Spear Tip Pierces Armor

Crack! Crash! Clang!

The wooden spearheads clashed like tigers and crocodiles tearing at each other. Wang Guanjia wielded his Wooden Spear with sharp aggression, every thrust and sweep aimed at Jiang Qiu's chest, throat, and nose, looking down on him as he crushed him with sheer force!

The fierce offensive stirred wave after wave of wind, scattering the hair over Jiang Qiu's forehead and numbing his arms. Clearly, Wang Guanjia had not only grasped the Ancient Martial Arts Spear Technique, but had also advanced further in physical strength. These past few years, he had not merely undergone basic body-tempering training!

Seeing Wang Guanjia firmly holding the upper hand, Li Xueming sighed inwardly. Wang Guanjia's father is a teacher in the school's Resource Department. His standing is already decent, and he has some means. He might even be able to obtain official martial arts resources to temper his body. Wang Guanjia's physical qualities may not be much worse than those of some Outstanding Students now.

Jiang Qiu was born in the Slum Area and is an orphan. Whether he can even afford meat on ordinary days is questionable. How could he dare compete with Wang Guanjia?

With a sigh low as dust, everyone's gazes dimmed, as though they had already seen the outcome.

Though they were not truly the same kind of people, the moment Qian Cheng obtained that spot, everything changed. That unfair list was pressing down upon all their heads as well, and no one was willing to accept it.

They did not dare resist themselves, so they wanted to see someone shatter that injustice. At the very least, someone had to defeat any one of the people on that list. It was the purest expectation buried deep within their hearts.

Yet the whistling sound of the spearhead splitting the wind nearly severed their last sliver of hazy hope.

Meanwhile, Zhao Gongzheng remained silent, a sharp gleam brewing behind his thick lenses. Wu Shan narrowed his right eye, and an unusual look flashed through his gaze.

Why was Jiang Qiu's defense watertight, while Wang Guanjia was growing more frantic the longer he fought?

Whoosh—

A curved shadow from the spear tip swept past three inches before Jiang Qiu's chest. Cold wind pierced through his clothes and into his body. He retreated two steps with a tap-tap, his rear heel landing firmly as his stance stood as steady as an ancient pine that would not fall.

In an instant, the flames surged to their peak. An unprecedented killing intent flashed through Wang Guanjia's eyes. Almost instinctively, he drove his spear forward in pursuit, both arms taut and twisting, his face savage as a crazed tiger!

He can't possibly hold me off for this long!

Impossible!

That's impossible—

Along with that inward roar, the Wooden Spear shot through the air with a whoosh. The force of his entire body twisted into the rotating spear tip, determined to pierce through Jiang Qiu's throat!

Hesitation, stunned silence, fury, killing intent!

At that moment, students such as Li Xueming and Hu Yeye widened their eyes, their hearts skipping a beat. Wu Shan frowned and clenched his fist, while the members of the Inspection Team standing beside Zhao Gongzheng wore icy expressions.

Huff~

So faint it was nearly imperceptible, a thread of clear air flowed into Jiang Qiu's nostrils. His horse stance, already planted, did not shift by even half an inch. His waist turned sideways. In his lowered gaze, the Wooden Spear stabbed toward him, while the end of the spear in his right hand rotated and pushed forward in turn.

The spearhead soared from the loose grip of his left hand, the force erupting in an instant like an Azure dragon soaring into the sky.

A basic move of the Ancient Martial Arts Spear Technique—Block, Grab, Thrust Spear!

Since you're in such a hurry, then it's my turn to attack!

Bang!

The two spinning spearheads collided perfectly, one above and one below, like a pouncing Fierce Tiger biting at a rising Azure dragon. A mocking smile tugged at Wang Guanjia's lips. His strength reigned supreme in Class Eight; all he needed was to use the impact to shake Jiang Qiu's spear, and the shaft would surely be knocked flying!

But suddenly, a force like a great flood crashing into a mountain rebounded through the shaft. His expression sank, his chest trembled, and his raised-handed stance shook abruptly. Yet the spear tip continued charging forward without changing course.

