Chapter 831: This is much faster than robbing money

"Interest?" Fossilized Bone shivered at the word.

It was hard to imagine a mighty Integration Stage cultivator losing control of his body.

"Of course. Loans naturally come with interest. Why else would we lend you money?" Meng Potian said matter-of-factly, baffled by Fossilized Bone's intense reaction.

The Meng family wasn't a charity. If anyone could just borrow money and repay the principal, the Meng family would have gone bankrupt long ago.

Fossilized Bone's smile was uglier than a cry.

He cursed himself, wondering how he had constantly overlooked the existence of interest.

Beside him, Mu Baiyi, who was busy pacifying his subordinates, also showed a slight change in expression, no longer composed.

He, too, had forgotten about the interest.

Not only did Fossilized Bone owe money, but so did he.

However, he had borrowed money from the Falling Money Merchant Guild disguised as one of his followers.

He had been planning to repay the debt as soon as the barbecue restaurant became profitable enough, to avoid any trouble coming to light.

If the truth came out, even a Half-Step Tribulation Stage cultivator like him wouldn't survive.

"H-how much interest?" Fossilized Bone was so frightened that he stammered, wishing he could dig up Qin Haoran's corpse and flog it.

Meng Potian was quite enthusiastic about a major client like Fossilized Bone. He also greatly admired Fossilized Bone's loyalty and courage to take on such a debt.

Admiration aside, the accounts still needed to be settled.

"Look, it was clearly stated when the loan was taken out. This is 'Safe Tribulation Insurance.' As long as you successfully advance to the Tribulation Stage, interest stops accruing, and you only need to repay the principal. However, if the tribulation fails, interest is calculated at twelve percent per annum."

Meng Potian wrote out the calculation process in the air for Fossilized Bone's convenience.

"Forty years have passed since the loan was initially taken out. The original agreement stipulated repayment via 'equal monthly installments of principal and interest.' For a loan of one billion, that comes out to an average monthly payment of one thousand one hundred... After deducting the one billion you've already repaid, you still owe four point five billion."

The intricate calculation process floating in the air left Fossilized Bone trembling with fear.

As an Integration Stage cultivator, he possessed the basic calculation skills; he simply couldn't bring himself to accept the reality.

Mu Baiyi's eye twitched. If they had that many spirit stones, Fengdu would have been completed long ago.

This was merely the amount Fossilized Bone owed; Mu Baiyi himself owed even more.

He had initially planned to repay his debts quickly to accelerate the construction of Fengdu, but now, he decided against it. Fengdu could be built slowly; there was no rush.

Currently, the Nine Nether Sect and the Glorious Sun Sect were flourishing under the guidance of the Heavenly Court Sect. With the Young Sect Master Lu's instructions, the Glorious Sun Sect had quickly shifted its research focus. Solar-powered candles and other products were soon to be released, which would likely generate spirit stones faster than running a barbecue restaurant.

Mu Baiyi tried to think positively.

In the spiritual space, Lu Yang thought, "No wonder the Meng family adheres to the law; making money legally is faster than illegally for them."

Even if Fossilized Bone tried to rob someone, he wouldn't be able to get this much.

The Immortal Fairy, however, felt immense regret. "What a pity! I've lost out greatly. I should have found a bank to deposit some spirit stones back then. After three hundred thousand years—oh no, four hundred thousand years—how many spirit stones could I have earned!"

"...Um, may I ask, Your Majesty, are you certain any bank could have existed from ancient times until now?"

The Immortal Fairy considered this and realized Little Yangzi had a point.

And so, the Immortal Fairy returned to her usual cheerful self.

Fossilized Bone and Mu Baiyi left the Meng Residence, both dejected.

"Sect Master, what now? Should we return to headquarters?"

Mu Baiyi shook his head. "Haven't you noticed that the living standards of the Imperial City's residents are higher than those in other cities? This means their ability to accept new things is also greater. Previously, when we opened barbecue restaurants, we started in smaller places and gradually expanded to surrounding cities."

"Barbecue restaurants are common. Our advantage is good taste, which is universally accepted, so it's not really a 'new' thing."

"However, the inventions of the Glorious Sun Sect might not be universally accepted by everyone. I believe that to open up the solar energy market, we should start from the Imperial City."

"So, you go contact the Glorious Sun Sect's people, and we'll all come to the Imperial City for an investigation."

Fossilized Bone realized why Mu Baiyi was the Sect Master; his observational and analytical skills were indeed superior.

"Father Emperor, your son has returned."

Inside the imperial palace, the dignified First Prince knelt before Emperor Xia.

Three months ago, someone reported corrupt officials in Jizhou who were embezzling and deceiving their superiors. Jiang Qun went to Jizhou to investigate these corrupt officials, traveling incognito, visiting common folk, and seeking clues. When officials tried to obstruct him, he revealed his identity, intimidating everyone. In the process, he also met a beautiful confidante and found a good match, and he had just now returned to the Imperial City.

He hadn't expected that in just three months, his Father Emperor would have aged so much.

The vigorous Emperor Xia was nowhere to be seen; the current Emperor Xia resembled an old man on the brink of decay, with a face full of wrinkles and drooping eyelids that obscured his eyes.

It was said he still had ten years of life remaining, but less than half that time had passed, and he was already on the verge of death!

Emperor Xia, who favored his eldest son the most, smiled upon seeing Jiang Qun's return. He put down the memorial in his hand and gestured for him to approach.

"Father Emperor, your health..."

A wave of sorrow rose in Jiang Qun's heart.

He knelt before the throne, allowing his Father Emperor to caress his head. In a daze, he felt as if he had returned to his childhood, when his Father Emperor sat on the throne and he sat on his Father Emperor's lap.

"Cough, cough, it's nothing. I know my own body; I can live a bit longer." Emperor Xia's eyes were cloudy, his vision had significantly deteriorated, and his speech was slurred, mixed with saliva.

"If the heavens wish to take my life, they'll have to try harder."

"I know you seek freedom and have no desire to inherit the throne. As your parent, I will not force you."

"However, if the crown prince isn't chosen soon, and should I pass away, the power of national destiny attached to me would lose its master. I fear it would cause turmoil, leading to inevitable unrest, and our ancestors would have to intervene to suppress it."

"This national destiny is the foundation of our Great Xia; no mishap can be allowed."

"The second prince is too calculating and prone to outsmarting himself. The third prince knows he lacks the talent for governance and devotes himself entirely to literature... All eight of your younger brothers have various flaws that make them unsuitable for such a great responsibility. I cannot entrust the empire to them. As for your seven younger sisters, you know them well..."

"Father Emperor, please don't say any more. I will be the Emperor!" Jiang Qun, heartbroken and sobbing, nodded in agreement.

He knew his Father Emperor had always valued him highly; otherwise, he wouldn't have entrusted him with handling the corrupt officials in Jizhou, which was a way to establish his prestige.

"Ah, you said it! You can't go back on your word!" Emperor Xia suddenly straightened his back, his eyes clear and bright, gazing intently at Jiang Qun, showing no trace of his previous appearance of being on the verge of death.

Jiang Qun was speechless.

Jiang Qun thought, "Father, if you're fine, can you stop acting?"

His second brother had said there was no truth in the imperial family, only schemes everywhere. He was absolutely right.