The Great Martial Saint!

Although Chen Ping'an's speed was astonishing, when acting as the Wild Blade, he always maintained his composure and kept a speed close to the pseudo-celestial level as he headed towards Xuanling Heavy City.

Any oversight lies in the details.

Only by paying attention to every single detail can we ensure that there are no oversights.

There are many who can play it safe for a short time. But those who can maintain that safety consistently, regardless of the situation, are extremely rare.

Whoosh!
When Chen Ping'an returned to Xuanling City, the sky had already turned a blush of sunset red.

Having been away from the city for only a few days, when I returned, it felt completely transformed, like a different scene altogether.

Before leaving the city, he had neither experience fighting against Celestials nor a record of killing Celestials, but upon returning to the city, he possessed both.

His main purpose in leaving the city this time was to prepare for the Five Poisons Earthly Fiend Palm technique, so as to make up for the foundation of the palm technique, combine his previous insights, innovate and create a method that is extremely good at attacking and also good at fighting.

If we could obtain some more Poison Barrier Secret Water to supplement our body-strengthening efforts, that would be even better.

But the actual gains after leaving the city far exceeded expectations, by more than ten times!
From the moment the earth shattered, to the transaction with Lan Yingjun, to the arrival of the Lotus Mist Man, to the moment the Soul Guide learned of the other party's plans and conceived the idea of ​​conquering the Celestials, to the actual fight, the assessment of combat power far exceeded expectations.

He killed the Supreme Elder of the Heavenly Lotus Sect, Dream-Eating Lotus Lord, and a group of core high-ranking members of the Heavenly Lotus Sect, including Blood Shadow, Dark Shadow, and Red Lotus.

Then they encountered the number one warrior, Moon Shadow Divine Arrow, and Flower Like the Moon. After a series of battles, twists and turns, and by chance, they traded for a transformed demon beast, its bloodline essence, inner core, wings, feathers, scales, claws, as well as the Art of Fear and the Method of Suppressing the Soul.

Although it was just a rubbing, even with the profound knowledge of a celestial being, it would be extremely difficult to study and comprehend it thoroughly. But for Chen Ping'an, it was a great benefit.

It can not only replenish his spiritual foundation, but also serve as a resource for improving the Seven Forbidden Techniques and the Illusionary Eye.

Furthermore, there are differences in value between different rubbings.

The Soul-Suppressing Technique rubbing that he traded from Hua Ruyue was carried on a gold foil scroll and contained insights, understandings, and profound secrets, making it an extremely rare rubbing.

With this support, he will surely reap rewards as he studies it more thoroughly. If he can wait until his martial arts realm advances further, and he can use his enhanced spiritual power and profound understanding of the universe to further his research, he will undoubtedly achieve twice the result with half the effort.

To acquire resources and plan for external gains, to witness the rise and fall of dynasties, to wield the Moon Shadow Divine Arrow, and to broaden one's horizons and experience. To fight against the profound power of a Celestial Master at the Grandmaster level, that is to be as vast as the heavens and the earth.

The benefits didn't stop there. Later, he encountered the Black Rock Old Monster of the Hengshan Sect and obtained a near-fourth-tier spirit boat, a rare medicinal herb, and the Ice Soul Snow Lotus. He also planted a restriction technique and, with his own hands, incorporated it into his covert development.

Although it may seem dispensable or a trivial move, if it establishes a solid foundation in the future, it won't be a waste of today's achievements.

In just a few days, the situation changed in a way that was beyond what ordinary people could imagine.

Whether it's personal wealth, previous pursuits, or opportunities gained through chance, everything will show signs of fulfillment.

"Simply engaging in arduous practice may not be the right approach. A moment of stillness can spark a desire for action; careful planning may yield unexpected benefits!"

"But everything depends on fate. If there is no predestined connection, forcing it will only lead to failure. If one remains humble and steady, and waits for the right opportunity, it will come naturally!"

"Cultivation is the foundation, while opportunity is the high wall. Without a foundation, even with opportunity, it is just a castle in the air. Without a foundation to support it, forcibly pursuing it may lead to death. How unwise it would be to abandon cultivation and seek opportunity!"

"However, blindly practicing may not be the best method. The way of cultivation lies in harmony. With a balance of tension and relaxation, and a good rhythm, one can find harmony with the natural order between heaven and earth in the interplay of relaxation and tension!"

