CLACK! CRACK! BANG! THWACK!
The clash of their wooden spear tips was as vicious as a tiger and a crocodile tearing into each other. Wang Guanjia wielded his Wooden Spear with undisguised aggression, every thrust and sweep aimed at Jiang Qiu's chest, neck, and nose. From his superior position, he pressed down with overwhelming force!
The furious onslaught kicked up a powerful gale, scattering the hair across Jiang Qiu's forehead and sending a numbing shock through his arms. It was obvious Wang Guanjia had not only mastered the fundamentals of the Ancient Martial Spear Technique but had also significantly improved his physical strength. He clearly hadn't spent the past few years only on basic body conditioning!
Seeing that Wang Guanjia had the clear upper hand, Li Xueming sighed to himself. 'Wang Guanjia's dad is a teacher in the school's resource allocation office. He already has status and some means. He could probably even get his hands on official Martial Arts Resources to build up his physique. I'll bet his physical conditioning isn't far off from some of the elite students. Jiang Qiu is an orphan from the shantytown. It's a wonder if he can even afford meat on a regular basis. How could he possibly dare to challenge him?'
Along with a sigh so faint it seemed to fall to the dust, the light in the onlookers' eyes dimmed, as if they had already foreseen the outcome.
Even though they weren't all from the same walk of life, the moment Qian Cheng secured a spot, the nature of the situation changed. That unjust list now hung over all their heads, and none of them were willing to accept it.
Since they didn't dare to resist themselves, they hoped to see someone else shatter the injustice. If only someone—anyone—could defeat one of the arbitrarily selected names on that list. This was a pure and simple hope, welling up from the depths of their hearts.
But the whistling of the spear tip slicing through the air seemed to sever this last, fragile thread of hope.
Meanwhile, Zhao Gongzheng remained silent, a sharp glint gathering behind his thick lenses. Wu Shan narrowed his right eye, a peculiar expression flashing across his face.
'How is that Jiang Qiu's defense so impenetrable, while Wang Guanjia is the one getting more frantic as he fights?'
SWOOSH—
The arc of the spear tip swept past Jiang Qiu's chest by a mere three inches, its chilling wind seeming to pierce right through his clothes. He took two steps back, planting his rear heel firmly. His stance was as stable as an ancient, unyielding pine.
In that instant, his rage boiled over. An unprecedented killing intent flashed in Wang Guanjia's eyes. Almost subconsciously, he lunged forward, thrusting his spear in pursuit. The muscles in his arms tensed and twisted, his face contorting with the ferocity of a mad tiger!
'There's no way he can hold out against me for this long!'
'Impossible!'
'This is impossible—'
Along with a silent, inner roar, his Wooden Spear shot through the air with a WHOOSH. He channeled all his strength into the spinning tip, determined to pierce Jiang Qiu's throat!
Hesitation, shock, rage... Kill!
In that moment, the eyes of Li Xueming, Hu Ye'ye, and the other students went wide, their hearts skipping a beat. Wu Shan frowned and clenched his fist. The faces of the inspection team members standing with Zhao Gongzheng turned to ice.
*Fwoosh...*
Almost imperceptibly, a sliver of cool air flowed into Jiang Qiu's nostrils. He hadn't moved an iota from his rooted horse stance. He twisted at the waist. From under his lowered eyelids, he watched the wooden spear lunge forward, and in the same motion, twisted his right wrist to push out the butt of his own spear.
The head of his spear, guided by the loose grip of his left hand, shot high into the air. The sudden burst of Strength was like an Azure Dragon taking flight.
A basic move of the Ancient Martial Spear Technique—the Block, Seize, and Thrust!
'You've gotten desperate. Now it's my turn to attack!'
BANG!
The two spinning spearheads, one high and one low, collided perfectly—like a pouncing tiger snapping at a soaring Azure Dragon. A sneer touched Wang Guanjia's lips. His strength was unparalleled in Class Eight; all he had to do was use the force of the collision to send the other spear flying!
But then, a surge of Strength, powerful as a flash flood crashing into a mountain, shot back through his spear shaft. His sneer faltered and a tremor ran through his chest. His raised-arm stance wavered for an instant, yet his spear tip did not change its course as it rushed forward.
CRACK—
The sharp crack of splintering wood spread out like a spiderweb. With the force of a landslide, the Wooden Spear in Jiang Qiu's hands bored right through the tip of Wang Guanjia's, like a diamond drill tearing through cheap wood. Splinters flew!
