Chapter 535: Chapter 406: Reversed Celestial Spirit, A Flood of Wild Thoughts

However, he asked this question not only to compose himself, but also to test Gu Qingchan.

Gu Qingchan’s gaze was frosty. She glanced at Chen Ping’an and said coolly, "All the Ten Thousand Demon Thieves here have been slain. Not one escaped."

Gu Qingchan’s answer only mentioned the outcome, not the process, and more importantly, it didn’t reveal his presence. Chen Ping’an was quite satisfied with this.

"Elder Gu, your Divine Techniques are profound, your combat prowess is astonishing, and your grace is peerless. This is truly a blessing for Canglong." He offered the praise with a perfectly straight face.

Gu Qingchan’s mind was on the mysterious man, so she was in no mood for pleasantries with Chen Ping’an. After a brief exchange, she began to inspect the area, hoping to find any clues that might reveal his true identity.

’I’ve passed this first test.’ Looking at Gu Qingchan in her pale blue, floor-length dress, Chen Ping’an felt a sense of relief.

His act of "waking up" had passed Gu Qingchan’s initial inspection without any giveaways. He had gotten through it smoothly.

It was funny, really. In such a short span of time, he and Gu Qingchan had taken turns "waking up" for each other. First, he had sat imposingly before her like an unmovable boulder. Then, it was her turn to stand before him, her gaze frosty, exuding an icy, noble beauty.

This whole back-and-forth was truly...

Hm!?

As Chen Ping’an was mulling over the recent events, he suddenly felt that something was off.

’A moment ago in the stone chamber, when Gu Qingchan came to, her first reaction wasn’t to lash out, but to be vigilant and on guard. That’s not the typical reaction of a Veteran Grandmaster!’

Wait a minute!

’Could that woman be putting on an act for me?’

The more Chen Ping’an thought about it, the more suspicious it seemed. Something was definitely fishy. He glanced at Gu Qingchan, who was examining the area near the stone gate, and began to look around himself.

Gu Qingchan was searching for any traces the mysterious man might have left behind, while Chen Ping’an was searching for any mistakes he might have made.

After the great battle, the underground space was in ruins. Rubble was scattered everywhere, along with the corrosive marks of the Ten Thousand Demon Blood Fiend.

Just as Chen Ping’an was surveying the area, Gu Qingchan’s voice, tinged with a hint of coldness, suddenly came from behind him.

"What are you doing?"

Chen Ping’an’s expression remained unchanged. He turned with a smile, looking at the beautiful lady in the elegant dress. "Elder Gu," he said, "I’m examining the traces of the battle, trying to reconstruct the scene. I was hoping I might gain some insight from it."

"Look, Elder Gu. This spot must be where you unleashed your ultimate technique, leaving this mark when you obliterated that Ten Thousand Demon Thief in a single blow." Chen Ping’an pointed to a cracked section of the stone wall nearby. The wall was shattered and scorched black, clearly having been subjected to a moment of intense heat.

At his words, Gu Qingchan’s expression tightened. Her gaze grew icy as she looked at Chen Ping’an, who stood holding his saber. She hadn’t been the one to leave those battle marks. They were left by the mysterious Grandmaster. She had just analyzed the traces herself; they were from some kind of lightning-based technique with an extremely strong Power of Slaughter and a wide area of effect. Otherwise, the stone wall wouldn’t be scorched black.

"A duel between Grandmasters involves Spiritual Traction and the manipulation of True Essence. It holds little value as a reference for someone in the Profound Light Realm."

Gu Qingchan’s expression was aloof as she said coolly, "You have considerable talent. As long as you don’t stray from the proper path and continue your Cultivation step-by-step, you are certain to become a Grandmaster one day. There’s no need to aim too high and neglect the fundamentals for trivial pursuits. The losses would outweigh the gains."

"Thank you for your guidance, Elder Gu. Ping’an understands." Chen Ping’an’s expression was deferential as he bowed his head and clasped his hands.

After speaking, Chen Ping’an glanced up at Gu Qingchan, but her face betrayed little emotion, leaving him unable to guess her true thoughts.

Still, he had just brought up the battle marks from where the gray-robed old man was killed, and Gu Qingchan hadn’t exposed him. This made it highly likely that she would continue to keep his secret.

If so, that would save him a lot of trouble.