Chen Ping'an was in a good mood, and with his mind clear, he gained many insights.

Chen Ping'an entered the city discreetly. Due to his deliberate concealment, the spies at the city gate had no idea that he had returned to the city.

This sudden, earth-shattering event resulted in the death of a person, causing quite a stir.

Firstly, it lies in his reputation as a hidden prodigy and his dazzling combat power, which exceeded external expectations. Being able to single-handedly suppress the raging storm and cleave the earth, his combat strength is undoubtedly worthy of a place on the Wind and Cloud Ranking.

The specific details are still not fully understood, but this does not prevent him from becoming famous in Xuanling and spreading outwards at an extremely fast speed.

Secondly, there's Kuanglan Liedi's identity as a first-class guest elder of the Bicang County Prince's Mansion. As a dominant force within the seventeen states of the Bicang region, the Bicang County Prince's Mansion still wields considerable and terrifying influence.

Especially given the current serious illness of the old prince and the intense and fierce struggle for the princely throne, any slight movement is enough to be amplified and resolved by the outside world.

Moreover, this is about the death of a first-class guest elder in the Prince's mansion. Strictly speaking, this matter involves not only Kuanglan Liedi and the other two, but also Bi Cang Wangsun and Ji Changkong.

The prior invitation and groundwork laid were known to everyone in Xuanling City. With all parties witnessing, the connections involved were impossible to escape.

If this matter is investigated more deeply, it could even escalate to the level of a power struggle between factions within the Prince of Bicang's mansion and the struggle for the throne.

This incident was partly due to the earth-shattering force that deliberately blocked his path, but it was also greatly related to Chen Ping'an's ruthless and lightning-fast actions. Additionally, there was the matter of him sending someone to deliver the head to Ji Changkong, the grandson of the Prince of Bicang.

If we examine this matter closely, there are many points of contention.

In addition, the so-called grudges and entanglements between the two, as well as past events, are mixed with many elements that are popular with the public. This matter has become extremely popular in Xuanling City, and the public opinion is fermenting and showing a trend of escalating.

With widespread attention and being the subject of much discussion, this matter is of great importance and influenced by numerous factors, making it unlikely to be easily resolved.

However, Chen Ping'an's low-key entry into the city was not because he was worried about this matter.

Having killed Kuanglan Liedi, he had naturally made the necessary preparations. While the subsequent impact would be far-reaching, it was ultimately insignificant to him.

The only truly difficult issue to resolve is the power and prestige of the Bicang Prince's Mansion. Once this is settled, everything else will fall into place naturally.

However, even if he couldn't handle it, Chen Ping'an wasn't too worried about it.

There are some things he doesn't do because he's too lazy to show up, and there are more important things waiting for him to deal with, not because he's afraid to.

His only weakness now lies far away in the southern border, and judging by the time, he should be enrolling in school soon.

Without this concern, given his current situation, there aren't many things that can cause him trouble.

His low-key entry into the city was mainly due to other considerations.

He gained a great deal this time and urgently needs more time to digest his accumulated strength and transform it into viable combat power. In particular, he needs to expedite the Blood Refinement Body Tempering process, aiming to complete preparations and officially begin it as soon as possible!
Body tempering does not conflict with cultivation techniques. The sooner he can begin, the greater the benefit to his cultivation progress.

Upon returning to the city, I will not rush to show myself. I will deal with the matter of body tempering first, as well as the Five Poisons Earthly Fiend Palm, the study of the Poison Dao, and the refining of secret water.

He had too many things to do and little energy to get involved in trivial matters such as the raging storm, the battle for the Azure Sea, and the entanglements of love and resentment.

Even if we were to deal with it, we would wait until he made significant progress in his martial arts!

As his thoughts shifted, Chen Ping'an walked through the bustling crowd, completely unaware of his presence.

At the Grandmaster level, one can use spiritual guidance to subtly distort the senses. A Celestial Being, with their enlightened soul and the aid of celestial power, can achieve even more. Their soul can interfere with reality, allowing them to remain completely unaware even when standing right in front of someone.

Like a maze, a dream, a single glance is enough to overturn and corrupt a person.

"The matter of Hengshan Sect is not yet resolved, and now there's the matter of the Bicang Prince's Mansion." Chen Ping'an smiled nonchalantly, his smile silent, adding to the stillness.

"A raging storm ripped the earth, a wise and virtuous choice was made. Indeed..."
interesting! "

By the time Chen Ping'an arrived at Xuanling Mountain, it was already completely dark.

