The Great Martial Saint!

Although Yunshan Mountain is not very high, it is adjacent to the Heiming Mountain Range and is shrouded in mist and fog, giving it a hazy appearance.

"Fellow Daoist Chen, Yunshan is just ahead."

Ying Congyun was dressed in a light blue robe, with a gentle breeze and light clouds.

Chen Ping'an nodded slightly, looking at the distant mountains shrouded in thick white mist, barely visible, as if suspended in the clouds.

Compared to Beishan Pass, Yunshan is closer to the Black Nether Mountain Range, and its unique terrain makes the surrounding mist even more effective at obstructing the senses. Even ordinary grandmasters might not be able to penetrate the mist to sense anything, and even great grandmasters would experience significant obstacles to their spiritual perception.

However, this white mist is nothing more than a decoration under the divine power of the celestial beings.

Whoosh!
The two figures flashed with light and landed on the distant cloud-covered mountains.

Today's trip was for a business transaction. The two traveled light and simply, without any fanfare.

To be precise, Chen Ping'an's current speed, even with the air-riding chariot provided by the Zhenfu Division, is far slower than what he openly travels. For martial arts masters, this is a symbol of solemnity and authority, but for him, it's only slightly better than a useless item.

Without the guidance of a spirit beast, the chariot, though capable of flight, has limited speed, only slightly faster than that of a typical Grandmaster. Furthermore, it consumes a considerable amount of spirit crystals.

To maintain appearances, it's not much better than the near-fourth-tier spirit boat Chen Ping'an used before.

Above the mountains, the rocks are rugged and the clouds and mist are ethereal.

A colossal mountain peak, thousands of feet in diameter, came into Chen Ping'an's view; this was the location of the exchange today.

"Lord Ying."

As soon as the two landed, they saw a man with a long sword hanging from his waist coming to greet them.

The man had high brow bones, a middle-aged appearance, and a unique aura of a sword cultivator.

"So it's Elder Qiu." Ying Congyun smiled gently.

Chen Ping'an looked down and found that it was a familiar face.

Previously, he was wary of powerful beings lurking on the mountain, fearing that his divine sense might detect something amiss. Therefore, he didn't conduct a detailed sensing, choosing to play it safe. He only briefly sensed the surroundings before descending with Ying Congyun.

When Chen Ping'an looked over, the other person's gaze also fell upon him, and he greeted him with a calm expression.

"Lord Chen."

Chen Ping'an nodded slightly: "Elder Qiu, we meet again."

Sky-Splitting Sword, Qiu Siping!
He had met the other party once before at the Azure Dragon Banquet. The other party attended the banquet as a representative of the Heart-Seeking Sword Pavilion. When he arrived, he attracted attention from all sides. His combat power was strong, and he was one of the top figures at the banquet, which made him feared by all parties.

Even the Black Rock Old Monster of the Yokoyama Sect couldn't help but show a hint of caution and apprehension when mentioning the other party.

I never expected to see him here today.

In response to Chen Ping'an's reply, Qiu Siping simply gave a brief reply before turning his attention back to Ying Congyun.

Ok?
Chen Ping'an immediately sensed something different from the other party's attitude.

In a flash, he realized what was happening.

Qiu Siping's attitude is probably...
Chen Ping'an smiled and then quickly put it out of his mind.

Times have changed. The one who was once in a class of his own at the Azure Dragon Banquet is now nothing special by today's standards. At best, he is only slightly stronger than a top-tier pseudo-celestial being.

Chen Ping'an and Ying Congyun arrived at a reasonable time. By the time they arrived, many Celestials and Pseudo-Celestials who were participating in the trade fair had already gathered on Cloud Mountain.

The Cloud Mountain Gathering is of extremely high caliber. Those pseudo-celestial beings qualified to attend are at least at the top-tier pseudo-celestial level. Their wealth and influence must also be considered.

