Daqian Martial Saint

Everyone knew about the dispute over the credit for the Red Maple Mountain affair. Ice Soul Divine Needle Gu Qingchan hadn’t hesitated to turn against a Grandmaster from the Qiankun Bureau, engaging in Magical Combat from a distance, all to stand up for Chen Ping’an!

For a time, rumors about their incredibly close relationship ran rampant. Of course, this ”close relationship” wasn’t a romantic one, but rather Gu Qingchan showing special attention to a junior.

However, the later incident with the courtesy visit in Weishui County City made people realize their relationship wasn’t what the rumors claimed. It wasn’t that Gu Qingchan herself held Chen Ping’an in high regard. It was simply that the Gu Family was trying to recruit him, and as a Gu Family Grandmaster making a grand gesture to attract talent for her family, she had merely given Chen Ping’an some consideration.

Thinking about it this way, it all started to make sense. After all, Ice Soul Divine Needle Gu Qingchan had been a peerless prodigy in her day; why would she so easily single out a junior for special treatment?

But... now that Chen Ping’an had demonstrated even greater talent, both the Gu Family and Gu Qingchan herself would probably pay him some more attention.

But no matter how you looked at it, when it came to relationships alone, among everyone present, Chen Ping’an and Gu Qingchan probably had the closest one.

Therefore, when Zhong Zeyu, Xu Chongyuan, Xiong Sanrang, and the others saw Chen Ping’an staring at Gu Qingchan without the slightest hesitation, they couldn’t help but sigh. He really was in a class of his own.

However, when they saw him continue to gaze at Gu Qingchan for a long moment with no intention of looking away, their hearts skipped a beat. They all grew anxious on Chen Ping’an’s behalf.

’Isn’t he being a little too arrogant!?’

As a Grandmaster, Gu Qingchan held a venerable position. Although Chen Ping’an was being courted by the Gu Family and shared a certain connection with her, their statuses were ultimately different. Staring so brazenly was, frankly, quite arrogant.

However, when they recalled Chen Ping’an’s past behavior, they relaxed. The man known as Mang Blade was reckless and acted without restraint. It was simply his nature; one couldn’t expect him to be any different.

They just wondered... would Gu Qingchan take offense at Mang Blade Chen Ping’an for this.

To be stared at so brazenly, unless the relationship between two people was truly exceptional, was a clear offense to any Grandmaster. It was a provocation against a Grandmaster’s authority.

”I originally had many misgivings about this encirclement of the Ten Thousand Demons. But now that Fairy Gu is here, I feel much more at ease.” With Gu Qingchan before him, Beidou Divine Fist Qu Zhaocheng dared not act presumptuously. He brought his hands from behind his back and clasped them in front of him. His words were tinged with flattery.

Even before Gu Qingchan’s Breaking Realm, her combat power had been far above his. Now that she had achieved the Mid-Jade Balance Stage, her power surpassed his by an even greater margin, so naturally, he didn’t dare show the slightest complacency.

Standing before Gu Qingchan, Beidou Divine Fist Qu Zhaocheng trembled inwardly. His senses were sharp, and he felt a mortal threat emanating from her.

This feeling was faint and indistinct, impossible to grasp or put into words, yet its tangible sharpness made his eyes ache. He had a vague feeling that if they were to fight, he would undoubtedly die!

”Lord Qu is right. With Fairy Gu here, this encirclement will surely be a clean sweep, over in a flash.” A heroic smile appeared on the face of Yan Shibao of the Cloud-Pushing Mountain Palm. His laughter was deep and rich, like the booming of a war drum in his chest.

Like Qu Zhaocheng, Yan Shibao also felt a life-and-death threat from Gu Qingchan. As a fellow Grandmaster, his combat power was already somewhat inferior to Qu Zhaocheng’s, let alone Gu Qingchan’s.

”Lord Qu, Elder Yan, you flatter me. I will have to rely greatly on both of you for this encirclement,” Gu Qingchan said with a faint smile, her eyes bright and her teeth like pearls. Her voice was delicate and crisp, like a gentle breeze rustling through tender leaves, carrying a refreshing sweetness.

This feeling affected not only the others present; even the two Grandmasters before her were faintly stirred. However, one who becomes a Jade Balance Grandmaster possesses a condensed Martial Arts Will. Such a fleeting feeling vanished in an instant without a trace.

Faced with Gu Qingchan’s words, Qu Zhaocheng and Yan Shibao naturally didn’t dare to simply accept her deference. They immediately replied that Fairy Gu was too polite and protested that while their own strength was meager, they would certainly do their utmost for the encirclement.

With Grandmasters present, the surroundings were naturally dead silent. Seeing the reactions of the two Grandmasters, even the slowest person could feel Gu Qingchan’s status and authority. Even other Grandmasters had to treat her with courtesy, not daring to offend her in the slightest.

At this, it wasn’t just the few people around him; the gazes of the other teams also fell frequently on Chen Ping’an.

Under the weight of everyone’s stares, Chen Ping’an felt a touch of what it was like to bask in borrowed glory.

As everyone waited, a signal flare shot into the sky, exploding in a dazzling burst of light.

”It’s starting!” Zhong Zeyu’s gaze sharpened, and his expression instantly became incredibly solemn.

Everyone present was instantly alert, and they all began to react.

”Fairy Gu?” Qu Zhaocheng glanced at Gu Qingchan, preparing to let her announce the order for the general offensive. But at her signal, his voice rang out across the area.

”The encirclement of the Ten Thousand Demons of Sanqi Mountain—the general offensive begins! All units, proceed according to plan! Move out!”

”Yes!” the surrounding crowd responded in unison.

Those present were all mid- to high-level leaders of the western encirclement line, and they responded to the command immediately. The groups of people standing in various spots began to move quickly. They had to lead their teams out according to the plan.

As everyone sprang into action, Gu Qingchan turned her head slightly, her eyes following a particular gaze back to its source. That stare had been fixed on her face from the very beginning.