Avoiding Battle, Not Fearing Battle

Deep Practice once

Deep Practice once

Deep Practice once

Qi-Martial Integration Practice once

Thrust—whoosh—

The long spear pierced the air, its cold shadow tracing a half-moon arc as it shredded the flung droplets of sweat. The four newly learned forms of the Ancient Martial Arts Spear Technique were held firmly between Jiang Qiu's palms and fists.

With every move, force flowed like a snake through his extraordinary meridians and eight channels, tearing at his muscles, tempering his sinews and bones, driving out foul fluids. The Ancient Martial Arts Spear Technique gradually melded with the Zhou Tian Qi Art.

Ancient Martial Spear (Beginner)

145/500

Mortal Body

22/100

Over the course of the day, his Qi-Martial Integration Practice count reached fifteen. At the same time, his Deep Practice became more precise and efficient, with more than half again as many sessions as the roughly sixty he had managed in a day when sparring with Li Xueming a few days ago.

His Ancient Martial Arts Spear Technique progress had risen by around a hundred, while his Mortal Body had advanced by fifteen. The efficiency was unlike before.

"That's enough for today. We'll stop here. Tomorrow, I'll teach you the next four forms." Wu Shan waved a hand, puffed out his chest, and left with his hands behind his back, leaving behind two words: "Class dismissed."

"Whew~"

Exhalations of foul air rose and fell around the room. Wang Guanjia and Hu Yeye left one after another. Jiang Qiu put away his spear as well. Seeing that Field No. 8 was already completely empty, he stored his weapon and carried his soaking black shirt toward the Training Hall's main entrance.

Tap, tap, tap.

"Jiang Qiu, you learned the Ancient Martial Arts Spear Technique so quickly. It feels like you're already close to grasping the rhythm of the Zhou Tian Qi Art." Liu Zili hurried after him, then slowed her pace. Both hands tugged at the collar of the black shirt clinging to her neck, her parted lips revealing gleaming white teeth. "If you'd become an Outstanding Student early on too, you'd probably be a match for Li Juefeng by now.

"Even Wang Guanjia, whose talent once surpassed Xie Kuang's, hasn't progressed as quickly as you. Among the Outstanding Students now, aside from the top two in each field, you'll probably surpass the rest very soon.

"If you'd been selected as an Outstanding Student two years ago and gotten Martial Spirit Incense early, you definitely would have improved even faster."

The corners of Jiang Qiu's mouth lifted like willow leaves. "As long as we're Outstanding Students and have a chance to receive Martial Spirit Incense, that's enough. It isn't too late now."

"Mm, but we've only just become Outstanding Students, and there are only three months left until the college entrance exam." Liu Zili's brows drooped, her almond eyes dim. "We definitely won't get Martial Spirit Incense in the first month. There are only six days until it's distributed, and by then the slots will probably have already been decided for Xie Kuang and the others. We haven't even fully entered the gate of the Ancient Martial Arts Spear Technique yet.

"We only have one month to work hard, to do our best to catch up to those Outstanding Students who've been here since their first year of high school. Maybe then we can receive one standard portion of Martial Spirit Incense."

Jiang Qiu raised a brow. "What's the maximum number of portions of Martial Spirit Incense a student can receive each month?"

Naturally, the more of a precious resource like Martial Spirit Incense, the better. Obtaining one portion meant a small transformation; obtaining another meant a great transformation.

Yet at present, only Xie Kuang in Field No. 8 monopolized two portions each month. The other six slots were allotted one portion each, and even those were not necessarily secure.

In truth, ever since becoming an Outstanding Student, no one knew how many portions of Martial Spirit Incense Xie Kuang had received.

"Mm, normally, the most gifted student in each field receives two portions. That's quite stable. But the one in Field No. 1 is a little different. He can receive five portions every month." Liu Zili pondered for a moment, then her gaze suddenly brightened. "But that's fairly normal too, because his name is Li Juefeng. He's the number one person among the eight fields, and his father is also the person in charge of Field No. 1 and the director of the Resource Department."

Oh, so it was Li Juefeng.

He had both talent and backing. Those five portions truly weren't something Jiang Qiu should be considering. He should first find a way to secure two portions.

Jiang Qiu shook his head with a faint laugh, though his fist had already silently clenched. His gaze was sharp as a spearhead, vaguely reflecting a spear-wielding youth with curled lips and disdainful eyes.

Even in my first month as an Outstanding Student, I must obtain Martial Spirit Incense.

I will never miss any chance to improve myself!

Three days drifted by. Before the sun rose, Jiang Qiu often ran into Liu Zili at the school gate, and the two would head together to Field No. 8 of the Elite Training Hall to study the Ancient Martial Arts Spear Technique under Wu Shan.

