The Great Martial Saint!

Chapter 774 The Proud Daughter of Beishan, Reunited with an Old Friend

As the dominant force in Xuanling Prefecture, Tianwu Pavilion differs from normal sects. It has a complex network of family factions, with many disciples and elders being related by blood.

Luo Pingchuan is a prime example of this. As an elder of the Tianwu Pavilion, he is a descendant of the Luo family, the largest faction within the pavilion, and also the most outstanding representative of recent generations.

In just over 30 years, he has already entered the ranks of top grandmasters. Not long ago, with the help of resources, spiritual objects, and breakthrough pills, he broke through the barrier and entered the realm of martial arts grandmaster.

His prominence within the Tianwu Pavilion was unparalleled for a time.

Unlike other bloodline descendants, Luo Pingchuan was very easy to get along with and was keen on making friends and building connections.

Just then, a close friend of the patriarch came to visit from Beishan, accompanied by a junior. As an elder of the pavilion and an outstanding representative of several generations, he was naturally entrusted with the responsibility of taking care of him.

Today, he took the other person to stroll around Xuanling City.

As a renowned commercial city in Bi Cang, Xuanling City naturally has many places to stroll around. However, as the core of Xuanling, Xuanling Mountain is naturally the primary place.

He accompanied the other party the whole way, introducing them to others and acting very enthusiastically, but the other party's reaction was lukewarm, and they did not become very familiar with each other.

Before this trip, the patriarch had given instructions to allow the two to spend more time together. If they could take things further, that would be wonderful. If not, getting to know each other would also be a good thing.

Luo Pingchuan wasn't annoyed by the other party's reaction and remained as enthusiastic as ever. People have different personalities, especially a woman like her. Besides, he still had a mission to complete this time.

As an outstanding representative of the pavilion, Luo Pingchuan has been a figure of great renown since his youth. In the past, he was even more famous in Xuanling Prefecture, ranking first among the rising stars.

It's a pity that he didn't make it onto the Hidden Dragon List. But with the dynasty's territory so vast, how many people can actually make it onto the Hidden Dragon List?

He has always been brilliant, and naturally has high expectations for his future Daoist partner.

In his early years, he was busy with cultivation and didn't have time to deal with this matter. It wasn't until he reached the mid-stage of the Jade Balance realm and entered the ranks of top grandmasters that he encountered a bottleneck and began to travel, make connections, and start to take this matter seriously.

Over the years, he has met some women who were quite compatible with his taste and mood.

However, his choice of a Daoist partner is not as simple as personal preference; he also needs to consider the interests of his faction and the opinions of the elders within the sect.

He is not opposed to this; if it can help future development, he can accept some restrictions.

Given his talent and status, he should have been far from being a match for the woman beside him. However, unexpectedly, his efforts to cultivate her failed, while his unintentional actions led to her unexpected success.

This journey, during which he traveled, made connections, and chatted with friends, lasting over twenty years, actually loosened his bottleneck. He seized the opportunity, immediately returned to his sect, and with the help of the secret medicine, broke through to a higher realm.

When he emerges from seclusion again, he will be a Grandmaster of Martial Arts. Even within a powerful organization like the Heavenly Martial Pavilion, he will be a truly influential elder.

This martial arts grandmaster, not yet thirty-six years old, may not be comparable to a true top-tier prodigy, but he is certainly worthy of being called a peerless grandmaster. Combined with his family background, this puts him at the very top of the dating pool.

There are so many more choices now, including areas that were previously inaccessible. Things you wouldn't have dared to try before, you can now try them out gradually.

This time, it was the elders in the pavilion and the patriarch of the sect who made an effort to find a suitable partner for him.

Although ostensibly a visit and social interaction with the older generation, it was actually a way to create an opportunity for them to meet, interact, and deepen their impressions of each other.

If this matter succeeds, even if it's just a slight leveraging of power, it will be of great benefit to the Heavenly Martial Pavilion. It will deepen the ties between the two forces, and can be considered a marriage alliance between the two powers.

However, the other party has a noble status and an extraordinary background. Even though he has now become a martial arts grandmaster and is known as a genius grandmaster, with the influence of his ancestor, he can only barely reach the other party's level.

In fact, if it weren't for some ancestral connection between their two families, he, given his status, would have had absolutely no chance. Let alone even have the opportunity to make contact or get to know them.

