I loaded the Mysticism panel.

The days that followed were uneventful yet fulfilling.

During the day, I attend classes and receive tutoring during lunch. In the afternoon, I do specialized exercises at Mr. Holland's place, who has just returned from a business trip.

The tutoring sessions, which were originally held once a week, have been changed to daily.

When I got home in the evening, I continued to expand my knowledge by utilizing the memory boost from my learning, and then practiced breathing exercises for another 15 minutes before going to sleep.

The breathing technique is progressing quite well. After each night's practice, the warmth deep in my chest lasts for a few more breaths than the day before.

It initially appeared only briefly during the breath-holding phase, then extended into the first two beats of the exhalation phase, and then into the first three beats.

The trend is clear: warmth is gradually taking root.

Saturday night, the whole family went to bed.

The clock in the downstairs living room struck eleven, its sound carrying up through the floorboards.

Richard sat cross-legged on the bed. The curtains were drawn tightly, the lamp was off, and only a sliver of moonlight shone through the crack in the window.

The quadruple breathing cycle has entered its fourth complete cycle.

Inhale, one, two, three, four.

Air flows into the depths of the lungs through the airways optimized by the [Breathing] skill, with minimal resistance, allowing the breath to travel deep and evenly.

Hold your breath, one, two, three, four.

Focus your attention on the area behind your sternum, anchoring your gaze to the Sun.

The warmth spread from that spot, with clear boundaries.

He could already discern the warm "shape," about the size of a brass button, flat and round, attached to the inner wall of his sternum.

Exhale, one, two, three, four.

The breath is exhaled at a steady pace, passing through the throat and exiting through the nasal cavity.

The fever hadn't subsided, so he waited.

The second time I held my breath, four beats later, the warmth was still there.

The fifth cycle, the sixth cycle, and so on up to the tenth cycle.

After completing the entire fifteen-minute set of exercises, the warmth, the size of a copper button on my chest, never dissipated.

It gets slightly brighter when you inhale and slightly dimmer when you exhale, but it's always there.

He focused all his attention on that spot, carefully feeling it.

Besides being warm, it also has a very slight weight.

There was something extra in the center of the chest cavity that I couldn't see or touch, but it definitely had mass.

Breathing causes the chest to rise and fall, and that thing will sway slightly, the amplitude of the swaying being completely synchronized with the breathing rhythm.

This must be the etheric microcirculation mentioned in the book.

The panel jumped:

[Breathing] Lv.2 Experience: 200/500 (First milestone reached)

The panel marks this event as a milestone, distinguishing it from ordinary experience accumulation.

Richard sat on the bed for a long time, not in a hurry to test anything, but first carefully memorizing this feeling.

There was no significant movement during the formation of the ether microcirculation; the expected light or heat flow did not occur.

The loose sand inside the body was gathered by a hand, kneaded into a ball, and made firm.

He knew what was inside, but he didn't know what it could be used for.

The description in the book is too general; Appendix C of that book only has one sentence about newcomers:

"A person who has initially established a complete etheric microcirculation within their body."

The definition doesn't specify what it can do.

He first tried clenching his fist.

My fingers are responding faster now, and my fingertips no longer have that sluggish, sticky feeling they used to have.

The book mentions that the circulation of ether in the body optimizes nerve conduction, which is the most basic benefit.

Next, he tried to divert his attention from his chest and guide it down his right arm.

While translating the cryptic passages of that flora, he read:

"The ether, once formed into a ring, can flow in different directions, like a canal drawing water to where it reaches, thus nourishing that place."

I only memorized it as background information at the time, but now that I have the knowledge, I might as well give it a try.

Guide your consciousness from the Sun sign to your right arm, as if holding a very thin water pipe, and slowly tilt it towards your arm.

The force is noticeably different when the fist is clenched.

Muscle mass didn't increase out of thin air, but contraction speed and precision improved simultaneously.

He pulled the ether from his right arm back and tried to guide it towards his legs.

The warming sensation in the legs appears more slowly, possibly because they are further away from the Sun sign.

But it still came in place; the power in my calves and knees became clear and solid.

After trying it, Richard has gained some understanding of the state after he established the loop:

"First milestone effect: Ether microcirculation formation, which can divert and strengthen local areas."

