I, the lazy prince, am the darling of the ladies of destiny.

Lu Cangqiong nodded slightly and said calmly, "Yang'er, since you are the current head of the Lu family, you are in charge of handling all matters outside the family. You don't need to inform me about everything."

"Grandson understands." Lu Yang bowed again, then turned to face the guests, his calm demeanor suddenly becoming sharp and incomparable.

He didn't look at the five Dao Ancestors whose faces were grim, but instead gazed at certain specific areas among the guests, his tone calm, yet every word carrying immense weight:

"Master Li of Medicine King Valley".

"Shopkeeper Shen, the best in the world."

"Master Wang of the Wang Family of Weapon Refiners."

"Chairman Qian of the Guangming Auction House."

"Mr. Zhou from the Yin-Yang Bureau."

"Mr. Sun of Baicaotang".

"Master Zhao of Wanbaolou."

"Master Ou of Tiangongfang".

"Thank you, Pavilion Master of Tingyu Pavilion."

As Lü Yang clearly and slowly pronounced the names of the nine forces one by one, the audience was initially puzzled, and then gradually turned into disbelief and shock!

These forces are not as ancient and prestigious as the four major families, the three pavilions and the four sects, but they are all new forces that have risen rapidly in the Northern Region and even the surrounding areas in the last ten years or so!

They either control the distribution of basic elixirs, monopolize the trade of rare materials, control the forging of high-end magical artifacts, or operate an intelligence black market...

Although seemingly scattered, it has actually permeated every aspect of the cultivation world in the Northern Region, wielding immense and irreplaceable influence!

Xiao Dong may not have a deep feeling about these names, but the expressions of Lin Yan, Ya Fei, and especially the five Dao Ancestors including Dan Chen became more and more gloomy with each name that Lü Yang read out!

They knew all too well the astonishing energy these "rising stars" could unleash when they joined forces!

After reading the list, Lü Yang paused briefly, his gaze sweeping over the people he had called out. His voice remained steady, yet carried an invisible pressure:

"Over the years, I'm sure you all know the extent of the support and friendship that my Lu family has shown you."

"Now, my Lü family has suffered such a great humiliation and lost all face."

He paused, his tone turning cold, "Gentlemen...aren't you planning to come out and offer your support?"

The words had barely left his mouth—

"Hahaha!"

A hearty laugh rang out, and a middle-aged man in a brocade robe, with a refined face but piercing eyes, stood up from the guests' seats and bowed deeply in Lü Yang's direction, his posture respectful.

"Brother Yang, it's been many years! You're even more charming than before! How could I dare to be negligent after you've spoken?"

Everyone stared intently, and all of them gasped in shock!

The Medicine King, Master of the Valley, Li Zhi!

In just ten years, Medicine King Valley has been transformed from a medium-sized medicinal herb trading company into a behemoth that almost monopolizes the low-to-mid-level pill and spiritual material market in the Northern Region!

Its reach extends even to ordinary towns and cities, its influence pervasive and pervasive.

If the Pill Sect is a lofty holy land of alchemy, then the Medicine King Valley is a giant crocodile of alchemy that has penetrated into the lives of ordinary cultivators!

What's even more alarming is that Li Zhi's way of addressing and treating Lü Yang just now—he subtly referred to himself as "old servant" or "younger brother"?

"Li Zhi... he actually had connections with the Lü family..."

"The Valley of Medicine Kings is actually being supported by the Lü family?!"

"No wonder they rose to prominence so rapidly! The Lü family's hidden move was incredibly sophisticated!"

Amid the gasps of surprise, Li Zhi straightened his back, his smile vanished, and his gaze sharpened as he looked towards the direction where Dan Chen, Lin Yan, Ya Fei, and the others were. His voice was loud and resolute:

"Effective immediately, Medicine King Valley hereby terminates all cooperation with the Lin Family, the Pill Sect, the Wealth Gathering Chamber of Commerce, the Cloud Mist Sect, the Starfall Pavilion, the Wind and Cloud Sect, and the Heavenly One Sword Pavilion!"

"All outstanding payments must be settled in full by noon tomorrow! Those who fail to pay by the deadline... do not blame Medicine King Valley for showing no mercy!"

hiss--!

The entire audience erupted in uproar!

Terminating cooperation with the Dan Sect might simply mean losing a source of top-tier elixirs.

However, terminating cooperation with Medicine King Valley... means that these forces and the countless cultivators within their sphere of influence will find it extremely difficult to obtain the massive amounts of low- to mid-grade pills and basic spiritual materials needed for daily cultivation and healing at reasonable prices! This is simply cutting off their lifeline!

"Li Zhi! Have you gone mad?!" Dan Chen's hair and beard stood on end, both shocked and furious. "Do you know the consequences of your actions?!"

