The Great Martial Saint!

As the largest auction in Xuanling City in nearly ten years, the Xuanling Auction lasted for five days.

Over the next five days, all items will be auctioned off continuously.

Of course, the pace of an auction can vary, and there will be detailed introductions to the items during the auction process. This will also take up a significant portion of the auction time.

This step is also to better showcase the auction items, thereby maximizing profits.

As soon as Chen Ping'an entered the venue, he sensed the intermingling of various auras within.

These auras, though not deliberately concealed, were rather subtle and difficult to detect unless one possessed keen senses.

"The auction hasn't even officially started yet, and there are already nearly twenty pseudo-celestial beings here. This Xuanling auction is really lively."

Chen Ping'an remained calm as he took his seat in the top-floor private room.

In addition to the nearly twenty pseudo-celestial beings' auras, Chen Ping'an also sensed a blazing and pure aura in the southeast direction of the top-floor private room. This aura exuded a magnificent celestial being's aura, dominating the situation in the room with a wild and unrestrained manner.

"Martial Arts Celestial Being."

Chen Ping'an's eyes were calm, but beneath his black robe, his gaze gleamed with excitement.

The Xuanling Auction did not disappoint him. Right from the start, he sensed the presence of celestial beings.

A Celestial Being, a true martial arts Celestial Being.

This was also the third martial arts master he had encountered since he began his cultivation, following the Gu family patriarch and the silver-haired girl.

"Give me a heads-up first."

Chen Ping'an remained calm, unabashedly releasing his aura and demonstrating his presence.

A chilling aura rose from his body, echoing the intensely hot aura in the arena.

Chen Ping'an made no attempt to conceal his abilities during this appearance. He revealed himself under an assumed identity so that, at this moment, he could truly enter the circle of the Celestials as a powerful figure.

As Chen Ping'an's aura rose, the situation in the auction hall, which was originally dominated by that pure aura, began to change.

"Martial Arts Celestial Being?"

"Another celestial being!?"

"."

Many people in the room changed color, their expressions filled with solemnity and awe.

Such clashes were subtle and unpredictable; unless one's cultivation had reached a certain level, it would be difficult to detect them amidst such a complex situation. Those who truly sensed the clash of auras at the Celestial level were only pseudo-Celestials and a handful of martial arts grandmasters.

In the top-floor VIP box in the southeast area of ​​the auction venue, an old man with red hair sat arrogantly, with a small bronze cauldron in front of him, filled with clear, swaying wine.

The wine was vibrant and passionate, creating ripples on the surface.

"Oh?" The red-haired old man's face was full of pride, and he showed interest: "Another fellow Daoist has arrived."

As a seasoned exemplar who has been at the Celestial Realm for many years, ordinary pseudo-Celestials are simply not worthy of his attention. Although there are many pseudo-Celestials in the field, none of them can be regarded as his fellow practitioners.

But the master of the rising aura in the arena before him was undoubtedly someone who could stand shoulder to shoulder with him.

"The aura is chilling, faintly carrying a sense of coldness and death. May I ask which fellow Daoist this is?" The red-haired elder responded with an unrestrained expression, making no attempt to conceal his attitude.

A scorching aura emanated from him, carrying waves of heat—a burning sensation that reached the very soul.

As a veteran Celestial Being, although he has not yet reached the second level of Celestial Being and achieved the Piercing Rainbow Realm, he has accumulated experience over the years and is not afraid to interact with fellow Daoists of the same level.

However, his expression soon changed slightly, revealing a hint of discomfort.

"Perfecting the first realm?"

He composed himself, and a hint of apprehension appeared in his gaze as he looked into the distance.

"In all the states of Bi Cang, I have never heard of any celestial beings who cultivate similar techniques. Could they be celestial beings from other realms?"

As true high-level cultivators within the dynasty's territory, among the celestial beings, if they are at the same realm, their combat strength is mostly similar.

However, in such cases, there is one situation that is clearly special.

That is a cultivator who has reached the perfection of this realm. Although the future of such a being is unknown, the fact that they have reached perfection means that they have the possibility of looking forward to the next realm.

Furthermore, no one knows what resources and foundations he has prepared for the next realm, nor how long he has been stuck at this bottleneck. How much combat power and protective strength has he accumulated?
Therefore, when faced with someone at the same level of perfection, most celestial beings would feel wary. Especially in a situation like this, facing a cultivator they have never met, never heard of, and whose background is unknown, the unknown makes them even more apprehensive.

