Meanwhile, inside the great hall, a heated deliberation about the Commerce Guild was being carried out.
On one side was the alliance of the Ji Family, Tang Family, Nin Family, Shang family and many other great family clans from southeastern China, on the other side was the indecisive tycoons of Zhong Hai.
There was so much wealth scattered around China that once they were consolidated into one unified force, they would be powerful enough to take on even the most influential financial groups in Korea or Japan. Already, a great number of top richest in the city had agreed to sign up, and the Hua Family had also made their acquiescence clear to the public. Therefore, most people thought the creation of the Commerce Guild was only a matter of time now.
“With the Commerce Guild, I will secure my position in Zhong Hai.”
Ji Luochen thought to himself eagerly.
Both Lord Tang and Lord Nin beamed from side to side. They had been the Young Master’s diehard supporters. They would be heavily rewarded for their unswerving loyalty.
Meanwhile, the Xia Family, Gao family, and the Chu families all looked gloomy with long faces.
The Lin family’s motives were clear: they wanted to pin Zhong Hai under their thumb. If the tycoons of Zhong Hai could have fought back in solidarity, the Lin Family would never get a chance to lay a finger on Zhong Hai. However, half of Zhong Hai’s reputable families had succumbed to Lin Family from the outset and even the guardian of Zhong Hai, the Hua Family had faltered and failed to put up any resistance. The joined forces of the rest of the families, such as the Xia, Gao, and the Chu was no match against Lin Pojun and the power he represented.
“The die is cast. There is nothing we can do now.”
Lord Xia, Xia Linfeng lamented.
As one of the elite families in Zhong Hai, the Xia Family was every bit as competent as the Ji Family. However, they still wouldn’t stand a chance while facing the Lin Family.
“Humph! If it was only the Ji Family or Shi Hongyi we had to deal with, we would have already turned down their proposal. But now the Lin Family was involved, so it became an entirely different story. You and I are both aware of what an Immortal State warrior is capable of. Just look at Chen Beixuan for example. He had slaughtered so many people that turned Jiang Nan Province into a blood bath. He had even forced the An family and Lord Fu to their knees. If we get on the wrong side of the Lin Family, we might as well be dead.”
Lord Chu let out a wry smile and shook his head.
He had always thought the Immortal State Warriors were just high tales.
However, over the years, Chen Fan had put on a horrifying display of power, and outright stunned the great families of China. Therefore, once Lord Chu had heard that there was an Immortal State Warrior in the Lin Family, he was overtaken by fear and thought of capitulating right away.
“There is nothing we can do now. Lord Hua is our last hope now.”
Lord Gao murmured under his breath.
However, none of them were very hopeful that Lord Hua would be of any help to them. The fact that the Hua Family had hosted the banquet for Lin Pojun was a clear sign of Lord Hau’s hesitation in resisting Lin Family’s advances in Zhong Hai.
“Well, it’s about time. We have lost the game from the very beginning. ”
Lord Zhou who had been sitting on the second floor finally rose to his feet.
He used to be the one calling the shots in Zhong Hai and even today, he still commanded extraordinary prestige and authority among tycoons of Zhong Hai. However, there and then, he heaved a sigh of resignation and conceded defeat.
Xiao Cai suddenly lost all of his hope after seeing that even Lord Zhou had given up. If Lord Zhou couldn’t keep Lin Pojun in check, no one else could.
Even as Lord Zhou was about to start down the stairs, a scream broke out from outside and caught everyone’s attention. The room suddenly became quiet.
“What is it?”
Lin Pojun furrowed his brows.
“Murder! MURDER! Young Master, someone has killed Young Lord Qiu. He also forced Brother Tianshu to his knees. That man also wanted to speak to you…”
A young man ran into the great hall, fumbling. Sadness and terror were written all over his face.
“What?”
Everyone in the Great Hall was shocked by what they heard.
Lin Pojun had just gained enough support that would allow him to claim the seat of supremacy in Zhong Hai. Who in their right mind would openly challenge him now?
In addition, everyone knew the Young Lord Qiu was Lin Pojun’s right-hand man. To kill him in broad daylight and force Lin Tianshu to his knees was a brazen provocation toward Lin Pojun.
Lin Pojun’s face remained stoic after he had heard the news, however, white light in his eyes slowly turned brighter.
“How dare you!”
Another rich heir who came to Jiang Nan with Lin Pojun slammed a fist on the table and fumed: “Who is that? Who dares to challenge our Young Master? Is he testing the might of the Lin Family?”
This heir was called Yang Zhengfen and he was one of the underbosses working for Lin Tianshu. He was extremely resourceful and had an extremely powerful benefactor.
His outburst had startled everyone at the meeting, and no one dares to even breathe heavily.
“Uncle Qi, please bring that man to me.”
Lin Pojun ordered calmly as he picked up a cup of tea and took a sip.
“Yes, Young Master.”
A middle-aged man who had been sitting behind Lin Pojun rose to his feet and replied. He was Lin Pojun’s chauffeur, and no one had noticed him until now.
It wasn’t until he straightened his back did the others notice his imposing presence.
“He is an overlord! A Transcendent State Overlord if not more powerful. Look at the coarse and leathery skin on his hand, that’s a sign of his high level of attainment in Physique Refinement cultivation. I think he had perfected both the internal and external force and gained incredible might.”
Some internal force users among the onlookers put in.
The quickly escalating situation had turned everyone into a bundle of nerves.
Since he had perfected both internal and external forces, he was as powerful as a Grandmaster. Plus, the fact that he was a bodyguard of the Lin family also lent more credence to his unimaginable abilities.
