Three days after the Fortune City battle.
The business war had reached its peak.
Contrary to Li Tao's expectations, money alone could not solve every problem.
The protagonist faction was fighting like madmen.
The Wang Family used military connections.
The Shen Family monopolized medical supply chains.
The Tang Family mobilized local business networks.
The Nangong Family and Qin Family remained in the background, yet their influence could be seen everywhere.
Every time Li Group secured a supplier, another would disappear.
Every time they acquired a transport route, hidden pressure would force the partner to withdraw.
The entire city had become a battlefield.
Inside Li Group Headquarters, piles of reports covered the conference table.
Li Tian's face looked increasingly ugly.
"We lost three contracts today."
Uncle Cheng sighed.
"Two more factories stopped production."
Murong Qing's expression was equally serious.
"The Wang Family has blocked our logistics channels."
For the first time since his rebirth, Li Tao felt genuine pressure.
He had memories.
He had resources.
He had Neo.
Yet he was still fighting against multiple major families simultaneously.
The protagonist halo was proving far more troublesome than expected.
Inside his mind, Neo looked equally uncomfortable.
The system panel continuously displayed losses.
[Li Group Influence -5%]
[Li Group Market Share -3%]
[Protagonist Faction Influence +4%]
[Protagonist Momentum Increasing]
Neo cursed.
"These people are cheating."
Li Tao rolled his eyes.
"You are literally a system."
"Exactly."
"That's why I recognize cheating when I see it."
The situation continued deteriorating.
Several days later another notification appeared.
[Warning]
[Main Factory Under Threat]
[Estimated Probability of Successful Defense: 32%]
Neo stared at the panel.
Then another hidden panel appeared.
His face instantly became pale.
[Plot Correction Force Detected]
[Protagonist Advantage Increasing]
Neo cursed loudly.
The world itself was helping Ye Feng.
This wasn't a matter of planning anymore.
This was pure destiny.
After several minutes of hesitation, Neo finally gritted his teeth.
"Host."
"What?"
"I am about to do something extremely stupid."
Li Tao immediately became alert.
Whenever Neo admitted something was stupid, disaster usually followed.
A golden card slowly appeared inside Neo's hand.
The card looked ancient.
Its surface contained countless threads of fate.
The moment it appeared, even space seemed to distort slightly.
[Item: Plot Armor Card]
[Effect: Temporarily redirects destiny momentum.]
[Cost: Extremely High]
Neo's heart bled.
"This thing costs more than your entire cultivation."
Li Tao nearly spat blood.
"Then don't use it!"
Neo looked at the rapidly worsening situation.
Then looked at the card.
Then looked at the system strain.
Finally he closed his eyes.
"Management already hates me."
"One more complaint won't matter."
Crunch.
The card shattered.
Countless golden threads disappeared into the world.
[Ding!]
[50,000 Points Deducted.]
[Ding!]
[Destiny Recalibration Initiated.]
Neo nearly cried.
His savings vanished instantly.
Yet the effect appeared immediately.
Two days later.
A provincial-level rival of the Wang Family suddenly launched an investigation against several Wang-owned enterprises.
At the same time, one of the Nangong Family's important overseas projects encountered unexpected difficulties.
Neither event was catastrophic.
Yet both were enough to force those families to divert attention away from Fortune City.
The pressure on Li Group immediately decreased.
Li Tao looked at the results.
Then looked at Neo.
Neo looked away.
"Don't ask."
__________________________________________
After the business war stalls, Ye Feng gathers everyone.
Tang Jing is angry because Li Group keeps countering their moves.
While complaining she casually reveals information:
"The real money isn't even in their company headquarters."
"Their new manufacturing base outside the city is the important one."
"Most of Li Group's future projects depend on it."
Shen Yao immediately realizes what she said.
Wang Jun's eyes light up.
Ye Feng becomes interested.
Instead of attacking immediately.
Ye Feng sends people.
Wang Family intelligence.
Tang Family contacts.
Several hired investigators.
Over the next few days strange events occur around the factory.
Workers notice unfamiliar vehicles.
Security cameras are tampered with.
Several suppliers suddenly disappear.
Truck drivers are bribed.
Li Tao receives reports continuously.
_______________________________
Unfortunately.
The protagonist faction had no intention of stopping.
After learning from Tang Jing about the importance of Li Group's primary manufacturing facility, Ye Feng immediately organized an operation.
His objective was simple.
Destroy the factory.
Cripple Li Group.
End the war.
The battle began shortly after sunset.
Hundreds of workers evacuated the area.
Several family forces gathered near the industrial district.
The atmosphere became tense.
_________________
Inside the lead vehicle.
Li Jing excitedly looked outside the window.
"Cousin."
"Are we finally going to beat up the protagonist again?"
Li Tao nearly choked.
Murong Qing covered his face.
Even Li Tian looked embarrassed.
Only Li Jing could ask such a question before a major battle.
Li Tao sighed.
"If everything goes well."
Li Jing immediately became excited.
"If things don't go well?"
Li Tao smiled.
"Then we'll beat him up harder."
The entire vehicle burst into laughter.
The tension eased considerably.
Meanwhile.
Inside another convoy.
Ye Feng sat near the window while watching the city lights pass by.
For some reason—
he felt increasingly uneasy.
His memories told him that everything should be under control.
Yet reality kept proving otherwise.
Li Tao should not exist.
Murong Qing should not be this strong.
The Li Family should already be declining.
Everything had changed.
Even Luo Chen's sudden appearance remained an unknown variable.
Ye Feng slowly clenched his fist.
No matter what happened tonight—
he needed victory.
