Chapter 1875: Mo Xiao Wants to Compete

The person who appeared before him was none other than his good brother, Mo Xiao, with whom he had grown up.

At that time, both of them had solemnly vowed to join Hongtian Academy, hoping to study under Teacher Wang Chao. Ultimately, Mo Xiao succeeded, but Zheng Yang, due to his poor performance, failed the entrance exam and was instead accepted as a student by Zhang Xuan.

More than a year had passed in a flash, and neither of them could have predicted their current circumstances.

The one who succeeded remained in Tianxuan Kingdom, relatively unknown throughout the continent. Conversely, the one who initially failed had become an Ancient Sage and the Hall Master of the Combat Master Hall, a person whom very few in the world could now defeat.

The stark difference in their life paths was truly astonishing.

“You are…” Mo Xiao frowned, seeing the person call out his name with such familiarity. As an Ancient Sage, he preferred not to be recognized; those whose cultivation did not reach his level simply couldn't perceive his true appearance. Thus, even though they had grown up together, Mo Xiao failed to recognize him.

“I am… Zheng Yang!” The aura surrounding Zheng Yang dissipated, revealing his true appearance.

“Yangzi?” Mo Xiao’s body trembled, and his eyes immediately welled up. The two had been inseparable since childhood, playing together and practicing spear. They hadn't seen each other for over a year, and Mo Xiao had feared they might never reunite. He hadn't expected to encounter his friend again so soon.

“Didn’t you leave with… Teacher Zhang? How is it that…” After the initial excitement, a hint of confusion appeared on Mo Xiao's face. He knew that Zheng Yang's teacher, Zhang Xuan, was rumored to have successfully become a Master Teacher and achieved great renown. However, due to Tianxuan Kingdom's isolation, not much was known about subsequent events.

“I just happened to have some free time, so I came back to see you and some other friends!” Zheng Yang smiled, offering no further explanation. Honestly, he didn’t dare to explain; how could he tell his friend that he was now the Hall Master of the Combat Master Hall and an Ancient Sage expert? Would Mo Xiao even understand what the Combat Master Hall or an Ancient Sage was? It would be pointless.

“That’s fantastic! You’ve been with Teacher Zhang for so long; by now, you should have reached the Martial Artist Eight-fold Grandmaster realm, right? It’s been ages since we’ve sparred! I’ve learned many formidable spear techniques recently, and my cultivation has reached the peak of the Martial Artist Seven-fold Profound Comprehension realm, ready for a breakthrough at any moment! Let me see how much you’ve improved this past year!” With a flick of his wrist, Mo Xiao’s long spear dropped from his back into his palm, and his fighting spirit instantly soared. They had been sparring since childhood, and after over a year without a challenge, his hands were itching for a fight. Seeing his good friend, he couldn't restrain himself.

“Grandmaster realm? Peak of the Profound Comprehension realm? Spear techniques?” Zheng Yang gave a wry smile, unsure whether to laugh or cry. “Perhaps it’s better not to…” Although he wasn’t old, the gap between these cultivation realms was vast; he could barely recall them anymore.

“What? Are you afraid I’ll hurt you? Don’t worry too much; I have excellent control over my strength. If you can’t block, I’ll stop immediately; there won’t be any problems,” Mo Xiao said with a hearty laugh, flicking his long spear.

“This…” Zheng Yang felt awkward. As a venerable Ancient Sage and the Hall Master of the Combat Master Hall, how could he possibly spar with a martial artist in the Profound Comprehension realm?

“What’s wrong? Are you looking down on your brother, or are you afraid of losing to me and feeling embarrassed?” Seeing his hesitation, Mo Xiao frowned.

“Of course not…” Since Mo Xiao had put it that way, Zheng Yang could no longer refuse. He shook his head helplessly, then with a flick of his wrist, casually conjured a low-grade long spear. “Where should we spar?”

