Chapter 63 - 54: Quite an Aftereffect

’Another critical hit!’

’Are Pile Skills a mix of aerobic and anaerobic exercise?’

’Combined with a specific breathing rhythm, the effect is very similar to the notification I got for Horse Stance.’

’No, wait. Why does that strange feeling seem so familiar?’

Chen Jue stared at the series of notifications popping up on his panel. He froze for a moment, then his mind whirred as he carefully recalled the miraculous flow of heat produced by combining Squeezing Valley Dao with his stance training.

He was very familiar with that flow of heat. Every time he added points to his Constitution Attribute, it would spread from his chest throughout his entire body.

Having experienced it so many times, Chen Jue had almost grown used to it.

He never expected to be able to induce this physical change through exercise alone, without adding any points. It truly exceeded his expectations.

’Pile Skills... what’s the principle behind them?’

’If they’re so effective at improving one’s constitution, why do so few people practice them?’ Chen Jue muttered to himself.

At that moment, Zhao Jianguo, who was nearby correcting improper postures, also saw the goosebumps that had broken out on Chen Jue’s exposed hands and neck.

He even saw the fine, translucent hairs on Chen Jue’s face standing on end. He was utterly stunned!

’He... he’s achieved it!’

’How is this possible?!’

’Back in my day, it took me over half a year of practice just to barely grasp the basics. How did this kid learn so fast?’ Zhao Jianguo’s mouth hung open in an ’O’ shape, his mind reeling. He was transported back to his youth, remembering the days of diligent, arduous training under his master on Wudang Mountain.

At the time, there were over a dozen other new disciples training alongside Zhao Jianguo. Except for a few talented ones who grasped the knack within four or five months, the vast majority, like him, took more than half a year to master the essence of Pile Skills.

Thinking of this, Zhao Jianguo felt that "prodigy" wasn’t even enough to describe the young man before him. He was like one of those super-geniuses you read about online!

An absolute monster!

"Teacher Zhao, am I doing it wrong?" Chen Jue asked, pausing as he noticed the strange look from the side.

"Not at all!"

"You’re doing it perfectly!"

Zhao Jianguo shook his head, a hint of envy in his eyes. He then said earnestly, "Xiaochen, you must remember that feeling of your goosebumps rising. That’s the secret to Pile Skills. The day you can make them rise and fall at will is the day you can be considered a true master!"

After speaking, Zhao Jianguo held out his hand to demonstrate.

The back of his hand suddenly tensed, and goosebumps instantly appeared. The fine, unremarkable hairs on his skin, under his deliberate control, actually stood on end, as straight and magical as tiny flagpoles being raised.

"Amazing!"

"Teacher Zhao, is this the Inner Power you get from practicing Tai Chi?" Chen Jue’s eyes widened, as if he had discovered something fun.

"This isn’t Inner Power. It’s just a technique for cultivating qi."

"With enough practice, it can improve your control over your body, lock in your body’s moisture to prevent it from escaping, maintain ample stamina, and also ward off the invasion of Wind Evil. The result is a longer, healthier life." Zhao Jianguo thought for a moment before explaining in terms a young person could more easily understand.

’Just a technique for cultivating qi?’

’It’s not Inner Power?’

A thought flickered in Chen Jue’s mind, but he wasn’t too disappointed.

On the contrary, after experiencing that pleasant sensation from Pile Skills—so similar to adding points to his Constitution Attribute—he felt his one-thousand-yuan tuition fee was absolutely worth it.

’If I can trigger that kind of attribute critical hit every morning, wouldn’t my physical fitness just skyrocket?’

As for the technical terms Zhao Jianguo had mentioned, like locking in moisture and warding off Wind Evil, Chen Jue secretly committed them to memory. He planned to look them up when he was slacking off at work to see if he could figure out the principles behind them.

...

He practiced the Pile Skills for another half an hour, but this time, he didn’t trigger a critical hit for his Attributes. He only managed to farm 0.01 free attribute points.

Moreover, Chen Jue discovered that he couldn’t get goosebumps all over his body every single time he practiced the Pile Skills.

It would only trigger once or twice when he tried to coordinate it with the anal-lifting exercise of Squeezing Valley Dao.

The frequency was low, but it was extremely effective!

This was because the high-value notifications of +10 or +20 to his Tai Chi Thirteen Stances Skill Level only appeared at these moments, which was far more effective than just holding the stance.

However, after practicing the Pile Skills for a while, Chen Jue found that he tired out very quickly—even more so than from climbing stairs.

After standing for the full forty minutes, he even felt as if his body had been completely hollowed out, leaving him weak, dizzy, and light-headed.

He asked Zhao Jianguo, who explained it was because Chen Jue’s Pile Skills weren’t yet refined, causing excessive energy consumption, coupled with an invasion of Wind Evil.

An ordinary person would experience similar symptoms if they worked up a heavy sweat at the gym and then were exposed to a draft.

It would be best to go home, drink some hot water to sweat it out, and then take a hot bath after his body cooled down. After the bath, he should wear a suitable jacket to avoid catching a cold from the wind.

As for how to cultivate one’s "energy," Zhao Jianguo was vague, only saying it was related to diet, rest, and one’s personal constitution, and suggested that Chen Jue could try buying some supplements when he got home.

Seeing the teacher’s evasive attitude, Chen Jue guessed he had probably touched upon a core secret of his master’s sect.

After all, he had only paid a thousand-yuan tuition fee. It was indeed inappropriate to ask about secrets that weren’t passed on to outsiders.

The man was under no obligation to teach him.

Not unless Chen Jue was willing to become a lay practitioner and formally join the Quanzhen Dragon Gate Sect that he mentioned.

...

Leaving the park, Chen Jue felt light-headed and unsteady on his feet, a sense of panic in his heart.