Crack—

The sound of wood splitting to its limit spread out like a spiderweb. The Wooden Spear in Jiang Qiu's hands bored through Wang Guanjia's spearhead with crushing force, like a diamond drill boring through the head of an inferior wooden shaft, ripping splinters apart!

The fierce attack in his eyes was like a cold spear reflected in water. The muscles throughout his body were like a towel wrung dry, all his strength compressed between his palms and erupting at the very tip of the Wooden Spear!

Overt Force Breaks Wind, Spear Tip Pierces Armor!

Huff—

The raised wooden spear tip struck to within three inches of Wang Guanjia's brow. Its bone-piercing force was like icy needles stabbing into his forehead. His black hair flew backward, his tiger eyes suddenly shrinking and staring round, trembling in shock.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

The snapped spear shaft and wooden fragments crashed to the floor. The Training Hall was still as windless air. Arms gripping spear shafts went numb and trembled, shaking the students' hearts and leaving their pupils frozen.

Wu Shan, who had just taken a Half-step forward, stood rooted in place. He watched helplessly as the spear tip in Jiang Qiu's hand broke through Wang Guanjia's Wooden Spear and howled to within three inches of his forehead.

The fingers of the Inspection Team members twitched. The light reflected on Zhao Gongzheng's lenses shone bright and clear. The corners of his halted mouth rose as he broke the dead silence. "Good, good, good! Even an ordinary class can produce a student with such exceptional talent. Spear Tip Pierces Armor—you have already understood the practical use of Ming Jin. You deserve the school's training.

"Jiang Qiu, I can approve an additional Outstanding Student spot for you. You have hope of entering Northwest Martial Arts University."

Jiang Qiu calmly withdrew his Wooden Spear and clasped his fists in salute. "Thank you, Director Zhao. I will not disappoint your expectations!"

Sure enough, only by proving his potential and value could he be taken seriously and receive sufficient attention.

In the Northwest, what spoke more convincingly than words was battle!

If he did not use a powerful opponent like Wang Guanjia to fully display his abilities, how could he make a name for himself in a single stroke? How could he swallow the anger of seeing a list without his name on it?

Qian Cheng stole the spot—let him have it. All I want is the spot and opportunity that belong to me. From then on, the sky is vast and the road is long.

If he missed such an opportunity, it would become a lifetime of regret, even if it meant offending some people.

"Good," Zhao Gongzheng said, lightly patting Jiang Qiu's right shoulder with a faint smile. "Your muscles are solid, but your frame is still not sturdy enough. Once your Outstanding Student status is certified, eat more meat in the cafeteria."

"Alright. Thank you for your concern, Director Zhao."

The corners of Jiang Qiu's lips lifted. The sharpness around him dispersed with his smile, and he once more resembled the student who usually stood at the very back of the line. Yet he was no longer inconspicuous.

The watching students had focused all their attention on him. An unprecedented admiration gathered in their eyes as they clenched their damp fists.

Spear Tip Pierces Armor—a distant yet suddenly near description. They had never imagined that a classmate could receive such an evaluation.

That was no longer a realm that martial arts resources alone could pile up. Without the ignition of actual combat and the wind of Martial Arts Talent, how could one fully comprehend the Ming Jin of spear techniques—Spear Tip Pierces Armor?

Even Wang Guanjia, the top student of the first eight classes, had merely been described by Wu Shan as having "thrust out three parts Ming Jin."

Thinking of this, everyone could not help glancing at Wang Guanjia, who stood there blankly. His face was pale, his lips bluish and dry, and his rolling eyes were still trembling with a buzzing daze. The color had drained from his expression. "My strength is clearly inferior to mine, and his spear technique isn't better than mine. Why has he already fully comprehended Spear Tip Pierces Armor?"

The final word squeezed from the corner of his mouth, and his heart crashed down with a bang, like a mirror falling onto concrete.

Just then, two crisp yet heavy footsteps sounded as someone else stepped out with a spear in hand. "Director Zhao, Class Eight student Liu Zili requests to challenge the third person on the qualification list—Qian Cheng!"