Ba Duan Jin, originally originated in the Northern Song dynasty, has many versions, including standing, sitting, Southern Ba Duan Jin, Northern Ba Duan Jin, and even evolved versions like Twelve Duan Jin and Eighteen Duan Jin. However, no matter which version, the basic movements are the same, with many variations all following the same principles.
Wang Sheng, having started health preservation at a young age in his previous life, knew quite a lot about it.
Ba Duan Jin is a Health Care Skill that can cultivate Qi-Blood.
You can find health and martial arts versions on the internet, with varying styles from different periods.
The version Wang Sheng knew was only one, the National Sports Bureau version.
It was the latest and most widely spread and edited version.
With an officially edited version available, Wang Sheng naturally wouldn't bother with some unreliable methods found online.
Perhaps it wasn't very lethal, but the ultimate fact was, practicing it for health and Qi-Blood enhancement was without issues.
Wang Sheng's good health in his previous life was somewhat inseparable from his long-term practice of Ba Duan Jin.
Balanced and harmonious, nurturing Qi-Blood, strengthening the physique.
After practicing for over ten years, Wang Sheng had already integrated this routine into his instincts.
Without hesitation, Wang Sheng went straight outside the house to begin practicing.
"First move, hands raise the sky to regulate the three heaters... Eighth move, Back Seven Dizziness Hundred Diseases Disappear!"
The National Sports Bureau's version was not fast, and it took Wang Sheng over ten minutes to complete one set.
As expected, after finishing, the progress bar for Ba Duan Jin appeared.
"Health Care Ba Duan Jin: 9 (98.5%)"
Surprised at the progress bar, Wang Sheng realized it was at max level.
"Does this account for my past life's experience too?"
But, on second thought, it made sense. His body's chrysanthemum planting experience had been included, so why not his skills?
This was good news.
Originally, if it hadn't been max level, and unable to directly Breakthrough the limit, he had been prepared to abandon his long-held self-discipline to max it out in a month.
Now, it seemed that wouldn't be necessary; his disciplined lifestyle could be maintained.
The practice continued————
Wang Sheng could actively choose to hide the progress bar, but to motivate himself, he kept it visible, watching it increase.
Maybe it was because of his high proficiency that half an hour later, the progress bar read, "Health Care Ba Duan Jin: 9 (99.99%)"
And of course, this set of Ba Duan Jin hadn't yet finished.
A few minutes later, another set completed.
At that very moment, the progress bar changed:
"Health Care Ba Duan Jin: Breakthrough+1 (1%)"
At the same time, Wang Sheng felt as if his body leaped in a haze, craving something.
"Is this the initial activation of Qi-Blood?"
The knowledge of how low-level martial artists worked was public knowledge.
The first step to becoming a Martial Artist was to activate one's own body's Qi-Blood, invigorating it.
The most noticeable sign after activation was the intense craving from deep within—an obvious need for food due to the body's heightened activity.
Only a significant amount of food could satisfy this craving and ultimately cultivate the Qi-Blood Power.
"The progress bar is truly amazing!"
This was just the initial Breakthrough, and Wang Sheng was already experiencing this. If word got out, it would astonish many.
Typically, without special assistance, this process would take 1-3 days.
Yet, with the help of the progress bar, it took Wang Sheng only a moment.
Even though he had practiced Ba Duan Jin countless times before with high proficiency, it was only considered a health nurturing Guiding Skill, but the progress bar essentially shifted it to Martial Artist Skills.
The progress bar certainly didn't disappoint him.
However, Wang Sheng didn't plan to stop there. After preparing rice and meat in his room, he returned to continue because the craving wasn't strong enough yet.
Theoretically, one needs to reach a state of "Qi-Blood boiling, sound like drums" to start eating food.
Simply put, the Qi-Blood needs to be activated almost rebelliously before one can commence eating to fulfill the body's craving.
This repeated 30-50 times could potentially activate the Qi-Blood Power.
As the process continues, the amount eaten increases. Initially, it's not much, but towards awakening the Qi-Blood Power, it might even involve consuming hundreds of pounds of meat at once.
Of course, that's the case for Martial Artists without a solid foundation.
In Wang Sheng's memory, even the slightly established families consumed special things.
"Not only do you not need to eat so much of this stuff each time, just a little bit can give you a perfect energy replenishment, but it can also speed up the process. Otherwise, where would the difference of 30 to 50 times come from?"
"Of course, no matter what method is used to condense the Qi-Blood Power, once Qi-Blood Power appears, one becomes a First Grade Martial Artist."
