As the night deepened, their conversation turned to lighter topics, reminiscing about their childhood adventures and the simpler days when they were just two brothers exploring the palace grounds. The alcohol loosened their tongues, and laughter echoed through the mansion.

Despite the political intrigue and the looming contest for the throne, in that moment, they were just brothers. The bond between them, forged in the fires of their shared experiences and strengthened by their mutual respect, was unbreakable.

As the candles burned low and the first hints of dawn began to creep into the sky, the brothers finally stood, ready to face the new day.

Blazing Sun Mansion, Blazing Dawn Sect, Gunghua Province.

Sect Leader Liang Feng had skipped his usual morning routine of reading in the Wisdom Mansion due to the overwhelming workload he faced today. He had received the financial accounts of the younger generation, which needed his approval to determine who could manage their own finances. These young ones had recently been rescued by the imperial princess after being kidnapped and were not present in the sect at the moment. However, Liang Feng had made a promise to review their accounts, and he intended to keep it.

As he began examining the accounts, he initially planned to scrutinize Wei and Lin’s entries while giving Edina’s a pass to grant her financial rights. But to his surprise, all the accounts were meticulously prepared, showing the immense effort the children had put into them.

Edina’s entries were exceptional, as if demonstrating the precision and skill of a seasoned accountant. Lin’s entries, while not as flawless as Edina’s, were still impressive and showed significant effort. Both Edina and Lin passed with flying colors, earning the right to manage their own finances.

Wei’s entries, on the other hand, were not quite up to the same standard. However, it was evident that he had put in considerable effort, and his work was commendable in its own right.

Sect Leader Liang Feng smiled at the results. He appreciated the dedication and hard work the young ones had shown, and he was pleased to grant Edina and Lin their financial management rights. Wei, although not receiving the same approval, had shown promise and determination, which Liang Feng hoped would continue to grow.

After concluding the review of the accounts, Sect Leader Liang Feng moved on to the other tasks awaiting his attention. His eyes fell on a review report from the Dongu Region. The report confirmed that the Blazing Days Sect had been purchased and was no longer under the Blazing Dawn Sect’s possession. He sighed and muttered to himself, “So all the regions around Hin Lake are no longer in Blazing Dawn Sect’s possession anymore.”

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He knew that the region had been economically unstable and that the Blazing Dawn Sect had struggled to improve it for a long time. However, recently all the undeveloped regions near Hin Lake had been purchased one after the other, and now this was the last. He hoped the new owners could revitalize the area. With a resigned sigh, he signed his name on the report.

Just as he finished, he noticed a personal letter from the sect leader of the Blazing Days Sect. "Hmm, is that old man sending me his gratitude since they are no longer affiliated with us?" Liang Feng wondered aloud as he opened the letter.

As he read the contents, his expression shifted from curiosity to shock. He stood up hastily, his mind racing with the implications of what he had just read. "Ming!" he shouted, calling for his servant. "Call an elders meeting this instant!"

Meeting Hall, Blazing Sun Mansion, Blazing Dawn Sect,

Within a few minutes, the meeting hall was filled with the presence of the sect’s elders. On the left side sat the three venerable Elders of the Sect, each heading a sub-clan line within the organization. First was Elder Qin Han Cha Mu, his white hair giving him a sage-like aura as he sat clad in traditional elder attire. Next to him sat Elder Dao Cha Mo, a man in his thirties with black hair cascading to his ear ends, dressed in slightly fancier attire. Completing the trio was Elder Lu Cha Mi, an elderly man with surprisingly dark hair, dressed in respectable yet modest clothing.

On the right side of the hall, Lu Mingfe, the firstborn, and his wife, Qin Cha Ling, were seated. Once everyone was settled, Sect Leader Liang Feng took his seat at the head of the table.

Elder Qin Han was the first to speak. “Why did you call us so early in the morning, Sect Leader? I believe there is something important to discuss?”

Sect Leader Liang Feng nodded, opening a scroll and displaying its contents to everyone. “What do you make of this?”

Elder Qin Han and the others were visibly shocked as they examined the scroll.

“That… That… that is a detailed architectural plan of the Mu Mansion, including all the exits, entrances, and safes' locations!” Elder Qin Han exclaimed.

“Exactly,” Sect Leader Liang Feng affirmed. “And it was sent to me by the Blazing Days Sect in the Dongu Region. According to them, they found it in an empty hut inside the Zunzon Road Forest.”

Elder Qin Han’s eyes widened with concern. “Preposterous! If that’s the case, why are we waiting here, Sect Leader? We should immediately start investigating the area! Call upon the sect members and start questioning them about this matter!”

“We can’t,” Sect Leader Liang Feng responded calmly.

“Why not?! Is the Blazing Days Sect refusing to obey us, their affiliated head?!”

“Precisely,” Sect Leader Liang Feng said with a sigh. “They are no longer affiliated with us.”

“This letter and scroll were sent alongside their notice of ending their affiliation as a gesture to us. They have new owners who bought them,” Liang Feng continued, his voice steady but tinged with concern.

Elder Qin took a deep breath, visibly calming himself. “If that is so, we must ask the new management for cooperation. We cannot have our sect’s mansion’s architectural plans out in the open, especially not with bandits.”

Elder Lu Cha nodded in agreement. “What Elder Qin says is true. We need to negotiate with the new leaders of the Blazing Days Sect to conduct this investigation. If the architectural plans are with the same bandits who kidnapped our young master and mistress recently, then this might be part of an organized crime syndicate planning an assault on our sect.”