I Will Grind My Way To Godhood

The city of Qing has four major districts: East, South, West, and North. People often say, "The East is wealthy, the West is poor; the North is noble, the South is cheap," which roughly describes the divisions among the residents of Qing.

The East District is home to many wealthy individuals, with headquarters of large companies and enterprises mostly located there. It's an area where every inch of land is as valuable as gold. The North District, on the other hand, is where high-ranking officials and nobility reside, offering unparalleled security—not just a matter of affordability, but a matter of availability.

The West District is where the majority of ordinary families live, including Xue Jing's family.

However, this classification isn't absolute. It doesn't mean everyone in the East is rich or everyone in the West is poor; it's just a general division.

Nevertheless, the description of "cheap" for the South District is spot-on.

It truly is a slum, the final refuge for all evils within the city. Here, authority doesn't belong to the law but to gangs. Even the security bureau can't handle this area. Many criminals vanish here, becoming untraceable, leaving the gang-backed security companies as the only authoritative voice.

Xue Jing, however, has never been to the South District. From childhood, his parents and other elders have repeatedly warned him to stay away, so he only knows about it through hearsay.

He was genuinely surprised to learn that Pei Youguang, whom his classmates described as someone with "strong backing," actually lives in the South District.

Although it's on the outskirts of the South, near the West District, it's still close enough to brush against the slum area.

"Jing, come on in,"

In front of a rather large house, Pei Youguang took out a key, opened the door, and invited Xue Jing in.

The house's exterior was quite old, with a square layout and a spacious front yard. The white brick walls were covered with mottled marks of time, severely oxidized to a yellow hue.

The environment surrounding the house was equally rundown and desolate, with litter of bottles and cans everywhere on the street, seemingly neglected for ages.

Xue Jing shook his head and followed Pei Youguang inside.

Contrary to the house's aged exterior, the interior was surprisingly well-decorated. It had gray faux wood flooring, a plush carpet sprawling over the living room, and various pieces of furniture that, if not stylish, were at least very harmonious.

Xue Jing took off his shoes and entered the living room, hanging his backpack on a hook by the door before sitting down in a single-seater sofa and asking, "You live here alone?"

Pei Youguang, who was retrieving drinks from the refrigerator, paused briefly, nodded, and said, "Yes."

Xue Jing casually commented, "Why do you live here? Isn't your father working for a council member? Even if you can't get into the North District, you could at least live in the East District, right?"

Pei Youguang tossed a bottle of soda to Xue Jing, took one himself, drank a large gulp, sighed with relief, and said, "My father and I don't get along well... This house belonged to my mother. After she passed away, it was left to me. Two years ago, after a fight with my father, I moved here."

"There's a Golden Wind Dojo nearby. The dojo master is said to have come from the inner city and is a descendant of the 'Golden Wind White Rainbow Sword'. I moved here and joined the dojo to practice martial arts for a few months under a master. Something happened later, so I left the dojo."

Xue Jing nodded, "I see."

It seemed Pei Youguang had his own difficulties too.

"But everyone has their own stories if you delve deep enough. However, I'm not interested in hearing them," Xue Jing said, rising to his feet. "Let's not waste any time. Let's start learning about 'Jinli', shall we?"

This was the sole reason for his visit here.

Upon hearing this, Pei Youguang also stood up, tossing his empty drink bottle into the trash. "Alright, Xue Jing, follow me. Let's head to the training room."

...

The training room was a spacious area, about seventy square meters, with thick cushions covering the floor. Various fitness equipment was scattered across the room, along with some machines that Xue Jing couldn't even begin to comprehend the purpose of.

In the center were punching posts and sandbags of different materials, each showing signs of wear and tear, indicating frequent use.

"To cultivate Jinli, the most crucial aspect is breathing."

"Jinli is the kinetic energy generated by the movement of our internal organs. However, we have very limited control over our bodies. We can't dictate the flow of our blood or the functions of our internal organs. We can only perform simple actions like 'tightening' or 'relaxing' our muscles. Therefore, the first step is to learn how to influence those parts of our bodies that we usually can't control, and for this, we need to use the 'Breathing Technique'."

"Now, I'll teach you a set of breathing techniques. It's the foundational technique that every disciple in the dojo learns. Through it, you can exert influence over your internal body."

Pei Youguang finished speaking and sat cross-legged on the cushion.

"Come on, Xue Jing, follow my lead."

Following Pei Youguang's example, Xue Jing sat down cross-legged as instructed.

Pei Youguang then proceeded to explain the detailed steps of the breathing technique, demonstrating as he guided Xue Jing through the practice.

Although the breathing technique was not overly complicated, it was exceedingly difficult. Some steps required a prolonged interval between inhalation and exhalation, demanding a single breath to draw in a vast amount of oxygen. Such an influx of oxygen into the lungs meant that anyone lacking sufficient lung capacity wouldn't even qualify to practice.

Pei Youguang initially expected that Xue Jing would struggle on his first attempt with the breathing technique. After all, during his own initial training, it had taken him a full month before he could barely manage to complete a single practice of the full breathing routine.

He harbored a hint of amusement, anticipating the sight of Xue Jing's inevitable coughing fit. However, upon completing the entire breathing sequence, he was astonished.

Xue Jing had performed the entire practice alongside him, successfully executing the foundational breathing technique on his first try!

“Is it over?”

Xue Jing felt extremely dizzy from the massive intake of oxygen, with a racing heartbeat, a strong urge to vomit, blurred vision, and a sensation of flames dancing throughout his body.

The influx of oxygen through the alveoli into his bloodstream accelerated his circulation, raising his body temperature.

He was in disarray, yet he had completed it.

“Xue Jing, impressive.”

Pei Youguang sincerely admired, giving him a thumbs-up.

Only someone with experience knew how challenging it was to practice the breathing technique, but Xue Jing had astonishingly accomplished it on his first attempt.

Perhaps this is what the master meant by ‘innate talent’!

Pei Youguang admired enviously.

“Once you get accustomed to the breathing technique, if you practice regularly and even integrate it into your instinct, using it constantly, it can continually enhance your physical condition. However, I haven’t reached that point yet. Currently, I can’t practice the breathing technique too many times a day, or else my body won’t be able to withstand it.”

Pei Youguang explained.

“Once you get used to it, you’ll gradually feel the rhythm inside your body as you breathe. When you learn which type of breathing can affect or even control them, the force will naturally develop.”

Pei Youguang continued.

Xue Jing closed his eyes, calming the burdens that arose from his first attempt at the breathing technique.

After a long while, he opened his eyes and said, “Teach me again.”

Pei Youguang said worriedly, “You've just started with the breathing technique. Practicing once today should suffice. Let’s continue tomorrow, or I fear your body may not handle it.”

Xue Jing shook his head. “It’s fine, continue.”

He had already memorized most of the steps of the breathing technique but needed another session to consolidate his memory and ensure no mistakes.

The chapter ends here.