Starting as the heir of a marquis's mansion, I gained access to a summoning system.

Chaotian Palace, Star-Gazing Platform.

The platform, standing nine zhang and nine chi high, is located atop the highest peak of Chaotian Palace. Its surface is made of a single piece of meteorite iron, densely covered with runes, gleaming with a cold, eerie light under the moonlight, as if the entire mountain peak were suppressed beneath this iron platform.

Master Chaotian stood on the platform.

His Taoist robe fluttered wildly in the mountain wind, his white hair danced wildly in the wind, yet his figure remained motionless, like an ancient sword stuck in meteorite iron. In his hand, he held a jade talisman, its surface shimmering with spiritual light, constantly overflowing with fragments of ancient runes, flickering like fireflies between his fingers.

Behind him, three immortals stood side by side, their expressions solemn, their robes billowing in the wind, and none of them uttered a sound.

After a long pause, Daoist Chaotian finally spoke.

His voice was flat, as if he were talking about someone else: "There's a new force in the east called the Azure Dragon Society."

The three people exchanged glances, but no one spoke.

"Four grandmasters, each in one of the four halls. Their origins cannot be traced." Daoist Chaotian held the jade talisman up to his eyes, gazing at the night sky through the scattered fragments of runes, as if scrutinizing an unseen enemy. "I have sent people to investigate three times using every means possible—each time the result is the same. All clues have been covered up, and we cannot trace them back to their source."

He paused for a moment, put the jade talisman back into his sleeve, and turned around.

The moonlight fell on his face, illuminating a pair of deep, unfathomable eyes.

"What does this mean? The Azure Dragon Society's origins are unfathomable. There's an even more terrifying force behind it."

The head of the three True Immortals—True Immortal Qingyuan—stepped forward and tentatively spoke, "Palace Master, should we send someone to make contact? The Marquis of Xiaoyao's Sanyue Hall in Xunyang Prefecture is only two prefectures away from our sphere of influence. At his current rate of expansion, he'll enter Linjiang Prefecture's buffer zone in less than three months. If we let it go unchecked…"

"No rush."

Master Chaotian interrupted him, his tone not harsh, yet it was like a stone falling into a deep pool, stirring up ripples that left no room for doubt.

He turned his gaze back to the distance, his eyes sweeping over the layers of mountains and landing on the blurry mountain shadows on the western horizon.

"The secret realm of the Endless Mountains is about to open. That's more important than a new power." His voice lowered, as if he were talking to himself. "No matter how strong the Azure Dragon Society is, it currently only has four Grandmasters. Without a Grandmaster to oversee it, its glory is destined to be short-lived. The true chess game of the Thirteen Western Prefectures has never been about determining victory or defeat based on the number of Grandmasters."

He gazed toward the endless western mountains, a rare fervor flashing in his eyes—a light rarely seen even by his closest disciples.

"What's inside the secret realm is the key to changing the entire West."

Master Qingyuan bowed his head: "Your Majesty is wise."

"As for the Azure Dragon Society—" Daoist Chaotian withdrew his gaze, the corners of his mouth slightly upturned, the smile almost imperceptible, "Let them cause trouble before the secret realm opens. The more trouble they cause, the more their attention will be diverted. The more advantageous it will be for our Chaotian Palace."

A sudden gust of mountain wind caused the Taoist robe to billow like a flag.

The three real people bowed in unison.

Wuwei Prefecture, Iron Blood Hall.

The ironwood table is enormous, with a surface as black as ink and grain resembling molten iron. It is said to be made of century-old ironwood, so that it leaves no marks from knives or axes.

On the table lay a battle report from the southern part of Yanmen Prefecture, its edges crumpled from being pinched.

Iron Knife King sat behind his desk.

His physique was ridiculously massive; even seated, he towered over the average person. His arms were bulging with muscles, and his skin was as black as iron, making him seem not of flesh and blood, but rather a cast-iron statue. He pressed one hand on the battle report, his fingers applying slight pressure, causing the ironwood surface to groan softly.

"Lightning damage."

He pronounced the name in a rough, booming voice, like two iron plates colliding, carrying undisguised disdain.

"Late-stage Grandmaster. In just over a month, he destroyed four mountain strongholds and three gangs. He crippled Duan Peng and recruited six hundred men. Quite audacious."

He paused, then tapped his knuckles heavily on the table.

"Yanmen Prefecture is the outpost of my Iron Blood Hall—his rampage there shows he doesn't take me seriously."

