Raise a sword!

On the western side of the Drumming Mountains, at the junction of mountains and plains.

Three figures were flying through the air, about to enter the forest.

Suddenly, the three sharp-eyed men spotted a burly man wearing the standard robes of the Cangshan Sect standing in front of the forest with a serious expression.

"It's Elder Wang from the Cangshan Sect in person." The Chen Clan Foundation Establishment cultivator at the head of the group in mid-air narrowed his eyes slightly. "I've long heard that Elder Wang is in charge of the Cangshan Sect's laws, and he's very strict and disciplined... Why isn't Elder Wang in the sect, but instead has come to this desolate area on the western side of the mountain range?"

Wang Biao looked up at the people in mid-air.

He stared at the man for a moment before saying to the leader, "You are Chen Shihai, a direct descendant of the Chen family."

"It is I."

Wang Biao nodded, then looked at the other two people behind Chen Shihai.

After observing them for a moment, he casually said, "The other two look somewhat familiar to you. I suppose they must be Foundation Establishment cultivators from a collateral branch of the Chen family? The Chen family truly lives up to its reputation as the royal family of a nation, with a vast and powerful clan."

Wang Biao's voice suddenly turned cold.

"This road is blocked! Go back to where you came from! Every single one of you Foundation Establishment cultivators you sent to harass my sect, just consider you all dead!"

Before the three Foundation Establishment cultivators of the Chen clan in the sky could respond, Wang Biao roared again.

"roll!!!"

This roar was like a tiger howling through the mountains and forests, causing gusts of wind to sweep outwards, bending the surrounding trees and flowers, and even shaking the stubborn rocks to tumble and roll.

The three people in mid-air were ashen-faced. One of them, who had just broken through to the Foundation Establishment stage, almost fell from mid-air and only managed to regain his balance thanks to the support of his companions.

Chen Shihai, who was in the lead, had a gloomy look in his eyes.

"Is the Cangshan Sect going to make an enemy of my Chen Kingdom?"

Wang Biao met Chen Shihai's gaze and nodded slightly.

"The sect leader said so."

"What did you say?"

Wang Biao grinned maliciously.

"The sect leader has a bad temper. He doesn't get angry easily, but when he does, he doesn't calm down easily... Even our sect's Golden Core cultivators couldn't persuade him. The Chen family really messed with the wrong person."

"Our ancestor said that we should slaughter all the male members of the Chen family and sell the female members to brothels as slaves. Although it sounds bad, it is still a way to survive and it is a form of mercy."

"But the sect leader refused."

"The sect leader said, 'All members of the Chen clan, regardless of age or gender, will be killed!'"

As soon as he finished speaking, Wang Biao suddenly darted towards the three people in the sky.

"If you're dawdling and won't roll, then don't bother rolling at all, just die!"

...

The capital of the State of Chen was Jinchuan City.

Late at night, deep within the palace.

Chen Shijian, the ruler of the State of Chen and also the head of the Chen family, was holding a communication jade slip and fell into a long silence.

A moment later, he could no longer sit still and quickly got up and went to the forbidden area deep inside the palace.

Before Chen Shijian could even get close to an inconspicuous mud-brick house, a voice rang out from inside.

"Why has Shih-chien come?"

"Reporting to Ancestor, there has been a change in the matter of heading north."

What happened?

Chen Shijian's throat bobbed; having been in a high position for so long, he had almost forgotten when he last felt this nervous.

After a moment's hesitation, he took a deep breath and said, "The Cangshan Sect... has declared war on the Chen Kingdom."

The wooden door of the shack made a creaking sound as it opened and closed.

An elderly man dressed in plain clothes, with a hunched back, walked out from inside.

This person was Chen Qi, one of the two Golden Elixir Ancestors of the Chen Clan, known as True Man Qi.

"The Cangshan Sect has declared war?" Master Qi asked in surprise. "Does Lü Dehong actually have such courage?"

Then, Master Qi asked curiously, "How was the war declared? Was it a declaration of war? Or was it a threat? Or something else?"

Chen Shijian opened his mouth, but said nothing.

Upon seeing this, Master Qi frowned.

"The ruler of a country, the head of a family! Why are you acting like a stammering little girl?"

"Reporting to Ancestor," Chen Shijian bowed deeply, "the two Foundation Establishment cultivators sent to the northern foothills to destroy the Cangshan Sect's spiritual fields have both perished. Chen Shihai from the main branch went to provide support, but..."

"What happened to Shih-hai?"

"He also died, ambushed and killed by Wang Biao, the law enforcement elder of the Cangshan Sect."

Upon hearing this news, Master Qi's expression froze for a moment, and then his figure seemed to hunch over even more.

He remained silent for a long time before finally letting out a bitter laugh.

"Ha, the Cangshan Sect... They used to have a great reputation, but they've been dormant for years, and even I've almost forgotten their fame."

Chen Shijian tentatively asked, "Ancestor, was the Cangshan Sect once very famous?"

"The Cangshan School is known for its extensive learning from various schools of thought."

A look of reminiscence crossed Qi Zhenren's face.

"Bearing a deep-seated blood feud, someone that all other families and sects dared not associate with, yet they dared to take him in."

"They dare to take in people who have a terrible reputation and whom the righteous would disdain to associate with."

"Anyone with some skill, if they take a liking to them, they would dare to take them in... To accept trouble, to agree to trouble, and to still stand strong for hundreds of years, this in itself signifies the extraordinary nature of the Cangshan Sect."

"But it doesn't matter."

Master Qi narrowed his eyes slightly.

"It's not just the Chen family that's eyeing the northern foothills. Since we're going to fight, let's make some noise... This southern mountain region has been peaceful for too long; it's time to stir things up."

At this point, Master Qi looked into the distance, his gaze fixed on the direction of the Earth-Ringing Mountains.

At this point, Master Qi looked into the distance, his gaze fixed on the direction of the Earth-Ringing Mountains.

After a moment, he withdrew his gaze and gently exhaled a breath of stale air.

"Anyway, if things really get out of hand, someone will step in to clean up the mess."

Chen Shijian raised an eyebrow.

He looked at his ancestor and, after a moment's thought, understood the meaning of those words.

"The ancestor was referring to dragons and snakes..."

"Keep quiet."

Master Qi interrupted sharply, "Some things are best kept to yourself; don't speak them aloud... No matter how much you scheme, you must never let your plans fall on the True Lord."

"It's fine to just think about it, but to be careful with your words and actions is the way to long-term success."

Chen Shijian immediately swallowed back his thoughts, but couldn't help asking, "Ancestor, could it be that the True Lords are truly omniscient and omnipotent?"

"It's not that bad." Master Qi shook his head, his tone filled with emotion, "But in this small territory of the Southern Mountain Region, it's hard to hide anything from them that they want to know."

At this point, Master Qi suddenly realized something, and his expression changed.

"Damn it, we've fallen for their trap!"

He suddenly turned his head to look north.

"The Cangshan Sect might share the same thought! They know that the True Lord doesn't want chaos in the Southern Mountain Region!"

"They're trying to force...to force the True Lord to take action, thus ruining the future of the Chen family!"

Qi Zhenren turned to look at Chen Shijian.

"Shijian, we must win this battle! We must never let those traitors from the Cangshan Sect set foot in our Chen Kingdom! Fight them all the way to the northern foothills, fight them until they reach their gates! We will grant you whatever you ask for, and even I, your patriarch, will be at your beck and call!"

Master Qi's face was gloomy.

"The Cangshan Sect... is truly vicious and audacious!"

"They actually dared to scheme against a Nascent Soul True Monarch!"