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

As soon as Lü Yang finished speaking, the eyes of the nine leaders of the emerging forces gleamed, and they all agreed.

They then turned their malicious gazes to Dan Chen, Yun Shan, and the others, whose faces had turned ashen, as well as to Ya Fei, who looked grave, and Lin Yan, who was pale.

It’s over.

Dan Chen's heart skipped a beat, as if he had fallen into an ice cave.

He originally only wanted to do Xiao Dong a favor and test the strength of the Lü family, but he never expected to kick such a tough nut to crack!

If the contract is to be followed and all outstanding debts with these nine families are settled by noon tomorrow... even with its profound foundation, the Dan Sect will suffer a devastating blow, and its tens of thousands of years of accumulation may be reduced to ashes!

The faces of the other four Dao Ancestors beside him were equally grim, their expressions twisted with regret and ferocity.

Although the sects behind them are not as dependent on resource circulation as the Dan Sect, being cut off from supplies and pressured for debts by so many key partners is still a heavy blow that can shake their foundations!

The sect's daily expenses, disciples' cultivation, formation maintenance, external trade... none of these can be separated from these "trivial" yet crucial resources and channels.

"Fortunately... Jucai Chamber of Commerce still has spare capacity." Ya Fei felt a little more at ease, and her gaze towards Xiao Dong became even more determined.

Although the losses were heavy, it also completely bound them to Xiao Dong and the possible connections behind him.

That's just how venture capital works. She believed in her own judgment and, even more so, in Xiao Dong's future potential.

Lu Xuan took in everyone's reactions, and his heart suddenly felt enlightened, filled with a sense of excitement.

"No wonder in the original story, even when such a shocking change occurred within the Lü family..."

"Five 'Hidden Talent' Dao Ancestors mysteriously perished, my grandfather was critically injured and on the verge of death, and only one-tenth of the family's high-level combat strength remains."

"But even with Xiao Dong uniting so many forces to attack, the Lü family was still able to hold on, and at one point, they even reached a stalemate..."

"It turns out that they had already been secretly supporting and connecting with these seemingly insignificant but actually controlling emerging forces that control the economic lifeline of the Northern Region!"

"Unfortunately, in the original story, Xiao Dong's protagonist aura was too strong. In the end, he still had to unite various parties to defeat and absorb the forces supporting the Lü family one by one, which only made his alliance stronger..."

As Lü Xuan recalled the original plot, he felt a deep respect for his father, who had always been taciturn and seemingly upright and rigid.

This is the true family leader who holds sway over a region, strategizing and planning with far-reaching vision!

Yun Tiannan was also shocked. He looked at his old friend Lü Yang, whom he had known for many years and who always appeared calm and composed, and his heart was filled with turmoil.

He only knew that Lü Yang was strict in managing his family and had profound cultivation, but he never expected that the other party had silently woven such a terrifying and secretive giant net for the Lü family!

"The Lu family will always remember your loyalty and support."

Lu Yang's voice rang out again, steady and calm, "If any of you encounter difficulties in the future, my Lu family will do everything in our power to help you."

He abruptly changed the subject, his gaze sweeping over Dan Chen, Ya Fei, Lin Yan, and the others, a cold smile curving his lips:

"However, I must still offer you all a word of advice. If you wish to settle old scores, why not... do it now?"

He paused, then spoke clearly, word by word:

"By tomorrow, there will be some debts... that we may not be able to settle even if we want to."

Om-!

These words shocked everyone present!

The implication of those words... is the Lü family really going to take action?

It's not just a commercial blockade; it's also about... launching a devastating attack on the five major sects, including the Dan Sect and the Yunlan Sect, and even on the Lin family and the Jucai Chamber of Commerce?!

"Thank you for the reminder, Patriarch Lü!"

For them, the Lin family and Jucaishang were the real "fat sheep".

As for the five major powers, although they are difficult to deal with, their combined pressure is enough to make them bleed heavily.

