In his previous life, he had once seen a drawing of a miniature man wielding a forty-meter-long saber arrogantly declaring that he would give his opponent a head start of thirty-nine meters.
That was exactly what Zhang Xuan was feeling at the moment.
With more than a dozen feather dusters connected together, they were more than ten meters long, reminiscent of a flagpole. At this moment, Ying Qin's spear was as short as a fire stick.
With such a long weapon in hand, how could he possibly fear it?
"Let's begin then!"
With a loud hiss, Ying Qin stomped his foot on the ground and charged forward.
Given how long Zhang Xuan's weapon was, as long as he could get within a dozen meters of it, he would be invincible.
Just like how the other party had whipped him with the feather duster earlier, wouldn't that fellow be at his mercy?
"How can it be that easy to get in?"
How could Zhang Xuan not know what Ying Qin was up to? With a light chuckle, he executed the Heaven's Path Movement Art, and with a swift movement, he closed the distance between him and Ying Qin. Then, with a flick of the feather duster in his hand, he stabbed it forward.
Hu!
The ten-meter-long bamboo pole wasn't as nimble as a spear, and it wasn't as fast as a sword or a saber. But for some reason, it was able to block Ying Qin's path.
In other words, if Ying Qin wanted to get close to Zhang Xuan, it would be impossible for him to dodge it.
"Damn it!"
With an awful look on his face, Ying Qin twisted his body to dodge the other party's attack. He wanted to circle around the other party, but before he could get far, the bamboo pole suddenly struck him once more.
This time, it was even faster than before. It was aimed at one of his acupoints, leaving him no choice but to guard against it.
"Humph!"
Ying Qin leaped backward to dodge the attack before dashing to the other side.
The burst of zhenqi from an Ethereal Treading realm pinnacle expert allowed him to move as swiftly as a dragon.
But … no matter how fast he was, the other party's bamboo pole was even faster. Every time he tried to enter, the bamboo pole would lightly tap him out. It was as if the other party was able to predict the direction in which he was going to attack.
Even though the bamboo pole was long, its defense was impenetrable, making it impossible for Ying Qin to breach it.
"This …"
Ruohuan gongzi and the others swallowed a mouthful of saliva as they widened their eyes in shock.
They thought that as long as Ying Qin didn't suppress his cultivation, it would be difficult for Zhang Shi to even get close to him. Yet, who could have thought that a bamboo pole made out of a feather duster would be able to suppress Ying Qin so much that he couldn't even get close to Ying Qin?
This way, even if he couldn't win, he would at least be in an invincible position.
"Have you guys realized? This doesn't seem like a battle!"
After a moment of shock, someone in the crowd spoke up.
"That's right!" Luo Xuan frowned, thought for a moment, and couldn't help but say, "It looks like … a monkey show?"
"I think so too …"
Ruohuan gongzi nodded in agreement.
Everyone nodded simultaneously.
In their eyes, Ying Qin, who had been as imposing as a dragon just a moment ago, was now like a monkey being toyed with. Zhang Xuan stood still on the spot, holding the bamboo pole in his hand and pointing at it. He jumped once, then turned around and dashed inside.
However, before he could charge in, the bamboo pole suddenly struck him once more, and he leaped up once more …
And so on.
He was no different from a monkey being teased on the street.
To toy with a Grade-4 genius like a monkey …
Zhang Shi was too powerful!
This was especially so for Luo Xuan, Ruohuan gongzi, and the others who had been comparing him previously. At this moment, they were all swallowing their saliva, unable to utter a single word.
This kind of strength, even if they cultivated for another ten years, they still wouldn't be able to compare!
…
"Damn it!"
The crowd beneath the dueling ring realized this as well, and Ying Qin clenched his teeth so tightly that they nearly shattered.
He thought that with the other party wielding a long weapon, as long as he could get close to the other party, there would be nothing he could do. Who could have thought that … every time the other party's spear struck out, it would strike at an area that he had no choice but to guard against?
