Strength and Guidance

Swish.

Wu Ming knew Hong Jiu wanted to test his spear techniques, so he was completely focused. After missing his first strike, he immediately changed his move. Gripping the butt of the spear with his right hand, he exerted force, and with a flick of the long spear, it swept horizontally and then upward, the classic "Sweeping Wind Willow Branch."

Facing this attack, Hong Jiu merely shifted his body. He retreated as if floating, his feet not touching the ground. His movements were like a phantom, precisely and gracefully evading Wu Ming's spear thrust.

Wu Ming's gaze was serious. He thrust out three more spears in quick succession. These were moves honed through numerous real combat experiences, barely mastered, which he executed fluidly. Yet, he still couldn't touch even the corner of Hong Jiu's clothes.

"Enough."

Seeing Wu Ming thrust another spear, Hong Jiu finally spoke leisurely. His left hand suddenly shot forward, two fingers moving with lightning speed to clamp onto the spear shaft. Then, these two slender fingers clamped onto the spearhead and gave it a gentle flick.

Wu Ming immediately felt a surge of immense force travel up the spear shaft, causing it to vibrate violently. In an instant, his hands could no longer hold the spear.

Hong Jiu pulled with his two fingers.

Chii.

Wu Ming felt a powerful shock force transmitted through the spear. Unable to maintain his grip, he was completely overpowered by Hong Jiu's two-finger strength. The spear slipped from his grasp and flew forward, heading straight for Hong Jiu's chest.

Hong Jiu snatched the spear with his two fingers. With a flick of his fingers, the spearhead turned downward and pierced straight into the bluestone floor beside him. It seemed effortless, but upon contact, the unsharpened half of the spearhead silently sank into the bluestone.

Is this the power of Third Blood Forging, where technique and essence achieve Oneness?

Watching this, Wu Ming's gaze was solemn, and his heart stirred. He had known of the might of Third Blood Forging before, but now he was experiencing it firsthand. With just two fingers, he unleashed a shock force that could disarm him of his spear.

"Not bad. You are indeed material suited for spear practice."

After taking the sinew spear, Hong Jiu first scrutinized Wu Ming from head to toe. He then nodded slightly, evaluating him leisurely. Reaching out, he gripped the butt of the spear and pulled gently, extracting the spear whose head was buried halfway into the stone.

Chii.

An imprint remained on the bluestone.

Wu Ming stared intently at the mark left on the bluestone floor. The imprint was incredibly clear. The most astonishing part wasn't that the unsharpened spearhead had sunk halfway into the bluestone, but that besides the indentation from the spearhead, there was no other trace on the bluestone tile. It hadn't even cracked or shattered!

Logically, with such immense force, capable of driving the spearhead halfway through the bluestone, the stone should have shattered completely, and even nearby tiles might have cracked from the shock.

However, In reality, the bluestone tile was completely intact.

This indicated that the penetrating force was perfectly condensed and unified, with not a single trace of diffusion.

If disarming him with two fingers demonstrated the formidable power of Third Blood Forging, then the spearhead piercing the stone without shattering showcased the immense control of Oneness in technique.

"I'm getting old."

Hong Jiu also looked at the imprint on the bluestone, sighing with emotion.

If he were younger, with his blood energy at its peak, he could have pierced the entire bluestone tile with just two fingers. Now, he could only manage half. His strength and physique had significantly declined compared to his youth.

Wu Ming listened to Hong Jiu's lament, standing silently by his side.

A moment later, Hong Jiu, carrying the sinew spear, walked towards a locust tree planted on the side of the courtyard.

"Your talent is good. In just ten days, you've grasped the essence of spear technique force. However, for spear skills, merely studying diagrams and texts isn't enough. Diagrams are dead, but people are alive. Especially for the Falling Leaf Spear Technique, it emphasizes precision, speed, and power."

With that said.

Bang!

Hong Jiu suddenly lifted the spear and swung it, the tip lightly striking the trunk of the locust tree.

The entire thick locust tree shook violently, its large canopy swaying, and leaves fluttered down from the branches.

Swish, swish, swish, swish.

Hong Jiu stood beneath the tree, brandishing his spear. He performed all sixteen forms of the Falling Leaf Spear Technique from beginning to end. Each move was as swift as the wind, as fast as thunder, stirring up gusts of wind.

When he finished the last move, all the leaves hanging from the locust tree had vanished. Upon closer inspection, one could see a neat stack of intact leaves gathered together, all pierced by the spearhead and hanging from it!

"Go and practice."

"How much you can comprehend from it depends on yourself."

Hong Jiu held the spear horizontally in his right hand and sent it backward. The entire long spear immediately broke through the air and flew towards Wu Ming.

Wu Ming instinctively reached out and caught it. His mind was still immersed in the sixteen forms of the Falling Leaf Spear Technique that Hong Jiu had just demonstrated. The sixteen flexible movements corresponded perfectly to the diagrams recorded in the Falling Leaf Spear Technique manual in his memory.

Previously, his understanding of the Falling Leaf Spear Technique was limited to the fixed diagrams recorded in the texts and his own slow exploration through practical experience. But now, in addition to the fixed diagrams, he had Hong Jiu's personal demonstration of the sixteen forms. With this combination of movement and essence, imprinted in his mind, his future practice of this spear technique would save him at least half the effort!

"This junior thanks Elder Hong for his guidance."

Wu Ming did his best to memorize all sixteen forms demonstrated by Hong Jiu, reinforcing the impressions several times. Only then did he quickly collect his thoughts, holding the spear, and bowed gratefully to Hong Jiu before carefully departing.

Hong Jiu stood with his hands behind his back under the locust tree. After Wu Ming left the courtyard, he cast a distant glance.

His spontaneous decision to personally guide Wu Ming in his spear techniques wasn't out of a sudden whim.

Although most martial artists in the Outer Hall, who were rejected from the Inner Hall, were mediocre, there were occasionally one or two outstanding individuals. For ordinary Outer Hall martial artists, asking him for guidance would require offering thirty to fifty taels of silver, and even then, it depended on his mood. But for someone like Wu Ming, whose aptitude wasn't poor and whose talent was decent, he would offer some pointers if he encountered them.

Even though it was extremely difficult for these young disciples to reach Third Blood Forging, and even harder to master the techniques to the Unity Realm, one could never be sure. Similar individuals had appeared sporadically over the decades.

Offering a few pointers wouldn't cost him anything.

At his age, besides enjoying his own peace and quiet, he only sought to secure some wealth and good fortune for his descendants.

If, in the future, someone truly rose from among them and reached the level of Third Blood Forging, his guidance today would be a debt of gratitude. Even if he himself couldn't use it, his descendants could benefit from this favor.

I wonder how far this kid can go in the future.

Hong Jiu withdrew his gaze.

He strode back to the grand tutor's chair in front of the courtyard.