Spear Art "Duel"

Seeing that Yang Ming had accepted Yang Yi's challenge, Yang Hong knew the battle could not be avoided. He stepped forward to preside over it.

"Since that's the case, then let's have a match!"

"This battle will test spear techniques. Martial Souls and soul skills are not allowed."

"Remember, stop at the right point!"

As he said "stop at the right point," Yang Hong turned his back to Yang Yi and gave Yang Ming a meaningful look. Yang Ming understood and gave a slight nod.

Seeing that Yang Ming understood his meaning, Yang Hong felt somewhat relieved.

The others then stepped back, leaving the center of the Martial Arts Arena to Yang Ming and Yang Yi. The two stood facing each other, each holding a practice spear.

Yang Yi looked at Yang Ming, who was half a head shorter than him, with a complicated expression. He was indeed proud, but that did not mean he was someone who relied on his talent to look down on his companions. On the contrary, he cared deeply about his clansmen. If Yang Ming had not shocked him so badly that his worldview had nearly collapsed, he would not have made things difficult for Yang Ming the moment he arrived today.

Yang Yi called out excitedly.

"Yang Ming, I hope you'll go all out in today's match. Let me see just how high your Spear Art truly is. Otherwise, I will never acknowledge you!"

Looking at Yang Yi's serious expression and the blazing fighting spirit in his eyes, Yang Ming merely replied calmly.

"Alright."

Seeing Yang Ming's casual response, Yang Yi said no more. He spun his spear in a flourish and thrust straight at Yang Ming's head.

Yang Yi's Thrusting Spear Technique shot out straight, level, and swift, like a nimble serpent striking from its coil.

Yang Hong's eyes brightened slightly. Though the technique was still somewhat immature, this thrust revealed that Yang Yi's fundamentals were excellent. It already carried the essence of the move, truly worthy of Yang Yi's reputation as a genius. However, when Yang Hong saw Yang Ming's counterattack, he froze.

Facing the fierce spear thrust aimed straight at his center, Yang Ming's expression did not change. He merely watched the point from which Yang Yi launched his spear, seized the right moment, and thrust his own spear at Yang Yi.

Then Yang Ming's spear shot forth like a flood dragon emerging from water, striking after yet arriving first. With a single thrust, it hit Yang Yi's spear tip. Yang Yi immediately felt his spear slipping out of control. Its trajectory shifted, he could not exert any strength, and his thrust could no longer continue!

The other spectators at the Clan School, led by Yang Lin, only felt that Yang Ming's thrust was incredibly cool. Needle against wheat awn—he had directly broken Yang Yi's Thrusting Spear Technique with the exact same move. But in the eyes of a spear expert like Yang Hong, that thrust was simply exquisite. Its timing, angle, and force were all flawless. Exquisite to the utmost degree!!!

Yang Ming had seen through the flaw in Yang Yi's move!

Yang Ming had not only seen through the minor problems in Yang Yi's spear trajectory and method of exerting force, but had also calculated the precise speed, force, and angle with which he needed to thrust. That was how, when the two spear tips collided head-on, Yang Ming's spear had already reached its maximum power, while Yang Yi's spear was stuck in a moment of stiffness due to the slight flaws in his own thrust. That was why Yang Ming could strike later yet arrive first, break the move with one thrust, and nearly knock Yang Yi's spear from his hands.

However, Yang Hong quickly came to his senses. Was this how Yang Ming intended to honor his promise to "stop at the right point"?

Since Yang Yi refused to acknowledge his skill, was he going to overpower him head-on and turn this into a lesson?!!

Yang Hong suddenly became worried about Yang Yi's mental state after this match.

Yang Ming did not attack while Yang Yi was unsettled. Instead, he withdrew his spear, planted it against the ground, and slowly pointed out Yang Yi's problems.

"Your Thrusting Spear Technique stance is decent, but it is too rigid and awkward. Do not completely copy the thrusting stances of the clan elders. Our body types differ greatly, so it is not suitable to fully imitate their spear forms. You need to transform them into a spear stance suited to your own body."