No one knows how many years he has been immersed in this realm. Perhaps he has already touched the threshold of the previous realm, and with a little more accumulation, he will be able to truly step into it.

Such a powerful person is someone no one wants to offend unless absolutely necessary.

Especially when one's level of understanding is inferior to that of the other.

Although he has been a Celestial for many years and deserves the title of a veteran Celestial, he is still somewhat far from the perfection of the first realm.

At his level, he could easily suppress ordinary celestial beings, but compared to these old monsters who had cultivated to the perfection of the first realm, he was still a notch below.

"This spirit selection auction is more lively than I expected. It seems we should keep a low profile."

Upon realizing this, the red-haired old man suppressed his aura, no longer displaying its previous peak.

Even those of similar cultivation level would find it difficult to detect his presence without careful observation. Unlike before, when his aura was at its zenith, and most cultivators with spiritual power could sense his overwhelming strength upon arriving here.

"Martial Arts Celestial Being!"

As soon as Black Rock Old Monster entered the venue, before he could even sit down in his private room, he sensed the interplay of energy within the room. Two extremely powerful auras were clashing and confronting each other.

Sensing the clash that touched the very soul, Old Monster Black Rock composed himself and quickly headed towards the private room.

Immortals fight, mortals suffer.

Although he was no ordinary person, that black-robed old monster was a ruthless individual. Ordinary celestial beings could not exert such a sense of pressure on him.

Having barely managed to avert disaster by spending money, he certainly didn't want to get involved with this person again for any reason.

But before he could even enter the private room, the clash of auras within the room abruptly ceased. That intensely pure and fiery divine soul aura dissipated at an extremely rapid pace, until it completely vanished from everyone's perception.

Old Monster Black Rock was startled, his face showing surprise: "It's over already?"

He paused for a moment, an expression of disbelief on his face.

"Why so fast?"

He had considered that the black-robed old monster might be more skilled, but he hadn't expected the contest to end so quickly. This situation was clearly beyond his expectations.

"This old monster is indeed unfathomable. Fortunately, fortunately." Old Monster Black Rock instantly came to his senses and quickly walked into the private room.

"Luckily, I reacted quickly, otherwise, if I had encountered such a ruthless character, I would have been in real trouble."

Black Rock Old Monster secretly rejoiced, and the pain and reluctance in his heart seemed to have subsided somewhat.

"A true man is one who charges forward headlong, but one who can bend and stretch! I, Old Monster, am the real man!"

A faint smile appeared on the face of the Black Rock Monster, which was as hard and cold as a mountain rock, making him look awkward and strange.

"You're going to quit now?"

A look of surprise and astonishment appeared on Chen Ping'an's aged face, which was crisscrossed with wrinkles and creases.

He only gave a simple greeting and hadn't even really put in any effort, and the other party already backed down?
How is he supposed to play like this?!

It was a rare opportunity to see a celestial being, so I thought I'd test my own abilities and qualifications. But as soon as I released my aura, the other party turned around and retreated, deliberately avoiding my sharp edge.

Although he had won, the outcome was still quite unpleasant for him.

It was said that its aura was intensely hot and pure, masculine and fiery, and its temper was also supposed to be explosive. Why did it suddenly avoid and retreat for no reason?!

"As expected, there is a sixth one among the celestial beings! He looks fiery and masculine, pure and intense, and one might think he has a fiery temper, but in reality, he is just hiding his true abilities. He retreats without hesitation, without any hesitation, and without caring about his reputation."

With formidable strength and the ability to adapt to changing circumstances, if he doesn't live long, then who will?

Chen Ping'an was filled with emotion and had many reflections.

His first confrontation since becoming a celestial being ended in this manner.

The entire confrontation, from its prelude to its conclusion, took less than half a breath.

Feeling the overwhelming aura of dominance in the arena, Chen Ping'an gradually calmed down, only to feel utterly bored.

What's the point of this confrontation where the other side voluntarily backs down?
As Chen Ping'an's thoughts shifted, the chilling aura that permeated the area also receded, until it completely subsided.

Inside the spacious and magnificent auction hall, the two celestial auras dissipated one after the other, allowing everyone else in the hall to breathe a sigh of relief.

In this situation, they are the ones who suffer the most. It would be better if they were like the other cultivators, who couldn't sense this level of confrontation, but they have to experience it.

The surging aura, fiery and fierce yet deathly cold, evoked feelings akin to experiencing both fire and ice.

