stepped along the shaft, and tapped the shoulder of the man holding it.
"You read my grip," he said, surprised.
"Your right hand tightened each time you changed direction. It was a small movement, but you repeated it. If you can learn to change direction without announcing it through your wrist, your spear will be much harder to read."
The fourth opponent used defensive palm arts. He did not carry a weapon, instead reinforcing his forearms and shoulders with True Qi and attempting to catch her blade between his hands. Qiao Zhi switched to a shorter grip and used the wooden sword more like an extension of her fingers. She made several light strikes, testing his response, then stepped away when he tried to trap the weapon. His defence was strong, but he relied too heavily on receiving attacks instead of controlling the space between them. Qiao Zhi feinted toward his chest, drew his guard upward, and tapped his knee with the end of the sword.