Only those who meet the eligibility requirements will be invited to participate in this trading session.

Chen Ping'an looked around and saw that most of the thirty or forty people in the arena were at the pseudo-Celestial Realm level. True Martial Celestial Realm cultivators only made up a small portion.

Most of them were people they had met at the previous welcoming ceremony, such as Fang Chengping and Wang Changlie. They were familiar with each other, and greeted him and Ying Congyun with warm smiles and pleasantries.

"Lord Ying."

"Lord Chen."

"."

There was a constant exchange of pleasantries, and Chen Ping'an nodded slightly and responded with a smile.

Even now, though he may not outwardly be considered a Celestial Being, his status, given his identity as a martial arts Celestial Being, is no different from that of an ordinary one. Not to mention, he has always been known as a prodigy with hidden talent, possessing brilliant abilities and a promising future.

Therefore, when they met him, these celestial beings treated him quite politely.

Among them were some celestial beings and independent cultivators who greeted him with friendly smiles and exchanged glances, which could be considered a form of communication.

Among the crowd, Chen Ping'an spotted An Qingyang from the Beishan Town Pacification Division. This renowned An Qingyang, known as the "Pseudo-Celestial Being of Beishan" and the "Number One in Combat Power," was currently attracting much attention in the Pseudo-Celestial Beings' exchange circle, serving as the core of the exchange.

Upon his arrival, the other party gave a respectful bow from a distance, which was considered a courtesy.

Chen Ping'an smiled warmly, and thus the exchange was considered complete.

Although the other party was polite, they clearly had no intention of coming over.

However, Chen Ping'an didn't take it to heart. He wasn't there to exchange pleasantries at the trade fair; his main purpose was to acquire fourth-tier treasure materials, specifically fire-elemental essence.

As long as similar spiritual items are exhibited at the event, he can find a way to make a proper deal.

"There are quite a few celestial beings. I hope this trip will be worthwhile and that we will gain something from it."

Looking around at the martial arts masters with their diverse auras—some fierce and ruthless, some calm and collected, and some composed and reserved—Chen Ping'an was in a good mood and quite satisfied.

As Chen Ping'an was thinking this, he saw several celestial beings walking towards them, and some of them were familiar faces to him.

Gu Yue Fang, Gu Yue Qian Fang; Jing Lei Ge, Lei Xiao Tian; and others.
Shen Linyuan of the Sword Pavilion of Inquiry!

"Lord Ying, we meet again." Shen Linyuan stood tall and straight, his eyes sharp and his sword gleaming like a cold star. He exuded an air of transcendence.

Even though those around him were martial arts masters who had long since entered the second realm, it couldn't overshadow his extraordinary demeanor.

"Fellow Daoist Shen." Ying Congyun greeted him with clasped hands, his attitude extremely polite.

Shen Linyuan's combat strength is not bad. Although he is a newly promoted Celestial Being, even he has to take him seriously.

"I am deeply grateful to Lord Ying for gracing this gathering with his presence. I am from the Heart Sword Pavilion."

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Shen Linyuan's gaze slowly fell on Chen Ping'an, who was standing to the side.

"Lord Chen, since we parted ways, Xuanling has become even more radiant than before."

"Elder Shen is too kind," Chen Ping'an replied normally.

"I had heard of Lord Chen's illustrious reputation before, and I was delighted. I had hoped to see you again during the previous celebration. But unfortunately, Lord Chen was too busy with official duties to make the trip."

Although Shen Linyuan's tone was normal, his eyes were like cold stars, making Chen Ping'an feel uncomfortable.

"Today, I am pleased to see you here, sir. You are very busy with official duties, and your visit must be urgent. May I ask if you have any wishes? Please speak freely, sir. Perhaps I can be of assistance."

Before Shen Linyuan could finish speaking, the others in the room sensed that something was amiss. Ying Congyun, standing to the side, was particularly perceptive, sensing a hint of accusation in his words, which seemed to subtly trace back to the previous Celestial Ceremony.

