The Great Martial Saint!

Chapter 949 Aspiring to the Pinnacle, A Talent Beyond Compare

On the cliff behind the mountain, amidst ancient pine trees, Chen Ping'an sat leaning against a pot of spirit wine.

"North Mountain Weather".

Chen Ping'an's eyes flickered slightly, and a divine soul power swept outwards, covering an area of ​​dozens of miles in no time.

Within a radius of dozens of miles, every detail, down to the smallest nuance, resides within his mind.

At the peak of cultivation, the source of his divine soul transformed into a vortex, greatly increasing his sensory range. However, there are very few who can reach his level.

In terms of his soul alone, he is now superior to most veteran cultivators.

His perfect Dao foundation endowed him with an incredibly solid foundation. Even with differences in cultivation levels, he could perfectly compensate for them and still suppress and defeat them.

If a supernatural phenomenon occurs, his entire foundation will need to be further enhanced.

However, the Great Cultivation of Celestial Beings is still the Great Cultivation of Celestial Beings. Most of those who can become Great Cultivators have a pure Dao Foundation. Even if they are not, they may have opportunities and spiritual objects to improve themselves later. They are still better than others.

Those with such pure Dao foundations may dominate among ordinary celestial beings for a time, but once they reach the Great Cultivation realm, they become ordinary, and in terms of foundation, they have no advantage whatsoever.

However, it is clear that with Chen Ping'an's spiritual foundation, even at this level, he can still be given enough advantages.

hum~

Chen Ping'an's eyes brightened slightly, his soul rippled, and then vanished in a flash, returning to his spiritual platform.

"The Spirit Bridge transforms into nothingness, connecting heaven and earth, with endless wondrous uses."

Chen Ping'an carefully pondered and experimented, finding it quite enjoyable.

The term "half-step major cultivation" is used because, while it encompasses various methods, it still differs somewhat from the second-stage Celestial Realm.

Such spiritual perception, even with the aid of heavenly power, is stronger than that of a second-realm celestial being.

Chen Ping'an focused his mind slightly, and only after a few breaths did he open his eyes.

His eyes lit up, and a panel appeared in front of him.

.

Name: Chen Ping'an

Realm: Celestial Realm 2 - Piercing Rainbow Realm (Piercing Rainbow Hidden Radiance)

武学：青阳血炼法大成（0/38400）、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）小成（0/15360）、广寒剑法（残篇）大成（465/19200）、狂雷刀法圆满、太虚御风步圆满、七绝禁法圆满.

Secret Techniques: Soul Suppression Technique, Soul Guiding Technique, Butterfly Dream Bewitching Technique, Illusionary Eye

"465 point."

Chen Ping'an focused his gaze on the cultivation experience of the Guanghan Sword Technique.

After several days of practice, Chen Ping'an's progress in mastering the Guanghan Sword Technique was much faster than he had imagined.

His current level of cultivation has improved, and his martial arts skills have become increasingly profound, which has obviously brought positive benefits to the practice of this incomplete sword technique.

With this help and such progress, it should only take a few months to perfect this technique.

He had mastered all three sword techniques that Gu Qingcheng had previously given him, transforming them as he pleased.

With this as a boost to his panel, I wonder if it will allow him to advance his cultivation further, break through that barrier, and truly enter the realm of great cultivation.

Chen Ping'an's face showed a look of anticipation.

While practicing spiritual cultivation, one should also maintain hope; only by doing so can one's spiritual practice last.

The greatest significance of the panel lies in the word "hope".

A hope that by steadily cultivating oneself, one can continuously break through barriers and reach the pinnacle, overlooking the world's affairs.

Based on his current experience, although the existence of the Golden Finger Panel has given him unparalleled benefits in cultivation, in terms of speed, it may not be the fastest in the world.

Especially at a lower level, one's accumulated knowledge and skills may not be comparable to those of the most extraordinary geniuses in the world.

This world is far more complex and profound than he had imagined.

There are those born with extraordinary bodies, those favored by the Great Dao, those destined for great fortune, those blessed by their ancestors, and those with unparalleled good fortune. They also possess opportunities, luck, destiny, and blessings beyond human imagination.

Furthermore, there are those prodigies from prestigious families, descendants of powerful clans, whose family backgrounds are beyond reproach. They are born into a position of great privilege, receiving countless offerings to advance their cultivation.

