Daqian Martial Saint

"I was just passing through, Lord Yan. There’s no need for all this."

Chen Ping’an smiled and politely declined Yan Wu’s proposal.

But Yan Wu insisted, saying that as colleagues from the Garrison Commandant’s Office and given their past connection, it was only right for them to get together now that they had met again.

Seeing Yan Wu’s insistence, Chen Ping’an smiled and agreed.

Regardless, back during the turmoil caused by the Ten Thousand Demons Sect, Yan Wu had been of considerable help to him.

Meeting again now, sharing a few drinks was not an excessive request—it was perfectly normal.

As the Vice Commander of the Outer City Garrison, Yan Wu was naturally considered a giant in Weishui Outer City. On his orders, his subordinates quickly arranged for a restaurant.

Inside a private room, Chen Ping’an and Yan Wu sat facing each other, while Chen Erya sat quietly and obediently to the side.

As cups and glasses clinked, the atmosphere grew lively.

The little girl just listened quietly from the side, with no intention of joining the conversation.

The hottest topic in Weishui County City at the moment, aside from the newly updated Rising Star Chart, was the soon-to-be-operational Long’an Trade Route.

And since Chen Ping’an held the post of Outer Trade Road Patrol Envoy for the Long’an Trade Route, the conversation naturally drifted to that subject as they talked more.

"Lord Chen, from the conception of the Long’an Trade Route to its development over the past dozen years or so, everyone in our Weishui County City has poured in an immense amount of blood, sweat, and tears.

Now that the Trade Route is about to open, for us in Weishui County City, it’s considered to have concluded in Perfection! Hmm, saying it’s concluded in Perfection might not be quite right. It should be the Perfection of one stage, coming to a temporary close. There will be even more for us to handle next!"

"According to the news I’ve heard, when the Trade Route officially opens, a grand auction will be held at the same time. Now that the opening is imminent, the specific details about this grand auction should have been announced by now, right?"

"I wonder where the auction will end up being held. Could it be in Five Peaks Mountain City, on the outskirts of the Trade Route? Haha, Lord Chen, if it’s held in Five Peaks Mountain City, you’re going to be a busy man!"

Yan Wu ate his food, downing cup after cup of wine and occasionally clinking glasses with Chen Ping’an.

Chen Ping’an listened quietly without interrupting. When Yan Wu raised his cup to toast, he would raise his own in response and then drain it in one go.

"It’s unlikely to be held in Five Peaks Mountain City. This involves the Long’an Trade Route, so this grand auction will be of an extremely high caliber! Five Peaks Mountain City doesn’t have a suitable venue," Chen Ping’an said, shaking his head.

"That’s true." Yan Wu nodded. "In that case, the auction can only be held in Beicang Town."

"Mm, that should be it." Chen Ping’an picked up a piece of food with his chopsticks and began to chew.

The Long’an Trade Route was intended to open up trade between the two states of Canglong Province and Cyan Spirit Province. Forged over more than a decade, it had consumed countless resources in manpower, materials, and effort. The sheer scale of the project was almost unimaginable to an outsider.

The creation of the Long’an Trade Route required not only solving engineering problems but also facing the challenge of Demon Beasts in the Canglong Mountain Range. By now, however, both the engineering and the Demon Beast issues had long been properly resolved.

With the Trade Route about to open, a road suitable for horse-drawn carriages had already been constructed through the Canglong Mountain Range. At the same time, a large number of Demon Beasts had been cleared from the surrounding areas to ensure the route’s safety.

However, Demon Beasts were not a static threat. Safe today did not mean safe tomorrow. Safe tomorrow did not mean safe forever.

To guarantee the route’s safety and also handle matters such as taxation, commerce, and rest stops, a total of three major towns were established along the Long’an Trade Route!

These three major towns were like nails driven firmly into the Canglong Mountain Range, ensuring the stable operation of the Trade Route.

The Beicang Town that Yan Wu mentioned was the major town on the side closer to Canglong Province. Not far from the entrance to the Trade Route and located on the periphery of the Canglong Mountain Range, it was indeed an extremely suitable location for an auction.

First, the major town had specially planned venues capable of hosting a large-scale auction.

Second, Beicang Town’s location was ideal. Situated within the Canglong Mountain Range, attendees would travel along a portion of the Trade Route, allowing the participating forces and individuals to personally experience its grand scale and magnificence. At the same time, it was not too deep within the mountain range, which prevented exposure to unknown risks.

Third, the operation of the Long’an Trade Route involved enormous interests, and it was inevitable that it would attract the envy of certain parties. It might even infringe upon the core interests of some factions. Because of this, quite a few powers would be looking to cause trouble at the auction to undermine the Trade Route’s prestige!

Holding the auction in Beicang Town would be an extremely effective way to prevent such a scenario. As a major town responsible for securing the Trade Route, Beicang Town was garrisoned with countless masters, enough to ensure the auction could proceed smoothly.

In addition to Beicang Town, there was also Nanling Town, near the territory of Cyan Spirit Province, and Long’an Town, situated in the center of the Trade Route!

Of the three major towns, Long’an Town, located in the core of the Canglong Mountain Range, was the highest in terms of status and scale!

Long’an Town also bore the greatest pressure of the three major towns.

The Long’an Trade Route involved trade between two states, and numerous factions had participated in its development and construction. Before this enormous cake of profits, never mind one of Weishui’s Four Great Noble Families acting alone—even if all four were combined, along with the Weishui Garrison and the various powers of the Inner City, they had only managed to claim a very small slice.

Behind the Long’an Trade Route were the shadows of the Canglong Province Garrison Command, the Canglong State Qiankun Bureau, and the state’s most top-level Noble Families, like the Gu, Wang, and Xue Families. They were the ones who held the lion’s share of the Long’an Trade Route’s real profits.

Furthermore, other powers like the Shadowless Blade Sect of Canglong Province, the Lin Family of Earth Fire County City, and the Xiao Family of Li Yang County City... all had a hand in it.

The interests behind the Trade Route were complex and intertwined, impossible to explain clearly in just a few words.

Because the participating factions were so numerous and complex, all three major towns were placed under the direct administration of Canglong Province.

At the same time, matters within the major towns were not decided by any single power but were the result of compromise and interwoven interests among the factions. In towns like Nanling Town, near the territory of Cyan Spirit Province, and Long’an Town, in the center of the Trade Route, powers from Cyan Spirit Province were also involved.

In the past, his status had been too low, and his understanding was limited. But as his position had risen recently and he had learned more and more about the Long’an Trade Route, Chen Ping’an was truly startled.

’The Long’an Trade Route isn’t just a trade route; it’s a power struggle between the two states of Canglong Province and Cyan Spirit Province. Furthermore, there are the deeply entrenched and tangled interests of the factions within the province, as well as the Demon Beasts of the Canglong Mountain Range that occasionally stir up trouble. Thinking about it carefully, it really is a tangled mess.’

’In such a situation, never mind the full picture of the Long’an Trade Route; just the first half, the area around Beicang Town, is already a place of treacherous storms and unpredictable turmoil.’

’Under these circumstances, forget about an Absolute Master!’

’Even a Grandmaster in person would probably find it difficult to keep all the different parties in balance!’