In other words … it was impossible for him to get close to the other party!
His spear was only two meters long, and the other party was more than a dozen meters away. How was he supposed to deal with the other party?
Wasn't he supposed to take advantage of the other party by wielding a short weapon?
Why was he unable to take advantage of the other party's long spear at all?
"If this goes on, not only will he not be able to defeat the other party, he will even become a laughing stock!"
Hearing the commotion beneath the dueling ring, Ying Qin's face darkened.
He wouldn't be able to hurt the other party unless he was within a dozen meters of the other party, needless to say, fight him.
After all, he couldn't possibly allow himself to be toyed with like a monkey!
"That pole of his is made up of bamboo, so its quality isn't too bad. I should be able to break it even if I get injured!"
Ying Qin pondered as he moved about.
If this were to go on, he wouldn't be able to emerge victorious. The urgent matter at hand was to find a way to get close to the other party, and the only way was … the bamboo poles weren't too sturdy. With the might of an Ethereal Treading realm cultivator, he could easily crush them with his zhenqi.
"I'll do it that way then!"
Gritting his teeth, Ying Qin drove his zhenqi furiously to protect his chest. With a frown, he charged forward, ignoring the other party's bamboo pole.
Kacha! Kacha!
As expected, as soon as the bamboo pole came into contact with him, it was immediately reduced to dust by his rampaging zhenqi.
The bamboo pole was more than a dozen meters long, making it impossible for Ying Qin to infuse his zhenqi into it. On the other hand, as an Ethereal Treading realm pinnacle cultivator, it was a walk in the park for him to break it apart.
"This is bad …"
"You're cheating!"
The crowd panicked.
Zhang Shi gave you a handicap, but you shamelessly shattered it. Clearly, you're doing this on purpose!
"Let's see how you're going to dodge now that I'm right before you!"
After shattering the bamboo pole, Ying Qin roared furiously as he raised his spear and thrust it toward Zhang Xuan.
Now that he had broken through the other party's defenses, he was able to get close to the other party with his spear, and the other party's weapon was rendered useless!
"Do you think that you've won just like that?"
Seeing how excited Ying Qin was, Zhang Xuan shook his head. All of a sudden, his grip loosened, and the bamboo pole in his hand fell to the ground.
"He let go?"
Ying Qin was taken aback.
A weapon was the most important possession of a cultivator, especially in a duel. The moment he let go of his weapon, he would fall into a disadvantageous position.
"A weapon is just an extension of one's body. Even without a spear, one can still execute spear arts!"
Just as Ying Qin was perplexed by the situation, the young man before him suddenly chuckled softly. Following which, Zhang Shi abruptly leaped into the air, and in an instant, it was as if he had morphed into a spear.
Boundless Spear Intent swept toward Ying Qin. At this moment, he was the spear, and the spear was him. There was no way to differentiate between the two.
"T-this … Is this the realm of Spear-Man Union?"
Ying Qin narrowed his eyes in astonishment.
Legend had it that once one comprehended Spear Heart to a certain level, one would be able to achieve Spear-Man Union.
Even without a spear in hand, as long as the spear in one's heart wasn't extinguished, one would still be able to morph one's physical body into a powerful Spear Intent.
Not even Senior Xue Zhenyang had reached such a level, so how did the young man before him manage to do so?
However, there was no time for him to think too deeply into the matter. In the blink of an eye, the spear that Zhang Xuan had morphed into was already right before him. With a sharp glint, the spear tip that the young man had morphed into struck the tip of his spear.
Hong long!
A powerful might assaulted Ying Qin, and his body jolted. Following which, he felt innumerable Spear Intent gushing into his body, shattering his defenses in an instant.
Pu!
A mouthful of blood spurted from his mouth. Without any chance to retaliate, Ying Qin was sent flying.
Padah!
After flying for several dozen meters, he fell from the dueling platform. At the same time, his spear also flew for an unknown distance before plunging into the ground.
