I practice martial arts by adding skill points in modern city
Chapter 82 - 075: The Difficult Tai Chi

Chapter 82: 075: The Difficult Tai Chi

Xuanmen Tai Chi, also known as Qingcheng Tai Chi.

It is a secret health-preserving technique unique to the Qingcheng Sect’s successive Sect Leaders. Though it’s Tai Chi, it follows a rare reverse Tai Chi practice theory, possessing the ability to regulate the human body in reverse, combining ’external training of tendons, bones, and skin, with internal training of essence, Qi, and spirit’ into a triad. It’s a very deep health-preserving practice.

The saying ’Conform and become human, reverse and become immortal, only in its reversal’ is the essence of Xuanmen Tai Chi. It is said that at its profound level, it can achieve a unity of form and spirit, achieving the unity of Heaven and Man, the Tai Chi hunyuan of non-action and non-inaction.

Martial arts, though a technique for killing, traces its origins to the health-preserving scriptures of Pre-Qin Qi-practitioners, implicitly containing principles of the Alchemy Dao, interrelating with each other.

The ancient text "Shuoshu·Fan" lists ’longevity’ as a path among the five blessings for health preservation and longevity.

The first scripture in the "Daoist Canon", "Tai Shang Ling Bao Wu Liang Du Ren Shang Pin Miao Jing", states: The Immortal Dao values life, immeasurably saving people.

The "Scripture of Western Ascension" states: My fate is in my hands, not in the heavens.

Various records reveal the subtleties of health preservation. Those who succeed in health preservation must have a great grasp of the infinite potential of the human body, understanding the great benefits and disadvantages of Qi and Blood.

When Nalan Lei displayed this skill, Wang Longhu knew that this person absolutely could not be left alive tonight, although Nalan Lei had not practiced to the Dark Force, and was not his opponent.

However, the subtleties of health preservation are fully reflected in the human body, and if dragged out, Nalan Lei could definitely exhaust Wang Longhu, who had been through many battles.

Bang!

Wang Longhu exerted force around his body, his temples bulging at this moment, more than a dozen veins appearing on his arms, resembling coiling dragons entwining a pillar, his momentum even more terrifying than before.

At this moment, he unleashed all his remaining strength, with only one purpose, which was to fight a quick battle and win quickly.

As Wang Longhu strode forward, the concrete ground trembled in an instant, with Wang Longhu forcefully stomping a footprint two centimeters deep.

His whole person was like a wild horse on the grassland, rushing to Nalan Lei in the blink of an eye, swinging his arm to strike his face, with fist winds clearing the path, dispersing raindrops.

At that moment, Nalan Lei seemed to truly see a tall horse galloping before him, raising its hooves to stamp down fiercely, causing him to squint slightly, stung by the gusty wind.

"What a Horse Form Chopping Punch!" Nalan Lei thought in surprise.

Xingyi Boxing’s Five Elements Fist trains five types of force, while the Twelve Forms Fist trains twelve forms. When these two are combined, countless boxing techniques can be generated.

The Dragon Form trains the spirit, with the spirit manifesting in the eyes, power shown in the claws, and force originating from the waist. While ascending, it’s like a hidden dragon rising to the heavens, light and agile. When descending, it’s like a thunderbolt striking the ground, rapid yet smooth.

The Tiger Form is the bravery of pouncing to eat, able to hit with the hips, skillful at sweeping with the tail, readying force to unleash with a backward kick extending the waist, able to leap high and far with a forward pounce, forceful and swift.

The Horse Form moves swiftly as if propelled by the wind and electric, the body moves like a bow, marching like a locust worm, the force swift with large steps, thus the boxing stance like a galloping horse. The boxing manual states ’Step with intent not falling to the ground, all depends on the rear foot push, proceeding as if rolling with force like the wind’.

This refers precisely to Wang Longhu’s current attack.

And the downward chopping punch is like the horse’s front hooves, paired with the Horse Form Boxing, the arm showcases the quick hoof force of rushing forward, fully demonstrating the essence therein.

But as fast as Nalan Lei could react, he swung his arm in reverse, with wet sleeves making crackling sounds midair, his hand backing quickly striking from the side to hit Wang Longhu’s forearm.

