Daqian Martial Saint

After some thought, he picked up his brush and wrote an annotation on the official document.

"Order the Commander of Xingyuan City to focus on tracking the criminals of the Ten Thousand Demons Sect. Strengthen patrols and prepare for a potential attack. Report any and all activity immediately!"

After writing the note, Liu Yuanhua closed the document and stacked it to the side. He picked up a blank sheet of paper and wrote another memo.

"Order all regions and cities to bolster their patrols, focusing on searching for and monitoring any signs of criminals from the Ten Thousand Demons Sect. Intensify internal reviews. This matter must be handled with utmost severity and urgency!"

Once he finished with the official documents, he would hand this sheet over to the Deacon’s Room to have them disseminate the order.

Having done all this, Liu Yuanhua buried his head in his work once more. He processed three documents in a row, but when he opened the fourth, his expression grew serious.

This document had been sent from Five Peaks Mountain City.

’Is this from Chen Ping’an?’

He opened the document and began to review it section by section.

When he finished reading, a bitter expression appeared on Liu Yuanhua’s face.

’Suppressing the direct lineage of the Wu Family, hanging them from the city walls to show his resolve and intimidate the rabble! That Chen Ping’an...’

’He really is audacious!’

The Wu Family of Earth Fire County was in no way inferior to his own Liu Family in terms of background and resources.

The strict order had just been issued, and a member of the Wu Family’s direct lineage immediately violated it. An ordinary person would have been somewhat wary of the Wu Family. But Chen Ping’an, forced to choose between his own principles and the Wu Family, had unhesitatingly chosen to offend them. With lightning-fast methods, he had swiftly stabilized the situation in Five Peaks Mountain City.

The decisiveness, courage, and mentality he displayed left Liu Yuanhua somewhat startled. Although he didn’t have a particularly favorable impression of Chen Ping’an, Liu Yuanhua had to admit he admired this move.

However...

’That which is too rigid is easily broken. He’s showing his edge too much; I fear disaster is coming for him!’

Admiration was one thing, but Liu Yuanhua was not optimistic about Chen Ping’an’s actions.

The Wu Family was no flock of lambs. Having been humiliated by Chen Ping’an over the matter with Wu Tianqi, they would surely seek to get even.

Chen Ping’an’s talent might be demonic, but he had yet to fully mature. More importantly, he hadn’t even stepped into the Profound Light Realm yet. When the Wu Family retaliated, how could Chen Ping’an possibly respond?

Even if his combat prowess had reached the Profound Light Realm, his cultivation was ultimately still at the Inner Qi Realm. Under the crushing pressure of the Wu Family’s power, how could he possibly hold his own?

With these thoughts weighing on his mind, Liu Yuanhua went back to processing the remaining documents.

By the time he had finished all of the day’s official business, the sky had grown dark. He remembered that when his subordinate delivered the documents, they had also brought several private letters.

Deciding to read the letters before leaving the office, Liu Yuanhua began to look through them.

When he got to the second one, his expression froze.

’A letter from Chen Ping’an?’

’Could it be that after offending the Wu Family, he’s planning to ask me for help? Or perhaps...’

Liu Yuanhua’s mind raced as he opened the letter and began to read. He had only glanced at the opening when a look of shock appeared on his face.

’He broke through to the Profound Light Realm with the help of a Xuan Can! How is that possible?’

A three-hundred-year-old Xuan Can was indeed considered a Major Medicine, and it was of considerable benefit to a Cultivator trying to break through the bottleneck to the Profound Light Realm.

But to say one could break into the Profound Light Realm relying on a single Xuan Can was simply preposterous.

An aid was just an aid; it couldn’t be the decisive factor!

But now, this...

Liu Yuanhua’s eyes filled with profound shock.

’Is this boy’s talent really that terrifying!?’

...

A few days after Liu Yuanhua received the letter, news about Chen Ping’an quickly spread throughout Weishui County City.

"He killed a Cultivator of the Inner Qi Three Gates with a single slash!"

"Overpowered the veteran Profound Light Guard, Wei Zhixing!"

"The Wu Family’s Tributor, Meng Yude, was utterly humiliated!"

"The prodigy from the Rising Star Chart, Mang Blade Mang Vajra... has broken through to the Profound Light Realm and is displaying the might of the Profound Light Middle Realm!"

"..."

"A prodigy, a true prodigy! You could count the number of prodigies like him in all of Canglong Province on one hand!"

"When the next Rising Star Chart is updated, Mang Blade Chen Ping’an will probably have a shot at the top ten!"

"The heavens have blessed Weishui! To think we’ve produced such a Demon Fiend!"

