Daqian Martial Saint

Fang Qixian sneered, looking at the wretched figure of Chen Ping’an before him.

Though Chen Ping’an said nothing, his actions moments ago were telling. Fang Qixian was ninety-nine percent sure that this was the man who had murdered Rui’Er.

He wouldn’t have come here tonight without first conducting a thorough investigation into Chen Ping’an.

Not yet twenty-one years old, yet he had already stepped into the Third Stage of Inner Qi, the level of Celestial Rain Falling on the Crown.

He cultivated a Superior Saber Skill, which had almost certainly reached the Perfection Level. His draw carried the Gale Intent, suggesting it was the Gale Saber Technique of the Shadowless Blade Sect.

He practiced a Superior Leg Technique, blending feints with solid strikes—likely the Lightweight Eight Steps Chasing Cicada. He also used a Superior Palm Technique; its power was immense, his palms like iron, strong enough to clash with blades. It had to be the Superior Palm Technique, the Great Vajra Palm.

His past battle record hinted at a background in the Iron Cloth Shirt. His personal history indicated he had acquired a Horizontal Training Method—the Thirteen Grand Protectors’ Horizontal Training—with the help of Mu Wanjun from the South Town Garrison Command. He had also bought a Superior Hard Skill for Inner and Outer Cultivation from the Inner City Ruyi Treasure Pavilion: the Golden Bell Shield!

In addition, he wore a sword at his waist. Though Fang Qixian had never seen him use it, various clues suggested he also practiced a Superior Sword Skill, the Flying Star Swordsmanship, though his level of mastery was unknown.

Fang Qixian knew all this and more.

He wasn’t some reckless, wet-behind-the-ears youth who let his emotions control him, rushing out for revenge the moment anger flared.

How many powerful figures throughout history had been brought down by simple carelessness?

’Only by controlling my emotions, by not letting them rule me, can I avenge Rui’Er!’

As they say, know your enemy and know yourself, and you will never be defeated. Before coming here, he had already devised a complete strategy.

He had a detailed plan for everything: not just how to kill Chen Ping’an, but how to execute the act and how to handle the cleanup afterward.

After all, Chen Ping’an was a man of the Weishui Garrison, and he was on the verge of assuming the high-ranking post of Deputy Commander. To kill him openly would invite endless repercussions.

That was why, initially, he hadn’t planned to reveal his Profound Light Realm strength. He intended to use the power of an expert at Inner Qi Third Level Perfection to assassinate his target under the cover of night, finishing him off in one fell swoop.

That way, even if the Weishui Garrison investigated the matter, he would have plenty of room to maneuver.

But he never expected Chen Ping’an to be hiding his true strength. So young, yet he had already reached the Perfect Third Level of Inner Qi. Moreover, his reflexes were sharp and his combat experience was rich. Even Fang Qixian himself would have trouble defeating him if they were in the Same Realm.

Upon realizing this, Fang Qixian had acted decisively, switching to his backup plan: lure Chen Ping’an from the inn to this deserted place and overwhelm him with sheer power.

Although this was riskier than the first plan, with no witnesses and a clean disposal of the evidence, the risk was still within an acceptable, controllable range.

And now, everything was indeed proceeding just as Fang Qixian had anticipated.

Of course, Chen Ping’an had still managed to give him quite a shock along the way.

’Even with the might of the Profound Light Realm, empowered by a Genuine Treasure Artifact like the Cyan Rainbow Sword, I failed to kill him with a single blow?’

It was simply inconceivable!

To be able to withstand that, Chen Ping’an’s fighting prowess had already stepped across the threshold of Profound Light Battle Power!

Not yet twenty-one, possessing Profound Light Battle Power while only at the Celestial Rain Descending Realm Perfection... such talent was simply beyond belief!

’If he revealed his true strength, he could probably ascend to the top fifty of the Rising Star Chart in an instant!’

’Oh, no!’

’The top forty! Or even the top thirty!’

’A ranking that high... no one from Weishui County City had managed that in a hundred years!’

Fang Qixian stared at Chen Ping’an, his True Qi coalescing on the Cyan Rainbow Sword. The body of the blade began to shimmer and glow with a cyan light.

’What a pity... he is about to die! At my hands!’

The cyan light on the Cyan Rainbow Sword flared, instantly transforming into a long streak of light that shot forward with a whistle.

"Rui’Er, your father has avenged you!"

The cyan radiance flared, dispelling the surrounding darkness. Its astonishing light bathed Chen Ping’an’s face in a cyan glow. An instant later, he was completely swallowed by it.

Just before being engulfed, Chen Ping’an drew the sword from his waist in an attempt to block the attack.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

A series of explosive booms rang out. When the cyan light faded, the surrounding trees were snapped and strewn about. Leaves, stripped of all life and vitality, were scattered across the ground. Exposed roots tangled with upturned stones; the earth looked as if it had been plowed over, a scene of complete and utter devastation.

Chen Ping’an’s clothes were shredded. He looked like a piece of withered wood battered by a gale, barely managing to stay on his feet. His face was as pale as paper, his eyes half-open.

On the ground not far away, a longsword lay silently, its blade bent and its body broken.

It was obvious that this longsword, merely at the Sharp Blade Level, was completely unable to withstand the astonishing cyan light that contained the might of Profound Light. Not only did it fail to block the attack, the blade itself had snapped.

"Still not dead?" Fang Qixian was utterly astonished to see Chen Ping’an still on his feet.

Chen Ping’an’s strength was unnerving.

’For someone in the Inner Qi Realm to accomplish this much is incredible! If a prodigy like him were given more time, who knows what heights he might reach.’

However, this was no time for Fang Qixian to be lost in thought.

The last two attacks had caused a major commotion. If he didn’t end this quickly, there might be unforeseen complications.

"Chen Ping’an, I have no more time to waste. Die!" Fang Qixian’s figure flickered as he shot toward Chen Ping’an, swinging the Cyan Rainbow Sword.

SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!

Streaks of cyan light flared, converging on Chen Ping’an from all angles.

Fang Qixian sneered, already imagining the sight of Chen Ping’an being turned into a bloody pulp.

’No matter how talented you are, no matter how brilliantly you shine, it’s all about to become history! Die!’

As the cyan light reached his body, the scene Fang Qixian expected did not occur. The moment the light touched Chen Ping’an’s body, it set off a chain of explosive sounds.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM...

The sneer on Fang Qixian’s face froze solid.

"What are you smiling about?" A deathly cold voice echoed in Fang Qixian’s ear.

"What!" Fang Qixian was utterly horrified, his eyes wide with terror.

The slender, fair-faced Chen Ping’an was gone. Standing before Fang Qixian now was a Demon God, well over ten feet tall.

The muscles on his arms and legs bulged, impossibly thick. Tendons coiled around his entire body like steel cables, and his skin shone with the golden-yellow luster of a Vajra.

Before him, Fang Qixian seemed like a mere infant.

The Vajra Unbreakable Divine Skill, at the Copper Man Unbreakable Realm!

WHOOSH!

With a powerful whistling sound, Chen Ping’an’s fan-like palm slapped down toward Fang Qixian’s head. The motion was casual, like swatting a watermelon.

"No!"

Fang Qixian’s scalp tingled with dread. It was too late to dodge. The Seed of Profound Light between his brows flashed wildly with Golden Light as he frantically shielded his body with True Qi in a last-ditch effort to defend himself.

SPLAT!

With a single explosive crack, Fang Qixian’s entire head burst apart, atomizing into a cloud of blood and gore.