Hidden Weapon in Body

On the fourth day at Field No. 8, the Small Room was sparse with the sound of spears. Liu Zili's supple, dragon-like spear tip danced in Jiang Qiu's eyes. His left hand rested in his pocket, his right gripped the shaft, and the hair over his forehead occasionally fluttered in the gusts.

As he observed, Jiang Qiu glanced aside and saw Wang Guanjia sitting on a bench near the edge with his long spear in his arms. His face was dark, and like Jiang Qiu, both his hands were tucked into his pockets. He was not practicing his spear.

Hu Yeye, arriving late, pursed her lips as she paced in the corner. Her spear tip rose and fell. After glancing around twice, she finally tucked away her spear, pouted, and tilted her head up at the ceiling.

Click.

The instant the glass door slid open, the sound of Liu Zili's spear slicing through the air abruptly ceased. Hu Yeye curved her lips into a smile, while Wang Guanjia rose and stepped forward, already clutching several dozen bright-red Xia Coins in the blink of an eye.

"Teacher, compensation for the tiles."

"Mm, fine." Wu Shan casually weighed the smooth-textured bills in his hand, his one right eye sweeping over the others' varying expressions. "You and Jiang Qiu take the left half. The two female students take the right half."

The moment he closed his hand around the money, the matter of the tiles sank into the sea. Jiang Qiu released the small roll of crumpled bills in his pocket and slowly drew out his left hand.

Carrying his spear toward the open space on the left, he met Wang Guanjia's gaze head-on. Like a Dragon in Deep Abyss encountering a Tiger on Strange Path, their fighting intent flared like wind feeding fire.

Thus, the four paired off, men against men and women against women. Each occupied half the Small Room, gripping their long spears as they faced one another in stern silence.

"I've already taught you all the Ancient Martial Arts Spear Technique in full, and I've explained the essentials of the basics clearly," Wu Shan said, standing on the center line of the Small Room with his back to the glass door. His flattened brow pressed over his lone right eye as it swept across them. "What you need to do next is spar. Fight without holding anything back. Familiarize yourselves with the feeling of using the Ancient Martial Arts Spear Technique in real combat, and comprehend Ming Jin and Subtle Force!

"Wang Guanjia fights Jiang Qiu. Liu Zili fights Hu Yeye. Unless I call a stop, you do not stop even if you bleed!

"Understand?"

As his words fell, like willow leaves drifting across water, they stirred faint ripples in Jiang Qiu's heart. Both hands tightly gripping the spear shaft held across his waist, he lowered his gaze and faced Wang Guanjia, who had likewise sunk into his stance five paces away. Spear tip met spear tip, gaze met gaze.

This was his second fight with Wang Guanjia. The other boy still had his tiger eyes wide open as during the Proficiency Test, the muscles in his forearms bulging fiercely as his spearhead slowly turned.

As though he had never lost to Jiang Qiu.

"Begin sparring!"

With that shout, like the tolling of a bronze bell, a sharp cry rang out as the diamond-shaped spearhead thrust for Jiang Qiu's chest. Its force surpassed all before it, like a lone boat rowing upriver against raging waves. The whistling wind flung up Jiang Qiu's sleeve and collar, making his pupils tremble.

It already carried the force of Spear Tip Pierces Armor!

Clang!

A thrust capable of piercing iron armor was knocked aside by an upward sweep of the spear. Wang Guanjia's heartbeat abruptly quickened by half a beat. He twisted at the waist, then shook the spear shaft with the motion, drawing all the meridians in his body together with a single force and tautening them into a drawn bowstring!

The spear shafts struck with a smack. He had expected a collision like bronze bells crashing into great chimes, vast and mighty—a contest of Subtle Force!

Yet unexpectedly, he felt like a zither string plucked by a giant hand, the shock making his muscles roll like waves!

Wang Guanjia staggered three steps back, his pupils contracting violently.

Why did all his strength vanish like a Mud Ox into Sea after he used Subtle Force?!

Just how much Subtle Force had he comprehended in only a few days?!

Bang, bang, bang—

The clashing of weapon edges came without pause. Beads of sweat the size of peas flew from Wang Guanjia's cheeks. His dark pupils grew increasingly clouded, and before he knew it, both hands had begun to tremble.

