第21章 龙胆亮银枪!(感谢დ心凉的推荐票~)

The training ground was located in the rear courtyard of the City Lord's Manor, a square practice field twenty meters long and twenty meters wide.

Back when he was still a Soul Sect, Owens often sparred here with the other five Soul Sect commanders.

But after advancing to Soul King, such things rarely happened.

His strength was simply too great, leaving those Soul Sect commanders unwilling to spar with him—they would only get utterly crushed.

Now that a powerful challenger had finally come knocking, Owens was actually quite excited, setting aside the so-called wager!

Only by fighting someone stronger than himself could he have a chance to become stronger!

On the training ground.

Owens and Zhao Yun stood on opposite sides.

Around the edge of the platform gathered a group of servants watching the show, along with Owens's family.

Among them was Owens's wife, a woman in her thirties.

At that moment, she gazed brightly at Zhao Yun, the corners of her lips lifting slightly.

"The young man fighting my husband does look rather heroic.

"But my husband's spear technique is exceptionally strong.

"Whether on the training platform or in bed..."

On the training platform.

Owens held a golden spear, its tip aimed directly at Zhao Yun.

"Reveal your martial soul!"

With a gesture of his right hand, Zhao Yun summoned a silver-white spear over twelve feet long into his grasp.

Fine dragon scales layered across the spear shaft, making it resemble a section of a dragon's spine!

The three-inch spearhead was as thin as a cicada's wing, nearly invisible when viewed from the side.

It was his martial soul—the Dragon-Gallbladder Silver Spear!

Although he had released his martial soul, he chose to conceal his soul rings so as not to frighten these people.

Thus, there was no earth-shaking display.

This instead led all the onlookers to believe that he was not particularly strong.

Only Owens felt his heart grow increasingly heavy!

He knew very well that concealing one's soul rings was a technical skill.

Only someone with sufficient control over their martial soul and soul power could accomplish it.

Even he could not conceal his soul rings the instant he summoned his martial soul.

Only after summoning it could he barely manage to hide them.

Yet Owens was not intimidated by this. Instead, he grew even more excited!

He could not wait to see just how formidable this "spear master" truly was!

Owens said nothing more. He suddenly pushed off with his foot, his golden spear shooting out like a flood dragon emerging from the sea as it stabbed toward Zhao Yun's left shoulder!

This thrust carried no soul power at all. It relied purely on force from his waist and hips, the spear tip tearing through the air with a sharp whistle.

Faced with this imposing thrust, Zhao Yun advanced rather than retreated.

His silver spear swept diagonally upward, its shaft sliding along the golden spear's haft and borrowing its force to divert Owens's attack slightly!

At the same time, he lightly spun the butt of his spear. The red tassel swept across the back of Owens's hand holding the weapon with a crisp smack!

It did not hurt, but Owens's expression darkened!

Zhao Yun took the opportunity to instruct him in the tone of a seasoned master.

"Your lead hand is raised too high.

"A spear thrust should follow a straight line. Your spear tip starts half an inch too high, so naturally it drifts upward when you thrust."

Having been lectured, Owens's face immediately became unpleasant.

He glanced at the reddened back of his hand.

Still, he took the advice and lowered his spear before attacking again!

This time, however, his golden spear swept out almost flush with the stone slabs of the platform. The angle was extremely tricky as it struck directly at Zhao Yun's lower body!

Yet Zhao Yun leaped swiftly while simultaneously tapping downward with his silver spear!

The spear tip precisely pinned the middle of the golden shaft, forcibly halting the sweep.

Then he flicked his wrist, and the silver spear shot forward like a nimble serpent darting out its tongue!

Its tip stopped directly three inches from Owens's throat, utterly motionless!

Owens's pupils suddenly contracted.

If his opponent had wished it, he would already have lost—and might even have had his throat pierced on the spot!

An uproar instantly rose from below the platform!

Even Owens's wife could not help covering her little mouth!

Her husband... had lost?

Was it really that fast?

He was not nearly as enduring as he usually was in bed...

Yet Zhao Yun suddenly withdrew his silver spear and said,

"You put too much force into that move just now.

