The Great Martial Saint!

Chapter 683 Devouring Demon Old Monster, Blood News

The newcomer was a gaunt old man with dry, cracked skin. His body was surrounded by dark red true energy, emanating an unsettling aura.

"This morning, birds came to my door, and I wondered if something good had happened. Turns out, it was because I met Fairy Gu here. After so many years, Fairy Gu has become even more youthful, beautiful, and captivating."

The old man's voice was hoarse, like sandpaper being rubbed, and he narrowed his cold eyes as he sized up Gu Qingchan, who was stunningly beautiful with bright eyes and white teeth.

"Devouring Demon Old Monster!"

Gu Qingchan's starry eyes were cold, and her expression was indifferent.

The old man's words seemed ordinary, but when combined with his scrutinizing gaze, they were highly offensive, and there was also a hint of teasing that was hard to define.

Clearly, the old man's opening remarks were not friendly.

"The Devouring Fiend Old Monster?" Chen Ping'an's heart stirred, and information about the other party surfaced in his mind.

The Devouring Demon Old Monster, the Supreme Elder of the Great Banner Sect, has been a Grandmaster of Martial Arts for many years. More than a hundred years ago, he was already a renowned Grandmaster at the pinnacle of martial arts.

His current combat strength is unfathomable. There have been rumors that the Devouring Demon Old Monster's combat strength may have approached the level of a Grandmaster of the Wind and Cloud Realm. In terms of prestige, he is even superior to Nie Yunlong, who previously guarded Long'an Town.

The Great Banner Sect is a powerful force in Yanlie Prefecture, holding a position there equivalent to that of the Gu Family in Canglong Prefecture. Within the prefecture, it is a renowned and dominant power.

"Fairy Gu, you and I are old acquaintances, so why be so cold-hearted?" The Devouring Demon Old Monster's expression was playful, and his words were full of mockery: "Since we parted ways in the past, I have never dared to forget your fairy-like beauty for a moment."

If before, the Devouring Demon Old Monster's words only contained a hint of teasing and offense that was difficult to define, then his current words were tantamount to revealing his true intentions. If anyone unaware of the truth were to be swayed by his words, they would inevitably start to have all sorts of wild speculations.

An old acquaintance, whom I haven't forgotten since we parted years ago.
It has all the necessary elements, but its guiding intent is too obvious.

As soon as the Devouring Demon Old Monster finished speaking, Gu Qingchan's expression turned completely cold, her starry eyes becoming icy and clear as a frozen pool: "Devouring Demon Old Monster, if you continue to spout nonsense, don't blame me for turning on you!"

There is a certain degree of competition between the Daqi Sect and the Gu Family. On the surface, they are not hostile and have normal interactions, but in some private settings, their relationship is not necessarily harmonious.

In addition, Devouring Demon Old Monster is a controversial figure in the Great Banner Sect, and his character and reputation are not very good.

"It's a joyous reunion after so long, why must Fairy Gu be angry?" The Devouring Demon Old Monster chuckled, then his gaze fell on Chen Ping'an beside him: "And who is this young friend?"

Gu Qingchan stared coldly at the Devouring Demon Old Monster without saying a word.

Seeing Gu Qingchan's reaction, Chen Ping'an naturally didn't say anything more.

In just a few words, he had already ascertained the cultivation level of this Devouring Fiend Old Monster; his combat strength was at most at the level of Li Wusheng's Absolute Sound Palm. Even if he had any tricks or trump cards, they were entirely within his control.

With his current strength, this Devouring Fiend Old Monster poses no threat to him whatsoever. If the situation turns favorable, he can surely take his life within three moves.

One move to inflict serious injury, two moves to kill on the spot, three moves to destroy the body and clean up the mess.

"It's said that Fairy Gu is devoted to quiet cultivation and dislikes traveling far. Now that I've encountered her in this Xuanling Realm, I thought the rumors were false. But seeing you here, young friend, with your handsome features and elegant bearing, I understand now. A lone man and woman traveling together—it truly is Fairy Gu's refined taste. I happen to have some free time now, so why don't we travel together? I can offer my protection. Besides..."

The old monster Devourer's eyes were cold and sinister. He chuckled and spoke with a mocking and playful look in his eyes.

The implications of a man and a woman being alone together are quite obvious.

However, before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by a stream of snow-white light coming straight at him.

bang——

A dark red banner suddenly appeared in front of the Devouring Demon Old Monster, decorated with black patterns. As the dark red light surged, it blocked the wisp of Snow Soul Radiance.

