The Great Martial Saint!

The grand gathering of heaven and man, hosted by Yu Minglong, was held at a precious site within the Beishan Pass, surrounded by cliffs and valleys, lush with greenery, and equipped with a viewing platform.

As the garrison commander of Beishan Pass and the head of the Beishan Garrison Command, Yu Minglong naturally possessed the corresponding prestige.

This grand gathering, convened to welcome all parties and discuss strategies for dealing with the beast tide, has been met with great respect from all the celestial beings, who have arrived after receiving the invitations.

The grand gathering of celestial beings was free of excessive formalities. Streams of light, flying chariots, spirit boats, and precious treasures of spirit beasts landed one after another on the mountain peak.

Chen Ping'an and Ying Congyun also arrived early.

"Lord Chen."

"Lord Ying."

"Fellow Daoist Fang."

"."

Since it is a grand event, all the pleasantries and greetings are naturally unavoidable.

Chen Ping'an has now truly established himself within the Celestial Realm. His combat strength rivals that of a Celestial Realm expert, and his status as the second strongest in the world has earned him the recognition of many veteran Celestial Realm members.

Considering his status as a rising star, it's not surprising that he could treat ordinary second-realm celestial beings as equals.

As soon as Chen Ping'an arrived, he began talking with several familiar Celestial Beings. Ying Congyun also stood to one side with a smile, and the atmosphere was quite appropriate.

As the convener of this grand event, Yu Minglong, representing the Beishan Town Pacification Division, exchanged greetings and pleasantries with various forces and celestial beings.

Whoosh!
A streak of light appeared from afar and arrived at the mountain peak in just a few breaths.

"We've arrived at the Green Wood Sect." Ying Congyun looked up and saw the green jade gourd, which was the size of a house.

"Haha, Lord Yu, this old Taoist priest is just here to join in the fun. Hope you don't mind!"

A short, stout Taoist priest, wearing a loose-fitting long robe, landed on the jade gourd and greeted Yu Minglong with a smile.

"Elder Guan, you flatter me. This grand event was originally invited by Elder Guan." Yu Minglong said in a hearty and loud voice.

Besides Elder Guan, the Qingmu Sect also had Old Man Huang. He greeted the two with smiles, and before they had talked for long, more streaks of light arrived from afar.

"They are the ancient Yuezhi people."

Chen Ping'an sat behind the long table, observing the various forces that had arrived.

Many powerful forces have come to this grand event. But what truly draws attention are the dominant forces in each region.

"Their cultivation level is similar to that of the yellow-robed Taoist."

Chen Ping'an stared intently at the short, stout Taoist priests talking in the distance: "Above the second realm, but they don't seem to be great cultivators yet."

If the Grand Master were to personally come, given the current state of Beishan, Yu Minglong would likely treat him with great respect, and his attitude would not be as it is now.

Although they were very respectful, their attitude was still based on equality.

Besides the short, stout Taoist priest, Chen Ping'an also noticed the beautiful woman in the white dress from the Luanming Sect. Her long hair flowed freely, and her demeanor was elegant and refined, like a lotus flower in full bloom.

When the other party arrived, they attracted the attention of many people in the room, and their eyes were filled with amazement. A few exceptional individuals had particularly ardent gazes, their expressions revealing undisguised longing and yearning.

From what others had told him, Chen Ping'an learned the other person's identity: Jiang Ruotong, the overlord of Yunxia Territory and the chief elder of Luanming Sect.

"Among all the cultivators present, these two have the strongest auras. Even Yu Minglong cannot compare!" Chen Ping'an secretly judged, and while chatting and laughing with the celestial being beside him, he drank a cup of spiritual wine.

For this grand feast, Yu Minglong was not stingy; all the spirit wines supplied were of near-fourth-tier quality.

With such a large number of celestial beings, the expenses and consumption must be considerable.

The atmosphere at the banquet was relaxed, and there were no formalities in the interactions. Chen Ping'an sat at the long table, and every now and then, celestial beings would come over to get to know him and make friends.

Given his status as a top-tier prodigy among the hidden dragons, even if he weren't a martial arts celestial being, his current combat strength would be enough to attract the attention of celestial beings, who would be interested in befriending him.

Besides him, Hou Xibai also received similar treatment in the audience.

As a newly promoted second-realm Celestial Being, and with a transformed demonic beast as his spirit pet, Hou Xibai is currently enjoying great popularity. Within the circle of Celestial Beings, Hou Xibai chats and laughs with ease, appearing like a young master from a noble family.

"This must be Lord Chen. He is indeed a promising young man."

During their conversation, Elder Guan of the Green Wood Sect, the short, stout Taoist priest, accompanied by Yu Minglong, approached Chen Ping'an's desk.

"Lord Chen, this is Elder Guan," Yu Minglong introduced.

"Elder Guan." Chen Ping'an smiled and bowed, then began to speak.

The other party's attitude was tactful and they seemed very easy to get along with.

The conversation between the two did not last long before the other party left with Yu Minglong.

