"Descendant of the Guan clan?" Ye Wen sized up this Guan Luyan, who claimed to be a descendant of Guan Gong, from head to toe. The man was tall and long-limbed, with a broad back and powerful build; standing straight, he must have been nearly 1.9 meters tall. This physique did justice to Guan Gong’s name, but Ye Wen wondered about the quality of his martial arts.

Moreover, Guan Gong's reputation was so immense that countless people surnamed Guan across the land claimed descent from the Martial Saint. There was no way to verify who was genuine and who was not; perhaps some man named Guan from a remote mountain village would claim an association with Guan Gong. After all, separated by nearly two millennia, testing the truth was impossible.

Ye Wen wasn't entirely convinced this man was a true descendant of the Guan family, but since he claimed it and no one refuted it, he must possess some skill and was thus worthy of respect—Ye Wen clearly overheard several nearby people murmuring things like, "Even he has come?" This indicated that Guan Luyan held considerable renown in the martial arts world.

He casually pointed toward the nearby weapon rack. "Please choose your weapon!"

Guan Luyan cupped his fists in thanks, then pulled a long staff from the rack. This staff was also made of excellent wood, perfectly balanced between flexibility and rigidity—an ideal object even for use as a polearm. Simply put, affix a spearhead to this wooden rod, and it became a superior long spear.

Guan Luyan casually performed a few moves. The staff became a blur, and with every straight thrust, one could faintly hear the sound of air being pierced. Ye Wen recognized the technique instantly: it was a spear form. "If you use spear techniques, why use a staff?"

The weapon rack held fine long spears of various designs. If Guan Luyan was a master of the spear, why insist on using a staff? Guan Luyan executed a fluid spear flourish, then inverted the staff in his hand, the posture mirroring that of Guan Er Ye in classic paintings of Guan Gong. "This is just a friendly spar, not a life-or-death battle. Using a real spear might lead to accidental injury!"

Ye Wen smiled internally, thinking, The chance of you injuring me is practically nil! Never mind anything else, even if I stood here and let you stab me for ten days and a half, you might not even break through my protective inner energy!

However, the display of skill was startling enough, and since Guan Luyan had been perfectly courteous, there was no need to publicly humiliate him in front of so many people and cameras.

With that thought, Ye Wen picked up a staff from the rack identical to the one Guan Luyan held—same length, same material. He then executed a single-handed spear flourish. "Mr. Ye will also spar with you using spear techniques, Mr. Guan!"

As for the Guan clan descendant using spear techniques, Ye Wen harbored no doubt. Although the common impression of Guan Er Ye was that of a man wielding a massive blade to charge into battle, Ye Wen, being quite fond of the Three Kingdoms period, had deliberately researched some materials. He learned that due to forging technology at the time, the great blade was not a mainstream weapon.

The most commonly used weapons on horseback back then were primarily lances and long spears. The historical Guan Er Ye and the Imperial Uncle Liu were both known to wield long spears. The widely familiar image of Guan Gong with a blade is generally traced back to a painting by Yue Fei during the Song Dynasty—the famous depiction of Guan Gong stroking his beard while holding a saber. Over time, this led to the widespread notion that Guan Gong used a blade. (Whether this account is true or not, Ye Wen merely adopted this interpretation.)

Ye Wen had initially been somewhat shaken by the subversion of many historical figures he was familiar with, but this process had given him a deeper understanding, which is why he felt nothing amiss when someone claiming to be Guan Gong’s descendant wielded a spear.

The spear technique he was about to employ was naturally the Tang Family Overlord Spear. He had studied this style for a considerable time. Originally, to help Liu Muyan create her Iron Scratch Silver Hook technique, he had put significant effort into mastering this spear style. Now, unleashing it, his presence was formidable, appearing every bit the spear master.

As the saying goes, an expert reveals themselves immediately. Beyond assessing whether the man was truly a master, it was understood that those truly knowledgeable could discern the disparity at a glance.

The moment Ye Wen executed that spear flourish and adopted his stance, Guan Luyan knew he had met a fellow practitioner today. He truly hadn't expected that Ye Wen, whose blade skills were exquisite, was also so proficient with the spear.

