Ancient Martial Spear Technique Initiation

"It hurts."

After returning home, Jiang Qiu sat with both hands bracing his waist. The slightest twist of his shoulders made him feel as though his skeleton had been dismantled, while the spear shaft's piercing stubbornness had nearly picked his muscles and tendons apart.

And this was only the beginning of learning the spear. With training this intense, tomorrow would be the hardest part—he would struggle to muster any strength at all.

But precisely because of that, it showed just how outstanding the Ancient Martial Spear Technique's body-tempering effects were!

Although Wu Shan had only explained the First Four Moves today, Jiang Qiu had benefited greatly. He vaguely felt that when his strength surged, he could thrust through a brick wall. After all, he had accumulated thirty-two Deep Practice sessions today!

Ancient Martial Spear Technique (Not Initiated)

48/100

"As long as I work hard and master the spear, I should be able to secure a Receive Spearhead slot, then register for the college entrance exam without trouble."

Jiang Qiu's eyes blazed. After dinner and a shower, he went to bed early to build up his strength for tomorrow's training.

The next day, he naturally woke before dawn again. His entire body ached so badly that his arms could barely support him, as if his bones had already fallen apart. But if he wanted to receive a spearhead, then these bones had to be pieced back together!

Though his body was exhausted, Jiang Qiu's spirits were high. He believed he could persist in mastering the Ancient Martial Spear Technique and receive a spearhead!

When he arrived at the Training Hall, he sharply noticed that Class Eight had fewer students today. Of the thirty-odd students after school yesterday, only twenty-eight remained.

Most of the class lived at the bottom of society, in the Slum Area. Even if they wanted to change their fate, they lacked the determination and confidence. After training martial arts for a day, they had probably figured out whether they could contend for the top three.

If they could not make the top three in the end, their future would be nothing more than hauling bricks. What was the point of suffering through spear training?

Better to give up.

Putting those thoughts aside, Jiang Qiu picked up a Wooden Spear from the rack. Along with the other students, he began today's training with full concentration under Wu Shan's guidance.

Today, Wu Shan taught the essentials of the Last Four Moves among the Ancient Martial Spear Technique's First Eight Moves. Round after round of repeated drills drove away students whose resolve was weak and whose bodies were unsteady. Several more were gradually shouted out of the Training Hall by Wu Shan.

Jiang Qiu gritted his teeth and endured an entire day of training. Though utterly exhausted, he completed even more practice sessions, and the effects of tempering his body were immediate.

Ancient Martial Spear Technique (Not Initiated)

80/100

On the third day, Wu Shan finally began teaching actual combat.

"The Ancient Martial Spear Technique gathers the strengths of the great spear masters of ancient martial arts. It is fierce yet spirited. It has not only domineering moves, but also fundamental defensive footwork. The best way to familiarize yourselves with these moves is sparring!" Wu Shan stood with his Wooden Spear planted against the floor, straight as an insurmountable mountain. "Wang Guanjia, come spar with me. The rest of you, pair up. Shaft tip forward, spearhead behind!"

"Yes!"

The tall Wang Guanjia answered respectfully and stepped forward with his spear. Envy filled everyone else's eyes.

Not only did Wang Guanjia have plenty of contact with the teacher as class monitor, but his father, who had once received a spearhead, also worked in No.8 Middle School's Resource Department. He had begun learning the spear early and occasionally received support from Medicinal Bath Resources for body tempering.

Everyone else had only studied the Ancient Martial Spear Technique for two or three days, while he had probably trained steadily for nearly three years. In foundational training such as horse stance and Stance Training, he was unquestionably first as well. He was Class Eight's uncrowned number one in martial arts, and one of the Receive Spearhead slots was surely reserved for him!

Clang, clang, clang.

The clattering collision of spear shafts echoed through the Training Hall. Sparring with Jiang Qiu was a tall youth with broad chest muscles and a straight, lofty back. The Wooden Spear in his hand seemed to weigh a thousand catties.

His name was Li Xueming. He lived in the Commoner District of the Outer City, and his parents strongly supported his martial arts training. He could eat pork or beef with every meal, giving him some of the best natural conditions in the class. He had also learned the First Eight Moves of the Ancient Martial Spear Technique through other means a year in advance. Apart from the incomparable Wang Guanjia, he considered himself no weaker than anyone else in the class.

