148: Chapter 107 Chamber of Commerce Turmoil

The next day, at the Airport Market.

The lights at the airport were much brighter than usual.

It wasn't a festival; something had happened.

President Liu Yishou sent a message.

President Liu Yishou stood at the airport exit, his green brocade robe covered in dust, his hair disheveled, and his eyes bloodshot.

When he saw Chen Xuan, he practically ran over.

His steps were unsteady, as if he hadn't slept in days.

"Fellow Daoist Yun, something has happened."

President Liu Yishou's voice was hoarse, his lips cracked.

"Yao Shuang has completely rebelled."

Chen Xuan's hand rested on the hilt of his sword.

"When did this happen?"

"Two days ago."

President Liu Yishou took a deep breath.

"The day after you left Wanyao Immortal City, Yao Shuang made his move."

He joined forces with several deacons within the Chamber of Commerce and seized control of the headquarters' accounting office and warehouse.

All the Spirit Stones, Medicinal Pills, and spiritual materials were sealed away by him.

Thirty percent of the Chamber of Commerce's guards were replaced by him with people from the Yao Clan.

Chen Xuan frowned.

"What is he trying to do?"

President Liu Yishou gritted his teeth.

"He wants to convene a shareholders' meeting of the Chamber of Commerce to re-elect the president."

"He says your qualifications are insufficient and you are not qualified to sit in this position."

"He also says you embezzled the Chamber of Commerce's profits and the accounts don't match up."

Chen Xuan did not speak.

Everything Yao Shuang said was just an excuse.

His true goal was the Qingyuan Token.

Recognizing the token instead of the person was a rule established when the Chamber of Commerce was founded.

It was stipulated by a Dao contract! They had to acknowledge it.

As long as the token was in Chen Xuan's hands, no matter how much Yao Shuang stirred up trouble, it would be useless.

Therefore, he wanted to use public opinion to force Chen Xuan to hand over the token.

Or, seize it by force.

President Liu Yishou took a Jade Slip from his Storage Pouch and handed it to him.

"This is what he had someone send over."

"Tomorrow at noon, a shareholders' meeting will be held at the headquarters."

"He has invited Elders from the The Three Sects, representatives of various major families in the Southern Region, and all the shareholders of the Chamber of Commerce."

"He wants to force you to abdicate in front of everyone."

Chen Xuan took the Jade Slip and probed it with his Divine Sense.

Yao Shuang's voice rang in his mind.

"President Yun, tomorrow at noon, at the headquarters' meeting hall, be there or be square."

"You can choose not to come."

"But if you don't come, the Chamber of Commerce will lose its cohesion."

"Who will listen to you in the future?"

Chen Xuan withdrew his Divine Sense and put the Jade Slip away.

"Tomorrow at noon, I will go."

President Liu Yishou's expression changed.

"Fellow Daoist Yun, you cannot go."

"Since Yao Shuang dares to challenge you publicly, he must have prepared a backup plan."

"He has someone behind him."

Chen Xuan nodded.

"I know."

"That is why I must go even more."

"If I don't go, it will look like I'm feeling guilty."

"Only by going can I expose him."

Liu Lili walked over and took his hand.

"Junior Brother, I will accompany you."

Chen Xuan shook his head.

"Senior Sister, you stay here."

"I will go alone."

Liu Lili's eyes reddened.

"Why?"

Chen Xuan looked at her, his gaze calm.

"Because tomorrow is not a fight, it is a meeting."

"It is a contest of wits, not swords."

"If you go, it will be easier for them to find fault."

"They will say that Yun Qi brought his Dao Companion to bolster his courage, that I am feeling guilty."

Liu Lili bit her lip and let go of his hand.

"Then promise me, no matter what happens, do not act impulsively."

"I promise you."

Chen Xuan turned and walked toward the airport exit.

President Liu Yishou followed behind him.

"Fellow Daoist Yun, what do you need me to do tomorrow?"

"You don't need to do anything."

Chen Xuan did not look back.

"Just sit there and watch the show."

President Liu Yishou stopped and watched Chen Xuan's back disappear into the night.

