Becoming an immortal from a canal worker

Chapter 194: Is this really our first meeting?

Chen Ping got up and walked out of the courtyard.

There are only two days left until the start of the competition.

When a technique is pushed to its limit, the string is stretched too tight and is prone to breakage.

He planned to go out for a walk to relax his nerves, which had been tense for the past two weeks.

As soon as he stepped out of the gate of No. 6 Xuan, he found that the once quiet inner courtyard had become somewhat different.

Suddenly, there were many unfamiliar faces.

In addition to the increasing number of white cloth stretchers being carried along the stone path, there were also people with scorching heat and different clothes, led by the inner courtyard stewards, heading towards the depths of the inner courtyard.

Some were wearing Taoist robes, some were wearing tight-fitting clothes, some carried swords, and some carried knives. The older ones had graying temples, while the younger ones looked to be in their early twenties.

These people are not from Cangwu.

Chen Ping slowed his pace and silently completed a full rotation of the Water Observation Technique.

Among these visitors, the weakest was at the peak of the Transformation Realm, most were at the Yuan Gang Realm, and there were a few whose auras were so profound that he couldn't see through them.

Divine transformation.

As he was looking around, he heard voices coming from not far to his side.

Chen Ping turned his head and looked.

Three people were standing and talking under an old locust tree beside the stone path.

Wang Zhaoyao stood among them, dressed in a deep red brocade robe, with a handsome face and a respectful demeanor.

Standing beside him was a middle-aged man in his early forties, whose face bore a three- or four-point resemblance to Wang Zhaoyao. He was well-dressed and had a composed demeanor.

Standing opposite the two was an elderly man in white robes, with graying temples and a slender build. He had an ancient longsword at his waist, the tassel of which swayed gently in the wind.

The old man had a kind face, but as he stood there, his aura was restrained and unfathomable.

The middle-aged man in purple smiled and cupped his hands in greeting, his voice hearty and polite.

"Elder Xu, you are a senior figure in the martial arts world of the Great Wei. Despite your busy schedule, you still managed to take the time to visit Zhao Yao. The entire Wang family is truly grateful."

The old man in white waved his hand dismissively, stroked his long beard, and laughed, "You're being too polite."

"Back then, your old man and I were brothers who roamed the world together, risking our lives in mountains of corpses and seas of blood. It's just a pity that fate is unkind and Brother Wang has passed away so soon."

His gaze fell on Wang Zhaoyao, and his smile deepened.

Seeing you today is like seeing Brother Wang from back then, with your vigorous stride and powerful presence. You are truly a rare young talent.

Upon hearing the praise, Wang Zhaoyao dared not be negligent.

He bowed his head respectfully, clasped his hands in a fist and bow, and performed a standard junior's greeting.

"Grandpa Xu, you flatter me. I am unworthy of such praise."

The middle-aged man chuckled beside him, his tone carrying a hint of unintentional smugness.

"Elder Xu, Zhaoyao is quite promising. He not only inherited his great-uncle's supernatural powers, but now that he has entered the Yuan Gang Realm, he can barely borrow a trace of the true power of those supernatural powers."

Upon hearing this, the old man in white's eyes lit up, and he laughed three times.

"Good, good, good. It is my great honor to witness Elder Wang's supernatural abilities again at the Grand Competition."

The group was exchanging pleasantries.

An inner courtyard steward quickly walked to the side of the old man in white.

He bowed slightly and lowered his voice to remind him, "Elder Xu, the appointed time is almost here."

The old man in white glanced at the steward, a faint hint of indifference flashing in his eyes, gone in an instant.

That middle-aged man was adept at reading people's expressions and demeanor.

He stepped aside at the opportune moment, gestured for them to enter, and said with a smile, "Old Xu, we are also about to go in for the banquet. Why don't we go together?"

The old man in white withdrew his gaze, and his warm smile returned to his face.

"Let's go together, let's go together."

The three of them did not linger.

They walked side by side along the stone path, heading deeper into Cangwu.

Chen Ping stood there, watching the three figures disappear into the distance.

His brows furrowed slightly as he pondered the purpose of this sudden influx of experts.

"good."

A voice came from behind.

Qin Ya walked over at some point, strolling leisurely, his gaze casually sweeping over the departing Xu Lao and the other two without giving them much attention.

He walked over to Chen Ping and reached out to pat Chen Ping's shoulder.

I pressed my fingers down through the clothes to feel the density of the muscles and the flow of blood and qi.

A moment later, Qin Ya released his grip with satisfaction.

The corners of his cold, hard lips twitched slightly.

"Its foundation has become much stronger."

"I can tell you haven't slacked off at all these days."

Chen Ping clasped his hands in a salute and said, "With the Yangzhou battlefield imminent, this junior dares not slacken in the slightest."

Qin Ya nodded, said nothing more, and turned to walk deeper into the inner courtyard.

"Come on, let me show you the world."

Chen Ping thought of the unfamiliar faces pouring into the inner courtyard and nodded, "Okay."

The two followed the stone path deeper into Cangwu.

