"Me, Xia Clan's 'Mystic Ice Knight' Gu Yuanhan, left this spear technique here."
The golden foil pages were also filled with intricate patterns, depicting a small figure practicing the spear technique.
"Hum——"
A mysterious and vast force made the air in the study vibrate.
"Huh?" Dongber Xueying was startled, looking up to see that above the open golden foil book, a faint silver-white light appeared, forming an old man who looked like a beggar. This silver light 'beggar old man' was a miniature figure, only about the height of a book, holding a long spear.
The cold aura that enveloped him made Dongber Xueying involuntarily shiver.
"Whoosh!" The light beggar old man began to practice the spear technique, the spear moving like a dragon, either thrusting fiercely, sweeping, or blocking...
It was all too familiar. This was the spear technique that Dongber Xueying had been practicing since he was six, a very common technique throughout the Longshan Empire called the "Heart Intent Spear Technique."
The "Heart Intent Spear Technique" was widespread, being the simplest and most basic, known as the source of all spear techniques. It didn't have particularly powerful killing moves, but was entirely composed of basic techniques. Many spear masters began with the "Heart Intent Spear Technique" when they first started.
"I've been practicing the Heart Intent Spear Technique for almost three years, but I never felt it was so powerful." Dongber Xueying stared wide-eyed at the light figure practicing. The simple thrust of the spear, with the spear body twisting like a snake, was so powerful that it made Dongber Xueying's heart race. When retracting, the spear body twisted in the opposite direction.
He had been practicing since he was six, and now, at eight, it was winter, so he had indeed been practicing for nearly three years.
"The spear technique my father taught me was very standard. He taught me each move according to this set of techniques. But why do I feel that my spear technique is different from his?" Dongber Xueying observed carefully.
The same basic spear technique.
A master's practice and a beginner's practice were different.
"There is a force within, each thrust has a force, as if all the strength of the body is perfectly focused on the spear." Dongber Xueying had a vague understanding.
The book was open, and the "Heart Intent Spear Technique" continued to be practiced.
After half an hour, having watched it countless times, Dongber Xueying turned to the next page.
This page was filled with dense text.
"Spear techniques emphasize the foundation. The first set of spear techniques I taught is the source of all techniques, the 'Heart Intent Spear Technique.' When you reach true perfection, you will have a chance to master my spear technique."
"Below is a set of qi circulation techniques."
"My spear technique is known for its speed! This set of qi circulation techniques will make your spear thrusts faster."
The other dense text was the incantation for qi circulation.
The Extraordinary Knight spoke casually, but in reality, this technique was priceless! Two knights of the same level, one might only have used two or three moves, but the opponent, using a special qi circulation technique, might have used four or five moves, and the battle would be decided in just a few exchanges!
"My spear technique is called the 'Mystic Ice Spear Technique,' divided into three levels."
"The first level is 'Falling Snow.' Master this move, and you will have entered the realm of a spear master."
"The second level is 'Blood Rain.' Master this move, and you will have the potential to become an Extraordinary Knight."
"The third level is 'Mystic Ice.' Each Extraordinary Knight has their own path. This move represents my path, so I am the Mystic Ice Knight! My path may not be suitable for you, but if you can reach this level... you might be able to borrow some qi circulation techniques."
Dongber Xueying was excited.
No wonder this was a technique left by an Extraordinary Knight, leading all the way to the Extraordinary realm!
Continuing to the next page, the following pages were filled with dense text explaining the "Mystic Ice Spear Technique" and some special qi circulation techniques... These explanations filled over twenty pages, and Dongber Xueying could understand what the senior was saying, but ultimately, his current level was too low to learn this technique.
Flipping to the last page.
There were dense patterns, and above them, light immediately appeared, forming the light beggar old man, who began to practice the "Mystic Ice Spear Technique."
The beggar old man first practiced the "Falling Snow" level of the "Mystic Ice Spear Technique" normally, which felt incredibly fast! It seemed like hundreds or thousands of spears were thrust, like countless snowflakes falling... Dongber Xueying's eyes couldn't even see clearly. Then he practiced it slowly, like a slow-motion replay, and Dongber Xueying could see every move clearly.
Next, he practiced the "Blood Rain" level, and finally, the "Mystic Ice" level!
This spear technique was all about one word—speed!
Pursuing the ultimate in speed.
...
Of course, he still had to start from the basics, the "Heart Intent Spear Technique." When this technique was truly perfected, the simplest "Falling Snow" level of the "Mystic Ice Spear Technique" could be learned; otherwise, it was impossible to learn.
******
In the evening, Dongber Xueying had to coax his younger brother to sleep. His brother was very clingy, and it took over half an hour before he finally fell asleep.
The next morning, after breakfast.
Training ground.
