The mastery of martial weapons is divided into four stages.
The first stage: Mimicking the Form.
This involves merely imitating the movements and performing them to standard, the stage where the vast majority of students are.
The second stage: Harmonizing with Intent.
The mind unites with intent, intent with energy, and energy with force.
Techniques are no longer rigid movements. They possess their own essence and purpose, allowing one to move as they will and apply force with precision.
Every student who reaches this stage has trained since childhood and possesses a high degree of aptitude.
And Chen Meng knew Lin Ye's background.
His family was of very modest means; it was a struggle for them just to afford his tuition for the martial arts program.
He certainly couldn't have afforded any extracurricular training.
That left only one possibility.
'This kid in front of me is a true prodigy when it comes to Staff Skill!'
He made up his mind.
'I have to carve this raw jade myself and see just how fine it is!'
"Attention, everyone!"
Chen Meng's voice shattered the silence in the training hall.
"Free sparring practice begins now!"
Before the words had even faded, he stepped off the high platform.
His figure blurred in mid-air, and in the next instant, he appeared before Lin Ye.
All the students were stunned.
Chen Meng paid no mind to the others. His burning gaze fixed on Lin Ye as he said in a deep voice, "You seem to have grasped the fundamentals of the Staff Skill."
"However, true martial skill is forged in the crucible of life-and-death combat."
"Come. Let's have a match."
As he spoke, the data of Chen Meng's virtual avatar began to adjust rapidly.
The blood-red "LV37" marker above his head dimmed and dropped at a visible rate.
Level 15... Level 10... Level 5...
Finally, it settled firmly at "Level 2"!
A perfect match for Lin Ye's current level!
That was the great thing about the Virtual Space. If two people wanted to test their martial skills without competing in raw power, the system could perfectly equalize their power levels.
Then, with a flash of light...
A long spear, gleaming silver from end to end with a tip that flashed with a deadly cold light, appeared in Chen Meng's hand.
The atmosphere in the entire training hall was instantly set ablaze!
"Holy crap! Mr. Chen is personally going to train Lin Ye!"
"Mr. Chen lowered his power to match Lin Ye's!"
"Mr. Chen's weapon is a spear! Rumor has it that back in his army days, he was famous for his mastery of the Dragon Gall Spear!"
And at the very moment Chen Meng produced his spear, his aura surging to its peak...
A cold system notification chimed in Lin Ye's mind, right on cue.
[DING!]
[Provocation from a high-level adventurer detected!]
[This is your first official battle as a BOSS!]
[Emergency Quest Issued: Fight or Die!]
[Quest Objective: Survive for over one minute under the assault of the adventurer, Chen Meng, or inflict effective damage upon him.]
[Quest Reward: +150 EXP, +1 Skill Point, New Mechanic Unlocked: Soul Furnace!]
[Note: This is a unique, one-time quest and will not be triggered again.]
[Remark: Crush him! Make this arrogant adventurer understand who the real challenger is!]
Upon seeing this,
The top students from several classes wore expressions of utmost gravity.
They knew very well what it meant to receive a personal lesson from Chen Meng like this.
It was a sign of acknowledgment!
More legends circulated about Chen Meng than anyone else at the entire First High.
No one knew his history.
All they knew was that even the principal was deferential in his presence.
Furthermore, it was rumored that his strength was formidable even in the context of the entire Dongjiang region. He had only retreated to a third-rate position as a martial arts teacher because of a latent injury sustained in his early years fighting other races, which prevented him from using his full power.
Chen Meng had never given anyone this kind of special attention.
But now, though it was framed as a duel, everyone knew Chen Meng intended to personally instruct Lin Ye.
Envy and jealousy began to brew in the hearts of those top students.
'A complete nobody... what right does he have?'
Regardless of what anyone else thought, the battle was about to begin.
In the center of the training hall, Lin Ye tightened his grip on the long staff, feeling the smooth, temperate texture of the wood.
His heart pounded wildly in his chest.
Adrenaline coursed through his veins.
Cold sweat beaded on Lin Ye's forehead.
He could feel a change in Mr. Chen's aura.
He was no longer the stern, unsmiling teacher with the perpetually grim expression.
But a spear.
A killing spear that had tasted blood and witnessed death!
Even through the virtual data, the formless pressure still made his skin prickle with pain.
"Are you ready?"
Lin Ye gripped his staff tightly and replied, "I'm ready for your instruction, sir!"
The next instant.
Chen Meng moved!
No flashy moves. No superfluous probes.
He took a single step, man and spear as one, as a streak of silver light tore through the air, aimed straight for Lin Ye's throat!
Fast!
Precise!
Vicious!
This single thrust, imbued with the killing intent of a thousand battles, sealed off all of Lin Ye's paths of retreat.
The hearts of every student watching clenched tight.
It was as if they could already see Lin Ye's throat being pierced, his body dissolving into motes of data.
However, in the split second before the spear tip touched his skin...
Lin Ye's eyes suddenly focused!
[Staff Form: Heavy Staff Form!]
He didn't dodge; there was no time.
Instead, he took a step forward, power generating from his waist and back. With Qi and Blood flowing through his arms, he swung the staff in a sudden, upward arc!
The staff carved a brutally powerful arc, fearlessly meeting the deadly spear tip!
CLANG—!
The deafening ring of metal on metal exploded throughout the training hall!
Lin Ye felt an immense force travel up the staff, making the webbing of his hand go numb. He was forced back several steps, unable to control his momentum.
Chen Meng, however, merely swayed for a moment before steadying his stance.
The difference in their levels was instantly clear!
But... he had blocked it!
Lin Ye had actually blocked Mr. Chen's attack!
The entire hall was dumbfounded!
"Holy shit! He blocked it?"
"Such quick reflexes..."
Only Lin Ye's expression darkened.
'The gap... it's too wide.'
'If this were a real life-or-death battle on a battlefield, Mr. Chen's spear would have pierced my heart in the instant I lost my balance.'
'But Mr. Chen isn't pressing his attack.'
'That last thrust was just a test.'
A flicker of surprise crossed Chen Meng's eyes.
'His spear thrust had seemed simple, but it actually contained a threefold burst of power. An ordinary student's staff would have been sent flying.'
'But Lin Ye hadn't just blocked it; he had used a method of pure force to overcome finesse.'
'Interesting.'
"Again!"
Chen Meng barked, and his spearmanship abruptly changed.
The once straight and rigid spear in his hands seemed to transform into a silver flood dragon. A flurry of afterimages danced up and down, enveloping Lin Ye from all sides!
It was a mix of fast and slow, feints and real attacks!
Every strike was lightning-fast, the angles wickedly sharp, each one aimed at one of Lin Ye's vital points.
This was true battlefield spearmanship. There was no beauty to it—its sole purpose was to kill!
Faced with this torrential assault, the pressure on Lin Ye increased immensely.