"A member of the Meng Family?" Venerable Black Feather wore a strange expression, not expecting Meng Jingzhou to have such an identity.
He was aware of the debt between the Kunpeng Clan and the Meng Family. However, with his standing as the old ancestor of the Kunpeng Clan, he would never personally go to the Meng Family to borrow money or pay New Year visits. All such matters were handled by Clan Head Xiao leading a cohort of elders.
The Kunpeng Clan had their own maritime market. A few years ago, due to poor management, they ran into cash flow problems. If they borrowed spirit stones from other Sea Races or East Sea cultivators, they would inevitably feel inferior in future dealings with them. Thus, they had gone to Great Xia instead to borrow spirit stones from the Meng Family.
Naturally, Venerable Black Feather could not admit that he had personally captured his clan's creditors—that would be too damaging to his image. "They sought me out of their own accord."
Lu Yang was speechless.
*Venerable, you live in a place so high up, how could we have possibly flown up there ourselves?*
Lu Yang quietly asked Meng Jingzhou, "How many spirit stones does the Kunpeng Clan owe your family?"
Meng Jingzhou shook his head. "How would I know? I didn't even know the Kunpeng Clan had borrowed spirit stones from us."
Venerable Black Feather whispered to Clan Head Xiao, "How many spirit stones do we owe the Meng Family?"
"There are still 1.6 billion spirit stones left unpaid."
"Can we pay it back?"
Clan Head Xiao gritted his teeth and said with resolute determination, "Spirit stones have been tight lately, but I heard that over in Great Xia, Body Integration stage cultivators can work as bodyguards. The going rate right now is one million spirit stones a day. If I serve as their bodyguard for a year, that will pretty much cover it."
"Is there any other way?" Venerable Black Feather frowned, feeling that having their clan head work as a bodyguard was far too disgraceful.
"There is. A Tribulation Transcendence stage cultivator earns even higher wages as a bodyguard."
Venerable Black Feather was left speechless.
*Looks like you'll just have to go be the bodyguard.*
"Uh, we were just passing through the Kunpeng Clan to have a look around. We aren't here to collect debts," Meng Jingzhou said. He dared not mention anything about the bird's nest.
Seeing Clan Head Xiao like this, Meng Jingzhou figured he probably had no idea about the relationship between Shangguan Yu and Venerable Black Feather. Otherwise, Clan Head Xiao would have gathered news about Shangguan Yu when he went to Great Xia for New Year visits, and Venerable Black Feather wouldn't have had to personally capture the youths to question them.
"Really?" Clan Head Xiao was overjoyed. He had already mentally prepared himself to work like an ox or a horse for Meng Jingzhou.
"Really."
In Clan Head Xiao's eyes, Meng Jingzhou was no longer a creditor, but an honored guest.
"Quick, pour tea for Young Master Meng!" Clan Head Xiao said hurriedly. Looking around, everyone present was either a guest or the old ancestor, so he had no choice but to pour tea for Meng Jingzhou himself.
Embarrassed to linger any longer, Venerable Black Feather spread his wings and took flight, returning to his nest.
One could tell Clan Head Xiao was generous; though the tea leaves he brewed were not quite as good as Enlightenment Tea, they were still top-grade tea second only to Enlightenment Tea.
"I heard that Nephew Meng joined the Dao Seeking Sect?"
"That's right. These are my junior brothers and junior sister." Meng Jingzhou naturally lumped Lu Yang into the ranks of his junior brothers.
"Her as well?" Clan Head Xiao looked in surprise at Su Yiren, who was leaning against Li Haoran's shoulder. Neither her age nor her cultivation level seemed like that of a disciple.
"She isn't. She is Junior Brother Li's fiancée."
Chapter 828