Daqian Martial Saint

What!?

Looking at the young man who had appeared out of nowhere, Guan Yu Ping felt a chill shoot down his spine, and every hair on his body stood on end.

’When did he get here?’

’How did he get so close without me noticing a thing!’

”Chen Ping’an!”

Wan Yuanze immediately called out Chen Ping’an’s name.

”My lord, this is Chen Ping’an!”

Guan Yu Ping sized up Chen Ping’an with a mix of shock and suspicion. This was his first time truly laying eyes on the man, and he hadn’t expected such a startling surprise. He hadn’t felt a thing as Chen Ping’an approached.

Chen Ping’an looked at the two men, a harmless smile gracing his features.

”Lord Guan, a pleasure to meet you for the first time! Allow me to introduce myself: Chen Ping’an, Outer Trade Road Patrol Deputy Envoy. I’ve been wanting to meet you for a long time, but it’s a shame you were always either busy with official duties or experiencing a sudden flash of inspiration, forcing you into seclusion. I’ve come to Five Peaks Mountain City twice now, yet never managed to step through your door. I never imagined we’d finally meet like this.”

Guan Yu Ping sized him up again but couldn’t find anything unusual about him.

’The Third Stage of Inner Qi, Celestial Rain Descending Realm Perfection! Yes, that’s his Martial Arts Realm!’

Guan Yu Ping confirmed it again and again, but always came to the same conclusion. Discovering that Chen Ping’an had not yet entered the Profound Light Realm, he couldn’t help but relax slightly.

’As long as his strength hasn’t exceeded my expectations, everything is still manageable!’

’As for how he managed to sneak up on me, I’ll find out soon enough. I just have to capture him and ask.’

”Chen Ping’an! You’ve got some nerve!” Guan Yu Ping’s aura suddenly flared. ”You mobilized the garrison constables without my permission and even executed a colleague in broad daylight! Tell me, what is the punishment for such a crime?”

SHING!

Wan Yuanze drew the curved blade from his waist, ready to strike at a moment’s notice.

His Martial Arts Realm had also reached the Third Stage of Inner Qi, cultivated to Celestial Rain Descending Realm Perfection. He felt little pressure facing this Deputy Envoy, Chen Ping’an.

In fact, he looked eager for a fight.

”What punishment I deserve?” The smile on Chen Ping’an’s face faded as he slowly stepped toward the two men. ”Lord Guan, shouldn’t I be the one asking that question?”

”Oh?” An unfathomable chill surfaced in the depths of Guan Yu Ping’s eyes.

”Lord Guan, you’ve long neglected your post to indulge in the pleasures of Five Peaks Mountain City. A Celestial Net Sect stronghold has been entrenched within your patrol zone for some time, yet you were completely oblivious. That is dereliction of duty and a failure of your inspection patrols. I filed one report after another on these critical matters, yet you ignored them all. That is holding a position without performing your duties! Your crimes are too numerous to list!

So I ask you, Lord Guan, what punishment do *you* deserve!?”

”They call you Mang Blade for your reckless ways, but I think you’re just a silver-tongued liar, twisting right and wrong!” Guan Yu Ping’s aura began to swell, and a faint light flickered between his brows.

”You, my Deputy Envoy, have defied my orders. When a colleague tried to reason with you as per protocol, you flew into a rage and murdered him. You are utterly lawless! For these two transgressions alone, you have no defense! Today, I will enforce military law and subdue you!”

SWOOSH!

Guan Yu Ping’s figure blurred as he brandished his Dual Blades. He swung them in a crisscrossing pattern, weaving an impenetrable net of light that descended upon Chen Ping’an.

The light from the blades flickered, carrying a deadly glint.

Guan Yu Ping was in no mood to waste any more words with Chen Ping’an. Since there was no one else around, he would subdue him first and deal with the consequences later!

Guan Yu Ping held nothing back in this strike. His Dual Blades, one long and one short, unleashed the full subtlety of his Mandarin Duck Combined Blade Technique.

