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

Sixty li north of Pingyang County. Southern foothills of the Cangmang Mountains.

A mountain path winds through the forest.

This is the only route the Azure Dragon Society takes to transport goods. Every three days, Chen Jialuo sends people to deliver the things from the mountains—monster materials, medicinal herbs, and ores—to the county town and give them to Meng Xinghun.

We've been traveling this road for over half a month. Nothing's happened.

Tonight is different.

The moon was obscured by clouds. The forest was so dark you couldn't see your hand in front of your face.

The guards were four newly recruited young men. The leader was Zhao Hu, in his early twenties, at the early stage of the Blood Transformation Realm. He was strong and had a simple, honest face, but his skills were impressive, and his swordsmanship was among the best of the younger generation.

Four handcarts. Eight slow horses. Burlap sacks piled high.

Zhao Hu walked at the front, holding a windproof lamp in his hand. The light was yellowish like old paper and could only illuminate a few steps away.

"Brother Tiger, this is way too dark."

The one speaking was the one at the back; he had a loud voice that carried through the woods.

"Shut up. Keep moving." Zhao Hu didn't turn around. After a pause, he lowered his voice again, "This place isn't safe."

As soon as he finished speaking, the lights came on ahead.

It is not a lamp.

There were more than a dozen torches. They lit up all at once, illuminating half of the mountain path.

Inside the light was a group of people. The leader was a burly man in his early forties, with a face full of scars and a scar on his left cheek that stretched from the corner of his eye to the corner of his mouth. His entire face contorted when he smiled.

He rode a black horse. A nine-ringed broadsword hung on its back. The rings jingled in the firelight.

Huo Tianlang. Leader of Black Wind Stronghold.

Zhao Hu's pupils contracted sharply, and his hand immediately pressed against the hilt of his knife.

He had heard of that name. Every镖师 (bodyguard/escort) in the county town had heard of it.

Black Wind Stronghold, the largest bandit stronghold outside Pingyang City, is led by Huo Tianlang, a peak-level Acquired Divine Power Realm expert, and commands over three hundred fierce bandits. However, Black Wind Stronghold has always operated in the northwest, far from here, and they have a rule for robbing travelers—they take the money, not the lives. As long as the goods are handed over honestly, they won't kill anyone.

The thought had just crossed Zhao Hu's mind, but he hadn't had a chance to speak yet.

Huo Tianlang laughed first.

That smile on his scarred face was more chilling than if he weren't smiling at all.

"Keep the goods."

He paused for a moment. His eyes, in the firelight, resembled those of a wolf.

"The people stayed behind too."

Zhao Hu's scalp tingled.

"Master Huo," he gripped the hilt of his knife, veins bulging on the back of his hand, "this shipment belongs to the Green Dragon Society. We know the rules of Black Wind Stronghold—the goods are ours. But let us go."

Huo Tianlang tilted his head, as if he had heard something interesting.

"rule?"

He dismounted, his nine-ringed broadsword clashing in his hand, the rings echoing through the woods.

"New rules. Goods from the Green Dragon Society will be taken. People from the Green Dragon Society will be taken."

The words had barely left his mouth when more than a dozen figures pounced on him from behind. Not one of them hesitated.

Zhao Hu drew his sword.

The sword was drawn, its gleaming blade flashing in the firelight. Zhao Hu advanced instead of retreating, cleaving the first bandit charging at him in two. Blood splattered across half his face.

"Run!" he yelled behind him.

The three young men behind them were terrified, but they were not cowards. When they came to their senses, some drew their knives, while others grabbed their carrying poles.

It's no use. There are too many people.

Zhao Hu watched helplessly as one of his brothers was pierced through the stomach by two spears, his screams abruptly cut short.

Another bandit, having just slashed down the one who lunged at him, was kicked in the chest by Huo Tianlang before he could even turn around. The sound of breaking ribs was like crushing dry branches, and the man flew backward, crashing into a tree by the roadside before sliding softly to the ground.

The last one ran only a few steps before an arrow pierced the back of his neck. The arrowhead emerged from his throat. He collapsed forward, twitched twice, and remained motionless.

Zhao Hu's eyes were bloodshot.

He roared and charged at Huo Tianlang with his knife in hand.

Huo Tianlang narrowed his eyes. Without drawing his sword, he flicked his wrist, slapping the back of the blade horizontally against Zhao Hu's sword, causing Zhao Hu's hand to split open and the sword to fly out of his hand. Immediately afterward, he kicked Zhao Hu in the chest, sending him flying more than ten feet away.

Zhao Hu crashed to the ground, blood gushing from his mouth, struggling to get up. His vision blurred.

Huo Tianlang walked over, carrying a knife, and looked down at him.

"He does have some guts." The tone was indifferent, making it impossible to tell whether it was praise or criticism. "Just keep one. Cut off his head, put it in a box, and send it to the Azure Dragon Society another day."

A bandit stepped forward, raising his knife to chop him up.

Zhao Hu's eyes widened, a surge of blood welled up in his chest, and with his last bit of strength, he suddenly rolled over and rolled to the side of the road.

It was a steep slope. So dark you couldn't see the bottom.

He rolled down.

Huo Tianlang frowned, took a few steps to the edge of the slope, and looked down. It was pitch black; he couldn't see anything.

"Search. We need to find them alive or dead."

The bandits scattered and searched down the slope. The slope was too steep, and the bushes were too dense; they couldn't see anything at night. After searching for half an hour, they found nothing.

Huo Tianlang's expression was not good.

"He got off too easy. If he falls down that slope, he'll be crippled even if he doesn't die—forget it, let's get out of here."

