"Having just created this ultimate move, my spear technique realm jumped by 6%?" A faint smile appeared at the corner of Li Yuan's mouth.
This improvement had been within his expectations.
Li Yuan remembered that near the final exams of the second semester of Grade 2, his spear technique realm had been trapped at 99% of the Second Stage, unable to break through.
Teacher Xu Bo had given him three suggestions at the time.
First, fist techniques and movement techniques were both combinations of body and mind. As one gradually improved control over the body and mobilized its strength to the fullest extent, fist techniques and movement techniques would often continuously improve as well, and vice versa.
Second, spear technique was a tool! Cultivating spear technique was essentially the union of body, mind, and tool. The tool was an external object, not part of the body itself, making it more difficult to cultivate; yet it could also unleash terrifying combat power beyond the body's own strength.
Third, when spear training reached a bottleneck, he could try turning fist techniques into spear techniques!
"Historically, the Xingyi Fist of traditional martial arts evolved from spear arts." Li Yuan thought to himself. By incorporating the use of force and technical variations from spear techniques into unarmed fist arts, it truly turned spearlessness into fists.
"In the modern era, the stance-training methods and breathing methods of cultivation techniques complemented one another, making bodily cultivation far more efficient than in ancient times. The entirety of Human Civilization embarked upon the road of life evolution, repeatedly breaking the limits of life, until martial artists capable of flying through the heavens and burrowing through the earth finally emerged. Yet the fundamental principles of Martial Arts Technique remained unchanged." Li Yuan reflected on the past. "The Rock Fist Technique and the Xingyi Fist of traditional martial arts shared the same melody played with different instruments. It could likewise be transformed into spear technique."
This was the direction Li Yuan had chosen after receiving Teacher Xu Bo's guidance.
It was also one of the reasons why Li Yuan had studied the Rock Fist Technique so obsessively.
Fist techniques, spear techniques, and movement techniques had never been independent of one another. They reinforced one another.
During the Grade 2 final exams, Li Yuan had failed to make a breakthrough.
Thus, throughout the holiday, he had not relaxed in the slightest and had continued pondering madly.
As his Spiritual Power further increased, during the final half-month before school began—
Li Yuan used basic spear technique as his foundation and combined it with the core mysteries of the Rock Fist Technique, creating his first true ultimate spear move—Bedrock Pillar.
This move had been created by fusing the two moves "Panji Kaili" and "Shiru Dizhu" from the Rock Fist Technique into a spear technique.
Both the Rock Cultivation Method and the Rock Fist Technique placed the greatest emphasis on foundations. Their force rose from the earth, and among the seven Basic Cultivation Methods, they possessed the strongest defense.
This spear move was likewise a defensive spear move.
Creating Bedrock Pillar allowed Li Yuan's spear technique realm to break through from 99% of the Second Stage into the Third Stage in one stroke.
During the test at the beginning of term, when he sparred with Teacher Xu Bo, it was also because of this ultimate move that Li Yuan had managed to endure more than ten exchanges.
A defensive spear move could only preserve one's life.
To kill an enemy? One needed offense.
Therefore, over the past two months, Li Yuan had been pondering how to create an offensive move.
"The Rock Fist Technique excels at defense, so creating a defensive ultimate move was easy. Creating an offensive ultimate move, however, is difficult."
The seven Basic Cultivation Methods contained seven great fist techniques. Techniques like the Blazing Fist Technique and the True Gold Fist Technique excelled at offense, making it easier for them to create offensive ultimate moves.
Through repeated practice of fist techniques and spear techniques—
As his technical realm grew ever higher, Li Yuan finally understood completely after drawing upon the concept of the Return Horse Spear.
"The Return Horse Spear shows weakness to the enemy, feigns defeat and retreat, then suddenly turns back to counterattack. It is a mounted spear art." Li Yuan thought. My Rock Spear Technique excels at defense. Whether it is the circulation of force, the movement of my footwork, or even the way I grip the spear, everything instinctively tends toward defense.
"Then, once I take the initiative to attack, the transitions between spear moves can easily reveal the void and reality to my enemy."
"Only defense and counterattack will work."
"Use defense in place of offense. Defend until the enemy grows careless, until they tire after launching a frenzied assault, then strike out suddenly and kill with one move." Light shone in Li Yuan's eyes.
With this concept as its foundation, Li Yuan had ultimately created the killing move Hidden Dragon in the Rocky Ravine.
"Based on Teacher Xu's personal guidance during martial arts classes over the past half-month..." Li Yuan pondered. "The First Stage and Second Stage are the foundation of technique."
Over the past few lessons—
Teacher Xu Bo had personally given Li Yuan a few pointers each time.
"The Third Stage emphasizes the union of body, mind, and tool, striving to bring out 100% of the body's strength." Li Yuan thought. The spear techniques and fist techniques I usually execute instinctively can hardly unleash 100% of my strength.
"Only when I find an opportunity to use an ultimate move can I achieve it."
