The Great Martial Saint!

"Handover inspection?"

Looking at Hou Xibai in front of him, Chen Ping'an was slightly surprised.

He thought that after that day, even if Hou Xibai didn't use any means to suppress him openly, he probably wouldn't hold back in the slightest and would be merciful to him.

Unexpectedly, Hou Xibai actually agreed to what was asked as a routine inquiry.

"What's wrong, Manager Chen? Is there a problem?"

Hou Xibai possessed an extraordinary bearing and a dashing demeanor, with a hint of playful amusement in his phoenix eyes.

"Lord Hou, you misunderstand. Chen has done nothing wrong."

Chen Ping'an glanced at Hou Xibai and said calmly.

I underestimated him.

I thought there would be some excitement to watch, but I didn't expect that Hou Xibai's thoughts were deeper than I imagined.

It seems his idea of ​​using this to establish rules can be postponed for now.

His previous killing of Evil Eagle Bone Face had some effect in establishing his authority, but in terms of influence, it was still far from enough.

After all, the difference in the amount of effort involved in killing the Evil Eagle Bone Face is completely different depending on whether one uses a secret spiritual object, a trump card, or regular combat power.

The Fang family did experience this firsthand, but as things stand, they have no intention of actively publicizing it.

Furthermore, although Fang Xiaozhi was present at the scene, he did not see many details clearly.

The words spoken may not have much effect.

Being able to slay the Evil Eagle Bone Face signifies that he possesses the combat power to independently kill a pseudo-celestial being like the Evil Eagle Bone Face. However, the underlying logic of this combat power assessment will vary depending on the methods employed.

Such life-saving spiritual objects offer the weakest indication of his strength. His regular combat power might only qualify him for a prolonged engagement. His success was achieved through surprise attacks and exploiting his lower cultivation level.

As for his trump cards, they require a higher level of combat strength, because compared to one-time consumable items for survival, these are what truly represent his combat strength.

He was able to sever the evil eagle's bone face, so his combat strength was at least at the top pseudo-celestial level.

To achieve this level of skill at the Grandmaster level is quite an achievement.

The most impressive feat, of course, is killing the Evil Eagle Bone Face using conventional combat methods or secret techniques. If that's the case, then Chen Ping'an's combat strength would be quite terrifying.

They are at least close to the ultimate level of pseudo-celestial beings!

Even among the many pseudo-celestial beings in Beishan Pass, he was an absolute powerhouse.

Perhaps he is not much worse than An Qingyang, maybe a little worse, but that is from the perspective of spirit beasts, not their own combat strength.

There are various opinions about Chen Ping'an, which has led to different perspectives on him.

Different perspectives lead to different levels of respect and awe for him.

And this is exactly the situation that Beishan Pass is facing today.

With Hou Xibai's personal assurance, the handover of the inspection and supervision responsibilities proceeded smoothly.

In the following days, Chen Ping'an was busy with the handover, which shortened his daytime cultivation time considerably.

However, Chen Ping'an always had control over his cultivation, so overall it wasn't affected much.

Hou Xibai's sudden agreement to hand over the patrol duties surprised many of the forces within the Beishan Garrison and even the Beishan Pass who were observing the situation.

Many people are still waiting for Hou Xibai to return from his inspection and be furious about this matter, and for him to start a big fight.
But now.
It went so smoothly!?
This surprised many people, who were momentarily confused.

Some speculated that perhaps Chen Ping'an and Hou Xibai had reached some kind of tacit understanding, which explained the scene of the patrol handover these past few days.

Similar speculations were being verified, and information leaked out, pinpointing that Hou Xibai and Chen Ping'an had once met at the Fengyue Pavilion.

"Is that really the case?"

"Could it be that Chen Ping'an has sided with Hou Xibai?"

"That shouldn't be the case. We're both deputy garrison commanders, it shouldn't be like this."

"Then why!?"

"Perhaps some tacit understanding or agreement on mutual benefit was reached?"

"Hard to say."

"."

Amidst the constant turmoil and noise of the outside world, Chen Ping'an was focused on passing on his cultivation techniques and had no leisure time.

In the past few days, in addition to the handover of responsibilities by Hou Xibai, there has also been the handover of all defense duties by Ying Congyun.

Previously, Ying Congyun readily agreed, but never actually put it into action. The pretext was, of course, to wait for Hou Xibai to return so that the two could hand over responsibilities together, clarifying their roles and responsibilities.

They explained things clearly, but they wanted to avoid any misunderstandings among their subordinates to prevent any buck-passing or other issues.

Even when someone is in the center of their mind, they may still harbor thoughts of waiting and seeing.

However, now that Hou Xibai has given his consent, and Ying Congyun has handed over the reins quite readily, he probably has other motives.

