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

Liang'an Prefecture - Blood Dark Sect Headquarters

Xue Mingzi sat by the blood pool, his body surging with blood energy.

The aura of a Grandmaster circulated within him, and there were faint signs that he was about to break through to the third level of the Grandmaster realm.

He had been stuck at this level for twenty years. Although the spiritual energy tide of the Golden Age had not yet arrived, the spiritual energy between heaven and earth had begun to slowly increase, and his bottleneck had loosened.

"Master." A man in red walked out of the blood pool and knelt on one knee. "News from the Azure Dragon Society."

"explain."

"Li Chenzhou, the fourth leader of the Azure Dragon Society, is still recovering from his injuries. The four branches of the Azure Dragon Society are working to open up a land route across the four prefectures. The Iron Blood Hall has already sent an envoy to sue for peace. Should the Blood Dark Sect also..."

"Also seeking peace?"

Xue Mingzi sneered, "I am a Grandmaster of the Second Heaven, and my twelve subordinate Heavenly Venerables are all Grandmasters. The Xue Ming Sect has stood firm in the thirteen prefectures of the west for eight hundred years, and now you want to sue for peace with the Azure Dragon Society, which has only emerged three months ago?"

The man in red dared not speak.

Xue Mingzi was silent for a moment, then said, "However, Li Chenzhou was able to kill Qing Xuan in front of Qing Yuanzi, who was at the fifth level of the Grandmaster realm. This person is indeed terrifying. Xue Shou Tianzun returned with his severed arm, and Xiaoyao Hou is also a figure to be reckoned with."

He stood up, and the blood in the pool churned with his movement.

"Pass down the order: the Blood Demon Sect must withdraw all its spies from the Azure Dragon Society's territory and refrain from provoking them for the time being. But there's no need to seek peace; simply maintain distance."

"Yes."

After the man in red left, Xue Mingzi sat back down by the blood pool.

He closed his eyes, focusing his mind on his body. The bottleneck of the third level of the Grandmaster realm was right before him, just one step away. Once he broke through to the third level, coupled with the Blood Nether Sect's most treasured artifact, he would no longer need to fear Li Chenzhou.

"It'll be soon," he murmured. "In three more months, I'll be able to break through."

However, Xue Mingzi's ambitions did not stop there.

While Li Chenzhou's rapid rise certainly made him wary, the recent death of the Qingmu Sword Sect's leader and the sect's retreat presented a golden opportunity.

The Blood Demon Sect had long coveted the territory of the Green Wood Sword Sect—that fertile land spanning three prefectures, rich in spiritual veins and minerals, and home to several martial arts strongholds with centuries of history.

However, Xue Mingzi dared not rashly launch a major attack.

With the Azure Dragon Society at one side, it's like tigers and wolves lurking around; with the Antarctic Sword Sect above, it's like a sword hanging overhead.

The Iron Blood Hall, Chaotian Palace, and other forces each had their own agendas, and none of them were easy to get along with.

What's even more troublesome is the Green Wood Sword Sect itself—a three-thousand-year-old lineage with profound foundations. Even if the sect leader dies in battle and more than half of the elders are lost, the mountain gate formation is still intact, and it's unknown how many of the old monsters in seclusion in the forbidden area are still alive.

If they are pushed too hard, the Green Wood Sword Sect will launch a desperate counterattack. Even if the Blood Dark Sect wins, it will be severely weakened, and others will benefit from it.

Therefore, Xue Mingzi chose the safest approach: to secretly nibble away at the enemy.

No declaration of war, no seizure of cities, no siege of mountain gates. A spirit mine, a trade route, a small family, a surrendered retainer—like water seeping into sand, silently and without a trace.

The twelve Heavenly Venerables of the Blood Nether Sect split up, each leading elite disciples, infiltrating the peripheral sphere of influence of the Green Wood Sword Sect. Today they would seize an iron mine, tomorrow they would take over a镖局 (escort agency), and the day after they would turn an outer sect elder against them.

Each movement is small; if it becomes large enough to attract attention, the person immediately stops and continues in another direction.