Every thrust was cut off the instant it was made. Every horizontal sweep skimmed past Jiang Qiu's chest, missing his collar by a hair. Advance two steps, force him back two steps—the distance between them remained locked in a dangerous yet nonlethal tug of war.

During the Proficiency Test, he had still possessed a degree of suppression over Jiang Qiu. Yet after only four days, he was already powerless against Jiang Qiu's counterattacks beneath the spear. His defeat made him seem like a Sick Tiger with its bones smashed.

If they both went all out in a fight to the death, he might suffer the same crushing defeat he had suffered against Li Juefeng in their final battle two years ago, before he was assigned to Class Eight!

At that thought, the fire boiling in his chest was suddenly doused by a cold wind. The spear-wielding youth reflected in his pupils instantly became as still as a Young Dragon crouching in a mountain abyss.

He had lost to Li Juefeng two years ago. Was he truly going to lose to Jiang Qiu now as well?

No.

My talent surpasses the strongest students of seven fields. When I entered No.8 Middle School, my potential should have ranked below only two people.

Over two years, I learned the Ancient Martial Arts Spear Technique from my father after school and cultivated three parts of Subtle Force. After the Proficiency Test, I even comprehended Spear Tip Pierces Armor in a single stroke.

Once I received another portion of Martial Spirit Incense, I could cultivate Copper Skin. If not for a lack of resources, what was Xie Kuang worth?

Not everyone is Li Juefeng, and I will not be so miserable again!

Buzz—

Another collision of spear shafts rang out. Gritting his teeth, Wang Guanjia tightened his grip around the shaft that had nearly flown from his hands. His blood-engorged arms drove up all the muscles in his body!

The force flowing secretly within him erupted fiercely, surpassing every one of their previous exchanges. To Jiang Qiu's surprise, it knocked back his iron-black spear shaft!

Smack.

The spear shaft that had just been sent flying circled around with the momentum and pressed down. After several exchanges, Wang Guanjia was once again driven back, drenched in sweat and gasping for breath.

"Hmph. Are you children playing house? Without even a shred of killing intent, what spear are you practicing?" Wu Shan stood with his arms folded. The slit of his left eye swelled and contracted again, the black flesh within seeming ready to burst through the stitches, while blood vessels throbbed in his lone right eye. "Let me tell you: I decide the distribution of Martial Spirit Incense, not you!

"If you keep fighting so gingerly, forget about getting any Martial Spirit Incense this month. You can forget about it for the next two months too. When the college entrance exams come, go feed the demon beasts!

"Save us from wasting resources!"

His spit fell like rain, his voice boomed like thunder. Amid the reverberations, the clash of weapons was like birds startled by thunder, trembling and shrieking without end!

In the Small Room of barely fifty square meters, five people and four spears moved within it. Their crisscrossing footsteps made the tiles quiver, while flashes of cold light frightened the walls pale!

Slash—

A spearhead's blade bit into flesh, drawing a shriek as crisp as shattering glass. "Your mother—Liu Zili!"

Hu Yeye's fair face twisted viciously, her crimson lips clenched tight. Blood gushed from a three-inch gash in her forearm as she tightly gripped her long spear and charged at the cold-faced, silent Liu Zili.

The mad howling of swinging spears swept through the Small Room. Wu Shan, watching from the side, remained calmly standing as his heaving chest gradually settled. His gaze shifted to the other side.

His right brow lowered over his eye socket, and his pupil seemed to squeeze out flowing murk. Reflected within it was the increasingly fierce clash between Wang Guanjia and Jiang Qiu.

Two years ago, Wang Guanjia, born into an ordinary family, had dared to challenge Li Juefeng. Now, he had already fallen below Xie Kuang.

Jiang Qiu, born in the Slum Area, had dared to challenge Wang Guanjia four days ago. Now, he was genuinely a step above him in spear technique.

Who would have thought a place as filthy and dilapidated as the Slum Area could produce someone like this?

If he had been born in the Commoner District, he would have qualified as an Outstanding Student two years ago, receiving two portions of Martial Spirit Incense each month. By now, he should not be far behind Li Juefeng.

At that thought, the corner of Wu Shan's mouth lifted slightly, and an unreadable gleam flashed through his eyes.

His talent was indeed exceptional. Few words, Hidden Weapon in Body—his future was destined to be broad.

But you had to expose my dirty secrets in front of Zhao Gongzheng. That truly annoys me.