Entering the Hall!

Divine Spear Martial Hall had only one Hall Master: Li Shuxing.

And the only ones who could be called true disciples were the Hall Master's disciples—in other words, Li Shuxing's disciples!

But...

How was that possible?!

Gentleman Sword's eyes were filled with disbelief.

One had to know that, with his talent, even he had failed to catch Li Shuxing's eye back then.

How could this Commoner, whom he had never taken seriously, suddenly transform and become Li Shuxing's disciple?!

"Perhaps I heard wrong... Or perhaps... this Commoner is Li Shuxing's illegitimate son?"

He would rather believe that Huo Yuanhong had been accepted because he was related to Li Shuxing than believe that this person he had once discarded like worn-out shoes had entered the Divine Spear Sect through genuine skill.

Otherwise...

If they were not related, then with Li Shuxing's discerning eye, even if the person he accepted was not some peerless prodigy, he would at least be a genius with hopes of reaching Transformation Strength.

If, during his rotation, he had truly let a genius with hopes of reaching Transformation Strength slip away and allowed another Martial Arts Hall to pick up the bargain, then once such an infuriating matter reached the hall's upper ranks, they would certainly deem him incapable of recognizing talent. It would hinder his future path to wielding the Martial Arts Hall's authority.

Besides, could Li Shuxing's true disciple truly only have hopes of reaching Transformation Strength?

At that thought, Gentleman Sword's expression darkened further.

Letting a genius with hopes of reaching Transformation Strength go was troublesome enough. But if he had truly let a peerless prodigy capable of surpassing Transformation Strength escape...

He would likely become the laughingstock of the entire martial arts world, with a stain he could never erase in his lifetime!

Even Sword Inquiry Martial Hall would be dragged down with him, its reputation swept to the ground and turned into a joke!

Gentleman Sword seemed to already see the furious expression of his Hall Master.

"Impossible. Absolutely impossible. How could this Commoner... possibly have greater talent than me?"

Gentleman Sword stared fixedly at Huo Yuanhong. Though he wanted to step forward and demand an explanation, his aloof image before his fellow disciples held him back in the end.

Investigate!

Once he returned, he would mobilize his family's power and investigate everything thoroughly!

Divine Spear Martial Hall stood in the most prosperous district of Jin Gate. It occupied an enormous area, with two great stone lions set at its entrance, displaying considerable grandeur.

It was roughly half an hour away from Sword Inquiry Martial Hall by rickshaw.

After arriving, the old steward first brought Huo Yuanhong to complete his registration, then led him around the hall's twisting, maze-like layout so he would not be unable to find his way later.

Before long, Huo Yuanhong had two sets of gray training clothes in his hands, along with a freshly engraved token.

As Li Shuxing's personal disciple, not only did he not need to pay tuition, he even received a monthly living allowance of one hundred silver dollars!

That was already comparable to a middle-class household with a shop in a bustling district—more than ten times what Father Huo earned through a month of hard work!

For the first time, Huo Yuanhong deeply understood just how easily money came once one had status and standing.

"After three days apart, things had changed beyond recognition!"

Three days ago, he had still been an overlooked apprentice of Sword Inquiry Martial Hall, casually cast out and driven into a corner with nowhere to turn.

Yet three days later, he was already a true disciple of Divine Spear Martial Hall, valued by Jin Gate's foremost expert.

With a faint sense of accomplishment, Huo Yuanhong changed into the training clothes issued by the Martial Arts Hall and headed toward the practice area under the old steward's guidance.

"Master."

Entering a spacious Training Room, Huo Yuanhong saw Li Shuxing again, who had long been waiting.

"Your essence, qi, and spirit look good."

Li Shuxing looked Huo Yuanhong over, taking in his upright figure in the training clothes. Satisfied, he nodded and tossed over an iron token.

"This is a medicine token from Spring Return Hall. Take whatever medicine you need during the Manifest Strength stage. Put it all on your senior sister's account—no need to scrimp."

Li Shuxing said with a smile.

Looking at the medicine token in his hand, Huo Yuanhong's eyes immediately lit up.

This was exactly what he needed most right now!