’I never expected Gu Qingchan to be so compliant. I told her not to reveal my identity, and she actually listened.’

Gu Qingchan stood in her pale blue, floor-length dress, her dark hair cascading like a waterfall. With features as if drawn from a painting, a delicate nose, and cherry-red lips, her mere presence was enough to inspire admiration.

As Chen Ping’an’s mind wandered, his gaze unintentionally drifted to Gu Qingchan’s lips.

Hm!?

Another familiar image flashed through his mind.

Chen Ping’an’s finger twitched. His heart skipped a beat, and he didn’t dare to look any longer. As a Top Grandmaster, Gu Qingchan’s perception was astonishing. If his focus wavered, she might very well notice.

For some reason, his composure always seemed to waver in front of Gu Qingchan. His mind would inadvertently run wild, and he didn’t know why.

’Could it be that my Dao Heart isn’t firm enough?’ Chen Ping’an wondered.

After their last few exchanges, however, Chen Ping’an had mostly ruled out the possibility that Gu Qingchan was putting on an act. For one, she had no motive. For two, there was no need.

If Gu Qingchan had discovered the truth, she would have just exposed him. There would be no reason for such a charade. Her instinctive reaction upon waking must have been due to something else.

’Could it be because of the Ten Thousand Demons’ Desire? Was she unable to control her body due to the lingering lust? Even if the Ten Thousand Demon Blood Fiend had been expelled, perhaps some effects remained, causing her to appear so vulnerable before me?’

Chen Ping’an pondered for a moment before pushing the thought aside. The most pressing matter was to wrap this up and then process his gains from it.

Since the affair involved two Grandmasters at the Mid-Jade Balance Stage, the rewards were bound to be substantial.

After all, he still had the Thousand Mechanism Bags belonging to the gray-robed old man and Situ Ba on him. Although he had hidden them, the risk of exposure would be extremely high if Gu Qingchan actually decided to search him.

Fortunately, what Chen Ping’an feared did not happen. Gu Qingchan finished inspecting the area without any particular discoveries, much to her disappointment.

For some reason, she was desperate to uncover the man’s identity. She subtly probed Chen Ping’an with a few questions, trying to see if he knew anything about the mysterious Grandmaster.

Being on guard, Chen Ping’an’s performance was naturally flawless. He chose his words skillfully, conveying only that he was aware of Gu Qingchan and the gray-robed old man, and nothing more.

Gu Qingchan had anticipated Chen Ping’an’s answer. Since the mysterious Grandmaster had chosen to act in secret, he wouldn’t have left such a glaring oversight. Though her interaction with the mysterious Grandmaster had been brief, she felt an instinctual trust in him.

Although the gray-robed old man and the Blood Robe Man—the two most formidable Grandmasters—were dead, the operation to encircle the Ten Thousand Demons wasn’t over. Gu Qingchan didn’t linger. After one last, comprehensive check that yielded nothing of value, she left with Chen Ping’an.

In the process, she naturally noticed that Situ Ba and the gray-robed old man had left nothing behind. ’The mysterious Grandmaster must have taken their belongings,’ she thought.

’Then why didn’t he take my things?’ Gu Qingchan’s bright eyes flickered, her expression complex. A different, subtle emotion rippled through her, stirring the imagination and inviting wild speculation.

...

When Chen Ping’an and Gu Qingchan emerged from the Ten Thousand Demon Blood Pool, they found the encirclement operation was in its final stages. They encountered no more of the Ten Thousand Demons’ Remnants on their way out. Instead, they ran into several elite squads from the Garrison Commandant’s Office, all of whom were rushing past with wary expressions.

Gu Qingchan’s combat prowess was formidable, and as a female Grandmaster, she was extremely well-known. The moment she appeared, she was met with a chorus of greetings.

"Elder Gu."

"Greetings, Lord Gu."

"..."

In comparison, Chen Ping’an was practically invisible. While his reputation wasn’t insignificant, it was nothing compared to that of a Grandmaster. Furthermore, this operation involved personnel from various County Garrison Commands and major local powers; while some might have heard his name, not everyone could recognize him on sight.

Still, seeing Chen Ping’an walking beside Gu Qingchan, people couldn’t help but cast curious glances his way. With a Grandmaster present, however, no one dared to stare for long.

And so, Chen Ping’an accompanied Gu Qingchan to the Blood Flame Cave.

...

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