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Novel: [The Primordial Law]
Volume 1: [Nether Realm of the Dead]
Chapter 7: [Yuxu Breathing Technique]
(7th of Volume 1)
Translator: Shadow Knight AK
Editor: Shadow Knight AK
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"Our Yutong is always cold and doesn't express herself well. Let me speak for her."
"Little Handsome Li, three days ago, we all fell together onto this enormous Bronze Ship, so vast we couldn't even find our bearings. You lost a lot of blood and were in critical condition, desperately needing a transfusion. Only your Senior Brother and my good sister, Doctor Qi, were willing to donate blood for you."
"But your Senior Brother's blood type didn't match, so it all fell on her!" Qi Shanshan's lips were rosy and glistening, a smile always playing on her face, radiating irresistible charm.
A doctor as radiant as she was, Qi Shanshan was a medicine in herself.
Li Weiyi finally realized he had been unconscious for three days.
"Thank you, Senior Sister. Thank you, Doctor Qi."
He tried to sit up, but his left arm was numb except for a searing pain. His right arm, where the transfusion was still running, felt equally weak.
His injuries were far more severe than he had anticipated.
Qi Shanshan said, "Just lie still. The wound on your left arm nearly tore through your muscle completely, down to the bone. There's a crack in the bone too. We cleaned and stitched it up, but almost all the medical supplies in the medbay were ruined. We could barely find anything suitable to use. Just because you've made it through this far doesn't mean there won't be complications later."
"Rest well and drink some water."
Cai Yutong, a woman of few words, handed over a bottle of opened water and left the medical tent with Qi Shanshan.
The deck of the Bronze Ship was vast, its width alone reaching five hundred meters.
The dense fog made it impossible to see from one end to the other.
Outside the medical tent lay the eerie and hazy Tomb Sea Stone Forest, each tomb shrouded in the Nether Mist, creating a chilling atmosphere reminiscent of a ghostly realm.
It was like a winter morning shrouded in thick fog.
The nearby burial mounds, though close enough to see, stood seven or eight meters tall, resembling small earthen hills. No one knew what creatures lay buried within.
Some mounds bore tattered, ancient Ghost Banners, their strange patterns fluttering in the wind.
The stone tablets were massive, each weighing tens of thousands of pounds.
Their outer layers had crumbled, and the ancient inscriptions carved upon them had already faded away.
Several elderly professors were gathered below, studying and debating the inscriptions.
On the other side, the hundred-meter-long research vessel lay overturned on the empty deck like a steel behemoth, broken in two.
Twisted and bent steel structures jutted from the severed sections, forming narrow passageways into the ship's interior.
A large group of strong young research team members were inside, salvaging supplies, determined to salvage everything usable.
Shouts, the clatter of supplies, and the sound of footsteps mingled in the fog.
Unlike her usual thick winter clothes, Cai Yutong wore a leather trench coat over a knit skirt, her curves flowing smoothly. Tight jeans accentuated her long, straight legs.
Without any deliberate effort, her appearance drew frequent glances from passing research team members, some even staring from afar.
Other gazes were directed at Qi Shanshan. Her long, fair legs, as smooth as jade beneath her doctor's coat, were captivating.
Her beauty was only slightly less striking than Cai Yutong's.
"Can you feel the change?" Qi Shanshan asked, her gaze fixed on the Nether Mist and Nethercloud beyond the hull, her smile subtle and her voice low.
"What change?" Cai Yutong replied.
"You, Yutong, you've poured all your intelligence into your research!" Qi Shanshan's expression grew serious, her voice dropping even lower, "Haven't you noticed how their gazes have become bolder and more aggressive than before?"
"Really?"
Cai Yutong glanced at the busy research team members, deckhands, and Security Team members.
Qi Shanshan's voice held a hint of melancholy: "Do you think we can ever go back?"
"Earth... the macroscopic Earth?"
Cai Yutong pondered for a moment.
"We don't even know how we fell into this Bronze Ship. Returning might be as difficult as climbing to the heavens. The microscopic and macroscopic worlds are fundamentally different. So, it is impossible to guess where this Bronze Ship is sailing? What kind of shore will it take us to?"
The Nether Mist was too thick to see the sea beneath the ship, but they could feel the Bronze Ship moving at breakneck speed.
