Chapter 62: The Inheritance of the Battle Spear, Peerless Genius

Two divine weapons, one real, one illusory.

But even the illusory divine weapon conveyed the sensation of holding something, an arcane aura passing between the two weapons; Li Guanyi's bronze cauldron hummed in his chest, for divine weapons, unlike top-tier cultivators, contain only a minimal residue of aura that the bronze cauldron can absorb.

The second time he touched the divine weapon, Cloud-Piercing Thunder Bow, the accumulation rate of jade fluid had already slowed, but when he gripped the battle spear, an invisible aura flowed between the two weapons, and the jade fluid within the bronze cauldron rapidly completed its accumulation.

The Bai Hu manifestation glowed, indicating the jade fluid corresponding to the Bai Hu manifestation.

Yet the Chi Long's jade fluid remained only at ninety-eight percent.

I still need to meet General Yue Qianfeng.

The howls of the two divine weapons merged, forming the figure of Xue Shen, just as the Cloud-Piercing Thunder Bow had once contained scenes of his pacification of the borderlands; now, with both divine weapons united, the same effect occurred.

This Xue Shen differed from the one seen earlier in the Cloud-Piercing Thunder Bow—he wore solemn, magnificent armor, with crimson decorations interwoven with gold thread hanging from the tiger-mouthed helm, his right hand gripping the battle spear, his left hand clasping the battle bow.

His gaze was calm, even without a battle helmet; his long hair was bound only by a jade hairpin.

Before him stood a refined-looking man clad in thicker armor, black, heavy steel enveloping him, radiating a divine glow; he wore a battle helmet, and as his gauntleted right hand brushed across it, a solemn dark-gold faceplate descended.

Li Guanyi suddenly recognized that dark-gold faceplate.

The assassin ranked tenth in the realm, who had killed Xue Daoyong, had worn such a faceplate; General Yue Qianfeng had once scolded, saying it was something once used by Tai Ping Gong.

Xue Shen said: "Lord Chen, this is merely sparring—why take it so seriously?"

Lord Chen, clad in armor, also held a heavy long spear, its shaft seemingly cast as one piece, its blade over a foot long, like frost from half a longsword; he said: "I too wish to pass down Wu Gong to my family and future generations. As warriors, I must test myself against the greatest in the realm."

He charged forward, and Xue Shen fired his bow.

The arrow, as it shot forth, stirred violent winds, tore through primordial energy, nearly forming a pillar of air that slammed into Lord Chen; the earth around cracked, and a hazy glow emanated from his armor, yet Lord Chen's speed did not slow even slightly—he surged forward even faster.

That was a divine armor specifically designed to counter bows.

Lord Chen closed to within thirty-three steps.

Then Xue Shen raised his battle spear—the black spear emitted faint golden light, like myriad stars in the dark night; as he swung it, it roared with fierce, thunderous force. They were dueling on Jiangnan Dao, and as he swung, the rivers that flowed there were swept up.

Like a tidal wave, it crashed down upon Lord Chen.

Lord Chen swept his spear horizontally, splitting the tidal wave of water.

His weapon could not be controlled—it was caught in a spiraling force and flung away; as Lord Chen prepared to strike again, the battle spear, calm as a crouching tiger, was already before him, its sharp tip pressed against his brow.

Lord Chen lifted his head; though clad in divine armor, he froze in place.

Xue Shen stood before him, his ceremonial armor radiant as a celestial god, the crimson and gold threads on the armor faintly fluttering; Lord Chen sat on the ground, removed his battle helmet, and placed it aside, his refined face filled with regret: "... I have lost."

"Even though my armor can block all cleaving force, your battle spear could turn my body into a puddle of flesh and blood. Your battlefield techniques are violently overwhelming, yet this move's skill rivals the greatest martial arts of the Jianghu—what is its name?"

Xue Shen said: "Juan Tao."

Lord Chen murmured: "Juan Tao."