There were many celestial beings in the arena, and although Chen Ping'an was worthy of attention, he was clearly not the only one.

After leaving Chen Ping'an, the group went to the woman in the white dress from the Luanming Sect.

"Jiang Xianzi. It has been many years since we last met after we parted ways at Wentian." The short, stout Taoist priest smiled and bowed.

Yu Minglong, standing to the side, also laughed heartily: "Jiang Xianzi, it's been many years, you're still as beautiful as ever!"

Jiang Ruotong smiled gently, her voice melodious and clear, as she chatted with the others.

As the group talked, none of the celestial beings around them went forward to join in the fun.

Clearly, even among celestial beings, there are different ranks. Among these celestial beings, the people before us are undoubtedly among the most distinguished.

Chen Ping'an wasn't interested in listening to their conversation. He exchanged a few words with Ying Congyun and then went about drinking his spiritual wine.

The near-fourth-tier spirit wine had virtually no effect on him. However, if he drank a large quantity, it could provide some assistance.

With his condition improved, he studied secret techniques and improved his skills, and was able to find some inspiration.

Don't force yourself to fit into circles you can't fit into.

Not being able to fit in isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Chen Ping'an remained calm, while Hou Xibai was quite lively.

Like the previous representatives, he also actively participated in the top-level small-scale exchanges at the event.

He even went up to Jiang Xianzi of the Luanming Sect, toasted her with a cup of wine, and chatted for a while.

Amidst their lighthearted conversation, something was said that elicited a gentle smile from the other person, whose captivating charm stirred the heart.

"This Hou Xibai knows how to handle things."

There were celestial beings in the distance, silently discussing the matter, but in this situation, it was clear that they could only discuss it silently.

Among the top figures in the arena, besides Elder Guan, Fairy Jiang, and a few others, there was another person who also attracted everyone's attention.

Gu Yueyan, the young master of the Gu Yue clan, is a young man who looks extremely noble.

The dark crescent mark between his brows added to his air of nobility and profundity.

When the other party arrived, Yu Minglong went over to exchange pleasantries for a while, his words and manners appearing extremely polite.

Chen Ping'an had noticed the other party before; with a cultivation level of the first realm perfected, it seemed that his foundation was not bad.

Well, at least he's a bit better than that Dream Lotus Lord.

If they had some trump cards, they might be able to fight against an ordinary second-realm cultivator.

However, in Chen Ping'an's eyes, it was nothing special.

However, the other Celestials present were all extremely polite to him. Even Old Huang from Qingmu Workshop, Wang Changlie from the five great families of Beishan, and Fang Chengping all treated him the same way. Even the patriarch of the Li family, Li Chengxuan, had a deliberate attempt to curry favor during their interactions. If there hadn't been so many Celestials present, he even doubted that they would have gone to such lengths.

During the casual conversation, combined with the information he had gathered earlier, Chen Ping'an also learned the other party's identity.

Gu Yueyan, a descendant of a great ancestor of the Gu Yue clan, is known as the Young Master within the clan.

The Guyue Clan, as a dominant force in the ancient realm, boasts three Grand Masters. This individual's honor stems not only from being the grandson of a Grand Master, but also from his status as the Guyue Clan's and even the Gufang Realm's number one prodigy.

He was not even two hundred years old when he had already reached the realm of martial arts mastery and cultivated to the perfection of the first realm.

Judging from the reaction of the ancient Yuezhi people, they were clearly grooming him as a potential successor.

Given the ancient Yue clan's family background and resources, it is entirely possible that they could cultivate another Celestial-level cultivator in this generation.

Of the three Celestial Realm cultivators of the Ancient Yue Clan, one is already old and not many years away from passing away. One is in his prime, at the peak of his life. The third is the clan's foremost cultivator and was previously the undisputed number one cultivator in the surrounding areas.

However, not long ago, the Luanming Sect's top cultivator suddenly rose to prominence, achieving a draw with his opponent despite being a newly promoted Grand Master. This caused a subtle change in the situation.

During this exchange, Gu Yueyan also had contact with Jiang Xianzi of the Luanming Sect. They weren't exactly polite to each other, but they maintained a superficial level of composure.

However, one could still faintly sense a hint of indifference.

When Jiang Xianzi saw Gu Yueyan approaching, the smile on her face faded slightly.

"Young Master Yan, what brings you to such an occasion?"

Gu Yueyan's face was playful, and his expression was smug: "What? If Fairy Jiang can come, why can't I, this young master,?"

"Young Master Yan is too kind," Jiang Ruotong said calmly, seemingly unwilling to get entangled with him any further.

Finally, Hou Xibai intervened and managed to maintain a peaceful atmosphere in the arena.

"Young Master Yan, it is an honor to have you here." Hou Xibai, with his fair complexion and gentle expression, bowed.

"So it's Lord Hou." Gu Yueyan glanced at Hou Xibai, as if he had thought of something, and said with great interest, "I heard that Lord Hou has recently subdued a fourth-tier demonic bird. I wonder if I could have a look at it?"

As soon as Gu Yueyan finished speaking, Hou Xibai's expression froze.

