The Great Martial Saint!

"A powerful cultivator at the Celestial Realm has appeared in the Black Nether Mountains!"

"Through rigorous physical training, one's vital energy and blood will flourish like the sun piercing through a rainbow!"

"The Sword Pavilion of Inquiry has suffered a crushing defeat!"

"."

As time went on, the news spread through various channels, and some influential figures in Beishan Pass became aware of the matter.

The Great Cultivation of Celestials! This is the Realm of Hidden Radiance!
He lived to be 1,500 years old, overlooking the world's prosperity and watching the rise and fall of events.

These years are equivalent to dozens of generations of an ordinary person's life.
The Great Cultivation of Heaven and Man utilizes the power of heaven and earth to nourish one's body. Even without cultivating one's physical body, one's physical body will become extremely resilient.

For those in the lower realms of Heavenly Beings, this is tantamount to complete annihilation. Only in this way can the Hidden Radiance Realm be considered a realm of great cultivation.

If we're talking about the difference between a first-realm Celestial Being and a second-realm Celestial Being, it's just a matter of one or two, and even the most senior among them are only at the third or fourth level. But when you reach the Great Cultivation Realm, after years of accumulation, the difference becomes ten!
"Shen Linyuan is seriously injured, his Hidden Sword is half-crippled, and he has also offended Master Gu. The road ahead for the Asking Heart Sword Pavilion will probably be difficult."

"After a while, the Hengshan Sect actually became the winner."

"It's hard to say, it all depends on how the Heart Sword Pavilion handles it!"

"And then there's Shen Linyuan's previous proposal to marry an elder of the Gu family, and now..."

"."

There was a commotion from all sides, with everyone discussing the matter of the Dark Underworld.

Each party has its own perspective and its own dimensions. Since their interests differ, their stances and angles of discussion will naturally also differ.

"A master of body tempering, with peak blood and qi!? Is he from Five Dragon Mountain, the Crimson Sky Alliance, or perhaps... the Mysterious Armor Sect!?"

"It's hard to say! These are all famous schools and sects known for their body training, but each has its own strengths and focuses on different aspects. Without actual combat experience, it's difficult to make a judgment."

"Why couldn't it be a rogue cultivator!? That powerful cultivator might not even be from one of these sects!?"

"It is already difficult for a rogue cultivator to become a Celestial Being. To become a Great Celestial Being? How difficult is that? It is no different from ascending to heaven! If someone were to succeed, they would already be famous throughout the Northern Territory. How could anyone not know their foundation?"

"Do you think it's possible that the other party is deliberately concealing their background and faking their attack?"

"That possibility cannot be ruled out! However..."

"."

In the discussions, most of the topics revolved around this mysteriously rooted body-forging master.

In the days that followed, high-level gatherings and exchanges frequently discussed the Black Netherworld, leading to much speculation. This speculation was further used to analyze the subsequent impact of the matter on Beishan Pass, and how to respond to ensure stability.

At this level, nothing is discussed without a reason. What may seem like casual conversation is actually a game of power and interests.

Among these, the name of Chen Ping'an, the deputy garrison commander of Beishan, was inevitably mentioned as well.

It appears exceptionally popular across all channels and occasions.

After all, the Great Cultivation of Celestials was too far removed from them, but Chen Ping'an, the Mangdao, was a real person standing right in front of them, someone they could actually come into contact with.

At the Cloud Mountain Gathering, at the Sword Pavilion of Inquiry, Elder Qiu Siping challenged Chen Ping'an, the valiant swordsman.

"Qiu Siping!?" During the conversation, one of the pseudo-celestial beings heard about this for the first time and looked quite puzzled.

"He's also a long-time fake celestial being. Isn't he afraid of bullying the weak?!"

Qiu Siping was quite famous and highly respected among the pseudo-Celestials. He was considered a top-tier figure among them.

"Bullying the weak?" Someone scoffed upon hearing this: "What a joke! Mang Dao now holds a high position and wields great power, comparable to a celestial being. What do you mean by bullying the weak! Do you know what Mang Dao said in that battle?"

"How to say?"

"My blade, when drawn, will surely draw blood. I challenge you to a duel to the death! Since you have challenged me, fellow Daoist, be prepared to leave your life here!"

"Hiss~ Is this what Mang Dao said?"

"Of course!"

"So domineering! Absolutely domineering!"

"The Wild Blade, this is the Wild Blade! I've only heard of it before, but today I realize it seems to be so close to us!"

"And the result?! What was the outcome?"

"Three strikes to kill Qiu Siping, who died on the spot! The Supreme Sword of the Heart-Questioning Sword Pavilion suppressed his soul and tried to interfere with the outcome with his will. But he failed and was met with a sword from the brute!"

"what?"

"Holding knives facing each other, the knives pointing at the heavens and man?"