Four carts, carrying goods worth several thousand taels of gold, all went to Black Wind Stronghold.

They dragged away the three corpses along with them. Only a scene of carnage and blood remained in the forest.

It was 3:45 AM. In Pingyang County, at the Meng residence in Liuxiang.

The distant sound of the night watchman's clapper echoed. One beat after another. Muffled. Slow.

The back door was kicked open.

Zhao Hu stumbled through the doorway, his body a bloody mess. His clothes were torn to shreds, his face and arms were covered in cuts and bruises, blood was still seeping from the corner of his mouth, and a section of his chest was caved in. Every step he took left a trail of blood on the ground. He had crawled up from a ravine, spending most of the night climbing, and had barely managed to make his way back to the county town.

He stumbled toward the study. When he reached the study door, his legs gave way, and he knelt down with a thud.

"Master...the cargo...the cargo has been hijacked..."

The door opened from the inside.

Meng Xinghun stood at the door, dressed in white, holding a scroll in his hand. Candlelight shone from behind him.

His gaze fell on the dense wounds on Zhao Hu's body, and his eyes suddenly narrowed.

"Who robbed them?"

"Black Wind Stronghold, Huo Tianlang." Zhao Hu's teeth were practically grinding to powder; he had to gasp for breath after every sentence. "They...they didn't just want the goods, they...killed people. They're all dead. Only I...only I crawled back..."

After saying that, it was as if a taut string had snapped. He collapsed to the ground.

Meng Xinghun rushed forward and checked his pulse. He was still breathing. The injuries were too severe. He turned and shouted into the courtyard, "Someone! Carry him away and fetch the best doctor in the county to treat him!"

Two guards rushed in, carefully lifted Zhao Hu, and quickly headed towards the backyard.

Meng Xinghun straightened up and looked at the bloodstains on the ground. His face was expressionless.

"Han Tang".

"exist."

A figure emerged from the shadows. Silently. As if it had grown out of the darkness itself.

"Investigate who ordered it." Meng Xinghun's voice was calm, but the temperature in his tone was unusually low. "Huo Tianlang is just a bandit leader. He doesn't dare to touch the Green Dragon Society without a powerful backer. Asking for the goods is already the limit of his courage—murder? That's not a business he dares to do."

"Yes."

Han Tang disappeared into the night. Even faster than when he arrived.

After Han Tang walked away, Meng Xinghun whispered four words.

"Black Wind Stronghold".

It wasn't said through gritted teeth. It was very soft. But for some reason, the teacup on the desk in the room rippled.

The study light stayed on all night. Meng Xinghun sat behind his desk, not turning a single page. The sky outside the window gradually turned from deep black to blue.

Just as dawn was breaking, Han Tang returned.

He went straight into the study.

"Master, we've found out." The voice remained calm, but a cold glint shone in his eyes. "Huo Tianlang contacted someone half a month ago. A branch leader of the Blood Demon Sect. He gave Huo Tianlang a large sum of silver, plus a batch of cultivation resources. The condition was that he exclusively robbed goods belonging to the Azure Dragon Society, and that he kill—leave no survivors."

Meng Xinghun picked up his teacup and paused for a moment.

"Blood Cult".

"Yes." Han Tang nodded. "The Blood Nether Sect fought with several righteous sects in the Northwest for several months and suffered considerable losses. They quieted down for a while after winter. Now they've recovered."

The leader was named Yin Wuji, who had just broken through to the early stage of the Innate Divine Meridian Realm. He led a group back to Pingyang County, ostensibly to take over the Azure Dragon Society.

Early stage of the Divine Vein Realm.

Meng Xinghun placed the teacup back on the table. He tapped his fingers lightly on the surface twice.

He was originally at the peak of the Qi Sea Realm, two major realms below him. In a head-on fight, he was no match for him.

Where is Yin Wuji now?

"Still on the way. Estimated to arrive in three days." Han Tang paused. "He probably wants to weaken the outer defenses of the Azure Dragon Society first, and then wipe them out once he arrives. Instructing Huo Tianlang to rob and kill was the first step in testing the waters. To see how much the Azure Dragon Society would react, and how many trump cards they had up their sleeve."

Meng Xinghun remained silent.

"Have you figured out what's going on with Huo Tianlang's side?"

"All cleared." Han Tang took out a piece of paper from his pocket. The paper depicted the terrain of Black Wind Stronghold, marking outposts, granaries, water sources, and Huo Tianlang's residence. "Black Wind Ridge, eighty li northwest of the city. Built against the mountain, the stronghold walls are two zhang high, made of round logs. Huo Tianlang has about three hundred and twenty men under his command, with thirteen core leaders, all above the Acquired Golden Body Realm. Huo Tianlang himself is at the peak of the Acquired Divine Power Realm, just one step away from entering the Innate Realm."

"Three hundred and twenty." Meng Xinghun took the drawing, glanced at it, folded it neatly, put it in his sleeve, got up, walked to the window, and opened it. The morning breeze blew in, carrying the smell of blood—or perhaps it was just his imagination, the bloodstains on the ground had clearly been wiped clean.

"tonight."

Han Tang's expression remained unchanged; she simply nodded.

"Summon Lu Zhangke and Hebi Weng," Meng Xinghun said calmly, looking at the gradually brightening sky outside the window. "Have them wait at the foot of the mountain. It's enough for me to go with you."

"Yes."

Han Tang turned and walked out.

"Han Tang".

Han Tang stopped but didn't turn around.

"Have Lu Zhangke take a few more barrels of oil," Meng Xinghun said.

Han Tang's lips twitched, as if she wanted to laugh, or as if a blade had curved.

"clear."