"This training ground." Dongber Xueying scanned the area; his father used to practice here every day.
"Let's start."
Dongber Xueying put on his weighted gear and began running, circling the entire inner castle, which covered about a mile, making the training ground several miles in circumference. This was the daily warm-up, and Dongber Xueying was already used to it.
After running, he returned to the training ground, removed the weighted gear, and was drenched in sweat, feeling very comfortable. He walked to the short spear area, where numerous short spears were placed, each weighing about five pounds, specially made for Dongber Xueying.
"Go." He picked up a short spear and threw it, hitting the thick target eighty meters away, which was already covered in countless wounds.
"Go, go, go."
Dongber Xueying ran and threw the short spears.
Running and throwing!
Hitting targets while moving...
"Throw them." Dongber Xueying shouted.
"Yes, Master." The servants nearby picked up some small targets and started throwing them. As they flew through the air, Dongber Xueying, running from about eighty meters away, threw the short spears, sometimes hitting, sometimes missing. Clearly, hitting moving targets while in motion was still a challenge.
According to his father—short spears were just an auxiliary skill. Once he could hit moving targets with 100% accuracy while running, he could practice two hundred times daily to maintain his feel.
...
After a thousand short spear throws, Dongber Xueying's arms were very sore, and he was drenched in sweat, but he was used to it.
After the short spear practice.
Dongber Xueying began a set of boxing techniques to exercise his entire body's muscles and tendons. It was also a mid-level qi circulation technique called the "Flame Three-Stage Technique." His father had spent a lot of money to obtain this technique, as the qi circulation technique he learned in the army was only a low-level one.
Qi circulation techniques were best practiced when the body was fatigued!
The boxing technique combined hardness and softness, synchronized with breathing, making the entire body feel comfortable. A mysterious force seemed to penetrate his body, making every part tingle, and his stamina quickly recovered.
After practicing the "Flame Three-Stage Technique" twice, his arms returned to normal.
"Good, let's start practicing the spear technique."
Dongber Xueying picked up a long spear, which, due to his height, was about 1.8 meters long and weighed about ten pounds.
"Ha." Dongber Xueying began practicing the "Heart Intent Spear Technique."
He had been practicing this technique for nearly three years and was very familiar with it, but today felt completely different.
"Yes, this is the right way to exert force." Dongber Xueying had watched the Extraordinary Knight practice the spear technique the day before and naturally imitated the feeling, gaining a lot from it.
"Thrust."
His left hand loosely held the spear, while his right hand gripped the spear's tail, suddenly exerting force.
His right wrist twisted!
The long spear, like a large snake, generated a twisting force and thrust out! If it were an enemy, they would see the spear pointing at their face, but as it twisted and thrust, the tip would pierce their throat! This "twist" had two effects: to mislead the enemy and to increase the penetrating power, making it a key part of this move.
"Thud!" The spear tip pierced a metal dummy fixed to the ground. The dummy was made of metal inside and covered with alchemical materials, making it very tough and self-repairing. Even a Star Rank warrior couldn't damage it. The training ground had only five such dummies, each worth five hundred gold coins!
In his mother's alchemy laboratory, there was an even more valuable metal dummy used for her experiments.
A simple "thrust" was the main move in the spear technique. Each time he thrust, Dongber Xueying recalled the feeling of the Extraordinary Knight practicing the spear technique.
After a thousand full thrusts, Dongber Xueying's right hand was very sore, and he was drenched in sweat. In the past, he usually practiced only five hundred times, but now he was pushing himself.
"Thud." When he thrust the metal dummy with full force again, the recoil made his hand tingle, and the long spear fell to the ground with a clatter.
Dongber Xueying knelt on the ground, panting, drenched in sweat, looking at the long spear on the ground.
Although he was determined, his body was so exhausted that he wanted to give up.
Dongber Xueying looked up at the side. In the past, his father would stand there and scold him.
"Coward!"
"Already tired? You've only thrust three hundred times! With your body, five hundred times is normal, and a thousand times will make you very tired, and fifteen hundred times might be your limit! Even if you reach your limit, even if you hurt your body... you have a medicinal bath at night! This medicinal bath can heal even a cut or a broken bone, and you'll be as good as new the next day. Your conditions are so much better than mine. You can't even do five hundred times! Get up!"
"Get up, or you're a coward!"
"Only five hundred times, and you, a noble young master, can't do it?"
"Get up, my son Dongber Lie is not a coward!"
"Get up!"
His father's shouts echoed in his ears.
"Get up, get up." Dongber Xueying grabbed the long spear and stood up.
"Thrust."
Dongber Xueying thrust with full force again.
"Father, I really want to hear you scold me again, even if you call me a coward, I would be happy." Dongber Xueying, with red eyes, thrust wildly, realizing only after losing everything how precious it all was.