The Red Jade Sect!
Crimson Molten Rock!
Either name alone was enough to move the local Grandmasters present.
One of the Seven Saints of the Northern Lands, the Crimson Flame Martial Saint Lü Lan, known as the King of Qiang Sea, was the current sect master of the Red Jade Sect.
Rumor had it that over a century ago, Lü Lan had merely been the son of a minor officer on the northern frontier. Later, he had taken to banditry, becoming a mounted brigand and rising step by step into an outlaw who wreaked havoc across several counties.
But at the height of Lü Lan's power, the Red Jade Sect's head disciple of that era had defeated and recruited him. He had once again submitted to the previous dynasty's Governor-General's Office, while also becoming one of the head disciple's seven adopted sons.
Later, catastrophe had struck the Red Jade Sect in the northwest, and that generation's head disciple had died in battle. Amid the slaughter, Lü Lan had burst onto the scene, ascending to Grandmaster and forming a divine ability. With his Crimson Flame Divine Fists, he had fought every hero across the northwest, until he pushed open the Celestial Gate, grasped the fruit of fire, and became a Mount Tai and Northern Dipper of the martial world.
No sooner had the previous dynasty's Emperor Xuanli abdicated than this Crimson Flame Martial Saint had torn away his disguise. In the name of a Martial Dao Holy Land, he had appointed his own descendant Governor-General of Qianghai Prefecture, usurping authority.
Even now, the Cabinet in the Imperial Capital had neither acknowledged the appointment nor directly rejected it.
On paper, the position of governor-general of Chen State's Qianghai Prefecture remained vacant.
In reality.
It was firmly in the hands of the Martial