"It seems father understood the gravity of the situation."
He took the seat, while communicating with the system.
"System," his mental voice echoed, devoid of urgency, yet laced with the cold ambition of an emperor surveying his future dominion. "Is there any heart-controlling art available? If possible, I want to create a powerful shadow army. Pawns with their own will are liabilities; puppets with severed strings are tools. It's only natural I desire the latter."
The system interface materialized in his vision, scrolling through infinite archives of forbidden techniques.
[Ding!]
[Analyzing Host's request... Searching for compatible mental enslavement techniques...]
[Result found: Soul-Severing Puppet Art (Heavenly Grade).]
[Description: A technique derived from the ancient demonic path of soul refinement. It does not merely control the mind; it carves out the host's consciousness, leaving behind a vessel that retains its combat instincts and cultivation base but possesses zero ego or self-preservation instinct. The user becomes the sole puppeteer.]
[Requirement: 400,000 Saint grade Spirit Stones.]
[Warning: Once applied, the process is irreversible. The subject ceases to be 'human' in the spiritual sense. Required cultivation base is golden core]
Tianmo's eyes glinted with a cold, sinister light. "Irreversible? Good. Humanity is a shackle; a tool does not need such burdens."
However, the requirement of the Golden Core was a real headache. He was merely at the Peak of the Sixth Stage of Foundation Establishment. The gap between realms was not a stream; it was a chasm filled with storms and lightning. It might take a few more days to reach the great foundation realm and one more month to reach the golden core realm.
But that's already heaven-defying speed, people take decades or even centuries while many can't even reach that height. To reach the golden core realm. He is already pushing the limit of the heavens. He sighed, "It seems I need to cultivate diligently..."
With the Wang Family working as a protected sanctuary by a powerful force, he has secured a background, that is equally useful as a disciple of the Great Elder, however, he needs to create a knife that works on his will and an information network.
The honing knife can be done when he reaches the Golden Core realm. For now, he needs to focus on creating an information network... Information network!? Come to think of it.
"System can you gather information?!"
[Ding!]
[System is unable to gather information independently. The system only has access to the original plot. Once the Host encounters new protagonists, the system can download their plotline.]
"Oh, so you are useless in that regard," Tianmo thought, a flicker of disappointment crossing his mind. He had hoped for a panopticon, a gaze that could pierce through the veil of the world and reveal every secret possible in existence.
But the system is already a useful tool. It is a cheat code in a world governed by rigid laws. To complain about its limitations was the folly of a fool; a wise man utilized the edges of the stone he was given to sharpen his blade.
"System," he commanded internally. "Open the map of the Eastern Region and mark the locations of the nearest trading hubs and auction houses. I think it's time to find new pawns."
A translucent holographic map unfurled in his vision, overlaying the physical world with glowing lines of spiritual energy. The Valley of Morning Dew was a mere speck of dust on the sprawling canvas of the Eastern Region.
The Eastern region alone was nearly ten times as vast compared to the Earth.
The map dissolved into motes of light, fading back into the recesses of his mind. He now remembers every place within the eastern region.
The eastern region consists of five major powerful forces: The orthodox Invincible Sword sect, the heaven-slaughtering demonic sect, the Hóu family lineage, the Samsara Buddhist temple, and the Supreme hall pavilion. Azure sect is merely a second-rate powerhouse in the entire eastern region, families like the Wang family can't even be considered a third-rate powerhouse, at best they are a local powerhouse in a desolate valley.
( Hóu = Noble title, closely related to the western title Marquis or Count. The holder of this title generally commands troops, and governs strategic territories for new xianxia/xuanhuan/wuxia readers )
"I need to let the rumors flow then I shall visit the auction hall to auction off a few things to build a reputation and further solidify the claim that the Wang Family has become a vessel of someone powerful."
With that, their family will gain a few new supporters from the local powerhouse who would want to curry the favor with an unknown force that is trying to control the region from the shadows.
***
The times passed by... It was already night.
The brothel, aptly named the Pavilion of Drunken Dreams, reeked of cheap wine, sweat, and the cloying sweetness of powdered rouge. It was a place where men came to forget their failures, burying their inadequacies between the thighs of women who laughed with practiced enthusiasm.
In the corner, three men sat around a low table littered with empty jugs. Two were dressed in the leather armor of wandering mercenaries, their faces pockmarked and scarred. The third was a skinny, rat-faced man—a peddler of information who sold rumors for the price of a drink.
"What Wang family has clung to the thigh of a powerful force? And everyone in their family awakened the spirit roots of first grade or higher?! Unimaginable!" The mercenary slammed his empty jug onto the table, the dull thud lost amidst the rising cacophony of the brothel. He wiped the foam from his lips with a grimy sleeve, his eyes bloodshot and wide.
"Brother Rat, you better not be spouting nonsense to get free drinks. If the Wang Family had such backing, they wouldn't be hiding in that valley like a bunch of frightened rabbits."
