Chapter 8, Smoke Serpent Steps

The Lin family is one of the four prominent families in Linbei City, a small border town characterized by desolation. As a result, no powerful families are willing to gather here, allowing these four minor mixed-blood families to dominate the area. Despite being a remote and impoverished region, it is still rife with fierce competition and conflict.

Despite never giving up, who can guarantee to remain strong at all times? In the midnight dreams, there have also been moments when tears soaked my clothes

Although he is blind, Su Chen never easily approaches the pond because of that

Regardless of the circumstances, one must persevere and not falter

One will never know what Gu Qingluo looks like, nor will one ever know how beautiful she appears while bathing

Gu Qingluo's figure appeared, clapping her hands and laughing, "You have won again"

It is merely a battle after all

Guess where I am, it has now become the reserved act between Gu Qingluo and Su Chen

Today is just like any other day

What? Su Chen was taken aback

In this world, lineage is the fundamental key that determines a person's achievements

In this world, martial arts are not taboo; it is the bloodline that is!

In Gu Qingluo's eyes, Su Chen is a calm, composed, gentle, and considerate boy

Having been here for several months, Gu Qingluo was no longer as ignorant of this place as she had been at the beginning. Regarding Su Chen and the Su family, Gu Qingluo had already received news long ago

When with Su Chen, Gu Qingluo never felt that she was taking care of a blind person; rather, she often felt as if she were being cared for by Su Chen.

Hearing Gu Qingluo say this at that moment, Su Chen instinctively replied, "Are you joking? Is such a clan's secret knowledge something that can be casually passed on?"

Gu Qingluo's voice sounded: "Su Chen, I heard that in a few days, it will be the time for your Su family's year-end competition?"

I must also thank you for your help during this period. Su Chen smiled

Most of the time, it is Gu Qingluo who comes to the back mountain of the Su family to find Su Chen. This place is picturesque and remote, making it unlikely to be discovered by others. The mountain has clear and refreshing springs, which are more suitable for bathing. Ever since she bathed here last time, Gu Qingluo has grown fond of the mountain springs, so she often comes here to bathe. It is rare that Su Chen is blind, making him just the right person to keep watch for her.

Certainly, even if it is not a taboo, it does not mean that it can be spread indiscriminately and without restraint. Therefore, Gu Qingluo requested Su Chen to avoid using this technique in front of others unless absolutely necessary

Indeed, his ears can hear many sounds, but that cannot replace the function of his eyes. On the arena, he will not be given the opportunity to discern the wind by sound; as soon as he shows the slightest flaw, he will be captured by his opponent and then defeated

"Have you already been able to achieve this step?" Gu Qingluo asked in surprise

This is because Gu Qingluo is a distinguished guest of the Lin family

In the breeze, a single fallen leaf drifts down behind Su Chen.

The world is inherently unfair, and the inheritance of bloodlines represents the greatest injustice of this world

He sat there, listening intently.

A faint sense of melancholy arises in my heart, and the emotions of heartache once again fill my chest

Gu Qingluo is a distinguished guest of the Lin family, and it is naturally inappropriate for her to be too close to Su Chen

At this moment, Gu Qingluo said: "Hey, how did you do it? You managed to guess correctly for three consecutive days. I have tried my best to move without making any noise."

Although the development over millions of years has allowed humanity to establish a certain cultivation system, it has always been unable to compare with the inheritance of bloodlines

Meeting Gu Qingluo became a ray of light in Su Chen's dark life

The Gu family of Longxi is known for its three unique skills, one of which is the Smoke Snake Step. It is said that this footwork is exceptionally strange and agile, and once unleashed, it moves with incredible speed, making it extremely difficult to capture. It is the ancestral technique of the Gu family.

Yes, Su Chen replied

Gu Qingluo smiled and said: "The Smoke Serpent Step is a secret technique of the bloodline. Without the corresponding bloodline, it cannot truly unleash its power. Even if you learn it, it doesn't really matter."

A martial artist who has endured years of hardship may not necessarily surpass a scoundrel who has indulged in pleasure for many years and suddenly awakens to his potential

Thus, another source of amusement was added to Su Chen's life—leaning against a tree, listening to the gentle sound of water, imagining the various postures of Gu Qingluo while bathing

Nevertheless, Su Chen remained undeterred and continued to play this game with Gu Qingluo. As time passed, his success rate in guessing Gu Qingluo's position increased dramatically.

Gu Qingluo had already gone towards the pond, and after a moment, the sound of water arose, indicating that she was already bathing

The smoke serpent step of the Gu family is just like this

After some thought, Gu Qingluo suddenly said: "Let me teach you the Smoke Snake Step."

She would never insult Su Chen's dreams or shatter his hopes

Su Chen remained seated in a precarious manner: "It is merely a battle, nothing more."

It is a pity that while sound can lead him to the location of the target, it cannot reveal the appearance of the target

"Indeed." Su Chen responded softly.

"It is the airflow and heartbeat." Su Chen replied, "You can conceal the sound of your footsteps, but you cannot mask your heartbeat; your existence will also affect the surrounding airflow. As long as you can sense these, you will be able to detect the approach of objects."

From that day on, Gu Qingluo and Su Chen became friends, and their relationship quickly developed into one where they shared everything with each other. However, this bond between the two was kept hidden, and no one was aware of it

This is also why Gu Qingluo dared to pass the Smoke Serpent Steps to Su Chen

I heard that this time, in the reform, the one who ranks first in the literature must undergo at least one challenge to be recognized

It is easy to say, but Su Chen is indeed blind after all

Only those who truly possess the bloodline can harness the power of the Smoke Serpent Step; merely mastering the footwork allows one to grasp only its superficial aspects, without the possibility of realizing its essence

"What do you thank me for? This is all your own effort." Gu Qingluo rolled her eyes at Su Chen, but unfortunately, he could not see it. This flirtatious glance was truly thrown at a blind person, having no effect whatsoever.

He has no hope

This type of personality usually has a fatal attraction for women, especially when compared to those peers who are more restless in nature. Su Chen possesses a greater degree of maturity, standing out like a crane among chickens

Among the four prominent families, it can be said that none of them yield to the others, and there is considerable rivalry among them. In their quest for dominance in Linbei, they have resorted to all means possible, and naturally, their relationships cannot be described as good

Su Chen sat on the large rock by the water

The whole world may abandon you, but you must not abandon yourself

It is precisely for this reason that Gu Qingluo would not concern herself with family disputes, just as she continues to be friends with Su Chen as before

However, the nature of youth is inherently rebellious. Concepts such as family interests and the broader perspective are still somewhat distant for a fourteen-year-old girl; she neither considers nor wishes to consider them. It is only natural for her to act based on her instincts and preferences.

Although his eyes cannot see, his heart is very bright

Su Chen, however, did not look back; instead, he turned to the left side in front of him and said, "Is it here?"

However, most of the time, it is Su Chen who loses. After all, when a person intentionally conceals themselves and does not make a sound, it is very difficult for even someone as perceptive as Su Chen to notice.

What will you do?" Gu Qingluo looked at Su Chen

It consists of two parts: one part is the footwork, and the other part is the bloodline inheritance

The weak emotion appeared for just a moment, only to be suppressed by Su Chen.

Gu Qingluo felt a tremor in her heart

However, Gu Qingluo ultimately did not say this. She was not Su Chen's father, and precisely because of this, she was better able to understand and respect Su Chen

Of course, it is limited to friends only