Apotheosis Begins with Tai Chi

"If you don’t mind, Brother Chen, feel free to take a look."

"The Wandering Dragon Technique?"

Chen Cheng took the booklet, glanced at the three words on the cover, then slowly opened the first page and began to read carefully.

"The Wandering Dragon Technique?"

Wu Ziyu’s eyes brightened slightly.

"This is the best technique for training your water skills that you can find in Zhao City. It covers three parts: Dragon Roaming, Dragon Breath, and Dragon Rider. Master this, and your Underwater Martial Arts will be completely perfected."

She paused before adding,

"However, reaching the Entry Level is extremely difficult. I practiced it for a while when I was young, but I never got it. You could even say I didn’t have a prayer, which is why I switched to practicing Fish Breath and Water Manipulation..."

"What a coincidence?"

Zhou Yonglu chuckled.

"I feel the same way. I was just about to give up on it myself."

Wu Ziyu did not respond.

She knew Zhou Yonglu had only recently returned from out of town. To take full control of Zhou’s Fishing Village, he had to master his water skills. That was why he carried this copy of the Wandering Dragon Technique with him.

As for reaching the Entry Level of the Wandering Dragon Technique, forget Zhou Yonglu—not a single person in either the Wu or Zhou Family’s Fishing Villages had ever managed it.

"The Wandering Dragon Technique is just so difficult..."

Zhou Yonglu continued,

"It doesn’t just require extremely high Comprehension; the physical demands are also incredibly strict, especially when it comes to lung strength..."

"Without an Iron Lung, you can forget about mastering it! Or even if you did, you wouldn’t be able to use it!"

Hearing this, Wu Ziyu couldn’t help but nod in silent agreement.

「Some time later.」

The group had returned to the shore.

The Zhou Family thanked Chen Cheng profusely once more before taking their leave. As they departed, Chen Cheng returned the Wandering Dragon Technique to Zhou Yonglu.

"Brother Chen, we should head back too," Wu Ziyu said.

"I want to stay by the water for a while longer."

Chen Cheng said,

"If it’s convenient, could you give me a key to one of the cabins?"

"Of course."

Wu Ziyu didn’t ask questions, simply handing Chen Cheng the key to the lead boat.

Chen Cheng sat alone in the cabin for a while. After everyone had left, he stripped off his clothes, shoes, and socks, leaving only his underwear on.

He walked out of the cabin.

Locked it.

Tied the key to his wrist.

Finally, he went to the stern, took a deep breath, and then leaped into the bone-chilling ice water.

[Wandering Dragon Technique]: Entry Level (0/300), Traits (None)

His entry into the water was silent.

Splashing up only a handful of white foam like crushed snow.

The moment he entered the water, shards of ice scattered. The icy water enveloped him, a piercing cold pricking his entire body like countless needles.

His muscles suddenly tensed, but his breathing didn’t falter in the slightest.

He immediately circulated his Blood Qi according to the method of the Wandering Dragon Technique, and the intense cold afflicting his body quickly subsided.

It was still cold.

But as long as he maintained the technique, he could keep his body from losing heat.

He kept his head down and swept his hands back in a powerful stroke. The muscles of his shoulders and back rippled beneath his skin, the channel of his spine deepening and shallowing, his shoulder blades spreading and retracting like wings.

In the next instant.

His body carved an impossibly smooth arc through the water, descending to greater depths in an instant.

It was another world underwater.

Broken ice formed a greyish-white dome overhead. Light leaked through the cracks in the ice, filtered by the water into eerie blue beams.

He opened his eyes and stretched his limbs. With a gentle twist of his waist, it felt as though the water itself was cradling him and pushing him forward.

There was no need to thrash about or fight the current.

As long as he controlled his muscles according to the method of the Wandering Dragon Technique, his body could be perfectly in sync with the rhythm of the water.

As his arms swept apart, his shoulder blades spread like wings. As his legs, held together, undulated, he seemed to move effortlessly, as if the water itself were carrying him.

His form was extended, graceful, and unhurried—like a White Dragon born of the water itself.

Furthermore, by holding his breath according to the Wandering Dragon Technique’s method, he could go for a long time without needing to surface for air. With the addition of the Iron Lung Trait, this time could be extended even further.

He continued to swim deep underwater. Time ticked by, yet not a single sign of suffocation appeared on his face or body.

He didn’t know how much time had passed, nor how far he had swum.

When he surfaced again, the white vapor he exhaled shot out like a jet stream for more than seven feet, lingering in the air for a long time.

Then, he took a deep breath and dived back into the water.

After fully adapting, he discovered that circulating his Blood Qi with the Wandering Dragon Technique also minimized the water’s effect on his senses.

His vision was clear, his hearing sharp, his Heart Spirit refreshed...

Even the most accomplished swimmer could never achieve such an effect.

’What’s that?’

Having unconsciously swum a great distance, Chen Cheng suddenly noticed a silver glint floating slowly among the waterweeds.

Upon closer inspection.

Chen Cheng was certain. It was a Cyan Silver Dragon, much larger than the one Wu Ziyu had given him.

That one was worth five hundred taels of silver; this one was worth at least eight hundred taels.

’A windfall like this dropped right in my lap. How could I not take it?’

Chen Cheng immediately decided to act.

However, he didn’t rush over immediately.

He knew full well that having only just reached the Entry Level of the Wandering Dragon Technique, his swimming speed might not be enough to catch that powerful Cyan Silver Dragon.

He was patient. He observed it silently for a long time, getting a good grasp of the Cyan Silver Dragon’s movements.

Then, he deliberately surfaced to take a breath.

He immediately dived again and, following the route he had just planned, slowly circled around to a patch of waterweeds some distance in front of the Cyan Silver Dragon.

That patch of weeds was very dense. He slipped inside and perfectly concealed his form.

At the same time, he activated Endless Moon Breath, hiding all signs of life, and even his killing intent.

「Some time later.」

As the Cyan Silver Dragon swam over leisurely, it was completely oblivious to anything out of the ordinary.

And Chen Cheng’s hands were already silently reaching for it from behind.