The Great Martial Saint!

Chapter 1008 The List of Prodigies, the Melodious Sound of the Zither

"A Matter of Unparalleled Beauty"

Gu Zhengnan didn't finish speaking, but Chen Ping'an understood what he meant.

Previously, at Beishan Pass, during a discussion, Gu Zhengnan, on behalf of the Gu family, proposed a plan, after consulting Chen Ping'an's opinion, suggesting that Gu Qingcheng renew her marriage contract with the respect due to a concubine.

If Chen Ping'an agrees, then the previously tacitly agreed marriage will remain as before.

Chen Ping'an is also the son-in-law of the Gu family, and their marriage alliance remains unchanged. The only change is that Gu Qingcheng's status and position are no longer that of the main wife, but have been downgraded several levels.

The Gu family lowered their stance, intending to facilitate the matter. However, Chen Ping'an's previous response was: "If Fairy Qingcheng is willing, I, Chen, am willing to pay a visit to her in the future, and all matters will be left to Fairy Qingcheng to decide."

The unexpected turn of events surprised and delighted Gu Zhengnan. When the news reached the Gu family, all the elders had mixed feelings.

Chen Ping'an came to visit today, and now he asks about it. Although it seems a bit rushed, even a bit urgent, Gu Zhengnan has important matters to attend to and can't worry about that now.

It's time to establish a proper procedure for the engagement.

Gu Zhengnan looked at Chen Ping'an with a mix of trepidation and anticipation.

"Elder Zheng Nan, rest assured, I will keep my word. When I have time, I will find Fairy Qingcheng to confirm this in person." Chen Ping'an took a sip of his wine and gave a definite answer.

Upon hearing this, Gu Zhengnan felt a great weight lifted from his shoulders, and the unease in his heart completely disappeared.

Chen Ping'an had already said this much, and although he was anxious, he didn't want to rush him. So he suppressed his thoughts and talked freely with Chen Ping'an.

"Ping An, for this grand ceremony, my Gu family intends to revitalize our family's reputation and has invited many influential figures. At that time, people from all sides will be gathering, and we hope that you can lend a hand."

Gu Zhengnan mentioned the upcoming Heavenly Human Ceremony, which is of extraordinary significance to both him and the Gu family.

If the mission is successfully completed, the Gu family will return to its former glory. Even if Gu Tianren were to perish one day, the Gu family would still be able to maintain its reputation as a Celestial-level power.

In Canglong Prefecture, it can be said to be the undisputed overlord.

Even within the Bicang region, it is a renowned force.

And on this basis, when the news of Gu Qingchan's ascension to the Celestial Realm is revealed in the future, the prestige of the Gu family will rise even higher.

The family patriarch, Gu Tianren, has not yet perished. Although he is old and seriously injured and no longer possesses the power of his former self, his remaining prestige is still present, and his awe-inspiring presence is no less than that of a senior second-realm Celestial Being.

If news of Gu Zhengnan's ascension to the Celestial Realm and Gu Qingchan's achievement of becoming a Celestial Realm spreads, then the Gu family will be a family of three Celestial Realm members.

Furthermore, with Chen Ping'an's renowned reputation joining the fray, the Gu family's power, even if it couldn't compare to the likes of the Wenxin Sword Pavilion or the Hengshan Sect, was still a behemoth second only to them.

In the land of Bi Cang, he must possess immense power and influence.

All of this is based on the premise that the grand ceremony between heaven and man will be held soon, and that everything will go perfectly.

With such a good start, everything that follows will go incredibly smoothly.

"Elder Zheng Nan, rest assured, I, Chen, will not shirk my duty in this matter." Chen Ping'an's expression was calm, but his attitude was unequivocal.

Gu Zhengnan breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this, and a look of ease appeared on his face.

The two talked for a long time, including about the Gu family's move to Beishan after the Celestial Ceremony. Compared to their previous conversations, this discussion was undoubtedly more detailed.

Chen Ping'an also offered his sincerity and terms: he would be stationed in Beishan, and all matters would be handled with ease. In some crucial matters, he would even act as a go-between and provide assistance.

With this promise, Gu Zhengnan was overjoyed and bowed solemnly to Chen Ping'an.

