The Great Martial Saint!

Chapter 700: Hidden Tactics and Secret Cave (Bonus Chapter for 9000 Monthly Tickets)

Chen Ping'an's voice rang out in the room, calm and undisturbed.

"Asking for your opinion?"

Blood Nightmare Luo laughed, as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world.

"Why should I consult others when I act!" Blood Nightmare's eyes were cold and crazed, his voice low and hoarse, containing an unyielding authority: "Your life or death—"

What's it to you?

Blood Nightmare's voice was like muffled thunder, and his cold and sinister soul power boiled like raging water, carrying a suppressive force that made it hard to breathe.

The cold and sinister power made the others in the room feel vaguely uncomfortable.

The suppressive power of a powerful pseudo-celestial being, even without making a move, was enough to move the grandmasters present who had reached the pinnacle or even the strongest combat power.

Chen Ping'an remained calm and composed, quietly watching the Blood Nightmare Luo before him.

hum~
A flash of light appeared, and Chen Ping'an gently reached out, revealing a fist-sized cyan light bead in his hand.

The luminous pearl was round and smooth, with a bluish-gray hue, and under the guidance of spirituality, it faintly flickered with lightning.

"Azure Thunder Orb!"

Someone in the audience gasped in surprise. Ge Yuntao's expression turned serious as he recognized the object in Chen Ping'an's hand.

The smile on the face of the Devouring Demon Old Monster froze, and he couldn't help but feel a chill.

Azure Thunder Pearl, a product of one-time refining.

A single strike can unleash the power of thunder!

Its power is terrifying and its killing intent is overwhelming; it is definitely a powerful weapon to be used as a trump card.

Let alone the fact that he is only close to the Grandmaster level and has not yet truly reached the Grandmaster level, even those on the Grandmaster Ranking would probably be wary and cautious in the face of such a deadly weapon.

Each Azure Thunder Pearl is extremely precious. How could Chen Ping'an, a mere junior, possibly possess one?

Looking at the lightning-streaked azure lightning orb in front of him, the Devouring Demon Old Monster was terrified and furious.

Not only Ge Yuntao and the likes of Devouring Fiend, but even figures like Old Man Withered Vine and Young Master White Bone couldn't help but change color at this moment.

The White Bone Prince's eyelids twitched, and he looked at the azure lightning pearl in front of him with great apprehension.

If this azure lightning were to erupt, he would be protected by the White Bone Secret Technique, and although his life would not be in danger, it would invisibly consume one of his opportunities to use the White Bone Secret Technique.

However, without using the White Bone Secret Technique, even with his abilities, he was not confident of escaping unscathed at such close range.

Many people in the arena instinctively wanted to rush forward and create distance between themselves and Chen Ping'an, but since Xue Yanluo and the Wanmo Sect Master did not change in the slightest, they dared not make any rash moves.

I just stood there, forcing myself to stay at a distance.

The moment Chen Ping'an took out the Azure Thunder Pearl, the situation on the field slightly reversed, and everyone's expressions changed, becoming wary.

Although a single Azure Lightning Pearl is not enough for Chen Ping'an to turn the tide, it can affect his influence in the situation.

"Azure Thunder Pearl." The leader of the Ten Thousand Demons Sect, draped in a blood-red robe, showed a hint of interest on his pale face.

Although the Azure Thunder Pearl is not as good as the Golden Thunder Pearl, it is still an extremely rare product of weapon crafting. How could Chen Ping'an, a mere junior with only thirty years of experience, possess such a powerful weapon, even with his formidable combat strength?

A flicker of interest arose in the mind of the Demon Lord, but it was only a fleeting one.

Although the Azure Thunder Pearl is precious, its eruption possesses the power of wind and clouds; if not dealt with promptly, even a Grandmaster of Wind and Cloud would be injured. But that would be merely injury.

Furthermore, no matter how powerful the Azure Thunder Pearl is, it only has the power for one strike. After that, the threat is gone.

