The Great Martial Saint!

The majestic city, with carriages soaring through the sky, is radiant with light and auspicious clouds.

"Ok?"

Inside the carriage, Hou Xibai glanced sideways and sensed the martial arts aura below.

"Not bad sword intent."

He pushed aside the cups and goblets offered by the beautiful woman and rose from the soft couch in the carriage.

"Berserk Blade!"

Hou Xibai's eyes narrowed, the spirit beast let out a soft cry, and the carriage stopped in mid-air.

With a spiritual connection, a figure in a long blue robe, speaking gently and smiling, appeared before his eyes.

"It turns out that it was Chief Chen Ping'an who came in person to take up his post in Beishan. I apologize for not being able to greet you properly."

Hou Xibai's voice was clear and deep, extremely infectious, and his voice, like a thunderclap, pressed down on people's souls.

"Chen Ping'an, Chief Chen?"

"Coming to Beishan?"

"."

No one would have imagined that a simple trip into the city would lead to encountering a celestial chariot soaring through the air, and more importantly, it seemed that a great figure was hidden among them!

Some well-informed individuals had the relevant information flash through their minds the instant the clear, deep thunder rumbled in the sky.

Chen Ping'an, the prodigy of the hidden dragon, the grandmaster of the wind and clouds, the valiant swordsman, is now the newly appointed deputy garrison commander of Beishan Pass!
Deputy Garrison Commander of Beishan!
In any state, this would be considered an absolute titan. Even within the Beishan Pass, he would be a top figure truly within the core decision-making hierarchy.

Such figures are like people standing on clouds to ordinary cultivators.

Beishan Pass, with its eighteen fortified cities, is a place that countless cultivators can only look up to from afar.

现在
They were right next to them?

Some people instinctively began to search.

And in fact, there was no need for them to search. The moment Hou Xibai's influence was felt, Chen Ping'an's aura surged, and he soared into the air. His blue robe fluttered in the wind, his expression was gentle and smiling, and his temperament was as refined as that of a young master from a noble family.

"Lord Hou, I have long admired your name!"

Chen Ping'an stood in mid-air, facing the carriage from afar.

The carriage was draped in light gauze curtains, which swirled with a magical light that obscured the view, but one could vaguely make out a beautiful woman holding hands with a young man, nestled in his arms.

hum~
A flash of light appeared, then faded, and a dashing, debonair, and handsome young man appeared before Chen Ping'an.

The young man had a unique air about him, and his captivating eyes scrutinized Chen Ping'an.

His gaze lingered briefly on the swords and knives at his waist before quickly shifting away.

"Manager Chen, a young prodigy, you are indeed extraordinary after meeting you today. Someone once told me that there are prodigies in Canglong, just like me back then. I didn't believe it at the time, but after seeing Manager Chen today, I'm afraid I was wrong."

"Lord Hou, you jest. I've come to Beishan to assume my new post. We're all colleagues here; how could I possibly have any arrogant words?" Chen Ping'an said calmly, "What do you think, Lord Hou?"

"Master Chen's insights are unique, and I, Hou, have learned much from them." Hou Xibai's expression remained unchanged. As he spoke, the spirit beast in front of the carriage let out a cry, seemingly a little restless.

Amidst the cries, the wind howls, and a sense of spiritual turmoil seems to resonate, captivating the mind and spirit.

Whether intentionally or unintentionally, it headed precisely in Chen Ping'an's direction.

Chen Ping'an remained calm, a flash of light appearing in his brows, and the impending storm vanished without a trace.

"Beast!"

Hou Xibai rebuked him, then smiled apologetically.

"The spirit beast was rude; please forgive it, Master Chen."

"It's alright." Chen Ping'an said calmly, glancing at the spirit beast in front of the carriage with a composed look in his eyes.

The demonic beast roams alone, possessing a cultivation level close to the fourth rank.

Compared to humans, they are equivalent to the pseudo-celestial level. Their bloodline endowments differ, resulting in different levels of combat power.

"I am preoccupied with official business, so I will not have time for idle chatter with Manager Chen. I am sure that you are very pleased with your visit to Beishan. We, your colleagues, have also been looking forward to it for a long time."

Hou Xibai said a few simple words and then took his leave.

Before long, the carriage broke through the air, amidst auspicious clouds and light, heading towards the Black Nether Mountains, and soon disappeared into the sky.

