Yi Beidou drove Ba Xiong's head into his chest cavity with a single palm strike.
THUD!!
The headless corpse tilted backward and fell to the floor.
Behind him, Xu Zifeng's eyes went wide. She covered her mouth and took two steps back. Inside the conference room, even the well-traveled senior members of the Xu Family had never seen such a horrific sight. Some of the female members immediately screamed.
Meanwhile, Mr. Ruan shot up from his seat, his expression flickering as he stared fixedly at Yi Beidou.
Although Ba Xiong had used clever shortcuts and Evil Techniques, with his level of power, he could be called a "Master" anywhere—more than enough to hold dominion over his own territory.
A Martial Artist capable of Majestic Spirit Capturing Soul has, to a certain extent, already transcended the realm of ordinary people.
But now, Ba Xiong had died at the hands of this young man in a single blow.
'What kind of power is this?!'
An absolutely terrifying guess formed in his mind.
'Could it be...'
But before he could think any further, Yi Beidou's gaze shifted to him. He started walking toward him, step by step, his eyes seeming to contain all the great terrors of the world.
The unrestrained aura he exuded was like a raging tide, causing everyone present to tremble violently. The screams, the chatter, the panicked noises—all of it ceased abruptly. No one dared to make a sound. No one dared to move a muscle. Cold sweat soaked through their clothes before they even realized it.
It was the first time anyone present had realized that a person's presence could be so terrifying.
"Are you with him?"
Yi Beidou's voice was deep and resonant. The sound waves struck the walls and bounced back, creating layers upon layers of echoes in the conference room, almost like a Demon Sound.
At this moment, every hair on Mr. Ruan's body stood on end. He felt as if all the air was being squeezed from his lungs by the pressure. He had no doubt that if he made the slightest wrong move or gave the wrong answer, he would die at this man's hands.
"I am Ruan Guangqin. My grandmaster is the South Sea Great Vow Treasure Lotus Master from Nanyang, a man of great virtue who has achieved Body Ascension. I was unaware of a senior's presence here and meant no offense. Please, Senior, forgive my transgression!"
Mr. Ruan cupped his fists and bowed deeply, his attitude utterly respectful. His nose nearly touched the conference table in front of him.
"Your grandmaster... does he also use living people for his training?"
That Demon Sound-like voice rang out again, the Evil Qi still surging, not weakening or wavering in the slightest.
In an instant, Ruan Guangqin broke out in an even heavier sweat.
'How could an expert of this level not know about the Realm of Ascension? He heard my grandmaster's name, yet his attitude didn't change at all. There's only one possibility.'
'This man is likely an expert on par with my own grandmaster.'
He knew full well how terrifying such a figure was. In Nanyang, all the major powers had to act according to his grandmaster's whims and show him some respect.
These were beings who could stand at the apex of human society through their own power alone.
"Senior, you misunderstand. Our lineage practices the Mahayana Earth Store Skill, and we take it as our duty to vanquish demons and slay monsters. The man you just killed was named Ba Xiong. He had committed multiple murders in the past, using living people to cultivate his Evil Techniques. I happened upon him, subdued him, and seeing his desire to repent, I kept him by my side for temporary Enlightenment. For him to be killed by you, Senior, must be fate. He got what he deserved."
Ruan Guangqin said hurriedly.
However, he found that Yi Beidou's gaze was still fixed on him, unwavering.
Like a mountain, like the sea, like the heavens, like an abyss.
"Beidou..."
Just then, Xu Yao, standing to the side, called out his name, her voice trembling slightly.
'This Ruan Guangqin is a key figure. If something really happens to him here, our company's investments in the Nanyang region will probably be a total loss. At that point, even without Xu Guanren causing trouble, I'd have to give up my management rights and resign.'
Hearing Xu Yao's voice, the terrifying presence emanating from Yi Beidou finally began to recede slowly.
Just as Ruan Guangqin was starting to feel a slight sense of relief, alarm bells suddenly went off in his mind.
A figure blurred and appeared before him. A finger tapped his chest. He had no time to react at all.
BANG!!
The next moment, his entire body flew into the air and slammed into the conference room wall not far behind him. His body slid down the wall slowly, like a painting falling from its frame.
