James Carter was as exhausted as a dead dog, but he still gritted his teeth and persevered.

Richard Grant's training regimen was the most targeted and the best, because during the workout, his experienced eyes could immediately spot which of James Carter's muscles or joints were asymmetrical and needed strengthening, and he would prescribe specific exercises accordingly.

Moreover, for every exercise, he would make adjustments to ensure that James Carter wouldn't get injured, while also thoroughly working out the areas that needed it.

This was the world's top-level coaching.

Whether in sports or martial arts, the coach is the most important factor. Without the most professional and clinically experienced coach, it's impossible for someone to achieve results just by training hard on their own.

Coach William Clark was very conservative, and sometimes spoke in riddles, vague and unclear—like an old monk talking about Zen.

But Richard Grant would tell you everything without reservation: the principles, the reasoning, everything.

What Richard Grant taught included some elements from traditional martial arts, but also modern training for physical fitness, muscles, and bones. This was what he taught to the world's top fighters.

He could instantly see what James Carter's problems were and immediately create a training plan for targeted improvement.

After three hours, James Carter was completely spent.

“All right, now relax, rest, take a deep breath, and imagine yourself lying in a forest, a gentle breeze blowing, a babbling brook nearby, your mind completely at ease.” At this moment, Richard Grant even played a piece of soothing music for James Carter, and James Carter almost fell asleep.

“Go take a hot shower.” Just as James Carter was about to doze off, Richard Grant gave another order.

After the hot shower, James Carter felt refreshed all over, all his fatigue gone.

“Now, I'll teach you the real practice of kung fu, which is eating and sleeping,” Richard Grant said again.

Chapter 6: Meticulous Attention—Eating and Sleeping Are Both Zen

“How do you practice through eating and sleeping?”

James Carter was puzzled.

“The two biggest things in life are eating and sleeping,” Richard Grant said. “Once, someone asked an enlightened Zen master, ‘What is Zen?’ The master replied, ‘When hungry, eat; when tired, sleep.’ The person was puzzled and asked, ‘Everyone does that—when hungry, eat; when tired, sleep. Why is it Zen for you, but not for others?’ The master said, ‘Because when they eat, they’re not really eating; when they sleep, they’re not really sleeping.’ Do you understand the meaning of this story?”

“When eating, not really eating; when sleeping, not really sleeping.” James Carter mulled over these words. They were very philosophical—he vaguely understood, but couldn’t quite put it into words.

As he was thinking, the sound of a motorcycle came from outside the courtyard.

Richard Grant opened the gate—it was the food delivery.

Large and small packages were all unpacked and laid out on the table. The food was extremely lavish: beef, chicken, fruit, dairy, fish, and soup. It was clearly not ordinary takeout, but custom-made dishes.

Once the delivery person had set everything up, Richard Grant called to James Carter, “Come eat. This is the Nie family’s private cuisine. It’s said that their ancestors were imperial chefs. I’ve eaten here once before—absolutely delicious. Plus, it’s good for your health, nourishing and suitable for all ages.”

James Carter was already starving, but he still looked a bit embarrassed, feeling like he was freeloading.

Richard Grant seemed to see through his thoughts. “I happen to need a volunteer for a physical training experiment. If you’re willing, you’ll get free meals and even a salary.”

“Of course I’m willing,” James Carter nodded quickly. “Free meals are enough—I don’t need a salary. Could you teach me more kung fu instead?”

“Then let’s eat first,” Richard Grant said, tapping his chopsticks.

Westerners are used to eating with knives and forks; many can barely use chopsticks, especially Scott Miller, who tried hard but never managed. But Richard Grant was completely different—he handled chopsticks with ease, even picking up tricky peanuts, grabbing as many as he wanted.

James Carter was already hungry and took a big bite.

Richard Grant quickly stopped him. “Eating is your first lesson. You must chew thoroughly, completely breaking down the food in your mouth before swallowing slowly. Don’t think about anything else—just focus on eating, but don’t be too tense. Enjoy and relax. Remember, eating is the most relaxing and enjoyable time in life. If you can seize this moment, you grasp the true meaning of life. That’s what the Zen master meant by ‘eating is eating.’ Ninety-nine percent of people aren’t really eating when they eat.”

“Don’t think about anything else—focus, but also enjoy and relax, and chew thoroughly.” James Carter had taken biology classes and knew that thorough chewing produces more saliva, which converts starch in food into maltose, easing the digestive burden on the stomach and intestines. The more you chew, the more the movement of facial muscles stimulates the cerebral cortex, making the brain more active.