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Chapter 8: Short Stick Entry Level
Chapter 8: Short Stick Entry Level
Nearly two hours had passed, and the proficiency panel for the short stick finally reached the entry-level standard.
Logically speaking, swinging the short stick once should increase experience by one point, so it shouldn't have taken this long.
However, Jiang Cheng felt his entire right arm go numb towards the end, causing his movements to be less precise. On average, he could only increase his experience by one point after several swings.
Fortunately, hard work pays off, and his proficiency finally improved to the next level.
【Short Stick: Entry Level (0/300)】
In that instant, Jiang Cheng felt as if new information had appeared in his mind, along with the sensation of having practiced the short stick for several months.
His gaze shifted downwards, landing on his right hand that held the short stick.
First of all, his grip was incorrect.
When holding a short stick, one should not grip it at the very end, but rather, maintain a distance of one punch length from the end of the stick.
The reason is simple.
If the hand grips the end of the stick, during actual combat, the short stick can easily slip out of the hand due to rapid swings or intense impacts.
In a fight, losing the weapon in hand, the consequences are obvious.
By leaving some space at the end of the stick, one can prevent this.
Although it shortens the attack range slightly, it allows for better technique execution. In close combat, the stick's tail can be used for more powerful strikes and smashes.
Additionally, there are techniques for observing the enemy's stance and several short stick techniques.
Observing the enemy's stance, as the name suggests, is about facing the opponent.
The primary stance is a diagonal step with the back leg slightly bent, maintaining a high level of alertness. One hand holds the stick, while the other empty hand protects the vital areas of the face. As for holding the stick in front or behind, it depends on personal preference, but it is usually held in front. This way, the attack range is larger, and it is more convenient for initiating attacks and controlling distance.
As for short stick techniques, besides the chopping he has been practicing, there are three more.
The first technique is Stick Flourish.
It's like Sun Wukong swinging his golden-hooped staff with rapid and seamless movements.
Stick Flourish involves swinging the short stick with increasing speed.
This technique generally lacks killing power, but it helps beginners grasp the stick's sensitivity and trains wrist flexibility, enabling attacks from unexpected angles.
The second and third techniques are Sweep Up and Sweep Sideways.
Chop is a downward strike, and depending on the angle, it can be a Straight Down Chop or a Reverse Down Chop.
Sweep Up is an upward strike, and similarly, it can be a Straight Up Sweep or a Reverse Up Sweep.
Sweep Sideways is a horizontal strike, which can be a Straight Sweep or a Reverse Sweep.
These are the new pieces of information that appeared in Jiang Cheng's mind.
"It's a pity there's no footwork technique; if the short stick proficiency reaches a higher level, it might unlock related footwork information."
Jiang Cheng thought to himself. For now, the information on combination techniques, power mechanics, tips, and insights remained locked.
At this entry level, it's best to avoid confrontations with even a single thug wielding a dagger.
"Right, let's see how much experience a chop adds now."
Jiang Cheng's heart raced, and he tightly gripped the short stick, swinging it down forcefully.
【Experience Gained: 0.5】
A line of information appeared on the panel.
"The experience gained is halved, and the required experience for the next proficiency level is now 300 points, making the difficulty six times higher."
He tried a reverse chop next.
Although he had only practiced it a few times, his movements were fluid, immediately producing a whooshing sound.
【Short Stick Experience Gained: 0.5】
"The experience gained is the same."
Jiang Cheng pondered, quickly understanding the reason.
After reaching the entry level, he already knew these newly acquired skills, but he hadn't mastered them yet.
To verify, he tried a straight sweep.
As expected, he gained 0.5 points of experience.
"It seems I'll need to practice 600 times to reach the proficient level, which is impossible tonight.
Jiang Cheng yawned, feeling incredibly exhausted, yet his mind remained alert and excited.
"If you're tired, then practice some stick flourishes."
Jiang Cheng closed his eyes and opened them again shortly after.
Like the chop, stick flourishes also had variations for both the front and back hands.
The front flourish involved moving the stick downward, utilizing the wrist, elbow, shoulder, and even the entire body.
The back flourish, on the other hand, was performed by moving the stick upward and rotating the short stick.
Aside from that, it was a move that required a certain level of skill to execute stylishly.
Despite being his first attempt, Jiang Cheng's movements were surprisingly fluid, and he could easily manage a dozen or so rotations, albeit at a slower pace.
As he practiced, his experience points increased by a point or two.
He then tried the back flourish, which was significantly more challenging than the front one. The rotations were slower, but he managed to pull it off.
Suddenly, the old woman's voice sounded.
"Xiao Cheng, it's getting late. Go to sleep. There aren't many sweet potatoes left at home, so go buy some early tomorrow morning."
"Okay, Grandma, I'll go buy some first thing in the morning."
Jiang Cheng agreed with a smile and placed the short stick back where he had found it.
The old woman watched him, letting out a barely audible sigh.
Jiang Cheng slept soundly that night.
Despite his current predicament, he firmly believed that he and those around him would have a better future and a good life.
As dawn broke, Jiang Cheng woke up, washed up, had breakfast, and then pushed his tricycle out of the house.
He wasn't going to set up his stall but to buy a hundred or so pounds of sweet potatoes from the street market.
Such a heavy load couldn't be carried on his back, so he needed the tricycle for transportation.
The old woman watched Jiang Cheng leave, then suddenly remembered something and hurried back into the house. She glanced at the kitchen, and the short stick was nowhere to be found.
"This child..."
She stood there, perplexed, feeling that her grandson had undergone some personality changes after his recent illness.
Of course, he was still as filial and obedient as ever, but there was something about him now that she couldn't quite understand.
Just now, for instance, Jiang Cheng walked with his head held high and his chest out, unlike before when he would walk with his head down, timid and fearful.
She wasn't sure if this was a good or bad thing.
After some thought, she decided to consult Chen Sao, their neighbor, for advice.
As Jiang Cheng walked down the road, he indeed carried the short stick with him.
The poverty-stricken area wasn't entirely safe during the day, and there were occasional robberies. The original owner had also been accosted multiple times on his way back from buying fresh sweet potatoes during the day.
Carrying the short stick, even if he didn't intend to fight, would at least serve as a deterrent.
He understood the old woman's worries; she feared he might get injured in a fight with those thugs.
But his thoughts on the matter differed from hers.
No one liked being oppressed, and where there was oppression, there was resistance.
Without the Proficiency Panel, he might have been worn down by time, his edges smoothed away, like the majority of people in the poverty-stricken area, bullied and exploited day after day, year after year.
But with the Proficiency Panel, it would be too shameful for a time traveler like him to be bullied by a group of rugged thugs.
Those who dared to lay a hand on him should be prepared to have their hands broken!
After more than ten minutes, Jiang Cheng finally arrived at the street with his tricycle and stopped in front of the grain shop.
The entire street only had this one shop selling grains, so no matter the time, there were always people there.
Rumor had it that the shop was owned by a certain family within the city, and they had considerable influence. The street had changed hands between different gangs, but none dared to mess with this shop. Everyone who came to buy grains paid the full price without daring to cheat.
At this moment, several burly men with broad shoulders stood at the shop entrance, their fierce gazes fixed on every customer entering the shop, as if warning them not to cause trouble or they'd be watching.
(End of Chapter)
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