Chapter 16: Ape Arms, Bee Waist, Praying Mantis Legs
After Hu Qi touched the bones, he was amazed.
"Since I started learning bone-touching, this is the first time I've seen such standard bee waists, ape arms, and mantis legs. How old is Junior Brother Liang?"
"Fifteen almost sixteen."
"Then you will grow a lot taller, at least six feet tall in the future."
One foot of Dashun is about 30 centimeters, at least 6 feet, which is more than meters.
Liang Qu heaved a sigh of relief after hearing this. His previous life was not well nourished and he was not very tall now. He was worried that he would not grow taller.
Li Libo's face twisted as he listened to this: "I bit my teeth to pieces. Damn it, you are so handsome and have such good bones, why do you always have good things happen to you? If you don't treat me to dinner today, I will never forgive you!"
Liang Qu responded casually: "Next time for sure."
Hu Qi continued, "You are also suitable for majoring in Ape Fist, and you are also very suitable for archery. Junior Brother Liang can learn from you if there is a chance in the future."
As soon as these words came out, both of them were stunned.
"Wait a minute, Senior Brother Hu, why is it that I am above average and suitable for the Ape Fist, while he has good physique and also uses the Ape Fist?"
Hu Qi explained: "There are many kinds of good bones, not just the bee waist, ape arms and mantis legs. This kind of bone is most suitable for ape boxing. It accumulates power like drawing a bow and releases power like shooting an arrow. The power is fast, far-reaching and fierce. Of course, the tiger form is also good, but the crane form is a little worse."
"Junior Brother Li, you are a little lacking in other aspects, but you have a long arm span, the power of the tiger form, and the lightness of the crane form. You have no advantage over them, so you are also suitable for the ape fist."
Liang Qu suddenly realized that he was suitable for Ape Fist because he had talent, and Li Libo was suitable for Ape Fist because he was less suitable for the other two styles.
Come to think of it, the fact that I am suitable for the Ape Fist could also be related to the water monkey Ze Ling?
After fusing with the water monkey Ze Ling, Liang Qu could feel changes in his body. Perhaps this was how his roots were changed.
Li Libo was a little discouraged. Learning martial arts was not quite what he had imagined.
Seeing this, Hu Qi comforted him, "Brother Li, don't be discouraged. Poor physique doesn't mean anything. It doesn't limit our future. It doesn't mean that people with poor physique will necessarily break through the barriers slower than those with good physique. Brother Liang, don't be proud and complacent even if you have good physique. It doesn't determine our future either."
"Thank you, Senior Brother Hu, for your advice."
Hu Qi nodded and took out two books from his arms: "This is Master Yang's three punches. You can all learn the ape, tiger, and crane, but it's better to focus on what I say.
Do you know how to read? It doesn’t matter if you don’t. There are pictures above. Just practice according to the order. I will correct you. ”
How thoughtful! Liang Qu flipped through the booklet and felt that everyone in the Yang's Martial Arts School was talented and spoke nicely. He loved this place very much.
The booklet consists of six parts, which respectively cover the training and fighting methods of the ape, tiger and crane. Master Liang Qu looks at the training method and lays the foundation first.
The training method mainly relies on standing meditation. Each of the three styles of boxing has 32 types of standing meditation, some of which are the same, some are similar, and some are quite different.
It's worthwhile to learn three types of boxing for seven taels of silver.
Liang Qu knew that he should listen to people's advice and eat his fill, so he looked at the Monkey Fist and began to practice according to the stance method described above.
He spread his legs, tucked in his chest and straightened his back, lowered his shoulders and elbows, then he strengthened his abdomen, relaxed his waist, tucked in his buttocks and hips, and controlled the flow of qi between his dantian.
"The foot is not right, the sole of the foot should be empty, it's too stiff."
"Yes, that's right."
"Junior Brother Li, don't be so tense. Relax. Your movements are too stiff."
“The upper part is empty and the lower part is solid. The body is empty and the stance is solid. The empty and the solid complement each other. Keep it that way without moving. Try to make your body remember this posture as much as possible.”
Hu Qi was instructing from the side, and after confirming that one movement was acceptable, he would start the next one.