So theoretically speaking, as long as one can be ranked among the top masters, one will be wary of the Azure Thunder Pearl, but not necessarily very afraid of it.

If even a Grandmaster at the bottom of the rankings is like this, how much more so formidable pseudo-celestial beings like him with profound foundations.

The Azure Thunder Pearl, which others avoided like the plague, was nothing more than a powerful toy in his eyes.

"Don't you find it a bit ridiculous to threaten me with this?"

Blood Nightmare held the Blood Moon Scythe, his sinister and mad expression undiminished. His tone seemed both disdainful and a statement of fact.

The Azure Thunder Pearl is fine for threatening a Grandmaster, but to use it to threaten Blood Nightmare Luo?

The big joke of slipping the world!

Chen Ping'an remained calm: "Master of the Evil Path, you are welcome to give it a try."

His fingertips swirled with true essence, their spirituality shimmering, swirling around the Azure Lightning Pearl as if ready to be activated at any moment.

Gu Qingchan's black hair was loose as she leaned on Chen Ping'an's shoulder, her arms wrapped around his neck, gazing at the surging blue-gray light bead, lost in thought.

A chilling and sinister divine power vibrated, and an eerie crimson color appeared on the Blood Moon Scythe. Chen Ping'an's expression remained calm, and an invisible sword intent spread out from him.

A pale blue light flowed around the Heavenly Meteor Frost Blade, which then turned pitch black.

The situation on the field was on the verge of erupting.

Unlike before, however, the faces of Ge Yuntao, Yu Wenqiao, and the others were now filled with caution. Even the Devouring Demon Old Monster had put away his initial expectation, which was replaced by caution and apprehension.

"What a reckless brute! His pride and spirit are admirable." The voice of the Demon Lord rang out, reaching everyone's ears: "If you agree to one condition, I will spare your life!"

"Master of Ten Thousand Demons, what do you mean by this?" The Master of Ten Thousand Demons' words had barely fallen when they drew Xue Yanluo's dissatisfaction and questioning.

"Master, please calm down," the Lord of Ten Thousand Demons said in a deep voice, explaining.

What followed was unclear to the others in the arena. Chen Ping'an, standing in the center, only heard a surge of divine soul power. The two were likely communicating telepathically.

Pseudo-celestials rely on the power of their divine souls to communicate with each other in a secret manner, and their level of protection is far higher than that of grandmasters.

In less than a breath, the two had finished their exchange. Although the Evil Dao Master still harbored some dissatisfaction, he clearly no longer questioned the matter.

"Chen Ping'an, you only need to let me place a restriction on you, and I will spare your life."

The Demon Lord's eyes gleamed with a seductive intent.

"At that time, both you and Gu Qingchan on your back will survive!"

"Master of Ten Thousand Demons, do you think I, Chen, would agree?"

Chen Ping'an remained calm and unmoved: "It is not my habit to have my life in the hands of others."

The Demon Lord's expression turned cold, and his blood-red robe fluttered even without wind: "Nonsense!"
Do you really think that a mere Azure Thunder Pearl would make us back down?

boom!
The Demon Lord's aura surged, and his frenzied power rippled outwards.

"Your life and death are no longer in our hands; they are just a thought away!"

Bang bang bang!
With the combined shockwaves, the space trembled like ocean waves, layer upon layer, constantly emitting explosive sounds.

Gu Qingchan wrapped her arms tightly around Chen Ping'an's neck. The Ruyi Linglong Ring spun around, emitting a series of hums, and the Snow Soul Silk, like a swimming dragon, circled between her and Chen Ping'an.

"Gu Qingchan, are you also courting death?" The Demon Lord's face was filled with madness as he suddenly opened his eyes, his pupils turning crimson.

Gu Qingchan's starry eyes were cold, and her beautiful face showed no fear.

"It's you that damn it!"

boom!
The violent and bloody aura surged forth like a collapsing mountain.

Chen Ping'an remained calm and gently patted Gu Qingchan's hand, indicating that she should rest well.