"This"

"Sometimes they're just too audacious!"

"That's real courage! The Hidden Sword Sect acted against the rules, so the Wild Blade Sect's actions are perfectly reasonable!"

"That being said, this is a Hidden Sword!"

"Speaking of which, the fact that the Hidden Sword Sect was half-crippled and the Great Cultivator made a move on the same day, could it be...?"

"What?! What are you thinking?! A major overhaul, that's a major overhaul! You might think it's possible to become a Celestial, but a major overhaul... how is that possible?!"

"Yes! That's a mistake. Mang Dao is only a few years old. Besides, he's famous for his swordsmanship, he's never practiced body tempering. Even if he did some training before, it was just for show, nothing of substance."

"Absolutely, absolutely."

"But judging from all this, it seems that this Mang Dao has some luck on him! The Sword Pavilion of the Heart-Questioning Sword Pavilion even intended to attack him, but ended up like this. I heard that Master Gu was also involved. When Mang Dao introduced him, he didn't seem to be very polite to him?"

"Shh! Keep your voice down, is this something you can talk about?"

"Mmm." The speaker nodded discreetly, then added in a low voice, "We know, that's all."

The man glanced around and then whispered, "The people I've offended are all in pretty bad shape now. This isn't just a bit of luck; it's clearly a stroke of good fortune, a blessing from heaven and earth!"

Qiu Siping challenged him to a duel and died on the spot. Cang Jian used his power to intimidate others, losing an arm and becoming half-crippled. Master Gu was displeased and suffered serious injuries. Such events can be considered as a matter of fate.

As in those biographies and legends, there are many who are chosen by fate, the protagonists of destiny, who receive this treatment.

Now this fierce blade
The group of people who were speaking exchanged glances, and they all saw a hint of emotion in each other's eyes.

Chen Ping'an, the deputy garrison commander of Beishan, has reached such a level and such combat power at the age of twenty-eight!

With the skill of a Grandmaster, he reversed the situation and killed Qiu Siping, a top-tier pseudo-Celestial Being.

With a single, masterful strike, he shattered the void with his sword intent.

Two swift sword strikes, accompanied by a whirlwind of thunder, were unstoppable.

Three swift, thunderous strikes shatter the limits, establishing order and stability.

With such talent and combat prowess, what else could they be but a protagonist in a biography?!

At such a young age, he has already attained a high position and wielded great power. He is a rising star, ranking on both the imperial examination lists. Such a person is a first-rate talent even in the entire dynasty.

Not to mention in the North.

He could be the subject of a biographical novel.

This is the combat power of the Wild Blade Master, capable of slaying a top-tier pseudo-Celestial Being with three strikes.
Perhaps they've already reached a level comparable to celestial beings!
With a Grandmaster level of martial arts comparable to a Martial God, there are probably only a handful of people with such combat power even on the Wind and Cloud Ranking!
Aside from the Moon Shadow Divine Arrow, which Hua Ruyue is a cut above, perhaps only the Thousand Craftsmanship Technique, like Fu Baisheng's, could accomplish such a feat!

As for the others, it was extremely difficult.

In this situation, if the rankings are updated, wouldn't Mang Dao's ranking be...?
The group exchanged glances again, each noticing a hint of alarm in the other's eyes.

Chen Ping'an, the valiant swordsman, is a chosen one of heaven!

The news that Chen Ping'an had slain the false Celestial and confronted Cangjian Yunshan had undoubtedly spread throughout the upper echelons of Beishan Pass.

It is foreseeable that this matter will spread widely to the outside world as the celestial beings and pseudo-celestial beings who participated in the meeting travel around.

Chen Ping'an, the valiant swordsman, possesses astonishing talent in swordsmanship and is at the peak of his combat power. He slew a top-tier pseudo-celestial being with three strikes, and his combat power is comparable to that of a martial arts celestial being!
This is a hidden dragon, a prodigy! A top-three contender in the world of martial arts!

Under such circumstances, Chen Ping'an's reputation naturally flourished day by day.

In the two months since he took office in Beishan, he has truly secured his position as deputy garrison commander of Beishan and has gained genuine recognition from all sides.

Even with the reputation of a prodigy and the power of a Grandmaster, it's difficult to gain widespread recognition for a position as deputy commander. However, if one can rival a celestial being with their sword skills, that's a different story.

With the addition of more prodigies, such fame would reach its zenith. If An Qingyang of the Beishan Garrison Command is the number one pseudo-Celestial Being in Beishan Pass, then Chen Ping'an is undoubtedly the strongest fighter below the Celestial Beings in Beishan.

He was not a fake celestial being, yet he overshadowed An Qingyang by a great deal. Such a reputation made him a first-rate, influential figure.

