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

The infiltration of "Skynet" was faster than Shangguan Jin Hong had anticipated.

In just a few days, the number of people in Yiyuetang increased dramatically from twenty-three to more than two hundred.

Surrendered soldiers from the Mad Saber Sect, prisoners from the Iron Sword Sect, and desperate rogue cultivators. A diverse and mixed group.

This is exactly the kind of environment that "Skynet" prefers.

Spider didn't personally intervene. At least not initially. He was a seasoned assassin, well aware of the unpredictable dangers of a battle between grandmasters. Before making a move, he needed to understand his opponent's capabilities.

Secret agents infiltrated the Green Dragon Society like ants.

Day 1.

The northern outpost. Zhang San, a newly recruited disciple, suddenly disappeared. Also missing was a patrol and defense map from within the outpost.

When Meng Xinghun received the report, he was practicing his sword in the training ground. He sheathed his sword, his face expressionless: "Investigate."

Han Tang accepted the order and left. An hour later, he found Zhang San in a dilapidated temple outside the city—his throat had been crushed. The method was clean and efficient. He had been silenced.

"It wasn't one of our own." Han Tang examined the wound, frowning. "A professional assassin. One shot, one kill."

Meng Xinghun was silent for a moment: "People from 'Skynet'."

Day two.

The western outpost. Li Si, a newly surrendered disciple of the Mad Blade Sect, suddenly betrays them. Under cover of night, he kills two patrolling colleagues, steals a batch of medicinal pills, and attempts to escape out of the city.

Lu Zhangke personally gave chase and intercepted them at the city gate.

After being brought back, Li Si confessed everything before any torture could be administered.

"Someone is looking for me. A man in gray. Thin. Grayish-white eyes. He said his name is Spider. He gave me a thousand taels of gold. He wanted me to steal elixirs and defense maps. He also said... I could join 'Skynet' later."

"Who else?" Meng Xinghun asked.

"I don't know... I don't know their names. I only know the man in gray, he..." Li Si trembled all over, "He said his name was Spider."

When Shangguan Jin Hong learned of this, he only said two words.

"Kill him."

Li Si was beheaded in public. His head was hung at the entrance of the stronghold.

But the infiltration didn't stop.

Day three.

Three more new disciples have gone missing. A batch of weapons and elixirs have also disappeared.

Han Tang's investigation revealed that the three were actually spies planted by "Skynet." They had infiltrated the Green Dragon Society among the surrendered soldiers. Their objective was to gather intelligence and assassinate key figures.

When Han Tang returned to report, his expression was not good.

"Master, this can't go on," Meng Xinghun said gravely from the inner hall. "There are too many people. Over two hundred; it's impossible to know everyone's background. 'Skynet' is a professional intelligence organization; their spies are extremely adept at disguise. We can't catch them all by just questioning them."

Shangguan Jin Hong sat in the main seat, toying with a copper coin in his hand. His face was ashen.

"Collective punishment," he suddenly said.

Meng Xinghun was taken aback: "What?"

"From today onwards, the Yiyue Hall will implement a system of collective punishment." Shangguan Jin Hong stood up, put his hands behind his back, and walked to the window. "Each team will consist of ten people, with one team leader. If anyone in the team betrays, colludes with the enemy, or secretly communicates with 'Skynet'—the entire team will be punished. They will all be executed."

Meng Xinghun's pupils contracted slightly: "Sect Master, this..."

"That's the first point," Shangguan Jin Hong interrupted. "The second is the pledge of loyalty. Every newly recruited person must personally kill a 'Skynet' spy within three days to officially become a member of the Azure Dragon Society. If they can't kill, or dare not kill—they will be expelled from the Azure Dragon Society."

"Thirdly," he turned, his gaze sharp as a knife. "I will personally oversee this. Once a 'Skynet' spy is discovered, kill them without mercy. Pack their heads into boxes and send them back to Guangling Prefecture. Let the Spiders have a good look at them."