After being hit by one attack after another, Gu Qingchan's condition was far from ideal. If she were to force herself to fight now, Chen Ping'an feared that she would faint.

With Gu Qingchan on his back, Chen Ping'an remained unmoved like a reef in the ocean waves under the overwhelming aura of the Demon Lord.

"Why is the Lord of Ten Thousand Demons so agitated? Why not listen to what I have to say?"

Chen Ping'an's voice was calm, but it possessed a strange power.

Gu Qingchan leaned against Chen Ping'an's back, feeling a sense of peace in her heart.

"Chen Ping'an, do you think you have any other choice?" The Demon Lord's face was full of sneer, and his bloodlust grew stronger: "Today, either you plant the restriction, or you die!"

"I think there might be other options," Chen Ping'an laughed. "For example, the two of you could die, and I could live."

"Chen Ping'an, how dare you!"

boom!
The Demon Lord's hands moved like lightning, his divine soul power surging, outlining a large, blood-red palm that slammed down.

Swish!
The blade gleamed brilliantly, and with a domineering slash, it crashed down.

Bang!
The air surged and the space trembled.

The Demon Lord's expression changed, and he felt a numbness in his hand as the giant hand in mid-air shattered.

Whoosh!
Chen Ping'an flashed and appeared in mid-air, carrying Gu Qingchan on his back.

"Now, are you two willing to listen to what I have to say?"

The arena was silent, and everyone stared at Chen Ping'an in mid-air.

The Demon Lord's face was ugly, ashen and gloomy.

He never expected that his attack would be broken by Chen Ping'an.

Although his move was not entirely successful, it was still not something that an ordinary grandmaster could withstand. Even a grandmaster like Old Man Kuteng would only be defeated by this move.

How could anyone cleave through the tower's massive hand with a single strike like Mang Dao?

"There's something strange about this knife!"

The Demon Lord's gaze fell on the knife in Chen Ping'an's hand.

Xue Yanluo stood aside, his gaze towards Chen Ping'an now showing more respect than before.

Gu Qingchan's starry eyes sparkled as she looked at Chen Ping'an in front of her with delight.

She was surprised not only by Chen Ping'an's display of combat prowess, but also because...
Gu Qingchan's eyes lit up with surprise and joy as she leaned against Chen Ping'an's back. Her delicate body pressed tightly against the person in front of her, as if she had returned to that day in the Ten Thousand Demon Cave.

“Besides the Azure Thunder Pearl, I, Chen, have other means to threaten you two,” Chen Ping’an said calmly.

Neither Blood Nightmare nor the Lord of Ten Thousand Demons spoke, and it was unclear how much they believed him.

"It's no trouble for you two, Chen and Fairy Gu, to gather here. You must have other plans. If I'm not mistaken, there's probably a hidden world beneath this pool!" Chen Ping'an said calmly, his expression indifferent. "If you two are willing, I can explore this secret place with you. What we gain will depend on our own abilities."

Whether it was Chen Ping'an's methods that intimidated Xue Yanluo and the Wanmo Sect Master, or because the two had some other concerns, after a brief standoff, they ultimately agreed to Chen Ping'an's proposal.

In fact, by that moment, Chen Ping'an was already prepared to unleash his full power.

Compared to risking his life, it doesn't seem so hard to accept that Gu Qingchan would know his identity.

Neither Blood Nightmare nor the Lord of Ten Thousand Demons are ordinary pseudo-celestial beings. Even though the former is injured, his combat power is definitely above that of a powerful pseudo-celestial being.

Who knows what other trump cards they might be hiding after this outburst?

Faced with such a formidable enemy, Chen Ping'an would certainly not hold back any longer.

When it does not move, it is still; when it moves, it is like thunder.

The seven men in the field first slayed the miscellaneous soldiers to trap the powerful enemy, then attacked them separately.

just
Things didn't end up that way.

