Chapter 457 - 375: A Storm in the City, a Glorious Return to Weishui

"Mang Blade Chen Ping’an is being promoted to Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Garrison Commandant’s Office!?"

In the room, Feng Chengxiu’s face was incredibly grim, and he radiated a dangerously sharp aura.

After Tong Jin’s death, he had intended to use his overwhelming authority to utterly crush Chen Ping’an. Citing the Qiankun Bureau’s supervisory duties, he had initiated impeachment proceedings against Chen Ping’an and ordered the Weishui Garrison to reopen the case.

But who could have predicted that his actions would provoke the Gu Family’s Grandmaster to intervene? An ordinary Grandmaster would have been one thing; they likely couldn’t have interfered with the Qiankun Bureau’s operations. But Gu Qingchan was no ordinary Grandmaster. To say nothing of her future, her current combat strength alone was enough to look down on anyone in the Early Jade Balance Stage. Not even a true Grandmaster could afford to provoke such a person, let alone him.

The review was forcibly abandoned.

The incident had already left Feng Chengxiu feeling utterly stifled, forced to back down in the face of Gu Qingchan’s might.

But he had never imagined it. He had just tried to impeach Chen Ping’an, and now, in the blink of an eye, the man was getting a promotion?

The Garrison Commandant’s Office’s action was tantamount to a vicious slap across his face. The underlying humiliation was all too obvious!

Feng Chengxiu’s hawk-like eyes seemed ready to spit fire.

The most infuriating part was that every step of Chen Ping’an’s promotion was legitimate and by the book; he couldn’t find any grounds to attack it.

As the trade routes opened, all sorts of scoundrels and villains began to surface, causing unrest throughout Weishui County. Chen Ping’an presided over Five Peaks Mountain City, suppressing all illegal activities. He single-handedly pacified the entire city, ensuring peace in the surrounding region.

On the outskirts of the Long’an Trade Route, near Red Maple Mountain, bandits from the Ten Thousand Demons Sect were attacking and slaughtering caravans. Their actions were appallingly vicious. Chen Ping’an acted with lightning speed, rushing to Red Maple Mountain to resolve the issue. In the process, he even killed an Elder of the Ten Thousand Demons Sect! This very incident had recently triggered a long-distance clash between two Grandmasters, causing a massive stir. In the end, the credit for resolving it was split evenly between the Qiankun Bureau and the Garrison Commandant’s Office.

As the one who represented the Garrison Commandant’s Office, Chen Ping’an was awarded half the merit for this incident, which was added to his record.

During the Beicang Chaos, Chen Ping’an killed the Evil Master known as Earth-Shattering Fist and received the corresponding merit.

The merit for the death of Soul-Severing Saber Li Pingjiang, a disciple of the Seven Extremes Elder, was also credited to Chen Ping’an’s name. Moreover, the State Garrison Command granted him additional merit for this matter!

With so much accumulated merit, Chen Ping’an completely fulfilled the requirements for a promotion!

His only shortcoming was his Martial Arts Realm; he had not yet stepped into the Peak Realm. However, this was handled via special approval after an internal review by the Canglong Province Garrison Command.

With all procedures in order, Chen Ping’an’s promotion was a foregone conclusion!

No matter how much Feng Chengxiu seethed, he could only swallow his anger.

’Chen Ping’an! Without the Gu Family’s help, how could you have risen so quickly! You cling to a Noble Family, and while it might be convenient for now, it will eventually become your shackles, preventing any further progress!’ A vicious glint flashed in Feng Chengxiu’s eyes. ’Just you wait, Chen Ping’an! By enjoying the protection of a great family, taking the easy way out, and letting power blind you, you’ve lost the sharp, enterprising spirit of the Martial Dao. In the future, the Peak Realm will be your absolute limit!’

...

"My lord! We’ve reached Weishui County City!" a leopard-faced guard said, bowing before the carriage and speaking cautiously to Chen Ping’an. "Do you wish to enter the city on horseback?"

Zhong Shanyong had not yet recovered from his injuries, and Yuan Zutong needed to oversee matters at the Five Peaks Mountain Town Pacification Bureau, so neither of them had accompanied Chen Ping’an on this trip.

"That won’t be necessary. Let’s go straight in," Chen Ping’an’s voice came from inside the carriage.

"Yes, my lord!"

Hearing this, the guard’s expression grew taut, and he immediately acknowledged the order. He then turned to the other riders and announced, "His Lordship has given the order! The carriage will enter as is! Let’s move into the city!"

"Yes, sir!" the riders shouted in unison, advancing toward the nearby Weishui County City.

HUMMM~

Inside the carriage, the Spiritual Light at the center of Chen Ping’an’s brow gradually dimmed. He had not slacked in his cultivation for a single moment on the journey from Five Peaks Mountain City.

’My ambition lies in the Martial Dao; how could I ever lose the drive and determination it requires?’

’In this life, the Martial Dao is fundamental! Without it, power and influence are nothing but passing smoke, vanishing in an instant. Everything else is a castle in the sky, built on nothing!’

’By tomorrow, I can cultivate the Dragon Elephant Dominating Body Technique to the stage of Great Success!’ Chen Ping’an’s eyes gleamed, and his heart swelled with exhilaration. ’Then, my cultivation will advance, and my combat strength will be a cut above!’

...

"Lord Li, what position do you think Chen Ping’an will hold after this promotion!?"

"Lord Wang, be careful what you say! It’s Lord Chen, not just Chen Ping’an!"

"Yes, yes, of course! My mistake. What position will Lord Chen hold after his promotion?"

"Deputy Commander-in-Chief is a position of great power and authority. The specific assignment will depend on what the State Garrison Command says."

"That’s true! I’m getting ahead of myself."

"The Special Envoy from the State Garrison Command should be arriving in Weishui any day now. We’ll know for sure then."

"..."

Within the Weishui Garrison, many were intensely curious about the position Chen Ping’an would hold after his promotion, discussing it endlessly in hushed tones.

The rank of Deputy Commander-in-Chief was one of immense power and authority, which was no laughing matter. Such a person was a paramount figure in the whole of Weishui County. The Weishui Garrison had jurisdiction over dozens of cities within Weishui County.

Once Chen Ping’an was promoted to Deputy Commander-in-Chief, he would essentially be the second or third in command of the Weishui Garrison. Depending on how duties were assigned, he could very well become their direct superior!

Who could have imagined it? The young man whose appointment they once had to deliberate on and approve might now become their direct superior. The feeling was surreal.

Appointments at the Deputy Commander-in-Chief level were made directly by the State Garrison Command. Therefore, until the Special Envoy from the State Garrison Command arrived, no one knew what Chen Ping’an’s official position would be.