Meng Xinghun took a deep breath and clasped his hands in a fist salute.

"Yes, ma'am."

With the implementation of the collective punishment system, everyone in Yiyue Hall felt insecure.

Those who initially harbored ulterior motives immediately changed their expressions upon hearing that the entire team would be implicated. No one wanted to be caught in the crossfire of betrayal. They began monitoring and reporting each other. Within a single day, more than ten people were exposed.

The blood oath is even more ruthless.

The new disciples were divided into twenty teams, each led by a veteran member, to search the entire city for "Skynet" spies. Meng Xinghun and Han Tang personally led their teams. Lu Zhangke and Hebi Weng sealed off the outer perimeter.

That night, Pingyang County was engulfed in bloodshed and carnage.

Desperate for their lives, the new disciples frantically searched for spies. Within an hour, they uncovered seventeen hidden agents, all of whom were publicly beheaded. The stench of blood permeated the entire county.

Some people want to bluff their way through.

A new disciple casually killed a beggar and lied that he was a spy from "Skynet".

Meng Xinghun saw through it at a glance. He took action himself and killed him with a single sword strike.

"This is what happens when you deceive." He surveyed the room, his voice as cold as iron. "If anyone else ever tries to cheat, this person will be their example."

Everyone fell silent, terrified.

There are still some who slipped through the net.

Early morning of the fourth day.

A newly recruited rogue cultivator at the Profound Realm turned out to be a high-level spy planted by "Skynet." He infiltrated Meng Xinghun's residence under cover of night to assassinate him.

Meng Xinghun was prepared. After exchanging more than ten blows, he was severely injured and captured alive.

"Who sent you?" The sword was pointed at his throat.

The spy sneered. Suddenly, he coughed up black blood. Poison was hidden in his teeth. He committed suicide.

Meng Xinghun's face was grim. He turned to Han Tang: "The internal purge isn't thorough enough. Continue the investigation. Don't let a single one escape."

Han Tang accepted the order. He led Lu Zhangke and Hebi Weng to investigate everyone in Yiyue Hall one by one. Their origins, backgrounds, and interpersonal relationships were all re-examined.

Nine more people were identified.

Three of them had already risen to the rank of captain and possessed a large amount of classified information. If it had been a few days later, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

Han Tang showed no mercy. All nine were executed in public. Their heads were chopped off, packed into boxes, and sent away.

Outside Guangling Prefecture. "Skynet" branch.

A spider stood in the dark main room. A wooden box sat in front of it.

turn on.

Seventeen heads.

They were all spies he sent to Pingyang County.

"Seventeen people..." The spider's gray-white eyes darted around. Its voice was like sandpaper. "All dead."

"Master, the Azure Dragon Society operates on a system of collective punishment and oaths of allegiance. Our spies have nowhere to hide." The man in black knelt on one knee, sweat beading on his forehead. "That Shangguan Jin Hong is personally overseeing things. Our men simply can't get in."

The spider remained silent for a long time.

He suddenly laughed. It was a sinister laugh.

"Interesting. This Shangguan Jin Hong—not only is his martial arts skill high, but he's also cunning. The system of collective punishment and the pledge of loyalty... he's trying to turn the Green Dragon Society into an unbreakable unit."

He stood up. He took a pair of short blades from the wall. The blades were jet black, gleaming with a cold, eerie blue light. They were poisoned.

"The covert approach won't work. Let's go openly." A short blade was drawn at his waist. His eyes flashed with murderous intent. "I'll go and meet him myself."

"Master, Shangguan Jin Hong is also at the early stage of Grandmaster. You..."

"Early-stage Grandmaster? There are different levels even among early-stage Grandmasters." Spider sneered. "I've been an assassin for thirty years. I've assassinated three early-stage Grandmasters. Shangguan Jin Hong is the fourth."

That night, thirty li outside Guangling Prefecture.

A desolate, rocky wasteland. No one in sight. Only the wind howls.

Shangguan Jin Hong stood with his hands behind his back. His long blue robe fluttered in the night wind.

