Chapter 29: The Reason for the Fight (4)

Murmurs.

The training ground was filled with late-stage disciples and guards who had come to hear the rumors. Naturally, the Changying Corps was also there, and their expressions were utterly miserable.

"Second Young Master!"

"Oh, Commander Xin."

"Wh-What is going on here?"

Yan Hozheng shrugged.

"It's complicated to explain. Anyway, it ended up like this."

Xin's expression hardened.

"That won't do. This sparring match must be canceled now."

"That's not possible."

"Second Young Master! This person...!"

"I know his strength well. His character is despicable, but his firm spirit is impressive. He seems to have fought fiercely."

He could sense the opponent's strength through his senses alone.

Under normal circumstances, he would have marveled at such excellent senses, but now was not the time.

"I'll go and cancel this sparring match myself."

"Commander Xin."

"Second Young Master!"

Yan Hozheng shook his head.

"If you cause a commotion trying to cancel this sparring match, it will tarnish the family's honor."

"......!"

"That's why I said the situation is complicated. Since it has come to this, trust and wait. Constant worry is not a virtue of a subordinate."

Xin bit his lip.

How could he not understand Yan Hozheng's meaning? But the opponent was too despicable.

Chu Cheng was a formidable expert whom even he could not easily handle. Of course, if he 'unsealed' himself, he could overwhelm him in three moves, but Chu Cheng was a high-level expert who could engage in a close match even with the known strength of the head of the Changying Corps.

Yan Hozheng's martial arts were known to him, but it was difficult for Chu Cheng. And Chu Cheng, being the heir of the Lian family, would not show mercy.

"By the way, what about what I asked you to do?"

"Huh? Oh, yes! I have it, but I didn't bring it."

"Never mind."

Yan Hozheng picked up the spear leaning against the side. It was a long spear, slightly over six feet, which he had obtained from a nearby forge.

"Are you going to use a spear? Not a staff?"

"A spear is better."

At that moment, Zhuge Nan and his sister, along with Yan Jiping, were seen running over.

Yan Hozheng clicked his tongue.

"I should go up before they make a fuss."

Crack!

He leaped onto the training ground. He covered a distance of over ten feet in a single step, not by running hard but with a light and agile leap.

Chu Cheng, who had already ascended to the training ground, was watching Yan Hozheng with his arms crossed.

"Are you ready?"

"What about you?"

Chu Cheng smiled, a look that suggested he didn't need to prepare to face him.

Yan Hozheng nodded.

"There's no need to drag this out. Shall we start?"

"Fine. But are you using spear techniques?"

"Yes."

Chu Cheng frowned.

"I heard the main techniques of the Bishan Lian family are swords and knives."

"Do you think I need to use such things to teach you a lesson?"

Such provocation was unheard of.

Sssss.

A fierce aura emanated from Chu Cheng's body.

The murmurs in the crowd instantly turned to silence, startled by the ominous aura Chu Cheng was emitting.

His strength was formidable, but his ferocity was even more terrifying. It was like a carnivorous predator eyeing its prey.

In contrast, Yan Hozheng?

Whoosh. Whoosh.

He twirled the long spear with his fingers, and the fallen leaves danced around the spear blade.

'Hmm, not bad.'

The balance was slightly different from the iron staff.

Noticing this 'slight' difference was enough. Just by sensing it with his hands, he had already mastered half of the spear techniques.

Whizz! Thud!

The spear, which had been spinning faster and faster, stopped with a springy motion.

Yan Hozheng, with the spear resting on his shoulder, slightly lowered his stance.

Whoosh.

A faint blue light flickered in his pupils.

Chu Cheng's eyes gleamed.

'Not bad.'

His control of his inner energy was impressive. He was certainly worthy of the title of first-rate.

But that was all. For someone of his age, such strength was expected of a late-stage disciple from one of the seven great families.

'In the end, just that.'

A faint disappointment appeared on Chu Cheng's face.

He had hoped for more, but that was as far as it went. At least his stance was decent.

"Shall we start?"

"Fine. I'll give you three moves."

"Three moves?"

Chu Cheng smirked.

"You're facing the head of the newly established Combat Sword Corps of the Great Nangong Family. Since you said you would hold me accountable, you should accept three moves, shouldn't you?"

His words were filled with arrogance.

But he had the right to say such things. Everyone who heard him acknowledged it.

Yan Hozheng, who had been watching Chu Cheng, relaxed his stance.

Chu Cheng tilted his head.

"Why are you doing that?"

"Three moves?"

"Yes."

The blue light in Yan Hozheng's eyes, which had been flickering, gradually turned indifferent. He had abandoned the Bila Zhenjue.

"What are you doing? Not going to spar?"

"I've changed my mind."

"What do you mean?"

Yan Hozheng smiled faintly.

Chu Cheng frowned. It was an unsettling smile.

Swoosh.

Yan Hozheng slowly raised the middle of the spear, pointing the blade at Chu Cheng.

'...?!'

Suddenly, Chu Cheng felt a prickling sensation in his chest.

'Killer intent?'

No.

It wasn't killer intent but a premonition that flowed from the spear blade. A sharp premonition, like a needle, emanated from the ordinary iron spear he had obtained from the forge.

And the moment Chu Cheng sensed the premonition from the spear,

Yan Hozheng's eyes returned to complete emptiness.

"Can you take responsibility for those words?"

"......!"