The flag fluttered and hovered around the Devouring Demon Old Monster, gleaming with a strange color.

"Fairy Gu's methods are truly remarkable! She has only advanced for a few years, yet she possesses power approaching that of a supreme grandmaster. Such progress truly lives up to the rumors of her being a queen." A solemn expression appeared on the face of the Devouring Demon Old Monster.

Although he didn't care much about the attack just now, compared to the time it took Gu Qingchan to break through to the next realm, the progress in combat power was too terrifying.

Even with the help of top-tier divine weapons, the same applies!

The Devouring Demon couldn't help but look towards Gu Qingchan, gazing at the shimmering ice crystals and snow spirits that coiled around her like swimming dragons. A hint of greed and desire surfaced deep within his eyes.

"Snow Soul Silk!"

As a top-tier restricted divine weapon, Snow Soul Silk is extremely precious even among the top divine weapons.

Even for an old monster like him with an impressive background and considerable wealth, it was still extremely tempting.

"Demon-devouring monster, my reputation will not be insulted by you!" Gu Qingchan's eyes were cold, her body was surrounded by ice crystals and snow, and the light blue mark between her brows made her look like an ice queen: "If you speak any more nonsense, then it will be a fight to the death."

Gu Qingchan's expression was icy, and her attitude was firm and resolute. Just as she said, if the Devouring Demon Old Monster dared to advance again, it would be a fight to the death.

Gazing at the frantically surging ice crystals and snow essence before him, the Devouring Demon chuckled, "Fine! This old man is ugly and cannot meet Fairy Gu's discerning eye. If there is an afterlife, this old man will surely be like the young man beside Fairy Gu, accompanying her on her journeys through mountains and rivers, hahaha."

The old monster's laughter was powerful and penetrating. By the time the laughter reached its peak, his figure had already flown more than a hundred feet away.

The battle flags fluttered, just as menacingly as before.

"Devouring Fiend Old Monster." Chen Ping'an's eyes were calm as he watched the Devouring Fiend Old Monster disappear into the distance.

The opponent's speed is not unusual. If he were to unleash his full power, he could catch up with the opponent using the Flowing Clouds Secret Technique.

but
After thinking for a moment, Chen Ping'an put aside his plans.

The key to success here is stability; avoid any unexpected complications.

The matter of the Devouring Demon Old Monster is minor; the matter of attracting extra attention is major.

Xuanling City, a renowned commercial hub in the seventeen states of Bi Cang, boasts a number of powerful figures who reside or roam within it that far surpass those of Canglong City.

Even if we don't call them pseudo-celestial beings, martial arts celestial beings only appear occasionally.

If one were to inadvertently attract the attention of a true martial arts master, then the joke would be far too serious.

With his current strength, if he spares no effort and goes all out, especially relying on his extraordinary bloodline, he might be able to save his life against the martial arts masters.

But putting aside the probability of it being saved, even if it were saved, the price to be paid would be far too heavy.

If he had a choice, he certainly wouldn't choose this path. Even if there were some risks, he wouldn't take them unless it was crucial to his safety.

Even if he were to truly clash with a Martial Dao Celestial, he would need to wait until his combat strength improved further. For example, he could further solidify his realm at the third stage of the breakthrough, and further enhance his Blood Refinement Body.

The Devouring Demon Old Monster was just a minor incident; martial arts cultivation is the most important thing in life.

Furthermore, while killing the Devouring Demon would benefit the Gu family, it is clear that the situation has not yet reached that point.

but
If the other party really dares to come knocking on his door, then he'll just let it go without hesitation. Chen Ping'an won't hold back at all.

With this thought in mind, Chen Ping'an's gaze fell on Gu Qingchan, who was standing to the side.

I have to say, Gu Qingchan was quite stylish just now.

Especially when she utters those resolute words of no return in that delicate and sweet voice, the contrast between the two is simply overwhelming.

Whether offended by the Devouring Demon's words or for some other reason, Gu Qingchan's mood was visibly unpleasant. Her face was flushed with anger, and her beautifully curved chest rose and fell slightly, conveying a sense of shame and resentment.

Chen Ping'an suddenly recalled the words the Devouring Demon Old Monster had spoken before his departure. However...
Given Gu Qingchan's personality, it's unlikely that she would be provoked by such words.

So, what is she doing?

