Chapter 139: Chapter 139: Eight Steps Chasing Cicada, Minor Achievement
In the small courtyard, Chen Ping’an’s figure flickered, his robes fluttering like a phantom.
A Superior Lightweight Skill, Eight Steps Chasing Cicada!
Eight Steps Chasing Cicada involved comprehensive cultivation, but it placed particular emphasis on leg training.
As the saying goes, "To train the fist but not the foundation is to end with nothing in old age. To train the foundation but not the legs is to become a stumbling old fool!"
Beyond being a Lightweight Skill, Eight Steps Chasing Cicada also excelled as a leg technique. In terms of offensive power, it was in no way inferior to typical leg-based martial arts.
Chen Ping’an tapped the ground lightly with his feet, and his entire body launched into the air.
In midair, his posture shifted. His toes, knees, elbows, and hands struck down fiercely at eight different points of attack.
BOOM!
After landing, Chen Ping’an tapped his toes on the ground and launched himself into the air again.
Inquiry Leg!
Illusory Leg!
Solid Leg!
...
His leg movements shifted and repeated, a continuous barrage of strikes aimed at shattering an opponent’s defense.
+1.
Just as his form was shifting, a very familiar symbol for experience floated before Chen Ping’an’s eyes.
"Success!"
Chen Ping’an ceased his movements and stood still, a flicker of joy in his eyes.
After many days of arduous cultivation, his Eight Steps Chasing Cicada had finally caught up to the progress of his Gale Sword Technique, accumulating enough experience to advance to the Minor Success Realm.
"Breakthrough!"
SWOOSH!
Eight Steps Chasing Cicada, Minor Achievement!
That familiar sensation washed over him again. Chen Ping’an slowly closed his eyes, standing perfectly still.
The Inner Qi within his Dantian Qi Sea began to surge. Strands of Inner Qi churned together, continuously gathering and multiplying.
Besides the changes to his Inner Qi, all sorts of practical applications, insights, and clever maneuvers for Eight Steps Chasing Cicada continuously dawned on him.
Haaa!
After a long moment, Chen Ping’an let out a long breath.
A panel of information materialized in the air.
Name: Chen Ping’an
Realm: Inner Qi - Initial Qi Sea Transformation
Martial Arts: Iron Cloth Shirt Perfection, Flying Locust Stone Perfection, Public Door Thirteen Sabers Perfect, Thirteen Grand Protectors Cross Training Perfect, Great Success in Golden Bell Shield (152/400), Gale Sword Technique (Minor Achievement) (32/160), Eight Steps Chasing Cicada (Minor Achievement) (0/160)
...
"Finally, Minor Achievement!"
Chen Ping’an was overjoyed.
The days of arduous training had not been in vain.
He carefully sensed the changes in the Inner Qi within his Dantian Qi Sea.
His Inner Qi now completely filled his Dantian, packed so densely it had reached its absolute limit.
"Inner Qi First Level Perfection!"
Feeling the power surging within him, Chen Ping’an nearly threw his head back and roared at the heavens!
Inner Qi First Level Perfection!
As far as he knew, in the entire South Town Garrison Command, only Mu Wanjun, the Chief of the Patrol Office, had likely reached this realm! And even that was just a guess.
Even if his guess was correct, in terms of Martial Arts Realm alone, he was now powerful enough to be practically unrivaled within the South Town Garrison Command.
Someone like Fu Yuanming, the Vice Chief of the Patrol, was still a long way from his current realm!
’From what I understand, with my current Martial Arts Realm, I’m strong enough to rank among the top ten of Weishui County City’s younger generation!’
Top ten of Weishui County City’s younger generation!
For anyone, this was an immense honor!
Without even realizing it, Chen Ping’an had reached such a level. A level that the vast majority of people could only look up to!
Chen Ping’an’s revelry lasted only a moment.
’It’s not enough! Still not enough! Far from enough!’
Being in the top ten of the younger generation—and a self-proclaimed one at that—was nothing to be proud of.
