Chapter 402 - 352: A Grandmaster Strikes, the Celestial Net Saintess

In the current situation, it didn’t matter if they stuck their necks out or hunkered down; they were already caught in the middle of the chaos. With things this messy, one more person wouldn’t make a difference, and neither would one less!

Since such a rare opportunity had presented itself, why not go with the flow and fish for some benefits? Especially now, with the auction just having ended. There were plenty of treasures they had failed to win, so now it was time to let their strength do the talking!

...

"Good! Good! Good!" Watching the chaos unfold around him, Xue Kunsheng laughed in a fury. "The audacity! Causing trouble when a Grandmaster is present!? They won’t even know what hit them!"

The auras in the hall were a chaotic mess. Aside from those in the Inner Qi Realm, a considerable number of Profound Light Realm cultivators had also joined the fray. Although the elites of the Garrison Commandant’s Office had already taken action, they couldn’t find an effective solution right away.

’Why haven’t the Grandmasters made a move yet?’ A trace of doubt flashed through Xue Kunsheng’s mind. ’Under a Grandmaster’s Martial Arts Will, ordinary Martial Arts Cultivators can’t possibly hold out. If a Grandmaster were willing to act, they could suppress the chaos in the hall with extreme speed.’

’I can understand why the other Grandmasters aren’t getting involved, but my grand-uncle... why hasn’t he acted?’

The thought had just risen in Xue Kunsheng’s mind, not yet faded, when a private room on the top floor completely exploded.

BOOM!

Dust filled the air, and wood splinters flew everywhere!

A figure shot backward out of the dust, barely managing to halt their momentum in mid-air.

"The Celestial Net Saintess!" The voice was filled with utter disbelief.

...

The sudden explosion made Chen Ping’an snap his head up. As he did, he saw the very moment the Grandmaster shot backward and stopped in mid-air.

Several Profound Ice Divine Needles materialized in front of her, allowing Chen Ping’an to recognize her identity at a single glance.

The Ice Soul Divine Needle, Gu Qingchan!

The Profound Ice Divine Needle was a set of needle-shaped Divine Weapons that Gu Qingchan had commissioned at great expense. By arranging them in different combinations, she could unleash various Divine Wonders and powers. Wielding them against foes gave her an arsenal of unpredictable techniques!

Gu Qingchan, the Grandmaster from the Gu Family, was also the strongest Grandmaster Chen Ping’an had sensed.

The final item of the auction had fallen into her hands!

But right now...

This female Grandmaster appeared to be in a rather sorry state.

Her hair was disheveled, her eyes held a murderous glint, and her sky-blue dress was slightly torn. Furthermore, this renowned Gu Family Grandmaster actually had a baby face!

However, none of this was the focus of Chen Ping’an’s attention.

The Celestial Net Saintess!

At this moment, his mind trembled slightly.

’Could it be *that* person from the Celestial Net Sect!?’

But the situation was too tense for Chen Ping’an to dwell on it. In just an instant, the scene changed once again.

SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!

As crystals shattered, several figures emerged one after another from various private rooms. True Essence flowed around their bodies as they stood upon empty air.

Grandmasters!

Only Grandmasters could, to a certain extent, stand on empty air!

Displaying such a Divine Wonder, even for a Grandmaster, consumed an enormous amount of energy! Thus, this kind of miraculous ability was generally reserved for emergencies. It wasn’t something they would normally use!

Every moment spent standing on air consumed a vast amount of True Essence from within their bodies! Even Grandmasters couldn’t maintain it for long.

"Celestial Net Saintess, you have some nerve! To dare venture deep into my Beicang Town! Since you’ve come, you can stay here forever!"

A slender, white-haired old man stood with his hands behind his back, his voice booming like rolling thunder. True Essence circulated around him, giving him the air of a transcendent immortal.

Seven Luminaries Vein-Sealing Hand, Xue Shishun!

Unfortunately, Xue Shishun’s immortal-like demeanor didn’t last long before it was shattered by an attack from within the private room. A black shadow shot through the air like a bolt of lightning, resembling a nimble black dragon as it flipped and coiled, forcing Xue Shishun back.

It was a black satin sash, and the power contained within it left Xue Shishun in a sorry state.

"How audacious!"

A great shout, as heavy as a mountain boulder, rang out. A middle-aged man with a full forehead appeared, his hands glowing as brightly as the sun.

Fiery Sun Palm Wang Xu!

"Everyone, attack together! Suppress this woman!" a heroic-looking man with a resolute face and short hair roared.

It was Nether Divine Fist, Zuo Jia Dao!

