The Master Descends the Mountain: My Destined CEO

The next day.

The Zhus called Xiao Ye, their tone extremely respectful.

"Mr. Xiao, we are ready on our end and can pass on the message at any time."

"What time and place have you decided on?"

Xiao Ye thought for a moment before giving an address. "Dragon Abyss Tower, ten in the morning. Will that work?"

"Of course. The Zhus guarantee the privacy of every guest who enters the tower!"

After hanging up, the Zhus took action immediately.

They not only passed on the message but also closed Dragon Abyss Tower to the public.

Tomorrow, they would be serving Xiao Ye and Xiao Ye alone!

As a dignified Hidden Clan, the Zhus acknowledged the prowess of the Lingxiao Daoist and his unparalleled mastery of Taoist arts.

However, they had never considered either currying favor with him or acting against him.

In short, they adhered to a simple principle: so long as others didn't cross them, they wouldn't cross others.

As a Hidden Clan, they had the power to back up this stance!

But now, Xiao Ye had come to them.

This meant they faced two choices.

First, maintain the status quo.

The Zhus might not undergo any changes, remaining just as they always had. This was the stability they had always pursued.

In today's restless society, stability had become a luxury.

Second, embrace radical change.

They could follow Xiao Ye and turn the entire Imperial City upside down. Even the balance of power across the nation might be affected.

At that point, not only would the world of commerce be in flux, but no aspect of life would remain stable.

This went against the Zhus' founding principles, but it also offered a new possibility for a family that had become a pool of stagnant water!

A chance to rise to an even higher level!

The Zhus gathered at Dragon Abyss Tower in advance, inspecting the premises to ensure the next day's meeting would proceed without a hitch.

One of them said, "Although he is the Ziwei Star and bears the mark of an Emperor, the affairs of the world are unpredictable."

"We should still observe him for a while before deciding whether to follow him."

"The Ziwei Star itself will not fall, but that doesn't mean its destiny will remain with him alone."

Something like destiny is ever-changing.

Even the smallest thing can affect it.

However, Xiao Ye's destiny was so powerful that it wouldn't be easily affected, unless he encountered a major catastrophe.

And for Xiao Ye, the Hidden Xiao Family was exactly that kind of major event!

"Alright, then let's wait and see. He's meeting with some members of the Xiao Family tomorrow. It will be a perfect opportunity to observe whether he possesses the qualities of a leader."

「Ten o'clock the next morning.」

Inside a large private room.

Several members of the Xiao Family were present.

Fewer than ten in total.

This number did not exceed Xiao Ye's expectations.

He had revealed his identity, but whether the members of the Xiao Family actually believed him was another matter entirely.

Besides, this meant directly opposing Liu Loulan. For eight or nine people to show up at all was already impressive.

They all exchanged glances.

"You're here because you received the message too?"

"That's right. You too?"

"I just don't know who sent it. Xiao Ye is already dead. Could the former Patriarch have had other illegitimate children out in the world?"

CREAK.

The door opened.

Hearing the sound, everyone instinctively turned to look.

And saw someone completely unexpected.

"Xiao Ye! You… you're not dead!"

A faint smile played on Xiao Ye's lips. He had deliberately worn a more formal suit today.

He exuded a noble air from head to toe, as if he'd been raised in a great clan his entire life.

Even the younger generation of the Xiao Family, who had received elite educations since birth, couldn't compare to his aura.

For a moment, they were almost blinded, thinking they were seeing Xiao Ling from the days when he was at the height of his power.

The father and son were so alike, in both looks and bearing. No wonder Liu Loulan was so terrified of him, so determined to have him killed at all costs.

Xiao Ye smiled faintly. "It seems you all recognize me. In that case, I won't need to introduce myself."

"Are you really Xiao Ye?"

"The one and only. Or do you think someone could fake this resemblance?"

That was indeed impossible. After all, you can always spot a face that's had plastic surgery.

There was nothing unnatural about Xiao Ye's features. He clearly hadn't had any work done.

Xiao Ye pulled out a chair and sat down. "You all know who I am, and you know that Liu Loulan has made several attempts on my life."

The faces of the group changed slightly.

Finally, the most senior among them, a man in his fifties, was the first to speak.

"That's right, we know. But even so, there was nothing we could do."

"Liu Loulan tried to keep it a secret, but the Death Warriors she dispatched belong not only to her, but to the entire Xiao Family. Naturally, we have our ways of finding things out."

Xiao Ye's elegant fingers lifted his teacup. "So, what did you do?"

'Only this way can I know if they are truly loyal.'

'And the Zhus should be able to verify the truth of whatever they say now.'

'Besides, I can tell if they're lying myself.'

"We sent people to protect you, but they all vanished without a trace. Not a single one came back alive."

"We've been suppressed by Liu Loulan for years. Even though she didn't dare to be too obvious about it, she has crippled our resources."

"Sending those men was the absolute limit of what we could do. It was all we were capable of."

'People are selfish. They wouldn't risk their own lives to protect a young master they were meeting for the first time.'

'A pity…'

Xiao Ye was still a bit disappointed. He hadn't expected to find not a single truly and utterly loyal person among them.

'It's less that they're loyal to me, and more that they're loyal to the Xiao Family and dissatisfied with Liu Loulan.'

'As for Xiao Ling, to whom they were once loyal, he's already a thing of the past for them.'

Xiao Ye continued, "Liu Loulan must know you've come, right?"

The group nodded.

"She knows, but she isn't worried. In her eyes, you're already dead. As for the rest of us, we can't possibly make any waves."

'This Liu Loulan really is confident. Then again, she's earned the right to be.'

Just then, an elderly man with red-rimmed eyes came forward.

He hadn't spoken until now, but he could no longer contain his emotions.

"You… you really are the spitting image of Xiao Ling. It's like you were both cast from the same mold!"

"A moment ago, I thought I was seeing Xiao Ling himself!"

"If he were still alive, he would be so proud of you! He never would have let you be lost to the world for so long!"

As he spoke, the old man couldn't stop the tears from flowing.

"Third Master!"

"Third Master, we've found him now. Don't be so upset."

Third Master shook his head. "I'm not sad, I'm overjoyed!"

He looked at Xiao Ye with a burning gaze. "You are so much like Xiao Ling. I believe in you! You will definitely be able to take back the Xiao Family!"

Xiao Ye could see the old man's joy was genuine, and the smile on his own face became a little more sincere. "That is exactly what I plan to do."

'I'm not interested in the Xiao Family itself.'

'But since Liu Loulan dared to make a move against me, she'd better be prepared for me to do the same to her!'