Flat Prefecture, High Ridge County.
High Ridge was the foremost county of Flat Prefecture. Its name evoked lofty mountains, signifying the county's steep terrain and rolling peaks.
The county seat backed against a towering mountain range, surrounded by mountains that formed a natural barrier around the plain where the city stood.
Mist coiled through the mountains like an immortal realm, while several great rivers threaded between them, leaving waterways clear and unimpeded. The plains were broad and fertile, ideal for farming; the terrain could scarcely have been more blessed.
High Ridge County enjoyed uniquely favorable geography, a long history, and a large population. Even across Guan Mountain Circuit, it ranked among the top three wealthy great cities.
But none of that wealth and prosperity had anything to do with ordinary people.
The reason was simple. In earlier years, Flat Prefecture had been Heavenly Sect territory. After Heavenly Sect split into three, Flat Prefecture became the home base of the Heavenly Martial Sect.
The Heavenly Martial Sect possessed countless assets. Look anywhere in Flat Prefecture and point at random—if it was a good field, ninety-nine percent of the time it belonged to the Heavenly Martial Sect. Even when it did not, it would still have threads upon threads of connections to the sect.
A distant cousin, a seventh aunt, an eighth grandaunt, a godmother, a goddaughter...
In short, Flat Prefecture belonged to the Western Chu court on paper, but every local knew that the Heavenly Martial Sect was the local emperor. Everyone worked for the Heavenly Martial Sect, and the Xiao Clan of Shendu could not get a hand in here.
The Heavenly Martial Sect had cultivated this foundation territory with painstaking care for many years, broadly recruiting disciples and establishing countless inheritance branches.
They put so much effort into running