Chapter 208: Chapter 126: Powerful Claw Stance

In the following days, Chen Cheng kept a low and cautious profile. He would go to the City Guard Department at roll call time, give his subordinates a few instructions, and spend the rest of his time at home engrossed in Cultivation, truly training regardless of the weather.

Time passed quickly. In the blink of an eye, half a month had gone by, and it was now the dead of winter.

On this day, a heavy snow like goose feathers drifted down from the sky.

Dressed in a green robe and wearing the Dragon Eagle Iron Claw, Chen Cheng was in his backyard practicing the Powerful Eagle Claw Skill.

"Dragon Eagle Spreading Wings."

"Dragon Eagle’s Probing Claw."

"Dragon Eagle Captures the Tiger."

...

As he executed the Perfect Level Powerful Eagle Claw Skill, each and every move was profound and mysterious, subtle and meticulous. The might of the Powerful Eagle Claw Skill was unleashed to its absolute limit.

Amidst the swirling snowflakes, Chen Cheng’s figure moved with incredible speed, like a Dragon Eagle soaring, free and unrestrained.

His figure flickered about unpredictably. Wherever the Iron Claw passed, snowflakes scattered and stones exploded with loud POPS. The entire backyard became a vortex of swirling snow and rock fragments. If anyone were to rashly step inside, they would likely be instantly crushed to dust by the vortex.

[Powerful Eagle Claw Skill: Cultivation Progress Increased.]

...

The panel’s notifications appeared from time to time.

After an unknown amount of time, Chen Cheng’s figure suddenly stopped. He stood leisurely as the vortex of scattered snowflakes and rock fragments immediately dissipated.

The goose-feather snow drifted down slowly. Chen Cheng extended his right hand flat, the Dragon Eagle Iron Claw angled slightly upward. It immediately began to vibrate with a rippling Power. The falling snow, as if being drawn in, started to slowly gather toward the Iron Claw.

As Chen Cheng’s Power surged, the snowflakes gathered faster and faster, eventually becoming like white specks of light moving at extreme speed.

The range of the snow being pulled in also expanded, from an initial two feet around Chen Cheng to a radius of nearly ten feet.

The snowflakes gathered on the Iron Claw and, as if being compressed by immense force, rapidly solidified, forcibly squeezed from snow into a ball of ice.

As more and more snow gathered, the ice ball grew larger and larger, finally reaching the size of a millstone.

Chen Cheng’s figure suddenly moved. The millstone-sized ice ball spun rapidly as the Iron Claw abruptly exerted its force.

BOOM!

A violent explosion rang out as the ice ball burst apart.

Chen Cheng’s figure danced. The swirling snow, as if drawn in, all rushed toward his two claws at extreme speed. In the blink of an eye, it condensed into two giant ice balls.

BOOM!

He brought his hands together. The two ice balls collided, bursting with a deafening roar and shattering into fine powder.

His figure flickered, and he appeared beside the garden. He thrust his right claw fiercely toward a hard, half-man-high boulder, and a ferocious and domineering ripple of vibrations suddenly arose.

SHINK!

With a soft sound, the Dragon Eagle Iron Claw easily pierced the hard boulder as if it were a block of tofu.

Chen Cheng withdrew the Iron Claw, pulling out a long, hard strip of stone he had gouged from the boulder. He then brought his claws close without touching, and the long, hard strip of stone hovered in the empty space between them.

"Shatter!"

Following Chen Cheng’s soft shout, his claws remained motionless, but a ripple of vibrations generated itself. The hard strip of stone, as if crushed by a thousand-jin force, exploded with a boom and shattered into fine powder.

Chen Cheng thrust his right claw toward the boulder. When it was three feet away, a ferocious, immense power erupted from the claw. As if it had been physically grabbed, a corner of the boulder was forcibly crushed, and another explosive sound rang out.

’I’ve finally cultivated the Momentum of the Powerful Eagle Claw Skill!’

Chen Cheng smiled and stood tall, carefully contemplating the Powerful Claw Stance.

Momentum is triggered by Power, but it is not an external release of Power. Rather, it is a momentum carried by Power. The sensation was incredibly profound.

The might of Momentum is far greater than that of Power, and the might of the Momentum also differs depending on the Cultivation Technique.

The Wind Chasing Saber Stance focuses more on speed; the Momentum it cultivates is all about speed, so fast that it can draw upon the wind, achieving a "wind-chasing" effect. The Powerful Claw Stance, however, focuses more on the Power Dao. This type of power-based Momentum can even reach the point of exerting force from the void.

Mastering multiple types of Momentum allows one to unleash even greater might in battle.

’If the Wind Chasing Saber Stance faced the Powerful Claw Stance, which would be stronger?’

The thought suddenly arose in his mind. Chen Cheng frowned and fell into deep thought.

’Logically speaking, when facing an enemy, the Wind Chasing Saber Stance is faster and can often achieve an element of surprise.’

’But if someone used the Wind Chasing Saber Stance against me, I could completely defend with the Powerful Claw Stance. Once the Powerful Claw Stance is unleashed, the opponent’s Long Saber wouldn’t even be able to get close. How could they possibly win?’

’Could this be the appeal of Horizontal Cultivation Techniques? My master dominated Linji City by relying on the Momentum and Realm of his Horizontal Cultivation Techniques.’

’But it’s hard to say. After all, the Momentum and Realm of other Cultivation Techniques are not to be underestimated.’

Chen Cheng had witnessed the Frost Snow Sword Stance cultivated by Shen Qingshuang. That Sword Momentum carried a "heavy" attribute, and his Powerful Claw Stance might not be able to block it.

Moreover, although Momentum wasn’t Power, it was triggered by Power. The stronger the Power, the stronger the might of the resulting Momentum.

It was like a clod of dirt falling to the ground—it could also generate Momentum, but it was far from being as tyrannical as the Momentum generated by a heavy Iron Ball falling to the ground.

’Of course, the Powerful Claw Stance isn’t just for defense. Based on my understanding, it’s better suited for offense. If I strike first, once the Claw Stance is unleashed, as long as I get within three feet of my opponent, I’m confident I could kill them with a single claw strike!’

’Now that I’ve cultivated the Powerful Claw Stance, the Dragon Eagle Iron Claw isn’t of much use anymore.’

Chen Cheng took off the Dragon Eagle Iron Claw, set it aside, and then picked up a Long Saber.

’The Wind Chasing Saber Stance focuses on speed. It should be able to work in concert with the Powerful Claw Stance against enemies.’

’First, I’ll use the Wind Chasing Saber Stance to get close to the enemy, then unleash the Powerful Claw Stance. This way, I’m afraid I’ll be unrivaled within the same Realm.’

At this thought, Chen Cheng’s figure suddenly moved. As the Long Saber danced, faint ripples began to undulate in the empty space around him.