Chapter 54: Chapter 54: Evenly Matched

Hei Hu stepped aside, looking embarrassed.

Chu Lingguang put away the long staff and saber, then approached Boss Zhuang with a Long Spear in hand.

“You use a spear?”

Boss Zhuang was surprised.

Although the Long Spear had great Attack Power, it was difficult to master. If Boss Zhuang broke through his defense, he might not even last five rounds.

Guo Wei, on the other hand, frowned slightly.

He knew Chu Lingguang’s Saber Technique was stronger than Hei Hu’s, not weaker. Perhaps Hei Hu’s defeat had worried Chu Lingguang, leading him to choose the spear.

But he believed that with Chu Lingguang’s calm demeanor, if he had just been a bit more careful with his saber, he would have had a chance to last ten rounds against Boss Zhuang.

Switching to the Long Spear now might be counterproductive.

However, this was just a training exercise, so Guo Wei didn’t interfere. Perhaps Chu Lingguang would gain something unexpected from it.

“Senior, your Saber Technique is masterful. I can’t compare to you, so I can only try my luck with the Spear Technique.”

Chu Lingguang nodded.

“The last time, Tie Zhennan’s disciple also chose to use a Long Spear, just like you,” Boss Zhuang said with a smile.

’That person must have been Liu Quan,’ Chu Lingguang instantly understood. ’It seems that, no matter what, I can’t let Guo Wei lose face in this duel.’

“Senior, please give me your guidance.”

He cupped his fists at Boss Zhuang, then gripped the Long Spear with both hands and took his stance.

“Please.”

Boss Zhuang felt a flicker of anticipation.

WHOOSH!

Chu Lingguang made the first move.

He attacked Boss Zhuang with the Linked Spear technique. He hadn’t chosen to defend, as that would be too passive; Boss Zhuang could easily break through. He decided it was better to make Boss Zhuang receive ten of his moves rather than trying to withstand ten of Boss Zhuang’s.

CLANG! CLANG!

Boss Zhuang calmly struck out twice with his saber, but he saw that Chu Lingguang’s Long Spear was steady and powerful. When his saber struck it, the spear shaft swung but still managed to thrust toward his body.

Boss Zhuang was inwardly astonished. He quickened his Saber Technique and couldn’t help but press forward, trying to close the distance to neutralize Chu Lingguang’s Long Spear.

But Chu Lingguang’s Linked Spear attacks were endless, as if he could unleash a dozen thrusts in an instant. This forced Boss Zhuang to involuntarily speed up his own Saber Technique, and for a moment, he found himself unable to break through Chu Lingguang’s defense.

A smile appeared on Guo Wei’s face. Chu Lingguang’s grip on the spear was firm, and his thrusts were precise. Every attack targeted one of three spots: Boss Zhuang’s head, shoulders, or chest.

This made it impossible for Boss Zhuang to easily escape unless he retreated and maneuvered. But as a senior, how could he allow himself to be forced back by Chu Lingguang’s Spear Technique? Amid his saber slashes, a piercing Sword Sound rang out.

Boss Zhuang’s strength and speed increased. In that instant, his Saber Technique became faster than Chu Lingguang’s Long Spear, and he began to close in.

Chu Lingguang knew he couldn’t let Boss Zhuang get too close.

He quickly retreated two steps and executed a Lion’s Head Turned Down, attacking Boss Zhuang’s lower body. The Long Spear jabbed toward Boss Zhuang’s legs, aiming straight for the vital points of his knee joints.

Boss Zhuang countered with the Golden Chicken Spin Saber Technique, blocking every one of Chu Lingguang’s thrusts. The humming sound grew louder at this moment. With a single spin, the saber seemed to erupt from the ground, slashing upward. When the blade struck the shaft of Chu Lingguang’s Long Spear, Chu Lingguang felt the weapon about to be torn from his grasp, a testament to the power of Boss Zhuang’s strike.

But he channeled all his Qi Blood, gripping the Long Spear tightly. At the same time, he pulled the spear back toward his body, knowing that if he didn’t gather his strength, another blow from Boss Zhuang’s saber would surely knock the weapon from his hands.

At this point, he and Boss Zhuang had exchanged less than seven rounds.

’If my Long Spear falls to the ground, it would be even more humiliating than not lasting a single round. If outsiders heard of it, how could Guo Wei maintain his reputation?’

So, Chu Lingguang retreated while pulling his Long Spear back, then gathered his full strength and spun around, bringing the spear down in an inverted slash, smashing it toward the advancing Boss Zhuang.

