Melee Gu Master

Three days later.

"Duck and dodge, that's the standard technique to counter a swinging punch. When the enemy attacks, quickly crouch down and use that momentum to counter-attack, striking their groin and abdomen. Don't fear the swinging punch; those who lead with it are usually brainless and impulsive."

On the training ground, the academy's martial arts instructor demonstrated as he spoke.

As a wooden puppet swung its right fist, the instructor quickly ducked, evaded the attack, and then punched the puppet's abdomen. With a few thuds, he knocked the wooden puppet down.

The students watched, forming a circle, but most lacked enthusiasm and seemed uninterested.

The academy taught various courses, and this one was basic martial arts. Using fists and feet felt far less cool and flashy than a Moon Blade attack, and the youths were mostly distracted.

"Next class is the Moonlight Gu usage assessment. How have you been practicing recently?"

"It's okay. I can unleash three Moon Blades, but rarely hit with all of them. Usually, two hit the straw puppet."

"Hmm, about the same as me. I even bought a straw puppet specifically to practice for this."

The youths whispered amongst themselves, their minds already elsewhere, focused on the upcoming assessment.

They had been practicing diligently after class for this assessment and were now brimming with anticipation.

The instructor heard the students' murmuring and suddenly turned around, shouting, "No talking in class! Shut your mouths and watch properly!"

He was a Rank 2 Gu Master, his body rippling with muscle, his bare, sturdy torso covered in scars on his bronze skin. His shout was imposing, instantly silencing all the youths in the field.

Silence fell upon the training ground.

"Basic martial arts are paramount. Especially in the early stages of a Gu Master's cultivation, they are more important than anything else. Focus your attention!"

After scolding them, the martial arts instructor summoned another wooden puppet.

This pale yellow wooden puppet was two meters tall. Its large wooden feet landed on the bluestone floor with a crisp sound. It spread its arms and clumsily charged at the instructor.

The instructor dodged its attack, then suddenly grabbed its waist and pushed forward forcefully, toppling the tall wooden puppet. He then rode on the puppet's waist, raising his fists and rapidly striking its head.

The wooden puppet resisted for a moment before its head was shattered by the instructor's rain of punches, collapsing motionlessly on the ground.

The martial arts instructor stood up, his breathing still calm and steady. He explained to the students, "When facing a taller enemy in close combat, don't be afraid. Disrupting their center of gravity is a wise tactic to subdue them. Just like I did, grab their waist, control their hips, and then push forward forcefully. After that, ride on them and deliver a flurry of punches. Anyone without defensive intent will collapse instantly."

The students nodded repeatedly, but most showed a look of skepticism in their eyes.

The instructor saw it all and gave a wry smile inwardly.

It was always like this in previous years. Young people were naturally drawn to flashy and spectacular things. Without personal experience, it was difficult for them to understand the importance of basic martial arts.

In fact, especially for early-stage Gu Masters, basic martial arts, though seemingly insignificant, were more crucial than Moon Blade attacks.

"...Remember, in close combat, don't just stare at the enemy's eyes. Pay attention to their shoulders. Whether they punch or kick, their shoulders will move first..."

"...Speed is crucial in close combat. The speed here isn't about the speed of your attacks, but the speed of your footwork..."

"...Distance is the best defense..."

"...Keep your legs elastic so you can unleash power more easily..."

"...When moving and punching, maintain a triangular stance. Otherwise, if your lower body loses balance, you'll fall before you can knock down the enemy..."

The martial arts instructor demonstrated and explained patiently. This was all valuable experience accumulated through his long years of combat, paid for with blood and tears.

Unfortunately, the students outside the field did not realize this.

They gradually started whispering to each other again, their focus still on the upcoming Moon Blade assessment.

"This martial arts instructor is very practical, but his teaching methods are flawed," Fang Yuan watched quietly in the crowd, nodding and shaking his head.

The instructor's teaching was haphazard, purely driven by interest, teaching whatever came to mind. Consequently, the material was disorganized, extensive, and repetitive. Many students listened intently at first but gradually lost interest and shifted their attention elsewhere.

Only Fang Yuan listened meticulously. Others were learning; he was reviewing. His combat experience far surpassed that of the martial arts instructor, but listening to others was also a form of cultivation verification.

Gu Master combat styles were typically divided into close-range and long-range.

Moon Blade attacks were long-range, but strictly speaking, they were only medium-range, as their effective attack distance was only ten meters.