Chen Ping'an was unaware of Gu Qingchan's thoughts. However, after the Devouring Fiend Old Monster left, although Gu Qingchan was angry, she quickly calmed down. She turned her head and glanced at Chen Ping'an: "Are you alright?"

Previously, the two had clashed in auras, involving a clash of martial arts wills at the Grandmaster level. Such pressure was something that ordinary people could not withstand.

In particular, Chen Ping'an was positioned at the very center of their confrontation.

Even though she had considerable confidence in Chen Ping'an, Gu Qingchan still felt a few worries and doubts. After all, no matter how strong Chen Ping'an's combat power was, in essence, he was only at the mid-stage of the Jade Balance realm.

"It's nothing," Chen Pingan said, shaking his head.

Seeing that Chen Ping'an was unharmed, Gu Qingchan finally felt relieved and her expression softened: "That old monster was the Devouring Demon Old Monster of the Great Banner Sect. His methods are wicked and his reputation has always been bad. My Gu family has always been at odds with the Great Banner Sect, and we just happened to run into this old monster, so we couldn't help but verbally bully him a bit."

Gu Qingchan didn't explain anything to him, but only talked about the entanglement between the Gu family and the Daqi Sect.

Chen Pingan listened quietly, occasionally responding with a word or two.

"Although my Gu family is quite powerful, we have recently been suppressed by the Bi Cang County Prince's Mansion. Once we leave Canglong Prefecture, we may not have much of a deterrent effect. Be careful on our journey to Xuanling," Gu Qingchan advised.

"I understand," Chen Ping'an nodded in agreement.

He roughly understood what Gu Qingchan meant. In terms of sheer strength and resources, the Gu family's influence was undeniable. However, unfortunately, within the seventeen states of Bicang, the attitude of the Bicang Prince's Mansion held a pivotal position.

Other forces might not dare to challenge the Gu family's power, but some forces with existing conflicts of interest and entangled relationships would definitely be happy to see this happen and would not hesitate to add fuel to the fire.

The interactions between powerful forces are not so simple; sweet talk and feigned compliance are the norm.

They may appear friendly on the surface, but they won't hold back on any underhanded tactics. No matter how good the relationship, they won't hesitate to fight for their own interests. If one side is willing to back down, it only means that behind that concession lies a benefit far greater than what they're fighting for, regardless of whether it's a gain or a loss.

They rely on each other, yet fear each other; they compete with each other, yet maintain communication channels; their coming together and parting ways is the norm.

Furthermore, as power grows, internal factions become intertwined, and interests become complex and interdependent. The attitude of a powerful force does not necessarily represent the attitude of any individual or faction within that force.

It can only be considered as a reference for the overall trend and signal.

Seeing Chen Ping'an's reaction, Gu Qingchan remained silent.

Her anger wasn't due to the destructive power of the Devouring Demon's words. Having cultivated to such a level, Gu Qingchan's temperament couldn't possibly be so fragile.

Mere words could not stir the slightest ripple in her heart if she wanted to.

just
A barely perceptible tenderness flickered in the depths of Gu Qingchan's star-like eyes.

"senior."

The Devouring Demon Old Monster provoked her with words, angering her. It wasn't necessarily out of a desire to pursue her, but rather out of consideration for his own interests. However, the methods he used crossed her bottom line.

The Devouring Demon Old Monster's words were far too suggestive, easily leading to misunderstandings. If such falsehoods were to spread and overheard by a senior, it would truly be disastrous.
Upon realizing this, Gu Qingchan's eyes instantly turned icy cold.

Even if the possibility of it involving her seniors is extremely small, or even just a tiny fraction, it is enough to move her.

She had met this Devouring Demon Old Monster once in Canglong Prefecture City. At that time, she had not yet reached the Grandmaster realm, and they had never even spoken, let alone made contact.

These things are absolutely true.

But rumors can spread like wildfire. Even if the innocent are proven innocent, it will still damage her reputation. If this matter affects her image in Senior Night Owl's eyes, then that Devouring Fiend old monster truly deserves to be killed to vent his anger.

And that is the biggest reason why she is so angry.

She never explained this to Chen Ping'an.

Chen Ping'an was just a junior with considerable influence in her mind. Even though his talent was becoming increasingly brilliant and his realm was constantly improving, his influence was already equivalent to that of a martial arts grandmaster.

But clearly, she is not yet qualified to explain such private matters.

There are some things that even the elders of the family might not explain in detail, let alone a junior like Chen Ping'an.

