Tempering

Crimson Serpent Spear.

Wu Ming knew that it was a long spear made from superior crimson serpent wood, far beyond the sinew-backed spear in his hands. Buying one outside would cost at least forty taels of silver; even within the Seven Martial Alliance, purchasing one from the Refining Hall, one of the seven Inner Halls, would still cost a full thirty taels. Its value was no small matter.

As for the monthly pay of ten taels of silver...

There were many kinds of work for Blood Forging martial artists. Jobs like escorting caravans, which required leaving the city and traveling far away, carried considerable danger, so their rewards were correspondingly high, often priced by the trip.

Jobs such as patrolling mountains, patrolling rivers, or guarding estates also paid quite well, since they too took place outside the city.

Judging by Chen Gui's offer, this probably was not work outside the city. It was most likely a post within the city, and ten taels a month for work stationed in the city truly was not low. For a Scattered Hand martial artist, six or seven taels was already considered generous; even a martial artist at the Mastery level often received only thirteen or fourteen taels a month.

"I was only mentioning it. Take your time considering it."

Chen Gui patted Wu Ming's shoulder, grinned broadly, and stepped back. Then he looked toward the other young martial artists nearby and called, "Hey, which of you still wants to train? Come spar with Brother Wu."

The young martial artists had all been astonished that Wu Ming could withstand dozens of Chen Gui's moves. At Chen Gui's call, they immediately grew interested as well. Spears were difficult to train with, so few people practiced them. Yet practical combat required honing oneself against all sorts of opponents. It was rare to encounter someone who used a spear like Wu Ming, so naturally they all wanted to try facing a long spear.

After all, they could tell from earlier that the main reason Wu Ming had lasted so long was the advantage of his long spear.

"Brother Wu, would you grant me a lesson or two?"

Someone took the initiative to step forward and invite Wu Ming.

Naturally, Wu Ming would not refuse. He was still recalling the details of his earlier battle with Chen Gui. Having reached his current stage, he truly needed the tempering of real combat. He immediately took several steps forward, returned to the open space, and held his spear across his body in acceptance.

"I practice single-saber techniques, and have barely attained Mastery. Brother Wu, please make the first move."

He Jin stood with saber in hand and cupped his fists toward Wu Ming. Because Chen Gui made friends everywhere, he and Wu Ming could be considered acquainted, though their relationship was much more distant. They merely knew each other's names. Though his family background was not as good as Chen Gui's, he too came from a wealthy household in the city. He had trained in martial forms since childhood and had likewise reached the Mastery level, though he had lost more often than won when sparring with Chen Gui.

Hearing He Jin's words, Wu Ming naturally did not stand on ceremony. After all, his opponent's skill realm surpassed his own. With a shake of his spear, he thrust forward, still aiming straight for the center of He Jin's chest.

With his earlier experience fighting Chen Gui, Wu Ming had gained an initial understanding of practical spear combat. The saying went: an inch longer, an inch stronger—the key was maintaining distance. At the same time, after gripping the butt of the spear and exerting force, a slight shake would make the spearhead sway, allowing many agile variations to unfold. These were the sixteen core forms of the Falling Leaf Spear Technique.

Whoosh.

Faced with Wu Ming's thrust, He Jin immediately turned sideways and chopped downward with his saber, knocking the spear shaft aside.

But unlike before, Wu Ming had already planned his follow-up the moment he sent out that thrust. As the straight stab was evaded, he tightly gripped the spear's butt with his right hand and shook it with force. In an instant, the spearhead shifted, sweeping diagonally toward He Jin.

It was precisely Returning Wind Sweeps the Willow, the sixteenth form of the Falling Leaf Spear Technique!

Though he executed the move crudely and far from skillfully, the force within it was real enough—fierce and peerless. As the long spear swept back, it gave off a buzzing hum. Had that strike landed, even someone clad in leather armor would surely have been shaken into injury.

Sensing trouble, He Jin immediately flashed backward, yielding Wu Ming's spear path.

Wu Ming did not hesitate in the slightest. He pursued the advantage, continuing forward with his spear. Following Returning Wind Sweeps the Willow, he linked into a Pear Blossom Thrust. The spear lifted pear blossoms, slanting upward as it stabbed toward He Jin's throat.

He Jin had relied on his Mastery-level realm and allowed Wu Ming to attack first. Yet he had not expected Wu Ming to be noticeably more practiced fighting him than he had been against Chen Gui. Right from the start, Wu Ming used the advantage of his spear to seize the attack again and again, forcing him backward repeatedly.

"Good awareness."

Chen Gui stood to one side, clicking his tongue in wonder.