The enhancement effect is a specific improvement in coordination, accuracy, and reaction speed.

To rapidly improve muscle strength and physical fitness, one might need to practice the art of burning blood. (Questionable)

He thought about it for a moment and then noted down a few points:

"Currently, the whole-body diffusion effect of ether is a passive effect;"

The main dynamic is to adjust the local area first and then focus on improving the overall situation; the two can be switched flexibly.

Note that the total amount of ether is limited, and prolonged localized strengthening may cause fatigue; further observation is needed.

After sorting out the situation, Richard lay back on the bed and stared at the ceiling.

The threshold of ether microcirculation is roughly equivalent to the difference between being unarmed and armed.

Even without using the "Fog Wall Technique," simply using ether to strengthen the body now means that three or five adults can't get close to him.

He pulled the blanket up to his chin and closed his eyes.

After completing the breathing exercise, the body enters a relaxed state, and with the continuous optimization of oxygen supply efficiency, sleep quality is much better than it was a month ago.

After closing my eyes, I entered a deep sleep after a few breaths.

………………

At dawn, Richard had already opened his eyes.

After breaking through the breathing technique, my energy recovered exceptionally quickly, and I couldn't stay in bed any longer after only six hours of sleep.

There was no sound downstairs; Father hadn't gotten up yet, and the faint sound of Mother's low cough could be heard from the master bedroom.

This cough has been coming on and off for several days now.

Every autumn, my mother's old ailment would flare up again.

I experience chest tightness, shortness of breath, and coughing that wakes me up at night. In severe cases, I have to stay in bed during the day.

The community doctor came to see me and said it was the same old problem, and prescribed a very bitter herbal ointment.

Whether the medicine is effective or not is hard to say, but there are always ten days or half a month each month when my mother is unable to do housework.

At times like these, Evelyn would naturally take over everything.

No one arranged it, and no one explicitly said, "You will take care of the house when Mom is not feeling well."

The girl started doing it when she was twelve or thirteen years old, and as she continued, it became the norm.

I get up at 6:30 in the morning, first take out the ashes from the fireplace, then add coal to start the fire.

Then I went to the kitchen to boil water, cut bread, and fry eggs.

After her father finishes breakfast and leaves for work, she still has to collect the dishes, wash them, and wipe the table clean.

If her mother was in a really bad mood that day, she would make a sandwich in advance and bring it to her father for lunch.

My father worked as a structural engineer at a manufacturing plant in North Briston.

The title sounds respectable, but the job involves spending all day in the factory drawing blueprints, overseeing assembly, and troubleshooting stress issues.

The factory is noisy, dusty, and poorly ventilated; by the end of the day, you're covered in black ash.

His quiet and reserved nature at home is not entirely due to his personality.

Standing in the deafening workshop from morning till night, I really didn't have the energy to maintain a warm and affectionate tone when I got home.

He has to respond when he speaks, and responding requires extra effort, but he has already devoted all his energy to supporting his family.

Evelyn often mutters to herself, "This family can't do without me," but her hands never stop working.

But this morning Richard woke up earlier than his sister and worked more efficiently.

As the girl rubbed her eyes and came downstairs, she could already smell the aroma of toast and black tea.

The fireplace was burning warmly, and all the dishes on the table were set out, with even a clean spatula placed next to the butter dish.

Evelyn stood at the top of the stairs, her mouth slightly open: "...When did you get up?"

"Six o'clock." Richard placed the plate of eggs on the table.

"Did you light the fireplace?"

"Um."

Did you wash the dishes?

"Um."

"Did you bake the bread too?"

"Um."

Evelyn pulled out a chair, sat down, picked up a slice of toast, and flipped it over.

Both sides were golden brown and even, with beautifully browned edges, looking better than the ones she baked herself.

"...You used to burn your bread all the time."

"I've been practicing recently."

"You only practiced a little and it turned out like this?"

"Let's not talk about that yet, is it good?" Richard sat down opposite him.

"……generally."

"You chew quite quickly."

I'm hungry.

"oh."

The mother, having heard the commotion, came downstairs: "Did Richard do this?"

"Okay, Mom, you should get some rest."

Margaret didn't say anything more. When she saw the breakfast already laid out on the table, she felt that her illness had suddenly improved by more than half.