Daqian Martial Saint

”Ping’an, it’s good for a young man to be driven and have his own ideas. But sometimes, you have to learn to see the situation clearly. You should think carefully before you speak. It’s not shameful to think it over and take back what you just said. What’s shameful is saying the wrong thing or taking the wrong path. If you miss out on something important because of it, the loss will far outweigh any gain.”

”Lord Liu, this subordinate has thought it through. It is my honor to serve the Garrison Commandant’s Office, and I will certainly do my utmost,” Chen Ping’an said with a smile, his gaze revealing an unquestionable firmness.

Liu Yuanhua said nothing, simply staring at Chen Ping’an for a good long while. As he watched, he suddenly broke into a smile.

However, though he was smiling, his eyes were cold, devoid of any warmth.

”Ah, Ping’an, I know you are dazzlingly talented, making it onto the Rising Star Chart before the age of twenty-one. When it comes to natural talent, not even Ziming can compare to you! But... talent is just talent until it’s realized. The saying goes, ’what is too rigid will easily break.’ Being obstinately rigid, failing to see the situation clearly, and being inflexible... I’m afraid you won’t go far on this path.”

The smile on Chen Ping’an’s face didn’t falter, but a coldness churned within him.

’Is this... a threat?’

”What Your Lordship says is true, but this subordinate feels that everyone has their own path to walk. Just because someone else thinks a path is right doesn’t mean it’s suitable for you.”

Liu Yuanhua looked at Chen Ping’an, the smile on his face gradually fading. ”Is that so? Ping’an, have you really thought this through?”

”I have, Lord Liu. I’ve thought it through.”

”Good that you’ve thought it through!” Liu Yuanhua looked at Chen Ping’an, his face devoid of expression. ”However, I still want to offer a reminder: sometimes, hard work is important. But more often than not, choice is more important than hard work!”

”Thank you for your guidance, Lord Liu. I will be sure to take it to heart,” Chen Ping’an said.

Further talk was pointless.

The exchange between the two ended on a sour note.

In the end, Chen Ping’an had once again refused Liu Yuanhua’s attempt at recruitment.

After meeting with Liu Yuanhua, Chen Ping’an had completed all his procedures at the Weishui Garrison. All that remained was to pick up the official, sealed letter from the Dispatching Bureau, and then he could depart for White Stone City.

According to usual practice, the official letter would have already been prepared, and he should have been able to pick it up right after his meeting with Liu Yuanhua.

But today, when Chen Ping’an left Liu Yuanhua’s office and went over to the Dispatching Bureau, he was told the official letter hadn’t been stamped yet and that he should come back for it tomorrow.

As the saying goes, you don’t hit a smiling face. The official’s attitude was impeccable, so although Chen Ping’an was frustrated, he had no choice but to leave.

He knew in his heart that this was probably Liu Yuanhua’s doing.

However, all his paperwork was in order. Even if Liu Yuanhua wanted to target him, there wasn’t much he could do openly. The most he could do was stall his procedures.

Chen Ping’an was calm about it.

Leaving the Weishui Garrison, Chen Ping’an didn’t go anywhere else. He returned directly to his inn to wait until the next day to retrieve his official letter and set off for White Stone City.

He had barely set foot back in the inn when Mu Wanjun came looking for him.

Chen Ping’an hadn’t had lunch yet, so he invited Mu Wanjun to join him. After some pleasantries, Mu Wanjun apologized for what had happened that night.

”Ping’an, about what happened at the banquet that night... please don’t take it to heart.”

That day, by all rights, Chen Ping’an was a guest. But the behavior of those few young men from the Mu Family was hardly the proper way to treat a guest.

”It’s nothing!” Chen Ping’an waved his hand with a faint smile. ”It was just a small matter.”

With no one else around, their conversation was very harmonious. Mu Wanjun was also extremely shocked by the strength Chen Ping’an had displayed that night. How long had it been, yet his Cultivation had already broken through to Celestial Rain Descending Realm Perfection.

