The Great Martial Saint!

Chapter 696 People's Hearts Change, Post-War Gains

Standing in front of the rocky cliff at the bottom of the valley, Chen Ping'an turned his back, keeping his distance from Gu Qingchan.

As Gu Qingchan was tending to her leg injury, it would be inappropriate for him, as a man, to turn around and watch.

At this moment, behind him, Gu Qingchan was lifting her long skirt and applying ointment to her smooth, jade-like legs to heal her injuries.

"They're really careful." Chen Ping'an smiled.

Gu Qingchan's spiritual sensitivity allowed her to sense things from all directions, a fact that naturally did not escape his notice.

In terms of spiritual quality, his spirituality far surpasses that of Gu Qingchan.

If he wanted to, he could have used his spiritual senses, and Gu Qingchan wouldn't even have noticed the process.

His action of turning his back was completely unnecessary and pointless.

However, Chen Ping'an also understood Gu Qingchan's thoughts.

In her perception, although his combat strength was considerable, his cultivation level was clearly not yet at the level of a martial arts grandmaster. Even if his combat strength was considerable, he was no match for her in terms of spirituality.

As long as Chen Ping'an dares to sense it, she will discover it the moment the spirituality is triggered.

In terms of spiritual matters, I dare not make any claims; all I can do is observe with my physical eyes. And this is also why Gu Qingchan made him turn around.

In Gu Qingchan's mind, everything around her was under her spiritual perception. As long as she could ensure that Chen Ping'an was blind, that was enough.

However, she clearly did not expect that if Chen Ping'an were willing, he could have a complete view of everything around him.

but
Chen Ping'an obviously wouldn't do something so pointless.

It's not like I haven't seen it before, what's so interesting about it!

Ah! No!

That's the one.
Even if he wanted to look, he would do it openly and honestly; how could he possibly do something so despicable?

No, no, it should be...
Chen Ping'an's thoughts shifted, becoming increasingly skewed.

He fully understood, and even highly agreed with, Gu Qingchan's actions.

Martial artists defy the heavens and take their destiny into their own hands. How can they rely on the character and temperament of others?
Under these circumstances, Gu Qingchan's actions were reasonable and justifiable, and there was nothing wrong with them.

Although he and Gu Qingchan had known each other for several years, their friendship was far less than that of those who had been friends for hundreds of years. The biggest connection between them was actually the Gu family, and Gu Qingcheng of the Gu family.

Human nature cannot withstand tests.

Or rather, most aspects of human nature cannot withstand the test.

Rather than testing human nature, it's better to take control of yourself.

Chen Ping'an's gaze sharpened, and he felt a slight appreciation for Gu Qingchan's handling of the situation.

With Gu Qingchan recovering from her injuries behind him, and having nothing else to do, he focused his attention on the harvest.

In this battle, he killed two Grandmasters.

One is the one in the open, a master of demonic arts, the Golden Circle Protector.

The other one is the Blood Demon Venerable, a core member and high-ranking member of the Ten Thousand Demons Sect, who is operating in secret.

The former allows him to be exposed, and although it is somewhat beyond the standard, with Gu Qingchan's Xuan Yue Soul-Slaying technique as cover, it can solve many problems.

Despite his opponent being injured, he broke through to the limit in the heat of battle. With his mid-stage Jade Balance cultivation at its peak, he used the nascent form of a powerful treasure to unleash a strike nearly at the peak of the Overlord Blade, sealing the victory with a single blow.

The logic is sound and the overall process makes sense.

Although it deviates slightly from his previous design, it is a good choice to show more of his strength in the open.

He killed a top-tier Grandmaster, and even if the kill was somewhat exaggerated due to the opponent's injury, in the public's perception, his current combat strength is probably equivalent to that of a top-tier Grandmaster.

He had already stored away the head of the Golden Circle Guardian, intending to use it to exchange for merit.

With his current wealth and vision, he didn't particularly value the achievements of a top-tier grandmaster. However, little by little, he could accumulate enough to eventually exchange for what he desired.

The Golden Circle Protector had been a powerful figure for many years, and his accumulated wealth was not to be underestimated. Perhaps because he was fleeing for his life, Chen Ping'an had taken stock of his belongings earlier and discovered that the Protector's Thousand-Mechanism Bag contained many valuable items. He must have carried most, or even all, of his wealth with him.

In addition to the usual elixirs and spiritual items, Chen Ping'an also received a bottle of Heavenly Purification Water and several pieces of high-grade ore.

In addition, he also obtained some cultivation techniques from the Golden Circle Protector. However, most of them were ordinary-grade techniques with nothing special about them.

