Chapter 157 Defection
Half an hour later, Chen Xuan arrived at Yuehua Lake.
Standing by the lake, he took a deep breath, feeling refreshed.
Yuehua Lake was the largest inland lake in Jiangbei and even Jiangnan Province, and it was very beautiful.
When the moonlight fell at night, the entire lake shimmered, like a bright moon embedded in the earth, corresponding to the moon in the sky.
At this moment, it was the season when flowers and trees were lush, and the air was filled with a refreshing fragrance.
Normally, Yuehua Lake would be crowded with tourists. However, it had been sealed off by the Jiangbei magnates, making it deserted. Apart from the huge ship docked at the shore, there were only a few fishing boats in the distance.
"Mr. Chen, the Jiangbei magnates are already on the ship!"
Murong Yuan made an inviting gesture.
Chen Xuan followed Murong Yuan towards the enormous ship docked by Yuehua Lake.
At this moment, almost everyone had arrived on the ship. They were all top magnates from various industries in Jiangbei. If these magnates united, they could paralyze the entire Jiangbei economy.
On the vast deck, two octagonal tables were set up.
Only Ji Xiong and Ji Xingchen sat at the octagonal tables; even Ji Xinghai was not qualified to sit.
Ji Xingchen sat with his eyes closed, meditating, with a blank expression. His powerful aura kept people at least two meters away from him.
Behind them stood the magnates who supported Ji Xiong.
"I wonder if that old fellow Murong Yuan and the geomancy master you invited are afraid to come?" At this moment, a magnate behind Ji Xiong said disdainfully.
"How dare you insult Mr. Murong and Master Chen, you damn dog!" Fatty Zhang shouted.
"You, Fatty Zhang, really think you're somebody? How dare you scold me? You're a hooligan. If I wanted to ruin your company, I could make sure you have no food to eat tomorrow." The magnate cursed.
"I'm somebody, which is better than you not being human at all," Fatty Zhang said without getting angry.
The magnate was furious, but he couldn't out-curse someone like Fatty Zhang, who often mingled in the underworld.
Ji Xiong couldn't stand it anymore. He waved his hand with an air of righteousness, saying, "Since they are afraid of death and don't come, so be it. To eliminate the Southeast sorcerers and protect the interests of the Jiangbei people, my Ji family will not shy away from responsibility."
These words were clearly meant to elevate himself and belittle Murong Yuan's faction.
However, since Murong Yuan had not appeared, everyone's faces darkened, and they were filled with suspicion. Could it be that Murong Yuan and that Master Chen were indeed afraid of the Ji family's retaliation and dared not show up?
"Mr. Murong and Master Chen have arrived!"
At this moment, a shout was heard.
They're here?
Ji Xiong frowned slightly.
Ji Xinghai's eyes suddenly shot out a venomous glare, while Ji Xingchen remained expressionless, not even opening his eyes, as if everything was irrelevant to him.
Fatty Zhang and the others became excited. Everyone went forward and greeted them, "Mr. Murong, Master Chen!"
Murong Yuan walked in the front, with Chen Xuan following behind. They both nodded faintly and then sat down at the octagonal table opposite them.
"Murong Yuan, is this the master you invited to fight the Southeast sorcerers?" Ji Xiong narrowed his eyes, scanned Chen Xuan for a few seconds, and finally fixed his gaze on Murong Yuan, his voice laced with mockery.
"This Master Chen Xuan is a powerful feng shui master," Murong Yuan said solemnly.
"Hahaha! Ji Xiong, have you lost your mind? You're using a geomancy master to deal with the Southeast sorcerers. Aren't you afraid the Jiangbei magnates will laugh at you? If you lose, do you think you can bear the responsibility?" Ji Xiong laughed heartily.
Murong Yuan's face turned a little somber, and he felt a bit hesitant. He forced himself to say, "That's none of your concern."
Although he knew Chen Xuan was proficient in feng shui and mystical arts, he had never witnessed Chen Xuan's killing techniques.
The other Jiangbei magnates were slightly taken aback. They glanced at Chen Xuan and also showed some suspicion.
"Hahaha! Murong Yuan, you're really stubborn as a dead duck," Ji Xiong laughed loudly.
