Learning Spearmanship, Zhou Lie!

After arriving at the academy, Xu Mengqing first took Na'er to her class before entering his own classroom.

In class, Lin Ximeng taught some basic common knowledge of the continent and fundamental theories about Spirit Masters. Xu Mengqing listened attentively. During breaks, he did not play around with the other children either. Instead, he sat quietly at his desk, continuing to review the meridian circulation route of the Heaven-Swallowing Spirit-Devouring Art and the knowledge passed down to him by the Holy Dragon Pearl.

The long day passed in an instant. When the dismissal bell rang, Xu Mengqing rushed to the entrance of the ordinary class at once. Na'er was already waiting there obediently with her little backpack on her back. The moment she saw him, she threw herself into his arms.

When they returned home, Meng Ling'er was already busy in the kitchen, and the fragrance of food filled the entire courtyard. Meanwhile, Xu Zhan had moved the flowerpots that had originally held Blue Silver Grass to another area. After some tidying, he had cleared out a flat open space.

Seeing Xu Mengqing and Na'er return, Xu Zhan smiled and said, "Qing, you're back. Uncle Zhou will be here soon."

"Got it, Dad."

Before long, steady footsteps sounded outside the courtyard gate, followed by a hearty shout. "Old Xu, I'm here!"

Xu Zhan immediately got up to greet him, with Xu Mengqing following behind. At the entrance stood a tall middle-aged man dressed in a dark blue fitted outfit, his posture straight and upright.

"Old Zhou, I'm leaving this child to you!" Xu Zhan said with a smile. Then he turned to Xu Mengqing. "Qing, hurry and greet Uncle Zhou. This is Uncle Zhou Lie, the one I told you about who'll teach you spearmanship. He's a Level 46 Power Attack System Battle Soul Ancestor, and his Martial Soul is the Blazing Sun Spear."

Xu Mengqing hurriedly bowed respectfully. "Hello, Uncle Zhou. Sorry to trouble you."

Zhou Lie looked Xu Mengqing over. Though the boy was young, his aura was steady and his gaze resolute, without the slightest trace of childish restlessness. Approval immediately appeared in Zhou Lie's eyes. Waving his hand, he said, "No need to be so polite. Old Xu's son is my nephew. Since I promised to teach you, I'll hold nothing back. But spearmanship is bitter before it becomes sweet, and the basics are the most important. You must be prepared to endure hardship."

"I'm not afraid of hardship, Uncle Zhou. I'll definitely study seriously." Xu Mengqing's tone was firm, his eyes filled with longing for spearmanship.

"Good—" Zhou Lie laughed heartily.

Zhou Lie led Xu Mengqing to the open space in the middle of the courtyard. His expression grew slightly more serious, as did his tone.

"Meng Qing, before I teach you spearmanship, Uncle Zhou will first check your physical strength. Don't resist."

Xu Mengqing nodded.

Zhou Lie stepped forward and gently placed his broad palm on Xu Mengqing's shoulder. A thread of gentle Soul Power slowly entered Xu Mengqing's body as Zhou Lie carefully examined him.

But what he found nearly gave him a heart attack.

Xu Mengqing's physical strength was already almost comparable to that of an ordinary Soul Elder.

A monster. A true monster.

Zhou Lie slowly withdrew his hand and unconsciously swallowed. He stared at Xu Mengqing for a long while without speaking, the shock in his eyes refusing to fade. The way he looked at Xu Mengqing had completely changed, from initial approval to profound astonishment and amazement.

One had to know that a Spirit Master's physical strength generally increased to a certain extent alongside their rank. Yet an eleventh-level Spirit Master possessing a body comparable to a Soul Elder's was simply unheard of. Calling him a monstrously gifted freak would not be an exaggeration!

Seeing his expression, Xu Zhan could not help asking in confusion, "Old Zhou, what's wrong? Is there some problem with Qing's body?"

Only then did Zhou Lie come back to his senses. He took a deep breath, suppressed the turmoil in his heart, and shook his head at Xu Zhan. Even his voice carried a barely noticeable tremor. "No, it's just... his talent is very high!"

I can't exactly say that the brat's physical strength shocked me, can I?

But then again, wasn't his Martial Soul supposed to be Blue Silver Grass?

Has Blue Silver Grass become this... extraordinary now?

Xu Zhan was stunned for a moment before bursting into laughter, his eyes full of pride. "This child has been willing to work hard since he was little. He's never made us worry about his cultivation." He merely assumed that his son's talent had improved after his Martial Soul evolved. It never occurred to him that Xu Mengqing's body could rival that of a Soul Elder, because such a thing was simply too inconceivable.

