Chapter 180 - Sparring Again with Master

Translator: CKtalon

Liu Hai held a long staff in his hand and attacked with staff techniques. After all, he had drawn knowledge from all schools and was rather proficient in many weapons. Furthermore, Liu Hai had mimicked Tejano’s staff techniques more than ten times in his personal space training grounds. He only demonstrated it when he was confident.

“I’ll attack, and you’ll defend. This is the first staff technique,” Liu Hai said as he swung his staff widely. It was fierce and domineering, and his staff technique struck out furiously as if it wanted to split open the world. The staff swept out… as if it wanted to sweep away the turbidness of the world.

Xu Jingming held a spear and blocked, focusing on defense.

“This first staff technique is open and mighty. It uses force to suppress others,” Liu Hai said. “The second staff technique is different.”

Swish!

When the second staff technique was executed, the staff constantly spun in a strange manner, causing the staff’s attack trajectory to be curved and unpredictable. Moreover, the staff’s speed at tearing through the air was highly variable.

Huh? Xu Jingming also realized how strange and extraordinary this strike was.

“The third staff technique.” The staff in Liu Hai’s hand changed its method.

The moves were shorter and faster, and the variations were extremely fast. Be it cleaving, parrying, thrusting, sweeping, or swinging… The range of all the moves was very small. It was a little like Inch Punch’s thought process, where one could exert force over a short distance. The staff technique also had minute variations, causing the attacks to be more concentrated.

Xu Jingming blocked one after another.

“When Tejano fought me, I was certain that these three staff techniques were mixed with other staff techniques, but they weren’t systematic.” Liu Hai stopped and explained, “Many staff techniques fused into one, allowing him to change his moves unpredictably when used.”

“But in front of Master, these basic staff techniques are useless,” Xu Jingming said.

“I only blocked many of his staff techniques using my ultimate move. I borrowed the force of the strike and counter-attacked,” Liu Hai said. “But once he used his ultimate move, his staff technique was clearly much faster. He killed me in two strikes.”

Xu Jingming nodded.

“Tejano has definitely received a legacy,” Liu Hai said. “From the looks of it, he’s good with at least three staff techniques, and he might’ve learned several legacies. Every legacy has several ultimate moves, so he’s definitely good at many ultimate moves. As for me… he only used one ultimate move.”

“Yeah.” Xu Jingming nodded in agreement.

For example, a Lv. 7 legacy was much cheaper than a Lv. 8 legacy. It was also possible for Tejano to choose a few more legacies.

“The move he used suddenly became more agile, and his staff technique became faster,” Liu Hai said. “Nobody knows what other ultimate moves he has for the time being. Alright, I’ve told you everything I need to tell you. The finals will be up to you.”

“Master, I want to spar with you again,” Xu Jingming said.

Liu Hai’s brows twitched as he nodded with a smile. “Alright.”

Soon, the two chose their respective armor and weapons and faced each other from afar.

Bang!

The two of them moved almost simultaneously. Everywhere they passed, visible shockwaves appeared.

The two of them had clearly broken through the speed of sound.

After the collision, Xu Jingming and his master fought each other in melee combat. The spear collided with the shield and saber.

Samsara. Liu Hai didn’t hesitate to use his ultimate move the moment they clashed. This disciple of mine has terrifying strength and speed; he’s in no way inferior to Tejano! I won’t be able to withstand him without using my ultimate move.

Striking back with borrowed strength! Saber beams whistled as they divided Yin and Yang!

Xu Jingming long knew of his master’s killer move, and he was faster than Tejano. His spear was also slightly longer than the staff, so he had more distance as a buffer. He suddenly retreated and avoided his master’s forward strike.

Bam! Bam! Bam!

The two parties fought intensely.

Liu Hai used both of his ultimate moves, and no matter how Xu Jingming attacked, it only resulted in a more ferocious counterattack.

Xu Jingming moved his spear as he wished. Although he was at a disadvantage, his situation was clearly better than Tejano’s.

Water Style is one of the five ultimate moves. According to Xuan, the so-called five ultimate moves were developed only to make it easier for juniors to understand the concepts of these ultimate moves. If one truly ingrains such spearmanship, they should be able to naturally fuse these ultimate moves and concepts into every move.