The next day at noon, at the Qingyuan Chamber of Commerce headquarters.

Chen Xuan stood at the entrance, looking up at the nine-story pavilion.

Green bricks and black tiles, carved beams and painted pillars.

This was built by his own hands in his second life.

Every brick, every tile, he had watched them being laid.

Now, someone was trying to usurp his power here.

Chen Xuan stepped onto the stairs.

The guards at the entrance saw him and cleared the way.

The main hall was already full of people.

Elders from the The Three Sects, representatives of various major families in the Southern Region, and shareholders of the Chamber of Commerce.

There were at least a hundred people.

Yao Shuang sat on a chair next to the main seat, with a cup of tea in front of him.

The tea was still steaming.

Seeing Chen Xuan enter, he stood up with a smile on his face.

"President Yun, you are here."

"Please, have a seat."

He pointed to the main seat.

Chen Xuan did not sit.

He walked to the center of the hall and turned to look at everyone.

"Yao Shuang, you wanted to convene a shareholders' meeting, and I am here."

"If you have anything to say, speak."

Yao Shuang's smile did not change.

He picked up a stack of account books from the table and held them up.

"President Yun, these are the accounts of the Chamber of Commerce for the past three years."

"I had someone check them, and found twelve large expenditures with unknown destinations."

"Totaling 200,000 Spirit Stones."

"Every single one of these expenditures bears your signature."

He placed the account books on the table and looked at Chen Xuan.

"I would like to ask President Yun to explain where these Spirit Stones went."

The hall went quiet for a moment.

Everyone's gaze fell upon Chen Xuan.

Chen Xuan's expression was calm.

"Those Spirit Stones were used for the expansion of the Chamber of Commerce's trade routes."

"The Central Plains shipping routes, the layout in Wanyao Immortal City, and the post-disaster reconstruction of the Southern Frontier volcanoes."

"Every transaction is recorded and is in the Chamber of Commerce's archive room."

"If you didn't find them, it is because you did not check carefully enough."

Yao Shuang's smile stiffened for a moment.

But he quickly recovered.

"President Yun, you speak lightly."

"Trade route expansion, Central Plains shipping routes—these are all money-burning projects."

"After investing for so many years, where is the return?"

"I have read the Chamber of Commerce's reports; the Central Plains shipping routes are still operating at a loss to this day."

"The branch in Wanyao Immortal City has been open for three years, and the profit is less than ten percent of the investment."

"As for the Southern Frontier, we haven't even recovered the principal."

He looked at Chen Xuan, his gaze aggressive.

"President Yun, let me ask you, are these projects the strategy of the Chamber of Commerce, or your own personal selfish desires?"

People in the hall began to whisper to each other.

Chen Xuan looked at Yao Shuang and was silent for a moment.

"Yao Shuang, if you have something to say, just say it directly."

Yao Shuang laughed.

"Fine, then I will be direct."

He stood up, walked to the center of the hall, and faced everyone.

"I believe that Yun Qi is not qualified to continue serving as the president of the Qingyuan Chamber of Commerce."

"There are three reasons."

"First, his qualifications are insufficient."

"Second, his poor decision-making has caused the Chamber of Commerce to suffer losses year after year."

"Third, there is a problem with his identity."

The hall went completely silent.

Everyone's gaze was fixed on Yao Shuang.

Yao Shuang took a Jade Slip from his Storage Pouch and held it up.

"This is a record I found from the Fusheng Sect."

"Yun Qi, originally named Chen Xuan, a fisherman's son from Bihai Immortal City, his parents both deceased, had no cultivation experience before the age of thirteen."

"After the age of thirteen, he was suddenly noticed by the Liuyang Sword Sect and became a disciple under Master Chonghe."

"His Aptitude is a Low Grade Spiritual Root."

"A fisherman's son with a Low Grade Spiritual Root—how could he Cultivate from Qi Refinement to the sixth level of Foundation Establishment in just a few short years?"

"How could he become a Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment?"

"Why was he chosen by Master Chonghe as the successor to the Dharma lineage?"

He looked at Chen Xuan, his gaze cold and sinister.

"President Yun, can you explain this?"