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

Within a few days, many martial arts practitioners poured into Qinghe City.

Dressed in tight-fitting clothes, carrying swords and knives, their eyes were sharper than the last. Inns and taverns were packed, and groups of three or five huddled together in the streets and alleys, whispering amongst themselves. The storytellers in teahouses dared not speak of江湖 (jianghu, the martial arts world) matters anymore—fearing that their loose tongues might bring them death.

Huang Sanshui of the Fish-Dragon Gang remained secluded. Lei Meng of the Iron Fist Society also quieted down. The He, Liu, and Ma families locked their doors, instructing their members: "Don't go out and cause trouble."

The locals sensed something was wrong. They closed their shops as soon as it got dark, and the streets became as deserted as if under curfew.

Qinghe City is too small. So small that even a gust of wind can make the entire city feel like it's on high alert.

Most of the martial artists who poured in were at the Body Refinement Realm, with a small number at the Acquired Realm. Hidden in the shadows were several innate Realm cultivators, disguised and blending silently into the crowd.

Beyond the nameless valley in the vast mountains.

Tu Wanshan, an elder of the Blood Demon Sect, stood with his hands behind his back. Behind him were more than a dozen skilled fighters, dressed in black, with short swords at their waists, their auras calm and composed.

Ten zhang away, Elder Han Songzi of the Tianshan Sect sat cross-legged on a blue stone, his long sword across his knees, eyes closed in meditation. Behind him were seven or eight disciples of the Tianshan Sect, each with a long sword at their waist, their gazes cold and sharp.

The two groups of people faced each other across the mountain path.

No one spoke.

The air was as stuffy as before a storm.

Finally, Han Songzi opened his eyes.

"Lord Tu, enough with the nonsense. Let's combine our maps and jointly mine the Tianlan Stone vein. I'll get eight, you get two."

Tu Wanshan's face darkened.

He stared at Han Songzi for three breaths. The anger in his eyes almost materialized: "You're asking for an exorbitant price? Your Tianshan Sect may be powerful, but this is the Xuantian Dynasty, not your Tianshan Sect's territory."

Han Songzi's expression remained unchanged: "Fifty-five. The utmost sincerity."

"You're asking for it!"

Han Songzi suddenly stood up, his longsword drawn half an inch from its sheath. A chilling sword light flashed, and the air temperature seemed to drop several degrees.

"Shuashuashua——"

The disciples of the Tianshan Sect drew their swords in unison, pointing the tips directly at the Blood Dark Sect members.

Tu Wanshan sneered. His powerful aura erupted, sending shards of rock flying: "Do you think I'm afraid of you?!"

Behind him, a dozen or so Blood Demon Cult experts also drew their weapons in unison. Their weapons gleamed coldly, a palpable tension between them.

The two groups were only about ten feet apart. For someone at the Innate Realm, that would be over in the blink of an eye.

The string is about to snap.

Just then, a voice rang out from the side.

"My lord, Lord Hansong, how about both sides compromise? How about a 60/40 split?"

The speaker was a middle-aged scholar. He wore a long grey robe, held a folding fan, and smiled as he slowly walked out from behind the Blood Demon Cult members. He was thin and had an ordinary face, but his eyes were exceptionally bright.

Tu Wanshan glanced at him but didn't say anything.

Sixty-four. He got six, and the Tianshan faction got four.

Tu Wanshan could accept this ratio. In the world of martial arts, when negotiating a deal, the first step is to ask for an exorbitant price, then both sides test each other's bottom line. Han Songzi asked for 82%, and he asked for 19%—both were asking for outrageous prices. The real transaction price was somewhere in between.

Even a powerful dragon can't suppress a local snake. The Blood Demon Cult has been operating in the Northwest for many years, while the Heavenly Mountain Sect is an outsider. If things really come to a head, Han Songzi won't come out unscathed either.

Han Songzi also fell silent. Although June 4th fell short of expectations, it was still a starting point for discussion.

"Okay, Ben—"

Before he could finish speaking, a voice came from the shadows.

"Count me in!"

"Tap tap tap—"

A dozen or so martial artists in tight-fitting clothes emerged from the dense forest. Their steps were synchronized, and their aura was fierce. The leader was a man in a black robe, his hood covering most of his face, revealing only a section of his pale chin.

