Teng Yongfan was somewhat irritated. "Spearmanship is the hardest weapon to master, Qingshan. Why are you being so stubborn?"

"Father, Grandfather."

Teng Qingshan chuckled. "Actually, ever since I was little, watching all you uncles practice in the training grounds, I've always been envious of spear practice. So, when Mother and Father were away, I’d grab a wooden stick and pretend it was a spear. I’ve been at it for two or three years now. I genuinely love using the spear, and my current spear technique should be no worse than that of my uncles."

Seeing Teng Qingshan’s earnest expression, everyone in the room laughed.

Could a child’s words be taken seriously?

"Hahahaha… Qingshan, a child shouldn't be boasting!" Teng Yongxiang laughed. "Which one of your uncles hasn't practiced the spear for over a decade? Their foundations are solid; how could you, a mere child, compare?" Although the men of the Teng Family Village were not master spearmen, each had dedicated ten or twenty years to the practice, and none could be underestimated.

Teng Yongfan, standing nearby, laughed heartily. "So that’s how it is. No wonder your mother said you often locked yourself in the courtyard when you were home alone—you were practicing your spear forms! You kept it secret precisely because you feared being teased if we saw you, didn't you?"

The children liked to play, but the fact that Teng Qingshan often stayed inside had indeed drawn the attention of Teng Yongfan and Yuan Lan.

They simply hadn't mentioned it.

"If you don't believe me, you can watch my spear forms," Teng Qingshan stated. He had no other way; to get his elders to agree to let him learn the spear, he had to demonstrate. In truth, at home, he had been practicing Xing Yi Quan, never having practiced actual spearplay.

"Alright, let’s see just how skilled you are, Qingshan," Teng Yunlong boomed with laughter. "Come on, let’s go to the armory."

The group left Teng Qingshan's residence.

The Armory was a tall, cavernous building constructed entirely of massive blue-grey stone. The room soared nearly five meters high, measured eight meters wide, and stretched twenty meters in length.

"Patriarch!" Clan members stood guard at the entrance to the Armory.

"Open the doors," Teng Yunlong commanded.

The two massive iron doors swung open with a resounding clang. Teng Yunlong smiled toward Teng Qingshan. "Little Qingshan, come, pick out a long spear you like first. I’d like to see just how formidable you are." With that, Teng Yunlong and the large contingent, including Teng Qingshan, stepped inside the Armory.

"Wow!" Little Qingyu, held in Yuan Lan's arms, stared around in astonishment.

The Armory floor was paved with bluestone, and weapons hung from the walls: heavy axes, nine-sectioned maces, broad-bladed sabers, giant shields, bows and arrows… but most numerous were long staves! Rows of staves, some wood, some iron, leaned against the walls. What was strange was—

Not a single spear.

Deep within the Armory were large iron chests, each about a meter square, clearly too small to hold a full spear.

"Where are the spears?" Teng Qingshan looked doubtfully at his grandfather, Teng Yunlong.

"Aren't those them?" Teng Yunlong pointed to the various long staves lining the walls, laughing heartily. "Qingshan, those are all spear shafts! The spearheads are carefully preserved in those iron chests. Go select a shaft, and I will fetch a suitable head for you."

Teng Qingshan then understood.

"Qingshan is too small; these shafts are all too long," Teng Yongfan frowned. A six-year-old wielding a long spear? The clan didn't have any shorter ones.

"Qingshan, given your current strength, you should choose one made of Soft Wood," Teng Yongfan advised. "Among these wooden shafts, the Soft Wood ones are the lightest. With a head attached, it would only weigh five or six catties. With your strength, you might manage it. Qingshan, why are you picking that one? That’s a Green Nan wood shaft—the heaviest kind. You won't be able to wield it."

The shafts in the Teng Family Village Armory were primarily divided into three types: Green Nan wood, Ash wood, and Soft Wood. All three were suitable materials for spear shafts, with Soft Wood being the lightest, Ash wood next, and Green Nan wood the heaviest. Of course, Green Nan wood was also the best.

Its toughness and elasticity were exceptional; the shaft could conceal power. A good Green Nan wood shaft usually came from a tree grown for over fifty years.

It was fortunate that the Teng Family Village bordered the mountains, allowing them access to such fine materials.

"I'll take this one," Teng Qingshan gripped the Green Nan shaft. "Grandfather, help me find the corresponding head."

"This shaft, plus the head, will weigh fifteen or sixteen catties," Teng Yunlong also expressed concern. "To wield a fifteen or sixteen-catty Green Nan spear well, your strength is probably still insufficient right now." In Teng Yunlong’s estimation, although his grandson possessed the strength of a hundred catties, he likely lacked the finesse to handle a fifteen-catty long spear freely.

"Grandfather, please find the head for me," Teng Qingshan insisted, saying no more.

"Fine, let you try, and you’ll give up," Teng Yunlong stepped forward, examined the mark on the shaft in Teng Qingshan’s hand, then opened one of the large iron chests. After rummaging a moment, he pulled out a spearhead. Teng Qingshan took one look: the head was flat and buckwheat-shaped, with a high spine, thin edge, and sharp tip! A blood groove was etched along the spine of the head; if it pierced flesh, it would likely leave a gaping wound.

Beneath the spearhead was tied a red tassel.