Although the guards on Xuanling Mountain were formidable, they were practically useless to him. The restrictions that covered the entire Xuanling Mountain were just for show.

He has now made some initial progress in the art of enchanting restrictions, possessing skills approaching the mid-level of the second tier. For some simple restrictions, he can gain a comprehensive understanding without relying on his realm perception, simply through his knowledge of restrictions.

He used his spiritual senses and an overhead perspective to clearly discern the details of the restrictive runes. Combining this with his own skills, he verified and continuously improved his level of expertise.

"I'm still a bit lacking. If I were at the third tier, I could break through all the general restrictions on Xuanling Mountain one by one, even without using my martial arts level!"

Although his level of restriction skills was not high, he was now able to apply his knowledge to other situations and was quite satisfied with his research.

"I wonder how advanced Gu Qingchan's protective barriers are?"

Previously, in the Youtan Cave, the two of them each received half of the forbidden inheritance.

The two agreed to regularly exchange their experiences, verify each other's findings, and jointly study and pass on their knowledge.

Once he has fully comprehended the half of the inheritance he holds, it will be time to exchange it with Gu Qingchan.

"Speaking of which, I wonder if she has reached the Celestial Realm yet?" Chen Ping'an chuckled softly, not dwelling on it too much.

With the aid of the Crystal Jade Elixir, Gu Qingchan's path to becoming a Celestial Being is significantly easier than a normal breakthrough. Furthermore, Gu Qingchan's substantial foundation provides her with even more advantages.

As long as she doesn't excessively pursue a solid foundation, the possibility of her reaching the realm of celestial beings is extremely high.

"came back!"

In the Xuanling Residence, in the meditation room, Chen Ping'an sat cross-legged, a hint of pleasure appearing on his face.

Although it was only a temporary stop for Xuanling, after staying there for a while, a sense of security began to emerge.

"It's still early, let's cultivate for a while first." Although the sky in Xuanling was already dark, it was clearly not night at all.

He'd been working non-stop for the past two days, the first day was for the fierce battle of assassination, and the second day was for mastering the refining method, so he hadn't had much time to cultivate properly. Now that things had settled down, he naturally planned to cultivate for a while.

hum~
Chen Ping'an's eyes flickered, and a light screen appeared in front of him.

All his current cultivation information appeared before his eyes. At his current cultivation level, most of the techniques he had previously practiced were no longer suitable for his fighting style and could not keep up with his combat methods.

But his past hard work was not wasted; instead, it transformed into insights and understanding, becoming his foundation and resources.

At his current level, aside from casual sparring and testing each other's reactions, only top-tier supreme divine skills can still significantly enhance his combat power. As for lower-level techniques, such as the Overlord Blade, their effects are somewhat disappointing.

However, they can still be used for a while, but those below them have truly and completely disappeared from the stage of history.

Some top-tier, supreme divine skills, even those at the perfected level, can serve as a minor trump card for him. The other techniques, however, are only slightly stronger than regular killing techniques. Their power enhancement is far less than that of a powerful treasure.

Having personally experienced combat at the Celestial level, he increasingly felt the deficiencies in his own cultivation techniques. For example, during his battle with the Dream Lotus Lord, he barely used any conventional techniques or secret skills.

The entire battle revolved around rare and precious artifacts, culminating in a decisive blow achieved through bloodline enhancement.

Such a powerful force of treasures is also inseparable from his vast spiritual foundation. Ordinary first-realm celestial beings, even if they have cultivated to perfection, simply cannot withstand the consumption of treasures at this level.

He's already at his limit with just one item. Adding more might be possible in the short term, but it will inevitably become unsustainable in the long run. Even just one powerful treasure, or even a pseudo-powerful treasure, is enough to exhaust all his energy.

With energy depleted, mistakes in other combat methods are inevitable. For example, during a campaign, one might use powerful weapons to kill. However, if too much energy is spent on such an attack, one's defense and reaction time will not be as good as when at their peak.

However, if one has a solid foundation and abundant spiritual energy, even if powerful treasures are used to attack or surprise attacks are launched, one can still handle them with ease.

Whether wielding a powerful treasure, a fake powerful treasure, or a counterfeit powerful treasure, or unleashing a secret killing technique, it's all like an ordinary person lifting a stone. Human strength has its limits, and the heavier the load on one's body, the more inconvenient it becomes to do other things.