He had already received intelligence about the "Skynet" spies' infiltration and anticipated that the Spider wouldn't give up easily. Rather than passively defending the city, he decided to take the initiative, lure out the Spider, and eliminate the threat in one fell swoop.

"Come out," someone suddenly said. The voice carried far on the wind. "Since you're here, why hide?"

In the darkness, an old man in a gray robe slowly emerged.

Spider. Branch Master of Guangling Prefecture. Early stage of Grandmaster Realm.

He was thin. His face was ordinary. Only his gray-white eyes gleamed eerily in the night. He looked like a dead man.

"Shangguan Jin Hong." The spider sized him up. "Quite bold. Daring to come alone."

"One person is enough to deal with you," Shangguan Jin Hong said calmly.

The spider sneered. It raised its hand and waved it.

In the darkness, hundreds of shadowy figures appeared simultaneously, surrounding Shangguan Jin Hong.

"Skynet" assassins. One hundred and thirteen members. Ranged from the peak of the Innate Realm to the late stage of the Divine Vein Realm. Each one was elite. Swords were drawn. A murderous aura emanated from them.

"I never fight a battle unprepared."

"One hundred and thirteen assassins, plus myself. Shangguan Jin Hong—even if you are a grandmaster, you will die here today."

Shangguan Jin Hong glanced around. A smirk appeared on his lips.

"That's all?"

The spider's face darkened: "Arrogant! Attack!"

As soon as he finished speaking, hundreds of assassins attacked simultaneously.

The glint of blades. The shadow of swords. Overwhelming. Hidden weapons. Poisoned needles. Throwing darts. From all directions. Covering the sky and blotting out the sun.

Shangguan Jin Hong flipped his right hand. A pair of golden rings appeared in his palm.

Mother and child dragon and phoenix rings.

It ranks second on the weapons list.

"bite--!"

With a tremor of his hands, the Dragon and Phoenix Rings emitted a clear, melodious sound. A visible sound wave spread out from him, causing the air within a hundred-foot radius to tremble violently.

The incoming projectiles, poisoned needles, and darts exploded in mid-air, turning into dust.

The dozen or so assassins at the forefront were struck by the sonic wave. Blood flowed from their seven orifices. They collapsed to the ground, convulsing, instantly losing their fighting ability.

"Scatter! Ranged attacks!" someone shouted.

The assassin quickly created distance. Arrows, hidden weapons, poison gas. A long-range attack.

Shangguan Jin Hong vanished in a flash.

The next instant, he appeared in the very center of the assassin group.

The dragon and phoenix rings danced in the air, like two golden lightning bolts. Each strike carried terrifying, master-level power. Those struck were either killed or crippled.

"ah--!"

Screams rose and fell.

Shangguan Jin Hong was too fast for the naked eye to follow. A cyan ghost darted among the assassins. With each strike, several people fell.

Thirty moves.

Within thirty moves, fifty-three assassins were dead. Their bodies lay scattered across the ground. Blood stained the rocky hillside crimson. The air was thick with the stench of blood.

The remaining people were terrified. They retreated hastily, their eyes filled with fear.

"These are the elites of 'Skynet'?" Shangguan Jin Hong stopped in his tracks and looked around. "Nothing special."

The spider's face turned ashen.

He hadn't expected Shangguan Jin Hong's combat strength to be so terrifying. Both were at the early stage of Grandmaster—but Shangguan Jin Hong's attack speed, the intensity of his energy, and his combat awareness far exceeded his expectations.

"Who...who exactly are you?" Spider asked in a deep voice.

Shangguan Jin Hong turned to look at him. The dragon and phoenix rings were slowly turning in her hand.

"As I have said before, the leader of the First Hall of the Azure Dragon Society is Shangguan Jin Hong."

That's not what I was asking!

The spider gritted its teeth. "Your martial arts style doesn't belong to any known school. Where do you come from?"

"That's none of your business," Shangguan Jin Hong said calmly. "Now, it's your turn."

