Chapter 372: Chapter 268: Pursue the Tale! Overtake! Ladder Cloud Jump of the 6th Realm!_2
...
Yan Chuan always stayed behind Liu Guanlan, providing real-time commentary on his "Flying Crane Skill." As he watched and listened, he immediately noticed that Liu Guanlan’s breathing was different, vastly different from Yan Chuan’s own understanding of martial arts and what he had read in the "Flying Crane Skill" secret manual he had seen at Tian Jing Mansion.
He thought this was Liu Guanlan’s unique technique and was briefly intrigued, unable to resist leaping forward to observe from the front and side.
With a few leaps, he went up.
Yan Chuan glanced over and saw Liu Guanlan’s face flushed red, sweat beading on his forehead. Seeing him approach, Liu Guanlan angrily shouted, "Yan Chuan! What grudge do we have! Why do you keep pestering me like this?!"
Yan Chuan was taken aback.
Only then did he realize that Liu Guanlan wasn’t using some special technique, but was simply out of breath due to anger, causing his breathing to be erratic.
"Calm down, Brother Liu."
Yan Chuan awkwardly smiled, then noticed another person ahead and immediately said to Liu Guanlan, "I’ll go ahead first."
Then he leapt into the air, making a turn and a bend, already rising three zhang high, instantly leaving Liu Guanlan behind.
Liu Guanlan was stunned, finally understanding that Yan Chuan had clearly been able to surpass him all along but deliberately stayed behind to annoy him—
"That guy is going too far!"
After cursing silently in his heart, he suddenly hesitated: "Could it be that he stayed behind to protect me, to prevent me from falling again?"
As the thought emerged.
It seemed reasonable.
In an instant, Liu Guanlan felt guilty for his previous attitude toward Yan Chuan.
But.
Very quickly.
That guilt vanished into thin air.
Because when he looked up, he saw Yan Chuan catching up to "Chufeng" thirty-seven ’Chasing God Blade’ Liu Xin—
"Please wait, friend!"
"May I ask if you are ’Chasing God Blade’ Liu Xin?"
Liu Guanlan’s face twitched!
All guilt disappeared!
...
"That Yan Chuan!"
Emperor Yan laughed heartily.
He had witnessed from the very beginning how Yan Chuan ’harassed’ Liu Guanlan, explaining each point of the "Flying Crane Skill" even more profoundly than Liu Guanlan’s own display.
From "Cloud Rubbing Thirty-Six Strokes" to "Shadowy Charm," and then from "Sky Flying Shadow" to "Flying Crane Skill," Yan Chuan was truly knowledgeable beyond ordinary. He had an intimate understanding of these qinggong techniques from north to south, with mastery not subordinate to figures like Shi Mingzhu, Ding Xiang, Situ Fei, and Liu Guanlan, excelling in every single one of them.
Counting the "Lion Roar," "Wave Riding Micro Steps," "Ladder Cloud Jump," and "One Yang Finger" that Yan Chuan had already showcased, he had mastered nearly ten Heavenly Secret Books, all at least at Great Success level.
In terms of knowledge, few in the world could match him!
Moreover, it wasn’t just knowledge; being proficient in every single one of them was even rarer.
"Yan Chuan just lacks a foundation. If he can elevate his cultivation to the Postnatal Peak, break through to the Peak of Limit-breaking, with his formidable martial arts skills, he’s guaranteed a place in the top three of the ’Hidden Dragon List,’ and he could even strive for the forefront of the ’Earthly List’."
Qian Lingyi had high hopes for Yan Chuan.
The most cherished qualities of a martial artist boil down to two things—
First is talent!
Second is diligence!
And among these, ’talent’ takes precedence; no one dislikes a genius.
Yan Chuan’s talent and comprehension are beyond doubt.
"Since Yan Chuan has such insight in creating martial arts, he ought to join the Cangwu Department and serve the court!" Director Xu Yanfeng’s phoenix eyes sparkled.
Whether it was Yan Chuan’s innovation capabilities or his understanding and knowledge of various martial arts schools, both could greatly advance the ’Hongwu Grand Ceremony,’ an epic level project of the Cangwu Department.
Xu Yanfeng had been overwhelmed with the Hongwu Grand Ceremony in recent years, desperately seeking talent. If a knowledgeable and clever genius like Yan Chuan could assist, it would truly be like providing coal in snowy weather.
Xu Yanfeng eyed Yan Chuan with interest, glancing at Jiang Bianliu: "Does Elder Jiang think there’s a chance to involve Yan Chuan?"
Jiang Bianliu had a good relationship with Yan Chuan, and if he could bring Yan Chuan into the Cangwu Department, it would indeed be a merit.
Jiang Bianliu could clearly understand Xu Yanfeng’s intentions and cheerfully replied: "If the Cangwu Department opens the ’Hidden Scripture Pavilion’ to Yan Chuan, it might entice him."