Only she knew about the things that happened between her and Senior Night Owl.

This matter was personally instructed by Senior Night Owl, and no one else knew about it.

And she has kept this practice all along, to this day.

Gu Qingchan's star-like eyes shone brightly, and her light blue dress, shimmering with light, transformed into a streak of light that drifted towards the distant horizon.

Chen Ping'an moved swiftly, using the Swimming Dragon Technique to follow closely behind.

As far as the eye can see, blue and green light intertwine and separate, just like the afterglow of the rising sun, beautiful, colorful, and dreamlike.

Xuanling Heavy City.

"The most important commercial city in several prefectures."

Chen Ping'an looked calmly at the distant, heavily fortified city.

The city walls, like the finest amber, shimmered with an unusual luster under the bright sun. The walls were high and imposing, the city itself imposing and solid.

As a renowned commercial hub in the seventeen states of Bi Cang, Xuanling City boasts an incredibly high volume of trade. Its daily trade volume far exceeds that of a typical large city over several months.

In terms of sheer size, Xuanling City may not be the largest city in any state, but in terms of scale and the number of powerful individuals, Xuanling City is undoubtedly the best in the surrounding states.

Within Xuanling City, the forces are extremely diverse and intertwined, with overlapping interests, forming a complex network of relationships.

From small-scale grandmaster families to large-scale organizations like the Wenxin Sword Pavilion, Hengshan Sect, and Bicang Chamber of Commerce.

This place is a paradise for revelers and a sacred place in the hearts of countless independent cultivators across several states.

Yet, this same place is also the burial ground for countless rogue cultivators.

Those rogue cultivators who can truly gain a foothold and establish themselves in Xuanling City are undoubtedly among the most ruthless.

"Go in." Gu Qingchan withdrew her spiritual light, which dimmed, and landed on the ground.

Flying is prohibited within the Xuanling City, even for Grandmasters.

Even simple leaps and bounds are strictly prohibited in the Xuanling Heavy City.

Such laws are naturally intended to safeguard the safety of Xuanling City.

Sometimes, when there are more people, there are more interests, and with more interests come more disputes and conflicts.

When one possesses military power, any inclination or expression of it will be seen as provocation and threat.

In order to prevent such phenomena from occurring, Xuanling City has also formulated some plans and systems.

Compared to ordinary major cities, the Xuanling Major City possesses an extremely terrifying deterrent power.

Not only the local forces of the Xuanling Town Pacification Division, but also the branches of the agencies stationed here in various states, as well as representatives of various forces, can all serve as top-level deterrence.

Furthermore, the Xuanling Chamber of Commerce and other commercial forces will not allow any factors that could affect stability to occur, and are doing their utmost to maintain the peace and tranquility of Xuanling City.

The Bicang Chamber of Commerce, under the jurisdiction of the Bicang Prince's Mansion, extracts substantial profits annually from Xuanling City to support and supplement its own operations. Naturally, it maintains a high level of concern for the stability of commerce within Xuanling City.

In addition, the Hengshan Sect, the Wenxin Sword Pavilion, and other super-large forces in the seventeen states have substantial interests in Xuanling Heavy City, playing a crucial role in the stability of Xuanling Heavy City.

In short, let alone a Grandmaster, even a pseudo-Celestial Being at the height of their power would not be able to cause trouble within the Xuanling Heavy City.

As for the Martial Dao Celestial Being
Leaving aside the question of whether there are enough benefits after being seized by various forces, even if there are, regardless of Hengshan Sect and Wenxin Sword Pavilion, they still have to consider the face of Bi Cang County Prince's Mansion. Theoretically speaking, it is unlikely that they would break the rules of Xuanling Heavy City.

However, if the rules are really broken, no one really knows what the specific consequences will be.

If the impact is minor, it will most likely be overlooked and the matter will be dropped.

Within the Xuanling City, power and wealth are of paramount importance. The former is common everywhere; whether it is power, status, or combat strength, they are all complementary and interdependent.

But the latter.
However, this is a rather unique aspect of Xuanling Heavy City.

Within the Xuanling City, possessing wealth is, in a sense, possessing everything.

Except for certain special locations and special circumstances, fighting is strictly prohibited within Xuanling City. This means that regardless of cultivation level, everyone is equal before the commercial laws of Xuanling City.

Therefore, even the phenomenon of a cultivator at the Profound Light Realm vying for an item occasionally occurs.

Even seasoned grandmasters find it extremely difficult to intimidate their opponents with sheer power.