In one morning, Liang Qu learned three standing postures, while Li Libo only learned two.
It was past noon, and the seven taels of tuition did not include food, so the two had to go out to find food and find a foot shop to make ends meet. When they came back, they found that someone had brought out a large wooden barrel from the backyard, which was filled with boiling liquid medicine. Some students came to the barrel, took a bowl and drank it all.
Li Libo stretched his head and said, "That's the medicine? Didn't we say that our boxing style also has a matching prescription? Why can't I see it?"
"Maybe the prescription is more valuable? Does the martial arts school make money from prescriptions?" Liang Qu guessed.
"Alas, you never regret not having enough money until you need it."
"There's nothing we can do. We were born at the bottom of society. If we want to change, we have to rely on ourselves. I can only seriously learn a few more moves this afternoon."
In the afternoon, Liang Qu learned five more standing postures and was able to perform them fluently without any guidance, while Li Libo only learned three.
By six o'clock when they left the martial arts hall, it was already dark. The two decided not to take a ride and chose to walk back to Yixing City.
It took more than ten miles and almost half an hour. When they reached the street, the two said goodbye to each other.
Liang Qu still found a restaurant to have dinner, no longer the usual three dishes, but two meat dishes, one vegetable dish and a rice. After learning martial arts, he needed to eat more tonic food.
The days passed by.
With the foundation, Liang Qu learned faster and faster, and was so focused on learning that he didn't even bother to socialize. So far, he only knew Hu Qi and Xiang Changsong in the martial arts gym.
With such efforts, he finished learning all the stances of Ape Fist in less than four days. However, Li Libo, who was in the same period, only reached the twentieth one, which was a big gap. It was exactly as Hu Qi said.
Seeing Liang Qu finish the last move, Hu Qi nodded and said, "It takes less than four days to learn all the standing exercises. This is the fastest I have ever seen. Let's try it out smoothly."
"Yes."
Liang Qu responded and started practicing from the first stance, and continued to the last stance, which took him less than half an hour. It was smooth and freehand.
And halfway through the fight, a trace of energy slowly gathered in Liang Qu's body, flowing through his body as he moved. It was like taking a hot bath, and he was sweating profusely and exhausted at the same time.
This is an experience I have never had before. In the past, after playing, I just felt tired and hot all over.
"How is it? Do you feel a little bit of energy?"
"Ah."
"You can feel the Qi after just one try, which means that you, Junior Brother Liang, have abundant Qi and blood, and you have good talent. The appearance of Qi means that your Qi and blood are growing. When the Qi is as thick as fingers and the Qi and blood are like tides, it means that you can refine your skin. As long as you break through the skin barrier, you will be truly reborn!"
Liang Qu immediately asked: "How do you break through the barrier?"
"Then it involves medicine again. When we are ready to break through, I will explain it to you in detail. Junior Brother Liang just needs to practice hard."
Hu Qi smiled but didn't explain further.
In fact, he basically didn't think that his two junior brothers had any hope of breaking through.
It's not that I look down on you, but it's the truth and I speak from experience.
He himself is a butcher in Pingyang Town. His ancestors have slaughtered countless pigs to achieve his current success.
Two fishermen with no background have less income than ordinary farmers. Speaking out about it will only add to the trouble, so it is better not to say anything.
Liang Qu was not the kind of person who would dig into details, he just proposed to learn the Tiger Fist stance training. It had its focus, but it did not prevent him from learning more to broaden his horizons. Moreover, the other two stance trainings had similarities, so he would learn them faster.
As long as he learns all the standing meditation, he can practice it on his own before refining the skin. He doesn't have to waste time on the road of more than ten miles every day. The round trip will take at least more than an hour, which means he has to practice the standing meditation three times.
Hu Qi was not surprised: "Okay, then I will continue to teach you the 24 different stances of Tiger Fist."
At three o'clock in the afternoon, Liang Qu finished learning a tiger fist stance exercise, then asked Hu Qi for leave, and then hurriedly left the martial arts hall under Li Libo's puzzled gaze.
The fat catfish in the spiritual link told Liang Qu that it had discovered another precious fish!
(End of this chapter)