As they entered the deep pool, Chen Ping'an gave the two men a long look. He wondered what their plans were.
However, things have progressed relatively smoothly to this point. Although he had a outburst earlier, he hadn't used his full strength. Although the two are nominally allies, they probably each have their own agendas, and their relationship is superficially harmonious but inwardly hostile.

Given the current situation, it may be appropriate to make use of it.

Just as Chen Ping'an had predicted, there was indeed a hidden place of opportunity beneath the deep pool.

A hidden reef at the bottom of the pool has been removed, and some spirit rune restrictions inscribed below have long been broken, revealing a dark blue stone door.

"Young friend Chen, please come in." The leader of the Ten Thousand Demons Sect looked at Chen Ping'an at the entrance of the stone gate.

Chen Ping'an, carrying Gu Qingchan on his back, did not go inside, but casually pointed to someone and said, "Let her go in first."

Yu Wenqiao's smile froze; she hadn't expected Chen Ping'an to point at her.

"Go in," the leader of the Ten Thousand Demons Cult said in a deep voice.

Yu Wenqiao dared not refute and thus walked through the stone gate.

Looking at the newly joined Chen Ping'an and Gu Qingchan, Ge Yuntao, Bai Gu Gongzi, and the others had mixed feelings.

How did the situation develop in this way after all this back and forth?

"These two old monsters!" Young Master White Bone felt a sense of dread and couldn't help but move a few steps closer to Old Man Withered Vine.

Among the group, he and Old Man Ku Teng were the only two who had not been placed under the Blood Demon Restriction.

Now, there are two more people in the team.

Chen Ping'an's spirituality was brilliant; he had a clear understanding of the situation on the field.

It seems this expedition team isn't really united.

He carried Gu Qingchan on his back, used his spiritual sense to perceive the surroundings, and after confirming that there was no risk, he stepped into the stone gate.

Although it was unclear what Blood Nightmare Luo and the Lord of Ten Thousand Demons were planning, it was obvious that they wouldn't let him leave at the moment. And this was exactly what Chen Ping'an wanted.

Given the current situation, a direct confrontation would have carried considerable risks. For now, it's best to enter the secret realm, proceed cautiously, and then devise a plan.

As things stand, his combat strength is currently ranked first among everyone.

However, these are all old monsters who have been around for many years, so it's always good to be cautious at times like this.

Gu Qingchan wrapped her arms around Chen Ping'an's neck and they entered the stone gate together.

In this situation, she doesn't have much to offer. For now, she can only try her best to recover her condition so that she can provide some assistance to Chen Ping'an.

Gu Qingchan looked expectant, feeling the warmth in front of her, and her heart fluttered slightly.

Behind the stone gate was a narrow passage, with what appeared to be some kind of mechanism around it, but it looked like it had long since been broken.

In the group, Yu Wenqiao walked at the front, followed by the Devouring Demon Old Monster, and then Chen Ping'an and Gu Qingchan.

Chen Ping'an had only temporarily chosen the Devouring Demon Old Monster, as his understanding of the secret realm was limited. To be on the safe side, it would be more prudent to have another person in front of him.

Furthermore, the two may have other schemes, and he cannot afford to be careless about his own intuition.

Although Chen Ping'an has not entered the ranks of the Celestials, his foundation is solid and his spirituality is abundant. In terms of perception alone, he is probably no less than the two, and may even be superior.

Beyond the passage was a huge stone chamber, which should have been filled with something, but it was now empty.

There are several passages around the stone chamber, and the restrictions in various places have been broken in advance.

"This should be a cave dwelling." Chen Ping'an observed the surroundings and quickly came to this conclusion.

"Hurry up." The Demon Lord seemed a little impatient. "Go directly to the meditation room at the back."

They had already explored most of this secret cave. They had searched it repeatedly, and there was no need to linger any longer.

Chen Ping'an's expression remained unchanged as he glanced at the Lord of Ten Thousand Demons. He noticed that the Lord of Ten Thousand Demons and Blood Nightmare Luo were now positioned on opposite sides, seemingly maintaining a deliberate distance.

