Chapter 283 - 169: Reversal
’Or maybe I shouldn’t let Chu Lingguang keep thrusting.’
Poisonous Snake frowned slightly.
At first, Yun Hong watched Chu Lingguang’s continuous spear thrusts. Then, he slowly closed his eyes, his perception homing in on the sound within Chu Lingguang’s Spear Technique.
A moment later, Yun Hong’s perception locked onto the sound.
It was as if his perception followed the Lightning Spear, entering Chu Lingguang’s body and pinpointing the true source of the sound.
The only way to determine if Chu Lingguang had grasped the True Meaning of Spear Technique was to confirm whether the power originated from his Sea of Consciousness.
Yun Hong followed the sound to its origin.
He could almost see it: every time Chu Lingguang thrusted his spear, the flesh and blood of his body pulsed with a rhythm, much like a heart pumping blood.
It was this unique vibration that gave Chu Lingguang’s Spear Technique its unusual Penetration Power.
This was a special kind of sonic power, which allowed it to injure someone without physical contact.
A sound that was imperceptible to the ear.
Yun Hong didn’t know how Chu Lingguang had found the point of resonance between his flesh and his Spear Technique, but he was now certain of one thing: Chu Lingguang had not grasped the True Meaning of Spear Technique.
True Intent.
It was a critical power in Martial Arts Cultivation.
Some people could open their Dantian Qi Sea or even reach the Perfection stage of the Qi Sea Realm, yet never manage to obtain True Intent.
True Intent could come from many sources.
It wasn’t limited to a single type of Kung Fu, nor did it originate only from disciplines like Spear Technique or Saber Technique.
But True Intent was something emitted from the Sea of Consciousness.
By following the sound, Yun Hong had sensed no presence of a Sea of Consciousness within Chu Lingguang. Therefore, he could determine with certainty that this was not Chu Lingguang’s True Meaning of Spear Technique.
Still, the resonance between flesh and Spear Technique was no small feat.
An ordinary person could never achieve it.
Yun Hong was puzzled as to how Chu Lingguang had achieved it.
He focused his senses, probing deeper.
As his perception followed the sound, it was as if he had gained the power of Introspection into Chu Lingguang’s body. Suddenly, within the sound, he detected an unusual echo.
There were fissures in Chu Lingguang’s flesh, and the sound was reverberating within them.
Though they were almost imperceptible.
He had still managed to detect them.
’So many fissures... could it be...?’
Yun Hong recalled the information in Chu Lingguang’s file.
Understanding gradually dawned on him.
"Stop,"
he said.
Chu Lingguang quickly retracted his spear and stood at attention. Facing Yun Hong, he asked, "Instructor Yun Hong, have I awakened the True Meaning of Spear Technique?"
"You have not,"
Yun Hong stated flatly.
WHOA!
The students in the square instantly broke into an uproar.
’It’s not the True Meaning of Spear Technique?’
Fatty Qin’s eyes widened. To recruit Chu Lingguang, he had posted people to guard his door, offending quite a few people in the process. He had stuck close to Chu Lingguang’s side, taking care of all sorts of problems for him.
’Was it all for nothing?’
"Instructor Yun Hong, but the power in my Spear Technique..." Chu Lingguang protested.
"You’ve taken Heart-Devouring Powder, haven’t you?"
Yun Hong interrupted.
"Yes. Two packets in total."
Chu Lingguang admitted with a nod.
"You experienced the agony of your flesh being torn apart. Unbeknownst to you, that pain allowed you to find the point of resonance between your flesh and your Spear Technique, forming a unique power fluctuation. That muffled drumming sound *is* that fluctuation. It isn’t the True Meaning of Spear Technique. It’s merely a peculiar power within your flesh. The moment the resonant frequency between your flesh and the spear is disrupted, the sound will naturally vanish,"
Yun Hong explained.
"That... That can’t be right!"
Chu Lingguang said, shaking his head.
FWIP!
