Chapter 5 – Spear Technique
“I, the Xia Dynasty’s ‘Dark Ice Knight’, Yu Yuan Han, have left this spear technique here.”
One of the pages in the golden leaf book was crammed with small drawings of a small person practicing a spear technique.
“Weng-”
A mysterious and mighty power made the air in the room vibrate.
“Hm?” Shocked, Dong Bo Xue Ying raised his head to look at the scene in front of him. A dazzling silvery white light appeared from the open pages of the golden leaf book. The mystical light slowly formed into the shape of an old man holding a spear, dressed like a beggar. This silver figure was extremely tiny, it was barely taller than the book.
Suddenly, an ice-cold aura enveloped Dong Bo Xue Ying, who couldn’t help but shudder.
“Hua!” The image of the old beggar started to practice technique after technique, all of which used the spear in his hand. The spear, became like a dragon; raging, thrusting, lashing, and blocking…….
This was too familiar, this was the spear method that Dong Bo Xue Ying had been practicing since 6 years old, this was the spear technique that was very common in Long Shan Empire, it was called 《Soul Spear Technique》
《Soul Spear Technique》was taught around the world, it’s the simplest and most basic technique called the origin of all spear techniques. There’s no particularly amazing killing technique, only basic techniques. Many spear experts started from learning the 《Soul Spear Technique》when they first started learning to use a spear.
“I have practiced the Soul Spear Technique for almost three years now, why haven’t I realised that this spear technique was actually so impressive?” Dong Bo Xue Ying stared at the images of practicing with widen eyes. A simple thrust of the spear by this old beggar image could make the body of spear shoot out spiraling like a water snake, Dong Bo Xue Ying couldn’t help but feel excited by the powerful thrust, when the spear was retrieved, it was spiraling the same way with the opposite direction.
He started practicing at six years old, and now he’s eight years old, it is now winter, he has indeed practiced his spear for nearly three years.
“The spear technique father has passed down to me is very standard, he also taught me according to this set of spear methods, but why do I still feel that my spear technique is different from his?” Dong Bo Xue Ying carefully observes.
The same basic spear techniques.
When a master practices, it is indeed different from a newbie.
“There’s an inner strength, every shot has a surge of strength, as if the entire strength of the body was perfectly used on the spear.” Dong Bo Xue Ying had a vague observation.
The book was still opened and this set of 《Soul Spear Technique》was continuingly practiced/performed.
After an hour, who knows how many times he read it, only then he flips to the next page.
This page is full of cramped words.
“Basics are important in spear techniques, the first set of spear technique I will teach is the origin of all techniques 《Soul Spear Technique》, only when you practice this to perfection, is there hope of learning my spear technique.
“There’s a set of qi circulation methods below.”
“My spear technique is known for it’s speed! Using this Dou Qi method, you’ll be able to wield the spear even more quickly!”
All of the other densely packed characters were all about the dou qi method.
The words of this Transcendent Knight were very casual, but in fact, this technique was a priceless treasure! If there were two equally ranked knights, the knight with a unique dou qi technique would be able to make four to five moves while the opponent would be only be able to make two to three moves. I’m afraid that the victor would be decided in moments.
“My spear technique is called the《Dark Ice Spear Technique》, there are three realms.”
The first realm is Falling Snow, if you learned this technique, you have crossed the threshold, and are now considered a master of spear.
“The second realm is Blood Rain if you have learn this technique, you have surpassed the Legend rank and have hopes of stepping into the Transcendent realm!”
“The third realm is Dark Ice, every Transcendent has their own ways, and this technique represents my Transcendent way, that is why I am called the Dark Ice Knight! My path may not necessarily suit you, if you can reach this level…… Or you can borrow some Dou Qi circulation techniques.”
Dong Bo Xue Ying became excited as he read.
It’s indeed the spear techniques left by a Transcendent Knight, it leads you all the way to Transcendence!
He continues to flip, the page after is《Dark Ice Spear Technique》’s densely packed characters/words of explanations, there’s also some unique methods of qi circulation technique….. These words of explanations was written a total of 20 more pages, they are very direct, even Dong Bo Xue Ying could understand what this elder was talking about, but Xue Ying’s spear fighting skills are after all too shallow, there’s no way he could learn this set of spear techniques.
He flipped to the last page.
There’re some cramped pictures, the pictures on the page immediately guides the light to project a projection of an old beggar, he begins to perform the 《Dark Ice Spear Techniques》
The old beggar first practiced the usual 《Falling Snow of Dark Ice Spear Technique》, the feeling was just one word, fast! Just one strike was as if hundreds and thousands of spears, like numerous falling snowflakes…… At least Dong Bo Xue Ying’s naked eyes could not clearly see them. Then he began practicing slowly, as if in slow motion, Dong Bo Xue Ying could see all of them clearly.
After that he practices the 《Blood Rain of Dark Ice Spear Technique》, and at last the practice of 《Dark Ice of Dark Ice Spear Technique》!
This set of spear techniques can only be described with one word- Fast!
It was extremely fast.
……
Naturally, he continued practicing the 《Soul Spear Technique》. Only when he had mastered this technique would he be able to begin practicing the most basic technique of the 《Dark Ice Spear Technique》, Falling Snow.
Younger brother Qing Shi really stuck onto Xue Ying even after he coaxed him into bed that night. He noisily pestered Xue Ying on his bed for nearly an hour before finally going to sleep.
The next day, after eating breakfast.
The martial practice grounds.
“This martial practice grounds.” Dong Bo Xue Ying said as he swept his eyes over it. In the past his father practiced here everyday.
“Let’s begin then.”
