The Great Martial Saint!

Hou Xibai is back.

Not only did he return, but he also brought back a fourth-tier transformed demon beast.

During his disappearance of more than a month, his cultivation level also advanced from the first realm of Pivot Light to the second realm of Rainbow Penetration.

His return this time can be described as a triumphant return, full of vigor and high spirits.

Chen Ping'an saw Hou Xibai outside the Zhenfu Division. Hou Xibai sat in a chariot, bathed in auspicious light and surrounded by rosy clouds. A solitary spirit beast with a single horn on its head rode the chariot.

Alongside the solitary spirit beast was a black-feathered bird soaring high in the sky.

This beast is enormous; when it spreads its wings, it is thirty or forty feet long. From the ground, it seems to blot out the sky and the sun, its imposing presence is terrifying.

His eyes were like dark moons, with vertical pupils that gleamed with coldness and ferocity.

Its beak is curved, black as iron, and the tips of its feathers are like sharp blades, with a dark hue.

With each flap of its wings, it stirred up gusts of violent wind and waves. Under its oppressive aura, some of the less powerful members of the Zhenfu Division turned pale and looked terrified.

What Hou Xibai brought back was actually an extremely rare fourth-tier flying beast.

"Lord Hou, what is this...?" Ying Congyun was among the onlookers, and he asked with a solemn expression.

"During this break, I made a serendipitous discovery. This bird is now owned by our company and is considered a divine beast." Hou Xibai, wearing a jade crown, had a flamboyant expression and an unrestrained smile.

"A chance gain?" Ying Congyun's eyes were deep, concealing his deep apprehension. He cupped his hands and said, "Lord Hou's good fortune is truly enviable."

Hou Xibai is quite lucky.

Chen Ping'an, watching from the sidelines, also sighed in agreement.

Putting aside the matter of breaking through cultivation realms, this fourth-order flying bird alone has been incredibly beneficial, a truly great opportunity.

Fourth-tier spirit beasts are rare, not to mention ordinary celestial beings, even highly experienced second-realm celestial beings might not possess one. Not to mention a rare fourth-tier flying beast like Hou Xibai.

Such spirit beasts are rare even for great cultivators.

If this escape technique is used to increase speed, it will be much faster.

Bird-like spirit beasts are known for their speed. This black-feathered bird, though only barely transformed, could probably match the speed of some seasoned second-realm celestial beings.

Furthermore, it is unknown what kind of divine power it possesses; if such power is triggered, its speed may increase dramatically.

"It was also a lucky break."

Faced with Ying Congyun's words, Hou Xibai's expression remained undisguised, his demeanor unrestrained and indulgent.

Dressed in a moon-white long robe, standing on the carriage, surrounded by auspicious clouds and rosy hues, she was a graceful and captivating figure.

This discovery was extremely gratifying, and it was well worth the long time he had spent laying the groundwork for it.

Especially this black raven with black feathers, a large bird of prey. If he hadn't made a breakthrough in his cultivation this time, even with a lot of preparation beforehand, he probably wouldn't have been able to subdue it.

But now it seems that all the effort was worthwhile.

With the help of this bird, although he has only just reached the Guanhong realm, he is already considered a highly experienced expert in the second realm thanks to his various skills.

"Lord Hou, congratulations."

Amidst the pleasantries, Chen Ping'an also calmly exchanged a few words of greeting.

Hou Xibai, with an arrogant expression, glanced down at Chen Ping'an, then smiled faintly and said, "Lord Chen, you are too kind. Our department has only made a few gains, which is not worthy of your congratulations. On the contrary, Lord Chen, you have made quite a name for yourself while we were away."

Chen Ping'an remained calm and did not speak.

Hou Xibai didn't press the matter further. Amidst the respectful welcome of the elite troops, he put away the flying chariot, and the spirit beast Duxiang was also put into the spirit beast bag.

The spirit beast Du Xiang, though possessing a Heavenly Grade bloodline and being a quasi-fourth-tier demon beast, is renowned for its formidable combat prowess.

