Upon returning to the Meng Manor, Meng Jingzhou sought out his father and recounted in detail everything that had transpired at the Second Prince's residence.
Hearing this, Meng Potian was not at all surprised by the Second Prince's attempt to win Lu Yang over.
He looked at Lu Yang with a smile. "Among the nine princes, the Second Prince is hardly the only one who wants to get close to young Lu. It seems he was simply the first one unable to hold back. That's typical of him—he's never been one to keep his composure."
"He isn't the only one?" Meng Jingzhou asked in surprise. So Old Lu was really that popular?
"Since the Eldest Prince has little interest in inheriting the throne, it's inevitable that other princes would set their sights on it. From our intelligence, both the Fourth Prince and the Fifth Prince intend to vie for it."
"Is that throne really so attractive?" Meng Jingzhou thought to himself that the throne was utterly pointless; he wouldn't take it even if it were offered to him.
Meng Potian glanced at his son and Lu Yang. They were all family, so there was no need for secrecy. "That is the imperial throne after all. It shoulders the national destiny and carries the will of countless people, making its occupant second only to one and above all others. So long as the venerable one in the Forbidden Grounds of the Imperial Palace does not intervene, Emperor Xia is the most exalted person under heaven, and none may defy his will."
Inside the spiritual space, Lu Yang mulled over Meng Potian's words. It did seem to be true; Emperor Xia really was an exceptionally exalted figure.
*Why didn't I feel that way before?* Lu Yang wondered, recalling his previous impressions of Emperor Xia.
Then it hit him. When he first had contact with Emperor Xia, the Immortal Fairy had wanted to make the emperor her Fourth-in-Command. Later, while serving as Acting Sect Master, she had gone to the Imperial Palace to challenge the masters of the Four Great Immortal Sects, and then insisted on challenging Emperor Xia as well—frightening Emperor Xia so badly that he granted Lu Yang the privileges of entering court without scurrying, being announced without his personal name, and ascending the imperial hall wearing sword and boots.
After going through all that, and with the Immortal Fairy constantly chattering about the embarrassing blunders of ancient immortals every single day, it was difficult for him to muster any real reverence for Emperor Xia.
"You two have had contact with ancient cultivators of Great Yu as well," Meng Potian continued. "In particular, your Dao Seeking Sect captured Daoist Lord Wanfa of the Great Yu Alliance. Then there is the missing Sixth Emperor Yu, Wu Youdao, and the Second Imperial Preceptor of Great Yu. Why did they all choose to awaken at this time? Just to attain immortality? No—they also intend to supplant Great Xia and rebuild Great Yu."
Meng Potian had no idea that Wu Youdao and the Second Imperial Preceptor had also been captured by the Dao Seeking Sect.
"It is said that the venerable one in the Forbidden Grounds of the Imperial Palace never intervenes unless Great Xia faces an existential crisis. Therefore, sitting upon the throne effectively makes one the master of the Central Continent."
"Just what realm is the venerable one in the Forbidden Grounds?" Meng Jingzhou had heard long ago that there was a Jiang family ancestor residing there.
Meng Potian's expression turned solemn, as if speaking of some unspeakable taboo, and he slowly uttered two words:
"An Immortal."
"Oh, I figured as much."
The Immortal Fairy and Meng Jingzhou accepted the fact quite calmly, without any of the dramatic shock Meng Potian had anticipated.
The founding emperors of both Great Qian and Great Yu had been Immortals, so it was only natural for Great Xia to have one as well.
Meng Potian's eyelid twitched slightly. Just what had these two boys been exposed to out there to be completely unfazed by the mention of an Immortal?
"No wonder our ancestor couldn't beat the Jiang family's ancestor," Meng Jingzhou said with sudden clarity, finally understanding why his own ancestor had lost back then. Jiang Ping'an was an Immortal; how could Meng Junzi possibly have defeated him?
"Our ancestor really failed to step up. If he had won, I'd be the Eldest Prince right now."
Meng Jingzhou felt the burden on his shoulders grow heavier. It looked like the task of producing an Immortal for the Meng family fell squarely on him.
