Chapter 389 - 346: The Prodigy of Yesteryear, A Grandmaster’s Greeting

The Grandmaster Realm was just around the corner!

But...

The path of the Martial Dao was not one of only advancement and never retreat!

Countless prodigies had broken into the Profound Light Realm in their youth, high-spirited and utterly carefree. Yet, by the end of their lives, they were still just spinning their wheels within that same realm.

Despite a lifetime of effort, they could never break through the Jade Balance Pass!

Cultivation involved retreats as well as advances! The further one went, the more arduous the path became!

Take those who stood at the Profound Light Peak. Aside from a few late bloomers, which one of them hadn’t been listed on the Rising Star Chart or made a name for themselves in their state?

He himself had once been a prodigy on the Rising Star Chart!

In his prime, he had even ranked second on the chart, admired and sought after by all!

Among his generation on the Rising Star Chart, not a single one had stepped into the Grandmaster Realm. His achievements were the greatest; he had stood above the rest to reach where he was today, ranked among the very best and having built the fearsome reputation of his Vajra Demon-subduing Chain.

The path of the Martial Dao was long and fraught with obstacles. For those walking it, the competition was not just about who was fastest, but also about who could go the farthest.

The one who had ranked first on the Rising Star Chart back then had fallen midway, dying during a training expedition, never reaching a higher realm!

’It’s more important to go far than to go fast!’

Never mind the prodigies on the Rising Star Chart—even long-established experts could still die!

Take Cao Yingxiong, the Silver Gong Qiankun Envoy from the Qiankun Bureau’s Weishui Branch. With his Tiger’s Roar and Dragon’s Chant and his unique Force Dissipation Technique, his name had inspired awe throughout Weishui for decades.

And what came of it?

He still ended up dead under mysterious circumstances!

"These are truly troubled times!"

The thought of Cao Yingxiong’s death cast a shadow over Xue Kunsheng’s heart. The times were turbulent and the situation was unstable. Even an expert like Cao Yingxiong had been killed so mysteriously.

Most importantly, Cao Yingxiong’s killer was still at large. The Qiankun Bureau hadn’t even managed to uncover the culprit’s true identity.

He had heard that the Canglong State Qiankun Bureau had formed a special investigation team to intervene, hoping to prevent the situation from escalating and causing further harm.

But it would take several days for the team from the State Qiankun Bureau to arrive. Distant water couldn’t quench a nearby thirst!

The Beicang Auction had already begun, and as the Vice Garrison Commander of this major town, he was keenly aware of the treacherous undercurrents moving in the shadows. Today’s auction might seem calm on the surface, but in reality, all sorts of shady characters had gathered, and the various powers were making their moves. Given the circumstances, he truly could not suppress it all by himself!

Fortunately, however...

Xue Kunsheng’s heart settled slightly as he thought of the one who had traveled thousands of miles from his family.

’My grand-uncle... is no ordinary Grandmaster! He should be able to ensure Beicang’s safety! Besides, apart from my grand-uncle, Beicang Town also has...’

At this thought, Xue Kunsheng stopped pondering.

Just then, two honored guests, guided by an attendant, approached from a distance. A smile on his face, Xue Kunsheng went forward to greet them. The people standing beside and behind him all bowed in welcome.

Those who were qualified to stand here with Xue Kunsheng to receive honored guests were all part of Beicang Town’s absolute upper-middle management.

The two newly arrived guests were an old woman and a young girl. The girl was youthful and beautiful, with silver bells on her wrist, a fragrant sachet at her waist, and lively eyes. The old woman wore gray clothes, her hair was streaked with white, and her face was aged.

The arrivals were none other than Five Poison Earth Fiend Palm, Lan Yingying, and Little Five Poison, Lan Yingjun!

"I, Kunsheng, greet Elder Lan. Welcome to you and your esteemed disciple. It is an honor to have you attend this auction," Xue Kunsheng said with a smile, clasping his hands in a formal salute.

Xue Kunsheng would not have acted this way toward an ordinary Pseudo Grandmaster. But facing Lan Yingying, a long-famous Pseudo Grandmaster expert, he adopted an extremely humble posture.

Behind Xue Kunsheng, Liu Gongxi and the others all bowed to welcome Lan Yingying and Lan Yingjun. Of course, their welcome was mainly directed at the former.

"When I first arrived in Beicang Town, I heard of the great fame of the Vajra Demon-subduing Chain," Lan Yingying said. Her voice, completely unlike her aged appearance, was not old at all; instead, it possessed a unique, magnetic charm. "They said that with the Vajra Demon-subduing Chain standing guard, the town’s safety was guaranteed. I didn’t believe it at first, but seeing you today, I see your reputation is truly well-deserved!"

