Gongzhi Qian immediately nodded.
Murong Fu's expression shifted, showing some reluctance.
Li Daoqiang didn't hesitate to shake his head, saying in a deep voice, "Sorry, but the weight of you two brothers isn't worth over ten million taels of silver."
Deng Baichuan and the other man's faces turned sour, but they couldn't argue. Even they themselves didn't think their own worth could reach over ten million taels of silver.
"But my Murong family doesn't have that much silver, and if our young master doesn't leave Black Dragon Stronghold, how can he repay this debt?" Deng Baichuan said calmly.
Li Daoqiang seemed to relax at this, chuckling lightly, "No problem. What I want is peace of mind, and a good enough explanation for my brothers in the stronghold. Brother Murong staying in my Black Dragon Stronghold—I trust in the earning ability of you two brothers and the Murong family. Besides, Brother Murong can do some work here to pay off part of the debt."
His words left the three of them stiff-faced. They certainly couldn't agree to let Murong Fu stay in Black Dragon Stronghold. But they also understood that without enough silver handed over, Li Daoqiang wouldn't let Murong Fu leave.
The more Murong Fu thought about it, the more humiliated he felt, a wave of shame washing over him. Gritting his teeth to save face, he said, "This is a serious matter. Brother Li, could you give me some time to think it over and figure out how to raise the money?"
"Of course, no problem. Brother Murong can stay in my Black Dragon Stronghold as long as he likes. Take your time, no rush." Li Daoqiang agreed readily.
"Thank you." Murong Fu forced out two words.
"It's nothing. I'll get busy now. I'll come see Brother Murong tomorrow. If you've thought it through, feel free to send someone to inform me at any time," Li Daoqiang said amiably.
With that, he turned and left. Once outside the door, his smile grew even wider. Sure enough, in this world, it's the thick-skinned ones who thrive. Calling each other brothers—though both sides knew full well they wouldn't truly treat the other as a friend—still maintained a veneer of face. That's what he wanted. With that, the process of Murong Fu paying up would go much smoother. At the same time, it would pave the way for better dealings in the future. A Murong family couldn't be drained by just over ten million taels. With generations of accumulated wealth, who knew how much they really had? Li Daoqiang never underestimated the riches of the wealthy in this world. Since realizing the importance of money, the most vivid impression from his past life's martial arts dramas had become a scene from *The World's First*. Iron-Clad Divine Marquis asked Wan Sanqian for money—one hundred million taels, or a hundred million. Wan Sanqian's response? No hesitation, just a request for time to gather it. That showed just how much Wan Sanqian had. For a while, the friend he most wanted to make was Wan Sanqian. This world was far bigger than that drama, and the flow of silver even more so. Wan Sanqian was the richest man in the Great Ming, far wealthier than in the drama. And when it came to wealth, the Song Kingdom was no worse than the Ming, even if their national strength and territory differed. Of course, assets weren't the same as hard cash. For the Murong family to suddenly cough up over fifteen million taels wasn't simple. It would take time. Transporting it to Black Dragon Stronghold was also a hassle. They couldn't just use banknotes, even though they were widely accepted and stable. Converting that much into banknotes at once could cause trouble. Fifteen million taels was a huge sum. Every aspect required caution, so Li Daoqiang knew he couldn't rush. He needed to maintain that veneer of face with Murong Fu and take it slow. In the future, whether through the Murong family itself or using them as a stepping stone, that face would be worth keeping. In short, his dealings with the Murong family weren't a one-off; they had great potential. Thinking this, he continued to follow the thread of the Murong family in his mind.
Back in the other room, seeing Li Daoqiang leave, Murong Fu could no longer hold back. He slammed his palm onto the wooden chair beside him. "Bastard! Too much!"
"Master, be careful—walls have ears," Deng Baichuan said, his face grim, but he advised through telepathy. At the same time, he used his true qi to seal off the surrounding sound. Gongzhi Qian did the same. Together, their efforts were enough to ensure their conversation wouldn't be overheard, even by a grandmaster. Murong Fu let them work, breathing heavily, his anger hard to quell.
"Master, as things stand, we must bow our heads. You need to leave Black Dragon Stronghold as soon as possible. The Murong family's many businesses can't do without your leadership. And our reputation in the martial world needs immediate damage control," Deng Baichuan said calmly.
Murong Fu gritted his teeth, thinking again of his reputation. He had lost this battle, and badly. He could already imagine what the martial world would say about him. A wave of shame surged through his body. But in the end, the grand ambition in his heart prevailed, overriding everything. He spoke in a low voice, "You're right. I need to leave Black Dragon Stronghold quickly. But Li Daoqiang won't let me go until he gets the money. Give it to him."
As he said this, his heart ached deeply. That was money the Murong family had saved over generations, meant for restoring their kingdom. Seeing Murong Fu make the decision, Deng Baichuan and the other man breathed a sigh of relief. They had feared their master might not see reason. Money was important, but their master's safety was far more crucial.
"Master, even if we pay, we can't hand over that much directly. We'll have to sell assets, borrow money. And transporting so much silver to Black Dragon Stronghold is no small task. Also, in the martial world, we need to react immediately and steer the narrative," Deng Baichuan said meticulously.
Murong Fu and Gongzhi Qian nodded in agreement. They all understood the implications. Soon, the three began discussing these matters.
While Li Daoqiang in Black Dragon Stronghold plotted how to get the money, and Murong Fu schemed to leave, the over ten thousand martial artists dispersed from Fuyun Mountain. The events there—especially the battle between Li Daoqiang and Murong Fu—spread rapidly across the world. Countless carrier pigeons and hawks flew, horses galloped, and even experts ran at full speed. Through various means, the news traveled fast. Jingzhou City, all of Jingzhou, and then, with Jingzhou as the epicenter, it spread like a storm. Wherever it passed, it stirred up waves.
If breaking through to the grandmaster realm made one famous across the land, and doing so at a young age was icing on the cake, then defeating and capturing a grandmaster in just a few moves—combined with youth and an opponent as renowned as Gusu Murong—all of it together signaled the rise of a young, truly top-tier expert. Everyone, every force, had to take notice of this pinnacle figure. Countless people began discussing the name Li Daoqiang. Many experts added this name to their minds, actively seeking out detailed information about him. In comparison, the Liancheng Jue treasure became a mere sideshow, almost irrelevant. That was the essence of this world: strength was everything. A Liancheng Jue treasure wasn't enough to overshadow a young, top-tier expert. At this point, the treasure became something Li Daoqiang rightfully possessed. The greed for it quietly dissipated. Along with Black Dragon Stronghold's various rules and Li Daoqiang's love of money, it became fodder for countless martial artists' gossip. That was the power of strength.
Take Ling Tuisi, who had returned to Jingzhou City. His mind was no longer filled with schemes, only unease and fear. *Li Daoqiang won't find out, will he? He shouldn't. I've been very discreet. No, I need to prepare, to make sure he can't kill me even if he knows. Think, I have to think.* His hand trembled a few times, and as if struck by an idea, he immediately began writing something.
Far away in Lin'an City, at the Jia residence, the middle-aged man received the news a day later. His brow lifted, showing rare surprise. "What a Li Daoqiang!" he murmured softly. After a moment's thought, he asked, "Where do you think Li Daoqiang's true strength stands?"
"Based on various on-site clues and intelligence, Li Daoqiang's strength completely surpasses Murong Fu. Even if Murong Fu might have been careless, Li Daoqiang's power is at the level of a top-tier grandmaster," a calm voice suddenly sounded in the study.
(Thank you for your support.) ······