If one possesses innate talent and a good teacher, and is already flawless in character and temperament, then the speed of progress at this level is simply terrifying.

This is the accumulation of millions of people, the ultimate manifestation of being born extraordinary. Although his cultivation speed is fast, it may not be able to suppress the invincible.

Of course, among the descendants of prestigious families and those with exceptional bloodlines, there are others far inferior to him. However, now that he has broadened his perspective and surveyed the world, all he sees are the most amazing talents of his generation, and even of all generations.

Chen Ping'an's emotions shifted, and he fell into the ranks of the contemporary prodigies.

This world is a time of great strife, a time of great fortune and blessings, a time when the chosen ones of heaven emerge one after another.

Such a person is among the top ten of the contemporary Hidden Dragon List. Anyone in an ordinary generation could compete for the title of Hidden Dragon.

But now, many geniuses are relegated to a lower position, subservient to the shadow of one person.

Tianjiu Daozi, Fengling Yin.

At that time, the Purple-Eyed Demon Lord was invincible, and from the moment he rose to power, he swept across the world, shining brightly.

Although Feng Lingyin has not yet achieved that level of power, his demeanor still bears some resemblance to the former Purple-Eyed Demon Lord.

However, the Demon Lord acts in a wild and unrestrained manner, entirely according to his own whims.

This is completely different from Feng Lingyin's indifferent attitude towards life.

With his mind at ease, Chen Ping'an gradually regained his composure.

He has a cheat-like interface, and in terms of cultivation speed, he can be called a top-tier prodigy. However, this progress is not his best gain.

The value of the panel lies in the fact that, regardless of one's level, as long as one is grounded and practical, one can break through any level.

In other words, there is no such thing as a bottleneck in his life.

Compared to those peerless prodigies and world-shaking geniuses, even if their cultivation is smooth, they will eventually encounter bottlenecks as long as they steadily move forward.

But he

Never!

Chen Ping'an's eyes narrowed, a sharp glint flashing within them, and the panel in front of him vanished.

In the past few days, in addition to his cultivation, Chen Ping'an also studied the Avici Thunder Sound and Yin Bone Flame Technique. Although he did not fully grasp their essence, he did gain some understanding of their subtleties.

Furthermore, Chen Ping'an did not stop his comprehension and research of techniques such as the Broken Green Lotus, the Soul-Suppressing Technique, and the Soul-Guiding Incantation. Nor did he cease his refinement of the Yin Wind Pearl and the Dry Bone Spike.

The entire process was extremely busy.

It is worth mentioning that, through the imprint of these days, the Myriad Spirit Bag that he obtained from the Great Cultivator of White Bones has truly become his own.

All items can be stored, greatly increasing security and privacy.

Now, there's no need to worry about the previous beautiful and carefree scenes happening again.

"The weather is just beginning to change. Let's take a break and rest. Let's go see what the North Mountain looks like now!" Chen Ping'an chuckled and drank the spiritual wine in his cup in one gulp.

hum~

With a flash of inspiration, Chen Ping'an's figure disappeared beneath the old tree on the back mountain, vanishing into the void.

"The beast tide has ended, opportunities are being seized, and Yu Minglong is seriously injured."

The situation in Beishan is turbulent. Although Chen Ping'an may not care much about it now that he has come out of seclusion, he still needs to find out more about it.

No matter what, he still holds the position of deputy garrison commander of Beishan.

Information circulating in the streets was limited and of insufficient quality, so on this trip, he went directly to Ying Congyun.

"Not at the Garrison Command?"

Chen Ping'an sensed all directions with his divine sense, probing everything with a rather unrestrained air.

With a flash, he moved through the void, heading towards Ying Congyun's mountain cave.

In the pavilion of the mansion, Ying Congyun sat quietly, lost in thought. Recent events in Beishan had left him, the deputy garrison commander of Beishan, exhausted and distraught.

The end of the beast tide did not bring any peace to Beishan Pass. On the contrary, it provided an opportunity for the struggle between various parties to intensify and become more public.

Normally, Yu Minglong, who holds the title of the most powerful figure in Beishan Pass, would step forward to take charge and oversee the overall situation.

Can.

Ying Congyun's expression grew even more worried, and he drank a cup of wine alone.

Previously, during the struggle for the spiritual object, various parties entered the fray and competed for it. Yu Minglong also participated under the pretext of suppressing the situation.

