"Report! The Patriarchs of the Wu Family, Liu Family, Liang Family, Tan Family, Chen Family, Zhou Family, Yang Family, and Wang Family, the Master of the Earth Treasures Pavilion, and the Captain of the Heavenly Wolf Mercenary Corps... they are all paying a visit!"
Suddenly, a servant of the Ye Family rushed into the training ground, loudly reporting a whole string of names.
"What do they want?" The Ye Family's higher-ups were all taken aback.
This year's clan gathering, the Ye Family hadn't invited any outsiders. Yet now, all at once, so many minor families and small factions had arrived. The situation seemed a bit abrupt.
In Yuanyue City, the most powerful were the Qin Family, Ye Family, Shi Family, and Lu Family, collectively known as the Four Great Families. But right behind them were at least dozens of small families and minor factions. After all, Yuanyue City was one of the thirty-six cities of the Great Qin Empire, its scale not small.
"These families and factions seem to have business dealings with our Ye Family. Most likely, they caught wind that our Ye Family is holding a clan gathering and came uninvited to curry some favor," Ye Tianpeng speculated after a moment's thought.
"That should be it. Quick, invite them!" The Great Elder also nodded.
The visiting families and factions, while their overall strength couldn't match the Ye Family's, were not to be casually antagonized.
"Heh heh, Patriarch Ye, honorable elders, our unannounced visit is truly a disturbance."
"Your Ye Family is indeed brimming with talent, worthy of being one of the Four Great Families of Yuanyue City."
"You flatter us. With your esteemed presence, our humble Ye Residence is truly honored."
...
Soon, a large group of representatives from minor families and factions arrived at the training ground and were ushered to the seats on the eastern high platform. The two sides exchanged customary pleasantries.
"Ahem... Patriarch Ye, the reason for my visit this time is actually about a certain matter. Ten days ago, your Ye Family procured two thousand beast pelts from me, totaling eight thousand Spirit Crystals. The account still hasn't been settled. I hope Patriarch Ye will pay in full immediately." A somewhat plump middle-aged man, after taking a few sips of tea from his cup, suddenly spoke in a heavy tone. He was the Chen Family Patriarch.
"Patriarch Ye, your Ye Family has been renting fifteen street-front shops from our Wu Family at the southern part of the city. I wish to inform you that from this month onward, the shop rent will no longer be paid yearly, but monthly. Moreover, the rent will double."
Almost before the Chen Patriarch's words settled, the Wu Patriarch took the chance to speak.
"Patriarch Ye, a month ago, your Ye Family took thirty First-Grade demon beast cores from our Liu Family. That totals six thousand Spirit Crystals. Please settle it today."
The Liu Patriarch also spoke up.
"Patriarch Ye, twenty days ago, your Ye Family purchased ten True Spirit Pills on credit from the Earth Treasures Pavilion, valued at ten thousand Spirit Crystals. Please settle the account today."
The Master of the Earth Treasures Pavilion spoke.
"Patriarch Ye, three months ago, your Ye Family took a hundred weapons from our Liang Family's weapon shop, valued at three thousand Spirit Crystals. I hope the Ye Family can pay in full today."
The Liang Family Patriarch stated.
Then, the others also began speaking up one after another. Without exception, they were all here to collect debts!
The situation was highly abnormal! This was clearly targeted specifically at the Ye Family!
The Ye Family higher-ups all wore dark, extremely grim expressions, their bodies trembling slightly. Every faction in Yuanyue City that had business dealings with the Ye Family had come to demand repayment!
"Our Ye Family conducts business with you all. Any outstanding payments follow pre-agreed protocols. What exactly do you mean by suddenly demanding early repayment now? Tell me the truth, was it Qin Xiong who sent you?!" Ye Tianpeng flared with rage.
*Boom!* A powerful stream of spiritual energy erupted from his body, shaking the entire high platform violently.
"Late Stage Earth Realm!" The representatives of the minor families and factions were all frightened pale. Strength at the Late Stage Earth Realm placed one among the top powerhouses in all of Yuanyue City.
"Patriarch Ye, some matters... you should understand without being told. Please take pity on us. Currently, the Qin Family is riding high. The Shi Family, the Lu Family, even the City Lord's Manor have formed an alliance with them. Once we small factions provoke Qin Xiong's anger, we'll likely face the danger of being wiped out," the Master of the Earth Treasures Pavilion said carefully.
"Patriarch Ye, honorable elders of the Ye Family, please, show us some mercy. Moreover, repaying debts is the natural order of things. Your Ye Family wouldn't think of reneging, would you?"