However, this move also replenished Chen Ping'an's martial arts repertoire. Although he may not practice it, with his current perspective, he can enhance his foundation by reviewing it repeatedly, discarding the dross and keeping the essence, and innovating.

The Golden Circle Protector's Thousand Machine Bag didn't contain many Yuan Crystals, and it was unclear whether they had all been used up in advance. All in all, it amounted to less than two thousand Yuan Crystals.

However, the opponent's signature weapon, that golden ring, is quite valuable. It's a high-quality, powerful divine weapon with considerable power. When unleashed, it excels in both offense and defense, making its power truly remarkable.

Even for Chen Ping'an, it was somewhat of a help.

However, Chen Ping'an wasn't skilled in this area and had no intention of staying. He planned to dispose of the golden ring when the time was right.

He openly killed the golden-ringed protector, and didn't hesitate to deal with the corresponding items.

The items on the Golden Ring Guardian were easy to deal with, but the Blood Demon Venerable was a different story.

The Blood Demon Venerable has existed for nearly four hundred years and holds a significant position within the Ten Thousand Demons Sect. It can be said that within the sect, he is second only to the Sect Leader and Vice-Sect Leader, among a handful of other figures.

The Ten Thousand Demons Sect only cultivates its roots within Canglong Prefecture, and compared to some other evil sects, its foundation is much shallower.

In earlier years, there was a Supreme Elder, but he had already passed away when his lifespan was nearing its end.

This information was obtained by Chen Ping'an through consulting the secret files of the State Garrison Command.

Years ago, Old Chen died at the hands of the Ten Thousand Demons Sect. He had learned a great deal about the Ten Thousand Demons Sect beforehand.

Compared to the Golden Ring Guardian, the Blood Demon Venerable had many more items on him.

After all, they are seasoned veterans, and their backgrounds are quite impressive.

Chen Ping'an amassed nearly ten thousand Yuan Crystals alone. In addition, there were a series of precious materials and minerals that could assist in forging divine weapons.

However, compared to ordinary minerals, the minerals collected by the Blood Demon Venerable seem to be somewhat bloody and eerie.

The whole set is perfectly coordinated, as if they are preparing to forge some kind of divine weapon.

It looks like they've collected quite a bit; even if they haven't collected everything, they should have collected almost all of it.

"Is this old monster preparing to forge a top-tier divine weapon?" Chen Ping'an wondered to himself.

However, since the person is already dead, there's no point in speculating about these things.

Those who practice martial arts, regardless of whether they belong to demonic sects, heretical sects, or unorthodox paths, all want to prepare themselves in some way, whether it is to add external means or to accumulate secret techniques.

It's perfectly normal for the Blood Demon Venerable to harbor the desire to forge a top-tier divine weapon after living for so many years.

The opponent's Thousand Machine Bag mostly contained these minerals; the other pills were rather unremarkable. However, Chen Ping'an did find a bottle of scarlet, foul-smelling pills among them.

"Blood Demon Pill!"

Having inherited the Ten Thousand Demons Body Forging Technique, Chen Ping'an recognized the pill in front of him at a glance.

Unlike explosive pills, Blood Demon Pills have the effect of enhancing cultivation, and for some demonic cultivation techniques, they have an even more significant promoting effect.

However, compared to its efficacy, the Blood Demon Pill also has extremely obvious side effects. It can cause bloodlust to erode one's mind, and prolonged use carries the risk of demonic possession.

However, those who follow the demonic path don't care about that. They care more about the potential gains than the risks.

This bottle of Blood Demon Pills is still in relatively good condition, and overall, its value is extremely high.

Chen Ping'an doesn't need to rely on pills; this bottle of Blood Demon Pills might be used as a commodity for trade in the future.

The Blood Demon Venerable has lived for many years, and his cultivation has likely reached a bottleneck. While the Blood Demon Pill can aid in cultivation, it offers little help in breaking through this bottleneck.

This is probably why the Blood Demon Pill is still relatively intact.

Perhaps the Blood Demon Lord is preparing to use this item to trade for corresponding precious materials and ores to forge top-tier divine weapons.

"I wonder what connections this Blood Demon Venerable made!"

Those who can forge top-tier divine weapons are all renowned master forging experts. Their forging skills, even if not as good as those of master craftsmen, are not far off.

In addition to acquiring these items, Chen Ping'an also obtained the inheritance of the Blood Demon Art from the Blood Demon Venerable.

"This old monster is quite savvy; he even knows to keep the inheritance of his cultivation techniques on his person," Chen Ping'an chuckled.

