Daqian Martial Saint

The moment Chen Ping’an entered, Wu Lin’s expression became incredibly grim.

A man’s name, a tree’s shadow!

Mang Blade, Mang Vajra, a prodigy on the Rising Star Chart! These days, his fame thundered in one’s ears.

Even if he didn’t know how much truth there was to the story of Chen Ping’an slaying a Profound Light expert, he knew this was not someone a mere Third Gate of Inner Qi practitioner like himself could afford to trifle with.

"Chen Ping’an!"

Wu Tianqi’s expression changed instantly as well.

No matter what he had thought before, actually seeing Chen Ping’an in the flesh put him under some pressure.

However, the thought of that certain someone in the trading team calmed his nerves slightly.

"Lord Chen!" Zhong Shanyong walked up to Chen Ping’an, his face full of respect. "Wu Family Steward, Wu Tianqi, is acting with complete disregard for the law, causing a major disturbance at the Red Mill. We were just about to intervene!"

"Intervene?" Chen Ping’an glanced at him. "Zhong Shanyong, do you remember the strict order that was recently issued?"

Zhong Shanyong’s expression tightened, and he stood ramrod straight. "Replying to you, my lord, I remember! All disturbances and fighting are strictly forbidden in Five Peaks Mountain City. Violators will be punished with the utmost severity according to Daqian Law!"

"Wu Tianqi caused a disturbance. Is he willing to surrender peacefully?"

"He is not!"

"Then what does the order dictate?"

"Arrest by force. For those who stubbornly resist, deal with them on the spot!"

"If that’s the case, why haven’t you dealt with him yet!" Chen Ping’an said, his expression calm.

"Yes! This subordinate will handle it immediately!"

VMMMM—

Zhong Shanyong’s Inner Qi flared, and his figure shot toward the second floor where Wu Tianqi was.

"Stop him!" Wu Tianqi roared.

SHING!

Wu Lin flicked his long spear. Inner Qi surged at its tip, condensing into threads of razor-sharp energy. His figure flashed, moving to block Zhong Shanyong’s path.

Chen Ping’an tilted his head slightly and glanced at him.

SWOOSH!

The long blade left its sheath, unleashing a heaven-shaking glint.

A golden blade light, dozens of yards long, formed in an instant, erupting with a blinding radiance. The surrounding crowd couldn’t help but shut their eyes.

The golden blade light, carrying a might that could sunder all things, chopped down toward Wu Lin with an overwhelming, irresistible pressure.

’Not good!’

Wu Lin’s face contorted, his previous indifference impossible to maintain.

VMMMMMM—

The Inner Qi throughout his body vibrated madly. He brandished his spear, his technique causing jets of Inner Qi to shoot out as he tried with all his might to block the beam of blade light.

But...

As the golden blade light descended upon him, all his efforts were rendered futile—nothing more than a powerless struggle.

The blade light instantly devoured his figure, extinguishing all his life force.

There was no suspense, no chance for a fluke. The Tributor of the Wu Family Trading Team, a Cultivator of the Third Gate of Inner Qi, Wu Lin, was dead!

Wu Lin was dead. It was just that clean.

"Arrest by force. For those who stubbornly resist, deal with them on the spot!"

Chen Ping’an’s expression was indifferent as he sheathed his blade.

Killing a Cultivator of the Inner Qi Three Gates was like crushing an ant; it didn’t cause the slightest ripple in his emotions.

The blade light dissipated, leaving only carnage in its wake. Everyone present was aghast, utterly dumbfounded.

That strike...

"He’s dead!?"

Wu Tianqi’s eyes were wide as he stared at the mangled remains on the floor. His face was a mask of terror, and his body went so limp he nearly collapsed.

This wasn’t some nobody; this was a Martial Arts Master at the Third Gate of Inner Qi!

And just like that... he was dead?

"Steward Wu, surrender now!" Zhong Shanyong leaped up, landing in the second-floor private room. He flashed to Wu Tianqi’s side and seized him in a reverse arm-lock.

Although Wu Tianqi had also entered the Inner Qi Realm, he was barely at the level of the First Stage of Inner Qi. Coupled with the fact that he was paralyzed with terror, he had naturally lost all will to resist.

"Lord Chen’s strike just now... that world-shocking blade light, so utterly devastating... this is..."

Zhong Shanyong looked at the scene outside and the long, deep gash left on the floor, his face filled with profound shock.

"The might of a peak Profound Light expert!"

Though his own experience was limited, he knew that to kill a Third Gate of Inner Qi expert in a single blow was impossible even for a veteran practitioner at the Initial Realm of Profound Light.

’So, Lord Chen’s combat prowess...’

