Daqian Martial Saint

Inside the private room, the crowd was talking and laughing, creating a lively scene.

The Deputy Commander of the Garrison Commandant’s Office, Chen Ping’an, was all smiles, seemingly oblivious to anything amiss.

’He really is just a boy!’

Looking at Chen Ping’an’s appearance, Chu Dingkang, a Chu Clan Elder, felt his heart settle.

After this test, the representatives of the various powers present now had a clear idea. It seemed this new Deputy Commander was soft and easily bullied. ’In the power struggles to come, there will be plenty of room to maneuver!’

Just as everyone was raising their cups and exchanging toasts, someone from outside the door announced news.

”Protector Uncle Gu of the Quicksand Gang has arrived to pay his respects!”

”Oh? So Uncle Gu has arrived?”

Chu Dingkang set down his wine cup, a faint smile on his face as he looked toward the door.

”It’s Uncle Gu?”

”Hahaha... The Quicksand Gang certainly has some nerve!”

”This is getting interesting!”

The others present also watched with great interest to see what would happen next.

Upon hearing who had arrived from the Quicksand Gang, the expressions of Cheng Renjing and the other men from the Garrison Commandant’s Office grew even uglier.

Uncle Gu, a Protector of the Quicksand Gang!

He was considered part of the Quicksand Gang’s upper echelon, but he couldn’t break into the core circle!

Most importantly, Uncle Gu had not even stepped into the Inner Qi Realm!

Although the Gang Leaders and Patriarchs of the other powers hadn’t come to pay respects in person, the representatives they sent were, at the very least, Martial Arts Masters who had entered the Inner Qi Realm!

But the Quicksand Gang? Not only were they late, but the representative they sent was merely in the Qi Blood Realm!

This was a slap in the face to the Garrison Commandant’s Office, and it stung.

From outside the private room, a short, stout, middle-aged man entered. It was indeed the Quicksand Gang’s Protector, Uncle Gu.

After entering the room, Uncle Gu didn’t greet Chen Ping’an first. Instead, he turned to the representatives of the several powers present and greeted them one by one.

”Elder Chu!”

”He Family Elder!”

”Elder Song!”

”...”

Uncle Gu’s actions amused the representatives of the major powers present.

’The Quicksand Gang really is arrogant!’

Their own probing was already pushing the boundaries. They never expected the Quicksand Gang to do something even more outrageous.

’This is interesting!’

They, too, wanted to see how the new Deputy Commander would react.

Only after greeting all the representatives did Uncle Gu finally stand still, cup his fists, and give Chen Ping’an a slight bow.

”Uncle Gu greets the Deputy Commander!”

Before he had even completed the gesture of respect, without waiting for Chen Ping’an’s response, Uncle Gu hastily withdrew his hands.

”You!”

Cheng Renjing couldn’t stop himself from slamming the table and jumping to his feet.

”Uncle Gu!”

An inspector from the Garrison Commandant’s Office with the surname Pang, sitting beside Cheng Renjing, also couldn’t help but shout a reprimand.

A sloppy greeting, casual demeanor, and not a single word about being late!

With these actions, Uncle Gu was showing absolutely no regard for their Garrison Commandant’s Office.

”It’s fine!” Chen Ping’an waved his hand at the two men.

”My lord!” Cheng Renjing was furious, but seeing Chen Ping’an just look at him without a word, he could only sit back down, aggrieved.

Chen Ping’an looked at Uncle Gu with a kind smile. ”All who come are guests! Please, have a seat!”

”Thank you, Deputy Commander!” Uncle Gu gave another perfunctory cupped-fist salute, showing not an ounce of reverence, and casually found an empty seat.

”Hahaha, the Lord Commander is truly magnanimous! I am impressed!” Chu Dingkang was all smiles as he gave a token gesture of respect.

”Indeed! The Lord Commander doesn’t sweat the small stuff. A true model for our generation!”

”With Lord Chen here in White Stone City, we can surely subdue the petty criminals from all corners and ensure peace and stability!”

