Rebirth of the Supreme Immortal Emperor
Chapter 292 - 290: Lingnan Bows Down [Third Midnight]

Chapter 292: Chapter 290: Lingnan Bows Down [Third Midnight]

"Give me a straight answer, when exactly will you pay the one billion?"

Li Chen found a chair to sit down, crossed his legs leisurely and asked.

The Mei Family is a Martial Arts Family, and though they have assets worth over a hundred billion, those are mostly fixed assets. Their cash amounts to only several tens of millions. Compared to one billion, that’s merely a drop in the ocean.

As the upcoming helmsman of the family, Mei Ruohua was naturally aware of the family’s financial situation. They were already stretched thin and couldn’t possibly produce one billion.

She steadied her mind and declared resolutely, "This is a debt I personally incurred, and I will repay it myself!"

Li Chen looked at Mei Ruohua with some surprise, and in a mocking tone, he coldly asked, "Oh? And how do you plan to repay it?"

"I...," Mei Ruohua was at a loss for words, unsure of how to respond.

Indeed, how should she repay it?

If she were to leave her family, she would have nothing. Only her looks might be worth some money.

But she certainly couldn’t suggest "repayment in kind" in front of this crowd, could she?

"How do you want me to repay it?"

Li Chen thought for a moment and said, "One billion. I want 51% of the Mei Family’s stock ownership."

Upon hearing Li Chen’s audacious demand, Mei Ruohua flatly refused.

"Don’t even think about it. Our Mei Family’s total assets are worth hundreds of billions. You want to take 51% for just one billion? Isn’t that a bit too much?"

Li Chen sneered and said, "I don’t have many hobbies, but I do enjoy going overboard."

"You..."

Faced with Li Chen, a man with Heavenly-defying Divine Powers and utterly unreasonable to boot, even the articulate Mei Ruohua had to admit defeat. Her face turned red with anger, and after stammering for a long time, she only managed to utter a single "you".

Glancing at the Mei Family Ancestor from the corner of his eye, Li Chen said, "Your grandfather’s days are numbered, his life is nearly at an end. I’ll extend his lifespan by another ten years. Now, what do you think about this deal?"

Upon hearing Li Chen’s offer, Mei Ruohua’s expression turned to one of shock, and she quickly inquired, "You can extend my grandfather’s life?"

Li Chen confidently nodded and replied, "Of course!"

Mei Ruohua, half-doubting, asked, "What will you use to extend my grandfather’s life?"

Li Chen had anticipated Mei Ruohua’s skepticism. With a mysterious smile, he produced a bright red fruit as if performing a magic trick.

The fruit was the size of an adult’s fist, surrounded by a halo of light, and brimming with abundant Spiritual Power.

The Mei Family Ancestor’s pupils constricted dramatically, and a look of disbelief shot from his eyes.

"Is, is this the Dragon Blood Fruit from the Divine Dragon Pond?"

Li Chen smiled and nodded, saying, "Indeed, it is the Dragon Blood Fruit."

Upon having his assumption confirmed, the Mei Family Ancestor’s heart skipped a beat.

"Did you kill Ancestor Ximen and the others?"

Li Chen nonchalantly replied, "Just a bunch of chickens and dogs, nothing to make a fuss over."

Hearing Li Chen’s words, everyone present changed their expressions.

Ancestor Ximen was a Grandmaster who struck fear across the land and dominated a territory. Yet in the mouth of Immortal Master Li, how had he become mere chickens and dogs?

Good heavens, has the world gone mad?

The Mei Family Ancestor, suppressing the shock in his heart, asked the last question, "Then, the Divine Dragon, did you also kill it?"

Li Chen responded with a smile and no words.

Then, he took a shiny golden snake from his sleeve and waved it twice in front of the Mei Family Ancestor.

"Are you referring to this Divine Dragon?"

The Mei Family Ancestor’s gaze was filled with rage as he fixed his eyes on the small golden snake in Li Chen’s hand, without giving an answer.

"Immortal Master Li, do you take all of us for fools? The Divine Dragon is a Divine Artifact favored by the Heavenly Gods, descended from the ancient Divine Dragons. How can it be compared to this lowly snake you have there?"

The speaker was Du Zhongping. Having had his hand cut off by Li Chen, he had a devil-may-care attitude.

Li Chen replied with a wry smile, "Oh, is that so?"

After that, he patted the Little Golden Snake on its head gently and said, "Little Dragon, someone is calling you a lowly snake. Can you endure that?"

"Roar, roar!"

Little Dragon always considered itself a descendant of the Jiao Long and detested being called a snake, especially a lowly one.

It soared into the air, its three-foot-long body instantly transforming into a thirty-foot-long golden radiance, showing teeth and claws, blocking out the sun.

Upon seeing this scene, everyone present was scared to the point of their liver and gallbladder splitting, tremblingly exclaiming, "Is that a Divine Dragon, a real Divine Dragon?"

"Roar roar!"

