Daqian Martial Saint

’As expected, you can’t believe everything you read. Past achievements can be a reference, but they should never be the only metric for judgment.’ Chen Ping’an swiftly processed this new information, internalizing the lesson.

’A public reputation doesn’t always reflect true strength. War is a deadly affair, and a little more caution is always warranted. Who knew if the next person he met would be some underhanded bastard, playing the wolf in sheep’s clothing.’

As his status rose and he met more people, he was bound to encounter all sorts of personalities.

There would be cunning schemers, reckless fools, and wise, steady veterans...

If he wanted to go further than any of them and live the best life, his Golden Finger Panel offered him hope for the future—a fundamental advantage that no one else possessed. But that advantage wasn’t everything.

He was no Child of Fortune, and he didn’t have an endless margin for error. The people he would face were a diverse and bizarre lot. Everyone had their own agenda and unique quirks. There were old monsters who had lived for centuries, scions of prestigious families with powerful backing, and heirs to factions with legacies spanning millennia. To get ahead of them all, to truly reach the absolute pinnacle, he still had so much to learn.

A single misstep could lead to irreversible doom. Every move he made was like treading on thin ice.

The clash between the three Mid-Jade Balance Stage Grandmasters, Feng Wuhen’s explosive display of power, and Situ Ba’s death had a profound impact on Chen Ping’an. And after some contemplation, this impact would solidify into valuable experience.

Some people live for a long time, yet their experiences are simple. Others, though not old, are rich in experience. And it is these people—those who think diligently and are good at summarizing their takeaways—who are often more likely to succeed.

”Qingchan.”

Just as Chen Ping’an was lost in thought, a delighted voice called out from the distance. Chen Ping’an turned to see a strikingly handsome man with sharp, sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes striding quickly toward them. With every step, he crossed a distance of several yards, his movements appearing exceptionally graceful and stylish.

The Cloud Concealed Sword, Feng Wuhen!

”Are you alright?” Feng Wuhen quickly reached Gu Qingchan’s side, his face etched with concern.

”Lord Feng.” Seeing Feng Wuhen approach, Zhong Zeyu hurriedly offered a cupped-fist salute. Chen Ping’an, standing to the side, did the same.

Feng Wuhen was an Honored Guest Elder for the Canglong Province Garrison Command and, more importantly, a veteran Grandmaster at the Mid-Jade Balance Stage. It was only right and proper that they greet him with respect.

Feng Wuhen didn’t spare the two men a single glance, his eyes fixed on Gu Qingchan from start to finish. Having just heavily wounded a Mid-Jade Balance Stage Grandmaster from the Ten Thousand Demons Sect and achieved a great deed, he was positively beaming with pride.

”Lord Feng.” Gu Qingchan lifted her star-like eyes, her expression placid.

”Qingchan, we’ve known each other since we were children. You don’t have to be so formal. Just call me Wuhen,” Feng Wuhen said softly, his face full of expectation.

Gu Qingchan’s eyes were cold and her reaction was flat. She didn’t answer.

Seeing this, Feng Wuhen was disappointed but tried to keep the conversation going.

”Qingchan, about this encirclement...”

Feng Wuhen proceeded to shower Gu Qingchan with solicitous questions about her well-being.

Chen Ping’an and Zhong Zeyu stood to the side, not uttering a word. Zhong Zeyu didn’t dare interrupt a Grandmaster. Chen Ping’an, however, had his head in the clouds, already contemplating the matter of the Thousand Mechanism Bags.

’The haul is guaranteed to include at least one Divine Weapon, which is already more than my entire net worth. I wonder what goodies are in the two Thousand Mechanism Bags. A Cultivation Technique? Yuan Crystals? A Major Medicine? Treasure Pills? Or...’

As Chen Ping’an contemplated his spoils, he didn’t really tune into their conversation. By the time he came back to his senses, he saw that Gu Qingchan had already drifted away, her expression cold and distant.

’Why’d that girl just up and leave!?’

Chen Ping’an was a little confused. Though he’d been standing right there, he hadn’t really paid attention to their conversation. It seemed Feng Wuhen had complimented Gu Qingchan on how beautiful her dress was, and her reaction had suddenly turned very cold. They’d chatted for a few more moments, but things apparently went sour, and Gu Qingchan had simply walked away.

”Qingchan, wait for me! I’ll go with you!” Feng Wuhen had just been rebuffed by Gu Qingchan and looked displeased, but seeing the beautiful lady walk away, he forced a smile and brazenly chased after her.

’Ugh, what a simp!’

Chen Ping’an glanced at Feng Wuhen’s fawning expression and couldn’t help but roast him internally. ’This Cloud Concealed Sword is nothing like I imagined. Aren’t Sword Masters like him supposed to be proud and cool? The kind who attracts hordes of fangirls just by standing there? How did Feng Wuhen manage to become such a complete simp?’