Zhou Lie nodded and shifted his gaze to Xu Mengqing. "Meng Qing, your father told me about your situation. Can you demonstrate your Blue Silver Long Spear for me?"

Xu Mengqing nodded. Immediately afterward, a stalk of Blue Silver Grass with dark golden patterns slowly grew from his right palm.

Soon, under Xu Mengqing's control, a somewhat rough Blue Silver Long Spear woven from Blue Silver Grass appeared in his hand.

Zhou Lie was slightly stunned. Although Xu Zhan had told him about the situation beforehand, witnessing it with his own eyes still left him shocked.

He had never imagined that Blue Silver Grass could be used like this.

Then, under Zhou Lie's watchful gaze, another stalk of Blue Silver Grass slowly emerged from Xu Mengqing's palm. A white ten-year Spirit Ring then rose slowly beneath his feet. The Spirit Ring flashed, and Xu Mengqing unleashed his first Spirit Skill—Blue Silver Diamond Transformation. In an instant, the Blue Silver Long Spear, which had originally seemed wooden, became as hard as steel. It gleamed with blue-gold light, and its weight suddenly increased.

Zhou Lie nodded, then took the Blue Silver Long Spear from Xu Mengqing and weighed it in his hand. "The weight is good." He returned the spear to Xu Mengqing. "Come with me!"

Xu Mengqing nodded, withdrew his Martial Soul into his body, and followed Zhou Lie to the open space Xu Zhan had cleared.

Beside the open space stood a weapon rack, with several wooden spears leaning against it for teaching purposes.

After stopping, Zhou Lie looked at Xu Mengqing seriously. "Meng Qing, spearmanship emphasizes the balance of hardness and softness, advancing and withdrawing freely. Basic spear stances, footwork, and methods of exerting force are of utmost importance. I'll first demonstrate the basic way to hold a spear." As he spoke, Zhou Lie picked up a spear from the side and gripped it steadily with both hands. The shaft seemed to come alive in his grasp. He stood straight as a pine, his eyes focused and sharp.

"When holding the spear, let the shaft rest against the web between your thumb and forefinger. Apply a little force with your index and middle fingers, while your thumb rests lightly against it. This ensures proper control over the spear." As he spoke, Zhou Lie slowly moved his hands so Xu Mengqing could observe carefully. "Try holding one."

Xu Mengqing stepped forward, picked up a spear, and held it as Zhou Lie had instructed. Zhou Lie came over and gently adjusted Xu Mengqing's hand position. "Keep your force more even. Feel how the spear fits your hands."

After adjusting his grip, Zhou Lie began explaining the basic footwork. "Spearmanship footwork must be flexible and varied. You can advance to attack and retreat to defend." As he spoke, he demonstrated with steady steps, sometimes moving forward, sometimes backward, sometimes shifting sideways. Every step was stable and powerful.

Xu Mengqing watched Zhou Lie's demonstration carefully, doing his best to remember every key movement. Then he began imitating Zhou Lie's footwork, moving step by step. At first, his steps were somewhat stiff and his movements not smooth enough, but he did not grow discouraged and kept repeating the exercises.

Zhou Lie patiently guided him from the side. "Your steps must be light, but your footing must be steady. Pay attention to shifting your center of gravity." Under Zhou Lie's guidance, Xu Mengqing's footwork gradually became more agile, and his movements increasingly natural.

Next, Zhou Lie began teaching Xu Mengqing how to exert force. "The force behind a spear begins from the feet, passes through the legs and waist, reaches the arms, and finally acts upon the spear tip." As he spoke, Zhou Lie picked up the spear and thrust forward fiercely. The spear tip carried a sharp, fierce momentum, as though it would pierce through the air.

Xu Mengqing followed Zhou Lie's instructions and tried to exert force. At first, he could not transmit his strength properly, and the force behind the spear tip was insufficient. Zhou Lie stepped forward and adjusted his posture. "Pay attention to the rotation of your waist. Gather your strength together."

Xu Mengqing tried again. This time, he clearly felt his strength transferring more effectively to the spear tip. Both the speed and power of his thrust improved noticeably.

"Not bad. You've improved." Zhou Lie nodded approvingly. "Learning spearmanship is a long process. It requires constant practice and comprehension. From now on, practice repeatedly according to the methods I taught you."

Xu Mengqing nodded firmly and began practicing his grip, footwork, and methods of exerting force over and over in the open space. The afterglow of the setting sun fell across him, illuminating his focused and determined face.

Meanwhile, Na'er, Meng Ling'er, and Xu Zhan quietly watched from the side as Xu Mengqing practiced again and again.