Hong Jiu

After three consecutive matches, Wu Ming felt a slight fatigue.

He temporarily retreated to the side, resting while recalling the previous battles and summarizing the experience gained from actual combat. He was gradually gaining some understanding of the spear techniques, no longer being in the primitive state of just knowing how to exert force.

Seeing Wu Ming resting to the side, the others didn't idle around. Soon, someone else stepped forward to spar and train. Most of the people in this courtyard had reached the Scattered Hand level. They were all honing their skills through actual combat, aiming to reach the Proficient realm.

Wu Ming rested for a while and watched a few more spars before picking up his spear and stepping onto the stage again.

This time, his opponent had only been practicing for two months. He had only just entered the Scattered Hand realm, and his strength was far inferior to Chen Gui and others, and even considerably weaker than Li Cui.

After a brief exchange, Wu Ming swept his spear across the opponent's left chest with a dozen moves, forcing him to retreat several steps. This was considered his first victory after attempting actual combat.

Following this, Wu Ming mingled with the crowd and trained for half a day, becoming increasingly proficient in actual combat.

And while everyone was sparring and training.

An old man in a black mandarin jacket walked through the front courtyard with his hands behind his back, as if leisurely strolling. His gaze casually swept over the many martial artists in the courtyard who were practicing their energy projection. Some people nearby noticed the old man's appearance and quickly bowed respectfully.

"Old Hong."

As the Warden of the Martial Academy, Hong Jiu, despite his advanced age, his blood energy and physique were no longer at their peak. However, he was a master of Third Blood Forging, and his prestige was naturally not low.

Hong Jiu saw a few Martial Masters from the inner courtyard approaching and waved them away lazily, saying, "I'm just here to look around. You don't need to follow me. Go back to your work."

After speaking, he began to pace the courtyard on his own. While he appeared leisurely and absent-minded, his constantly glancing eyes took in the movements of everyone practicing in the courtyard.

As the Warden of the Martial Academy, he rarely personally guided others in martial arts. However, if they offered him fifty to sixty taels of silver, he wasn't entirely against offering some personal guidance. Therefore, he would still stroll around the Martial Academy every so often.

After touring the South Courtyard, he entered the North Courtyard, where practical combat was honed.

After a casual glance, Hong Jiu's gaze shifted slightly, and he looked towards a direction on the west side. His eyes fell on one person sparring in the arena. That person was holding a long spear, and it was Wu Ming.

"Hmm?"

As a master of Third Blood Forging, even at his advanced age, his memory was far superior to ordinary people. Hong Jiu vaguely remembered that Wu Ming had entered the inner courtyard with his Martial Token not long ago and finally chose to practice spear techniques. It had only been about ten days.

In just ten days, not only had he mastered the energy projection of spear techniques and entered the Scattered Hand realm, but he was also so proficient in actual combat?

Hong Jiu was somewhat surprised.

With a slight turn of thought, he beckoned to a servant following him and asked, "What is the surname of that young man with the spear, and what is his aptitude?"

"Reporting to Old Hong, his name is Wu Ming. His aptitude is below average. He entered the Outer Hall on the fourth day of the initial stage."

The servant immediately responded respectfully.

The Martial Masters who taught at the Martial Academy might not all recognize Wu Ming, as new martial artists entered and left the academy almost daily. However, the servants recognized everyone clearly, as they were responsible for handling all sorts of trivial matters for the martial artists, such as carrying water, moving sandbags, wooden posts, and equipment.

"Hmm, below average, not bad."

Hong Jiu showed a thoughtful expression after hearing the servant's words.

After observing for a short while longer, he put his hands behind his back, turned leisurely, and began to pace away. At the same time, he instructed the servant beside him, "In a quarter of an hour, please invite him to the back courtyard to see me."

"Yes."

The servant responded respectfully. After watching Hong Jiu leave, a hint of envy appeared in his gaze towards Wu Ming.

Hong Jiu, as the Warden of the Martial Academy and the oldest master of Third Blood Forging, rarely summoned martial artists from the Outer Hall. Summoning Wu Ming alone like this most likely meant he thought Wu Ming's talent and aptitude were decent. Although not qualified to enter the Inner Hall, he was worth a little guidance.

"Old Hong wants to see me?"

Wu Ming, carrying his sinew spear, looked at the servant who had come to summon him with a hint of surprise.

He had been at the Martial Academy for nearly ten days. He had only met the old Warden Hong Jiu a few times and had never spoken to him. He didn't know why the old Warden suddenly wanted to summon him.

"Old Hong wants to see you, so hurry over,"

Chen Gui said from the side, nodding slightly at Wu Ming and whispering, "This Mr. Hong is no ordinary person. In his youth, he was a significant figure of Third Blood Forging, and his skill level even reached the Unity Realm!"

"Old Hong summoning you now might be because he heard about your talent in martial arts and intends to guide you. This is a good thing. In this courtyard, ordinary people would have to offer dozens of taels of silver to get Old Hong to personally guide them."

After hearing Chen Gui's words, Wu Ming understood. He immediately took off his leather armor, carried his sinew spear, and followed the servant who had come to summon him. They left the front courtyard and soon arrived at the back courtyard where various martial arts manuals were kept.

In the courtyard.

Hong Jiu, dressed in a black cloth mandarin jacket, stood there with his hands behind his back.

Wu Ming walked in with his spear. He stopped about ten feet away from Hong Jiu and bowed respectfully.

"Junior Wu Ming pays his respects to Old Hong."

Hong Jiu, with his back to Wu Ming, turned around leisurely after hearing his words. He looked Wu Ming up and down and suddenly said, "Among the seven spear techniques recorded in the Outer Hall – Wind Chaser, Falling Leaf, Bagua, Liuhe, Formation Breaker, Twin Serpent, and Antelope Horn... Twin Serpent and Wind Chaser are for dual short spears, while the other five are for dual long spears."

"The Falling Leaf Spear Technique you practice emphasizes precise piercing. Like the wind blowing leaves, you thrust your spear, capable of piercing falling leaves in an instant, gathering them at the spearhead. With such precision, when facing an enemy, you can strike vital points with every move."

After speaking, Hong Jiu slightly raised his chin towards Wu Ming and said, "Attack me."

"This..."

Wu Ming hesitated slightly.

Hong Jiu said casually, "No need to worry. Just go all out. Even though I'm unarmed, you won't be able to hurt me."

"Yes, then I shall be rude."

Seeing Hong Jiu's confidence, Wu Ming respectfully acknowledged him. After a bow with his spear, he gripped it with both hands and thrust it forward fiercely. As the spear body trembled, it split into three cold glints, striking towards Hong Jiu's throat and eyes.

This was the first stance of the sixteen stances of the Falling Leaf Spear Technique.

Facing Wu Ming's attack, Hong Jiu still had his hands behind his back. He merely shifted his feet slightly, drifting sideways with a graceful step. Though his movements appeared slow, they were actually incredibly fast, and he nimbly dodged Wu Ming's spear thrust within a hair's breadth.

While the miss was within his expectations, it still startled Wu Ming. If he hadn't possessed Microscopic Perception, he likely wouldn't have even seen Hong Jiu's movements clearly, and even if he could see them, his body wouldn't have been able to keep up.

Between the two of them, there was a world of difference in speed alone.