Grandpa Zhang's Shock

"Yo, Xiao He."

Grandpa Zhang stopped in his tracks, smiling as his gaze swept over Li He. "Your breathing's become much more solid. Looks like you haven't slacked off these past few days."

"Thanks to your guidance, I've made a little progress."

After humbly flattering the old man a couple of times, Li He got straight to the point. "Grandpa, I've practiced the Old Ape Stretches Arms you taught me for the past three days and benefited greatly. I'd like to see more Ancient Martial Arts forms and learn by analogy. I wonder if you..."

Before he could finish, the smile on Grandpa Zhang's face faded somewhat.

"Xiao He." Grandpa Zhang spoke earnestly. "It's good that you want to improve. This old man has seen it all. But the martial path values specialization. Bite off more than you can chew, and you'll master nothing. That's an old saying, but it's also an eternal truth."

Li He did not argue. He knew the old man meant well.

His thoughts shifted, and he decided to take a step back in order to advance. "Grandpa, you're right. I've been diligent and focused these past three days, practicing Old Ape Stretches Arms bitterly without daring to slack off in the slightest. Could I ask you to take another look? If there are any mistakes, please correct me."

Seeing the persistence in Li He's eyes, Grandpa Zhang felt a flicker of irritation rise within him. "Fine. Right here. Perform the Old Ape Stretches Arms you've learned for me. Let this old man take a good look at just how far your three days of diligent practice have gotten you."

Li He did not waste words.

He walked to the open space in the middle of the area, sank his shoulders, dropped his elbows, and slowly stretched his spine as he assumed the opening stance of Ape King Stretches Arms.

The instant the movement unfolded, Grandpa Zhang—who had crossed his arms and was ready to teach this young man a proper lesson—stiffened slightly.

Hm? That opening stance had some substance to it. It was far more proper than he had imagined.

But.

Old Ape Stretches Arms looked simple, yet without three to five years of painstaking polishing, one could not even grasp the basics of that relaxed, sinking power. Back then, this old man had trained for over two years before he could barely touch its edge.

He wanted to look the part after only three days?

Let's see what tricks you can pull out!

His fist form began to flow, transitioning from Ape King Stretches Arms into Ape Climbs Ancient Pine. His movements flowed like clouds and water, his shifts in balance smooth and unobstructed, and his outstretched arms carried a unique rhythm.

The scrutiny in Grandpa Zhang's eyes swiftly faded, replaced by growing astonishment.

The precision of the movements was one thing.

What mattered most was the intent in Li He's fists.

That unique flavor of relaxed heaviness could not be imitated. Especially when Li He demonstrated Spirit Ape Looks Back and turned into Ape Arm Plucks Stars, his arm seemed to extend gently, yet his fingertips carried a steady, restrained force. A tidal wave of shock surged through Grandpa Zhang's heart.

How was this possible?

Back then, it took me two years to barely reach this level. Just finding that relaxed, sinking force took me three or four months. This kid did it in three days?

The entire fist form flowed to completion in Li He's hands. He slowly withdrew his stance and stood still.

Fine beads of sweat seeped across his forehead, his chest rose and fell slightly, and his breathing was a little hurried. Yet his gaze remained calm and focused, still immersed in the intent of the form.

Grandpa Zhang's crossed arms had long since fallen to his sides. His grizzled beard trembled slightly, his old eyes were wide as saucers, and his mouth hung partly open, but not a sound came out.

A moment later.

Li He looked at the old man. "Grandpa, I've made a fool of myself. Was my practice acceptable?"

His voice broke Grandpa Zhang out of his petrified state.

Grandpa Zhang's chest heaved once.

The shock on his face receded like the tide, replaced by an extremely complicated expression.

How was this child aiming too high? He was clearly an unpolished jade buried beneath the dust.

Though his natural physique was flawed, this child's comprehension, perseverance, and talent for turning every drop of sweat into progress—

Weren't such traits exactly what the profound Ancient Martial Arts, which required years of tempering and quiet insight, dreamed of in an inheritor?

But in this era, Ancient Martial Arts had already declined!

He fell silent for several seconds before looking Li He over once again. "Xiao He..."

"...You're very good!"

He spoke those three words with utmost seriousness and weight.

"You want to see Ancient Martial Arts and learn by analogy. This old man happens to know a place."

"In the south of the city, there's an inconspicuous little courtyard. It's no martial arts school—just a place where a group of old fellows unwilling to let go of those old traditions gather to practice now and then and chat."

"Cloud Hand Eighteen Forms, Silk-Reeling Power, Turtle-Crane Health Stance... They're all slow crafts that produce fine work, styles that demand painstaking effort over time. They're terribly dull to practice. Without patience and comprehension, you won't even get through the door."

Grandpa Zhang asked, "Xiao He, would you be willing to learn in such a place, learn such martial arts?"

He placed the choice entirely in Li He's hands, but the expectation in his eyes needed no explanation. And Li He did not disappoint him.

"Please introduce me, Grandpa!"

The next day, at noon.

Following the address Grandpa Zhang had given him, Li He made his way through the maze-like alleys of the old district.

The buildings here were steeped in age.

The bluestone roads had been polished smooth by time, while old-fashioned houses lined both sides.

Weathered wooden doors, carved windows, courtyard walls covered in green vines—the air carried the faint fragrance of grass and trees, imbued with a tranquil charm utterly different from the bustle of the central district.

However, just as Li He turned past a street corner planted with emerald bamboo, a burst of harsh shouting and scuffling came from the alley ahead.

Three youths in flashy tank tops stood blocking the middle of the alley, shoving a yellow-haired youth against an old wall covered in moss.

Several crushed drink cans lay scattered across the ground.

"Wang Hao! Do you take me for a fool?" A thug with a ferocious tiger-head tattoo on his neck was pressing the yellow-haired youth against the moss-covered old wall.

"I told you to bring three hundred yuan for gaming credit, but you only brought fifty? Is that enough for me to use the sensory pod for ten minutes, huh?"

"Tiger, there's really no more! This is all I have for food. My grandpa wouldn't give me any money!" The yellow-haired youth named Wang Hao spoke with a sob in his voice, and a fresh bruise marked his face.

"No more? Sounds like your skin's itching again!" Tiger gave a vicious grin and clenched his fist. "Brothers, help him loosen up a little. Make sure he remembers this!"

The other two thugs grinned cruelly as they closed in. They blocked the narrow alley completely.

Li He frowned slightly.

He had seen these thugs before.

They were the same group that had mocked him in the neighborhood two days ago. Were they having an internal conflict?

He did not want to take a detour and waste time, nor did he want to get involved in this mess. He walked straight ahead without slowing. "Excuse me, let me through."

Hearing his footsteps, Tiger and the others instinctively turned around.

"Oh, Perseverance Brother?"

"Sorry, we're handling something here. Go on, go on!"

Li He nodded without speaking, preparing to pass through the gap they had made.

Just as Li He was about to pass them, one of Tiger's lackeys rolled his eyes and lowered his voice. "Tiger, that kid's backpack is stuffed full. Maybe he's got something good? We're short on gaming credit anyway. Why don't we..."

Tiger froze for a moment, then suddenly caught on.

That's right!

Wasn't this a ready-made fat sheep standing right in front of them?

This kid was alone. He looked a little strange, but he could not be that strong. Just like them, he was someone without martial talent who could not get into school. There were three of them—what the hell did they have to fear?

"Stop!"

Tiger took a wide step forward and blocked his path.