Amidst this grand occasion, the prestige of the Wenxin Sword Pavilion appears all the more dismal, and all its actions seem to be done in a state of exhaustion.

The attitudes and maneuvering of top figures like Master Gu may be unknown to those below, but this does not prevent them from making judgments about the situation.

This time, the Hidden Sword Pavilion was half-crippled, Shen Linyuan was seriously injured, they had a falling out with Master Gu, and inexplicably offended a mysterious great cultivator. Although it seemed like a reconciliation, under such a gloomy atmosphere, the prestige of the Heart-Questioning Sword Pavilion has declined by more than one level.

Even for a power like the Heart-Questioning Sword Pavilion, the importance of a seasoned second-realm Celestial Being is undeniable and indispensable.

The impact of the partial destruction of the Hidden Sword Sect is far greater than imagined.

For a time, the reputation of the Hengshan Sect actually soared.

In all the clashes of interests, the Sword Pavilion of Inquiry avoided confrontation. Clearly, they had not yet digested the effects of the Black Nether matter, so how could they have the energy to get involved in such matters?

Jian Ge is too busy taking care of itself to have any such thoughts!

With Chen Ping'an in charge of Beishan, the Wenxin Sword Pavilion's prestige has declined, and the impact of these events is destined to be profound.

From the small area of ​​Beishan Daguan to the larger interests and ecosystem within the Bicang region.

The impact of this incident continues to unfold.

Against this backdrop, the merits for Chen Ping'an's previous slaying of the Evil Eagle Bone Face were officially issued after being verified by the Northern Border Garrison Division.

Along with this, there was also a verbal commendation from a Crimson Gold Rank Headmaster of the Northern Border Garrison.

The title of Crimson Gold is second only to Azure Nether among the titles of the leader.

Generally, only senior practitioners in the Great Cultivation of Heaven and Man are likely to be able to assume this title.

Beneath the crimson gold lies the Mysterious Jade, which is generally only qualified to be conferred upon those who have reached the Great Realm of Celestial Being. There may be a very few exceptional cases where, upon reaching the peak of the Second Realm, they are approved and conferred the title ahead of schedule.

Below the Xuanbi is the Cangyu, such as Yu Minglong, the garrison commander of Beishan Pass and the head of the Beishan Garrison Command. His title and rank are Cangyu.

Below Cangyu are the ordinary heads, a transition from head of department to head of title. Generally, as long as development goes smoothly, this process will not be delayed for too long.

Below them were the officials in charge, such as Ying Congyun and Hou Xibai.

However, unlike Ying Congyun, Hou Xibai's visit to Beishan Pass was more like a gilding ceremony. Just like before, he had been gilded for a period of time at Longque Sanguan and Longtian Ridge.

With Hou Xibai's talent, he has every chance of advancing further in the future. In addition, he is said to have good connections and influence within the Qiankun Division, and his background is extremely powerful. With some support, it is highly possible that he could even be promoted to the level of Minglong.

Compared to verbal praise, Chen Ping'an was more concerned about the number of merits to be verified and issued.

Through the jade token, Chen Ping'an also found out the specific number of merits.

The number of merits awarded this time was more than Chen Ping'an had expected. He wondered if it was an encouragement or reward from the Northern Border Garrison.

Even so, considering what he had accumulated before, he was still far from being able to exchange for the True Skill Scroll and travel freely.

After all, this precious scroll is not a flawed work with incomplete artistic conception, but a truly complete and whole inheritance.

Chen Ping'an put away the jade token, his expression calm.

Besides the merits from the Evil Eagle Bone Face, he also possesses other merit heads that can be redeemed.

Previously, when he killed the Supreme Elder of the Heavenly Lotus Sect, Dream Lotus Lord, he also killed several pseudo-celestial beings.

Among them, the head of the Lotus Mist Demon has been submitted as proof of merit, but the other pseudo-celestial beings are still in his hands.

Do you want it?
A thoughtful look appeared in Chen Ping'an's eyes.

Now that he has accepted Yu Minglong's assignment to investigate the background of that mysterious great cultivator, he has more opportunities to leave the area in a more logical and straightforward manner.

During the search, they occasionally encountered remnants of the Heavenly Lotus Sect, which should...
That makes perfect sense, doesn't it?

If one could also receive the blessing of these pseudo-celestial beings, then perhaps...
We're almost there to redeem the True Skill Scroll and enjoy the carefree journey.

but
This matter also carries a certain risk, as it could easily expose the matter of Lord Shi Menglian. The risk lies not in other aspects, but in the Heavenly Lotus Sect.

After all, while the outside world may not know what the Heavenly Lotus Sect is doing internally, those inside are fully aware of it.

He submitted several heads, which the Zhenfu Division, in order to establish its authority, would surely announce.

Once the Heavenly Lotus Sect learns of this, they will inevitably connect several events together.