A sudden burst of power might allow for the use of numerous methods, but if that instantaneous outburst fails to subdue the opponent, one will find oneself in a predicament, or even suffer a backlash.

At this point, the only option is to reduce the intensity of the attack and return to normalcy, like an ordinary person unleashing their full power for a moment before putting down the boulder.

This is why, even though many celestial beings possess numerous abilities, it is difficult to guarantee that all of them can be unleashed at the same time. They can only allocate their energy and the rhythm of the battle to target their attacks effectively.

It's not that they don't want to, but that they can't!

Of course, there are also some secret techniques and elixirs that can temporarily solve this problem; these are the so-called burst damage methods. They increase the maximum capacity, aiming to end the battle in the most ferocious way.

However, if he fails to establish a foothold within this timeframe, the consequences for him may not be as favorable as they seem.

Of course, the actual situation in a battle between celestial beings and humans is far more complex. Changes in all aspects can occur in an instant, and the slightest mistake can lead to drastically different outcomes.

True battles require intense concentration on various levels, including the soul, true essence, physical strength, treasures, spiritual objects, methods, techniques, and so on. They are all extremely rigorous tests.

Of course, most battles between celestials are primarily probing; this level of competition falls into the realm of true fierce warfare, belonging to the true struggle for core interests.

Facing the Dream Lotus Lord, Chen Ping'an could use powerful treasures and other means to establish a foothold and completely overwhelm his opponent with his spiritual foundation. However, if he encountered a seasoned Celestial Realm Second Stage expert, Chen Ping'an's advantage in this aspect might not be as prominent.

While they wouldn't be at a disadvantage, the actual battle would definitely not be like the one against Shi Menglianjun.

Especially against those with profound foundations at the second realm of perfection, Chen Ping'an could at best be evenly matched if their cultivation level remained unchanged. If the opponent had more external means, then in battle, he could only rely on cultivation techniques.

Although he currently practices many techniques, he has only a few that he can truly rely on. Once the advantage of the treasure is gone, all he can really depend on is the bloodline body tempering he has achieved through the Qingyang Blood Refinement.

He fought against the Dream Lotus Lord without using any special techniques, relying solely on conventional secret methods; he wasn't holding back his full strength. Even if he had used these methods, their effects might not have been stronger than, or even as effective as, a powerful treasure.

He used a powerful weapon to activate it, which can be considered as using a relatively fierce and decisive attack to push forward and establish the situation.

These aspects were clearly evident during his battle with Hua Ruyue. In terms of martial arts techniques and skills, he had no advantage over Hua Ruyue at all; in fact, he was at a disadvantage against the barrage of arrows raining down from the sky.

Compared to Hua Ruyue, his only real advantage lies in the level of their spiritual realms.

A Celestial Realm cultivator fighting against a Grandmaster Realm cultivator.

As for Hua Ruyue as an individual, that's all the advantages she has.

As for the others...
Chen Ping'an's eyes flickered, his emotions shifting, as if he were lost in memories.

Moon Shadow Divine Arrow, Mysterious Escape Treasure, Golden Silk Arrow String, Divine Soul Secret Treasure.
The method to suppress the soul, the Golden Light Secret Technique.
And then there were those inconceivable and miraculous martial arts techniques, and...
Chen Ping'an's gaze was somewhat solemn.

That extraordinary understanding of the artistic conception far surpasses that of the so-called second-realm celestial beings.

In terms of external forces, cultivation methods, and secret techniques, aside from their respective realms, he has absolutely no advantage over Hua Ruyue.

Even with his bloodline-forged body and close-quarters combat, he still couldn't gain the slightest advantage. In fact, if it weren't for the Illusionary Dream Pearl, the second divine wonder, that dazzling golden arrow would have been enough to injure him.

In that battle, which went to such an extent, all he truly retained were his extraordinary bloodline and the secret medicine, Stone Milk, which he had not yet consumed.

Aside from those two methods, he has done everything in his power and to the best of his ability.

Techniques like the Seven Killing Heavenly Fist and the Seven Absolute Forbidden Techniques, though he seems to have preserved them, are actually difficult to use effectively even at their peak in the face of power at that level.

Unless both sides are extremely exhausted and the opportunity is just right, even if it erupts, it's just a decorative move.

Under these circumstances, Chen Ping'an naturally became even more eager for the True Skill Scroll.

