Two divine weapons, one real, and the other illusory.
Yet even the illusory divine weapon conveyed a sensation of grasping something, a mysterious divine aura transmitted between the two divine weapons. Li Guanyi's heart and the bronze cauldron hummed; after all, divine weapons are not like top-tier martial artists, and the portion of divine aura that could be contained within the bronze cauldron was limited.
Upon the second touch of the divine weapon, the Breaking Cloud Shocking Heaven Bow, the accumulation speed of the jade liquid had already begun to weaken. However, when he grasped the war spear, the formless divine aura seemed to circulate between the two divine weapons, and the jade liquid within the bronze cauldron rapidly completed its accumulation.
The White Tiger Dharma Manifestation lit up, representing the corresponding jade liquid of the White Tiger.
Meanwhile, the jade liquid of the Red Dragon remained at ninety-eight percent.
He still needed to see Yue Qianfeng again.
The howls of the two divine weapons converged, transforming into the figure of General Xue, just as the previous war bow contained images of him pacifying the border. This time, the convergence of the two divine weapons had a similar effect.
This time, General Xue appeared differently from when he was seen with the Breaking Cloud Shocking Heaven Bow. He wore majestic and ornate armor, and at the mouth of the fierce tiger, red decorations interwoven with golden threads hung down. In his right hand, he held the war spear, while his left hand gripped the war bow.
His gaze was calm, and he did not wear a helmet; his long hair was simply tied up with a jade hairpin.
Before him stood a refined-looking man, clad in even sturdier armor. The heavy black steel enveloped the man, radiating a precious light. He wore a helmet, and his right hand, covered with gauntlets, brushed over the helmet, causing a dignified dark golden faceplate to fall down.
Li Guanyi suddenly recognized this dark golden faceplate.
The assassin who had killed Xue Daoyong, ranked tenth in the world, wore such a faceplate. Yue Qianfeng had once scolded, saying it was something used by the former Peace Order.
General Xue said, "Lord of Chen Kingdom, this is merely a spar; why take it so seriously?"
Lord of Chen Kingdom, clad in armor, also wielded a heavy long spear. The spear appeared to be forged as a single piece, with a blade over a foot long, resembling the frost of a half-long sword. He replied, "I too wish to pass down martial arts for my family and future generations. As a martial artist, I always want to test the world's number one."
He stepped forward to charge, and General Xue shot an arrow from his bow.
As the arrow was released, it stirred up a violent wind, tearing through the vital energy, almost transforming into a pillar of air that struck Lord of Chen Kingdom. The surrounding earth cracked open, and a hazy light emanated from his armor. Yet, Lord of Chen Kingdom's speed did not diminish in the slightest; instead, he charged even further ahead.
That was armor specifically designed to counter arrows.
Lord of Chen Kingdom closed in within thirty-three steps.
Then, General Xue raised the war spear in his hand. The black war spear emitted a faint golden light, like stars in the dark night. As he swung it, a mighty and fierce howling sound erupted. They were clashing in Jiangnan, and as he swung, the flowing rivers were swept up.
Like a tsunami, it crashed down towards Lord of Chen Kingdom.
With a horizontal sweep of his spear, Lord of Chen Kingdom tore apart the tsunami-like wave.
His weapon was uncontrollable, caught by a swirling force, and then it flew away. Just as Lord of Chen Kingdom was about to strike again, the war spear, like a tranquil fierce tiger, was already before him, its chilling edge pressed against his brow.
Lord of Chen Kingdom raised his head; despite wearing precious armor, he stood still at that moment.
General Xue stood before him, his ceremonial armor as unapproachable as a celestial being. The red and gold threads on the armor slightly fluttered. Lord of Chen Kingdom sat down, removing his helmet and placing it aside, his refined face filled with regret as he said, "…I lost."
"Even if my armor can withstand all slashing forces, your war spear can turn my body into a puddle of flesh. Your techniques on the battlefield are indeed ferocious, yet this move's skill is not inferior to the ultimate techniques of the martial world. What is it called?"