Qi Shanshan had no interest in discussing matters beyond her control.
"If we can't go back, do you think everyone will still be bound by laws and morality like before?"
Cai Yutong wasn't foolish; in fact, she was exceptionally intelligent, but she was focused and straightforward, unlike Qi Shanshan, who was deeply calculating.
Since Qi Shanshan had raised the question, Cai Yutong naturally began to consider it.
"When human nature loses its constraints, civilization and morality will collapse. Our former social identities will become meaningless, replaced by savagery - or rather, absolute power."
"Whoever holds the greater power will inevitably refuse to be led or commanded. They will rebel and seize control, accompanied by bloodshed and violence."
"This Bronze Ship has essentially become a self-contained Microscopic World," Qi Shanshan added, "And a world desperately lacking resources. If the Bronze Ship continues sailing like this indefinitely, it won't take long for power struggles and humanity's darkest instincts to erupt in a bloody display. Neither of us has any physical strength, and we possess the very beauty that's most dangerous in times of chaos. If we don't plan ahead, our fates will be grim."
Cai Yutong asked, "Are you really that afraid of being targeted?"
"It's not fear," Qi Shanshan corrected impatiently, "It's a clear understanding that stripped of all our knowledge and status, we're just weak women. Why don't you have this sense of crisis?"
She continued, "The strongest person on board is undoubtedly the First Mate, Zhao Meng."
Cai Yutong's eyes twinkled with amusement.
"Do you have a plan? You wouldn't be thinking of..."
Qi Shanshan shook her head before she could finish, "Zhao Meng is personally very strong and has a righteous character, with the bearing of a true leader. But he's completely oblivious to the changing situation. He's still busy salvaging supplies from the research vessel."
"On the other hand, I've been secretly observing Second Mate Xie Tianshu. For the past three days, he's been cultivating relationships with the Security Team members and getting close to the younger members of the Expedition Team. Someone from a high-ranking family like him understands power and human nature better, and they're far more ambitious."
Qi Shanshan then added with a half-joking tone, "I've noticed Xie Tianshu's cousin, Xie Jin, seems quite taken with you. How about we each take one and use our own methods to secure them fairly? No fighting, no competition. Let's get these two brothers locked down early."
Cai Yutong knew Qi Shanshan wasn't exaggerating, but she had no interest in her "early planning" strategy.
"When civilization and morality collapse, why should I bother clinging to life in this living hell? Jumping off the side of this ship wouldn't be that difficult."
Qi Shanshan rolled her eyes: "I know you too well. You've got your eye on that muscular Junior Brother inside, haven't you? Let me be clear: stop drooling. Looks won't help us in our current situation."
"Besides... his condition is terrible. Even if his left arm wound heals, he'll never be able to lift heavy objects again. He's practically half-crippled."
"Furthermore, most animal claws carry viruses. The bear-like creature's claws likely harbor an even more potent strain, posing a significant potential threat."
"So you're really sure about choosing such a burden in a future where resources are scarce and chaos could erupt at any moment?"
Cai Yutong extended a slender, snow-white finger, her expression utterly serious: "First, I didn't choose anyone. Second, if he hadn't stepped forward to distract the bear-like creature on the research vessel, I might have died long ago! A debt is a debt - I'll repay what I owe. And you'd better stop using the word 'burden' so casually. Imagine the psychological pressure he'd feel if he heard you."
Qi Shanshan chuckled: "You say you don't care, but I've never seen you care so much about any man before. What was that saying popular at our old school? 'Senior Sister's affections run deep, Junior Brother's looks are divine - first teach him studies, then teach him love...' Alright, alright, I won't say it again... But are you really not considering planning ahead? You might regret it!"
Ignoring her, Cai Yutong walked toward the makeshift outdoor kitchen area beneath the capsized research vessel.
....
Li Weiyi hadn't found the Yellow Dragon Sword. The Dao Ancestor's Tai Chi Fish, which should have been hanging around his neck, was also nowhere to be found. His body was incredibly weak. After drinking half a bottle of water, he regained some strength.
But a sharp pang of hunger soon followed.
Cai Yutong entered, carrying a steaming bowl of fish soup. The aroma instantly filled the tin-roofed medical tent.