"I'll leave my family matters to you, Ping An."

Gu Zhengnan spoke with heartfelt sincerity, and Chen Ping'an helped him up with his hand, saying, "Elder Zhengnan, there's no need for this."

"My relationship with the Gu family is very deep. My achievements today are largely due to the Gu family's help. This is just a small matter and not worth mentioning."

Gu Zhengnan was moved by what he heard and immediately offered him a toast.

Chen Ping'an did not refuse, and the two raised their glasses again, exchanging pleasantries in a very harmonious manner.

Although the two chatted for a long time, they did not talk all night.

Given Chen Ping'an's current age and future potential, his martial arts training is certainly not to be neglected. After the business was settled, Gu Zhengnan did not engage in any idle chatter with Chen Ping'an.

That night, Chen Ping'an stayed at Gu's house at Gu Zhengnan's invitation.

To be honest, this is the first time such a situation has occurred since we established a relationship with the Gu family.

For Chen Ping'an, it was also a new experience.

In the back garden of the Gu family, in a quiet and elegant courtyard, Chen Ping'an sat cross-legged, his body surrounded by flowing blue light, illuminated by spiritual light.

Since his previous enlightenment, he could clearly feel that his cultivation speed of the Returning to Origin True Scroll was much faster.

Indeed, the speed of cultivation is closely related to his own level of understanding.

If he were to cultivate his former divine skills again now, he could probably achieve mastery in less than a day. In just a few days, he could easily reach perfection.

He himself is like a foundation; the stronger and broader the foundation, the more naturally other things will fall into place.

This became especially apparent to him after he began his major overhaul.

At present, his progress in cultivating the True Skill Scroll is not too fast, but when he enters the fourth realm of Heaven and Man and becomes a Great Heaven and Man of Martial Arts, he will have an extremely clear understanding of ordinary True Skill Scrolls.

Of course, by then, the techniques he would need to advance in martial arts would be even more crucial.

After completing a full cycle of cultivation, the spiritual light dimmed and dissipated. Chen Ping'an slowly opened his eyes, his gaze deep and unfathomable.

His thoughts raced, and the image of checking the Hidden Dragon List during the day flashed through his mind.

"Hidden Dragon, Eighth Place".

Compared to the previous rankings, there were not many changes in this week's Hidden Dragons List.

The top ten prodigies in the Hidden Dragon competition remain unchanged.

The only difference is in the ranking.

The number one hidden dragon is still the one everyone is watching, the rightful and well-deserved Tianjiu Daozi, Fenglingyin.

Taixu Sword Master, Jiang Wuyai, Five Poison Saintess, Dugu Yiren, Xuanmen True Disciple, Chen Xuanli, and others followed closely behind.

His battle record in all realms remained unchanged.

However, it would be a real joke to think that these prodigies are standing still.

The fifth in the Hidden Dragon faction, the Holy Maiden of the Mysterious Ice, is Xuan Yue Li.

The top five positions of Qianlong remained unchanged. However, many changes occurred after that.

Ruan Yushu, the proud daughter of the Ruan family, used her zither music to suppress three senior second-level cultivators who were proficient in the Dao of Divine Soul. With such momentum, she ranked sixth among the Hidden Dragons, leaping forward two places in the rankings.

Next comes the Seventh Hidden Dragon, the Young Master of Blood Prison, and Yin Shangjin. Then comes Chen Ping'an.

Since the last update of Hidden Dragon, Chen Ping'an's apparent record has not changed at all, but his ranking has dropped by one place.

The whole reason lies with Ruan Yushu.

"To suppress three senior second-level cultivators with the sound of a zither, especially those senior second-level cultivators who focus on the path of the soul, such a feat is something even a half-step great cultivator might not be able to achieve. This Ruan Yushu is truly remarkable."

Information about Ruan Yushu, the pearl of the Ruan family and a prodigy, surfaced in Chen Ping'an's mind.

"If I remember correctly, Ruan Yushu is a few years younger than me. Such talent is truly incredible."

Chen Ping'an sighed with emotion.

With the help of the panel, he has reached such a level, which is astonishing, but in his own eyes, it is not surprising.

But Ruan Yushu's actions were truly shocking.

