Daqian Martial Saint

“Sir, if we follow this Luohua Ridge mountain path, we’ll reach the Sanqi Mountain garrison in about a day.”

A burly man, built like a black bear and mounted on a tall horse, reported in a low voice.

“Mm.” Chen Ping’an’s expression was calm as he nodded slightly.

The Sanqi Mountain garrison was their destination. A large number of elite constables were gathered there, relentlessly conducting sweeping operations to encircle and suppress the enemy.

They had set out several days ago, traveling day and night, and were now on the verge of reaching the Sanqi Mountain garrison. Although the Luohua Ridge path was rugged and winding, it was a shortcut. Taking any other route would have cost them at least an extra day.

Speed was paramount on this reinforcement mission, so Chen Ping’an naturally wouldn’t allow for any unnecessary delays.

“Sir, we’ve been on the road for a while. Would you like some water?” the burly man asked, a fawning smile on his face as he looked at Chen Ping’an with eager eyes.

This bear of a man was aptly named Xiong Sanrang. He was a Candidate for Commander-in-Chief of the Weishui Garrison. Of the four Profound Light Realm masters on this mission, he was the strongest, his Martial Arts Realm having already reached the Profound Light Middle Realm.

Xiong Sanrang might have looked rough and simple, but he was actually quite shrewd. Otherwise, a man with no connections would have had a hard time climbing to his current position.

Xiong Sanrang had long wanted to get on the good side of a Deputy Commander-in-Chief with a limitless future like Chen Ping’an. He certainly wasn’t going to miss this rare opportunity to accompany him. He had been overly attentive and fawning the entire journey.

With their level of cultivation, they were far beyond ordinary people. Even after several days of arduous travel over long distances, their energy remained abundant, completely unaffected.

Of course, the horses deserved much of the credit. If they had relied on their own strength for long-distance travel, they would have been just as fast, but the prolonged exertion would have taken an immense toll on their minds and stamina, making it difficult to maintain peak combat readiness.

Chen Ping’an didn’t reject Xiong Sanrang’s attempt to curry favor, merely nodding. ‘Sometimes a superior has to let his subordinates prove their worth,’ he thought.

Xiong Sanrang’s face lit up at Chen Ping’an’s response, and he eagerly offered him a waterskin.

Chen Ping’an took the waterskin and tilted his head back. Just as he was about to down the cool water, the Brow Heart Spiritual Light between his eyes flickered faintly.

‘Someone’s here?’

A glint flashed in Chen Ping’an’s eyes as he gazed into the distance. His sight seemed to penetrate the rolling mountain peaks, fixing on an unseen source.

Just a moment ago, he had sensed several unfamiliar auras. Though they were expertly concealed and difficult for most to detect, they could not escape his perception.

After reaching the Mid-Jade Balance Stage, Chen Ping’an’s senses had become even more acute. Even without actively probing, his perceptive abilities were terrifyingly sharp.

“Sir, what’s wrong?” Xiong Sanrang asked from the side, having noticed Chen Ping’an’s sudden stillness.

“It’s nothing.” Chen Ping’an retracted his gaze and downed the water.

The column moved forward along the rugged mountain path. As the highest-ranking officer, Chen Ping’an was positioned about a third of the way into the formation.

Elite constables scouted ahead and guarded the rear, with more protecting his flanks. If the path weren’t so narrow, the honor guard surrounding him would have been even larger.

As the column advanced, the auras their enemies were trying so desperately to hide became increasingly clear to Chen Ping’an.

‘One at the Profound Light High Realm, three at the Profound Light Initial Realm, and five at the Inner Qi Three Gates.’

‘Judging by their numbers, are they planning an ambush?’ A flicker of amusement appeared in Chen Ping’an’s eyes.

‘This isn’t nearly enough strength to pose a threat.’

…

Blood Demon Hammer Shi Tianpo did his utmost to conceal his aura, his bloodshot eyes fixed on the approaching column.

‘They have us outnumbered, so we can’t afford a prolonged battle. Once we kill Chen Ping’an, we retreat immediately!’

Watching the column draw ever closer, Shi Tianpo grew impatient.

‘Mang Blade Chen Ping’an is a prodigy of the Garrison Commandant’s Office, ranked fifth among its rising stars. If I can kill him here, it will be a monumental achievement! The rewards from the sect will be immense!’

At this thought, the Profound Light between Shi Tianpo’s brows flickered, and he burned with the desire to kill Chen Ping’an on the spot.

The vanguard of the column passed the ambush point, but Shi Tianpo remained still, merely tightening his grip on his Blood Demon Hammer. When a third of the formation had gone by, he let out a thunderous roar and shot into the sky.

“Now!”

At the same time, numerous masters from the Ten Thousand Demons Sect sprang into action, brandishing their weapons as they charged down toward the column.

Their target was clear, and they all charged toward Chen Ping’an’s position.

The Garrison Commandant’s Office party, while lacking an Absolute Master, had superior numbers. If the ambushers were drawn into a prolonged fight, their defeat was certain. However, they held the advantage of terrain. On the narrow path, their opponents couldn’t bring their numbers to bear all at once. The ambushers just needed to seize the moment, tie up Chen Ping’an’s guards, and buy time for Elder Shi. As long as Elder Shi succeeded, they could retreat immediately without being surrounded, achieving their objective with minimal losses.

“The audacity! To ambush the Garrison Commandant’s Office!” Xiong Sanrang roared in fury as Profound Light pulsed from his entire body.

The sudden ambush had caught him completely unprepared. He never imagined anyone would dare to attack a Garrison Commandant’s Office column, especially one full of elites.