"Hm?"
Zheng Yang froze, his face turning red and then pale.
"I… I once had unrequited feelings for a girl. I went to confess, and she humiliated me in public."He clenched his fists."But this has nothing to do with my spear technique, Teacher!"
"That really happened?" Mo Xiao stared at him in shock. "Zheng Yang, you never told me! Who was it?"
"We'll talk about it later," Zheng Yang said stiffly, clearly unwilling to discuss it here. He raised his head and looked at Zhang Xuan."Teacher, even if you somehow know this, it has nothing to do with guiding my cultivation!"
"No relation?" Zhang Xuan shook his head calmly."The relation is enormous."
"Enormous?" Zheng Yang was stunned.
"How could being lovelorn affect my spear technique?"
"Your spear technique is firm and fierce—direct and decisive," Zhang Xuan said indifferently."That reflects your original personality. You were someone who charged forward without hesitation. That is a good thing. A martial artist should advance bravely, not cower or retreat."
Zheng Yang listened intently.
"But," Zhang Xuan continued, "after that emotional blow, fear crept into your heart. Fear of rejection. Fear of failure. Fear of humiliation."
"You began to hesitate."
"That hesitation left shackles in your spear."
"Doubt. Restraint. Scruples."
"And because of that… your power was weakened."
"You—" Zheng Yang staggered back. "You saw all of that… from my spear technique?"
"You saw my personality? You saw that I was heartbroken?"
Every word hit perfectly.
After that incident, he really had changed. Where he once charged ahead, he now subconsciously hesitated. Even he hadn't fully realized it.
And yet this teacher saw it with a single glance.
What kind of insight is this?!
Even Teacher Wang Chao—known as the best spear instructor—had only said Zheng Yang's technique "lacked something," without explaining why.
This man, however, directly pierced through his heart.
"Nothing strange about it," Zhang Xuan waved his hand casually, completely in expert mode."Spear technique reflects the depth of one's soul. When the soul is tangled, the spear becomes bound."
"Your technique flows, yet feels restrained—like something wrapping around it, refusing to be cut away. The principles are chaotic."
"One look was enough to tell me."
"Your emotions are the problem."
"This…"Zheng Yang felt like his worldview was collapsing.
Beside him, Mo Xiao stood frozen, mouth hanging open.
Is this man human?
Mo Xiao suddenly stepped forward."Teacher, could you take a look at me as well?"
Without waiting for a response, he shook his long spear and performed a set.
Compared to Zheng Yang, his movements were smoother and more fluent. The power was stronger and more stable.
No wonder Teacher Wang Chao had chosen him.
Whoosh!
The spear cut through the air violently before coming to a stop.
Zhang Xuan glanced at him and said flatly,"Your stomach isn't well. If I'm not mistaken, you have diarrhea today."
"…Huh?"
Mo Xiao's body trembled.
"Teacher… you can tell that from my spear technique?"
What the teacher said was completely correct. He had diarrhea since yesterday—and today it was even worse. His strength had clearly dropped.
Yet even so, Teacher Wang Chao had praised his performance without noticing anything wrong.
This teacher, however, pointed it out instantly.
Lovelessness. Diarrhea.Both seen from spear techniques.
What kind of monstrous eyesight was this?!
"Do you want me to guide you?" Zhang Xuan said calmly."If you do, acknowledge me as your teacher."
His tone was casual, as if everything that had just happened was nothing special.
"Disciple Zheng Yang pays respects to Master!"
Without hesitation, Zheng Yang dropped to his knees and kowtowed.
He was completely convinced.
"With this level of insight, how could guidance possibly be ordinary?"
Zhang Xuan nodded in satisfaction and tossed him a jade token."Identity token. Complete the bonding."
"Yes!"
Zheng Yang immediately bit his finger and completed the blood recognition.
"Since you are now my student," Zhang Xuan said slowly,"I'll give you one piece of advice."
"To earn respect in matters of the heart, you must first possess strength."
"Without strength, how could others value you?"
"So what you should do now is not wallow in sorrow—"
"—but release your soul, cultivate diligently, and show her how foolish it was to reject you!"
He paused, then smiled faintly.
"Thirty years east, thirty years west—do not bully the young just because they are poor."
"Do not bully the young just because they are poor…"
Zheng Yang's entire body trembled.
His chest burned as if ignited by fire.
As a native of this world, he had never heard such words—but they struck him like lightning.
In that instant, all his previous gloom shattered.
Fighting intent surged through his body like flames.
"Try your spear technique again," Zhang Xuan said, beckoning.
"Yes!"
Zheng Yang moved.
The moment he gripped the spear, his aura completely changed.
Boom! Boom!
The spear roared like thunder. Power surged violently, shaking the entire room.
Bang!
The spear thrust struck the stone pillar.
A number appeared.
235!
Two hundred and thirty-five kilograms!
Just moments ago, his maximum strength was only 110.
With a few words of guidance, it had more than doubled.
"Thank you, Master!"
Zheng Yang knelt heavily, completely convinced—mind and heart.
"Terrifying…" Mo Xiao muttered.
He was happy for his brother—but also filled with regret.
Teacher Wang Chao had improved him by barely three percent.
This teacher had improved Zheng Yang by over one hundred percent.
If only I had come here first…
Unable to hold back his curiosity, Mo Xiao asked,"Teacher… may I know your name?"
"I'm called Zhang Xuan," he replied calmly.
"Zhang Xuan?" Mo Xiao froze.
The name sounded terrifyingly familiar.
His pupils shrank, lips trembling."I think… I remember… a teacher who scored zero on the Teacher Qualification Examination…"
"His name was also Zhang Xuan…"
Zhang Xuan nodded."Yes. That's me."
"…Ah."
Zheng Yang and Mo Xiao turned into stone on the spot.