Chapter Fifty-Seven: A Gun Without Regret
"Kill!"
With a deep shout, the battered silver spear shot forth like a dragon, piercing the wooden training dummy ten paces away with unstoppable force.
The dummy, crafted from black ironwood, had its thickest chest section instantly penetrated by the gleaming spearhead.
In the next moment, the wooden figure shattered into pieces.
Countless splinters sprayed into the air!
[Lin Family Spear +1]
As Fang Xiao withdrew his spear, he saw information appear before his eyes.
[Red Sun Codex]
[Unshakable in All Martial Ways, Impervious to All Arts, Immune to All Evil]
[Dragon-Tiger Post (Perfected)]
[Demon-Subduing Fist (Mastered): 0/80]
[Lin Family Spear (Proficient): 0/40]
[Experience: 0]
His spear technique had advanced!
Over the past period, Fang Xiao had devoted all his time and energy to the Lin Family Spear.
His rate of improvement was nothing short of astonishing.
Without spending any experience points, he had forced his way to proficiency in this spear art by sheer effort!
“You’re ready to graduate,” Lin Chong, standing by, exclaimed from the heart. “There’s little left for me to teach you now!”
Though the spear and staff instructor from the Six Rivers Academy might have been exaggerating, having witnessed Fang Xiao grasp the essence of the Lin Family Spear so swiftly under his guidance, he could not help but be amazed. Fang Xiao’s mastery was closing in on that of a true inheritor!
Lin Chong had gone from shock, bewilderment, and disbelief to numb acceptance.
But as a guardian of a spear art passed down for centuries, he knew that the risk of this legacy being lost had greatly diminished.
Even if he were to die now, Fang Xiao could pass the art on!
Fang Xiao scratched his head. “Instructor, I’d still like to learn the Long River Sunset Spear.”
After all, he had spent three hundred taels of silver for that.
To be honest, Fang Xiao was astonished at his own rapid progress in the Lin Family Spear.
He did not yet understand that his meteoric rise was not only due to his talent and Lin Chong’s careful instruction, but most importantly, the “Unshakable in All Martial Ways” ability granted by the Red Sun Codex!
When Fang Xiao first set foot on the martial path, he was a blank slate, lacking any experience. As a result, the ability’s effect was limited, and it had taken him great effort just to cross the threshold of the Dragon-Tiger Post.
But now, after three days of martial theory classes at the academy, his weakest points had been shored up.
The power of “Unshakable in All Martial Ways” immediately began to show.
This was the true reason he had been able to master the basics of the Lin Family Spear simply by watching Lin Chong’s demonstration.
And as his martial foundations grew richer and deeper, this ability would become ever more potent and fearsome!
Hearing Fang Xiao’s answer, Lin Chong couldn’t help but laugh. “Rest assured, I’ll begin teaching you tomorrow.”
The Lin Family Spear and Long River Sunset Spear each had their own strengths. The former emphasized foundational technique; reach mastery in it, and any further spear art would yield double the result for half the effort. The latter excelled in momentum; grasp its essence, and one could sweep aside all peers!
Though Lin Chong said Fang Xiao was ready to graduate, in truth, he would only teach the youth more devotedly in the days ahead, passing all his knowledge to this gifted boy.
He could die content.
Fang Xiao was delighted. “Thank you, instructor!”
Lin Chong waved him off. “Go on.”
Fang Xiao bowed, replaced the battered silver spear on the rack, and departed the courtyard.
This small house was assigned to instructors of Six Rivers Academy, with similar courtyards scattered all around. Because Lin Chong gave Fang Xiao private lessons, he did not need to practice with the other students in the training ground, and so had long since exchanged his blunt spear for the battered silver one—a true weapon for combat.
Leaving the academy, Fang Xiao fetched his sturdy blue donkey and set out for home.
The donkey’s hooves clattered as it galloped along. Passing Zhen Village, Fang Xiao arrived at the foot of Little Jing Mountain.
Heh-chu!
But just then, his donkey suddenly slowed, snorting uneasily.
Fang Xiao’s gaze sharpened.
He saw, beside the mountain path, a man in a bamboo hat lounging lazily atop a rock, a long stalk of foxtail grass between his teeth.
Beside him rested a sheathed wild-goose-feather saber.
Without hesitation, Fang Xiao leapt from the donkey’s back, right hand reaching into his military satchel to grip the black iron spear.
He sensed a threat from this man.
“Heh!”
The man in the bamboo hat suddenly sneered.
With the grace of a sparrow hawk, he flipped to the ground, landing lightly to block Fang Xiao’s way.
Fang Xiao watched him carefully, his left hand patting the blue donkey’s side. “Go!”
Eeyah—
The blue donkey immediately turned and fled.
The man in the bamboo hat paid it no mind.
He lifted his chin, revealing a half-smiling face, his eyes glinting with roguish mockery.
“Fang Xiao, right?”
He drawled, “Someone’s put a bounty on you. I’m to take one of your arms.”
“So, here’s the question…”
The corner of his mouth curled into a wicked smile. “Will it be your left arm, or your right?”
His tone was as relaxed as if he were asking Fang Xiao to choose left or right at a crossroads.
Fang Xiao did not reply.
He answered with the black iron spear gripped in his hand!
“Ha!”
The man in the bamboo hat grinned broadly. “Why bother? I’m at the Condensed Core stage, you’re only Tempered Body. Didn’t your instructor tell you the difference between us?”
“Face reality. Make your choice.”
“That way, I get the bounty easily, and you suffer less pain.”
“So, left arm or right?”
He asked again, his gaze shadowed with predatory malice, like a cat eyeing a mouse.
“Face my spear!”
This time, Fang Xiao broke his silence.
He exhaled sharply, his tongue thundering like spring, and in a flash, thrust his black iron spear at the man in the bamboo hat with lightning speed.
Just as he had struck the wooden dummy in Lin Chong’s courtyard.
But this thrust carried all the strength he possessed.
Two hundred and six bones rang in unison, searing heat from his tailbone exploded within him, every tendon, muscle, and bone ignited with formidable power.
All of it poured into the black iron spear.
Strike with no regrets!
The four-word spear maxim Lin Chong had taught echoed in Fang Xiao’s mind like a great bell.
A true warrior must possess extraordinary courage when facing a formidable foe.
Without such courage, one should never draw the spear.
But once the spear is drawn, regret is meaningless, even in the face of death!
Fang Xiao’s blood burned with fervor, the roar of tigers and the song of dragons resounded in his ears.
Yet his mind was utterly calm.
It was life or death—nothing in between!
In a flash, the black iron spear reached the man in the bamboo hat.
The three-edged spearhead suddenly burst into radiant light—
Crimson as blood!