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nLiam rubbed his gym suit free of its bloody stains. He left the river and dried himself off with a towel, before getting ready for his daily spar.

nHis body was covered with small cuts and light scars. A fresh wound in the shape of a claw spurted slight blood on his chest, which he had applied a special medicinal herb on a moment earlier.

n“You’ve memorized the infernal breathing technique, yes?” Lloyd questioned, still perched atop a boulder.

nLiam instantly nodded as he approached, and didn’t wear his clothing.

n“Can we begin?” He asked with hope in his voice.

nLloyd nodded with a brief smile, before turning stern a moment later.

n“Sit in the lotus position.” He instructed, and Liam promptly sat down cross-legged on the ground.

n“You’re already familiar with how the breathing method works, so I won’t touch on that. Just remember your training and strengthen your resolve. No matter how tortuous it gets, do not breathe in air.

n“Too much external influence can ruin the entire process, so you’re on your own.” Lloyd said, putting his hand on Liam’s shoulder.

nTraining the young man took less effort than Lloyd had imagined. Liam was incredibly hard working, always looking for ways to improve.

nYet, in a moment, there was a chance he would no longer be alive.

nLiam nodded with a resolved look on his face.

n“Good luck, kid.” Lloyd uttered before taking a step back. “You may begin using the breathing method.”

nLiam had patiently waited for this moment, the first step on his journey of cultivation.

n‘Can’t screw up my beginnings.’

nHe let out a deep breath, completely emptying his lungs. Then, a series of quick, immediate breaths followed.

nThe goal of the Infernal breathing method was to heat the insides fast enough that it could forcibly purify and temper the body.

nLiam repeated the process multiple times, until his lungs felt as though they were burnt rubber, flaring his body with heat.

nAfter reaching a state of hyperventilation, Liam let out one last breath, the last before he was to endure one minute without oxygen.

nThis was the Infernal tempering method!

nSeconds passed, which to Liam, felt like minutes.

nHis skin began to turn red, the need to inhale air wasn’t an issue just yet, but the heat from his lungs began to spread throughout his insides.

nTime seemed to pass in slow motion, and Liam’s condition only worsened.

nSteam seeped from his skin and moistened the air around him, while his lungs begged for a speck of air.

nLiam denied his body’s wishes and refused to yield, only thinking of what it took to get where he is now, and what he was to gain after.

nThirty seconds had passed, yet Liam could swear one minute had already flown past.

nHis heartbeat started to echo in his ears, slightly weakening.

nA thin line between life and death had presented itself, a test of resolve and determination.

nWith his thoughts murky, Liam felt as though his head was filled with a dense fog. A moment later, his body went numb, convulsing violently.

nA breath of fresh air sounded more enticing to Liam than a mountain of gold.

nBulging veins appeared on his neck, while his skin color transitioned from red to purple. Meanwhile, his eyes turned bloodshot.

nThe light of his consciousness was beginning to fade.

nHowever, his pores turned from purple to dark black, a putrid smell exuded from his body as a thick, goo-like substance left his body.

nLloyd had watched the whole thing with a feeling of calm anxiousness he didn’t know he possessed.

nThe second he saw Liam’s pores turning black, his eyes widened as he shouted, “Enough!”

nAs soon as he heard Lloyd’s voice, Liam’s consciousness was already hanging by a thread.

nUnable to hold back the urge to breathe any longer, he inhaled as much air as his lungs could allow him to.

nHant! Hant! Hant!

nEach breath taken was sweeter than the last, and a newfound appreciation appeared in Liam’s heart for air.

nLloyd smiled wide enough to showcase all his teeth. “You did it. A ten year old with a Rank-1 body!”

nLiam’s loud panting slowly abided, enough for him to furrow his brows and respond with a slightly angry tone, “Why are you so surprised? Were my chances lower than I thought?”

nLloyd laughed awkwardly, before clearing his throat. “Of course not. I taught you after all.” ｂ𝚍𝚘𝚟ｌ.ｎｔ

nLiam shook his head inwardly, before inspecting his body. From head to toe, his figure dripped with black mud.

nA disgusting smell assaulted his nose, and his consciousness was slightly woozy.

nYet accompanying it was a feeling of vigor and strength unlike ever before.

n“Can we spar now?” Liam raised his head and asked.

nLloyd facepalmed and heaved a tired sigh.

n“You rascal! Go jump in the river already!” He suddenly shouted, picking Liam up from his shoulders, before hurling him into the flowing water.

nSPLASH!

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