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

The backyard of the Thousand Household Office.

Lu Zhennan and Mo Wuhen stood back to back, facing Granny Zhou, the Black Old Monster, and Abbess Jingxu.

Lu Zhennan was covered in blood. He had been clawed in the left arm, and the wound was so deep that the bone was visible. Mo Wuhen was in no better shape; his black clothes had seven or eight tears, from which blood seeped out.

Their eyes remained sharp. Their aura was not weak.

Granny Zhou leaned on her cane, panting heavily. A sword wound ran down her thigh, blood dripping from her trouser leg. The Black Monster had been slashed in the shoulder, exposing the bone. Jingxu's whisk was broken in half, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

All five were exhausted. None of them were willing to back down.

"Lu Zhennan, you have no reinforcements left," Granny Zhou said hoarsely. "Hand over the precious medicine, and I'll spare your life."

Lu Zhennan smiled. His smile was tinged with bitterness.

"Grandma Zhou, do you think I'd believe that?"

"Then die!"

Grandma Zhou lunged forward again, her cane sweeping across the ground with the force of a raging torrent.

Mo Wuhen parried with his sword, but was knocked back three steps.

Black Monster and Jingxu pounced on Lu Zhennan at the same time.

Lu Zhennan gritted his teeth and met the attack head-on. He wielded his short sword wildly, fighting the two men to a standstill.

The sound of hurried footsteps could be heard in the distance.

Shen Lian led a group of men into the backyard. They were covered in blood, but full of energy.

"My lord! The Mad Blade Sect has retreated! The White Lotus Sect reinforcements have also been repelled!"

Grandma Zhou's expression changed.

"withdraw!"

He made a decisive move. He slammed his cane on the ground and leaped onto the roof.

Black Monster and Jingxu followed closely behind.

Mo Wuhen wanted to give chase, but Lu Zhennan stopped him.

"Don't pursue a desperate enemy."

He sheathed his short sword and turned to Shen Lian: "What are the casualties?"

"Twelve seriously wounded. More than thirty lightly wounded. Eleven killed in action," Shen Lian said in a low voice.

Lu Zhennan remained silent.

This was the most devastating loss he had suffered in the eight years he had been in Pingyang County.

No regrets.

"What about the White Lotus Sect?"

"Twenty-one corpses were left behind. No elders at the Divine Vein Realm survived. More than thirty ordinary disciples were killed or wounded. The Mad Blade Sect also lost seven or eight members."

Lu Zhennan nodded.

They failed to kill Granny Zhou. However, the White Lotus Sect suffered a severe blow this time and is unlikely to cause trouble again in the short term.

"My lord," Shen Lian lowered his voice, "about the real medicine..."

"It's all arranged," Lu Zhennan interrupted. "Don't worry."

Downstream of the canal. Twenty li from the south dock of the city.

Han Tang rowed a small boat downstream.

He didn't come directly from the battlefield south of the city. In fact, he didn't participate in that chaotic battle at all.

Three days ago, Zhao Banshan staked out a teahouse at the dock. He witnessed Lu Zhennan come to the dock alone late at night and hide something in the hull of an abandoned ship. Zhao Banshan used a concealed weapon technique to attach a specially made signal flare to the hull. The signal flare emitted a colorless and odorless scent. Han Tang followed the scent and found it.

The real Tianyuan Treasure Medicine has never left the dock from the very beginning.

Lu Zhennan never handed it over to anyone. The official road escort was a ruse. The underground ambush was a ruse. The waterway escort was also a ruse. The real medicine was hidden in the hull of that abandoned ship at the dock—a place no one would expect.

Only Lu Zhennan knew about that place.

But the Azure Dragon Society's intelligence network was stronger than Lu Zhennan had imagined.

Han Tang tucked the jade box into his robes, turned the boat around, and sailed upstream.

A secluded section of the river. Someone on the bank is waving.

Meng Xinghun.

Han Tang docked. He handed over the jade box.

Meng Xinghun took it and opened it. It contained a seven-hundred-year-old Heavenly Origin Treasure Medicine. Crimson red like blood. Seven golden lines. A fragrant aroma filled the air.

"We've got what the boss wanted."

He tucked it into his arms. Then he turned and disappeared into the night.

Han Tang pushed the boat into the river, letting it drift away with the current, disappearing into the darkness.

The following morning. The Zhenfu Division, Thousand-Household Office.

Lu Zhennan sat in his study. Several battle reports lay before him.

Battle of the East City: The Zhenfu Division suffered eleven dead, twelve seriously wounded, and over thirty lightly wounded. The White Lotus Sect suffered twenty-one dead, over ten seriously wounded, and fled. The Mad Blade Sect suffered seven dead and fled.

On the other side of the waterway. Liu Ruyan was attacked. The empty bait box was stolen. No one was injured.

There was no smile on Lu Zhennan's face.

The real medicine—is gone.

He sent men to check under the wrecked ship at the dock. The jade box was gone. The tarpaulin was still there. The seal was still there. But the precious medicine inside the jade box had vanished without a trace.

"My lord, could it be the White Lotus Sect...?"

"No," Lu Zhennan interrupted Shen Lian. "The White Lotus Sect has been fighting me the whole time, so they haven't had a chance to go to the docks. The Mad Saber Sect hasn't had a chance either. He Qingquan has been keeping an eye on the waterways and hasn't gotten close to the docks."

"Who could it be?"

Lu Zhennan remained silent for a long time.