Zhong Shanyong didn’t dare to think further, his eyes glinting with sheer terror.

It wasn’t just Zhong Shanyong who was terrified; it was everyone else present as well. After Chen Ping’an’s strike killed Wu Lin, the crowd’s courage vanished, leaving no will to fight.

With the intervention of the Garrison Commandant’s Office constables, the situation was quickly brought under control.

"My lord." Zhong Shanyong came before Chen Ping’an with his head bowed and hands clasped. His face was a picture of visible humility and awe. "How should we deal with this Wu Tianqi?"

"Lock him in the main prison. After a thorough interrogation, hang him from the city walls and list his crimes for all to see, as a warning to others!"

"Yes, my lord!" Zhong Shanyong replied respectfully.

To be hung from the city walls was an immense insult! Wu Tianqi was a member of the Wu Family, and the Wu Family was one of the more prominent Noble Families in Earth Fire County.

Before, Zhong Shanyong might have asked if Lord Chen’s actions were perhaps too severe.

After all, doing so would surely incur the Wu Family’s grave dissatisfaction, perhaps even their wrath, making them sworn enemies.

But now, Zhong Shanyong didn’t ask a thing. ’Lord Chen must have his reasons, and I just need to follow orders.’

’My lord is a man of great foresight; he can’t be wrong!’

"Chen Ping’an, you’ll regret this! The Wu Family will not let you go!" From nearby, Wu Tianqi screamed and cursed, struggling so hard that the two Qi Blood masters holding him nearly lost their grip.

Clearly, Wu Tianqi had heard Chen Ping’an’s sentence.

By now, he had recovered from his initial shock. While his position as a Steward for the Wu Family Trading Team was certainly due to his bloodline, he did possess some ability of his own.

He had already thought things through. This whole mess was a mistake made while drunk. Since things had escalated this far, there was no chance for a compromise. So, he would have to try a different approach: brandishing the Wu Family’s name as a threat might just be his only way out.

"Hm?" Chen Ping’an’s gaze fell upon Wu Tianqi.

Zhong Shanyong noticed Chen Ping’an’s expression and, fearing his lord was about to get angry, was about to wave his men to drag Wu Tianqi away.

"It’s fine. Bring him here."

"Yes, my lord."

Zhong Shanyong waved to the two men. Wu Tianqi was brought before Chen Ping’an.

"You just said I would regret this?" Chen Ping’an watched Wu Tianqi quietly, his expression unreadable.

"Yes, regret! You will definitely regret this!" Wu Tianqi’s eyes lit up, a flicker of hope igniting in his heart. ’He wouldn’t waste his breath on me for no reason. Since he’s talking to me now, he must be looking for a way to de-escalate.’

"My Wu Family is a respected family in Earth Fire County. If you really hang me from the city walls, you’ll be slapping the Wu Family in the face. It will certainly provoke our dissatisfaction and wrath. My family has an Absolute Master holding the fort. If their anger were to be unleashed, I dare ask, would you not be afraid, my lord?

"So, my lord, why not just let me go? I promise, if you let me go, I won’t tell my family a thing about this. I can act like nothing ever happened. What’s more, if you release me, I can compensate you with a huge sum of silver coins! Major Medicine, Treasure Materials, just name your price!" Wu Tianqi said in a rambling torrent, his eyes glinting with hope.

"Those terms of yours are quite tempting!" A smile touched Chen Ping’an’s lips. "But there’s one thing I’m very curious about. I’d like to ask you."

Seeing the smile on Chen Ping’an’s face, Wu Tianqi’s hope grew even stronger. He hurriedly said, "Please ask, my lord."

"You say that hanging you from the city wall will provoke the dissatisfaction and wrath of the Wu Family. But you neglect to mention that your causing a disturbance in this city has already provoked *my* dissatisfaction and wrath!"

At this, the smile on Chen Ping’an’s face widened as his gaze fell upon Wu Tianqi.

"Wu Tianqi, you have the Wu Family at your back, and you ask if I fear them? But I have the entire Daqian Empire at my back. So I’d like to ask you: why not ask if the Wu Family fears *me*?"

The moment Chen Ping’an’s words fell, Wu Tianqi’s expression changed, his face instantly turning the color of dead ash.

Why not ask if the Wu Family fears me?

The sentence echoed endlessly in his mind.

"Drag him away! Deal with him according to the law!" Chen Ping’an waved his hand dismissively.

"Yes." The crowd replied in unison, their gazes toward Chen Ping’an now filled with even greater reverence.

"No! No! You can’t do this to me! You can’t afford to face the wrath of the Wu Family!"

Amid his shrill screams, Wu Tianqi was dragged away.