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

The main hall of the Azure Dragon Society headquarters.

The candlelight was so bright that it cast extremely long shadows on everyone in the hall.

Li Chenzhou sat high in the main seat, his black robe making his face appear calm and serene.

No one in the hall dared to utter a sound.

"Dragon Head".

Zhuo Donglai stood below the throne, his hands tucked into his sleeves, and bowed slightly. His voice was neither loud nor soft, yet it reached everyone's ears clearly.

"The remnants of the Iron Blood Hall and the Blood Dark Cult have retreated to the western border. According to reports from scouts, the Iron Blood Hall has brought out a reclusive old master—a Grandmaster at the eighth level."

As soon as he finished speaking, several suppressed gasps echoed in the hall.

Eight Heavens.

Even in this golden age, a Grandmaster at the eighth level is still a figure standing at the very top of the pyramid.

"Grandmaster level eight? How about that?"

"Extremely old and nearing the end of his life."

"It is the ancestor of the Iron Blood Hall from hundreds of years ago, who has been sleeping to prolong his life through a secret method. This time he was forcibly awakened, and his blood and energy are exhausted. At most, he can only exert the combat power of the seventh level."

"The depleted eightfold is still just the eightfold." Li Chenzhou nodded slightly, shifting his gaze from Zhuo Donglai to the silent figure on the left side of the hall.

There, Guan Qi stood leaning against a pillar.

He wore faded black clothes, his face was cold and stern, as if carved by a knife, and his eyes were half-open, as if he had no interest in anything in the world. But everyone knew what terrifying power was hidden within this seemingly ordinary body.

"Fourth Dragon Head." Li Chenzhou called his name, his voice not loud, but carrying an undeniable authority, "You will go to this battle."

Guan Qi slowly opened his eyes.

There was no excitement or exhilaration in his eyes, only an almost indifferent calmness—as if Li Chenzhou had given him not a life-or-death battle against an eighth-level expert, but an ordinary task.

He nodded slightly, his voice hoarse as if metal were scraping against metal:

"Can."

Just one word: clean and concise.

As soon as he finished speaking, Guan Qi stood up.

At that moment, everyone felt it—a fierce, almost tangible fighting spirit emanated from him, like an ancient, slumbering beast opening its eyes. He unleashed his Grandmaster Seventh Heaven cultivation without reservation, causing the candles in the hall to tilt to one side.

The combat experience of the founder of the Misty Sky Alliance, coupled with Guan Qi's innate talent for battle—he had never encountered an opponent of the same level. Moreover, his opponent was a dying man whose life force was exhausted and whose lifespan was about to end.

"Besides this old antique, the Iron Blood Hall also has three Grandmasters, all at the second or third level of the Heavenly Realm."

Zhuo Donglai continued his report, his gaze sweeping over Guan Qi's back before turning to Li Chenzhou, "The Blood Demon Sect is left with only some remnants; there are no more Grandmasters."

Li Chenzhou nodded, his gaze shifting to the other side.

Fu Hongxue sat in the darkest corner of the main hall, his black robes blending seamlessly with the shadows. The jet-black sword at his waist never left his side, and he was as still as a stone. But everyone knew—this stone, once unsheathed, would unleash a thunderous force.

"I'm entrusting the Blood Nether Sect to you and Young Master Yu," Li Chenzhou said.

Fu Hongxue raised his head, revealing a pair of eyes as black as ink. He didn't speak, but simply nodded slightly, his fingers gently tracing the hilt of his sword—his unique way of responding, more powerful than any words.

"Shangguan Jin Hong of Yiyue Hall will lead the Dragon Scale Guards in cooperation," Li Chenzhou added, his voice suddenly turning cold, like a knife drawn from its sheath, "Leave no one alive."

"yes!"

Several people in the hall responded in unison.

Shangguan Jin Hong stood with his hands behind his back, his face calm and composed, only slightly clasping his hands in a fist salute. Gongzi Yu closed his folding fan, a relaxed smile playing on his lips, but all his nonchalance had vanished from his eyes.

Fu Hongxue stood up and silently walked out of the hall. Gongzi Yu followed closely behind. As they passed Guan Qi, the two exchanged a glance without speaking, as if they had already communicated everything.

With a major battle imminent, the Azure Dragon Society's war machine roared into action.

II. Iron Blood Hall, Night

night.

Dark clouds obscured the moon, and the mountain wind howled like the wailing of ghosts.

The Iron Blood Hall's headquarters was built atop a precipice, surrounded by cliffs on three sides, with only a narrow path leading to the gate. This easily defensible terrain had been the Iron Blood Hall's foundation for centuries. But tonight, this natural barrier could not stop the impending bloodshed.

Inside the main hall of the main altar, the candlelight was dim.

The hall master, Iron Knife King, sat in the main seat, his face ashen, his rough hands gripping the armrests tightly, his knuckles white. Ever since he was rescued by the mysterious man in black, he had been restless and uneasy.

The man in black possessed unfathomable strength, effortlessly forcing back the swordsmen of the Azure Dragon Society with a single strike. But Iron Blade King knew that such a figure wouldn't protect the Iron Blood Hall forever. He had to rely on himself.

So he spared no expense to bring out his ancestor who had been asleep for a hundred years.

"With the Ancestor in charge, no matter how many experts the Azure Dragon Society sends, they are not to be feared."

Iron Blade King spoke to his left and right protectors, deliberately raising his voice as if trying to convince himself. But the gloom in his eyes remained.

The left protector opened his mouth, as if to say something, but ultimately swallowed his words. The right protector lowered his head, staring at his toes, remaining silent.

The hall was deathly silent, with only the occasional soft popping of the candlelight.

suddenly--

"ah--!"

A scream came from outside the hall, short and shrill, as if someone had grabbed its throat.

Iron Knife King abruptly stood up, his expression changing drastically: "Enemy attack!"

He grabbed the nine-ringed broadsword from the table and rushed out of the main hall. His two bodyguards followed closely behind, their faces ashen.

The moonlight was dim and pale in the square outside the main hall.

More than ten corpses of Iron Blood Hall disciples lay scattered on the ground, blood flowing like a river. Each one was killed with a single, clean blow, the wounds swift and precise, leaving no time for even a scream.

In the center of the square, a middle-aged man dressed in black with a stern face stood with his hands behind his back.

He stood there silently, his aura as unfathomable as an abyss. The moonlight shone on him, but it seemed to be swallowed up by something, leaving no light on his face. He stood on a corpse—an elder of the Iron Blood Hall, a peak Grandmaster, who was usually very imposing, but now lay on the ground like a dead dog, his head already shattered.

"Who are you?"

Iron Knife King gripped the hilt of his sword tightly and asked through gritted teeth. His voice trembled, but he couldn't control it.

Guan Qi slowly raised his head, his indifferent eyes looking at Iron Knife King.

"Guan Qi." His voice was calm, yet it resonated like thunder in everyone's ears.

"The Azure Dragon Society, with its four leaders."