boyutpedia Chapter 50 Qin Hu Comes to the Door
Chapter 50 Qin Hu Comes to the Door
Zhang Yuan's pupils contracted slightly.
As Zheng Chaoyang moved, his body reacted instinctively.
He gripped the wooden shield tightly, and following Zheng Chaoyang's command, his core muscles tensed instantly, his legs stretched like the roots of an old tree, he lowered his waist and hips, and poured all his strength into his left arm holding the shield.
Faced with the aggressive shield strike, he did not take it head-on. Instead, he slid his left foot half a step back and steadied himself with his right leg in a lunge position. At the same time, he twisted his wrist and tilted the shield at an angle, attempting to neutralize the force with a "disarming" technique.
【Ding! 】
[By observing a master-level demonstration of military formation shield techniques and combining it with insights gained from the Songshi Town battlefield, my understanding of military formation shield defense has greatly improved! Current understanding: Basic Force Reduction (Beginner)]
The moment the shields touched, a tremendous force came. Although Zhang Yuan successfully deflected some of the force, he still felt a tingling numbness in his left arm and staggered back a step before regaining his footing.
But Zheng Chaoyang's cunning bayonet was already upon them!
Zhang Yuan didn't have time to raise his shield to block. At the critical moment, the subtle trajectory of the spear thrusting out by the defeated soldiers on the battlefield flashed through his mind, and his body almost instinctively crouched down and rolled to the side!
The tip of the wooden sword grazed the cloth on his shoulder, bringing with it a cool breeze.
"The reaction is acceptable! But it's not enough!" Zheng Chaoyang's voice carried a metallic tone. "On the battlefield, when there's no way to avoid it, you must use offense as defense! A shield can also be a blade!"
His moves changed again. The shield was no longer just for defense, but was like a heavy warhammer. He used it in conjunction with his footwork, sometimes smashing, sometimes blocking, sometimes parrying and pushing back. Every use of the shield carried immense power and a killing intent that was simple to the extreme.
The wooden sword in his right hand followed him like a shadow, sometimes slashing, sometimes parrying, sometimes counterattacking, the light of the sword and the shadow of the shield intertwining into a deadly net.
Zhang Yuan was completely focused and highly concentrated.
He no longer relied solely on instinct, but instead worked hard to deeply imprint every movement, every exertion of force, and every step of Zheng Chaoyang into his mind.
At the same time, they frantically mobilized countless fragments gathered from the battlefield of Songshi Town.
The angles at which the fleeing soldiers parried with their shields, the trajectories of their spear thrusts, the points where their blades struck, the points where power flowed during coordinated teamwork…
Under Zheng Chaoyang's systematic and sharp demonstration, these fragments were like scattered beads being rapidly strung together by a strong thread!
【Ding! 】
[In-depth analysis of master-level sword and shield attack and defense techniques, integrating battlefield insights (rout soldier swordsmanship, spearmanship, basic teamwork) to form a preliminary systematic understanding! Significantly improve your comprehension of military formation sword and shield combat tactics! Current: Basic Attack and Defense (Beginner)]
[Significantly enhanced ability to perceive the flow of energy and power nodes on the battlefield!]
Sweat quickly soaked through Zhang Yuan's coarse cloth shirt.
Every block, every dodge, every attempted counterattack consumed a tremendous amount of his energy.
His arms ached, his calf muscles were trembling, and his breathing became heavy.
But those eyes grew brighter and brighter, like stars in a cold night, shimmering with a light that was called "understanding" and "desire".
Without diminishing one's lifespan, one can directly comprehend battle techniques.
What a wonderful thing this is!
He was no longer passively taking hits. He began to try to imitate Zheng Chaoyang's movements. During the gaps in his defense, he would tentatively push forward with his wooden shield to counterattack, and he would also try to find the fleeting openings in the opponent's moves to stab with his wooden sword!
"Bang!"
Zhang Yuan seized the moment when Zheng Chaoyang was about to use his shield bash properly, and with all his might, he slammed the side of his shield into the edge of the opponent's shield. At the same time, his right hand wielded a wooden sword from bottom to top, mimicking the trajectory of the "Severing Flow Slash" he used to kill the fleeing soldiers on the battlefield yesterday, and swiftly slashed it out!
Although its speed and strength were far inferior to Zheng Chaoyang's, its indomitable and resolute spirit caused a glint to flash in Zheng Chaoyang's eyes, and he slightly turned his body to avoid the blade.
"That's getting to it!" Zheng Chaoyang finished his stance, looking at Zhang Yuan, who was radiating heat, panting heavily, but with sharp eyes. "Remember! Battlefield combat boils down to speed, accuracy, ruthlessness, stability, and adaptability!"