The news reached the Liu, Mu, Fu, and Fang Families, shaking each of the major powers to their core. Their Clan Elders were all astounded by Chen Ping’an’s talent, and after their initial shock, they were left with a swirl of complicated, mixed emotions.

A prodigy like him once had the chance to become their most steadfast ally!

"Chen Ping’an, even though my rank is lower than yours now, I will definitely step into the Profound Light Realm before you do!"

In the Liu Family residence, Liu Ziming was silent for a long time after learning that Chen Ping’an had broken through to the Profound Light Realm. No one knew what he was thinking. Afterwards, he sat listlessly in his room, not leaving for three days and three nights.

Upon hearing the news of Chen Ping’an’s breakthrough, Mu Zhixuan of the Mu Family was green with regret. Although Chen Ping’an had never agreed to the marriage alliance, from Mu Zhixuan’s perspective, she was the one who had given up the opportunity.

The glory and wealth that should have been within her grasp had vanished like flowers in a mirror or the moon in the water.

"The Profound Light Realm!"

Mu Wanjun’s fair, slender hand clutched the letter, her fingertips trembling slightly with an excitement she could barely contain.

"A Profound Light Realm expert at only twenty-one years old!"

...

After an internal review by the Weishui Garrison, the news of Chen Ping’an’s breakthrough to the Profound Light Realm, along with related information, was prioritized as a special matter and reported to the Canglong Province Garrison Command.

According to the initial draft of the Weishui Garrison’s opinion, it was proposed that Chen Ping’an, Outer Trade Road Patrol Envoy of the Long’an Trade Route and Commander of Five Peaks Mountain City, be promoted to the rank of Candidate for Commander-in-Chief. His scope of authority would remain unchanged for the time being, pending a formal request for a decision from the State Garrison Command.

The matter passed with a unanimous vote during the Weishui Garrison’s internal review phase, meeting no opposition.

Regardless of what anyone thought privately, Chen Ping’an was now on an unstoppable rise. He was no longer someone who could be held back just because someone wished it.

If before they could use his inadequate Realm as a reason to block his promotion to Candidate for Commander-in-Chief, that was no longer possible. Now that Chen Ping’an had stepped into the Profound Light Realm, displayed the combat power of the Profound Light Middle Realm, and added that to his enormous contribution of wiping out a Celestial Net Church Entrance, no one could find any excuse to stand in his way.

What’s more, the well-informed within the Weishui Garrison already knew that Chen Ping’an had caught the eye of a major figure in the State Garrison Command.

With no direct conflict of interest, Chen Ping’an’s own performance was stunning. His success was a natural outcome, and everyone was happy to give a helpful push to something that was already going with the flow.

...

On a small hill in front of the Five Peaks Mountain Residence, a young man sat cross-legged under the canopy of an enormous tree. His body was covered in dust and fallen leaves, and he appeared perfectly still.

This was none other than the disciple of the Seven Extremes Elder, Soul-Severing Saber Li Pingjiang, who was under orders to assassinate Chen Ping’an.

He had been sitting here, waiting for Chen Ping’an to return, for a very long time.

He never expected that after all this time, instead of seeing Chen Ping’an return, he would get news that Chen Ping’an had broken through to the Profound Light Realm, displayed the combat power of the Profound Light Middle Realm, and shown off his might.

’Profound Light Middle Realm combat power?’

Li Pingjiang slowly opened his eyes, his gaze fixed on the distant Five Peaks Mountain Residence.

He hadn’t thought it possible that in just two or three months, Chen Ping’an’s combat strength could have increased so dramatically. His power had now reached the level of the Profound Light Middle Realm!

’I can’t delay any longer! I’ll wait two more days. If Chen Ping’an still hasn’t returned by then, I will go to Five Peaks Mountain City myself and cut him down!’

A glint flashed in Li Pingjiang’s eyes as he made his decision in an instant.

Even though Chen Ping’an had demonstrated the combat power of the Profound Light Middle Realm, he had not the slightest doubt in his own ability to kill him.

Although he had not yet entered the Profound Light High Realm, he possessed the legacy of a Divine Skill. His combat power was sufficient to rival that of an ordinary Absolute Master.

Killing a Chen Ping’an who had barely reached the threshold of the Profound Light Middle Realm would merely require a little extra effort.

’The Beicang Auction is approaching. After I kill Chen Ping’an, I’ll have just enough time to go join the fun!’

After days of buildup and promotion, the Beicang Auction’s prestige was immense, its fame having long since spread throughout Canglong Province and was now radiating out to the surrounding states.