General Xue replied, "Rolling Waves."
Lord of Chen Kingdom murmured, "Rolling Waves."
He sighed and smiled, saying, "A good technique, a good name."
"I truly hope my descendants do not become enemies with your descendants. My spear technique ultimately could not surpass yours. Will there truly be someone among my descendants who can surpass me, this ancestor, and create a power that can rival your divine weapon techniques?"
Lord of Chen Kingdom departed, and General Xue suddenly turned around, his gaze seeming to penetrate through time, crossing five hundred years, looking at Li Guanyi, and said lightly, "My war spear technique is based on ferocity. Once you enter the realm, each move will have variations, each with its own insights and transformations."
"Only this Rolling Waves is the first absolute kill."
"It can break through all armors; a diamond body that has not entered the Buddhist Diamond Realm will be like blood and flesh turned to mud."
General Xue thrust the divine weapon into the ground, standing with his hands behind his back, the red and gold threads on his armor slightly fluttering.
His gaze was sharp and fierce, grand and magnificent.
He looked at Li Guanyi.
And softly said:
"Lord of Chen Kingdom's descendants will surely cultivate their ancestor's divine spear."
"With precious armor for protection."
"You must learn well."
Li Guanyi almost thought General Xue could see himself.
Then he saw General Xue's lips curve slightly, his expression softening as he smiled and said:
"How is it, Yaoguang, have you recorded it?"
A cold voice replied, "It has been recorded."
General Xue, satisfied, said, "Hmm, not bad, not bad. Regardless of whether it is three hundred years, five hundred years, or eight hundred years later, when the younger generations see me speaking to them like this, they will surely be astonished and wonder if their ancestor is still alive or if he is merely asleep and must awaken to ponder."
"Ah, right, this segment you must erase using Yin-Yang techniques; do not pass it down to future generations."
The Yaoguang of that generation raised her head, seemingly looking at General Xue.
She contemplated the mental effort required to do so and wanted to refuse.
But then she thought of the trouble that would arise if she refused and was entangled by General Xue.
So she coldly nodded:
"Alright."
General Xue was satisfied.
He laughed heartily, "The younger generations will surely lose sleep over this!"
Li Guanyi understood that the scene of General Xue just now was merely a deliberate disguise, a way to communicate with future generations, and he wanted Yaoguang to erase this moment. However, this scene ultimately fell into Li Guanyi's eyes, indicating that Yaoguang did not expend that effort.
As the scene dispersed, the divine weapon's divine aura inheritance, General Xue's voice returned to the cold and plain tone it had during the previous transmission of the arrow's cold light, saying, "To cultivate Rolling Waves for the absolute kill, one must master the war spear techniques. Rolling Waves is like a branch; the techniques of the war spear are the roots. My techniques are all learned from the battlefield, with killing as the primary goal."
"Different realms, different internal cultivation, naturally have different methods of application. Pay attention."
"To outsiders, I say my war spear technique is called the Peace Order."
"But in my youth, in my arrogance, imitating the heroes of ancient times, how could it bear such a name that would reassure the officials of a peaceful era? At that time, I named this set of war spear techniques the Overlord Spear."
"Later, as I grew older, I refined it and named it the Extreme Martial Spear."
"Only upon entering the realm can one learn the techniques."
Before Li Guanyi, General Xue held the war spear and demonstrated a complete set of war spear ultimate techniques: sweeping, heavy chopping, opening and closing decisively, suddenly changing to a steady and methodical approach, and finally becoming light and continuous, with countless variations in techniques.
The war spear was not as heavy as a heavy hammer, nor as sharp as a sword; its techniques were light and agile.
It was a weapon of balanced nature.
If the weight and pressure of heavy weapons were ten, it was only eight.
If the techniques of swords and sabers reached ten, it was also only eight.