However, unlike conventional inheritance, this Bloodsucking Demon Art does not have an inherited artistic conception, but compared to those rubbings and the like, it has many more key points and essential essences, as well as cultivation essentials.

Compared to ordinary cultivation manuals, the cultivation difficulty is much lower. However, compared to those proper inheritance jade books, it is much more difficult.

Divine skills are difficult to master; even ordinary people who grasp the essence of them find it extremely difficult to even begin to understand them. However, whether they are difficult to master or not is relative.

Like a normal martial arts grandmaster, who has accumulated a wealth of martial arts knowledge, if he obtains this secret and key point, he can probably learn a lot of tricks by studying it carefully.

Place this rubbing outside, in some remote mountain forest, and in time, it may become another opportunity.

Who knows, many years from now, we might hear rumors of a powerful demonic cultivator again.

Chen Ping'an had experience cultivating the Myriad Demons Body Forging Technique and knew that the people of the Myriad Demons Sect weren't so kind. If he wasn't mistaken, there were probably some traps and hidden tricks left in the inheritance of this Bloodsucking Demon Art.

While it might not be as blatant as practicing a reverse technique, the corresponding risks are certainly unavoidable.

Although the Bloodsucking Demon Art is of good quality and is a supreme divine skill, its rank is not considered high among supreme divine skills.

Furthermore, lacking any inherited artistic conception, Chen Ping'an had little interest in cultivation.

It's worth keeping; it might be useful for trading later.

During his previous participation in the Yunzhu Gathering, Chen Ping'an noticed a problem: although he was now quite wealthy, he didn't have many truly valuable items that he could trade.

Participating in an auction would be fine. But if it's a barter, with fierce competition, you might not get what you want.

The appearance of these items did make up for some of Chen Ping'an's deficiencies.

In addition, Chen Ping'an also obtained a special divine weapon from the Blood Demon Venerable.

He and Qianji Bag had previously obtained that dark diamond-shaped piece.

The Blood Demon Venerable had worn this divine weapon throughout his previous battle. Although Chen Ping'an didn't know much about its effects, he had a vague idea of ​​what it might be.

This divine weapon should be beneficial to one's spirituality. In battle, it can stimulate one's spirituality and appropriately increase the power of one's techniques.

However, the specific effects will only be known after Chen Ping'an studies it carefully.

It's worth mentioning that this divine weapon is also a masterpiece among powerful divine weapons. Compared to the one worn by the Golden Ring Guardian, it is closer to the category of top-tier divine weapons.

"A very fruitful harvest, with the coffers overflowing!"

After taking stock, Chen Ping'an was very satisfied.

With the addition of the two men's wealth, Chen Ping'an's cash flow once again reached the 140,000 yuan mark.

Murder and arson bring wealth and honor; it's true, there's no denying it.

Well, that is, if it succeeds!

If the two sides are evenly matched, a series of actions might result in a huge loss for the other side.

Even if they ultimately win a Pyrrhic victory, after calculating the costs and the indirect impact of recovering from injuries, they might not actually make much money.

If one's strength is insufficient, then one may perish and perish.

The bigger the waves, the more valuable the fish; despite the risks, there are also considerable rewards.

Risk and reward go hand in hand. If you only pursue the reward and ignore the risks behind it, you may one day die and perish.

Having acquired the wealth of two Grandmasters, Chen Ping'an was in a good mood.

The energy he expended while cultivating Xuanling was reimbursed by two kind-hearted people he met on his way back.

This trip to Xuanling was perfect. Chen Ping'an's thoughts shifted, and he thought of Gu Qingchan.

I wonder what treasure Gu Qingchan got her hands on?
Gu Qingchan has killed the Deadly Poison Master and the Staff-Wielding Hermit; she must have gained quite a bit.

In his opinion, the gray gourd of the Deadly Poisoner was quite good.

As Chen Ping'an's thoughts were shifting, he heard a noise coming from behind him.

"Okay, turn around."

Her voice was delicate, clear, sweet, and refreshing—it was Gu Qingchan's voice.

Upon hearing this, Chen Pingan turned around and saw Gu Qingchan in an ice-blue dress, her complexion having regained much of its color.

Chen Pingan glanced at Gu Qingchan's dress and found that the bloodstains had been cleaned up, and apart from some minor tears, there were no other problems.

"Not going to change it?" A similar thought flashed through Chen Ping'an's mind.

However, this is Gu Qingchan's matter, and he needs to take care of it.

Noticing Chen Ping'an's gaze, Gu Qingchan's expression remained cold, her beautiful face revealing no emotion.

"My injuries are almost healed. Let's leave here first."

