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

Wuchen has been hiding on the roof of the cave for a long time.

He was ordered to secretly protect Dongfang Weiwo.

But Dongfang Weiwo strictly ordered: "Unless I am about to die, do not make a move."

So when Dongfang Weiwo first fought Chang Si, he didn't move.

Even when Dongfang Weiwo was knocked back and staggered, he didn't move.

But the moment Chang Si struck Dongfang Weiwo's heart with his third palm, Wuchen moved.

It wasn't because he judged Dongfang Weiwo couldn't withstand it—in fact, Dongfang Weiwo had already dodged to the side, and the palm strike would at most land on his shoulder. But it would cause serious injury. He had to intervene.

"The Soul-Chasing, Deadly Sword - Seventh Form!"

The longsword was drawn from its sheath, its cold light flashing like a bolt of lightning—aiming straight for Chang Si's back!

Chang Si's entire body hair stood on end!

The sword strike from behind was too fast, so fast that he didn't have time to turn around. He could only forcefully retract the palm strike aimed at Dongfang Weiwo and throw a punch in return.

"boom!"

Fist and sword clashed. Chang Si took three steps back. Wu Chen also somersaulted in the air and landed next to Dongfang Weiwo.

Chang Si recognized the newcomer—a middle-aged Taoist priest with a thin face, holding a long sword, and exuding a calm and composed aura.

"Mid-stage of the Acquired Divine Power Realm." Chang Si quickly assessed in his mind, "Plus a little brat... it's not worth fighting head-on."

He feinted with his palm, forcing Wuchen back, then leaped onto the kiln roof. He disappeared into the night in a few bounds.

Chang Si is gone.

Dongfang Weiwo pressed his numb right arm and gave Wuchen a deep look.

"Let's go see Liu San." He sheathed his sword and went into the cave.

Liu San was still alive. His forehead was scraped, but his breathing was steady. Chang Si probably thought a pageboy wasn't worth killing, so he only knocked him unconscious.

Dongfang Wei dragged Liu San out of the cave and handed him to Liu Tie, who had rushed over: "Take him back to the branch office and give him to Lord Shen."

"Sir, what about you?"

"I'm going to Zhou Wenyuan's house." Dongfang Weiwo's eyes gleamed. "The account book should still be there."

At the third quarter of the hour of midnight, at Zhou Wenyuan's residence.

The seal is intact. The courtyard wall is intact.

Dongfang Weiwo scaled the wall and landed silently.

He went straight to the backyard.

The Zhou family's courtyard was not large. The backyard contained only a pavilion, an old locust tree, and a dry well. The stone table and benches in the pavilion were ordinary—unremarkable in any way.

But Dongfang Weiwo squatted down and traced the bottom of the stone table inch by inch with his fingers.

When I touched the area near the table leg, my fingertips touched a crack—the crack wasn't from a crack in the stone, but from a man-made one.

He pried open the loose stone. Inside was a package of oil paper.

Unwrap the oil paper. A thin ledger appears before your eyes.

He turned to the first page and, by the moonlight, could see the handwriting clearly—

"In the third month of the 3172nd year of the Tianxuan Calendar, the details of the silver offered by the Qinghe branch of the White Lotus Sect..."

The rest was densely packed with notes, every single one of which I remembered clearly.

The most crucial part is the last few pages—

"In June of the 3173rd year of the Tianxuan Calendar, the Guangling Prefecture branch of the White Lotus Sect transferred 3,000 taels of silver. The person in charge was Liu Sanniang."

Liu San Niang?

The ledger says "Liu San Niang," but Zheng Yuanlang mentioned that day that the leader of the White Lotus Sect branch in Pingyang County was named Liu San Niang. The names differ by only one character; is it the same person, or someone else entirely?

Dongfang Weiwo closed the ledger and stuffed it into his bosom.

Just as I was about to leave, I suddenly heard footsteps outside the courtyard wall.

He immediately slipped into the shadows of the pavilion and held his breath.

A head peeked out from over the wall—dressed in black and masked, with sharp eyes scanning the courtyard.

Dongfang Weiwo saw those eyes clearly—they weren't Chang Si's, but someone else's.

The man seemed hesitant about coming in. Just then, the sound of a dog barking came from afar. The man turned back, climbed over the wall, and left.

Dongfang Weiwo let out a long breath, climbed over the wall, and disappeared into the night.

Pingyang County, Wanbao Trading Company headquarters.

