When he got home.
Jiang Hao couldn't wait to keep practicing!
But there was a problem!
There was no spear at home.
Jiang Hao rummaged around the house.
A moment later, his gaze settled on the handle of the mop in the corner.
It was a smooth, straight stick of hardwood.
"Isn't this just perfect?"
Jiang Hao's eyes lit up.
"The system only cares about whether my movements are correct and how I channel my force."
"It never said I had to practice with an Alloy Spear."
"As long as it's long and straight, that should do, right?"
With that thought, Jiang Hao got to work.
In just a few quick twists, he removed the mop head.
A wooden stick of a fairly useful length and weight appeared in his hand.
Carrying this "makeshift spear," Jiang Hao went out into the courtyard.
Beneath the fading sunlight!
Jiang Hao began practicing the Tidal Wave Spear Technique.
Holding his breath and focusing!
Jiang Hao recalled the complicated diagrams on how to channel force in his terminal, then took up the Starting Stance.
"First Wave!"
He gave a low shout.
Jiang Hao twisted his waist and circulated his qi and blood, thrusting the wooden stick out with a fierce stab!
But the force had already piled up in his shoulder. The stick wobbled as it shot forward, completely lacking power.
Failure.
Jiang Hao's expression didn't change. He immediately began a second attempt.
His movements were still crooked and unsteady.
But compared to the first time, the angle of his thrust had improved slightly.
The third try!
Jiang Hao tried to sink his qi and blood into his dantian, then unleash it in a sudden burst.
The fourth try!
The stick's trajectory began to steady.
Jiang Hao was completely absorbed in the process of figuring it out.
He repeated the movements over and over, failing again and again, then making one correction after another.
He had no idea how much time had passed.
Just as Jiang Hao took his stance once more and thrust forward with all his might!
He suddenly felt the power that had been flowing awkwardly through his body finally find an outlet!
It surged up from the soles of his feet, through his waist and hips, up his spine, then twisted together into a single strand!
Thump!
A muffled sound rang out!
The mop handle in Jiang Hao's hand seemed to have truly pierced through an invisible membrane!
An unprecedented rush of exhilaration swept through his entire body!
That's it!
That was the feeling!
At the same time!
A notification only he could hear rang out in his mind!
[Beep! Detected that the host has successfully practiced "Tidal Wave Spear Technique"!] [Proficiency +1] [Tidal Wave Spear Technique · Beginner (1/100)]
Jiang Hao's expression instantly brightened with excitement!
"I've got the basics down!"
"Keep going!"
At the front door of the house!
Click.
The door opened!
Jiang Keke had come home from school.
Humming a tune, she had just stepped into the living room when she spotted Jiang Hao in the courtyard, holding a stick without its mop head.
Jiang Keke froze on the spot.
She hurried over to the patio that opened onto the courtyard, her little face full of confusion.
"Bro?"
"Y-you okay?"
Jiang Hao stopped and looked at her in confusion.
Jiang Keke pointed at the wooden stick in his hand.
"If you're okay, why are you waving a mop handle around like that?"
Jiang Hao: "..."
Jiang Hao looked down at the "Divine Weapon" in his hand.
What did she mean, a mop handle!
This was a Divine Weapon!
"I'm practicing."
"Pfft."
Jiang Keke rolled her eyes.
"Who practices martial arts with a mop handle?"
Jiang Hao gave an awkward cough.
"I just... happened to have something handy."
Jiang Keke helplessly waved a hand.
"Alright, alright. Just remember to put the mop head back on."
"Otherwise, Mom's going to scold you when she sees it!"
"Got it."
Jiang Hao nodded.
Muttering to herself, Jiang Keke went back into the living room. She figured her brother was probably practicing some new Spear Technique, given how awkwardly he was moving.
Judging by the way he's channeling his force, it's probably a Martial Skill?
But the way he was moving just now...
He won't master this Martial Skill for at least ten days or half a month. No chance!
Even I need ten days or so!
Time passed!
With the Martial Arts College Entrance Exam drawing near, Shen Man and Jiang's father didn't interrupt Jiang Hao when they saw him practicing. They waited until it was almost time for dinner before calling him in to eat!
The sounds of Jiang Hao's parents cooking came from the kitchen.
At the same time!
Shen Man's voice rang out!
"Keke, dinner's almost ready."
"Go call your brother. It's time to eat."
"Coming!"
Jiang Keke had been curled up on the sofa watching TV. At that, she got to her feet reluctantly.
She went over to the patio again!
She slid open the door, ready to call out.
However.
The moment she saw what was happening in the courtyard.
Jiang Keke was utterly stunned!
Jiang Hao was still practicing that Spear Technique, but there wasn't a trace of his earlier awkwardness left in his movements!
Jiang Hao's Stance Training was as steady as a rock!
Every move carried the fierce presence of a tiger!
Each movement was as textbook-perfect as could be!
Right before Jiang Keke's stunned eyes.
Jiang Hao lunged forward and thrust!
Thump!
A dull boom rang out!
The ordinary mop handle in Jiang Hao's hand had actually burst through the air!
It was nothing but a broken wooden stick!
Jiang Keke couldn't keep it together any longer!
"N-no way?"
Jiang Keke's little mouth formed an "O."
"H-he's already mastered the basics?"
"A Martial Skill?"
"Judging by those movements, that force... it had to be a Martial Skill!"
"And the way it channels force is so complicated!"
"This must be a pretty difficult Martial Skill!"
"How did my brother even do that?"
A Martial Skill!
Mastering one in an afternoon—no, in just a few hours?
Even the Key Class didn't have anyone that monstrous, did it?
They said that those Prodigies who had already secured a place at a Key Martial Arts University and possessed a Sun-level talent could master a Martial Skill in half a day.
Was her brother a Sun-level Prodigy?
What a joke!
Jiang Hao had no idea what was going through Jiang Keke's mind. At that moment, all he felt was that as he watched his proficiency in Tidal Wave Spear Technique rise, his body seemed to have endless energy!
He finished another round!
[Beep! Detected that the host has successfully practiced "Tidal Wave Spear Technique"!] [Proficiency +1] [Tidal Wave Spear Technique · Beginner (8/100)]
Seeing that his proficiency had reached eight!
That meant!
Jiang Hao had successfully performed Tidal Wave Spear Technique correctly eight times!
He had a strong feeling that once his Beginner proficiency reached ten, Tidal Wave Spear Technique would become a Martial Skill he could truly perform!
Instead of being so stiff like it was now!
Only...
Jiang Hao wiped the sweat from his face and looked at Jiang Keke, who was staring at him blankly from the patio. He asked in confusion, "What's wrong?"
At that, Jiang Keke snapped out of it. Her slippers went "pat pat pat" as she rushed over to Jiang Hao!
The pleasant scent of the young girl's body wash drifted over.
Jiang Keke asked Jiang Hao in shock, "Bro, w-was that a Martial Skill you just used?"
"Yeah!"
Since he was practicing at home, Jiang Hao hadn't planned to hide it!
"Hiss!"
Jiang Keke sucked in a breath, still in shock. "From what I saw, you mastered the basics, right? When you got home... had you only just started practicing?"
Jiang Hao had no idea how monstrous his speed at practicing a Martial Skill was!
He thought everyone else was about as fast as he was!
So he nodded without hesitation!
"Yeah!"
"I only started trying it just before school let out this afternoon!"
Before you continue