Martial arts are divided into two main categories: Force Techniques and Combat Moves.
The fighting style of Ape Fist is different from both, focusing only on the essentials of movement and muscle exertion.
Even ordinary people can learn it, with its broad and open style.
Force Techniques, on the other hand, involve the circulation of blood and qi, a deeper level of control.
Only Breaking Realm martial artists, who possess a certain amount of qi and blood, can use it.
It's a method to control the energy and blood flow throughout the body and utilize it as one's own power.
Once mastered, every kick and punch becomes more powerful.
With the support of qi and blood techniques, Ape Fist attacks become even stronger, much like the internal power found in martial arts tales.
Combat Moves refer to a different concept, where qi and blood are channeled into weapons, fists, and feet to execute explosive techniques.
For example, moves like Profound Ice Finger and Cloud-Piercing Palm.
Liang Qu took the booklet handed over by Hu Qi and quickly skimmed through it.
The Bow Force Technique booklet was thin, only about five or six pages.
With many days of reading practice, he had no trouble understanding it.
In no time, Liang Qu memorized the contents and tried to circulate his qi and blood according to the booklet.
As the qi and blood circulated, he indeed felt something different from the sensation of integrating skin tempering into his body.
Qi and blood flowed endlessly, making him feel energetic and vigorous.
After a quarter of an hour, the qi and blood flowed through his meridians more smoothly.
Liang Qu felt like this Bow Force Technique was tailor-made for him.
His blood surged with power.
He moved, leading with Force Manipulation, his energy flowed, intention activated, force unleashed, and the sound of punches filled the air, flowing seamlessly.
Every punch and kick was more powerful!
So this was the true way of fighting for martial artists!
In the blink of an eye, Liang Qu transformed, majestic like a spirit monkey descended to the world, with long swinging arms, his arms like bowstrings, his fists like arrows, strong and explosive.
But just as he was displaying his might, Hu Qi's short stick moved like a snake, striking him on the chest.
His whole rhythm was disrupted, and Liang Qu felt his energy dissipate, losing a third of his blood qi.
He stood there dejectedly, forced out of his vigorous state like a demon forcelly reverting to its true form after a strike.
"Again!" Hu Qi instructed coldly, "When your force no longer breaks, continuously flowing, then you have achieved some minor success!"
The most crucial part of Force Techniques is maintaining rhythm.
Beginners might seem proficient, but in reality, they can't use it in actual combat.
After exchanging a few moves, they get worn out.
That’s why constant “disruption” by others is needed during training to make the flow of energy instinctual, preventing it from dissipating.
This method is similar to training combat moves.
In other words, Hu Qi was simultaneously training Liang Qu's combat moves and force techniques.
Training combat involves getting hit; it's not about enduring pain but finding a way to avoid injury and grasping one's rhythm.
Each time the flow of force was disrupted, a significant amount of blood qi dissipated.
After three or four times, he exhausted his energy completely.
Liang Qu panted heavily as fatigue crept into his body, but Hu Qi insisted he continued without rest.
He threw down the short stick and took a stance.
"Keep going! If you can't continue with the force techniques, work on the combat moves. You’ve learned the moves; now you have to use them. Come on, attack me."
Liang Qu took a deep breath, invigorating himself, and charged at Hu Qi.
"Too clumsy, don't expose your chest, maintain distance from your enemy!"
"Every punch or weapon is an extension. Imagine yourself as a circle, find your center, and think of me as another circle, find my center. Your thrown punch forms a circle, and my stick strike forms another. Every battle has countless circles."
"You must maintain your center while disrupting my center!"
“No, still not right. Your openings are too big, you haven’t even found your own center. Try again.”
“Again! Stand up, keep going!”
The martial hall's apprentices had long gone, either to sleep or back home.
In the vast martial training grounds, only Hu Qi and Liang Qu remained.
Liang Qu repeatedly fell and got up again, panting heavily.
Night embraced the world in silence.
Liang Qu, bare-chested, drew up a heavy bucket of water from the backyard well and poured it over his head.
"Ah!"
Liang Qu exhaled deeply, steam rising from his body, resonating with the moonlight.
Beneath his weary body was the joy of progress; he could feel himself improving.
The increasingly familiar fighting moves were irresistibly tempting.
Senior Brother Hu, with his rich experience and learning from Master Yang, made instructing him exceedingly easy, and Liang Qu greatly benefited, gaining a crystal-clear understanding of what combat truly entailed.
Unfortunately, his practice lagged behind his theory.
He still had a long road to walk.
"Junior Brother, that's enough!" Hu Qi stepped out of the room, calling to Liang Qu, "After soaking in the medicated bath, get some sleep. We’ll continue tomorrow morning."
"Understood."
"Okay, if there's nothing else, I'll head back. I’m staying in the east wing."
"Wait, Senior Brother, I do have one question."
"Speak," replied Hu Qi succinctly.
"When fighting the mountain spirit, I have a question. Why does our skin look like that of ordinary people, feeling soft and smooth, yet can withstand blades? Shouldn't it be tough like cowhide to provide such defense?"
Hu Qi chuckled, "If that were the case, wouldn't training make one look neither human nor ghostly? People walking around with thick skin—how unsightly would that be? Have you truly not thoroughly read 'Reflections on Life Cultivation'?"
Liang Qu was embarrassed, "To be honest, not really..."
"I thought so. Breaking the Skin Barrier leaves no obvious changes to the body, yet the skin becomes like cowhide, tough yet unbreakable, greatly enhancing defense. The analogy here is just a metaphor. 'Reflections on Life Cultivation' clearly states that the essence of a martial artist getting stronger is the separation between 'me' and 'him,' or rather, the distinction between 'inner' and 'outer.'"
"What?"
Liang Qu was puzzled.
While he understood each word, together, they were a mystery.
"Simply put, after breaking the Skin Barrier, your skin’s strength does increase, but beyond that, there is the unseen enhancement of your own 'essence.'"
"Essence?"
"The external sum of all things is the outer essence, while everything within is the inner essence. Both should interact to evolve countless possibilities. However, the path of the martial artist is to strengthen one’s inner essence. The stronger your inner essence, the relatively weaker the outer essence becomes, ultimately transcending, rendering yourself immune to external influences."
Liang Qu prided himself on his comprehension and vaguely grasped the key idea.
"So, a martial artist's attack aims to reverse that, using one's inner essence to affect the outer essence?"
"Junior Brother, you truly are clever," Hu Qi complimented.
"A martial artist's path is about striving for transcendence, doing what you desire and opposing what you wish to oppose. The stronger your power, the greater your ability to interfere with and resist the external world, until even the river of time no longer affects you, achieving eternal life—leading to supreme freedom, great fortune."
Liang Qu was deeply shaken in his spirit.
This martial path might be even more formidable than the path of immortality!
Damn.
He had thought controlling blood was mighty, but it was merely a minor skill!
Thinking along those lines, wasn’t controlling water within the body a risk of losing control?
(End of the Chapter)