The spear tore through the wind, sweeping sideways in waves. Beneath the watchful eye of Wu Shan's owl-like, sharply focused right eye, four long spears of varying lengths danced without pause. Amid shout after shout of reprimand, each gradually developed its own Spear Momentum.

Perhaps a Fierce Tiger swinging its claws, perhaps a nimble flood dragon raising its head, perhaps a demon fox baring its fangs—or perhaps... an Azure Dragon emerging from the sea!

Boom—

A supreme sound wave swept outward, like a great river crashing against the shore. Jiang Qiu thrust out his chest and sank his waist, his eyes still fixed on the half-moon stream of air sliding along the spear tip.

Qi-Martial Integration Practice once

Ancient Martial Spear (Proficient)

Trait: Spear Momentum like a dragon, Spear Shaft Shatters Armor

1/1000

Mortal Body

70/100

"..."

For a time, the Small Room fell silent as though a bonfire had been snuffed out by towering waves. Wang Guanjia and Hu Yeye both furrowed their brows. Light gleamed in Liu Zili's round eyes. Wu Shan stood with his hands behind his back, concentrating for a long while, his voice heavy as a boulder sunk beneath the sea. "You practice the Ancient Martial Arts Spear Technique to kill demons and save your lives, not to compete over who makes the most noise. A silent thrust, with Subtle Force concealed within—that is what you should pursue. Understand?"

"Tomorrow, you'll conduct practical sparring. It's about time now. Class dismissed."

Click—

Wu Shan stepped through the one-way glass door that had just opened. His towering, savage-bear-like back lingered in Jiang Qiu's eyes for a long while. Only after Wang Guanjia and Hu Yeye left one after another with grim faces did he and Liu Zili slowly follow.

"Finished learning the Ancient Martial Arts Spear Technique?"

The sudden shout stopped Jiang Qiu in his tracks. Looking over, he saw Xie Kuang standing amid the crowd with a Conical Spear slung over his shoulder, just blocking Wang Guanjia and Hu Yeye's path. But his gaze, like a vicious wolf turning its head, swept over with contempt. "Since you're done, Jiang Qiu, fight me in front of Old Wang. After that, I won't have any interest in looking for you again."

Jiang Qiu raised his head and glanced at the Surveillance Camera in the corner, its cold gleam flickering. His eyes were as deep as an abyss. The spear shaft clenched in his five fingers lowered slightly, its tip nearly touching the ground.

There had been no need to lose his head over a few sneers and taunts. After all, there was nothing he could gain from Xie Kuang at this moment.

But now that he had grasped Subtle Force, he would avoid battle—but never fear battle!

Whoosh—

A spear edge suddenly slashed across Jiang Qiu's vision, severing his train of thought. Wang Guanjia stepped in front of everyone, his spear tip pointed directly at Xie Kuang's drooping eyelids. His roar was like thunder. "Xie Kuang, do you have to humiliate me? Then fight me! Let's see how much you've improved in these two years at Field No. 8!"

The instant the words fell, Wang Guanjia had already lunged in to kill. The wind chased his silhouette, and the sound chased his spearhead. The momentum of a Fierce Tiger swinging its claws frightened the Outstanding Students into retreating in all directions. Xie Kuang stood alone like a solitary wolf, the corner of his mouth curling as the spear on his shoulder sprang up. With a bang, it knocked aside the spear edge thrusting toward him!

"Wang Guanjia, even if your father can secretly get you Martial Spirit Incense from time to time to temper your body, it still can't compare to my two portions every month!"

"You haven't even developed Copper Skin, and your Subtle Force isn't anything impressive either. What makes you worthy of fighting me?"

Bang, bang, bang—thrust—

The shadows of two long spears crossed and collided. The shrill scrape of metal trembled amid their clash of Subtle Force, as though it would tear open the chests of everyone present.

Another bang rang out as the figures broke apart. Wang Guanjia's arms trembled violently, his neck thick and flushed red, blue-purple veins twisting like horned dragons. He bared his teeth and glared like an enraged tiger!

"If you want to fight, then fight! I can fucking take a loss—why do you have to insult me in such a roundabout way?!"

"So what if you beat Jiang Qiu? Are you going to laugh at me for not even being able to beat him? Even if you beat me ten thousand times, your talent will still be inferior to mine. Never dream of erasing the time you got punched into a nosebleed in front of every martial arts teacher!"

The moment those words came out, the room's temperature plunged. A thread of aroused killing intent squeezed from the narrow corners of Xie Kuang's eyes, sharp as splitting lightning!