Dong Bo Xue Ying put on some weights and began running around the whole circumference of the inner castle. The inner castle took up one li (500 meters). He had already established a daily routine of running several li everyday.
After he finished running, Xue Ying returned to the martial grounds and threw off his weights. While sweating all over, he leisurely walked to an area with many short spears. Every single short spear was roughly five catty (2.5 kg). They were all specially made for Xue Ying.
“All right!” said Xue Ying as he picked up a short spear and casually threw it 80 meters, hitting a thick target. This target had long since been scarred with various cuts.
“Go, go, go.”
Dong Bo Xue Ying started to run while throwing another short spear.
He turned around and ran as he threw his spears!
He hit the target during motion…..
“Throw it for me.” Xue Ying yelled.
“Yes master.” The servant on the side obeyed and began throwing some small targets into the sky. Xue Ying began running from 80 meters away and throwing spears at the targets. Sometimes he hit the target and sometimes he missed by a bit. Clearly his throwing movements were still lacking a bit.
Father has said—— ‘Short spears are merely an aid. It’s possible to hit everything while running and throwing. In the future you must practice everyday and throw 200 times to warm up so you can maintain this feeling.’
……
After throwing one thousand short spears, Xue Ying felt both of his arms aching. His whole body was dripping with sweat. He had long since gotten used to this feeling.
After finishing his short spear practice.
Xue Ying began practicing a set of fist techniques that strengthens the muscles and bones throughout the body. It was a dou qi technique called the 《Three Stage Flame Technique》. Father had spent not a small amount of money to obtain this technique. Originally the technique father had learnt while he was in the army was only a lower grade one.
The effect of Qi cultivation was the best when the body was exhausted!
This fist technique combined both strength and gentleness. While matching his breathing to the technique, his training made his whole body feel comfortable. A faint mysterious power drilled into his body, making his body feel numb. This caused his physical strength to quickly recover.
After practicing the 《Three Stage Flame Technique》twice, both his arms had recovered.
“Good. Time to begin practicing the spear technique.”
Xue Ying picked up a spear to his side. In accordance with his height, the spear was also 1.8 meters long and weighed 5 kg.
“Hè!” Xue Ying began practicing the 《Soul Spear Technique》.
He had already practiced this spear technique for nearly three years. He was already very skilled in it. However, today he felt completely different.
“Right, using force this way is the most comfortable.” Xue Ying had watched the Transcendent Knight practice spearmanship yesterday. He couldn’t help but begin imitating the knight while he was practicing. Immediately, he had harvested quite the reward.
“Thrust”
His left hand lightly gripped the spear while his right hand held the end of the spear. Abruptly, he began exerting force.
With a turn of his right wrist,
The spear shot out like a big snake, rotating rapidly. If an enemy encountered this attack, it would look like the spear was aimed at his face, but as the spear spinning came closer, it would drop down and bury itself into his throat! There were two purposes for using this attack, the first would be to confuse the enemy, while the second would be to efficiently penetrate the defenses of the enemy.
“Pa!” The spearhead was thrust into the body of a practice dummy. This dummy was fixed in the ground, and made out of two types of metal. The inside of the dummy is made out of cast metal. While the surface of the dummy is coated with a refiner substance which is very durable and can even repair itself. These dummies are so durable that it is impossible for knights under the star tier to destroy them. But in the entire field, there are only five of these dummies, because each dummy costs 500 gold coins!
In addition to the dummies on the field, there was one refiner dummy in his mother’s laboratory, in order for her to conduct her experiments.
“Thrust, thrust, thrust.” Dong Bo Xue Ying thrusted with his full strength.
He thrust from the middle thrust, from below, and from above.
From the Left, and from the right.
The simple thrust was the foundation upon which every spear technique was based. With every thrust, Dong Bo Xue Ying tried to remember the feeling of when he trained with the Transcendent Knight’s spear technique.
After thrusting a thousand times, Dong Bo Xue Ying’s right arm was aching, and he was bathed in his own sweat. In the past, he would only thrust five hundred times before ending training, but now he pushed himself even further.
“Pa.” Finally, while thrusting the dummy with full force again, the spear was repelled, and his arm became numb and he lost his grip on the spear. “Bang.” The spear fell to the ground
Dong Bo Xue Ying knelt, gasping for air. Sweat dripped from his whole body as he gazed at the spear lying on the ground.
Even though he was determined to go on, he was exhausted, and he was tempted to give up.
Dong Bo Xue Ying looked up, in the past his father would stand above him, angrily scolding Xue Ying.
“Coward!”
“Tired Already? You only thrust 300 times! With your body, you could strike 500 times without feeling tired, and you should only feel tired after thrusting 1000 times. Your limit should be five times what you have done 1500 thrusts! Even the damage caused by reaching your limit will be healed by the medicinal bath that is awaiting you! Tomorrow it will be as if you hadn’t been injured at all. You are so fortunate! What did I have when I was training as a child? Can’t even thrust 500 times!—-”
“Get up! If you don’t stand up then you are a coward!”
“Only 500 times. You, a noble young master, can’t do it?”
“Get up! The son of Dong Bo Lie is no coward”
“Stand up!”
Father’s roar dimly sounded in his ear.
“Stand up! Stand up!” Dong Bo Xue Ying grabbed the spear and stood up.
“Thrust”
Dong Bo Xue Ying thrust with full force again.
Dong Bo Xue Ying’s eyes were red as he thrust again and again as if he was mad, “Father, I really want you to scold me… I wouldn’t mind if you called me a coward… I would still be happy.”
One only knows how valuable something is after losing it.