Along the way, more and more guests dressed in various robes came, walking in twos and threes on the stone path. Some talked in hushed tones, some hurried along in silence, some were led by the inner courtyard stewards, and some knew the way on their own.

They walked for about the distance of an incense stick's time.

At the end of the stone path, a grand hall appeared.

Chen Ping had never been to such a deep place as Cangwu.

The main hall is situated on a spacious bluestone square. The hall is magnificent, with upturned eaves, black tiles and red pillars. The main gate is three zhang high, and all four heavy wooden doors are open, allowing one to see the bright candlelight inside.

Above the door hangs a plaque with three large characters in gold on a black background.

Yingwu Hall.

The square in front of the hall was bustling with people, far more lively than any place in the inner courtyard.

Deacons in Cangwu uniforms guided the visitors, servants carrying tea and snacks moved about, and several composed inner court instructors stood on either side of the hall gate, silently observing everyone who came in and out.

Chen Ping followed Qin Ya up the steps and into the palace gate.

The interior of the hall was more spacious than the exterior, with thick, red-lacquered wooden pillars supporting a high dome. Long tables were placed on both sides, with tea, pastries, and all kinds of refreshments on them.

People were scattered throughout the hall in twos and threes; some sat around drinking tea, some paced back and forth, and some leaned against pillars talking in hushed tones.

Chen Ping's gaze swept around the hall.

On the right side by the window, Xue Fengsheng was holding a teacup and talking to a middle-aged man in a brocade robe, his face bearing that unchanging smile.

Behind him stood two burly young men, both exuding the aura of perfected internal energy; they were likely the Xue family's top contenders for this generation.

Not far away, Xiao Shan, dressed in a black robe, sat in a corner. In front of him sat an old woman with a full head of white hair, who was leaning on a black cane and whispering something to him. Xiao Shan kept his head down, listening intently.

On the left side of the main hall, Lu Xi stood alone beside a pillar, holding a teacup in his hand, his gaze sweeping indifferently over the crowd in the hall, ignoring everyone.

She noticed Chen Ping's gaze, glanced at him without any expression, then looked away and continued drinking her tea.

Chen Ping whispered to Qin Ya, "These people aren't from Cangwu, are they?"

Qin Ya said, "Of course not. These people include members of sects, martial artists who have been famous in the martial arts world for a long time, and people from other local families."

The two were talking in hushed tones.

A fair-skinned man with a scholarly appearance walked by, suddenly glanced at Qin Ya, his eyes lit up, and he took a few steps over, clasped his hands in a fist and smiled, "Is that the Broken Army Spear?"

Qin Ya frowned as he looked at the person in front of him.

Who are you?

Upon hearing this, the pale-faced scholar immediately slapped his thigh in frustration.

"Brother Qin! How could you forget me! We fought a bloody battle at Shuiwa Mountain in the Northern Territory, back to back, breaking through enemy lines and fighting side by side! I am Liu Huayun from the Qiyun Sect!"

Qin Ya stared at him for a couple of moments, then her brows relaxed.

"Oh, I remember now, in the battle of Shuiwashan, you were on the right wing?"

When Liu Huayun saw that he had finally recognized her, she nodded excitedly and smiled so much that her eyes narrowed into slits.

"Yes, yes, right, the third team on the right wing. Back then, you pierced through the barbarian formation with your spear, and I was right behind you picking up the scraps. After that battle, I was practically carried away by a pile of corpses."

As he spoke, he glanced at Chen Ping again, his gaze lingering on Chen Ping for a moment before returning to his original position.

"Brother Qin, who is this distinguished young man?"

Qin Ya said calmly, "This is Chen Ping, my student."

Liu Huayun said "Oh," glanced at Chen Ping a couple more times, smiled and nodded, without asking any further questions.

He turned to Qin Ya and lowered his voice: "Brother Qin, there are quite a few people who have come to Tianyan City this time. I just took a walk around outside, and I recognized seven or eight familiar faces, as well as several others I didn't recognize but whose auras were frightening."

Qin Ya frowned, his gaze sweeping over the unfamiliar faces in the hall.

"There weren't this many people attending the previous Outer Court Competition, why are they all here this time?"

Liu Huayun rubbed his hands together and lowered his voice, saying, "Actually, I don't know much about it either, but I heard that the Taihua Sect is going to include the geniuses within the imperial court system in various regions on the Qingxiu Ranking."

He paused, then turned to look at a corner of the hall.

There was a group of people gathered around, and in the middle stood an old man wearing a gray Taoist robe.

The old man was not tall, with a fair complexion and white hair and beard. He stood there with his hands behind his back, a faint smile on his lips, chatting casually with the people surrounding him.

He looked very easygoing, like an ordinary old Taoist priest.

But Chen Ping noticed that none of the people surrounding him dared to stand within three steps of him.

Liu Huayun gestured with her lips in that direction.

"The people from the Taihua Sect are already here."

Qin Ya's gaze fell on the gray-robed old man, and his pupils contracted.

"Master Fushan?"

Liu Huayun nodded, her tone tinged with emotion.

"The old Taoist priest has come in person."

