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

After leaving his father's study, he went to his elder brother's courtyard.

Dongfang Lingyun was practicing his swordplay in the courtyard.

His sword was a long, narrow horizontal blade. The blade was dark and unadorned, without any patterns or decorations. Simple and unadorned. But Dongfang Wei knew that the sword was a gift from their father for his eldest brother's fifteenth birthday. It was named "Chenyuan," meaning "a hidden dragon in the abyss." A genuine divine weapon.

Blades flashed in the courtyard. Each strike carried a sharp, piercing sound. Dongfang Lingyun's cultivation had reached the peak of the Innate Divine Meridian Realm, just one step away from becoming a Grandmaster. His swordsmanship followed a fierce and domineering path; with each slash, the air itself seemed to tear apart, emitting a piercing shriek.

Seeing Dongfang Weiwo enter, he sheathed his sword and casually wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"What's up?"

"Big brother, I'm leaving."

Dongfang Lingyun raised an eyebrow slightly: "Go? Where to?"

"Go out for training. Join the Zhenfu Division. Go to Guangling Prefecture, Qinghe City."

Guangling Prefecture is located in the western part of the heartland of the Xuantian Dynasty, and it governs seven counties.

Qinghe City is a small to medium-sized city under the jurisdiction of Pingyang County, with a population of just over 200,000, which is insignificant on the vast territory.

He spent three days studying the official gazette and geographical records, and finally chose this place—Qinghe City is located on the edge of the Cangmang Mountains, and a hundred miles outside the city are deep forests where monsters roam. The geographical location is remote. The Zhenfu Division has a small branch there, not very large in scale.

Dongfang Lingyun read the name aloud, seemed to look for its location on the map, and nodded.

"The location is well chosen. It's remote, small, and quiet. The garrison headquarters in that kind of place would at most have a single general, and the person in charge would be at most a probationary centurion. It suits your quiet nature."

There was no attempt to persuade them to stay.

In the Dongfang family, it was perfectly normal for direct descendants to go out and gain experience. When he was fifteen years old, he had already gone deep into the grasslands three times with the scout team of the Northern Border Camp.

"When are you leaving?"

"tomorrow."

Dongfang Lingyun took something out of his pocket and casually tossed it over.

He reached out and caught it. Looking down, he saw a bronze token. The front was engraved with the character "镇" (zhen, meaning "to suppress"), and the back bore the emblem of an Eastern family.

"A centurion from the Guangling Prefecture Thousand-Household Office of the Zhenfu Division, who served under me for a while when I was in the Imperial City General Headquarters," Dongfang Lingyun said casually. "He owes me a favor. Take this token to him, and he'll arrange for you to get into the Qinghe City branch. He's not a big shot, but he'll be enough to get you a door open."

He gripped the token tightly: "Thank you, brother."

"Stop talking nonsense."

Dongfang Lingyun waved his hand and drew the Abyss Blade again.

"Just come back alive. If you die out there, your mother will cry."

The glint of swords flashed again in the courtyard.

Dongfang Weiwo watched his elder brother practice his swordplay for a while, then turned and left.

Finally, he went to his mother's yard.

Princess Qin Lanyin's residence was located on the east side of the mansion. It was a separate three-courtyard complex named "Lan Garden." The garden was filled with exotic flowers and rare herbs that she had brought from the palace, which never faded throughout the four seasons.

It is late autumn. Several osmanthus trees in the courtyard are in full bloom. The sweet fragrance of the flowers fills the air, bringing a sense of tranquility.

Qin Lanyin was sitting in the flower hall embroidering a brocade handkerchief.

Hearing footsteps, she looked up and saw her son; a smile immediately spread across her face.

"Weiwo, come here, Mother just had someone stew lotus seed soup."

He sat down opposite his mother. He looked at the lotus seed soup that the maid brought over, but didn't touch the spoon.

Qin Lanyin's eyesight was exceptionally sharp; she immediately sensed that her son had something to say. She put down the embroidered handkerchief, her expression becoming more serious.

"What's wrong?"

"Mother, I need to go out and gain experience for a while."

The flower hall fell silent.

Qin Lanyin remained silent for a long time. So long that the lotus seed soup on the table went cold.

The princess, who came from a royal family, simply looked at her son quietly, her gaze as gentle as a pool of spring water.

Then she stood up, walked to Dongfang Weiwo, and gently stroked the top of his head.

The fifteen-year-old boy was already taller than her. She had to tilt her head slightly to see his face.

But she still stroked his hair again and again, just like she did when he was a child.

"When you were three years old, you still couldn't speak. The imperial physician said you might be born mute. Your mother didn't believe it. I talked to you every day until my voice became hoarse."

The sound was very soft.

"When you were five years old, you finally spoke. The first word you uttered was 'Mother.' At that moment, I felt that my life had been worthwhile."

Dongfang Weiwo felt a tightness in his throat.

"As you grew up, you became quiet and reluctant to go out. People said that the second young master of the Dongfang family was mediocre. But your mother knew better than anyone else that you understood this."

Qin Lanyin withdrew her hand, took out a jade bracelet from her sleeve, and slipped it onto Dongfang Weiwo's wrist. The jade bracelet was entirely emerald green, warm and smooth as water, and had a slightly cool touch.

"This was given to me by your grandmother when I got married. It's not some powerful magic weapon, but it can nourish your meridians and help you stabilize your foundation."