"When sweeping the spear, leave yourself thirty percent of your strength. Otherwise, the moment your power is spent will be the moment you reveal an opening!"

Owens became thoughtful.

Zhao Yun did not interrupt his reflection, but the crowd below the platform had already begun whispering among themselves.

They were roughly saying that their general had let him.

Their general had not even begun to exert himself yet!

Zhao Yun ignored such dull remarks.

This spar had only ever had one outcome from beginning to end.

He had not come here to defeat Owens, but to guide him in spear technique and help him achieve a breakthrough in it!

Then, through this, he would persuade Owens and use the military force under his command to control all of Langya City!

Of course, defeating him was merely incidental.

Seeing the light gather again in Owens's eyes, Zhao Yun knew that he had emerged from his thoughts and reminded him,

"Continue!"

Owens's gaze sharpened, and he nodded solemnly.

Holding the silver spear one-handed, Zhao Yun swept it out horizontally as well.

The arc traced by its tip was fuller than Owens's earlier sweep!

But halfway through, the shaft suddenly trembled, unexpectedly changing direction slightly out of nowhere!

The spearhead seemed to come alive as it struck straight toward Owens's navel!

Zhao Yun's instructive voice sounded again.

"Only when your force is not spent can you change moves flexibly!"

Owens stared at the silver spear, and a flash of realization passed through his eyes. He hurriedly turned aside to evade, then pulled back to create distance.

He took a deep breath and gripped his golden spear again.

This time, he did not rush to attack. Instead, he adjusted his footwork and slowly circled Zhao Yun.

Zhao Yun did not urge him, merely standing where he was with his silver spear held diagonally as he waited for Owens to make a move.

Soon, Owens moved.

His golden spear stabbed out three times in rapid succession, attacking high, middle, and low. Spear shadows intertwined into a golden net!

This time, his movements were noticeably smoother. His lead hand was no longer stiff, and his rear hand had learned to draw back using the force of the strike.

Yet Zhao Yun sent his silver spear flying one-handed, blocking every attack.

The clanging of metal rang out as densely as rain, sparks scattering everywhere!

But no matter how Owens pressed his attacks, Zhao Yun's silver spear remained an impenetrable defense. Even his feet had not moved.

"Not bad."

Zhao Yun suddenly praised him amid his blocks.

"But your footwork is still too slow."

Before his words had faded, he suddenly stepped forward with his left foot and dropped his body sharply.

The movement came without warning, causing Owens's golden spear to pass over Zhao Yun's head and stab into empty air.

At the instant Owens's old force had faded and his new force had yet to arise, Zhao Yun's silver spear stabbed diagonally upward from below!

Its tip hooked against Owens's spear shaft, and a soft force burst forth, knocking the golden spear straight out of Owens's hands!

The golden spear spun twice in midair before landing with a clang, embedding itself in a crack between the stones at the platform's edge.

Owens stood where he was, empty-handed, beads of sweat forming at his temples.

He stared at the golden spear lodged in the stone crack and remained silent for a long, long time.

Finally, he turned around and cupped his fists toward Zhao Yun in salute.

"I lost..."

After a pause, he asked again,

"How did you make that final lift? I clearly held back thirty percent of my strength..."

Zhao Yun recalled the Dragon-Gallbladder Silver Spear into his body, the corners of his mouth curving slightly.

"You held back strength to change moves, but the intent to change moves went ahead while your spear was still left halfway through.

"When intent is fast but the spear is slow, that is an opening!"

He walked to the edge of the platform, pulled the golden spear from the stones with one hand, and handed it back to Owens.

"Spear techniques are dead, but people are alive.

"The day you no longer deliberately think about 'holding back strength,' your spear will truly become fast."

Owens accepted the golden spear and looked at his reflection in its smooth shaft, unable to help pondering.

After a while, he suddenly raised his head. His short red hair was tousled by the wind, but his eyes shone with astonishing brightness.

"Another match?"

Zhao Yun looked at Owens's burning gaze, considered for two seconds, then smiled and nodded.

"Come!"