The ferocious intent in his eyes was like the reflection of a Cold Spear on water. His muscles were tensed as taut as a towel wrung dry, all of his power compressed between his palms and unleashed through the very tip of the Wooden Spear!
Mingjin slicing the wind! Spearpoint Armor-Piercing!
WHOOSH—
The tip of the raised Wooden Spear stopped a mere three inches from the center of Wang Guanjia's brow. The bone-piercing Strength felt like ice needles stabbing his forehead. His black hair was blown straight back, and his tiger-like eyes were wide and trembling with shock.
*Clatter... clatter...*
The broken half of the spear and a shower of wooden splinters clattered to the ground. The training hall fell deathly still. The arms of the students gripping their own spear shafts trembled with a sympathetic numbness, their hearts pounding and their pupils dilated in a collective daze.
Wu Shan, who had just taken a single step forward, froze on the spot. He could only watch as the tip of Jiang Qiu's Wooden Spear shattered Wang Guanjia's and stopped, whistling, just three inches from his brow.
The fingers of the inspection team members twitched. The reflection on Zhao Gongzheng's lenses was exceptionally bright and clear. The corners of his mouth, previously paused, curved into a smile, shattering the dead silence. "Excellent, excellent! To think a student with such remarkable Talent could emerge from an ordinary class. Spearpoint Armor-Piercing... He's already comprehended the practical application of Mingjin. He is worthy of the school's resources."
"Jiang Qiu, I can personally approve an additional elite student slot for you. With this, you have a promising shot at getting into Northwest Martial University."
Jiang Qiu calmly retracted his Wooden Spear and offered a cupped-fist salute. "Thank you, Director Zhao. I will not fail to live up to your expectations!"
'Just as I thought. Only by proving your own potential and value can you be taken seriously and command the attention you deserve.'
'Here in the Northwest, combat is more persuasive than any words!'
'If I hadn't used a powerful opponent like Wang Guanjia to fully showcase my abilities, how could I have made such a stunning impression? And how could I have ever swallowed the insult of my name being left off that list?'
'Qian Cheng snatched his spot, and he can keep it. All I wanted was the place and the opportunity that was rightfully mine. From this day forward, my path is my own, and the sky's the limit.'
'Missing an opportunity like this would have been a regret I'd carry for the rest of my life, even if it meant making a few enemies...'
"Good," Zhao Gongzheng said, patting him lightly on the right shoulder with a small smile. "Your muscles are solid, but you could still stand to bulk up. Once you're certified as an elite student, make sure you eat more meat in the dining hall."
"Yes, sir. Thank you for your concern, Director Zhao."
The corners of Jiang Qiu's lips curved upward, his sharp aura dissolving with the smile. He once again looked like the same student who always stood at the very back of the line, yet he was no longer someone who could be overlooked.
The students watching had their eyes completely fixed on him, an unprecedented look of respect and admiration filling their gazes. Their fists were clenched, palms damp with sweat.
'Spearpoint Armor-Piercing.' The term felt both mythical and yet suddenly so near. They had never imagined that one of their own classmates could earn such an evaluation.
That was a Realm that couldn't simply be reached by piling up Martial Arts Resources. Without the spark of live combat to ignite it and the winds of innate Martial Arts Talent to fan the flames, how could anyone fully comprehend the Spear Technique's Mingjin—the Spearpoint Armor-Piercing!
Even Wang Guanjia, formerly the number one student in Class Eight, had only earned the praise from Wu Shan of being able to "thrust with three-tenths of his Mingjin."
At this thought, everyone couldn't help but glance over at Wang Guanjia, who stood rooted to the spot in a stupor. His face was ashen, his lips a dry, pale blue. His vacant eyes trembled, all color drained from his expression. "My strength is obviously greater than his, and my spear technique is no worse... So why has he already completely comprehended... Spearpoint Armor-Piercing."
As the final words squeezed past his lips, his heart plummeted with a thud, shattering like a mirror dropped on concrete.
Just then, the crisp *clack-clack* of footsteps sounded out. Someone else walked forward, spear in hand. Their steps were heavy, yet the sound was sharp and clear. "Director Zhao, I am Liu Zili, a student of Class Eight. I request to challenge the third name on the qualification list—Qian Cheng!"