Daqian Martial Saint

Chen Ping’an lowered his sword and stood still, silently closing his eyes.

A full quarter of an hour passed before Chen Ping’an’s eyes snapped open.

”Breakthrough!”

WHOOSH~

On the panel floating in the void, the Experience Points behind Flying Star Swordsmanship began to churn wildly, eventually transforming into specks of starlight.

As a vast amount of starlight entered the space between his brows, numerous insights blossomed in Chen Ping’an’s mind.

These were all profound applications of the Flying Star Swordsmanship.

A straight thrust, bursting with Inner Qi, channeling the essence of a flying star through vibrational force.

An upward slash with the longsword, using Inner Qi to shift between feint and reality, breaking through the opponent’s rigid defense!

The blade swings, drawing circles and arcs, executing ruthless attacks with fluid grace.

...

In just a dozen breaths, countless such insights flashed through his mind.

Flying Star Swordsmanship, Great Success!

A stream of Qiankun Pure Qi materialized within him. Chen Ping’an’s Inner Qi, already at the absolute peak of Perfection, began to surge wildly, rushing straight for the Celestial Gate.

The Celestial Gate was like a solid barrier, blocking the path of his Inner Qi. But as more and more Inner Qi gathered, constantly pressing and pushing, the barrier began to yield.

Finally, at a certain moment...

BOOM!

Chen Ping’an felt his mind become perfectly clear.

The Celestial Gate was breached!

From the heavens, Celestial Dew descended.

Chen Ping’an’s Divine Intent soared, merging with the Celestial Dew.

OMMM~

A faint glimmer appeared, bringing light for the first time into the pitch-black space of his Divine Wonders.

The Profound Light was born!

Spiritual Clarity’s First Illumination!

Chen Ping’an remained motionless with his eyes tightly shut. But the subtle tremors in his muscles and bones hinted at the unimaginable transformation he was undergoing.

Celestial Rain Falling on the Crown, nourished by the sweet dew!

As the dew continued to fall, the faint Profound Light began to grow stronger.

This was Devouring Spirit and Refining Fiend, strengthening the Profound Light!

Finally, at a certain moment, the Profound Light coalesced, resembling a golden flame.

The Seed of Profound Light was formed!

With this, Chen Ping’an had finally broken through to the Profound Light Realm!

Name: Chen Ping’an

Realm: Profound Light - Spiritual Clarity’s First Illumination

Martial Arts: Iron Cloth Shirt (Perfection), Flying Locust Stone (Perfection), Public Door Thirteen Blades (Perfect), Thirteen Grand Protectors Cross Training (Perfect), Golden Bell Shield (Perfection), Gale Blade Technique (Perfection), Eight Steps Chasing Cicada (Perfection), Flying Star Swordsmanship (Great Success, 0/400), Great Vajra Palm (Minor Achievement, 136/160)

...

’I’ve reached the Profound Light Realm!’

Chen Ping’an opened his eyes, filled with excitement.

The leap from the Inner Qi Realm to the Profound Light Realm was a barrier that had stopped countless geniuses. Yet he had crossed it with casual ease.

In the entire Canglong Province, a Profound Light Realm expert was a true master! Within Weishui County, any faction would treat such a person as a guest of honor!

If Chen Ping’an were to reveal his Profound Light Realm cultivation, a family like the Mu Family—one of Weishui’s Four Great Noble Families—would probably offer their primary daughter’s hand in marriage on the spot, afraid he might hesitate to accept.

It wasn’t just about the Profound Light Realm; it was the incredible allure of him reaching this realm at such a young age.

’On the Canglong Province’s Rising Star Chart, there are a hundred prodigies, but only twenty-seven of them have reached the Profound Light Realm!’

Chen Ping’an recalled the rankings from the latest edition of the Rising Star Chart.

Twenty-seven!

This meant that if he were to make the list, he would be ranked 28th at worst.

In the face of such a ranking, the title held by the Liu Family’s Liu Ziming as Weishui’s number one prodigy seemed utterly ridiculous!

As for the Mu Family’s Mu Feiyu...?

He had only just entered the Third Stage of Inner Qi and hadn’t even set foot on the Rising Star Chart.

Comparing Mu Feiyu to him was even more laughable!

”Prodigy?”

Chen Ping’an just smiled and said nothing.

’The Profound Light Realm...’

OMMM~

A faint Golden Light flashed across Chen Ping’an’s body.

Having entered the Profound Light Realm, breaking a sword with one’s bare hands was no empty boast.

...

Tonight, the Drunken Immortal Tower was unusually lively. As the most high-end and luxurious restaurant in White Stone City, the Drunken Immortal Tower was known for its exorbitant prices.

But tonight, the entire restaurant had been booked out.