Setting aside the "younger generation" label, this realm might allow him to dominate the South District. But across the whole of Weishui Outer City, it was still far from being truly peerless.
The Weishui Outer City had four major districts: South, East, North, and West. Within the Garrison Commandant’s Office system alone, there were four Chiefs of the Patrol Office, four Vice Chiefs of the Patrol, and their corresponding City District Chiefs. In addition, there were a considerable number of Inner Qi Tributors.
These people were all Martial Arts Masters in the Inner Qi Realm at the very least. There was no shortage of those who had reached Inner Qi First Level Perfection.
Besides the various city districts, the Weishui Outer City also had its own Outer City Garrison Command.
From the bits and pieces Chen Ping’an had gathered, he knew the Outer City Garrison Command definitely had Inner Qi Masters who had reached the Second Stage of Inner Qi, Purification and Rejuvenation. And there was more than one.
Furthermore, the Outer City Garrison Command was overseen by the Outer City Commander, who was responsible for coordinating all affairs, both internal and external!
And these were just the Martial Arts Masters within the Garrison Commandant’s Office system. Looking at the entire Weishui Outer City, with its countless families, gangs, merchant guilds, and alliances of all sizes, it was truly a den of hidden dragons and crouching tigers.
An Inner Qi Realm cultivator could be considered a Martial Arts Master. But in the power struggles between the various factions, they were merely high-level assets, far from being able to decide the course of events.
To truly influence the situation in the area, one needed to be at least at the Second Stage of Inner Qi, the realm of Purification and Rejuvenation.
’Purification and Rejuvenation!’
Chen Ping’an’s eyes shone, bright with longing and delight.
’In another half a month, my Gale Sword Technique will surely reach the Great Success Realm! When that happens, it will be time for me to break through to the Second Stage of Inner Qi!’
Among the three superior cultivation methods Chen Ping’an was currently practicing, the Gale Sword Technique was progressing the fastest.
With daily, tireless practice, half a month was more than enough time to accumulate the required experience!
After finishing his Eight Steps Chasing Cicada practice, Chen Ping’an moved on to the Gale Sword Technique and the Golden Bell Shield.
By the time he finished his cultivation, Peony had already prepared warm water for him.
Chen Ping’an washed up and then left the courtyard directly.
’Thinking about the time, Nannan should be getting out of class soon.’
Today, Cangsong Academy was holding a night-reading session, so class would be let out much later than usual.
He had never picked Nannan up from the academy before, and since he had some rare free time today, he decided to go get her.
Cangsong Academy was located in the southeast corner of South City Lane. As the best school in the area, it naturally occupied a large plot of land.
A complex of eight or nine buildings was connected by covered walkways, all enclosed by a smooth, pristine white wall. In the center stood a vermilion main gate.
By the time Chen Ping’an arrived outside Cangsong Academy, a large crowd was already waiting.
Those who could afford to send their children to Cangsong Academy were naturally not from ordinary families.
Outside the academy, everyone was dressed in fine, splendid clothes, and some even had carriages waiting by the roadside.
In comparison, Chen Ping’an’s attire seemed rather plain.
His blue robes were not luxurious, merely respectable.
It looked like it would still be a while before classes were dismissed. Chen Ping’an wasn’t in a rush, so he glanced around and found a quiet corner to wait.
He was usually either on duty for the Inspectorate or absorbed in his arduous cultivation; he rarely had moments like this, just waiting in relaxed stillness.
The moonlight cascaded down, a gentle breeze blew—it was incredibly peaceful!
"Are you also waiting for the academy to let out, young sir?"
As Chen Ping’an relaxed, enjoying the quiet tranquility, a voice spoke up from beside him.
Chen Ping’an turned his head and saw a portly, middle-aged man with a round chin and the prosperous look of wealth about him.
The man had a portly build with a prominent potbelly. His clothes were luxurious, a clear sign of his family’s wealth. A neatly dressed, elderly servant followed behind him, slightly stooped and carrying a wooden box.
Chen Ping’an glanced at him.
"I am."