HACK!!
A large mouthful of blood sprayed from his mouth. He felt weak in his limbs and wracked with intense pain, his face a ghastly sight.
"I'll spare you the death penalty, but you won't escape punishment. Consider this a small disciplinary action. If there is a next time, you know the consequences."
Yi Beidou said coolly.
"Thank you... Senior, for the mercy of sparing my life."
Ruan Guangqin was indeed a man of deep cunning, someone who knew when to yield. No matter what he was thinking, he suppressed his emotions, struggled to his feet, cupped his fists in thanks, and adopted an incredibly humble attitude.
So arrogant before, and now so deferential.
"Xu Yao is my family. Whatever conflict you have, resolve it now. Then you can take your people and go."
Yi Beidou said.
"This junior was blind and failed to see. I will resolve this matter immediately. I will compensate for all losses."
Ruan Guangqin spoke hurriedly, immediately pulling out his phone and making a call. He barked a series of sharp, urgent commands into the receiver.
「About fifteen to twenty minutes later.」
BZZT! BZZT!
The phone in Xu Yao's handbag began to vibrate. She quickly stood, took out her phone, and answered the call.
"They're saying it was all a misunderstanding? The ban is being lifted immediately, and all the factories can officially resume work tomorrow?"
"And to show their sincerity and compensate our company for its losses, they're also giving us a three-year tax exemption?!"
Listening to her trusted subordinate on the other end of the line, Xu Yao couldn't help but gasp, a look of utter disbelief growing on her face.
'After years of developing the market there, she knew very well how difficult those connections were to navigate. How could the people in power in that region be so easy to deal with?'
And yet now, with a single phone call from Mr. Ruan, not only was the ban completely lifted, but the local authorities were even willing to grant a tax exemption. The situation was simply unbelievable to her.
But even more terrifying was Yi Beidou, the man who had forced Mr. Ruan to do this.
Everyone in the conference room heard Xu Yao's gasps and looked as if they had seen a ghost.
"Auntie, is it settled?"
Yi Beidou asked, looking at Xu Yao.
"It's settled."
Xu Yao nodded. The result had far exceeded her expectations.
"Since that's the case, I'll keep my word. Take your people and get out."
Yi Beidou nodded and turned to Ruan Guangqin.
Ruan Guangqin was standing to the side of the conference room, his mouth full of blood. He was fighting back the pain, his body trembling slightly. Hearing Yi Beidou's words was like receiving a royal pardon.
He quickly called in his subordinates from outside who could still move. They picked up Ba Xiong—whose head was embedded in his chest—and his other unconscious men, preparing to leave immediately.
"Go back and tell your grandmaster that I'll be paying a visit to Nanyang in a while to ask for his guidance on demon-subduing techniques."
Just as Ruan Guangqin was about to walk out the door, Yi Beidou suddenly spoke. The words hit him so hard he nearly lost his footing. He turned, gave a deep bow, and then fled without daring to look back.
He wouldn't dare respond to a statement like that.
Once Ruan Guangqin was gone, silence returned to the conference room. Seated in the main chair, Xu Guanren, who had been so full of vigor just moments ago, was now pale and his face was a ghastly sight.
"Beidou, I am your elder. In modern society, violence solves nothing! Mr. Ruan only compromised because he was afraid you'd kill him. He will surely retaliate once he gets back. You've caused a huge disaster this time, and it will bring ruin upon us all..."
Xu Guanren tried to struggle. He refused to believe that in modern society, Yi Beidou could truly act so wantonly.
"As long as I'm alive, he won't dare to act rashly. Because he knows that even if he hides in Nanyang with countless guards, all it takes is a single thought from me, and he'll be dead on the spot the very next day."
Yi Beidou said calmly. He grabbed the back of Xu Guanren's neck, lifted him from the main seat as if he were a baby chick, and casually tossed him aside. Then, he sat down in the main seat himself.
"Auntie, you handle the rest of the discussion with them. I won't interfere. But I play by the same rules as Ruan Guangqin: if you can't reach an agreement, no one is leaving this room today."
Yi Beidou glanced around at everyone, then leaned back in his chair and slowly closed his eyes.