The skinny man, Brother Rat, giggled, a wet, unpleasant sound that made his Adam's apple bob like a cork in water. He leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper that carried the distinct odor of rotting teeth and cheap tobacco.
"Hehe... Nonsense? Am I one to spread lies for the sake of a few cups of swill?" Brother Rat's eyes darted around the room, ensuring no ears were pricking up, before he leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial hiss.
"My own cousin's sister-in-law works as a maid in the Wang Estate. She saw it with her own two eyes. An old man, tearing through the very fabric of the sky, descended from the void. He didn't walk; he stepped from nothingness, bringing with him a pressure that made the Patriarch himself kneel until his forehead bled."
The mercenaries exchanged glances, the skepticism in their eyes warring with the allure of a good tale. The brothel's noise—the clinking of cups, the raucous laughter, the moans from the private booths upstairs—seemed to fade into the background as Rat's voice hooked them.
"He called himself... an Envoy of the Dragon Court," Rat whispered, the words tasting foreign and dangerous on his tongue. "He threw fruits to the servants like they were peanuts. Fruits that made mortals cough up black blood and stand up with the strength of tigers. He said the Wang Family is no longer a clan of mud-dwellers, but a Vessel Family..."
"...A proxy for the Dragon Court's will in the Eastern region... I heard their Young Master Tianmo who had just awakened spirit roots a few weeks ago, is now a Peak-sixth stage foundation realm powerhouse... Peak sixth stage?! In one week? Wang Family has been blessed by heaven..."
"Dragon Court?" The second mercenary frowned, his hand instinctively resting on the hilt of his rusted blade. "I've never heard of such a force in the Eastern Region. Is it a power from the Central Plains?"
"That's the brilliance of it, you fool!" Rat hissed, smacking his lips as he drained the last dregs of the wine. "If we haven't heard of them, they are either ancient monsters waking from a one-hundred-thousand-year slumber, or entities from beyond the seas. Either way, they are not to be trifled with. The Li Family Patriarch, that old tyrant Li Tianshu? He went to the Wang Estate this morning, arrogant as a rooster in a henhouse. He left pale as a sheet, bowing so low his nose nearly touched the dirt."
The first mercenary whistled low, a sound of genuine astonishment. "Li Tianshu? Bowing? That's like hearing the sun rose from the west. If the Wang Family has scared the Li clan into submission..."
"Then the Valley of Morning Dew is about to become the center of a storm," Rat finished, a greedy glint in his beady eyes. "And smart rats know where to hide when the storm hits. We don't touch the Wangs anymore. We watch. We wait. And maybe we curry favor... Maybe if you curry favor with Wang, you might get an opportunity. I have been stuck at the bottleneck for 3 years now unable to break through to the foundation stage."
***
Booldmist sect, within the Hall of Blood.
The air was thick with the scent of iron and rust, a metallic tang that coated the back of the throat. The floor was not made of stone, but of compressed blood-soaked earth, dark and glistening, pulsating faintly with a malevolent life.
At the end of the long, crimson hall sat a figure shrouded in shadow. The Sect Master of the Bloodmist Sect, Venerable Bloodcrown, sat upon a throne carved from the femurs of ancient spirit beasts. He was a giant of a man, his skin a sickly grey, his hair a wild mane of crimson that seemed to writhe like living snakes.
Kneeling before him, forehead pressed against the cold, bloody ground, was Elder Xue.
"Speak," Venerable Bloodcrown's voice was like grinding stones, deep and resonant, vibrating in the chests of all who heard it.
Elder Xue trembled, not from fear, but from the suppressed agitation of his failure. "Sect Master... the Earth Vein in the Valley of Morning Dew... it is lost to us."
"Lost?" The temperature in the hall plummeted. The shadows in the corners lengthened, stretching out like grasping claws. "A mere Wang Family, a clan of ants with a Golden Core patriarch isn't worth mentioning, and you return telling me it is lost? Do you value your life so little, Xue?"
"It is not the Wang Family!" Elder Xue raised his head slightly, his voice urgent. "It is the Dragon Court."
The silence that followed was absolute. Even the pulsing of the blood-earth floor seemed to cease.
"Dragon Court?" Venerable Bloodcrown leaned forward, the light of the torches reflecting in his blood-red eyes. "I have walked this cultivation world for three thousand years. I have never heard of a Dragon Court in the Eastern Region. Is this a joke?"
"If it were a joke, I would not dare utter it in your presence, Master," Elder Xue said, his voice trembling with the memory of the suppression he had felt. "The Young Master of the Wang Family... he possesses the bloodline of the Primordial Void Dragon. When he released his aura, my disciple, a Mid-Third Stage Golden Core cultivator, had his soul instantly trapped in the flow of Dao. He did not die; he simply... ceased to exist."
Venerable Bloodcrown's eyes narrowed. "Soul erasure? That is a technique known only to old monsters above the Soul Emeperor realm. And this boy is a Foundation Establishment child?"