He lowered his voice even further.

"I heard that the Taihua Sect has sent out all its True Persons this time. Not only in our Tianyan City, but also throughout Cangwu in the entire Great Wei, people have been sent to keep an eye on them."

He looked at Qin Ya.

"This big move shocked the entire Great Wei. When the sects and families in various places saw the Taihua Sect's posture, they couldn't sit still. So they all sent people over. Some came to curry favor with the Taihua Sect, and some came to see what the quality of the younger generation of the court was really like."

Chen Ping stood behind Qin Ya, listening to their conversation, his gaze falling on the gray-robed old man.

Master Fushan.

A True Person of the Taihua Sect.

He didn't know what level "True Person" meant in this world, but judging from the way Qin Ya's pupils contracted for a moment, this old Taoist priest was far more important than Qin Ya.

Following the layout of the main hall, Liu Huayun glanced at the noisy crowd on the other side.

He continued.

"As for the other group of people in this hall, they are specifically following behind those two."

He pointed to another part of the main hall.

Over there, it was also surrounded by layers upon layers of people, making it impossible to move.

But it was more lively than Fushan Zhenren's place, with more people, louder laughter, and a stronger sense of flattery.

A man and a woman stood in the middle of the crowd.

The woman was in her early twenties, dressed in a plain white dress, with an extremely beautiful face and an innate sense of reserve in her eyes.

The man was of similar age, with a handsome face, wearing a moon-white brocade robe, and a piece of translucent jade pendant at his waist. He moved with ease and composure.

When Chen Ping saw the two people, he paused slightly.

He had seen these two people before.

Dantang, Qingkou Town.

Miss Cui and Young Master Cui.

I stood in a corner of the alchemy hall and caught a glimpse of those two from afar.

Chen Ping's thoughts stirred for a moment, then remained calm.

Several people were chatting under the long corridor.

As time went on, more and more sharp-eyed martial arts celebrities in the hall began to notice Qin Ya's arrival.

One by one, they came over, some cupping their hands in greeting, some clasping their fists in a fist salute, and some simply patting each other on the shoulder.

"The Broken Army Spear! Long time no see!"

"Brother Qin, are you still holed up in Cangwu?"

"Old Qin, I haven't seen you since the battle in the North. Is your arm healed yet?"

Chen Ping stood behind Qin Ya, watching as each of the guests, each with a deep aura, greeted Qin Ya, silently making a mental note of their greetings.

The weakest of these people is at least at the Yuan Gang level, and most of them are at the same level as Qin Ya.

The name "Broken Army Spear" carries more weight in the martial arts world than he had imagined.

When Qin Ya talks to someone, she always turns to the side and raises her chin at him, casually mentioning it in her tone.

"This is Chen Ping, my student."

Then those people whose aura was on par with Qin Ya would glance at him, greet him with a smile and a cupped-hand salute. Some would look at him a few more times, some would casually compliment him with "good physique," and some would just nod and turn back to continue talking to Qin Ya.

Chen Ping returned the greetings one by one, neither humble nor arrogant.

As they were talking, for some reason, the crowd suddenly fell silent for a moment.

Chen Ping looked up.

The young master and young lady of the Cui family arrived at some point.

The group of people who had been clinging to the two of them dispersed on their own and waited a few steps away.

The young master of the Cui family walked ahead with a leisurely pace. His gaze fell on Qin Ya, and he smiled slightly, cupping his hands in greeting.

"I have long heard of Instructor Qin of the Broken Army Spear, whose spear is renowned among the northern barbarians. Today, I am fortunate to see him in person. I have truly admired your name for a long time."

Qin Ya glanced at the young master of the Cui family, and then at the young lady of the Cui family behind him.

He abandoned the carefree attitude he had displayed while catching up with his old friends from the martial arts world, straightened his posture, and returned the greeting with clasped hands.

"Young Master Cui, you're too kind. It's just an empty title."

Cui Qingwei was impressed by this composed and respectful response.

The smile on his face not only didn't fade, but actually deepened.

He looked away from Qin Ya.

Extend your right hand naturally.

With a gentle and refined smile, he looked at Chen Ping, who was standing beside Qin Ya.

"To think you're a disciple of the Breaking Army Spear technique, Brother Chen! My name is Cui Qingwei. It's a pleasure to meet you. Please give me your guidance."

Chen Ping naturally extended his hand and shook hands with Cui Qingwei.

"Nice to meet you, Young Master Cui. Please give me your guidance."

Cui Qingwei's grip was not strong; his palm was dry and warm. He held on for a moment and then released, demonstrating perfect control.

Just as Cui Qingwei was about to exchange a few more polite words,

The young lady from the Cui family standing next to him suddenly spoke up.

She glanced at Chen Ping, a smile curving her lips, and extended her hand.

"My name is Cui Qingyi."

Her gaze lingered on Chen Ping's face, and the smile in her eyes held a hint of unfathomable playfulness and cunning.

"but."

Her red lips parted slightly, and her voice was as clear and melodious as a nightingale's.

"Brother Chen."

"Is this really the first time we've met?"