"I'm going to change myself bit by bit."
Wang An ate this meal a little slower than usual. He chewed and swallowed slowly. Eventually, he finished his meal.
After eating, he walked back and forth in his room for more than ten minutes, treating it as exercise after dinner to digest his food. Then, he went to bed for an afternoon nap.
Perhaps because he was relaxed, he slept until three in the afternoon. When he woke up, his head was a little dizzy.
He washed his face and drank a glass of warm water.
"What to do next?" He looked at the sky. "Guess I'll go out for a run."
He couldn't remember the last time he ran.
He took out his sportswear from the closet, changed into his running shoes, and went downstairs.
There was a small park not far from where he lived. He slowly made his way into the park and began running.
Although the park was not big, it was at least 500 to 600 meters long.
After running for just one round, Wang An's face was already covered in sweat, and his heart was beating rapidly.
After running the second round, he was completely drenched in sweat. He felt that he did not have enough oxygen and took deep breaths. His legs felt heavy, and the more he ran, the slower he became, but he persevered.
On the third lap, he felt that he could no longer move his legs, and his heart felt like it was in his throat.
'I can't do this anymore. There's no way I can do this!'
After running and stopping, he finally finished the third round. His body refused to run anymore, so he switched to walking. After walking for a few minutes and letting his heart-rate calm down, he found a bench and sat down.
[You completed a short distance run of less than two kilometers with great difficulty. Perhaps you have realized how weak your body is.]
"Phew, it's pretty bad. I guess even junior high students are better than me!" Wang An said. "When we go back later, I'm going to make a long-term fitness plan and stick to it."
Leaning back in his chair, he raised his head and let out a long sigh. The figure of an old man a few meters away caught his attention.
The old man was wearing a white exercise suit. His face was ruddy, and he was standing under a tree practicing Tai Chi.
There was no wind, no water, and no leaves dancing. He moved very slowly and his posture was relaxed.
After a while, another old man came. He was fat and would pant heavily after a few steps, just like Wang An who was running just now.
"I'm here."
The old man who was practicing Tai Chi stopped and looked at the fat old man. "You really have to take better care of your body. You can't be panting after taking a few steps."
"That's why I came to train Tai Chi with you. Weren't you like me three years ago?" the fat man said.
The two old men stood together and looked at each other. The old man in white exercise clothes looked seven or eight years younger than the fat old man, but the fact was, the two of them were the same age.
"It's true. I've been practicing Tai Chi for the past few years, and I've gotten much better. I'll first teach you the 'Standing Stake' exercise, also known as Wuji Stake. This is the foundation of Tai Chi, born from Wuji to create Taiji. It requires a relaxed body and a tranquil mind."
The old man began to explain the key points of the Wuji Stake to his friend. Hearing the conversation between the two, Wang An unconsciously leaned forward.
His body also needed to be taken better care of. He had to start now and could not delay it.
He also wanted to listen and learn from them. Tai Chi could strengthen the body, so there was no harm in it, right?
The white-robed old man explained in great detail. There were some essentials to the Wuji Stake. Wang An listened very seriously from the side.
The fat old man was an impatient person and rushed the other man. "Don't say so much. Let's just train first."
"Alright." The white-robed elder smiled and nodded.
He turned to look at Wang An.
"Sir, can I learn from you?" Wang An asked subconsciously.
"Let's do it together then," the elderly person agreed readily after some brief consideration. Teaching alone or practicing with someone else was no different to him.
"Alright, thank you." Wang An hurriedly said.
"First, let's talk about the preparatory posture. Your legs should be naturally separated, about shoulder-width apart, head upright, body straight, and relaxed. Your arms should hang naturally, touching your thighs…"
The old man began to demonstrate.
"In the Wuji Stake, slightly bend your knees and focus the center of gravity of your body. Let your abdomen sink downward and backward and straighten your lumbar spine. Relax your shoulders, and let your elbows hang naturally. When concluding the exercise, bring your palms together to your core."
Wang An started practicing with the old man.
"Old Liu, I told you to relax, not slack off. You have to straighten your body and support your bones," The old man instructed his old friend.
"Young man, don't be nervous. You're too tense. Straighten your waist." The old man patted Wang An's shoulder.
After practicing for more than ten minutes, the old man asked them to stop and correct some of their mistakes. Then, he continued to train. This time, it took a little longer, more than twenty minutes.
Wang An was very serious with the training. He slowly adjusted and applied what the old man told him. If he had any doubts or had something he did not understand, he would ask. The old man was very kind and patiently taught him.
The Wuji Stake did not seem like much, but it was actually tiring to train. Moreover, Wang An had just finished a very tiring run, so his body was tired.
After practicing for a while, he needed a break, so he took a short rest and continued practicing.
Unknowingly to him, the sky darkened.
"That's all for today. I have to pick up my granddaughter." The old man smiled.
[You've learned Tai Chi. If you persist, you might be pleasantly surprised.]
[Tai Chi (Beginner).]
The notification appeared again, but this time, it was a skill with a blank bar below it. It was very similar to an experience bar in a game.
"Does this count as unlocking a skill tree?" Wang An felt pleasantly surprised in his heart.
"Goodbye, young man." The old man smiled and waved at Wang An.
"Will you be coming again tomorrow?" Wang An, who had regained his senses, hurriedly asked.
"As long as it's not raining or windy, I'll be here every morning at around eight to train his Tai Chi."
"Then can I come back tomorrow to learn from you?"
"Of course. But, young man, don't you have to work?"
"I don't think so." Wang An said with a smile.
"See you tomorrow then." The old man smiled.
After the two old men left, Wang An stood still and tried to practice the 'Wuji Stake' that the old man had taught him.
He calmed his heart, relaxed his body, and braced his bones. He raised his shoulders and turned his elbows, feeling the changes in his body and constantly adjusting them.
[Tai Chi experience +2.]
"There's a notification?"
Wang An saw the notification and continued practicing.
[Tai Chi experience +1.]
[Tai Chi experience +1.]
With a thought, the panel appeared again. The originally blank experience bar under the Tai Chi skill filled up by a very small section. It popped out as if it was drawing with chalk.
As everyone knows, at the beginning of playing a game, grinding for experience can become addictive, and Wang An was currently in this phase.
He was very tired but very happy.
He was already thinking about whether there were other ways to increase his experience besides practicing martial arts, such as watching videos and movies, reading certain books, and so on.
He dragged his tired body back home and took a hot bath after a short rest.