Everyone present attacked at once. Above the auction hall, Martial Arts Wills clashed and True Essence surged, creating an overwhelmingly oppressive atmosphere.

Chen Ping’an didn’t watch the events in mid-air for long. With multiple Grandmasters involved and no personal stake in the conflict, he couldn’t wait to get as far away as possible.

He averted his gaze and quickly darted toward the exit.

BOOM!

Just as Chen Ping’an reached the exit of the auction hall, an earth-shattering boom erupted behind him. Without breaking stride, he glanced back over his shoulder.

In mid-air, a chaotic battle was raging.

Numerous Grandmasters displayed their various techniques, all ganging up on a woman in a black dress. A black satin sash coiled around her, sometimes soft as a whip, sometimes taut as a bowstring, carving beautiful arcs through the air.

"It’s her!"

Chen Ping’an recognized the woman in the black dress at a glance. Her face was hidden by a black veil, her figure was graceful, and her hair cascaded down like a waterfall.

That one glimpse of her on the Observation Platform at Qingyou Garden had left an extremely deep impression on him.

Her eyes, like purple stars, could steal one’s very soul!

Chen Ping’an didn’t dare to look any longer. He quickly snapped back to his senses and ran out of the auction hall.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

A series of massive explosions echoed continuously, followed by the sensation of the earth shaking and the mountains swaying.

"Quick! Run! The building is collapsing!"

"Get out of the way! Hurry, move!"

"Don’t block me!"

"Ah...!"

"..."

The crowd was in utter chaos, a clamor of noise filled with panic and terror. People shoved and trampled one another in their desperation to escape the auction hall.

The Gold and Silver Dual Chains danced around Xue Kunsheng as he looked up at the scene in the sky. The myriad Divine Wonders on display were far beyond what a Profound Light Realm cultivator could even imagine! Each and every move caused terrifying destruction.

CRASH! CRASH! CRASH!

The roof of the auction hall was practically being torn off, and the surroundings were a devastated, riddled wreck.

"The Celestial Net Saintess!"

Xue Kunsheng’s expression was grim. ’No matter how he racked his brain, he never would have imagined that *she* would appear in Beicang Town.’

The Celestial Net Sect... what a behemoth! Even across the entire Daqian Dynasty, it was one of the absolute top-level powers!

Every generation of the Celestial Net Sect produced countless prodigies. The most outstanding among them was known as the standard-bearer of their era, earning the right to enter the sect’s secret succession grounds.

If they could pass the trials of these secret grounds, they would be designated as the Celestial Net Sect’s next successor.

A man would be called the Saint Heir; a woman, the Saintess.

The title of Celestial Net Saintess meant she was the designated successor of the Celestial Net Sect! Her status was far beyond what the common person could imagine.

According to rumor, the current Saintess was said to possess the greatest talent the Celestial Net Sect had seen in nearly three thousand years!

Her fame had spread from the north to the south of Daqian, shaking the world!

A being like her was a monster among monsters, a prodigy among prodigies!

Her reputation had long since surpassed the ranks of rising stars; she was ranked among...

PFFT!

Xue Kunsheng’s silver chain trembled, shot out in a straight line, and pierced through the body of a thief.

As the Grandmasters battled, debris rained down from above. With his dual chains dancing around him like dragons and serpents and Profound Light flickering between his brows, Xue Kunsheng made his way toward the exit of the auction hall.

...

"All flash and no substance!"

From within the crowd, a man completely shrouded in a black robe watched the Gold and Silver Dual Chains dancing around Xue Kunsheng, a trace of disdain on his face.

’The Vajra Demon-subduing Chain, ranked two hundred thirty-three on the Dragon and Tiger Chart!’

’The Golden Chain provides Vajra Protection, the Silver Chain subdues demons and eliminates foes! They work in tandem, their power stacking, making them excellent for large-scale group battles. They’re also good for trapping and binding enemies when one has a higher Martial Arts Realm. But... against a true expert, such techniques are rather mundane.’

’On the Dragon and Tiger Chart, Xue Kunsheng can only be considered second-rate!’

’Under my Meridian Cyan Light Sword, the cyan light would flash without end, and the rolling thunder would never cease.’

’Xue Kunsheng’s "demon-subduing, enemy-eliminating" chain probably couldn’t even break my Sword Techniques! And that so-called Vajra Protection? How long could it really protect him!?’

’If I were to face Xue Kunsheng, I could injure him within fifty moves! I could seriously wound him within a hundred! And within two hundred moves, I’d have a decent chance of killing him!’

Meridian Cyan Light Sword, Gai Zijie, ranked thirty-ninth on the Dragon and Tiger Chart!