Learning Overnight

The familiar feeling returned.

And this time, it was more intense than ever before.

Standing there, Chen Sanshi could feel his archery skills rapidly improving.

From seventy paces, eighty paces, and finally, a hundred paces through the willow leaves!

Targets the size of willow leaves at a hundred paces were invisible to ordinary people.

Yet, he could hit them with every shot, and not just that, but three shots per second!

Twenty instants made up a finger snap.

Three instants was roughly one second.

From drawing the arrow to aiming and releasing, it only took one second.

Even the world's top snipers in his previous life needed two seconds to aim!

Aside from the improvement in archery, the changes to his body were even more apparent.

For some unknown reason, his body began a second growth and reshaping. His bones even changed, becoming more suited for using a bow until reaching the extreme.

For an archer.

The longer the arms, the more suitable it was for drawing a bow.

Thus, his arms became strong and long, like a monkey's.

The power generated from the waist and back determined the upper limit of his draw strength.

Therefore, the bones in his back became denser, and his waist became slender and powerful.

Monkey arms and a bee waist, astonishing bones!

The entire process felt like being under anesthesia, completed at an extremely rapid pace.

Even Chen Sanshi's fatigue vanished, leaving him refreshed, energetic, and full of vigor.

He opened his eyes again.

Unconsciously, night had fallen.

The vast archery range was empty, with only a bright moon hanging high in the sky.

Chen Sanshi ate some of the leftover dry rations from lunch and then went into the training grounds. He picked up the Plum Blossom Iron Spear from its stand, recalling the Thirty-Six Forms of the Basic Soldier Spear Technique, and began practicing slowly.

The strain on his muscles from the posture training combined with the spear technique brought on a painful sensation, causing him to tremble involuntarily. He almost gritted his teeth to the breaking point, but his hands didn't stop for a moment.

Before, when practicing the spear technique, his entire body felt like a rusty, heavy machine that had been in use for years. Although it could operate, each movement required immense effort and wasted a lot of time.

Now, with his archery reaching Minor Accomplishment and his body being reshaped into a monkey-armed, bee-waisted physique, it was like replacing the old parts of the machine with brand-new ones.

As a result, when the machine operated again, although still heavy, it was several times smoother.

The fourth form of the spear technique, complete!

The fifth form of the spear technique, complete!

The sixth...

He continued practicing one form after another.

Without a breathing technique to alleviate the side effects, Chen Sanshi felt his lungs expanding as if they would burst several times, his throat feeling sticky and coated with blood.

Whenever this happened, indicating his body had reached its limit, he would pour a ladle of cold water over himself, rest for a short while, and then continue.

Holding the white waxwood pole, Chen Sanshi felt increasingly familiar with the Plum Blossom Iron Spear, and his movements became faster and faster.

The tenth form!

The eleventh form!

Continue!

Time flew by, the sun and moon alternated.

In the military camp, soldiers began reporting one after another, and it gradually became lively.

Xu Wencai emerged from his tent and stretched his arms to the sky.

"The early bird catches the worm!"

He was flipping through a book when he vaguely heard shouts, the kind that were hoarse and strained.

Finding it noisy, Xu Wencai followed the sound and saw the scene.

The red sun was just rising, and the sky was filled with rosy clouds.

On the training field, a shirtless youth stood.

The youth wasn't large, but his physique was exceptional. His streamlined muscles were firm and resilient, and his frame was broad at the top and narrow at the bottom, appearing like an inverted triangle from a distance.

However...

The youth's face was currently flushed red, his eyes bloodshot. He brandished a Plum Blossom Iron Spear, like a ravenous wolf in a frenzy.

"Little Stone practiced all night? Is he crazy?"

Xu Wencai quickly went back and pulled Zhu Tong up.

Since they were new and didn't have housing yet, they were all sleeping in the dormitory tents: "Old Zhu, hurry and stop him, or something bad's going to happen!"

Zhu Tong arrived at the training ground and his pupils contracted violently when he saw the scene.

This wasn't just "something bad happening."

This was clearly...

...he was about to succeed!

He watched the youth's movements; it was clearly the final form of the Basic Soldier Spear Technique!