He recalled the mysterious man in black who appeared in the basement—Xuan Qi. A member of the Heavenly Net. He recalled the finger that blocked the Six Doors reinforcements on the official road—also from the Heavenly Net. He recalled the insidious palm technique and the unpredictable movement.

It's not the White Lotus Sect's way. It's not the Mad Saber Sect. It's not the Iron Sword Sect.

A martial art he had never seen before.

But Skynet is an assassin organization that operates on paychecks. There must be someone else offering the price.

"The Azure Dragon Society," Lu Zhennan murmured the name.

Shen Lian was taken aback: "Does Your Excellency suspect the Azure Dragon Society?"

"In recent months, the only new force to emerge in Pingyang County is the Azure Dragon Society." Lu Zhennan stood up and walked to the window. "They have strength. They have an intelligence network. They have experts. The Black Wind Stronghold was wiped out overnight. Yin Wuji of the Blood Demon Sect returned defeated—this is not something an ordinary force could do. Although the Skynet is a top-ten assassin organization, they wouldn't come to steal precious medicine for no reason. Someone must have hired them. There aren't many forces that can afford to hire the Skynet."

"But... why would the Azure Dragon Society want to steal the precious medicine?"

"Because this precious medicine is valuable." Lu Zhennan turned around. "The Heavenly Origin Precious Medicine is seven hundred years old. If this medicine is refined into a Breakthrough Pill, it can allow a peak Divine Vein Realm expert to break through to the Grandmaster level. Not only that—if it is refined into the Heavenly Origin Barrier-Breaking Pill, even those below the Grandmaster level can forcibly break through to a higher realm. If the Azure Dragon Society obtains this medicine, it will be of great use."

They didn't continue.

Shen Lian's expression also turned serious.

"What does the master plan to do?"

"Investigate." Lu Zhennan's voice was cold. "Investigate from top to bottom, thoroughly. There's a mole within the Zhenfu Division. There's also one within the Six Doors. We must dig out the secrets of the Azure Dragon Society."

"Yes."

Lu Zhennan sat alone in his study. He picked up his now-cold tea, took a sip, and gave a bitter smile.

"The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind..."

He murmured.

"What a fine yellow oriole!"

Qinghe City. Zhenfu Branch Office.

Night deepened. Dongfang Weiwo sat by the window of his duty room, a letter in his hand. It was sent by Meng Xinghun, a specially crafted coded message from the Qinglong Society. On the surface, it appeared to be an ordinary family letter. But as he heated it over a fire, the true message emerged between the lines:

The Heavenly Origin Medicine has been obtained. It is 700 years old, blood-red, with seven golden lines. Its condition is excellent.

In the Battle of the East City, three elders of the White Lotus Sect at the Divine Meridian Realm fought fiercely against Lu Zhennan and Mo Wuhen. Lu Zhennan was wounded. Mo Wuhen was slightly wounded. All three members of the White Lotus Sect were wounded. The Zhenfu Division suffered eleven deaths, twelve serious injuries, and over thirty minor injuries. The White Lotus Sect suffered twenty-one deaths, over ten serious injuries, and fled.

Lei Potian of the Mad Blade Sect attempted to take advantage of the chaos but was repelled. Seven were killed in action.

The experts from the Skynet network reappeared, attempting to seize the precious medicine from the underground vault, but were repelled by Lu Zhennan and Mo Wuhen.

Liu Ruyan's waterway decoy was ambushed by Skynet. Several people were killed or injured. The empty box was stolen. Liu Ruyan's old injuries flared up, and she will be unable to move for a short period of time.

Lu Zhennan has begun investigating the mole within the organization. Both the Zhenfu Division and the Six Doors are at risk of having their undercover agents purged. The Qinglong Society remains unexposed, but requires high vigilance.

The Heavenly Origin Medicine has been safely transferred. It is being personally escorted by Meng Xinghun and will arrive in Qinghe City within three days.

Dongfang Weiwo burned the letter. He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.

Heavenly Origin Medicine. Seven hundred years old. Seven golden lines.

He silently repeated these words in his heart.

Lu Zhennan laid three layers of bait to protect this item. The White Lotus Sect mobilized its entire force to seize it. The Heavenly Net was also eyeing it covetously. Even the Mad Blade Sect couldn't resist taking advantage of the situation.

In the end, it fell into the hands of the Azure Dragon Society.

The Heavenly Origin Medicine, aged seven hundred years, if refined into a Breakthrough Pill, can allow a peak Divine Vein Realm cultivator to break through to the Grandmaster Realm.

But that's something that happens after the pill is refined. Refining pills takes time, a formula, and an alchemist. The Azure Dragon Society doesn't have anyone who can refine pills.

There is only one way to use it—take it directly.

Upon receiving the medicine, he immediately went into seclusion. He forcefully used the seven-hundred-year-old precious medicine to cleanse his meridians. If he could withstand it—

Reaching the Innate Realm is just around the corner.

even--

Even at the Profound Gang Realm, it's worth a shot.

By then, he will no longer be a boy who needs to hide in the shadows and use others to do his dirty work. He will be someone who truly deserves to stand at the poker table.

Dongfang Weiwo swept the ashes into the trash can. He got up and walked to the window. The night outside was as dark as ink. The moon was hidden behind the clouds. There was no starlight.

He pushed open the window. The night breeze rushed in, carrying the chill of late autumn.

almost.

As soon as the precious medicine arrived, he broke through his cultivation level.

By then—

It's time to change the pieces on the chessboard.