Chen Ping'an remained calm as he watched them depart into the distance.

As a former prodigy and now a martial arts master, Hou Xibai has also been blessed with good fortune, and that demonic beast pet is the best proof of that.

Ordinary first-level celestial beings may not have such an opportunity to obtain a fourth-tier demonic beast spirit pet, let alone a powerful spirit pet like Duxiang, which is known for its strong combat power.

Even disregarding combat strength, just using this to tame beasts for travel is quite a grand spectacle.

"The carriages rattled through the air; quite a grand spectacle. What a pity."

Chen Ping'an withdrew his gaze and looked at the majestic city gate in front of him.

"Your cultivation level is a bit lacking."

Within the North Mountain Pass, an aura rose, and each person possessed an extraordinary presence, all having cultivated to the pseudo-celestial level.

The people from the Beishan Prefecture Garrison have arrived.

The arrival of Chen Ping'an, the "Mangdao" (a legendary swordsman), is undoubtedly a major upheaval for Beishan Pass. Especially in terms of the balance of power among various parties, it's like a breath of fresh air being injected into the region.

If handled well, it will be moist and sweet; if handled poorly, it may become a problem.

Such perceptions reveal that there are no fewer than a few forces at play.

Of course, their feelings were not due to the weight of Chen Ping'an, the ruthless swordsman.

Rather, it lies in the appointment Chen Ping'an received, and the special privilege bestowed upon him by the Northern Border Garrison Command.

Holding the imperial staff, one may execute anyone who threatens the system or affects the safety of the garrison; the garrison commander grants special permission to kill such a person without charge.

Given the great honor and favor bestowed upon him by the Northern Garrison Command, even if they did not value Chen Ping'an's cultivation level, they would still ensure that all the proper etiquette and manners were observed.

But to be honest, Chen Ping'an, the valiant swordsman, is indeed in a class of his own among Grandmasters. He also poses a significant threat to ordinary pseudo-Celestials.

However, it does not have that kind of suppressive power on some long-time pseudo-celestial beings, especially top-level pseudo-celestial beings.

After all, the battle record on the leaderboard was achieved by Chen Ping'an, the valiant swordsman, in collaboration with others, not by him fighting alone.

This can be seen from the deeper behavior of the pseudo-celestial beings who welcomed him into the city.

On the surface, there was nothing particularly wrong with their behavior. But some subtle changes naturally did not escape Chen Ping'an's keen observation.

In a normal exchange between fellow Daoists, the group might not have acted this way. After all, Mang Dao, as a prodigy among the Hidden Dragons and a Grandmaster of the Wind and Cloud Realm, already held a status far above that of ordinary pseudo-Celestials. In such a setting, especially at their first meeting, they needed to be extra careful.

The problem is that Chen Ping'an has come to take up a post—the deputy garrison position, a post that only martial arts masters might be able to hold.

This means that everyone present was Chen Ping'an's subordinate.

Once the power is distributed and the positions are settled, some of these people may even become Chen Ping'an's direct subordinates.

Such a disparity is undoubtedly difficult for people to accept.

Especially for a leader like Chen Ping'an, who was parachuted in without experience, prestige, or proven ability. All he relied on was his natural talent.

Talent?

Their talent is indeed remarkable, but the barrier between Heaven and Man is incredibly difficult; a slight misstep can lead to death and the annihilation of one's cultivation. Even if they forcibly break through, they might end up as pseudo-Heavenly Beings like them.

Before one becomes a celestial being, anything is possible.

Such things have happened before among the hidden talents and geniuses of past dynasties.

Of course, even with such thoughts in mind, the few pseudo-celestial beings who came to greet them still maintained a perfectly normal demeanor.

What they couldn't have imagined was that Chen Ping'an, standing before them, possessed insights and perceptions far surpassing those of even seasoned celestial beings. The details they thought they had perfectly concealed were completely exposed in front of Chen Ping'an.

but
Among them, there was one person who behaved impeccably, showing extreme respect to Chen Ping'an and without the slightest reluctance.

"Han Zhiqing!" Chen Ping'an also remembered the man's name. He was a pseudo-celestial being who was close to the top level. He served as the Assistant Inspector of the Northern Mountain Garrison, a deputy commander with real power.

In terms of rank, he and Chen Ping'an were of the same rank, but in terms of power and status, within the Beishan Pass, the two were at least two ranks apart.