Being in that situation must have been incredibly difficult for them.

That pure and flawless spiritual aura caused these pseudo-celestial beings to experience extreme mental turmoil, making their souls tremble and causing them unbearable torment.

Fortunately
It has now receded.

If this goes on any longer, they might not be able to resist resorting to measures to protect themselves.

However, in situations like the previous ones, if they were to resort to underhanded tactics, it might lead to misunderstandings. If they were to get themselves into trouble, that would be a real problem.

Going from being a spectator to becoming a participant in the game is a bittersweet experience.

Not every pseudo-Celestial Being is qualified to challenge a Martial Celestial Being. Even the residual power of a true Martial Celestial Being's clash is enough to torment a considerable number of pseudo-Celestial Beings. Only pseudo-Celestial Beings at the top level can, to some extent, be immune to the residual power of such a clash.

This is part of the reason why top-tier pseudo-celestial beings are so transcendent among pseudo-celestial beings and can be recognized by some martial arts celestial beings.

Chen Ping'an's private box was on the top floor of the auction house. Compared to his last visit to the Xuanling Auction, this top-floor box was undoubtedly much more luxurious and spacious.

Previously, he and Gu Qingchan had sat in a second-class VIP box. Although Gu Qingchan had booked the box in the name of the Gu family, her cultivation level was still a factor. Even in the top-tier box, she couldn't enjoy the truly top-level treatment offered by Xuanling Auction.

Like Shen Linyuan of the Sword Pavilion, who was the youngest Supreme Elder of the Sword Pavilion and a true Celestial Being. Even though he was only a Grandmaster of Martial Arts, his status was even higher than that of most pseudo-Celestial Beings, and he naturally enjoyed top-level treatment.

At the previous auction, he was seated on the top floor of the auction hall, which is the same floor where Chen Ping'an is now.

However, as a true martial arts master, Chen Ping'an's private room was the best on this floor in terms of both view and position, even surpassing the so-called top-tier rooms.

However, Chen Ping'an's attention was not on the special features and luxurious interior of the private room.

At that moment, however, he was planning something else entirely.

The Black Rock Old Monster's bowing and apologizing, followed by his voluntary retreat in the clash of auras, were completely contrary to Chen Ping'an's previous expectations. This situation gave him a strong sense of unreality.

Black Rock Old Monster is domineering and has a terrible temper, offending quite a few cultivators. Given his temperament, even if he encountered a true martial arts master in this Xuanling Heavy City, he wouldn't be as submissive as before.

After all, Hengshan Sect is no ordinary force, and it has far more than one Supreme Elder. It is said that the Supreme Elder who guards the sect's gate has already touched the edge of the Second Realm and is very likely to advance further and truly enter the Piercing Rainbow Realm.

With such a powerful backer, even in a prosperous place like Chongcheng, facing a martial arts master, Black Rock Old Monster wouldn't be afraid.

But why?
Chen Ping'an was genuinely taken aback by Black Rock Old Monster's reaction.

Not only did he slide tackle at lightning speed and lower his head to admit defeat, but he also took the initiative to apologize. Is this the same Black Rock Monster who acts so sensible?
The clash between him and Black Rock during the Xuanling Mountain transaction, when he appeared under a pseudonym, is still fresh in our minds. Given the current situation, he even suffered a hidden loss in the transaction.

During the previous Azure Dragon auction, the Black Rock Monster acted with unbridled arrogance, his divine soul sweeping across the room. His awe-inspiring and domineering presence is still fresh in everyone's memory.

How come it looks so different in just one year?!
Normally, things wouldn't have turned out the way they did before. But Black Rock Monster not only bowed his head and apologized, admitting defeat, but also suffered two waves of blood loss – a sincerity that was quite unexpected.

Leaving aside the Crimson Fire Crystal Lotus, the value of that rare and precious medicine alone exceeded the hidden losses he had suffered when trading under a pseudonym.

Such a style is really not like that of Black Rock Monster.

Furthermore, the martial arts master he confronted in the arena not only did not fight against him, but was also very straightforward, immediately avoiding and retreating upon contact.

This humility and submissiveness seemed completely out of character for the owner of that aura.

Upon seeing a martial arts master present, he was overjoyed, intending to take this opportunity to assess his combat strength.

Although it was just a clash of auras, one could still glean some insights and gather some information from the exchange.

As a result, the other party didn't even give him that chance; he really is the sixth brother!