He sighed, smiling: "A fine technique. A fine name."

"I truly hope my descendants never become enemies of yours. My spear techniques never surpassed yours. Will any of my descendants ever surpass me, their ancestor, and create power worthy of matching your divine weapon techniques?"

Lord Chen departed. Xue Shen suddenly turned, his gaze piercing through time, spanning five hundred years, fixing on Li Guanyi, and said softly: "My battle spear technique is rooted in brute strength. After entering the realm, each technique transforms—each holds unique insight and variations."

"Of these, Juan Tao is the ultimate killing technique."

"It shatters all armor, all adamantine bodies—those who have not entered the Buddha's Adamantine Realm are reduced to flesh and mud."

Xue Shen planted the divine weapon upright in the ground, stood with hands clasped behind his back, the crimson-gold threads on his armor faintly lifting.

His gaze was sharp, piercing, vast, and majestic.

He looked at Li Guanyi.

He whispered:

"Lord Chen's descendants will surely cultivate their ancestral divine spear."

"Protected by divine armor."

"You—you must learn well."

Li Guanyi nearly believed Xue Shen had seen him.

Then he saw Xue Shen's lips slightly curl, his expression softening into a smile:

"Well, Yao Guang, did you record it?"

A cold voice replied: "Recorded."

Xue Shen, satisfied, said: "Good, good. Whether three hundred, five hundred, or eight hundred years from now, when my descendants see me speaking to them like this, they'll be shocked, wondering if their old ancestor never died—even if asleep, they'll rise to ponder."

"Ah, by the way, you must erase this segment using Yin-Yang methods—do not pass it on to future generations."

The Yao Guang of that era lifted her head, as if glancing at Xue Shen.

She considered the mental effort required and wanted to refuse.

Then she thought of the trouble Xue Shen would cause if she refused.

So she nodded coldly:

"Fine."

Xue Shen was thoroughly satisfied.

He laughed triumphantly: "My descendants won't be able to sleep!"

Li Guanyi understood: Xue Shen's scene had been a deliberate performance meant for future generations, and he had wanted Yao Guang to erase it—but since the scene had still reached Li Guanyi's eyes, it meant Yao Guang had not expended the effort.

The vision dispersed; the divine weapon's aura passed on. Xue Shen's voice returned to its earlier cold, plain tone from the "One Arrow, Cold as Frost" transmission: "To cultivate Juan Tao, the ultimate killing technique, you must master the battle spear techniques—Juan Tao is like a branch; the battle spear techniques are the roots. My techniques were all learned on the battlefield, with killing as the primary goal."

"Different realms, different internal cultivation bodies—each has its own way of wielding them. Watch closely."

"To outsiders, I say my spear technique is called Tai Ping Ling."

"But in my youth, I was arrogant, imitating ancient heroes—how could such a name, meant to comfort the peaceful lords of a golden age, suit it? Back then, I named this set of battle spear techniques Ba Wang Ji."

"Later, as I matured, I refined it, removing the superfluous, naming it 【Ji Wu Zhi Ji】."

"Only after entering the realm may you learn the techniques."

Before Li Guanyi's eyes, Xue Shen wielded the battle spear, demonstrating a complete set of battle spear martial arts—horizontal sweeps, heavy chops, broad and forceful strikes, decisive slaughter; then suddenly the techniques shifted, becoming steady and methodical, rigidly disciplined; finally, they turned light and fluid, continuous and unbroken, countless variations unfolding endlessly.

The battle halberd is not as heavy as a mace, nor as light and agile as a blade or sword.

It is a weapon of balanced middle ground.

If the weight and pressure of heavy weapons is ten, it is only eight.

If the skill of a blade or sword reaches ten, it is also only eight.

But the point is, whether in length, technique, chopping, slicing, thrusting, parrying, or weight, it is always eight—it demands the strength and audacity to wield heavy weapons, yet also requires exceptional insight to master five or more weapons and integrate their methods.

