32: Chapter 32 Miscellaneous Notes on Dougong (bracket sets)

Day 17.

During his morning run, Chen Zhen discovered he could "hear" his breathing.

It wasn't the kind of sound heard with ears, but an echo from within his body.

The breath was inhaled through his nasal cavity, sank down along his throat, passed through his chest cavity, and finally reached his Dantian in his lower abdomen.

The entire process was like a warm stream, outlining a clear path inside his body.

The shouzhong token vibrated slightly with the flow of this breath; it shook lightly with every inhalation and trembled slowly with every exhalation, as if keeping rhythm for this stream.

Running to the third kilometer, he was suddenly struck by inspiration and tried to adjust his breathing rhythm:

Inhale for three seconds, pause for one second, exhale for six seconds.

This was the "Abdominal Breathing" method he had seen in a health book, which he had tried before but always felt forced.

But today, with the assistance of the shouzhong token, this rhythm felt as natural as a bodily instinct.

His breath sank deeper; during the pause, the mass of Qi in his Dantian would slightly swell, and when exhaled, it carried a sense of release and relaxation.

The system panel popped up with a prompt at the right moment:

[Breathing Method and exercise rhythm have achieved initial synergy]

[Health Dimension experience + 28]

[Cultivation + 0.37 (base 0.18 + quality bonus 0.19)]

[Unlocked hidden achievement: 'First Glimpse of Respiration' (all dimension growth speed + 3%, duration 7 days)]

Nice.

A new hidden achievement.

When Chen Zhen ran to the Riverside, the old man was already standing in a post-standing stance under the willow tree.

It wasn't his usual relaxed standing posture; his feet were shoulder-width apart.

His knees were slightly bent, his hands were loosely held in front of his abdomen, his eyes were half-closed, and he looked like a rooted tree.

Chen Zhen lightened his footsteps as he approached, not disturbing him.

After standing for about three minutes, the old man slowly opened his eyes and finished his stance.

He exhaled a long breath, which condensed into a white line in the morning mist, flying out half a meter before dispersing.

"You're here?" The old man turned to look at him, his eyes brighter than usual, "You look good today."

"I slept soundly last night."

"It's not just about sleeping well." The old man stepped closer, looking him up and down, "That 'smell of paper and ink' on you has faded, but you've gained a bit of... clear Qi. Like a bamboo forest just after the rain."

Chen Zhen's heart stirred.

Was it the effect of the calming incense?

Or was it the mental peace brought by fully digesting Engineer Gu's notes yesterday?

"Looks like you used that incense correctly." The old man didn't dwell on it, turning instead to say, "Did you practice the 'Embracing the Ball' I taught you yesterday?"

"I practiced for five minutes each in the morning and evening."

"How did it feel?"

"My arms were sore, but after the soreness, there was a sense of clarity."

Chen Zhen said truthfully.

"And when practicing, the warmth from the shouzhong token would travel along my arms."

"Hmm." The old man nodded, "That is Qi clearing the meridians. It's normal to be sore at first; the meridians aren't clear, so the Qi moves sluggishly. Once they are cleared, the soreness will disappear, and you'll even feel your arms are lighter and nimbler than usual."

He signaled for Chen Zhen to take his stance: "Come, let me see again."

Chen Zhen held his hands loosely and turned slowly.

After turning half a circle, the old man reached out and pressed gently on a spot just below his right shoulder blade: "Here, it's tight. Do you feel it yourself?"

Chen Zhen focused to feel it.

Indeed, the muscle on his right back was stiffer than the left, causing the arc of his right arm to be less rounded than his left during the turn.

"I feel it."

"Do you know why it's tight?"

Chen Zhen thought for a moment: "I usually use my right hand for writing and using the mouse."

"That's right." The old man withdrew his hand, "Everyone has a dominant hand; the side used more often is prone to muscle stiffness. When stiff, the Qi doesn't flow. This 'Embracing the Ball' of yours isn't just for training Whole-body Force; it's also helping you knead these stiff areas open bit by bit."

He paused, then added: "But just kneading it open isn't enough; you also have to let the Qi move on its own. Come, keep turning, I'll teach you a Mind-Cultivation Technique."

Chen Zhen continued turning.

The old man stood by his side, his voice softening: "Don't just think about the 'ball' in your hands. Imagine that warmth coming from the shouzhong token is a stream of water. When you turn, let this water flow along your arms, to your palms, and then back from your palms. Make it circulate."

Chen Zhen tried to follow suit.

At first, it was difficult.

His attention had to simultaneously manage his movements, breathing, and that imagined "stream of water."

But after a few turns, the warmth from the shouzhong token seemed to really start flowing actively.

Starting from his chest, it flowed along the inside of his arms to his palms, circled half a turn in his palms, and then flowed back to his chest along the outside of his arms.

Although weak, it was indeed circulating.

"Yes, that's the feeling." The old man said, "Remember it. In the future, when practicing boxing, running, or even reading and writing, you can try letting the Qi move like this. Once it flows smoothly, your body won't get tired easily, and your mind will be clear."

Chen Zhen turned for another five minutes; when he stopped, his arms were still sore.

But there was warmth within that soreness, not like the pure fatigue of yesterday.

"Alright, that's it for today." The old man fished a small cloth bag out of his pocket, "This is for you."

Chen Zhen took it.

The cloth bag was very light; inside were a few dry leaves.

Dark green and curled up.

It smelled of a faint, fresh herbal fragrance, different from the bitter, clear scent of the calming incense—it was fresher.

"This is..."

"Mint, I grew it myself." The old man said, "But it's not ordinary Mint. I've tended to it for over a decade using ancient methods, and it has some effect for calming the spirit and refreshing the mind. When you're sleepy from reading, or feeling restless, hold a piece under your tongue; don't chew it, just let it dissolve slowly."

Chen Zhen carefully put it away: "Thank you, old man."

"Don't rush to thank me." The old man waved his hand, "I've given you the item; whether you can use it well depends on you. I'm off."

With that, he walked away slowly along the river embankment with his hands behind his back.

Chen Zhen stood in place, gripping the small cloth bag in his hand.

Everything the old man had given him.

Breathing Method, standing posture, Taiji basics, shouzhong token, calming incense, Mint leaves.

At first glance, they were all scattered little techniques and small objects, but when connected, they formed a complete, progressive system for body and mind conditioning.

He didn't teach mystical grand theories, only practical little methods.

...

On the way home, Chen Zhen held a Mint leaf under his tongue.

A cool sensation instantly spread.

It wasn't the head-rushing coolness of Mint candy, but a gentle, herbal-scented coolness.

It slowly soaked through his entire mouth with his saliva, then seeped down along his throat.

His mind was indeed much clearer, and the slight fatigue after the morning run was swept away.

He arrived home at 7:20.

His mother was making pancakes and turned around when she heard the noise: "You're back? The pancakes will be ready soon."

"Where's Dad?"

"He left early, said he had to learn the circuit diagrams for the new machines from his master today."

Chen Zhen washed his hands and helped set the bowls and chopsticks.

His mother shoveled out the pancakes, golden and crispy, and had also cooked millet porridge.

While eating, his mother mentioned the Library: "That old gentleman came again yesterday and even brought a booklet he compiled himself, about the classification of Dougong in ancient architecture. I told him my son loves reading these things, so he insisted on giving it to me."

She took a thin, hand-bound booklet out of her cloth bag.

On the cover were brush calligraphy characters: "Dougong Remnants".

Chen Zhen took it and flipped through it.