Everyone was waiting for Lin Beichen to respond.
Lin Beichen's eyes flickered slightly, and seeing that no one recognized Zhou Yuanshou's token, he shrugged and was about to retrieve it when a commotion suddenly came from outside.
"Nie Jianghe, what's with all the noise today? You took a group of people straight to the high seas. Are you trying to create chaos?"
The voice, rich with local intonation, echoed through the hall even before the person entered.
Everyone turned their heads to see an elderly man slowly stepping forward, followed by someone with a complexion similar to Nie Hongchen.
This person was also dressed in luxurious attire and carried an air of authority. Although he seemed slightly frail, his nobility was unmistakable.
"Mr. Wang, you're exaggerating. I'm just trying to save myself. Business isn't easy these days, and everyone's influence is waning. I just wanted to stir up some commotion to attract investment."
The middle-aged man took two quick steps upon hearing the old man's words and spoke with exceptional humility.
In the entertainment industry, upon seeing this middle-aged man, people's expressions changed drastically.
This man was none other than the current chairman of International Entertainment, Nie Jianghe.
Nie Jianghe was once a globally renowned top-tier star, becoming an idol to millions of young women at the age of 20.
Unlike typical idol artists, Nie Jianghe quickly retired after gaining fame and moved into management.
With the support of his family, he quickly nurtured a large group of idol artists.
In his era, the 20-odd idol groups led by him swept the world, creating a sensation especially in the Chinese-speaking regions.
It has been estimated that during the decade Nie Jianghe trained artists, he brought nearly 10 billion in profits to the group.
Nie Jianghe helped hundreds of idol artists rise to fame across various fields.
Singers, actors, hosts, and even cartoonists were among those he nurtured.
In every industry that showcased individual talents, Nie Jianghe had a hand.
In just 20 years, Nie Jianghe had become the undisputed godfather of the entertainment world.
The so-called elite gatherings hosted by Nie Hongchen were essentially events where people came to respect Nie Jianghe.
Those who could benefit from Nie Hongchen's resources were rare, and they had to sign agreements with International Entertainment, becoming its artists to enjoy those benefits.
Yet in essence, the entertainment industry was deep-seated. Even though International Entertainment controlled a majority of the traffic, it could not monopolize the entire market.
With the rise of short video platforms, decentralized entertainment had become mainstream.
During this time, International Entertainment's influence had waned significantly, as grassroots celebrities sprang up continually.
These issues challenged Nie Hongchen's energy, but no one dared question Nie Jianghe.
Before the rise of short video platforms, Nie Jianghe had proved his keen instincts with numerous achievements over 20 years.
If Nie Jianghe wanted someone to become a star, he had countless ways to make it happen.
Some even said that Nie Jianghe embodied the pinnacle of entertainment evolution.
He knew how to manipulate emotions and how to craft a flawless celebrity.
But even Nie Jianghe couldn't change the declining fortunes of his family.
International Entertainment relied on Xiang Island, and with its overall decline, as a member of this circle, he could only struggle to survive, hoping to extricate his family from this environment.
However, saying it was easy; doing it was much harder.
What use would they have if they left the entertainment industry?
In this dazzling world, entertainment was an indispensable part of life, but beyond this cultural sphere, no one recognized them.
In recent years, Nie Jianghe had actively maneuvered, merely to find a significant figure as a backer, giving his family a chance to break free from constraints.
And just a few days ago, Nie Jianghe suddenly discovered an opportunity.
"Master, I don't ask for much. If you can help me, I will reward you handsomely."
Nie Jianghe hurriedly said.
"It's not that I don't want to help you, but I simply can't speak on this matter.
Who is Lin Beichen? If I speak lightly, wouldn't it be like making the decision for him?
If this word gets to Mr. Lin, not only will it not help you, but it might also cause trouble!"
Hearing this, Nie Jianghe sighed softly.
The person in front of Nie Jianghe was not someone else but a disciple of Master Wang from the Feng Shui Association.
Master Wang was already a gatekeeper of the Feng Shui Association and would not readily attend various gatherings.
Wang Chaolun had only joined the Feng Shui Association in recent years.
Thanks to his connection with Master Wang, he became one of the most promising talents in the Feng Shui Association within just a few years.
Recently, there were rumors that his master had met a great Divine Technique expert, with many invitations pouring in, all of which his master declined.
Seeing that they couldn't invite Master Wang, people could only turn their attention to his disciples.
As Master Wang's spokesperson outside, Wang Chaolun found it indescribably tough.
He didn't want to accept these invitations either, but he had no choice, given his troublesome master.
However, even though he accepted invitations, he remained aware of the limits.
He spoke on behalf of his master, but his master was merely acquainted with Lin Beichen.
Anything related to Lin Beichen had to be handled with utmost caution.
His master had said that Xiang Island's future depended entirely on what Mr. Lin wanted.
If he wished for Xiang Island to become a peaceful place without cultivators, the thousands of cultivators on Xiang Island would all leave without a single complaint.
If Mr. Lin disliked a particular family, even a super family with assets worth billions could not escape demise.
The Zheng Clan and Zhou Kuangtian, both representative figures in their circles, were annihilated almost simultaneously.
"Of course, I understand. Mr. Lin's status is exalted, even more formidable than Zhou Kuangtian. Naturally, I wouldn't trouble him with such trivial matters."
Nie Jianghe nodded repeatedly, with a flattering expression.
International Entertainment was a behemoth in the entertainment circle, but in Mr. Lin's eyes, it was probably just a small player.
Nie Jianghe was well aware of this.
While they were discussing and walking to the other side of the hall, Wang Chaolun suddenly frowned and, pointing towards the direction of the banquet hall, asked:
"Why are there so many people here today?"
Upon hearing this, Nie Jianghe was momentarily stunned, surprised at Wang Chaolun's interest, and he immediately replied:
"The youngsters like to create a fuss. I don't know how many people he invited, but they should be just some small fry from the entertainment industry. Are you interested?"
As he said this, Nie Jianghe was already prepared.
As long as Wang Chaolun said he was interested, he would immediately invite the most top-tier celebrities on tonight's list over.
No matter what Wang Chaolun wanted to do, he would force these celebrities to go along.
To make Wang Chaolun happy, he was willing to pay any price, and as for these minor celebrities, as long as they were compensated with some resources afterward, they likely wouldn't cause trouble.
Moreover, he knew that Master Wang and Mr. Gao were, at Mr. Lin's behest, reforming the Feng Shui Association.
The future Feng Shui Association would carry some official responsibilities.
At such times, fostering a good relationship with Master Wang would greatly benefit the family.
This Mr. Lin's power was said to have already surpassed the so-called Mystic Sect and reached the level of an Immortal.
It was said that on his first day on Xiang Island, he crashed the Zheng Clan's birthday banquet, kidnapped Zheng Yaxin, survived multiple assassination attempts unscathed.
In the end, the Zheng Clan summoned Master Zhou, but Master Zhou's spectacular battle not only failed to harm Lin Beichen, but also became the stepping stone to Mr. Lin's fame.
Victory belongs to the king while defeat means disgrace.
In the days when Master Zhou was the world's number one, they were as frenzied toward him as they now are toward Lin Beichen.
All forces were desperately flattering Lin Beichen.
However, what puzzled them was that Lin Beichen was different from the previous master.
No matter how well Zhou Kuangtian pretended, he still hoped for benefits.
But this Master Lin seemed untouched by worldly matters, refusing anyone's disturbances.