King of Martial Arts

Zheng Hetong clearly had deep feelings for the Blazing Blade Sect and didn't want to leave just like that. However, he knew that if he continued to stay at the Blazing Blade Sect, it would not only bring endless trouble to his young disciple but also incur Song Lieyang's suspicion.

Furthermore, his wife was already tired of his frequent excursions involving fighting and killing, so leaving the Blazing Blade Sect was the best choice.

"Ping'an, your Master's feelings for the Blazing Blade Sect are too deep. Give him some time to adjust."

Looking at her husband, whose back appeared somewhat lonely, Zhao Xiuyun, who had also stood up, said softly with a complex tone.

"It's fine. I believe Master will come around. I'm a bit tired, I'll go rest now."

Taking advantage of his Mistress being worried about his Master, Zhao Ping'an quickly made his escape.

He still hadn't figured out how to explain his abnormal strength to his Master and Mistress. As for how outsiders speculated, he didn't care.

If anyone dared to make a move, he wouldn't hesitate to strike them down.

"Sigh! You..."

Watching Zhao Ping'an rush into his room, Zhao Xiuyun's raised hand fell powerlessly.

"You brat, you didn't even tell me how you cultivated that kind of ability."

Returning to his room, Zhao Ping'an wasn't going to rest. As a Great Grandmaster who cultivated both internally and externally, he wouldn't be tired even if he stayed awake for three days and three nights.

Sitting cross-legged on the bed, he absorbed the world's vital energy while his mind wandered.

"What story should I make up? A miraculous encounter at the bottom of a lake? An old man descending from the sky? Swallowing a mysterious fruit in the forest? So troublesome!!!"

Absorbing the world's vital energy, Zhao Ping'an was so frustrated he almost choked.

Firstly, there were no lakes around Feather Mountain, only a few small ponds.

Secondly, Feather Mountain didn't produce any spiritual herbs or fruits. It was all common trees, flowers, and plants. It was impossible for any rare treasures to suddenly appear, and for him to find them when they were ripe and successfully swallow them.

"It seems only the old man is somewhat reliable..."

After thinking for a long time, Zhao Ping'an decided on the direction of his story.

Next was how to perfectly weave the story...

Zhao Ping'an stayed in his room until sunset before walking out, feeling refreshed.

"Did I forget something?"

Having absorbed the world's vital energy all day and fleshed out the story of his own strengthening, Zhao Ping'an looked at the dimming sky outside, stretched, and suddenly felt something was amiss as he muttered to himself.

"Gulp..."

Suddenly, his stomach rumbled.

"Time to eat... eat? Damn it, Zui Chun Lou!"

Zhao Ping'an finally realized what was wrong. He was supposed to be hosting the City Lord, Old Master Zhao, and the Blazing Blade Sect leader tonight, but he had forgotten to book a restaurant and even notify these factions about the banquet.

"It should still be in time!"

Zhao Ping'an muttered. He sensed that his Mistress was nowhere to be found, not at home, and his Master had not returned either.

"Neither of them is here? Never mind, I'll go find someone to deliver the message first."

Zhao Ping'an shook his head and immediately strode out.

He first went to the Blazing Blade Sect's largest property in South Ridge City, which also served as their base in the city.

Fortunately, Song Lieyang had just returned.

After finding Song Lieyang, he instructed him to deliver messages to the City Lord's Mansion and Old Master Zhao on his behalf, and to book the third floor of Zui Chun Lou.

As for the money, the Sun family's gold and silver were packed in chests.

In addition to fixed assets, he also had a twenty percent share of the silver.

Song Lieyang readily agreed to Zhao Ping'an's instructions.

After a day of sorting, he discovered that the Sun family was truly wealthy. A mere thirty percent of their assets had doubled the Blazing Blade Sect's net worth.

This made him very satisfied.

As for Zhao Ping'an's departure, it caused no loss to Song Lieyang, as it was the same whether he was there or not before.

It was Zheng Hetong's departure that made him feel a pang of heartache. The Blazing Blade Sect had dozens of Houtian Martial Artist Realm cultivators, but only five of them were Xiantian.

However, compared to the hundreds of thousands of taels of silver and various rare treasures, that was nothing.

Around seven in the evening, the third floor of Zui Chun Lou.

As the host, Zhao Ping'an arrived early. The banquet was scheduled to start at the stroke of Xu Shi (8 PM), with half an hour to go.

But someone was even earlier than him: Song Lieyang and Song Feichen, the second elder of the Blazing Blade Sect.

The reason was simple: among the three factions Zhao Ping'an had invited, the City Lord's Mansion was stronger than the Blazing Blade Sect, and the Zhao family had a closer relationship with Zhao Ping'an than the Blazing Blade Sect did.

Comparing the two, they could only be more diligent.

Soon, Old Master Zhao arrived with four people. Zhao Ping'an's Master and Mistress were among them. The remaining two were introduced, and Zhao Ping'an learned who they were.

They were his Mistress Zhao Xiuyun's second brother, Zhao Muzhen, and third brother, Zhao Muhan. As for his eldest brother, Zhao Muyu, he had gone to An'nan City on business and would not be back anytime soon.

Next, City Lord Zhou Ruiming and Grandmaster Ouyang Yun, along with two individuals at the eighth level of the Innate Realm, ascended the stage.

Growing up, and even in his previous life, this was the first time Zhao Ping'an had sat at a table with so many people who had long held positions of power.

However, in this world where martial power reigned supreme, he was actually the highest-ranking person present due to his game panel.

The banquet proceeded smoothly; no one was foolish enough to cause trouble.

Zhao Ping'an also announced the division of the Sun Family's Industry. With the Blazing Blade Sect having no objections, no one else dared to oppose it.

However, the ten percent allocated to the Zhao family was declined by Old Master Zhao, who instead placed it all under Zhao Xiuyun's name.

Zhao Ping'an had no objections to this. He had only offered ten percent to the Zhao family out of respect for his Mistress. He had no affection for the other members of the Zhao family, and in fact, harbored a slight personal grievance.

The fundamental reason for the Sun Family's Annihilation Calamity was actually caused by Zhao Huixin.

If Zhao Ping'an's cultivation hadn't been high enough, he would have been the one suffering now.

After eating and drinking their fill, everyone bid farewell and departed. Sharing a table with two Grandmasters (as they believed) had put immense pressure on them.

On the way back to the Zhao Residence, Zhao Ping'an recounted a story he had carefully crafted to his Master and Mistress with great emotion and vividness.

The gist of it was that he had accidentally encountered an elder of unknown cultivation in the forests of Feather Mountain. The elder said his bones were extraordinary and he possessed innate divine strength. Although unsuitable for qi cultivation, he was exceptionally suited for body cultivation.

Subsequently, the elder imparted a powerful body cultivation technique and a fragrant pill. His physique then began to strengthen rapidly, and his qi cultivation also advanced by leaps and bounds with the pill's aid.

Just a few months prior, the medicinal effects within him had been completely exhausted, and his cultivation had reached the peak of the Grandmaster Realm.

As for the mysterious elder, after imparting the knowledge, he had directly departed by breaking through the void.

"King of Martial Arts?!"

Upon hearing Zhao Ping'an's fabricated tale, Zheng Hetong suddenly exclaimed.

Clearly, Zhao Ping'an's narrative had made him associate it with something.