As the adage suggests: a month for the staff, a year for the blade, a lifetime for the spear! This demonstrated how arduous spear training was, requiring oceans of sweat and time to master. Though Ye Wen appeared young, his actual age wasn't insignificant, yet Guan Luyan couldn't help but praise, "A young talent!"

The current situation was not what he desired. If not for owing Liu Hai a favor years ago, he would have preferred to quietly observe what kind of person Ye Wen was—the man who had recently stirred up the entire martial arts world—and perhaps have a private chat if the opportunity arose. He hadn't expected to be forced into a contest of skill here.

"Principal Ye, be careful!"

Originally, Liu Hai intended to shatter Ye Wen's reputation by coming here. But Guan Luyan addressing him as "Principal Ye" right away acknowledged that this wealthy overseas Chinese was qualified to open a school and teach others. The moment those words were spoken, Liu Hai’s expression shifted numerous times; he looked utterly wretched.

Ye Wen pointed the tip of his staff lightly twice. "Mr. Guan, no need for formalities; please make your move!"

Guan Luyan wasted no words. He strode forward, spun the staff in his hand, and thrust it straight out. As this move was executed, although what he held was a staff, onlookers faintly sensed that what shot forth was a keen, sharp spear. The imposing momentum was undeniable.

Those knowledgeable in the audience exclaimed one after another, "Brother Guan’s Martial Saint Spear Technique is truly superb. No wonder no one refutes Guan Luyan’s claim to be a descendant of the Martial Saint. To cultivate the spear to his level is certainly no disgrace to the prestige of Guan Er Ye!"

Many of these spectators understood spear techniques, but they knew they could hardly replicate Guan Luyan’s opening thrust. Mastering the spear to this degree placed him a whole realm above them, far beyond what could be achieved overnight.

The crowd was filled with admiration for Guan Luyan, and simultaneously curious whether Ye Wen could withstand this full-force attack.

Looking up again, they saw Ye Wen smile slightly. He spun his long staff and brought it up precisely above Guan Luyan’s straight thrust. Then, with a sharp downward strike, the tip of the staff seemed to come alive. The entire front end of the staff vibrated momentarily, and utilizing the wood's flexibility and elasticity, it batted Guan Luyan’s spear thrust toward the ground.

Ye Wen hadn't exerted much force in this move; it relied entirely on the staff's resilience and exceptionally precise eyesight. If his sight were insufficient, he couldn't have judged the trajectory of Guan Luyan's thrust. The strike itself was also extremely difficult: first, the hand had to be steady enough not to be affected by the staff's recoil, and the strike had to be fast and accurate.

Any slight deficiency in these areas would have rendered the move ineffective. Thus, when Ye Wen executed this maneuver, everyone present gasped. Those who had been wondering if Ye Wen could even block Guan Luyan’s initial move now stared with wide-eyed disbelief.

That wasn't all. After knocking aside Guan Luyan’s staff, Ye Wen immediately flicked the tip of his own staff. The single weapon transformed into a nimble serpent, weaving left and right as it aimed directly for Guan Luyan’s face.

With this single move, Guan Luyan knew he had encountered a true master today. He had practiced the spear for most of his life; now nearly fifty, his body still held vigor, and his experience and insight had reached unknown heights. He considered this his absolute peak moment. In previous spars with other spear masters, he had won more than he lost, believing himself to be among the nation's elite in spear arts.

Meeting Ye Wen today, after witnessing just these two casual movements, he realized his previous perception had been narrow—like looking at the sky from the bottom of a well. He truly hadn't anticipated that this young tycoon, whom he had only seen on television, possessed such cultivation. Perhaps there were many other true masters in the world who kept a low profile.

When Liu Hai first approached him, Guan Luyan had assumed it was just the antics of a rich man seeking publicity. Even after seeing the video footage of Ye Wen demonstrating soft palm strikes, he hadn't taken it seriously.

It wasn't until today, first seeing Ye Wen defeat Peng Lianshan with blade techniques, and then witnessing a few displays of spear artistry before him, that he began to take the young man seriously. But now, in actual combat, he realized he had ultimately underestimated this person.