Only moves capable of erupting with 100% of the body's strength could be called ultimate moves—killing moves.
Li Yuan had created only two ultimate moves so far.
"If I can create more ultimate moves next..." Li Yuan gradually sorted out his future path. "And if one day, every casual punch and spear strike can achieve perfect circulation of bodily strength and weapon force without wasting the slightest bit of power, then my Martial Arts Technique will be able to break through into the Fourth Stage."
According to Teacher Xu Bo—
The so-called Fourth Stage also had another name—Weapon-Human Unity.
It was also called Body-Mind-Tool Unity.
In ancient times, if one's techniques reached the Fourth Stage, one would barely qualify to be called a "spear master" or "fist master."
"Weapon-Human Unity? That is still far away." Li Yuan shook his head slightly. "One step at a time. I should keep working on more ultimate moves."
Every ultimate move was, in essence, a certain specific method of exerting bodily force brought to perfection.
The more ultimate moves he created, the more complete his body's overall methods of exerting force would become. Eventually, he would naturally step into the Fourth Stage.
"Whoosh!"
"Whoosh!" Li Yuan continued practicing his spear technique, becoming more familiar with Hidden Dragon in the Rocky Ravine.
"The day after tomorrow."
"The day after tomorrow is a holiday. With enough time, I'll work hard to raise my points to 500 in Gold Rank." Li Yuan secretly made up his mind.
He could not wait for the financial aid.
If he wanted to lessen his family's financial burden, he could only find a way himself.
Li Yuan had been eyeing the fifty-thousand-yuan prize from the Starry Sky Fighting Net for a long time.
The Office Building, first floor.
Teacher Xu Bo's office was incomparably spacious.
"That kid is improving so fast." Xu Bo, built like Tie Ta, wore a martial arts uniform as he stood in the center of the Martial Arts Room.
Before him—
A great amount of light gathered, forming a projected screen roughly two meters tall and two and a half meters wide.
Displayed on the screen was none other than the Martial Arts Classroom of Class 2, Grade 3.
The enlarged image showed Li Yuan practicing his spear and executing Hidden Dragon in the Rocky Ravine.
"He really can keep his composure. He has not come to ask me even after all this time. His temperament is steady enough too." A teasing smile appeared on Xu Bo's face.
As the homeroom teacher and one of the school's elite teachers, he possessed considerable authority at the school and could freely access the class surveillance footage.
Thus, when he saw Li Yuan arriving at school after four o'clock that day—
He began paying special attention to Li Yuan and retrieved a large amount of prior surveillance footage.
What he discovered left even Xu Bo, who had seen grand scenes before, somewhat shocked.
He found that Li Yuan had arrived at school after three o'clock every morning, and had done so for more than a year.
He had never stopped.
"He has determination and perseverance. He is good material." Xu Bo thought. Besides, my earlier guess was right. His family circumstances are ordinary, yet his body can endure such insane training? It seems his physical talent truly is astonishing.
Xu Bo did not know of the existence of the Great Sun Starry Sky Sutra.
He attributed Li Yuan's ability to cultivate bitterly day after day while remaining full of vigor to his "exceptional talent."
With his lofty vision, he knew there were many special geniuses in this world.
What Li Yuan had displayed was not much.
What Xu Bo valued most was still Li Yuan's perseverance and comprehension.
"Talent alone means nothing."
"But having the diligence to bring that talent into play is what matters."
However, even after investigating everything clearly, Xu Bo had taken no measures beyond his usual guidance and teaching.
He still wanted to observe and test Li Yuan.
Just because someone had talent, did that mean he had to use his own resources and connections to cultivate them? Who said so? Li Yuan was not Xu Bo's biological son.
He was merely a student.
Therefore, Xu Bo intended to use the matter of financial aid—
To see what Li Yuan's temperament was like.
If Li Yuan waited only a few days before impatiently coming to ask, Xu Bo could understand. That was only human nature. He would still apply for financial aid and might even help him apply for Second-Class Financial Aid, fulfilling his duty as a teacher.
But he would do no more than that, because good material worthy of Xu Bo's attention should not be an "ordinary person."
"About time."
"Grade 3 is still crucial. I cannot delay this for too long. Besides, he is still a child in the end. I cannot be too harsh with my demands." Xu Bo stared at the screen and spoke. "Hei Gou, connect me to Principal Tan."
"Certainly, Master."
"Beep—beep—" The projected image changed.
Very soon—
An office appeared on the screen. Before the desk sat a middle-aged man who looked to be around forty.
If Li Yuan saw this man, he would definitely recognize him as the school's principal, Tan Zhenlong.
Tan Zhenlong's actual age was already over seventy.
In this era, ordinary people retired at eighty. Martial artists could choose to postpone retirement until one hundred.
"Old Tan." Xu Bo spoke directly.
"Xu Bo." Principal Tan smiled. "Calling me at night—what is it?"
"I want to apply for a Special-Class Financial Aid slot. Approve it." Xu Bo came straight to the point.
(End of Chapter)
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