Chen Ping'an's position as deputy garrison commander of Beishan Pass is one that many prefecture officials have not been qualified to hold.

On the way to Beishan Town, Chen Ping'an learned from several people that he had a more concrete understanding of the situation inside Beishan Pass.

Of course, some secrets and details would not be mentioned to him during their first meeting.

That's about it.

After all, the majority of his energy was spent on cultivation in Beishan, and incidentally, he also wanted to use this opportunity to acquire some resources and materials.

There's also the matter of exchanging merit points.

Based on the attitudes of the others, as well as Hou Xibai's previous reaction, Chen Ping'an had a general idea of ​​the future situation and the environment for handling affairs.

Previously, Hou Xibai seemed harmless to him, but in fact, their first few words were full of verbal sparring.

Whether it's the so-called words of the ruler or the seemingly complimentary remarks about a prodigy, they are all suppressive means to establish each other's status and tone upon first meeting.

Some people subtly displayed their status, while others treated him as a junior.

and also
That seemingly unintentional attack by the spirit beast, and all the actions involved, were Hou Xibai's greeting to him, the deputy commander with a background in the Qiankun Division.

The situation in Beishan is a complex interplay of interests among various parties, with subtle pressure from colleagues.
If it were an ordinary grandmaster, even one of the top five grandmasters on the Wind and Cloud Ranking, they would probably tremble and be extremely cautious in their words and actions under such circumstances.

But Chen Ping'an
But all I felt was inexplicable joy and boundless happiness.

After a long time, the level of this confrontation has finally risen to a new level.

By the way, just now, the top five grandmasters on the Wind and Cloud Ranking were trembling with fear.

Fengyun First, Moon Shadow Divine Arrow, and Hua Ruyue are excluded.

That woman is so unreasonable.

"We respectfully welcome Your Excellency to your new post in Beishan!"

The Beishan Garrison Command, towering and majestic, with its cluster of buildings, was filled with elite troops who greeted him with loud, thunderous voices. "Lord Chen, please come in," a man with a full forehead and wearing a wide robe said with a smile, gesturing for him to enter.

This person is named Qiu Zishan, a top-tier pseudo-celestial being.

Chen Ping'an nodded slightly and stepped inside.

Elite troops continuously greeted and welcomed him along the way, but Chen Ping'an remained calm and patient.

Now that he has taken up his post in Beishan, he has finally escaped the curse of "thousand years old".

To be precise, given his current level, it would be somewhat inappropriate to greet him with the title of "Your Majesty."

The deputy garrison commander of Beishan is a martial arts master. Chen Ping'an is a new garrison commander, and although it is an exception, it is obviously not appropriate to address him as "thousand years old" since he has just arrived.

Since this is the position, all the arrangements, ceremonial items, and supplies are provided according to the hierarchy of Heaven and Man.

This naturally includes greetings.

A true celestial being, with a Taoist master of two thousand years, merits spanning three thousand years, enduring martial arts, and a smooth and successful path, would be a proper greeting.

Beishan Town's administrative center covers a vast area, with magnificent buildings that stand as tall as mountains.

He continued inside, and finally, accompanied by several people, arrived at a grand hall.

"Please wait a moment, my lord. The headmaster will be here soon."

Inside the hall, a middle-aged man in a cloud-patterned robe bowed deeply, his expression unhurried, as if he had been waiting there for a long time.

“Protect the offerings.”

Several pseudo-celestial beings bowed and greeted him.

Clearly, this middle-aged man in the cloud-patterned robe held a significant position in the Beishan Town Garrison.

Chen Ping'an focused his senses and discovered that this was also a top-tier pseudo-celestial being. He could faintly sense a wisp of demonic beast aura emanating from the other party.

Chen Ping'an lowered his eyes and looked at the spirit pet pouch at the other person's waist. He understood perfectly.

Along his journey, he had sensed the presence of many demonic beasts. It was not uncommon for cultivators in the North Mountain Pass to keep demonic beasts as spirit pets.

A significant portion of them have become formidable forces and can be relied upon as effective combat power.

This middle-aged man in the cloud-patterned robe was indeed like that; moreover, there was more than one demonic beast in the spirit pet pouch.

The one with the strongest aura, though not as powerful as Hou Xibai's Lonely Steed, had clearly reached the threshold of the fourth rank and was a near-fourth-rank demon beast.

