After flinging Azumarill away, Mienshao followed up with a series of powerful blows. To date, Pokémon researchers had discovered eighteen types, and pairing those types in various combinations gave Pokémon even more distinctive typings.
Among all those type combinations, Fighting-type Pokémon placed the greatest emphasis on their bodies. Most of their attacks took the form of physical combat, with only a handful of moves resembling "qigong."
Pokémon battles fundamentally involved attacking opponents with various moves, and those moves could be used in different ways.
The most basic approach was to stand still and trade moves. As Pokémon gained battle experience and their Trainers improved, those moves developed all sorts of different applications.
The classic example was "spinning."
A Pokémon could spin while using Swords Dance to block attacks, or, like Squirtle, unleash Hydro Pump during Rapid Spin to attack a wider area.
Fighting-type Pokémon were better at incorporating moves into their physical movements, so practicing martial arts was a natural way for them to improve.
The Extreme Realm Gym was just such a Gym. Unlike a newly risen Gym such as the Blue Sky Technical Academy Gym, it had established itself when the Donghuang League was first founded and had a long-standing heritage.
Beyond their Pokémon traditions, their martial arts school also passed down Bajiquan and Tai Chi. Supposedly, every Gym Leader was a formidable fighter who could go toe-to-toe with Fighting-type Pokémon.
This was not training with a little Pokémon like Riolu, the way Xin Mu did. It was real, hard-hitting combat in an Octagon Cage.
In another world, they probably would have been called an Ancient Martial Arts Family or something similar.
"Rio."
The videos Xin Mu watched were all edited, and the footage now cut to a Lucario.
"Yeah, that's your evolved form. You'll be able to