Yes, at least that's the case within the city.

As for what's happening outside the city, that's a matter of opinion.

Under normal circumstances, unless absolutely necessary, cultivators in the Profound Light Realm are unlikely to clash with cultivators in the Upper Realm.

This also laid a solid foundation for the rich commercial atmosphere within Xuanling City.

Shared interests, natural geographical advantages, and a sound business mechanism have all contributed to the booming business opportunities in this important city.

Within Xuanling City, there are vested interests that have created a hierarchy, both overt and covert, based on different customer groups. This hierarchy is clearly evident upon entering the city.

Upon entering the city, Chen Ping'an and Gu Qingchan did not conceal their cultivation levels and used a special passage. This not only saved them from queuing but also ensured extremely high efficiency.

The Gu family owned some profitable properties in Xuanling Heavy City, so they were exempt from paying the entry fee and entered the city smoothly.

As a renowned commercial city, Xuanling City charges an extremely high entrance fee—so high that even ordinary Xuan Guang Realm cultivators would feel a pang of regret for half a day.

In addition to the entry fee, an additional residency fee is required if you wish to stay in the city for an extended period.

This applies equally to any cultivator who does not own property or real estate within Xuanling City.

This system is also intended to prevent certain cultivators with ulterior motives from lingering in Xuanling City for extended periods in order to seek improper personal gain.

Or perhaps, in order to raise the bar for such phenomena and thereby share some of the profits, thus increasing the revenue of Chongcheng.

This series of regulations also drove up real estate prices in Xuanling City to an extremely exaggerated level.

It is no exaggeration to say that it is the best in the surrounding states.

Among the independent cultivators, there was a saying that they would rather have a bed in Xuanling than a courtyard in Yanlie.

"Take care, seniors." The elite guards of the Zhenfu Division, who were protecting Xuanling City, went back to work after seeing the two off.

This special passage, accessible only to the elite, has a much smaller flow of people compared to ordinary city gates. However, given the size of Xuanling City, the flow is still considerable.

After entering Xuanling City, Gu Qingchan planned to visit the Gu family's assets first. As a family elder, it was only natural for her to visit her family's assets first, whether for personal or official reasons.

"Ping An, would you like to come with me, or do you want to stay in the city and explore?" Gu Qingchan asked Chen Ping An for his opinion.

Although the Gu family's share of interests in Xuanling was not large, it was still far beyond what ordinary forces could match. Chen Ping'an did want to use the Gu family's connections to familiarize himself with Xuanling's trade, but considering that the Xuanling auction was only a few days away and that going there would take too much time, he mentioned that he planned to explore Chongcheng first to learn about the local customs and culture, and therefore would not go with Senior Gu.

Gu Qingchan didn't elaborate on this. Her question was just a casual remark; whether Chen Ping'an went or not was irrelevant. Since Chen Ping'an had already made arrangements, she naturally wouldn't say anything.

After agreeing on a meeting place, the two parted ways and went their separate ways.

Fighting is strictly prohibited within Xuanling City, so there are no safety concerns whatsoever.

Of course, whether openly or covertly, Chen Ping'an can hardly be called a weakling now. Even in the Xuanling Heavy City, where powerful figures abound, his apparent strength is more than enough.

At most, he is somewhat weak and powerless when scheming for some top-tier rare spiritual items, but considering his current reputation as a rising star, this deficiency can be completely made up for.

After parting ways with Gu Qingchan, Chen Ping'an wandered around Xuanling City.

There are some freelance guides in Xuanling City, but Chen Ping'an had other plans and didn't use any.

They arrived quickly, and there are still a few days before the Xuanling Auction begins. If used properly, this will give Chen Ping'an enough time to plan his strategy.

In the following time, Chen Ping'an entered the inner commercial city and visited several large shops, gaining a lot of first-hand information.

Xuanling City truly lives up to its name as a major commercial city, and these shops sell divine weapons, precious materials, and rare elixirs.

Chen Ping'an acted promptly and also bought some pills.

For example, pills like the Spirit Nourishing Pill and the Azure Pill, although their effects on him are not significant, would be fine to buy some if suitable ones were available.

Be prepared.

Sometimes, it doesn't matter whether you need it or not, but you need it in crucial moments.

With Chen Ping'an's current wealth, buying this amount of pills is naturally a drop in the ocean.

During his stroll, he also learned some information about demonic beast blood. Most of it came from the sale of demonic beast pelts, scales, claws, and bones.