The two unexpected events left Chen Ping'an momentarily bewildered.

This is the powerful foundation that strength brings!
There are many things that don't need many words; you can easily get what you want simply by taking the initiative.
Chen Ping'an experienced the supreme blessing brought by his Celestial Being status!
This achievement far surpasses any of the realms he has broken through before.

Just standing there exudes immense power and awe.

It is enough to make all villains bow their heads and all wicked thoughts vanish.

Such feelings are good, but the purpose of this trip has deviated somewhat.

Originally, I wanted to re-establish a benchmark by using normal celestial beings as a reference, and in this way, deduce my true combat strength.

But now, his plans have fallen through.

"Never mind, once I get in touch with the Celestial Circle, there will always be opportunities. It's just a matter of time."

Once Chen Ping'an made up his mind, he stopped creating trouble for himself.

His source of divine soul is flawless, possessing a black and white artistic conception, sufficient to devour and digest the divine soul power of celestial beings of the same realm.

The spiritual aura he had previously displayed was not actually used; with a perfect foundation, he had only revealed pure power.

This purity, in terms of quality, is enough to surpass most celestial beings of the same realm, but it is far inferior to his own true divine soul. If quantified by data and in terms of quality, the divine soul he displays to the outside world is less than one-third of his true divine soul.

The aura he just displayed was roughly equivalent to that of a Celestial Being, but he hadn't truly unleashed it; the dissipated aura might not represent his full power. Although my divine soul is of high quality, I'm still a newly ascended Celestial Being. If we were to truly clash, with the pure divine soul I've displayed, I might not gain the upper hand.

To be conservative, if we only rely on the pure divine soul revealed to the outside world, I should be inferior to my opponent. Based on this calculation, my true, perfect divine soul, if unleashed at full power, should be able to overwhelm my opponent. However, defeating them wouldn't be so easy.

However, if one adds the concept of black and white, the shock and paralysis, the devouring and digestion, then defeating the opponent should not be difficult.

Judging from that celestial being's profound aura and fiery masculinity, he was probably not a newly ascended celestial being. He was probably a perfected first-stage celestial being. Perhaps he could suppress him, but defeating him would probably not be so easy.

Given this balance, without relying on the Dream Pearl, the Ice Jade Hairpin, the Evil Eye, or other divine abilities, or even bloodline tempering, my combat strength should be slightly higher than that of a Perfected Celestial Realm Level 1. However, I'm still somewhat lacking in strength compared to the Celestial Realm Level 2.

With the right methods, they should be able to truly contend with second-realm celestial beings. However, second-realm celestial beings have their divine souls forming rainbow bridges that connect them to themselves, causing a thunderous roar throughout the heavens and earth. After breaking through to the next realm, their combat power increases dramatically.

In addition, most second-realm celestial beings are protected by powerful treasures, and some senior individuals even possess more than one such treasure.

In terms of external factors alone, I don't have any advantage. In addition, there are differences in secret techniques.

Even if I can make up for the physical gap, it would still be quite difficult for me in a real fight.

but
Chen Ping'an's gaze sharpened slightly as he made his calculations.

I also possess the Illusionary Dream Pearl, a divine pearl powerful enough to shake the very soul of a Second Realm Celestial. And then there's my second divine power; if unleashed at full strength, even an ordinary Second Realm Celestial would likely find it difficult to withstand.

If we consider this and make inferences, with the help of the magical power of the precious pearl and all my abilities, I should be able to have a truly exhilarating battle with a second-realm celestial being.

With the second divine power of the pearl, it might even be able to overpower them, and it's quite possible that they could fight to the end and achieve victory.

Chen Ping'an carefully analyzed the situation, using the insignificant information he had gathered during the earlier confrontation to outline his own combat capabilities.

With the blessing of the Dream Pearl, his combat power should be able to surpass that of an ordinary second-realm Celestial Being. He could hold his own against a seasoned second-realm Celestial Being, but if the combat power of both sides is unknown, forcing a battle would probably still be quite risky.

If the opponent is ruthless and swift, a seasoned second-realm Celestial Being skilled in hit-and-run tactics, then he'll be in trouble. He can't escape, and fighting isn't enjoyable. Although he can barely put up a fight, he'll mostly be on the defensive.

That was truly excruciating pain.

Furthermore, the precious pearl possesses extraordinary properties and is crucial to the Purple-Eyed Demon Lord; it is one of his safeguards and a true foundation of his power. Such a treasure must never be revealed to outsiders.