"Shield is life, blade is teeth! Body moves with every step, power rises from the ground! Today we've come this far, go back and truly understand!"
Zhang Yuan slowly sheathed his sword and raised his shield, sweat trickling down his forehead.
Looking at his master's steady and unwavering back, a question that had been lingering in his mind for a long time could no longer be suppressed.
"Master," Zhang Yuan's voice was panting from training, but unusually clear, "You...served in the military?"
Zheng Chaoyang stopped in his tracks as he was about to leave.
"Back in Songshi Town, you could break through enemy formations with a mere gesture. The sword and shield combat techniques you are teaching today are the true secrets of military warfare, far beyond the ordinary methods of the martial arts world."
Zhang Yuan's gaze was fixed on his master's back, filled with inquiry.
"This disciple initially thought Master was a grandmaster of martial arts, but now it seems... things are not so simple?"
The training ground fell silent for a moment, with only the sound of wind whistling through the weapons.
Zheng Chaoyang stood with his back to Zhang Yuan, motionless, as if he had turned into a stone statue.
After a long time, so long that Zhang Yuan almost thought his master wouldn't answer, a deep voice, as if covered in the dust of time, slowly rang out.
"Some things... are better left unsaid."
He didn't turn around. After saying that, he strode off and walked straight to the backyard.
That somber figure stretched long in the afterglow of the setting sun, as if carrying an unspeakable past.
————————————————————
Evening, at the entrance of Willow Lane.
The afterglow of the setting sun bathed the alleyway in a dim yellow light.
As soon as Zhang Yuan appeared at the alley entrance, Qin Hu, who had been waiting there, led the three thugs with bruised and swollen faces, who had clearly been severely punished, to greet him.
"Young Master Zhang!" Qin Hu forced an exaggerated smile, stepped forward, and spoke in a loud voice, though with a barely perceptible strain, "Yesterday's incident at the dock was purely a misunderstanding! It was my fault for mismanaging my subordinates; these few scoundrels were blind and offended you, Young Master!"
He whirled around and shouted sternly, "Why aren't you kowtowing to Young Master Zhang and admitting your mistake!"
The three hooligans fell to their knees with a thud, slapping themselves repeatedly in front of Zhang Yuan while wailing and crying, "Young Master Zhang, spare our lives! We were blind! Please, have mercy!"
Qin Hu didn't even glance at them. He respectfully presented the ancient-looking longsword and a heavy money pouch to Zhang Yuan with both hands: "I, Qin, have always respected the reputation of Colonel Zhang Zhenshan! Yesterday's matter was truly a joke. I have come today specifically to return your precious sword and money! I beg you, sir, to be magnanimous and not stoop to the level of these lowlifes!"
At the entrance of the Zhang family courtyard in the distance, Zhang Shi, Zhang Zhu, and Zhang Jiu Mei, who had just woken up, were staring intently at the scene unfolding at the alley entrance, their faces as pale as paper and their eyes vacant with immense fear.
Zhang Jiumei's small body was still trembling slightly.
Zhang Yuan's gaze swept over the scoundrel kneeling and slapping himself, past Qin Hu's fake smile, and finally landed on the familiar knife and the bag of silver.
He didn't reach out to take it, his voice so calm it betrayed no emotion:
"Misunderstanding? A joke?"
He raised his eyes, his gaze as cold as a blade, staring directly into Qin Hu's eyes, which held a hint of impatience.
"So Zhang Xiangyang died in vain?"
Qin Hu's smile froze instantly, and a barely suppressed ferocity flashed in his eyes.
He suppressed his anger, his lips twitched, and his voice turned cold, carrying a condescending contempt:
"Young Master Zhang, although you are young, you are already a 'person' who has experienced scenes like those in Songshi Town."
"In the martial world, isn't it common for a few people, as insignificant as ants, to die? They die, and that's it!"
He deliberately emphasized the words "person" and "ant," leaned forward slightly, stared into Zhang Yuan's eyes, and could no longer conceal the threat in his tone.
"If you had died while you were in the Green Bamboo Gang, wouldn't you have just... died?"
This statement was a direct warning to Zhang Yuan.
I can kill those beggars, and I can kill you too!
Don't think that everything will be fine just because Zheng Chaoyang is protecting your life!
Zhang Yuan seemed oblivious to the chilling threat.
He met Qin Hu's gaze, his face expressionless, and spoke calmly, his voice not loud, yet clearly reaching the ears of everyone present:
"Chief Qin, please leave."
"My things, Zhang Qingyang's," he paused, then spoke clearly and distinctly, "will be taken back personally."