Even so, the other party's attitude towards the marriage alliance remained ambiguous, and these interactions were merely simple, ordinary exchanges. Whether it will work out depends entirely on their feelings and subsequent developments.

At first glance, Luo Pingchuan felt that she was quite pleasing to the eye. Her arrogant and haughty demeanor easily aroused a man's desire to conquer.

Beneath that arrogant exterior lies a calm and aloof demeanor that makes people want to get closer.

These feelings were truly novel to Luo Pingchuan. This was different from cultivation; the myriad experiences involved were something that made one yearn for it.

However, even including the few days they spent in the sect, the time the two actually spent together was not very long.

This level of contact was clearly not enough to make Luo Pingchuan's heart flutter or anything, but for him, he had a rather strong desire to be with this woman.

However, the woman didn't seem very interested in him. Throughout the process, her reaction was lukewarm, as if she were just going through the motions. Most of the time, he was the one doing the talking, and when he did respond, it was with a distant and uninterested tone.

But the more this happened, the more an indescribable desire arose in Luo Pingchuan's heart, making him unable to resist wanting to get closer.

To be honest, he had never experienced such emotions in all his years of cultivation. This was undoubtedly an extremely novel experience for him.

“Junior Sister Fang, the Xuanling Mountain is just ahead. It’s a truly blessed and prosperous place in Xuanling City. Those who can live here are the most prominent people in the city.”

Luo Pingchuan had a handsome face and spoke with a smile.

Although he and the other person didn't have any special kinship, they were elders and had some connection. So he addressed him familiarly in the way he was most comfortable with.

The woman raised an eyebrow and casually surveyed her surroundings.

"Junior Sister Fang, look, the layout of Xuanling Mountain has its origins and stories. Look at that mountain formation." Luo Pingchuan spoke enthusiastically about the stories of Xuanling Mountain, seemingly unconcerned.

The woman listened casually, seemingly uninterested in the historical anecdotes Luo Pingchuan recounted.

Luo Pingchuan seemed oblivious, continuing to speak enthusiastically. Although he noticed the woman's emotions, he didn't know what to say for the moment, so he could only bite the bullet and finish what he had to say.

As he was speaking, his gaze shifted, and he suddenly spotted a figure in the distance. He paused for a moment, then his eyes lit up, and he went to meet the figure.

"Fellow Daoist Chen, what a coincidence, we meet again."

The man Luo Pingchuan saw was naturally Chen Ping'an, who had just come down from Xuanling Mountain.

Chen Ping'an hadn't expected to run into Luo Pingchuan here. As a major commercial city, Xuanling City was extremely vast. For ordinary people living within the city, some might never see each other in their entire lives.

It was quite a coincidence that we met here.

However, for cultivators at their level, their social circles are much more condensed, and they often frequent the same places. The only difference is the time they spend together.

"Fellow Daoist Luo," Chen Ping'an greeted with a smile.

The two weren't exactly close, but they knew each other. He had met her briefly at a small gathering in Yunzhu before, and they had exchanged a few words.

The divination scroll in his hand was obtained through a transaction with the other party.

He still remembered the talented young people of Tianwu Pavilion.

The definition of youth varies depending on one's lifespan. When people like them embark on martial arts cultivation, they transcend the limitations of ordinary definitions.

As they were talking, Luo Pingchuan noticed Chen Ping'an's location and looked somewhat surprised.

Xuanling Mountain, a blessed land within Xuanling City, is only inhabited by those of truly distinguished status. Fellow Daoist Chen, this is...
As Luo Pingchuan mentioned this matter, the woman beside him also turned her gaze to Chen Ping'an, her eyes revealing a scrutinizing look.

Chen Ping'an didn't need to look at them; their cultivation levels were immediately apparent to him.

Luo Pingchuan's aura was stable, but his cultivation level was uneven, indicating he was a recent cultivator. The other person, on the other hand, had a much more stable cultivation level, suggesting he had broken through to the next level several years ago.

In addition, Chen Ping'an sensed that the woman seemed to have a special aura about her, whether it was a life-saving trump card or a mark.

At his current level, even grandmasters of martial arts are completely outmatched by him.

The Celestial Beings are incredibly powerful, not only in terms of combat strength, but also in their completely asymmetrical information and methods. If the two were to clash, it would be a true case of a dimensional reduction attack.

