Daqian Martial Saint

Inside the hall, the gazes of Luan Xiong, Lu Hongxian, and the others immediately fell upon Chen Ping’an.

"Chen Ping’an! So you aren’t dead after all!" Lu Hongxian’s eyes lit up.

Luan Xiong, Song Huajie, and the others didn’t speak. Their gazes fell upon Chu Mingwei, who stood behind Chen Ping’an.

’What’s going on?’

Chen Ping’an calmly strode forward, walking past the crowd and seating himself directly in the host’s chair as if no one else were there. Chu Mingwei did not take a seat, instead standing behind Chen Ping’an.

At this sight, Song Huajie’s eyes narrowed sharply. He Xuan, Hong Wenfei, and the others found it unbelievable.

’What’s gotten into Chu Mingwei?’

"Gentlemen, I assume you all know who I am, so I won’t waste time on introductions. I’ve been in White Stone City for some time now and have been meaning to meet with you all. It’s a shame, really. I couldn’t tell if I simply don’t have enough clout, or if you all are genuinely so busy you couldn’t tear yourselves away.

But, no matter. That’s not important. This time, I had Chu Mingwei do me the favor of inviting you all here."

"I didn’t call you all here today for anything special. I just wanted to ask everyone present one question!"

Chen Ping’an’s gaze swept over everyone in the room.

"Have I been too easy on you all?"

As his words fell, the hall was plunged into silence.

’What does that mean?’

’What does he mean by that?’

"Chen Ping’an! Get your head straight and look at the situation! What the hell are you talking about? After cowering away for so long, you have the fucking nerve to show your face?"

Lu Hongxian’s explosive temper instantly flared, and he roared like a furious tiger.

Chen Ping’an glanced at Lu Hongxian, not even bothering to raise his eyelids.

SHING!

A flash of blade light flared.

A gale howled. The strike was unimaginably fast.

Lu Hongxian’s eyelid twitched. He never expected Chen Ping’an to attack without another word.

’But it’s good that he attacked!’

’I’ll show you what I’m made of!’

Inner Qi surged around Lu Hongxian’s body, a savage expression blooming on his face.

And then...

The savage look on his face froze completely.

"Hongxian!" Luan Xiong’s cry of alarm rang out.

Lu Hongxian felt his body go light, as if he were flying. His vision tumbled, the angles shifting constantly. Dimly, he saw a headless corpse.

’Am... I... dead?’

His consciousness faded to black as he plunged into endless darkness.

Chen Ping’an calmly withdrew his blade, then reached down and lifted Lu Hongxian’s head.

"If you get a next life, learn how to talk."

The hall was deathly silent.

Song Huajie’s eyes were filled with deep-seated fear.

One strike!

Just one single strike!

’The Third Stage of Inner Qi! Without a doubt, he’s at the Third Stage of Inner Qi!’

He...

’He concealed his true strength so deeply!’

Looking at the headless corpse in front of him, He Xuan felt his legs go weak.

"This! This! This!"

Hong Wenfei had a bitter taste in his mouth, unsure of what to say.

"Chen Ping’an! I’ll kill you!"

Luan Xiong roared and charged recklessly at Chen Ping’an, intent on killing him.

"Everyone, the die is cast! We’ve already clashed and made enemies of each other; there is no turning back. Today, let’s join forces and kill this fiend. Otherwise, from this day forward, we will know no peace!"

Li Ding, the Gang Leader of the Iron Fist Gang, assessed the situation clearly.

Given everything that had transpired with the Garrison Commandant’s Office, he and the Blood Oath Alliance were already in the same boat. Now that Luan Xiong had made his move, he had no choice left.

Chen Ping’an’s strength had just been laid bare; Li Ding stood no chance against him alone. Rather than wait to be eliminated later, it was better to strike together now. If they joined forces to kill this fiend, they might have a chance.

CLANG!

As he spoke, Li Ding drew the sword from his waist.

He Xuan watched the two men charge forward, his mind racing. In an instant, he made his decision.

"Kill! Attack together!"

The conflict between the Garrison Commandant’s Office and the great families had already reached a fever pitch. In all their schemes, they had never calculated that the Commander-in-Chief they’d so readily dismissed would possess such terrifying strength.

If the Blood Oath Alliance and the Iron Fist Gang were eliminated today, they would be completely unable to suppress someone of Chen Ping’an’s Martial Arts Realm. For the sake of the He Family’s interests, he had to risk it all in a desperate fight!

In the hall, the He Family had brought another Inner Qi Realm master besides He Xuan. He, too, charged toward Chen Ping’an without hesitation.

Luan Xiong had attacked in an instant, and Song Huajie had been hesitant. But when he saw He Xuan make his choice, that last shred of doubt in his heart vanished.

’One, two, three, four!’

’Three at the Perfect Second Level of Inner Qi, plus one who just entered the Second Stage. If I join in... no matter how powerful Chen Ping’an is, he has absolutely no chance of winning!’

However...

Even so, before making his move, he had to drag the Commerce Alliance into it.

"Hong Wenfei! When the nest is overturned, will any eggs survive intact?!"

With that said, Inner Qi erupted from Song Huajie’s body as he unleashed a Fist Technique, sending a barrage of blows toward Chen Ping’an.

"I’m all in!"

Watching the others pounce, Hong Wenfei gritted his teeth and charged in with them.

The He Family, the Song Family, the Blood Oath Alliance, the Iron Fist Gang, and the Commerce Alliance—five major powers, five Martial Arts Masters at the Perfect Second Level of Inner Qi—all attacked at once!

In addition, three accompanying masters at the Second Stage of Inner Qi also attacked Chen Ping’an, holding nothing back.

With such combined power, the kill box was complete!