If they were to take action, they would certainly leave no survivors.

It would be unwise for him to rely on this precious pearl to contend with a seasoned second-realm Celestial Being. Even if he doesn't encounter a natural opponent and manages to fight to a standstill, the exposure of the pearl would mean defeat for him.

If the precious pearl is not produced, even with his abilities and the use of other protective items such as the Ice Jade Hairpin and the Evil Extreme Eye, he would only have the combat power of an ordinary second-realm Celestial.

If he wants to preserve his bloodline for physical training and develop a supernatural physique, then his combat strength might still be somewhat lacking compared to a second-stage Celestial Being. He might be able to bully ordinary first-stage Perfection cultivators, but fighting a second-stage Celestial Being would be a stretch.

If he were to retain some resources and not rely on any powerful treasures, his strength alone would likely be roughly equivalent to that of a typical first-stage perfect cultivator. And that would have to be the kind of first-stage perfect cultivator without any powerful treasures.

After some deduction, Chen Ping'an seemed to have a clearer understanding of his own combat strength.

Once his combat strength is clearly defined, his subsequent methods of handling affairs and the tone of his battles will naturally follow.

Before his martial arts realm improves, if he encounters those renowned and experienced second-realm Celestials, he must remain highly vigilant and absolutely cannot make a move lightly.

If one is an ordinary Celestial Realm cultivator at the second level, and the opportunity is right, one can try to verify what one has gained. Even if one's methods are exposed, at least one still has the Illusionary Dream Pearl to suppress one's foundation.

For a Celestial Being who has reached the peak of the First Realm, it is possible to suppress one or two. If the situation is favorable, one can also seek benefits from it, but it is still necessary to be cautious to avoid any deviations.

As for ordinary celestial beings, he can truly suppress them, but before engaging in combat, he still needs to take them seriously to avoid being caught off guard and suffering a setback.

The battle in the grotto of the Xuanling Mountains, where the silver-haired girl displayed formidable strength, left him with a profound shock. Even a Celestial Being who has broken through to the next realm, now wielding numerous trump cards, dares not underestimate her.

With that silver-haired girl's combat strength, if she were at the peak of her stable cultivation, even now, when he uses the Illusionary Dream Pearl, he honestly wouldn't have much confidence.

The sheer scale of the battle, with its overwhelming force and destructive power, left a deep impression on him. Especially since his opponent was also multitasking, using one part of their energy to stabilize their cultivation level.

"No! I feel that this judgment alone is not accurate enough. Perhaps the Celestial Being in the venue is one of the weaker ones among the Celestial Beings, not even as good as an ordinary Celestial Being. That's why the other party retreated and avoided me as soon as I revealed my aura. If that's the case, the previous combat power benchmark will have to be completely overturned, and the combat power level I made will have to be lowered by half a level, or even a whole level."

With so little information, making hasty conclusions is neither accurate nor prudent.

Recalling the silver-haired girl's formidable combat prowess, Chen Ping'an, after careful consideration, decided that the matter of combat strength should be approached with greater caution.

After all, in a real life-or-death battle, even a slight difference in combat strength can be fatal.

Sometimes, what seems like a matter of judging information is actually a matter of life and death.

Know yourself and the enemy, a hundred battles will never end.

This statement is no exaggeration when it comes to the competition between beings at the celestial and human levels.

"Unfortunately, although there are many records of the deeds of the Celestials in biographical books, they are too general when it comes to specific combat strength. There is almost no truly usable information. Even in some popular news stories, the information about combat strength is often embellished and based on misinformation, so it has little reference value."

With this thought in mind, Chen Ping'an let out a long sigh.

"There is too little information."

The end of the paper is so shallow that I know that this matter must be carried out.

To be on the safe side, let's use this as a benchmark to explore one level lower, and then update it when we have more comprehensive information later.

A bitter smile and a sense of helplessness appeared on Chen Ping'an's deeply lined and aged face.

"In the end, our foundation is too shallow and our capacity to carry information is limited. In such a situation, if we act recklessly, we may one day encounter a tough opponent and die or perish!"

"When engaging in external conflicts, it is still necessary to conceal one's methods and protect one's path! Only in this way can one be considered somewhat secure and ensure one's own safety."

Just as Chen Ping'an's thoughts were shifting, the five-day Xuanling Auction officially began, with the opening remarks from the elderly host. (End of Chapter)