The spear move Ye Wen used was naturally one from the Tang Family Overlord Spear. Logically, the Overlord Spear should be a heavy, powerful style meant to overwhelm the opponent, befitting the title "Overlord." However, the Tang Family style was different. In its ordinary aspects, it resembled common spear methods, but upon closer study, the final strike truly lived up to the "Overlord" moniker—it was utterly tyrannical!

Although Guan Luyan perceived the true nature of Ye Wen's spear attack now, he also sensed the ferocious power behind the thrust, compelling him to retreat several steps to evade the offensive!

He had considered countering with a defensive spear move, but he found his options were being suppressed; retreat seemed like the only viable path!

Seeing this, Ye Wen refused to ease up. His spear move had exhausted its initial momentum, making it hard to strike Guan Luyan, but Ye Wen immediately charged forward a few steps, spun his staff again—this time beginning with a horizontal sweep, immediately followed by a straight thrust aimed at Guan Luyan's shoulder socket.

If this strike landed solidly, Guan Luyan would certainly drop the staff he held. Recognizing Ye Wen’s intent, he immediately erected his staff to block the blow.

Unexpectedly, halfway through his move, Ye Wen slightly retracted his staff and then thrust straight out again. This time, he still aimed for the shoulder socket, but on the opposite side.

Even if this second hit didn't disarm Guan Luyan, it would strip him of the face to continue fighting, forcing him to hastily withdraw his staff to save himself.

Guan Luyan truly deserved the title of Spear Master. Furthermore, since Ye Wen was not using his inner strength, relying only on physical power and technique against him, Guan Luyan, despite the gap in raw strength, was not entirely defenseless. Having dedicated his life solely to studying spear techniques rather than cultivating internal energy, his transitional speed in combat was much quicker than Ye Wen's.

As Ye Wen's spear point seemed poised to strike Guan Luyan, the latter met it with a sweep and a spin of his own staff, sweeping directly toward Ye Wen’s pole. If struck, the hand Ye Wen used to hold the staff would likely swell up like a steamed bun.

Seeing Guan Luyan successfully parry his attack, Ye Wen found the exchange quite amusing. In reality, with his level of cultivation, a slight application of force would have sent Guan Luyan’s sweeping staff flying off course. However, Ye Wen was unwilling to reveal such capabilities yet, so he responded solely with external martial moves, using the bout as a form of self-training.

Slightly releasing the force, Ye Wen lunged forward diagonally, simultaneously raising his staff upright and deflecting Guan Luyan's sweep. Then, with a flick of his tip, he feigned a downward parry, forcing Guan Luyan to retract his staff to defend.

Guan Luyan did indeed retract his staff, but he managed to lightly tap Ye Wen’s staff with the butt end of his own. This slight contact was enough to force Ye Wen's move off course, allowing it to merely graze past his front. Guan Luyan then dipped his staff downward and countered with an upward hook.

Ye Wen had used a downward hook, and Guan Luyan returned an upward hook. This move revealed that Ye Wen’s skill had ignited Guan Luyan’s pride; he was determined to fight Ye Wen to the finish.

The spectators collectively gasped, realizing Guan Luyan had become truly incensed, and no one knew how the fight would conclude.

Liu Hai was overjoyed, confident that once Guan Luyan fought with full power, that fraud would surely be defeated. Afterward, he could openly mock the man, and with so many television stations recording, he would surely become famous nationwide, attracting numerous disciples to his martial arts school!

As he reveled in his fantasy, another collective gasp erupted from the crowd. Ye Wen had countered Guan Luyan's upward hook with a backward sweep of his own staff tip, then spun his body and followed up with a thrust—a move known as the 'Revolving Horse Spear'!

This move was both fast and sudden. Even though Guan Luyan saw it clearly, he couldn't counter it. Moreover, his staff had been swept wide by Ye Wen's previous move and would take time to bring back under control.

And judging by the speed of Ye Wen's thrust, delivered with a single hand, the young man likely couldn't retract it either. Guan Luyan figured this strike would leave his old limbs aching for weeks.

He could retreat quickly to avoid it, but if he retreated, he would have to admit defeat. It was only as he began to pull back that he noticed they had fought their way to the roadside green belt, and he was directly facing a large tree.