"He is. But his background is unfathomable. An old man, tearing through the void, descended and blessed the family. He claimed the Wangs are now a 'Vessel Family' for the Dragon Court. The aura of that old man... it was hidden, but the intent was clear. They are staking a claim on the Eastern Region."
Elder uttered, lying with full confidence. He has stayed for a few more hours to learn more before returning. The presence of Elder tearing apart the void is a perfect cover.
Venerable Bloodcrown sat back, his fingers tapping the armrest of his bone throne. The Dragon Court.
A new power? Or an ancient one hiding its fangs? The cultivation world was like a deep ocean; just when you thought you had seen the biggest leviathan, a shadow from the abyss would rise to swallow you whole.
The Eastern Region had been a stagnant pool for too long. The Invincible Sword Sect was complacent, the Buddhist monks meditated on their navel, and the Hóu family was too busy counting their taxes. If a "Dragon Court" truly intended to make this valley their chessboard, the rules of the game were about to be rewritten in blood. The scholars were right, there are mountains above mountains.
"Xue," Venerable Bloodcrown said, his voice losing its edge, replaced by a cold, calculating curiosity. "You did well to retreat. A Soul Formation cultivator is a resource, not a consumable. To throw your life away against an unknown variable is foolishness... What more do you know about them?!"
"Lord, you may think this fool is merely jesting but it seems the Wang family is going to rise. Everyone in the Wang family awakened the first-grade or higher spirit roots by consuming strange fruits... They are even recruiting servants and guards for five mid-grade spirit stones. Even an outer disciple of the Azure sect won't get that much stone in a month... And the rumors of their vessel family status are spreading like wildfire."
Xue reported, his heart beating fast. The mere thought of the old man tearing apart the void made his knees tremble. The world of cultivation is so deep and dark. He doesn't want to meet his end without fulfilling his life's purpose.
Venerable Bloodcrown was silent for a long moment. The Hall of Blood seemed to hold its breath, the very shadows coiled like springs, waiting for his command.
"Send word to our allies," Venerable Bloodcrown finally spoke, his voice dripping with the cold satisfaction of a predator who had found a new and interesting prey. "The Bloodmist Sect will not be taking the Earth Vein yet. But we will not stand by idly either. We need to learn how deep the backing of the Wang family is. Try to send a few vessel forces to create trouble for the Wang family business. Make sure, our sect's name doesn't come up."
"Lord... Forgive this old man but the Wang family doesn't need business that merely earns silver coins. They are willing to pay five mid-grade per servant clearly suggests they don't lack wealth. They might completely stop mundane business... This fool suggests, we send a few women to seduce the Young Masters of the Wang family." Elder swallowed his saliva.
The old man was correct, if they have wealth, they might not retaliate making the vessel gambit futile, after all, vessels are pawns pushed forward to create the opening. However, are women even worth it?
"You are wise to point out my shortcomings however, I doubt women would be useful. First of all, what if they focused most of their time on cultivation? With dragon vein, cultivation resources, and spirit roots, you think they can cultivate with ease. Also, let's say we send women what if they became loyal dogs of the Wang Family?! If even servants get 5 mid-grade spirit stones then how much would the women of Young Master get?! Think logically... It's easy to gain loyalty with wealth."
Venerable Bloodcrown's lips curled into a sneer, exposing teeth that were pointed and yellowed, like a carnivore that had tasted blood but found it lacking.
"My lord you speak none but truth... However, this old man has thought it thoroughly. We need to make sure we have a better hand, we can simply use their family as hostages and send women as pawns. Pawns once they reach the enemy backline are promoted to a powerful piece on the board molded as the player desires. We can play a slow game... We can see them as maids with a mission to seduce the Young Masters..." Elder Xue suggested, his voice low and filled with the malice of a seasoned schemer.
Hmmm... Indeed, a long-term plan, it's not a bad suggestion. Also, using the family as hostages will make sure the women won't be swayed by wealth, but the question is what if they are unfilial?
It seems there is a need of plan B incase plan A fails. He tapped a finger against the armrest of his bone throne, the rhythmic thud-thud-thud echoing in the silence of the hall.
"Your plan has merit, Xue," Venerable Bloodcrown finally said, the red light in his eyes dimming to a thoughtful smolder. "A slow poison is often more effective than a swift blade. However, before we make a move we need to make sure if we backup, and somehow even if that backup fails we need to have another backup and whatever happens, nothing should be connected to the bloodmist sect..."
"I will allow you to use sect's treasury and give you authority to infiltrate the Wang family...," Venerable Bloodcrown commanded, waving a hand dismissively.
Elder Xue bowed low, his forehead nearly touching the cold, blood-soaked earth. "This old man will not fail."
Backup and backup for backup?! What a wise man this Venerable Bloodcrown is. The cultivation world is so dark, it's easy to get swept away by the tide. One must be cautious and cunning. They have lived for centuries, how can they not think it thoroughly.
"But how exactly am I supposed to make backup and backup for backup..." Elder thought shaking his head.