Immortality Begins With Internal Breathing-Chapter 66: Forbidden Technique (I)

"Do you want to learn?" asked Han Mo.

"Nah, I just want to understand a little. On this trip, I realized that real battles are far more treacherous and cruel than I imagined. Those bandits strike with poisoned hidden weapons and poison powders! Learning a bit might help me guard against them," said Lin Zheyu.

Although he possessed formidable strength, whenever he encountered unknown poisonous powders, he had no choice but to retreat and avoid them. He dared not touch them, fearing he might accidentally be tainted by a lethal toxin. When facing weaker opponents, he could still kill from afar with throwing knives, even if they used poison. But against opponents of equal strength, he would be helpless. After all, he was not skilled in the use of hidden weapons.

Previously, when he faced Qiao Quan, who had raised his strength to the Blood Qi Realm using a military formation, every throwing knife he launched had been blocked.

At that time, had he forced his way through, with his Blood Qi Realm strength, he might have been able to withstand it if the poison had not been too strong. But he still did not want to gamble on that chance. What if the powder scattered by the opponent happened to be highly toxic?

Murphy's Law[1] said it well: if something has a chance of going wrong, no matter how small, it will happen.

"That's true. In real combat, it is always life or death. However you can kill the opponent, you do it, and most methods are sinister, underhanded, and poisonous. Before launching an attack, bandits usually use confusing smoke or poisonous smoke. But such attacks take time to take effect, and caravans usually prepare defenses in advance.

"Truly fast-acting poisons are not as common as you think. They are very expensive, and the channels to purchase them are scarce. Most poisons only take effect when inhaled into the body. If you really encounter them, be careful and just hold your breath during battle. If you want to learn about this, I can ask around for you. Doctor Mo in the army practices a family tradition of medicine, but it is not passed to outsiders," said Han Mo.

"Alright, I'll trouble you with that. Senior brother, how do you usually deal with those skilled in poison?" asked Lin Zheyu.

"We hold our breath and attack with crossbows. We all carry antidotes and anti-poison pills as well, taking them in advance. If poisoned, we hold our breath and get back to find a doctor for treatment. As long as it is not an incurable poison, most can be saved."

Seeing that Lin Zheyu still had doubts, he continued, "Don't worry. Poison is not as terrifying as you imagine. Holding your breath can deal with most of it. The effect of poison also depends on the dosage. A small amount, with a warrior's resistance, can be endured if you take some anti-poison pills beforehand. Afterwards, you just need to seek treatment. As long as you don't encounter those rare, extremely vicious poisons, careful precautions will usually be enough."

"Mm." Lin Zheyu nodded.

What he feared most were those highly lethal poisons. His life was precious, and he had no intention of losing it due to carelessness. Han Mo had someone bring two bottles of pills. One was for detoxification, and the other was for prevention, both effective only against ordinary toxins. Even against stronger poisons, they still had some effect, able to ease the toxin and help one hold their life until treatment could be found.

"Many thanks, senior brother." Lin Zheyu accepted the pills and thanked him.

Once Lin Zheyu finished packing, Han Mo stood up with a smile and said, "It has been some time since we last met. Let me see if your skills have declined."

"Alright."

Lin Zheyu nodded, removed his coat, and walked over with his treasured blade in hand.

"Come on then."

Han Mo held his long saber, beckoning Lin Zheyu with eyes full of confidence.

Lately, his strength had improved greatly, and he could already sense the qi and blood within his body. Once his spirit was tempered further, he would be able to merge his qi and blood with his essence, fusing them under his spirit to condense Blood Qi.

"Hei!"

Lin Zheyu gave a sudden laugh and charged at his senior brother with blade in hand.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The crisp sound of clashing blades echoed through the field.

Han Mo controlled his strength to the Bone Forging Realm, and Lin Zheyu also suppressed his own to that same level. As they exchanged blows, Han Mo gradually began to feel the pressure.

"In just a few days, you've grown this strong!" exclaimed Han Mo, astonished.

Lin Zheyu had combined the Golden Goose Technique and Sixfold Saber flawlessly. His saber techniques, matched with his movement techniques, allowed him to advance and retreat with equal mastery, leaving Han Mo unable to find an opening. Han Mo's saber skills were fierce, but he lacked agility and speed, making him helpless against Lin Zheyu.

"Lord Han's junior brother is so strong! He can actually fight evenly with him!"

The soldiers watching from the side were utterly shocked. To possess such formidable strength at such a young age, Lord Han's junior brother clearly had boundless potential for the future!

Ding.

Bang.

Han Mo seized the moment and swung his saber in a horizontal slash, the muscles on his arm bulging as terrifying force erupted. Lin Zheyu raised his saber to block, but the sudden strike from his senior brother forced him several steps backward.

"Your Sixfold Saber technique is truly formidable!" said Lin Zheyu as he withdrew his saber and cupped his fists in salute.

Senior Brother Han Mo had trained the Sixfold Saber, a peak Organ Forging Realm technique, to perfection. He was nearly to the point of breaking through to the Blood Qi Realm. Though honest in character, his saber techniques were extremely versatile. The Sixfold Saber style was unpredictable, often striking from tricky angles that left Lin Zheyu caught off guard.

However, the reason Lin Zheyu was pushed back this time was because he relied on the saber technique, which he wasn't incredibly skilled in, as his main offense, and only used the Golden Goose Technique as support. If he had used the Golden Goose Technique or Barbaric Ox Fist, the situation would be entirely different.

"It's no wonder even Master Liang could not help but praise your natural talent and comprehension. Junior Brother Lin, the speed of your improvement makes me envious," said Han Mo with admiration.

It had only been a short while, and yet his Junior Brother Lin's strength had already grown again. His strength and speed had not advanced much, but his grasp and application of techniques, as well as his combat awareness, had improved drastically. Just now, he had been unable to resist unleashing the power of the Organ Forging Realm, and only then had he managed to push Lin Zheyu back.

"Continue practicing with me. This time, you're not allowed to use the Golden Goose Technique. Focus only on honing your saber technique," said Han Mo.

"Very well, but senior brother, you must show some mercy," replied Lin Zheyu with a smile.

With a grin, he lifted his saber and charged forward once more. In the earlier bout, had it not been for the Golden Goose Technique allowing him to maneuver back and forth, he would have lost quickly.

Although Han Mo claimed he was only practicing with him, in truth, he intended to guide Lin Zheyu in his saber technique. From the earlier exchange, he had noticed several areas in Lin Zheyu's technique that could be improved.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Once again, the crisp sound of weapons clashing rang out across the field.

This time, the duel was purely a contest of saber technique, and Lin Zheyu quickly fell into a disadvantage. Han Mo did not knock him back with a single strike, however. Instead, relying on his deep mastery of saber technique, he guided Lin Zheyu, occasionally pointing out his flaws aloud.

1. Murphy's Law is a popular adage that originated in the mid-20th century, attributed to U.S. Air Force engineer Edward A. Murphy Jr. It states, 'Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.' The phrase became widely known after being popularized through aerospace testing in 1949, and it has since entered general usage to describe the inevitability of mishaps or failures when something has even a small chance of going wrong. ☜