Hearing Yang Ming's instructional words, Yang Yi finally recovered from the shock of having his thrust broken head-on by the same move. Upon hearing Yang Ming's guidance, his face instantly flushed red with rage. He let out a furious roar and charged at Yang Ming again.

"Again!!!"

This time, Yang Yi directly used the Chopping Spear Technique. He spun his spear in a flourish, turned his body, and unleashed a massive downward chop. His posture clearly carried intense personal emotion. His spear moved like a dragon, its tip sweeping in a full circle before cleaving downward, as though he intended to split Yang Ming in two.

Whoosh—

The shrieking air proved just how terrifying the force behind that strike was.

Yang Ming did not get angry at Yang Yi's somewhat irrational attack. He merely shifted half a step to the side. Yang Yi, suspended in midair, had no time to change his move. His spear continued downward, sweeping past Yang Ming's nose with less than three centimeters between them.

Before Yang Yi's spear could hit the ground, Yang Ming turned and answered with a flourish and downward chop of his own. The arc and force were not as great as Yang Yi's, but it was faster. The moment Yang Yi's spear hit the ground, Yang Ming's spear chopped directly onto Yang Yi's shoulder before he could withdraw his move. That single blow sent Yang Yi crashing to the ground.

Bang—

Smack—

The first sound was Yang Yi hitting the ground, while the second was Yang Ming's blow landing on him.

Yang Ming withdrew his spear and stood still, continuing his lesson.

"There must be proper timing when using a move. Using the wrong move at the wrong time leads to the result you just experienced."

"Also, letting anger control your body during battle is a very dangerous thing."

Seeing himself knocked down so easily once more, Yang Yi truly lost control this time. He climbed to his feet and attacked Yang Ming with his spear like a madman.

Collapse Technique, Point Technique, Piercing Technique, Chopping Spear Technique, Circle Technique, Lift Technique, Deflect Technique, Stab Technique, Whip Technique, Strike Technique, Entangle Technique, Circle Technique, Block Technique, Grab Technique—Yang Yi began unleashing the basic spear techniques in an unbroken assault. Yang Ming responded with the same moves, breaking Yang Yi's techniques one by one while commenting as they fought.

"Pay attention to your footwork. Footwork is very important for a spear wielder."

"The strength of your waist and legs, arms and wrists must become one with the spear, and the force must penetrate through the spear tip."

"..."

Seeing Yang Ming truly break Yang Yi's spear techniques move by move, then explain them move by move, Yang Hong's expression grew grave. Yang Yi was becoming more and more dejected as the battle went on. From his initial blazing fury to his current dispirited state, even his spear strikes had slowed by half a beat. It was clear that his fighting spirit was about to be completely crushed.

At last, Yang Yi absentmindedly stabbed out with his spear. The thrust was so crooked that Yang Ming did not even bother to block it. He spun his spear and, with a backhand Lift Technique, struck Yang Yi's spearhead and sent the spear flying.

Seeing his spear leave his hand, the last light in Yang Yi's eyes completely faded. A bitter smile appeared on his face, and a trace of self-mockery flashed through his eyes as his hoarse voice rang out.

"You won. I..."

"I am far inferior to you!"

As the final words left his mouth, Yang Yi seemed to have all the strength drained from his body. After speaking, he lowered his head, turned around, and staggered toward the exit of the Clan School. The surrounding students did not know whether they should step forward to stop Yang Yi, who had suffered such a heavy blow.

After only two steps, Yang Yi heard Yang Ming's voice behind him, shifting from calm to somewhat cold.

"If you surrender this easily, then you are nothing special!"

Hearing Yang Ming's "mockery," Yang Yi instinctively wanted to retort. But when he remembered how Yang Ming, the one saying those words, had just beaten him so thoroughly that he could not fight back, the small spark of pride stirred within him completely vanished again. He lowered his head in silence and continued walking away. Seeing this, Yang Ming dealt another blow.

"You're not even as good as Yang Lin."

P.S. Starting tomorrow, the main storyline will begin.

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