Chapter 57: The King of All Weapons
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The elevated platform on the training grounds, where the Chief Instructor usually spoke, was an open area perfect for sparring. The recruits gathered below, watching the two figures on the platform.
Jiang Jiao had already obtained his long spear. With his tall and robust physique, he exuded a commanding presence. It was clear he had been practicing martial arts from a young age, setting him apart from the other recruits. His handsome features and dignified bearing made him seem like someone from a noble family, instilling a sense of reassurance in those around him.
Opposite him stood He Yan. In comparison, she seemed like an underdeveloped youth, petite in stature and slender. Her facial features, however, were delicate and refined. Despite the intense training that had darkened her skin, she still appeared fairer than the surrounding recruits. Her presence wasn’t that of a typical recruit; she resembled a young master from a prestigious household, emanating an air of elegance and charm.
Jiang Jiao raised his long spear. “You go first.”
With a pleasant smile, He Yan replied, “Sure.” Holding her long spear horizontally in front of her, her eyes shimmered as she swiftly advanced.
Jiang Jiao’s expression changed, and he met her charge.
In an instant, their figures merged into a blur, accompanied by a series of continuous “thuds.” It seemed as though they had exchanged dozens of strikes in a mere moment. Eventually, both took a step back, observing each other closely.
He Yan maintained her smile as she looked at Jiang Jiao, while Jiang Jiao appeared visibly surprised.
From the first clash, he realized that He Yan couldn’t possibly be a novice in spear technique. In those initial exchanges, each move she made was perilous, leaving him with neither room to attack nor retreat.
An evenly matched bout!
He had initially held a high opinion of He Yan, but now it was clear that he had underestimated her.
The recruits below couldn’t quite comprehend what had just transpired. They saw He Yan and Jiang Jiao engage in only a few moves before stopping, leaving them unsatisfied. Some murmured discontentedly, “What just happened? Who gained the upper hand?”
“I took a sip of water and missed it all. Did you guys see what happened?”
“No, I didn’t see anything.”
On the training grounds, the instructors wore solemn expressions, their silence lingering.
Du Mao glanced at Liang Ping, who quickly waved his hands. “I don’t know, don’t ask me! She never revealed this level of skill while practicing before. I had no idea!”
While the recruits were perplexed, the instructors had a clear view. He Yan had held her own against Jiang Jiao, and she might have even had the upper hand. Jiang Jiao’s spear technique was intricate and versatile, resembling a serpent in its agility. However, He Yan’s seemingly unadorned style contained hidden strength, easily deflecting Jiang Jiao’s attacks.
“Liang Ping, you’ve really recruited an exceptional soldier,” one instructor commented wryly.
Liang Ping felt a mixture of pride and apprehension. He Yan had concealed her abilities well. If it weren’t for Jiang Jiao’s challenge, he would have considered her talented mainly in archery, with her spear skills being merely decent.
On the platform, Jiang Jiao’s gaze was fixed on He Yan. “Again!”
He Yan nodded in agreement.
This time, Jiang Jiao took the initiative with his spear, and He Yan met his advance. Their long spears clashed, their red tassels swaying in the wind. Jiang Jiao’s spear was swift and forceful, each strike aggressive and aimed at He Yan’s vital points. Yet, He Yan simply tilted her head slightly, and the spear blade grazed her cheek as she evaded effortlessly.
Jiang Jiao grew more serious, his spear technique becoming as fierce as a torrential rain. He unleashed attack after attack, trying to find a weakness in He Yan’s defense. Remarkably, the young girl’s movements were nimble, dodging each strike with ease. Her long spear transformed into an invulnerable shield, effectively parrying Jiang Jiao’s thrusts and preventing him from getting closer.
“Faster! Just a little faster, and he could take him down!” The recruits below watched anxiously.
“Why is He Yan only defending and not attacking? Doesn’t she know spear techniques?”
As time passed, Jiang Jiao’s spear technique was unable to sustain such intensive attacks. He stared at He Yan, perplexed by how this seemingly slender and weak youth possessed such strength and endurance. He showed no signs of fatigue, only unwavering focus. His intensity was intimidating.
In a fleeting moment, Jiang Jiao’s long spear struck nothing but air. He felt a shock in his heart as he saw a smile spread across the face of the young opponent before him. Before he could react, He Yan’s long spear, which had previously been defensively oriented, suddenly thrust forward. Jiang Jiao hurriedly maneuvered his spear to block, but the strike veered off course.
He Yan had shifted from defense to offense.
“The spear is the king of all weapons, and all weapons succumb to the spear.” The youth’s voice was crisp, neither too loud nor too soft, resonating through the empty woods, echoing and spreading throughout the entire training grounds.
She lowered her body, evading Jiang Jiao’s spear thrust. From a lower angle, she aimed her spear at Jiang Jiao’s face with a tricky maneuver.
“The ‘Descending Spear Technique’ breaks the staff, the ‘Left and Right Insertion Technique’ breaks the shield.” She maneuvered and adjusted the direction of her spear, then surged forward again.
“The ‘Exchange and Strike’ counters the sword, counters the halberd, counters the trident, counters the double blades, counters the short blades.” Her arm seemed to possess boundless strength, moving forward even when blocked, thrusting towards Jiang Jiao from both sides. Jiang Jiao struggled to respond, his defense gradually faltering.
“The ‘Hooking and Pouncing’ technique breaks the whip, breaks the mace.” She advanced once more, her spear strikes swift and relentless. Compared to Jiang Jiao’s previous attacks, her assault was even more ferocious and precise. She pinpointed every weakness in Jiang Jiao’s defense, striking with deadly accuracy.
“The ‘Empty Weaving’ technique breaks the large blade, breaks the spear.” Jiang Jiao was now pushed to the edge of the elevated platform. Dazed, he felt as though the young opponent before him was a galloping warhorse on the battlefield, emitting an irresistible aura of destruction. His strikes were unstoppable, his movements like a blade cutting through bamboo, swift and relentless. Jiang Jiao was forced to retreat step by step, his formation crumbling.
With her long spear aimed at his face, Jiang Jiao attempted to evade by stepping back. Suddenly, his foot slipped, and he began to fall. Echoes of gasps from the recruits below filled his ears. Only then did Jiang Jiao realize that he had been driven to the edge of the platform, with nowhere left to retreat.
Abruptly, a hand caught him.
The long spear was pointed at his forehead, but it did not advance further. The young opponent, who appeared frail yet possessed incredible strength, had grabbed him and pulled him back onto the platform. She retracted her long spear and held it by her side.
A breeze swept by, dispelling the lingering heat, and a refreshing coolness enveloped them. The flags fluttered gently in the wind, and the sounds of birds, beasts, and insects resonated through the forest.
The young opponent stood erect, his voice still crisp, devoid of the exhaustion and panting one might expect after such an intense duel. He spoke deliberately and confidently, his words ringing out, “People only fail to see the true essence of the spear, thus becoming infatuated with various other weapons. Once they grasp the essence of the spear, those other weapons appear as mere child’s play.”
Jiang Jiao stared at him, his mind racing. After a moment, he spoke softly, “Have you read ‘The Arm Manual’?”
“The Arm Manual” detailed various spear and blade techniques. Jiang Jiao had read it before, as his family ran a martial arts school, and his grandfather, father, and older brother had all studied it. While he had read it in the past, he had dismissed many of its claims as exaggerations. Now, however, he found himself facing someone who embodied the principles he had once doubted.
The youth tilted his head, a smile playing on his lips, and replied, “I’ve read a little, enough to understand, just a little.”
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