Zhuang Gong = Aerobic + Anaerobic?

Because he had spent the previous evening hunting with nails, Chen Jue worried that overusing them would dull his sensitivity to ordinary throwing darts, so every morning he brought one along to practice its feel. By now, he was a master of hidden weapons, his ten fingers nimble and deft; even unsharpened short sword darts could be spun and manipulated into dazzling flourishes in his hands.

As for the art of concealing darts within his sleeves, that was a skill he had just picked up in the past few days from watching videos online. Hidden weapons, as their name implies, are meant to be deployed in secrecy, unseen by the light. Once he perfected the technique of sleeve-concealed darts, it would provide him with another means of self-defense. He had absolutely no intention of accidentally using it on another person! After all, what’s an adversary in love? There were countless people online clamoring for Ms. Wu’s contact information, wanting to spend their lives with her—he couldn’t just reach through the screen and take them all out one by one with his darts, could he? (Perhaps if he trained to Lv9999, it might be possible.)

“This is my cousin Zheng Yuan, my aunt's son,” Wu Fang said, brushing aside her sweat-dampened hair with a hint of resignation, introducing him. She also recounted Chen Jue’s heroic feat of taking down a pit bull with a single dart, and Zheng Yuan, listening with shining eyes, enthusiastically shook Chen Jue’s hand, his face full of admiration. “Boss! Please accept my kneeling respect!”

“I’m no boss, just an amateur dart enthusiast,” Chen Jue replied modestly, though inwardly he thought, “So he’s just a kid brother, after all!”

“No, no! An amateur could never have your skills!” Zheng Yuan insisted. “I’ve watched that video of you darting the dog at least a hundred times. You’re the most incredible dart master I’ve ever seen—no, you’re a legend!”

Zheng Yuan praised Chen Jue unstintingly, and also explained the purpose of his visit. It turned out he was a third-year student at Jiang Province University, majoring in a life sciences field focused on human physiology, and had been racking his brains over his graduation thesis. By chance, he saw the video of his cousin Wu Fang saving someone from a dog and Chen Jue’s dart demonstration, which sparked a sudden inspiration: he wanted to research whether long-term practice of traditional weapons like darts or rope darts might have more positive effects on the human body than Western-style fitness training.

Though it was only an initial idea, Zheng Yuan was a man of action. He had come to the park specifically to consult his grandfather and cousin, both martial arts experts, and to observe Chen Jue, hoping to recruit him into his research project.

“Qingbei Jiangfu—so he’s a top student from the third-ranked university in the country!” Chen Jue thought with some awe. No wonder he had such unconventional ideas. As a graduate of a technical college, Chen Jue knew he couldn’t compete with these siblings academically. Glancing at Mr. Wu, who was sipping from his insulated mug nearby, Chen Jue realized he was likely a bona fide retired university professor. Clearly, the academic prowess of this family had deep roots.

As for Zheng Yuan’s proposed research, Chen Jue didn’t find it odd at all. Foreigners even study how to skip stones. As a native of China, researching darts, rope darts, or other traditional martial arts seemed perfectly reasonable.

…

Under Wu Fang’s expectant gaze, Chen Jue chatted briefly with Zheng Yuan, and they exchanged contact information. According to Zheng Yuan, his research was just beginning. Once he had established a framework, he would invite Chen Jue and his cousin to visit Jiang University’s School of Life Sciences to undergo some basic physical tests. If Chen Jue couldn’t make it, Zheng Yuan could bring his classmates and equipment to the park for testing, arranging the time via messaging.

As for compensation for participating in the tests, Zheng Yuan offered one thousand yuan per session. Being a student, he could only afford so much. But Chen Jue declined, proposing instead, “Forget the payment! Just take me around Jiang University and treat me to a meal at the famous campus cafeteria.”

Wu Fang and her grandfather were still watching—he couldn’t possibly ask for money from the younger man; it would feel too distant.

Page 1/3

“That works! It’s a deal, Brother Jue!” Zheng Yuan replied, delighted that the matter was settled so quickly—it was a promising start for his thesis project. Chen Jue, for his part, genuinely wanted to visit Jiang University—not for the sake of the beautiful and kind-hearted Ms. Wu.

As someone who had failed the college entrance exam, he would never be admitted to such elite institutions. He’d lived in Hangzhou for years, always hearing about the beautiful campus at Jiang University but never seeing it for himself. Now he had the chance, he was determined to go. Even if it was just a brief tour, it would make up for the years he’d spent drifting in Hangzhou.

…

Having made a preliminary agreement with Zheng Yuan, Chen Jue chatted a bit more with Wu Fang.

“I still envy you, Chen Jue,” Wu Fang said, resting her chin in her hand and puffing out her cheek, clearly suffering from inflamed gums. She had been pursued relentlessly by fervent fans lately; if not for hiding at school during the day, she’d have been swarmed. It was understandable she felt a bit under the weather.

Yet seeing Wu Fang’s inadvertently charming expression, Chen Jue’s old otaku heart melted even more. He comforted her, “Fame always brings trouble! But this wave of attention will fade as quickly as it came; just hang in there a few more days and no one will bother you anymore.”

