Longevity Martial Arts: Starting from Inner Core Skill

The Health Care Eight Section Brocade, which originally stemmed from the Northern Song Dynasty, has many versions, including the standing form, sitting form, the Southern Eight Section Brocade, the Northern Eight Section Brocade, and even evolved forms like the Twelve Section Brocade and the Eighteen Section Brocade. However, regardless of which version it is, the foundational movements are all the same: myriad variations but consistent in essence.

Wang Sheng, in his previous life, had started health practices at a young age, so he knew quite a bit.

The Health Care Eight Section Brocade is a Health Care Skill that can cultivate Qi-Blood.

Online, one can find many versions such as the health version, the martial arts version, etc., varying with each period.

The version Wang Sheng knew was just one, released by the General Administration of Sport of China.

This version was the newest and most widely disseminated and edited version.

With an official version available, Wang Sheng naturally wouldn't consider consulting the potentially unreliable techniques found on the internet.

This version might not possess much lethality, but the eventual truth was that it proved beyond any doubt that exercising with Health Care Brocade for nurturing Qi-Blood was problem-free.

Wang Sheng's good constitution in his previous life had some inseparable connection with his long-term practice of the Eight Section Brocade.

Balanced and mild, accumulating and nurturing Qi-Blood to enhance physical constitution.

After practicing for more than ten years, Wang Sheng had long since integrated this set into his instinct.

Without hesitation, Wang Sheng went straight outside the house to begin practicing.

"The first movement, 'Two Hands Support the Heavens to Regulate the Three Burners.'…The eighth movement, 'Seven Diseases and a Hundred Ailments Disappear from Behind!'"

The version from the General Administration of Sport wasn't fast; it took Wang Sheng over ten minutes to complete a set.

As expected, once he finished, the progress bar for the Eight Section Brocade appeared.

"Health Care Eight Section Brocade: 9 (98.5%)"

Looking at this progress bar, Wang Sheng was somewhat surprised; it was already at max level.

"Does this include my previous life's experience as well?"

However, considering the logic, it wasn't unreasonable. If the original persona's chrysanthemum planting was counted, there was no reason his skills wouldn't be.

This was a good thing.

He had been thinking that if it was not at max level, and he couldn't directly have a breakthrough, he would have to forgo his long-standing self-discipline and make sure to max it out within a month.

Now it seemed there was no need for that: he could maintain his disciplined lifestyle.

The practice continued————

Wang Sheng could actively choose whether to close the progress bar or not, but to give himself a bit of motivation, he didn't close it, instead watching the progress bar rise.

Perhaps because his proficiency was very high, after half an hour, the progress bar became "Health Care Eight Section Brocade: 9 (99.99%)"

And of course, this session of the Eight Section Brocade wasn't over yet.

A few minutes later, another set was completed.

Just at the moment he finished, the progress bar changed:

"Health Care Eight Section Brocade: Breakthrough+1 (1%)"

Simultaneously, Wang Sheng seemed to feel in a daze that his body was jumping for joy, thirsting.

"Is this… the initial activation of Qi-Blood?"

Some low-level Martial Artist knowledge was public.

To become a Martial Artist, the first step was to activate one's body's Qi-Blood, to make one's body come alive.

After activation, the most obvious characteristic would be a craving emanating from deep within the body; this craving was very distinct, a demand for food-energy following the invigoration of the body.

Only a substantial amount of food could satisfy this craving and suppress it, finally nurturing the Qi-Blood Power.

"The progress bar is truly amazing!"

Wang Sheng had just broken through his limits and already felt this way; if word got out, it would surprise many,

Typically, without special assistance, this process took 1 to 3 days.

But with the aid of the progress bar, Wang Sheng accomplished it in an instant.

Even though he had already practiced the Eight Section Brocade countless times and his proficiency was high, it must be noted that the Eight Section Brocade was merely a Guiding Skill for health maintenance, yet the progress bar forcefully elevated it to Martial Artist Skills.

The progress bar, indeed, did not disappoint him.

However, Wang Sheng didn't plan to stop right there. After entering his room to cook rice and meat, he came back out to continue because this craving wasn't strong enough yet.

According to the theory, one needed to reach a state of "Qi-Blood Boiling, Sound as Loud as Drums" before they could start consuming food.

Simply translated, one needed to activate their Qi-Blood to such a rebellious extent before they could start eating to satisfy the body's craving.

If one repeated this process 30 to 50 times, there was a chance to activate the Qi-Blood Power.

During this process, the amount of food consumed would increase; at first, not much, but near the final awakening of the Qi-Blood Power, one could even consume hundreds of pounds of meat in one go.

Of course, this was pertinent to the lowly peasants who were Martial Artists without any background.