Otherwise the momentum he spent months building would suffer a devastating blow.
His eyes gradually became colder.
The convoy accelerated.
_________________________
The industrial district appeared in the distance.
At almost the exact same moment—
another line of headlights appeared from the opposite direction.
The Li Family convoy.
The distance between both sides rapidly shrank.
Neither slowed down.
Neither yielded.
The final collision was approaching.
And this time—
Fortune City itself would witness the outcome.
Ye Feng stood at the front.
Behind him were Tang Jing, Shen Yao, Wang Jun and numerous martial artists.
Opposite them stood Li Tao and the Li faction.
For several seconds.
Nobody moved.
Then Ye Feng stepped forward.
"Li Tao."
"You've already lost."
Li Tao smiled.
"Then why are you here personally?"
Ye Feng's expression darkened.
Without another word—
he attacked.
Boom!
The ground exploded beneath his feet.
The two figures instantly collided.
A shockwave swept across the battlefield.
This time neither side possessed an overwhelming advantage.
Li Tao had reached middle-stage Dan Forging.
Ye Feng had reached the same realm.
Fist met fist.
Palm met palm.
Spiritual energy and martial qi erupted repeatedly.
The battlefield shook with every exchange.
Workers watching from afar felt their scalps go numb.
This was completely beyond ordinary martial arts.
Ye Feng's attacks became increasingly fierce.
Li Tao matched him blow for blow.
For the first time since arriving in Fortune City—
Ye Feng felt pressured.
His opponent was growing too quickly.
Far too quickly.
The battle continued.
Ten exchanges.
Twenty exchanges.
Thirty exchanges.
Neither side retreated.
Then—
another surge erupted nearby.
Murong Qing opened his eyes.
The bottleneck restricting him for days shattered instantly.
Boom!
Peak Foundation Establishment.
The pressure erupted across the battlefield.
Everyone's expressions changed.
Murong Qing immediately joined the battle.
The balance tilted.
Ye Feng's faction instantly fell into a disadvantage.
Tang Jing and the others tried to support him.
Yet they were gradually pushed back.
The victory seemed secured.
Then—
a sigh echoed across the battlefield.
"Enough."
The voice wasn't loud.
Yet everyone heard it clearly.
A white-robed old man appeared.
Divine Doctor Xiao.
The battlefield instantly became silent.
Even Li Tao's expression changed.
The old doctor slowly walked forward.
Every step seemed ordinary.
Yet every step placed tremendous pressure upon everyone present.
His gaze swept across the battlefield.
Then stopped on Li Tao.
"You are talented."
"You are intelligent."
"You have opportunities."
"But you cannot win."
His tone remained calm.
As if merely stating a fact.
"The future belongs to Feng'er."
"The earlier you surrender, the fewer people will die."
Li Tao laughed.
The old doctor frowned slightly.
"What's funny?"
Li Tao pointed toward Ye Feng.
"This old man sounds exactly like every villain before getting beaten."
Several members of the Li faction nearly burst out laughing.
Even Murong Qing looked away.
Divine Doctor Xiao's face darkened.
Li Tao continued.
"Also."
"You are supposed to be a doctor."
"When did doctors start threatening patients?"
The old doctor's eyelid twitched.
For the first time in years—
someone had successfully irritated him.
"If words cannot convince you."
"Then strength will."
The pressure surrounding him erupted instantly.
The sky changed color.
Everyone present felt suffocated.
Despair appeared on countless faces.
This wasn't a battle anymore.
It was suppression.
Absolute suppression.
Divine Doctor Xiao slowly raised his hand.
One strike.
That was all he needed.
Then—
another voice interrupted.
"Old Fool !!"
The pressure froze.
Everyone looked toward the distance.
An elderly butler slowly approached.
Simple clothes.
Ordinary appearance.
Yet the moment he arrived—
the terrifying pressure vanished.
Uncle Long.
Murong Family Chief Butler.
Divine Doctor Xiao narrowed his eyes.
"You."
Uncle Long smiled.
"You shouldn't bully children."
The two old monsters stared at each other.
The air felt like forces of nature fighting each other. This was the power of Transcendent realm cultivations. Simple actions like standing each other could change the weather.
Neither moved.
Yet the surrounding atmosphere became increasingly dangerous.
Everyone understood.
The true battle wasn't between Li Tao and Ye Feng.
It was between these two.
And neither side possessed enough strength to interfere.
The storm surrounding Fortune City had only just begun.
or several seconds, nobody moved.
The appearance of Divine Doctor Xiao and Uncle Long had frozen the battlefield.
Neither side dared to act rashly while two monsters stared each other down.
The pressure was simply too terrifying.
Even Ye Feng understood that if these two truly fought, everyone present might die before the outcome was decided.
Divine Doctor Xiao eventually withdrew his aura.
"You are fortunate today."
Uncle Long smiled politely.
"You are free to leave as well."
The old doctor's eyes twitched.
The younger generation almost laughed.
Divine Doctor Xiao was clearly being told to get lost.
Unfortunately there was nothing he could do.
The strength gap between the two was not large enough to guarantee victory.
A battle here would only benefit outsiders.
After a long silence he snorted.
"Let's go."
Ye Feng immediately retreated with his people.
Li Tao did not stop them.
The industrial district gradually returned to silence.
However nobody expected the matter to end there.
The next morning.
Fortune City exploded.
News of the battle spread throughout every major family.
The Wang Family suffered losses.
Several Tang Family businesses were investigated.
The Shen Family's supply chains encountered disruptions.
Meanwhile Li Group's manufacturing base remained intact.
The outcome was clear...