The guards of Zhongzhou Prefecture swarmed forward, but Lin Xiaotian and Tun Xiaotian made short work of them, knocking every single one to the ground in a matter of moments. Arms were broken, legs were shattered, and the guards lay there groaning in agony.
At the sight of this, Xiao Qing was dumbfounded.
"Fine! You've got guts! Just wait, my father, along with Wu Li, commander of the Zhongzhou garrison, and Qiu Dafu, president of the Zhongzhou Chamber of Commerce, will be here any second!"
"Oh, bringing the whole crew? Good, we'll wait. Let's see what you can do to us."
Everyone present was stunned. This Haoyan Consortium was truly ruthless—they even dared to beat up the people from Zhongzhou Prefecture! Things had gone too far, and the entire crowd fell silent.
Seeing how the room had turned, Xiao Qing couldn't help feeling pleased with himself. He glanced around and announced, "Every company collaborating with the Haoyan Consortium today will face a complete embargo by Zhongzhou Prefecture and the Zhongzhou Chamber of Commerce. I advise you to cancel your partnerships with Haoyan immediately. I'm still willing to give you a chance."
"This... this..."
"What are we supposed to do? The Haoyan Consortium just arrived and their foundation isn't stable. I'm afraid they're done for."
"Exactly. We'd better cut ties right now, or our small companies and families won't survive an embargo from the prefecture and the chamber."
On the stage, Tian Li watched quietly, her expression entirely blank.
A few timid companies and families stepped forward to bow toward Tian Li. "President Tian, with a scene like this, I'm afraid it won't be convenient for us to continue our partnership with your consortium. As you can see..."
"No problem. Decide for yourselves, but make sure you don't regret it." Tian Li despised these opportunists who drifted with the wind.
Gu Lin stepped forward and bowed to Xiao Qing. "Young Master Xiao, our Gu Family Group stands on your side. We have decided to cancel our cooperation with Haoyan."
"Good. Young Master Gu, your Gu Family Group has made its stance clear. I am very glad to see you cut ties with this pathetic Haoyan Consortium. From now on, your Gu Family Group has the protection of Zhongzhou Prefecture."
"Thank you, Young Master Xiao."
Seeing this, the others followed Gu Lin's lead and rushed to cancel their partnerships—only Gu Yan remained motionless.
Gu Lin turned to Xiao Qing and said, "Young Master Xiao, every company and family here has severed ties with the Haoyan Consortium, except for this Tiangu Group."
"Oh?" Following Gu Lin's pointing finger, Xiao Qing looked at Gu Yan. "Miss Gu, are you trying to defy the orders of Zhongzhou Prefecture?"
"An order from Zhongzhou Prefecture? Young Master Xiao, our partnership with the Haoyan Consortium is based on mutual consent. It has nothing to do with you or your precious prefecture. It's bad enough that Zhongzhou Prefecture doesn't lift a finger to help develop the local economy, but now you're making absurd demands for us to cancel our cooperation. Aren't you overstepping your bounds?"
"Such a sharp-tongued little bitch. Since you refuse to call off the partnership, your Tiangu Group has no reason to exist anymore."
"That's a rather large mouth you've got."
The more Gu Hao listened, the angrier he became. He couldn't hold back any longer.
"Puny brat, you're nothing more than a lowly security guard—how dare you speak to Young Master Xiao like that!" Gu Lin barked angrily.
"What is Young Master Xiao supposed to be? Everyone has witnessed what he's done today. He came here specifically to suppress Haoyan's cooperation with other companies. His intentions are vicious—can't you all see that?"
"So what if we see it? Zhongzhou Prefecture is the sky over Zhongzhou. Cross them, and you won't come to a good end."
"A petty little Zhongzhou Prefecture isn't worth dog shit in my eyes."
Hearing this, Xiao Qing snapped, "You little bastard! Who gave you the guts to talk about Zhongzhou Prefecture like that? Was it this slut?" He pointed a finger straight at Gu Yan.
Seizing the moment, Gu Hao grabbed Xiao Qing's finger and bent it back with a gentle twist. *Crack!* Xiao Qing's finger snapped.
He let out a scream of agony and collapsed to the floor.
Gu Lin was dumbfounded. He never expected Gu Hao to actually break Xiao Qing's finger.
Looking down at the writhing man, Gu Hao said, "I despise people pointing fingers at me."
Xiao Qing snarled viciously, "Brat, I know Tian Li that little slut is your lover—you're all in this together. None of you are getting away today. Just wait to die!"
Xiao Qing's words caught Gu Yan off guard. *Could this Haotian fellow actually know Tian Li?*
Gu Hao stepped forward and drove his foot down, snapping one of Xiao Qing's legs. "You talk too much."
When President Wang of the Tianlong Hotel heard his subordinates' report about a massive crisis at the Haoyan Consortium's investment banquet, he hurriedly hid in the corner to watch how things unfolded. He secretly placed a call to Hu Yong, Palace Master of the Zhongzhou Tianlong Branch.
Outside the main hall, a voice rang out: "Prefecture Lord Xiao of Zhongzhou Prefecture has arrived!"
Hearing this, Xiao Qing endured his agonizing pain and wheezed, "My father is here! You're all dead meat!"