Teng Qingshan nodded inwardly: "This flat head can be used for thrusting, chopping, and slashing. The blood groove will prevent the head from being sucked in by muscle after piercing, avoiding the issue of being unable to withdraw it. The red tassel also prevents the enemy's blood from staining the shaft and aids in grip!" Teng Qingshan immediately judged that the craftsmanship of this spearhead was remarkably advanced.

"I'll connect it for you," Teng Yunlong said, fitting the Green Nan shaft and the head together. He tapped the assembly a few times on the ground, then retrieved some nails from the side, using a hammer to secure them in place.

"There, it’s done." Teng Yunlong smiled as he handed the long spear over. "This Green Nan spear weighs fifteen catties and is about seven chi long. Qingshan, can you manage it?"

Relative to the child’s height, the nearly seven-chi long spear (about 1.75 meters) was indeed quite long.

"Just watch," Teng Qingshan admitted he had no choice; this spear was a bit long for him, but any shorter spear meant using a Soft Wood shaft, which Teng Qingshan disdained using inferior materials. Given Teng Qingshan's actual strength, if he unleashed his full power, he might snap a Soft Wood shaft.

"Everyone, step back a bit," Teng Qingshan requested.

Immediately, a large group scattered outwards, though the elders among them wore subtle smiles, clearly waiting to see the little fellow make a fool of himself.

"Hoo!" Teng Qingshan flicked his wrist, grasping the very butt of the shaft with one hand, holding the entire spear horizontally.

"What arm strength!" Teng Yunlong and the others stared wide-eyed.

To hold a fifteen-catty spear perfectly straight, balanced only by gripping the very end of the handle, required immense forearm power.

"This boy hid his true ability during the memorial rites," Teng Yunlong and the others thought secretly.

Gripping the shaft one-handed, Teng Qingshan felt the spear’s inherent 'force.' After a brief assessment, he nodded inwardly.

His left hand shot out to grasp the center of the shaft, his right hand maneuvering, his left hand providing suspension. In an instant, this Green Nan spear seemed to come alive, writhing like a nest of vipers as it spun outwards. Teng Qingshan turned, his hands sliding smoothly, and the Green Nan spear easily swept into a circle before executing a fierce overhead chop.

"Crack!" The spear struck the bluestone floor with force.

Teng Qingshan’s gaze sharpened; he gave the shaft a single tremor, and then the spear shot forward like lightning, whoosh, a straight thrust aimed ahead. It even produced a distinct whistling sound as it cut the air.

"Grandfather, Father, Third Grand-Uncle… look, how was my form?" Teng Qingshan turned to face the assembled group.

Teng Yunlong, Teng Yongxiang, and the others were utterly speechless, their eyes filled with shock.

The way Teng Qingshan handled the spear earlier was as fluid as flowing water—it looked simple. But every expert present—Teng Yunlong, Teng Yongxiang, Teng Yongfan—had spent decades mastering the spear. They could clearly see the extraordinary nature of Teng Qingshan’s skill.

The simple act of sliding his hands alone negated the limitations of his height when wielding the Green Nan spear.

That specific hand slide was impossible without years of grueling labor.

Both the chopping motion and the final thrust were exceptionally fierce.

"A genius!" Teng Yunlong murmured.

"Heavens," Teng Yongxiang was completely dumbfounded.

Strength could be innate, but spear technique required years of honing. As the saying went, 'A month for the staff, a year for the saber, a lifetime for the spear.' To wield a great spear well required years just for the basic foundation; otherwise, it was just empty posturing. Teng Qingshan’s movements were simple, but they contained genuine martial substance.

Everyone present saw it clearly.

"Qingshan, my grandson, you are a genius!" Teng Yunlong’s eyes gleamed as he stared at Teng Qingshan. "How did you learn this spearplay?"

"I… when I was home, I just practiced casually with a wooden stick. And then I secretly watched and imitated the spear forms of all the uncles in the training ground," Teng Qingshan had his excuse ready. Moreover, the skill he demonstrated, while powerful, was only on par with that of those uncles.

"Secretly learning? There truly are prodigies like this in the world," Teng Yongfan couldn't help but marvel.

Although the skill Teng Qingshan displayed was still slightly behind that of Teng Yongfan and Teng Yongxiang, it was nearly equal to that of the average uncles in the clan.

"Grandfather, Father, you agree to let me practice the spear now, right?" Teng Qingshan asked.

"Of course, we agree. Qingshan, you were born for the spear," Teng Yunlong declared immediately. For a six-year-old to possess such technique—this person was clearly destined to wield a spear from birth.

Teng Qingshan smiled.

In truth, practicing spearplay was fundamentally the basic training of Xing Yi Quan! Xing Yi Quan itself is the 'Spear Fist'; whether it was the Crushing Fist, Drilling Fist, Cannon Fist, Horizontal Fist, or Chopping Fist, each one contained the essence of the spear. Practicing the spear was a method to comprehend the 'Five Elements Fists,' as taught by his previous master, 'Teng Bolei.'

Although Teng Qingshan hadn't spent much time on 'spear technique' in his past life, he was nonetheless a grandmaster of Xing Yi, and once his realm advanced, his skill in the spear rose accordingly.

Of course… today, Teng Qingshan had only revealed a sliver of his fundamentals.

But the sliver he revealed had already caused the clan elders to exclaim him a genius.