”Hahaha... It’s true! It’s true! I truly admire Lord Chen’s character!”

”Seeing the Lord Commander’s magnanimity, we can’t help but feel a sense of admiration.”

The other family representatives all chimed in with praise, though it was impossible to tell if they were being sarcastic or sincere.

The faces of Cheng Renjing and his men grew even darker. Cheng Renjing himself, in particular, was practically turning pale then green, clearly suppressing extreme frustration. If Chen Ping’an weren’t still there, he would have slammed the table and stormed out.

”You’re too kind, you’re too kind.” Facing everyone’s praise, Chen Ping’an accepted it all with a placid smile.

”Come, Lord Commander, let me toast you!” The atmosphere in the room returned to normal, as if nothing had happened. A representative raised his cup for a toast, a broad smile on his face, but his heart was filled with contempt.

No doubt, after tonight, the major powers of White Stone City would reach a consensus: the new Deputy Commander was a pushover who could be molded into any shape they pleased.

With a new Deputy Commander of the Garrison Commandant’s Office appointed, it was customary for each family to present a congratulatory gift. As the banquet drew to a close, the representatives present offered their gifts one by one.

The value of the gift often represented the level of importance given to the host. For a welcome banquet for the second-in-command of the Garrison Commandant’s Office, a giant of the city, especially at a first meeting, a gift worth less than five hundred taels of silver would be utterly unacceptable. In other places, if the Garrison Commandant’s Office was particularly powerful, presenting a lavish gift worth a thousand taels would be perfectly normal.

However, when it came to Chen Ping’an, most of the gifts from the representatives present didn’t exceed three hundred taels. The gift from the Quicksand Gang’s Uncle Gu was even more insulting.

A common folding fan. The only thing of value on it was the attached Jade Pearl.

But no matter how you calculated it, its value couldn’t possibly exceed one hundred taels!

”Deputy Commander, with your soft and delicate appearance, this fan suits you perfectly! If you weren’t wearing that Fish Scale Armor, I would have thought you were a scholar.”

A smile hung on Uncle Gu’s face, laced with a hint of mockery.

’Deputy Commander?’

’Pah!’

’My Quicksand Gang doesn’t recognize you. Who the hell do you think you are!’

’Even if I only give you a folding fan, you have to accept it with a smile!’

As soon as Uncle Gu finished speaking, the few people standing near him couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

”Hearing Uncle Gu put it that way, it really is a perfect fit!”

”Lord Commander, if you carry this fan, you’ll look skilled in both literature and martial arts!”

Their words were dripping with sarcasm.

”Lord Commander, this is a fine fan! Look at the mountain-and-water ink wash painting on it. It has such an artistic flair!” Chu Dingkang said with a faint smile.

After tonight’s affair, the new Deputy Commander’s prestige had been utterly demolished by them!

Judging by Uncle Gu’s reaction, the Quicksand Gang’s provocation was now completely out in the open.

The Chu Family’s mission for him was to act according to the situation. The main goal was to test the new Deputy Commander’s reaction without excessively damaging the harmony between the Chu Family and the Garrison Commandant’s Office.

Today, he had prepared three gifts in total: one worth three thousand taels, one worth a thousand taels, and one worth four hundred taels.

The gift he presented tonight was the last one!

Chen Ping’an leaned forward as he listened to Chu Dingkang speak. ”Oh, is that so? Let me see!”

Chen Ping’an’s gaze fell on the folding fan in Uncle Gu’s hand. At that very same moment, a cold glint of light suddenly flashed.

SWISH!

Uncle Gu’s head suddenly flew into the air. After reaching its apex, it plummeted down, tumbling and rolling across the floor. The rolling head still wore an expression of contempt and mockery.

Chen Ping’an’s expression was calm as he took the fan from Uncle Gu’s still-warm hand. He examined it for a moment, then nodded at Chu Dingkang. ”Mm, it really does have quite an artistic flair. Elder Chu has good taste!”