Although she is ranked sixth, her talent and intelligence are truly incredible. No wonder it is said that Ruan Yushu, the pearl of the Ruan family, has the looks of her mother; it seems that this reputation is indeed well-deserved.

In the past, the Lady of the Ruan family was renowned throughout the four borders from a young age. Starting from the southern border, she traveled to the capital and was unmatched among her contemporaries. Now, it seems that Ruan Yushu has already gained such influence.

When she grows up a few more years, that future...

Chen Ping'an's eyes shifted, his thoughts becoming increasingly complex.

Besides Ruan Yushu, the information revealed on the Hidden Dragon List also made him take notice.

Given Ruan Yushu's battle record, his combat strength, even if not equivalent to a half-step Grand Master, is probably not far off. Yet, despite such prowess, he can only rank sixth on the Hidden Dragon List.

Doesn't that mean...?

In the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion's understanding, the top five on the Hidden Dragon Ranking all possess combat power comparable to or even suppressing a half-step Grand Cultivator!

Feng Lingyin's dominance is understandable, given his cultivation level. But what about the others?

Could it be that they've already entered the second realm?!

As Chen Ping'an's thoughts shifted, he thought of the silver-haired girl in the old grotto. She had just reached the Celestial Realm and her cultivation was not yet stable, so she was subject to many constraints. Yet, she possessed such combat power.

It's hard to imagine how much combat power she would have had in her prime.

另外

Xiao Tianluo's ranking is not prominent.

That shouldn't be the case. As the Holy Maiden of Tianluo, Xiaotianluo has the responsibility to uphold the sect's reputation. How could she be hiding it like this?

Are they planning something big?

What other reasons are there?

Who taught you all this? You've kept it so well hidden.

Regarding the rankings on the Hidden Dragon List, Chen Ping'an's thoughts were in turmoil, his mind filled with complex emotions. But in reality, there were only a handful of such rankings.

While the information on the Hidden Dragon List was worth his attention, it wasn't actually that important to him.

With his true combat prowess, he might not be able to easily suppress Feng Lingyin, but his vision and perspective have long since transcended the perspective of competing with his contemporaries and reached a higher dimension.

The Hidden Dragon Ranking is held every twenty years or thirty years, and includes prodigies and geniuses up to fifty years old.

However, looking across the world and the four realms of the dynasty, the true geniuses and prodigies are far more numerous than those recorded on the Hidden Dragon List who are under fifty years old.

Not to mention the hidden geniuses who haven't made the list, there are a large number of prodigies under 100 or 200 years old.

Like the current Hidden Dragon List, in ten or twenty years, some prodigies will reach the age limit for inclusion and naturally fall off the list. But does his failure to make the list prove that he is not outstanding or exceptionally talented?

Do not!

It's just that I've reached the age limit.

One generation passes away, and another comes. But with each generation accumulating, the accumulated heritage must be incredibly formidable.

Those who are celestial beings have long lifespans; even at the age of three hundred, they are still in their prime.

If one enters the Great Cultivation stage, then this is even more true. Five hundred years is considered a young Great Cultivation stage, and such insights are abundant in every stroke.

If one can advance further in the realm of great cultivation and break through another barrier, that is the inner realm returning to its source, and one can see the heavens and earth.

Longevity can be achieved

Two thousand years!

Two thousand years of wind, frost, snow, and rain, the turning of the wheel of time—even if one lives to be a thousand years old, one will still be full of vigor and spirit.

Under such circumstances, how many extraordinary talents and brilliant minds would there be in the dynasty?

The previous generation of prodigies, the generation before that—of all the prodigies throughout history, how many are still alive today?

While the Hidden Dragon List may not be as prestigious as it is today, over time, their talent and abilities have been enough to elevate their cultivation to an extremely high level.

And this possibility, through the test of time, has become an inevitability.

Among their contemporaries, they could be called outstanding. But if we disregard age and look at all dynasties, such outstanding individuals might not necessarily be considered outstanding.

With Chen Ping'an's current perspective, he is now focusing his attention here, looking towards a higher dimension.

