Strongest Soldier King

A week had hurriedly passed, and during this time, Luo Zheng, accompanied by Ghost Hand and two others, was constantly undergoing recovery training. Unfortunately, Lan Xue hadn't appeared throughout the week, and he couldn't help but worry about her. However, the good news was that Ghost Hand and Snow Leopard had taught Luo Zheng their unique skills over the week, the swift knife, and joint-locking techniques. After learning these, Luo Zheng did not focus on intensive practice, as numerous life-and-death experiences had taught him one lesson: without absolute strength to support them, even the best techniques were in vain.

One morning after the week had passed, just as dawn was breaking, Luo Zheng felt he had mostly recovered. He put on his training uniform and set off, not to the training ground but heading straight for the sea. The one-kilometer straight-line distance was not far for Luo Zheng, who was accustomed to running in the mountains. He arrived swiftly and, facing the vast sea with its continuously surging waves, laughed. This, he thought, was the best training ground, irreplaceable.

Luo Zheng believed that no other exercise could train muscles, endurance, and body coordination like swimming could. Having heard about the nearby sea, he had decided on his training method, which was to train in the sea. The water was dense, creating great resistance, and the irregular and unpredictable waves made it impossible even to stand steady, let alone train.

The more impossible a place seemed, the more it could forge extraordinary strength. This was something Luo Zheng firmly believed. In this world, there were no impossibilities, only the unforeseen and the unachieved. A one-kilometer mountain cross-country run had almost completely relaxed his muscles and joints. He did not need to do any adaptive training; Luo Zheng directly sprinted down the beach and into the sea.

The water soon submerged him to the top of his head. Luo Zheng continued forward, controlling his body's balance to avoid floating up, holding his breath. After two minutes, he felt the lack of oxygen. His ears rang, his head ached excruciatingly, and his heart felt like it was about to explode. To become a stronger person, one must have incredible endurance and willpower. Luo Zheng clenched his teeth and persisted.

Even excellent Special Forces soldiers could only last underwater for three minutes at most. The human limit for oxygen deprivation varies between three to five minutes. Three minutes is a standard limit; only those with special training or those who live in the sea for prolonged periods can reach up to five minutes or more. Luo Zheng had neither special underwater training nor any special swimming training. He felt his limit at two minutes but gritted his teeth and held on.

Luo Zheng counted silently underwater, keeping his mind clear. His chest stabbed with pain, consciousness began to unravel, and his body involuntarily started to float upwards. Knowing he had reached his limit and understanding that one cannot become strong all at once, that strength was built by challenging limits over time, he quickly resurfaced to desperately inhale fresh air into his lungs.

After resting for a while, Luo Zheng squatted down again, held his breath, and practiced his military boxing underwater, the joint-locking technique he had just learned from Snow Leopard. This time, he could only bear it for two minutes before he had to surface for air. Once he felt sufficiently rested, he continued his training.

An hour later, Luo Zheng was exhausted, his body having been washed ashore by the waves. He lay flat on the beach, devoid of any image, and used the familial Breathing Skill to recover his strength. Half an hour later, feeling much improved, he ate some steamed buns and dried meat he had brought with him, drank some water, and dived back into the sea.

In the coastal forest, Ghost Hand and others were watching Luo Zheng's death-defying training with worried faces. Mountain Eagle, feeling somewhat uneasy, said, "Guys, this hardcore training of his, could it be dangerous? Even we couldn't handle training like this. Is he challenging his own limits?"

"Even so, you try and see if you can endure an hour of training without oxygen," Snow Leopard said worriedly.

"I think he's made up his mind, no use advising him. Let's go back and bring more food and drink over. The most crucial thing when training underwater like this is to stay hydrated, and nutrition needs to keep up, otherwise the body will become depleted, and it'll be all for nothing," Ghost Hand suggested, and everyone agreed with a sound. Leaving Mountain Eagle behind in case of emergencies, the other two hurried off.

Another hour had passed, and Luo Zheng came ashore again. Seeing that the pile of supplies had grown with more dry food, fruits, and freshwater, he guessed that Ghost Hand and the others had brought them. There would be no strangers on this desolate coast, and he felt a warmth in his heart. After replenishing some fluids, he lay on the beach to recover his strength.

Half an hour later, Luo Zheng plunged back into the water, holding his breath and practicing the third set of military boxing underwater. Military boxing, the collective crystallization of many martial arts masters from the past, condensed the essence of various schools and every move was deadly. How much one could comprehend depended on individual talent—something Lan Xue had once told Luo Zheng—hence he paid extra attention to his military boxing training.

The morning slipped away unnoticed, and Luo Zheng was once again washed up onto the beach by the waves. Lying flat, motionless, he had no strength left in his body. After a morning of training, he felt every muscle aching unbearably. He wanted to continue training, but his body wouldn't respond, not even his fingertips could move. He had no choice but to calm down and restore his strength. Looking at the blazing sun overhead, Luo Zheng knew there wasn't much time left for him, and his gaze was resolute.

An hour later, Luo Zheng felt much better, full and hydrated. After resting for about ten more minutes and watching the rolling waves, determination filled his eyes. He got up again and started sprinting through the surf. Underwater training could hone lung capacity, muscles, and stamina, but not speed. Luo Zheng clearly knew that on the battlefield, speed was crucial for life and death.

The waves were irregular, unpredictable, and created a lot of resistance; running through them was exceptionally strenuous. Every step encountered resistance, but Luo Zheng kept a firm gaze forward and ran as fast as he could, mustering all his strength without holding back or pacing himself, just explosive sprinting at his highest speed.

With every step, he kicked the waves into the air, and each landing was firm and powerful. Luo Zheng unexpectedly discovered that this training method not only improved his speed but also the strength of his kicks. After all, it took considerable strength to kick through the waves, which made him ecstatic, and he ran with even more determination.

The waves not only hindered his steps but also hit him, making it hard to stand firm. Training in such tough conditions consumed a lot of stamina; Luo Zheng couldn't withstand it after less than half an hour. Gasping for air like a bellows, his head dizzily heavy, his energy severely depleted, his body covered in dirt with no clean spot left, unable to tell water from sweat. His hand shaking as he held the water bottle, and his legs started to tremble too. Luo Zheng simply let himself fall to the ground, relaxed all over, looking at the scorching sun and smiled. His somewhat youthful face showed a trace of helplessness, but it was quickly replaced by determination.

"Strongest Soldier King, here I come." Half an hour later, Luo Zheng rushed into the sea again, diving to the ocean floor. Holding his breath, he trained in military boxing with all his might, not holding back on any punches or kicks, moving as fast as he could, training desperately, his mind filled with an indomitable belief.