Chapter 325 - 296: Eight Pieces of Brocade, Annual Meeting
Guiding techniques, which originally came from the "Inner Canon of Huangdi," were meant to treat tendon diseases and symptoms of heaviness in the limbs. Over time, they were gradually incorporated into mainstream medicine and medical qigong. It was not until the emergence of the Eight Pieces of Brocade that guiding techniques truly began to flourish, proving to be quite effective in medicine, health preservation, and physical exercise.
Martial arts, especially Internal Fist, are also involved in health preservation and physical training, such as Xingyi’s Bone and Muscle Strengthening. So when Wu started his Bone and Muscle Strengthening, he researched the Eight Pieces of Brocade. Seeing Xu Ming execute this set of movements, the first half of which included Tai Chi postures and some elements of the Eight Pieces of Brocade, piqued Wu’s interest.
After about twenty minutes, Xu Ming finished the first half, then began to rub his hands together until his palms were warm before massaging his temples.
"The boss says this is called ’Heavenly Ascending Ladder,’" said Xu Ming as he massaged, "and there’s a corresponding breathing method that goes with it."
Wu nodded, feeling almost certain at this point that the set of movements Sun Yiquan taught Xu Ming was purely for health preservation.
After the Heavenly Ascending Ladder came the Heavenly Acupoint, followed by the Bathing Face...
By the end of the entire sequence, Xu Ming’s body had started to warm up.
Then he began the movements again, but this time with a style drastically different from before, his moves ripping through the air energetically.
Wu watched closely, detecting shades of spear technique in this latter half of the movements. It was said that Xingyi evolved from spear techniques into fist techniques and was characterized by its fierce and domineering style, and Xu Ming’s movements indeed carried a hint of Xingyi’s essence.
Another twenty or so minutes passed, and Xu Ming finished the entire set, his body drenched in sweat. Without pausing to rest, he started to explain the accompanying breathing method.
In about an hour, Wu had learned the set of movements.