Daqian Martial Saint

BANG!

Zhong Shanyong’s Inner Qi flared, unleashing a wave of Saber Qi that struck the frantically fleeing scar-faced elder. The elder was already at a disadvantage, and caught completely off guard, he was hit squarely by the Saber Qi. Though he did his best to protect himself with his Inner Qi, he was still sent crashing down onto a storefront.

CRASH!

Bricks and stones flew as the scar-faced elder was smashed into the shop.

"A perfect chance!"

A look of delight crossed Zhong Shanyong’s face. His aura surged as he gave chase at top speed.

However, just as he neared the storefront, his gaze suddenly froze.

’This is...’

He saw an incredibly familiar figure.

But the situation was urgent, leaving him no time to think. After a brief, almost subconscious hesitation, he reacted quickly and rushed into the shop.

When he entered the shop, the scar-faced elder had just gotten to his feet and was about to flee through a wall. Zhong Shanyong raised his blade and blocked the man’s path.

After exchanging several blows, with the help of his fellow Inner Qi Realm master, they forced the scar-faced elder back, leaving him no choice but to retreat the way he came.

Leaping out of the shop, they were met with an incredibly theatrical scene.

"Chen—" One of the accompanying Inner Qi Masters recognized Chen Ping’an and started to call out, but Zhong Shanyong stopped him.

Immediately after, the scar-faced elder’s voice rang out.

"Don’t move! Another step and I’ll kill him!"

His hand was clamped tightly around Chen Ping’an’s throat, poised to crush his windpipe at the slightest provocation.

Watching the cold-eyed, vicious-looking scar-faced elder and the perfectly calm Lord Chen, who was being held hostage, the expressions on Zhong Shanyong’s and the others’ faces grew increasingly strange.

’Is... he serious!?’

The two Inner Qi Realm masters beside him, in particular, were completely bewildered.

’This scar-faced bastard can’t even defeat Deputy Commander Lord Zhong, yet he dares to take Lord Chen hostage?’

’What kind of joke is this!?’

The scar-faced elder, holding his hostage, shouted a few more threats. When he saw not a trace of concern on their faces, he flew into a rage out of shame and anger.

’Fine! You don’t care if he lives or dies, is that it?! Then I’ll kill him right in front of you!’

A vicious look spread across the scar-faced elder’s face as he instantly tightened his grip on Chen Ping’an’s throat.

With his ferocious grip, this squeeze should have been enough to shatter jade and metal, followed by a spray of blood!

The instant he struck, the scar-faced elder had already pictured the end result. His Inner Qi surged, preparing to throw the man’s body forward as a distraction for his escape.

But...

He was stunned to find his fingers felt as if they were clamped onto a piece of Vajra Profound Iron. Even using all his strength, he couldn’t tighten his grip by a single fraction of an inch.

’What’s going on?’

The scar-faced elder’s pupils contracted violently, and his expression changed in an instant.

An utterly indifferent voice sounded from right in front of him.

"Is this fun for you?"

’What!?’

The scar-faced elder couldn’t help but stare at the young man before him. Before he could even process what was happening, he felt a massive, unstoppable force surge from the arm he was holding.

CRACK!

His own arm, which he had tempered to be as strong as refined iron, instantly snapped. The True Qi protecting his body couldn’t resist in the slightest; it was torn apart like tissue paper by that immense power.

And then, in the next instant!

His entire body was sent flying.

BAM!

With a heavy thud, his body slammed hard onto the ground. He instinctively tried to get up, but was horrified to find that his body felt as if it had been completely dismantled. He couldn’t muster a shred of strength.

’What... what happened?’

The scar-faced elder’s face was a mask of disbelief. His eyes flickered with shock, a shock now mixed with a hint of despair and terror.

The fall itself hadn’t seemed that severe, so why couldn’t he get up?

As he reeled in utter shock, a crisp, unified voice sounded beside him.

"Your humble servants greet you, Lord Commander!"

THUD!

It was the muffled sound of knees hitting the ground.

Out of the corner of his eye, the scar-faced elder saw a scene that filled him with absolute horror.

The Deputy Commander of the Garrison Commandant’s Office, Zhong Shanyong, who had been chasing him this whole time, along with the other two Inner Qi Realm masters, were now kneeling on one knee before the young man, their faces full of reverence.

’Lord Commander? He’s...’

The scar-faced elder’s pupils shrank to pinpricks, his face instantly turning deathly pale.

’Defeated a Profound Light Master while still in the Inner Qi Realm! Slew a Profound Light Master at their peak! The Outer Trade Road Patrol Envoy! A prodigy on the Rising Star Chart!’

’Mang Blade, Mang Vajra!’

...

Zhong Shanyong knelt on one knee before Chen Ping’an, his head lowered, completely overcome with a sense of awe. A flicker of excitement could be seen in his eyes.

This was the first time he had ever seen Chen Ping’an take action.

In the blink of an eye, he had suppressed an Evil Master who had reached the Second Stage of Inner Qi—the Purification Realm. The casual ease of his movements made it seem as though he had merely crushed an ant, nothing more!

’Such methods! Such power! Such combat prowess! It’s almost impossible to believe that the man standing before them is a Cultivator who hasn’t even stepped into the Profound Light Realm!’

’Based on that move alone, if someone claimed Lord Chen was a veteran Profound Light master, he would believe them!’

It wasn’t just Zhong Shanyong; the two Inner Qi Realm masters kneeling beside him were also visibly excited.

Chen Ping’an’s strength was beyond anything they had imagined. According to their original line of thinking, just how strong could this Lord Chen of theirs really be?

’After all, he’s only in the Inner Qi Realm!’

’His achievements on the Rising Star Chart couldn’t be completely fabricated, but they had to be at least somewhat exaggerated.’

’Defeating and slaying a Profound Light master at their peak while only in the Inner Qi Realm... how could that be possible?’

But now... they truly understood the terrifying, shocking extent of Lord Chen’s combat prowess.

They had personally experienced the scar-faced elder’s strength and knew his level of power was extremely difficult to deal with. If any one of them had faced him alone, they would likely have been defeated in just a few exchanges.

Yet a man like that was suppressed by Lord Chen in a single move!

The gap between them was, to put it mildly, enormous.

Mang Blade, Mang Vajra—his reputation was well-earned!

"All of you, rise," Chen Ping’an said nonchalantly, his gaze sweeping over them.

"Yes, Lord Commander!"

Everyone responded in unison and immediately rose to their feet, their gazes toward Chen Ping’an now filled with fiery reverence.

"This city is in quite a state of chaos," Chen Ping’an said, watching them with a calm gaze, his tone betraying no hint of his mood.

But this single sentence made Zhong Shanyong’s expression change drastically. Having just risen, he immediately dropped to his knees again.

"Your subordinate is incompetent! I have failed the trust you placed in me! I ask for punishment, Lord Commander!"

Zhong Shanyong’s voice was fraught with terror, and the two Inner Qi Realm masters at his side hastily knelt as well.

Chen Ping’an stood with his hands clasped behind his back, saying nothing. The air instantly grew heavy.

After a full seven or eight breaths, Chen Ping’an’s voice finally broke the silence.

"Rise. The winds of change are blowing, and the times are in turmoil. The frequent chaos in the city is not your fault."

"But without rules, there can be no order. ’No chaos, no conflict within the city’—this is the iron law of Daqian. For the situation to have deteriorated this far, however, means my Garrison Commandant’s Office bears the responsibility for failing to fully enforce the Daqian Law and for exercising lax control. When the Garrison’s enforcement is ineffective, troublemakers escape punishment. This encourages others to try their luck, and the number of copycats grows! This is a matter that cannot be ignored!"

He paused for a moment before speaking again.

"Relay my personal order: from this day forward, there will be no chaos and no conflict within Five Peaks Mountain City. Violators will be dealt with severely, according to Daqian Law! If special circumstances arise, you have the authority to enforce the law on the spot!"

"Yes! We shall obey the Lord Commander’s order!"

The men rose, clasping their fists in a salute.

The commotion among the surrounding crowd gradually died down. From a distance, they watched that tall, slender figure, their faces filled with excitement.