When that happens, even if every strike were Spear Thrust, it would also have the essence of Water, Fire, Mountain, and Spatial Domain. That’s the true Beam Transformation Spear Technique. Xu Jingming took in the experience gleaned from fighting his master.

The easiest way is to fuse the essence of ‘Water Style’ into every move. Under his master’s terrifying counter-attack from borrowing forces, Xu Jingming clearly executed many spearmanship moves, but the concept of ‘running water’ gradually became stronger and more natural.

Amazing kid. His spearmanship’s strength is restrained, and he retracts it every time he delivers a strike. It makes it very difficult for me to borrow his strength. Liu Hai also sensed the changes in his disciple.

Compared to Tejano… Tejano is more violent and fierce. This disciple of mine is more brilliant at combat techniques. Liu Hai realized this. His actual combat techniques are probably not much different from mine.

As time passed, Xu Jingming’s spear moves became closer to perfection. Liu Hai found it harder and harder to borrow his strength, and the might of his counter-attack weakened.

Suddenly—

Xu Jingming unleashed a terrifying spear beam!

This spear beam was fast and violent like a rainbow. It passed through the gap between Liu Hai’s shield and saber and penetrated his chest.

Liu Hai’s body naturally recovered as he looked at his disciple in surprise. “This spearmanship move?”

“It’s one of my ultimate moves; it’s called Fire Style,” Xu Jingming said with a happy smile. “Master’s two ultimate moves have given me ideas. I’ve already begun fusing the essence of Water Style into ordinary moves. By combining fire and water… and making a sudden unleash of force, Fire Style can have such might.”

“Impressive.” Liu Hai nodded and praised, “Jingming, you’ve finally surpassed me.”

At this moment, Liu Hai sighed with emotion.

Back then, this disciple was extremely talented and entered the World Martial Arts Tournament too early. After breaking his leg, his future was bleak.

After the advent of the virtual world, his disciple finally displayed his terrifying potential and kept catching up to him!

More than ten months after the virtual world’s launch, his disciple completely surpassed him!

“I relied on my strength and speed advantage,” Xu Jingming immediately said. “If we were at the same strength and speed, I wouldn’t have been able to crack Master’s ultimate move.”

“Haha, a loss is a loss,” Liu Hai said with a smile. “Although actual combat techniques are important, evolution is the foundation. If you and Tejano break through to become cosmic lifeforms one day, I’ll still be a planetary lifeform. No matter how brilliant my actual combat techniques are, you can defeat me easily with one strike.”

“I’m leaving. The finals are up to you.” Liu Hai turned and left, his figure disappearing.

Xu Jingming stood still for a moment. He had defeated his master, but he wasn’t too happy.

For a long time, his master had been a huge mountain in front of him! His master taught him earnestly and guided him wholeheartedly. He constantly improved, and no matter how he improved… he always felt that his master was very strong.

But today, he defeated his master with a single strike.

There are still experts among the strong, and there are countless experts in the universe. I can’t stop; I have to get stronger, Xu Jingming thought.

…

In the martial arts arena in Liu Hai’s personal space.

I’ve finally been overtaken. Liu Hai was quite pleased.

Having a disciple surpass their master was a testament to a master’s greatest success.

Cultivate well. After becoming a cosmic lifeform and stepping into the universe, the competition will be much more intense. Liu Hai flipped his hand and held his shield and saber before beginning to practice the shield and saber techniques in the legacy.

******

Cold training method.

After Xu Jingming fought his master, he started the three training methods he had to practice every day.

Pu! Pu! Pu!

In the extreme cold, Xu Jingming’s mind and will focused more on his spearmanship so as to reduce the effects of the cold. He devoted his entire body to using Beam Transformation.

As the concept of water had been infused into all his basic spear moves, Xu Jingming felt that the gaps between the spear combos became smoother when he executed his spearmanship. He executed every move as he wished.

Boom!

The might of the consecutive strikes became more and more terrifying, and the explosive sounds in the air became even more ear-piercing.

Huh? Xu Jingming suddenly stopped, his eyes filled with delight.. 30-hit combo? I can finally achieve a 30-hit combo with Beam Transformation?