Spirit pets and demonic beasts, as the foundation of combat power, are matters of life and death, and are usually revealed and displayed voluntarily by the individuals themselves. Few outsiders inquire about them, and even when they do, it's usually among close, intimate friends.

In a situation like this, Kozuki Hiko's words can be described as extremely impolite.

Treating the spirit pets and demonic beasts as mere playthings, his words clearly showed no respect for Hou Xibai.

"it is good!"

After a brief moment of stiffness, Hou Xibai quickly regained his composure and began to chat and laugh.

"Since it is Young Master Yan who has spoken, how could I refuse? I will certainly let Young Master Yan have a look when I have time in the future."

The matter should have ended there, and all the topics should have been put aside.

But Gu Yueyan smiled lightly, his expression playful: "If that's the case, then why not do it today?"

"What does Young Master Yan mean by this?"

Previously, this could have been excused as a matter of personality, but now, Gu Yueyan's words were undoubtedly deeply offensive. Anyone with eyes could see that.

At this moment, Hou Xibai was undoubtedly in a difficult position.

If it were anyone else, he would have already been furious, or at least his face would have been contorted with displeasure, making his stance clear.

But when faced with Gu Yueyan, the number one prodigy of the Gu Yue clan, the grandson of Gu Yue Daxiu, and a descendant of his bloodline, he was momentarily stunned.

He wanted to vent his anger, but the consequences were unpredictable and the impact uncertain. Especially at this critical juncture in his struggle with Yu Minglong, even the slightest fluctuation could affect the outcome. Under these circumstances, offending Gu Yueyan, the young master of the Gu Yue clan, would not be a wise move.

"What's wrong, Lord Hou? Is there a problem?" Gu Yueyan asked, puzzled.

Hou Xibai forced a smile, wanting to say something to see how to salvage the situation and end things in a more dignified way.

"Master Yan"

At that moment, Gu Yueyan laughed heartily, looking relaxed and composed: "Just kidding, Lord Hou, you don't need to take it seriously."

He suddenly stopped, staring intently at him: "This young master has always been this way since childhood, fond of joking, Lord Hou."
You won't mind, will you?

"I don't mind, I don't mind at all." Hou Xibai's smile was a little forced, but he still smiled and said, "Young Master Yan is a straightforward person, how could I mind?"

"That's good." Gu Yueyan smiled and looked at Jiang Ruotong sitting to the side.

"Jiang Xianzi, let's talk again when we have time."

Then, he smiled faintly, turned around, and left.

Jiang Ruotong remained calm, giving a slight nod in response. She extended her fair wrist, poured herself a cup of spiritual tea, and savored it.

Hou Xibai stood there, unsure whether to stay or leave, feeling quite uncomfortable.

He hesitated for a moment, then bowed slightly and left.

Chen Ping'an sat behind the long table, taking in the entire scene unfolding nearby. Besides him, many other Celestials also witnessed this spectacle.

The interaction between the group wasn't particularly noticeable. However, as several prominent figures in the event, their gathering together was bound to attract attention.

Hou Xibai's humiliated appearance amused many people. It was unexpected that the usually flirtatious and self-proclaimed romantic Hou Xibai would suffer such a setback.

This scene is really quite funny.

Regardless of their inner thoughts, the celestial beings maintained their composure, as if they hadn't noticed anything amiss. Only a very few secretly chuckled, while the others acted as if nothing had happened.

"Gu Yueyan."

Chen Ping'an remained calm and drank a cup of spiritual wine.

Looking at Gu Yueyan, for some reason, he thought of Ling Xiao of the Five Blessings Chamber of Commerce.

Although their styles differ, their unbridled attitudes are somewhat similar.

However, Gu Yueyan is considerably older than Ling Xiao.

In terms of talent, if Ling Xiao has already reached the Celestial Realm, then judging from his past experience, Gu Yueyan should be inferior to Ling Xiao.

There is still a significant gap between the two.

A martial arts master who is less than two hundred years old?

Normally, celestial beings don't become enemies without a reason. No one wants to do something thankless and difficult, let alone a martial arts celestial being.

Aside from genuinely disregarding the other party and not needing to consider their attitude, most of the rest involve hidden schemes and deep-seated power struggles.

"interesting."

Chen Ping'an lowered his gaze slightly, then stopped paying attention.

He thought the meeting would pass peacefully. But little did he expect that he would be the one to experience the same trouble soon after he had been watching the spectacle.

"This must be the legendary rising star, Lord Chen Ping'an, who ranks second on the Wind and Cloud Ranking, right?"

Gu Yueyan, dressed in a green jade robe, appeared before Chen Ping'an with a playful expression.

In an instant, all eyes in the arena converged, and many celestial beings turned their gazes to the scene.

Jiang Ruotong, the chief elder of the Luanming Sect, gently raised her fair wrist, smoothed the strands of hair that fell from her temples, and looked at the young man behind the long table not far away with her bright autumn eyes.

A hidden dragon, a prodigy; the valiant swordsman Chen Ping'an. (End of Chapter)