Chapter 447 - 371: Joyful and Harmonious, Fortune and Misfortune Intertwined

The atmosphere inside Yunlai Pavilion was harmonious and cheerful.

"Thank you, Grandmaster Gu, for your righteous intervention in helping me out of a bind! I am endlessly grateful for your actions."

As they spoke, Chen Ping’an’s expression was sincere as he once again cupped his fist and bowed.

He was thanking Gu Qingchan for stepping in on his behalf to quell the impeachment review by the Qiankun Bureau.

Now that the general tone of a marriage alliance with the Gu Family had been set, Gu Qingchan looked at Chen Ping’an as she would a junior member of her own clan, finding him more and more agreeable the longer she looked.

This Chen Ping’an was bold yet meticulous, brave yet strategic, and his conduct was both courteous and disciplined. Most importantly, his talent was extraordinary. At only twenty-two, he was already ranked fifth among the rising stars. With such talent, he might even have a chance to compete for the top spot in the future!

’This young man has a promising future and is worth nurturing.’

"We’ll all be family in the future. There’s no need to be so distant!" Gu Qingchan said with a soft smile, proactively closing the distance between them.

"Be that as it may, I must still thank you, Elder Gu. Without your help, I would likely still be mired in trouble!" Chen Ping’an was quick on the uptake, immediately switching his form of address.

The way of the world was to speak less of your own hard work and more of others’ help. This could greatly increase their favorable impression of you.

It was an undeniable, open strategy! Even if others saw through it, the psychological game would still leave them with a good feeling.

How others perceive you will ultimately align with how you speak of them! This was a fundamental truth of life!

Seeing Chen Ping’an’s performance, the smile on Gu Qingchan’s face grew even wider. All traces of her previous cold, stern demeanor were gone!

Gu Qingchan was all smiles, and Chen Ping’an was naturally in a cheerful mood as well.

As long as his core interests weren’t at stake, making more friends and fewer enemies was never a bad thing!

Although his True Realm had already reached Grandmaster, he couldn’t just reveal all his cards. He needed to keep a few aces up his sleeve.

With him intentionally hiding his strength, having a powerful patron on the surface would undoubtedly make his future path much smoother.

Spouting lines like "thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river" after a disagreement might feel satisfying, but unless you were a Protagonist of Destiny, you should never try it!

Otherwise, you wouldn’t even know what hit you!

Since the Gu Family was interested in a marriage alliance, he wouldn’t intentionally make an enemy of them unless absolutely necessary! As long as his core interests weren’t compromised, everything else was a negotiable bargaining chip.

Strengthening oneself was one path in life! Riding the coattails of the powerful was another! If one could have both, wouldn’t that be wonderful?

Among Grandmasters, Gu Qingchan was still in her prime and didn’t have the stuffy demeanor of the older Grandmaster Powerhouses. During her conversation with Chen Ping’an, she hardly put on any airs, and their talk was quite pleasant.

In his mannerisms, Chen Ping’an acted like a junior, but mentally, he treated her as an equal, remaining calm and composed without any of the typical awe one would have for a Grandmaster Powerhouse.

It was worth mentioning that Gu Qingchan, with her baby face, skin as smooth as jade, and a smile like a blooming flower, was quite easy on the eyes.

’If this Gu Qingchan were a bit younger, she wouldn’t be a bad choice at all.’

Chen Ping’an amused himself with this rather interesting thought during their conversation.

He didn’t know if it was just his imagination, but Chen Ping’an had a faint feeling that Gu Qingchan was slightly stronger than she had seemed before. However, worried about exposing his own True Realm, he didn’t probe her carefully.

Although the Golden Finger Panel had the ability to hide his Cultivation and even control his displayed Realm, it couldn’t do anything if he actively exposed himself.

During their exchange, Gu Qingchan offered Chen Ping’an a great deal of encouragement. She stated frankly that while his Sword Skill, Swordsmanship, and Horizontal Training Method had reached the Senior Realm, the Cultivation Techniques he practiced weren’t refined enough. Even if he reached Perfection, their power would be limited. With his talent, Chen Ping’an should consider exchanging his merit for a Divine Skill to practice. If he achieved some success with it, his combat power would soar!

Chen Ping’an was just thinking, ’I’m a dignified Grandmaster, and I’ve been playing humble for this long. I have to get some benefits out of this.’

Just as he was thinking this, Gu Qingchan brought up the matter herself, and Chen Ping’an naturally seized the opportunity. He stated frankly that he was a person of little influence with limited connections. In contrast, the Gu Family had a legacy stretching back thousands of years, an evergreen foundation, and a rich collection of texts within the clan—it must be teeming with Divine Skills!

After opportunistically flattering the Gu Family, Chen Ping’an put on a sincere expression and bluntly asked if Elder Gu could help him find a Divine Skill.

Divine Skills were precious. Gu Qingchan hadn’t expected Chen Ping’an to actually have the gall to ask. ’His ability to take advantage of a situation is really something else!’ she thought. ’This Mang Blade Mang Vajra... the "Vajra" in his name must be forged from the thickness of his own skin.’

Faced with Chen Ping’an’s shamelessness, Gu Qingchan spoke a few meaningful words. The Gu Clan’s collection was indeed incredibly rich. However, the Divine Skills within the clan were all family heirlooms, traditionally passed down only within the family. With his words, was Chen Ping’an perhaps prepared to marry into her Gu Family?

At this, Chen Ping’an was left speechless.

A marriage alliance was still up for discussion, but marrying into their family was absolutely out of the question!

And with that, the topic came to an end!

However, Gu Qingchan did add that the Garrison Treasure Vault had a rich collection, in no way inferior to her Gu Clan’s archives. If Chen Ping’an had enough Merit, he might be able to exchange it for a suitable Divine Skill in the Treasure Vault.

Chen Ping’an had naturally considered this method as well. It was just that it came with many restrictions and would be quite a hassle. Besides, the Merit he had accumulated so far was not enough to exchange for a Divine Skill in the Garrison Treasure Vault.

Gu Qingchan might have a baby face, but she was no child. She was a shrewd and experienced female Grandmaster. Chen Ping’an’s attempt to get something for nothing had ended in complete failure!

Chen Ping’an had already been giving the matter of a Divine Skill some thought. Now that Gu Qingchan had brought it up again, he was naturally even more focused on it.