"Indeed. If we don't get our money today, we won't be leaving. We might as well take up residence in your Ye Family."
...The others also spoke up.
"You fear Qin Xiong, but do you not fear our Ye Family?!" Ye Tianpeng demanded angrily.
"Patriarch Ye, I think your Ye Family should save your energy for dealing with Qin Xiong," the Earth Treasures Pavilion Master said, a trace of mockery flashing in his eyes. Clearly, he held a pessimistic view of the Ye Family.
The other representatives from minor families and factions wore similar expressions. And it made sense. With Qin An having awakened the Heavenly Spirit Body and the Qin Family rising powerfully, all the major and minor factions in Yuanyue City understood that the Ye Family was destined to suffer a devastating blow. The decline of the Ye Family seemed inevitable!
"How many Spirit Crystals can our Ye Family produce right now?" Ye Tianpeng took a deep breath, his gaze shifting to Ye Zhongnian. Over the years, with Ye Tianpeng's loss of power, the Ye Family's accounts had been entirely managed by Ye Zhongnian.
"The Spirit Crystals our Ye Family can currently produce amount to around thirty thousand," Ye Zhongnian replied, his tone extremely calm.
What?! Upon hearing this, Ye Tianpeng's hands trembled slightly.
The total debt demanded by this dozen or so minor families and factions combined was close to sixty thousand Spirit Crystals. Far from enough!
"Everyone, currently our Ye Family can produce nearly thirty thousand Spirit Crystals. For the remaining debt, I guarantee we will repay it all within three days! Our Ye Family has cooperated with all of you for so many years. Surely you can give us this much face," Ye Tianpeng said sincerely, clasping his fists.
"Heh heh... within three days? Patriarch Ye, what guarantee can you offer?"
"Patriarch Ye, stop trying to fool us. Pay today. Not a single crystal less!"
...No one was willing to agree. Before coming, they had all received orders from Qin Xiong: put pressure on the Ye Family relentlessly, push them to the brink!
"The Ye Family truly cannot produce this much money right now. What do you intend to do?!" Ye Tianpeng's face flushed red, his voice growing hoarse.
The seven Ye Family elders also looked frighteningly grim.
"Patriarch Ye, your Ye Family is a major family of Yuanyue City, possessing at least dozens of street-front shops, five Profound Iron Mines, and, oh yes, a quarter share of the mining rights for a Spirit Crystal vein. You could transfer these assets, convert them to Spirit Crystals, and let us divide them amongst ourselves."
The Master of the Earth Treasures Pavilion took a step forward, chuckling.
"Out of the question!" Ye Tianpeng felt his blood surge, rage erupting.
Those dozens of street-front shops, the five Profound Iron Mines, and the quarter share of the Spirit Crystal vein mining rights were the foundation of the Ye Family! This was the rhythm of pushing the Ye Family to its doom!
"Patriarch Ye, the choice is yours. Anyway, if we don't get our debts today, we're not leaving! If your Ye Family refuses to repay, I believe that from now on, no one in all of Yuanyue City will dare do business with your Ye Family," a family head snorted coldly.
For a moment, the atmosphere on the high platform stiffened.
Deep within the eyes of the representatives from the minor families and factions flickered a sense of schadenfreude. One of the Four Great Families of Yuanyue City, the Ye Family, had been cornered to this extent by their united efforts. How satisfying! So-called major families were nothing special after all!
"You lapdogs of Qin Xiong, do you think a mere sixty thousand Spirit Crystals can stump our Ye Family?"
Suddenly, a calm voice rang out. Ye Yunfei had, at some point, arrived on the high platform.
Instantly, all gazes focused on Ye Yunfei.
"You're that famously useless young master Ye Yunfei, aren't you? Why are your words so unpleasant?!"
"A mere sixty thousand? What a boastful tone! Then why doesn't your Ye Family pay up?!"
"Daring to be so brazen without money to pay!"
...Those who had come to collect debts began to shout.
"Fei'er, you...?" Ye Tianpeng looked at Ye Yunfei in surprise.
"Father, here are two Third-Grade Profound Origin Pills and ten Second-Grade True Spirit Pills. Combined, they are definitely worth over thirty thousand Spirit Crystals. Added to our Ye Family's thirty thousand Spirit Crystals, the total value already exceeds sixty thousand."
Ye Yunfei took two small bottles from his chest and placed them on the table before Ye Tianpeng.
"Is that enough? If not, within today, True Spirit Pills—as many as you need! The debts our Ye Family owes you will be paid, not a single piece short!"
Ye Yunfei's plain yet firm voice echoed across the high platform.