"It's not that I'm crazy, it's that you're pushing me too far!"

Li Zhi snorted coldly, showing no fear. "If it weren't for Brother Yang's helping hand when I was still a nobody more than a decade ago, how could I, Li Zhi, be where I am today? And how could Medicine King Valley have prospered?"

He surveyed the crowd, his voice resounding: "Today, you have all acted aggressively, joining forces to intimidate and humiliate Brother Yang's beloved son, and to ruin the reputation of the Lü family!"

"Since you have no regard for past friendships and no regard for rules, then don't blame us for... showing no mercy!"

"Well said!"

"Brother Li is truly righteous!"

"How could we be left out?"

As if a chain reaction had been triggered, the other eight faction leaders that Lü Yang had just called out stood up one after another!

Qian Tongtian, the president of Guangming Auction House, controls nearly 30% of the high-end auction channels in the Northern Region and has an extremely wide network of connections!

Shen Wansan, the top manager of Tianxia Yipin! His business spans the four regions, and he is known for his ability to hoard rare goods and his excellent information network!

Wang Zhenyue, head of the Wang family of weapon refiners! A rising star in weapon refinement in recent years, he is especially skilled in standardized magical artifacts and war magic weapons!

Zhou Yan, the leader of the Yin-Yang Bureau! Proficient in formations, talismans, and divination, he is closely involved in the exploration of many secret realms and ancient tombs!

Sun Simiao, the head of Baicaotang! A master of spiritual plant cultivation, he monopolizes the supply of many rare spiritual herbs!

Zhao Gongming, the owner of Wanbaolou! A comprehensive business tycoon, encompassing logistics, warehousing, pawnbroking, and more!

Ou Yezi, the master craftsman of Tiangong Workshop! A hidden master of mechanical puppets and war machines!

The Pavilion Master of Tingyu Pavilion, Xie Xiaofeng! His intelligence network is unfathomable; rumors can reveal everything under heaven!

The nine people stood side by side. Although their individual cultivation levels might not be top-notch, the economic, material, intelligence, and channel power they represented when united was enough to make any top-tier force shudder!

They shared the same story and had a clear objective:

Effective immediately, all business dealings and cooperation with the Lin family, Danzong, Jucai Chamber of Commerce, and those four major sects are hereby severed! All outstanding debts must be settled within the specified period!

This is no longer a simple statement of taking sides.

This is a blatant and comprehensive economic and resource blockade!

"This...how is this possible?!"

"Lu Yang...when did he lay down such a terrifying dark web?!"

"No wonder the Lü family has remained so composed! Their trump card was right here!"

"This is the true method of a patriarch who rules a dominant family in a region! He doesn't act unless it's absolutely necessary, but when he does, it's with overwhelming force, directly overturning the table!"

The guests, whether independent cultivators or representatives of other forces, were all speechless with shock, their eyes filled with deep awe and fear as they looked at Lü Yang.

Originally, it was thought that Xiao Dong and his forces were forcing the Lü family to compromise today, but unexpectedly, the seemingly low-key patriarch of the Lü family had already woven a huge network covering the economic lifeline of the Northern Region!

We're just waiting for the right moment to tighten the rope!

The five Dao Ancestors, including Dan Chen and Yun Shan, had grim expressions and their breathing became heavier.

The sects behind them are indeed powerful, but if they are jointly resisted by these forces that control the actual flow of goods, they may be able to hold on in the short term by relying on their resources, but in the long run, they will definitely suffer serious damage!

This is especially devastating for the Dan Sect and Qi Sect, which require substantial resources to maintain their operations.

Ya Fei's pretty face turned pale. Although the Jucai Chamber of Commerce was as wealthy as a country, the most important thing in business was channels and partners. Losing these key partners would severely damage their business and cause incalculable losses.

Lin Yan clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug deep into his palms.

Although the Lin family is one of the four major families, if it is excluded by so many forces that control real resources, the family's development will be limited and its reputation will be damaged.

Xiao Dong's face turned ashen. Only now did he truly realize what a behemoth he had provoked!

The terrifying aspect of the Lü family lies not only in its ancestor who has reached the Great Perfection of the Dao Ancestor realm, but also in its unfathomable foundation and strategic planning!

Lu Yang stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze calmly sweeping over the grim-faced crowd before finally settling on his grandfather, Lu Cangqiong, and he nodded slightly.

Lu Cangqiong's lips curled up almost imperceptibly, and a flash of approval crossed his eyes.

This is the true patriarch of the Lü family! Without making a sound, he has already taken control of the entire situation.

From this day forward, who in the Northern Region will dare to easily provoke the Lü family?