“Young Master, I will go with you.”
Ji Luochen put in. Once he had gotten the approval from Lin Pojun, he followed him out of the room.
Meanwhile, in the courtyard, no one spoke a word as a deadly silence hung in the air.
Terrified, the rich heirs of Zhong Hai stood trembling uncontrollably while the visitors from Lin Nan knelt before Chen Fan. All the while, Chen Fan was honing his culinary skills over the BBQ stove. From time to time, An Ya would tear a strip of the Kobe beef and feed it to Chen Fan.
Ai Jinqi was not sure what to make of the awkward but comical scene.
“This dude hasn’t changed a bit. Can he really get away with killing the Lin Family’s cronies in public?”
Even as she mauled on her questions, the door of the main hall was cracked open from inside as a group of men and women filed out.
The leader of the pack was a tall gaunt middle-aged man. When he saw the row of young heirs kneeling before Chen Fan, he was slightly taken aback. In the end, he landed his gaze on Chen Fan and asked in surprise: “My name is Wang Qishan, house guard of the Lin family of Southeastern China. May I know what your name is?”
Lin Tianshu was an internal force user and to be able to force him to his knees meant that Chen Fan would be at least of Semi transcendent state. He wondered since when did such a mighty warrior surface in Zhong Hai.
Meanwhile, fear and disbelief contorted Ji Luochen’s face as if he had seen a ghost.
“I don’t talk to lap dogs. Tell your master to speak to me.”
Chen Fan turned a piece of beef over on the BBQ rack and said without even sparing Wang Qishan a glance.
“How rude!”
Wang Qishan railed against Chen Fan.
To the members of the Lin family of Southeastern China, the Young Master was revered as a god. Wang Qishan had a run-in with the law and if not for the Young Master, he would already be dead at the gallows. Therefore, he could not stomach any insult hurled toward the Young Master.
“Uncle Qi, he is Chen—”
Ji Luochen pointed a shaky finger at Chen Fan and warned the middle-aged man.
However, Wang Qishan didn’t head the warning at all.
“Little shit! I will beat the crap out of you and bring you to the Young Master to decide your punishment.”
Wang Qishan locked his piercing gaze onto Chen Fan.
Even as he spoke, his body started to tremble.
Muscles burgeoned on his body and ripped his shirt at the seams, revealing his copper-colored skin and a large chunk of rock hard muscles. Wang Qishan took one step forward and crushed the stone-paved ground under his foot.
“Kaboom!”
Wang Qishan charged forward.
He covered a dozen meter distance in a heartbeat. His body whooshed across the courtyard and rammed at Chen Fan like an unstoppable train.
When he was only a few meters away from his target, he threw out a punch.
The wave of energy flew out of his fist and formed an apparition of a snarling tiger. The Fist Qi pressed down against the grass underneath, flattening them against the ground.
“Remarkable power!”
The mighty punch had terrified the rich heirs near it. Those who knew a thing or two about Martial arts were convinced that Wang Qishan could be nearly undefeated in any province of China.
“He is a semi transcendent cultivator as well as a Physique Refinement Grandmaster?”
Chen Fan looked up and took note of his attacker’s power.
The perfect both the external and internal force was much more difficult than it sounds. However, those who could pull it off would end up being much more powerful than their regular counterparts. Therefore, Wang Qishan’s abilities were not any less deadly than that of Grandmasters.
However, he was no match against Chen Fan by a long shot.
“Kneel.”
Chen Fan waved a hand and grasped something in the air.
Suddenly, an azure apparition of a hand appeared out of nowhere and with it came a deep rumbling noise. Under Wang Qishan’s incredulous glare, the palm bore down on him.
“Bam!”
The Azure palm landed on top of Wang Qishan, pressing him into the ground.
When the azure energy finally subsided, people finally saw what was left of Wang Qishan. The attack had fractured all of his bones, so his body slumped on the ground in half death.
“Did he just defeat a mighty Overlord?”
Everyone was surprised by how quickly the confrontation had ended.
A second ago, Wang Qishan was huffing and puffing, threatening to bring Chen Fan to his knees, but a second later, he was already defeated.
Chen Fan had countered his attack almost lazily, it was as if he was fighting against a child. If Chen Fan hadn’t held back his power, the guard of the Lin Family would have already been reduced into a bloody mush.
“He is Chen Fan!”
Ji Luochen finally finished his warning, but it was already too late.
The courtyard suddenly became pin-drop-quiet.
The tycoons who had followed Wang Qishan to the courtyard, hoping to see Wang Qishan kick some ass were stupefied by the development. They all shot a fearful glance at the young man in the pavilion.
He had made his position very clear: between him and the Lin family, only one would walk out of Zhong Hai alive.
Lord Zhou had come out to the courtyard just in time to see what had happened. His body shivered a little as his eyes lit up with glee. “Oh, this is just perfect! How could I forget about him? Now he is here, Lin Pojun’s plan is doomed.”
“Lord Zhou, who is he?”
Xiao Cai looked at Chen Fan from a distance and felt the young man looked very familiar. He must have seen his face somewhere, but he just couldn’t put a finger on it.
“He is the one who could protect us from Lin Pojun, no, protect us from the Lin family of Southeastern China.” Lord Zhou let out a peal of laughter and said: “Lin Pojun is nothing compared to him!”
“Is he…”
As realization finally dawned upon Xiao Cai, his body started to shake uncontrollably. He remembered that he had seen this young man’s picture and also recalled his name.
“Chen Beixuan is here!”