”Ping’an, if you suddenly told me one day that you’d already broken through to the Profound Light Realm, I don’t think I’d even be surprised. You... your talent is just terrifying!” Mu Wanjun said with a laugh.

”Oh, really? Wan Jun, what if I told you I’ve already reached Profound Light?”

Chen Ping’an was in the middle of eating when he heard Mu Wanjun’s words. He suddenly stopped picking at his food and looked at her.

”The Profound Light Realm? Right now?” Mu Wanjun froze, her heart skipping a beat.

But she reacted in an instant, realizing Chen Ping’an was joking. ”Ping’an, you’re too much. If everyone didn’t know how hard it is to reach the Profound Light Realm, I might have actually believed you!”

The Profound Light Realm was the Martial Arts Realm used to measure the rise and fall of a first-class influence. Its bottleneck had stopped countless martial arts geniuses. So many who had reached Celestial Rain Descending Realm Perfection failed to take even a single step into the Profound Light Realm, growing old until their hair turned white and their temples gray.

Even the most talented martial prodigy had to temper their state of mind and meticulously polish their realm before this pass. The vast majority even needed the help of external objects like Secret Treasure Medicine to condense a Seed of Profound Light and break through the Profound Light Pass.

”Hahaha...” Chen Ping’an laughed heartily.

In response, Mu Wanjun just rolled her eyes at him.

After the two finished lunch together, Mu Wanjun, who ultimately had official duties to attend to, didn’t stay long before returning to the South Town Garrison Command.

In the afternoon, Chen Ping’an stayed in his inn room, silently performing his Circulations and arduously cultivating the Vajra Unbreakable Divine Skill.

It had to be said, cultivating a Divine Skill was quite user-friendly. Each completed Circulation was equivalent to one session of Cultivation, and a flash of Cultivation Experience would streak by.

+1!

+1!

...

He had dinner sent to his room. The progress on his Vajra Unbreakable Divine Skill was quite gratifying, so Chen Ping’an naturally didn’t slack off in the slightest.

Night fell, and the moon hung high in the sky.

In the moonlight, a dark shadow vaulted directly into Chen Ping’an’s room.

Chen Ping’an had detected the intruder from the very beginning. However, he remained perfectly still, only opening his eyes after the person was completely inside the room.

”Who is it?”

”Quick reaction.”

Chen Ping’an sized up the visitor. The man’s face wasn’t covered, nor was he wearing the black garb of a night operative. Instead, he wore a blue-green robe with a longsword at his waist, giving him a heroic and extraordinary air.

”Let me introduce myself. My name is Liu Ziming.”

”Liu Ziming?” A flicker crossed Chen Ping’an’s eyes. ”What do you want?”

”The family wanted to give you one more chance. So, they had me make a trip to find you. They want to see if meeting me will make you change your mind.” Liu Ziming stood perfectly still, watching Chen Ping’an without moving.

”So, you came here to recruit me?”

”Yes.” Liu Ziming nodded. ”However, that’s the family’s idea. I don’t think it’s necessary. Because geniuses like us don’t easily change a decision once it’s made. Besides, even if the family did recruit you, it would be meaningless.”

”Oh?”

”Because you’re not as good as me! It’s not just that your rank is lower than mine. It’s also that regardless of whether you can enter the Profound Light Realm, I will break through to it before you do. The Liu Family has me, and that is enough!” Confidence flashed in Liu Ziming’s eyes.

Chen Ping’an almost felt like laughing. ”You came here in the middle of the night, losing sleep, just to tell me this?”

”Mm.”

”Are you done now?”

”I’m done.”

”Then you can go now.”

”Alright.”

The moment the word was spoken, Liu Ziming’s figure flashed, leaping out the window and vanishing from Chen Ping’an’s sight.

Staring at the now-empty room, Chen Ping’an suddenly found the situation rather amusing.

’This Liu Ziming of the Liu Family... he’s quite a character!’

’What a pity...’

’What he’s hoping for is doomed to fail.’

’Reach Profound Light before me?’

’Sorry, but I’ve already reached the Profound Light Realm!’