Courtyard House: Passing through the Silly Pillar, Activating the Blessed Cave Heaven

29

"Master, I have to go to Fengzeyuan to learn cooking. I'll come back to ask you for guidance tomorrow." After bidding farewell to Shang Zhirong, He Yuzhu returned to Wu Baotian's house.

Seeing that it was still early, he continued practicing standing meditation in the yard.

Time flies. Since he started practicing martial arts, He Yuzhu has been getting up at the crack of dawn every day.

First, enter the blessed land to check on the crops and livestock, and then use the Enlightenment Stone to practice the Eight Pieces of Brocade and Xingyi Quan.

Over time, he found that his thinking became more and more agile and his memory was far better than before. He thought this must be the magical effect of the Enlightenment Stone.

Every two weeks, Wu Baotian would allow He Yuzhu to go home for a day to rest.

Days passed by, and three months went by in the blink of an eye.

Since the end of the first month of the lunar calendar, He Yuzhu's height has increased rapidly, growing from 132 cm to 138 cm in three months.

He secretly thought to himself that he would grow to at least 1.85 meters tall in his lifetime.

In terms of cooking skills, He Yuzhu has already started practicing tossing the wok with four pounds of sand. Wu Baotian is very pleased with his progress and feels that he has found a good apprentice.

Shang Zhirong was very surprised by He Yuzhu's talent in learning Xingyi Quan.

In just three months, He Yuzhu has mastered the Three-Body Stance and can stand for half an hour every day.

Therefore, Shang Zhirong taught him the Five Elements Fist of Xingyi Quan.

He Yuzhu mastered the basics in just a few days. The Five Elements Fist, as the foundational fist technique of Xingyi Quan, includes the Pi Quan, Zuan Quan, Beng Quan, Pao Quan, and Heng Quan.

This set of boxing techniques is named after the Five Elements theory. It combines boxing styles with traditional Chinese medicine theory, simplifying complex concepts and clearly explaining the principles and techniques of attack and defense.

The Pi Quan (劈拳) belongs to the metal element and is a powerful striking fist technique, divided into double Pi Quan and single-handed Pi Quan.

Its force should not only be downward, but also include forward cutting force and backward pulling force. The trajectory of the force should extend from the forehead to the chest and abdomen, so that it can appear powerful and robust.

When practicing, one should proceed step by step, first understanding the obvious force, then mastering the hidden force, and finally reaching the realm of transforming force. At the same time, one should also be proficient in the variations of the five forces: catching, slapping, bumping, pressing, and chopping.

The relevant saying goes: "No need to look at the chopping fist, just keep your feet in a straight line."

The lead hand punches, the rear hand follows, the elbow rubs against the ribs, and the center is struck.

The front foot steps forward, the back foot pushes off, and only then can the movement—rising, landing, and somersaulting—be considered a successful maneuver.

Bengquan (崩拳) belongs to the element of wood. Its movements are as swift as an arrow piercing through an object, and its power is astonishing as a landslide.

Its footwork is diverse, including half-step Bengquan, oblique-step Bengquan, forward-step Bengquan, cross-step Bengquan, fast-step Bengquan, etc. Among them, half-step Bengquan is the most basic fist technique and is known as the "mother fist".

The Drill Fist belongs to the Water element, and its momentum is like throwing an object from the sea into the sky, soaring upwards.

When practicing, you should relax your shoulders and drop your elbows, and coordinate your shoulder, hip and hand movements. Your front hand should not go past your toes to maintain your balance.

Compared to Bengquan and Paoquan, Zuanquan places more emphasis on "skill".

Cannon Fist belongs to the Fire element, and is fierce and aggressive, making it the most ferocious of the Five Elements Fists.

Hengquan (横拳) belongs to the Earth element and emphasizes the balance of Yin and Yang, as well as the combination of hardness and softness. It is the foundation of the Five Elements Fist and can evolve into four fist techniques: Pi (劈), Zuan (钻), Beng (崩), and Pao (炮), as well as the Twelve Forms Fist. As the saying goes, "One root can scatter ten thousand branches, and ten thousand branches all return to one root."

Shang Zhirong specifically reminded He Yuzhu that Xingyi Quan takes moderation as its core principle, and the horizontal fist best embodies this.