Forcing Wang Longhu’s fist to the side, just grazing Nalan Lei’s shoulder, no matter how fierce the punch is, hitting air is in vain.

Nalan Lei took the opportunity to leap and land with both legs, causing the ground to shake once again, immediately sinking his center of gravity, his body coiling, right fist suddenly striking towards Wang Longhu’s left chest ribs.

This shock by Nalan Lei was the Tai Chi Shock Step, similar to the shock step taught by Hong Wentai to Wang Longhu, both aimed to borrow force instantly, allowing the Martial Artist to unleash greater strength.

Following the shock step was a Chen-style Tai Chi "elbow-bottom blow". If this hit, it could disrupt a Martial Artist’s breath instantly, making it difficult to get up in a short time, being a practical combat skill not easily used off the ring.

However, Wang Longhu was prepared, taking a deep breath, flattening his chest and abdomen instantly, sinking in three to four centimeters, exactly reaching the limit distance Nalan Lei’s punch could achieve.

Wang Longhu twisted his palms inward to capture this old man’s shoulder, intending to forcibly break his joints, disabling Nalan Lei’s combat capability with thunderous means.

Unexpectedly, the man shrunk his shoulders, contracting the body joints as if they vanished, the shoulder width shrinking twenty centimeters instantly, easily evading Wang Longhu’s grasp, and consequently grasping Wang Longhu’s right arm, leading it outward.

Simultaneously clasping his fingers, thrusting directly at Wang Longhu’s throat.

This move was another Chen-style Tai Chi "White Snake Spits its Tongue", making Wang Longhu frown. Although possessing great strength and momentum, he was repeatedly avoided by Nalan Lei’s slippery, soft water techniques, never quite hitting the mark, deeply unsettling.

Seeing this stance, if Nalan Lei got entangled with him, Wang Longhu would indeed be worn out to exhaustion, not a situation he wished to see.

With a step retreat, Wang Longhu, face flush red, stared at Nalan Lei, his mind rapidly calculating.

Currently, his dark force training wasn’t profound; aside from the acupoints in his palms, Wang Longhu couldn’t yet project Qi force, otherwise, he wouldn’t have to rely solely on fists to unleash dark force injuries.

Meanwhile, Nalan Lei’s Tai Chi excelled in techniques like clasping, lifting, pressing, pushing, combining, pulling, inserting, grabbing, spiraling— all adept at diverting force, skilled in grappling and dragging.

Though now aged, limited by talent hence halting at the peak of Ming Jin, the person’s combat experience and understanding of Tai Chi were honed to an incredibly profound level.

Without resorting to risky moves, defeating this cunning old fox who had practiced for decades wouldn’t be quick.

Wang Longhu carefully stood in the San Ti Shi, his suppressed Qi long making his muscles extraordinarily strong, reaching the limit of endurance.

As this energy circulated through his meridians to his limbs and trunk, Wang Longhu’s shoulders spread, his bones crackling, the entire shoulder blade and back muscles instantly resembling a roc spreading its wings, expanding outward.

His originally not-too-broad shoulders promptly became thick and robust, his waist loosening and tightening the muscles, swelling firm, appearing extremely strong.

Wang Longhu’s upper garment, long shredded by previous combat with other Martial Artists, hung in tatters on his body, exposing the changes occurring to his physique at that moment, visible to everyone present without concealment.

"Tiger’s Back and Bear’s Waist!" the monk couldn’t help but exclaim in awe, his admiration for Wang Longhu soaring once again.

Ming Jin trains the external, strengthening muscles, potentially unlocking muscle potential, making the Martial Artist stronger, resistant to blows.

Dark Force trains internally, refining the tendons and bones within the human body, masters of Dark Force reportedly making tendons and bones thunder, roaring like tiger and leopard, prolonged training could enhance Martial Artist’s skills.

In Xingyi Boxing, this sound is known as ’Tiger and Leopard Thunder’.

To refine tendons and bones, a Martial Artist must first master opening the shoulders and hips, relaxing and tightening the muscles.

Once a time is reached when major tendons relax and tighten effortlessly, the shoulders and back spread open, the waist rounded and uplifted, the body normally appearing a circle larger, then the skill is considered accomplished.

With shoulders as a tiger, hips and waist as a bear, this is what martial arts terms ’Tiger’s Back and Bear’s Waist’.