Pu!
Yet another mouthful of blood spurted from his mouth.
"I have lost …"
Looking at the nonchalant Zhang Xuan on the dueling platform, Ying Qin clenched his fists tightly, and his face paled.
He didn't think that even without suppressing his cultivation and exerting his full strength, he would still be defeated by the other party with a single finger!
This kind of strength was probably on par with even Guild Leader Xue Zhenyang.
"Do you know how you lost?"
Just as Ying Qin was feeling despondent, Zhang Xuan's impassive voice sounded.
"A loss is a loss. I'll withdraw from the True Helios Faction and become the gatekeeper of the Xuanxuan Faction. You don't have to mock me for this …"
Gritting his teeth, Ying Qin struggled to his feet.
As a spear practitioner, he had to uphold the pride of the spear.
Since he had agreed to become the gatekeeper of the Xuanxuan Faction, he had to uphold his promise.
"Mock me?"
Zhang Xuan shook his head. "I'm just telling you that while spear mastery is a skill that you can pursue for the rest of your life, it doesn't refer to the spear in your hand!"
"What do you mean?"
Ying Qin was taken aback.
"Spear mastery is a skill, an ability, and something that one can comprehend with one's heart. It isn't something that can only be executed with a spear."
Placing his hands behind his back, Zhang Xuan looked at Ying Qin and said, "It's just like when you were attacked by me in close combat. At that time, all you had to do was release the shackles in your hand and release your spear, and you would have been able to open up a whole new world. However … it's a pity that you didn't!
"Thus … you have lost!"
"I …"
Ying Qin was stunned.
Indeed, when the other party grabbed his spear and whipped him with a feather duster, he could have let go of his spear. Even if he was bare-handed and unable to exert his full strength, he could still have escaped. At the very least, he wouldn't have ended up with a bloody nose and a swollen face.
"Later on, when I used the bamboo pole to fight with you, it was indeed the right thing to do to break through your defenses and engage in close combat. However, you have forgotten that the spear art that I practice is no longer restricted by external objects. A person is a spear, and a spear is a person. That's why I let go of the bamboo pole in an instant and attacked you! "
Zhang Xuan continued.
"This …"
Ying Qin's body stiffened.
The other party was right.
He practiced the spear every single day, and he had long regarded it as a part of his life. As such, he couldn't bear to let go of his spear.
The moment he let go, he would feel as if he had lost his life, and he wouldn't be able to fight anymore!
"If I don't let go, how can I comprehend the quintessence of the spear? How can I learn more profound spear arts? "
Zhang Xuan asked with a smile.
"Let go? Quintessence of the spear? "
Ying Qin muttered under his breath as he fell into a daze.
Having practiced the spear from a young age, he had long regarded the weapon as a part of his body, just like his arms and eyes.
To make him give up on his arms and eyes? How could that be possible?
But in the previous battle, the other party had clearly taught him a lesson. If he didn't let go … he would die!
By letting go, he would be able to move more nimbly and freely, and he would be able to achieve victory!
"The spear is in one's heart. With a spear in one's heart, only then can one be considered a true spear. What is in one's hand is nothing more than a tool!"
Seeing that Ying Qin seemed to have comprehended something, Zhang Xuan continued.
"With a spear in one's heart, only then can one be considered a true spear?"
A moment later, Ying Qin exhaled a mouthful of turbid air, and he opened his eyes once more. The turbid look in his eyes slowly cleared up.
Putong!
Kneeling on the floor, Ying Qin lowered his head in a sincere and respectful manner.
"Thank you for your guidance. I am willing to acknowledge Zhang Shi as my teacher and learn spear art from you!"
(If you haven't seen the picture of the forty-meter saber before, feel free to follow my WeChat account. Laoya has sent it over to you. It's quite interesting. There are also many upgraded versions of it that make one laugh their heads off. Just search for 'Sweeping the World' on WeChat and follow me.)
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
