"Asking our Chen Family for protection money?" Elder Jiang slammed the table in anger, "Really, anyone dares to shit on our heads now!"
These Ancient Martial Arts Families wielded significant influence in secular society; many of their descendants established martial arts schools or similar organizations, and they somewhat involved themselves in the less savory industries as well.
They were the ones usually extorting protection money, so when had it ever become someone else’s turn to demand it from them?
"Do you know who the other party is?"
"Unclear," the Chen Family Martial Artist shook his head, "But apparently, it seems to be a young man around twenty years old. It appears he bought the development rights and usage rights from Jiangnan City’s Land Development Bureau for the Northern Half Mountain."
"A young man around 20 years old? A Grandmaster Martial Artist?" Elder Jiang was stunned, "Could it be one of those old guys who swallowed a Miracle Elixir?"
The Martial God residing in Huaxia was already over 150 years old, yet he maintained the appearance of a middle-aged man in his thirties or forties,
"Hmph! Does he not realize that the Northern Half Mountain is our Chen Family’s territory?" Elder Jiang grew even more upset.
Although the Chen Family wasn’t top among the Ancient Martial Arts World, they were undoubtedly a well-known large family, and other families generally showed them some respect.
The behavior of this person, who also seemed to belong to the Ancient Martial Arts World, was an absolute provocation toward their Chen Family.
"Grandfather Jiang, could it be someone sent by the Ding Family again?" Worry crossed Chen Bingyu’s face.
"If it’s someone from the Jiang Family, that’s even better. We can just force them to give us the antidote!" Though Elder Jiang sounded very tough, his expression was clearly filled with gravity.
Chen Bingyu’s grandfather and he were both Level Seven Martial Artists, but in terms of strength, her grandfather was even more powerful. Yet now, he was barely clinging to life in bed; so how could he possibly stand up against the Ding Family’s expert?
Even if it wasn’t that Grandmaster who seriously injured the Chen Family head, the Ding Family members had sinister Inner Strength. In a fight of equal strength, he estimated he would be at a disadvantage.
But the situation was dire, and as an Elder of the Chen Family, with the old head critically injured, he had to step forward.
"Go fetch the Second Elder," Elder Jiang ordered.
It was impossible to agree to marry Chen Bingyu to that young master of the Ding Family, but with the Ding Family’s growing arrogance and aggression, a fierce battle seemed inevitable; this was already a matter crucial to the survival of their Chen Family.
"Grandfather Jiang, I... I should just agree to their demands..." Chen Bingyu glanced at her painfully suffering grandfather, then at the Chen Family Martial Artists prepared for an imminent threat, and her defenses immediately crumbled.
"What are you saying!" Elder Jiang had watched Chen Bingyu grow up since she was young. With no children of his own, he saw her as his own granddaughter, "Even if it costs me my old life, I absolutely won’t hand you over to the Ding Family."
"That’s right, the Ding Family has gone too far, we absolutely cannot compromise with them!" Several of Chen Bingyu’s elders also declared resolutely.
"Let’s go!"
...
"These Ancient Martial Arts Families are not as old-fashioned as I thought." Zhang Menglong surveyed the surrounding buildings, noting that each small villa exuded a very modern architectural style, and even several luxury cars were parked around, more resembling an affluent neighborhood.
"Mr. Zhang, these Ancient Martial Arts Families also keep up with the times. That antiquated way of life is now rarely seen; they even use high-tech machines to assist in training their descendants and employ some novel medications to enhance cultivation speed, which is quite modernized," Ye Yin said.
"Oh, here they come!" Zhang Menglong heard a series of hurried footsteps, his lips curling slightly upward.
Chen Family had brought over twenty people, among whom, apart from that Elder Jiang, there was another older man; the rest were mostly Ancient Martial Artists below Level Seven.
Chen Bingyu’s gaze fell on Zhang Menglong, and she seemed to feel she had seen this face somewhere before but couldn’t recall where exactly.
"So young!" At the sight of Zhang Menglong, everyone was stunned momentarily. Though they had been prepared, seeing such a young Grandmaster Martial Artist still gave them a shock, unsure what kind of old monster could possibly lurk beneath such a youthful appearance.
"Are you the Grandmaster Martial Artist," asked the elder surnamed Jiang, bowing slightly toward Zhang Menglong, "Your eminent presence at Chen Family is not greeted from afar, please forgive us."
"Don’t be so formal, everyone, just make yourselves at home, ha!" Zhang Menglong said in an easy-going tone.
The elder’s forehead sprouted several blue veins—it was clearly their home!
"Your visit to the Chen Family, may I ask what advice you could offer?" Elder Jiang held back his anger as he spoke.
"You don’t have mobile phones here? I thought those gatekeepers below had already informed you," Zhang Menglong said incredulously, "I’m here to collect protection fees!"
"Putting it this way makes me seem quite unreasonable," Zhang Menglong scratched his head, "Let me rephrase that, I’m here to collect rent!"
"Sir, the Chen Family has been stationed here for decades, don’t you think your demand is a bit excessive?"
"Damn, I’ve been on Earth for 20 years, is this Earth mine then!" Zhang Menglong rolled his eyes, "Under the heavens, all land belongs to the sovereign; does this land belong to the state, do you have a property ownership certificate, do you have a lease agreement?"
"This..." The elder surnamed Jiang was at a loss for words; those Ancient Martial Arts Families and schools almost always took lands by force, and no one had ever asked them for property ownership certificates before.
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"You don’t have one, but I do!" Zhang Menglong then took out a land development and use agreement, "See this, approved by the Land Bureau, this mountain belongs to me for the next three years. If you want to stay here, shouldn’t you pay me some rent?"
"I’m not asking for much, only 500 billion a year; you take care of water, electricity, and gas yourselves, how about that?" Zhang Menglong said with a grin.
"It seems you are not here to collect either protection fees or rent, but to create trouble!" Elder Jiang’s tone suddenly turned cold.
"Why can’t you people be reasonable!" Zhang Menglong exclaimed, "I’m clearly owed rent, yet you say I’m making trouble. Those people below even wanted to hit me, and I haven’t even asked for emotional damages yet!"
"Since you have a land use agreement, it’s right for our Chen Family to pay some rent if we inhabit this place, but isn’t 500 billion a bit excessive?"
"Actually, I’m not that hard to talk to," said Zhang Menglong smiling, "If you can’t pay up, trading with people is also an option."
Zhang Menglong pointed at Chen Bingyu, who was standing behind the two elders, "If she comes with me, I might consider reducing the rent!"
A flicker of panic and surprise crossed Chen Bingyu’s face, and she couldn’t help but step back two paces.
"Are you from the Ding Family?" As soon as Zhang Menglong began asking for Chen Bingyu, they instantly assumed he must be a master Grandmaster from the Ding Family.
But the Grandmasters of the Ding Family numbered only two, and they had met them before. Was there another hidden Grandmaster in the Ding Family?
"As a Grandmaster, why must you act so covertly?" The two elders from the Chen Family took a step forward, "If your Ding Family wants to take Bingyu away, you’ll have to step over our corpses first!"
"The Ding Family?" Zhang Menglong paused, "What the hell is the Ding Family?"