A ruthless glint flashed in the spider's eyes. It drew its twin blades, its figure flashing, and launched the attack.

His martial arts style is that of an assassin: fast, ruthless, and vicious. His double-edged swords are coated with poison; a mere slit in the skin can be fatal within moments.

Shangguan Jin Hong was prepared.

The dragon and phoenix rings spun once. The golden rings struck each other, producing a piercing clang.

The spider's attack was momentarily halted by the sonic waves.

In that brief moment of hesitation, Shangguan Jin Hong lunged forward. His left hand looped around the spider's right arm. With a sudden twist, he...

Click.

Right arm fractured. Short blade dislodged.

Spider's expression changed drastically. He thrust his left-hand short blade towards Shangguan Jin Hong's throat. Shangguan Jin Hong dodged to the side. His right hand slammed into Spider's chest.

puff--

He spat out a mouthful of blood. He was sent flying backward, crashing into a boulder ten feet away. The boulder shattered.

He struggled to his feet. His gray eyes were filled with horror.

one move.

With just one move, he was severely injured.

"Impossible...impossible..." the spider murmured. "We're both early-stage Grandmasters, how could you possibly..."

"Even among early-stage Grandmasters, there are varying levels of skill." Shangguan Jin Hong walked up to him, looking down at him condescendingly. "You're nothing but a piece of trash who rose through the ranks using assassination and poison. Do you even deserve to be compared to me?"

The spider trembled violently. Suddenly, it pulled a smoke bomb from its pocket and smashed it to the ground.

boom.

Thick smoke billowed, obscuring visibility.

The smoke dissipated. The spider had vanished without a trace.

Shangguan Jin Hong didn't give chase. He only looked at the bloodstains on the ground and said calmly, "You can escape the first day of the month, but you can't escape the fifteenth."

Turn around. Look at the remaining Skynet assassins.

The assassins all knelt down, pleading, "My lord, spare our lives! Spare our lives!"

Shangguan Jin Hong glanced at it.

"Go back and tell Spider to leave Guangling Prefecture within three days. Otherwise—I will personally go to the 'Skynet' branch and take his life."

The assassins were overjoyed, as if granted a pardon. They scrambled away.

This battle shook Guangling Prefecture.

Spider, the branch leader of "Skynet," personally led over a hundred assassins to besiege Shangguan Jin Hong, the leader of the Azure Dragon Society's First Moon Hall. The result—Shangguan Jin Hong fought against a hundred men single-handedly, killing more than half and severely injuring Spider.

When the news reached Guangling Prefecture, all the major powers took notice.

"Master of the Dragon and Phoenix Rings"—that's the title given to Shangguan Jin Hong by outsiders. A pair of golden rings utterly routed the "Sky Net" army.

The name Qinglong Society was introduced to the core circle of Guangling Prefecture for the first time.

The headquarters of Wanbao Trading Company, the Guangling Prefecture government office of the Zhenfu Division, the Six Doors (a government agency), and various sects and powerful families all began investigating this suddenly rising force.

"What exactly is the background of the Green Dragon Society?"

Who is Shangguan Jin Hong?

Why doesn't his martial arts style belong to any known school?

No one could answer these questions.

The mystery surrounding the Green Dragon Society has increased dramatically.

Qinghe City. Zhenfu Branch Office.

Dongfang Weiwo stood in the courtyard, a paper crane in his hand. The battle report had arrived from Shangguan Jin Hong.

"One hundred and thirteen assassins... more than half killed... Spider escaped severely wounded..."

I finished reading it. A long silence followed. A slow smile slowly crept onto my face.

Shangguan Jin Hong did not disappoint him.

"Skynet won't let this go." He put away the paper crane, turned, and walked back to the quiet room. "But at least in the short term, they won't dare to make any rash moves."

He sat down cross-legged. He continued to consolidate his cultivation.

The most important thing right now is to improve myself.

Early stage of the Innate Realm, Qi Sea stage. Still too weak.