Convinced he was about to be injured, Guan Luyan felt only a gust of wind brush past his face, followed by a soft thwump, and then silence.

Looking closer, he saw Ye Wen standing not far away, holding his staff with one hand. The other end of the staff was resting just beside his ear. Guan Luyan turned his head and realized Ye Wen had seemingly aimed the thrust right next to his ear, lodging it in the trunk of the large tree approximately three inches from his ear.

Recalling that the strike had clearly been directed at him, Guan Luyan understood that the man had shown mercy, adjusting the trajectory at the last moment to avoid injury. He himself could execute the Revolving Horse Spear with imposing force, but to wield it so effortlessly with one hand, capable of adjusting the trajectory at will, was absolutely impossible for him.

From this single point, he knew he had lost more than just this exchange! But what he couldn't have fathomed was that when Ye Wen released his right hand and cupped it in a salute toward him, the long staff remained fixed in mid-air, still hovering near his ear.

The surrounding crowd had witnessed this too, and now they were utterly astonished. They couldn't comprehend what was happening. Those who had been worried moments ago about the fight escalating to bloodshed relaxed when they saw no one was hurt, only to be struck dumb by the sight of the wooden staff suspended in the air.

Only Guan Luyan, being the closest, noticed the strangeness first. He stepped aside slightly and reached out to grasp the wooden staff. With a gentle pull, a faint thwump sounded, and only then did he see that Ye Wen’s staff had been driven deeply into the tree trunk.

This was why the staff hadn't fallen when Ye Wen let go, making it appear suspended in the air. Guan Luyan pulled the staff out, and the crowd suddenly understood, followed by expressions of profound awe.

"To drive a wooden staff into a tree that deeply—if that were a real spear, wouldn't it pierce right through?"

"To reach this level of spear mastery, one can kill without a spearhead!"

A low murmur of astonishment rippled through the group. Only Liu Hai was a mixture of shock, fear, and utter confusion. He truly hadn't expected that even Guan Luyan couldn't handle Ye Wen. Did this mean he would have to step up himself?

"What's there to fear? Even if I lose today, I’ll have gained national renown! Besides, this guy has defeated so many people; losing to him won't bring me shame!"

With this thought, Liu Hai stepped forward, cupping his hands toward Ye Wen with a forced smile. "Principal Ye’s martial skill is truly extraordinary. What transpired between Mr. Liu and Principal Ye before was merely a misunderstanding. However, I still wish to ask Principal Ye for some guidance, as we both specialize in the soft palm technique..."

"Soft Palm?" Ye Wen had almost forgotten this fellow. He hadn't expected this man surnamed Liu to volunteer himself now. Had Liu retreated shamefully earlier, Ye Wen genuinely wouldn't have bothered pursuing the matter further. But now...

Ye Wen could more or less guess the intentions behind this man’s actions and why he was suddenly insisting on a match. Therefore, he was even less inclined to give this person the opportunity.

"Spar with me? Are you worthy?"

This single sentence turned Liu Hai’s face the color of liver. Gritting his teeth, he wanted to demand where he was unworthy—after all, Liu Hai was also considered a master of the Soft Palm!

Just as he was about to challenge the statement, Ye Wen let out a cold laugh. He walked over to a wooden table, already prepared and stacked with various items, and swept his arm across it, sending all the swords and blades clattering to the floor. He then straightened up and slowly lowered his palm, as if delivering a gentle pat.

Though this strike used no inner energy, his palm force caused a startling boom, as if someone had smashed the table with a massive sledgehammer. Immediately, the wooden table shattered like it had been struck by a hammer, collapsing into useless pieces of lumber.

"Whoa!~"

"This... this..."

Liu Hai knew that to cultivate the Soft Palm technique to its zenith meant being able to generate immense, rigid power through gentle movements, achieving the effect of a full-force punch! While Liu Hai could strike the wooden table with his full strength and perhaps achieve a similar result, to do so effortlessly like Ye Wen... he admitted that not only he, but few Soft Palm practitioners across the country could manage it. To call himself a Soft Palm master and then request a spar in this style was indeed vastly beneath him.