Lin Yan felt a chill run through his body, and his ears were ringing.

He had just been injured by Ye Qing'er, and his blood and qi were already churning. Now, his mind and spirit were shaken even more.

If his reckless actions today lead to such a huge and sudden debt for the family, it could even trigger a full-blown conflict with these emerging powers.

His status in the family will plummet, and he will be branded a sinner!

Lin Yan's face was ashen, his finger trembling as he pointed at Lü Yang, who stood imposingly on the high platform. His voice was distorted by anger and fear.

"Lü Yang! You...you really think that the Northern Region is a one-man show for your Lü family?!"

"The Lü family isn't enough."

A steady voice took over the conversation. Yun Tiannan stepped forward and stood shoulder to shoulder with Lü Yang, his gaze fixed on Lin Yan. "And what about adding my Yun family to the mix?"

He paused, then spoke in a loud voice that resonated throughout the room: "Regardless of whether Lü Xuan is my future son-in-law, Yun Tiannan, based solely on my decades-long friendship with Brother Lü Yang, I, Yun, am determined to help him out today!"

Yun Tiannan has made his stance clear! The Yun family has officially sided with the Lü family!

Lü Yang turned his head and nodded slightly to Yun Tiannan, without saying anything more.

Yun Tiannan didn't take it to heart, knowing full well that his old friend was just like that; the more he valued someone, the more taciturn they became.

No sooner had he finished speaking than Ye Qing'er, back beside her father, gently shook Ye Nantian's arm, her pretty face full of expectation and pleading: "Father..."

Looking at the unwavering stubbornness in his daughter's eyes, Ye Nantian sighed inwardly and patted her hand helplessly: "I know, I'll help you, Father."

"Hehe, I knew Daddy was the best!" Ye Qing'er smiled brightly, like snow melting in the morning.

Ye Nantian felt a mix of emotions.

My own sweet little cotton-padded jacket has been leaking air ever since she met that brat Lü Xuan!

He had no ill feelings towards Lü Xuan himself, and even quite admired his talent and temperament.

But this brat is blind; he ignores his own precious gem and insists on pestering that iceberg of the Yun family!

If his daughter hadn't begged him on the grounds that "Grandpa Lü has taken care of him for many years," he wouldn't have bothered to come to this birthday banquet today, to see this stupid pig who has made his daughter sad.

"Enough, enough," Ye Nantian shook his head inwardly. "Children grow up and eventually leave the nest."

He composed himself, his expression regaining the dignity of a family head, and declared loudly, "And so does my Ye family. As for that brat from the Lin family, I, Ye, also cannot stand by and watch what happened today."

"My Ye family also helped out in this situation!"

At this moment, the four major families of the Northern Region—the Lü, Yun, and Ye families—stood together with a clear stance!

The remaining Lin family was instantly isolated!

Looking at Ye Nantian, Lü Xuan knew that this support largely stemmed from Ye Qing'er's influence. He wasn't ungrateful, so he immediately cupped his hands and sincerely said, "Uncle Ye, thank you."

Ye Nantian snorted coldly, turned his face away, and spoke in a harsh tone.

"If it weren't for my daughter's request, I wouldn't have bothered with your meddlesome affairs!"

Even so, the sound of "thank you" softened his expression somewhat.

When Lü Yang withdrew his gaze, his eyes inadvertently swept over Ye Qing'er, and he even nodded slightly to her, a faint but real smile appearing on his lips.

Ye Qing'er was slightly taken aback, then returned a bright smile, a sweet feeling rising in her heart.

Immediately afterwards, she raised her chin triumphantly and gave a defiant "humph" to Yunzhi, who was not far away.

Yunzhi glanced back at her expressionlessly, her cold eyes devoid of any emotion. No one could guess what the eldest daughter of the Yun family, who had suddenly agreed to the engagement, was thinking at this moment.