Is the recovery almost complete?

Chen Ping'an had doubts, but he didn't use his spiritual sense to investigate, so he didn't know the true situation of Gu Qingchan.

He said respectfully, and then prepared to leave with Gu Qingchan.

Whoosh!Whoosh!
Two streaks of light flashed past in succession above the mountain.

"Senior, there is a secluded pool below. Would you like to rest for a while?" Chen Ping'an said calmly, looking at Gu Qingchan, whose face was beginning to turn pale.

Not long after the two left the valley, Gu Qingchan was fine at first, but as time went by, her condition gradually became abnormal.

As he had expected, given Gu Qingchan's previous condition, forcibly treating her leg injury and removing the blood evil was not very effective. Furthermore, due to the short timeframe, the overall treatment only addressed the symptoms, not the root cause.

Now that the true energy has been depleted, the suppressed toxins are showing signs of a counterattack.

Gu Qingchan was aware of her own situation, and she did not refuse Chen Ping'an's suggestion.

The two descended in a flash of light and appeared beside a secluded pool.

"Senior, please rest here."

Chen Ping'an used his true energy to clean up a spot, then smiled at Gu Qingchan and said...

Gu Qingchan nodded slightly and did not refuse.

"You have a heart."

Unlike when they arrived, the situation for the two of them is now reversed.

Previously, she was the one taking care of Chen Ping'an, stopping to rest from time to time. Now, the roles have reversed, and Chen Ping'an is taking care of her.

Gu Qingchan leaned against an ancient tree and sat down.

The skirt blooms like a lotus flower, cascading like flowing clouds, carrying endless beauty.

If you ignore the slight damage above, then it is perfect and flawless.

She was still wearing the same ice-blue dress as before.

Although she had other dresses in her pouch, she still couldn't bring herself to change into a new dress in front of a man.

Even though the man was facing away.

This is especially true when there are still options available.

Even though Chen Ping'an didn't see the entire process of changing clothes, seeing her wearing a new dress would undoubtedly evoke many indecent associations.

As the elder of the Gu family, and Chen Ping'an as the husband of the beautiful woman, this association will undoubtedly cause a lot of unnecessary trouble.

Even though these associations don't have much impact on reality.

But she feels uncomfortable whenever she thinks about this scene.

To associate such a situation with a junior is by no means glorious.

For Senior Night Owl, that only highlighted her infidelity.

Since her heart has already belonged to someone else, she will do everything in her power to prevent such things from happening.

What happened before was done out of necessity.

Now that we have a choice, we cannot do it this way.

She readily accepted Chen Ping'an's advice because she was worried that if she insisted on it, the previous incident would repeat itself.

To avoid such a situation, she naturally wouldn't be careless.

Now that she has time to rest and recuperate, she naturally wants to seize the opportunity to heal her injuries and get proper rest.

No longer paying attention to Chen Ping'an, Gu Qingchan closed her starry eyes, and a flash of inspiration gradually appeared.

Although a secret medicine had been applied to her legs, the source of the blood evil had not been stopped, and she was only barely holding on with her true energy.

This strange wood is poisonous.
Ultimately, it still had an impact on her.

To truly free up resources to eradicate the root cause of the blood evil, we can only wait until the poison from the rare wood has largely dissipated. Otherwise, we will have to rely on others for healing.

"Senior Night Owl"

Gu Qingchan closed her starry eyes slightly, a blush appearing on her delicate face.

If Senior Night Owl were here, why would she need to be so wary?

With the help of her seniors, she should be able to recover from her injuries in the shortest possible time.

Seeing that Gu Qingchan began recuperating as quickly as possible, Chen Ping'an didn't say anything.

Judging from Gu Qingchan's condition, she probably won't recover well in a short time without the help of others.

However, as long as she doesn't rush, with Gu Qingchan's inner strength, she can gradually recover by resting and recuperating.

The minor injuries had absolutely no effect on her.

"Should I remind her?" Chen Ping'an pondered to himself.

If Gu Qingchan were told that the Blood Demon Venerable was dead, she wouldn't need to rush on her journey. She could stay here and recuperate slowly, and in ten days or so, she would be able to recover most of her health.

Then, we can travel back at that time, which will be a smooth and pleasant journey for everyone.

But if he were to tell Gu Qingchan, how would he explain it?
Has he reached the Grandmaster level?

It was his exceptional talent that allowed him to master the Overlord Blade technique and forcefully slay the Blood Demon Venerable.

But if you were going to tell them, why didn't you say so earlier?
Chen Ping'an smiled bitterly to himself, suddenly feeling as if he had trapped himself in a cocoon.