The current situation in Beishan is not just a contest of interests, but also a contest of public sentiment.

In the eyes of the two men, and even Minglong, his new position as deputy garrison commander was probably not a colleague in the system who was on equal footing with them, but rather a pawn used for weighing variables.

For all parties involved, his appearance also represents a fresh influx of new life. Whether he becomes part of a faction and blends in with the old guard, or whether he takes on a different role and becomes a new power, these are the key concerns they all have.

However, according to their assessment, the former is highly probable, while the latter is almost impossible.

At least, during the years before Chen Ping'an became a Celestial Being, it was absolutely impossible.

Even in the most ideal scenario, Chen Ping'an, at the Grandmaster level, possesses combat power approaching the pinnacle of the Pseudo-Celestial Realm. However...
So what!
In the struggle between the divine and the human, even the ultimate pseudo-divine being cannot change their own weakness.

What Chen Ping'an can rely on most now is his position and the special honor bestowed upon him by the Northern Border Garrison, which grants him the privilege of executing lawbreakers and those who threaten the system.

"That's interesting."

Chen Ping'an's thoughts shifted, and his smile became genuine.

The situation in Beishan is not going to become clear so quickly.

but
Consider it a way to cultivate one's character.

A large amount of official business was piled up on Chen Ping'an's desk.

The inspection of the pass, along with all the defense duties and numerous other official tasks, combined, make this no joke.

Furthermore, the personnel appointments involved require familiarity with all the staff, resulting in a massive workload.

If an ordinary person came here, even with exceptional talent, it would take them several months to complete the task.

But Chen Ping'an's realm is clear, and he has the assistance of his divine soul. To say that he has a photographic memory is an insult to him.

Within a few days, I had become quite familiar with it.

This was also partly due to Chen Ping'an deliberately slowing down his pace to focus on his cultivation.

The Beishan Pass is responsible for patrolling and inspecting defenses, involving countless elite troops. Even a mere assistant commander represents an extremely terrifying level of power.

In the past few days, amidst the changing discourse, Chen Ping'an clearly felt that his prestige within the Beishan Town Garrison seemed to have risen a notch.

This signifies that his position within the Beishan Garrison Command is clearly defined, unlike when he first arrived where he held a rank and position but had no corresponding actual jurisdiction.

It's like a vacant, idle position. As the saying goes, a local official is more powerful than a distant one.

Having real power means having absolute status and the right to examine, punish, evaluate, reward, and punish subordinates.

No matter how high one's rank, it is difficult to establish extremely high prestige without substantial means to achieve it.

But now.
Here comes the leverage.

"This humble servant, Han Zhiqing, greets Your Excellency."

Inside the public room, Han Zhiqing looked respectful and bowed respectfully.

"Get up," Chen Ping'an said with a faint smile.

"My lord, this humble servant Han Zhiqing reports to you." Han Zhiqing stood up upon hearing this, but still repeated himself once more.

The former represents a routine greeting, while the latter represents a subordinate attitude.

“You’re a veteran of the Garrison Command, there’s no need for that.”

Chen Ping'an was referring to Han Zhiqing's self-reference as "this humble servant." For someone of Han Zhiqing's rank to still refer to himself as "this humble servant" truly demonstrates considerable respect.

With all the handover completed, Chen Ping'an officially took over all official duties, including patrolling and inspecting the garrison city, overseeing the defense of the East Gate of Daguan, and managing the standardized system operation.

Han Zhiqing was appointed as the Assistant Inspector of Beishan Pass, and under his command, all tasks were assigned to him.

The handover file in his hand naturally contained information about Han Zhiqing.

Han Zhiqing, a top-tier pseudo-celestial being, successively served as a candidate for the position of prefectural border commander and deputy commander. He was later transferred to Beishan Pass to serve as a patrol and surveillance officer. He was later promoted to his current position as the Assistant Inspector of the State.

Previously, personnel appointments were subordinate and under Minglong's personal control.

However, to a large extent, it has now been handed over to him.

I don't know if it was because Yu Minglong was understanding and supportive of him.
Han Zhiqing's visit this time was intended to establish a connection and show support, and his attitude was naturally different from before.

First, there are colleagues you have no connection with, even those with higher positions, with whom you can communicate freely and without reservation. Second, there are superiors and subordinates who control your performance evaluations, promotions, rewards, and punishments. The two are incomparable.

After a brief introduction, Chen Ping'an did not have much interaction with Han Zhiqing.

After clarifying the work style, he let Han Zhiqing leave and make his own arrangements. He instructed Han to report to him promptly if there were any important matters.

Han Zhiqing

Chen Ping'an had a slight thought, then put it out of his mind.

In fact, Han Zhiqing is the subordinate with the highest cultivation level that he has cultivated to date.