With top-tier pseudo-celestial combat power and a near-fourth-tier spirit beast, it's no wonder that other pseudo-celestials treat him with such respect.

He alone is equivalent to two pseudo-celestial beings. If he has other means and works in perfect harmony, he may even surpass the so-called ultimate pseudo-celestial being.

Chen Ping'an remained calm and in no hurry, so he waited in the main hall.

During the wait, the middle-aged man in the cloud-patterned robe did not greet him. Instead, Han Zhiqing quietly introduced the buildings and institutions within the Beishan Town Pacification Office to Chen Ping'an.

"My lord, the Beishan Garrison Command is in charge of the defense of the Great Pass, and oversees eighteen garrison cities. It has various agencies responsible for defense, patrols, and supervision, each with clearly defined duties."

"."

Chen Ping'an already knew much of the information Han Zhiqing mentioned before he came, but listening to it again now and adding some details wouldn't hurt.

The group didn't wait long inside the main hall before Chen Ping'an sensed several auras. The leader's aura was profound, carrying the hint of a dragon's roar.

Yu Minglong is the head of the Beishan Prefecture Garrison Command!

As the garrison commander of Beishan Pass, Yu Minglong, whose title was Cangyu, was the true head of the provincial administration.

Besides Yu Minglong, Chen Pingan also sensed an aura, ethereal as clouds, containing a sense of vicissitudes.

Ying Congyun is the deputy garrison commander of Beishan!
Unlike Hou Xibai, Ying Congyun was a genuine member of the Zhenfu Division. He had previously served as the deputy commander of a prefecture. After the border was breached, he was transferred to Beishan Pass as the deputy garrison commander.

"Haha, I have been looking forward to this for a long time since the news of the appointment from the Northern Border Pacification Office. Now, Lord Chen has finally arrived."

Yu Minglong, with his broad forehead and booming voice, strode into the main hall with the stride of a dragon and the gait of a tiger.

Behind him, a group of important officials, each with a distinct aura, followed closely.

"Chen Ping'an, a junior, greets Your Excellency." Chen Ping'an cupped his hands in respect.

Yu Minglong's foundation is quite impressive. Although his cultivation level has not yet reached the perfection of the second realm, he is still a very senior second-realm Celestial Being. He has previously had the record of defeating a second-realm Celestial Being rogue cultivator in a direct confrontation.

As fellow Celestial Beings at the same level, with similar levels of accumulated power, defeating Yu Minglong would be far more difficult than imagined. The fact that he could defeat him head-on like this demonstrates that Yu Minglong's combat strength significantly suppresses that of a typical Second-Level Celestial Being.

This suppression is very likely something that even those with a shallower foundation at the second stage of perfection have never been able to achieve.

Among celestial beings, as long as they are in the same realm, their realms may be higher or lower, but this is more of a difference in the amount of their spiritual energy, which can be completely replaced by external means, secret techniques, and combat power.

The quality of the soul among celestial beings depends more on their foundation and realm, as well as certain special types of secret techniques and cultivation methods.

Based solely on his ability to defeat a second-realm Celestial in a head-on confrontation, Yu Minglong deserves the title of the strongest person in Beishan Pass!

However, the situation in Beishan Pass is complex. Various forces are intertwined, and there are shadowy figures of local overlords whose influence is projected. Although Yu Minglong wields considerable power, he cannot act with complete freedom.

At least, given the factional infighting within the Bicang Prince's Mansion and the intense struggle for the throne, his actions could hardly be considered entirely arbitrary.

There are various entanglements in some important decisions.

"No need for formalities, Lord Chen, you must be tired from your journey." Yu Minglong laughed heartily and raised his hand to welcome him: "Please take a seat."

"Thank you, sir."

Chen Ping'an did not refuse and politely bowed.

Once everyone was seated, Yu Minglong introduced his entourage: "This is Ying Congyun, Lord Ying. Lord Ying is currently in charge of defense work, responsible for all defenses of Beishan Pass, and overseeing the inspection of various garrison towns."

"Lord Ying." Chen Ping'an nodded and bowed.

"The name of Lord Chen is renowned throughout Beishan." Ying Congyun had a lean face and a warm expression, displaying great affability.

"Today, seeing Lord Chen, I truly deserve a toast."