Most people, when facing an opponent whose skill realm surpassed their own, would grow timid and dare not attack rashly, afraid that their flaws would be seized upon. But Wu Ming did the opposite. Relying on the might of his long spear, he pressed the attack time and again.

Though his forms were clearly unpracticed and their transitions contained flaws, the issue was that a long spear was, ultimately, "long." Here, the saying an inch longer, an inch stronger showed itself in full measure. Even with flaws between his moves, the distance had not closed. He Jin could not seize those flaws for the moment and had no choice but to retreat and defend again and again.

"Brother Wu chose his spear technique well. Spear techniques may be difficult to practice, but seeing how naturally Brother Wu wields it, I fear he is a seedling born to train with the spear. Once Brother Wu attains Mastery in spear techniques, he will likely have few rivals among martial artists of the same level."

Someone beside them spoke.

When a Scattered Hand martial artist faced a Mastery martial artist, and it was long weapon against short weapon, it was not surprising to gain a slight upper hand by aggressively attacking at the start. Even a Scattered Hand martial artist knew at least a few forms. Compared with Mastery, they merely lacked fluency and continuity. When unleashed in a rushing attack, those moves still carried genuine power; it was simply that after several moves, they often began to fall into disorder.

But for Wu Ming, who had only just begun practical combat training, to possess such awareness could only mean that some people were born to be made for martial arts.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

He Jin was thrown into some disarray by Wu Ming's relentless offensive, but he was, after all, a Mastery martial artist. After several moves of embarrassment, he finally steadied himself. He exchanged blows with Wu Ming, and after dozens of moves, he finally caught a flaw and drove straight in with his saber.

"Brother Wu, you let me win."

Having won the match, He Jin finally let out a breath.

With Chen Gui's earlier bout as precedent, it was not embarrassing that he had failed to defeat Wu Ming within dozens of moves. But if he had been careless and allowed Wu Ming to counterattack his way to victory, that would have been truly humiliating. Now that he had won, he could at least save face.

Of course, that was also because he had allowed Wu Ming to attack first. Otherwise, if he had refused to yield even half a step from the beginning and directly contested the initiative, he might not have fallen into such an awkward position, once suppressed by Wu Ming's continuous attacks.

"Thank you, Brother He, for your guidance."

Wu Ming was quite composed as he cupped his fists toward He Jin.

Using Scattered Hand against Mastery, being able to fight for dozens of moves was already astonishing even with the advantage of his weapon. In truth, if not for his Perceptive Insight-level senses, with the gap of an entire major realm in skill, he could not have lasted even ten moves.

"Brother Chen, Brother He, with the two of you making it look like this, I'm a little afraid to step up."

Someone nearby laughed at the sight.

Not everyone among them had reached the Mastery level. Aside from Chen Gui and He Jin, none of the others had attained that standard. Seeing how difficult it had been for Chen Gui and He Jin, with their Mastery-level skills, to defeat Wu Ming, they suddenly lacked confidence in facing Wu Ming, who had only just begun practical combat training.

But sparring was ultimately a form of tempering. Before long, someone still took the initiative to step forward and challenge Wu Ming.

"Brother Wu, my swordsmanship has not attained Mastery, so I dare not yield to you. Let us begin directly."

Li Cui stepped forward with his sword and cupped his fists toward Wu Ming.

Wu Ming returned the gesture. The two maintained a distance of one zhang, then in the next instant clashed together.

With the experience of his first two bouts, Wu Ming was even more adept this time. Right from the start, he relied on the advantage of his long spear, repeatedly stabbing, picking, and chopping at Li Cui. Using the spear's reach, after only several brief exchanges, he forced Li Cui to retreat and evade.

Once he had seized the upper hand, Wu Ming naturally had no intention of letting Li Cui close in again. He continued attacking with his spear. Though Li Cui used agile sword forms several times, attempting to break Wu Ming's spear technique and swiftly close the distance, He Jin had only managed to get close by relying on his Mastery-level saber technique. Li Cui's swordsmanship was clearly a notch inferior—insufficiently rounded and practiced—and placed far less pressure on Wu Ming.

With Perceptive Insight, Wu Ming kept firm control over the spear in his hands, breaking Li Cui's sword forms again and again.

Thus,

After fighting for over a hundred moves in succession, Li Cui suddenly withdrew his sword and leapt back. Panting, he said, "No more, no more! Damn it, that spear is too long—it's too hard to break through. I can't get close at all."

Li Cui could feel that Wu Ming's spear technique was growing more and more practiced. His several attempts at counterattack had all proved ineffective. If they continued, he might end up losing. Though they were both at the Scattered Hand level and losing would not be embarrassing, Wu Ming had only just begun practical combat training. Li Cui did not want to be the first person to lose to him.