The Great Martial Saint!

Chapter 609 Divine Enhancement, Alluring Letter (Seeking monthly votes~)

hum~
A flash of light appeared, and a golden finger panel materialized in front of Chen Ping'an.

Name: Chen Ping'an
Realm: Late Jade Balance - Spirit Pattern Spirit Fruit (Nine Patterns)
武学：颠鸾倒凤·阴阳枢入门（0/8640）、七杀天罡拳入门（0/1440）、霸刀大成（0/3200）、七绝神功大成（3565/4800）、万魔铸身诀圆满、游龙身法圆满、金刚不坏神功圆满、龙象霸体诀圆满、三分人劫指圆满
"3565 points!"

Chen Ping'an's eyes narrowed slightly, a glint of shrewdness flashing within them.

In the ten days or so since taking up his post in Leiming, his cultivation of the Seven Absolute Divine Skill has made steady progress.

At this rate, he will be able to fully master the Seven Absolute Divine Skill in about half a month.

At that time, given his current martial arts prowess, he is expected to take another solid step forward and enter the first stage of the breakthrough realm, the realm of spirit pattern condensation!

Chen Ping'an stood up from the small stone platform with an expectant look on his face.

He is currently in a meditation room at the foot of the courtyard.

This meditation room is quite large and cleverly arranged, with stone doors, mechanisms, and hidden passages.

With the help of the cheat code panel, Chen Ping'an didn't have much need for martial arts practice. Therefore, his main expectations for the meditation room were privacy and security.

In fact, with Chen Ping'an's current level of cultivation, in this Thunder City, surrounded by true essence and isolated from spiritual energy, his safety and privacy are already well guaranteed.

However, no one would complain about having more safeguards.

This meditation room is located in a secluded place, with thick walls made of special materials. It is sufficient to prevent ordinary masters and even some senior masters from spying on it.

If the exact location of the meditation room is unknown, even the spying of a top master can be blocked for a while.

While these effects weren't particularly useful to Chen Ping'an, having this meditation room as cover was still a good option for him.

His main focus during his trip to Leiming was cultivation, with external matters as secondary, aiming for steady progress and peaceful development.

Whether it's the title of "Hidden Dragon Prodigy" or the shared damage mechanism with the Heavenly Luo Saintess, both of these factors fueled his eagerness to improve his own strength.

Today is Chen Ping'an's day off, so he doesn't need to go to the Thunderous Garrison Office.

If there are any truly important matters, a designated person will come to report. If they are important but not urgent, his subordinates will not disturb him; instead, they will prepare these matters in advance and present them to him systematically the next day when he appears at the Thunderous Garrison, offering suggestions and solutions for his consideration.

As for routine matters, Chen Ping'an naturally doesn't need to worry about them. He only needs to control the overall situation, and his subordinates will handle everything properly for him.

Chen Ping'an walked to one side of the meditation room, pressed a mechanism, and the heavy stone door in front of him slid to both sides and disappeared from Chen Ping'an's sight.

Chen Ping'an stepped out of the stone gate, in a good mood.

In recent days, in addition to making considerable progress in cultivating the Seven Absolute Divine Skill, he has also completely refined the top-tier divine weapon, the Azure Flame Four Directions Command Flag.

He also officially mastered the fourth function of this top-tier divine weapon set. When used to its fullest extent, it triggered a divine power, using the command flag space as a boundary to slightly enhance the strength of the command flag refiner.

As for the duration of the enhancement, it depends on the duration of the divine power and the depth of the spirituality of the person who triggered it.

With the help of the Golden Finger Panel and having undergone the first purification of the Yin-Yang Pivot Technique, Chen Ping'an possesses an incredibly profound spiritual foundation. Paired with the Azure Flame Four Directions Command Flag, it is an absolutely perfect match.

After refining the Azure Flame Four Directions Command Flag, Chen Ping'an briefly tested the fourth divine power of the Azure Flame Four Directions Command Flag in this meditation room.

With a limited supply, he found that his combat strength could be increased by about half a level. Its effect was roughly equivalent to taking the Bursting Yuan True Pill, and even better than the Blood Burning Great Pill.