"So now you understand why the throne is so important. It is essentially acting as the Immortal's spokesperson."
As they were talking, a knock sounded at the door, and Butler Xu pushed it open.
"Master, someone is here to repay a debt."
Butler Xu rarely addressed Meng Potian as "Big Brother." Calling him that gave off the impression of an underworld syndicate, especially paired with "Big Brother, someone is here to repay a debt," making the Meng family sound like an illegal enterprise.
The Meng family had always operated strictly within the law, wholly unlike demonic cults that weren't even registered.
"Who is it?" Meng Potian asked. Normally, standard loans and debt repayments could be handled by Xu You without bothering the family head.
For Xu You to notify him personally meant that the person was of considerable status, or the amount being repaid was immense.
"He calls himself Shi Huagu, and he wishes to repay a past debt of one billion spirit stones."
Meng Potian nodded. "One billion spirit stones is indeed no small sum."
"Shi Huagu... If I recall correctly, he's the one who runs the chain of Another Round Barbecue Shops, isn't he?" Meng Potian had some impression of this newly risen commercial prodigy. "Yet I don't remember us lending him any money."
Especially for a loan of one billion spirit stones, Meng Potian would certainly have remembered.
"I checked the promissory note; it was indeed issued by our Meng family. However, the debtor column shows traces of being modified by a karmic divine ability. It appears he voluntarily assumed the previous debtor's obligation."
Meng Potian was visibly moved. To think there was still someone so loyal and righteous in this world.
"Come, take me to see him."
With one foot out the door, Meng Potian turned back and called out to Meng Jingzhou and Lu Yang, "You two probably haven't seen our debt repayment procedure before. Come along and watch; consider it a learning experience."
Even if Meng Potian hadn't said anything, Meng Jingzhou would have gone to watch the spectacle anyway.
The name Shi Huagu was all too familiar to him.
***
In the guest reception quarters of the Meng Manor...
The guest area contained numerous private rooms, their quality varying according to the business value of the client.
Shi Huagu waited nervously in a top-grade private room for someone from the Meng family who could make decisions.
"Don't be nervous. Haven't you already saved up the one billion spirit stones?" Cult Master Mu Baiyi had come along as well. Shi Huagu's debt was a problem left over from the previous cult master and counted as quasi-official business, so he had accompanied him to ensure nothing went awry.
"I finally won't have to get struck by lightning anymore," Shi Huagu said with deep emotion. For this day, he had waited four whole years. One heavenly tribulation every month, fifty tribulations in total—it was a sheer miracle he had survived until now.
He never should have let his greed get the better of him back then and snatched Qin Haoran's supposed treasure.
Treasure my foot!
If the Heavenly Court Cult hadn't appeared and shown him the way, who knew how many lifetimes it would have taken him to amass so many spirit stones.
"You must be Shi Huagu?"
Meng Potian arrived, accompanied by Meng Jingzhou and the possessed Lu Yang, his face beaming with a warm, sincere smile.
"Yes, that's me."
Shi Huagu noticed Meng Jingzhou and Lu Yang and froze for a moment, not expecting them to be there as well.
He had met Lu Yang once when approaching Tao Yaoye for advertisements, while he had only ever seen portraits of Meng Jingzhou.
Mu Baiyi, on the other hand, had run into both of them back at the corpse-driver inn in Huangzhou.
They were just two talented juniors, so Shi Huagu didn't dwell on it. He handed over the promissory note left behind by Qin Haoran along with a storage ring containing one billion spirit stones, waiting anxiously for the outcome.
Meng Potian first examined the promissory note thoroughly. The Meng family always followed the rules; they would never take money that wasn't theirs.
Next, he inspected the storage ring three times. The Meng family always had strict standards; not a single spirit stone owed to them could be missing.
"Mm, the note is genuine, and the storage ring indeed holds one billion spirit stones."
Hearing this, Shi Huagu let out a long breath of relief. Just as he stood up to take his leave, Meng Potian called out to stop him.
"Hold on. You haven't paid the interest yet."
Chapter 922