But even in front of these fourth-tier flying birds, they appeared trembling with fear and looked extremely nervous.

As soon as he had a spare moment, he couldn't wait to hide inside the spirit beast pouch.

Unlike the Moon Spirit Stone Monkey and other cubs at the previous Cloud Mountain Gathering, this is a genuine fourth-tier raptor, a transformed demon beast.

"The Black Crow with Black Feathers has a low-grade Heavenly Bloodline, close to the middle-grade Heavenly Bloodline, but it is violent, cold, and bloodthirsty. Overall, its bloodline grade is weaker than that of the Golden-Crowned Feathered Sparrow. If we consider the mutated bloodline part, the gap is even larger."

Chen Ping'an looked at the black-feathered birds circling in the sky and pondered and evaluated them.

He was nearing the completion of the third refinement of the Azure Sun Blood Refining Technique, and the next step was naturally to consider the true bloodline of the fourth refinement. This matter had been on his agenda for some time, but there had been no progress until now.

Even in places like Beishan Pass, ordinary Heavenly Grade bloodlines are incredibly precious. Not to mention, the top-tier bloodline he longs for isn't some bloodline cub, but a fully grown bloodline demon beast.

Even if a demon beast of this bloodline level has the worst luck or the most unfavorable environment for growth, as long as it can grow up, it will at least reach the level of a senior cultivator.

Among them are some of the most powerful and outstanding individuals, who may be able to rival the Great Celestials.

The true bloodline of such a demonic beast is something we can only dream of now.

However, given Chen Ping'an's current accumulation of experience, if the demonic beast he was training at the fourth level had a lower bloodline grade, he would feel it would be a waste. If the final training session wasn't perfect, he would feel that all the groundwork he had laid before would have been for nothing.

Even with this black raven with black feathers, he felt it wasn't quite enough for the third blood refinement, let alone the fourth.

As soon as Chen Ping'an thought it, the black raven with black feathers that had been circling in the sky finally landed.

A black wind howled, the air currents were violent, and a black light flashed by. A figure nearly ten feet tall appeared beside Hou Xibai.

The figure was covered in dark feathers, each one gleaming with a cold luster, looking like a special feather armor. It had a bird's head and a human body, with a pair of sharp claws like curved blades. Its vertical pupils were like dark moons, with the black pupils narrowed into slits. It coldly swept its gaze over Chen Ping'an, its eyes revealing a chilling, violent, and ferocious intent.

With that one glance, everything seemed like prey to be hunted.

Chen Ping'an's expression was calm, his eyes were still, and his emotions were unreadable.

"Black Crow!" Hou Xibai called out softly, a playful expression on his face.

Xuan Yu Hei Ya seemed somewhat unwilling, but still followed Hou Xibai into the Zhenfu Division.

Subduing a fully grown fourth-tier flying beast or a transformed demonic beast is far more difficult than subduing a cub. Even if successfully subdued, truly taming it and achieving perfect coordination requires a great deal of effort.

But no one knows what method Hou Xibai used, but in a little over a month, he managed to get this fourth-tier black crow to obey his commands to a certain extent.

"Lord Chen, let's go." Ying Congyun glanced at Hou Xibai with a wary expression and called out to Chen Ping'an.

Chen Pingan nodded slightly and walked in calmly.

Hou Xibai's return caused such a commotion that Yu Minglong, the garrison commander of Beishan and head of the Zhenfu Division, naturally had to summon him for a formal audience, as was customary.

Chen Ping'an and Ying Congyun attended together. The atmosphere was relaxed, but undercurrents were turbulent. They exchanged barbs and probed each other's intentions.

Compared to Ying Congyun, Hou Xibai, who came from the Qiankun Division, was not particularly fond of Minglong. As a former rising star, Hou Xibai, although serving as the deputy garrison commander of Beishan, undoubtedly had a very broad future ahead of him.

The power dynamics within the Beishan Garrison Command were naturally rife with power struggles and competition.

However, over the years, they have generally reached a tacit understanding. What matters fall under the category of tacit consent, what matters require discussion and consultation, and what matters are taboo and must not be touched.

