Chapter Sixty-Four: The Art of Reversed Breathing

Ye Chen pushed himself up from a supine position, leaning against the headboard, and slowly closed his eyes. As he calmed his mind, he crossed the threshold in his consciousness and entered the world of awareness, standing before the mission board.

Carvings representing all manner of strange beasts, unmoving mission slips, and a gently swirling sea of gray mist surrounded him—a simplicity imbued with mystery.

“At last, I know the names of these beasts,” Ye Chen thought, immediately spotting the one that resembled the mythical Poyi among the rest.

But first, let’s see if I completed the mission... Feeling uncertain, he looked toward the mission slip, hoping for good news.

Because of his severe injuries and subsequent unconsciousness, he couldn’t be sure whether he’d heard the notification for mission completion. Nor did he know if simply damaging the briefcase and retrieving its contents counted as defeating the man in the cloak.

The instant his finger touched the mission slip, new words appeared beneath the mission description:

[Mission complete. Challenge succeeded beyond your current rank.]
[Reward: Reverse Breathing Technique]

A challenge beyond my rank?

So the cloaked man’s awakening level was higher than mine?

That meant even fighting him to a draw, or forcing him to retreat, counted as completing the mission.

Ye Chen let out a long breath. His surprise at the opponent’s strength lasted only a moment before his attention shifted to the reward.

Reverse Breathing Technique?

What kind of reversal is this?

Before he could ponder it further, the mission slip disintegrated into dust. Above the board, a new piece of beast hide appeared, its origins unknown.

Just like when I first obtained the Beast-level Breathing Technique... Ye Chen looked up as blue flames ignited the hide. He showed little surprise, calmly allowing the new knowledge to flood his mind.

In the next moment, his eyes flew open, composure giving way to shock as he muttered to himself:

“Breathing techniques are meant to steadily strengthen one’s inner essence.

“But the Reverse Breathing Technique... it actually releases the formless, colorless inner aura out of the body, condensing it into shape?”

He suddenly thought of his own Severed Blade awakening artifact... Normally, using a skill required the medium of one’s awakening artifact. But this technique lets me bypass that rule?!

“Huff... huff...” Before the mission board, Ye Chen gulped for air, struggling to calm his excitement.

After a few minutes, his breathing steadied, settling into a rhythm—the reverse of what he used when cultivating the standard technique. No beastly markings appeared on his face; it was as if they hid beneath his skin.

Within his own perception, his inner aura was now drifting outward through his mouth, nose, even every pore.

Did I succeed?

The Reverse Breathing Technique had no listed level—likely meaning it was suitable for all ranks.

But what’s the use of merely expelling inner aura?

A flurry of bold ideas flashed through Ye Chen’s mind. Driven by urgency, he began to experiment carefully.

“What I need most right now is a ranged attack. Maybe this technique can help me achieve that.”

His recent battle with the cloaked man had made his shortcomings clear. But he had no intention of becoming an archer. Instead, he would forge skills tailored to his own physical strengths.

My strength is my weapon. So I can do this...

He spread his right hand, shaping it into a claw, and drew together the invisible inner aura, which he could clearly sense.

Thread by thread, the aura swirled and twisted in the air, as if a pair of unseen hands wove something in his palm.

He pictured a diamond-shaped dart in his mind, guiding the aura to take form according to this template.

A wild hunter’s ranged attacks aren’t limited to bows and arrows. Spears, slings, throwing darts—these are all options.

Gradually, an angular dart appeared. As the aura compressed, it became faintly visible, though still semi-translucent, floating quietly above his palm.

At last, I’ve done it. Now I have an endless supply of ranged weapons. And their semi-transparent state makes them perfect for ambushes.

Ye Chen’s lips curled into an irrepressible smile. He couldn’t wait to head for the training ground.

...

Day turned to night.

Outside, darkness pressed against tightly closed windows and doors, keeping the raging winds at bay. A lamp glowed above the hospital bed, its light mingling with a faint scent of disinfectant, lending the room an air of serene comfort.

Ye Chen remained immersed in his consciousness, repeatedly practicing the formation of the diamond dart.

Now the training ground’s rapid aura recovery truly showed its worth.

From time to time, he would exit the conscious realm to check his injuries.

Deep wounds itched persistently, but Ye Chen couldn’t be bothered to scratch them—he knew the sensation meant they were healing.

Fortunately, he was still wrapped in bandages. Otherwise, if the medical staff saw the speed of his recovery, their first thought would be that Ye Chen was a Body-type awakener.

After all, the Body-type’s basic trait was extraordinary regenerative power—tough and hard to kill, if not as flashy as Elemental or Artifact-types.

The latter two, for all their brilliance and mystery, were notoriously fragile unless bolstered by special skills, like Qiao Mucao’s rubberization.

Just then, the door to the hospital room opened.

Qiao Mucao entered, carrying a bag. Seeing Ye Chen look his way, he lifted the bag and strode over.

The previously quiet ward was suddenly filled with a barrage of concern:

“How are you? Feeling better? Hungry?

“Look what I brought you! It’s almost impossible to get this in the outer city—I had a friend bring it straight from the inner city!”

Qiao Mucao proudly retrieved a fruit from the bag—a tangerine-like citrus.

But the flesh inside was astonishingly sour!

Ye Chen recognized it. In the resource-poor outer city, winter fruit was a luxury. But in the inner city, it was a different story.

They might even juice it, add sugar, pour it into a pretty cup, stick in a straw, and call it a drink.

It was said the young women adored it—one would often see them on the street, bundled in thick coats, long bare legs swinging as they walked, drink in hand, sipping as they strolled.

Sometimes they’d stop, find the perfect angle, and snap a selfie.

But Ye Chen had no interest in such frivolities at the moment. He simply peeled the fruit with his hands, crammed the large segments into his mouth, and puckered his brow at the intense sourness.

Yet after swallowing, a subtle sweetness lingered.

Ye Chen showed no restraint with Qiao Mucao—he polished off three in quick succession, then gave a satisfied burp.

“You’re looking well. With your constitution, you heal fast—youth is a wonderful thing! Thanks for your help this time!”

Before Qiao Mucao could say more, Ye Chen waved him off, “Don’t be so polite. I’ll be needing your help again soon enough!”

Of course, he was talking about help with gathering information.

“I heard you were put under a gag order? Was there something so mysterious in that box last night?”

Qiao Mucao rubbed his bald head and grinned, “The order’s a short one—maybe it’ll be lifted as soon as tomorrow.”

Ye Chen: “???”