Chapter 676: Innate

Chuan Gong City, early morning.

Zhang Ergou walked out of his own courtyard.

The courtyard wasn't large, consisting of three stone houses, one bright and two dark. There were two small trees planted at the entrance, which he had planted himself the day he moved in.

The tree is now waist-high, its branches and leaves spreading out, exuding vitality.

He stretched, his joints cracking twice, and strode towards the street.

The Transmission of Skills City is much more spacious than the Martial Arts City, with large open spaces between buildings and streets laid out in a grid pattern, just like a chessboard.

There were already quite a few people by the roadside, with groups of two or three Qingyang martial artists dressed in red stripes and white outfits, some running and some practicing boxing.

Many people greeted Zhang Ergou upon seeing him.

Good morning, Uncle Zhang!

"Good morning." Zhang Ergou waved his hand.

"Uncle Zhang, are you going to the training grounds today? I heard Brother Shi is going to mentor some newcomers, it's a rare opportunity!"

A young martial artist with acquired skills approached, his eyes shining.

Zhang Ergou waved his hand: "Why bother with that? That kid brought two jars of wine to my house yesterday, saying he'd mastered a new leg technique and insisted I take a look. What's so interesting about instructing a newbie?"

"Huh?" The young man was taken aback. "Brother Stone has figured out the leg technique and even came to your house to ask you to take a look?"

“What, is that not allowed?” Zhang Ergou glared. “I am his master. If he comprehends something new, who else should he show it to if not me? A master is giving his disciple face by offering his expert opinion.”

"I understand, I understand!" The young man nodded quickly and ran off.

Zhang Ergou continued walking forward, passing a breakfast shop.

Two large pots were set up at the entrance of the shop, one for cooking porridge and the other for steaming buns.

The proprietress quickly served him a bowl of porridge and handed him two steamed buns.

Zhang Ergou took it and squatted on a low stool at the shop entrance to eat it.

Several Qingyang martial artists nearby were also having breakfast. One of them came over and asked, "Uncle Zhang, I heard you're about to break through to the Innate Realm?"

"Almost there, almost there," Zhang Ergou mumbled, his mouth stuffed with steamed buns. "All that's missing is the completion of the Earth-Splitting Leg technique."

"You're quite fast! How long have you been in Chuan Gong City?"

"Don't you even know who my apprentice is?" Zhang Ergou stuffed the last bite of steamed bun into his mouth, stood up, and patted the crumbs off his hands. "Shi Tou, the Qingyang Grandmaster, is someone I personally taught."

Several Qingyang martial artists looked at each other, and one of them muttered, "Uncle Zhang's boasting is practically out of this world."

Zhang Ergou pretended not to hear and strode towards Shi Tou's house.

The Shi family's house is located on the east side of Chuan Gong City, near the Chuan Gong Hall. It is a three-story building with a courtyard wall that is much higher than Zhang Er Gou's house, and there are also several ornamental trees planted in the courtyard.

Zhang Ergou stood at the gate of the courtyard, looked up at the building, and clicked his tongue twice.

The place where a grandmaster lives is truly extraordinary. Compared to this place, his little dilapidated courtyard looks like a woodshed.

He pushed open the door and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Shitou! Xiaohe! I'm here!"

Xiao He's voice came from inside the house: "Uncle Zhang, come in!"

The living room was spacious and bright, with several calligraphy and paintings hanging on the walls and tea sets and fruit plates on the table.

Zhang Ergou looked around but didn't see any stones. Only Xiao He's father was sitting in a chair, slowly drinking tea.

"Xiaohe's dad, where's Shitou?"

"We went to the training ground early this morning," Xiaohe's father said, putting down his teacup.

Zhang Ergou clicked his tongue: "Good lad, still so diligent even after becoming a grandmaster."

Xiao He poked her head out of the kitchen, still holding a spatula in her hand: "Uncle Zhang, don't forget, you made an appointment with Shi Tou this afternoon. He was coming to guide you in your cultivation."

"You're only missing mastering the Azure Sun Earth-Splitting Leg technique. Once you succeed, you can advance to the Innate Realm."

Zhang Ergou chuckled: "Xiao He has a good memory. Okay, I'll go find him this afternoon."

He peeked into the kitchen and saw meat stewing in a pot, emitting a wonderful aroma. "Xiao He's cooking skills are getting better and better; she's much better than the cooks at the Chuan Gong City canteen."

Xiao He blushed slightly at the compliment and smiled, saying, "Uncle Zhang, you always say that when you come."