However, this tacit understanding will undoubtedly be followed by a period of intense rebound and turbulence with Hou Xibai's strong return.

And at the very beginning of all this, today's meeting is a microcosm of a test and a contest.

When Hou Xibai was at the peak of the first realm, his combat power was comparable to that of an ordinary second-realm Celestial Being. Now that he has achieved the second realm, with his rainbow-piercing body, his combat power is likely to overwhelm a considerable number of second-realm Celestial Beings.

In this situation, with the assistance of fourth-tier flying birds and transformed demonic beasts, his overall combat strength would likely rival that of Minglong. Even if he were not as strong as Minglong, he would probably be roughly on par with the likes of Lei Xiaotian, Gu Yueqianfang, and Huang Lao'er.

This change is not only an internal change within the Beishan Garrison Command, but also a change in the overall interest structure of the Beishan Pass.

Chen Ping'an had no interest in this kind of probing contest.

Throughout the entire process, he was more like a transparent person. On the contrary, Ying Congyun, under Yu Minglong's instruction, played a rather important role.

During the conversation, Yu Minglong also mentioned Chen Ping'an's current deeds, trying to steer the conversation in a certain direction, but Chen Ping'an was not interested in that and did not deliberately respond.

During the conversation, Hou Xibai glanced at him a few times with a half-smile, and it was unclear what he was thinking.

After all the exchanges were completed, the sun was setting and dusk had fallen. Chen Ping'an had no intention of chatting with the others for long and left first.

Ying Congyun stayed a while longer, until night had completely fallen before leaving.

Back in his office, Ying Congyun's expression held a hint of something indescribable.

"My lord." A burly man draped in animal skins and bare-chested stood behind Ying Congyun, seemingly hesitant to speak, awkwardly standing behind him, appearing extremely conflicted.

Ying Congyun remained silent for a long time before finally speaking.

"Beggar, tell me, can I reach the other side?"

"As long as you're an adult, you can definitely do it," the burly man in animal skin said firmly, without a trace of doubt in his eyes.

Hopefully.

Ying Congyun stood with her hands behind her back, looking out through the window of her public housing.

Hou Xibai's return will reshape the landscape of the Beishan Garrison. With the support of the Qiankun Division, even if Lord Yu wanted to suppress him, he wouldn't be able to. Today's exchange already demonstrates this.

He wanted to break the deadlock, and the only way was to achieve the same level of success.

However, his talent and potential have already reached their limit, and the only chance for him to break through is in the Netherworld Secret Realm.

"Second Realm."

He should observe the clouds' calm and composed demeanor, like the clouds drifting and rolling.

Hou Xibai's return caused quite a stir in Beishan Pass.

Almost simultaneously, at Beishan Pass, among the eighteen garrison cities, it was learned that Lord Hou Xibai, the deputy garrison commander of Beishan in charge of patrols, had achieved the second realm of Celestial Being, and through a stroke of good fortune, had subdued a transformed demon beast for his own use.

In an instant, Hou Xibai's name resounded throughout the entire Beishan area.

The Thunderclap Pavilion, Green Wood Workshop, Ancient Moon Workshop, Spirit Pivot Pavilion, and other powerful treasure pavilions all learned of this matter. They then used falcons to relay the message to various regional forces with incredible speed.

Forces such as Hengshan Sect, Wenxin Sword Pavilion, and the five great families of Beishan also learned of this matter and took measures and devised contingency plans based on it to prepare for the situation.

Under such circumstances, Hou Xibai's prestige soared, and his influence was overwhelming, completely overshadowing the name of the ruthless Chen Ping'an.

Along with the previous incident of a Celestial Being cultivator appearing in the Black Nether Mountains, the popularity of all related topics has decreased significantly.

After all, even the most renowned cultivators of the Celestial Realm are still far removed from the world. How could they possibly compare to a powerful figure like Hou Xibai, who is right before their eyes and holds a high position of authority?

Furthermore, the power of that transformed demon beast, the Black Crow with Black Feathers, was witnessed by many people in the North Mountain that day.

