"Then, Commander Baiqi, please allow your subordinate to open his eyes and witness your true capabilities!" Teng Qingshan said with a slight bow.
Commander Baiqi scoffed, "Teng Qingshan, having grown up in those mountains your entire life, I doubt you've seen more than a handful of truly formidable spear techniques! Today, I shall let you witness the might of a superior-grade spear art!" Commander Baiqi laughed with a touch of arrogance, then strode toward a clear patch of ground not far off.
"I look forward to it," Teng Qingshan replied with a smile, also walking to the open area, holding his spear with one hand, ready for the confrontation.
At that moment, quite a few soldiers from the Black Armored Army who were nearby cautiously approached.
"Qingshan is sparring with Commander Baiqi?" Teng Qinghu came running over, eyes shining, and peered at the scene. "It really is! Baiqi fighting Qingshan, hehe."
"Qinghu, you're here. Do you think Lord Qingshan will win?"
"Mm, don't worry, Qingshan will definitely win. Just watch."
The soldiers began to murmur among themselves.
There were over a hundred people scattered around the area. Life garrisoned in these mountains was dull, and the contest between Commander Baiqi and Centurion Teng Qingshan immediately captured everyone's attention.
"This Teng Qingshan actually dared to provoke me today. Hmph, this kid, right after joining the Black Armored Army, already seduced Junior Sister Qingqing. Does he really think he's some great genius, something special! I must teach him a proper lesson today. At the very least, I'll have him bedridden for a month or two so he knows who he's dealing with!" Commander Baiqi's chest burned with rage, yet he dared not seize this opportunity to kill Teng Qingshan.
The Black Armored Army had rules; killing during a sparring session was strictly forbidden.
"Teng Qingshan. Are you ready?" Commander Baiqi stood there in a black combat uniform, gripping his black spear, exuding an air of arrogance.
"Please, Commander, strike first and let your subordinate see just how astonishing your skills are," Teng Qingshan, also clad in the standard black uniform, held his spear and smiled faintly.
These subtly barbed words only fueled Commander Baiqi's anger further.
"Hmph!"
With a cold snort, Commander Baiqi abruptly stamped his right foot down. His entire body shot forward like an arrow, covering several zhang in an instant, and his spear thrust forward. It was like a venomous snake flicking its tongue, accompanied by a sharp whoosh of air resistance, aimed directly at Teng Qingshan's chest.
Facing this move, Teng Qingshan merely smiled.
Whoosh!
Teng Qingshan held his spear with his right hand, swung it behind his back, tapped his foot, and darted sideways, easily evading the thrust.
"Strike with your spear!" Commander Baiqi roared in irritation, simultaneously sweeping his spear horizontally.
Teng Qingshan swiftly leaped up after tapping his foot, then stomped his right foot onto Baiqi's spear shaft, propelling himself into the air. At the same time, he laughed loudly, "Commander, my skill is average, but certainly not something that crude spear work can wound. You should bring out a more formidable technique."
Baiqi flew into a great rage and took three quick strides, covering nearly ten zhang.
"Puff!"
The spear flashed across the ten zhang distance in the blink of an eye. The sound of displaced air boomed like rolling thunder, causing nearby dry twigs and fallen leaves to scatter.
"Watch this move of mine," Teng Qingshan smiled, and finally struck!
Whoosh!
Instantly, his spear blurred into thousands of phantoms. A series of sharp clang sounds echoed—"Clang!" "Clang!" "Clang!"—and Commander Baiqi's spear was violently knocked aside. Faced with the onslaught of phantom spears, Commander Baiqi was so startled that he fell backward. Simultaneously, he used his left hand to brace the ground, intending to spring away quickly.
Puchi!
One of the spear phantoms grazed Baiqi’s chest, but he still managed to use his left hand to brace the ground, using the leverage to escape much farther away.
"That spearhead phantom looked like a burst of flame!"
"Such a fast spear."
Everyone watching the display gasped in awe. Teng Qingshan had initially only dodged Commander Baiqi's attacks without even drawing his own spear, but the moment he counter-attacked, this first move had already put Commander Baiqi at a disadvantage.
Baiqi violently slapped a large tree nearby, using it to regain his footing and stand up. His black combat uniform was torn over the chest, revealing the white undergarment beneath. Baiqi appeared somewhat disheveled. He glared fiercely at the distant Teng Qingshan: "Such a fast spear. I never expected this Teng Qingshan to possess such an exquisite spear technique."
That move was precisely the first strike that Teng Qingshan had just formulated after studying the Blazing Fire Spear Art—Blazing Tree, Silver Flowers!
...
"Qingshan is truly impressive. That spear technique just now was completely different from the simple yet profound method he used when vying for the Centurion position."
"I think Commander Baiqi is in for a massive tumble today."
"Baiqi is usually so arrogant. We are no match for him, but Qingshan can teach him a good lesson. Let him know that we Centurions aren't so easily bullied."
The crowd of onlookers murmured excitedly, feeling a surge of satisfaction seeing the usually aloof and arrogant Baiqi in such a clumsy state.
...
Baiqi glanced at the surrounding soldiers who were watching. As they occasionally looked at him and whispered, Baiqi's face flushed red.
He was a man who valued reputation above all else!
"I must be cautious today, or I might truly capsize in the gutter," Baiqi's eyes turned cold.
Teng Qingshan watched Baiqi, a cold sneer playing in his heart. He had the perfect opportunity to severely injure and defeat Baiqi just now. However, losing so easily would not achieve the effect he desired: "This time, I will certainly make this Baiqi feel 'pain' and fear! Then, he will never dare provoke me again!"
Teng Qingshan called out loudly, "Commander, where is your formidable spear technique? You must not hold back in front of your subordinate."
