A Martial Arts Genius

"Light?" Wu Sangui's smile faltered slightly. He couldn't help but weigh the spear in his hand, and asked in surprise, "Brother Jia, although this white wax spear isn't standard issue in the army, it still weighs four or five pounds, no different from ordinary training weapons. You still think it's light?"

Several suppressed snickers immediately rose from the surrounding area.

The richly dressed young man who had previously looked down on Jia Yun now shook his head even more directly, whispering to the person next to him, "A gun weighing over four pounds is too light? What arrogance! Does he need to bring the gilded bronze guns from the ceremonial guard to be heavy enough?"

Jia Yun ignored the surrounding discussions, and simply nodded at Wu Sangui: "It is indeed too lenient, making it difficult to fully utilize my skills. I would be grateful if Brother Wu could do me a favor."

Seeing that Jia Yun's expression did not seem to be feigning, Wu Sangui became even more curious. He wanted to see if Jia Yun truly possessed divine power or was just bluffing.

He immediately waved to his servant: "Go and fetch the iron-wooden-coated-copper spear that I used for strength training, which I kept in the west wing."

A moment later, a strong servant carried over a wooden spear that was noticeably thicker and darker in color.

The spears were of similar length, but the shaft was noticeably thicker, with a subtle metallic sheen beneath the dark wood. This wooden spear used for training strength actually had a hardwood core, wrapped in a thin layer of copper, and even the wooden spearhead was larger than usual.

"Brother Jia, this spear is made of solid ironwood, covered with brass, and weighs about ten pounds!" Wu Sangui introduced, his tone carrying a hint of reminder, "Even I need to concentrate and use both hands to wield it before I dare say I can use it with ease. You... would you like to try again?"

"Ten catties?" A murmur rippled through the crowd.

This weapon is far heavier than the combat rifles used by ordinary soldiers, and cannot be handled by anyone but those with superhuman strength or those who have undergone extensive training.

All eyes were on Jia Yun, waiting to see how he would back down.

Jia Yun's eyes lit up slightly, and he said, "That's perfect for me!"

Having said that, he stepped forward, reached out with his right hand and grasped the butt of the gun barrel, feeling a sudden heave. But his five fingers tightened like iron clamps, his forearm muscles bulged, and he actually managed to hold the ten-pound spear steadily with one hand!

The room fell silent!

The mockery on the young man's face froze instantly, turning into disbelief.

What shocked them even more was yet to come.

Jia Yun held the gun in one hand for a moment to get used to it, then put his other hand on the shaft, stepped forward, and used his waist and hips to swing the heavy gun with a "whoosh"!

He didn't use any fancy moves, just basic blocking, grabbing, stabbing, striking, pointing, piercing, picking, and chopping.

But with the support of the heavy spear shaft, each move carried a powerful, piercing sound. Though the spear tip was blunt, it still faintly made a sharp, tearing sound, a stark contrast to his awkward and restrained demeanor during their earlier unarmed exchange!

For a moment, only the whistling of spears and the increasingly heavy breathing of the people could be heard in the warm pavilion.

Those sons of military families stared wide-eyed, unable to utter another sarcastic remark.

As Wu Sangui watched Jia Yun wield his spear, his eyes burned with the fervor of a predator eyeing its prey! He stared intently at every movement of Jia Yun, especially the powerful yet agile technique of striking with force, and was deeply impressed.

The two stopped again.

This time, Jia Yun held a long spear, and his entire demeanor suddenly changed. His previous refined scholarly air was gone, and his eyes showed the ferocity of a tiger descending the mountain.

"Brother Wu, please!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than Jia Yun moved.

The spear flashes like a dragon!

He immediately unleashed his mastered "Central Horizontal Spear" technique, thrusting the spear tip with immense force and an indomitable momentum! Wu Sangui let out a soft "Eh," and daring not to be negligent, he had no choice but to raise his spear to meet the attack.

"Slap! Slap! Slap!"

The sound of wooden spears clashing was crisp and loud.

Although Jia Yun's marksmanship was somewhat immature and lacked variety, his foundation was extremely solid. Every shot was imbued with his full strength, steady, accurate, and ruthless! In particular, his resolute aura made him seem nothing like a beginner.

Wu Sangui initially tried to test the waters, but after a few moves, he had to take it seriously and unleash his family's spear techniques, sometimes as nimble as a snake emerging from its hole, and sometimes as powerful as Mount Tai pressing down.

The two men moved nimbly and agilely in the arena, their spears flashing like a martial arts acrobatic act.

Although Jia Yun was at a disadvantage and was forced to retreat and parry repeatedly by Wu Sangui's exquisite moves, he was incredibly resilient and managed to withstand more than twenty moves!

In the end, Wu Sangui created an opening, causing Jia Yun to miss with his spear. Then, he twisted and deflected the spear shaft, deflecting Jia Yun's weapon. The spearhead, like a venomous snake, pointed at Jia Yun's throat, stopping abruptly just inches away.

"You flatter me, Brother Jia." Wu Sangui sheathed his spear, his breathing still steady, but the look in his eyes as he looked at Jia Yun had completely changed.

He's only fourteen?

The entire room fell silent.

Those who had been scoffing now fell silent, their faces showing surprise.

They may not understand advanced martial arts, but they can tell that he was able to fight Wu Sangui, who had seen bloodshed in Liaodong, for more than twenty moves with weapons to a draw.

This Jia Yun is definitely not the "pretty face" they imagined!

Wu Sangui felt an irresistible urge to see Jia Yun. He stepped forward and asked in a low voice, "Brother Jia... your marksmanship is truly impressive... how long have you been practicing?"

At first, he thought that Feng Ziying was just flattering him to save face, but he didn't expect that the young man in front of him was actually quite capable.

