Chapter 144 - 114: Clash of Spear and Shield (Part 3)
With a few soft clicks, they retracted back into the main shield.
Facing the current Lin Ye, any superfluous yet ineffective attacks would only become a burden and drain his energy.
Cheng Shanhe took a deep breath and sank slightly into his stance. In that instant, it was as if his entire body had connected with the earth beneath his feet.
He planted the enormous Profound Iron Shield firmly before him.
Meeting ten thousand changes with a single constant!
Every one of Lin Ye’s spear thrusts utilized the absolute peak of power and speed, striking from the most difficult angles toward every gap in Cheng Shanhe’s defense.
His ribs, the arm holding the shield, his knees, his ankles!
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
The crisp, rapid ringing of metal on metal echoed ceaselessly!
The spear’s shadow was a blur, a testament to his exquisite martial skill.
But Cheng Shanhe’s shield remained as steady as a rock, every block as precise as a machine.
He always managed to intercept the attack at the very last moment before the spear tip could reach his body.
This was a duel of ultimate offense versus ultimate defense!
A textbook clash between an unstoppable spear and an immovable shield!
「For the next five minutes.」
The entire Stone Forest map became their stage.
Lin Ye’s figure moved like a phantom, circling Cheng Shanhe relentlessly. His spear struck like a dragon, its assault continuous and seemingly endless.
Cheng Shanhe, however, held his ground, his feet seemingly rooted to the spot.
He poured all his energy into the heavy shield in his hands, constructing an impenetrable circle of absolute defense.
The viewers in the live stream chat were completely mesmerized.
"Now *this* is a true peak-level duel!"
"This Cheng Shanhe is ridiculously strong too!"
"If it were me up there, forget five minutes, I don’t think I’d last ten seconds! I’d be turned into a pincushion by that Goblin!"
"This is amazing! So satisfying to watch!"
However, amidst the chorus of amazement, a few sharp-eyed viewers noticed something was off.
"Wait, have you guys noticed... the Goblin’s weapon seems a bit... subpar?"
"Now that you mention it... you’re right!"
"It’s just a standard-issue spear!"
"Holy crap! For real? He’s suppressing the Martial Saint’s son with a standard-issue spear?"
Dong Dongchen, of course, had noticed this long ago.
"That’s right. The weapon our Goblin friend is using is indeed a standard-issue weapon with no attribute bonuses."
"This also indirectly proves that his terrifying strength comes entirely from himself, not from external items."
"That... makes it all the more commendable."
A trace of admiration, one he himself hadn’t noticed, had crept into Dong Dongchen’s voice.
To come from an ordinary background, yet reach a level where he could compete on equal footing with the son of a Martial Saint through his own talent and hard work.
A person like that possessed a mentality and perseverance far beyond that of an ordinary person.
「Another five minutes passed.」
The battle had now lasted for more than ten minutes.
The high-intensity offense and defense was a huge test of stamina for both of them.
Fine beads of sweat were already forming on Cheng Shanhe’s forehead, and his breathing had started to become a little ragged.
In contrast, Lin Ye’s breathing remained long and steady.
It was as if the frenzied assault of the past ten minutes had been nothing more than a warm-up for him.
His attacks were even growing fiercer!
As one waned and the other waxed, the scales of victory were slowly, irreversibly tipping in Lin Ye’s favor.
Cheng Shanhe’s defense was also beginning to show signs of faltering.
However, just as everyone thought Cheng Shanhe was on the verge of defeat, a sudden change occurred!
CLANG!
It was another incredibly precise block.
But the crisp sound produced at the moment the spear and shield collided was completely different from before!
In the live stream, countless viewers with high-definition spectator angles saw it clearly.
After another clash with the Profound Iron Shield, the tip of Lin Ye’s black spear had been chipped!
Cheng Shanhe’s eyes suddenly lit up!
’He had been waiting for this chance for far too long!’
Without the slightest hesitation, the young man abandoned his perfect defensive stance.
Risking injury from Lin Ye, he proactively slammed his heavy shield right at the head of Lin Ye’s spear!
His target wasn’t Lin Ye himself!
It was his weapon!
THUD!
A dull thud!
Lin Ye’s pupils contracted. He felt a massive force travel up the shaft as another piece of his spearhead was knocked off!
’Such a decisive move!’
But Lin Ye’s combat instincts were equally terrifying.