Ultimately, however, Lingtai was severely injured, leaving him mortally wounded. The current situation in Beishan is increasingly chaotic, largely due to Yu Minglong's serious injury and inability to maintain control. Furthermore, the ambiguous stances of several dominant forces, including the Guyue Clan, Qingmu Sect, and Luanming Sect, are also significant factors.

Especially regarding the Guyue clan, while it was strange that Minglong was seriously injured—according to bystanders, it was the work of a half-step Grand Cultivator of unknown origin—a comprehensive analysis of their subsequent reactions, their ultimate gains, and the circumstances at the time suggests that this matter likely has an unclear and ambiguous connection to the Guyue clan.

Given the external situation, the Zhenfu Division was also in a state of utter chaos internally.

Some time ago, the struggle between Hou Xibai and Yu Minglong had already become public, with both sides constantly vying for power. However, Yu Minglong, after all, held the legitimate authority and had been stationed in Beishan for many years. Although Hou Xibai had a lot of hidden support behind him, he was ultimately at a disadvantage in all the confrontations and could only plot and scheme in secret.

But now, with Yu Minglong seriously injured, he is unable to maintain the situation, and thus, this contest has come to an end. Hou Xibai has gained a favorable position and become the winner of the game.

Others may not know, but as the deputy garrison commander of Beishan, he knows more about the inside story. This time, Yu Minglong's injuries were extremely serious, not just ordinary healing injuries, but had affected the foundation of his spiritual platform. It would be impossible to recover without several years of recuperation.

Even if it can be nurtured and restored, its combat strength will probably not be able to return to its peak.

The attacker used extremely ruthless techniques and even employed a fourth-tier rare poison. If Yu Minglong hadn't had such a strong foundation, he would probably have perished there long ago.

This was clearly intended to kill.

Given Yu Minglong's current situation, it's likely he'll find it difficult to maintain control of Beishan.

If the report is submitted, the Northern Border Garrison Command will likely have a new perspective on the selection of the garrison commander for Beishan.

And now.

The situation is probably already clear.

Now, Hou Xibai has begun to get involved in the decision-making of the Beishan Town Government, and he is only one name away from having full authority over the Beishan Pass.

If Yu Minglong is transferred away from Beishan to retire, it's only a matter of time before Hou Xibai takes over Beishan.

Thinking of all these matters, my mind gradually becomes troubled, and my thoughts are like loose threads, impossible to untangle or understand.

"A Dark Netherworld Opportunity, a Mysterious Half-Step Grandmaster, Yu Minglong Severely Injured, Hou Xibai Takes Control of Beishan"

Ying Congyun took another sip of wine in silence.

"Lord Ying, what troubles you so?" A soft voice suddenly rang out, very close at hand, arriving in an instant.

"Who?"

Ying Congyun felt a sudden chill run down her spine, and a cold sweat broke out on her back.

"Lord Ying, don't be nervous, it's me."

A gentle voice rang out, and Chen Ping'an's figure appeared beside Ying Congyun.

"Lord Chen?" Ying Congyun was stunned, somewhat taken aback.

The moment he saw Chen Ping'an's figure, he was even a little at a loss, his eyes filled with astonishment and disbelief.

"You've become a celestial being?"

"A prodigy! A chosen one of heaven!"

Under the cover of night, watching the disappearing light vanish into the distance, Ying Congyun remained silent for a long time, his demeanor deep and melancholy, before finally uttering a few words of comment.

He had been a Celestial for many years and his cultivation had reached the pinnacle of the first realm, but he was completely unaware of Chen Ping'an's arrival.

Such ability, if possessed by a second-realm Celestial Being, might not be particularly surprising. But for a newly ascended Celestial Being, that...

Such astonishment and amazement undoubtedly reached a terrifying level.

Recalling their previous conversation, Yun Youlan's gaze fell into the clouds, turning into a long sigh.

"Talented people emerge in every generation, and each new generation surpasses the old!"

Recalling the previous scene, one could not help but feel astonishment in Yun's eyes.

He could hardly believe that someone could be so gifted, breaking through a barrier in a single seclusion, thus overcoming the insurmountable obstacle that had blocked countless cultivators.

Chen Ping'an, wielding a fierce blade, ascends the pass, breaks through the barriers of his inner demons, and achieves the status of a martial arts master!