Outside the military camp, the clanging of armor and the sound of disordered footsteps erupted simultaneously.

The soldiers who had left yesterday returned to the camp, dark circles under their eyes.

However, the few Hundred Household Commanders walking at the front were all spirited and full of energy.

"Those new girls at Chunman Tower are really something else."

"Right, right, they're so tender they're practically dripping."

"Fatty Wang, from now on, we're brothers in arms, look out for me."

"Hahahaha, of course, of course."

"Gentlemen, you should lie low for a while."

Unlike them, Commander Liu looked haggard, as if he hadn't rested well: "Lord Thousand Households is furious and demands we find that Barbarian assassin within ten days. This time, he's truly angry."

"Old Liu, you're just too serious."

Commander Xiong said, "That Barbarian isn't weak, why risk our lives for this meager pay?"

"That's right, who knows why the Thousand Households is in such a hurry. The Barbarian might have already escaped."

Wang Zhi stopped walking: "What's that noise?"

At the edge of the training ground, a dense crowd had gathered, all craning their necks, trying to get a look inside.

"What the hell are you doing? I've never seen you so eager during drills, scram!"

Wang Zhi kicked a few people away, clearing a path through the crowd so he could see.

He saw a red tassel flashing; a Plum Blossom Iron Spear danced wildly in the youth's hands, stirring up gusts of wind and kicking up clouds of dust. It was the Thirty-Six Forms of Spearplay, the Basic Soldier Spear Technique, performed completely and smoothly!

"Bang—"

On the training ground, the Plum Blossom Iron Spear moved like lightning, piercing a straw dummy on the field. Straw flew everywhere, like the enemy's blood splashing into the sky.

Chen Sanshi finally squeezed out the last bit of his strength and could no longer stand. He stuck the iron spear into the ground for support, knelt on one knee, and gasped for breath, his mouth filling with the smell of blood.

"It's done!"

Without any breathing technique, he had still managed to master the Basic Soldier Spear Technique.

Whether he could make the elite selection next or not, at least he was guaranteed a spot as a Warrior Recruit.

"Holy crap..."

Commander Liu's eyes were wide with disbelief. He reached out and patted the shoulder of the person in front of him: "Old Xiong, wasn't he... wasn't he practicing archery yesterday?"

Commander Xiong dropped the toothpick from his mouth: "Yeah, yeah, I remember he was still practicing archery when we left."

"So that means he started practicing spearplay last night, and by this morning, he could perform it smoothly."

Commander Liu swallowed hard, finding it hard to believe: "In... in just one night, he could perform the spear technique so fluently?"

Learned overnight!

What kind of concept was that?

Most importantly, this kid didn't have a breathing technique!

Without a breathing technique, it would greatly slow down the learning progress, not to mention the pain during the process, which was no less than torture in prison!

What kind of talent and willpower did it take to achieve this level?

And if he had a breathing technique, how long would it have taken him?

Midnight, a few hours, or even less...

No, this kid had to stay!

No matter how he offended the Tianyuan Martial Arts Academy, he would help him resolve it.

"Old Xiong, you have no shame!"

Commander Liu snapped back to reality and suddenly noticed Commander Xiong already eagerly pushing forward.

He stepped forward and tightly grabbed the other man's arm: "We agreed earlier, you can't snatch him from me."

"Don't talk nonsense, when did I ever say that?"

Commander Xiong struggled hard.

"You fool, wouldn't such a rare talent be wasted in your hands?!"

"You're talking about me? If you hadn't taken over your old man's position, you wouldn't even be a General Flag!"

"Idiot, want to spar?"

"Let's do it!"

The soldiers exchanged glances. They had heard this kid had offended someone and wouldn't last long in the army. How could they be seeing two Lord Hundred Households almost come to blows fighting over him?

Things often turn out this way.

If the youth had merely been talented, they might have felt regret, but they wouldn't necessarily have been willing to expend their own favors to help him.

But if they could see truly rare value in him, those favors would count for nothing.

Just as Commander Liu and Commander Xiong were arguing heatedly.

A sly voice rang out.

"Little Stone, we agreed, I'll teach you in a couple of days."

"Come on, today is the second day."