Tu Wanshan recognized the person and his pupils contracted slightly: "Sun Liangyu, what brings you here?"

Sun Liangyu removed her hood. She was in her forties, with a square face, thick eyebrows, and large eyes, exuding an air of righteousness. But deep within her eyes lurked an unsettling ruthlessness.

"The treasures of the world belong to the capable," Sun Liangyu said with a smile, her tone as relaxed as if chatting about the weather. "Why can't I come?"

Tu Wanshan's face darkened completely: "Sun Liangyu, do you really think I don't know your identity as a member of the White Lotus Sect? Don't court death. Not only you, but the Sun family behind you will also be in danger."

Sun Liangyu's smile remained unchanged, but his eyes turned colder: "Lord Tu, you flatter me. I am merely interested in the mine. I would never say I'm courting death. It is you, Lord Tu, who has traveled all the way from the Northwest—the Blood Demon Sect's reach is far too far."

Han Songzi watched coldly, a slight smile playing on his lips. When the snipe and the clam fight, the fisherman profits. He wanted to see just how far these two local bullies could fight.

The dozen or so people Sun Liangyu brought were all formidable. The leader, a man in black robes, was unfathomable—Han Songzi extended his divine sense to perceive him, and his brows furrowed slightly.

Early stage of the Innate Realm. He is on par with Tu Wanshan.

Three forces, three individuals at the Innate Realm.

Dark clouds covered the sky above the vast mountain range.

Blood Demon Sect. Heavenly Mountain Sect. White Lotus Sect. And secretly, the Heavenly Wolf Stronghold also hides.

Everyone was after the Tianlan Mine. This ore, buried underground, could transform ordinary swords into legendary weapons and double the combat power of a martial artist at the Acquired Realm. No one would back down.

But no one noticed that there was another group of people on the hillsides on both sides of the distant ravine.

Zheng Yuanlang lay prone in the grass. Dozens of skilled soldiers from the Zhenfu Division surrounded him, each armed with powerful bows and crossbows. The arrows were coated with a deadly poison that would kill upon contact with blood. These crossbows were not ordinary weapons—the Zhenfu Division's specially made "Qi-Piercing Crossbows," with runes inscribed on the arrows, capable of penetrating protective qi.

Beside Zheng Yuanlang stood a middle-aged man of medium build. He wore a black official robe, a token hanging from his waist, and had a stern face with sharp, hawk-like eyes. His aura was deep and unfathomable.

Early stage of the Innate Realm.

Shen Lian, a centurion of the Zhenfu Division's thousand-household garrison, was ordered to secretly arrive in Qinghe City.

"Commander," Zheng Yuanlang lowered his voice, "this small Qinghe City has attracted so many powerful forces. Can we really keep them here?"

Shen Lian did not answer. His gaze passed over the mountain pass and landed on the three opposing forces in the distance. His eyes were as calm as still water.

"The Blood Nether Sect is a major power in the Northwest; it's best to avoid provoking them." He finally spoke, his voice low and calm. "As for the White Lotus Sect and the Heavenly Mountain Sect, it would be best if they could stay, but it doesn't matter if they can't."

He paused, then turned his gaze in another direction—Qinghe City.

"But Sun Liangyu must stay."

Zheng Yuanlang felt a chill run down his spine.

"Sun Liangyu?"

"The leader of the Qinghe City branch of the White Lotus Sect," Shen Lian said calmly, "has been lurking in the county government for many years, secretly supplying the White Lotus Sect with money, provisions, and weapons. The imperial court has been watching him for a long time, but they lacked concrete evidence. Now that news of the Tianlan Mine has spread, he will definitely make a move. Once he does, that will be irrefutable proof."

Zheng Yuanlang remained silent for a moment, then slowly nodded.

He didn't ask Shen Lian why he knew these things. The intelligence network of the Zhenfu Division's Thousand-Household Office was far superior to that of the Qinghe City branch.

"And what about these people?" Zheng Yuanlang gestured with his chin towards the three forces in the distance. "Let them continue fighting?"

"Fight." Shen Lian's lips curled slightly. "The harder the better. Once both sides are severely injured, we'll clean up the mess."