If he were to disregard the consumption of his true essence and the depletion of his spiritual energy, and exert himself to the fullest, Chen Ping'an estimated that this enhancement effect would be significantly increased. During the great battle, the power that could be unleashed should surpass that of the Bursting Yuan True Pill, second only to the spiritual treasures of heaven and earth that unleash their spiritual energy, such as the Great Medicine Pill.

The completion of the Azure Flame Four Directions Command Flag means that Chen Ping'an has gained another trump card.

Even in his normal state, he can unleash the combat power of a Grandmaster of the Wind and Cloud. Although his exact ranking is unknown, he is certainly not at the bottom of the Wind and Cloud Grandmaster Ranking.

If he were to fully activate the Myriad Demons Body Forging Technique and manifest the true form of the Myriad Demons, his combat power and defensive capabilities would see a significant increase.

Its overall combat capability has been elevated to a new level.

Under such circumstances, he would definitely be among the top-ranked Grandmasters.

Under such circumstances, if he were to receive the divine assistance of the Azure Flame Four Directions Command Flag, his combat power would be further enhanced.

In addition, Chen Ping'an also has the Exploding Yuan True Pill, the Thousand-Year Stone Milk and other means. If he spares no expense and uses all his strength, his combat power is immeasurable!

During his previous battle with the Holy Maiden of Tianluo, he was already an extraordinary figure on the Fengyun Grandmaster Ranking.

Afterwards, his martial arts realm improved, nine spirit patterns were engraved, and he underwent a purification of true essence and spirituality, greatly increasing his foundation.

Now, with the addition of a complete top-tier divine weapon, the Azure Flame Four Directions Command Flag, his combat strength is indeed difficult to assess in a short time.

The specific ranking or combat strength will only become clearer after he fights with all his might.

After all, none of those who make it onto the Grandmaster Ranking are easy to deal with. They possess a considerable number of trump cards, accumulated resources, and protective treasures.

Especially those top-ranked Grandmasters, who are likely to have powerful treasures for protection. Although Chen Ping'an has a solid foundation and strong combat power, he is still far behind those old monsters who have accumulated wealth for three or four hundred years in terms of resources and background.

However, even so, with Chen Ping'an's current level of cultivation and foundation, he can still ignore some treasures and narrow the huge gap in combat power.

And this is still the actual situation before he has even stepped into the first stage of breaking through the realm.

If his martial arts realm were to advance another step, and his physical strength to improve further, then his combat power would experience another breakthrough.

The old monsters on the Grandmaster Ranking have all pushed their combat power to its absolute limit. To take another step forward is an incredibly difficult task, with no way to advance further.

Aside from external gains and breakthroughs in higher realms, there isn't much room for improvement for oneself.

Compared to their stagnation, Chen Ping'an's every day undoubtedly brings new vitality and hope.

Whether it's external objects, realm of cultivation, physique, or methods, Chen Ping'an has too much room for improvement.

Lost in thought, Chen Ping'an left his meditation room and arrived at his room in the three-courtyard complex. The meditation room was located beneath the main building and connected by a mechanism, making it extremely convenient for Chen Ping'an to move in and out.

Besides the Azure Flame Four Directions Command Flag, Chen Ping'an also officially began refining the Yin Wind Knee Guards. Compared to the Azure Flame Four Directions Command Flag, a top-tier divine weapon, the Yin Wind Knee Guards, an ordinary divine weapon, were undoubtedly much easier to refine.

Especially with Chen Ping'an's martial arts foundation, his refinement progressed by leaps and bounds. It seemed that in a few more days, he would be able to completely refine this divine weapon.

Even among divine weapons, different levels affect the speed of refinement. Furthermore, for the same divine weapon, different martial arts realms and spiritual foundations result in vastly different levels of difficulty in refinement.

With his advanced cultivation foundation, Chen Ping'an was able to refine ordinary divine weapons at an incredible speed, which goes without saying.

After completing the refinement of the Yin Wind Knee Guards, Chen Ping'an prepared to formally begin refining the Black Profound Iron Mask. This concealing divine weapon was obtained from the Heavenly Net Saintess; he traded it for her black veil.

In terms of quality, it surpasses even top-tier divine weapons, and its value is no less than that of ordinary treasures.

If it can be refined to completion, it will have an extremely significant effect on Chen Ping'an, especially on his disguise.