In this handover, besides Han Zhiqing, there were two other pseudo-Celestial Being subordinates.

They were respectively responsible for the official duties under their respective jurisdictions, such as inspection, auditing, and system management.

After a few days, the handover has come to a temporary end. What follows will no longer be done in such a grand manner, but rather with careful clarification and a more subtle, gradual process.

Today, he has clearly defined responsibilities, assisting in the two major tasks of the Beishan Pass: patrol and defense. He is a man of considerable power and influence.

With these two key tasks as a foundation, he could get involved in almost every matter within the Beishan Pass if he wanted to. Even if he wasn't directly involved, he could still get involved by going through a roundabout way.

With such power, he was unparalleled in his time.

However, the specifics of this matter will depend on the actual implementation going forward.

Getting involved in both sides and managing both sides can lead to immense power if managed well, but if managed poorly, it will please neither side and result in criticism and blame.

Sometimes, the second-in-command is there to take the blame.

The same applies to areas under their respective jurisdictions.

Especially if the division of responsibilities is done well, but if it is not handled smoothly, it means that the scope of responsibility is too broad, and the next logical step is to reduce and decentralize power!
"Yu Minglong certainly has a good plan."

Chen Ping'an was at ease, without the feeling of being confused by those involved while having a clear view from the sidelines; he had a clear understanding of the situation.

Although Yu Minglong had the authority to oversee defense and patrols, he had always found it difficult to get too deeply involved. While Yu Minglong held the title of leader, he dared not overstep his bounds in the complex situation of Beishan. There were many times when he couldn't resort to force.

But now that he has arrived, it's like a clear spring flowing in, and Yu Minglong can use him to achieve some of his own goals.

This is one of them.

Using the opportunity of his promotion, they could then divide the power between Ying Congyun and Hou Xibai. With the appointments from the Northern Border Garrison, even if the two were unwilling, they dared not go too far.

In the subsequent assignments, even if Ying Congyun and Hou Xibai had any follow-up actions, with him in front of them, many things would not involve Yu Minglong.

If there is any insurmountable obstacle, one can take advantage of it and, while dividing up Chen Ping'an's power, take a portion for oneself.

This matter has the backing of a righteous cause, and even if there are some losses, it is ultimately beneficial and without drawbacks for Minglong.

Furthermore, Chen Ping'an's presence can significantly divert the attention of Ying Congyun and Hou Xibai. With him assisting on both sides simultaneously, he can keep the group together more often.

Yu Minglong offered him support in the hope that he could stand firm in this power struggle and not fall so quickly!

but
Hou Xibai and Ying Congyun were not fools; they had a clear understanding of the situation.

The two responded differently, but without a doubt, they were both responding to Minglong's moves.

For example, Hou Xibai first invited and won over Hou Xibai. Even when the invitation was unsuccessful, he did not give up and took this opportunity to smoothly hand over the reins.

This turn of events reinforced the rumors circulating outside and increased Yu Minglong's doubts.

Even if Yu Minglong is confident, he might still have some doubts about Hou Xibai's actions.

This raises suspicions about whether he was truly recruited by Hou Xibai, and whether the two had reached some kind of agreement or tacit understanding.
Even without any factual basis, with this seed of doubt planted, Yu Minglong's next move will likely not be so easy.

Ying Congyun also has its own way of dealing with this.

In short, the situation in Beishan really does resemble a chessboard.

It's a pity.
Those playing the game seemed to misunderstand and treated him as a chess piece.

You must never let the game of chess become so confusing that the player changes along the way.

The three major powers of Beishan Town are intertwined and vying for power.

The various factions within Beishan Pass were also subtly maneuvering, observing the unfolding game. They wanted to see how this newcomer would change and leap across the board.

What's hidden here is a power struggle among various parties.

On the chessboard, in the same space, pieces are being placed.

And he
This star piece in everyone's eyes, however, has its sights set on a different game of chess than what they see.

He saw it.
It's a vast world!
If one day this chessboard blocks his path, he will not hesitate to overturn it and rush to his vast world.

The sky is high enough for me to roam freely, and the winds and clouds follow my will.

Nothing could be more true!

Having assumed his assigned duties and completed the handover, Chen Ping'an has officially established himself within the Beishan Town Pacification Division.

Five days after Chen Ping'an completed the handover, the Beishan Town Pacification Division officially extended an invitation to hold a grand welcome ceremony for him, announcing his arrival to all parties within the Beishan Pass.

The Hengshan Sect, the Wenxin Sword Pavilion, and the five great families of Beishan were all invited to participate.

At the same time, other powerful organizations such as Guyuefang, Jingleige, and Lingshuge also appeared at the celebration.

Beishan was unusually lively that day. (End of Chapter)