In the common hall, Wang Haoyu sat calmly on a chair provided by the servants, patiently waiting with a cup of tea in hand. He had been asked to wait while the senior elder went to fetch the patriarch of the Ning clan.

When the guard returned to fetch him earlier, he was accompanied by an elder from the clan who seemed to be sweating profusely, visibly disturbed at the mere mention of the Ning clan's debt.

It took a few minutes before finally, two elderly men entered the room.

Haoyu rose elegantly and bowed respectfully, clasping his hands in a gesture of courtesy to greet the two newcomers. "My name is Wang Haoyu. My master granted me the clan Ning's acknowledgment of debt to assist me as I explore the world."

The two elderly men from the Ning clan observed Wang Haoyu carefully as he made his introduction. Their gaze expressed a mixture of curiosity, caution, and most notably, surprise at the talented young man before them. Though young, the boy was already at the level of Establishment of Foundations, a talent not to be underestimated.

Ning Guo, the patriarch, spoke politely despite his interlocutor's young age. "I am Ning Guo, patriarch of the Ning clan. You claim to be the disciple of this old man?"

Haoyu nodded respectfully. "Indeed, Patriarch Ning. My master rendered valuable services to the Ning clan in the past. In recognition of these services, a debt was issued. However, he sent me to explore the world, and to aid me in this endeavor, he handed me this acknowledgment of debt."

Ning Tian, the counselor, took the documents from Haoyu's hands to examine them closely. A tense silence filled the room as they read carefully.

Sweat beaded on the foreheads of the two elderly men when they saw the number of zeros on the paper. Even if they were to gather the entire fortune of the clan, they would only have half of the requested amount. It would be impossible for Ning Guo to forget this debt, as it was thanks to this old man that he had reached his current position. Back then, he was young and impulsive, and it had benefited the entire clan. He had been young and naive, thinking that he would have enough to repay the debt at that time. Moreover, it was only ten years ago that the war between Qin and Wei had ended with a close defeat for Wei. Ten years ago, the value of all the Ning clan's properties was roughly equal to the requested sum, but that is no longer the case today.

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With a noticeable stress in his voice, the patriarch of the Ning clan spoke again. "Young master, do you have proof of being the disciple of that old man?" He still remembered that the old man had told him at the time that if someone presented themselves with the debt, they should also possess a golden token representing their identity.

As he uttered these words, Wang Haoyu suddenly recalled something. He took out a golden token from his ring, bearing the character "Force (力)" engraved on it. "Are you referring to this?" As he produced the token, the two old men could feel the overwhelming pressure contained within the object despite its inactivity.

Seeing the patriarch's expression deteriorate, Haoyu decided it was time to move to the next step. "I've understood for quite some time that your clan is far from having enough to repay the debt. What do you say we come to an arrangement among ourselves?"

"What exactly are you proposing, young master Wang?" asked Ning Guo, his eyes scrutinizing the young man's face.

Haoyu, still smiling, explained his proposition. "I am aware that your clan cannot repay this debt conventionally."

"However, I am not here to endanger the Ning clan. Instead, I propose that the Ning clan offers me its full support. In return, I will consider the debt repaid. This will benefit the Ning clan by establishing a connection with me."

"What do you think of this proposition?"

Ning Guo, the patriarch of the Ning clan, listened attentively to Wang Haoyu's proposal. His face reflected a combination of concern and contemplation. Ning Tian, the counselor, maintained a cautious look, evaluating the situation with suspicion.

After a moment of silence, Ning Guo spoke. "Young master Wang, your proposition is tempting, but I cannot decide on this alone. I need to discuss it with the elders. What do you say to staying with us tonight, and we will give you our response tomorrow?"

Upon hearing this, Haoyu simply smiled and said, "Very well, let's do that. After all, happy people don't need to rush."

Afterward, the elder called for servants, and they led Wang Haoyu to a guest room.

While Wang Haoyu distanced himself, the old man Ning Tian observed his Ning Guo; the patriarch himself seemed troubled by the turn of events. However, before he even posed the question, the patriarch responded, "Don't ask me; I have no idea myself." Despite his many years of experience in negotiating and managing clan affairs, it was the first time he couldn't perceive the intentions of his interlocutor at all.

"I can't fathom his true intentions," admitted Ning Guo with a worried tone. "This proposition is unexpected, and although his words are assured, it's challenging to determine what he's genuinely seeking. He has everything to gain by simply recovering the debt; he could easily establish a network with such a sum. Yet, he prefers to form a friendship with our clan. Perhaps he seeks someone who has had plenty of time to create a network or something similar."

Ning Tian nodded, sharing the patriarch's bewilderment. "He is a talented young man in cultivation, but he is also cunning and shrewd. He will undoubtedly become a formidable individual in the future. It's possible that he has hidden motivations or more complex plans, but we can only speculate."