She held her son's hand, her gaze earnest and resolute.

"Go. You are the son of Dongfang Wudi and Qin Lanyin. Whatever you do, your mother will believe you."

Dongfang Weiwo looked at the jade bracelet on his wrist, then at his mother's slightly reddened eyes. He bowed deeply.

"Mother, take care."

He dared not linger.

He feared that if he stayed any longer, he would be reluctant to leave.

It was already dusk when we left Lan Garden.

The setting sun bathed the entire manor in a golden-red hue. Autumn winds swirled fallen leaves through the corridors. He walked back to his courtyard along the path he had come from.

They encountered several servants and maids on the way.

They bowed their heads as usual, without giving him a second glance.

No one knew that this unassuming second young master would be leaving the mansion where he had lived for fifteen years tomorrow.

Back in the courtyard. Close the door.

Sit down at the desk.

He laid out the jade pendant given to him by his father, the jade bracelet given to him by his mother, and the token given to him by his elder brother, one by one.

Three things, three temperatures.

The jade pendant was cool and heavy.

The jade bracelet is warm and smooth like water.

The token was rough and cold.

He looked at the three items and remained silent for a long time.

In his past life, he was an orphan. He had no parents, no brothers or sisters. He ate alone, slept alone, and spent the New Year alone.

He has been in this world for fifteen years, but he has never fully adapted to having a family.

But now, sitting in this small courtyard where he had lived for fifteen years, looking at these three things in front of him, he finally realized with absolute clarity—

In this life, he has a family.

He has a father. He has a mother. He has older brothers and sisters. And a little sister who always clings to him. These people may not express their concern verbally, but their every action tells him—

You are a member of the Dongfang family. Behind you stands the entire Weeping Blood Marquis's mansion.

He took a deep breath.

He carefully put away the three items. He tied the jade pendant to his waist. He tucked the token into his bosom. He put the jade bracelet on his wrist and covered it with his sleeve.

Spread out a sheet of white paper and pick up a pen.

Write a travel plan.

The administrative divisions of the Xuantian Dynasty were divided into three levels: prefectures, counties, and cities. A prefecture governed several counties, and a county governed several cities. Below the cities were countless villages and fortresses scattered across the plains and forests.

The city he was going to, Qinghe, belonged to Pingyang County of Guangling Prefecture. It was a small to medium-sized city with a registered population of just over 200,000.

Although small, the city is nestled against a vast mountain range, boasting abundant resources of demonic beasts and spiritual herbs. Martial artists frequent the area, creating a diverse and vibrant community. It is well-informed yet remains unobtrusive.

The journey from Xuantian Imperial City to Qinghe City is about 1,500 li.

Plan: First, travel along the official road for four days to Guangling Prefecture. There, take your elder brother's token to the centurion and obtain the recommendation letter to enter Qinghe Town's pacification office. Then continue westward and arrive at Qinghe City three days later.

After entering the Zhenfu Division, we'll see what happens, one step at a time.

But one thing he was certain of was that once he left the imperial city and his father's senses, he would use the Black Iron Summoning Card immediately.

five years.

That card lay quietly in his inventory for five years.

It's time to let it see the light of day again.

Night was falling.

He blew out the candle and lay down on the bed fully clothed.

I'll leave first thing tomorrow morning, before dawn.

He closed his eyes. He mentally reviewed the travel route and preparations one last time. He carried a bottle each of wound medicine and antidote. He also carried a hundred-forged broadsword retrieved from the manor's armory.

In addition to the three items given by my father, mother, and eldest brother, and the Black Iron Summoning Card in my system inventory.

enough.

The autumn wind rustled through the old locust tree in the courtyard.

In the distance, the faint sound of the night watchman's clapper could be heard.

Once. Twice. Three times.

It's past midnight.

He opened his eyes and sat up in bed.

One last look at the house where I had lived for fifteen years.

Shouldering their bags.

Push open the door.

Step into the deep autumn night.

At the entrance of the courtyard, a small figure was squatting there.

My head started to doze off little by little.

Oriental juvenile fish.

His youngest sister. She just turned eight this year.

The little girl heard from somewhere that her second brother was leaving, and instead of sleeping in the middle of the night, she squatted at the gate of the courtyard waiting.

He squatted down, looked at his sister's chubby face, and reached out to pinch it.

Dongfang Youyu groggily opened her eyes, and upon seeing her second brother, she immediately snapped awake. She grabbed his arm tightly.

"Second brother, where are you going? I want to go too!"

He smiled.

He took out a piece of candy from his pocket—which he had bought on the street that afternoon—and put it in his sister's hand.

"Sweetie, when your second brother comes back, I'll buy you a basketful."

The young fish from the east pouted, its eyes brimming with tears.

But she still let go.

"Then come back soon."

"it is good."

He stood up.

He turned and walked out of the courtyard gate.

There was no turning back.

The footsteps behind him gradually faded away, disappearing into the depths of the Hou Mansion's winding corridors.

The night was as dark as ink. The autumn wind was chilly.

He walked out of the gates of the Marquis of Weeping Blood's mansion.

The guards at the gate were taken aback when they saw him. Before they could even ask a question, the young man had already stepped onto the Vermilion Bird Avenue.

The thick, impenetrable darkness swallowed him up.

The journey ahead is long and arduous.

From here, the dragon returns to the abyss.