Though Jiang Bianliu was from the ’Cangwu Department,’ after advancing to the Innate level, his status was no less than Director Xu Yanfeng’s, free from the constraints of any department, with a flavor of ’being outside the three realms, not in the five elements.’
Regarding Xu Yanfeng’s thoughts, Jiang Bianliu wasn’t particularly concerned; he was speaking purely for Yan Chuan: "Back in Jian Province, Yan Chuan had a passion for reading martial arts classics from various schools. He doesn’t like constraints, but if tempted by the ’Hidden Scripture Pavilion,’ he surely will contribute."
Jiang Bianliu’s advice seemed to reveal Yan Chuan’s weak spot to Xu Yanfeng, exposing his shortcoming.
But in truth, wasn’t this also a way to secure benefits for Yan Chuan?
Within the Cangwu Department, there were countless martial arts.
Now at Cang Mountain, the Cangwu Department occupied a perilous peak alone, with numerous Hidden Scripture Pavilions holding countless martial arts classics. With Yan Chuan’s character, he’s bound to want to take a look.
Generally, there were no opportunities.
But if the Cangwu Department needed him, then there was a way.
Jiang Bianliu understood Yan Chuan, paving the way for him!
"Oh?"
Xu Yanfeng was pleasantly surprised: "If Yan Chuan is willing to join the Cangwu Department, the Hidden Scripture Pavilion will naturally be open to him!"
...
Yan Chuan was unaware of this.
He continued climbing the sheer cliff.
From Liu Guanlan, ranked thirty-eight on the "Hidden Dragon List," to Liu Xin, ranked thirty-seven on the "Chufeng List," from "Flying Crane Skill" to "Shock String Skill," Yan Chuan caught up with and commented on one after another, his qinggong expertise rising sharply—
[Your ’Wave Riding Micro Steps’ has been enhanced, skill level +1]
[Your ’Wave Riding Micro Steps’ has been enhanced, skill level +1]
[Your ’Wave Riding Micro Steps’ has been enhanced, skill level +1]
...
[Your ’Ladder Cloud Jump’ has been enhanced, skill level +2]
[Your ’Ladder Cloud Jump’ has been enhanced, skill level +3]
[Your ’Ladder Cloud Jump’ has been enhanced, skill level +5]
...
[Your ’Ladder Cloud Jump’ has been enhanced, Fifth Realm of Mastery → Sixth Realm Refining.]
...
Climbing five hundred zhang, with grandmasters observing and Shen Wu noticing, numerous thoughts and insights fed back to him.
Moreover, standing on high ground, Yan Chuan’s voice echoed down, letting the thousand-some Heavenly Pride below hear clearly, including the several thousand spectators waiting at the cliff top. After three hundred zhang, his martial arts lecture started to be faintly heard, conveying to those listening but not seeing, leading to some reflection and insight.
One person’s, two persons’ reflections aren’t noticeable.
But a hundred or thousand gathered become significant nonetheless.
Yan Chuan’s voice boomed like a great bell, rolling feedback of "Mutual Teaching and Learning" surged forth, grand and majestic. The recently developed, recently practiced "Ladder Cloud Jump," rapidly progressed, surprisingly becoming Yan Chuan’s second Sixth Realm Geng Martial after "Wave Riding Micro Steps," surpassing "Lion Roar," "Dugu Nine Swords," and other Geng Martial in mastery.
Congratulations!
Yan Chuan’s joy was unshared; he celebrated alone, climbing and speaking continuously, thus, unknowingly, had climbed to six hundred zhang, overtaking the second echelon, directly pursuing the first echelon.
Even Wang Zhengyi was surpassed by Yan Chuan.
"Old Yan!"
Wang Zhengyi hadn’t expected Yan Chuan to catch up and surpass him. He had originally thought the ’Ascension’ was hopeless, but now it seemed: "There’s a chance?"
He rested while watching Yan Chuan climb the cliff.
On the six hundred zhang sheer cliff, the wind blew ever fiercer, its roaring as if to topple the mountain, and Wang Zhengyi had to use both hands and feet to stand firm.
Looking at Yan Chuan again.
He moved swiftly at times and paused at others.
Still like a mountain.
In motion, soaring to the skies!
Yan Chuan’s left foot tapped on the cliff, his body suddenly shooting up over two zhang, and his right foot followed, pushing off the sheer cliff to rise another two zhang.
"This!"
Wang Zhengyi’s eyes widened!
Even on flat ground, few martial artists could leap over two zhang, let alone on a six hundred zhang sheer cliff.
Whoosh!
Rustle!
The fierce wind howled, like pushing mountains to topple!
Even in the first echelon, Wang Zhengyi had seen before that they could leap at most two or three feet, and very rarely, mostly climbing carefully with hands and feet.
Leaping over two zhang?
Absolutely not!
The longer the distance, the longer the airborne time, the more variables there are. Should a sudden gust of wind strike midway, one floating without support could be swept off the cliff.
Six hundred zhang high!
Once falling, it surely would be a shattering death.
No one dared take the risk.
But Yan Chuan dared!
...