Chapter 57: The King of Weapons
The high platform on the Martial Arts Field was usually where the head instructor addressed the recruits. The open square below, however, was the perfect arena for sparring.
The recruits gathered around the platform, watching the two figures standing atop it.
Jiang Jiao had already taken up his spear. Tall, robust, and strikingly handsome, he stood out among the other recruits, likely due to his years of martial training since childhood. His presence alone exuded a sense of reliability.
Opposite him stood He Yan. Compared to Jiang Jiao, He Yan seemed more like an underdeveloped youth—short, slender, with delicate features. Despite the relentless training under the sun, which had darkened his skin, he remained fairer than the others. Standing there, he looked less like a recruit and more like a young master from a wealthy family—refined, elegant, and charming.
Jiang Jiao raised his spear. "You first."
Quite considerate. He Yan smiled brightly. "Then I won’t hold back." He leveled his spear before him, eyes glinting as he surged forward.
Jiang Jiao’s expression shifted as he met the charge.
In an instant, their figures blurred together. The sharp clangs of clashing spears rang out incessantly—a dozen exchanges in mere moments—before both retreated several steps, eyeing each other.
He Yan’s smile remained unchanged, while Jiang Jiao couldn’t hide his astonishment.
From the first clash, he knew He Yan couldn’t possibly be a beginner with the spear. Every move in their brief duel had been perilous, leaving him no room to attack or retreat.
An even match!
He had thought he already held He Yan in high regard, but now it seemed he had underestimated him.
The recruits below hadn’t grasped the subtleties. Disappointed by the abrupt pause, they grumbled among themselves:
"What just happened? Who’s winning?"
"I took a sip of water—what did I miss? Did you see anything?"
"No, I didn’t catch it either."
At the edge of the field, the instructors stood in solemn silence.
Du Mao turned to Liang Ping, who hastily waved his hands. "Don’t ask me! I had no idea—he never showed this level of skill during practice!"
While the recruits were confused, the instructors had seen everything clearly. He Yan hadn’t lost to Jiang Jiao—in fact, Jiang Jiao might have been slightly overwhelmed due to underestimating his opponent. Jiang Jiao’s spear techniques were intricate and serpentine, yet He Yan’s seemingly simple moves carried immense force, effortlessly deflecting Jiang Jiao’s strikes.
"Liang Ping, you’ve really picked up a gem," one instructor remarked enviously.
Liang Ping was torn between pride and unease. He Yan had hidden his abilities far too well. Had Jiang Jiao not challenged him, Liang Ping would have assumed He Yan was merely talented with the crossbow and decent with the spear.
On the platform, Jiang Jiao fixed his gaze on He Yan. "Again!"
He Yan nodded.
This time, Jiang Jiao struck first, spear in hand. He Yan met him head-on. The two spears locked together, their red tassels fluttering in the wind. Jiang Jiao’s spear darted like a viper, swift and deadly, aiming straight for He Yan’s face—yet He Yan merely tilted his head slightly, letting the blade graze past his cheek, striking nothing but air.Jiang Jiao began to take things seriously. His spear techniques surged forth like a sudden storm, strike after strike, as he sought to find an opening in He Yan’s defense. Yet, astonishingly, the nimble youth dodged each near-miss with agility, his own spear transforming into an impenetrable shield that blocked Jiang Jiao’s advances, never allowing him an inch closer.
“Faster! Just a little faster! You’re almost there!” The recruits below the stage watched anxiously.
“Why is He Yan only defending? Doesn’t she know how to attack with a spear?”
As time passed, Jiang Jiao’s spear techniques could no longer sustain such an intense assault. He stared at He Yan, baffled by how such a seemingly frail youth could possess such strength and endurance. There was no trace of exhaustion in him—only focus. A focus so sharp it was unnerving.
In a fleeting moment of distraction, Jiang Jiao’s spear swung through empty air. His heart lurched as the youth opposite him suddenly smiled. Before he could react, He Yan’s spear—which had only defended until now—lunged forward. Jiang Jiao hastily raised his own spear to block, but the force knocked him slightly off balance.
He Yan had begun her attack.
“The spear is the king of all weapons. Against it, all others falter.” The youth’s voice was clear, neither too loud nor too soft. The empty mountains echoed her words, carrying them across the entire Martial Arts Field.
She crouched low, evading Jiang Jiao’s spear tip, then thrust upward at a tricky angle toward his face.
“The ‘Descending Spear’ counters the staff; the ‘Flower Thrust’ counters the shield and trident.” She shifted her stance, twirling the spearhead before charging forward again.
“The ‘Counter Strike’ defeats the sword, the fork, the spade, the twin blades, and the dagger.” Her arms seemed to possess boundless strength. Even when blocked, she pressed on, striking left and right until Jiang Jiao could barely keep up, his defense crumbling.
“The ‘Hook and Sweep’ defeats the whip and the mace.” She advanced further, her spear now a tempest of strikes—more relentless and precise than Jiang Jiao’s earlier assault. Each thrust targeted his weaknesses like a viper striking its prey, every move lethal.
“The ‘False Feint’ defeats the greatsword and the halberd.” Jiang Jiao was now backed to the edge of the Martial Arts Field’s platform. His mind reeled as the youth before him seemed to charge like a warhorse on the battlefield, unstoppable and overwhelming. He was forced into retreat, his defenses shattered.
The spear shot toward his face. Jiang Jiao stumbled back in panic, only to slip—his footing lost. As he fell, the gasps of the recruits below reached his ears. Only then did he realize: he had nowhere left to go.
Suddenly, a hand caught him.
The spear stopped just short of his forehead. The youth, though slight in build, had surprising strength, pulling him back onto the platform before withdrawing her spear to her side.
A breeze swept through, dispelling the lingering summer heat, leaving only cool relief in its wake. Flags fluttered gently, and the sounds of birds and insects filled the forest.
The youth stood tall, her voice still clear, showing no signs of exhaustion or heavy breathing from the fierce assault. Calm and deliberate, her words carried weight:
“Men are blinded by lesser weapons only because they have not witnessed the true spear. Once they do, all other arms seem but child’s play.”
Jiang Jiao stared at her in stunned silence. After a long pause, he murmured softly, “Have you… read The Record of Arms ?” The Record of Arms documented various spear and saber techniques. Jiang Jiao had read it because his family ran a martial arts school—his grandfather, father, elder brother, and he himself were all required to study it. He had read it before but always thought the descriptions in the book were too exaggerated, impossible for anyone to truly achieve. Yet now, here he was, witnessing it firsthand in this young man, realizing it was his own skills that fell short.
The young man tilted his head, a playful smile on his face, and said, "I've read a little, just a passing familiarity, a passing familiarity."
(End of Chapter)
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