Hearing this, Yun Hong flicked a finger, sending a stream of Qi Force into Chu Lingguang’s body.
Chu Lingguang’s body shuddered. Understanding Yun Hong’s intent, he immediately executed the Flying Leaf Lotus Spear again, thrusting continuously. The muffled drumming was gone. Instead, Chu Lingguang grew agitated, as if some fundamental balance within him had been shattered.
"So it really wasn’t the True Meaning of Spear Technique?"
Fatty Qin muttered.
As he came to his senses, a flicker of anger rose within him. He had wasted so much time on Chu Lingguang, and time for cultivation in the Trial Ground was incredibly precious.
Sounds of ridicule rippled through the surrounding crowd.
Many secretly sighed in relief, gloating over his misfortune.
"Instructor Yun Hong, what about Chu Lingguang’s talent grade?"
Poisonous Snake asked.
"The ability to make his flesh resonate with his Spear Technique is impressive, but he achieved it through Heart-Devouring Powder. His foundation is too weak, and the effect is easily disrupted. Therefore, his talent grade is..."
Yun Hong looked at Chu Lingguang, then said with a slight hesitation, "D-grade!"
WHOA!
The entire square was once again in an uproar.
Chu Lingguang’s jaw dropped. Though the difference between A-grade and D-grade was just a single letter, the treatment they received was worlds apart—the difference between a meal with four portions of Demon Beast Flesh and Blood and a meal with only one.
It was a fall from heaven to hell.
Even with his strong Heart Guarding Skill, the sheer disparity of it all caused the light to drain from his eyes.
"Chu Lingguang, forget we ever talked. From now on, you can practice on your own!"
Fatty Qin felt like Chu Lingguang had played him for a fool.
’Even if Chu Lingguang didn’t have A-grade Talent, B-grade would have been acceptable,’ he had thought. He never imagined it would only be D-grade.
The fact that his special sonic attack came from Heart-Devouring Powder and was so easily disrupted made Fatty Qin so furious that he rushed to sever all ties.
But Chu Lingguang acted as if he hadn’t heard a word.
Guo Wei had told him more than once that in the Trial Ground, he had to fight everyone to the very end. He wouldn’t be fighting for pride, but for the abundant cultivation resources.
’Now that my A-grade has become D-grade, how can I possibly compete?’
Yun Hong knew this was cruel, but it was the reality of the situation. He could only let Chu Lingguang bear it in silence. The Trial Ground was just that merciless. Outside, Chu Lingguang’s talent might have been decent compared to others, but here, even with the ability to create resonance between his flesh and his spear, he was only at a D-grade level.
Besides, based on the information in Chu Lingguang’s file, his original assessment of his talent had also been D-grade.
The supposed jump from D-grade to A-grade was what had seemed so strange to Yun Hong in the first place.
Now that he understood the truth, he could only act with impartiality, even if it meant Chu Lingguang’s hopes had been raised for nothing.
With that thought, Yun Hong sighed softly and prepared to turn and leave.
"Wait."
Chu Lingguang, hearing the crowd’s murmuring, couldn’t stop himself from shouting.
’I can’t just accept a D-grade talent rating in the Trial Ground. If I only get D-grade cultivation resources, how will I place in the top ten of the Provincial Examination when I get out? If I don’t make the top ten, I’ll have to throw myself into the fray for Mr. Du. That debt of favor would become crushing, impossible to repay anytime soon.’
’No matter what, I can’t settle for being D-grade!’
He remembered what Fatty Qin had said.
’A Qi Vortex forming in the abdomen makes one a Qi Sea Introduction level expert. If I really am a Martial Artist at the Qi Sea Introduction level, then my talent, even if it’s not A-grade, surely can’t be the worst possible grade, D-grade!’
’Whatever happens, I refuse to be at the very bottom!’
"You doubt my judgment?"
Yun Hong asked, his brow furrowed.
He held absolute authority in the Trial Ground. Not a single student had ever dared to question him. Where did Chu Lingguang get the audacity?