In Wang Sheng's memories, families with even a bit of background consumed special kinds of food.

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Not only did you not have to eat so much of that stuff every time, just a little bit was enough to get a perfect energy replenishment. It could also speed up the process. Otherwise, where would the difference of 30 to 50 times come from?

Of course, regardless of the method used to condense the Qi Blood Power, once it emerged, you became a First Grade Martial Artist.

A First Grade Martial Artist had the strength of 500 kilograms in a single arm. Their flesh toughened by the Qi-Blood was impervious to all but the sharpest of blades.

Don't look at that mere 500 kilograms of force—it's just with one arm and merely the lowest standard for a Martial Artist.

With a bit more training over time, their strength would further increase by quite a bit. Coupled with other advantages of Martial Artists, even if they lacked combat skills, as long as they were ruthless enough, taking down a dozen strong men or hooligans wouldn't be too difficult.

This was exactly the realm that Wang Sheng wanted to reach.

Once he reached the Martial Artist realm of generating Qi Blood Power, to survive, he had to be ruthless.

After all, he had been practicing Health Care Skills since he was just over ten years old, precisely to live longer!

After firming his determination, the practice of the Health Care Eight Stage continued.

About three hours later.

"Health Care Eight Stage: Breakthrough +1 (5%)"

After the breakthrough, the progress bar started to increase much more slowly; it had only grown a little over four percent in three hours. This was a whole new realm, beyond the ordinary.

Of course, three hours of Eight Stage practice wasn't just about the progress bar growing.

Wang Sheng had now reached the state of "Qi-Blood boiling, the sound resonating like a drum."

The most direct feeling was hunger, intense hunger!

Included in the eight-character description were probably also the growls of a hungry stomach.

Another sound was related to the boiling of Qi-Blood. With this requirement met, under Wang Sheng's skin, little pulsating bulges appeared as veins stood out prominently.

This was the Qi-Blood restlessly thrumming, emitting a muffled sound audible only to him.

If he didn't replenish his nutrition in time, it wouldn't be long before he ended up a bag of bones.

Wang Sheng did not dare delay and immediately ran into the kitchen to start eating the cooked meat and rice.

He cooked all the meat at home, which was about six or seven kilograms, and the rice, more than a catty, filled a large pot.

"Ah, satisfying!"

After eating, Wang Sheng could clearly feel his body being satiated, and the boiling of his Qi-Blood was suppressed.

As for the food that would normally be impossible to finish, none was left.

Having eaten so much, Wang Sheng wasn't without gains—he pinched his fist.

"Grip strength has increased, and my power has also improved a bit. Not bad."

The most feared thing in doing anything is the lack of gains. As long as there is a noticeable gain, people can persist in most things.

"But I can't continue training now!"

He had consumed all the meat at home. If he didn't want to die from exertion, he'd need to go buy more meat.

But buying meat required going to Lijiang Town, and right now, he really didn't want to risk getting forcibly conscripted.

"It looks like I'll have to ask Uncle Li for help!"

The people in the village were all good. Uncle Li was named Li Wenguang, a hunter, who'd been very kind to him, often taking him hunting in the past.

During the previous crisis with the chrysanthemums, he had taken out all his stored goods, but unfortunately, it was like a drop in the bucket.

Once he confirmed that his abilities could accelerate the growth of chrysanthemums, he went to Li Wenguang's house for more chrysanthemum seeds and asked for help collecting them.

Li Wenguang agreed without hesitation. If the timeline was correct, he would deliver them today.

Speak of the devil, and he shall appear.

A robust voice sounded from outside the door.

"Yun Sheng, are you home?"

Qingshan Village once had an old Scholar who had given names to all the kids from Wang Sheng's generation and also taught them to read. Wang Sheng's courtesy name was Yun Sheng.

Unfortunately, the old Scholar died a few years ago, and without another equally-educated individual, this generation's kids were back to being called Dog Egg, Second Dog, and the like.

Hearing the call, Wang Sheng quickly stepped out of the house and saw a stalwart middle-aged man with a kindly face.

This was the village's only hunter, Li Wenguang, originally named Li Daxiong. Due to the old Scholar, his father forcibly changed it, leading to a burly man carrying an educated name.

"Uncle Li!"

Wang Sheng greeted politely. Having the elder busy himself for him, even without much affection, Wang Sheng still felt a bit embarrassed.

But since he was here, it meant the chrysanthemum seeds must have been collected.

Yet, Wang Sheng also noticed some strange items.

A book, a clay jar.

Before he could ask, Li Wenguang spoke first: "Yun Sheng, take these. See if you have a chance to become a Martial Artist. Once you become one, you'll have the chance to resolve your problems!"

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