Chapter 363 - 336: Weishui Shaken, The Name of the Seven Extremes

While Chen Ping’an was on his way to Beicang Town, the Weishui Garrison received the official report he had submitted.

With the new trade routes opening, unrest stirring up in various regions, and the Beicang Auction underway, there weren’t many high-ranking officials left to hold down the fort at the Weishui Garrison at this critical juncture.

"The caravan ambush has been properly handled?"

"Three Profound Light Elders from the Ten Thousand Demons Sect are dead!"

"A Ten Thousand Demons Sect spy was captured alive and is currently being interrogated for details!"

"Possible new breakthroughs in the investigation of Ten Thousand Demons Sect strongholds!?"

"Cao Yingxiong of the Qiankun Bureau tried to steal the credit?"

"..."

The items in the official report grew more and more outrageous. The claim near the end about a conflict with Cao Yingxiong of the Qiankun Bureau was especially unbelievable!

Who was Cao Yingxiong? He was the number one man in the Qiankun Bureau Weishui Branch—the true person in charge. In terms of rank and prestige, he even outclassed the Commander-in-Chief of the Weishui Garrison!

’And Chen Ping’an had gotten into a conflict with a man like that?’

’What kind of joke was this!?’

In any case, that was the first reaction of Liu Yuanhua, who was in charge of overseeing the Weishui Garrison in the interim.

Cao Yingxiong was a towering figure. Setting aside his status and position, his Martial Arts Realm alone was not something just anyone could trifle with. He was a top-level expert, rumored to possess power on par with those at the bottom of the Dragon and Tiger Chart. Faced with such a person, even Liu Yuanhua himself would feel intimidated and have to show the utmost respect.

’And now Chen Ping’an was claiming he’d clashed with a man like that!?’

’It was utterly absurd!’

But after his initial reaction, Liu Yuanhua collected himself. ’There must be more to this story,’ he thought. After all, he had interacted with Chen Ping’an a few times, and the man didn’t seem like the type to make baseless claims. ’If he put this in his report, there must be a reason!’

’Could it be that Cao Yingxiong killed the three Elders from the Ten Thousand Demons Sect, and Chen Ping’an just happened to be passing by and picked up the scraps?’ he mused. ’Three Profound Light Realm experts... that’s a huge amount of credit! If we could successfully claim it for the Garrison Commandant’s Office, the benefits for me would be substantial!’

’No, that’s not right either!’

’Cao Yingxiong isn’t known for his good temper. If Chen Ping’an really dared to do something like that, Cao Yingxiong would have probably slapped him to death on the spot!’

Come to think of it, when he had previously received news from Xingyuan City, he had worried that the Ten Thousand Demons Sect’s frequent activities would lead to some disaster. Sure enough, not long after, he received the report about the caravan being ambushed on the outskirts of the trade route.

The Ten Thousand Demons Sect was taking advantage of the auction to stir up trouble and undermine the credibility of the trade routes. Sooner or later, they would become a grave threat to the Garrison Commandant’s Office. At the time, the matter had been a major headache for Liu Yuanhua.

But he never expected that the problem would be solved just a few days later!

And what’s more, the report had been sent by none other than Chen Ping’an!

The scale of the victory was so large it was suspicious! And most importantly, the incident also involved Cao Yingxiong of the Qiankun Bureau!

"This is getting complicated," Liu Yuanhua muttered, his heart heavy with worry.

The outcome itself was a good thing. But based on the report, it was very likely that the Garrison Commandant’s Office would get no credit for it in the end.

"What a headache!" Liu Yuanhua couldn’t help but press his hand to his forehead.

Incidents had been flaring up everywhere lately, and there was simply too much to handle. He hadn’t slept in over ten days straight. If not for his advanced Martial Arts Cultivation, his body might not have been able to take it. And now this mess had landed on his plate! It was enough to drive a man to his wit’s end.

But what was done, was done. There was no changing it. Besides, even though the incident involved the Qiankun Bureau and was tangled in complications, from a broader perspective, it was a good thing. For now, the only option was to play it by ear and see what Cao Yingxiong’s attitude would be.

Given the gravity of the situation, Liu Yuanhua made a note of the matter and simultaneously drafted a report to send up to the State Garrison Command.

Not long after he sent the report, Liu Yuanhua received a piece of utterly shocking news.

Cao Yingxiong, a Silver Gong Qiankun Envoy of the Qiankun Bureau, had been ambushed by an unknown expert near Red Maple Mountain and was killed on the spot! Of the two Qiankun Bureau experts accompanying him, one was killed instantly, while the other was gravely injured but miraculously managed to escape with his life.

The news sent an uproar through the region! To the Qiankun Bureau Weishui Branch, Cao Yingxiong’s death was like a bolt from the blue.

"Cao Yingxiong... is dead!?" Liu Yuanhua’s face was a mask of horror, drained of all color.

He felt the impact of this news more deeply than anyone else. Cao Yingxiong was a man of his generation. Though they hadn’t known each other in their youth, they had met in their middle years.

Compared to Cao Yingxiong, he had always been a step behind. Although he too was once hailed as a prodigy, he had always been overshadowed by him.

When he was still in the Inner Qi Realm, the other man had already entered the Profound Light Realm. By the time he finally managed to break into the Profound Light Realm, the other had already smashed through the pass to the Profound Light Middle Realm, taking another huge step forward!

When he reached the Profound Light Middle Realm, the news he heard was of Cao Yingxiong entering the Profound Light High Realm!

The Profound Light High Realm! He had joined the ranks of the top-level experts. Celebrations were held, a grand affair for all. His prestige was unrivaled for a time!

Later, after enduring countless trials and tribulations, he too broke through his bottleneck and entered the Profound Light High Realm, sweeping away the frustration that had built up in his heart for years. But that sense of accomplishment didn’t last many years before he heard that Cao Yingxiong had fought an expert from the Dragon and Tiger Chart, displaying astonishing methods and the aura of a true dragon or tiger!

He was truly the number one expert in Weishui!

The number one expert in Weishui...

Compared to the endlessly glorious Cao Yingxiong, Liu Yuanhua was a portrait of desolation. He had been suppressed by Cao Yingxiong not only in terms of cultivation, but also in rank.

One was in the Garrison Commandant’s Office, the other in the Qiankun Bureau. For years, his position had always been a step below Cao Yingxiong’s. Even now, it was the same. He held the post of Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Weishui Garrison, a position of great power and authority. But compared to Cao Yingxiong—a Silver Gong Qiankun Envoy and the top man of the Qiankun Bureau Weishui Branch—it was nothing!