"Just came out for some fresh air." Chen Ping'an didn't explain much.

The two were acquaintances, not close friends. The other only knew his surname, not his full name. They addressed each other as fellow Daoists.

"Get some fresh air?" Luo Pingchuan was taken aback. The other party's vague answer, which seemed to have a hidden meaning, made him start to have all sorts of thoughts.

Come out for some fresh air. Fellow Daoist Chen, do you live on Xuanling Mountain?

but
Luo Pingchuan couldn't quite understand it for a moment.

Before he could say anything, the woman beside him burst out laughing.

The laughter wasn't loud, but it was quite noticeable in the room at that moment.

Luo Pingchuan looked over upon hearing the voice and saw a slight smile appear on the other person's arrogant face, with a playful look in his bright eyes, as if he had seen through the words of the person in front of him.

"That's pretty direct," Luo Pingchuan thought to himself, before quickly stepping in to smooth things over.

"Fellow Daoist Chen, this is Junior Sister Fang, who came out with me to take a look."

Luo Pingchuan didn't say much, afraid of upsetting Fang Shimei.

Now he understood. With Fellow Daoist Chen's cultivation level, he shouldn't be able to live on Xuanling Mountain. The reason he's here is either to visit an elder, or to be sightseeing like him, or simply to be passing by.

Fellow Daoist Chen's ambiguous answer was probably due to the vanity that is common to most people. Such emotions are hard to escape, no matter how high one's cultivation level.

The only difference is the type of goods.

Upon hearing this, Chen Ping'an glanced at the woman in the cloud-patterned dress beside him. She was indeed beautiful, with white teeth, bright eyes, cherry lips, and a delicate nose. However, the hint of arrogance between her brows immediately distanced her from others.

I never expected that someone at this level would still be so naive and straightforward. Either her previous environment was extremely simple, or her identity allowed her to be free from such concerns.

Regardless of the reason, it is somewhat impolite for the other party to act this way.

However, Chen Ping'an wouldn't hold a grudge against someone just because of a laugh. Martial arts cultivate strength, but they also cultivate the mind.

He's no brute!
Chen Ping'an nodded slightly as a gesture of acknowledgment, his attitude appearing somewhat colder than before.

The woman glanced at him but didn't respond. Luo Pingchuan stood to the side, feeling somewhat awkward, and wanted to try and smooth things over.

"Fellow Daoist Chen, Junior Sister Fang and I are going to attend a trade fair later. We'll be meeting some familiar faces. Would you like to join us?"

"A trade fair?" Chen Ping'an glanced at Luo Pingchuan.

He was interested in the trade fair, but
The two individuals were of average cultivation level and were acquaintances; the level and scale of the trade fair should not meet his expectations.

I could take a look on a normal day, but I have something to do today. I need to go to the Gu family to reassure everyone.

"Thank you for your kind offer, Fellow Daoist Luo. I will take my leave. I wish you both a successful transaction. I have other matters to attend to, so I will not keep you company any longer." With that, Chen Ping'an bowed and prepared to depart.

Luo Pingchuan wanted to stop him, but couldn't find a good excuse. He bowed respectfully and said, "Fellow Daoist Chen, please take care. We'll meet again another day and have a long chat."

Chen Ping'an smiled slightly, exchanged a few pleasantries, and then left.

Watching Chen Ping'an's figure disappear into the distance, Luo Pingchuan sighed helplessly.

"What's wrong?" Fang Yiqing glanced at Luo Pingchuan. "Are you feeling unwell?"

"No, it's just that I feel like there was a misunderstanding," Luo Pingchuan said with a wry smile.

He was a peaceful and sociable man, considerate of the situation, and disliked making things too awkward. He always left room for maneuver, so that they could meet again in the future. But Fang Shimei was exactly like that.

"Misunderstanding?" Fang Yiqing chuckled and said nothing more.

She has a straightforward personality and dislikes pretentious people the most. She says what she thinks; why hide anything, play it cool, or act affectedly?

Those with real talent will naturally show it without needing to say anything; why would they need external help? Those without talent, no matter how much you talk, it's useless. They should just be what they are. What kind of talk is this, trying to cover it up?

When Fang Yiqing makes friends, she never considers background, only whether they are compatible. Since they are all on the same level, there's no need to use such things to embellish oneself.

If you don't like someone, you can just cut ties directly to avoid wasting each other's time and to avoid putting on a pretentious act.