“You even have a spatial ring, that’s impressive! It seems Teacher Zhang has treated you well…” Mo Xiao’s eyes were filled with envy as he watched the long spear suddenly materialize in Zheng Yang’s palm. He then nodded and pointed, “Our teacher is about to give a lecture here. Let’s go over there; there’s a sparring platform.”

“He hasn’t even seen a spatial ring…” Zheng Yang wore a wry smile, seeing his old friend’s surprised reaction. He could only nod in agreement. “Alright, let’s go!”

With that, they both walked swiftly towards the nearby elevated platform.

“Let’s watch too!” Since the lecture hadn't started and Zhang Xuan and the others were bored, they followed along. The girl who had been there earlier, seeing that these "swindlers" actually knew her senior brother, hesitated for a moment before joining them.

The two jumped onto the elevated platform, each holding a long spear, immediately drawing the attention of countless onlookers. Those who had been preparing for the lecture instantly turned around in unison.

Seeing so many eyes on them, Zheng Yang once again concealed his aura and appearance, making himself unrecognizable.

“Mo Xiao is the academy’s most renowned spear genius; his cultivation is so advanced that even teachers and elders aren’t his match. Where did this guy come from to challenge him?” “I don’t know, but we’re about to see him get a beating!” “Indeed…” A collective smile spread across the faces of the crowd.

Over the past year, under Teacher Lu Xun’s guidance, Mo Xiao had made rapid progress. Both his cultivation and his understanding of spear techniques were nearing the Grandmaster realm. At this level, very few in the entire Hongtian Academy could surpass him, let alone this unknown youth who had just appeared.

Seeing Mo Xiao challenging just before his lecture, Lu Xun shook his head with a wry smile. He then looked around and announced, “Alright, since they wish to spar, I will use their battle as an example to explain the practical application and techniques of spear arts!”

“Great!” “I love hearing Teacher Lu teach practical techniques!” “This is the best way to improve our combat power; we didn’t come here in vain this time…” Hearing that Teacher Lu Xun was going to lecture on the practical application of spear arts, the crowd below erupted in an excited buzz. Everyone was thrilled, turning in unison to gaze at the nearby elevated platform.

“Haha, come on!” Seeing the immense attention and knowing his teacher was watching, Mo Xiao’s eyes blazed with an arc of fighting spirit. He flicked his long spear, which let out a wailing sound, and thrust it straight towards Zheng Yang.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh! The spear moved so quickly that it cut through the air with a distinct whistling sound.

“Mo Xiao’s move is excellent; it flows seamlessly without a moment’s hesitation. Spear techniques emphasize fluidity and decisiveness. Once a decision is made, it strikes like a thunderbolt, giving an irresistible impression… Even an ordinary Grandmaster would struggle to defend against this move of Mo Xiao’s. The young man opposite him is likely in for a tough time,” Lu Xun said, nodding with satisfaction, his voice clear and resonant.

Zheng Yang’s face contorted in a dilemma. The spear technique was simply too slow, no different from a snail, and its power was so weak that casually blocking it could easily injure his friend. This put him in an extremely awkward position. He couldn’t defend against it without risking hurting Mo Xiao, but not defending would also be strange… It was truly uncomfortable!

“See? Didn’t I tell you? His opponent is already flustered, completely at a loss!” Lu Xun observed Zheng Yang, who remained motionless, and nodded with satisfaction. “The spear technique I teach emphasizes imposing momentum; that’s where its true power lies. To temper Mo Xiao, I even took him to a waterfall, where he battled the raging torrent for three months. That’s why he has achieved what he has today. There’s no need to watch further; his opponent will surrender any moment now, he’ll lose, lose, lose…” Before he could finish his pronouncement, Lu Xun felt his lips begin to tremble uncontrollably. In his constricted pupils, a vivid image formed: Mo Xiao’s long spear striking Zheng Yang’s eye, and then… shattering into countless pieces.