’All that skill, and he can’t even talk to a girl. What about his EQ? His emotional intelligence!’

’The battle just ended, and he’s complimenting her dress. Does she need *you* to tell her it’s beautiful?!’

’Then again...’

’Gu Qingchan’s flowing, light-blue dress really does suit her temperament. Hmm, it actually does look better than the last one she wore.’

As Chen Ping’an was thinking this, another image surfaced in his mind.

Gu Qingchan, kneeling on the ground in all her bewitching charm, her face filled with longing. Her lips were slightly parted as she stared at him with pleading eyes. Her dress was tattered, revealing her fair, jade-like legs...

Zhong Zeyu glanced at Feng Wuhen’s retreating back, then at the perfectly composed Chen Ping’an beside him, and couldn’t help but shake his head.

’The difference between people is truly staggering.’

...

With the battle at Blood Flame Cave, the Ten Thousand Demons Grandmasters were all annihilated, and the remaining elites routed, scattering in every direction. In such a situation, the rest of the encirclement became much easier.

This Ten Thousand Demons stronghold had long been sealed tight, leaving the Ten thousand Demons’ Remnants with nowhere to escape. Through the coordinated efforts of the elite encirclement forces, the remnants of the Ten Thousand Demons Sect’s Sanqi Mountain stronghold were swept clean.

After two more days of mop-up operations, the encirclement of the Ten Thousand Demons was a resounding success. The only unfortunate part was that not much of value was left inside the stronghold. Things like intelligence files were out of the question; they had already been utterly destroyed by the Ten Thousand Demon Thieves.

This was a common outcome in such large-scale, blanket-style encirclements. When the Demon Sect thieves inside a stronghold saw no hope of escape, they would resort to taking everything down with them.

This time, the enemy had attempted several breakouts but had been intercepted each time. Even though they caused a commotion on the perimeter, they did not get what they wanted. For this victory, however, the Garrison Commandant’s Office paid a heavy price.

Breaking Army Saber Situ Ba, for instance, had died here. A considerable number of other Grandmasters were also injured, some lightly, some severely. For the most serious cases, their future on the path of the Martial Dao was effectively finished. On top of that, countless Absolute Masters, Profound Light Realm experts, and Inner Qi Realm practitioners had been lost.

After the encirclement concluded, Chen Ping’an met with Gu Qingchan again and asked about Chen Erya’s situation. He was delighted to learn that Chen Erya had settled down in the State City. Next, with the Gu Family’s help, the little girl would enroll in the Canglong State City academy and start learning new things.

”Thank you, Elder Gu. I’m leaving my sister in your care,” Chen Ping’an said, beaming as he gave a deep, cupped-fist salute.

’This young woman is quite reliable, getting things done so quickly. With her looking after my sister, I doubt she’ll suffer any grievances in Canglong State City.’

”There’s no need for such formalities. You benefited greatly from your breakthrough during this battle. Go home and cultivate diligently. Strive to break through the pass and achieve the rank of Grandmaster soon,” Gu Qingchan encouraged him.

Chen Ping’an readily agreed. They exchanged a few more words, and then Gu Qingchan closed her clear eyes, speaking no more.

Seeing this, Chen Ping’an naturally took the hint and excused himself to leave.

A long while later, Gu Qingchan opened her eyes and let out a soft sigh.

”’Horizontal Body Training, a divine Finger Technique, a peerless Body Technique... who could he be?’”

This was the conclusion she had reached after several days of reflection, based on the subtle clues at the scene.

The death of Situ Ba was no small matter. She remembered that person’s words and had not revealed his existence. As for the death of the man in the gray robe, she had also complied with his wishes and taken the credit for herself. Although she had received merit for this, it also brought her some criticism.

When a man like Situ Ba died, he should have left some belongings behind. But a thorough search revealed nothing. As someone who had witnessed the event firsthand, the possibility that Gu Qingchan had taken Situ Ba’s effects was extremely high. It was a suspicion she could not easily clear.

Gu Qingchan had her own unspoken troubles regarding the matter. She knew what had happened but couldn’t explain it to anyone. Fortunately, her prestige was at its peak and she had just performed a great deed, so no one dared to use this as a pretext to question her.

HUMMM~

A blue light shimmered, and a simple, gray linen shirt materialized in Gu Qingchan’s hands. She lowered her head and bit her lip, her expression complex, pressing the garment tightly to her chest as if to meld it into her heart.

It had been but a fleeting encounter, yet it felt as if they had known each other for a thousand years, as if they had crossed countless cycles of destiny. The feeling was inexpressibly profound.

”’Will we... ever meet again?’”