Chapter 15 (1/2)

The breathing was kept in a rather strange rhythm. At times, it was loud and jarring, at some other times, it became faint and feeble. Its tempo unpredictably varied. Overall, it had a rather complex system.

Chu Feng was a man of exceptional sagacity, but initially, he still struggled with keeping up with the pace. At times, the irregular breathing rhythm gave him feelings of drowning, leading him to a prolonged episode of acute coughing.

The golden calf opened its eyes and saw Chu Feng's inept.i.tude in handling the breathing pattern. A grin emerged on its face. The calf was making a mockery of him.

”What're you laughing at?” Chu Feng glared at it. He finally had a first-hand experience the exact feeling of Zhou Quan. Mocked by a calf, he was tempted to clobber it.

The morning glow was glittering with a blinding s.h.i.+ne. It had an exuberant vital essence. The golden calf sat in its tub, in a balanced, cross-legged position. In and out, it breathed the mystical elements that flowed in the air, gathering the essence of the sun and the moon.

As the calf exhaled and inhaled in this peculiar fas.h.i.+on, its body became increasingly gleaming and l.u.s.trous. Its body seemed as if it had been casted with pure gold that had become more and more extraordinary.

”Moo!”

Along with a growling sound, a fume of white mist vaporized into the air from its nostrils. Then, accompanied by an explosive sound, the white mist blasted in mid-air. It sounded like a deafening thunderclap, both terrifying and startling.

This sudden outburst gave Chu Feng a start. If that sphere of white mist had been projected onto a man, he thought, he or she would have been blasted miles away upon impact. As to whether the body would be blasted into a mess of flesh and blood, it was anyone's guess.

”You're good, baby cow!”

Chu Feng was astounded. This was only an exhale of a calf, yet it had already proven to be deadly.

”Can you teach me your breathing pattern?” He was pa.s.sionate and expectant. ”The breathing exercises you just did seemed have led up to this fatal blast of air. Am I right?”

The golden calf was heaved with joy. It raised its head in a sense of profound confidence and pride.

Since he had witnessed the extreme pride that the calf had taken in his breathing exercises, Chu Feng's instinct told him that this breathing exercises must be something terrific and something highly extraordinary.

”Are there any back stories to this breathing exercises?” Chu Feng asked. He knew that for a calf this small, it was almost impossible for it to come up with a whole set of breathing exercise.

The golden calf suddenly seemed rather nervous. It looked vigilant and alerted all of a sudden.

Was this going to be more mystical than he thought? Seeing how nervous it had become all of a sudden, Chu Feng was surprised.

”Can you teach me your way?” He asked with a pious look.

He always had an underlying apprehension that one day, when h.e.l.l broke loose, he could possess some sort of power for self-defence. He did not want to be helpless.

It was evident that human was the only species left on earth that was yet to evolve in this episode of chaotic changes. Even vines had grown into a lawless monstrosity that could pull off a satellite from s.p.a.ce.

In days to come, the world would be filled of an all-pervading sense of gloom and danger.

And this was only the tip of an iceberg.

Therefore, Chu Feng had a sense of emergency. He wanted protection and security. He wanted to live in this ever-changing world. This golden calf was a magical creature, and this gave Chu Feng hope.

The golden calf was a bit irresolute. It continued to sit there in a cross-legged position with a pondering look.

”You know that I can bring you to that strange little bush I saw on the bronze mountain one day,” Chu Feng said with a smile as he attempted to allure it into agreement. ”But the premise is that I have the power to ensure my life in this world of chaos,” Chu Feng added.

”Moo!”

The golden calf seemed to have made up its mind almost in an instant. It sounded a growl, then it solemnly nodded its head.

Chu Feng was delighted. He did not expect that the calf could agree with him so promptly.

He had been worried that the calf might perhaps obstinately persist on some stubborn tempers that would result in him being completely ignored by the calf.

The golden calf pointed towards the sun with one of its fore hooves, then it beckoned Chu Feng with the other hoof, signing him to also face east. Together, under the glittering morning glow, they resumed that strange breathing rhythm once again.

Chu Feng was a fast-learner. This time, it wasn't a disappointing exception either. He mimicked the breathing pattern of the calf. He breathed in and breathed out in a pa.s.sable imitation of the calf. The breathing was loud and jarring at times, then it diminished to something weak and feeble. Again and again, it formed a seemingly harmonious cycle.

However, it was nothing substantially harmonious for Chu Feng. He almost choked himself for a few times with a stuffy feeling in his chest. After a while, he felt dizzy and had a headache.

This was clearly an abnormal occurrence, since his laborious struggle had been dramatically juxtaposed by the calf's ease and relief.

The calf's eyes were closed, displaying a great sense of relaxation and leisure. There was even a scent of pleasurable fragrance emanating from its body.

Chu Feng stopped because he realized a serious question. This breathing pattern might be something otherworldly and something extraordinary, however, it might not be suitable for all human beings. Forcible application might end with serious or even deadly outcomes.

The golden calf sensed the eeriness in the air. It opened its eyes with a dubious look. It seemed as if the calf was questioning why Chu Feng had ceased his action.

Chu Feng was straightforward. ”I'm a bit worried. I'm not sure if this practice is a suitable for us humans.”

To his surprise, the golden calf nodded before giving it a second thought. It was a very definite affirmation.

Chu Feng wanted rea.s.surance, so he asked, ”Are you sure it's going to be alright? What system does this breathing pattern belong to? How is it applicable to every species?”

The golden calf was surrounded in a haughty atmosphere. The calf raised its head and had a grin on its face like a Ches.h.i.+re Cat. Its posture was evident of its great pride and conceit. It behaved as if it had possessed the greatest magic and power in the world.

The golden calf sat in the tub with one of its hooves pointing above and the other pointing down. ”Moo, moo, moo…”

”Ok, ok. I know. 'You alone are honored in Heaven and Earth',” Chu Feng hastily said.

He sat down and gave the breathing exercises another try. He managed to match his breathing pattern exactly with that of the golden calf, but the effect was still minimal. He felt nothing queer or marvellous.

Chu Feng adhered to the exercise unremittingly, refusing to give up.

Although the system followed a strange and complex rhythmic pattern, he still managed to memorize the whole set of this exercise. He had done nothing amiss, but effects were yet to appear.

Nothing seemed to have taken effect, yet nothing seemed to go awry either. Until suddenly, another rumbling sound of thunder shattered this seemingly perpetual silence. That golden calf made a deafening bellow that carried some sort of strange forces and strengths.