In Chen Ping'an's plan, whether he seeks the blood of demonic beasts or participates in top-tier auctions, this black Xuan Iron Mask will play a crucial role.

With a disguise, he could recklessly squander his wealth, participate in auctions, and seek supplies.

Whether it's Snow Spirit Leaf, a protective treasure, or any other spiritual resource, he needs to use this treasure.

Cultivate martial arts techniques, refine divine weapons, enhance strength, and seek external treasures.
All the plans were proceeding steadily and in accordance with Chen Ping'an's vision.

"My lord." Stepping out of the mansion, a carriage was already waiting outside the gate.

Xiong Sanrang, carrying his large axe, respectfully came forward to greet them.

Chen Ping'an nodded slightly, said nothing more, and climbed onto the vehicle frame.

Xiong Sanrang was transferred from Beicang to the Leiming Town Pacification Division along with him, and was to take up a chief position under the Inspectorate. However, due to time constraints, the official transfer order has not yet been issued. Therefore, he is currently serving under Chen Ping'an as the head of the guards.

The Thunderous Garrison Command is not the same as the Northern Cang Garrison Command. Although Chen Ping'an holds a high position and wields great power, he is not the top leader. There are many things that cannot be decided by his own words.

Of course, given his current influence in the Thunderous Garrison, if he were willing to step in, Wu Benqing would likely be happy to give him face.

However, it's really unnecessary to do Wu Benqing a favor for something like this.

If he intended to befriend Wu Benqing, this back-and-forth exchange would increase personal relationships and be beneficial to his social interactions. However, he had no interest in this aspect during his visit to Leiming.

Furthermore, although Wu Benqing was a true grandmaster, in Chen Ping'an's eyes, he was really just so-so.

In terms of conventional combat strength, they haven't even reached the level of top-tier grandmasters. Only by employing all means and sparing no expense can they possibly reach the level of top-tier grandmasters.

Sitting in the carriage and looking at the large five-courtyard mansion beside him, Chen Ping'an thought of Guan Dongxiang, the northern swordsman who was traveling to the north to recruit private bodyguards for him.

He rose to the ranks of the giants and was given the position of private bodyguard.

Logically speaking, he could use this as a foundation to gradually build up his own power.

However, his martial arts progress was too rapid and his job changes were too frequent, making it difficult for him to cultivate his own team for a long time.

There are many things that can only be done by subordinates.

In the short term, matters of power and influence are of little significance to him.

As for those things that have been going on for years, he could do them as they come, but it wouldn't be very meaningful to spend extra effort on them.

When the time is right, heaven and earth will lend their strength. If he gains momentum, many things will happen without him having to exert his own effort, as other forces will act on their own initiative.

No matter what resources or channels he needs, there will always be people and influence to arrange everything perfectly for him.

The reason he feels he lacks channels and his pursuits are not going smoothly is that his strength has increased too quickly, and his apparent strength is seriously mismatched with his real needs.

This has led to many situations where it is impossible to utilize overt forces or address genuine needs. Even if these matters are handled by overt forces, it is difficult to achieve significant gains.

If we ignore this point, given his apparent strength and needs, acquiring most of the resources would be a simple matter of a word for him. Even if it requires a little effort, it certainly wouldn't be too difficult.

Regarding divine weapons, if one doesn't excessively pursue the top-tier or most powerful ones, auctions are held regularly in places like Thunder City, where divine weapons are often among the highlight auction items.

Even the most powerful divine weapons will eventually have their turn to be auctioned if you wait patiently.

Given Chen Ping'an's status in Lei Ming, if he had a need and was determined to obtain it, this matter would not be difficult at all! However, Chen Ping'an's real need lies in top-tier divine weapons, which means that he cannot fully utilize his existing resources and power.

There are really only two ways to solve this problem. One is to significantly elevate his public status and greatly increase the level of influence he interacts with.

In this way, it would be much easier for him to pursue many things. Even without the help of external forces, the Zhenfu Division alone could meet many of his needs. Once he officially entered the Northern Zhenfu Division system, the resources in its treasury would be enough to satisfy most of his needs.

However, if he did that, the risks he would face would also increase exponentially. If he didn't have the cheat code, he might choose this path, exchanging status for resources, playing the game of getting ahead step by step.