But the key was that regardless of length, technique, slashing, cutting, stabbing, or blocking, it was all eight. It required the strength and spirit of using heavy weapons while possessing a strong understanding, mastering the use of more than five types of weapons and integrating them.
At that time, the war spear could stab at swords and sabers, cleverly breaking through heavy hammers.
It could cleverly break through long spears and suppress halberds, capable of slashing and cutting.
Among the five elements, it occupied the central earth.
It could break through many weapons, yet it was the most difficult weapon to master.
Li Guanyi could break the Eight Blades of the Breaking Army, but he placed himself opposite General Xue.
The Eight Blades of the Breaking Army were nearly impossible to defend against.
They could easily be caught by the war spear, rendering the blade useless, but the war spear also had its exaggerated thrust and edge. If it caught a weapon, it could slice along with it, and the arm holding the knife would be severed, while a horizontal sweep could easily cut across the neck.
Even his own battle formation spear was no match for General Xue's war spear.
"Once you master this spear technique, come find me."
"The war spear is different from the spear; it is the most difficult weapon to master on the battlefield. It can stab, smash, hook, and slash, integrating the techniques of many blades. However, its weight means that if many techniques are not used properly, they can backfire."
"Thus, those who can wield the war spear are all masters of extraordinary skills. A long spear can be mastered in a month, but to truly learn it takes at least five years."
"To master the war spear requires ten years."
General Xue's transmission of divine aura was indifferent: "Your practice of my war spear is already a fortuitous encounter."
"This divine aura of mine will wait for you for three years, to awaken you to diligent cultivation. Within three years, the aura's essence will diminish day by day."
"However, you can rest assured."
"Within three years, you will master the war spear techniques of the realm, and I will pass on to you the techniques of Rolling Waves."
"Within two years, I can assist you in cultivating the variations of Rolling Waves, and within one year, there will be more…"
Three years.
Li Guanyi knew this time was already extremely short.
But he did not have that long to wait.
The words "Regent King" still danced before his eyes, and he did not know if this strange phenomenon of holding two divine weapons would appear again.
Li Guanyi closed his eyes and made a firm decision.
He activated his mind.
In his heart, the bronze cauldron toppled.
The jade liquid crashed down, finally flowing into his body, formed by the convergence of the two divine weapons. Everything was like the first time he grasped the Eight Blades of the Breaking Army; layers of clouds and mist seemed to appear before his eyes, within the scene were thousands of troops, some clad in armor, wielding war spears, charging and killing.
The war spear was fierce, its techniques sharp, sometimes light, sometimes heavy, sometimes rigid, sometimes soft.
Li Guanyi merged with the figures in that scene.
It was as if he was immersed in that boundless slaughter.
The jade liquid flowed within him, reinforcing the muscles and meridians of his arms, waist, and legs according to the needs of using the war spear. His mind was immersed in the battlefield, and his body changed accordingly. The techniques of the war spear, initially complex and unfamiliar, gradually became familiar and ultimately concise.
The inheritance from General Xue, which was about to dissipate, suddenly stagnated.
This inheritance locked onto the young man before it.
It could sense that the aura of the inheritor before it was rapidly changing.
Extreme Martial Spear, entry.
Extreme Martial Spear, minor success.
Extreme Martial Spear—mastery.
Finally, the young man emitted a trace of chilling murderous aura, as if he had experienced slaughter. The Breaking Cloud Shocking Heaven Bow howled and cheered, just like five hundred years ago. The old man over there suddenly raised his gaze, as if he caught a whiff of blood, looking around, and finally staring at the standing young man, stunned.
And the divine aura of inheritance ceased to dissipate.
His eyes carried a hint of astonishment, a sense of disbelief.
Looking at Li Guanyi.
Li Guanyi opened his eyes, gazing at the divine aura of inheritance, thought for a moment, and said:
"I have succeeded."
The divine aura of inheritance remained silent like a puppet.
Integrating General Xue's lifelong learning, seeking to exhaust the martial path of the Extreme Martial Spear.
In an instant.
Great success!
(End of Chapter)