The deputy hall master, Tie Jianfeng, stood before the table. He appeared thinner than Tie Daowang, but his expression was solemn and his gaze steady. He was not intimidated by the hall master's anger; instead, he stepped forward and lowered his voice.

"Master, this Lei Sun is not only bold, but his fighting style is also very sophisticated."

Iron Knife King looked up at him.

Tie Jianfeng pointed three times at the southern part of Yanmen Prefecture on the battle report: "The first attack targeted the weakest point of the Wolf Fang Alliance's supply line. The second cut off Duan Peng's connection with the three mountain strongholds to the north. Only the third attack forced Duan Peng to advance south head-on. Each attack targeted the weakest point in the Wolf Fang Alliance's defenses, chipping away at a piece of ground before immediately consolidating the position. We didn't try to be greedy, we weren't afraid of being slow, and we didn't give Duan Peng any chance to counterattack."

He withdrew his finger, straightened up, and met Iron Knife King's gaze.

"This is not just a brave and fierce man—he has an extremely strong military mind."

Iron Knife King remained silent for a moment.

The candlelight on the table flickered, casting an uncertain glow on his face.

"That's even more dangerous." He spoke, his voice a shade lower than before, but deeper and colder. "A valiant grandmaster isn't scary. A grandmaster with brains is."

He suddenly stood up, his massive body rising like a mountain, casting a shadow over Tie Jianfeng.

"The expansion of the Azure Dragon Society in Yanmen Prefecture must be stopped. Take some men to Yanmen Prefecture City, find Duan Peng, and tell him that the Iron Blood Hall is willing to lend him three hundred elite soldiers. The condition is that the Wolf Fang Alliance will henceforth be under the command of the Iron Blood Hall."

Tie Jianfeng frowned: "Will Duan Peng agree?"

"He was crippled by lightning; there's no room for negotiation." Iron Knife King sneered, his laughter rough like the grinding of gravel. "He has no choice but to agree."

Tie Jianfeng nodded: "I will set off immediately."

He turned to leave, but then stopped and turned back, saying, "However, Master—the Azure Dragon Society has more than just the April Hall."

Iron Knife King sat down again, the ironwood table creaking beneath him.

"The Third Moon Hall swallowed up the Blood Hand Gang in Xunyang Prefecture. The methods of the Carefree Marquis are said to be extremely unpredictable; even the Blood Hand Celestial Venerable of the Blood Nether Sect fell at his hands. The Second Moon Hall is based in Guangling Prefecture; Chai Yuguan killed a Grandmaster with a single palm strike, making him unfathomable. Shangguan Jin Hong of the First Moon Hall seems the quietest, but in reality, Pingyang Prefecture has been infiltrated by him to the point of being as impenetrable as an iron barrel." Tie Jianfeng finished speaking in one breath, his voice growing deeper and deeper. "These four halls support each other. If we attack the Fourth Moon Hall alone, the other three halls will definitely not stand idly by."

Iron Knife King slammed his fingers down on the ironwood table.

With a "thud," a finger mark immediately appeared on the hard tabletop, and cracks spread outwards like a spider web.

"Then let's unite." His voice sounded like it was being squeezed out from between his teeth. "Send people to the Green Wood Sword Sect and the Blood Dark Sect, and tell them—the Iron Blood Hall is willing to join forces to contain the Azure Dragon Society. The conflict between the five major forces is an internal matter for the West. The Azure Dragon Society is an outsider, a stray dog. Before we kill the stray dog, the internal conflict can be temporarily put aside."

Tie Jianfeng hesitated for a moment: "The Blood Demon Sect and the Green Wood Sword Sect are currently locked in a standoff at Black Wind Ridge, so they probably won't agree easily."

"Black Wind Ridge?"

Iron Knife King sneered, his laughter filled with mockery. He stretched out his large, fan-like hand and pushed the battle report aside, revealing the map beneath. His finger traced a circle across Black Wind Ridge, marking the locations of the eastern prefectures.

"Once the Azure Dragon Society has spread throughout the east, they will find that Black Wind Ridge is just a tiny place."

Yunxi Prefecture, Qinglong Temple.

The ancient temple is built against the mountain, stretching for more than 30 miles. The halls and buildings are layered, with flying eaves like wings, green tiles and yellow walls, and are hidden among ancient pines.

In front of the Mahavira Hall, there are 999 steps made of bluestone. Each step is engraved with scriptures handwritten by eminent monks throughout history, and despite a thousand years of wind and rain, the characters remain as clear as ever. It is as if with each step one can feel the profound weight of Buddhism and hear the echoes of chanting from thousands of years ago.