Of the large shops Chen Ping'an visited, all but one sold high-quality demon beast blood. The shopkeepers even mentioned that some high-grade demon beast inner cores could be pre-ordered, though a deposit would be required.

It must be said that, in this respect alone, the services in Xuanling City are better than those in most other major cities.

Not only do they sell standard items, but they also offer customization services. Most importantly, these shops are not even the top-tier shops in Xuanling City.

Xuanling City is divided into three core cities: inner and outer. In the core city, there is also the magnificent Xuanling Mountain, where only the most distinguished and powerful are qualified to reside.

Those who can live there are top-tier figures even in the seventeen states of Bi Cang.

The fact that even the large shops in the inner city sell top-grade demon beast blood has greatly increased Chen Ping'an's anticipation for future trade transactions.

Thus, a day passed within the Xuanling Heavy City.

Aside from buying some pills, Chen Ping'an didn't rush to purchase supplies in Xuanling City; his main focus was on understanding the situation.

Late into the night, he found a rather upscale villa in the inner city of Xuanling Heavy City and settled in.

In a quiet and elegant garden, surrounded by lush green bamboo, Chen Ping'an sat cross-legged in the room.

hum~
A flash of light appeared, and the Golden Finger Panel materialized.

Name: Chen Ping'an
Realm: Late stage of Jade Balance - Breakthrough Three Barriers (Breaking through the Shell Barrier)
武学：青阳血炼法入门（0/5760）颠鸾倒凤·阴阳枢入门（0/8640）、广寒剑法（残篇）入门（1865/2880）太虚御风步小成（0/5760）七杀天罡拳大成（0/9600）、霸刀圆满、七绝神功圆满、万魔铸身诀圆满
"1865 point."

Chen Ping'an looked calmly at the light screen in front of him.

Although quite a bit of time has passed since we arrived in Xuanling City, the journey has been arduous, unlike usual, and my cultivation has been significantly delayed.

However, with the accumulation of time, considerable progress has been made.

Now that he has arrived in Xuanling City, barring any unforeseen circumstances, his daily cultivation can get back on track, and his progress will be much faster.

If all goes well, in another half month, I will be able to master this incomplete Guanghan Sword Technique to the minor stage.

Chen Ping'an calmed himself down.

His main needs in coming to Xuanling City are several, the most urgent and necessary being the blood of demonic beasts. The lowest grade is no less than the first-stage refined Earth Dragon True Blood, with Heavenly-grade demonic beast blood being preferred.

The second is Snow Spirit Leaves, but it's not the harvesting season yet. He came to Xuanling mainly to try his luck. However, even if he can't buy them now, he wants to find out the relevant channels and, if possible, establish some contact so he can buy them directly through those channels when the Snow Spirit Leaves are harvested later.

Thirdly, and this is the hidden thought in Chen Ping'an's mind, he plots to acquire a powerful protective treasure. Whether he succeeds or not, at least there will be some progress.

Chen Ping'an wasn't in a hurry about acquiring the precious treasure, and he didn't expect to achieve it all at once. After all, one must take things one step at a time.

Fourthly, there are external spiritual objects, such as thousand-year-old stone milk, explosive Yuan True Pill, and spiritual secret pill. These can be beneficial to his cultivation and combat abilities.

In addition, it's about being adaptable and seeing if you can come up with some trump cards.

It should be equivalent to the Azure Lightning Pearl he currently possesses, but preferably with greater power.

Lost in thought, Chen Ping'an slowly finished regulating his breathing.

hum~
Inside the room, inspiration struck again, and a dim, indistinct light shone on Chen Ping'an's face, just as it had when he first embarked on the path of martial arts, displaying the same unwavering determination of a young man.

Early the next morning, after finishing his night of cultivation, Chen Ping'an continued to stroll around Xuanling City.

However, today, he set his sights on the core urban area of ​​Xuanling Heavy City.

Compared to the inner city, the shops and the quality of goods in the core urban area are undoubtedly a step above.

"Hengshanfang".

Chen Ping'an stopped in front of a magnificent pavilion and palace.

Hengshanfang is an industry under the Hengshan Sect. Although commerce is not the Hengshan Sect's advantageous industry, the overall level and quality are extremely high due to the size and influence of the Hengshan Sect.

"Young master, how may I help you?"

Chen Ping'an lingered for a moment, and a clever boy with red lips and white teeth came out to greet him at the door.

