Chapter 54: 54 Chapter Grandmaster
Translator: 549690339
Walking on air, crossing the void with ease!
This is the ability to fly!
To transcend the earth with one’s own strength, to navigate the void and come and go in the azure sky.
It is an ability possessed by masters of at least the Sixth Rank.
To the common folk, this is simply the technique of flying immortals.
“Sixth Rank, is this a Sixth Rank master of the Martial Path?”
“To think that a Sixth Rank master has come to our Huangtong Mansion City. Our Huangtong Mansion only has one personal the Sixth Rank, and that’s our Lord!”
“To fly through the skies and walk upon the heavens, it truly is enviable!”
Many couldn’t help but exclaim in amazement.
In fact, to the vast majority of people, those of the Sixth Rank of Martial Dao are beyond ordinary.
In the martial world, even placed among the top tiers of great Martial Dao sects, such a person would be a chief in charge, considered an elder in mediumsized sects, and similar in status to the leaders of some smaller sects.
In the halls of power, they could serve as masters of prefectural cities, hold real authority in county cities, be middle-ranked officers in the military, act as imperial enforcers, or hold other such influential positions within the imperial court; they all belong to this echelon.
This has surpassed the common understanding of a “person from the martial fraternity,” and is a distinguished individual seldom seen in ordinary life.
Now, witnessing someone fly in from the sky, how could they not be astounded?
Especially since this “Sixth Rank” master seemed to be rebuking Tian Chong in a manner that showed great dissatisfaction with his actions.
What a drama to watch!
Many people became excited at once, fixing their gaze on this “Sixth Rank” master without blinking.
This was a middle-aged man in his forties or fifties, burly and robust, dressed in a black robe, his muscles bulging, his face full of whiskers, exuding an aura of unspoken authority.
Zhou Heng also looked toward him, a “Sixth Rank” master who had suddenly appeared, seemingly to stand by his side, which piqued his curiosity.
But he discovered that he did not recognize this master.
Very unfamiliar.
However, with his perception +1, he quickly followed the route the master had come from, looked towards the rooftop of a high building not far away, and spotted a familiar silhouette.
Pei Luoling.
Was this “Sixth Rank” master related to Pei Luoling?
Was he here to help me?
“How could a Sixth Rank master appear?!” Kong Chengshun watched the middle – aged man incredulously, not believing what was happening before him.
He even began to wonder if he was dreaming.
This was a Sixth Rank in the Martial Path, and even his master Liu Songshan was only at this level.
Now, there was a Sixth Rank coming to help Zhou Heng?
How could such a thing happen??
At this moment, the expressions of Huang Jingfu and Hong Kang on the platform changed slightly.
Although they did not recognize the master, they clearly felt his displeasure with Tian Chong.
Was he here to help Zhou Heng?
No way!
How could a bumpkin who came from the sticks have such a master come to support him?
Lei Xiuyan and Lin Cang were also puzzled; they too had never seen this “Sixth Rank” master.
Where did Zhou Heng meet such an exalted person?
Yun Xiu, on the other hand, had her eyes wide open, covering her mouth in disbelief, looking at the master with shock in her eyes, whispering in astonishment, “How, how could this noble person come here?”
“Why would there be a Sixth Rank master here?” Liu Changsheng was also bewildered; he had done his research before coming to Huangtong Mansion City, and there should only be one person at the Sixth Rank here, the Lord Wu Zongshan.
“No, young master, this is not a Sixth Rank!” the manager said with a voice full of surprise and doubt, looking at the middle-aged man, “This is a Fifth Rank Sect Master of the Martial Path!”
“What!?!” Liu Changsheng was shocked and swiftly turned to look at Zhou Heng.
A Grandmaster!?
Could it be that a Grandmaster has come forward to support him!?
How, how is this possible!?
Could it be that a Grandmaster from the Pure Yang Palace couldn’t stand the current situation any longer and couldn’t help but come forward to back him up?
Of course, the most panicked and frightened person at this time was Tian Chong on another high platform.
He had been questioning Zhou Heng from a position of superiority, even attempting to judge him.
But upon seeing the middle-aged man, Tian Chong’s face turned deathly pale, and his legs gave out, dropping to his knees with a thud.
Gone was the proud demeanor of before.
“General Manager, your subordinate has seen the General Manager!!” Tian Chong bowed his head low, his entire body trembling, his fingers desperately clawing at the ground, evidently in extreme fear.
His reaction caused everyone present to be very puzzled.
General Manager?
Tian Chong himself isn’t he the Chief General of Huangtong Mansion City?
Why call someone else Chief General?
And to be scared to this extent.
However, Huang Jingfu, an old-timer who had become crafty through the years, suddenly thought of a possibility and immediately widened his eyes, trembling as he said, “Chief General, Chief General! Could it be, could it be that this is the Chief General from Pingzhou County City… Pei Zhantu, Lord Pei??”
Upon saying this, the entire place was thrown into an uproar.
Hiss!
The cold air seemed almost sucked dry.
Pingzhou County City was the core of the entire Pingzhou, overseeing forty- two prefectures, with Huangtong Mansion being just one of them.
