The spear tip tore through the air, bringing a sharp whistle.
“So fast!”
“Li Yuan’s spear.” Most of the students held their breath as they watched, all feeling that Li Yuan’s long spear was too fast, covering several meters in the blink of an eye.
To know, Li Yuan and Teacher Xu Bo were less than ten meters apart, and Li Yuan’s long spear was nearly three meters in length, plus Li Yuan’s burst speed… the spear tip, aimed directly at Teacher Xu Bo’s chest.
“A mid-level thrust?” Zhou Qi clenched the long spear in his hand, recognizing the move from Li Yuan.
Spear technique can vary infinitely, but the fundamental styles are no more than blocking, seizing, stabbing, thrusting, cleaving, collapsing, poking, entangling, and twisting, with all spear skills being derived from these basic moves.
A mid-level thrust can be considered the most ordinary of spear techniques, and yet it is also the most crucial.
So-called mid-level thrusting means thrusting straight and level, taking the shortest distance between two points, the assault swift as an arrow.
What it contests is precision, speed, and power.
“It’s the same move, but Brother Yuan’s thrust could probably pierce me dead,” Zhou Qi thought in awe.
In the arena.
“Straight thrust? Using the weapon and strength advantage?” Xu Bo discerned Li Yuan’s intent.
As the saying goes, ‘the knife is like a fierce tiger, the sword like a roaming dragon, the stick sweeps across widely, and the spear picks a single line.’
The stick is shorter than the long spear.
In such a straight confrontation, the long spear will undoubtedly strike first, and the speed and strength Li Yuan possessed are far greater than Xu Bo’s explosive 5.0-level power.
“Boom!”
Facing Li Yuan’s attack, Xu Bo no longer started with an evasion like before but instead took the initiative to strike. With one step forward, he swung his long stick in the air, drawing a smooth arc, whip-fast as it struck the tip of the spear, borrowing the force to alter its direction sharply.
He dodged Li Yuan’s ferocious strike.
“Hiss~!” As if he had expected it, Li Yuan instantly utilized the forceful rebound of his spear shaft and, with his waist as the core, violently twisted his body and powered through, turning the spear shaft a full one hundred and eighty degrees, chopping down towards Xu Bo with the force of an ax blade.
This time they were closer, and the burst speed was even faster.
“Haha!” Teacher Xu Bo suddenly laughed, as if he possessed foresight, dodging backward and avoiding Li Yuan’s fierce chop.
“He can dodge that too?” Li Yuan was slightly shocked in his heart, the teacher’s reaction speed was just too fast.
Without giving him time to think.
“Whoosh!” A blurred stick shadow had already taken advantage of the spear’s missed swipe to slam down fiercely.
“Retreat!” Li Yuan immediately changed his footwork to retreat explosively while he simultaneously tried to block the incoming stick with his long spear horizontally.
“Bang~” Weapons collided.
Yet Li Yuan didn’t feel the impact from the opponent’s long stick, as if his long spear was stuck to it.
Very uncomfortable.
Whoosh!
Xu Bo suddenly advanced a step, closing the distance with Li Yuan yet again, wielding his long stick in a deceptive thrust, fast and fierce.
“Swish!” Li Yuan was forced to retreat and dodge; the long spear, being a long weapon, required space to unleash its full power.
But what shocked Li Yuan was that even though there was nothing wrong with his movement technique, he simply couldn’t back away. Teacher Xu Bo’s long stick always managed to land just right, forcing Li Yuan’s long spear into defensive parries again and again, disrupting his full force.
The long stick sometimes turned wild, sometimes gentle, unpredictable.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Their weapons collided lightning-fast over a dozen times, and Li Yuan was already forced back to the edge of the silver floor.
“Boom~” Another stick shadow swept through, and Li Yuan only felt a slight pain in his chest, his body retreating uncontrollably backward.
Taking several steps back, he finally stopped.
With full body armor and Teacher Xu Bo not exerting strong force, a single training stick strike wouldn’t cause any real harm to Li Yuan.
“I lost.” Li Yuan held his long spear upright and said helplessly, “Teacher Xu, even with my advantage in speed and strength, I couldn’t withstand even twenty of your moves.”
This only indicated that the gap in their cold weapon skills was large.
Around them, it was as silent as death.
All the students stared dumbfounded at the match between Li Yuan and Teacher Xu Bo.
The exchange was short but extremely intense, almost like a real combat, far above the level of the skills test they had just undergone.
