"Mr. Mu, it's an honor for you to invite us," said a corpulent man, the chairman of the Jiangbei Huarong Group.
"Yes, Mr. Mu inviting us to this banquet really gives us face," another clan leader from the Jiangbei Family added.
Following that, numerous leaders of great families and forces from Jiangbei spoke up, though those from Jiangnan did not look pleased. However, a few of them also offered compliments, clearly having been won over by Mu Chaosong. "Everyone is being too polite, I actually gathered you all today to discuss a small matter. You all know there are some misunderstandings between Jiangnan and Jiangbei, which have caused a lot of difficulties in our business operations. My idea is to establish a new chamber of commerce to integrate and plan the enterprises from both Jiangbei and Jiangnan together, which would be greatly beneficial for everyone."
Mu Chaosong stated calmly.
Many from Jiangnan frowned; it seemed Mu Chaosong wanted to unify the north and south.
"I've had this idea for a long time, just never had the chance," one person remarked.
"Yes, we're all one big family, why should we fight to the death against each other?"
"I support Mr. Mu's decision; it benefits us all." Many agreed, although it was mostly those from Jiangbei, while those from Jiangnan remained silent, seeming to wait for something else.
"We can establish a chamber of commerce, but who will be the chairman? You, Mu Chaosong, can dominate Jiangbei all you want, but don't even think about reaching into our Jiangnan," suddenly a middle-aged man coldly snorted, standing up and glaring straight at Mu Chaosong.
This man was the owner of Hongfa Trading from Jiangnan, a billionaire who could shake up Jiangnan with a mere stomp.
With him taking the lead, others also began murmuring among themselves.
"Besides me, who else is fit to be the chairman?" Mu Chaosong said with a light smile, then instantly slapped forward, creating an invisible handprint that struck the man's chest from a distance of nearly ten meters.
The owner of Hongfa Trading was sent flying, spitting blood, his internal organs clearly damaged, requiring at least half a year in the hospital.
"Any other objections?" Mu Chaosong said coldly, his body emanating an enormous suppression.
Under that tremendous suppression, and having witnessed Mu Chaosong's "transcendent" strength, many of the initially whispering people from Jiangnan promptly shut their mouths.
Now, everyone realized that Mu Chaosong was not just a businessman, but the underground Dragon Head of Jiangbei, commanding the entire region with means and capabilities beyond ordinary imagination. More importantly, anyone capable of holding this position was ruthlessly decisive; opposing him could mean not walking out of this mansion today.
"Young Master Wang, how do you find my suggestion?" Mu Chaosong suddenly turned his gaze to a man on his left. This man, around his early thirties, was dressed in a black suit and looked quite stern.
The people from Jiangnan also looked towards him, as if he was their pillar.
This man was Wang Kulu from the Wang Family, also the boyfriend of Li Si and currently a lieutenant in the military, soon eligible for promotion to lieutenant colonel, holding real power.
Wang Kulu spoke calmly and firmly, "Mr. Mu, this is a matter of the business world, which doesn't concern me much. If it's for everyone's good, I naturally agree."
The people from Jiangnan showed disappointment in their eyes, as it appeared Wang Kulu wasn't intending to get involved.
Just when everything seemed settled, a sudden voice spoke up, "Mr. Mu, forming a chamber of commerce isn't a bad idea, but trying to become the supreme ruler of both Jiangnan and Jiangbei is rather excessive, don't you think?"
Mu Chaosong, Mu Wanqing, and the others fixed their gazes on the speaker.
It was a middle-aged man in his early forties, standing beside a young man.
"Mr. Miao, it seems you aren't too pleased with me?" Mu Chaosong said coldly.
"Even if that's the case, issues in Jiangnan are not something you, Mu Chaosong, can meddle with," Miao Sandao retorted angrily, his eyes wide.
Their glares met in mid-air, sparking off each other like thunder and flames.
"Heh heh, Miao Sandao, what do you think you are?" Mu Chaosong said, stretching out his right hand and opening his palm, from which a mist that resembled boiling water began to rise, pale and wispy.
The mist slowly condensed and suddenly formed the shape of a lotus, spinning continuously in the palm of his hand with a magical essence.
With a flip of his palm, Mu Chaosong sent the lotus shooting towards Miao Sandao.
"True Qi Condensed Silk!"
An expression of surprise and fear crossed Miao Sandao's face; he hurriedly raised his palm to meet it, and instantly, a piercing pain shot through his palm as countless sharp needles of True Qi penetrated it and surged into his body.
In an instant, Miao Sandao dropped to his knees, his face covered in beads of cold sweat the size of soybeans, and his body felt hollowed out, overcome by waves of cold.
"Uncle, what's wrong?" Miao Jiangpu exclaimed, rushing to support him.
Miao Sandao clenched his fists, his pupils dilating in shock. He found himself unable to muster his True Qi, and it even seemed to be dissipating, with his formerly solidified True Yuan breaking apart like dry clay crumbling into sand.
"Miao Sandao, that was just a minor punishment," Mu Chaosong said indifferently, his entire demeanor exuding the domineering presence of a powerful being.
The people of Jiangnan fell silent; with Miao Sandao defeated, they had lost all hope.
Miao Sandao gritted his teeth, his eyes burning with endless resentment yet also filled with a hint of fear; he was a Martial Arts Master, yet Mu Chaosong had disabled him with a single move, indicating that the latter had cultivated to the realm of a Half-step Martial God.
Mu Chaosong turned his chilling gaze to the crowd and shouted, "Also, who here is Lin Mo? Come out and face your death! How dare you lay a hand on my daughter; I, Mu Chaosong, will not let you off!"
...
At the mansion mid-mountain, lights glowed brightly, and behind it flowed a tributary about a hundred meters wide, distinguishing between Jiangbei and Jiangnan. At that moment, the entire river was as black as ink, and the surrounding trees were like dark shadows.
Only one person stood with his hands behind his back, suspended in the air, supported by a column of water about a hundred meters tall.
Opposite him hovered an old man enveloped in black mist, his whole body shrouded in a black robe, with three basketball-sized flames slowly orbiting around him.
The red light faintly illuminated both faces, the young man standing with hands behind being none other than Lin Mo.
As for the shriveled figure whose face resembled dried human skin, he was the old Sect Hierarch of the Black Witch Sect.