Chapter 375: Chapter 270 Ascension! Ascension!! Ascension!!!
"Thank you!"
Yan Chuan expressed his gratitude, leaping forward a step to grab the cloth strip woven from Ding Xiang’s clothing. Borrowing strength, he stepped vigorously, shooting straight up over ten feet. This technique was far superior to Yan Chuan’s "Ladder Cloud Jump."
"Well done, Master Yan!"
Ding Xiang was delighted to see Yan Chuan accept their invitation to cooperate. However, this was not the time for idle chat. Holding the cloth strip, she smiled brightly at Yan Chuan and asked, "Can Master Yan overcome this obstacle?"
Ahead of the three was a cliff wall polished smooth by torrential rain, nearly a ten-foot height, slanting outward to block their path.
To pass over it, one would have to take a detour.
But looking to the sides, it was unclear how much further they would have to travel, how many additional dangers they would encounter, or how much time would be wasted by detouring.
Situ Fei looked at Yan Chuan: "I discussed with Junior Sister Ding, I will leap into the air, Junior Sister Ding will throw rocks to help me land and pivot in mid-air, then climb up."
Pivot in mid-air?
This was a terrifying cliff over six hundred feet high, with howling winds, the level of danger was off the charts.
"I have no confidence."
Situ Fei admitted.
But, compared to the dangers, trust was even more rare.
Situ Fei’s leap not only required trust in Ding Xiang’s character but also in her own movement technique and Ding Xiang’s reactions.
"Let’s give it a try." Situ Fei laughed, "With Junior Sister Ding watching over me first, and now Master Yan, I feel more assured."
No time to lose.
Time waits for no man.
Situ Fei said no more, she signaled Ding Xiang with her eyes and exchanged a glance with Yan Chuan.
Yan Chuan understood, pointed at the cliff wall, peeling off two fist-sized stones to hold in his hands. But it still seemed lacking, he looked at Ding Xiang beside him. She stood there boldly in front of an outsider man in her simple clothes, unlike common women.
"Pardon me, my lady."
Yan Chuan emulated Ding Xiang, quickly stripping off his outer garments, tearing them into strips over a yard long. Holding them, he smiled at Situ Fei: "Double assurance, Sister Situ can rest easy."
"Thank you!"
Seeing this, Situ Fei no longer hesitated, she leaped outward about six or seven feet, her whole being suspended in the air.
"Aim!"
Yan Chuan’s eyes were sharp, he shot a stone which landed right at Situ Fei’s feet, stopping her fall. At the same time, the stone exerted an upward force, propelling Situ Fei to leap over ten-foot of cliff with ease.
But quickly—
"Catch me!"
A sharp shout came from above as Situ Fei fell down.
Yan Chuan and Ding Xiang promptly hurled the cloth strips, one going straight and the other sweeping, hauling Situ Fei back.
"Phew!"
Situ Fei, despite being startled, didn’t delay in describing the situation above: "There’s over a ten-foot height more to climb. The cliff is covered with green algae, too slippery to find footing. Can’t get through here."
Situ Fei shook her head.
She had just leaped upwards, stepping on the flying rock to gain nearly five more feet in height.
But after veering five feet upwards, having bypassed the visible section of the cliff wall, there was still over ten-foot ahead, which was challenging, impossible to cross over.
After trying once, Situ Fei suggested taking a detour.
But Yan Chuan wasn’t keen on that.
Nor was Ding Xiang.
Her beautiful eyes fixed straight on Yan Chuan: "Master Yan’s lifting power is unmatched on earth or sky, why not attempt it once? With me and Sister Bodhisattva watching over, even if you fall, we can surely rescue you."
Ding Xiang waved the strip in her hand.
"Alright!"
Yan Chuan immediately agreed but wrapped the cloth strips around his waist instead of handing them to Situ Fei.
Ding Xiang wasn’t ’naive,’ and she instantly understood. This was likely to intimidate her and Situ Fei, ensuring that if Yan Chuan met danger, they didn’t assist, he would surely hurl this strip to either pull or tug, strike or hit, making sure the two women shared the risk.
Ding Xiang saw through but said nothing.
Situ Fei understood Yan Chuan’s intention, but she wasn’t annoyed, instead she understood, biting her lip, stripping herself down to a set of simple clothes and shorts, tearing the outer garment into strips. Her fair skin stunned the audience, her bodhisattva-like compassion stood out despite her fiery figure, face slightly red with embarrassment, she firmly said to Yan Chuan: "Master Yan, rest assured!"
She didn’t say much.
But reassured nonetheless.
"Flying Bodhisattva!"
"Truly a bodhisattva heart!"
Yan Chuan gazed without deviation at Situ Fei’s flush cheeks, laughed heartily, leaping into the air.
Just airborne.
About to descend.
Suddenly.
Bang bang!
Two flying stones landed forcefully at his feet, left and right, one above and one below.
"Ladder Cloud Jump!"
Yan Chuan immediately used ’Ladder Cloud Jump,’ stepping on them as if climbing a heavenly ladder, raising over twenty feet through thin air, bypassing the green algae area.
Smack!
A falling rock from above struck and ricocheted off the nearby cliff wall beside Ding Xiang.
"Made it!"
Ding Xiang celebrated!
...
"He is coming!"
"First Ascension!"
"It’s him!"
"Gai Songlin from Jiyin Academy!"
"Hidden Dragon Ranking" No. 108, ’Flying Flower All Over the Sky, Silent Landing,’ who would’ve thought Gai Songlin not only excelled in swordsmanship and movement technique but also secretly mastered ’Gecko Wall-Crawling Skill,’ scaling the cliff as if on flat ground."
In the sky, the grandmasters already foresaw who would be first to ascend, surveying the full scope, knowing even the top twelve positions. Therefore, they were not surprised by the outcome of the first ascension.
However, for the many spectators atop Chess Stone Peak, this was a major upset.
Gai Songlin?
Though listed in the "Hidden Dragon Ranking," he was unequivocally at the bottom.
More than that.
Upon arriving at Cang Mountain, Gai Songlin, the "Hidden Dragon Ranking’s" gatekeeper, faced frequent challenges, fought twelve battles, nine draws and three losses, with not a single victory, mocked not lightly.