Si An continued, "Si Lianghong is a Title-level mage who has lived for over five hundred years! Normally, mortals don't live longer than two hundred years, but the great mage Si Lianghong successfully transformed herself into a Blood Demon, which greatly extended her lifespan. This old hag has lived for over five centuries... Her strength is unfathomable. The Blood Demon Tower where she cultivates is filled with countless dangers. Even Transcendent beings wouldn't dare venture inside."
"The Si Family is also the most powerful family in all of Qinghe Prefecture! The prefect, the general of the prefectural city's City Guard Army, and the lords of the many county cities within the prefecture, such as Yi Water City and Feng City, are almost all members of the Si Family! Members of the Si Family also hold many important positions throughout the region."
"In other words, the Si Family rules Qinghe Prefecture with an iron fist." Si An spoke calmly.
Dongbo Xueying was stunned. "The prefect, the general, all those city lords... They're all members of the Si Family?"
"That's how the entire Empire works."
"This isn't a mortal world. It's a world of Transcendents!" Si An said. "The old hag Si Lianghong isn't a Transcendent, but she's close enough, and she has excellent ties with several powerful families that have Transcendent beings. That's how she gained control of Qinghe Prefecture. The Si Family holds all the power, so... if the Si Family says you're guilty, then you're guilty, even if you've done nothing wrong! And if the Si Family says you're innocent, then you're innocent, even if you're guilty!"
Dongbo Xueying was shaken. "Th-that..."
"Have you forgotten? Your parents are nobles, yet they were still arrested because of a single decree," Si An said.
Dongbo Xueying's expression darkened.
"Transcendent beings can issue decrees! Within a certain territory, they can act above the law," Si An said.
"Does the Moyang Clan have a Transcendent being?" Dongbo Xueying asked at once.
Rescuing his parents had always been his goal.
"They have a Transcendent, but that person is a Pseudo-Transcendent," Si An said. "Pseudo-Transcendents are the weakest among Transcendent beings. I'm afraid the old hag Si Lianghong and that madman Xiang Pangyun are both about as strong as the Moyang Clan's Transcendent."
"Pseudo-Transcendent?" Dongbo Xueying asked, puzzled.
"The Moyang Clan has a long history. Its founder was an extraordinarily powerful Transcendent, but after that Transcendent died, the clan fell into decline... Fortunately, they had deep reserves. Several decades ago, one of their Title Knights managed to break into the Transcendent realm through some unorthodox methods. But he only reached the lowest level of Transcendence. Some of the very strongest Title-level experts might even be able to defeat him!"
Dongbo Xueying immediately remembered.
He had once read about the Woodcutter Knight, who awakened his Primordial Bloodline.
As a Title-level knight, the Woodcutter Knight had killed a Transcendent being with a single axe strike! It was entirely possible for a Title-level expert to defeat a Transcendent.
After becoming a Transcendent, the Woodcutter Knight had been invincible among Transcendents and was hailed as the "strongest Transcendent" of his era.
"Transcendent matters are far beyond us," Si An said with a smile. "What I want to tell you is that you must never offend a Title-level expert. Every one of them has terrifying strength! And Si Lianghong and Xiang Pangyun are the two most fearsome people in Qinghe Prefecture. They're like the two heavens looming over it."
"The Si Family has deep roots."
"As for Xiang Pangyun, he's a terrifying madman," Si An said.
"A madman?" Dongbo Xueying asked, puzzled.
"Mm." Si An continued, "Very few people on the Blood Blade Ranking, the assassins' list, use their real names. Xiang Pangyun is one of the few who does. He loves killing, but since he always takes on assignments from the Blood Blade Tavern, he commits no crime when he kills."
"Killing people on a Blood Blade Tavern assignment isn't a crime?" Dongbo Xueying asked, bewildered.
"You can post an assignment at the Blood Blade Tavern, too, but the tavern sets the bounty. It takes eighty percent and gives the remaining twenty percent to the assassin," Si An said. "The Blood Blade Tavern sets its bounty based on many factors, including the target's rank, strength, and background. The price is always high."
Si An lowered his voice. "Let me put it this way: the Blood Blade Tavern has existed in this world for countless tens of thousands of years. It and the Earth Temple are the two oldest powers."
Dongbo Xueying nodded.
There were deities in this world.
The Earth Temple had appeared almost as soon as this world came into being. Its history was practically as old as the world itself. It was also the only temple in the Empire recognized by the authorities. All the others were considered Evil Gods or Demon Gods.
