Young man, I see that you have a unique talent. Come and learn mystical abilities from me and become a powerful Witch-hunting Knight.
For some reason, this was the phrase that popped into Lin An's head at that moment.
But it didn't happen.
Doctor Zhang merely exchanged a meaningful glance with Professor Cao before he started to hurry people along.
"It's not good to catch a draft during acupuncture; don't you know that? What are you doing running out here!"
Then, the jolly, chubby uncle looked at Lin An with a smile, "Your problem isn't serious, it's just that you lack some fundamentals, young man. Have you practiced any martial arts before? Even the simplest form from military training would do."
Lin An shook his head.
He wished he had, but unfortunately, he had missed something as meaningful as university military training.
That was because he had spent the time following his high school graduation working on a home construction site to earn tuition fees. There, he was hit by a heavy piece of solid wood from an unsecured television cabinet, which fractured his shin.
It was a pity since he had met a nice master who had promised to teach him more about plumbing and electric work.
It was an unforgettable experience.
"I see." Doctor Zhang thought for a moment, "I'll teach you a simple move that my father devised by emulating Baqinxi. You can just assume this position the next time you practice the Breathing Skill of Deer Play."
Leaning closer to Lin An, he raised his eyebrows and said with a mysterious look, "It's effective for strengthening the kidneys, you know."
This…
Lin An didn't think he had any kidney deficiency, but his body sincerely showed a serious and earnest expression.
Regardless of whether it was of use or not, a skill once learned is yours forever!
"Watch closely~"
"Ever had a cat? This move is designed to mimic the way a cat stretches when it's yawning."
Doctor Zhang pulled off his vest, revealing a body that seemed chubby yet inexplicably muscular.
That kind of robustness couldn't be faked.
When Doctor Zhang placed his hands on the ground and slowly arched his back with every muscle tensed, terrifying shapes emerged from what appeared to be soft flesh.
His movements resembled the cat pose in yoga, yet there were substantial differences.
They were almost identical to a cat's stretching pose, with straightened legs, hands planted on the ground, and the back arched like a tilted 'n'.
Lin An felt that the pose Doctor Zhang assumed wasn't quite like a cat's but rather resembled a fierce tiger, a ferocious and intimidating tiger, with an almost palpable malevolence rushing forth.
Just looking at it a few times gave one the impression of facing a fierce tiger, causing goosebumps to rise all over.
"When you start practicing, you can keep your legs slightly bent so your hands can reach the ground."
Doctor Zhang explained earnestly, "Then, we gently rock our spine. Eh, if you lack sensation, imagine your spine wiggling like a fish, exuding a unique agility that only cats have."
"From your neck down to your coccyx, gently sway."
After demonstrating, Doctor Zhang flipped over and stood up, patting his belly, "In this position, when you use the Breathing Skill of Deer Play, there won't be a problem, and once you start feeling warmth in your belly, it's best to stop and walk around a bit."
Watching others always seems simple, but the mind says I can do it, while the body says I'm not listening.
When Doctor Zhang asked Lin An to also assume this position and offered to help correct and guide him, Lin An then truly experienced the agony of the pose.
This is called stretching?
It felt like torture.
When Doctor Zhang's chubby hand pressed hard on his back, pushing his upper body towards the ground, all Lin An felt was as if every tendon and bone in his body were about to break.
"Relax, relax!" Doctor Zhang said with a smile, "Why do you look like you're about to pass out? When cats stretch lazily, it's a complete relaxation of muscles and tendons: areas that are usually lax are tightened and those that are tight get stretched out. It's a wonderful feeling."
Not!
At all!
Wonderful!
Lin An felt like his waist was about to snap, but Doctor Zhang kept asking him to arch his back and twist.
I can't do it!
Lin An was sometimes quite stubborn—oh, he was always stubborn, able to withstand countless bizarre and fanciful gazes with composure. How could he not be stubborn?
He clenched his teeth and didn't let out a cry of pain.
But enduring it wasn't a solution, Lin An started to think of a way, and very soon he thought of one.
Deer Play Breathing Skill.
He began to quickly recall every detail of the illustration in "The Spirited Dance of the Fawn," and soon entered a light state.
In this state, he easily performed the movement.
