Concentration

The night deepened.

Inside the living room of the Jingwu freshman dormitory, the lights were blazing.

“Ha!”

With a sharp cry, Lin Xiaoxiao tightened both hands around the refined-steel spear and thrust it forward with all her might.

Bang!

The spearhead tore through the air, producing a deep, muffled boom.

Sweat streamed down her fair chin.

It splashed onto the floor, shattering into sparkling droplets.

This was already her five-hundredth thrust.

The muscles in her arms had begun to spasm and tremble uncontrollably. Even with a foundation of four hundred points of vital energy, this dull yet physically demanding method of exertion was rapidly draining her strength.

On the sofa,

Su Yu sat quietly.

His deep, clear eyes remained fixed on Lin Xiaoxiao’s movements without blinking.

Focused.

Meticulous.

Not the slightest hint of frivolity could be found in his expression.

Yet being watched so intently by a pair of eyes that seemed capable of seeing straight through her soul caused Lin Xiaoxiao’s heartbeat to quicken involuntarily.

The flush on her cheeks—whether from her strenuous exercise or that unusually heated gaze—spread all the way to the roots of her ears.

She bit her lower lip.

She tried her best to keep her breathing steady.

But every time she felt Su Yu’s gaze fall on her shoulders, her waist, or even the wrist gripping the spear,

she felt as though ants were crawling all over her body.

An indescribable mixture of shyness and nervousness caused the movements she had already performed with precision to begin deviating ever so slightly.

“Stop.”

Su Yu’s flat voice rang out abruptly in the quiet living room.

Lin Xiaoxiao stiffened.

She immediately withdrew the spear and stood there like a child who had done something wrong.

Her chest heaved violently as she gasped for breath.

“Did I… do something wrong?”

She looked at Su Yu somewhat anxiously.

Su Yu rose to his feet.

He strode over to Lin Xiaoxiao.

His brows drew together slightly.

“The movements are correct.”

“Your force-generation technique is barely up to standard.”

“However…”

Su Yu looked at the refined-steel spear, a trace of dissatisfaction in his voice.

“It’s too rigid.”

“You’ve learned the form, but not the essence.”

Lin Xiaoxiao froze for a moment.

The essence?

Of course, she knew what Su Yu meant.

It was intent!

Yet something like intent was beyond the reach of even many fourth-year students, who might not have touched the threshold of it.

How could a beginner like her, who had been learning spear techniques for less than two hours, possibly comprehend it?

Su Yu said nothing.

He simply felt that training at this pace was far too slow.

At this rate, who knew how long it would take Lin Xiaoxiao to achieve anything worthwhile?

It was a waste of time and energy.

“Give me the spear.”

Su Yu held out his hand.

Lin Xiaoxiao obediently handed him the refined-steel spear.

Su Yu gripped the shaft with one hand.

A flash of dark-gray light flickered briefly in the depths of his eyes.

Buzz—

An invisible yet profoundly mysterious ripple instantly traveled through his palm and flowed into the ordinary refined-steel spear.

It was his spear intent!

However,

Su Yu did not unleash its overbearing, unstoppable destructive attribute—one powerful enough to annihilate everything.

Using spiritual power on the level of a Martial King, he completely stripped away the violent killing aura contained within the spear intent.

Only the purest, most fundamental insights into the Way of the Spear remained.

And—

He had suppressed the realm to the threshold of “Manifestation.”

He was worried that if the intent was too profound, Lin Xiaoxiao would be unable to comprehend it.

Even so—

The moment this martial intent infused the spear, the originally lifeless steel weapon let out a clear hum!

The shaft trembled faintly, as if it had been granted the faintest spark of life.

“Take it.”

Su Yu handed the spear back to Lin Xiaoxiao.

Somewhat dazed, Lin Xiaoxiao reached out.

The instant her fingertips touched the shaft—

Boom!

It was as if a silent thunderclap exploded in her mind!

A warm, profound will, filled with endless vicissitudes and dominance, flowed along the shaft and directly into her palm.

Then it traveled upward through her meridians, surging straight into her sea of consciousness!

“This… this is…”

Lin Xiaoxiao’s eyes widened abruptly.

Her red lips parted, her face filled with disbelief.

“My spear intent.”

Su Yu’s voice came from beside her, calm as though he were mentioning something utterly insignificant.

“If you rely solely on mindless practice, you’ll never touch the core of spear technique.”

“Use your spirit to sense it.”

“Feel the flow of this will.”

Lin Xiaoxiao was completely stunned.

Martial intent!

This was martial intent!

In this world, all martial artists regarded martial intent as their most fundamental and most private trump card.

It was even a hundred times more precious than cultivation methods or martial techniques!

Because intent was an extension of a martial artist’s soul!

And now—

Su Yu had actually separated a trace of his own martial intent and handed it to her without reservation!

What did that amount to?

It meant that Su Yu had exposed a portion of his soul to her, completely unguarded!

The hand gripping the spear began to tremble violently.

She could clearly feel it.

The will that belonged to Su Yu was coursing through her meridians.

That sensation…

It was too strange, too wondrous!

It was as though Su Yu’s hands were gently caressing every inch of her meridians and every bone from within.

It was even more intimate and penetrating than physical contact!

This was a merging on the level of the soul!

“Focus.”

Su Yu frowned slightly when he saw Lin Xiaoxiao spacing out.

He had no idea that her heart was churning with wild, suggestive thoughts.

To him, this was merely a physical cheat designed to improve the efficiency of his instruction.

Su Yu walked behind Lin Xiaoxiao.

He extended both hands and loosely encircled her from behind.

His left hand grasped the hand she had placed near the front of the shaft.

His right hand covered the back of the hand she held around the spear’s grip.

Boom!

The instant Su Yu’s broad, warm palm covered hers—

Lin Xiaoxiao’s mind completely short-circuited!

Behind her was Su Yu’s broad, solid chest.

Though their clothes stood between them, she could still clearly feel the astonishing heat radiating from his terrifying body, one comparable to that of a Martial Saint.

A faint, clean scent from Su Yu lingered around the tip of her nose.

And in her hands—

She still held the martial intent that had penetrated deep into her soul.

A double stimulation.

The wealthy young lady, usually so lofty and untouchable, instantly went weak on one side.

Her cheeks flushed as though they might bleed.

Even her breathing became unusually quick and ragged.

“Keep your back straight.”

Su Yu’s voice, cold and professional, sounded beside her ear.

His warm breath brushed against her earlobe, sending a shiver through her entire body.

“Feel the spear intent flowing through the shaft.”

“When I exert force, let your qi and blood move with my will.”

“Thrust!”

Su Yu suddenly drove the spear forward with both hands!

Lin Xiaoxiao had no time to think.

Her body and vital energy followed Su Yu’s guidance entirely on instinct, surging forth in an explosive release along with that wondrous martial intent!

Whoosh!

The steel spear transformed into a streak of gray lightning.