Chapter Seventy: Today, Sever the Eminent Master!

How powerful can one person truly become?

After receiving a phone call, Du Yanran fell into deep thought.

Until that moment, she had believed that the most powerful individual could be none other than Xu Changming, chairman of Huating Entertainment, who held the fate of hundreds of celebrities in his hands. With a single word from him, careers were made or destroyed.

But now, Du Yanran realized how gravely mistaken she had been—there was no such thing as the strongest, only those stronger still.

Three minutes earlier, her agent had called to inform her that in merely two hours, more than thirty singers and actors had been permanently blacklisted, with the number still rising.

Today, the entire entertainment industry was shaken to its core, panic spreading like wildfire. Among those blacklisted was even a film emperor.

Even someone as formidable as Xu Changming could never have accomplished this.

The internet was in uproar, entertainment news flooded every platform, and during interviews, several female singers learned of their blacklisting on the spot, their public images shattered as they collapsed to the floor, wailing with grief.

Du Yanran sat numbly on the sofa, her ten fingers gripping her phone tightly.

“It’s over. The sky over the entertainment world has collapsed today. Who knows how many will be crushed beneath it?”

The flood of blacklist notices continued.

Glancing at Gu Feifei, she saw her holding a glass of red wine, her exquisite, alluring face weighed down by heavy thoughts.

Du Yanran managed a feeble laugh. “Feifei, do you think Jiang was angered into action for your sake? Over fifty have been blacklisted already—every one of them had once suppressed you, even those who insulted you behind your back have been dug up and dealt with.”

Gu Feifei pressed her red lips together, showing no trace of excitement. “He did all this only to make up for the guilt he feels toward me.”

“No matter how far he goes, even if he blacklists a hundred stars and reporters to atone for that guilt, you still won’t look at him? What I want is actually very simple.”

Lowering her beautiful eyes, the fair lady looked weary and forlorn.

Huating Entertainment Tower.

As one of Yuzhou’s landmark buildings, the tower boasted eighty floors and sat upon the Yujiang Bay. Standing atop it, one felt as if they had conquered all heights, gazing down upon the world.

It was the city’s prime spot for viewing the river at dusk; ordinarily, the rooftop bustled with life and glamour.

Jiang Yu sat atop the building, idly turning a celadon teacup in his hand. The pair was called “Spring Fills the Tower”—Xu Changming had reportedly paid a million at Christie’s auction for them.

Qin Huishi spoke calmly, “Xu Changming, I have brought Jiang here for you as you asked. Make good use of this chance.”

Before such a formidable figure, Qin Huishi might yield in respect, not daring to provoke his authority. But before ordinary people, with her mastery as an internal-style grandmaster, she could disregard all. Even Xu Changming, with his billions and position as chairman, was nothing more than a slightly special mortal in her eyes.

Behind Xu Changming stood a hunched, elderly man with a goatee, barely one meter sixty tall, almost dwarfish in appearance.

But Jiang Yu saw at a glance that this old man was, in fact, an internal-style grandmaster.

Xu Changming’s confidence stemmed from this stooped elder.

Qin Huishi then stepped aside, remaining silent. If not for the involvement of a major grandmaster, those of the Hidden Sect would never bother with mundane disputes.

From her brief acquaintance with Jiang Yu, she understood that this youth was unpredictable, acting solely on whim and never bound by external constraints. Because of this, the Hidden Sect regarded him with extreme caution, fearing he might unleash on ordinary people the same annihilating force he used against the Shadowkill organization.

“Jiang, is there some misunderstanding between us?” Xu Changming had finally seen the legendary grandmaster in person. Outwardly composed, inwardly he was thinking, so this is all there is? No matter how people described the youth’s power, his age was plain to see—who could truly take a boy so young seriously?

Jiang Yu’s tone was indifferent. “Whether there’s a misunderstanding, you know very well.”

He stood up, getting straight to the point. “Today, I have but one demand. If you agree, I’ll turn and leave.”

Xu Changming replied, “Please, speak your mind.”

