Chapter 2580 — Wu Chengtian Steps Forward

"Haha, how could I?" Fatso Lai did indeed harbor that very intention—once he was home, he could simply disavow everything that had happened here. China was his home turf; even if this Zhuge Junshi was a man of the underworld, it hardly mattered. The great secular families of the country were all his allies. He could have the Liu family put in a word, or simply send Wu Chengtian over to threaten the man into submission. But he had never expected Zhuge Junshi to be no fool—the man had even recorded everything on video. There was no wriggling out of it now.

"It had better not be." Zhuge Junshi gave a faint smile. He reached out and picked up a bronze ornament from the table, kneaded it casually in his hand until it flattened into a copper pancake, and tossed it to the floor. "Don't take me for some common drug dealer—do that, and you'll die very ugly deaths."

"A cultivator?!" Fatso Lai stared at Zhuge Junshi in horror. He had never imagined that the man before him was actually a cultivator.

"So you do have some judgment—then I needn't spell it out. I hope you'll contact me as soon as you're home. Otherwise, you'll bear the consequences yourself!" Zhuge Junshi handed Fatso Lai a name card, his words loaded with menace.

"Of course, I understand. In truth, I'm hoping to work with Mr. Zhuge as well." Fatso Lai took the card and put it away. He knew things could not end here—this would still have to be settled after his return. Running was simply not an option.

Zhuge Junshi nodded and left with the pharmaceutical merchants. They would not travel with Fatso Lai; they had their own channels out, and a man like this would never leave behind a record of entry and exit so easily.

That very night, Fatso Lai booked a seat on the earliest flight and flew back to Songshan City. Only after he was out of the airport did he finally breathe a sigh of relief. The affair had been too sudden and too strange—and he realized that he had grown far too careless of late, nothing like the cautious man he used to be.

Originally, Fatso Lai had planned to have his partner, the secular Liu family, look into Zhuge Junshi's background—put in a word with the man's backer as a warning, make them behave and stop coveting the Guan Daifu Pharmaceutical Company.

As a rule, the secular families still held considerable sway over such underworld forces. But now that he knew Zhuge Junshi was a cultivator, Fatso Lai changed his mind. A cultivator was likely no small player—at the very least, he was on par with the strength of the Five Minor Families in their day. So Fatso Lai decided to bring Wu Chengtian along to deal with Zhuge Junshi.

Wu Chengtian was both the heir of a secular family and a skilled early-stage Earth Rank cultivator, equally versed in internal and external disciplines—a force to be reckoned with. It could be said that the secular Wu family had nearly caught up with those declining hidden families. With Wu Chengtian stepping forward, Zhuge Junshi ought to be taken care of.

As for Wei Zhao, Fatso Lai never considered troubling him. Wei Zhao had entrusted the company to his care—surely he couldn't run to Wei Zhao over every little problem? On the great matters beyond his own power, he had no choice but to bother Wei Zhao—the counterattack against the Kangshen Medical Company, for instance. But an encounter with an underworld threat like this? Fatso Lai felt Wu Chengtian could handle it well enough; there was no need for Wei Zhao to ride out in person. Best to give him as little trouble as possible.

Back in Songshan City, Fatso Lai called Wu Chengtian at the first opportunity, told him everything that had happened, and asked him to help deal with it—and Wu Chengtian naturally agreed on the spot. They were both Wei Zhao's subordinates, and what Fatso Lai managed was Wei Zhao's business; now that trouble had come calling, it was Wu Chengtian's bounden duty to step in.

Once Wu Chengtian arrived, Fatso Lai felt much steadier at heart. He dialed Zhuge Junshi's number and arranged to meet him at the Kangshen Medical Company headquarters to discuss the partnership.

Zhuge Junshi agreed without hesitation, telling Fatso Lai he would be there first thing the next morning.

Led by the company's security guards, Zhuge Junshi and his attendant were shown to the reception room. That Fatso Lai had not come out to greet him in person left Zhuge Junshi somewhat displeased—and at the same time he felt a vague misgiving that this partnership might yet hit some snag.

Could it be that Fatso Lai had only been humoring him before, and now that he was home, had some trick up his sleeve?

Entering the reception room, Zhuge Junshi saw Fatso Lai seated in the place of honor—and beside him sat a young man, legs brazenly crossed, looking exceedingly full of himself.

"President Lai, what is the meaning of this? Have you decided against working with me?" Zhuge Junshi's face was very dark. That Fatso Lai had not risen to greet him only confirmed his suspicion.

"Zhuge Junshi, I take it?" Fatso Lai said nothing; it was Wu Chengtian who rose first, extending a hand toward Zhuge Junshi and saying coolly, "I am Wu Chengtian, young head of the secular Wu family."

As he spoke, Wu Chengtian cycled the incantation of his cultivation method, his early-stage Earth Rank strength laid bare for all to see.

"Heh heh…" Zhuge Junshi laughed and extended his hand as well, clasping Wu Chengtian's in his, and said blandly, "I didn't expect Guan Daifu Pharmaceutical to have a family of cultivators behind it."

"Now you know. The mark of a man is knowing his own measure. If Zhuge Junshi means to force his way into our company's affairs, then…" As he spoke, Wu Chengtian tightened his grip. He had trained in the external Iron Hand technique since youth, and now with internal cultivation to back it, his strength was naturally a far cry from what it once was.

"An early-stage Earth Rank cultivator versed in both internal and external disciplines? No wonder you're so formidable." To his surprise, after his hand had been crushed in Wu Chengtian's grip, Zhuge Junshi's expression did not change in the slightest—he could even state Wu Chengtian's strength with perfect composure!

"You…" Wu Chengtian was slightly taken aback, suddenly unable to fathom the other man's strength.

"Heh heh, you're right—the mark of a man is knowing his own measure. A mere early-stage Earth Rank pup dares to throw his weight around before me!" Zhuge Junshi moved lightly, shaking Wu Chengtian's hand off, and swung a palm straight at Wu Chengtian's chest!

"Bang!"

Before Wu Chengtian could even react, Zhuge Junshi had struck him flying. He crashed heavily into the wall not far off with a tremendous thunderous boom!

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