This time, Chu Lingguang used all his strength.

A booming sound emanated from the Long Spear.

The frequency of the spear shaft’s vibrations matched his breathing. His formless Qi Blood Power surged at this moment, and it felt as if he were swinging down with the force of an ocean wave.

Guo Wei, who had been looking worried that Chu Lingguang would drop his Long Spear, now found his pupils dilating. His solemn expression gradually turned into one of amazement.

CRACK!

Boss Zhuang’s Saber Technique was masterful, and he was fully capable of blocking Chu Lingguang’s inverted slash. However, the sudden surge of power almost broke his stance, causing his knees to buckle slightly.

WHOOSH!

Chu Lingguang seized the opportunity, unleashing a barrage of moves from the Basic Thirteen Spear Techniques that specialized in attacking the lower body.

The Wind Sweeps the Lotus Leaf from Within.

Weeding for Snakes with an Upward Thrust.

The Jade Maiden Works the Shuttle in Eight Directions.

A combo of lifting thrusts and intercepting sweeps, every move and every strike was aimed at Boss Zhuang’s lower body. Boss Zhuang, who had been pressing forward relentlessly and was too proud to retreat, was now forced back three consecutive steps just to neutralize a few of Chu Lingguang’s basic spear techniques.

Chu Lingguang had already cultivated these techniques to the Perfection realm.

Now, relying on his Formed power, he had caught Boss Zhuang completely off guard.

Without realizing it, they had already surpassed ten rounds.

But Chu Lingguang was so immersed in the battle that he hadn’t even noticed their prior agreement. Seeing Boss Zhuang retreat, trying to escape his lockdown, a single thought consumed him: ’I can’t let this guy get away! I have to press the advantage and take him down, or how will I ever use this Spear Technique against anyone else?’

WHOOSH!

With this in mind, Chu Lingguang’s spear moved like a Wandering Dragon. He unleashed another Linked Spear attack, aiming for Boss Zhuang’s upper body. The spear’s shadow never left the three zones: head, shoulders, and chest.

Every thrust was like a dragon or a tiger. The booming sound of his Spear Technique grew louder, and his Formed state reached its peak. Boss Zhuang felt as if he were being targeted by a seasoned master and was forced to use his full strength. The Sword Sound and the booming of the Spear Technique echoed through the Inner Courtyard.

As a senior master, he wouldn’t allow himself to be suppressed by Chu Lingguang. The fact that Chu Lingguang didn’t stop was exactly what he wanted.

“Master, Junior Brother, he…”

Hei Hu was dumbfounded. Chu Lingguang had actually trained his Spear Technique to such a level that, in his Formed state, he could fight Boss Zhuang on equal footing.

Guo Wei didn’t speak, his attention completely focused on Chu Lingguang’s every move. The surprise Chu Lingguang had given him was simply too great. He had never expected that Chu Lingguang had already trained his Spear Technique to the Form Realm and could force Boss Zhuang back using only his Basic Spear Skill.

At this moment, the weapons in their hands moved faster and faster.

Boss Zhuang used his full strength and slashed out. Chu Lingguang’s Long Spear was knocked aside, but after a slight wobble, its tip whipped back toward Boss Zhuang.

Boss Zhuang discovered that although Chu Lingguang’s moves were simple, their strength lay in their precision and decisiveness. Not a single thrust strayed from his body. Even when blocked by his saber, the spear would instantly shed the force and spin back for another strike.

So, he changed his Saber Technique.

The body of his saber began to move with a wave-like motion.

The saber once again struck the shaft of Chu Lingguang’s Long Spear. Chu Lingguang felt a surge of Skillful Force, and the spear vibrated violently, feeling as if it were about to slip from his grasp.

He was inwardly shocked and instantly thought of two words.

Skillful Force!

Boss Zhuang had also mastered Skillful Force.

And his was far superior to Liu Quan’s.

He didn’t know how to neutralize this Skillful Force. He had thought he could resist it with his Qi Blood Power and Formed Spear Technique, but the sensation of the Long Spear being pried from his grip grew stronger and stronger.

He couldn’t lose his weapon.

On reflex, Chu Lingguang stomped his feet hard on the ground, transferring the Skillful Force that had traveled through the Long Spear into the earth.

Cracks appeared in the two stone tiles beneath his feet.

Seeing this, a sharp glint appeared in Guo Wei’s eyes.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep