Daqian Martial Saint

"Not at all, not at all. It’s only tea." Liu Yuanhua’s expression remained unchanged as he smiled and began to brew the tea.

"Ping’an, let me tell you, this North Mountain Mist Tea is nourished by Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi all year round. Drinking it is of great benefit to one’s Cultivation!"

With Liu Yuanhua putting it that way, Chen Ping’an didn’t say much in response. He was more interested in seeing what game Liu Yuanhua was playing.

"Ping’an, you truly are a young talent of our Garrison Commandant’s Office," Liu Yuanhua said, watching Chen Ping’an as he prepared the tea. "We’ve only been apart for a few months, yet your Cultivation has advanced once more! Your pace is so fast, it truly amazes me."

It had to be said, Liu Yuanhua was as cunning as they come. When he was willing to lower himself and speak to you on equal terms, the effect was disarmingly pleasant, making it easy to warm up to him.

"Lord Liu, you flatter me." Chen Ping’an lowered his head humbly, but he was already beginning to understand the purpose of Liu Yuanhua’s visit.

As Liu Yuanhua finished brewing, the fragrance of tea soon filled the office.

"The Mist Tea is ready! Ping’an, give it a try!" Liu Yuanhua said with a smile, handing a cup to Chen Ping’an.

Chen Ping’an accepted the tea. He briefly scanned it with his senses, and after confirming there were no issues, he downed the cup. A thread of Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi entered his body along with the tea, nourishing his organs. The fragrance was rich, and the taste lingered in his mouth.

A flicker of surprise flashed in Liu Yuanhua’s eyes. He hadn’t expected Chen Ping’an to be so decisive.

"Ping’an, I won’t lie to you, you’ve really brought me great honor this time! Wiping out the Celestial Net Sect’s stronghold, slaying a Profound Light expert at their peak! The Capital Envoy himself has mentioned your deeds to me more times than I can count, saying we must be sure to cultivate our young talent."

Liu Yuanhua spoke with great sincerity, his words filled with praise, as if Chen Ping’an were a trusted subordinate he had personally groomed. He acted as though he shared in the glory of all Chen Ping’an’s accomplishments.

Liu Yuanhua spoke with candor, and Chen Ping’an responded in kind. As they talked, Chen Ping’an observed Liu Yuanhua’s Martial Arts Realm. Though he couldn’t gauge the man’s exact strength, Chen Ping’an had a faint sense that Liu Yuanhua was likely no match for him.

The two sipped their Mist Tea in a rather lighthearted atmosphere. It was as if all their previous conflicts had vanished into thin air.

When the conversation was at its most congenial, Liu Yuanhua retrieved a wooden box from under the table and pushed it in front of Chen Ping’an.

"Ping’an, this is just a small token of my appreciation. Please, accept it."

"Hm?" Chen Ping’an’s gaze sharpened slightly.

’This Liu Yuanhua...’

He opened the wooden box and saw a Xuan Can root resting quietly inside.

Liu Yuanhua said with a smile, "Ping’an, you’ve performed a great service. As your superior, I share in the honor, so it’s only right I show my appreciation. This three-hundred-year-old Xuan Can is of immense help when breaking through bottlenecks in one’s Cultivation. Since your Cultivation has already reached Celestial Rain Descending Realm Perfection, this Xuan Can is perfect for you! With its power, you may even be able to touch the threshold of the Profound Light Realm!"

A three-hundred-year-old Xuan Can!

’Liu Yuanhua isn’t holding back!’

Tempering the body, nurturing True Qi, and completing Circulations—these were all methods of Cultivation. But beyond these, Martial Arts Cultivators could also use Major Medicines and Secret Medicines to shorten the process.

They were especially useful for breaking through a Pass in one’s Cultivation, where the medicinal power could provide the necessary push.

Xuan Can was one such Major Medicine that aided Cultivation. Among the many varieties of ginseng-like herbs, Xuan Can was one of the most precious.

Xuan Can was precious on its own, let alone a three-hundred-year-old specimen. A Major Medicine of this caliber would be a significant help even for breaking through the bottleneck to the Profound Light Realm.

By presenting such a gift, Liu Yuanhua was showing immense sincerity.

It was worth noting that age wasn’t everything when it came to medicinal herbs; the type of herb was more critical. For instance, a thousand-year-old common weed could never compare to a hundred-year-old ginseng.

"Lord Liu, this is far too valuable..."

Before Chen Ping’an could finish, Liu Yuanhua cut him off with a smile.

"That’s where you’re wrong, Ping’an. You’ve rendered a great service by destroying the Celestial Net Church Entrance, and now you’re ranked at the top of the Rising Star Chart, bringing fame to our Weishui Garrison. As your superior, I share in that glory. If anything, I feel like I’m the one in your debt, even with this gift!"

A smile played on Liu Yuanhua’s lips, his eyes bright as he gazed at Chen Ping’an.

Chen Ping’an glanced at Liu Yuanhua, then at the Xuan Can on the table, and chuckled dryly. "In that case, thank you for your kind intentions, my lord."

"Excellent! HAHAHA..." Liu Yuanhua laughed heartily, his expression growing even more amiable.

Chen Ping’an’s acceptance of the Xuan Can was a statement in itself.

By accepting the Xuan Can, he was agreeing to ease the tension between them. All the past ugliness, better left unsaid, would be allowed to drift away on the wind, never to be mentioned again.

If Chen Ping’an had refused the Xuan Can, it would have shown that he was still holding a grudge over past events and was unable to let them go. It would have meant that Liu Yuanhua’s attempt to proactively mend their relationship had ended in failure.

And if reconciliation failed, then whatever came next would be settled by other means...

Now that Chen Ping’an had become a power in his own right, if their relationship completely broke down, Liu Yuanhua was not certain he would come out on top.

But that alone might not have been enough. Liu Yuanhua might not have been willing to humble himself to proactively mend their relationship. The real reason he had made this decision was...

As he watched Chen Ping’an delicately sipping tea, the contents of a letter Liu Yuanhua had recently received surfaced in his mind. The letter was from a friend he had served with at the Canglong Province Garrison Command.

"Brother Liu, for the past several years, our Garrison Commandant’s Office has been on the losing side in our Magical Combat against the Celestial Net Sect. Chen Ping’an’s recent, highly successful eradication of one of their strongholds has been a major boost to the Garrison’s prestige.

"Because of all this, Chen Ping’an has now come to the attention of the State Garrison Command’s upper echelons. He is young, his Cultivation has reached Celestial Rain Descending Realm Perfection, and he can even punch above his weight, possessing the Profound Light Battle Power of a veteran. The higher-ups value him greatly. According to a reliable source, Director Gu has taken a keen interest in him and is looking for a suitable junior in his family, intending to propose a marriage alliance!"