After entering Manifest Strength, the medicine he had originally bought from the pharmacy was clearly no longer enough. It could not keep up with his body's rapid transformation. Since the day before yesterday, he had constantly felt hungry—the more he trained, the hungrier he became.

He had also consulted a pharmacy doctor. This was a symptom of training too quickly, where nourishment could not keep pace with consumption. It was like someone working out madly until their body was covered in muscle, yet lacking sufficient nutrition. If it continued for too long, it would leave the body severely depleted and create irreversible hidden injuries.

But at the time, he could only afford medicine for the Practicing Strength stage after pawning his family's jade bracelet. How could he afford the even more expensive Manifest Strength-stage medicinal paste? He could only make do with Practicing Strength-stage paste for now and keep training as best he could.

And now...

With the medicine token his master had given him, he no longer needed to worry about his body becoming depleted during the Manifest Strength stage. He could train without concern!

"Alright. Since it's still early, your master will teach you something real today..."

"Baji Quan evolved from spear techniques. Fist techniques and elbow techniques are also spear techniques. Once trained to a profound level, one can reach the realm of spear and elbow as one. When the elbow strikes, it is like a spear thrust, with terrifying penetrating power!"

"When training, you must also train alongside the Great Spear..."

As he spoke, Li Shuxing took a White Wax Spear from the weapon rack nearby. It was about one and a half men tall.

This type of White Wax Spear was made from downy white wax wood aged fifteen to twenty years. It had been soaked in tung oil for seven days, and sharkskin was wrapped around the shaft, providing both anti-slip and shock-absorbing effects.

"Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Set the butt of the spear three inches below your navel."

"Grip the rear third of the shaft with your right hand. Loosely support the forward section with your left hand. Sink the point of your elbows until they are level with the Danzhong Acupoint."

Li Shuxing explained in detail. After demonstrating the spear-holding posture, he suddenly gave a low grunt. His right foot slammed heavily into the floor, and the White Wax Spear in his hand twisted with his waist and hips before abruptly stabbing forward!

Sst!

With only a faint sound, the spear tip drove straight into the stacked sheets of xuan paper on the wall, then withdrew as smoothly as drifting clouds and flowing water.

After Li Shuxing retracted his spear, Huo Yuanhong carefully examined the pierced xuan paper and discovered in astonishment:

Though the ten stacked sheets would tear apart with the slightest tug, the puncture through them had only one smooth cross-section from inside to out. There were no tearing marks from force spilling outward.

It was as if the Great Spear had not stabbed through them at all, but someone had carefully carved a hole with a knife—flat and smooth.

What terrifying control! The force had been completely concentrated on one point, without the slightest fraction leaking away!

"When training with the spear, you must coordinate with breathing methods. Baji's breathing method, simply put, is the two sounds hum and ha..."

"When exerting force with the Tremor Stomp, exhale through your nose and make a hum sound. When retracting the spear, inhale through your mouth and relax with a ha sound..."

"For this basic Training Method of Tremor Stomp and spear thrusts, practice two hundred times a day. Once you can thrust out water ripples, you will have Entered the Hall. If the first three layers of xuan paper show no excess damage, that will count as Minor Accomplishment..."

Huo Yuanhong listened as though intoxicated, finally having the chance to encounter such a secret martial arts transmission. His heart brimmed with joy.

"Your aptitude is passable, but remember not to grow arrogant or impetuous. Back then, your master achieved Manifest Strength as soon as I began, and reached Transformation Strength by the age of twenty. You must be even more diligent, work even harder, if you wish to catch up to my footsteps..."

"Rest assured, Master. Your disciple will certainly work twice as hard."

After demonstrating a few times, Li Shuxing handed the White Wax Spear to Huo Yuanhong. He himself then left with his hands behind his back.

"So soon? Why didn't you teach him for a while longer?"

Outside the door, senior sister Fang Yu asked curiously.

"Let him practice on his own first. It will also let him understand the difference between profound Training Methods and those shallow tricks outside, lest he become arrogant."

"Oh? What did you teach him?"

"Thorn Paper."

"What? Thorn Paper? The Thorn Paper Technique that Eldest Senior Brother failed to master even after ruining several rooms' worth of paper, the one that tormented him until he nearly questioned his entire life? You made a newcomer practice that as soon as he started, without building his foundation first???"

