Chapter 366: Chapter 315: Isn’t This Like Letting a Pig Guard a Vegetable Garden?

Autumns and winters came and went.

Xiao Mo’s daily routine was virtually unchanged. Besides training in the Spear Technique with his master, he would return to his courtyard, where his mother taught him poetry, songs, and famous literary works.

One who does not read cannot find their path.

Zhou Ruoxi didn’t expect her son to become a great master of the Confucian School. She only hoped that he would understand some of life’s principles and know his own heart.

Meanwhile, Xiao Mo’s mastery of the Godslaying Spear grew more profound with each passing day.

As the days went by, Xiao Mo could already perform most of the Godslaying Spear on his own.

He just struggled to execute the final section.

But it was only a matter of time.

Qin Siyao also came to play with Xiao Mo often.

However, the number of times she could visit Xiao Mo was limited by her royal father and mother.

She was only allowed to visit him about once every three days.

This made Qin Siyao very unhappy. She tried to sneak out of the Imperial Palace, but her mother discovered her and confined her to her quarters for several days.

Qin Siyao wasn’t allowed to leave for an entire month.

When Qin Siyao was finally allowed to play with Xiao Mo again, she whispered into his ear and complained, "My royal father and mother are big blockheads!"

Xiao Mo could only pretend he hadn’t heard.

「In the blink of an eye, five years had passed.」

Qin Siyao had grown from a little girl into a graceful young woman.

Likewise, Xiao Mo had also grown into a young man.

The young man had already stepped into the Cave Mansion Realm.

He stood tall and straight, and the Long Spear in his hand now carried a palpable, murderous air.

When he brandished the Long Spear, he carried the air of a great general.

Qin Siyao’s favorite thing to do was watch Xiao Mo practice with his spear.

Qin Siyao felt she could sit on a rock, chin in her hands, and watch Xiao Mo practice all day long.

In fact, five years prior, after discovering that Qin Siyao’s talent was not insignificant, Xiao Mo had told his master about it.

Huang Shan had Qin Siyao perform a set of fist techniques in the training yard and found that her Root Bone was indeed excellent. He even gave Xiao Mo his tacit permission to teach her the Heaven-Opening Fist and the Godslaying Spear.

But while Qin Siyao had talent, she lacked perseverance.

She only did things for the novelty of them.

On more than one occasion, Huang Shan had lamented how the girl was wasting her talent.

Still, Huang Shan could understand.

After all, as the Sovereign of Qin’s most beloved daughter, she had been raised in the lap of luxury. How could she possibly endure the hardships of martial arts training?

In the end, Huang Shan had Xiao Mo give the manuals for the Heaven-Opening Fist and the Godslaying Spear to Qin Siyao.

As for when she might come around and decide to train, well, that was a matter for the future.

「Another six months passed.」

Xiao Mo practiced the Godslaying Spear alone in the training yard as Huang Shan stood to one side, watching.

With every thrust of Xiao Mo’s spear, the clouds overhead would roil and condense. The Gang Qi of a Martial Artist and the sharp aura of the Long Spear filled the entire training yard.

Xiao Mo delivered his final thrust.

The Gang Qi and Spear Qi, compressed to their absolute limit, suddenly erupted, shattering the clouds above Xiao Mo piece by piece.

"Not bad!" Huang Shan walked forward, satisfied. "It seems you’ve completely mastered the Spear Techniques of the Godslaying Spear. Now it’s time to enter the second stage."

"The second stage?" Xiao Mo asked curiously.

"That’s right," Huang Shan said with a smile. "You must forget the Godslaying Spear."

"..." Xiao Mo froze for a moment. ’Did I hear him correctly?’

"Kid, I’ll say it again. What you must do now is completely forget the Godslaying Spear!"

Huang Shan explained, his hands clasped behind his back.

"It is said that formlessness overcomes form. If you become attached to individual moves and stances, you will be trapped by them.

"Remember this: whether you are cultivating the Martial Dao or any other kind of Technique, the closer you get to the Great Dao, the more you must return to the natural state.

"Your task now is to etch the Godslaying Spear into your very flesh, blood, and Divine Soul. You will forget every single one of its moves and stances.

"But when you grip your Long Spear and thrust it forward, it will be able to slay gods!"

"Then, Master, how am I supposed to do that?"

Listening to his master’s words, Xiao Mo understood what he meant. ’But how am I supposed to achieve it?’

"I don’t know how, either," Huang Shan said, shaking his head. "You must find your own path. After I first learned the Godslaying Spear, it took me seventy years to reach this stage."

"Kid, I have nothing left to teach you."

Huang Shan looked at his disciple.

"As the old saying goes, the master shows you the door, but you must walk the path yourself. After today, you don’t need to come to the training yard anymore. I’ve stayed here long enough as it is."

"Master, you mean to say..."

"Hahaha..." Huang Shan chuckled. "I’ve been in your Xiao Mansion for ten years. It’s time for me to wander the Allied States for a while. If fate allows it, we, master and disciple, will meet again."

"..." Hearing his master’s words, Xiao Mo’s heart filled with a sudden reluctance to part.

Over the years, Xiao Mo and his master had spent nearly every day together. To Xiao Mo, his master was already like family.

"Alright now, it’s just a temporary parting. You’re a grown man. Why be all sentimental like a little girl?" Huang Shan clapped him on the shoulder. "You just make sure you stay alive, kid. Don’t let me hear news of your death someday."

Xiao Mo smiled as well. "I will certainly do my best."

"You’re thirteen now. According to your Xiao Mansion’s customs, it won’t be long before you’re sent to the army for experience. When that time comes, make sure I hear your name!"

"Yes!"

Xiao Mo bowed.

"Oh, right. Here, this is for you, kid."