Jia Yun was truly exhausted. After all, it was a ten-pound spear, and every movement required the coordination of his waist and abdomen, and the strength of his entire body. He calmed his rapid breathing, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and said frankly, "To be honest, Brother Wu, I've been practicing for about a month now."

"A month?!" Even with Wu Sangui's composure, he almost exclaimed in surprise.

He had initially thought that such marksmanship must have come from years of dedicated practice. But to say it was achieved in a short period was simply too astonishing; he couldn't believe it.

Wu Sangui stared intently at Jia Yun, observing him closely from head to toe. He noticed that although the young man was dressed simply, there was a hint of heroism in his brows.

The spear in his hand seemed to have a life of its own.

Upon hearing that Jia Yun had only practiced for a month, he was shocked, thinking to himself, "I have been learning martial arts from my father since I was a child, without fail, through scorching summers and freezing winters, and only now do I have some skill. This boy has only practiced for a few months, yet he has already grasped the basics. If it weren't for divine inspiration, how could he have achieved this?"

Wu Sangui was immediately struck by the idea of ​​appreciating talent, and he no longer cared about the纨绔子弟 (spoiled young men) around him.

He stepped forward, took Jia Yun's hand, and earnestly said, "Yun-ge'er, with your talent, if you are only confined to this brocade cage, mingling with cosmetics and objects, wouldn't you be wasting Heaven's great gift? It would truly be a waste of a bright pearl!"

He spoke bluntly, glancing out of the corner of his eye at the red-faced young men around him, before looking intently at Jia Yun.

"A true man is born between heaven and earth, and should wield a three-foot sword to achieve unparalleled feats! Now, Liaodong is engulfed in war, and it is precisely the time when men are needed! With your abilities, if you are willing to join the army and gallop across the battlefield, it is not an empty dream that you will one day be ennobled and appointed as a general! What do you say? Are you willing to come with me to the frontier and fight for a future?"

Wu Sangui spoke with great passion and fervor.

If it were an ordinary young man, he would have been filled with enthusiasm. Upon hearing such an invitation, he would probably have immediately bowed down in reverence.

However, upon hearing this, Jia Yun felt as if a bottle of mixed emotions had been overturned, with all sorts of feelings surging up at once.

Looking at the spirited young man before him, fragmented and jarring words such as "a man's anger is for the sake of a woman," "Shanhaiguan Pass," and "traitor" flashed through his mind inappropriately.

Jia Yun knew that at this time, Wu Sangui was just a young general with lofty ambitions to serve his country and a spirit of enterprise, completely different from the Prince of Pingxi who would later lead the Qing army into the heart of the country and bear the infamy of the ages.

But the prophet who knew the "ending" remained firmly rooted in his heart, making it impossible for him to fully trust him or even consider joining his ranks.

Although Jia Yun thought this in his heart, he showed no sign of it on his face. He simply bowed deeply and said, "Thank you for your kindness, Brother Wu! I am deeply grateful for your high regard!"

"However... my ambitions lie elsewhere. Everyone has their own aspirations, and I cannot force you to agree. What Brother Wu said is quite true. To achieve merit on the battlefield and be ennobled as a marquis or appointed as a general is indeed a man's greatest pleasure. However, the bravery of a common man is of little use in an army of 100,000. Unless one is a reincarnation of Xiang Yu, the Chu general with the strength to lift a tripod and the bravery to be the best in the army, one might be able to turn the tide with personal martial prowess. But I know that I am far from having such ability."

He looked up at Wu Sangui, his gaze clear and upright, and continued:

"Governing the country and securing peace, managing the four corners of the land, ultimately requires both civil administration and strategic planning. The current political situation is dire, and border troubles are deepening. The root cause likely lies not only in the willingness of the soldiers on the front lines, but also in the planning of the court, the transportation of funds and provisions, and the integrity of the bureaucracy. I am not talented, but I wish to begin with the proper path of the imperial examinations, studying the classics and understanding the principles of the world. If I am fortunate enough to one day hold a position in the court, perhaps I can contribute my modest efforts to address this crisis. This is the 'future' I seek in my heart. I hope Brother Wu will consider this humble opinion."

Jia Yun's words clarified his reasons for choosing the path of the imperial examination—not out of fear of war, but because he believed that civil administration could solve the fundamental problems better than mere military force; at the same time, he subtly avoided directly evaluating Wu Sangui personally, attributing his reasons to his own ambitions and judgment of the overall situation.

Upon hearing this, Wu Sangui's fervent hopes seemed to be doused with cold water, and the light in his eyes gradually dimmed.

Having grown up on the frontier, he was accustomed to the clash of swords and the bloodshed of war, and had always believed in the principle that conquering the world was achieved through archery and horsemanship. He found it difficult to agree with Jia Yun's theory of "civil administration." However, seeing Jia Yun's resolute attitude and his seemingly reasonable arguments, he decided not to press the matter further.

Wu Sangui could only sigh and pat Jia Yun on the shoulder, saying, "Each has his own ambitions, how dare I force you? I only hope that you will soon achieve your goal. If you change your mind in the future, I will be waiting for you outside Shanhaiguan."

"Definitely! If the opportunity arises in the future, I will definitely visit Brother Wu!" Jia Yun replied with a cupped hand, secretly relieved.

Maintaining a distant but not too close relationship with this future tycoon, limited to mere martial arts sparring, is perhaps the best course of action for now.

Wu Sangui said no more, and gave Jia Yun another deep look, as if he wanted to remember this young man with extraordinary talent but aspirations for a different path.

But he couldn't help but sigh inwardly, "What a pity, what a pity! If I could bring him under my father's command and train him a little, he would surely become a fierce general in battle in time... The imperial examination? Alas, that scholar's way is ultimately too slow..."