Chapter 28: The Overlord’s Shadow-Chasing Spear

"Oh? What do you mean by that?" Upon hearing Mu Qiaoxue’s words, Chu Feng felt a sudden tension in his heart.

The long spear was Chu Feng’s favorite weapon, without exception. His love for the spear was akin to a drunkard's passion for wine or a miser's obsession with wealth. If he could practice martial arts but not train with the spear, it would be as agonizing to him as losing an arm.

"There are two reasons. First, in the martial world, it is said: 'A month for the staff, a year for the saber, but the spear requires long practice; the treasured sword is kept by one's side.' Among the eighteen martial weapons, spear technique is one of the most difficult to master. Without immense perseverance, one either gives up halfway or fails to make the technique truly powerful."

As she spoke, Mu Qiaoxue flipped her wrist and placed a stack of booklets, black and white, on the table—seven or eight in total.

"And these are?"

"These are the essentials for practicing spear technique. For the saber or sword, two books suffice. But if you wish to learn the spear, you must study all eight! While others are already practicing saber and sword, you’ll still be painstakingly reading. By the time you begin formal spear training, their saber and sword skills will have achieved some measure of accomplishment."

Mu Qiaoxue spoke with genuine concern in her voice.

"I’m not afraid of that. Since I am determined to learn the spear, I have both the perseverance and patience required. I wouldn’t care for things that can be learned in ten days or half a month!" Chu Feng spoke with unmasked boldness. "Miss Mu, you mentioned my physique earlier—what did you mean by that?"

"Well..." Mu Qiaoxue paused, then suddenly chuckled, "Actually, it’s nothing. I know spear training is difficult, and I feared you might lack resolve and waste your efforts in the future, so I was teasing you, testing your determination. Please don’t take offense!"

With that, Mu Qiaoxue retrieved several booklets, leaving only two. "For the spear, these two are sufficient. If you wish to practice saber or sword, one book will do."

"Haha, when you brought out that thick stack just now, you truly startled me!" Chu Feng laughed heartily. "Miss Mu, thank you for the wine and food. I wish to obtain my weapon and martial techniques immediately!"

"No problem! Weapons, techniques, and training grounds—Master Linshan may take and use whatever he wishes!" Mu Qiaoxue replied, pressing a mechanism at the boat’s prow, causing the small vessel to row back.

On the lakeshore, nearly a hundred yards away, a Mu family disciple witnessed this scene and quietly turned away.

...

While the Mu family feasted and drank at the Taste Pavilion, in a modest courtyard of the Mu family disciples’ quarters, Ding Wanchong and his apprentice Mi Xinjian were gritting their teeth in agony.

The layers of Tiger Mountain and Snake Bramble had been removed, and the skin and flesh on their backs were completely torn and mangled—a bloody mess. Though a layer of medicine for external wounds had been applied, the pain was still piercing.

"Master, had we known Linshan didn’t care about our offense, we wouldn’t have had to heed the family head’s words and endure this suffering!" Mi Xinjian gritted his teeth in pain, now deeply regretting offending "Linshan." What he regretted even more was realizing he could have avoided this torment altogether.

"Mi, are you... are you even capable of thinking? I swear you’re useless!" Ding Wanchong was enraged by Mi Xinjian's complaints. He scolded in a low voice, "Do you think what that Lin fellow says is truly what's in his heart? How did I end up with such a pig-headed disciple!"

"Master, do you mean... Linshan was being two-faced, intentionally saying those magnanimous words for show, but secretly wishing we'd suffer?"

"Of course! You're neither his son nor his grandson—why would he care about you? If you were to draw your sword and kill yourself, he might even shed a few crocodile tears for you! That's false compassion—do you understand?"

"Master, I..." Mi Xinjian’s face flushed red, and he muttered, "Your disciple is foolish! I never imagined that Linshan, who appears honest and uncompetitive, is so cunning inside!"

Knock, knock!

The courtyard gate sounded twice, and a slight, white-robed disciple entered.

"San’er, have you found out anything?" Ding Wanchong sat cross-legged on the bed and inquired of the white-robed disciple.

"Master, Linshan was originally drinking at the Taste Pavilion. Mu Yun’er summoned him to Miss Mu, and the two drank together on the lakeboat. They seemed to be getting along well," San’er reported.

"Mm! Did you overhear what they discussed?"

"No. They were on the lakeboat, too far away for me to hear anything. I could only vaguely observe their actions, not their conversation."

"Good! You’ve done well—keep a close eye on that Lin fellow! Make sure to find out everything about him, but be careful not to alert him. He seems ordinary, but he’s highly vigilant and may already be wary of us," Ding Wanchong instructed.

"Yes, Master!"

"Master, Linshan will be staying with the Mu family for some time. How should we act around him? Should I keep a low profile and play the fool to lull him into carelessness?" Mi Xinjian asked.

"Don’t be clever! If you do that, he'll be even more suspicious. From now on, act as if nothing happened. Do as you always do," Ding Wanchong replied.

Ding Wanchong now utterly hated Chu Feng.

This "Linshan" had caused him to lose favor among the Mu family's elders and to be disgraced before all the disciples, his authority destroyed.

Meanwhile, Linshan had climbed to success on his shoulders, enjoying the approval of elders and disciples alike, gaining advantage while feigning humility.

In truth, Ding Wanchong never imagined that the unremarkable "Master Linshan" would possess such skill and actually craft the pulse needle within an hour—but regretting it now was pointless.

No matter how much he regretted, the respect he’d lost could never be regained—unless he reclaimed it from "Linshan" himself.

...

After the midday banquet at the Taste Pavilion, the Heavenly Mechanism Mu family kept their promise. Not only did they present Chu Feng with three martial technique manuals, but they also delivered a long spear of exceptional quality.

"Brother Linshan, please look—this is the foundational 'Basic Spear Technique' manual, this is the 'Sand Flattening Wild Goose Spear Manual,' and this 'Soul Severing Thrust' specializes in movement techniques!"

The Mu family's second young master, Mu Kaihe, handed Chu Feng three crimson booklets and began introducing the spear.

"This is the Tyrant Shadow-Chasing Spear. The spearhead is forged from refined steel, gold, and Battle Shadow Iron; the shaft is made of dragon-veined wood, and the tassel is crafted from the tail of a Vajra Battle Rhino. It is truly imposing! The spear is thirteen feet and seven inches long, weighs two hundred and sixteen pounds. Its tip is razor-sharp—touch and you die; its body is massive—sweep and you perish!"

Before Chu Feng, two robust men in white combat attire carried the exceedingly heavy spear on their shoulders and presented it.

The spearhead gleamed gold, the shaft was pure white as snow, and the tassel glowed blood-red. The combination of red, yellow, and white was perfectly balanced.

The Tyrant Shadow-Chasing Spear possessed the golden aura of dominance, the white spirit of purity, and the crimson aura of slaughter.

"A marvelous spear indeed! This is precisely what I have dreamed of!"

Overjoyed, Chu Feng seized the spear, caressing it with his hand as a prince would a beloved beauty, his heart surging with excitement.