Fang Yiqing glanced at Luo Pingchuan. If it weren't for her elders urging her to come, and the fact that she just wanted to get out for a walk, she would never have come this time.

She understood what the other person was thinking, but she wasn't interested.

Things that need to be made clear should be made clear as soon as possible.

In a flash, Fang Yiqing's cloud-like skirt rippled, leaving Luo Pingchuan standing still as he walked forward alone.

Luo Pingchuan was admiring and sighing when he saw Fang Yiqing suddenly leave. He was startled and a hint of panic appeared on his face. He immediately looked away and quickly followed after her.

Logically speaking, given his personality, he should dislike someone like Fang Yiqing the most. But for some reason, he felt that this kind of junior sister Fang seemed more real.

Although he wasn't quite used to being around them, this experience seemed to bring him a different feeling.

This side of Fang Shimei added to his charm, giving him a special attraction.

"Junior Sister Fang, wait for me. Let's go to the exchange meeting after we've finished looking at Xuanling Mountain, okay?" Luo Pingchuan's solicitous voice came from behind.

Fang Yiqing walked on by herself, her cloud-like skirt swaying, as if she hadn't heard anything.

Practice makes perfect, and this was Chen Ping'an's third time visiting the Gu family's residence, including his previous visit.

Upon returning, I was naturally familiar with the place and, with everyone welcoming me, I stepped into the main hall.

Unlike last time, the expressions of the Gu family members were much more somber this time, as if they were on high alert. Although they managed to force a smile when he approached, the underlying seriousness was still difficult to conceal.

“Ping An, let me introduce you. This is Elder Ming.” Elder Rong pointed to the old man with gray hair and rough skin next to him and introduced him: “Elder Ming is a veteran resident of the mine. He just rushed back today because of the garrison review committee.”

Mr. Rong offered an explanation.

"Greetings, Elder Ming." Chen Ping'an bowed respectfully, and they exchanged pleasantries.

Elder Ming's cultivation level was similar to Elder Rong's, but Chen Ping'an vaguely sensed that Elder Ming's combat strength was slightly greater. This feeling had nothing to do with cultivation level; it came more from judgment and perception.

The two men knew Chen Ping'an's purpose in coming. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, they got straight to the point and brought up the Yokoyama Munechika motion from yesterday's garrison review meeting.

"Ping An, you are probably aware of the mining regulations and qualification review proposed by Hengshan Sect. What are your thoughts on this matter?" Elder Rong inquired.

When this matter was mentioned, Elder Ming's expression also became somber.

Over the years, the Gu family's situation in Xuanling Prefecture has already been somewhat difficult. If this proposal is passed and implemented, the Gu family's future will be even more uncertain.

There is no such thing as the hardest; there is always something harder.

As one of the veterans stationed there, this was something he could not accept.

"First, we need to consider the family's internal situation and unite with those who share common interests," Chen Ping'an said, outlining some strategies that were conventional and unremarkable.

"We urgently informed the family about this matter last night, hoping that the family could set a tone and at the same time prepare for the worst. If the worst happens, we should figure out how to minimize the losses," Elder Ming said with a wry smile.

Normally, the Gu family could provide strong support, but now the family's top-level combat power is lacking, and the patriarch has been in seclusion for many years, so his deterrent effect is not significant. Although there are elder grandmasters, in this kind of game, martial arts grandmasters are ultimately weaker.

Only with a pseudo-celestial being involved can more details be determined. However, within the family, only Gu Zhengnan is a pseudo-celestial being capable of venturing out. The Gu family needs to consider the interests of all parties involved, and it is entirely impossible for him to manage everything alone.

"Please do not disturb us, elders. It is just a minor disturbance. The Gu family is prosperous and should be able to handle it quickly." Chen Ping'an said with a smile, "The Hengshan Sect is targeting the Gu family by proposing this bill. They prioritize profit over ecology and infighting over people's livelihood. They will soon suffer the consequences."

Chen Ping'an spoke with ease and confidence, but the two were preoccupied with important matters and took it as a consolation, not taking it too seriously.

He simply said, "I hope so."

Then he sighed again, racking his brains for a solution.

"The Hengshan Sect is now very powerful, with support from various states both overtly and covertly. Although this matter doesn't directly involve the interests of the Wenxin Sword Pavilion, based on past practices, they should have stepped in to obstruct it. But this time they've remained silent; I wonder what agreement they've reached internally. Besides, there are several merchant guilds..."

