Nan Feihuang arrived at the combat arena and spotted the rest of the team waiting for him, with Osro standing loyally behind Yu Tianheng. Although Osro was now indebted to Nan Feihuang, his true loyalty still lay with Yu Tianheng.
Meanwhile, Xun Yu offered a polite nod to Ye Lingling from a distance but refrained from approaching. Despite his interest in her, Xun Yu was far from a sycophant; his gesture in the betting match had merely been a way to reveal his feelings. He knew that trying to win her over with flattery would get him nowhere—it was time to prove his worth. Besides, he wasn't about to leave Nan Feihuang's side to chase after a girl; to Xun Yu, loyalty to his lord far outweighed any personal feelings.
"Brother Nan, welcome!" Yu Tianheng greeted Nan Feihuang with a respectful nod. Gone was his usual haughtiness from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. After yesterday's battle, he had fully acknowledged Nan Feihuang's strength, and pride had no place in front of those stronger than oneself.
Nan Feihuang's eyes narrowed slightly. "Senior Yu, you look particularly refreshed today. Did your cultivation advance?"
Yu Tianheng smiled, a flash of both pride and gratitude in his expression. "That's right. Yesterday's match gave me some insights. After a night of training, not only did my spirit power recover, but I also broke through—I'm now at level 32."
"Congratulations, Senior Yu!" Nan Feihuang smiled. With some dedication, Yu Tianheng might even surpass his original level of 39 by the time he joined the story's timeline and break into the Soul Elder realm.
"Well, save the formalities for later," Qin Ming interjected, stepping forward. "Nan Feihuang, Xun Yu, today's your first day training with the Huangdou Battle Team. For today, we'll focus on you two to help you get a feel for my training methods. Nan Feihuang, come up to the stage with me."
"Yes, Teacher Qin!" Nan Feihuang followed Qin Ming onto the stage, facing him.
As they squared off, Qin Ming's spirit rings—two yellow and three purple—flared to life. He hadn't yet reached the Soul Emperor level from his later appearance and was currently at the Soul King stage. The only drawback was that his fifth ring was merely a thousand-year purple ring. This setup would likely limit his potential, possibly capping him at an ordinary Title Douluo's level, similar to the Serpent Spear and Sturgeon Douluo from the Spirit Hall or the later Guli Douluo, Cheng Gang. Achieving the rank of a Super Douluo, however, seemed unlikely.
Nan Feihuang had never seen a Super Douluo who lacked the highest-grade spirit rings.
"Fifth Soul Skill: Sacred Fire Armament!" Qin Ming unleashed his fifth skill, his hand flashing with fire as a long spear materialized within it.
"Is this… a weapon mimicry skill?" Nan Feihuang's eyes widened slightly. Such skills were rare, and Qin Ming's fifth ring could offer a temporary power boost that rivaled a ten-thousand-year ring.
The technique was useful in the early stages, but in advanced battles, the quality of flame-forged weapons became lackluster. Basic martial arts were easy to learn but lacked impact. Against a high-tier opponent or one using a spirit avatar, this skill might eventually fall short.
"That's right, Feihuang," Qin Ming replied. "My fifth skill allows me to form various weapons with my flame. I can simulate spears, swords, dragon claws, leopard paws, or even whip-like serpent tails. While this skill doesn't greatly increase my attack power, it grants me versatility in battle—and allows me to provide adaptive training."
With that, Qin Ming thrust his spear toward Nan Feihuang.
Nan Feihuang swiftly summoned his Peerless Fangtian Halberd to block, though his weapon held much more power than Qin Ming's flaming spear. He was still only a Grandmaster, far below Qin Ming's strength as a Soul King. The initial clash forced him several steps back.
Smiling, Qin Ming resumed his offensive, employing a classic long-weapon style that, while less advanced than Nan Feihuang's "Single-Handed Eighteen Stabs," was executed with expert precision.
Quite the academic. Nan Feihuang mused, observing Qin Ming's mastery of basic techniques across various weapons—sword, saber, whip, claw, short and long weapons alike. It was likely Qin Ming had trained in such breadth to make full use of his fifth skill.
Though these moves were simple, strength and speed could lend them power. At least, in the early stages.
Nan Feihuang responded with "Single-Handed Eighteen Stabs," meeting Qin Ming's fiery spear stroke for stroke. The arena echoed with the sound of clashing weapons as Qin Ming abruptly shifted his spear into a short sword.
The entire pace of his attacks changed. Long weapons favored open, sweeping motions, but with a short sword, each strike became tight and unpredictable.
Nan Feihuang found himself on the defensive, relying on his Beidou Steps to dodge left and right.
Then, Qin Ming swapped his sword for a whip, coiling it around Nan Feihuang's halberd's shaft. A fierce tug disarmed him, sending the halberd spinning out of his grasp.
Reacting quickly, Nan Feihuang re-summoned his weapon, only to have a massive fiery discus come flying at him. It whizzed past his head, slicing off a few strands of hair.
Had this been a real battlefield, his head would have rolled.
Clearly, even with his power as a Grandmaster, he could only dominate Soul Masters and most Grandmasters. He could contend with a standard Soul Elder but still had a ways to go before taking on a high-level Soul King.
"Feihuang," Qin Ming advised, "it's evident you've mostly focused on brute force combat. But when faced with strange and unpredictable techniques, you're at a disadvantage. Your footwork, while refined, is not yet at an advanced level. Right now, your movements are too wide and excessive, causing unnecessary fatigue."
He continued, "From today, I'll train you with various weapons. You'll need to adapt to each of my weapon changes, and refine your footwork. No matter what I throw at you, you should be able to respond quickly and reach the point where one halberd stroke counters a thousand blades."
"Yes, Teacher Qin!" Nan Feihuang beamed. Qin Ming's fifth skill was proving far more useful than he had expected.
Training with Qin Ming felt like sparring with all sorts of spirit masters, filling in the gaps in Nan Feihuang's combat experience. With the halberd—a battlefield weapon—the only way to unleash its true power was through countless battles. Practicing alone, no matter how diligently, would be nothing compared to this.
Already, he could feel his mastery of "Single-Handed Eighteen Stabs" and his footwork improving. At this rate, he could achieve mastery in both techniques sooner than expected, allowing him to advance to higher-level martial skills without hindering his cultivation progress.
"Alright, Feihuang, you can step down now. Xun Yu, your turn," Qin Ming called.
Xun Yu stepped forward, and Qin Ming continued, "Xun Yu, your martial spirit is unique. You can summon soldiers and transform battle insignias, so how about I teach these basic weapon techniques to your soldiers? Although I only know the fundamentals, that might be precisely what your soldiers need."
"Teacher, you're absolutely right. That was my plan as well." Xun Yu nodded. His soldiers were his main force in combat; his own techniques were secondary. Qin Ming's broad knowledge of weapon techniques made him an ideal instructor for them.