist Priest, and it wasn’t strange for a Daoist Priest to know martial arts.

Fang Shi’s name was Fang Shi; he was very likely a Daoist Priest, so addressing him as Daozhang was perfectly appropriate.

Zhai Yan had some suspicions, but didn’t want to embarrass Xiao Xi: “Perhaps Daozhang’s inheritance is for Yang Dao, not Yin Dao.”

But Xiao Xi still couldn’t understand—why was it that he arrived first, yet this happened?

…

Inside the room, Fang Shi had already risen.

He was still performing his morning exercises, cultivating the Fang Family Breathing Method.

This was Fang Shi’s habit, ingrained into his instinct.

Although acquiring a powerful specialization early would immediately boost combat power,

the Breathing Method affected the enhancement of base attributes, and base attributes were the foundation of everything—too vital to abandon lightly.

No matter how much time was invested, it was worth it.

As long as the Breathing Method advanced further, his Strength, Constitution, and Agility would each gain a +1 transformation.

As for the commotion outside, Fang Shi perceived it clearly.

Even Xiao Xi’s quiet muttering reached him distinctly.

He was very satisfied with Zhao Wenjun’s conduct.

Fang Shi took Zhao Wenjun as his disciple not only to secretly transmit the Breathing Method,

but also to bring the future Ancheng Gathering under his own influence.

Zhao Wenjun would be the agent of this influence.

Taking him as a disciple was a way to cement this relationship—as long as Zhao Wenjun wasn’t heartless or ungrateful.

The Ancheng Gathering would always assist Fang Shi.

And now was Zhao Wenjun’s first step toward building his influence.

Under Fang Shi’s guidance, his influence would expand further.

He would establish the Ancheng Gathering faster than before his rebirth.

“When poor, cultivate oneself; when prosperous, benefit all under heaven.”

Fang Shi gazed at his own flawless hands, brimming with explosive power.

When I can kill Firewing Birds at will, have I already achieved prosperity?

No, it’s not enough!

I will grow stronger—strong enough to end the apocalypse.