“You have already blocked more than ten of my moves,” Teacher Xu Bo said, a rare smile emerging on his usually cool face. “Your spear technique has improved greatly since the end of last semester’s exams. I also had to go all out to win against you.”
All out?
Li Yuan sighed inwardly; this was merely Teacher Xu demonstrating full effort at a Fifth Level Physical Quality.
If both sides unleashed their power and speed to the fullest, he probably wouldn’t be able to withstand three moves.
This was the difference in skill level.
“At the end of last semester’s exam, my Spear Technique and movement technique were both at Second Stage 99%, breaking through only after the test,” Li Yuan thought to himself. “By that estimate, Teacher Xu’s Skill Realm must be at least at a Fourth Level standard.”
Without other points of reference, Li Yuan wasn’t too clear on the specific differences between First Stage, Second Stage, and Third Stage as indicated on his dashboard.
But he could vaguely discern that among his classmates, only a very few like Wan Xiao had achieved the Second Stage standard in cold weapon skills.
At the same time, Li Yuan was certain of one thing.
If his Spear Technique and movement technique improved, it would definitely be reflected in the data on his panel.
Drip-drop!
On the screen at the back of the classroom, Li Yuan’s Martial Arts Skills score had appeared—”365 points.”
“So high?”
“It’s over 360 points,” Zhou Qi’s eyes shone brightly.
“This is the difficulty level of the high school entrance exams, and Li Yuan’s Martial Arts Skills score has risen so much just entering senior year?”
“With such a single subject score, he’s probably among the best in the city.”
“By the time of the college entrance exams, maybe Li Yuan could vie for the city’s top scorer in Martial Arts Skills.”
“Li Yuan will definitely get into Martial Arts University.”
“If only my Spear Technique was as formidable as Li Yuan’s…”
“Who’s peeing yellow, give him a wake-up splash.”
These classmates were both shocked and envious, whispering among themselves.
If Li Yuan’s score had been only 320 or 330 points, these classmates might have been jealous of him, as the gap wouldn’t have been so outrageous.
But with such a large difference, most people could only admire.
Most people are aware of their own limits, why be envious of someone clearly not on the same level?
Moreover, Martial Arts Skills and Physical Quality are different.
If one comes from an extremely well-off family that can afford to hire a dedicated Dietician and Physiotherapist, and set up a specialized training plan, and moreover if one awakens the Martial Spirit… it’s possible to elevate one’s Physical Quality to Level 7 or even higher during senior year.
But improvements in Martial Arts Skills can’t simply be bought with money.
…
With Li Yuan’s assessment concluding, the time had come to 5:30 in the afternoon.
“Alright.”
“Looking at today’s test, most of you have been working hard after entering senior year,” Teacher Xu Bo spoke again, his voice regaining its coolness. “But there are also some students who have regressed instead of progressing.”
“You are senior year students now. The college entrance exam does not, I say, decide your life’s destiny, but it is certainly a significant opportunity in your life… The day after tomorrow afternoon, I will come again to supervise your Martial Path practice, class dismissed,” Teacher Xu Bo turned and left.
Behind him, another voice drifted over: “Li Yuan, Wan Xiao, both of you, come to my office.”
The many students, already with sore feet from practice and drenched in sweat, immediately scattered.
Many boys, while gulping down water, called out to each other to rush for a spot in the cafeteria.
Some girls discussed going to the restroom first.
“Brother Yuan, I’ll head to the cafeteria with Yan Zhou and the others first, and save seats for you! We’ll also grab a nutritional meal for you,” Zhou Qi shouted.
“Old Zhou, Brother Yuan’s meal needs to be double the portion,” the robust male student named Yan Zhou laughed, then called out to Li Yuan, “Brother Yuan, leave the meal to us; you better hurry to the office.”
“Thanks, I’ll transfer the money to you guys later,” Li Yuan said with a smile.
“No, no, you’ve bought me breakfast a few times, and I haven’t paid you back yet. Let’s call it even with tonight’s dinner,” Yan Zhou laughed.
Li Yuan chuckled.
Apart from Zhou Qi, he had several good friends in the class.
“Li Yuan, let’s go,” the burly Wan Xiao called out to Li Yuan: “What does Mr. Xu want with us?”
“If he’s looking for you, it’s probably to transfer you into the Elite Class,” Li Yuan said with a smile.
As for why Mr. Xu was looking for him? Li Yuan had his guesses, but wasn’t yet certain.