Xu Bo's Test

Xu Bo's Test

"Having just created this ultimate move, my spear mastery jumped by 6% all at once?" A faint smile appeared at the corner of Li Yuan's lips.

This improvement had been within his expectations.

Li Yuan remembered that near the final exams of the second semester of Grade 2, his spear mastery had been stuck at 99% of Level Two, unable to break through.

Back then, Teacher Xu Bo had given him three pieces of advice.

First, fist techniques and movement techniques were both a union of body and mind. As one gradually improved control over the body and mobilized its strength to the utmost, fist techniques and movement techniques would often continue to improve—and vice versa.

Second, spear technique was a tool! Training spear technique was, in essence, the union of body, mind, and tool. A tool was an external object, not part of one's body by nature, so it was harder to cultivate; but because a tool surpassed the body's own strength, it could also unleash terrifying combat power beyond the body.

Third, when spear training reached a bottleneck, one could try transforming fist into spear!

"Historically, Xingyi Fist among traditional martial arts evolved from spear techniques." Li Yuan thought to himself. "It integrated the application of force and technical variations from spear techniques into unarmed fist arts, truly turning spear into fist."

"In the modern age, the standing exercises and breathing methods in cultivation techniques complement one another, making bodily cultivation far more efficient than in ancient times. Human civilization as a whole has embarked upon the road of life evolution, breaking the limits of life time and again, eventually producing martial artists capable of flying through the sky and burrowing through the earth. Yet the fundamental principles of martial arts techniques have remained unchanged." Li Yuan looked back on the past. "The Rock Fist Technique and traditional Xingyi Fist have the same wondrous effect through different paths. It, too, can 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 Li Yuan had studied the Rock Fist Technique so obsessively.

Fist technique, spear technique, and movement technique had never been independent of one another. They promoted each other.

During the final exams of Grade 2, Li Yuan had failed to break through.

Thus, throughout the holiday, he had not relaxed in the slightest and had kept pondering madly.

As his spiritual power further increased, during the final half month before school started—

Using basic spear technique as the foundation and combining it with the core mysteries of the Rock Fist Technique, Li Yuan created his first true ultimate spear move—Bedrock Pillar.

This move had been created by merging Panji Kaili and Shiru Dizhu from the Rock Fist Technique into spear technique.

Whether it was the Rock Cultivation Method or the Rock Fist Technique, both 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" had allowed Li Yuan's spear mastery to break through from 99% of Level Two to Level Three in one stroke.

During the test at the beginning of the semester, and in his spar 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 save one's life.

To kill an enemy? One had to attack.

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. But creating an offensive ultimate move is difficult."

The seven Basic Cultivation Methods included seven major fist techniques. Techniques such as the Blazing Fist Technique and the True Gold Fist Technique excelled at offense, making it easier to create offensive ultimate moves.

Through repeated training in fist and spear techniques—

As his technical realm rose higher and higher, Li Yuan finally saw through everything after drawing on the concept behind the Return Horse Spear.

"The Return Horse Spear shows weakness to the enemy, feigns defeat and retreat, then suddenly turns back to strike. It is a spear technique used on horseback." 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 leans toward defense."

"Then, once I take the initiative to attack, it will be easy for an enemy to see through the substance and illusion within the transitions of my spear moves."

"Only defense and counterattack will work."

"Use defense in place of offense. Defend until the enemy grows careless, defend until they become exhausted after a frenzied assault, then suddenly strike and kill with one move." Light gleamed in Li Yuan's eyes.

With this concept as his foundation, Li Yuan had finally created the killing move "Hidden Dragon in the Rocky Ravine."

"Judging from Teacher Xu's individual guidance during martial arts classes over the past half month," Li Yuan pondered, "Levels One and Two are the foundation of technique."

During the last few lessons—

Teacher Xu Bo had given Li Yuan some individual pointers.

"Level Three emphasizes the union of body, mind, and tool, striving to bring out 100% of the body's power." Li Yuan thought. "The spear and fist techniques I normally use by instinct can hardly bring out 100% of my power."

"Only when I find an opportunity to unleash an ultimate move can I achieve it."

Only moves capable of unleashing 100% of the body's power could be called ultimate moves—killing moves.

Li Yuan had created only two ultimate moves so far.