And the Chief General of Huangtong Mansion was directly appointed by the General Office of Pingzhou County City.
In other words, if this person was indeed the Chief General of Pingzhou County City, then he was Tian Chong’s immediate superior!
No wonder he was so frightened.
Liu Changsheng, however, was even more shocked, for he knew that the name Pei Zhantu meant another background altogether.
One of the Twelve Ancient Families of Da Qi, the Pei Family from Pingzhou.
A Celestial Human Clan!
Compared to the Five Elements Sect, it was only slightly inferior.
A Fifth Rank Sect Master born into the Pei Family from Pingzhou actually came to help Zhou Heng??
This was something he couldn’t comprehend.
“Could it be that this Zhou Heng was not just some commoner from the mountains?” Liu Changsheng furrowed his brow and silently speculated, “But there doesn’t seem to be a major Zhou family in Da Qi, though there is one in Southern Jin to the south.
“The Zhou Family from Lu Yang, one of the nine great families of Southern Jin, although in decline, is an ancient family with a long heritage, predating the Middle Ancient era, even stronger than the Celestial Human Clan. Could Zhou Heng be a scion of this family?”
Apart from families of similar rank having relationships with their elders, he could not think of any other reason that a Grandmaster from the Pei Family in Pingzhou would help Zhou Heng.
But if Zhou Heng really came from a notable origin, why would he conceal his identity and come to such a small martial gym to learn some basic, common martial arts?
Isn’t it better to practice the peerless martial arts passed down by the Zhou Family of Lu Yang?
Liu Changsheng couldn’t have dreamed of it.
The root cause of all this was simply some light and refreshing tales that Zhou Heng had told Pei Luoling.
At this moment, Kong Chengshun was also becoming anxious. He was very clear about the cultivation of the Chief General of Pingzhou Prefectural City.
Fifth Rank!
Grandmaster!!
The Sect Master of Chang Xing Sect was merely at this level too!
How could this youngster have such a powerful network of connections?
This was impossible!
“Senior, Senior, what’s going on!?” He called for help in his mind, yet he received no response at all.
It was as if that “senior” had suddenly fallen silent.
Without a trace.
By then, Pei Zhantu had already stepped onto the platform, scanning the crowd before his gaze settled on Tian Chong, saying indifferently, “Tian Chong, is this how you speak to me, looking down from on high?”
Tian Chong was on the high stage, indeed “above” when compared to the platform.
With those words, Tian Chong was so scared that his whole body shivered and he tumbled and crawled to Pei Zhantu’s front.
Tian Chong stammered, “Chief General, you, how come you are here?”
“If I hadn’t come, I wouldn’t have known that you, as a chief of a prefecture, could behave so recklessly,” Pei Zhantu said with a sneer. “A seventeen-year- old Ninth Rank, a talent with potential on the prestige list, and you actually wanted to expel him?”
Upon hearing this, Tian Chong immediately prostrated on the ground, the fear inside him now irrepressible, his whole body shaking even more violently as he stuttered, “My lord, you, you’ve misunderstood, I, I just, I just…”
He tried to explain, but the words he had said earlier were heard by everyone present, leaving him no room for denial.
“No need for further words,” Pei Zhantu said, shaking his head slightly, no longer paying attention to Tian Chong. He turned and pointed to an assistant officer of the military on the high stage, saying indifferently, “From today onwards, you are the Chief General of Huangtong Mansion.”
Feng He, hit by this sudden stroke of fortune, was staggered for a moment before quickly kneeling down and shouting with great emotion, “Thank you, my lord! Thank you, my lord!”
“Hmm,” Pei Zhantu nodded slightly and then turned his gaze back to Tian Chong, who was kneeling on the ground, and said indifferently, “You have abused your power and acted recklessly. Though your crime is not worthy of death, you cannot be easily forgiven, so you shall go to the border of Xi Liang to guard a city.”
Xi Liang referred to the westernmost part of Da Qi, Liangzhou, beyond which lay the region known as the “West Wasteland,” rumored to be filled with countless monsters constantly trying to break through the Liangzhou border to invade.
On the Xi Liang frontier, Ninth Rank and Eighth Rank martial artists could perish at any moment.
Being sent to guard there was virtually no different from being sent to death.
Tian Chong was utterly stunned; he knelt on the ground, weeping bitterly and shouting, “My lord! I was wrong, I was wrong, please give me another chance!”
“The one you should be pleading with is not me,” Pei Zhantu said, looking toward Zhou Heng, and speaking to Tian Chong, “It’s him.”
“Ah! Young Master Zhou!” Tian Chong immediately turned around and knelt in front of Zhou Heng, kowtowing vigorously, crying and begging, “Young Master Zhou, please spare me, please spare me!
“I was blinded by greed before and targeted you, I’ll never dare to do it again, please have mercy on me, treat me as nothing but a fart and let me off!”
Zhou Heng looked at the former Chief General kowtowing and begging at his feet, feeling a mix of emotions, and smiled lightly as he shook his head, “If bowing and scraping could save one’s skin,
“what would be the point in martial arts?”