Wealthy patrons who frequented the Drunken Immortal Tower were stopped at the main entrance and informed that the place had been fully reserved.

Most of the patrons complied and left.

However, there were a few arrogant ones, relying on their wealth, who were unhappy and tried to force their way inside.

”I’m just here for a drink! It’s not like they’re short one chair for me inside!”

However, as the patron reached the doorway and got a clear look at the scene inside, he broke out in a cold sweat.

”Th-th-this...”

”Changed your mind about forcing your way in, sir?” a servant asked with a smile.

The patron didn’t dare utter another word, scrambling away with trembling limbs.

The first floor of the Drunken Immortal Tower was filled with all sorts of people, each bearing the insignia of various factions, all in a subtle standoff.

The three great families, the Commerce Alliance... even the Garrison Commandant’s Office was present.

Who wouldn’t tremble at such a sight!

The reason they were all here was that the White Stone City Garrison Commandant’s Office was hosting a welcome banquet at the Drunken Immortal Tower for the new Deputy Commander.

...

In the largest private room on the top floor of the Drunken Immortal Tower, every seat was taken.

Chen Ping’an sat in the seat of honor, as was his due, looking down at the various factions below.

This was the second night since he had officially taken up his post. The Garrison Commandant’s Office had been remarkably efficient, sending out invitations to all the major factions on his very first day and arranging all the necessary details well in advance.

At the moment, the atmosphere in the room was pleasant enough, with representatives from the various factions smiling and toasting Chen Ping’an.

”Lord Chen, your appointment here is truly a blessing for White Stone City. Come, allow me to toast you.”

A representative from the Chu Family walked up to Chen Ping’an and proposed the toast with a beaming smile.

”Chu Clan Elder, you’re too kind,” Chen Ping’an replied with a friendly smile, accepting the toast from the Chu Family’s representative.

”Lord Chen, come, I’ll toast you as well!”

A representative from the He Family also stood up, smiling as he raised his cup.

Chen Ping’an remained perfectly amiable, returning the toast with a smile.

The atmosphere at the banquet was utterly harmonious.

However, the faces of Cheng Renjing and the others sitting beside Chen Ping’an were grim.

’This is too insulting!’

Looking around the room, not a single faction had sent their Gang Leader or Patriarch! In fact, not even a Vice Gang Leader or one of the real power elders had shown up!

The Chu Family, for instance, had merely sent a Clan Elder with a nominal title. Cheng Renjing knew for a fact that this person didn’t even rank in the top ten of the Chu Family’s hierarchy.

The Blood Oath Alliance sent a common Elder, whose power and status were also outside the top ten.

It was the same with the Song Family, the He Family, the Crocodile Gang, and the Iron Fist Gang.

This was the welcome banquet for the Deputy Commander of the White Stone City Garrison Commandant’s Office, the official second-in-command, and this was who the three great families, the Commerce Alliance, and the four major gangs sent as representatives?

And during the banquet, they even acted as if they were equals with the Lord Deputy Commander!

It was simply too humiliating!

Most critically, the Quicksand Gang, one of the four major gangs, hadn’t even sent anyone at all!

What did this make their Garrison Commandant’s Office look like!

Rage burned in Cheng Renjing’s heart; he was absolutely furious.

He glanced at the Lord Deputy Commander in the seat of honor and saw him laughing and chatting with everyone, showing no sign that anything was amiss.

’My lord!’

’These factions are humiliating you, don’t you see?’

Cheng Renjing glanced at his colleagues beside him and saw that most wore the same expression he did. On some faces, beneath the anger, he could already see faint traces of disappointment.

In a situation like this, the title of Deputy Commander didn’t just represent him personally; it represented the entire White Stone City Garrison Commandant’s Office.

In terms of official authority, the White Stone City Garrison Commandant’s Office governed all the factions, large and small, within the city.

Logically, for the welcome banquet of a new Deputy Commander of the Garrison Commandant’s Office, it would have been perfectly normal for the Patriarchs, Gang Leaders, and Alliance Leaders of the various factions to attend in person to offer their congratulations!

For these factions to send such representatives instead... the insult could not be more obvious!

’Sure, you’re the Deputy Commander of the Garrison Commandant’s Office!’

’But within our factions, you’re only worthy of dining with those ranked outside the top ten. You don’t even qualify as core leadership!’

Cheng Renjing was fuming, a knot of frustration in his chest that he desperately wanted to vent. But as he looked at the representatives seated around the room, a shiver ran through him.

’If we really have a falling out with these factions, the Garrison Commandant’s Office will probably lose what little dignity we have left!’

’If only the Garrison Commandant’s Office was stronger...’

’Right... it hasn’t been that long since what happened to the previous Deputy Commander...’

’His Lordship just arrived. What can he possibly do!?’

Cheng Renjing lowered his head as if resigning himself to his fate.