The main hall is nine zhang high, supported by thirty-six pillars made from single pieces of Phoebe zhennan wood. The pillars are adorned with lifelike dragon reliefs, their heads lowered and eyes looking down upon all living beings. The roof is covered with glazed golden tiles, which, under the sunlight, illuminate for dozens of miles.

People describe it as: "Half the sky above Yunxi is dyed by the Azure Dragon."

The temple houses 3,800 martial monks, all at least at the Acquired Realm. There are 18 elders at the Divine Meridian Realm and 4 Grandmaster Realm chief monks—each in charge of the Prajna Hall, Arhat Hall, Discipline Hall, and Medicine King Hall, respectively. In the Sutra Repository, there are also two Supreme Elders who have been in seclusion for decades and are rumored to have reached the Grandmaster Realm.

Legend has it that an ancient being slumbers in the shadows, its secrets unfathomable.

The entire Qinglong Temple is like a sleeping dragon, usually unassuming, but once it opens its eyes, it is enough to shake the entire western thirteen prefectures.

Deep within the temple, in a simple meditation room.

There were no glittering decorations, no sandalwood incense burners, only a bed, a table, and a futon.

Zen Master Qinglong sat cross-legged on a futon. His dark eyebrows were lowered, his eyes were slightly closed, and a faint golden light emanated from him, almost imperceptible, like the first rays of dawn on a lake. The scent of sandalwood permeated the entire meditation room, not strong, but omnipresent.

This Zen master, the most profound Buddhist master in the west, is over a hundred years old, and his spiritual cultivation is unfathomable. There are even rumors in the temple that he broke through to the Grandmaster level thirty years ago, but has never shown it to anyone.

Light, steady footsteps sounded outside the door.

Abbot Fangzheng stood outside the meditation room, hands clasped together, bowing deeply. His movements were slow and solemn, as if every subtle gesture was an act of worship.

"Abbot," Master Fangzheng's voice was neither too loud nor too soft, just enough to enter the meditation room without disturbing others, "The intelligence on the Azure Dragon Society has been fully compiled. All four hall masters are Grandmasters, and their origins are unknown. The Carefree Marquis of the Third Hall defeated the Blood Hand Celestial Venerable in Xunyang Prefecture, and Lei Sun of the Fourth Hall captured four strongholds in Yanmen Prefecture. This force is expanding extremely rapidly, and I fear that it may one day threaten my Yunxi Prefecture."

The meditation room was quiet for a moment.

Only the wind sweeps past the eaves, bringing with it the distant murmur of the pine trees.

Zen Master Qinglong slowly opened his eyes.

A pair of clear, watery eyes were revealed—they didn't look like the eyes of a centenarian, but more like the first gaze of a newborn baby, clean, bright, and unfathomable.

He spoke, his voice aged yet peaceful, like the lingering echo of an ancient bell, distant and resonant:

"The origins of the four grandmasters are unknown."

He paused, his gaze passing over the windowpane to the valley behind the temple, sealed off by layers of restrictions. The restrictions, layer upon layer, shimmered with spiritual light, like countless chains binding a slumbering ancient beast.

"The temple's scripture pavilion records that during the great war of immortals millions of years ago, the continent was shattered, and many forces secretly inherited their legacies. Perhaps, a reclusive force wants to emerge during the Golden Age."

Master Fangzheng nodded slightly without saying a word.

Zen Master Qinglong withdrew his gaze and looked at Fangzheng outside the door. A faint smile appeared on his lips. There was no mockery in that smile, only the calm that comes with the vicissitudes of life.

"Yunxi Prefecture does not engage in conflict with outsiders. If the Azure Dragon Society comes to Yunxi Prefecture, three thousand eight hundred martial monks and eighteen elders will greet them, and this humble monk will also step in to resolve the situation. Until then, we will continue to observe."

Master Fangzheng clasped his hands together and bowed deeply: "I will respectfully obey the abbot's decree."

Zen Master Qinglong closed his eyes again, and the golden Buddha light gradually faded, like the bright moon sinking into a deep pool.

Just as Master Fangzheng was about to take his leave, Zen Master Qinglong's voice rang out again, this time with an added, unfathomable depth:

"Furthermore—the ancient ruins have been showing unusual activity lately. With the Golden Age approaching, the things within the ruins probably won't remain dormant for long."

He didn't say anything more.

Master Fang Zheng understood.

He bowed again and retreated silently.

The meditation room returned to silence. Zen Master Qinglong sat alone on the futon, his gray eyebrows drooping, his aged face expressionless.

Only his fingers, resting on his knees, twitched slightly.

It was like striking a wooden fish that no one could hear.