Skill Books Are Trash

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There were places besides the Constellation Gallery where I could learn about the Six Harmonies Spear.

Skill Books. Long infamous among climbers as utter trash. Every now and then, you'd see whiny posts from Easy mode folks who'd crammed a bunch of them. Total garbage.

I suddenly got curious about skill books and logged into the Constellation Gallery.

From what I'd heard in the Climber Gallery and from the constellations, here's the deal.

Say you learn Fireball from a skill book. A master mage blasts dozens of fireballs without chanting. But the skill learner? Gotta visualize and chant every damn time. No saying "Fireball" = no skill activation.

Sword skills hit you with the flaw differently. Any profound technique learned from a skill book is only half-baked.

The few survivors from doomed worlds—absolute beings all—burned with revenge against the Tower. But they couldn't enter. No matter how much they slashed, they couldn't escape the endless demons.

They made me an offer. A tale for far in the future. Thrust a blade of counterattack into the Tower.

My answer was always set. Conquer the Tower and survive.

Talk is cheap, but martial arts aren't some pick-and-choose easy study.

In the end, Cheonma backed off in the sword-vs-spear debate. Better an all-iron ji-guk polearm than worrying about a snapping shaft.

A long polearm shaft popped out of the interface. A long dagger blade at the tip, auxiliary blade below.

Polearms demand high mastery. Unlike simple spears, the complex blade setup makes learning unique. But the upsides more than compensate.

First: The second blade that slips past guards to the neck. Second: Unpredictable follow-ups. Fixes spears' chronic slashing weakness. Can't spew sword qi from the start, so compromises are needed.

Time's too tight. Clear 0F in 14 days? No rest.

Prep armor, torches, food before boss. Structure demands retries. Tower variables threaten life—rushing in unprepared sucks, but I won't die easy.

I slung the spear over my shoulder, found the widest spot in the center. Floor scarred by footsteps. Scratches from swung weapons. Fist marks, blackened blood. And...

Blood-written ominous words.

Started with Reverse Muscle Rejuvenation Scripture to form the dantian. One full heavenly circuit, skipping conception and governor vessels. Inner power cycles through meridians from dantian. No big physical change.

Twelve circuits for minor completion—small success realm. Long way to go.

Opened lower dantian, better grasped Outer God Hunter's magic. That giant tree clearly split into 10 'somethings.' Couldn't figure the mechanism. Gotta learn the true names of those 'somethings.' How's it tied to martial progress?

"Three hours passed?"

I undid lotus pose, grabbed the spear, stood. Lower dantian was stubborn. Now, Six Harmonies Spear time.

Cheeky thought, but I needed monster-killing thrusts now. Lose a fight and politely lower your spear? Monster won't say "Good spar" and let you go.

"Heavier than expected."

Huge gap from staff to spear. Thought just heavier than a rake—wrong, brutally heavy. Stance highlighted it. Reminded me aiming my first rifle in training, left arm shaking from forward weight.

Unlike plain spears (tip and edge only), ji-guk's vertical blade lets thrust-retrieve-attack. Six harmonies of heaven-earth. Internal: harmony of essence-energy-spirit. External: eye-hand-body. Internal-external unite for true six harmonies. That's the essence.

SHAOLIN novices learn six harmonies fist. Fist, palm, staff—killing-free arts. But chaos demands warrior monks defend the nation. End comes unannounced. Flower spear masters who took refuge in Buddha took up spears again.

Waiting for lost old monk? Savage bloodlust. Young novices climb Songshan. Killing duty eternal. Spear-bearing monks descend. Welcome to hell. Our arts, never to return.

First formula.

Pang—! Grip root of shaft, long thrust. Clumsy stab whipped air. Tip shook like earthquake. Still, reaches far. That's zha—pierce.

Retract, strong sweep. Wind whistled. That's bi—close.

Swing slash. Fast retreat, fierce momentum. Huan.

Then lan, na, chi. Probe gaps, feint reality. Tricks between orthodox and unorthodox.

Hold ground like Mt. Tai. Step forward like thunder.

Imperfect, but potent. Stamina drain insane. Arms feel severed. Breath chokes, collapse imminent. Yet swept up, couldn't stop.

Shaky tip refined. Felt progress.

Shhiiik—! Blade cleaved wind. Clumsiness gone—spear as one. 'This is martial arts!' First step into martial learning.

Trait that easy? Set spear down, opened gallery.