Douluo Continent: Gretchen at the start, empowered by the Star God.

Chapter 141 Honing Skills

Langley did not continue fighting Morax, and the outcome was already quite clear.

No, it should be said that he knew the answer from the very beginning.

However, Lang Lei always wanted to know if he could make up for his lack of martial arts skills through his abilities.

It's clear that it's still lacking.

"Won't you try again?" Whether Lang Lei was mistaken or not, he seemed to see a hint of...satisfaction in Morax's eyes?

He must have been hallucinating from the beating...

"Please teach me, God of War." Having decided to learn, I must now understand my place in the world.

Lang Lei respectfully cupped his hands and asked for guidance.

"Then let's begin," Morax said, putting away his spear and placing his hands behind his back.

-

"Steady as a rock, swift as a rabbit," Morax told Langley. "The foundation of the spear lies in the stability of your grip and stance. Hold the spear with both hands, one in front and one behind, to maintain balance and agility."

By repeatedly practicing the basic stance and grip, Lang Lei will gradually feel the fusion of the spear with his own strength. According to Morax, this will lay a solid foundation for the more complex movements to come.

A tall building starts from the ground up, and Lang Lei naturally knew the importance of a solid foundation. Even though it was somewhat tedious, he didn't utter a single complaint.

"Hold the back of the spear with your right hand and lightly support the middle of the spear with your left hand. Keep both hands relaxed but maintain a firm grip on the spear."

……

"Stand still with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and body weight lowered. Step your front foot slightly forward while keeping your back foot stable so you can adjust your position as needed."

……

"Close your eyes, stand on one leg, hold the gun in the other hand, and maintain your balance. Each practice session should last 1 minute, gradually increasing the time."

……

Lang Lei has lost his sense of time, which seems to be due to the influence of space, or perhaps a change in his mindset.

Fortunately, the flow of time in this space is different from that in the outside world; otherwise, Lang Lei's prolonged disappearance would have caused them great anxiety.

Just as Langley was feeling somewhat exhausted, Morax finally began the next step of his teaching.

In fact, Morax's surprise was no less than Langley's boredom, after all, Langley's foundation was built up too quickly.

In this space, it only took about half a year!

-

"The thrust is like lightning, the sweep is like a whirlwind."

Morax explained in detail the two basic attack methods of the spear: thrusting and sweeping.

"Thrusting requires concentrated, swift, and powerful force. You can try it a few times to find the right way to generate power for yourself; sweeping, on the other hand, requires controlling the release of power to create a wide attack range."

Under Morax's guidance, Langley practiced these two movements repeatedly, gradually mastering the timing and power of his attacks.

Aim at the target, draw the gun quickly, and then holster it. Keep your arm straight during practice, using your waist strength to drive the gun tip.

Swing the spear horizontally from left to right or from right to left. Pay attention to body rotation and footwork during practice to maintain a continuous flow of power.

After an unknown amount of time, Morax led Langley into the next stage of training—footwork and body movement.

"Agile footwork and light body movements." The use of the spear is not only about the strength of the arms, but also about the movement of the feet and the coordination of the body.

Professor Morax taught Lang Lei how to adjust his position through agile footwork, combined with body rotation, to make his spear attacks more powerful and varied. Through constant movement and adjustment, Lang Lei gradually came to understand the state of mind where his body moved with the spear, and the spear moved at his will.

Move forward, backward, and sideways, combining thrusts and sweeps. When practicing, pay attention to light and quick footwork, and maintain body stability.

Rotate your waist to propel the spear in an attack. Pay attention to body coordination and balance during practice.

Practice footwork and observe your posture in the mirror to make adjustments.

……

Lang Lei had no idea how long he'd been in this godforsaken place; all he knew was that he was about to throw up from all the training...

If even one weapon requires such skill, I really don't know how Gan Yu and Daddariya managed to master all kinds of weapons.

"You seem to be getting stronger just for the sake of getting stronger, without a concrete goal?"

During a simple bayonet practice session, Morax raised a question.

Does becoming stronger need a reason?

Morax stared at Langley with his eyes wide open, as if to say: Don't you need it?

"If I had to put it in a way... it would be for freedom, for making everything work the way I want, and for... to protect them."

Morax nodded, seemingly lost in thought.

"I understand. Let's begin learning marksmanship."

"Finally, I can learn real marksmanship!" Lang Lei breathed a sigh of relief.

God knows how awful he was practicing all those basic skills during that time!

Although I'm happy to see myself making progress, I'm also really, really tired.

Morax remained silent. Lang Lei didn't understand yet. He would probably only understand the principle of returning to simplicity when he reached the pinnacle of his skills.

However, it's too early to talk about these things now. For now, let Lang Lei follow in the footsteps of his predecessors.

"In general terms, your progress is fast enough."

"Maybe, but it's not fast enough."

……

"Let's learn how to use a gun first."

"No problem, what will we learn?"

"No rush, let's start with something simple."

-

"What do you think is most important for a gun owner?" Morax asked directly.

"Sorry, I might not understand." Lang Lei shook his head.

"The spear is like a dragon, and the wielder must possess the spirit of a dragon."

Lang Lei's eyes lit up; this was the kind of thing he had plenty of!

Morax ignored Langley's micro-expression and slowly explained.

"The spear is not merely a collection of techniques, but also a display of momentum. Where the spear tip points, it is like a dragon raising its head, moving forward without hesitation. Cultivating this momentum requires constant practice and a deep understanding of martial arts. You also need to carefully ponder and savor it."

In terms of specific techniques, Morax focused on explaining the three basic techniques of "thrusting", "picking", and "sweeping".

The basic skills that Lang Lei had practiced earlier came in handy at this moment.

The thrust is the most basic attack method of the spear, requiring speed and accuracy, like lightning cutting through the sky. When Morax demonstrated, the spear tip was as fast as lightning, arriving in an instant, allowing Lang Lei to deeply understand the essence of the thrust.

The "lift" technique is key to changing the course of a battle. By lifting an enemy's weapon or body, it disrupts their rhythm and creates an opportunity for attack. Morax teaches Langley how to use waist and wrist strength to make the lift both powerful and agile.

As for the sweeper, Morax emphasizes its dual nature of defense and offense. The sweeper should have a wide range and sufficient force to effectively block the enemy's attack and counterattack.

Besides the basic movements, Morax also taught several advanced techniques, such as the "Returning Spear" and the "Dragon Spear." The Returning Spear is a technique for suddenly counterattacking while retreating, requiring skillful spear technique and precise timing. Morax told Langley that the key to the Returning Spear is "feinting and deception," making it difficult for the enemy to predict your true intentions. The Dragon Spear, on the other hand, is a continuous attack technique where the spear tip flies through the air like a dragon, attacking the enemy continuously. Morax taught Langley how to use footwork and body coordination to make the Dragon Spear attacks as smooth and fluid as flowing water.

Before he knew it, Lang Lei had also become immersed in this enjoyable learning experience, and time seemed to fly by again.

(End of this chapter)