The people standing in the middle were none other than the White Bone Prince and the Old Man withered Vine, among others.

"interesting."

The group seemed to have gone back and forth several times; this exploration was extremely rapid, more like traveling than exploring. There were several passages around the stone chamber, but the group chose the one at the back.

As you walk further in, there are jade stones around you, emitting a faint light.

Among the crowd, even the least skilled were martial arts grandmasters who had achieved considerable mastery, and with the help of this light, they could naturally see clearly.

Chen Ping'an remained vigilant as he made his way inside.

After passing through the passage, there was another stone chamber, much smaller than the previous one. It split into two passages, one to the left and one to the right.

The group took a left-hand path, passing through a desolate garden that looked utterly dilapidated.

I don't know if it became like this after everyone arrived, or if it was already like this before they arrived.

In this world, there are many stories of serendipitous encounters and secrets. But not all opportunities can be seized. For example, many cave dwellings left behind by wise predecessors may turn out to be fruitless after exploration.

Under the immense power of time, the medicinal properties of many powerful medicinal substances gradually diminish until they disappear completely. Even divine weapons will suffer damage to their spiritual essence over the passage of time.

"This cave is at least two thousand years old."

Gu Qingchan leaned on Chen Ping'an's shoulder and whispered in his ear.

The two were surrounded by true energy and protected by divine weapons. Unless one actively sought them out, no one could hear what they were saying.

"Two thousand years?" Chen Ping'an nodded slightly.

Chen Ping'an didn't respond, and Gu Qingchan didn't say anything more. At this moment, leaning against Chen Ping'an, she felt a unique sense of warmth.

This feeling is captivating. It makes you know it's somewhat inappropriate, yet you can't help yourself.

In times of crisis, people often lose their rationality and become more prone to losing their composure.

Subconsciously, we may overlook many things.

The group continued inward, passing several stone chambers, but found almost nothing left. It seemed they had already been thoroughly searched.

"Hmm?" Stepping into the stone path, Chen Ping'an frowned slightly, sensing an aura: "There's someone else!?"

In his perception, there was an extremely strange aura at the end of the stone path.

Judging from its aura, it should be at the pseudo-celestial level, but upon closer inspection, it seems to be an inanimate object, without any trace of flesh or blood.

Chen Ping'an was cautious, but his expression remained unchanged.

Along with the group, at the end of the stone path, he also saw the source of that aura.

This was an old man withered and skeletal, so much so that calling him a skeleton would not be an exaggeration. His entire body seemed to consist of only a layer of skin, and his eyes were sunken, gleaming with a faint light.

"Master." The old man's voice was cold and hard, his expression devoid of any emotion, like a soulless skeleton.

"How is the situation?" the Demon Lord asked.

“The nodes are normal, no anomalies.” The old man held a strange compass in his hand, guarding in front of a gray stone gate.

"That's good then." The Lord of Ten Thousand Demons turned around and said, "Lord of the Evil Path, let's continue."

Blood Nightmare nodded slightly and walked to the other side of the stone gate to stand.

Chen Pingan carried Gu Qingchan on his back and observed their surroundings.

"It seems like there's a spiritual array carved here!" Gu Qingchan's voice rang in his ears, its warm and sweet sound soothing his heart and soul.

Chen Ping'an nodded; he had noticed it too.

This gray stone gate is extremely large, with intricate spiritual patterns engraved on it, and carved beasts on both sides guarding it, seemingly forming a whole and protecting the gate.

However, compared to the spiritual array, his attention was more focused on the old skeleton.

"What secret technique is this?"

The old man was neither human nor inhuman, possessing an extremely strange and eerie aura. His presence was equivalent to that of a pseudo-celestial being, yet somehow different.

Looking at the Evil Dao Master and the Ten Thousand Demons Sect Master standing on either side of the stone gate, Chen Ping'an had a clearer understanding of the situation.

No wonder the Demon Lord is inferior to Blood Nightmare Luo, yet he can still stand on equal footing with him; it turns out he has helpers.