Helping Li Weiyi sit up, she said, "I knew you'd be hungry, so I grabbed you a bowl in advance. Savor this while you can. The freezer's broken, and the refrigeration's failed. We probably only have a few more days before the meat and fish spoil. The vegetables and fruits won't last much longer either."
She added the last part, clearly still affected by Qi Shanshan's earlier words, and worried about their future situation.
Li Weiyi's right arm was still connected to an IV drip, making it impossible for him to feed himself. Cai Yutong had to spoon-feed him.
It was undeniable that Cai Yutong, with her beauty and figure unhidden by the bulky cold-weather clothes, was a top-tier beauty.
Her eyes were cool and bright, her skin delicate and fair, her lips elegant. Viewed through the wisps of steam rising from the fish soup, her beauty took on an even more ethereal quality.
No matter how dire their circumstances, having such a caring Senior Sister by his side would surely make any situation bearable.
Li Weiyi knew how cold and aloof Cai Yutong usually was, so he was deeply moved by her attentiveness.
Li Weiyi thanked her again.
Just then, Qi Shanshan and two other trainees entered carrying fish soup to visit Professor Xu, whose legs had been broken in the fall.
"Your Senior Brother asked me to take care of you. With so many injured and dead, and manpower stretched thin, I can't afford to be idle," Cai Yutong said, wanting to just drop the soup and let Li Weiyi drink it himself. She felt the three people behind her were staring at her strangely.
At this moment, there was a certain intimacy between her and Li Weiyi that could easily be misinterpreted.
Professor Xu lay in the hospital bed next to Li Weiyi, his eyes no longer as bright as before, his emotions unstable, "We'll never make it back. With the freezer destroyed, our food will last at most half a month. No, in ten days, chaos will erupt. Once all the perishable food spoils, there's bound to be chaos... Survival of the fittest, adaptation... I can already see that day... Animals will revert to their true natures..."
Hearing the concerns expressed by Cai Yutong and Professor Xu in turn, Li Weiyi found the delicious fish soup gradually losing its flavor. He desperately wanted to leave the room and see what the world outside had become.
Ten days.
The injury on his arm would never heal.
Li Weiyi drank the entire bowl of fish soup, his heart filled with confusion and bewilderment.
As his body gradually warmed and regained strength, he finally asked Professor Xu about the Buddha's Relic and the Microscopic World after Cai Yutong, Qi Shanshan, and the two graduate students had left.
After learning the truth, he began to ponder: "The Buddha's Relic must be the lost-and-found fish eye from the Dao Ancestor's Tai Chi Fish! Could it be that the Dao Ancestor's Tai Chi Fish activated the Bronze Ship, causing the entire expedition team to fall into the Microscopic World and embark on this unknown journey?"
"The Microscopic World? Is it really the same one from the textbooks?"
Li Weiyi found it all too bizarre, completely beyond his comprehension. Coupled with his severe injuries, he felt extremely insecure, and his emotions, like Professor Xu's, became unstable, gradually turning into restless anxiety.
"No, I can't let this happen."
"Even Senior Sister Lian and Doctor Qi, women who have endured such drastic changes, remain calm and composed. Can my mental fortitude really be inferior to theirs? That would be a great shame to Master's years of guidance."
"A disturbed mind leads to a distracted spirit; a confused mind leads to a confused soul."
["When the heart is chaotic, the spirit wanders; when the mind is chaotic, the soul is lost."]
Li Weiyi's mind echoed with the words his Master often repeated. He took a deep breath and began practicing the Jade Void (Yuxu) Breathing Technique, inhaling and exhaling the essence of heaven and earth.
On Earth, he had practiced the Jade Void (Yuxu) Breathing Technique for at least three hours every day for over a decade.
Though he hadn't cultivated any Internal Strength or True Qi, the breathing exercises allowed him to quickly calm his mind and dispel all distracting thoughts.
This was why he could remain calm in dangerous situations and not be overwhelmed by his inner fears.
When facing the bear-like creature, he had consciously practiced the Jade Void (Yuxu) Breathing Technique to achieve that state of tranquility and clarity.
Lying in the hospital bed, after about half an hour of breathing exercises, Li Weiyi completely calmed down and entered a profound, ethereal state of emptiness.
Suddenly, the sole of his right foot became scorching hot, as if it were on fire.
This had never happened before.
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END OF CHAPTER
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