Even if Chen Ping’an had reached the Perfect Third Level of Inner Qi, he would have absolutely no chance of victory.

Seeing the overwhelming wave of killing intent descending upon them, Chu Mingwei, standing behind Chen Ping’an, gritted his teeth and decisively struck.

His figure flashed, and he moved to intercept Li Ding, the Gang Leader of the Iron Fist Gang.

If they won this gamble, the Chu Family would reap endless rewards! If they lost, their line would end in White Stone City!

’It seemed like a choice, but when you really thought about it, there was no choice at all!’

From the moment he stood behind Chen Ping’an, his choice had been made. He had to follow this path to the very end.

By now, Luan Xiong had already clashed with Chen Ping’an once. The immense force sent Luan Xiong reeling backward. Almost seamlessly, He Xuan’s blade came chopping down.

With an upward slash, Chen Ping’an forced He Xuan back.

"A perfect opening!" Song Renjie’s eyes lit up as he thrust both fists toward Chen Ping’an.

In Song Renjie’s eyes, Chen Ping’an’s blade was off-balance, and with the lingering momentum of the parry, his posture was full of openings. There was no way he could defend.

He had painstakingly practiced his Fist Technique for years; a single punch could shatter mountains and break stone. If both his fists landed squarely on Chen Ping’an, he would be severely wounded, if not killed. At the very least, his fighting ability would be drastically reduced.

As it turned out, Song Renjie’s judgment was correct. Chen Ping’an did not use his blade to defend.

In the face of his attack, Chen Ping’an simply gave him an utterly indifferent look. And then...

Chen Ping’an’s left hand shot out and, before Song Renjie’s own fists could land, struck him squarely in the chest.

"Im... impossible!" Song Renjie was aghast. "A Palm Technique! He knows a Palm Technique too!"

SPURT!

The immense power instantly shattered his Inner Qi defenses. His chest caved in, and he violently spat out a mouthful of blood.

THUD! THUD!

Two Martial Arts Masters at the Second Stage of Inner Qi also reached Chen Ping’an, but he sent them both flying back with a single slash and a palm strike.

In the brief moment of vulnerability between Chen Ping’an’s attacks, when his old force was spent and new force not yet gathered, Hong Wenfei appeared with a vicious grin, swinging his Meteor Hammer down hard at Chen Ping’an’s head.

"Die!"

Hong Wenfei could already picture Chen Ping’an’s head bursting like a watermelon.

CLANG!

The scene Hong Wenfei envisioned didn’t happen. With a dull, heavy clang, the Meteor Hammer was stopped dead in its tracks, unable to move another inch.

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!" Hong Wenfei cried out in shock.

Chen Ping’an looked up, his expression impassive. "Are you trying to tickle me?"

SHING!

The blade fell, and a deep, long gash appeared on Hong Wenfei’s chest.

SPURT!

Blood sprayed, splattering on the floor.

THUD!

With another heavy thud, the last attacking master at the Second Stage of Inner Qi was slapped to the ground by Chen Ping’an’s palm.

In just a few short breaths, their joint attack had been utterly defeated.

"How can he be this strong?!"

Luan Xiong stared intently at Chen Ping’an, his face a mask of disbelief.

"Is he even human?!" Looking at Chen Ping’an, completely unscathed after taking a blow from the Meteor Hammer, Hong Wenfei’s eyes filled with terror.

Li Ding, the Gang Leader of the Iron Fist Gang, was currently engaged with Chu Mingwei. His heart trembled at the tyrannical power Chen Ping’an had shown in shattering their group attack. Amidst their exchange, he inadvertently revealed an opening. Chu Mingwei seized the opportunity, pressing his advantage relentlessly and putting Li Ding on the defensive.

Feeling the crowd’s gazes—a mixture of terror, indignation, and horror—Chen Ping’an’s expression remained impassive. "A chance! I already gave you one! But it’s a pity you didn’t value it and chose to make an enemy of me instead. Since you made the wrong choice, you must suffer the consequences! So now..."

Chen Ping’an paused, his gaze sweeping across them.

"I’ll see you on your way!"

The moment he finished speaking, Chen Ping’an moved, lunging to kill the person closest to him.

"No! No! Don’t kill me!" He Xuan’s face was a mask of terror as he tried to flee.

But...

SPURT!

He Xuan, Patriarch of the He Family—dead!

Chen Ping’an didn’t even slow his pace.

SHING!

A blade flashed.

A head flew high into the air.

They were already injured from the earlier exchange; now, this was less a fight and more a one-sided massacre.

"Mercy! Spare me! I was wrong!"

SPURT!

"Ah, don’t kill me! Spare me, please! If you just spare me, I’ll give you..."

THUD!

Hong Wenfei of the Commerce Alliance—dead!

"No!"

Song Renjie’s face turned ashen as he stared in despair at the sudden flash of the blade. Only in this moment did he truly understand the meaning of regret.

’We all... underestimated him!’

SPURT!

Song Renjie, Patriarch of the Song Family—dead!

"Chen Ping’an! You can’t kill me!"

Watching the others die one after another before his eyes, Luan Xiong’s courage failed him.

"I have something to tell you..."

Chen Ping’an’s expression was cold. He had no patience to listen to Luan Xiong’s drivel.

’When I was willing to let you speak, you had nothing to say. Now you want to talk, but I’m no longer in the mood to listen.’

SHING!

A flash of the blade, and his head was severed from his body.

Luan Xiong, Alliance Leader of the Blood Oath Alliance—dead!

SPURT!

Another master at the Second Stage of the Inner Qi Realm died in the hall.

"And so... that just leaves you." Chen Ping’an turned, his gaze falling on Li Ding, Gang Leader of the Iron Fist Gang, who was still fighting Chu Mingwei.