"Just browsing."

Chen Ping'an's gaze sharpened, and he and the boy stepped into Hengshanfang.

Half an hour later, Chen Ping'an came out of Hengshanfang.

It must be said that Hengshan Sect, as one of the top super-large forces in the seventeen states of Bi Cang, has a lot of confidence in Hengshan Town.

After appropriately displaying his financial resources, Chen Ping'an easily met one of the managers of Hengshanfang.

After some conversation, we learned the latest information from the other party.

Hengshanfang is rich in resources, with a complete range of products, and even powerful divine weapons can be custom-made. The selection of rare elixirs is also extremely comprehensive.

After purchasing two bottles of Heavenly Purification Water and a Blood Burning Pill, Chen Ping'an also learned about information regarding demonic beast blood.

There is news that there is the blood of a low-grade demon beast in Hengshanfang!

"Steel-spine Mountain Lizard! It is indeed a complete form, but unfortunately..." Chen Ping'an shook his head and sighed, a hint of regret on his face: "Its rank is a bit low."

Although the Steel-Spine Ridge Mountain Lizard possesses Earth-grade bloodline, its rank is at the bottom among Earth-grade bloodlines. Even its fully formed true blood is difficult to compare with the true blood of an Earth Dragon. Furthermore, it doesn't meet Chen Ping'an's expectations for the second refinement of demonic beast blood using the Azure Sun Blood Refining Method.

"Please take care, distinguished guest."

After more than half an hour, Chen Ping'an emerged from a magnificent building, escorted by a round-faced middle-aged man.

Xuanling Pavilion is a high-quality treasure pavilion shop under the Xuanling Chamber of Commerce. It sells rare and exquisite items. Ordinary cultivators find it extremely difficult to even enter, let alone buy them.

With Chen Ping'an's wealth, this was naturally not a problem. After purchasing some rare antidote pills and spiritual items, Chen Ping'an also easily obtained some information.

The Xuanling Pavilion also has information on Earth-grade demon beast blood. However, it's similar to Hengshan Market; this blood isn't readily available. If needed, distinguished guests must attend a small trading meeting for more in-depth transactions.

Chen Ping'an didn't show it too obviously, and then asked for other information, including some follow-up questions that piqued his interest. Furthermore, there was more than one piece of information he deliberately downplayed.

"The Soul-Chasing Leopard's speed boost is quite good. But..." Chen Ping'an hesitated for a moment, then ultimately gave up on the idea.

While the Soul-Chasing Leopard is decent, its bloodline rank is ultimately somewhat low. It's not even comparable to the Earth Dragon Beast, let alone the Xuanjia Earth Dragon.

If this blood is used for refining, it would be a waste of Chen Ping'an's second chance for refining.

Over the next few days, Chen Ping'an visited several more large shops. Some were under the jurisdiction of local businesses, while others were under the jurisdiction of other forces. Naturally, this attracted the attention of some people with ulterior motives.

Despite being secretly watched, Chen Ping'an remained calm and unconcerned.

After a quick shopping trip, he returned to the Xiaozhu Yayuan in the inner city.

"It seems that as the auction approaches, the items that these treasure shops are offering are of higher quality than usual."

Looking at the bottles and jars floating in mid-air in front of him, Chen Ping'an was in a good mood.

Although the shopping trip didn't yield any crucial spiritual items, the benefits from these items were still quite good.

Items like the Blood Burning Pill, which used to require attending trade fairs to purchase, can now be bought directly from the shop. The difference is significant.

At his current level, the effect of a Blood-Burning Great Core would be negligible for him. However, he cultivates the Azure Sun Blood Refining Technique, which makes his blood and qi abundant, so a slight loss of blood and qi is nothing to him.

Therefore, ignoring the side effects, this Blood-Burning Pill can still be taken as a regular enhancement pill.

In such circumstances, even the slightest gain is a profit.

Chen Pingan also purchased several of them.

If it weren't for the risk of drug resistance, he probably would have bought even more.

Compared to other types of pills, those that produce bursts of damage are more likely to cause drug resistance.

"The Xuanling Auction is the day after tomorrow, and there's still one day left." Chen Ping'an pondered in his heart and slowly closed his eyes.

hum~
As dawn broke, Chen Ping'an left the elegant garden.

Today he mainly visited two places: Ling Shu Pavilion, which is under the jurisdiction of the Bi Cang Chamber of Commerce, and Yuan Hai Tower, a long-term business of the Bei Hai Chamber of Commerce located in Xuan Ling Chong City.