The instant the spearhead was damaged, he dropped his wrist, changing his thrust into a sweep.
The shaft whipped out like a lash, striking straight for the only opening Cheng Shanhe had exposed by attacking: his right shoulder!
However, the expected sound of the blow landing on flesh and blood never came.
TING!
A crisp, metallic ring sounded once more!
Lin Ye’s gaze darkened.
He had seen it clearly.
Just as the shaft was about to strike his opponent’s shoulder, Cheng Shanhe’s skin had instantly taken on a rocky, black-gray hue!
’Is this...’
’Martial Arts Spirituality?’
Seeing this, Dong Dongchen couldn’t help but shake his head and sigh.
"Stone Skin, the Cheng Family’s hereditary Martial Arts Spirituality."
"Legend has it that this was the very first Martial Arts Spirituality the Rock Martial Saint awakened as a youth."
"I have no idea what Secret Technique he used to pass this Martial Arts Spirituality on to his youngest son. His eldest son, Cheng Xingyue, doesn’t have it."
As the viewers discussed this, the situation on the battlefield changed dramatically again!
CLANG!
With a resolute look in his eyes, Cheng Shanhe seized upon the momentary lag in Lin Ye’s attack caused by the damaged weapon.
He actually gave up part of his defense, relying on the toughness of his "Stone Skin" to ram his shoulder straight into the spear shaft!
At the same time, he slammed his Profound Iron Shield up from a sharp angle, striking the already precarious spearhead once more!
CRACK!
A crisp cracking sound, sharp enough to set one’s teeth on edge, rang out.
This time, the entire head of Lin Ye’s standard-issue spear was sent flying by the immense force, sailing through the air in an arc before clattering to the ground in the distance.
"The difference in weapons is just too great, in the end."
"This match... I’m afraid there’s no suspense left."
Dong Dongchen looked at the screen, at Lin Ye’s now-headless standard-issue spear, and made his final judgment.
In the live stream chat, everyone’s opinion was surprisingly consistent with Dong Dongchen’s.
In fact, it was the only conclusion anyone with basic martial arts knowledge would reach.
A weapon is an extension of a Martial Artist’s arm, a core component of their combat power.
A spear missing its head was equivalent to Lin Ye being disarmed.
His combat power would be drastically reduced if he had to fight bare-handed.
Let alone trying to break through Cheng Shanhe’s heavy shield and defense.
Cheng Shanhe was now in an unbeatable position.
Back in the fight, Lin Ye retreated rapidly, creating several meters of distance.
He glanced down at the "spear" in his hand, which was now nothing more than a bare shaft.
’He let out a helpless sigh in his heart.’
’Fighting against these geniuses who have been cultivated with top-tier resources since birth... the equipment gap is truly an insurmountable chasm.’
’I never thought that after my unstoppable advance, the first thing to give out would be my weapon.’
’It seems I’m in desperate need of a suitable Divine Weapon.’
Lin Ye’s thoughts drifted for a moment.
’I wonder, in the upcoming city-wide mock exam, if I make a big splash... would I be qualified to make a request to the officials to have an exclusive weapon forged just for me?’
’Hm, or I could just ask for money.’
’With enough funds, I could naturally go to a top-tier Weapon Workshop and have the most suitable weapon forged for myself.’
"Big Brother, your spearhead’s broken. Why don’t you... just give up? Hehe."
However, the answer he received was a completely unexpected, whistling sound of something cutting through the air.
It was Lin Ye’s... staff strike to the head!
BAM!!
The smile on Cheng Shanhe’s face instantly froze. He subconsciously tried to raise his shield to block.
But the bare shaft was unimaginably fast. He was a step too slow!
The shadow of the black staff struck him squarely on the forehead.
The blow made the young man see stars. He was completely dazed, grimacing in excruciating pain.
"You...!"
Before Cheng Shanhe could say another word, his pupils reflected a terrifying flurry of staff shadows that seemed to fill the sky and blot out the sun!
The staff techniques came down on him like a mountain!
At that moment, alarm bells shrieked in Cheng Shanhe’s mind, and an utterly absurd thought uncontrollably popped into his head.
’This guy isn’t a spent force!’
’He’s... actually using the spear as a staff now that the head is broken!’
’And...’
’Why do I get the feeling that his proficiency with this Staff Skill is in no way inferior to his previous spear skills??’