At that time, the battle halberd could pierce and strike beyond the reach of blades and swords, and outmaneuver the brute force of maces.

It could overcome the long spear with finesse, suppress the dagger and spear, and chop, slice, and cut.

It occupies the central Earth of the Five Elements.

It can break many weapons, yet is the most difficult to master.

Li Guanyi knew the Eight Breaking Army Cuts, but he placed himself opposite Xue Shen Jiang.

The Eight Breaking Army Cuts were nearly impossible to block.

The blade would be easily caught by the battle halberd; once trapped, the edge became useless—but the halberd still had its exaggerated spear tip and blade, and with the weapon caught, a swift slash would sever the wielder's arm; a sweeping strike would be enough to cut across the neck.

Even his own battlefield great spear technique could not match Xue Shen Jiang's battle halberd.

"When you have fully mastered this halberd art, come find me."

"The battle halberd differs from the spear—it is the most difficult weapon to master on the battlefield, capable of thrusting, smashing, hooking, and chopping, integrating the techniques of many weapons, yet its weight makes many techniques hard to apply without injuring oneself."

"Thus, those who wield the battle halberd are never ordinary—they master supreme arts. A great spear can be learned in a month, but true mastery requires at least five years."

"To learn the battle halberd requires ten years."

Xue Shen Jiang's inherited aura was cold: "You have taken up my halberd—this is fortune."

"My divine aura will wait for you three years, to warn you to train diligently. Within these three years, the aura's energy will diminish day by day."

"But rest assured."

"Within three years, if you master the halberd forms of this realm, I will teach you the Rolling Wave forms."

"Within two years, I can assist you in cultivating the Rolling Wave variations; within one year, there is even..."

Three years.

Li Guanyi knew this time was already extremely short.

But he had no time to wait.

The words "Regent Prince" still danced before his eyes, and he did not know if the phenomenon of holding two divine weapons together would appear again.

Li Guanyi closed his eyes, making his decision.

He activated his spirit.

At his chest, the bronze tripod overturned.

Jade nectar crashed down, and finally, the jade nectar gathered from the two divine weapons flowed into his body—just as when he first mastered the Eight Breaking Army Cuts; before his eyes, layers of cloud and mist appeared, and within the scene, thousands of soldiers in armor, wielding battle halberds, charged and slaughtered.

The halberd stood menacing, its forms sharp, sometimes light, sometimes heavy, sometimes rigid, sometimes soft.

Li Guanyi's figure merged with that of the man in the vision.

He seemed to sink into that boundless slaughter.

The jade nectar flowed through his body, strengthening the muscles and meridians of his arms, waist, and legs according to the demands of halberd use; his spirit immersed in the battlefield, and his body changed accordingly—watching the halberd forms, they shifted from initially complex and unfamiliar to familiar, then finally simplified.

The inherited aura of Xue Shen Jiang suddenly froze.

This inheritance locked onto the boy before it.

It could sense that the aura of this young inheritor was changing rapidly.

Extreme Martial Halberd, Entry.

Extreme Martial Halberd, Minor Completion.

Extreme Martial Halberd—Mastery.

Finally, the boy emitted faint, chilling killing aura, as if forged in slaughter; the Breaking Cloud Thunderbow howled in joy, just as five hundred years ago—beyond, the old man suddenly lifted his gaze, as if catching a whiff of blood, scanning around, then stared at the standing boy, stunned.

And that inherited aura halted its dissipation.

His eyes held a trace of shock, disbelief.

He looked at Li Guanyi.

Li Guanyi opened his eyes, looked at the inherited aura, and after a moment, said:

"I have mastered it."

The inherited aura stood silent as a puppet.

The Extreme Martial Halberd, embodying Xue Shen Jiang's lifetime of learning, seeking the ultimate limit of martial arts.

In an instant.

Great Completion!