On the early morning of July 9th, at only three o'clock, Su Jie was already up.

He had gone to bed at nine the previous night, falling asleep using the “Great Corpse State” of relaxation taught by Coach Odell. Gradually, he entered an extremely tranquil state.

Though he had only slept for six hours, he felt more energized than when he usually slept for ten. When he woke up, Su Jie felt completely refreshed.

He quickly washed up and headed to the small courtyard outside the school, where Odell lived.

Odell seemed to have anticipated his arrival. Reclining on a grand chair, he gazed at the clouds leisurely drifting across the sky. The summer dawn was truly pleasant—a cool breeze swept through, and the courtyard, likely treated with some insect repellent, was completely free of mosquitoes.

“You’re here earlier than I expected,” Odell remarked, a hint of surprise in his eyes. “I assume you slept well last night?”

“I slept like a log,” Su Jie said, feeling an abundance of energy coursing through him. “Coach, what are we learning today?”

“I’ll start by teaching you a set of joint exercises.” Odell stood up and demonstrated a few movements. “Before any training, warming up is crucial. Among warm-ups, joint mobility is the most important. Of all the joints, the knees and wrists are the most fragile and prone to injury. Protecting them while strengthening them is essential. Boxers, for instance, always wrap their wrists to avoid wrist injuries while hitting the punching bag. They also use knee braces. Ideally, you should also apply a muscle-relaxing balm when doing joint exercises. The various medications from Minglun Martial Arts Academy are quite effective.”

Su Jie followed Odell in performing the joint exercises.

The movements were smooth, gentle, and slow, resembling Tai Chi to some extent.

“Coach, is this a new style of Tai Chi?” Su Jie asked as he moved. Gradually, his entire body began to heat up, especially his joints, which felt exceptionally comfortable. His brain even experienced a subtle sense of exhilaration.

“All exercises share one fundamental benefit—they stimulate the release of dopamine and endorphins in the body,” Odell explained. “Dopamine excites and motivates, creating a sense of accomplishment, while endorphins act as natural painkillers. Dopamine is particularly significant, as it improves the body’s endocrine system and keeps a person in a state of euphoria. It can treat depression, anxiety, and various mental illnesses. That’s why exercise is the ultimate stress reliever.

“I’ve studied all forms of exercise, and I’ve found that the slow, continuous, and aerobic rhythm of Tai Chi generates more dopamine than any other activity. People who practice Tai Chi often feel a profound sense of comfort. Over time, this can lead to an irrational confidence in their abilities, which explains why some Tai Chi masters get defeated in real combat. This phenomenon, described in Zen Buddhism as an illusory state, must be overcome to recognize one's true self and reach a new level of understanding.”

“So that’s how it is.” Su Jie suddenly understood. “Ever since I learned that digging-and-hoe movement, I’ve practiced it day and night, thinking I was invincible, only to get beaten up by others. Is it because my brain produces too much dopamine during exercise, creating an illusion of omnipotence? Is this a good thing or a bad thing?”

“It’s definitely a good thing. The fact that you can quickly get into an excited state indicates your natural talent for physical activity,” Odell replied. “Many people feel more tired as they exercise, leading to a sense of laziness. But you get addicted to it, which shows your aptitude and understanding.”

Seeing how quickly Su Jie learned the joint exercises, Odell became even more pleased.

“This set of joint exercises combines modern combat training systems with traditional Chinese martial arts, including the Shaolin Muscle-Tendon Change Classic, Five Animal Frolics, Tai Chi, and yoga. It’s scientifically designed to maximize effectiveness,” Odell continued. “Traditional Chinese martial arts, in terms of their patterns of movement, produce unparalleled levels of dopamine compared to other forms of exercise.”

“Coach, I feel really energized now,” Su Jie said after an hour of gentle exercise that felt no different from seniors practicing Tai Chi in the park. Yet he felt as though he could take down a tiger, with his brain fully activated.

“That’s exactly how a warm-up should feel,” Odell nodded. “When your brain is exhilarated from physical activity, that’s when the warm-up ends. Next, we’ll move on to real combat training and endurance training.”

“Combat training? Endurance training?” It was the first time Su Jie had heard these terms.

“Martial arts training consists of three methods: internal training, combat training, and endurance training,” Odell explained. “Internal training focuses on nurturing the body, such as stretching, meditation, yoga, Tai Chi, and martial arts routines. It’s relaxing, easy to pick up, and suitable for everyone.

“Combat training, on the other hand, involves activities like weightlifting, punching bags, sprinting, and target kicking to strengthen muscles and bones.