For close-combat Gu Masters, the martial arts instructor was the best example. They usually chose Gu worms that amplified their own bodies for cultivation. These Gu worms granted them superhuman strength, agility, reaction time, endurance, and so on.

Like this martial arts instructor, his entire body had a bronze complexion. This was not his natural skin tone, but the effect of a Copper Skin Gu.

Copper Skin Gu greatly increased a Gu Master's skin defense, allowing them to withstand more damage.

"One Moon Blade consumes ten percent of one's true essence. How many times can a Gu Master unleash it in battle? The number is very few, especially for novices, it can't even form an effective strike. It can only be used as a trump card, its deterrence greater than its killing power. For Rank 1 Gu Masters, basic martial arts are truly useful. Because fist and foot attacks are more sustainable and reliable. It's a pity they don't understand these principles now because they haven't experienced them firsthand."

Fang Yuan's gaze swept lightly over his peers, a cold smile appearing on his lips.

The basic martial arts class finally ended. After a short break, the academy elder arrived late amidst the youths' expectant gazes.

With a wave of his hand, he pointed to the row of straw puppet dummies under the bamboo wall and got straight to the point: "Alright, today is the day to check your progress. You will go up in groups of five and perform three Moon Blade attacks."

Swish, swish, swish.

The first group of students stepped forward, Moon Blades dancing in the air.

After three rounds, only nine Moon Blades hit the straw puppet dummies.

The academy elder shook his head slightly, somewhat displeased. The hit rate was too low, and crucially, two of the five only managed to unleash two Moon Blades.

"You all need to practice more, especially you, and you," the elder admonished slightly and waved his hand, "Next group."

The two who were scolded walked off the field dejectedly. One of the girls' eyes reddened, feeling a bit wronged.

I only had C-grade aptitude, and I couldn't bear to use primeval stones to quickly recover my true essence, so my practice over these three days was minimal. As a result, I wasn't proficient at activating the Moon Blade.

Gu Masters need money to refine Gu, to raise Gu, and even to practice using Gu. But where would she get that much money?

Although she had the support of her parents, every family has its own difficulties. Being short on funds was a common predicament for Gu Masters.

"Since I have no hope of competing for first place anyway, why not just give up and save my primeval stones? Wouldn't that be better?" Thinking this, the young girl felt at ease.

She wasn't the only one with this thought.

Due to a lack of practice, many students performed poorly.

The Academy Elder's brow furrowed deeper and deeper.

Fang Yuan saw this and inwardly shook his head. "These people are truly pitiful and regrettable. For a few primeval stones, they've given up their chance to advance. Primeval stones are meant to be used. Why become a Gu Master if you're going to hoard them like a miser?"

In other words, it's often the short-sighted who haggle over every penny and lose sight of the bigger picture. Those with lofty aspirations, however, usually display a magnanimous and generous spirit, willing to give and let go.

"Finally, it's my turn." At this moment, Gu Yue Mo Bei, with his horse-like face full of confident smiles, walked onto the stage.

He was powerfully built, exuding a fierce aura. After standing firm, he unleashed three Moon Blades in quick succession, all hitting their mark. Two struck the puppet's chest, and one landed on its left arm, shaving off a few blades of green grass.

Such a result naturally drew a round of admiration from the youths.

"Well done." The clan elder's brow also relaxed slightly because of this.

Another group came up, and Gu Yue Chi Cheng was among them.

Gu Yue Chi Cheng was short and had a face full of pockmarks, his expression showing slight nervousness.

He consecutively activated three Moon Blades, all hitting the puppet's chest, creating three intersecting wounds. The wounds deepened then lightened, and after a few breaths, they returned to their original state due to the puppet's self-healing.

However, this performance was already on par with Gu Yue Mo Bei's, and he also received praise from the clan elder.

Chi Cheng walked off the stage with his head held high, giving Mo Bei a provocative glance along the way.

"Hmph!" From below the stage, Gu Yue Mo Bei let out a cold snort. He didn't glare back at Chi Cheng but instead looked at Gu Yue Fang Zheng, who had yet to compete.

He knew in his heart that the only real threats were Gu Yue Chi Cheng and Gu Yue Fang Zheng.

The former, like him, had B-grade aptitude and a constant supply of primeval stones. The latter had A-grade aptitude. Although his primeval stones might not be as abundant as theirs, his innate aptitude allowed for faster true essence recovery, enabling him to practice extensively in a short period.

Now that Gu Yue Chi Cheng's results were out and matched his own, only Gu Yue Fang Zheng remained.

In the final few groups, Gu Yue Fang Zheng finally stepped onto the stage.