Sea Spear Douluo did not hold back. After the spear tip grazed past Xiao Yun's shoulder, he followed through by sweeping the spear sideways, attempting to strike Xiao Yun's waist from the side.
Xiao Yun still did not retreat. Using the edge of his palm, he intercepted the middle of the spear shaft and redirected the lateral force into the empty space to his left.
The spear tip carved a shallow mark into the ground at the edge of the Training Ground, then was diverted by a flick of his wrist. It struck nothing and caused no widespread damage.
After two consecutive attacks missed, Sea Spear Douluo paused slightly and readjusted his grip on the spear, but he did not rush to attack again.
His gaze swept over the Soul-Controlling Staff lying across Xiao Yun's side before returning to Xiao Yun himself, as though he were judging what angle to choose for his next attack so that his intent would not be read in advance.
Xiao Yun stood in the middle of the Training Ground. He neither attacked first nor assumed a defensive stance, merely waiting quietly for the next attack.
Over the next several dozen exchanges, Sea Spear Douluo's offensive steadily accelerated.
He began with basic spear techniques—thrusts, horizontal slashes, diagonal sweeps, and returning strikes. Each follow-up was faster than the last, as if he were probing Xiao Yun's limits through an unbroken chain of attacks.
Xiao Yun neither retreated nor used a weapon. Whenever the spear drove toward him, he struck the shaft from the side with the edge of his palm, knocking it off its intended trajectory.
Sea Spear Douluo adjusted his angle and attacked from the other side, faster than before, yet Xiao Yun still altered the spear tip's direction with his hands at close range.