"Elder Lan, you flatter me! I am unworthy of such praise!"

Xue Kunsheng bowed slightly with clasped hands, feigning unworthiness. He was secretly surprised. ’According to rumors, Lan Yingying of the Five Poison Earth Fiend Palm had been sharp and aggressive in her youth, with an eccentric personality and a ruthless, merciless fighting style. Now that I’ve met her, how can she be so different from the legends? She seems more like a kind and amiable old woman who cares for the younger generation.’

’But that’s just a fleeting thought,’ Xue Kunsheng told himself. After all, it was their first meeting; he couldn’t take everything at face value.

If Xue Kunsheng’s posture was this humble before Lan Yingying, there was no need to even mention Liu Gongxi and the others. Their boss was acting this way, so naturally, they had to be even more respectful.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Xue Kunsheng led Lan Yingying and Lan Yingjun into a special corridor. Along the way, he took a few moments to size up Lan Yingjun.

Xue Kunsheng was quite unfazed by such rising prodigies. As a former prodigy himself, he saw no special "prodigy aura" around Lan Yingjun. However, as the disciple of a Grandmaster, he still paid her close attention.

This attention led him to a slightly surprising discovery. A moment ago, he had used his Profound Light Sensing to probe Lan Yingjun’s Martial Arts Realm, wanting to see just how capable this Grandmaster’s disciple was. He wanted to know if her cultivation had, as the outside world speculated, reached Initial Realm Perfection of the Profound Light Realm or even stepped into the Profound Light Middle Realm.

But his sensing failed to achieve its goal and see through to Lan Yingjun’s True Realm. A layer of white mist seemed to shroud the young woman’s body. Unless he fully activated his Profound Light Spirituality and forced his perception, it was like trying to see flowers in a fog; he couldn’t get a clear picture.

However, with a Pseudo Grandmaster like Lan Yingying right beside her, he couldn’t very well go all out.

’As expected of a Grandmaster’s disciple, she really has some tricks up her sleeve!’

Xue Kunsheng sighed inwardly.

Before being stationed in Beicang Town, Xue Kunsheng had spent many years in Canglong State City. He had naturally come into contact with the top-ranked individuals on the current Rising Star Chart.

He had sensed a similar situation to Lan Yingjun’s with those few as well.

There was Xue Zirou of his own Xue Family, Wang Siyuan of the Wang Family, and...

...that one from the Gu Family!

Speaking of which, the one he could see through the least was the one from the Gu Family! In all his years in Canglong State City, he had seen countless rising prodigies, but he had only seen that person from the Gu Family once, and that was from a great distance.

It had been atop a brightly lit pavilion. The beauty leaned against a railing, her skin like crystal and her hair like ink. Dressed in white that was purer than snow, her clothes fluttered in the wind under the moonlight, making her look like a fairy descended from the Moon Palace, untainted by a single speck of worldly dust.

Gu Qingcheng. Her name suited her perfectly—her beauty was absolute, enough to topple kingdoms and cities! It wasn’t just her face, but also her transcendent, otherworldly, and ethereal aura.

Although Xue Kunsheng was of an older generation, he couldn’t help but feel delighted at the sight of such a radiant pearl.

Only after seeing Gu Qingcheng with his own eyes did Xue Kunsheng understand why that famously arrogant Prince of the Commandery, who prided himself on his Daqian Royal Bloodline, would be so smitten with her. He had even been willing to lower himself, set aside his status, and personally visit the Gu Family to play "Phoenix Seeking Phoenix" for her!

With a Pseudo Grandmaster before him, these many thoughts flashed through Xue Kunsheng’s mind in just an instant. Maintaining his smile, he extended a hand to guide them.

"Elder Lan, this way leads directly to the private boxes on the top floor of the auction hall!"

"Lord Xue, you must be busy. You can stop here. I can go in by myself," Lan Yingying said, sounding like an ordinary old woman, showing none of her former sharpness.

"I thank you for your consideration, Elder Lan." Xue Kunsheng gave a clasped-hand salute, then turned to Liu Gongxi behind him. "Gongxi, see Elder Lan off for me!"

"Yes, my lord!" Liu Gongxi respectfully accepted the order. "Elder Lan, this way, please!"

Lan Yingying nodded slightly and led Lan Yingjun into the special corridor.

With a broad smile, Xue Kunsheng watched the two of them leave.

...

PS: This Chapter was so hard to write. I revised the wording several times, but I’m still not satisfied with it. I feel like I haven’t quite expressed everything I wanted to, but I’m out of time, so I have to leave it for now. Well, I suppose this Chapter does lay a bit of groundwork.