The combined strength of the two of them could indeed put considerable pressure on Xue Yanluo.

In terms of foundational heritage, the Evil Path, which ravaged several states, had a deeper foundation than the Myriad Demons Sect. Unfortunately, however, the Evil Path suffered the most severe losses in the previous campaign against them. Consequently, their foundation was likely significantly depleted, and now only Blood Nightmare Luo remains as a powerful member of the Evil Path here.

Unlike the Lord of Ten Thousand Demons, who also had the help of this skeletal old man, and judging from the appearance, the restrictions placed on Ge Yuntao, Yu Wenqiao and others were also placed by the Lord of Ten Thousand Demons.

"Such an obvious scheme, how could Blood Nightmare Luo not have realized it?" Chen Ping'an wondered to himself.

However, Chen Ping'an soon learned why Xue Yanluo had tacitly allowed this to happen.

The stone gate was sealed off, with Blood Nightmare Luo and the Lord of Ten Thousand Demons positioned on either side, each using their abilities to break one side of the seal. The skeletal elder, holding a blood-red compass, stood in the center, activating the seal.

Characters like the White Bone Prince, the Withered Vine Elder, and the Devouring Demon Old Monster provide true essence support, intensifying the spiritual reaction. Ge Yuntao and Yu Wenqiao, on the other hand, provide support and eliminate the restrictive nodes.

This was the previous arrangement, but according to Chen Ping'an's estimate, Ge Yuntao and Yu Wenqiao were more of a vigilant force to prevent any external interference.

Previously, the fact that the two of them were able to discover Chen Ping'an so quickly was probably inseparable from this division of labor.

The two of them are under a spell, and may not even be here.

The current arrangement was added on a temporary basis.

Now that Chen Ping'an and Gu Qingchan have joined the team, Xue Yanluo and the Wanmo Sect Leader will naturally not let them be idle.

Two more people joined the formation that had broken the seal.

hum~
As the crimson compass was activated, the restrictions on the bluish-gray stone gate quickly reacted. The carved beasts on both sides seemed to come alive, changing their appearance in the stone passage.

A colossal beast, several meters tall, appeared before them.

boom!
The moment the behemoth appeared, a giant hand slammed down, and at the same time, a blood scythe slashed across, leaving a thin red line.

"A spiritual illusion!" Chen Ping'an immediately sensed something was wrong.

This behemoth is not a real entity, but a manifestation from a spiritual perspective, possessing the same effects as array formations and restrictions.

Although the group worked together to break the barrier, they remained vigilant and wary of each other. Chen Ping'an couldn't find a suitable opportunity to unleash his power, and instead focused on strategizing. He maintained his normal output, working alongside the others to break the formation.

The sculpted beasts on both sides were incredibly difficult to deal with, but under the combined suppression of the group, their spiritual light was gradually worn away until they were completely extinguished.

"The formation is broken!" someone exclaimed, and the gray stone door in front of them slowly opened with a loud bang.

boom!
A violent shockwave shook the area, making it almost impossible for people to stand.

However, those present were all seasoned veterans who had cultivated for many years, and such a shockwave was enough to affect them. Everyone's expression was somewhat excited. Although breaking the barrier had consumed a lot of energy, the moment of revelation had finally arrived.

Chen Ping'an felt a chill run down his spine and became secretly wary.

The emotions of Xue Yanluo and the others standing to the side were not clearly discernible, but their inner feelings were probably much the same as his. Their so-called excitement was likely mostly hidden, with only a trace truly genuine.

Rumble~
The stone door slowly opened, and the instant the crack was revealed, several beams of bluish-gray light shot out.

Its speed was so fast that no one could avoid it.

　It's a bit slower than expected. I didn't go into detail about the final exploration of the secret realm; I slowed down the pace a bit. I reckon the battle will start tomorrow. As for extra chapters, I still owe you three chapters, which I'll make up for in the next few days.

　　Let's see what we can gain this time, and also Gu Qingchan.
　　
　
(End of this chapter)