I was told I'd be a late bloomer, but I was born with the potential to achieve great things!

"Brother Zhou, are you really prepared to learn this skill from Elder Huang?"

Seeing Zhou An walk into the crowd ahead, Liu Shuqing quickly followed, saying with a worried expression.

"This cliff is extremely steep. If you haven't learned how to climb it, that's fine. But if you do learn it... and you slip and fall, you'll likely be reduced to ashes."

Although he admired Elder Huang's miraculous skills, he always felt uneasy whenever he saw the other person crawling and turning into a small black dot.

That's a cliff over thirty meters high, not just one or two stories high, but more than ten stories high.

Liu Shuqing felt that the issue with that senior brother Sun wasn't whether he had learned the skill or not, but whether he dared to risk his life to climb it.

"Although we only learned the Iron Pole Technique once and cannot master it completely, there will always be opportunities in the future."

opportunity.

Opportunities are not something you wait for, but something you strive for.

Looking at Qian Youde, Wang Yi, and some senior disciples in the Yunxia garrison, Zhou An thought to himself.

Blood-nourishing Ganoderma lucidum flower, blood-nourishing powder.

Unlike Liu Shuqing, Zhou An's family was quite wealthy, so even if he didn't achieve anything in martial arts, he could go back and inherit the family business.

He was all alone, his home was bare, and he couldn't make a living.

"If even a small cliff can block my way, how will I ever seek immortality in the future?"

After sighing inwardly, Zhou An smiled and looked at Liu Shuqing.

"Don't worry, Brother Liu, I know what I'm doing."

"You don't know anything."

Liu Shuqing complained inwardly.

He studied the sword technique left behind by the sword immortal day and night, and he couldn't believe that Zhou An wouldn't be tempted by this extraordinary skill.

Who knows, the thought might arise in my mind: after learning this Snake-Tiger Parade Technique, I'd like to climb the mountain left behind by the Sword Immortal.

"After learning this skill, Senior Brother Sun didn't go climbing either. I'm not that kind of fool who would knowingly go into danger."

Seeing Liu Shuqing's skeptical look, Zhou An patiently explained.

Although he intended to learn this skill so that he could pick wild blood fungus flowers he might encounter in the future, he wouldn't be so foolish as to do something he knew was impossible.

"That makes sense. Let's go take a look together."

Liu Shuqing nodded.

……

"Elder Huang has excellent skills."

"However, Elder Huang holds a noble position, and this mountain is extremely steep. Why should the Elder personally take on the task and risk his life?"

Upon approaching, some disciples who had been waiting nearby spoke up.

"What, you guys want to try it too?"

Elder Huang handed the Blood Ganoderma Flower to the herb gatherer who accompanied him for safekeeping, and said with a smile.

"I grew up in the mountains and forests and often climb trees and mountains. I am willing to serve the elders."

Wang Yi, his face flushed with excitement, stepped forward and volunteered.

"Is that what you think too?"

"That's right, we are also willing to serve the elders."

Meeting Huang Huayuan's gaze, the disciples of the Seven Mysteries Sect spoke in unison.

"My martial art is called the 'Snake and Tiger Climbing the Wall Technique.' If you wish to learn it, that's perfectly acceptable."

After closing his eyes and pondering for a moment, Huang Huayuan nodded and then pointed to the cliff he had climbed earlier and spoke.

"If you can climb five zhang up that cliff, I will teach you."

Therefore, if you encounter Blood-Growing Ganoderma flowers again in the future, you only need to pick five flowers, and the sixth flower will be your reward.

"Thank you, Elder Huang."

Upon hearing this, everyone was overjoyed.

"You'll have the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. Take turns climbing, and even if you accidentally slip, someone below will catch you."

As he spoke, Huang Huayuan waved his hand.

In a short while, Sun Heng took out a long incense stick and lit it.

"Please rest here for a moment, Elder. I will be right back."

Seeing this, Wang Yi took a deep breath and ran towards the cliff face first.

"What are you doing here if you want to go? If you fall and there's no one beneath you, then this test is over."

"Elder, you are kind and benevolent. This disciple will go immediately."

Upon hearing this, the crowd, who were eager to participate in the assessment but also wanted to see him make a fool of himself, bowed to Huang Huayuan with admiration and then rushed over.

"As expected of an elder, he really knows how to win people's hearts."

Although Zhou An knew that Huang Huayuan's move was intended to win him over, he was not annoyed. Instead, he looked at Liu Shuqing with a smile.

"it is good."

The two immediately followed.

How many people do you think will succeed?

Watching the departing figures of everyone, Huang Huayuan sat on a rattan chair, took a sip from the water jug, and said to Sun Heng.

"As long as three people succeed, it will not be a failure to repay the elders for their guidance."

Sun En looked at the seventeen disciples who were participating in the assessment and said respectfully.

Five zhang (approximately 10 meters).

The cliff face was quite smooth, with moss and other vegetation on the lower half. In addition, there were very few footholds on the cliff face... It would be difficult to succeed unless one was skilled at climbing or had a high level of strength.

"You see things very clearly; no wonder Sheng Gu values ​​you so much."

Huang Huayuan smiled.

Although he did not answer directly, he strongly agreed with Sun Heng's comments.

As they were talking, the two saw Wang Yi begin to climb.

"This kid has drive, but he's too hasty."

"what!"

Almost immediately after Huang Huayuan finished commenting, the two saw Wang Yi, who had climbed to about three zhang (approximately 10 meters), cry out in surprise and fall down.

If someone below had caught him in time, even without a broken bone, he would have been bleeding profusely from a head injury.

"Hmph, I thought you were something special. Watch me."

Seeing Wang Yi's pale face, a senior disciple snorted and immediately began to climb.

"Are you alright?"

Qian Youde looked at his friend with a mixture of nervousness and worry.

Even Wang Yi couldn't do it, so he felt that his chances were probably slim.

As time passed, one disciple after another began to take on the challenge.

It goes up quickly, and it goes down quickly too.

Very few succeed.

"Zhou An, be careful, this mountain wall is very slippery."

When it was Zhou An's turn, Wang Yi gave him a reminder.

So far, only two people have succeeded. Both are senior disciples at Yunxia Station, both came from poor backgrounds, and were classmates.

Although they usually compete with each other, he doesn't want to see the other person fail right now.

Most importantly, Zhou An caught him when he fell.

Thank you.

Zhou An nodded and immediately went to the cliff face.

He had watched everyone climb and memorized the footholds. With two people already succeeding, he felt he shouldn't have much trouble.

"Make sure you catch him when he falls."

"How do you know we'll fail before we've even started?"

Faced with the senior disciple's mockery, Liu Shuqing frowned and snorted coldly.

"Because this isn't a place for newcomers like you."

"You all talk as if you've already succeeded."

……

"hiss!"

Listening to the heated exchange between Liu Shuqing, Sun Wenhao, Wang Yi and a group of Yunxia disciples behind him, Zhou An took a deep breath and clenched his five fingers into a claw and gripped a protruding cliff face.

"Whoosh!"

With a powerful push from his hands and feet, Zhou An quickly began to climb.

He lacked Huang Huayuan's skills and climbed with great difficulty, but thanks to his grasp of Ming Jin and An Jin, as well as the focus of his previous memories, he did not fall.

"Good lad, you're quick on your feet!"

In the distance, Sun Heng's eyes lit up.

……