High Martial Arts: Enlightenment after Practices-Chapter 115: Zeng Bonan Arrives
Tang Jingfeng sighed and pulled him over to a stone bench at the edge of the practice field. "That’s normal. Poison Fang Bats are fast and venomous, and their attack patterns are completely different from human Martial Artists. A lot of freshmen get stuck on the third stage."
Xu Zhi lowered his head and stared at his hands.
All the confidence he’d felt holding his spear just moments ago had turned to dejection.
He had always believed that coming from the Central Province made him stronger than the other freshmen, but today he realized just how far he still had to go.
"So what should I do now?" he asked, looking up at Tang Jingfeng, all the previous pride gone from his voice.
"What else is there to do?" Tang Jingfeng smiled. "Go back and train hard. Figure out how to handle the speed of the Poison Fang Bats, or how to deal with their venom. Either approach is valid."
"A typical Level 15 Martial Artist can resist the venom from one bite, at most. The key to victory is whether you can reduce the number of bats to fewer than seven before you’re bitten a second time."
Tang Jingfeng gave a simple explanation. He was speaking from experience, but it wasn’t anything that needed to be kept secret.
Anyone who could get into Star Martial University had decent combat talent. They would all figure this out after a few tries. The key was *how* to do it.
Xu Zhi nodded, and some of the dejection in his heart began to dissipate.
"Alright, I get it." He stood up and clenched his fists. "I’ll start putting in extra training tomorrow. For my next challenge, I’ll definitely... clear the third stage first!"
...
「Two days passed in a flash.」
In the underground Enhanced Training Room of Villa 7 in Hidden Dragon Garden, Xu Wuyi had just finished a round of practice with the Eight-direction Soul Suppressing Spear. He was now Concentrating his Spirit and regulating his breath.
Within his sea of consciousness, the text on the [Martial Arts Diligence Record] was clearly displayed:
[Martial Arts: Eight-direction Soul Suppressing Spear]
[Current Realm: Beginner (20.1%)]
[Martial Arts Traits: Not unlocked]
[Evaluation: The core concept is budding, its edge beginning to show.]
To take a B-Level Spear Technique from scratch to over 20% proficiency in the Beginner realm in just two short days was an astonishing speed. If word got out, it would be enough to leave many so-called geniuses dumbfounded.
This was partly due to the precise feedback from the [Martial Arts Diligence Record], but also thanks to the extra efficiency Xu Wuyi gained by cleverly integrating his Merging Intention practice into his training of the Wind-Settling Spear.
Just then, the communicator he had set aside began to vibrate gently.
Xu Wuyi composed himself and picked up the communicator. The name displayed on the screen was somewhat unexpected—Zeng Bonan.
He pressed the answer button, and Zeng Bonan’s voice immediately came through. "Wuyi? It’s me, Zeng Bonan! I’m at Star Martial. I just finished registering."
"Yeah, it’s me. Are you contacting me through the Battle Network? Come on over," Xu Wuyi replied with a smile.
Meeting an old friend in a new place was always a pleasure. Hearing the voice of a friend from back home on this unfamiliar campus was truly a delightful experience.
With a light tap of his finger, a virtual projection of Zeng Bonan appeared directly in front of him, the scenery around Zeng Bonan also materializing in his view.
"Wow, Wuyi! The treatment for the provincial champion really is on another level. This private villa is amazing!" Zeng Bonan’s projection said as it walked into the courtyard, looking all around.
His tone was full of sincere admiration, not a hint of jealousy—only happiness for his friend.
"I just got a bit of a head start, that’s all. Are you all settled in?" Xu Wuyi said, leading the projection into the living room.
"Yep. I’m in the Yuli District. It’s a private apartment, so the accommodations are pretty good," Zeng Bonan said.
Star Martial University provided private accommodations for all its students. As one’s skill level advanced, martial arts training became a highly private affair, making shared rooms extremely inconvenient.
After they exchanged some pleasantries, Zeng Bonan took the initiative. "Wuyi, how about a sparring match? We’ve never fought a duel with weapons before!"
"Sure," Xu Wuyi agreed without hesitation.
Once you reached the university level, purely unarmed combat was largely a thing of the past; nearly every student at Star Martial specialized in a weapon.