Jiao Long spat out a crimson snake-tongue, directly sweeping up Du Zhongping, who had insulted it by calling it a shambling snake.

Du Zhongping did not even get a chance to scream before he was chewed up completely, not a trace of his bones remaining.

Li Chen sipped on some rice wine, looked around at everyone, and said indifferently, "Now, if any of you still have objections, feel free to voice them. I’m someone who’s very reasonable!"

Everyone present was terrified to a ghastly pale, the more faint-hearted already collapsing to the ground.

That Du Zhongping merely voiced a doubt and ended up not even leaving bone scraps behind. Now who the hell would dare to reason with you or express even half a dissent?

Mei Family Ancestor looked at the Divine Dragon soaring in the blue sky and suddenly knelt down to the ground.

"Mei Jiuling of the Mei Family pledges sincere allegiance and is willing to be a hound under Immortal Master Li’s command!"

Upon seeing Mei Family Ancestor kowtow, Li Chen was brimming with pride, laughing out loud triumphantly.

Standing on thin air, with each step blooming with lotuses, he stood atop Jiao Long, spreading his arms wide, and declared, "From this day forth, from the Five Ridges southward, only I am revered. Do any of you dissent?"

Faced with Immortal Master Li who stood atop Jiao Long like a relegated immortal from the Nine Heavens, everyone bowed their heads in deference.

"The Lingdong Zhao Family has no objections!"

"The Lingxi Wuo Family has no objections!"

"The Lingbei Du Family has no objections!"

...

Seeing everyone kowtow, Li Chen nodded in satisfaction.

"It’s best that there are no objections, for although I’m very reasonable, my little companion here does not like to reason!"

After saying that, Li Chen tapped Jiao Long with his foot, signaling it to let out a roar for emphasis.

Even Jiao Long, in the face of Immortal Master Li’s domineering aura, had to roar obediently a couple of times.

Mei Family Ancestor and others were completely subdued by Li Chen’s thunderous methods.

Not to mention his personal capabilities, just the Divine Dragon under his feet alone was a colossal creature that could contend against armies.

During World War II, Japanese Invaders had used two brigades, thousands of heavily armed soldiers. Their assault included planes in the sky and mortars on the ground, bombarding the Divine Dragon in turns. Yet in the end, they still met with the annihilation of their entire forces.

Seeing them all submitting, Li Chen tossed the Dragon Blood Fruit into the hands of Mei Family Ancestor.

"Ancestor, take this Dragon Blood Fruit. It will immediately heal both your new and old wounds, and boost your cultivation to a whole new level!"

Upon seeing that Li Chen actually bestowed a thousand-year-old divine medicine like the Dragon Blood Fruit to him, Mei Family Ancestor was shocked and grateful, kowtowing in thanks again and again.

According to Immortal Master Li’s thunderous methods, it would be entirely possible to slaughtering the entire Mei Family without issue. But instead, he now generously gifted thousand-year-old divine medicine, which was beyond his expectations.

For Li Chen, annihilating the entire Mei Family was indeed as simple as tipping water. He wouldn’t even need to take action, Little Dragon could handle it alone.

However, if he did that, the entire region south of the Five Ridges would unite against him as a fearsome foe, making sincere allegiance impossible.

Therefore, a living Mei Family Ancestor was far more useful to him than a dead one.

To exchange one Dragon Blood Fruit for the loyalty of everyone south of the Five Ridges was a deal that was beneficial whichever way one looked at it.

A combination of both kindness and power, that was truly a strategy of emperors.

"I now announce, south of the Five Ridges will be a branch of the Huaxia Alliance, with Mei Family Ancestor serving as the temporary Alliance Hierarch!"

Mei Family Ancestor bowed deeply, sincerely accepting Li Chen’s appointment.

Li Chen nodded with satisfaction and issued his command with an irresistible tone, "I will stay in Lingnan for three more days. All aristocratic families and sects south of the Five Ridges must come to meet with me within these three days. Those who are late, I will personally make a courtesy visit!"

Upon hearing Li Chen’s words, everyone, including Mei Family Ancestor, felt a sudden terror.

They could even foresee that in three days’ time, the entire worldly society of Lingnan would be drenched in blood and undergo a complete turnover.

Mei Ruohua stared with wide eyes, somewhat dumbstruck, looking at the young man in front of her who was even younger than herself.

The first time she met him, it was on Yutan Mountain.

Back then, he was just an ordinary high school student.

But she could never have imagined that in just a few short months, he had transformed into a mighty overlord who held the power of life and death over hundreds of aristocratic families, whose single stomp could make the entire Huaxia Martial World tremble.

...

Note 1: The Five Ridges refer to Yuecheng Ridge, Dupang Ridge, Mengzhu Ridge, Qitian Ridge, and Dayu Ridge, representing the natural barriers of ancient times.

"The Historical Records" of Zhang Er Chen Yu also record this: "To the north, Qin faced the work of the Great Wall, to the south, the garrisons of the Five Ridges."