Jin Buhuan sat in the tent. In front of him were twenty fist-sized Tianlan stones.

He picked up a piece and examined it closely by candlelight—a faint glow flowed within the stone, as if a small piece of starry sky had been sealed inside.

"Good stuff...good stuff!" he couldn't help but exclaim.

He was the manager of Wanbao Trading Company in Pingyang County. Having been in business for twenty years, he had seen countless rare and precious treasures. But this was the first time he had ever seen Tianlan Stone of such high purity.

The young man from the Azure Dragon Society named Meng Xinghun asked for 300 taels of gold per piece, taking a 20% commission. Gold could be resold for over 500 taels – a net profit of 100 taels per piece. Twenty pieces would amount to 2,000 taels.

"Manager, the Mad Blade Sect has given us a reply," the waiter whispered from outside the door.

"How so?"

"Vice Sect Leader Lei Zhendong personally received the goods and paid 1,500 taels on the spot. He also said he'd ask for 10 taels next time."

Jin Buhuan's eyes lit up: "What about the Iron Sword Sect?"

"Zhao Tieyi took three yuan without saying anything more. He paid the money."

"Zhenyuan Escort Agency?"

"Zhou Tieshan accepted four coins. He asked, 'The Green Dragon Society's methods are pretty unorthodox,' and that was it."

"Weiyuan Escort Agency?"

"Ma Rulong accepted eight yuan. He said if the quality remained consistent, he would charge ten yuan per month thereafter."

Jin Buhuan put down the Tianlan Stone in his hand and leaned back in his chair. A slow smile slowly crept onto his lips.

He has been in business for twenty years, and his greatest skill is leveraging existing trends.

The Qinglong Society lacks distribution channels. Wanbao Trading Company has them. The Qinglong Society's goods are of high quality, while Wanbao Trading Company has a strong brand. Cooperation between the two is a win-win situation.

More importantly—he had a vague feeling that the Azure Dragon Society was no ordinary martial arts force. That young man named Meng Xinghun was meticulous in his words and actions, his eyes like those of someone looking at a chessboard, calculating every move with perfect clarity.

Such a person is worth betting on.

"Go and invite Chief Meng here." Jin Buhuan stood up. "Tell him I have a big deal to discuss with him."

North of the city, the headquarters of the Mad Saber Sect.

Lei Potian sat on a tiger-skin chair, toying with a piece of Tianlan Stone in his hand.

He was in his early forties, burly, with a full beard. His eyes were long and narrow, like a wolf's.

"Good stuff." He placed the Heavenly Tide Stone on the table and looked at Vice Sect Master Lei Zhendong. "Have you investigated the Azure Dragon Society's background thoroughly?"

Lei Zhendong shook his head: "I can't find anything. I only know that there is a stronghold in the Cangmang Mountains, and the leader is a man at the peak of the Acquired Divine Power Realm named Chen Jialuo. The one stationed in Pingyang County is Meng Xinghun—at the peak of the Innate Qi Sea Realm, and his swordsmanship is extremely fast."

"Peak of the Innate Qi Sea Realm?" Lei Potian sneered. "With such cultivation, you dare to establish yourself in Pingyang County?"

"Brother, this man killed an elder of the Blood Nether Sect who was at the early stage of the Innate Profound Realm," Lei Zhendong said in a low voice, "with one sword."

Lei Potian's smile froze.

With his peak Innate Profound Realm cultivation, killing someone at the early Innate Profound Realm wouldn't be too difficult. Some geniuses could do it too, but to kill him with a single sword strike—that shows Meng Xinghun's combat strength far surpasses that of someone of the same level.

"Interesting." Lei Potian stood up and walked to the window. "Guangling Prefecture has been quite turbulent lately. The Iron Sword Sect and the White Lotus Sect are both expanding, and our territory is being squeezed out."

"If we can get the Azure Dragon Society to come over..." He turned around, a cold glint in his eyes, "Go tell Meng Xinghun that we want the order for ten Heavenly Tide Stones. Also, ask him if he's interested in cooperating with the Mad Blade Sect—to pull off a big heist."

Lei Zhendong was taken aback: "Big brother, what's so big about it?"

Lei Potian did not answer. He simply clenched the Tianlan Stone in his hand.

His target was the Iron Sword Sect's warehouse in the east of the city—it was said to contain a batch of priceless elixirs and weapons.

But the Mad Saber Sect alone cannot handle the situation.