It's important to know that the area where Shi Menglianjun and the others were active was Xuanling Heavy City. But now, the merits have appeared at Beishan Pass. This issue doesn't require much connection to reveal the problem.

Furthermore, there are potential chain reactions that could result from this, and these all need to be considered.

Should we look for new ones? Perhaps we'll find something extra. If we can kill them, we might have enough merit points.

Given his current apparent combat strength, it wouldn't be surprising if he killed several pseudo-Celestials. If there were anything truly unreasonable, revealing more of his abilities wouldn't be a problem.

After all, on the surface, he still has the Perfected Thunder Rage skill, which provides him with another layer of strategic maneuvering.

Given the power of the raging thunder, even if he hadn't reached the Martial Dao Celestial Realm, it's probably logical that his combat strength could suppress an average Celestial Realm cultivator.

His reputation as a prodigy, his talent in swordsmanship, and his established reputation are already well-established. For now, as long as he follows the established rules and doesn't take too big a step, there shouldn't be any problems.

In addition, there is the ability to break through barriers and ascend to a realm of heaven and man.
Reaching the realm of the celestial being is different from becoming a grandmaster. It requires passing through barriers and overcoming inner demons and illusions. In such situations, it is difficult to achieve a breakthrough in the face of battle. At most, one can gain insights when facing life and death, and then retreat into seclusion to cultivate and break through one by one.

There has never been a case of breaking through a realm directly in the midst of battle.

These barriers are major hurdles in one's cultivation level; to break through them, one needs to retreat into seclusion and plan carefully.

He wanted to create a visible breakthrough, so he naturally needed to make arrangements in advance.

With the support of the Celestial Realm, many things become much easier. However, some of the implications and risks still need to be addressed.

Considering.

Should we simply use existing merits and insert them into the system, or take a chance and look for new ones?
Both have their advantages and disadvantages; the former is more efficient, while the latter requires more exposure and a bit of luck.

Chen Ping'an pondered for a moment and gradually came up with a strategy.

hum~
His eyes flashed, and a panel appeared in front of him.

Name: Chen Ping'an
Realm: Celestial Realm 2 - Rainbow Penetration Realm (Six Stages)
武学：青阳血炼法小成（15275/15360）颠鸾倒凤·阴阳枢入门（1435/8640）、三分归元真卷小成（0/15360）、无相自在法（残篇）未入门（237/1920）广寒剑法（残篇）大成（0/19200）、狂雷刀法大成（11655/14400）、太虚御风步圆满、七绝禁法圆满、霸刀圆满、万魔铸身诀圆满
Secret Techniques: Soul Suppression Technique, Soul Guiding Technique, Butterfly Dream Bewitching Technique, Illusionary Eye

Eight days have passed since he returned.

His cultivation of the Qingyang Blood Refining Technique was about to reach a critical juncture. In less than two days, he would truly achieve mastery, that is, complete mastery of the third refinement.

In addition, there is the Thunderous Blade Technique, whose cultivation progress is already over 80%. It won't be long before it is truly perfected.

Everything proceeded smoothly and effortlessly.

Once he completes the third stage of cultivation, his margin for error will increase significantly, and it will be time to adjust his apparent cultivation level.

Furthermore, once he has completed the three refinements, he should truly dedicate his energy to deeply studying the practical application of the Three-Part Return to Origin True Scroll.

This constant stagnation is unacceptable. Having the theory of cultivation techniques but making no progress is incredibly frustrating!
perhaps
We should buy another pot of fourth-tier spirit wine to boost our stats and see if we have any good ideas.

In addition, the Qing Shen Dan obtained from Master Gu may also have a similar effect.

It's worth a try!
As Chen Ping'an was lost in thought, he sensed an approaching presence, and soon after, a knock sounded at the door.

"Come in," Chen Ping'an said calmly.

Han Zhiqing walked in from outside the door. When he saw Chen Ping'an, he first bowed respectfully, his posture humble and his manners proper.

In the few days since Chen Ping'an returned, Han Zhiqing came to report to him once.

His demeanor remained the same, but his eyes held a different kind of awe.

Clearly, the Yunshan incident and Qiu Siping's death had a significant impact on him.

Besides Han Zhiqing, there was also Geng Yuan. Clearly, the easy death of a top-tier pseudo-celestial being had a shocking impact on him.

"What's the matter?"

"Reporting to Your Excellency, Lord Hou has returned," Han Zhiqing said respectfully, stating the purpose of his visit.

Eight days after the Yunshan meeting, Hou Xibai, the deputy garrison commander of Beishan, returned in full force with his cultivation at the second level of the Rainbow Realm and a fourth-order transformed demon beast!

Their momentum was immense, their influence unparalleled, and their power was directly threatening that of Yu Minglong, the garrison commander of Beishan. (End of Chapter)