"You flatter me, Lord Ying." Chen Ping'an bowed modestly, his demeanor gentle and refined.

Many high-ranking officials, looking at the scene before them and at the handsome and refined Chen Ping'an, assessed the intelligence in their minds, confirming its authenticity and reliability.

Chen Ping'an, known for his reckless and impulsive actions, is a man of fierce determination. Driven by his ambition, he is ruthless and cunning, often sweeping away enemies with the force of thunder.

But what I saw next...
Everyone present remained silent, carefully observing the newly arrived deputy garrison commander of Beishan, trying to understand his preferences and personality in all aspects.

While intelligence can be valuable, the most accurate understanding comes from how people interact with each other.

"Both of you are my right-hand men, and we should get closer to each other in the future," Yu Minglong said magnanimously.

"I am newly appointed to this post, and if there is anything I do not understand, I would be grateful if Lord Ying would not hesitate to offer his guidance," Chen Ping'an said politely.

"You're too kind, Lord Chen." Ying Congyun smiled humbly, his demeanor ethereal yet imbued with a sense of history: "Mutual exchange is what truly matters."

The two did not exchange words for long before Yu Minglong introduced several important officials of the governor's office.

Without exception, they were all at the top-level pseudo-celestial being level.

This naturally included the man in the cloud-patterned robe.

An Qingyang, a high-ranking official in the Beishan Garrison Command, holds a position that ranks among the top ten in the official system of the entire Beishan Pass. Within the Garrison Command, he is a powerful figure second only to the Deputy Garrison Commander, and is on par with the Garrison Commander candidates.

During the conversation, Yu Minglong also brought up Hou Xibai.

"Lord Hou has gone on his routine business. I will introduce him when he returns."

"When I entered the city just now, I had the honor of meeting Lord Hou."

"I see." Yu Minglong laughed heartily: "What a coincidence."

"Lord Chen, you must be weary from your journey to Beishan. How about I host a welcome dinner tonight to celebrate your new appointment? In a few days, we can hold a grand banquet to invite guests from all quarters."

"It is entirely up to Your Excellency to decide."

"Very well, since that's the case, Lord Chen, why don't you make some arrangements first? I've already had someone arrange hospitalization at your official residence. Lord Chen, please see if you're satisfied. If not, you can let me know." With this matter settled, Yu Minglong was in high spirits.

"Thank you, sir."

At this point in the conversation, the person was about to assume their new post, and the initial meeting was almost over. According to normal procedure, they should have taken their leave and left to settle in before moving on to the next meeting.

The people inside the hall had also begun to disperse, each with their own plans, preparing for the welcoming banquet that evening hosted by Yu Minglong himself.

But at that moment, Chen Ping'an stood up and said something like, "I don't want to do any of this."

"There is something I would like to report to the headmaster."

"Oh? What is it?"

Yu Minglong became interested, and the others also turned their attention to him, wondering what Chen Ping'an wanted to do.

Why is this matter so urgent? Why not say it at any other time, but have to explain it on our very first meeting before I take up my post?

Ying Congyun looked calmly and serenely at Chen Ping'an.

I want to see what he's up to.

At that moment, Chen Ping'an gently raised his hand, and a flash of spiritual light appeared in the hall, revealing an object.

"I dare to report to Your Excellency that on my way to take up my post in Beishan, I encountered a bandit and killed him. I humbly request Your Excellency to take note."

hum~
The wooden box was opened, revealing a hideous face.

"This is."

The people in the hall were stunned for a moment, then they saw the person's face clearly and were shocked and horrified.

"Evil Eagle Bone Face!"

Ying Congyun suddenly stood up, looking at Chen Ping'an in disbelief.

The Evil Eagle Bone Face, nearly a top-tier pseudo-Celestial Being level expert, possesses a large black-feathered eagle with astonishing speed. How could this be?
How could he have died at Chen Ping'an's hands?

The hall fell silent as people stared at the head suspended in mid-air, its face contorted in a grimace, its expression still bearing traces of terror.

On his first day in office, Chen Ping'an displayed combat prowess that differed from the rumors!
The power of the brute blade can slay even a false celestial being!

With the strength of a Grandmaster, this is truly remarkable.
Looking at the popularity charts, how many are there?
Upon their first meeting, Chen Ping'an brought a unique and profound shock. (End of Chapter)