Spear Techniques and Methods of Applying Force—Please Keep Reading

Spear Techniques and Methods of Applying Force—Please Keep Reading

In the sky, the Golden Dragon gradually began dissolving into specks of golden light as it rose, scattering them along the way and leaving behind a dazzling trail of flame.

Xu Changqing had no idea how high they had flown. He only knew that the once vast Notting City was now entirely visible beneath them, every detail laid bare before his eyes.

Must be a thousand meters up, at least, he thought uncertainly.

The next moment, the Golden Dragon completely vanished. Carried by inertia, the two of them shot upward a little farther before beginning to fall under gravity amid Xiao Wu's cry of alarm.

Whoosh!

A yellow Century Soul Ring spread beneath his feet, and another Golden Divine Dragon roared as it surged forth from it, catching the two of them perfectly as they fell.

"That was so exciting!!!" Xiao Wu shouted eagerly as soon as she had settled herself. "Again! Let's do it again!"

Xu Changqing immediately shook his head rationally. "No more. If I run out of Soul Power, we'll both fall to our deaths. We're heading back."

As he spoke, he controlled the Golden Dragon to circle downward and sweep back toward the ground.

"What? That was way too short-lived." Xiao Wu pouted unhappily, folding her arms over her small chest.

"It's already pretty good that I took you for a ride once, and you're still being picky. Let me tell you, this was an exception. If you don't call me Changqing Gege next time, don't even think about riding my dragon again." Xu Changqing said, raising an eyebrow as he looked back.

"Hmph! Fine, I won't ride it!" Xiao Wu turned her head away, pouting stubbornly.

After a while, seeing that Xu Changqing was ignoring her, she began to itch for another ride. Afraid that he might really never take her along again, she quietly negotiated, "How about this? When no one's around, I'll call you Changqing Gege. When people are around, you call me Sister Xiao Wu. Then neither of us loses out. How's that?"

Xu Changqing: ???

And this counts as neither of us losing out?

"The hell are you dreaming about?" Xu Changqing shot her a huge eye roll.

"I don't care. I'm a girl, so you have to look after me." Xiao Wu planted her hands on her hips and began acting shamelessly.

Naturally, Xu Changqing did not indulge her. He kept his eyes on his nose and his nose on his heart, offering no response whatsoever. He refused to believe that, with all his years of experience, he could not handle one tsundere little girl.

Sure enough, Xiao Wu gave in after only a short while. Settling for less, she said weakly, "Then when no one's around, I'll call you Changqing Gege. But when people are around, leave me a little dignity. I'm still the boss of Notting Academy, after all. That should be okay, right?"

Xu Changqing deliberately hesitated for a long time. Xiao Wu grew so impatient that she was about to reach around and pinch his neck before he finally agreed with great reluctance. "Fine, I'll take the loss. But whether I take you out to play depends on whether I have time. When I'm busy, you're not allowed to cling to me and throw a tantrum."

Xiao Wu immediately beamed, feeling as though she had gotten a bargain. She snorted, "Listen to you. Am I that kind of person?"

You really are.

Xu Changqing silently laughed and cursed.

A minute later, the two rode the Golden Dragon to the academy cafeteria. After treating Xiao Wu to a satisfying carrot feast, they went together to the Martial Soul Branch Hall in Notting City and found Si Si Jie. She helped them complete their Soul Master registration, allowing them to receive a Soul Master subsidy of one Gold Soul Coin every month from then on.

One Gold Soul Coin might not sound like much, but it had considerable purchasing power for ordinary goods. If an ordinary family spent carefully, they could use it for an entire month and still have quite a bit left over.

From then on, he and Xiao Wu could be considered capable of earning money on their own, with a fairly stable source of income. Xiao Wu, that little pauper, had finally escaped the awkward situation of always having a wallet balance of zero.

That afternoon, after sending Xiao Wu away, Xu Changqing followed Si Si Jie to a detached building beside Notting City's walls. This was Si Si Jie's home. It occupied a large area and even had its own separate courtyard. In Notting City, it was exceptionally luxurious.

For the next six years, aside from his theory classes in the mornings, he would spend most afternoons here receiving spear technique training from Si Si Jie. Unless she had a mission that day, the lessons generally would not stop. This had long since been agreed upon.

"The spear is the king of all weapons. Its fundamentals include thrusting, stabbing, whipping, striking, coiling, circling, blocking, seizing, pouncing, pointing, flicking, and flourishes. Among them, blocking, seizing, and thrusting are the most important. Blocking and seizing are primarily for deflecting and defense, while thrusting is for direct attacks. These three forms will be your main focus for the near future. You can slowly learn the rest later. Don't bite off more than you can chew."

Si Si summoned her martial soul, the Red Moon Spear. As she explained the fundamentals of spear techniques, she demonstrated the three forms with an upright posture. Then she said, "Now you try. Start with the stance for holding the spear."

Xu Changqing nodded, summoned his martial soul, the Dragon Scale Spear, and copied the stance Si Si Jie had just shown, roughly assuming the proper posture.

