Chapter 103: The National Idol and General of the Nation

After looking around, Xiang Nan continued loudly, “Elder Kang, are you getting old and your brain has become too empty? But don’t fill it with water! Just because Spirit Treasure’s three supreme medicines are extraordinarily effective, you conclude that they must have been made by stealing the nation’s spiritual materials? What kind of twisted logic is that? Can you even name the spiritual ingredients contained in those three medicines? You just open your mouth and make things up!”

This question left Kang Jiacheng speechless.

It was not that he had never investigated the matter. The problem was that the results had always been unsatisfactory. No one had been able to determine exactly what spiritual materials were used in Spirit Treasure’s three medicines.

“Can’t say, can you? You looked so certain of yourself just now, but it turns out you were only pretending. When someone exposes your hypocrisy, it really shouldn’t be this humiliating!”

Xiang Nan had not the slightest goodwill toward the president of the Spirit Martial Association, and he showed no courtesy in his words.

“The spiritual materials were processed, changing their properties. The fact that you can’t identify them right away doesn’t prove your innocence! Unless you can explain exactly where these medicines came from and prove that you didn’t steal the nation’s spiritual materials, you remain guilty.” Kang Jiacheng was still desperately arguing.

“Elder Kang, it seems your head really is filled with water. Every substance is made up of countless cells. Even if its properties change, its essence does not. Anyone with even a little knowledge of chemistry understands that. And besides…” Xiang Nan looked at Kang Jiacheng with an expression that was almost pitying. “The law states that whoever makes an accusation bears the burden of proof. Could you show a little common sense? Constantly displaying the limits of your intelligence is not a good look.”

Kang Jiacheng was rendered completely speechless. He collapsed weakly into his chair.

“Elder Kang, Elder Kang, don’t take a break! Keep making things up!” Lu Yu urged him anxiously from nearby.

But Kang Jiacheng had completely lost his spirit. Apart from sighing in frustration, he could do nothing else.

Seeing that Kang Jiacheng had finally quieted down, Xiang Nan cleared his throat twice and announced to everyone, “I now represent the Eagle Alliance in declaring the following: all members of the Lu family, their relatives, and their business partners will be placed on Spirit Treasure’s blacklist. Partners of the Eagle Alliance, however, will receive Spirit Treasure’s VIP treatment.”

The moment those words were spoken, everyone made up their minds.

In this age, making money was important, but staying alive was more important.

Fights and brawls happened all the time, and attacks by demon beasts were hardly rare. On top of that, many people suffered from old ailments—rheumatism, chronic pain in the legs, and the like. How could anyone do without Spirit Treasure’s dog-skin plasters?

“The Eagle Alliance is a close business partner of Radiant Hong Group. It was so in the past, and it will remain so in the future!”

“And Three-Meter Group stands with the Eagle Alliance through thick and thin!”

“Steward Xu, we’ve been friends for many years. There’s no need to say anything about business—we’ll support you without hesitation!”

“Count us in! Count us in as well…”

The overwhelming shift in allegiance left Lu Pengcheng feeling dazed.

“It’s only a Spirit Treasure! Look at all of you, fawning over them like this. How disgraceful! As president of the Capital City Chamber of Commerce, I have the authority to shut down every Spirit Treasure shop in the capital!” Lu Pengcheng had already become enraged with embarrassment.

“I’d like to see who dares shut down a Spirit Treasure shop!”

A thunderous shout came from the entrance to the banquet hall. Yuan Ao, dressed in military uniform and radiating commanding authority, strode in with several subordinates.

He was exceptionally tall, with a square face, sharply defined features, and eyes that gleamed with vitality. Even without anger, he possessed an awe-inspiring presence.

“Gasp!”

The air in the banquet hall seemed to vanish as everyone drew in a collective breath.

“Isn’t that… the Guardian General, Yuan Ao?!”

“The Guardian General, who hasn’t been seen in public for more than half a year, has actually appeared at Xu Qingshan’s birthday banquet?”