The Beihai Business Alliance is a super-large business alliance composed of numerous chambers of commerce, with extremely wide influence. The treasure pavilion shops under the alliance are not limited to one category. In addition to Yuanhai Tower, there are treasure pavilion shops such as Beihai Dock, Tianhai Tower, and Yuanxu Pavilion.

Chen Ping'an spent two days exploring Xuanling City and naturally gained some understanding of its intricacies.

After revealing his wealth, he quickly received a high-level reception.

"Superior mutated bloodline: Gray Rock Rat; Earth-grade demonic beast bloodline: Wind Chaser Leopard; Earth-grade demonic beast bloodline: Mist Sea Serpent."

In half a day, Chen Ping'an had gathered all the information and visited both shops.

It must be said that both chambers of commerce are among the most prominent commercial forces in Xuanling City. Even a fraction of their combined size contains incredibly vast commercial resources.

Several types of Earth-grade demon beast bloodlines, as well as superior mutated bloodlines of equivalent Earth-grade value. More importantly, these demon beast bloodlines are readily available.

Not only blood, but also the inner cores of these demonic beasts can be obtained if one is willing to pay the price.

Monster cores have a variety of uses; they can be used in medicine or for cultivating exclusive techniques.

In addition, both Yuanhai Tower and Lingshu Pavilion have stated that if distinguished guests are willing to wait, they can participate in the high-level trading sessions that will be organized later, where there may be top-grade earth-level demon beast blood trades.

Yuanhai Tower went even further, offering to mobilize merchant alliances from other states to inquire about higher-grade monsters if the guests had sufficient financial resources.

Chen Ping'an was also careful in handling the inquiries, and his actions were all methodical. At most, others would only have suspicions, but they wouldn't suspect that his true purpose had been exposed.

The details of this matter are self-evident and need no further explanation.

By the time Chen Ping'an had finished visiting all the high-end shops and pavilions in Xuanling City, except for some more private trading channels, he had essentially explored them all.

Besides these powerful entities, there are also some local businesses of decent quality, but their overall level is somewhat lower.

With Chen Ping'an's current level of understanding, he naturally wouldn't waste any more time.

"The small trading meetings organized by Yuanhai Tower and Lingshu Pavilion can serve as a backup plan, something to look forward to. However, the wait is too long, so it's best not to activate them unless absolutely necessary."

"As for the information on high-grade demonic beasts that the North Sea Merchant Alliance has been inquiring about, we can also start digging into that area. If things don't work out, there's still room for maneuver in that regard."

"Unfortunately, due to time constraints, I haven't had a chance to explore some of the high-level, private trading channels within the city. It would be great if someone could introduce me to them."

After browsing through the shops at Baoge, Chen Ping'an began to make plans in his mind.

Compared to large stores and shops that conduct large-scale cluster transactions, those private high-end transaction channels take a completely different approach.

It involves a great deal of intricacies, and the network of relationships behind it is extremely complex.

If one can gain access to it, it would be an excellent backup plan for any transaction.

"There's no rush to use private channels. Let's wait until after tomorrow's Xuanling Auction before making any plans. If things really don't work out, then we can start working on these other approaches!"

Chen Ping'an slightly closed his eyes.

hum~
Inside the room, spiritual light flickered and true energy flowed.

The training these past few days has been quite organized, and the overall progress has been excellent.

However, during his continuous cultivation, Chen Ping'an's Snow Spirit Leaves were constantly being depleted.

Early the next morning, Chen Ping'an met Gu Qingchan at the agreed location without any problems, and they went to participate in the Xuanling Auction together.

With the Gu family's connections, Gu Qingchan had already arranged all the necessary procedures for the auction.

After a few days apart, Gu Qingchan remained as beautiful and peerless as ever. Wearing a flowing, ethereal dress adorned with ice crystals and surrounded by silk ribbons, she appeared even more dignified and elegant than usual.

"Let's go."

Gu Qingchan glanced at Chen Ping'an and then walked towards the special channel not far away.

As a high-profile auction, this Xuanling Auction naturally has a special channel reserved for distinguished guests, which can bypass many cumbersome procedures and directly lead to the VIP box.

"Fairy Qingchan".

After their tokens were verified, Chen Ping'an and Gu Qingchan were about to enter the auction hall when a clear, sharp sound, like the ringing of a sword, came from behind them.

(End of this chapter)