Fang Yu was dumbfounded when she heard that.

"What's so strange about that? When your master had just entered the sect, your grandmaster taught me the same thing, wanting to give me a show of force..."

Li Shuxing walked outside with his hands behind his back and said leisurely, "In the end, your master refused to ask anyone for advice and managed to thrust out water ripples in only five days—nearly half a month faster than your grandmaster..."

Thinking of his own master's splendid expression back then, Li Shuxing still revealed a faint smile even after several decades had passed.

This was also an old tradition of their lineage.

Whenever a disciple entered the sect, the master always liked to give the disciple a show of force and test the disciple's depth.

But after doing it often enough, there would inevitably be times when things went wrong—like when his master had accepted him as a disciple back then.

Fortunately...

Li Shuxing's talent was high enough. No matter how gifted his disciples were, they were still never as gifted as he had been in his youth, so he had never overturned the cart.

"The earlier elbow technique was an accident. After all, the little fellow had practiced Baji Quan for ten years already, and his foundation was deep enough. It was reasonable for him to master it so quickly...

"But this time, the Thorn Paper Technique is something the little fellow has definitely never encountered before. He has plenty of training ahead of him."

Li Shuxing smiled faintly, lifted his leg, and got into the car. Fang Yu hurriedly followed.

"Master, you should take it easy. Don't strike Little Junior Brother too hard. After all, not everyone is as naturally gifted and brilliantly talented as you."

"Don't worry. How could your master not understand that? Naturally, I won't truly judge him by my standards from back then..."

Li Shuxing laughed.

On the path of martial arts, one should certainly not be arrogant and complacent. But losing one's confidence was even more troublesome than arrogance and complacency.

He only needed to stop at the right point and let the little fellow know there were always greater people beyond greater people.

"After struggling for an afternoon without even finding the doorway, the little fellow will understand the gap. Tomorrow morning, your master will go see him again and guide him from the beginning, teaching him bit by bit..."

Huff!

Gripping the weighty Great Spear, Huo Yuanhong assumed his stance and copied the movements: pushing off the ground, twisting his waist, and thrusting!

Screech—!

The xuan paper hanging on the wall was directly torn apart by the spear tip. It fluttered everywhere, with more than half of it falling down.

Baji Quan (Manifest Strength 143/600)

"Again."

Huo Yuanhong was not discouraged in the slightest. After digesting the insights from that thrust, he launched the spear again!

Screech—!

This time, though the xuan paper was still torn open, the tearing was far lighter than before. Only half of it was ripped down.

"Continue."

Baji Quan (Manifest Strength 144/600)

Huo Yuanhong pondered for a moment, adjusted his posture, and thrust again!

Screech!

This time, only three sheets of xuan paper were torn down. Though the remaining seven sheets had been ripped, the damage was nowhere near as severe as before, and they still hung on the wall without falling.

Baji Quan (Manifest Strength 145/600)

For the time that followed, Huo Yuanhong remained there. After every thrust, he would digest it for a moment before thrusting again, then reflecting on it again.

Almost every thrust improved noticeably over the last.

Before long, he could ensure that not a single sheet of xuan paper was torn down.

This meant he could already gather his force together at a basic level and glimpse the doorway to this Training Method.

"Continue."

After gulping down the tea beside him and eating several mouthfuls of the Manifest Strength-stage medicinal paste his master had prepared in the Practice Room, Huo Yuanhong raised the Great Spear again and began a new round of thrusting practice.

By now, the Training Room had already been covered with fresh sheets of xuan paper.

Taking advantage of his brief pause to eat and drink, the Martial Arts Hall's servants had hurriedly replaced them. A full ten servants waited outside solely to attend to him—such was the treatment granted to the Hall Master's personal disciple.

Huff! Huff! Huff! Huff! Huff!...

The howl of the spear tip tearing through the air echoed continuously through the Training Room, accompanied by the screech of xuan paper being pierced.

As evening neared, Huo Yuanhong thrust out once more. Centered on the point where the spear tip landed, a ring of ripples visible to the naked eye appeared on the xuan paper, like the ripples spreading across water after a stone fell into it.

He had Entered the Hall!