Si Si used the Red Moon Spear to lift the tip of Xu Changqing's Dragon Scale Spear slightly. In an instructive tone, she said, "To master the spear, you must first know how to hold it."

"When gripping the spear with both hands, be steady yet flexible. Keep the front hand loose and the rear hand locked. Hold the spear firmly without becoming rigid, flexibly without becoming slippery. Put simply, you exert force by driving forward with the rear hand, rather than using both hands at once. One hand loose and one hand tight—this gives your spear techniques many more variations."

"When holding the spear, the key is the Four Levels. The Four Levels are a level crown, level shoulders, level feet, and a level spear. Keep the butt of the spear close to your waist, with the Three Tips aligned. The Three Tips are the tip of your nose, the tip of the spear, and the tip of your foot, all forming a single line."

"These are all fundamentals. Do you understand?"

While trying hard to memorize this knowledge, Xu Changqing relaxed his body as much as possible and adjusted his spear-holding stance step by step according to Si Si Jie's instructions.

A minute later, he felt that he had adjusted himself about right and looked at Si Si Jie questioningly. She nodded in satisfaction. "You're starting to look the part. Now we'll officially begin practicing spear thrusts."

"Spear thrusts are divided into high level, middle level, and low level. Of the three, the middle-level spear is the essential method. Thus, there is a saying: 'The middle-level spear is the king of spears; the point at its center is the hardest to block.'"

"A spear thrust must be level, straight, and swift, extending and retracting directly. The power of the waist, legs, arms, and wrists must unite with the spear as one, with the force penetrating all the way through the spear tip."

As she spoke, Si Si drove with her legs, carried the force through her waist, and finally transmitted it to her arm. She thrust her spear forward. A sharp howl split the air, like a hidden dragon emerging from the abyss—fierce and swift.

As Xu Changqing watched and listened, he suddenly froze.

Drive with the legs, carry it through the waist, then exert force with the arm?

Why did that sound so familiar?

Wasn't it somewhat similar to what Tang Hao had said when teaching Tang San the Chaotic Cloak Hammer Technique?

"What are you thinking about?" Seeing Xu Changqing spacing out, Si Si irritably gave his butt a light smack with the Red Moon Spear.

Xu Changqing came back to himself and could not help asking, "Si Si Jie, have you heard of the Chaotic Cloak Hammer Technique?"

"The Chaotic Cloak?" Si Si thought for a moment. "I remember that being the Clear Sky Sect's ultimate technique. Why are you asking about that?"

"Si Si Jie, I feel that the method of applying force you described seems to share some similarities with the Chaotic Cloak Hammer Technique's method. Is there any connection between the spear technique you're teaching me and the Chaotic Cloak Hammer Technique?" Xu Changqing asked in confusion.

Si Si was stunned by the question and frowned. "Is that so? What I described is merely a method of applying force commonly passed down across Douluo Continent. In fact, it isn't limited to spears. Blades, staffs, and most other weapons all use the same method I just described."

Xu Changqing's thoughts raced upon hearing that. If the method of applying force is the same, why can the Chaotic Cloak become a sect's ultimate technique? What makes it special?

Suddenly, Xu Changqing understood.

It was using force against force!

The methods of applying force were actually all the same. The reason the Chaotic Cloak Hammer Technique could become a sect's ultimate technique was because it elevated this method of applying force and formed it into a complete combat system!

Having grasped the crucial point, Xu Changqing's heart immediately grew heated. Since there was already such a fine example before him, why shouldn't he imitate it?

Of course, he was not planning to imitate the Clear Sky Sect and create some force-borrowing Chaotic Cloak technique. After all, his martial soul was a spear, not a hammer. A spear was not suited for smashing. It emphasized flexibility and variation—an inch longer, an inch stronger.

He merely had a preliminary idea in mind. As for the specifics, he would have to slowly research and develop them later.

For now, he should first master the fundamentals.

"Little Changqing, do you know someone from the Clear Sky Sect?"

Xu Changqing's earlier question had put a trace of concern in Si Si's eyes. Afraid that he did not understand the seriousness of the matter, she spoke with an unprecedented sternness. "The Clear Sky Sect and Spirit Hall had a major conflict before, and their relationship has never been good. Don't get too close to anyone from the Clear Sky Sect, or you'll get yourself into serious trouble."

Xu Changqing immediately nodded and promised, "Don't worry, Si Si Jie. I won't get too close to anyone from the Clear Sky Sect."

He was not lying. Setting aside the fact that Tang San had yet to acknowledge his ancestry and was not recognized by the Clear Sky Sect, even if Tang San truly were a member of the Clear Sky Sect, Xu Changqing had no intention of becoming too close to him.

It was best for everyone to walk their own path, grow stronger in their own way, and not interfere with one another.

Xu Changqing had no desire to make enemies of anyone, nor did he possess any great ambitions. If he had to speak of future pursuits, there might be a few.

Xu Changqing's assurance put Si Si somewhat at ease, and the two continued their previous lesson.

One taught without holding anything back, while the other learned with gratitude in his heart!

Before they knew it, night had fallen.

P.S.: Please bookmark and invest.

Please keep reading! Please keep reading! Please keep reading!

(End of Chapter)