Now that he has the cheat code panel, he can develop steadily and reach a smooth path to success, so he naturally won't take that risk.

Or rather, given the choice, he wouldn't have taken this path.

Therefore, the only way he can resolve the current conflict is through another method.

That's his secret identity; if he could join a faction, that would largely solve the problem.

Of course, there are many nuances to this joining process. Ideally, it should be an unrestricted, guest-like joining. This ensures that the risks are manageable and the returns are predictable.

However, Chen Ping'an had always been hesitant about such methods and had not been able to implement them for a long time.

While using pseudonyms to join forces can be effective, it also carries risks. The specifics require extensive review and evaluation.

Based on this, and leveraging his existing network and resources, Chen Ping'an has even better ideas!

The root of all this lies with the Seven Absolute Divine Skill and the Black Xuan Iron Mask.

Chen Ping'an left the mansion, got into the carriage, and headed to the Gu family's residence.

He had previously sold off a large amount of resources, which, after being appraised by Gu Qingchan, were valued at over 30,000 Yuan Crystals. At the time of the transaction, he only received half of the Yuan Crystals.

Now, seven or eight days have passed, and Gu Qingchan has sent a letter saying that the remaining balance can be settled ahead of schedule.

It has to be said that the Gu family is really wealthy and powerful. Even just one branch in Leiming can control such a huge amount of Yuan Crystals.

Within seven or eight days, without affecting business operations, the cash flow required to raise such funds can be obtained.

"Hello, uncle!"

"I've met my uncle!"

"."

As the saying goes, practice makes perfect.

This time, Chen Ping'an would undoubtedly appear quite familiar with the place when visiting Gu Qingchan.

After entering the Gu family's residence, Chen Ping'an made a point of memorizing the surrounding environment and the route, preparing for the subsequent plan.

In the secluded garden of the Qionglou, deep within the camp, Chen Ping'an saw Gu Qingchan again.

Today, Gu Qingchan exudes a more refined air.

Wearing an ice-blue long dress, the color of the clearest lake water in the cold winter, her skin was as white as snow, and it appeared even more crystal clear against the ice-blue dress. She stood by the clear pond, her hands as white as jade, gently scattering fish food, watching the fish in the pond compete for it.

"Senior Gu," Chen Ping'an greeted respectfully as usual.

Gu Qingchan ignored him, scattered all the fish food in her hand, and then turned around.

"Ping An, you've arrived."

Gu Qingchan slightly raised her hand, and the maid beside her withdrew in response.

Before long, only Chen Ping'an and Gu Qingchan remained by the pool.

The two exchanged pleasantries, which need no further mention.

"Here's the remaining balance, take a look."

hum~
In a flash of inspiration, an exquisitely crafted pouch appeared in front of Gu Qingchan and slowly floated toward Chen Ping'an.

"Thank you, Senior Gu."

Chen Ping'an bowed respectfully and accepted the treasure pouch containing the Yuan Crystal.

His spiritual exploration revealed that the primordial crystals within were exactly as described, matching the remaining amount.

At this level of transaction, the magic bag becomes nothing more than an accessory to the transaction itself.

If a cultivator at the Profound Light Realm were here, they would surely be filled with awe.

What they dreamed of all their lives was merely a gift given away casually during a transaction.

Only by glimpsing a corner of the celestial palace can one truly understand the diversity of the world.

Gu Qingchan seemed unwilling to talk any longer, and their conversation did not last long.

However, Chen Ping'an subtly sensed that Gu Qingchan's cultivation level seemed to have improved again compared to a few days ago.

No wonder you have the leisure to feed the fish here; your emotions have reached a new level, and you're in high spirits.

After leaving the Gu family's residence, Chen Ping'an's available Yuan Crystals officially exceeded 80,000.

While such an amount might be considered considerable among Grandmasters in terms of wealth alone, it certainly wouldn't qualify as the most outstanding among them.

After all, those old monsters among the grandmasters have accumulated their wealth over countless years. Their cash flow may not be much, but in terms of net worth, it may not be less than this amount.

just
What Chen Ping'an possesses is truly disposable cash flow. It can be used anytime, anywhere, without the need for transactions, sales, mortgages, or loans, nor does it require the approval of various levels of government and the notification of elders and seniors before it can be used, as is the case with those powerful forces.