Logically speaking, given Gu Qingchan's past character, the other party should have kept it a secret if he asked.

However, Chen Ping'an has never been comfortable putting his secrets in the hands of others.

As he had said before, he and Gu Qingchan had known each other for several years and had a good relationship, but it had clearly not reached the point of being bound by life and death. The biggest connection between them was still the marriage arrangement made by the Gu family.

If he were to directly reveal his identity to Night Owl, regardless of the potential benefits, even if he did, and Night Owl kept it a secret...
People's hearts are yearning for change.

It's good that the other party is willing to keep it a secret for him now. But what about a year later, three years later, five years later?
Will you still be willing then?

If a conflict arises due to conflicting interests, how can it be remedied afterwards?

His cultivation was a matter of great importance, involving his personal secrets, and he would never easily entrust it to others unless absolutely necessary.

Harmfulness is not allowed, and defensiveness is necessary!
As he had previously realized, the human heart cannot withstand testing!
The best approach is to avoid testing people's hearts.

If you don't know, then there's no problem.

As for Gu Qingchan's injuries, we can think about other things. As for a showdown, we should cut off all thoughts of that.

Rather than laying all their cards on the table, it's safer to reveal more of their strength openly.

After all, there's probably a lot he'll need to do with his alternate accounts later on.

If he were to one day ascend to the Martial Dao Celestial Realm and reveal himself under a false identity, his true self would be completely exposed. What would he do then?
Instead of saying that, it would be better to just lay it all out now and tell Gu Qingchan that he has already become a Grandmaster!
Once Chen Ping'an made up his mind, he stopped making plans.

Numerous thoughts raced and shifted, and in retrospect, they could be refined and perfected. But when it came to making a decision, they became indecisive, resulting in internal strife.

A martial artist possesses a clear and pure mind; once their mind is settled, there is no need to think about anything else.

Stability is paramount; this is the way, and also the heart.

In this great world, conflicts are inevitable and dangers are unpredictable. If we do not take multiple precautions, how can we navigate the world?

Whether it's the brute force or the disguise, they are all his means of competing on the path of cultivation!

In this world, one should stand atop the clouds, overlooking the rise and fall of human affairs.

Chen Ping'an also wanted to see the grand spectacle of the capital.

Chen Ping'an also wanted to try out the procession that the imperial princess used when she traveled in the past.

That colossal pillar reaching the sky, I must experience it for myself!
hum~
A flash of inspiration occurred, and a halo of light flowed around it.

Although he was not far from Gu Qingchan, Chen Ping'an's cultivation was not affected by his previous experience.

He focused on traveling these past few days, and although he would stop to rest from time to time, his cultivation was still delayed quite a bit along the way.

Furthermore, due to the presence of Gu Qingchan, his Qingyang Blood Refining Technique was effectively halted.

He devoted all his energy to cultivating the Tai Xu Yu Feng Bu (a martial arts technique).

The Tai Xu Wind-Riding Step, as a top-tier divine skill that touches upon the realm of true martial arts scrolls, is extremely profound. Chen Ping'an has now cultivated it to a minor level and has mastered the secret techniques of Wind-Treading and Cloud-Flowing. If he can cultivate it to a major level in one go, he can also master the secret technique of Wind-Riding.

At that time, with his cultivation level, he would be unique even among pseudo-celestial beings.

Limited by their accumulated knowledge, most pseudo-celestial beings have not actually cultivated with genuine skill scrolls.

Firstly, because their path to enlightenment has been cut off, they prefer to rely on secret techniques and external aids rather than the enhancements provided by cultivation methods.

On the other hand, there's the rarity of True Skill Scrolls, especially those with complete inherited meanings, whose value is ridiculously high. Instead of wasting time and money on such things, it's better to acquire a true protective treasure.

Of course, there are also pseudo-celestial beings with impressive backgrounds, or other circumstances where, by chance, they cultivate the true skill scroll.

However, such celestial beings constitute a very small percentage among pseudo-celestial beings.

Gu Qingchan's healing process took much longer this time than before, which gave Chen Ping'an more time to cultivate.

Faced with this situation, Chen Ping'an naturally wouldn't let it go.

The scene fell silent for a moment.

There were only the sounds of wind and the soft rustling of insects.

Chen Ping'an was immersed in his cultivation when he suddenly sensed something was wrong.

The next moment, he heard a whooshing sound.

At the same time, Gu Qingchan's voice rang out from the side: "Be careful!"

　I recommend a book by a good friend of mine; it's about to be published as a featured book. Fellow Daoists who are interested can take a look.

(End of this chapter)