"Fine. If you draw your sword before the three moves are over, I'll kill you."

Then, Yan Hozheng's attack began.

Thud. Thud.

Yan Hozheng's steps as he approached Chu Cheng across the training ground were utterly ordinary. Neither fast nor slow, they were a completely normal gait.

But Chu Cheng's expression grew increasingly rigid.

'What is this?'

Slowly, very slowly.

As he watched Yan Hozheng approach without any particular aura, Chu Cheng felt an inexplicable chill.

'There must be some trick...'

When the distance between them narrowed to ten feet,

Yan Hozheng raised his spear.

As if lifting a large sword, he raised it above his head. The movement was more like lifting a great sword or an axe rather than a spear.

What is this?

Everyone watching the training ground tilted their heads. Why was he handling the spear like that? Was there such a spear technique in the world?

At the moment everyone's attention was focused,

Boom!

Yan Hozheng's foot struck the ground of the training ground.

It felt as if the entire training ground was shaking. At the same time, the six-foot-long spear fell directly toward Chu Cheng's head.

Chu Cheng's eyes widened.

'What, what is this?!'

The spear was coming down at a terrifying speed.

He could easily dodge it. He could disrupt the technique with a single gesture.

But Chu Cheng couldn't easily choose any of these options.

'Gasp!!'

Suddenly, he saw an illusion covering all sides.

In a world of darkness, he saw a giant axe, like Mount Tai, falling toward him, standing alone on a cliff.

The size, the weight pushing the air, and the ferocity shaking the earth were so overwhelming that a sense of despair instantly enveloped his entire body.

'I have to dodge...!'

At that moment, Chu Cheng saw a pair of eyes looking down at him from behind the giant axe.

And those eyes were slightly curved like a crescent moon.

'Gah!'

Chu Cheng crossed his arms above his head.

And the spear shaft fell on his arms.

Crack!

"Ugh!"

Chu Cheng's knees bent slightly.

'So heavy!!'

It was an incredibly heavy blow.

This was not a spear technique. It was not just a staff technique either.

It was a terrifying blow that combined the ferocity of an axe, the chilling effect of a sword, the flexibility of a staff, and the sharpness of a spear.

'Oh no!'

Whoosh!

He quickly channeled his inner energy into his arms.

The pain in his forearms was immense. It was so intense that he momentarily thought they had broken.

But Yan Hozheng's attack was just beginning.

Boom!

Zhenjiao (a technique of stomping the ground to gain power) was a method of gaining strength by stomping the ground and using the rebound to power the attack.

With a step forward, he used Zhenjiao again. This time, the Zhenjiao produced a much louder and more resonant sound than before.

And the second strike was unleashed.

Flash!

After the vertical strike, he grabbed the middle of the spear and thrust it forward.

'So fast!'

The speed was so fast that it made him forget the pain in his arms. The spear blade, which seemed to pierce his heart, carried the aura of a predator.

Startled!

His fingers twitched.

Instinctively, he tried to draw his sword to parry. But this was the second move. No, not even a move, just the second attack.

'Gah!'

Chu Cheng quickly stepped back. He realized that he couldn't block it with his bare hands.

Clang!

The spear strike, which pierced the air, seemed to reach the wall of a distant building.

'...!'

A cold sensation ran through his side.

There was no time to check. But instinctively, he knew he hadn't dodged the spear blade.

'It cut me.'

And it cut him deeply. If he had been a bit slower, the blade would have reached his internal organs.

'Oh no...!'

The relaxed state of mind instantly turned to tension. His back straightened, and his shoulders tensed.

He thought he had dodged, but he hadn't. The spear strike was that fast.

At that moment, the third attack came.

Yan Hozheng's wrist, holding the spear, made a sudden, fluid movement.

Crack! Crack! Crack!

Dozens of spear blades flew toward Chu Cheng.

A spear technique performed with one hand. It was also fast. So fast that the afterimage of the spear was visible.

'What...!'

More astonishing was the timing and positioning.

The spear blades, arriving in a unique rhythm, confused Chu Cheng's perception. The positions they attacked were also exquisite. The spear strikes, aimed at positions he couldn't dodge, were like a predator lunging with its mouth open.

Chu Cheng felt his vision go dark.

If he couldn't dodge, he had to block. But each spear strike carried a sharp premonition. He couldn't tell which one was real.

'Death?!'

An unfamiliar sensation dominated his body.

And the moment he felt that sensation, his hand moved on its own.

Sssss!

Yan Hozheng's spear was deflected to the right.

"Ugh!"

At the same time, Chu Cheng's body staggered backward. In his hand was a blue sword with jewels embedded in it.

It was a sword technique.

He didn't block with the sword, nor did he deflect or defend. He countered with his own technique, nullifying both their attacks.

Chu Cheng's eyes widened.

'I almost died.'

He really almost died. That strike was truly threatening. If he hadn't drawn his sword and executed a technique, his body would have been pierced with several holes.

How long had it been since he felt such fear? How long since he experienced such tension?

"You couldn't withstand it."

Chu Cheng, startled, looked at Yan Hozheng.

Yan Hozheng, with the spear resting on his shoulder, was staring at Chu Cheng with a cold gaze.

"I told you. If you can't withstand three moves, I'll kill you."

"......!!"

"I'll show you that even a few words can carry the weight of a thousand catties."

Crack!

Yan Hozheng leaped forward like a beast.