“Endurance training is the harshest. It includes sparring and actual combat, as well as grueling methods like stick-beating and body conditioning to enhance toughness and endurance. However, this method is only suitable for young people. Overdoing it after thirty can lead to injuries. The process must be carefully managed to avoid permanent damage. Nutrition and medicinal support are essential to prevent hidden injuries.

“This type of endurance training yields results quickly. Examples include Muay Thai, traditional Japanese karate, and Chinese hard-style practices like iron palm, iron finger, and hard Qi Gong. Today, only elite combat athletes and special forces soldiers undergo such training. Of course, I’ve developed the most scientific approach to endurance training.”

At this point, Odell paused, his face showing an expression unique to a beast trainer. "The upcoming training will be harsh, even brutal. If you can’t endure it, you can quit. However, if you do, I won’t teach you anything in the future. Think it through carefully."

"I’m willing to accept it," Su Jie agreed without hesitation.

"There’s a hoe over there. Go get it," Odell said, pointing to the side.

Su Jie quickly fetched the hoe and stood in position according to the stance he practiced yesterday. Holding the hoe in the middle, it seemed neither raised nor lowered.

Yesterday, he stood empty-handed, but now, holding the hoe made it much more strenuous.

Still, the days of practice had built some muscle on Su Jie.

After all, he had spent several days digging soil before feasting with Josh.

"Stand properly. Imagine someone is pulling your hair upward, lifting your head. Your hips should sink as if sitting on a scorching piece of iron, too hot to stay still, making you constantly want to adjust. Your feet should root into the ground like a tree planting its roots deep into the soil. The deeper the roots, the harder it is for the wind to topple you. Envision yourself as a tiger, with prey in front of you, gathering strength and ready to deliver a fatal strike at any moment. If you miss, you’ll go hungry…"

After Su Jie assumed the stance, Odell gave constant instructions.

Then, he picked up a rubber stick in his hand.

Whack!

Without warning, he struck Su Jie’s calf.

Su Jie couldn’t help but let out a muffled grunt, immediately focusing his strength in that area. The pain slightly subsided.

Whap! Whap!

Odell continued striking Su Jie’s body with the rubber stick. Before long, Su Jie was covered in bruises. The intense pain was unbearable, yet he gritted his teeth and endured.

"Now, start moving," Odell instructed. "Attack me with the hoe."

"Alright." Su Jie used a digging motion, swinging the hoe forcefully in a fierce attack.

However, Odell’s movements were too fast. No matter how much Su Jie tried, he couldn’t even touch the hem of his clothing.

Each of Su Jie’s attacks was met with a strike from the rubber stick.

Several times, Su Jie wanted to quit. The training was too hard and exhausting. He wanted to throw down the hoe and give up. But a deep-seated determination kept him going.

"Stop!" Just as Su Jie felt like he was about to pass out, Odell called a halt. He applied liniment to the bruised areas of Su Jie’s body and began massaging them.

The massage felt like a knife slicing through his flesh, leaving him in excruciating pain.

However, after half an hour of Odell’s massage, much of the bruising dissipated.

"When my hand massages a spot, focus your strength there to alleviate the pain. That’s the secret to hard-body training. It’s about channeling energy to withstand impacts. The principle is simple: use your mind to control a specific body part and tense it up. Always stay alert. When anything touches a part of your body, that part should immediately tense up. Be ready to react to the slightest movement. This is what ancient martial arts manuals mean by ‘a feather cannot land, and a fly cannot settle.' It’s also called immediate response upon contact.

"I strike you to train this instinct, to enhance your sensitivity and resilience. The areas I strike are all nerve-sensitive spots. Remember, never train like this with someone else because they might not know how to control their strength and could seriously injure you. Only I, a world-class top-level martial arts coach, can precisely control the force."

Odell’s method of striking seemed scientifically designed to enhance certain circulatory functions in the body.

"Alright, let’s have breakfast now."

Odell led Su Jie to the kitchen, where a hearty meal awaited. There was hot, steaming porridge, buns, milk, eggs, several plates of fruits, jam, fish, and more.

Su Jie was famished, feeling like he could eat an entire cow.

Even so, he ate slowly and deliberately.

After finishing his meal, he followed Odell’s digestion routine, massaging several acupuncture points on his abdomen and swallowing saliva. Half an hour later, he was full of energy again.

"Now we’ll start strength and body training," Odell announced. "Heel raises, planks, skipping rope, push-ups, crunches, leg kicks, and stretching exercises…"

Hearing this, Su Jie knew this was yet another grueling training session—focused on martial training.

In the morning, joint exercises served as soft training. The rubber stick striking was for hard-body training. What came next was martial training, aimed at building explosive power and physical strength.

By the end of the morning, Su Jie had trained from three in the morning until six. Only then did he rush back to the academy, just in time to join Gu Yang’s training.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay