Chapter 23

After practicing for a long time, Bai Cangdong found that every time he cultivated the *Baiye Sutra*, it became much easier to practice the *Eight Steps of Heaven*. In just half a night, he had already managed to take the fourth step.

"What level of longevity technique is the *Baiye Sutra* that Uncle Luo left behind? How can it have such an incredible effect!" Bai Cangdong was both surprised and puzzled.

The next morning, Bai Cangdong woke up and wondered if he had been dreaming last night. He tried using the *Eight Steps of Heaven* and easily turned four times in the air, walking four steps as if he were a celestial being.

"This is amazing." Bai Cangdong used the *Eight Steps of Heaven* several times, finally landing on the ground and looking at himself in the mirror with a victorious smile: "You are indeed a genius."

After becoming a martial artist, Bai Cangdong had to report to the Daolun Society every day, which was the price of enjoying the benefits.

Yesterday, Bai Cangdong had not officially joined the Daolun Society, but he arrived at the chairman's office early in the morning today.

"You are the new martial artist, Bai Cangdong. Not bad, young and promising, I have high hopes for you." The chairman was a man with narrow, fox-like eyes, fair skin, and a neat appearance, clearly a very meticulous person.

Bai Cangdong only knew that the chairman's surname was Ximen, so he always called him Chairman Ximen, but he did not know his name or title.

Chairman Ximen finally told him to go to Liu Shiquan to wait for work arrangements, and Bai Cangdong had no choice but to go see Liu Shiquan.

Liu Shiquan looked at Bai Cangdong very unfavorably and naturally did not give him a good face. After assigning him a job, he kicked him out.

Bai Cangdong was assigned to the Lecture Pavilion to explain martial techniques to members who encountered problems in their martial arts practice. This job was very easy for ordinary martial artists, but for Bai Cangdong, who had only a baron's title and the same rank as ordinary members, it was undoubtedly a daunting task.

"This Liu Shiquan is determined to make things difficult for me." Bai Cangdong could imagine how awkward it would be if someone came to him for an explanation and he couldn't provide it.

There were not many martial artists in the Daolun Society, so there would only be one martial artist stationed in the Lecture Pavilion. Bai Cangdong would have to stay there for a month until Liu Shiquan rotated another martial artist to the Lecture Pavilion the following month.

In the morning, no one came to the Lecture Pavilion, so Bai Cangdong was happy to have some free time and focused on cultivating the *Baiye Sutra*. After discovering the magic of this longevity technique, he practiced even more diligently.

"You little brat, so you were hiding here." A man walked into the Lecture Pavilion and, upon seeing Bai Cangdong, gritted his teeth and shouted.

Bai Cangdong looked up and saw the man who had offered to buy his position for five thousand life points in front of the Martial Arts Hall and had later brought a group of people to block him, only to be beaten up by Bai Cangdong.

"What, are you itching for a beating again?" Bai Cangdong said with a smile that was not quite a smile.

Thinking of the excruciating pain he had felt that day, the man couldn't help but shudder and immediately said, "This is the Lecture Pavilion, not a place for you to act recklessly. If you dare to touch a single hair on my head, the martial artist will surely punish you, or even expel you from the Daolun Society."

"I didn't say I was going to beat you, so there's no need to be afraid." Bai Cangdong laughed. "What are you doing here?"

"Really, what a stupid question. Coming to the Lecture Pavilion is obviously to ask the lecturer about martial arts problems. Otherwise, who would come here for nothing, and to see some unpleasant people? By the way, where is the martial artist?"

"Didn't you see him?" Bai Cangdong smiled.

"Stupid, if I saw him, why would I ask you?" the man said angrily.

"I mean, the martial artist is right in front of you. Can't you see him?"

"What nonsense, it's just you and me here. How could the martial artist be in front of me..." The man suddenly widened his eyes: "You are the martial artist... Don't try to fool me, I'll tell you, impersonating a martial artist is a serious crime."

Bai Cangdong took out his token and showed it to the man, then walked back to the lecturer's chair and sat down: "Ask your questions quickly, I don't have much time."

"Are you really a martial artist? I think you are still a baron, right?" the man asked, still somewhat disbelieving.

"If you have no questions, then leave." Bai Cangdong said impatiently.

"I do, of course. I've already paid my contribution, so I might as well ask. But can you really answer my questions?" the man asked with a doubtful look.

"If I can't answer, there are other martial artists who can. You don't need to worry about that." Bai Cangdong said calmly.

"Alright, I want to ask about the *Hui Feng Palm*. I've practiced it for a long time, but I can't achieve the wind-returning realm described in the manual. When I strike, it still makes a sound, and I can't do it silently."

"Do you have the manual for the *Hui Feng Palm*?" Bai Cangdong had never heard of the *Hui Feng Palm* and naturally didn't know what the wind-returning realm was.

"The manuals in the Martial Arts Hall are only for memorization, not for taking out. If you don't even know this, are you really a martial artist?" the man said disdainfully.

"It doesn't matter if you don't have the manual. Recite the *Hui Feng Palm* for me to hear." Bai Cangdong said.

"Are you saying you don't know the *Hui Feng Palm* at all?"

Bai Cangdong frowned: "Stop talking nonsense. If you want to recite, do it quickly. If not, go back."

"Hmph, I'll recite it. I'll see what you can do." The man recited the *Hui Feng Palm* manual word by word, stopping after one recitation and looking at Bai Cangdong with a strange smile.

Bai Cangdong thought for a moment and said, "The key to the wind-returning realm lies in the word 'return.' The 'return' does not refer to the retraction of the palm, but the control of the wind. Ordinary palm techniques break through the air and go against the wind, while the *Hui Feng Palm* must go with the wind to achieve silence."

"You talk easily, but how do you go with the wind?"

"That depends on your understanding of the *Hui Feng Palm*. Practice more, pay attention to the flow of the wind when you strike, and you will naturally be able to strike silently over time."

"That's like saying nothing at all."

"Since your talent is so low and you can't understand, I'll demonstrate it for you." Bai Cangdong extended his palm and struck the man's forehead, pushing him back four or five steps before he stopped.

The man was not angry but rather shocked: "You can really strike silently. Have you really never practiced the *Hui Feng Palm* before?"

"That's not within the scope of the Lecture Pavilion's answers. You can think about it yourself." Bai Cangdong smiled.

The man looked at Bai Cangdong with suspicion and left with a head full of questions.

The work at the Lecture Pavilion was relatively easy. Unless there was a particularly unsolvable problem, most members were unwilling to spend their contributions to have a martial artist answer their questions. They preferred to use their contributions to exchange for martial techniques or equipment.

Bai Cangdong stayed in the Lecture Pavilion all day, and no one else came to ask him questions.

"Being here isn't bad. No one comes to disturb me, and I can focus on cultivating the *Baiye Sutra*." After closing the Lecture Pavilion, Bai Cangdong thought about going home directly but decided to go to the Martial Pavilion first.

"Young man, I thought you wouldn't come." The guard at the Martial Pavilion smiled when he saw Bai Cangdong.

"Why wouldn't I? I haven't seen the *Ping Bu Qing Yun* yet." Bai Cangdong smiled and continued, "I don't know how to address you?"

"My surname is An, and I am also a martial artist of the Daolun Society." Master An paused and then continued, "It's good that you listen to advice. Many young people are too self-important and don't listen to others' advice. They insist on practicing the *Eight Steps of Heaven* and end up wasting a lot of life points without any results. Wait here, I'll get the *Ping Bu Qing Yun* for you."

"Thank you, Master An." Bai Cangdong said.

Master An quickly went upstairs and brought down a manual and handed it to Bai Cangdong: "You cannot take the manual out of the Martial Pavilion. This rule cannot be broken. Memorize the content here."

After thanking Master An, Bai Cangdong took the manual and carefully read through it, memorizing all the content. After a moment of reflection, he had a general understanding of the *Ping Bu Qing Yun*.

The *Ping Bu Qing Yun* can only borrow force once in the air, far inferior to the *Eight Steps of Heaven*. However, the *Ping Bu Qing Yun* emphasizes speed and the application of force, making one run faster and jump higher, which is better than the *Eight Steps of Heaven* in this aspect.

Overall, the *Ping Bu Qing Yun* is indeed a good martial technique, but even when practiced to the extreme, it is far inferior to the *Eight Steps of Heaven*.

"I have memorized the manual, thank you, Master An." Bai Cangdong said goodbye and left.

He would also practice the *Ping Bu Qing Yun*, as it is a very good martial technique. As for the *Eight Steps of Heaven*, it was better not to show it in front of others easily. After all, it took others twenty years to reach the fourth step, while he reached it in just one night, which was truly shocking.

"There you are, I finally found you."

Bai Cangdong was about to go home when he saw a man panting and running up to him.

"What do you want? Do you want another beating?" Bai Cangdong looked closely and recognized the man who had come to him for an explanation of the *Hui Feng Palm* today.

"No, no, I have something to ask for your help." The man took a deep breath and continued, "My name is Zheng Hao. I seriously ask you, are you a baron or a viscount?"

"What does that have to do with you?" Bai Cangdong looked at Zheng Hao with a strange expression.

"If you are a baron, you can help me with this. There will be a great reward if you succeed." Zheng Hao said mysteriously.

"What great reward? Tell me first, and I'll see if I'm interested."