Tian Li, Gu Hao, Gu Yan, and the others turned their gaze toward the entrance of the grand hall.
Prefecture Lord Xiao walked in, flanked by a military officer and a titan of the business world.
Reaching the podium, Prefecture Lord Xiao saw his son lying on the ground alongside his injured guards, all of them battered and bruised. Rage boiled up inside him.
"Father, you're finally here! You have to avenge me!"
"What is the meaning of this? Who did this to you?"
Xiao Qing writhed in torment. Seeing his condition, Gu Lin stepped forward and bowed. "Your humble servant, Gu Lin of the Gu Family Group, greets the Prefecture Lord. It was them—they are the ones who beat the young master and these guards."
Prefecture Lord Xiao swept his gaze across Tian Li, Gu Hao, Gu Yan, Lin Xiaotian, and Tun Xiaotian.
A female project manager under Gu Yan leaned in and whispered anxiously, "Miss, we've really blown this up now."
"It's fine. Whatever happens, I'll take the blame."
Prefecture Lord Xiao sneered. "You have a lot of nerve, not even putting Zhongzhou Prefecture in your eyes. Who gave you the courage?"
Tian Li smiled faintly. "Prefecture Lord Xiao sure puts on quite a show. Your precious son came to my Haoyan Consortium's investment banquet to cause trouble—he deserved a beating."
"Who are you?"
"I am Tian Li, general manager of the Haoyan Consortium."
"The Haoyan Consortium? Just a general manager acting this arrogant? Call your chairman out here right now."
"Our chairman isn't someone you can summon just because you want to. You aren't worthy."
Tian Li's words left everyone present stunned. *Just how reckless and lawless is this woman? The man standing right in front of them is Prefecture Lord Xiao of Zhongzhou Prefecture—the very heavens of Zhongzhou!*
Even Prefecture Lord Xiao hadn't expected her to talk back with such audacity.
"Fine! Utterly arrogant! Wu Li, Qiu Dafu, I see no reason for this so-called Haoyan Consortium to continue existing. Wipe them out."
Zhongzhou Commander Wu Li and Chamber of Commerce President Qiu Dafu bowed respectfully. "Understood, Prefecture Lord."
Qiu Dafu stepped forward to announce, "Starting today, Zhongzhou Prefecture enacts a total embargo on the Haoyan Consortium and the Tiangu Group, and confiscates all of their assets."
Zhongzhou Commander Wu Li proclaimed, "Effective immediately, all personnel of the Haoyan Consortium and the Tiangu Group, as well as those who assaulted Young Master Xiao, are to be arrested and thrown into the Zhongzhou dungeons to be punished according to the law."
Hearing the sentences handed down by Qiu Dafu and Wu Li, Gu Lin burst into loud laughter.
"Gu Yan, your Tiangu Group finally got what's coming to you! This is the price of going up against Zhongzhou Prefecture!"
"Let's see who dares..." A voice exploded across the hall, shaking the entire room.
The crowd jumped in fright and looked toward the source. A beautiful young matron walked in, flanked by two female and four male guards.
Gu Lin took one look and laughed, "Ha! And here I thought who it was. If it isn't Gu Lingyu, the woman thrown out of our Gu Family Group! You've arrived just in time. Lord Prefecture Lord, she is the chairman of the Tiangu Group—arrest her along with the rest!"
Gu Lingyu strode right up to the crowd, raised her hand, and slapped Gu Lin, sending him flying through the air. "Shut your noisy trap."
The sheer force of Gu Lingyu's slap stunned the entire room. Wu Li felt a distinct trace of threat ripple through that single strike.
Gu Lingyu glared at Prefecture Lord Xiao. "You're Prefecture Lord Xiao?"
"And what if I am?"
"Nothing much. If you dare go through with this today, don't blame me for being impolite."
"You?" Prefecture Lord Xiao burst out laughing. "Just a woman—what tricks could you possibly have?"
"Why don't you try and find out?"
"Fine, let's try it!"
Prefecture Lord Xiao flicked his wrist. "Take this woman down!"
The guards of Zhongzhou Prefecture surged forward. With a look of utter disdain, Gu Lingyu flicked her sleeve and lashed out with a single palm strike. The rushing guards were instantly blasted flying through the air.
From his mother's palm wind, Gu Hao sensed that she possessed the cultivation of the Great Vehicle Realm, though she had deliberately suppressed the force of her blow to the Nascent Soul Realm.
"A Nascent Soul Realm expert?!" Cold sweat broke out on Wu Li's forehead. He was only at the Golden Core Realm; facing someone in the Nascent Soul Realm made him feel like a mere ant.
Even Prefecture Lord Xiao felt a crushing wave of pressure.
"Gu Lingyu, are you seriously trying to make an enemy of Zhongzhou Prefecture?"
"An enemy? Your Zhongzhou Prefecture isn't even worthy."
Gu Lingyu flipped her hand, and a token materialized in her palm.
One look at it, and Prefecture Lord Xiao turned pale with terror. "That's... that's the Kunlun Country Sovereign's Token?!"
Wu Li and Qiu Dafu strained their eyes to look—it truly was the Sovereign's Token! How could a mere woman possess such a token?
Gu Hao and Gu Yan were equally dumbfounded. Their mother truly was full of hidden depths; she actually owned the Sovereign's Token!