Chapter 450 372: Wu Family's Apology Gift, Qiankun Inspection

"This old man, Wu Shangli, pays his respects to Lord Chen! Your Lordship is as handsome and distinguished as they say. For me to meet you today is truly the honor of a lifetime."

Within the Five Peaks Mountain Town Pacification Bureau, Chen Ping'an received the visitor who had traveled a long way to see him.

Wu Shangli, a Clan Elder of the Wu Family from Earth Fire County City.

Chen Ping'an sat high in the seat of honor, silently watching the old man bow before him. His expression was placid, betraying no hint of his feelings.

Chen Ping'an remained silent, and Wu Shangli showed no intention of rising, holding his deep bow.

"You may rise."

A long moment passed before Chen Ping'an finally spoke.

"Thank you, Lord Chen!" Wu Shangli, looking vigorous for his age, beamed. Before Chen Ping'an could question him, he spoke up. "I will not hide the truth from you, Your Lordship. I have come to offer an apology."

"Oh?" Chen Ping'an raised his eyes slightly to look at Wu Shangli.

"Some time ago, a junior member of my clan, in his ignorance, showed no respect for the laws of the Court. He acted recklessly and offended Your Lordship. When the Wu Family learned of this, we were overcome with shame. I have been sent here specifically to apologize to you, Lord Chen!" Wu Shangli's head was bowed, his tone earnest, every word dripping with sincerity.

Of course, only he knew what he was truly thinking in his heart.

Chen Ping'an looked at the respectful, subservient Wu Shangli and couldn't help but reflect on the situation.

In the past, Wu Tianqi, the steward of the Wu Family Trading Team, had caused a disturbance in the city, violating its prohibitions. Chen Ping'an had hung him from the city wall as a warning to all other potential troublemakers.

Before being hung from the wall, Wu Tianqi had threatened him to his face, stating that such an act would surely provoke the Wu Family's wrath. He boasted that the Wu Family had an Absolute Master in its ranks, and once their fury was unleashed, would Chen Ping'an dare to face it?

At the time, Chen Ping'an's combat prowess was already at the Profound Light Peak. He naturally had no fear of the insignificant Wu Family, and had replied to Wu Tianqi with a question of his own: "Why not ask if the Wu Family fears me?"

But while he was unafraid, many of the constables under his command had grown anxious, fearing his actions would provoke the Wu Family's ire and invite retaliation.

He never expected that instead of retaliation from the Wu Family, he would receive their apology.

'Power and reputation... they truly are wonderful things.'

...

Wu Shangli scurried out of the Five Peaks Mountain Town Pacification Bureau, ducking into the Wu Family carriage waiting at the gate.

"Go!"

At his command, the carriage slowly began to move, heading out of Five Peaks Mountain City.

Inside the carriage, a bitter smile played on Wu Shangli's lips, but his heart was bleeding.

He had traveled all the way from Earth Fire County to apologize. Naturally, he couldn't do so with mere words. Empty talk is no proof of sincerity, after all.

An apology required a show of sincerity!

To this end, the Wu Family had prepared a lavish gift to present to Chen Ping'an: an eight-hundred-year-old Blood Lingzhi.

A Heavenly Material and Earthly Treasure of such quality would be greatly beneficial even to a Cultivator at the Profound Light Middle Realm.

He had thought this would be enough to express the Wu Family's remorse and satisfy Chen Ping'an. But he never expected... it still wasn't quite enough.

Having come this far, there was no sense in turning back. Left with no choice, Wu Shangli had to sweeten the pot. Only after he had presented ten Yuan Crystals with both hands did he finally receive Chen Ping'an's pardon.

"Let bygones be bygones. The matter is now closed."

Ten Yuan Crystals!

Even for him, a man whose Cultivation had long ago reached the Profound Light Middle Realm, this was no small sum. If he weren't one of the Wu Family's Clan Elders with real authority, he would not have been able to produce such an amount on the spot.

An average Low-grade Treasure Artifact was worth between seven or eight to a dozen or so Yuan Crystals.

Ten Yuan Crystals! That was enough to purchase a Low-grade Treasure Artifact!

The sum was enough to make his heart ache.

'Still, if this is what it takes to appease Chen Ping'an, then it's worth it!'

Mang Blade Mang Vajra was only twenty-two, yet his Martial Arts Cultivation had reached Profound Light Middle Realm Perfection, and his combat prowess was comparable to that of an Absolute Master!

He was ranked fifth on the Rising Star Chart! A rapidly rising star within the Garrison Commandant's Office!

His future potential was boundless, and his achievements were sure to be extraordinary!

Forget the future; even the Chen Ping'an of today was someone the Wu Family was extremely wary of.

Soul-breaking Saber Li Pingjiang, a disciple of the Seven Extremes Elder, was suspected to have died at his hands.

Soul-breaking Saber Li Pingjiang had been a long-standing menace in Earth Fire County, causing considerable trouble for the Earth Fire Town Suppression Bureau. Within the county, he was a notoriously powerful master of the Celestial Net Sect.

For such a figure to have possibly died at Chen Ping'an's hands—one could only imagine the shockwaves this sent through the Wu Family!

What truly terrified the Wu Family, however, was Chen Ping'an's personality: he acted without restraint and never considered the consequences. Tong Jin of the Qiankun Bureau, a man of high status and significant power, had been killed on the spot by Chen Ping'an simply for running his mouth in front of the Five Peaks Mountain Town Pacification Bureau, vowing to arrest Mang Blade Chen Ping'an.

He had shown absolutely no regard for the Qiankun Bureau that stood behind Tong Jin. If Chen Ping'an didn't even fear the Qiankun Bureau, which held supervisory authority over the realm, why would he fear their mere Wu Family?

The Wu Family had a thousand-year legacy, with vast assets and countless members to protect. They were most afraid of people exactly like Chen Ping'an—men who acted without scruples, following a personal code of repaying every debt, whether of kindness or vengeance, without delay.

If you could crush such a person completely, fine. But if you couldn't, it was best to avoid offending them at all costs. And if you did happen to offend them, you had to appease their anger and resolve the matter as quickly as possible.

Noble Families with long histories had their own established ways of handling things. The classic trope of "the old masters coming for revenge after the young one is beaten" was a game they could play with ordinary folk. But against a rising prodigy with limitless potential like Chen Ping'an? They would never dare.

The slightest misstep could lead to endless disaster.