“Xu Qingshan—no, what kind of monstrous background does the Eagle Alliance have? Even the commander of the Dragon Abyss Army has come to back them!”

“They have the Armed Police, the Dragon Abyss Army, and now the nation’s idol, the Guardian General himself. What kind of divine treatment is this?”

Even Lu Pengcheng, who had remained so forceful until now, completely crumbled when he saw Yuan Ao in person.

From General Yuan Ao’s words, it was obvious that he had come to support the Eagle Alliance.

This time, the Lu family had truly run into an immovable wall.

Xu Qingshan, standing on the stage, was also utterly bewildered.

Had his reputation in the martial world really grown so great? Had even the nation’s idol, the Guardian General, come to congratulate him on his birthday?

It took him several seconds to recover. He hurriedly went forward to greet his guest.

“General Yuan, your arrival brings immeasurable honor to the Eagle Alliance. I, Xu Qingshan, am truly privileged! Please, take the seat of honor.”

“No need. I came here specifically to offer my thanks. Once I’ve finished what I came to do, I’ll leave,” Yuan Ao replied calmly.

He then swept his gaze around the room, finally stopping on Xiang Nan, who was craning his neck to watch the spectacle.

Xiang Nan’s heart immediately began pounding.

What was going on? Why had this general come looking for him? Could he be after the Taiji diagram again?

Naturally, Xiang Nan knew who the Guardian General was.

He was an absolute powerhouse of the Nine Provinces.

The highest level of ancestral awakening ever recorded in the modern world was the sixth tier. Yuan Ao was one of the few sixth-tier awakened warriors, and the ancient qilin was his ancestral form.

No one knew exactly how powerful he was.

The only thing everyone knew was that General Yuan Ao had never suffered a defeat in his entire life.

Countless diligent young students regarded him as their lifelong idol. After all, an idol was someone they could never become.

And now, the idol of everyone’s dreams was standing right in front of Xiang Nan.

The crushing pressure radiating from such an absolute powerhouse made even Xiang Nan sit up straight.

“You’re Xiang Nan, aren’t you?” Yuan Ao asked.

“Mm.” Xiang Nan answered with unusual obedience.

“Bring them up.” Yuan Ao tilted his head slightly and instructed his subordinates behind him.

Soon, two soldiers from the Dragon Abyss Army stepped forward, each carrying a brocade box.

“Open it and take a look.” Yuan Ao gestured toward Xiang Nan.

Xiang Nan’s mind was buzzing, and he remained completely dazed.

He opened the first brocade box and nearly had his eyes blinded by the multicolored radiance shining from the spirit orb inside.

“This is a trophy I obtained during my campaigns abroad—a sixth-tier spirit orb containing a spirit technique.”

“Gasp!”

The onlookers drew in another collective breath.

“A sixth-tier spirit orb! I’ve never even seen one in my entire life!”

“Nonsense. That’s the spirit orb of a sixth-tier demon beast! If you had seen one, do you think you’d still be alive today?”

“A sixth-tier spirit orb is a priceless treasure! General Yuan is being incredibly generous!”

“General Yuan values the young master of the Eagle Alliance this highly? The Eagle Alliance must be even more powerful than we imagined.”

“I’m curious what’s inside the other box.”

Xiang Nan looked at the spirit orb, then at Yuan Ao. “General, what do you mean by this?”

Right. Hadn’t he just said he had come especially to offer his thanks? Clearly, this was meant to be a gift of gratitude for him.

But what had Xiang Nan done to deserve such an extravagant expression of thanks?

Forget it. Whatever the reason, he would accept it. A sixth-tier spirit orb with a spirit technique was something money could not buy. There was no reason to refuse a gift like this.

There were two brocade boxes. What was inside the other one?

Curious, Xiang Nan reached out to open it.

“Don’t be impatient. The other box can only be opened when you’re alone,” Yuan Ao said calmly.

His tone sounded tranquil, yet no one dared disobey him.