"What's wrong with you, kid?"
Looking at Fang Zheng in front of him, Shi Dong couldn't help but ask curiously. It was no wonder this Grand Knight had such a question—Fang Zheng's current state was too strange. Although he still had relentless perseverance, his expression showed that he was extremely fatigued, as if he hadn't fully woken up.
"It's nothing, mentor, just a nightmare..."
Upon hearing Shi Dong's question, Fang Zheng shook his head helplessly.
In fact, it was much more than just a simple nightmare.
"A nightmare? Hahaha, I never thought you would have nightmares... It seems you still have time for nightmares, which means my training isn't hard enough? Come on, perk up! By the way, what is this supposed to mean?"
As he spoke, Shi Dong curiously glanced at Fang Zheng's waist. Currently, Fang Zheng had more than just his usual training weapon hanging from his waist; there was also a dagger.
"Are you planning to use dual swords, kid?"
"I just figured out some techniques yesterday."
Hearing Shi Dong's question, Fang Zheng let out a bitter smile. Normally, he would love to chat with Shi Dong, but right now, he didn't even have the energy for that.
"So I plan to give it a try."
"Give it a try? Alright, kid. Let me remind you, don't always look for shortcuts. Although traditional methods seem old-fashioned, they've stood the test of time for a reason… Well then, let's see what you've figured out!"
"Yes, mentor."
As he spoke, Fang Zheng's hands moved swiftly, drawing out a longsword and a dagger. He then focused intently on Shi Dong.
"Hmm?"
Seeing Fang Zheng's actions, Shi Dong was suddenly stunned, surprised with his eyes wide open.
This kid… What's going on?
No wonder Shi Dong was so surprised. He had been training with Fang Zheng for more than ten days and had developed some understanding of him. Until yesterday, Fang Zheng's performance was just as Shi Dong expected. In fact, from their bouts, Shi Dong had already noticed that while Fang Zheng had good determination, he wasn't very adept at close combat. Although he had an outstanding grasp of the battlefield situation, his swordsmanship was on par with a novice. Shi Dong found this peculiar. He could tell Fang Zheng seemed better at long-range attacks, but his archery was equally lacking, and as for magic… This kid didn't look like a mage at all!
But that was until yesterday.
Since meeting Fang Zheng today, Shi Dong felt something different about him. He couldn't quite pinpoint what was different, but the moment Fang Zheng drew his swords, Shi Dong's eyes lit up, and he finally noticed the change.
If until yesterday Fang Zheng was a rookie, now he exuded the aura of a battle-hardened veteran!
From Shi Dong's perspective, Fang Zheng was holding his swords, but his posture wasn't balanced. Instead, his left shoulder was slightly lowered, and his body seemed a bit hunched. This posture looked ungraceful to a layperson, who would wonder why this soldier couldn't even hold a sword properly. But to Shi Dong, this was a versatile stance perfect for both offense and defense. To him, Fang Zheng looked like a tightly coiled spring, eyes locked on him, ready to counter or evade any attack Shi Dong made.
What shocked Shi Dong even more was how naturally Fang Zheng assumed this stance, with no sign of premeditation, suggesting this wasn't something he had forced himself to do but rather a habit ingrained down to his bones! Such habits were typical of seasoned warriors who had fought through countless battles and should not have manifested in someone as young as Fang Zheng!
A coincidence? Or…
Pondering this, Shi Dong's expression grew serious. He slowly raised his two-handed sword and fixed his gaze on Fang Zheng. Then, the next moment, Shi Dong took a sudden step forward, swinging his giant sword towards Fang Zheng with thunderous force!
What shocked Shi Dong was that as his sword swung, Fang Zheng, as if anticipating this move, rolled to the ground, narrowly dodging Shi Dong's attack. He then stood up, with dual swords in hand, staring intently at Shi Dong.
"You've indeed progressed."
Shi Dong nodded in satisfaction. He had intentionally left an opening in his strike. In the past, Fang Zheng would have rushed in to retaliate, but his reaction was swift this time, seamlessly dodging and standing up. Most importantly, Fang Zheng had restrained his urge to attack immediately, a trait of a qualified warrior. Charging recklessly was the hallmark of a fool; a competent warrior must learn to balance offense and defense. Without precise judgment, they would only meet death.
"Then, let's try this again!"
Excited, Shi Dong raised his giant sword once more and launched another attack on Fang Zheng.
Since this was merely "training," neither Shi Dong nor Fang Zheng used any flashy, powerful techniques capable of immense destruction. The confrontation was a simple sword skill match—slashing and sweeping. Under Shi Dong's command, the giant sword whizzed through the air, occasionally striking at Fang Zheng, who continuously rolled and dodged Shi Dong's relentless attacks.
Interesting!
The more Shi Dong observed Fang Zheng, the more complex he found him. Although Fang Zheng seemed to be barely evading the attacks, Shi Dong could see his dodges were highly skillful. Each dodge not only allowed him to escape unscathed but also put him in a position ready to counterattack.
What was more important was that Fang Zheng hadn't counterattacked yet!
Shi Dong didn't believe this was because Fang Zheng was too preoccupied with dodging. He instinctively felt a faint threat hanging in the air but also noted how Fang Zheng's left hand always gripped the dagger in a reverse hold without striking. Shi Dong was certain this dagger wasn't just for show.
"Huh!"
The giant sword thrusted forward again, and as Shi Dong anticipated, Fang Zheng rolled aside to dodge. Then, Shi Dong swung the giant sword backward, aiming to cut down Fang Zheng with force.
At that moment, Fang Zheng abruptly halted his roll and lunged forward. His left hand swung the dagger toward Shi Dong's right hand!
Not good!!
The instant he saw Fang Zheng's move, Shi Dong was shocked. He couldn't pinpoint the exact problem, but his combat instincts screamed that this strike was critical!
Unfortunately, there was no time for Shi Dong to change tactics. He could only watch as Fang Zheng's dagger forcefully struck the hilt of his giant sword.
"Clang!!"
With a clash, the two swords collided. The giant sword was flung backward, an improbable sight. But Shi Dong didn't care about that; he was drenched in cold sweat!
Shi Dong was horrified to find that the moment Fang Zheng's dagger deflected his attack, his strength seemed to vanish, rendering him unable to even stand. He collapsed to his knees, his right hand releasing the weapon as it flew away.
Shi Dong couldn't even dodge anymore. He could only watch as Fang Zheng's sword aimed straight at his chest!
As the blade neared Shi Dong's chest, he regained control of his body. Under the imminent threat of death, Shi Dong chose to unleash his power without hesitation!
"Boom!!"
Roaring wind erupted from Shi Dong, forming a protective vortex around him. Caught off guard by Shi Dong's last-minute "cheating," Fang Zheng was blown away, landing heavily on the ground.
Fortunately, Shi Dong quickly recovered his senses. Seeing Fang Zheng lying on the ground, he blushed and retracted his power hastily.
"Mentor, this is too..."
Lying on the ground, Fang Zheng looked helplessly at the towering Grand Knight before him. They had agreed to spar for practice. How could Shi Dong resort to such drastic measures just because Fang Zheng finally had a chance to win? What happened to the basic trust between people?
"Ahem, my bad, I lost this time. I lost."
Seeing Fang Zheng's gaze, Shi Dong blushed and admitted defeat without hesitation. His eyes then brightened, and he leaned closer to Fang Zheng, glancing around to ensure no one else was nearby. He then pulled Fang Zheng to his feet, wrapping an arm around his neck, and whispered in his ear.
"Hey, kid, where did you learn that... Is this the Holy Spirit's legacy?"