NOVEL NEXT Chapter 2: Tai Chi Breathing Exercises
[Zixia Junzijian (Purple Mist Gentleman Sword): Newcomer, tell us your current status. In the group right now, Master Zhang and Daxia Yan are at one star. Little Spider and I are also at one star. Miss Huang and Taoist Master Lin both have zero stars.]
[Lord of Devouring: I'm at three stars, by the way. Which one of you has a skill to share?]
[Zixia Junzi Sword: ???]
[A Centenarian Wudang Taoist: ???]
[I Am Spider-Man: ???]
[Peach Blossom Island's Little Chef: ???]
[Zixia Gentleman Sword: Three stars? How is that possible! That's the level of a daytime ascendant—a near-immortal!]
[Lord of Devouring: I'm a time traveler, blessed by the will of the world. My group status is +3! I also know all of your origins!]
[Everyone: …]
What kind of godly treatment is this? This time traveler is something else!
[Peach Blossom Island's Little Chef: By the way, how does one become a time traveler? @Lord of Devouring, how do you know all of our backgrounds?]
[I Am Spider-Man: Probably just boasting…]
Jiang Li didn't bother to explain. After all, it wasn't easy to put into words.
[Lord of Devouring: Master Zhang, could you share a skill with me? Any grade will do. I'll repay you generously in the future!]
[A Centenarian Wudang Taoist: There's no need for such formalities, young friend Jiang Li. It's just a technique—a trivial matter. I'll look for one. I've uploaded many exercises before to redeem points, but there's a group rule that once an exercise is uploaded, it can't be traded again.]
[Lord of Devouring: Thank you.]
Jiang Li breathed a sigh of relief. Starting out is always the hardest part, but he had finally made a good beginning.
After comforting Ling Ling to sleep, he hurried to the guest room lounge.
Soon, there was activity in the chat group.
[A Centenarian Wudang Taoist: Found it.]
[A Centenarian Wudang Taoist sent an exclusive red envelope to the Lord of Devouring.]
Jiang Li couldn't help but feel a surge of anticipation.
"Receive!"
In the next moment, a stream of light vanished into Jiang Li's sea of consciousness. He felt golden characters swimming into his mind like tadpoles.
"Tai Chi Meditation?"
Jiang Li skimmed through the text, quickly absorbing the entire secret manual. A vast trove of martial knowledge integrated into his memory, as if a treasure vault had been unlocked, leaving him exhilarated.
[You have studied the 'Tai Chi Meditation Method' and achieved enlightenment. You can now meditate and draw in the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to cleanse your body. Based on your own insights, you begin to deduce further…]
Jiang Li's gaze lingered on the words "Tai Chi," and a thought flashed through his mind.
[You have grasped the principles of Tai Chi—the interplay of yin and yang, the balance of action and stillness. The harmony of yin and yang is the foundation of the great Dao!]
[You have derived the 'Tai Chi Breathing Exercise,' which draws in the yin and yang energies of heaven and earth to temper your body…]
"Tai Chi Breathing Exercise? Let's give it a try!"
With a thought, Jiang Li began practicing the Tai Chi Breathing Exercise. A faint yin-yang Tai Chi diagram appeared around him as the free-flowing spiritual energy of heaven and earth entered his body with each breath, cleansing and strengthening him.
Whoosh…
By the time the sky began to brighten, Jiang Li finally stopped.
He clenched his fists, feeling a surge of power coursing through him.
"I feel incredibly strong now. I wonder what level I've reached?"
"Time to test it out!"
Excited, Jiang Li opened the chat group interface. The group was unusually quiet, with everyone seemingly occupied with their own affairs.
Without hesitation, Jiang Li clicked on the enhancement function and attempted to strengthen himself.
[You don't have enough points to enhance!]
Name: Jiang Li
Realm: Advanced Student (Apprentice Level)
Skill: Tai Chi Breathing Exercise
Points: 0
"Hiss…"
"I reached the advanced student rank in just one night! My cultivation speed is… unprecedented."
Jiang Li was thrilled. Moreover, the 'Tai Chi Breathing Exercise' wasn't even a high-level technique—it was derived from a basic Tai Chi meditation method with limited potential. If he switched to a more advanced skill, wouldn't his progress be even more astonishing?
Later that morning…
"Husband, it's time for breakfast."
Ling Ling held a tray of food, gazing at Jiang Li with curiosity. Why did her husband seem… different today?
"Wife…"
After finishing his meal, Jiang Li looked at Ling Ling excitedly. "I remember one of the warrior rules states that becoming a warrior grants you a villa, right? We'll be moving soon!"
Ling Ling was stunned. "Husband, are you talking about the Jiangnan quasi-warrior assessment the day after tomorrow? But I…"
"Don't worry," Jiang Li said with a smile. "Your husband is already a warrior."
"What?"
Ling Ling looked shocked. "Husband, you're a warrior? But didn't you fail the test before?"
She didn't voice her doubts, however, and instead said, "Husband, once you become a warrior, you'll have to venture into the wilderness. Isn't that too dangerous? The number of wild beasts is increasing, and humanity may soon face a beast tide…"
Jiang Li pulled Ling Ling into his arms. "Ling Ling, I don't want to be powerless to protect you when danger comes."
Late that night…
Jiang Li returned to the guest room lounge. The quasi-warrior examination was the day after tomorrow, and only by continuing to practice the Tai Chi Breathing Exercise could he ensure his success.
With this in mind, Jiang Li entered a meditative state. As he cycled his energy, the free-flowing spiritual energy of heaven and earth was drawn into his body. The once-dormant cells in his body awakened, greedily absorbing the energy.
Sometime later…
Jiang Li stopped and opened the chat group.
[Zixia Gentleman Sword: Do you think the Lord of Devouring wasted one of Master Zhang's skills?]
[A Centenarian Wudang Taoist: You can't say that. We're all fated to be here together. It's just an ordinary skill—nothing of great value.]
[Peach Blossom Island's Little Chef: But he's been blessed by the will of the world. Have you ever seen someone like that? Maybe what he said is true. He knows our backgrounds and origins.]
Jiang Li quickly skimmed the messages and uploaded the "Tai Chi Breathing Body Strengthening Skill" to earn some points.
[Zixia Gentleman Sword: …Anyway, everyone should be cautious and keep an eye on their own skills.]
[The Lord of Devouring uploaded the "Tai Chi Breathing Body Strengthening Skill," worth 500 points.]
[Peach Blossom Island's Little Chef: Speak of the devil, and he appears. The real master is here!]
[Zixia Gentleman Sword: @Lord of Devouring, you've finally shown up. We've all been waiting for you.]
[A Centenarian Wudang Taoist: @Lord of Devouring, you said you know our origins. Please enlighten me, and I'll reward you!]
[Jiang Li uploaded the memory of "The Legend of the Dragon Slayer," which matches the soul imprint of group member 'A Centenarian Wudang Taoist.' Only 'A Centenarian Wudang Taoist' can download it; others are restricted.]
[Jiang Li uploaded the memory of "The Legend of the Condor Heroes," which matches the soul imprint of group member 'Peach Blossom Island's Little Chef.' Others are restricted.]
…
[Jiang Li uploaded the memory of "Spider-Man," which matches the soul imprint of group member 'I Am Spider-Man.' Others are restricted.]
Jiang Li converted his memories into videos and uploaded them to the group files. Now that they were all part of this multiverse chat group, it didn't matter what kind of people they were. As long as they had their own thoughts, they were living beings.