17 The Book of Five Beasts (3)(Chapter preview)
The breathing techniques associated with each art was not some obscure martial arts secret. It was just a bunch of training strategies on how to adjust one's breathing, when to inhale and exhale, how to hold your breath without side effects…
Of course, it was easier said than done. Professor Yuan, who had written the book, had adapted the habits of the five animals into it. To tailor it into a book, he had put a massive amount of energy and time.
Therefore, 'The Book of Five Beasts' was infamous in the Silver City Ancient Academy. Many people knew and practiced it. What Yuan Shuo had hidden away were the breathing techniques. He passed this down to only a few of his selected students. Li Hao was one of them.
Li Hao's breathing came rapidly as he began to adjust his breathing to the art of the ape. The entire exercise was not that long. It took only about three minutes. But those intense three minutes were enough to exhaust anyone.
Li Hao had practiced this particular exercise for two years and still, he could barely complete it twice. After six minutes, he was so exhausted that he was almost unable to get up from the floor.
His professor who was over seventy years old could do this exercise for fifteen minutes at a stretch.
Li Hao had always found it hard to believe that such high-intensity, high-speed, and extremely exhaustive exercise could be maintained for fifteen minutes!
It meant that Professor Yuan could probably run like a monkey for fifteen minutes in the face of danger without compromising his strength.
Li Hao did not have time to think about that. Under Black Panther's confused gaze, Li Hao moved quickly.
The tables, chairs, sofas, and walls in the house all became Li Hao's stepping stones. In the entire room, there was only Li Hao's sweaty figure moving swiftly.
He returned to the starting point. His breathing became unsteady. However, he felt that he still had a little bit of energy left to do this. He didn't know what other benefits the starlight had but it definitely made him stronger and lighter for now.
In the past, Li Hao had always felt a little uncomfortable when he was acting like an ape. His body had felt heavy and every jump had tired him. He could not believe that this exercise was meant to increase his physical strength when it made him this tired.
But today, he felt more relaxed. 'Maybe I can do it again!' thought Li Hao.
Li Hao looked at his belly. The starlight seemed to have dissipated but a thin layer of it appeared on the surface of his skin. Of course, most of it had disappeared, but Li Hao felt that he was able to absorb some of it this time.
Li Hao's heart raced. 'What exactly was this mysterious power?' he wondered. 'Why were the Night Patrollers so mysterious?'
Li Hao pondered whether the Night Patrollers were really that good at fighting or if they had some special power like the jade pendant or the red shadow that was invisible to others but useful to them.
Li Hao didn't think that it was just skill.
'Continue!' he urged himself.
Li Hao didn't have time to dwell on those things for now. He was very excited by the prospect that he had already finished the exercise twice and still felt like he could continue.
Li Hao took a big gulp of the water in the bowl and leaped again.
…...
"Upstairs, again!" An old neighbor, from the second floor, cursed.
Li Hao liked to exercise frequently at home. Usually, the neighbors didn't mind it all that much because it only lasted a few minutes at most. But today…
'Did Li Hao take some kind of drug?' thought the neighbor.
The thumping and the banging had gone on for almost half an hour now. The soundproofing in the building was not very effective. Even if that kid was the Patrol Officer, the aunties from the second floor would have to scold him if he didn't stop soon.
...
"Bang!"
After a few rounds of practice, he took a break and drank some more water. He then continued with his exercise.
This time, Li Hao didn't stop after two tries. He persisted.
When the water from the bowl was gone, Li Hao fell to the ground, exhausted. He didn't think he could ever get up from the floor again.
It wasn't good to take in large mouthfuls of air right after training. So, he tried to adjust his breathing slowly. If he breathed in too fast, all the benefits from the last exercises would be wasted.
"Phew…" Li Hao lay there trying to calm his breathing. His eyes lit up with joy. 'Nine times!' His heart soared.
It was not nine consecutive times. There had been breaks in between. The five times that his professor had accomplished had been done nonstop. So, Li Hao did not really break his teacher's record.
But Li Hao was nonetheless happy because he had done a triple combo at one point which had lasted nine minutes! And, he still had the energy to do it again after that! That was scary.
"This water is…Holy Water!"
Li Hao gasped. 'Is it possible that both the Night Patrollers and the red shadow used something like this to strengthen themselves?'
It was the first time he had done something like this but he felt that the effect of the water was far better than he had imagined. His physical strength had increased significantly.
'If those people were to train like this persistently, their strength would be terrifying by normal standards!' thought Li Hao. 'I … might have underestimated the Night Patrollers. If these people exercised like this every day without fail, could they even be hit by the Vortex Mk III?'
