Chapter 22: The Soaring Crane and Snow Cloud Steps

When Qu Ping asked this, the several young men and women behind him burst into laughter. Everyone knew that among the eight peaks and one garden of the Tianwailou, the eight peaks occupied the top ten rankings. Shi Qianshan, the senior disciple of the Purple Bamboo Garden, was only ranked 13th. The other two disciples were all ranked after 700th!

Almost at the bottom of the list!

Chu Yang and Tan Tan.

Now, this person who was not even in the top ranks was actually challenging Qu Ping, who was within the top 20? With a difference of over 700 ranks, this was like a cat licking a tiger's nose, asking for death.

Chu Yang also laughed, but his laughter was cold. It was summer, and the weather was hot, but when Chu Yang laughed, it felt like a cold wind was blowing down from the top of a snow mountain. Everyone felt a chill run through their bodies.

Chu Yang's eyes turned icy cold, and he slowly said, "The dignity of the Purple Bamboo Garden is not something you can offend. The rules of Tianwailou are not something you can break. Qu Ping, today, I will use you to establish my authority!"

I will eventually step on these people and rise to the position of the top disciple! So, let's start today!

This battle today will be the first step in my rise in Tianwailou!

I, Chu Yang, have always stood at the forefront, facing challenges from others. Now, after being reborn, although I am at the bottom again, my bones are still at the peak, where the cold is unbearable!

A mere third-level martial apprentice challenging a second-level martial artist to establish authority? This is undoubtedly a huge joke. The crowd behind Qu Ping burst into laughter, looking at Chu Yang as if he were a fool.

"Trash, you want to establish authority? And you're actually trying to do it with Senior Brother Qu? Are you out of your mind?"

"This kid is crazy..."

"Qu Junior Brother, you should fight Chu Yang." Liu Yunyan, who had led the group and had not yet made a move, looked into Chu Yang's eyes and slowly said, "Don't underestimate him."

Liu Yunyan's cultivation was a level higher than Qu Ping's, and his mental perception was much more acute. When Chu Yang first appeared, he seemed friendly, and Liu Yunyan did not feel anything unusual. But now, as Chu Yang's aura changed, Liu Yunyan suddenly felt a chilling pressure!

Liu Yunyan's contempt suddenly vanished like snow meeting the sun, disappearing without a trace. At this moment, he looked at Chu Yang with a mix of shock and fear!

When Liu Yunyan said, "Don't underestimate him," the laughter around them suddenly stopped.

This clearly indicated that Liu Yunyan did not have much confidence in Qu Ping's battle against Chu Yang!

Liu Yunyan was ranked in the top ten among the fifth-generation disciples of Tianwailou, although he was at the bottom of the list, his strength was already considerable. He was already a fourth-level martial artist! Such a person naturally had good judgment.

Although Qu Ping was only a second-level martial artist, compared to Chu Yang, a third-level martial apprentice, the difference was like a chasm.

A martial artist versus a martial apprentice, an elite versus a waste... Could there be any doubt about the outcome of this battle?

Chu Yang smiled calmly, took a step forward, and said, "Qu Ping, come on. Come and get the reason for your lies to go unpunished from me!"

Qu Ping roared and suddenly pounced, swinging his fist to strike! His movements were agile, like a hunting leopard. Seeing that Chu Yang did not draw a weapon, he naturally did not want to be the first to draw his sword.

Just as Chu Yang was about to move, his eyes suddenly flashed. At this moment, he felt as if someone was watching him, as if every move he made was being observed from the shadows.

This was a super-strong intuition he had cultivated in his previous life, which had helped him escape many life-threatening situations. Today, this feeling resurfaced.

But, he did not sense any murderous intent from the person in the shadows. It seemed they had no ill intentions...

Chu Yang's heart stirred, and he had a few guesses about the identity of the person in the shadows. He thought to himself: Since this is a heaven-sent opportunity, I might as well give you a surprise.

Without looking around, his face remained calm, but his steps had already begun, and he charged forward to meet Qu Ping.

His actions seemed normal, but to others, they looked incredibly strange. Chu Yang's upper body did not move, and his body seemed to be charging forward, but Qu Ping found that after charging several yards, he still could not touch Chu Yang's clothes.

To everyone, Chu Yang's body appeared to be charging forward, but in reality, he was moving backward!

He looked like he was in a genuine offensive state, but his actual actions were a real dodge!

His feet moved in large strides, flexibly advancing...

This bizarre phenomenon completely overturned people's understanding.

In the bamboo grove, Meng Chaoran's mouth suddenly opened wide, and he was about to exclaim, but then he realized and quickly closed his mouth. His teeth clacked together, and Meng Chaoran felt a sudden pain in his cheeks...

But Meng Chaoran did not notice, only staring with wide eyes at Chu Yang, who moved gracefully and fluidly, his eyes full of shock!

At the same time, in another part of the bamboo grove, two people gasped in shock. The sound was so loud that it almost created a vacuum around them.

Chu Yang's mere dodging action immediately caused extreme shock among the three people watching from the shadows!

The three people stared intently at Chu Yang's movements, their eyes full of excitement!

Snow clouds in the sky, cranes soaring, advancing and retreating, coming and going!

Everyone present was familiar with this step technique. The "Soaring Crane and Snow Cloud Steps" of Tianwailou; every generation of disciples practiced it, and everyone knew it, even the water-boiling servants could take a few steps.

But no one had ever truly achieved the effect that Chu Yang was displaying.

The "Soaring Crane and Snow Cloud Steps" were created by the founding ancestor of Tianwailou. One day, the ancestor was resting on the peak of a mountain, basking in the rare warm winter sun. When he lay down, he noticed the pure white clouds in the sky and the snow on the ground, which, under the sun's reflection, also shone up into the sky.

The snow and clouds reflected each other, creating endless changes. There was no wind in the sky, but the clouds seemed to be advancing, retreating, spreading, and condensing. It was impossible to tell whether they were advancing or retreating, but as he watched, the clouds had already moved away without him noticing.

The ancestor had a sudden realization and spent two years in deep thought, eventually creating this step technique, naming it "Soaring Crane and Snow Cloud Steps" to commemorate the inspiration he received from heaven and earth.

The ancestor used this step technique to dominate the world, combining it with sword techniques, rarely suffering defeat. Even enemies with far greater power could not harm him.

But after him, no one could learn this "Soaring Crane and Snow Cloud Steps." Even with the unique internal energy, they could not achieve the same effect as the ancestor. It could neither attack nor defend, becoming a useless skill.

Practicing it was useless, but abandoning it was a pity.

Everyone thought that the founding ancestor must have made a mistake or did not leave the true secrets. This became a great regret for Tianwailou!

But unexpectedly, after several hundred years, the true essence of this step technique was reborn in Chu Yang!

How did he do it?

Qu Ping attacked fiercely but could not even touch Chu Yang's clothes. The more he fought, the angrier he became!

As a second-level martial artist, he could not defeat a third-level martial apprentice? His senior and junior brothers were watching, how could he lose face like this?

In a fit of rage, Qu Ping was about to draw his sword, but as he pulled back his hand, he had not even grabbed the hilt when a figure suddenly appeared before him. Chu Yang was already in front of him, and before Qu Ping could react, he heard a loud "bang" as a punch landed squarely on his nose! Blood gushed out, and the pain in his nose triggered his tear glands, causing tears to flow.

"Good boy, don't cry, I'm doing this for your own good." Chu Yang gently consoled, but his hands were merciless. His body moved like a fish, and with two "bangs," Qu Ping's left and right eye sockets were hit hard.

Instantly, a fresh and fiery panda face was born.