The Blood Blade Tavern served assassins and was just as ancient.
Si An said, "Xiang Pangyun is a terrifying madman, but you're unlikely to run into him. That would only happen if someone put a bounty on your life at the Blood Blade Tavern! The Si Family is different... Its influence reaches into every corner of Qinghe Prefecture, so it's easy to run into its people. When you do, you'll have to put up with them. After all, they can arrest you on any pretext!"
"Unless you're strong enough to reach the Title-level and obtain a Bronze Token!" Si An said with a smile. "Then you'll have much greater authority, and the Si Family won't be able to target you at will. If you become a Transcendent, the Si Family will tremble before you... as long as you're a true Transcendent, not a Pseudo-Transcendent."
"The authority of a Bronze Token?" Dongbo Xueying asked curiously.
"Exactly."
"This brings me to what I wanted to discuss next. The Black Iron Token represents not only your identity, but also certain special privileges." As Si An spoke, he turned his hand over, and a thick book and a dossier appeared in his hand.
Si An handed the dossier to Dongbo Xueying. "Our Xia Clan has been able to stand firm in this world because generation after generation of powerful people have given their all. So, a long, long time ago, one of our Xia Clan's great alchemy mages established a system! He divided the many tasks that required blood and sweat into different levels, so that the strong could carry them out."
"Those who succeed earn Merit Points."
"Merit Points can be exchanged for almost anything you want."
Si An handed Dongbo Xueying the other thick book. "This is the Exchange Codex. It lists everything from common items like gold coins to all kinds of wondrous treasures... You can even use it to arrange the assassination of a Transcendent, or become the emperor of the entire Empire! As long as you've earned enough merit for the entire Xia Clan, you'll have enough Merit Points to become emperor."
Dongbo Xueying was stunned.
The rules laid down by that great alchemy mage of the human Xia Clan were incredibly bold! If you had enough Merit Points, you could make anything happen?
"What about rescuing my parents?" Dongbo Xueying couldn't help asking.
"With enough Merit Points, wiping out the Moyang Clan would be a simple matter, let alone rescuing your parents." Si An smiled and shook his head. "Of course, it all depends on Merit Points! It depends on how much merit you've earned for humanity, for the clan. These are all Black Iron-level missions, and their rewards are small. You'd have no hope of wiping out the Moyang Clan with the Merit Points they offer, not even if you worked hard for ten thousand years."
Dongbo Xueying looked at the dossier.
It listed one mission after another.
For example, kill a certain bandit and earn ten Merit Points!
For example, enter the Destruction Mountain Range and search for a lost, special necklace; reward: fifty Merit Points.
Si An looked at Dongbo Xueying and said, "The Black Iron mission list and the Exchange Codex are what matter most... Take a careful look. Once you've earned more than a thousand Merit Points, you'll automatically be exempt from most laws. Only a few of the Empire's ironclad laws cannot be broken. After all, even Transcendent beings may act above most laws, but they can't violate certain ironclad laws."
"A thousand?" Dongbo Xueying was speechless.
Killing someone like Gai Bin was usually worth only ten Merit Points.
Searching the Destruction Mountain Range for a lost treasure was dangerous and time-consuming, and there was no guarantee of success. Yet it was worth only fifty Merit Points.
How difficult would it be to earn a thousand?
"Black Iron-level missions usually reward between ten and a hundred Merit Points," Si An said with a smile. "Bronze-level missions are worth at least a thousand."
"I'd like to ask, how can I get my parents back?" Dongbo Xueying asked.
"The Exchange Codex lists many ways," Si An said. "But we need to find the one that costs the fewest Merit Points. I'll have the Dragon Mountain Tower intelligence network investigate your parents' current situation right away. Once we know their circumstances... we'll figure out how to rescue them."
Dongbo Xueying could barely contain his excitement. "Good. Sorry for the trouble, Lord Si An. Please investigate right away and find out exactly how my father and mother are doing."
"Leave it to me. Since the Moyang Clan is in East Region Province, it'll take some extra time. I expect we'll know your parents' situation in about a month. Then I'll help you find the easiest way to rescue them," Si An said.
"Sorry for the trouble." Dongbo Xueying's heart was pounding.
Father, Mother, are you all right?
"Good. I'll take my leave, then." Si An stood. "Every month, someone from Dragon Mountain Tower will deliver a copy of the Imperial Newspaper and a mission list. You can take on missions whenever you like and earn merit for all of humanity—for the Xia Clan."
Before you continue