"A First Grade Martial Artist, with the strength of a single arm reaching five hundred jin, and with flesh toughened by Qi-Blood, cannot be cut unless by a sharp blade."
"Don't just look at the 500 jin of strength; this is just a single arm and it's also only the lowest standard for a Martial Artist."
"With just a little bit of training over time, strength can increase significantly. Combined with the other advantages of a Martial Artist, even without any fighting skills, as long as one is ruthless enough, defeating about a dozen strong men or gangsters is not very difficult."
"This is also the state that Wang Sheng wanted to achieve."
"As long as he reached the Martial Artist realm that breeds Qi-Blood Power, in order to survive, he could be ruthless."
"After all, he's the guy who started practicing Health Care Skills from just over 10 years old in order to live longer!"
"After strengthening his resolve, the practice of Ba Duan Jin continued."
"About three hours later."
"Health Care Ba Duan Jin: Breakthrough +1 (5%)"
"After the breakthrough, the progress bar slowed down sharply; it only went up a bit over four percent in three hours. This represents a whole new realm, beyond the ordinary."
"Of course, three hours of Ba Duan Jin wasn't just about progress bar growth."
"Wang Sheng had already reached the state where 'Qi-Blood is boiling, and the sound is like drums'."
"The most direct feeling is hunger—very hungry!"
"The sound like drums in these eight characters probably also includes the sound of a rumbling stomach due to hunger."
"There is another sound related to the boiling Qi-Blood. After reaching this state, Wang Sheng's skin showed small pulsing bulges, and blue veins stood out."
"This is the restless, throbbing Qi-Blood, producing a muffled sound that only he could hear."
"If he didn't replenish his nutrients in time, he would soon become skin and bones."
"Wang Sheng didn't dare delay. He immediately ran into the kitchen and started devouring the cooked meat and rice."
"He boiled all the meat in the house, about six or seven jin, and then there was the rice, more than a jin in total, in a large pot."
"Ahh, so satisfying!"
"After eating, Wang Sheng could clearly feel that his body was satisfied, and the boiling of his Qi-Blood was suppressed."
"All the food, which would have been impossible to finish under normal circumstances, was gone without a trace."
"Eating so much, Wang Sheng didn't gain nothing; he pinched his own fist."
"Hand strength has improved; strength has also increased somewhat, not bad."
"What one fears most in doing things is a lack of results. As long as there is a clear gain, one can persist in most matters."
"But right now, even if I want to continue training, I can't!"
"He had finished all the meat at home, and if he didn't want to train himself to death, he would have to go buy more meat."
"However, buying meat requires going to Lijiang Town, and he really didn't want to go right now for fear of being forcibly conscripted."
"It looks like I'll have to ask Uncle Li for help!"
"The people in the village are all pretty good. Uncle Li is Li Wenguang and a Hunter, the kindest one to him, who often took him hunting in the past."
"When the chrysanthemum crisis happened, he took out all the stockpiles from his house, a shame it was just a drop in the bucket."
"When he confirmed his ability could accelerate the growth of chrysanthemums, he went to Li Wenguang's house to get a lot of chrysanthemum seeds, and also asked him to help collect them."
"Li Wenguang agreed without hesitation, and if timing was anything to go by, he should be delivering them today."
"Speak of the devil and he shall appear."
"A robust voice sounded from outside."
"Yun Sheng, are you home?"
"Qingshan Village once had an old Scholar, who named all the kids of Wang Sheng's generation and taught them to read. Wang Sheng's name was Yun Sheng."
"Unfortunately, the old Scholar died a few years ago, and without another scholastically successful individual, this generation of children reverted to being called Dog Egg, Second Dog, and the like."
"Hearing the call, Wang Sheng hurried out of the house, only to see a burly middle-aged man with a kind face."
"This was the village's only Hunter, Li Wenguang, who was originally named Li Daxiong, but was forcefully changed by his father because of the old Scholar, and thus, a burly man had a refined name."
"Uncle Li!"
"Wang Sheng politely greeted. It was embarrassing to have an elder busy himself for one's sake, even without much emotional attachment."
"But since he came here, it means that the chrysanthemum seeds have been collected."
"Yet Wang Sheng saw something else unusual."
"A book, a clay pot."
"Before he could ask, Li Wenguang spoke first: 'Yun Sheng, take these and see if you have a chance to become a Martial Artist. Once you become a Martial Artist, there's a chance your troubles will be solved!'"