"Next, if I can create more ultimate moves," Li Yuan gradually sorted out his future path, "and even reach a day when any casual punch or spear thrust can bring the circulation of body, weapon, and force to perfection without wasting the slightest bit of strength, then my martial arts technique will break through to Level Four."

According to Teacher Xu Bo—

The so-called "Level Four realm" had another name—Unity.

It was also called "unity of body, mind, and tool."

In ancient times, if one's technique had reached Level Four, one would barely have qualified to be called a "spear master" or "fist arts master."

"Unity? That is still far away." Li Yuan shook his head slightly. "One step at a time. I should keep pondering more ultimate moves."

Every ultimate move was, in essence, the perfection of a particular way of exerting the body's force.

The more ultimate moves one created, the more complete the body's overall methods of exerting force became. In the end, one would naturally step into the Level Four realm.

"Whoosh!"

"Swish!" Li Yuan continued practicing his spear technique, becoming further familiar with Hidden Dragon in the Rocky Ravine.

"The day after tomorrow."

"The day after tomorrow is a holiday. With enough time, I'll strive to raise my points to 500 in Gold Rank." Li Yuan silently made up his mind.

He could not wait for the student grant.

If he wanted to lessen his family's financial burden, he could only find a way himself.

Li Yuan had long had his eye on the fifty-thousand-yuan prize from Starry Sky Fighting Net.

The first floor of the office building.

Teacher Xu Bo's office was exceptionally spacious.

"That kid is improving fast." Xu Bo, built like an iron tower, stood in the center of the Martial Arts Room in his martial arts uniform.

Before him—

A large amount of light gathered, forming a projected screen roughly two meters tall and two and a half meters wide.

The screen displayed the martial arts classroom of Class 2, Grade 3.

The magnified image showed Li Yuan practicing his spear and performing Hidden Dragon in the Rocky Ravine.

"He really knows how to hold his nerve. 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 a special-grade teacher at the school, he possessed considerable authority there and could freely access classroom surveillance footage.

Thus, when he had seen Li Yuan arriving at school after four in the morning that day—

He had begun paying special attention to Li Yuan and retrieved a large amount of earlier surveillance footage.

What he found surprised even Xu Bo, who had seen his share of grand scenes.

He discovered that Li Yuan had been arriving at school after three every morning for more than a year.

He had never stopped.

"He has determination and perseverance. He is a good prospect." Xu Bo thought. "Besides, my previous guess was right. His family circumstances are merely average, yet his body can withstand 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 still remaining full of vigor to "extraordinary talent."

His sights were set high, and he knew there were many unusual geniuses in this world.

What Li Yuan had displayed was nothing remarkable.

What Xu Bo valued most was still Li Yuan's perseverance and comprehension.

"Talent alone means nothing."

"But the effort to bring that talent into full play is what matters."

However, even after investigating everything clearly, Xu Bo had taken no measures beyond his usual guidance and teaching.

He still needed to observe and test Li Yuan.

Did possessing talent mean he had to use his own resources and connections to cultivate him? Who said so? Li Yuan was not Xu Bo's biological son.

He was only a student.

Therefore, Xu Bo intended to use the matter of the "student grant"—

To see what kind of temperament Li Yuan had.

If Li Yuan waited only a few days before coming to ask in restless impatience, Xu Bo could understand. It was only human nature. He would apply for the student grant, perhaps even help him apply for a second-class grant, thereby fulfilling a teacher's duty.

But he would do no more, because a promising seedling worthy of Xu Bo's attention should not be an "ordinary person."

"About time."

"Grade 3 is still crucial. I cannot delay it for too long. Besides, he is still a child in the end. I cannot be overly harsh in my demands." Xu Bo stared at the projected screen and said, "Hei Gou, connect me to Principal Tan."

"Yes, Master."

"Beep—beep—" The projection changed.

Very soon—

An office scene appeared on the screen. Seated before a desk was a middle-aged man who looked to be around forty.

If Li Yuan saw him, he would certainly recognize the man as the school's principal, Tan Zhenlong.

Tan Zhenlong was actually already over seventy years old.

In this era, the retirement age for ordinary people was eighty. Martial artists could choose to delay 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 student grant slot. Approve it." Xu Bo got straight to the point.

(End of chapter)