Chapter 97
The basement of the bar had been transformed from a dusty storage room into a modest training facility. Mats covered the concrete floor, while resistance equipment and weights lined the walls beneath several dim overhead bulbs. A ventilation system kept the air fresh enough for strenuous exercise.
Jack led Rena and Mai down the stairs before gesturing toward the mats.
"Sit."
The two women settled across from him, their backs straight and their expressions filled with a mixture of determination and apprehension. Jack lowered himself into a cross-legged position and studied them for a moment.
"To sense Ki, you normally have to spend weeks or even months training your breathing until you become aware of the energy flowing through your body," he explained. "Some people achieve it within days, while others struggle for years. We don't have time for either of you to discover the process through trial and error."
He moved behind Rena and placed his palm between her shoulder blades.
"I'm going to guide my Ki through your body along the circulation pattern of the Inner Breathing technique. Don't try to control it. Simply memorize the sensation and allow your own Ki to follow."
Rena nodded and closed her eyes.
Jack reached toward the Ki core behind his heart and drew out a controlled stream of energy. His Ki traveled through his arm and into Rena's body, where he guided it along the pathways established by the technique.
At first, Rena's Ki remained scattered and weak, responding hesitantly to the foreign energy. Jack carefully maintained the circulation while Rena focused on her breathing.
"Feel the rhythm," he instructed. "Don't force anything. Let your body follow the pattern naturally."
Her breathing gradually deepened, becoming steadier as her Ki began responding. After nearly fifteen minutes, Jack felt a faint pulse of energy move independently along the pathway he had created.
He immediately began withdrawing his Ki.
"You've got it. Keep circulating."
Rena continued breathing while Jack moved behind Mai and repeated the process.
Mai's Ki proved considerably more responsive. Within minutes, her energy began following the circulation pattern, moving smoothly through her body without Jack's constant guidance.
As he observed her progress, an unexpected thought occurred to him.
His Draconic Breathing technique had always been incredibly effective, providing a massive enhancement to his Ki and allowing him to push his physical potential to extraordinary levels. Yet the Inner Breathing technique was more refined. Rather than forcing Ki through the body, it worked with the body's natural systems and developed the Ki core gradually.
Jack had never considered whether his own technique could be improved because he had never needed to.
Now he wondered whether combining the strengths of both techniques could create something superior to either one.
He pushed the thought aside. That was a problem for another day.
For now, Mai's circulation had stabilized, so Jack carefully withdrew his Ki.
"Both of you keep breathing and circulating your energy. Don't rush. Let your bodies learn the rhythm."
Jack moved to the wall and watched.
Hours passed while Rena and Mai remained seated with their eyes closed. Their breathing gradually became more natural, and their Ki grew steadier with every cycle.
When Rena finally opened her eyes, she stared at her hands with amazement.
"I can feel it," she said. "My Ki is actually moving through my body. I've never felt anything like this before."
Mai opened her eyes as well, her purple irises shining with excitement.
"I felt it too. At first I could only sense your Ki, but then I felt something coming from inside me. When you withdrew your energy, mine continued circulating on its own."
Jack nodded.
"That's the Inner Breathing technique working properly. You've both achieved in a few hours what takes many people weeks or months. Your natural sensitivity is better than I expected."
Rena smiled with relief. "Thank you, Jack. We wouldn't have managed this without you."
Mai bowed her head slightly. "I won't forget what you've done for us."
"Don't thank me yet," Jack replied. "We're not finished."
He crossed the room and opened a large equipment bag.
Weighted vests, wrist weights, ankle weights, resistance bands, and compact hand weights were soon arranged across the floor.
Rena stared at the equipment.
"You expect us to use all of that?"
"Eventually."
Jack lifted one of the vests.
"Each vest weighs twenty kilograms. The wrist weights are five kilograms per side, and the ankle weights are ten kilograms per side. The Inner Breathing technique will help your bodies recover and adapt, but it won't make you strong by itself. You still have to do the work."
Mai examined the vest cautiously.
"That sounds painful."
"It will be."
Rena sighed. "At least you're honest."
Jack gave a faint smile.
"Strength doesn't come from finding a shortcut. You'll become exhausted, your muscles will hurt, and you'll eventually want to stop. The technique will help you recover, but you still have to keep moving."
Rena studied the equipment for several seconds before looking back at him.
"Jack, can I ask you something first?"
"You've been looking for an excuse to delay training since we started."
Her cheeks reddened.
Jack laughed quietly. "Fine. Ask."
"Why did you follow Elijah? You're stronger than him, and you don't seem like someone who would willingly follow another person."
Jack's amusement faded into thoughtfulness.
"Elijah is like me in ways that matter. He wants to become stronger for himself rather than spending his life trying to prove something to other people. I understand that."
He paused before continuing.
"I know Elijah can't defeat me physically, at least not now. I've spent my entire life training and fighting, while he hasn't had nearly as much time. But I hope that changes someday. I want him to become strong enough to stand across from me and force me to give everything I have. If someone can make me reach a new level, I want that person beside me."
Jack's expression became more serious.
"There's another reason. Elijah is better at things I don't understand. He's more financially intelligent than I am, and he's a better leader. I know how to fight, train, and survive, but I don't know how to build something that lasts. Elijah does."
Rena listened carefully.
"He can create something bigger than himself," Jack continued. "He can inspire people to follow him because they believe in what he's building. I want to see how far he can go, and I want to become stronger alongside him."
Jack stood and pointed toward the equipment.
"Now we're done talking."
Rena and Mai exchanged a resigned glance before standing.
Jack helped them put on the weighted vests, then secured the wrist and ankle weights. The additional weight immediately changed their movements. Rena staggered when she first stood, while Mai managed to adjust more quickly despite the strain.
By the time they were fully equipped, both women were breathing heavily.
Jack stepped back and studied them.
"For the next hour, you'll follow my instructions. You'll run, lift, and train until your bodies reach their limits. When you become tired, you'll use the Inner Breathing technique to regulate your breathing and recover. When you want to stop, you'll keep going."
Rena clenched her fists.
Mai nodded firmly.
Jack pointed toward the far wall.
"Let's see how fast you can move."
The two women began running around the basement, their weighted feet striking the mats with increasingly heavy impacts as their first lesson in physical cultivation began.