With the momentum of being the second strongest in the world, just how much combat power does this Celestial Being possess?

He didn't know!?

But he believes he should be able to see it soon.

"The ancient Yue clan."

Under the cover of night and moonlight, Chen Ping'an moved with the light, leaving no trace and causing no disturbance.

Even with celestial beings nearby, it would be difficult to detect the fluctuations of the escape light.

After bidding farewell to Ying Congyun, he suppressed his aura and concealed his presence.

He talked with Ying Congyun for most of the hour and learned a lot of information from him, especially about the current situation in Beishan.

According to Ying Congyun, Yu Minglong's serious injury was caused by a mysterious half-step Grand Cultivator. However, anyone with discerning eyes could see that the mysterious half-step Grand Cultivator had an inexplicable relationship with the Guyue Clan.

Now all that's missing is a fig leaf; the matter hasn't been brought to the forefront yet.

This opportunity in the Dark Netherworld involves items that enable breakthroughs in cultivation, and is one of the key spiritual objects that assist in the Hidden Radiance Three Steps.

If one can consume this spiritual item, all plans for breaking through realms will at least increase by a few points.

For those at the second level of perfection, if this is used as an aid, the probability of achieving a half-step major cultivation will be greatly increased.

It's no wonder that Yu Minglong couldn't hold back and took action.

The Zhenfu Division system could have maintained a high position and held the moral high ground by taking charge of the situation, but if it were to intervene and fight for control, the protection it received from the system would likely lose most of its value.

If they win in the end, with a solid system to rely on, no one will dare to challenge them openly. But if they lose...

That would be an act done by an individual.

The fact that this matter remains unresolved is not only due to the influence of the ancient Yue clan, but also to save face for Yu Minglong.

If this matter remains unresolved, everyone will appear to be on the better side, and Yu Minglong can, even in the worst-case scenario, retire gracefully and minimize the damage.

However, if this is revealed, Yu Minglong will not only lose face, but also lose the sense of righteousness of the system. All his actions will be for personal gain, and the consequences will be a matter of opinion.

This offended the Guyue clan, bringing the conflict between the two sides into the open.

In short, if it's for official business, everything can be handled according to the established system. But if it's for personal gain, if you win, you can turn a blind eye, but if you lose, using the system as an excuse is a serious offense.

"Doesn't the field research team care?" This was a question Chen Ping'an asked during a previous conversation, considering the situation in Beishan.

Ying Congyun remained silent for a moment before speaking: "Envoy Meng Feng left several days ago."

"A few days ago?" Chen Ping'an smiled and shook his head.

It seems that, no matter where you are, this is ultimately the case.

It's still realistic.

Although the Commissioner of Folk Customs is nominally a giant of the Azure Lands, overseeing the governors and officials of each prefecture and monitoring the people's livelihood, there is no direct superior-subordinate relationship between the governors and officials of each prefecture.

If other places intervene, that's fine, but given Meng Yichen's ability to achieve a half-step major cultivation through field research, it's unlikely that any other party can come up with any tricks.

Can.

This matter concerns the surrounding territories, various powerful figures, and even a half-step Grandmaster. If he were to intervene, it would be a thankless and arduous task.

It's perfectly reasonable to simply take the credit that's rightfully yours, avoid touching any key interests, and protect yourself wisely.

The field research team left ahead of schedule, and Yu Minglong was seriously injured. Now, Hou Xibai is in charge of the situation in Beishan, and his influence is growing day by day.

With the beast tide over, the power to distribute all merits, report achievements, and make decisions all fell into Hou Xibai's hands.

In addition, powerful figures from various regions have also stationed themselves here under the pretext of pacifying the situation, and it seems that they do not intend to leave anytime soon.

Everyone wanted to take advantage of this and get a share of the profits, expanding their influence within the Bicang region.

Since Beishan is currently empty, and an opportunity has presented itself, why not take it?

Even the previously severely damaged Wenxin Sword Pavilion is now taking the opportunity to expand its influence.

"The Northern Mountains are in turmoil, with everyone seeking their own interests. It's quite something," Chen Ping'an chuckled lightly, his smile calm. "Interesting."

As his smile faded, his gaze also became calm and serene.

"It's time to settle the old scores."

On that day, Chen Ping'an, the deputy garrison commander of Beishan, announced his departure from the pass, and the news quickly spread throughout the entire Beishan Pass. (End of Chapter)