“That’s the truth!” Zhang Ergou patted his belly. “Alright, I’ll go back and get ready. See you at the training ground this afternoon.”

...

afternoon.

The four large martial arts training grounds of Chuan Gong City are scattered in the four directions of the city. Each of them covers tens of thousands of square meters and the ground is paved with Qingyang stone.

When Zhang Ergou arrived at the East Martial Arts Arena, he could see the magnificent scene from afar.

Tens of thousands of Qingyang martial artists practiced simultaneously, their palms whistling, their legs flashing, and their azure true energy shimmering in the sunlight, making the entire training ground resemble a turbulent azure ocean.

Zhang Ergou found the stone in the crowd.

Shi Tou stood in the northeast corner of the training ground, instructing several young martial artists who had acquired their skills in practicing the Qingyang Huasheng Palm.

"Stone!" Zhang Ergou shouted.

Shi Tou turned around, saw Zhang Er Gou, and smiled: "Uncle Zhang, you're here."

“Let’s begin.” Zhang Ergou stretched his legs. “I’ve been practicing the Earth-Splitting Leg for three months, but I always feel like I’m missing that final push.”

Shi Tou nodded, indicating that the young martial artists should practice on their own first, and then walked to the open space.

He bent his knees slightly and lowered his center of gravity: "Uncle Zhang, watch carefully, Qingyang Earth-Splitting Leg, triple leg power superimposed, sweeping the knee, splitting the shoulder, and stabbing the heart. Each leg adds power on the basis of the previous leg, and there can be no break in the middle."

He raised his right leg and swept it out suddenly, the wind whistling as it scraped a shallow mark on the Qingyang stone ground.

Zhang Ergou copied the move and swept out a leg, but the force of the kick was much weaker, though the trajectory was still fairly standard.

"Again."

As the second leg swept out, Stone shook his head: "You didn't extend your waist. You're too focused on your legs and forgot that your waist is the root of your power."

He walked behind Zhang Ergou and placed his hand on his waist: "Turn your waist first, and your legs will naturally follow."

Zhang Ergou tried several more times, with Shi Tou correcting him each time.

After practicing for almost an hour, Shi Tou stopped him: "That's enough, Uncle Zhang. Find an opponent to spar with and get a feel for it in real combat."

Zhang Ergou was panting heavily as he glanced across the training ground.

A martial artist in his early twenties, dressed in a red-patterned white outfit, walked over after finishing his training on the other side. He had solid legwork skills.

Shi Tou waved to him: "Chen Xiaowu, you spar with my Uncle Zhang. Be careful not to overdo it."

Chen Xiaowu nodded, walked to the opposite side of Zhang Ergou, and got into a fighting stance.

The two practiced together, and Chen Xiaowu had mastered the Earth-Splitting Leg technique, making each kick fast, accurate, and ruthless.

Zhang Ergou was initially struggling and was forced to retreat repeatedly by Chen Xiaowu, taking several blows to the legs.

But the more he fought, the better he got, and his body gradually found the rhythm of exerting force in actual combat.

Chen Xiaowu swept his leg towards Zhang Ergou's knee, but instead of blocking it as usual, Zhang Ergou moved his waist first.

He twisted his waist slightly, and his right leg swept out with the power of his waist, a force he had never felt before surging from his dantian to his toes.

"Bang!"

Their legs collided, and Chen Xiaowu was jolted back three steps, while Zhang Ergou stood still.

He paused for a moment, looked down at his legs, then looked up and his eyes lit up.

It's done.

Qingyang Earth-Splitting Leg Technique, Mastery!

Chen Xiaowu walked over, rubbing his leg, and said through gritted teeth, "Uncle Zhang, your leg strength has suddenly increased a lot, you almost broke my leg."

Zhang Ergou laughed heartily, patted Chen Xiaowu on the shoulder, and turned to Shi Tou: "Shi Tou, you're treating tonight."

Stone looked bewildered: "I'm treating?"

"Your master has broken through to a higher level, shouldn't you treat me to a meal?"

Stone opened his mouth, feeling that something was wrong, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

Zhang Ergou didn't give him a chance to think it over. He grabbed his shoulder and walked out, saying, "Call Xiaohe and Xiaohe's dad. Let's go to that restaurant next to the Transmission Hall. I heard the food there is pretty good."

Stone was half-pushed and half-carried out the door, his mind still racing: "My master broke through, how come I'm the one treating?"

He couldn't figure it out after thinking about it the whole way, so he could only smile helplessly and resignedly follow.