Forget an Inner Qi Realm cultivator; even an ordinary Profound Light Realm master would likely fall in bitter defeat before the web of blade light woven by this technique.

As the net of blade light bore down on him, Chen Ping’an simply stood there, seemingly oblivious.

”Die!”

A victorious smile had already appeared on Guan Yu Ping’s face.

SLASH!

A flash of blade light streaked before Guan Yu Ping’s eyes, and a long, thin line of blood appeared on his body.

THUD!

His momentum carried him forward, and Guan Yu Ping’s body fell heavily to the ground. His eyes were wide with shock as his Dual Blades clattered to the floor. He subconsciously clutched his throat, but blood gushed like a fountain from between his fingers.

”Ghk... ghk...”

Guan Yu Ping’s breaths came in ragged, hoarse gasps, like a broken bellows. He stared fixedly at the young man before him, his eyes filled with shock and disbelief as a torrent of thoughts flooded his mind.

’Profound Light Penetrating Objects, Armor Unlost, an Absolute Master... Such a young Absolute Master... I’ve made a terrible mistake...’

BOOM!

With another flash of blade light, Guan Yu Ping’s body completely exploded into a mist of blood.

Most of the power from the first slash had been blocked by Guan Yu Ping’s Dual Blades; only a single wisp of blade light had managed to slit his throat. Against the second slash, however, Guan Yu Ping had no power left to resist, and the immense force completely annihilated him.

The Outer Trade Road Patrol Envoy, Guan Yu Ping, was dead!

”He had some skill. No wonder he was so arrogant. I’ll give him this: he barely managed to block my first strike.” The stench of blood filled the air as Chen Ping’an slowly turned his head.

In that direction, Wan Yuanze was fleeing into the distance like a terrified fawn.

At that moment, Wan Yuanze’s heart was filled with terror. The image of Guan Yu Ping exploding into a mist of blood replayed endlessly in his mind. He never could have imagined that Guan Yu Ping’s attack would lead to such an end.

’An Absolute Master! He’s actually an Absolute Master! What kind of monster is he!?’

A torrent of similar thoughts flooded Wan Yuanze’s mind, driving him into a frenzy. His Inner Qi surged throughout his body as he desperately tried to flee.

’Run! Run! Run!’

Guan Yu Ping’s death and the absolute disparity in their strength had extinguished any will to fight. He could only think of one thing: escape as far away as possible!

Watching Wan Yuanze, who had already put some distance between them, Chen Ping’an drew the Cold Iron Long Spear from his back.

VMMMM—

A Golden Light trembled between his brows. Chen Ping’an gripped the long spear and hurled it forward with immense force!

WHOOSH!

The long spear tore through the air, becoming a streak of an afterimage that instantly caught up to the fleeing Wan Yuanze.

”No!”

With Wan Yuanze’s heart-rending shriek, the long spear pierced through his body, pinning him firmly to the ground.

SWOOSH!

Chen Ping’an’s figure blurred, and he appeared in front of Wan Yuanze. By now, Wan Yuanze was barely breathing. He used all his remaining strength to lift his head and look at the young man before him, the scene of their first meeting flashing through his mind.

’ ”Lord Chen, these flashes of inspiration... who can say when they’ll strike? It’s just a coincidence! I’m afraid we’ll have to trouble you to head back for now.” ’

’ ”As for how long Lord Guan will be in seclusion, I really couldn’t say. Maybe ten days, maybe a month, maybe even three months! There’s no telling!” ’

’...’

Wan Yuanze stared at the absurdly young face before him, his own expression twisting into one of madness.

”An Absolute Master under twenty-one... ranked ninety-first on the Rising Star Chart? HAHAHAHA... Wrong! We were all so wrong! A peerless genius... HAHAHA...”

Chen Ping’an looked down at the delirious Wan Yuanze and broke into a wide grin.

”Lord Wan, see you in the next life!”

BOOM!

With a final explosive sound, Wan Yuanze’s consciousness plunged into endless darkness.

Wan Yuanze was dead!