Chapter Thirty-Seven: The Dual Crane Body Technique

Tang Tian felt that this victory came to him in a haze of confusion. Even when the referee announced his triumph, his face was still blank with bewilderment. By the time he collected himself and tried to ask Di Han why he had conceded, Di Han had already walked far away, leaving only a solitary silhouette behind. For reasons he couldn't explain, Tang Tian sensed something amiss about Di Han; there was always something off about him.

Yet all these suspicions stemmed solely from his intuition. With his mind, trying to unravel such complex matters was simply impossible.

It was a match that left the vast majority of spectators utterly perplexed.

But the important thing was, Tang Tian had won.

Di Han’s display of strength greatly astonished all those unfamiliar with him. Correspondingly, Tang Tian’s prowess quickly earned widespread recognition, especially after the match, as evaluations from various influential figures circulated through different channels.

Tang Tian was indeed formidable!

This was now beyond doubt. The current question, however, was that no one could quite grasp the true extent of his abilities.

So far, Tang Tian had only employed two second-tier martial arts: Flash Fist and Empty Stake Step. What he revealed was quite limited. People’s understanding of him generally fell into two categories. One, his foundations were exceptionally solid—so much so, it bordered on the unnatural. Two, his Flash Fist was flawless—a perfect Flash Fist!

Even Lord Wang Zhen himself couldn’t help but lavish praise, and with that, Tang Tian was suddenly recognized as the foremost practitioner of Flash Fist in Starwind City.

But that was all.

In the previous round, his opponent was too weak, and Tang Tian claimed an easy victory. This round, Di Han had the strength to force Tang Tian to reveal more, yet for some unknown reason, Di Han suddenly surrendered.

In contrast, Di Han’s strength, composure, and decisiveness led many to reevaluate this solitary genius.

Compared to Tang Tian’s inexplicable victory, Amory’s win was indisputable; his strength far outclassed his opponent, dispatching him in just three strikes.

After two rounds of the preliminary matches, both advanced to the main tournament.

Old Wei, wearing a look of unrestrained glee, became the target of their collective teasing.

After two rounds, the main tournament would be held in a week, granting the two of them a week’s rest.

***

Tang Tian sat cross-legged, while the energy around him surged ceaselessly into his body, transforming into true power. The third-tier dantian pool within him had doubled in capacity compared to when he first broke through to the third tier.

The energy behind the Gate of Light was exceedingly dense, and the Crane Qi Technique, an authentic ancient method, was far more efficient than those commonly circulating in the world. Especially after forming the Crane Body, Tang Tian’s efficiency in refining true power with the Crane Qi Technique soared severalfold.

As Tang Tian strengthened his Crane Body, the Crane Qi Technique grew ever more potent; his meditation time had now shrunk to just half an hour, after which he felt invigorated and full of vigor. This sped up his cultivation tremendously.

He had honed the Eight Steps of the Cicada, Shattering Shadow Palm, Chain Joint Technique, Minor Avalanche Fist, and Eagle Claw Technique to a considerable degree.

Of these, Minor Avalanche Fist had taken up most of his time, and he was now on the verge of mastering the Great Avalanche.

Yet today, instead of his usual practice of the Great Avalanche behind the Cross Gate of Light, he sat cross-legged, continuously employing the Crane Qi Technique. Today, he suddenly sensed something odd about the true power within his body.

True power flowed slowly along the crane-shaped meridians, constantly seeping into the most obscure ends of those channels. Having practiced the Crane Qi Technique for some time, and with his relentless, day-and-night cultivation amidst the dense energies within the Gate, almost every corner of the meridians connected to his third-tier dantian pool had been penetrated by true power.

Within his meridians, the shape of a crane was vivid and lifelike.

It looked rather small—like a fledgling crane, its wings not yet fully grown.

As true power circulated, it layered and surged, as if the little crane were flapping its wings. An indescribable tingling sensation wandered through his meridians. Suddenly! Tang Tian felt something break open; the true power in the third-tier dantian pool, without him noticing, overflowed and began to flow downward into the second-tier dantian pool!

This is bad!

Tang Tian was horrified. True power had always been directed upward, known as “ascending the heavenly ladder.” He had never heard of true power flowing downward.

Yet now, no matter how he tried to control it, more and more true power kept pouring downward.

His mind went blank. The third-tier dantian pool contained third-tier true power; the second-tier dantian pool, second-tier true power—this was common knowledge.

If third-tier true power entered the second-tier dantian pool, what would happen?

Compared to the third-tier, the second-tier dantian pool was much smaller.

Soon, the second-tier dantian pool was filled to the brim, and the scene that followed left Tang Tian utterly dumbstruck.

Crack, crack, crack!

Third-tier true power began to crystallize rapidly along the pool’s walls, growing upward like ice. In an instant, the walls of the second-tier dantian pool had doubled in height.

The crystallization didn’t stop—it kept overflowing and growing.

The entire process took a full hour.

