### **Alright, readers, let's get one thing straight.**
I've been **playing nice** so far.
- Manipulating the Luo Family? **Easy.**
- Making people dance on my strings? **Child's play.**
- Fooling even my father? **Done.**
But now?
Now it's time to **expand my influence.**
And this so-called **martial exchange** between noble families?
It was the **perfect stage** for me to show them exactly **who they're dealing with.**
---
### **The Gathering of Shun County's Nobles**
The martial exchange was a **grand event**, held every year to test the young talents of Shun County.
It wasn't just about fighting—it was a chance for families to **assert dominance, form alliances, and humiliate rivals.**
Which meant...
It was the perfect place for **me** to cause chaos.
The **five most powerful families** in the county were attending:
1. **The Luo Family (Us, obviously)** – Earth-element cultivation, strongest martial heritage.
2. **The Lei Family** – Lightning-element users, famous for speed and deadly precision.
3. **The Yuan Family** – Masters of swordsmanship, known for their ruthless training.
4. **The Bai Family** – Illusionists and spirit cultivators, specializing in deception.
5. **The Han Family** – Body cultivators, focused purely on brute strength.
Each of these families had sent their **best young prodigies** to this event, each eager to show off their abilities and claim the title of the strongest among them. But they had no idea what awaited them.
The banquet hall was filled with **noble figures**, **arrogant eyes**, and quiet **whispers of power**, but I wasn't intimidated. I knew the game I was about to play, and this wasn't just about **combat**—it was about **manipulation**.
As the youngest of the Luo family, **no one** expected me to be a **threat**. They saw me as **just another child**, a boy who couldn't possibly be involved in their political games. But what they didn't realize was that **underestimating me** would be their **biggest mistake.**
As the heads of the families exchanged formalities, I carefully observed their mannerisms, their eyes, their body language. Every twitch of their fingers, every subtle shift in their gaze—it told me more than words ever could. But it was my turn to play, and I wasn't going to wait forever.
---
**The trigger was simple.**
A chance meeting. A careless word. The right amount of **provocation**. The **anger**, the **pride** of the nobles would do the rest.
---
**With a calculated smirk**, I stepped forward, just as I had planned. The whispers died down as all eyes turned toward me. I had their **attention**, just like that.
I started speaking slowly, loudly enough for the whole hall to hear:
"**Do you all know how I conquered the underworld?**" I asked, my voice dripping with confidence.
Some of them froze, but others chuckled, dismissing me as if it were just an overconfidence of a child.
But I didn't back down. I didn't flinch.
"I conquered the underworld not with strength or cultivation," I continued, my tone darker now, more serious. "I conquered it with **wit**, **strategy**, and the ability to **manipulate those around me**. What you all see as power, I see as a tool. The true strength lies in controlling the mind. I **am** the puppet master."
The room fell **silent**.
For the first time, I **truly held their attention**.
---
Then, with a quick glance at each of their faces, I added, "**Remember, the greatest battle isn't the one fought with fists. It's the one fought with the mind.**"
A **chill** spread through the room, an awareness, a **realization** that I wasn't just some ordinary child who couldn't be taken seriously. I was **far beyond** that.
The heads of the families exchanged glances, some of them unnerved. But before anyone could respond, the **banquet hall door swung open**, and one of the Lei family's young disciples stepped forward, clearly **eager to show his worth**.
But I knew better than to let the moment slip. **This was my stage**.
---
As the challenge began, the martial exchange unfolded, but something unexpected happened. The interactions, the strikes, the verbal jabs—**everything started to escalate.**
A **family feud** began to brew, unnoticed by most, but I was **pulling the strings**, guiding the fire toward a boiling point.
---
**The trap had been set.**
**The fireworks were about to begin.**
And in the chaos, I would **make my grand entrance**, the hero who would save the day, all while making sure **everyone knew who the real leader was.**
---
**Next time, it wouldn't just be a fight. It would be a war.**