Yet when faced with the youth before him thrusting his spear, he was like a village child who had poked a hornet's nest. Terrified out of his wits, he did not know where to run or how to block with the Wooden Spear in his hands. The Ancient Martial Spear Technique he had studied for at least a year suddenly vanished from his mind entirely. As he retreated, his back struck the wall, but the Wooden Shaft seized the moment to thrust forward, and his heart nearly stopped!

Whoosh—

His widened eyes filled with the color of wood. A breeze brushed his face and blew his bangs aside, revealing a broad forehead. A round wooden pommel stopped firmly two inches from his brow, humming as it trembled.

He swallowed hard. Only after the wooden pommel slowly lowered did he finally draw his chest back and exhale a breath of stale air, inwardly shocked. Could Jiang Qiu have already initiated the Ancient Martial Spear Technique?!

"Again. I'll hold back."

Jiang Qiu carried his spear back to the starting point ten steps away. He slowly exhaled as well, his gaze bright and clear.

Actual combat practice once

1/500

They had sparred for fewer than thirty exchanges, and the Ancient Martial Spear Technique had just happened to reach initiation. He had instinctively wanted to test exactly how much it had changed, which was why this scene had occurred.

It seemed he had already surpassed most of the class. After all, his sparring partner was also one of the five boys and two girls who had lasted until the end over the previous two days.

But compared to Wang Guanjia, it was probably still not enough.

With that thought, Jiang Qiu glanced toward the distant sharp figure who fought Wu Shan—who held his spear one-handed—without showing the slightest fear. He murmured softly, "Sooner or later, I'll be stronger than him too."

Li Xueming, who had vaguely heard him, subconsciously turned to look as well, his brows lifting slightly.

Who was he talking about?

Class monitor Wang Guanjia, or Teacher Wu Shan?

Neither was possible. He must have misheard.

"Not bad, Wang Guanjia. You have more talent than your father did back then. Before even receiving a spearhead, you've already initiated the Ancient Martial Spear Technique and can thrust out three parts Ming Jin."

Throughout the day, whether during breaks or not, Wu Shan did not shout at any other students again. He only occasionally glanced at the other two students worth paying attention to, briefly explained some key points, and corrected their stances. Most of his attention was focused on Wang Guanjia.

A large portion of the students never received Wu Shan's detailed explanations today, nor even a single shout worth pondering. It was as though they had returned to the dull days of basic training, except they now held Wooden Spears.

Jiang Qiu felt a little regretful as well. Without hearing more detailed instruction, he could only rely on slowly practicing by himself to deepen his understanding of the Ancient Martial Spear Technique.

After school, he returned home alone again. During dinner, he checked his phone and saw quite a few classmates voicing their dissatisfaction in Class Eight's student group chat.

[Zhang Shan: Can't Wu Shan seriously teach us the Ancient Martial Spear Technique? I've built up my foundations for seven or eight years. I just want to learn the Ancient Martial Spear Technique properly, so I can at least be said to have mastered martial arts.]

[Li Si: And what if you master martial arts? Does it make hauling bricks faster? There are only three slots to receive spearheads and learn the complete Ancient Martial Spear Technique in the first place. When will it ever be our turn?]

[Zhang Shan: Damn it, Wu Shan is just afraid of being held accountable by the higher-ups. He's only going through the motions for the school. He's never seriously taught us. I don't want to go tomorrow. The final slots are definitely reserved anyway, so what am I going for?]

[Liu Zili: We still have to try. There is only one chance.]

[]

[Zhang Shan has been muted by administrator Qian Cheng for one day]

[Li Si has been muted by administrator Qian Cheng for one day]

[All members muted]

[Qian Cheng (Administrator): Tomorrow is the Proficiency Test. Everyone should refrain from discussing things recklessly in the group. After all, graduation is only three months away.]

[Qian Cheng (Administrator): Also, hauling bricks requires knowing the right paths too. Whether you haul them from destroyed city walls or within the Outer City, I suggest you all look into it. For some students, that is more useful than martial arts.]

The once-lively student group chat instantly fell silent. The member count dropped by two, and an information divide formed from then on.

Jiang Qiu chewed his rice and muttered, "Qian Cheng, the study committee member, seems to be one of the five boys and two girls who can persist until the end every day too. Heh. If I remember right, he's the one closest to the class monitor, and he can occasionally relay notices for the teacher."

Shaking his head, he continued eating. He and Qian Cheng were not the same kind of people, so there was no need to interact.

Qian Cheng was among the few in the class who could live in the Commoner District of the Outer City, and he was friendly with more than a dozen classmates of similar circumstances. Jiang Qiu, meanwhile, was still living in the Slum Area.