"Ah, right, right," Doctor Zhang let go of his back, clapped his hands, and gestured for him to get up.
"It's not good to practice at noon, the best time is early morning when the sun has just risen, but evening is also okay if you don't have time."
"Not bad, not bad, you have talent."
Lin An instantly felt incredibly refreshed; this method really worked!
However, as he took the box of ginseng from his backpack and walked into the clinic with Doctor Zhang, Professor Cao let out a cold snort at them.
"The teacher is irresponsible, and the student looks for shortcuts."
"Hey, Mr. Cao, what are you saying!" Doctor Zhang glared at Professor Cao with dissatisfaction, "Just tell me, can the method I taught help him unblock the energy in his body? You tell me!"
Professor Cao was just sitting in the chair, his hands hanging naturally on his knees, yet he seemed like a towering iron structure.
He glanced at Doctor Zhang and looked directly at Lin An, "A cat is agile, a deer is spirited; these are different concepts. If you confuse their meanings, you will never grasp the true essence. Simply put, you learnt in vain!"
With these words, he took the wooden box from Lin An's hands, and upon hearing that the shop owner had given it as a gift, he snorted again. He opened it to take a look inside and then casually tossed it to Doctor Zhang, "I don't need this; you take it to steep in liquor, but share half with me."
"Sure~" Doctor Zhang seemed quite pleased, examining it carefully after catching it.
Professor Cao ignored him and continued speaking to Lin An, "The breathing skill of Deer Play should, of course, be paired with Deer Play, but I don't have time to teach you now. You stop practicing for now."
"But…" Lin An felt conflicted; he didn't want to learn anything formidable, he just hoped to use this breathing skill to effectively master the function of blocking visual illusions.
His requirements weren't high.
Professor Cao stared at him for a while and finally nodded his head, "The breathing skill of Deer Play can be used, but when you practice the 'Spirit Cat Body Stretching Skill,' it's best to feel more of the cat's agility. Once you can reach a point where you arch your spine but your whole body is infused with a unique force, then you can be considered to have entered the beginner's stage."
Doctor Zhang clicked his tongue, "Isn't that making it too hard for young Lin An? Can a beginner do that?"
After thinking for a moment, Professor Cao shook his head, "Forget it, don't waste your time. Come to my house after I return, and I'll teach you proper Deer Play."
Having said that, he looked towards Doctor Zhang, "I can go back tomorrow, right?"
"Heh~" Doctor Zhang scoffed and raised a single finger sternly, "One month, at least one month. You're not leaving my clinic a day earlier!"
Professor Cao let out a forceful breath, pursed his lips, and said nothing, slowly closing his eyes, just sitting silently.
"Yo, you've really subdued your temper quite a bit," Doctor Zhang teased cheerfully.
After a moment of silence, Professor Cao turned to look at him again, his eyes deep, "I've gotten old, my hair and beard are dyed black at the barber shop, but white hairs keep sprouting insistently."
This time, Doctor Zhang's face lost its smile; he just sighed softly, patted Professor Cao's shoulder, and took the wooden box containing ginseng into the clinic.
Professor Cao glanced at Lin An, smiled slightly, "Go back, there's no use staying here. Take a good look at the book I lent you. Stop practicing the breathing skill of Deer Play for now, Mr. Zhang has only taught you the superficial part of the 'Spirit Cat Spinal Stretching Technique,' learning it is of no use. We'll talk after I return."
Lin An nodded, but deep down he was still reluctant to give up on it.
After all, according to the two of them, it wasn't that he was practicing incorrectly, just that this method of practice wasn't very effective.
But the effectiveness they spoke of might not be what he was looking for.
Spirit Cat Spinal Stretching Technique should be combined with the cat's agility, not the deer's spirited movement?
Observe a cat?
It seemed that there indeed was a cat in his office right now!
Perhaps he could observe it carefully to determine the differences between a cat's agility and a deer's spiritedness.
Politely bidding farewell and expressing his thanks, Lin An remembered the movements of the black cat as he left.
Approaching the door, he faintly overheard their conversation inside.
"Hey, didn't you say he's not an apprentice, but a student?"
"Hmm…"
Lin An didn't intend to eavesdrop on their conversation and headed straight for his assistive bicycle.