With outstretched wings, it soars and circles, as if blotting out the sun; between the flapping of its wings, gusts of wind and surging air currents arise.

Such a powerful and menacing aura was something many cultivators had never seen before in their lives, and would never forget.

"Transformed demonic beasts are rare and precious. Lord Hou has obtained such a spiritual pet after just one trip. He is truly blessed with good fortune!"

"A fourth-tier flying bird, extremely rare and the best among its kind. Lord Hou, your luck is truly astonishing! You truly deserve to be called a prodigy among the hidden talents of all generations!"

"Hahaha, absolutely! Such fortune and such opportunity, how are they different from those of the chosen one!"

"The weather in Beishan is probably about to change!"

"."

Amidst the commotion in Beishan, various factions exchanged views and discussed the matter. Some sent visiting cards to Hou Xibai, the deputy garrison commander of Beishan. Others offered congratulatory gifts to celebrate Hou Xibai's breakthrough.

Amidst all this turmoil, Chen Ping'an's cultivation has finally reached its most crucial stage.

hum~
Name: Chen Ping'an
Realm: Celestial Realm 2 - Rainbow Penetration Realm (Six Stages)
武学：青阳血炼法小成（15360/15360）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（11835/14400）、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

"15360 points!"

Chen Ping'an's gaze was calm, his expression deep and thoughtful.

He had been preparing for this step for far too long.

He slowly focused his gaze, and the panel disappeared. Looking around, he saw cliffs and valleys all around him. To prepare for this breakthrough, he had taken advantage of his position to leave Beishan Pass ahead of time and make all the necessary preparations in these mountains.

Isolation barriers, the Azure Flame Banner, the deep sea realm, and the separation of the soul.
Everything is ready, except for the east wind!
"call!"

He slowly closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

then
hum~
He suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze flashing with a sharp light, and two dazzling golden rays shot out.

"breakthrough!"

With a whoosh, a large amount of information surged across the panel.

Wow~
Starlight emerged, surging and cascading down like a tidal wave.

Chen Ping'an's physique was exposed, and streaks of blood appeared on his body, gradually becoming clearer.

The Qingyang Blood Refining Method, third refinement, uses the Golden Crowned Feathered Sparrow, a Heaven-grade mutated bloodline true blood, to forge the body, supplemented by poison-resistant secret water and barrier-avoiding spiritual water, and the Crimson Sun Golden Fruit, fire-elemental essence, to outline the mutated bloodline.

This moment.
All the effort, cultivation, and resources accumulated will be fully realized!
With an unparalleled foundation, one can achieve the perfection of the Three Refinements!

hum~
A burst of spiritual light shone forth, blood and energy surged, and muscles and bones crackled and popped.

The surging roar instantly shattered the protective barriers that Chen Ping'an had set up in advance.

The Azure Flame Command Flags fluttered in the wind, their roaring energy sweeping across the land.

A violent shockwave, carrying an indescribable and terrifying vibration, roared through the quiet chamber inside the mountain.

Ultimately, it dissolved into the waters and realm of the fourth-order wonder, the Deep Sea Pearl.

boom--!!!
The sky trembled, and the earth cracked. Everything around was in ruins.

Amidst the trembling explosion, Chen Ping'an suddenly opened his eyes, his pupils seemingly bursting with golden sun, shooting out two dazzling beams of divine light.

The golden flames covering his body suddenly surged, flowing like liquid gold, and condensed into a pair of wings that blotted out the sky in the void.

Fire Wings!
Golden fiery wings tore through the air, creating scorching gales; with a flap of the wings, they were seven or eight zhang long. The terrifying heat, carrying the force of burning the sky, stirred up towering heat waves.

The terrifying heat caused even the space itself to distort and ripple.

Chen Ping'an stood in mid-air with his hair loose, his body covered in golden flames, radiating golden light, and every part of him contained terrifying power.

"This is it!" Chen Ping'an's eyes blazed with golden flames, his face revealing a heroic ambition: "The ultimate power of bloodline!"

The Azure Sun Blood Refining Technique has been perfected! (End of Chapter)