Chapter 369: Chapter 267: Geng Wu Emerges, Advantage is Mine!
Further back, in the second segment of two hundred zhang, the majority are at the late Postnatal stage, late Limit-breaking stage, and at the seventh, eighth, and ninth grades or layers. Some possess only the Sixth Layer Sixth Grade cultivation, but their Inner Strength and Sinew, Bone, Skin, and Membrane are equally trained, rendering their foundation more solid. Coupled with exquisite martial arts and profound skill, this tier is composed primarily of those ranked between fiftieth and eightieth on the "Hidden Dragon" and "Chufeng" lists, numbering around seventy to eighty people, exceeding the slots allotted by the Traveler Department.
If ranked downwards from the top of the Thousand Feet Cliff to here, up to two hundred zhang, it already reaches the tail end of the "Human List." Together, the quotas for two hundred, three hundred, and four hundred zhang sections surpass two hundred sixteen, unable to accommodate all of the "Hidden Dragon" and "Chufeng" rankings.
Therefore, most of those originally ranked beyond the eighty position on these two lists will be pushed off.
For instance, Xu Yue at the ninety-seventh position on the "Chufeng" list.
For instance, Gu Shiyou at the one-hundred-fourth position on the "Hidden Dragon" list.
All must be removed from the list.
Even many ranking within the top eighty, whose reputations exceed their abilities, and who are not in the top three tiers, will have to be removed as well.
Of course, there are some who will be "promoted."
For instance, Wang Zhengyi, who was originally outside the top one hundred, is now in the second tier, having climbed over three hundred zhang high,
and there are others originally beyond rank eighty or one hundred who are exerting themselves significantly as well.
In short.
Comparing the height ranking of the Thousand Feet Cliff with the "Hidden Dragon" and "Chufeng" lists, half the lists need to be refreshed, requiring many rankings to be reordered.
However, this is ultimately not actual combat.
Climbing the cliff!
Forbidden Strange Soldiers!
Under these conditions, the height and speed of climbing do not genuinely represent one’s true strength.
The real hierarchy.
Cannot even be determined on a ring, except in life-and-death battles.
The "Hidden Dragon" and "Chufeng" lists by the ’Traveler Department’ can provide at best a rough estimate, representing the theoretical hierarchy of strength in regular circumstances.
For reference only.
Unreliable.
Nevertheless, the ’Cang Mountain Sword Discussion’ as an appetizer, does expose many shortfalls among the Heavenly Pride, also allowing more figures without powerful surprise weapons but with strong Qinggong and movement techniques to emerge and gain more recognition.
For instance——
Yan Chuan!
...
"Tsk!"
"Great Qinggong!"
Qian Lingyi had been observing Yan Chuan. He looked down the cliff, watching Yan Chuan leap high, twist and fold, reaching out in mid-air to grab a protrusion on the cliff to gain leverage, and land nimbly at a higher point.
The Thousand Feet Cliff seemed as flat as level ground.
Truly free-spirited and unrestrained.
"’Wave Riding Micro Steps’ movement technique is very versatile."
"I initially thought Yan Chuan’s pause was due to a lack of experience in mountain climbing and couldn’t go up or down."
"But now it seems I was mistaken."
Qian Lingyi was amazed by Yan Chuan’s occasional showcase of skill. As he continued to watch, he felt Yan Chuan’s Qinggong growing more peculiar, as if he was climbing with increasing enthusiasm, revealing Qinggong that was ever more refined.
Below a hundred zhang, it seemed ordinary.
At a hundred zhang, a surprising brilliance appeared.
By two hundred zhang, encountering another obstacle, Yan Chuan took a deep breath, struck a rock with his left palm, borrowed the force, his two arms vibrated rapidly, ascending more than a zhang, both hands grasped a protruding rock, then without pause, inhaled deeply, fiercely pushed with both hands, lifted his body, ascended another zhang, then with a push from his right foot on the cliff face, borrowed the force again and jumped up another two zhang.
This series of leaps raised him a full five zhang.
The fierce wind howled.
The sheer cliffs and precipitous rock faces.
Yan Chuan’s demonstration of Qinggong truly startled many.
But it wasn’t over yet.
After five zhang, looking around, the cliff face was smooth and slick, with no foothold in sight. This jump was high, but with nowhere to land, he might just fall to his death.
"Hiss!"
Qian Lingyi drew in a sharp breath, unable to stop himself from breaking out in a cold sweat for Yan Chuan.
At this moment, Yan Chuan suddenly pointed diagonally downwards with his index finger, condensing his Finger Strength into a burst that shot five feet away, with a snap sound, a few stones dislodged from the smooth rock face.
Pebbles scattered.
Bang bang!
As Yan Chuan’s body began to descend, his toes lightly tapped the dislodged stones, halting his downward momentum, then grabbed the cavity created by the Finger Strength with one hand, his five fingers like claws of iron supporting his weight, stabilizing himself, catching a breath. He then repeated the trick, leap by leap, ascension by ascension, going up another five zhang consecutively.
Another five zhang after five zhang!
Straight up without detour!
Before long, observing again, Yan Chuan had surprisingly surpassed three hundred zhang, directly challenging the second tier!
"Great leap!"
"Great Qinggong!"
Qian Lingyi was dazzled by Yan Chuan’s display of Qinggong within this one hundred zhang.
Not only did Qian Lingyi take notice.
As Yan Chuan crossed three hundred zhang and entered the second tier, more Grandmasters also acknowledged——
"It’s Yan Chuan!"
"Did he actually catch up!?"
...
"Caught up!"
Yan Chuan surpassed a danger, panted lightly, stood on a stone protrusion and took a brief rest. Looking up, many were not far ahead, including several familiar faces, such as Yu Tai, Zhao Zhen, Xiao Ti, Zhuo Teng, and others who had blocked him earlier at the mountain’s base. These individuals were ranked in the thirties or forties on the "Hidden Dragon List." Seeing them, Yan Chuan knew the forward team wasn’t far ahead.
However, since the journey was half done, it was uncertain whether he could catch up in the remaining time.
Even if caught up, without entering the top twelve, it would be futile.
"Even if I can’t catch up, the improvements in ’Ladder Cloud Jump’ and ’One Yang Finger’ are undeniably real——"
...
[Your ’Ladder Cloud Jump’ has advanced, from Second Realm: First Glimpse → Third Realm: Entering the Hall.]
[Your ’Ladder Cloud Jump’ has advanced, from Third Realm: Entering the Hall → Fourth Realm Slightly Accomplished.]
[Your ’Ladder Cloud Jump’ has advanced, from Fourth Realm Slightly Accomplished → Fifth Realm of Mastery.]