Daqian Martial Saint

After greeting Chen Ping'an with a cupped-fist salute, Yuan Zutong began to report on the basic situation.

During the turmoil in Beicang Town, they had remained in Qingyou Garden, going nowhere. A few had been injured by the shockwaves, but no one had been killed.

Chen Ping'an expressed his concern and told the injured men to focus on their recovery. He added that once they returned to Five Peaks Mountain City, he would grant them rewards.

Upon hearing this, Yuan Zutong immediately bowed deeply. "On behalf of all the men, I thank you, my Lord. We will never forget your grace."

Whether his words were sincere or not, they were pleasant to hear.

Chen Ping'an offered a few words of encouragement, telling Yuan Zutong to carry on with his duties without worry and to promptly report any important news from within the town.

"Yes, my Lord!" Yuan Zutong said with a final salute, then left the small courtyard.

'I wonder how the battle between the Grandmasters ended. All those Grandmasters against the Celestial Net Saintess... who won and who lost?' Chen Ping'an thought, standing in the courtyard with his hands clasped behind his back, gazing into the dim night.

Though he had only caught a few brief glimpses, the Celestial Net Saintess's formidable combat prowess had left a deep impression on Chen Ping'an.

'Seven Grandmasters appeared right here in Beicang Town! And not just Newly Ascended Grandmasters who had recently broken through—every one of them was a Veteran Grandmaster who had achieved the realm years ago. Even the weakest of the group would not be considered feeble among other Grandmasters.'

'And yet, facing all seven of them, the Celestial Net Saintess had fought with ease, showing no signs of being at a disadvantage.'

Although Chen Ping'an had not yet entered the Grandmaster Realm, he had some understanding of the level of power they wielded. 'For the Celestial Net Saintess to be capable of such a feat, she already qualifies as a Top Grandmaster!'

'A Top Grandmaster is considered a true powerhouse, even among those in the Mid-Jade Balance Stage!'

'A being of that caliber is even more terrifying than the Seven Extremes Elder was in his prime!'

'For the Celestial Net Saintess to have reached such heights before the age of thirty... her innate talent is simply staggering.'

'So this is the true standard of the Daqian Dynasty's top talents! If I only ever focus on Canglong State, I'll be no different from a frog at the bottom of a well!'

This world was far larger than Chen Ping'an had ever imagined. The Daqian Dynasty's territory was immense, stretching for countless miles. From the perspective of the entire Daqian Dynasty, even a place as vast and wide as Canglong Province was but a forgotten corner.

Heroes were as numerous as fish in the sea, and so-called geniuses emerged one after another. Only by standing at the very pinnacle could one's name spread across the land and be known to all.

And the Celestial Net Saintess was one of them.

'The world is so vast, filled with countless geniuses and heroes—the perfect stage for me to make my mark! A man born into this world should harbor soaring ambitions, tread the path to the heavens, and ascend without pause. A world like this... it truly makes my heart pound with anticipation!'

Scenes of Grandmasters standing on thin air, trading blows, flashed through his mind. A golden light shone in Chen Ping'an's eyes, and his heart surged with excitement.

And it wasn't just that. It was the sight of those Grandmasters, standing upon the air as if they were gods. That ability alone was something to aspire to.

Chen Ping'an focused his gaze, and a panel materialized in the air before him.

Name: Chen Ping'an

Realm: Profound Light - Mystic Light Penetrating Object

Martial Arts: Dragon Elephant Dominating Body Technique (Entry Level) (0/240), Minor Achievement of Soul-breaking Blade (0/640), Great Success in Three-Thirds Human Tribulation Finger (507/1600), Vajra Unbreakable Divine Skill Perfect, Great Vajra...

...

'Almost there! Almost there!'

'Once my Dragon Elephant Dominating Body Technique reaches Minor Achievement, I'll break through to the Jade Balance Realm and become a Grandmaster!'

...

For the next few days, Beicang Town was a hive of orderly activity. The Beicang Garrison, in particular, was swamped. After several sleepless days of work, the town's streets had been mostly cleared, and the rubble from collapsed walls and buildings had been organized into neat piles. However, it would still take some time before true repairs and reconstruction could begin.

Patrols from the Garrison Commandant's Office could be seen on the streets from time to time. The entirety of Beicang Town was under martial law. The incident had been a disaster, severely damaging the trade route's prestige.

The Beicang Garrison had already drafted a formal report and dispatched it with utmost urgency to the Canglong Province Garrison Command. Meanwhile, under the Beicang Garrison's direction, the investigation, damage assessment, and cleanup efforts were also proceeding as quickly as possible.

For the past few days, Chen Ping'an hadn't gone anywhere, spending his time recuperating in Qingyou Garden.

Yuan Zutong would occasionally bring back news. Some of it was true, some false, but after sifting through it, Chen Ping'an managed to gather a fair amount of intelligence.

The incident had caused widespread panic within Beicang Town. After all, not everyone was a Martial Arts Master who had reached the Profound Light realm, let alone one at the apex of power. If an upheaval of that magnitude were to happen again, no one could guarantee they would be lucky enough to survive a second time.

Even now, with Beicang under martial law and completely sealed off to all traffic, it was impossible to stop the panic from spreading.

At the end of the day, it was because Beicang Town itself offered them no sense of security.

The Beicang Garrison was supposed to safeguard the peace within and around the town, to possess the strength to suppress any and all lawlessness. But now, they couldn't even handle a few followers of the Evil and Heterodox Dao!

Beicang Town, built on the Long'an Trade Route and nestled within the Canglong Mountain Range, was meant to be a vital stronghold. And yet, this catastrophe had happened.

All of this led to widespread doubt and suspicion.

Today it was a man-made disaster; tomorrow it could be a beast tide.

How could anyone have faith in such a town?

Besides this information, Chen Ping'an had also specifically tasked Yuan Zutong with gathering news about the Grandmasters. On that day, seven Grandmasters had joined forces to suppress the Celestial Net Saintess. Several days had passed since then; surely, some word of the outcome should have gotten out by now.