If this were the only explanation, given Shen Linyuan's temperament, he probably wouldn't have acted this way. His current attack clearly stems from the Gu family's recent response. This...
It should be noted that Yun's mood has changed, and a way of smoothing things over should be deliberately taken.

Gu Yueqianfang, Lei Xiaotian, and others on the side were not in a hurry to speak, but were watching the scene in front of them with great interest and amusement.

"I appreciate your kind offer, Fellow Daoist Shen, but there's no need for you to trouble yourself." Chen Ping'an's expression remained calm and composed.

"Why must Lord Chen be so distant with me? If you need anything, please speak freely." Shen Linyuan did not back down, his piercing gaze sharp and piercing.

Chen Ping'an slightly raised his eyelids, his expression calm and composed, without uttering a word.

The atmosphere in the room froze for a moment.

Just as Ying Congyun was about to speak, Elder Cangjian's voice rang out from the side.

"Alright, Lin Yuan. Lord Chen has his own plans. We need not trouble ourselves with the transaction."

"The elder is right; I was overthinking it."

Elder Cangjian's words instantly eased the atmosphere in the room. Shen Linyuan then left with his sword suspended in the air.

Before leaving, he smiled warmly at Chen Ping'an and said, "Then I wish Lord Chen all his wishes come true."

"Lord Chen, please make yourself at this short chat." Elder Cangjian gave Chen Ping'an a deep look, spoke softly, and then left with him.

Two martial arts masters who were close to the Wenxin Sword Pavilion also left with him.

Gu Yueqianfang glanced at Chen Ping'an, gave him a strange smile, and then left with the others.

Lei Xiaotian did stay, but he didn't exchange pleasantries with Chen Ping'an. Instead, he talked with an elderly man in his sixties with a simple and elegant appearance beside him, and mentioned Ying Congyun during their conversation.

Ying Congyun gave Chen Ping'an a reassuring look and then joined in the conversation.

For a moment, Chen Ping'an's surroundings became quiet and deserted.

Listening to the casual conversation around him, Chen Ping'an remained calm, watching the departing figures of the group, lost in thought.

"perhaps.
It will be very interesting.

After the small gathering in the clouds, beams of light descended one after another, revealing figures with distinct auras.

Those who are still coming at this point are undoubtedly martial arts masters.

Ordinary pseudo-intellectuals, when invited to small meetings, would arrive early and wouldn't behave like this, unintentionally making enemies for themselves.

While not every martial arts master cares about this, it's always best to avoid some things if possible.

People like Chen Ping'an are special cases. Although they are not among the Celestials, their status is already on par with that of the Celestials.

When Tong Ying arrived at Yunshan from Yun, there were already quite a few martial arts masters present.

There are many second-realm celestial beings like Gu Yueqianfang and Lei Xiaotian.

After observing for a while, Chen Ping'an discovered that most of these latecomers were not ordinary. Although their cultivation levels were still at the first level, their auras were powerful and contained a hint of malevolence, clearly indicating that they had something to rely on.

As the streaks of light arrived one after another, Chen Ping'an spotted a familiar face.

The red-haired old man I encountered at the Xuanling Auction and Xuanling Trade Fair had an intense aura, like a volcano about to erupt.

"Fire-attribute cultivation technique?"

Upon seeing this, Chen Ping'an's heart stirred.

The fourth-tier treasure he sought was fire-elemental essence, which the other party, who also cultivated in the same field, might possess in reserve.

However, Chen Ping'an immediately sighed in despair.

"It's a pity that their cultivation level is a bit too low. If they had a similar spiritual item, they would be too busy consuming it themselves to trade it away so easily. It's possible that the other party came here also seeking something similar."

Strictly speaking, the red-haired elder's cultivation level wasn't bad; among the first-realm Celestials, he could be considered a veteran. His cultivation level wasn't far from the perfection of the first realm.

