Saber and Halberd

The neatly arranged weapons gleamed with a cold light beneath the morning sun. It was obvious they had already been sharpened.

Moreover, the materials used to forge them were all exceptional, far beyond the unsharpened weapons Chen Wu had used at the martial arts school before.

That was understandable. After all, aside from liberal arts graduates, anyone able to work for the government was at least a ranked martial artist.

At that stage, if one still feared being injured by a weapon, that would truly disgrace a martial artist.

Gu Yuyue introduced the place to Chen Wu with considerable pride. "This is a martial arts training room specially prepared by the district government for public employees. It's also one of the perks of your sister being the captain of the Criminal Investigation Brigade. Before, since you disliked the martial arts, it wasn't convenient to bring you here. But now that you've taken up the martial arts again, come here every day from now on and cultivate properly."

Chen Wu frowned, asking worriedly, "Sis, won't this put you in a difficult position?"

In the Red Continent Republic, martial artists had privileges, but they were also subject to extremely strict restrictions. Unlike the martial artists of the Ancient Shendu Kingdom and the United States of America, they did not possess authority that placed them above ordinary people.

As the captain of the Criminal Investigation Brigade, Gu Yuyue could come here to train without anyone saying a word.

But Chen Wu was merely her relative. He worried that doing this might have a negative impact on his sister.

It would not be good if someone accused her of abusing her authority.

Gu Yuyue saw what her younger brother was worried about. She was delighted by his caution and concern for her, and smiled. "Xiao Wu, you don't need to worry about that. Even without me, you can still enter this place. I brought you here this time so you can familiarize yourself with the way. Next time, you can come by yourself."

Chen Wu immediately understood what his sister meant. He could come here because of their mother.

"Xiao Wu, before we officially begin, let me see how far you've trained the martial techniques taught at school."

At the mention of martial arts, Gu Yuyue's expression changed. Her entire presence became incomparably sharp, as though she were a different person.

"Alright."

Following Gu Yuyue's instructions, Chen Wu began performing Primordial Palm and Eight Extremes Fist before her.

At first, Gu Yuyue felt rather gratified. Xiao Wu truly has good talent. He neglected his training for four years, yet after only a few days of picking it back up, he already looks the part. At this rate, he should enter the threshold in just a few days.

But as time passed, the more she watched, the more shocked she became.

What should have been ordinary fist and palm techniques flowed from Chen Wu's hands as naturally as he pleased, like antelope horns hanging without leaving a trace.

No, this isn't a level of power someone at the entry stage could display. He's definitely at the major accomplishment realm or above.

By the time Gu Yuyue waited for Chen Wu to finish both basic martial techniques, her heart had already churned several times.

Chen Wu asked smugly, "Sis, how was that?"

Gu Yuyue asked with a stern expression, "Xiao Wu, tell your sister the truth. Have you secretly practiced before?"

Chen Wu answered honestly, "No. I only started cultivating in the days since Sis came back."

Ever since learning that special physiques existed, Chen Wu had decided to hide his true capabilities. He only intended to reveal some of the traits of his Holy Demon Embryo to outsiders.

Once he reached the First Rank realm, he would decide what to do depending on the situation.

His sister was the only family he had in this life, so he could reveal a little to lay the groundwork.

After receiving Chen Wu's answer, Gu Yuyue continued asking, "Then have you felt that there's anything different about yourself?"

Chen Wu replied as though it were only natural, "Nothing more than being a little more perceptive and learning martial arts a little faster. That's all."

Hearing Chen Wu's words, Gu Yuyue could not help but twitch at the corner of her mouth, inwardly shouting, That's all? You call this that's all? If this is all, then what are those martial arts geniuses who are still stuck at the major accomplishment realm supposed to be?!

After calming herself, Gu Yuyue put on an air of tranquil ease. "Your fist and palm skills are good enough now. As for weapons, what do you plan to practice? Or do you intend to focus on fists and kicks?"

Chen Wu had long since made up his mind regarding weapons. "I plan to cultivate both the saber and the halberd."

Gu Yuyue approved of Chen Wu's idea. Nodding, she said, "Since you have a special talent for martial techniques, this works out well. Although I majored in fist and kick techniques during university, I also minored in saber techniques for two years. Your mother was skilled with the halberd before she passed away and passed some of it on to me. I can't say I'm especially proficient in either, but it should be enough to teach you."

As she spoke, Gu Yuyue walked to the weapon rack and took down a thick-backed heavy saber and a halberd as thick as a wrist. Holding one in each hand, she walked before Chen Wu and instructed him, "Saber techniques primarily focus on chopping. As the saying goes, 'The saber's sharpness lies in its chop.' Of course, beyond chopping, there are also lifting cuts, thrusts, interceptions, blocks, deflections, slashes, wipes, draws, and wraps, among other basic moves."

"You only need to remember that saber techniques are characterized by courage and speed, an imposing aura, hard and powerful force, like a fierce tiger. As long as you can master these basic traits proficiently, you can be considered to have entered the threshold of saber techniques."

"A halberd, meanwhile, is a versatile polearm that can hook, peck, and thrust. It is a combination of the ancient ge and spear, with a straight blade and a cross blade—four edges in all."

"The straight blade can stab and kill, while the cross blade can hook and peck. One weapon has many uses. The crescent-shaped portion in the middle is called an 'ear.'"

"Therefore, halberds are divided into single-ear and double-ear types. A single-ear halberd is generally called a 'Green Dragon Halberd,' while a double-ear one is called a 'Square Sky Halberd.'"

"It is precisely because the halberd possesses the traits of so many weapons that anyone able to wield it skillfully would stand out even among martial arts experts."

Thanks to the Holy Demon Embryo's powerful recovery ability, after several days of training, Chen Wu could now easily wield the formerly somewhat heavy halberd and saber.

As she spoke, Gu Yuyue first set the heavy thick-backed saber aside. Gripping the halberd with both hands, she shook her body, forcefully driving power through her waist and arms and swiftly uniting them as one. The crescent halberd whistled through the air.

Whoosh—

The halberd's blade tore through the air, producing wave after wave of piercing shrieks.

Then the halberd's momentum unfolded—opening and closing in grand sweeps, attacking from afar and defending up close, its variations too numerous to list.

As the halberd routine neared its end, Gu Yuyue rapidly switched weapons before Chen Wu.

The heavy saber in her hands immediately became like a furious gale sweeping through the sky, leaving layer upon layer of saber shadows.

Chen Wu fixed his eyes tightly on the saber's path, rapidly absorbing the halberd and saber techniques his sister demonstrated.

After showing off her martial techniques before her younger brother, Gu Yuyue asked, "Xiao Wu, how much of the halberd and saber techniques I just used did you remember?"

"More or less all of them."

Chen Wu possessed the ability to remember anything at a glance.

"Oh? Xiao Wu, then can you demonstrate them for your sister now?"

Although Gu Yuyue had gained a preliminary understanding of her younger brother's monstrous talent from what had happened earlier, she still had no concrete idea of just how extraordinary it was. She needed to see it for herself.