Chen Pingan can use it whenever he wants.

This quantity of elemental crystals was entirely under his control.

Even those veterans on the leaderboard wouldn't dare say they could easily come up with a cash flow of 80,000 crystals.

On the one hand, many old monsters are not lone wolves; they have younger generations to nurture and family forces to support, which consumes a lot of resources in the process.

On the other hand, whether it's external protective objects or elixirs and spiritual items, a lot of resources are needed. If the old monsters want to maintain their combat power or advance further, they need to have more expectations, which means more consumption.

The main reason Chen Ping'an was able to accumulate so much cash flow is that he had places to earn money, but nowhere to spend it.

What you can buy, you don't like; what you like, you can't buy.

It will take him considerable effort to break this situation.

Besides the 80,000 in cash, Chen Ping'an also had a considerable amount of resources and materials that he could sell. For example, the congratulatory gifts he had recently received from various factions.

These supplies, if sold one by one, could fetch a considerable price.

However, Chen Ping'an did not sell the package to Gu Qingchan this time.

Firstly, since they were both in Leiming, his act of accepting a gift and then immediately selling it was somewhat disrespectful. Although he didn't care about that, he would still try to save face for everyone involved as long as it didn't affect the fundamental situation.

After all, regardless of the reason, giving a gift is a token of goodwill. Having risen from humble beginnings, he would naturally have some empathy in such matters.

Secondly, and most importantly, he is not short of money at the moment. He doesn't need to sell these supplies to achieve any personal goal; such a sale is unnecessary. He doesn't need to rush into it.

It is worth mentioning that Chen Ping'an also received a letter when he left the Gu family's residence.

The letter was given to him by Gu Qingchan, who stated that it was sent from the Gu family in Canglong Prefecture. She did not mention who sent it.

However, when Chen Ping'an received the letter, he already had a vague suspicion in his mind.

He climbed onto the carriage, opened the letter, and saw that it was exactly as he had expected.

The letter was sent by his betrothed, Gu Qingcheng, the pride of the Gu family.

This letter was also Gu Qingcheng's response to his previous invitation.

Unsurprisingly, Gu Qingcheng declined his invitation to Lei Ming.

When Chen Ping'an sent the letter, he felt that what he said was somewhat abrupt. By the time he wanted to revise it, the letter had already been sent far away, and it was too late to make changes.

He didn't have high hopes for being able to invite Gu Qingcheng.

after all
The thought flashed through Chen Ping'an's mind, and a helpless smile appeared on his face.

However, although Gu Qingcheng rejected him, it was not without reason, and the words in her letter were extremely tactful.

I have long heard of the thunderous peaks vying for beauty and the flowing springs in the valleys. Seeing your handwritten letter, I am overjoyed and yearn to go there. However, yesterday, while strolling in the back garden, I saw the spirit flowers blooming and their stamens trembling. I was moved and had a sudden realization. But I am currently at a critical juncture in my cultivation, so I am afraid that I will not be able to go there in the near future.

Although Gu Qingcheng politely rejected him in her letter, she also mentioned something that hinted at an agreement.

Although I am unable to travel with you on this journey, I still cherish a wish in my heart: that one day, when we meet again, I will drink plum wine with you under the peach tree, hang a raft on the treetop, and pledge our hearts to each other in anticipation of the future.

In addition, Gu Qingcheng also included a gift with the letter.

A gift with very special significance.

I originally intended to write more of this transitional chapter, but as I wrote, I realized I wasn't in the right frame of mind, so I stopped for now. I need to get back into the flow.

By the way, the monthly pass draw is tomorrow night. Fellow cultivators who are interested can participate in the next couple of days.

Over the past few days, I've received donations from several fellow Daoists, including Happy and Lucky, Mr. V, That Year's Dream, Like Water, STRIVE-Time, Yuko Araki's Boyfriend, Fu Wen-DE, A Single Elm Seed, Uncomfortable Cow and Horse, Happy Group Brother, and several other Daoists with numbered accounts. Thank you all.

Try to adjust your mindset and move on to a higher level of the storyline.

(End of this chapter)