“May your words come true!” Wu Fang replied with a beautiful smile, taking her cousin Zheng Yuan off to practice martial arts with their grandfather. Chen Jue, not wanting to intrude, headed to the park to join Mr. Zhao’s Tai Chi group and continue honing his skills.

He knew that pursuing a woman shouldn’t be a matter of relentless persistence right from the start. One needed to maintain a sense of distance at first—become friends and gradually build the relationship. When the time was right, it would all come together naturally. As for those legendary “most devoted lovers of Jiangnan” who win a girl’s heart with a single move, Chen Jue neither had the face nor the financial means for such feats; he could only rely on a slow, steady approach.

But what Chen Jue did not expect was that, shortly after he walked away, Grandfather Wu, who had been watching quietly, suddenly teased his granddaughter with the insight of an experienced elder, mug in hand, “Fang Fang, that young man is quite nice—looks energetic! Have you considered him?”

“I hear he just signed up for your Uncle Zhao’s Tai Chi class and shows up every day to exercise. Once he slims down a bit, he’ll be quite handsome—not bad looking at all,” he continued.

Wu Fang, flustered, replied, “Grandpa! What are you saying? If you keep teasing, I won’t come tomorrow!”

Zheng Yuan, seeing his cousin’s embarrassment, couldn’t help but be curious, “Huh? Grandpa, what did you say? Is there something between Brother Jue and my cousin? No way! Is the iron tree of our Wu family about to bloom? Is the online rumor about the twin dart heroes true?”

“Ow… Sis! Why did you kick me? Easy… easy…”

…

Deeper within the park, Zhao Jianguo’s Tai Chi class had already begun at their usual spot. Seeing Chen Jue arrive, Zhao Jianguo greeted him and motioned for him to join the lineup and practice along.

Chen Jue nodded, taking his place at the end of the row, and began to follow Zhao Jianguo’s movements, practicing Tai Chi step by step. The morning Tai Chi class was divided into two phases: first, practicing together with the teacher; second, free practice with time to consult the teacher.

Page 2/3

At the very start of practice, Chen Jue noticed something surprising: three Tai Chi skills would all receive a proficiency increase for certain overlapping movements. This delighted him.

“Are they stacking together? Is it because the movements are identical?” he wondered.

After about an hour of practice, his body warmed and lightly perspired, and his free attribute increased by 0.01. He paused his movements, and saw that the proficiency for all three Tai Chi skills had reached around Lv0 (60/100); another hour of free practice would likely upgrade them all simultaneously.

At that moment, Zhao Jianguo, having finished leading the group, approached him. “Xiao Chen, your movements are becoming more precise and standardized, and your stance is much steadier than yesterday. Have you been practicing at home?”

“My stance?” Chen Jue mused, recalling the freshly activated [Horse Stance] skill. The horse stance was a fundamental exercise in many traditional martial arts. Although it differed from Tai Chi’s stake work, it contributed to his progress by analogy.

With this realization, Chen Jue nodded.

Zhao Jianguo, thoughtful, remarked, “Young people learn quickly! Not like the older students in the class. Here’s what I’ll do: I’ll teach you the Thirteen Tai Chi Stakes directly. Practice them when you have time. These thirteen stake techniques are the foundation of Tai Chi. Practiced often, they strengthen the body and nurture the essence, far better than simply drilling movements.”

With that, Zhao Jianguo conscientiously demonstrated the thirteen types of Tai Chi stake work: from Tiger Subduing Stake, Mountain Pushing Stake, to Pagoda Holding, Crown Top, Embracing, Sky Supporting, and then Wuji, Tai Chi, Two Forms, Three Bodies, Four Images, Five Elements, Seven Stars—thirteen varieties in all, each explained and demonstrated.

Because these stake techniques were closely connected to Tai Chi movements, their transitions and subtleties made Chen Jue’s learning quick. Particularly as he listened to Zhao Jianguo’s explanations, observing the rise and fall of his teacher’s chest and abdomen, Chen Jue’s ears unconsciously tuned in to Zhao Jianguo’s breathing rhythm.

It was a remarkably steady breathing pattern, deeper and more stable than Chen Jue’s own. Clearly, Zhao Jianguo’s lung capacity surpassed his.

After about ten minutes, Chen Jue, mimicking Zhao Jianguo’s breathing, gradually grasped the knack. As his body rose and fell in the stake stance, he instinctively began to practice [Closing the Valley Path].

As the valley path closed and the tailbone lifted, Chen Jue felt all the pores of his body open and close in synchrony. It was as if, stepping out of a hot bath into chilly air, goosebumps prickled, pores closed, a surge of heat moved within, skin cooled, eyes brightened, and he felt suddenly invigorated.

He took a deep breath, combining it with the stake practice, and felt a peculiar warmth flow beneath the skin, stirring the muscles at the base of each goosebump.

At that moment, a new message appeared on his interface:

——————

[Ding~]

[You have completed a perfect combination of aerobic and anaerobic exercise. All your muscles have been lightly exercised, your cardiovascular system has been stimulated, blood flow has increased, heart and lung capacity have been slightly enhanced, and your neural reaction speed has been modestly improved.]

[Physique attribute +0.01]

[Mental attribute +0.01]

[Free attribute +0.01]

[Skill Activated: Tai Chi Thirteen Stakes]

Page 3/3