Only through experience can one truly understand its importance and urgency.

In battles at the Celestial Realm level, without a genuine cultivation scroll, one cannot claim an advantage in terms of cultivation techniques. Celestial Realm cultivators at the Pivot Light Realm might be somewhat better off. However, for Celestial Realm cultivators at the Piercing Rainbow Realm, the lack of a genuine cultivation scroll becomes a disadvantage.

Even though his spiritual foundation is strong and he possesses the Black and White Intent, which can mitigate a large part of his disadvantages, his cultivation technique is a fatal flaw that cannot be resolved.

He currently possesses the true bloodline of the Qingyang Blood Refining Method, which is already in place. He can continue to advance in the body tempering process, so there is no need to worry too much about this aspect.

However, he urgently needed to resolve the issue of normal cultivation methods.

He can't reach what's far away, but he can hold onto what's right in front of him.

From my own perspective, there are currently two main directions for the True Skill Treasure Scroll: one is to continue to improve the Seven Absolute Forbidden Techniques until it reaches the level of the True Skill Treasure Scroll.

Secondly, he should cultivate the Five Poisons Earthly Fiend Palm to perfection as soon as possible, combining the destructive power of finger techniques, the insidious poison of palm techniques, and the killing intent of fist techniques, while also focusing on fierce attacks, integrating them to create a new martial art.

The overall structure and atmosphere of this technique should be at the level of a true treasure scroll!
With this direction in mind, Chen Ping'an's primary training focus naturally became the Five Poisons Earthly Fiend Palm.

Now that he has reached a certain level, although the Five Poisons Earthly Fiend Palm is quite difficult, he is not slow in his cultivation. The cultivation experience required to break through the Five Poisons Earthly Fiend Palm is not much, so he must grasp it firmly in order to master it to perfection in the shortest possible time.

Although he didn't rely heavily on the Five Poisons Earthly Fiend Palm, he was extremely eager to develop subsequent martial arts techniques.

If he can truly create that cultivation method as envisioned, then in the art of cultivation, he will be no less skilled than those seasoned second-realm Celestials.

If one can cultivate to the point of minor success or even major success, then in terms of cultivation technique alone, one would be able to look down on the vast majority of those in the Heaven and Man realms.

In addition, the Seven Forbidden Techniques are being continuously improved, and the collection of information from various channels will not be relaxed. All parties are advancing simultaneously in order to improve the foundation as quickly as possible.

The method of body tempering begins with Qingyang Blood Refinement. On the basis of normal True Blood Refinement for body tempering, secret waters such as Blue Crystal Water are added to avoid obstacles and resist poison.

Furthermore, there is the opportunity presented by the Azure Lotus, through which one can study the shattered Azure Lotus and comprehend the method of connection, thereby increasing the margin for error in combat. At the ideal stage, even with severed limbs, one can still fight while connected. After battle, these limbs can be properly repaired without damaging the foundation.

As for what lies ahead, there is much room for advancement, but given Chen Ping'an's current cultivation level, there's no need to be so overly ambitious. Besides, the opportunities contained within the Broken Green Lotus may not even reach that level.

The Blood Refinement Path emphasizes speed and provides physical protection. The Soul Path is complemented by the Soul Suppression Technique. The Seven Forbidden Techniques excel in group battles and are a perfect match when combined with the Black and White Intent. If advanced to the ideal stage, they can be fused with the Soul Path Technique, supplemented by mental cultivation methods, to obtain the aura of a true martial arts treasure scroll.

In the art of offense, setting aside external objects, one can acquire the three energies of fingers, palms, and fists, which are fierce, domineering, sharp, and unpredictable, making them difficult to defend against.

In addition, there are powerful treasures protecting it, as well as single-target attacks, restrictions on rare items, and suppression and confinement.
If one succeeds through all these means, then one will be able to look down upon the heavens and humans and attain the aura of a great heavenly being!

Even if it's just a minor achievement, it's still a major overhaul of the foundation!
Now that the direction is clear, all that remains is time.

As his emotions shifted, Chen Ping'an slowly closed his eyes.

hum~
Inside the quiet room, a spiritual light flickered, and the soul was stirred, shimmering with a soft glow.

+1!

Time passed, and after an unknown amount of time, Chen Ping'an opened his eyes, his gaze deep and unfathomable.

"time.
arrive."

The next moment, his figure flashed and disappeared from the quiet room. (End of Chapter)