Tianji Tower also has its own assessment of this, setting up a ranking list above the Hidden Dragon Ranking, which includes all the outstanding talents living in the world over the past eight hundred years, and is called the Dragon Contender Ranking!

Chen Ping'an's eyes darkened as he slowly rose from the bed.

Qianlong was updated and ranked eighth among the Qianlong. Who would have thought that shortly before the Qianlong ranking was updated, he had defeated a Celestial Realm cultivator in a direct confrontation.

His ranking has actually dropped instead of improved; who can he complain to?

However, although this matter was revealed in the true form, it was not leaked to outsiders, so it is normal that Tianji Tower did not notice it.

After all, although the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion has the ability to monitor all directions and collect information from all over the world, it may not be able to collect everything.

Even with divination and deduction to identify and fill gaps, it's impossible to handle every single matter, no matter how small.

After all, divination and fortune-telling require specific events and cannot be elaborated upon in a vague or ambiguous manner. Furthermore, it has many limitations and is not as omnipotent as one might imagine.

For example, in his case, if the necessary elements were present, divination might reveal some clues. But I had never considered this possibility before, and even with divination, the conditions were unlikely to be met.

Alternatively, with limited resources allocated, it may be difficult to achieve this effect.

As a massive power radiating influence across the four realms of the dynasty, the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion needs to consider and safeguard every aspect of the situation. Even the matter of the Hidden Dragon Ranking is merely one of its more important sub-issues.

It is impossible to allocate a large amount of resources to make unlimited additions and refinements to a single event under the Hidden Dragon List.

As a force, the allocation of resources and the mobilization of supplies must be governed by rules and regulations; it cannot be done arbitrarily.

Unless, in these matters, it is an order personally issued by someone with extremely high authority.

For example, the tenth princess of the Great Qian Dynasty who was in charge of supervising the Heavenly Mystery Tower.

However, with the events of the past over, the tenth princess has long since disappeared from public view, completely relinquishing her post and disappearing from public life in this important supervisory task.

Currently, the supervisory power of Tianji Tower is divided into several parts, which are jointly held by different people.

In terms of power and influence, it is far inferior to that of the former tenth princess.

However, the royal family only supervises the Tianji Tower. The Tianji Tower has its own operating system and is jointly managed by several Tianji Tower Masters.

Such a radiating dynasty, a behemoth with a vast territory, has an incredibly complex network of internal factions and power structures.

Spanning hundreds of millions of miles of mountains and rivers, it holds the power of the world in its hands.

Such competence is comparable only to that of the direct subordinate agencies of the royal family.

Each has its own focus and strengths, complementing and supporting each other while also restraining one another.

A multitude of thoughts raced through Chen Ping'an's mind as he pushed open the door to his room.

Amidst his thoughts and the ancient books, he felt the vastness of the land, the immensity of the dynasty, and the boundless expanse of the world.

"Weishui County, Canglong Prefecture, Bicang territory, Wentian City, Beihai."

Chen Ping'an's eyes flashed, and he stepped out.

Outside is an elegant garden with pavilions, waterside terraces, clear ponds, flowers, greenery, and winding paths.

He looked around, the moonlight soft and dim, feeling that state of mind.

"The vast and boundless world of the Northern Frontier and the Central Plains Imperial Capital is what I desire!"

Chen Ping'an opened his arms, bathed in the moonlight, and closed his eyes slightly, feeling the vastness and grandeur in his heart.

After a long while, he slowly opened his eyes, his gaze filled with boundless expanse, as if the golden sun were bursting forth.

"In this world, I shall ascend to the highest position!"

Boom!

As the sun sets and the golden wheel turns, a silent barrier in Chen Ping'an's mind shatters completely.

It was at this moment that Chen Ping'an heard melodious zither music coming from afar. The music was gentle and vast, perfectly matching his current state of mind.

"who is it?"

He slowly turned his eyes, a dark light shining in them, and a divine sense spread outwards.

Crossing the buildings and courtyards, he saw a magnificent palace. On the palace, a fairy was playing the zither with a cool and aloof air. Her hands were as smooth as jade and untouched by dust.

At that moment, as the melodious voice faded, the fairy slightly raised her eyes, as if she had seen something, and looked at him across the sky.

Gu Qingcheng! (End of Chapter)