Daqian Martial Saint

These days, Beicang Town was a gathering place for masters. Besides the masters who were already stationed in the town and those drawn by the Beicang Auction, there were also experts who were guarding the merchant caravans trading between the Two States.

With so many masters gathered in one place, it was impossible for trouble not to brew. Ever since news of the auction spread, countless fights and skirmishes of all sizes had broken out within Beicang Town.

However, Beicang Town was heavily garrisoned, so the fallout from most of these conflicts was kept within a controllable range. But with so many fights, unexpected incidents that couldn't be contained in time were bound to occur.

The most significant of these was the battle over a month ago between a Grandmaster from the Li Huo County City's Xiao Family and a powerful Loose Cultivator. The result of that battle was the Xiao Family Grandmaster's brutal death.

As for the cause of the incident, rumors were flying all over town.

Some said the Loose Cultivator had gone to the Xiao Family's Treasure Pavilion to sell Treasure Artifacts, but the Shopkeeper got greedy. This greatly displeased the Loose Cultivator, who ultimately made a move. When he did, that particular Grandmaster from the Xiao Family happened to be present, and the two began to fight.

Others claimed the Loose Cultivator had come looking for trouble, intending to pass off inferior goods as high-quality ones. After being exposed on the spot by the Xiao Family's Treasure Pavilion Shopkeeper, he refused to admit it and even tried to turn the tables by intimidating them with his power. This in turn provoked a response from the Xiao Family's Grandmaster.

Still others said the Loose Cultivator already had a grudge against the Xiao Family and was just using this as a pretext to cause trouble.

There were many versions of the story, and the specifics were no longer clear. Some of it might have been the real reason, some of it street-corner gossip, and perhaps some of it was deliberately embellished and spread by the Xiao Family to protect the reputation of their Treasure Pavilion.

In any case, the original cause could no longer be verified. Perhaps only the few people who were deeply involved in handling the matter knew the real story.

But for onlookers, the specific cause didn't much matter. All they knew was that in that battle, the Loose Cultivator had unleashed terrifying strength, faintly showing the might of a Top Level Grandmaster. The Xiao Family's Grandmaster, on the other hand, had only just barely reached the Profound Light High Realm and was of average ability within it. The outcome of the battle was that the Xiao Family's Grandmaster was slain on the spot!

When the incident occurred, the Xiao Family's other Grandmaster couldn't make it back in time. Otherwise, the outcome wouldn't have been so tragic.

In that battle, the Treasure Pavilion that the Xiao Family had painstakingly established in Beicang Town was completely destroyed, and a dozen or so surrounding shops belonging to various major factions were also affected!

The affair had an extremely negative impact within Beicang Town.

As Chen Ping'an listened to Yuan Zutong recount this story, it was like hearing a tale from a biographical novel. If Yuan Zutong hadn't mentioned that the Loose Cultivator was eventually captured, Chen Ping'an would have thought the man was the protagonist of the story.

In reality, how could there be so many legendary protagonists!

Under the grand tide of the world, almost everyone was just an ordinary person. The ones who could truly become protagonists in the eyes of others were few and far between.

Many people who possessed a special skill or some unique trait thought of themselves as the main character. They acted recklessly and without restraint, ultimately becoming a joke like that Ten-Mile Slope Sword God.

Just like this Loose Cultivator—he might have had his grievances, he might have had his reasons, but by taking such violent action within Beicang Town, he created a terrible impact. In the end, he drew the wrath of all parties, who joined forces to suppress him on the spot and make a public example of him through execution!

Chen Ping'an was inwardly alarmed and took this as a cautionary tale.

'One must go with the flow of things and never move against the current. It's fine to have your own perspective and ideas, but you have to learn to use your opponent's strength against them and leverage the momentum of a situation! A person's strength has its limits. Relying on your own power alone will never get you far!'

'The greatest advantage of operating within the system is that you can play one faction against another and have a powerful backer to use as a bluff at critical moments. Sometimes, you can even leverage the power of the organization for personal gain!'

Of course, there are always exceptions. Under the rules of the world, there are always a few brilliant stars who can go against the tide and achieve something great!

These people are the true Children of Destiny, favored by fortune itself!

'Will I be one of them?' Chen Ping'an closed his eyes and reflected, asking his own heart.

Back then, he was just a temporary constable muddling along in Nanquan Lane. The greatest display of power he knew was the monthly meeting regularly attended by Shen Shikang, the Inspector from the Nanquan Alley Town Patrol Office.

All the constables would fall silent, the head Constable would greet him with a beaming smile, and Vice Inspector Tian Fuliang would follow him like a shadow.

To the him of the past, Shen Shikang was the ultimate goal he aspired to. An Inspector of an alley, in charge of an entire lane, with jurisdiction over numerous streets and countless gangs who lived and died by his word. A light stomp of his foot would make all of Nanquan Lane tremble. A single casual sentence he uttered would be mulled over repeatedly by his subordinates, who would scrutinize its every possible meaning. When carrying out his orders, they were exceedingly cautious, terrified of the slightest deviation.

These things and more were endless, filling one's heart with aspiration!

An Inspector... an Inspector!

This was the greatest aspiration of the young Chen Ping'an!

But now, looking back on that single-minded obsession, he realized his former self was like a frog in a well, gazing at a tiny patch of sky!

An Inspector!?

Nothing special!

The Chief of the Patrol Office!?

Just ordinary!

Even the position of Commander-in-Chief was nothing more than commonplace!

As his horizons broadened, the things Chen Ping'an yearned for grew fewer and fewer. But his view of the world was becoming clearer and clearer.

Before, he was like someone sitting at the bottom of a well; he saw the world like one views the bright moon from within that well.

Now, having leapt out of the well, he saw the world like a tiny speck of plankton gazing up at the vast blue sky!