"Remember, everything begins with breathing."
As Andrei applied the essential oil to Ron's spine, he said:
"Follow the rhythm I taught you: inhale for seven breaths, hold your breath for three breaths, and exhale for five breaths."
The moment the cold liquid touched my skin, I felt a sharp burning sensation.
But Ron forced himself to concentrate and began to adjust his breathing rhythm.
Inhale, for the time it takes to take seven heartbeats.
He felt a warm current flow into his mouth and nose, traveling down his respiratory tract.
Hold your breath for the time it takes to make three heartbeats.
The energy flowed through the body, resonating with the hot essential oils that had seeped in.
Exhale, in the time it takes for five heartbeats.
As he exhaled the stale air, he felt the heat in his body lessen somewhat.
"Very good, keep up this pace."
Andrei's voice came through, "Now begin to silently recite the meditation mantra of the Corona Breathing Method."
As Ron silently chanted the incantation, he felt his breathing rhythm begin to resonate with a certain energy within his body.
Each breath felt like a surge of energy within my body.
The hot essential oils that seeped into the body flowed with this tide, beginning to outline the contours of meridians.
The pain is still there, but it seems to have become more regular.
Meridians are detected being regenerated.
Current progress: 27%
Note: Your breathing rhythm is now in harmony with the meridians.
"Now, enter the second breath."
Andrei's voice became serious: "Inhale for nine breaths, hold your breath for five breaths, and exhale for seven breaths. Remember, you must coordinate with the flow of the meridians."
As his breathing rhythm changed, Ron felt the energy flow within his body become more intense.
The meridians illuminated by the hot essential oil seemed to pulsate with each breath, each pulse bringing a sharp pain.
But strangely, the pain was no longer unbearable.
Instead, it seems to symbolize some kind of life rhythm, slowly gathering the body's strength through regular breathing.
"The last breath."
Andrei's voice came: "Inhale for twelve breaths, hold your breath for seven breaths, exhale for nine breaths. Remember, imagine the sun's radiance."
Ron adjusted his breathing rhythm as instructed, and as the frequency changed, he felt his consciousness begin to undergo a strange transformation.
With each breath, he seemed to see a golden sun, its light so intense yet possessing a power of utmost purity.
What's amazing is that this imagery is not a hallucination, but a real sensation generated by the energy throughout the body through the rhythm of breathing.
With each breath, he could feel a surge of intense energy flowing from his limbs and bones to his central nervous system.
Energy resonance detected
Current progress: 58%
[Note: The initial body training is about to enter a crucial stage]
"Very good, keep it up."
Andrei's voice suddenly turned serious: "The most dangerous part is yet to come; your energy will reach its peak in an instant."
As the last wisp of scorching essential oil seeped into his body, Ron felt his blood boiling.
The activated meridians began to throb violently, like countless burning rivers rushing through the body.
"Hold your breath!" Andrei suddenly shouted.
Ron immediately stopped breathing. In those brief seven breaths, he felt all the energy in his body concentrate at his heart, forming a blazing vortex.
The pain reached its peak, but his consciousness remained remarkably clear.
[Energy is about to reach a critical point]
Potions Apprentice class detected, additional buffs granted: -
Increased efficiency of meridian transformation
-
Increased energy absorption rate
Ron was secretly delighted; the synergy between these professions seemed to be far better than he had imagined.
In this extreme state, he could clearly feel the direction of each meridian and the flow of energy.
These enhanced perception abilities are undoubtedly an additional benefit brought by the Potions Apprentice profession.
Exhale!
With another order from Andrei, Ron slowly exhaled a breath of stale air.
At that very moment, the accumulated energy surged through my entire body like a flood bursting its banks.
The meridians that were originally unbearably painful suddenly became unobstructed, just like blocked river channels being dredged.
Every muscle and every bone in the body is undergoing some kind of subtle change.
Initial training completion rate: 87%
Basic rating: Excellent
Unlock Class: Knight Squire (One Star)
[Note: Some meridians have not been fully opened. It is recommended to perform a second body exercise 24 hours later.]
[Occupation Obtained: Knight Squire (One Star)]
As a primary combat class, the attribute boosts provided by the [Knight Squire] class far exceed those of ordinary life professions, and Ron could feel an unprecedented surge of power within him.
Changes to basic attributes:
Constitution: 0.5 → 1.2 (+0.7)
Spirit: 1.4 → 1.6 (+0.2)
Magic Power: 0.3 → 0.4 (+0.1)
[Activate Class Skills:]
1. Basic Swordsmanship (Beginner)
2. Breathing Exercises (Beginner)
Special Bonus:
1. The speed at which martial arts-related skill experience points are gained has slightly increased.
2. Physical training efficiency slightly increased.
Compared to the gentle improvements of the [Potion Apprentice] class, the changes brought about by combat classes are more drastic and direct.
The previously vague muscle sensations became exceptionally clear, as if one could feel the presence of every single muscle fiber.
And those meridians that have been transformed through body training exhibit a completely new vitality.
[Class collaboration detected:]
Knight's Squire + Potions Apprentice
Gain additional collaboration bonuses:
-
The drug absorption efficiency increased slightly.
The meridian strengthening effect has slightly increased.
With the synergy between these two professions, plus the cumulative boost from unlocking more professions in the future, reaching the level of novice apprentice within three months seems to be within reach.
When the last energy fluctuation subsided, Ron was soaked through after the body tempering was over, and even a small puddle of sweat had accumulated on the stone platform.
"It's already quite impressive that you've managed to persevere to this extent."
Andrei handed over an outer robe: "Most people faint during their first body-training session."
Ron took the robe and realized that his hands were still trembling slightly.
The feeling of my meridians being reshaped was so intense that even now, a slight burning sensation still lingers in my body.
"Is this the power of the Corona Breathing Technique?" he murmured to himself.
"No, this is just the beginning." Andrei shook his head.
What you are experiencing now is just the most basic breathing guidance; to truly complete body training, you need to build upon this foundation.
He suddenly stopped speaking, his gaze falling on Ron's back: "Wait, what's this?"
Ron turned his head and saw that some tiny golden lines had appeared on his skin, shimmering like threads in the sunlight.
"The Sun Meridian!" Andrei's voice trembled slightly.
"It is said that only those under the protection of the sun god will exhibit this sign during their first physical training."
Unlock special talents:
Sun Yao's protection (remaining) -
Increased affinity for positive energy -
Meridian strength slightly increased -
[The rate at which experience points are gained for breathing techniques has slightly increased]
Ron looked at the prompts on the panel, feeling both surprised and worried.
This special physical condition is undoubtedly a good thing, but it also means that it will attract more attention.
"I suggest you dress more conservatively most of the time."
Andrei's tone returned to calm, but his eyes still held a hint of complexity: "This kind of physique... could easily arouse the interest of certain people."
He didn't say it explicitly, but Ron knew who he was referring to—the wizards who were always looking for experimental subjects.
"Speaking of which..." Andrei suddenly changed the subject: "Didn't you say you were going to apply for the assistant position at that herbal medicine shop?"