"Close your eyes, feel the rhythm, and try to follow it with your breath," Liang Song said.
Upon hearing this, Lin Zheyu closed his eyes and, with a focused mind, tuned out the surrounding noise. The sound of his master's breathing grew louder by his ears.
Following the rhythm, his breath felt somewhat erratic. It was his first attempt at abdominal breathing, and it felt rather unfamiliar.
"Don't rush. It's normal to find inner breath exercises challenging at first," Liang Song advised. "Stay focused and concentrate your mind entirely on my breathing rhythm and cadence."
Extending his palm, Liang Song pressed it against Lin Zheyu's abdomen. His palm moved gently with the rhythm of his breath, subtly adjusting the movements of Lin Zheyu's muscles.
As time passed, over the course of a few hours, Lin Zheyu's expression became increasingly calm, and a sense of rhythm gradually emerged to the rise and fall of his chest.
Under Liang Song's guidance, his breath also adopted a special rhythm and cadence. A peculiar sensation began to stir within Lin Zheyu's heart.
"Excellent, that's the feeling," Liang Song murmured softly. "Remember this sensation. Once you're accustomed to it, combine the breath control with your martial arts practice and it will yield remarkable results!"
Lin Zheyu learned quickly, and with Liang Song's help, he grasped the basics within just a few hours.
"It's remarkable how quickly you've mastered the fundamental breathing technique," Liang Song remarked, marveling at Lin Zheyu's progress.
Never did he imagine that he would encounter such a talented student in Songyi City.
...
When Lin Zheyu left Liang Song's home, it was almost lunchtime.
He wanted to invite his master for a meal outside, but Liang Song declined.
On his way back, about a mile from his small courtyard, Lin Zheyu felt something was amiss.
"Am I being followed?" Lin Zheyu frowned.
After advancing his Bull Fist to the mastery level, his perception abilities had greatly improved. He became extremely sensitive to movements around him.
He had sensed a pair of eyes constantly fixated on him. There was someone sneaking behind him!
Lin Zheyu's steps slightly faltered, but he continued to act as if nothing were wrong.
"Who's following me, and what's their purpose?" Lin Zheyu's mind raced, considering various possibilities.
However, no matter how much he thought about it, he couldn't figure out who would be tailing him.
Since moving to the inner city, he had kept a low profile and avoided conflicts with others.
Arriving at the marketplace, Lin Zheyu looked around carefully, haggling here and there. With attentive observation, he finally identified the person tailing him.
"It's him!"
"Even after moving to the city, he's still lurking around!"
Lin Zheyu was speechless.
Although the person looked somewhat different from before, he recognized him at a glance.
Back when he lived in Baishan District, Lin Zheyu had his food stolen by a gang of ruffians, and this person was one of them.
Lin Zheyu never expected that, even after moving to the inner city, this guy would still be lurking around.
Did he really think Lin Zheyu was an easy target?
In the past, with his weak strength and poor health due to malnutrition, Lin Zheyu could only avoid them.
Now that his Bull Fist had reached the mastery level, his strength had skyrocketed, and he no longer saw these few hooligans as a threat.
Lin Zheyu wasn't bragging when he said he could take on ten of them.
"It's only a matter of time before the thief is caught. I need to find an opportunity to investigate and see what this guy is up to," Lin Zheyu thought to himself.
After finishing the storytelling, it was another fruitful day.
Today, Lin Zheyu received nearly three hundred wen of rewards.
On his way back, he noticed he was being followed again.
Remaining composed, Lin Zheyu returned home and quickly changed into ordinary clothes, silently tailing the pursuer. With his current strength, although his tracking skills weren't excellent, he could maintain a safe distance without being detected.
"It's a different person following me, maybe one of their group," Lin Zheyu trailed behind.
Arriving at the Baishan District.
Here, there was no hustle and bustle of the inner city; many places were quiet and deserted. It wasn't uncommon for a murder case to go unnoticed for over ten days.
The person weaved through the alleys of Baishan District, arriving at an ordinary house. He knocked on the door, and someone from inside opened it, then closed it after he entered.
"Weird, so secretive. Are they planning something big?" Lin Zheyu muttered, stealthily following up.
These guys, who usually loitered and chatted at the street corners, were now clandestinely discussing matters indoors. Lin Zheyu sensed something amiss.
The matter involved himself, so he was extremely vigilant.
Though Lin Zheyu wasn't a villain, he wasn't a good person either. Good people rarely survived in the refugee community.
...
As the sky darkened, Lin Zheyu cautiously approached the window, covering his face with a black cloth.
He leaned closer, pressing his ear against the window, eavesdropping on the conversation inside the house to understand what harmful plans they had against him.
After his strength had increased, Lin Zheyu's hearing had become extremely keen. Even though the people inside spoke softly, through the non-soundproof window, he could clearly hear their conversation.
"Did you find out anything today, Wen Biao?" Gao Yu asked the man who had just entered.
"It's the same as usual. That kid spends his days either storytelling or staying at home. Even if he goes out for a stroll, it's always in bustling places. And once it's dark, he never leaves. Probably traumatized from fleeing, he's become quite cautious for his life," Yan Ling added.
They had been tracking Lin Zheyu for over ten days, hoping to learn his daily routines, find an opportunity to strike, seek revenge for the Skinny Monkey, and grab some silver coins.
From their observations over the past ten days, they knew this kid was wealthy.
Earning at least two hundred wen of rewards every day, plus his salary, he made over three hundred wen daily, making the others envy him greatly.
A refugee who had come fleeing for his life had managed to thrive in such a short time.
"These guys have been following me for so long!" Lin Zheyu shuddered with fear.
From their conversation, he learned that these people had been tailing him for some time. If it weren't for his heightened perception after his strength increased, discovering their tracks, he might have been ambushed unknowingly.
Fortunately, he had been extremely cautious during this time, never going out at night and avoiding secluded paths.
People without grievances harbor no animosity, but provoke a tiger and it will bite.
Feeling targeted, Lin Zheyu was extremely annoyed, a hint of ruthlessness flashing in his eyes.
Armed with a weapon, murderous intent arose within him.
With his strength increased, his courage had also grown.
"Oh, Yu Ge, I found out he's learned martial arts from somewhere. Every day, there are sounds of fists hitting wooden stakes in his courtyard," Wen Biao hesitated slightly. "Are we really going to act against someone who's practiced martial arts?"
He wasn't very keen on violence. Although he called the Skinny Monkey a brother, they were just drinking buddies. He was somewhat reluctant to risk himself for Skinny Monkey. However, knowing that this guy was a big fat sheep, alone and vulnerable, made Wen Biao tempted.
"What's there to be afraid of? Even if he started practicing martial arts when he came to Songyi City, it's only been a little over two months," Gao Yu sneered.
"Practicing basics for a little over two months? And you think he's skilled?" Yan Ling chuckled. "Wen Biao, you're too timid."
"Since we can't strike now, let's sneak in at night," Gao Yu decided. "Yan Ling, you go buy some strong sleeping pills, enough to knock out the dogs in his yard."
"Wen Biao, prepare to scale the wall."
"In a dozen days or so, we'll make our move. Let the kid earn more silver coins first, hehe."
...