NOVEL NEXT Chapter 62: Chapter 62
It was a quiet evening at home, the kind of evening where the world seemed to slow down, and all the noise of the day faded away. Alex stood barefoot in the middle of his living room, the dim light casting long shadows across the floor. Outside, the city hummed softly in the distance, but here, in the warmth of his home, it was peaceful. The air was still, and the only sound was the gentle rustling of his clothes as he moved.
He'd been practicing Tai Chi more frequently lately. The slow, deliberate movements were meant to help him with his flexibility, to make his body more fluid and responsive. But beyond the physical benefits, he had always hoped it could do something more—something deeper.
Tonight, as he flowed through the familiar motions, his mind wandered. He'd been struggling to combine his meditation with his practice, each attempt ending in frustration or failure. Sparring while meditating always broke his concentration, and trying to bring the calm of the cosmos into the heat of a fight seemed impossible.
"Why can't I combine them?" he had asked himself countless times. But tonight, he decided not to force it.
His body moved automatically, shifting through the slow arcs and circles of Tai Chi. His arms flowed like water, his feet rooted to the ground but light, like leaves on the wind. His breath was steady, in sync with each movement.
And then, his mind drifted.
He thought of the past—his college days, the memories of Amanda that had surfaced so unexpectedly, the laughter, the love, the bittersweetness of it all. Those times felt distant now, but not forgotten. They were a part of him, like threads woven into the fabric of his life.
From there, his thoughts moved forward, to the present. The minor challenges he faced at the office, the training sessions with his tutor, and the strange, exhilarating realization that the world itself was changing. The cosmic power from the shard had done more than just gift him the Cognichip. It had started something, set things in motion that he couldn't yet fully grasp.
And finally, his thoughts wandered to the future—uncertain, but full of possibility. He thought of what might come, the dangers and the rewards, the need to be prepared for anything.
As his mind moved through these thoughts, something shifted inside him. He wasn't just thinking anymore—he was observing. His consciousness drifted upward, quietly, effortlessly, like a leaf carried on a gentle breeze.
Suddenly, without realizing it, he found himself in that familiar place—the cosmos. It was vast, endless, and quiet. Stars glimmered in the infinite distance, and the void stretched out in every direction. But this time, it was different. He hadn't forced his way here. He hadn't tried to meditate. He was simply...here.
And his body was still moving.
He was practicing Tai Chi, flowing through the motions with an ease and grace that he had never felt before. His mind was one with the cosmos, and yet his body was fully present, fully aware. The movements felt lighter, smoother, as if the weight of the world had been lifted off his shoulders.
There was a beauty to it, an elegance that was almost indescribable. It wasn't just the physical movement, it was the harmony between his mind and body. For the first time, Alex wasn't trying to force the two together. They simply were together—one flowing into the other, naturally, effortlessly.
His breathing deepened, and with each breath, he felt a surge of energy coursing through him. His mental strength, which had always been a steady presence, now felt like it was expanding. There was a pressure, not unpleasant but intense, like something was building inside him, waiting to be released.
It was like standing at the edge of a breakthrough.
His mind brushed up against that threshold, that invisible wall that separated him from the next level of his abilities. He could feel it, almost taste it, the power just beyond his reach. It was right there—so close.
His heart raced as his thoughts swirled in the vastness of the cosmos. He could feel the surge of mental strength, growing, pushing, straining to break free. The world around him seemed to pulse in time with his breath, the energy in the air crackling with potential.
It wasn't just a mental breakthrough; it was more than that. It was the realization that his meditation and his practice could be one and the same. That he didn't have to choose between focusing on his mind or his body. He could have both.
His movements slowed, but the intensity inside him did not fade. The power built up, rising higher and higher, like a wave about to crash against the shore. His mind was on the edge of something great, something profound.
And then, just as suddenly, the pressure eased. The wave did not crash, but instead, it receded, leaving Alex standing in the middle of his living room, breathless but calm.
He hadn't broken through—at least, not yet. But he was close. Closer than he had ever been.
As he stood there, still flowing through the final movements of Tai Chi, a quiet smile crept onto his face. He hadn't expected tonight to be different, but it had been. Something had shifted inside him. He had seen the potential, felt the power waiting to be unlocked.
And now, he knew that it wasn't just about mental strength or physical training. It was about balance. About finding harmony between the two.
The breakthrough was coming. He could feel it.
But for now, he was content to enjoy the calm before the storm.