"Didn't you want to see my Nine Spears of the Rising Sun?" Baiqi took a deep breath, condensing his aura. He tapped his feet lightly, and his movement became completely silent, swiftly closing in on Teng Qingshan.
When he was still three zhang away from Teng Qingshan—
"Boom!"
Baiqi's eyes widened, his expression ferocious, like a madman. The spear in his hand instantly transformed from gentle to utterly violent. An air blast erupted, scattering dry twigs and leaves everywhere. The spear transformed into a charging black flood dragon, roaring as it lunged toward Teng Qingshan.
That ferocious, unrestrained power naturally instilled a desire in onlookers to 'avoid its sharp edge.'
"Oh?" Teng Qingshan's eyes lit up. "This Nine Spears of the Rising Sun indeed possesses something extraordinary." Simultaneously, Teng Qingshan deployed the Shadow-Following Spear Technique!
Swish!
The spear phantom shot out like an arrow—simple and sharp!
Clang! With a light collision, Baiqi immediately felt his spear sink as if trapped in an invisible vortex, causing his weapon to involuntarily veer sideways.
Baiqi's face drastically changed, and he roared, "Parting the Clouds to See the Sun!" His spear instantly became gentle and soft, like flowing mist. Mid-thrust towards Teng Qingshan, the spear's speed suddenly intensified exponentially, its momentum erupting far more terrifyingly than the previous strike!
Parting the Clouds to See the Sun was the ultimate move within the Nine Spears of the Rising Sun.
The Yin-Yang Intent was fused within this strike.
However, Baiqi had only achieved a minor mastery in 'Parting the Clouds to See the Sun,' his most powerful move.
"Hahahaha..." Teng Qingshan laughed, delivering an equally simple straight thrust! Yet, compared to the previous identical-looking thrust, this one was significantly faster, and the tearing sound of the air was even sharper and more piercing.
"Fifty thousand jin of strength!"
Teng Qingshan's gaze turned cold! At this point, he intended to make his opponent lose utterly and decisively, unleashing the full fifty thousand jin of his formidable strength! When he used only ten thousand jin of force with the 'Shadow-Following' technique, he was already comparable to Yue Song. How could Baiqi possibly withstand this attack utilizing fifty thousand jin?
Puh!
The spear carried a slight, subtle spiral force, managing to deflect Baiqi's sharp thrust aside. The deflected spear crashed into the ground with a deep thud, instantly cracking the earth. Large amounts of gravel sprayed outward, forcing the surrounding watching soldiers to quickly flinch back and dodge the flying debris.
"Impossible!" Baiqi's face changed drastically.
"Let go!" Teng Qingshan roared. The Reincarnation Spear vibrated, striking the shaft of Baiqi's spear near his hand.
Baiqi felt a sharp pain shoot through his right hand, and his muscles involuntarily relaxed, causing him to drop the spear, which flew upward.
Teng Qingshan used the shaft of his spear, leveraging the recoil force, to directly strike Baiqi's chest.
Peng!
Baiqi's eyes instantly widened into perfect circles, and his body was hurled upward. He spat out a mouthful of blood before landing heavily on the ground, becoming instantly smeared with damp mud and withered leaves, looking utterly pathetic.
...
"How could this be? I... I, how could I?" Baiqi lay on the ground, blood seeping from his right hand, yet he was completely stunned by Teng Qingshan's strike. His most prized ultimate move, 'Parting the Clouds to See the Sun,' had been effortlessly broken, and his weapon knocked away.
That spear lay embedded diagonally into the distant ground.
"Lord Qingshan, magnificent spear work!"
"I couldn't even see clearly just now; Commander Baiqi's spear just flew away."
"Lord Qingshan is so powerful!"
The surrounding soldiers began to chatter excitedly. Teng Qingshan's instantaneous use of the 'Shadow-Following' technique, powered by fifty thousand jin of force, was blindingly fast. To the soldiers, they only saw a flash from Teng Qingshan's spear, then Baiqi's weapon was tossed aside, and Baiqi himself was sent flying.
They were clearly not on the same level!
"Commander, is this your Nine Spears of the Rising Sun?" Teng Qingshan walked to Baiqi's side.
Baiqi's body trembled as he looked up at Teng Qingshan standing before him.
"You, you..." Baiqi wiped the blood from his lip and grabbed a nearby tree to steady himself as he stood.
Teng Qingshan suddenly stepped closer, startling Baiqi into retreating a step. He shouted, "What are you doing?" At this moment, Baiqi was truly terrified of Teng Qingshan.
"Nothing much," Teng Qingshan leaned in close to Baiqi and lowered his voice, "Commander Baiqi, you are the Commander, and I am a Centurion! However... do not push things too far. We will be in the Black Armored Army for a long time. If you cross the line, be careful that your subordinate might not be able to contain his temper and commit something bloody, understand?"
Teng Qingshan's gaze instantly sharpened like a blade as he stared intensely at Baiqi at close range.
Baiqi shuddered.
He felt the killing intent in Teng Qingshan's words: "This Teng Qingshan... yes, although he appears composed, he is only seventeen. If I push him too far in shame, perhaps in a fit of rage, he might secretly strike and kill me!" The world of martial artists was inherently one where the strong ruled, even if military discipline was crucial.
But if Teng Qingshan struck secretly, and no one saw it, who would vindicate Baiqi?
Before, Baiqi hadn't been afraid because he believed his strength surpassed Teng Qingshan's, but this time, he finally recognized the gulf between them.
"Commander, are you alright?" Teng Qingshan's voice suddenly boomed out.
Baiqi's expression flickered slightly before he recovered, "I'm fine, just a minor injury." Saying this, he immediately walked toward his fallen spear.