Xue Mingzi issued only one strict order: "No markings of the Xue Ming Sect are allowed to be left, no direct conflict with the Qingmu Sword Sect is allowed, and the Qinglong Society is not allowed to have any leverage against us."

His aim was to slowly boil the frog, so that by the time the Green Wood Sword Sect realized what was happening, most of their flesh and blood would have already been devoured, yet they would be too afraid to fight back.

Meanwhile, in a city in Qishan Prefecture, two middle-aged men with unfathomable auras walked side by side, their swords gleaming, heading straight for the Qingmu Sword Sect.

The leader was a Grandmaster of the fourth level, a powerful elder of the Antarctic Sword Sect, with an indifferent and arrogant expression; the other person beside him was also an elder of the sect, a Grandmaster of the third level, with an air of superiority between his brows and eyes, completely unconcerned about the turmoil of the world.

The junior elder spoke calmly:

"Senior brother, the Green Wood Sword Sect has been dependent on our Antarctic Sword Sect for generations and has been supported and protected by us. Now, the sect leader has been killed by the Green Dragon Society, which has risen from obscurity. It is too shameful."

The senior elder sneered, his tone utterly contemptuous:

"Qingmu is a branch of our sect, and its ancestor came from the Antarctic Sword Sect. Without our support, they would not be able to gain a foothold in the thirteen prefectures of the west. The Azure Dragon Society is nothing but a rabble that relies on sneak attacks and ambushes to act ruthlessly. They are not worthy of being compared with us. Looking at the entire region, only the Azure Dragon Temple is barely qualified to be on par with our sect. The other forces are not worth fearing."

He abruptly changed the subject, his expression revealing a deeper meaning:

"Moreover, we came here not just to clean up the mess for the Green Wood Sword Sect. The ancient ruins that have appeared in the Endless Mountains contain countless opportunities and treasures, which we are determined to obtain as well."

"After dealing with the clowns of the Azure Dragon Society, we will seize the ruins of the Endless Mountains and let all the opportunities belong to my Antarctic Sword Sect. This will also let all the forces in the world know what the consequences are for provoking or coveting the territory of the Antarctic Sword Sect."

Imperial City - Crown Prince's Eastern Palace

It was late at night, but the lights were still on in Crown Prince Qin Linyuan's study.

This prince is thirty-two years old this year. He has a gentle and refined appearance, speaks calmly and speaks with impeccable manners. Half of the ministers in the court support him.

But only those close to him know that this Crown Prince is a man of deep thoughts and ruthless methods, far more terrifying than he appears on the surface.

"Your Highness," advisor Su Wenyuan entered the study, "news has arrived from the west."

Qin Linyuan put down the book in his hand: "Speak."

"Li Chenzhou, one of the four leaders of the Azure Dragon Society, killed Qingxuan Zhenren, the leader of the Azure Wood Sword Sect. Qing Yuanzi, the old monster of the Azure Wood Sword Sect, broke through his cultivation and reached the fifth level of Grandmaster. Li Chenzhou killed Qingxuan in front of him and then left. It is said that he was injured."

A glint of light flashed in Qin Linyuan's eyes: "Grandmaster Level 5... The Green Wood Sword Sect has such a trump card?"

"Yes, but Qing Yuanzi's lifespan is coming to an end, so he dares not act rashly."

How long will it take for Li Chenzhou to recover from his injuries?

"The intelligence says it will take about a month."

Qin Linyuan was silent for a moment: "For now, don't interfere in the affairs of the Azure Dragon Society. Let the forces in the west fight among themselves; the imperial court should just sit back and watch."

The advisor nodded: "What about the Third Prince..."

"Is the third brother trying to win over the Iron Blood Gang?"

Qin Linyuan laughed, "Let him try. The Iron Blood Hall has been fighting the barbarians for so many years, and Father knows how much barbarian blood is on their hands. If the Third Prince dares to try to win over the Iron Blood Hall, he's going against the barbarians. Do you think the barbarians will let him get away with it?"

The aide suddenly realized: "Your Highness is brilliant!"

"It's not that I'm clever, it's that the third brother is too stupid."

Qin Linyuan picked up the book again.

"Send people to keep an eye on the Azure Dragon Society, but not too close. This organization is very complex, and I don't want to get involved before I understand it."