Li Yuan had indeed brought the topic of deepening the alliance between the three counties up upon his arrival. That was part of the reason he had revealed himself as the Blood Blade Patriarch. Simply put, he needed influence and manpower.  0

Back when he displayed his talents as an eighth rank prodigy, he had expanded the Ginger Tavern, securing steady revenue and intelligence. Now that he had revealed his true identity, his sights were set higher. He didn’t just want a tavern or even merely the old Blood Blade Sect; what he really wanted was the three-county alliance. That was one purpose of this visit.0

He announced, “Gemhill, Southsky, and Flowerpath are bound together by shared borders. Really, we’ve always been one.  0

“North of us, we’re all blocked by Antelope Pass. South of us lies only barren wilderness. And on both east and west, we’re hemmed in by mountains. Truly, these three counties should stand as one.  0

“The Central Plains are in turmoil, and peril seems to grow by the day. There’s no better time for our...0