When it finally ended, the capacity of the second-tier dantian pool had expanded by more than fivefold.

Previously, the second-tier dantian pool was only a tenth the size of the third-tier, but now, it was half as large.

It suddenly dawned on Tang Tian—didn’t this mean his true power had increased tremendously?

This thought filled him with wild joy.

The accumulation of true power was usually a slow process, building up bit by bit. Such a sudden surge was something Tang Tian had never experienced before. He began to circulate the Crane Qi Technique actively, faintly hearing the clear cry of a crane in his ears, and true power moved ever more at his will.

Energy continued to pour into his body, refined into true power as it passed through his meridians, then streamed into the newly expanded second-tier dantian pool.

Gradually, the second-tier dantian pool filled again. As Tang Tian was about to conclude this peculiar session, the true power within the pool began to flow through the connecting meridians.

Boom, boom, boom!

As soon as third-tier true power entered the second-tier meridians, it was as if water droplets had fallen into boiling oil—an explosive chain reaction burst forth, unstoppable.

Each explosion caused Tang Tian’s body to shudder.

He convulsed violently, his body trembling uncontrollably.

The third-tier true power rampaged through these lower-tier meridians, meeting no resistance at all.

His mind was thunderstruck, unable to respond.

In just fifteen minutes, every second-tier meridian was fully penetrated, even the most remote branches were activated by true power.

At last, the true power quieted.

Tang Tian returned to himself in a daze. When his consciousness slipped back into his meridians, he was instantly astonished.

Within the now fully connected second-tier meridians appeared another crane shape!

Was this also... a Crane Body?

***

Celestial Crane Peak.

Deep within Crane Ridge, inside an ancient wooden cabin, an old man with snow-white hair and beard, sitting cross-legged, suddenly opened his eyes. A brilliant light burst forth from his once-cloudy gaze.

He murmured, “The second Crane Body... Double Crane Power... Someone has actually cultivated the Double Crane Power!”

He sprang to his feet, his robes billowing though there was no wind, his presence awe-inspiring.

Snap!

The wooden door swung open by itself.

He strode out of the cabin.

Sunlight bathed his body warmly, the scent of fresh grass in the valley momentarily dazing him. His eyes reverted to their deep, unfathomable calm, and he made his way along the mountain path toward the mouth of the valley.

Two disciples in white, standing guard at the valley entrance, stared in shock when they saw him.

After a moment, they recovered, excitement lighting their faces as they bowed in unison. “Elder Crane, you... you have emerged from seclusion!”

“Transmit the White Crane Order. All elders and above, convene in the Crane Hall,” the old man said coolly.

The two disciples were startled. The White Crane Order was the sect’s highest emergency command, invoked only in matters of life and death for the sect itself.

Could a powerful enemy be advancing upon Celestial Crane Peak?

They dared not ask, but hastened to obey. “Yes, sir!”

With that, they gathered their energy and leapt onto the platform, where several magnificent white cranes were tethered. They mounted the cranes, whose clear cries echoed through the valley. With a single beat of their wings, the birds vanished into the boundless sea of clouds.

Moments later, the tranquil clouds seemed to boil with activity. One after another, white cranes soared into the sky, shattering the cloud cover and speeding off in all directions. Upon each crane’s back sat a white-robed disciple, their expressions tense and urgent.

The once peaceful Celestial Crane Peak was instantly blanketed in an atmosphere of tension.

The old man descended the steps, his expression resolute and calm.

Three days later.

In the grand Crane Hall, disciples assembled in droves, and all the elders were present. Each wore a solemn expression, and the vast chamber was utterly silent, charged with suspense.

At the head of the hall, Elder Crane sat cross-legged, while below, the elders watched him, tense and excited.

After a decade in seclusion, Elder Crane’s sudden emergence had become the pillar of the sect. And for him to invoke the White Crane Order and summon them all—something extraordinary must have occurred.

Elder Crane opened his eyes, sweeping his gaze over the assembly, and said slowly,

“Three days ago, I suddenly sensed that someone has mastered the Double Crane Power.”

Every elder’s face froze in disbelief.

A strange silence hung for about ten seconds—then the hall erupted.

“How is that possible?”

“The Double Crane Power!”

“The true inheritance of our sect!”

The elders were all overcome with excitement, the uproar below a testament to the news’ immense impact.

Watching the younger generations’ excitement, Elder Crane sighed silently in his heart. The true inheritance of the Crane Sect had been lost, and the sect had declined ever since. The most crucial secret, the Crane Body Power, had been missing for nine hundred years.

Every generation of disciples had tried to restore it, but none had succeeded.

With the transformation of the Crane Body, there was no technique it could not break.

Yet the legendary Crane Body had not been seen for nine centuries.

But now, someone had mastered the Double Crane Power—a higher stage of the Crane Body Power, requiring the cultivation of two Crane Bodies.

The Double Crane Power!

What a distant and thrilling name...

Elder Crane raised his palm, and all voices instantly fell silent. Yet on every face, a flush of excitement remained.