Eternal Life: I Have the Favor System-Chapter 57: Application of Magic

"Thank you for allowing this, Master Guo."

Li Yishan had been worried Guo Wei wouldn’t agree. He immediately went to the open space in the backyard, drew his saber, and said, "Young Master Chu, please enlighten me."

"Hall Master Li, after you!"

Chu Lingguang’s expression turned grave. Li Yishan had requested this spar right in front of Guo Wei, so he could not afford to lose. He also knew that for Li Yishan to dare challenge him at the Martial Arts Hall, he must have had some sort of breakthrough.

So, he raised his Long Spear and took his stance.

"SWOOSH!"

Li Yishan gathered his full strength and charged at Chu Lingguang with his long saber raised. Just as Chu Lingguang had imagined, he had indeed made a breakthrough. The crucial point was that his Saber Technique was faster than before, going from a five-strike combo to a seven-strike one.

It might only seem like an increase of two strikes.

But in the midst of battle, those two extra strikes could be fatal.

Chu Lingguang was fully prepared. His eyes locked onto Li Yishan’s form as his Spear Technique flowed. He executed a Black Dragon Tail Swing, defending left and right to first halt Li Yishan’s advance.

His next move was the Cyan Dragon Emerges from Water Linked Spear, thrusting at Li Yishan’s head, shoulder, and chest.

In the past month, his Riding Skill had reached Perfection. He could now spear falling leaves from horseback with near-perfect accuracy. Although his Spear Technique had yet to develop Skillful Force, its formless Attack Power had increased considerably.

Li Yishan could only feel that both Chu Lingguang’s Long Spear and his own long saber had become much faster.

Even though his Saber Technique was clearly faster than before, he still couldn’t defend against Chu Lingguang’s Linked Spear. He hastily retreated, but Chu Lingguang pressed his advantage. Riding the momentum, he used Wild Horse Leaping Over the Stream Middle Level Spear, smashing it down toward Li Yishan’s head.

Alarmed, Li Yishan raised his saber with all his might to block.

"BANG!"

The Long Spear smashed against the blade of Li Yishan’s saber.

Unlike the last time when he was forced to one knee, Li Yishan managed to block Chu Lingguang’s strike. But his expression was strained, and his Saber Technique was in disarray. Finally, using all his strength, he pushed Chu Lingguang’s Long Spear away and said, exasperated, "Just like Liu Quan, you’ve won again!"

After speaking, Li Yishan cupped his hands in a salute to Guo Wei, then walked out of the Martial Arts Hall without a backward glance.

"Hall Master Li."

Chu Lingguang called out a few times, but Li Yishan didn’t acknowledge him.

Guo Wei’s brow smoothed out. He said, "How many times have you fought him?"

"This was the third time."

Chu Lingguang then told Guo Wei what had happened on Cyan Cloud Mountain.

"He just said Junior Brother won again, just like Liu Quan. Does that mean he went to Qinghe County to find Liu Quan?" Hei Hu asked curiously.

"I suppose so!"

Chu Lingguang was very curious how Liu Quan had managed to defeat Li Yishan. Was it through variations in Skillful Force, or had his Spear Technique achieved a completely new breakthrough?

Unfortunately, Li Yishan was already far away, and even if he caught up, it was clear he wouldn’t be willing to say more.

"Starting tomorrow, you will train in Skillful Force with me."

Guo Wei said after a moment of thought.

"Yes, Master!"

Chu Lingguang was overjoyed.

Hei Hu looked like he wanted to say something but held back. Guo Wei saw through him and said, "Skillful Force isn’t just for Spear Technique. It can also be applied to Saber Technique, Sword Technique, Staff Technique, and even Fist Technique. However, the spear has the greatest advantage. If you’re not afraid your Spear Technique will lack power in the future, you can practice Skillful Force with Lin Guang tomorrow."

"Master, I’ll go practice my Spear Technique."

Hei Hu quickly grabbed his Long Spear and went to a corner to practice the Basic Thirteen Spear Techniques.

Chu Lingguang also went to the side to practice his Spear Technique.

Over the past few days, he had wanted to ask Guo Wei to teach him Skillful Force several times, but he had always held back. ’He must know my Spear Technique has reached a tangible state,’ he thought. ’If he hasn’t rushed to teach me Skillful Force, he must have his reasons.’