Xu Wuyi lay down in his Virtual Pod and connected his consciousness to the Battle Network.
The two arranged to meet in a public training area on the Battle Network. By the time Xu Wuyi teleported in, Zeng Bonan was already there waiting.
He still had the same calm and steady demeanor, but his eyes held a depth and restraint that hadn’t been there in high school.
Xu Wuyi’s gaze fell to what Zeng Bonan was holding: a heavy, square shield. Tucked behind it was a short blade.
The shield was a dark, dull black, while the short blade had clean lines and glinted with a cold light.
"Sword and shield?"
"Yeah. An ’Unmoving Mountain’ model shield, paired with a ’Breaking Rock’ blade."
Zeng Bonan patted the face of the shield, which gave off a dull THUD. "A purely defensive counter-attack style. To be honest, you’re the one who inspired me."
Initially, Zeng Bonan hadn’t had such a distinct personal style.
It wasn’t until after his first fight with Xu Wuyi that he suddenly realized this style of combat suited him perfectly—perhaps even better than it suited Xu Wuyi himself.
Xu Wuyi, on the other hand, was no longer confined to a single fighting style. He could defend, launch quick offensives, and even fight with fluid mobility.
The content of each stage in the "Freshman Challenge" was distinctly different, clearly designed to test a student’s versatility.
Still, Xu Wuyi nodded in understanding.
There are countless paths in Martial Arts. Some pursue the ultimate offense, some seek absolute defense, and others strive to be well-rounded warriors, excelling in all areas. It all comes down to personal preference.
The two stepped onto the arena platform.
It was a simple bluestone platform, surrounded by a blurry curtain of light that served as a boundary.
A ray of light from the system swept over them, and the Energy Level fluctuations of their virtual bodies were simultaneously suppressed to Level 13.
Zeng Bonan took a deep breath. He steadily raised his left arm, holding the "Unmoving Mountain" shield before him, while his right hand held the "Breaking Rock" short blade in a reverse grip, concealed behind the shield.
He lowered his center of gravity, becoming like a fortress gathering its strength, naturally exuding a steady and imposing aura.
"Please," Zeng Bonan said, his voice deep.
Xu Wuyi’s eyes narrowed. ’Zeng Bonan’s stance is no mere posture. It’s been honed through countless hours of practice. I can’t see any obvious openings.’
"Watch yourself."
Before the words even left his mouth, Xu Wuyi executed Instant Shadow Step. His figure flashed forward like lightning, instantly closing the distance. The spear in his hand became a silver streak, thrusting toward the gap between the edge of Zeng Bonan’s shield and his body.
The thrust was incredibly fast and aimed at a tricky angle.
However, Zeng Bonan’s reaction was faster. With a slight shift of his feet, he adjusted the angle of his shield.
CLANG!
The tip of the spear struck the exact center of the shield. A massive force was transmitted through the weapon, causing Zeng Bonan to sway slightly, but he quickly steadied himself. The shield hadn’t moved an inch.
Xu Wuyi could feel the power of his thrust get swallowed by the heavy shield, disappearing as if a clay ox had sunk into the sea.
At the same time, a cold light flashed from behind the shield. The "Breaking Rock" blade shot out, silently slicing toward the wrist of Xu Wuyi’s spear-hand.
Xu Wuyi pulled his spear back, retreating to avoid the sharp counter-attack.
"Very impressive," Xu Wuyi complimented.
’Zeng Bonan’s defense isn’t just about tanking hits. His offense and defense are one and the same. He’s already preparing a counter-attack the moment he blocks, making it hard to press the assault.’
’The Sword and Shield Battle Technique is difficult to master. I considered it myself back when I was choosing a weapon, but ultimately decided against it.’
’My reasoning back then was simple: the sword and shield required learning two different Martial Arts at once. I felt my own aptitude was only average, and I didn’t want to bite off more than I could chew. It was better to just focus on a single Spear Technique.’
"You’re stronger."
Zeng Bonan said, looking at Xu Wuyi over the top of his shield with a grave expression.
’Even though I blocked that last thrust, the force of the impact was far beyond that of an ordinary Level 13 Martial Artist. The shock left my arm faintly numb.’
Xu Wuyi said no more. The Qi and Blood in his body began to quietly accelerate.