Murong Yuan's face was ashen, and the other Jiangbei magnates also felt embarrassed.
Ji Xiong's gaze shifted, sweeping across the Jiangbei magnates behind Murong Yuan. "Although you are all on good terms with Murong Yuan, you are still people of Jiangbei. I, Ji, feel pity for you. Fine, as long as you are willing to follow my Ji family in the future, my Ji family is willing to protect you. Are you willing?"
The magnates in Murong Yuan's faction frowned. To defect temporarily was a serious taboo.
Ji Xiong gave Ji Xingchen a look.
Ji Xingchen's gaze immediately sharpened!
Following that, a vast pressure emanated, like an earthquake. The entire cruise ship began to tremble violently, and stunned lake fish floated to the surface.
Crack!
The wine glasses instantly turned to powder under the pressure.
The chests of the Jiangbei magnates felt as if a large stone was pressing down on them. Some of the physically weak magnates directly knelt on the ground, their legs giving way.
This is too terrifying!
Is this still human?
The Jiangbei magnates looked at Ji Xingchen, their hearts filled with immense fear.
Seeing the expressions of the Jiangbei magnates, Ji Xiong felt a surge of pride. "This is my eldest son, Ji Xingchen. He is a third-rank inner force master. He is here today to eliminate the arrogant Southeast sorcerers for everyone! Moreover, my eldest son is also one of the Four Prodigies of Yanhuang! Everyone, please consider carefully!"
"If that so-called geomancy master cannot protect you, and if the Southeast sorcerers arrive, our Ji family will not do any favors. At that time, you will be at the mercy of fate!"
"Everyone, don't worry. I'll give you one minute to consider!" Ji Xiong said calmly, then signaled Ji Xinghai to stop.
Ji Xinghai withdrew his aura, and the Jiangbei magnates felt relaxed. Then, the Jiangbei magnates fell into extreme dilemma.
They had felt Ji Xingchen's imposing manner just now; it was too powerful. They had never felt such a feeling from Chen Xuan!
Moreover, Chen Xuan was just a feng shui master. Was he capable of killing in a gamble?
The crucial point was that Ji Xingchen was backed by the Yanhuang Iron Army, which was an official organization!
Most people's minds had already begun to waver.
However, they dared not easily offend Murong Yuan, as Murong Yuan had considerable influence in Jiangbei.
"Everyone, you must consider carefully!"
Murong Yuan knew their thoughts well, so he spoke in a deep voice, with a hint of threat.
Ji Xiong sneered and said, "Murong Yuan, you disregard the lives of the Jiangbei magnates and invite a good-for-nothing. And you still have the nerve to threaten people?"
After saying that, Ji Xiong looked at the Jiangbei magnates behind Murong Yuan again. "Everyone, don't worry about Murong Yuan's retaliation. After today, it's uncertain whether the Murong family will still exist in Jiangbei."
Upon hearing this, the magnates in Murong Yuan's faction immediately became bolder.
Finally, a middle-aged man stepped forward. This middle-aged man was the textile magnate of Jiangbei, with three textile groups and assets worth over three billion.
"Mr. Murong, the feng shui master you invited is really not reassuring. I apologize." The textile magnate said and then prepared to walk towards the Ji family's side.
"Do you remember who helped you when your textile group had problems back then?" Murong Yuan asked coldly.
The textile magnate frowned. "... "
"It was me! How many Jiangbei magnates did I offend to protect you?"
"Mr. Murong, times have changed," the textile magnate gritted his teeth, said that, and turned to leave.
With the first one, there would be a second. The magnates behind Murong Yuan successively moved to Ji Xiong's side.
Ji Xiong laughed heartily. "Everyone, there's no need to feel guilty. As the saying goes, he who understands the times is a wise man."
Everyone agreed, and many of the defecting magnates even flattered and fawned over Ji Xiong.
"Why don't you go?"
Chen Xuan seemed unfazed by all this. He looked back and saw only Fatty Zhang standing alone behind him. Everyone else had defected to the other side. He couldn't help but frown and ask.
Fatty Zhang scratched his head. "Master Chen, I, Fatty Zhang, value loyalty in the underworld. How could I abandon you and run away? Besides, they don't believe in you, but I do!"
Chen Xuan nodded faintly. "I won't let you down."