’Now that Master has decided to teach me Skillful Force tomorrow, it must be because of what Li Yishan said,’ Chu Lingguang figured. ’He’s probably worried I’ll lose to Liu Quan in the Daoist Examination.’

Guo Wei, meanwhile, sat in a corner and looked at the invitation sent by the Big Saber Gang.

The Big Saber Gang’s founding ceremony was in half a month. The invitation bore Gao Qingxiong’s personal signature and contained nothing more than some respectful words, inviting him to attend the Big Saber Gang’s founding assembly.

He was not yet sure of Gao Qingxiong’s intentions.

For years, he had only focused on accepting students and teaching disciples martial arts. Some gang members had even trained in his Martial Arts Hall, and some had even offered a great deal of money to become his personal disciple.

But he had always had one rule: he did not want to get involved with gangs.

Even back when Big Saber Hong’s name was cleared and he established a stronghold on Cyan Cloud Mountain, Guo Wei had never associated with him. It was only when Big Saber Hong kidnapped the Government Mansion Young Master, causing government constables from two counties to surround Cyan Cloud Mountain, that he had taken Chu Lingguang to help Big Saber Hong out of the predicament.

This time, the Big Saber Gang had invited him to their founding. Normally, he would have refused outright, but he couldn’t understand why Gao Qingxiong would invite him, so he felt hesitant.

He decided to investigate it himself.

That afternoon, Guo Wei left the Martial Arts Hall and went to the county town. He sent a letter to his disciple, Wang Chao, asking him to help investigate Gao Qingxiong’s background and how he had managed to establish a connection with the Government Office.

「The next morning.」

As promised, Guo Wei began teaching Chu Lingguang about Skillful Force.

"Thrust your spear at me."

Guo Wei said to Chu Lingguang, his hands clasped behind his back.

Chu Lingguang knew of Guo Wei’s strength, so he thrust his spear straight at Guo Wei’s face.

"CLANG!"

Guo Wei blocked casually. The Long Spear that Chu Lingguang held firmly was instantly deflected. Just as he managed to regain his grip, Guo Wei flicked it again, and the Long Spear fell directly to the ground.

"Again."

Guo Wei said again.

"Yes!" 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

This time, Chu Lingguang gathered his full strength and put everything into his thrust.

It was as if Guo Wei’s eyes could see the spear’s trajectory. At the critical moment, he simply slapped the shaft of Chu Lingguang’s spear.

The spear shaft vibrated violently.

Chu Lingguang immediately felt the synchronized breathing he maintained with his Long Spear shatter.

A dull ache spread through his chest.

Both his arms went numb and weak.

He could barely lift them.

"Again!"

Guo Wei offered no further explanation.

"Yes!"

Chu Lingguang shook out his hands first. Once the numb weakness faded, he changed his strategy and attacked Guo Wei’s lower body.

Guo Wei kicked out.

His foot pinned Chu Lingguang’s full-powered thrust to the ground. When Chu Lingguang used all his strength to pull the spear back and sweep it toward Guo Wei’s face, Guo Wei’s right hand blurred. The next thing Chu Lingguang knew, the Long Spear he had been holding was now in Guo Wei’s hand.

The spearhead was pointed right between his eyes.

"Master... how?"

Chu Lingguang felt as if he’d been struck by lightning.

’How did Master snatch the spear away?’ he thought, stunned. ’I didn’t see it at all. I just felt that the moment he touched the Long Spear, I had an uncontrollable urge to let go.’

"The so-called Skillful Force is a type of Kung Fu that utilizes your Qi Blood, making it seem as if your weapon has an extra force of its own. It can repel an opponent’s weapon, or even bind it completely."

Guo Wei tossed the Long Spear back to Chu Lingguang and began to explain the various uses of Skillful Force.

Using Skillful Force to repel an opponent’s weapon, as Liu Quan does, is the most rudimentary application.

And the more common use of Skillful Force, like Boss Zhuang employs, is to channel it through your weapon and into your opponent’s body.

But a true master can use Skillful Force to disarm an opponent with their bare hands, snatching the weapon from their enemy’s grasp in the blink of an eye.

They can then use the enemy’s own weapon to slay them!

Clearly, Guo Wei was such a true master of Skillful Force.