Henry Clark held his long spear, the tip slanting upward, legs apart and slightly bent. He looked just like a farmer wielding a hoe, facing off against a charging wolf.

The man in black charged close, his waist knife raised high in the air, about to slash down hard, when Henry Clark's spear suddenly thrust out.

This thrust was both simple and straightforward, without any flourish, and didn’t seem to have much force. It looked as if even a child could dodge it, yet the man in black simply couldn’t react in time. He was struck in the chest, and both he and his knife tumbled to the ground without even making a sound. The horse beneath him kept running for a while before stopping in confusion.

The other two men in black instinctively urged their horses to back up a couple of steps.

Samuel Cooper, however, ran forward excitedly. He had never thought much of his master’s martial skills, especially having many complaints about the family spear technique. Day after day, it was just the same thrusting motion, and for years, Henry Clark had never practiced any other moves. He never expected that such a simple thrust could have such power. The young master couldn’t help but look at his master and the family spear technique with newfound respect.

The remaining two men in black exchanged glances, each raising their knives, and charged at the same time, one from the left and one from the right, attempting to flank them.

Samuel Cooper moved up as well, wanting to test the power of his own short sword. In truth, he had never learned swordsmanship, only half-heartedly practiced a few sets of saber techniques. To him, using a sword or a saber made no difference.

Henry Clark once again used the spear shaft to push the young master behind him, still with his legs slightly bent and the spear pointed forward, as if this was the only move he knew.

Sometimes, one move is enough. Henry Clark had immersed himself in the Gu family spear technique for decades, practicing at least a thousand thrusts every day, rain or shine, never missing a day. To others, it was just an ordinary thrust, but to him, it was a move that could transform into countless variations, one move to counter ten thousand, becoming ever more profound with practice, its subtleties hard to put into words.

Only the master, Logan Cooper, could understand his mindset. After all, this spear technique was passed down to Henry Clark by Logan Cooper himself, who often sighed that the Gu family’s “dual excellence” would see the spear art inherited by an outsider.

Because of this, Henry Clark was utterly loyal to the Gu family. As long as he was there, he would never allow anyone to harm the young master or young lady.

The two men in black attacked.

Henry Clark thrust his spear twice in quick succession, so fast it seemed as if he struck both men at the same time.

One man in black fell silently from his horse, while the other let out a miserable cry, swayed a few times, but didn’t fall. Clamping his legs, he bent low over his horse and fled westward.

Henry Clark turned, raised his spear with one hand, aimed for a moment, and hurled it with force. The spear, over ten feet long, shot out straight and true like a javelin.

Over thirty paces away, the man in black was pierced through the chest by the spear and dropped to the ground like a rag doll.

“Master Yang!” Samuel Cooper called out in surprise and admiration, “Teach me the spear technique!”

“Thrust at the target five hundred times a day. After three years, you’ll have the basics. Then, thrust a thousand times a day, keep at it for ten years, and you’ll have mastered the spear.”

“Wouldn’t it be better to practice ‘Hehe Jin’? After ten years, it’s even more powerful.”

“Hmm, that works too.” Henry Clark walked over to the corpse, pulled out his spear, wiped the blood off on the man in black, mounted his horse, and continued on the road. He paid no mind to the young master’s enthusiasm, just as he ignored the three corpses left by the roadside.

Hehe Jin was the Gu family’s secret internal skill, always passed from father to son, never to daughters or outsiders. Its power was immense, forming the foundation of the Gu family’s martial arts. Though Henry Clark was deeply trusted by Logan Cooper, he had never been taught it.

Samuel Cooper had been practicing Hehe Jin since he was a child, nearly ten years now, yet he was still stuck at the first level, setting the record for the slowest progress among all Gu family descendants.

The five of them continued on their way. Samuel Cooper was very interested in the origins of the bandits, but Henry Clark remained silent, so he could only discuss it eagerly with the young page Ethan. His sister Grace and the maid Hazel gradually recovered from their fright and occasionally chimed in.

After an hour of discussion, Samuel Cooper's enthusiasm faded, but Henry Clark suddenly said:

“He was very skilled.”

“Who?” Samuel Cooper asked in surprise.

“The one who almost got away.”

“Him? He seemed pretty ordinary to me. He didn’t even get a move out before you shot him through the heart. No, his skills were indeed good, but our Gu family spear technique is even better, right?”

“Heh.”

Henry Clark didn’t argue further. Among experts, victory or defeat is often decided within a few moves. Someone who loses in one move isn’t necessarily much weaker than the one who wins in one. Change the time and place, and the outcome could be reversed. The subtleties are hard to explain to outsiders. Although Samuel Cooper bore the Gu surname and had practiced the family martial arts for quite some time, he had never truly mastered them and was still considered an “outsider.”

They traveled a bit further as dusk fell. Henry Clark finally agreed to stop and rest. With no village or inn in sight, resting meant simply sitting on rocks by the roadside.

After a day’s journey, Samuel Cooper was already exhausted, leaning against his sister. Ethan and Hazel took dry rations and water from their bundles and served their masters dinner.

Henry Clark ate a few bites simply, frequently glancing eastward, remaining on high alert.

Samuel Cooper found Master Yang’s excessive caution a bit unnecessary. Not only had Master Yang learned the spear technique from his father, but he had also inherited his rigid personality. With three corpses lying on the main road, who would dare to come after them now?