Jiang Yu gazed at the ships on the Yu River, his voice calm. “From now on, relinquish your position as chairman and let Gu Feifei take charge. As for your shares, I’ll purchase them at market value.”

At these words, Xu Changming’s face darkened.

This demand was no different from daylight robbery. Huating had grown into a powerhouse, earning billions each year; Jiang Yu intended to usurp the nest and reap the harvest without effort. Moreover, Huating’s shareholders included the Rothschild family.

Even Qin Huishi’s expression changed.

Jiang Yu’s appetite was staggering. She had previously discussed with Xu Changming that, if necessary, they could pay Jiang Yu off with fifty million—a sum that, for a grandmaster, was not humiliating.

But Jiang Yu opened with a demand for shares worth billions and wanted Gu Feifei to replace Xu Changming.

Xu Changming sneered coldly. “Are you joking, Jiang? Even if I agreed, the Rothschild family would never consent.”

Jiang Yu turned his back to them, his voice utterly domineering. “I will deal with the Rothschilds myself. It’s none of your concern. Or, you can refuse, and then I’ll negotiate with you another way.”

According to his original plan, Jiang Yu could have simply stormed in, cut down Xu Changming with a single stroke, then used overwhelming force to take over the shares and consolidate Huating. With a grandmaster present, which minor or major shareholder would dare utter a word of protest?

That was Jiang Yu’s style—never constrained by the rules of the mundane world.

But now he couldn’t act so recklessly. The Hidden Sect had been alarmed by his massacre of Shadowkill the previous night. Even now, Jiang Yu could sense several powerful presences within Huating Tower, all clearly grandmasters.

Such vigorous auras were the most formidable he had ever encountered among ordinary people.

“If I make the slightest move, those presences will surely strike like thunder,” he thought.

Jiang Yu feared not the Hidden Sect, but he still had friends and family—he could leave at any time, but they could not. In the end, the innocents would suffer. Ruthless as he could be, Jiang Yu would not bring harm to the blameless.

Thus, he accepted Qin Huishi’s proposal.

Across from him, in another building, sniper rifles were trained on him.

“They’ve truly set a net of heaven and earth for me today,” he thought, a cold smile on his lips.

He slowly turned to Qin Huishi. “You claim to be brokering peace between me and Huating, resolving this through negotiation. Yet here in Huating Tower, you’ve set a deadly trap, waiting for me to step into it. I came alone to grant the Hidden Sect’s wish, but I see nothing of your sincerity.”

“I suppose the snipers over there already have my head in their sights the moment I turn around?”

Qin Huishi’s pupils contracted sharply—he had detected Old Wei and the others?

Her heart skipped a beat; she cursed herself inwardly—this approach would make anyone misunderstand.

“Jiang Yu, let me explain—” she began.

Xu Changming burst out laughing. “That’s right. Today, Elder Jiang has summoned four disciples of the Celestial Master Path to jointly deploy the Celestial Thunder Array. What can even a peerless grandmaster do? Against such overwhelming force, death is all that awaits.”

As these words left his mouth, Qin Huishi cried out, “Xu Changming, how dare you!”

She hadn’t expected Xu Changming to act on his own agenda, deepening the misunderstanding. Matters were now entirely out of her control; the Hidden Sect’s attempt at a peaceful resolution had utterly failed.

Elder Jiang had already set the incantation and hand seals for the array. With a stomp, rainbow light erupted around them.

“Everyone, lend me your strength!”

Elder Jiang’s beard and hair flew wildly, lightning danced in his brows, and with a thunderous shout, four more grandmasters sprang forth, each guarding a corner.

“Today, September first, we slay the peerless grandmaster atop Huating Tower!”

Elder Jiang thrust both hands forward, golden light soaring skyward as if to pierce the heavens.

Simultaneously, gunfire erupted.

“Who gave the order to shoot?” Qin Huishi could no longer remain calm, and screamed.

A special armor-piercing round whizzed past Jiang Yu’s cheek, drawing a thin line of blood.

At that moment, Qin Huishi saw the most terrifying gaze she had ever encountered in her life.

Like that of a god, cold and indifferent to all creation.