"With a share of the profits from trade, the various chambers of commerce should be happy to see this happen. However, it's uncertain how Yokoyama Sect and they will reach an agreement on how to distribute the profits. Perhaps we can use this as an opportunity to see if we can influence their attitudes. However, some losses are probably unavoidable."

"I'm afraid that even if we lose our interests, it will be difficult to change their attitude. As a local chamber of commerce in Xuanling Prefecture, the Xuanling Chamber of Commerce has always been united internally. They have always had objections to the mines owned by my Gu family in Xuanling Prefecture. Now, by reducing profits and distributing the spoils among the various families, they may not necessarily gain much, but they will likely be happy to see it happen. The Bicang Chamber of Commerce can be won over, but compared to the other families, the Bicang Chamber of Commerce is much larger. No matter which side we take, the subsequent profit distribution will probably be substantial. In addition, my Canglong Prefecture has always been independent, which displeases the Bicang Prince's Mansion. This matter is difficult!"

"."

The two men looked grave; had they not been seasoned by trials and tribulations and possessed a calm demeanor, they would likely be scratching their heads in frustration. Even so, faced with this perilous situation, they still couldn't find a good solution after much deliberation.

"No matter what, we should strive for what we can, quickly determine a strategy, and execute it swiftly."

Chen Ping'an sat to the side, listening to the two's conversation, occasionally assigning tasks for the clan elders to execute quickly. Previous contingency plans had already been partially implemented, but now, with these fine-tuning adjustments, a complete overhaul was necessary.

Seeing that everyone was busy, Chen Ping'an did not linger after expressing his attitude.

Before leaving, however, he offered a few words of comfort, assuring the two that everything would be alright.

The two responded, but their expressions remained somber.

Such matters are extremely troublesome, and simply offering words of comfort is clearly not very helpful. Chen Ping'an did not insist, and after explaining the welcoming ceremony to be held in a few days, he left.

The two men bowed to each other in farewell, mentioning that they would definitely attend the welcome celebration.

Although the deliberations were numerous and complex, Chen Ping'an was newly appointed and making public appearances in front of various parties, so no matter how busy they were, they had to attend.

After leaving the Gu family, Chen Ping'an was also preoccupied with matters. Ultimately, the crux of the matter lay in the attitude of the Hengshan Sect and the mining dispute. To resolve the issue once and for all, the key was to start with the Hengshan Sect.

Having been in Xuanling for several days now, it's time to properly showcase my talents. If I don't make a strong impression, how will I connect with those top-tier trading circles?

"Hyoyama Sect." Chen Ping'an's gaze narrowed slightly.

He hasn't even taken revenge on the grudges that Black Rock Old Monster held against him yet!
They were scheming for the transaction and spying from the private rooms, acting with complete impunity.

Whether he can survive or not depends on Black Rock Monster's own choice.

Chen Ping'an's eyes narrowed, and he entered a treasure pavilion shop.

As the garrison commander of Xuanling, and the top official in his post, his working hours weren't strictly regulated. As long as things went well, he was free to do as he pleased.

Although the resources purchased last night have replenished quite a bit, it is clear that they are not yet fully replenished. It would be good to try our luck today since we have some free time.

After opening several stores, Chen Pingan also purchased some regular resources to supplement his foundation.

After all that, he now has around 140,000 Yuan Crystals at his disposal. However, the real bulk of his wealth lies in the resources he plans to sell.

"It's time to get involved in some high-end business sooner. It's really not very interesting to keep doing small-scale things like this." Chen Ping'an shook his head with a smile.

Today, the purchase and consumption of several thousand yuan crystals is nothing more than trivial matters in his eyes.

After visiting several shops, Chen Ping'an found only common resources suitable for Grandmasters. Feeling disheartened, he decided to stop after visiting one more shop.

However, as he was walking, he sensed a presence in the crowd in the distance.

"This is..." Chen Ping'an paused, looked up, and saw a figure in black robes quickly weaving through the crowd.

"It's her!" Chen Ping'an's eyes narrowed, and his face lit up with joy.

Little Five Poisons, Lan Yingjun.

Watching the other person's figure about to disappear into the distance, Chen Ping'an had a slight thought and quickly followed after them.

(End of this chapter)