Not to mention the powerful fire element, which can subdue evil spirits and has an imposing presence that is even more oppressive.

Even so, fourth-tier precious materials, especially fire-elemental essence, are rare, and even someone at their level might not be able to obtain them. Leaving aside whether they possess them or not, even if they did, they would likely consume them themselves to aid their cultivation.

Although spiritual items of the same attribute have different effects, one thing is certain: their effects will always include a beneficial component.

Looking at the red-haired old man who had landed on Yunshan Mountain, Chen Ping'an recalled the scene when he first came into contact with the Martial Dao Celestial.

At that time, he was a newly ascended Celestial Being and was eager to determine his own combat strength. When their auras clashed, he used this as a reference, and over time, he made misjudgments.

They only used the opponent's weak combat strength as a reference, unaware that their own combat strength had already exceeded expectations.

Even with the black and white intent, the divine soul phenomena not manifested, and the perfect Dao foundation hidden, only one-third of the true divine soul's power was revealed, yet the opponent was easily suppressed.

At the time, he only thought that the other party was a newly promoted Celestial Being, but he never expected that at that time, one-third of his divine soul was enough to suppress an ordinary first-stage perfect being.

If his Dao foundation is revealed and his divine soul erupts, even a martial arts celestial being who has just entered the second realm will find it difficult to match him.

Under such circumstances, his assessment of combat strength was naturally extremely flawed.

Thanks to the battle with the Supreme Elder of the Heavenly Lotus Sect, the Dream-Eating Lotus Lord, he once again understood his own combat strength.

Before this battle, he went into battle expecting to be at his peak and that his opponent might escape. But when the battle actually began, he discovered that the renowned Dream Lotus Lord, who wielded a powerful treasure, was actually quite weak.

Without using any of his most powerful weapons, he killed his opponent on the spot.

The contrast between his previous high level of preparedness and the actual results of his battles made him feel somewhat uneasy for a moment. Although his mental state remained stable, he had gained immense confidence in his own combat abilities.

then
Chen Pingan shook his head, recalling his battle with Hua Ruyue.

That really hurts my pride.

If it weren't for the battle with Shi Menglianjun, which verified his own combat strength, he would probably have fallen into great uncertainty and even doubt about his own combat strength and the judgment of the heavens and men after the battle with Hua Ruyue.

He, a Celestial Realm cultivator, was trying to defeat a Grandmaster of Martial Arts, yet he still couldn't win!?
Even with all their cards on the table, they only managed a draw.

In such a situation, even if the opponent is Hua Ruyue, the number one Moon Shadow Divine Arrow in Fengyun, it would be difficult for his worldview not to be shaken.

Fortunately
Dream Lotus Lord.

As Chen Ping'an's thoughts shifted, he saw the red-haired old man enter the Celestial Realm and begin communicating with several other Celestial Realm beings.

Although he had met the red-haired old man before, he was disguised at the time, and the old man obviously did not recognize him, let alone come up to greet him.

While he waited there, some people had come up to greet him, but whether it was because of Shen Linyuan's attitude, the Hidden Sword Elder's attitude, or some other reason, no one came forward during this time. At most, they just smiled and showed goodwill.

As the Cloud Mountain Trade took place, Celestials arrived one after another. However, to the outside world, these martial arts Celestials, who stood atop the clouds and were powerful enough to influence the fate of an entire region, did not cause much of a stir here.

It only caused a lively chat within a small circle of acquaintances and did not generate any significant buzz for the trade fair.

But it was under these circumstances that the arrival of a fiery red flying boat attracted everyone's attention.

On the flying boat stood an elderly man in his seventies, dressed in a fiery red robe. He had a hooked nose, a deep furrow between his brows, and narrow, fiery eyes, yet he exuded a cold indifference that kept people at a distance.

Beishan Pass, the foremost alchemist, Master Gu. (End of Chapter)