The entire country was in turmoil.
What had originally been dismissed as another local opportunity in Fortune City had now attracted attention from every major force capable of influencing the nation's future.
The reason was simple.
The realm was no longer considered a normal inheritance site.
According to the latest investigations conducted by multiple families, the Dragon Vein Secret Realm was connected to an ancient spiritual node buried beneath the Good Fortune Mountains.
A place where the world's recovering spiritual energy converged.
A place capable of changing the destiny of an entire faction.
And perhaps...
the birthplace of the mysterious Black Gate itself.
No one could remain indifferent.
Not the capital.
Not the provinces.
Not even the hidden families.
__________________________
Inside Li Family headquarters.
A large map covered the conference table.
Representatives from the Li Family, Murong Family and several allied forces were present.
Li Tao sat quietly at the head of the table.
His aura was vastly different from before.
Months ago he had relied on Neo.
Now Neo had become little more than an expensive battery.
Most of the system's abilities remained sealed.
The remaining points had been converted directly into strength.
Pure and simple.
Brute force.
The result was terrifying.
Even without Neo's interference...
Li Tao now possessed combat power capable of standing alongside the strongest young generation in the country.
Across from him sat Murong Qing.
The future bride looked calm.
However everyone present knew she had become the true trump card of their faction.
Among all young cultivators currently active...
she possessed the highest cultivation.
Foundation Establishment Peak.
Only one step away from Core Formation.
The closer she approached that realm...
the more frightening her pressure became.
Uncle Long glanced at the gathered information.
"The Qin Family is coming."
Nobody looked surprised.
"The Nangong Family too."
Still unsurprising.
Then Uncle Long continued.
"The Xuan Family has also confirmed participation."
That announcement finally attracted attention.
Even Li Tao raised an eyebrow.
The Xuan Family.
One of the most mysterious cultivation families in the capital.
In Li Tao's previous life...
they had been his final shelter.
When everyone abandoned him.
When Ye Feng destroyed everything.
When even his allies turned away.
The Xuan Family had still offered protection.
Unfortunately it had been too late.
Eventually even they could not stop Divine Doctor Xiao.
Thinking about those memories... Xuan Lingtian...
Li Tao's eyes became slightly complicated.
Murong Qing noticed immediately.
"You know them?"
Li Tao smiled.
"Not really."
"I just owe them something."
Murong Qing looked confused.
Nobody understood what he meant.
Only Li Tao knew.
This debt belonged to another lifetime.
Meanwhile.
Hundreds of kilometers away.
Inside the capital.
A luxurious private aircraft slowly descended.
Several young people exited.
The leader was a woman wearing a white dress.
Her appearance was elegant.
Her temperament was cold.
Every movement carried noble dignity.
Behind her followed several powerful experts.
A middle-aged man bowed respectfully.
"Miss."
"The destination has been confirmed."
The woman nodded.
"Good."
"If the information is accurate, this opportunity cannot be allowed to fall into the wrong hands."
Her voice was calm.
Yet everyone understood the hidden meaning.
The Xuan Family had finally entered the game.
At the same time.
Another force was making preparations.
The Xue Family.
A family that should have disappeared from the stage months ago.
Instead...
they were rising rapidly.
The reason was known only to a few people.
Several days earlier.
After separating from Ye Feng's faction.
The Xue Family had unexpectedly discovered a small hidden realm while exploring territory near the provincial border.
What they found inside shocked everyone.
Ancient martial inheritances.
Spirit herbs.
Rare ores.
Several incomplete cultivation manuals.
The inheritance was nowhere near the level of the Dragon Vein Secret Realm.
However it was enough to completely transform a declining family.
After weeks of development...
the Xue Family had become one of the fastest-rising powers in the country.
Their younger generation improved rapidly.
Their finances exploded.
Their influence expanded.
Many experts even believed they would soon stand alongside the Qin Family.
Not equal.
But no longer insignificant.
Inside Xue headquarters.
Xue Ningdi stood beside a window.
Her eyes looked toward Fortune City.
The place where her fate had completely changed.
Beside her stood Xue Tianhe.
His expression was complicated.
"Are you still thinking about him?"
Xue Ningdi immediately understood.
Li Tao.
The name that had once dominated her thoughts.
The man who should have become an ally.
The man they had ultimately chosen to abandon.
She smiled bitterly.
"Father."
"Some mistakes cannot be corrected."
Xue Tianhe sighed.
The current Xue Family was powerful.
Yet every time he remembered Li Tao's rise...
he felt regret.
A regret growing larger every day.
Elsewhere.
Luo Chen was also preparing.
Inside a newly established headquarters in a neighboring province.
Several experts stood respectfully before him.
These people had originally been local tyrants.
Family heads.
Sect leaders.
Martial arts masters.
Yet now all of them lowered their heads.
None dared look directly at him.
Over the last ten days...
Luo Chen had conquered the province almost effortlessly.
Anyone who submitted survived.
Anyone who resisted disappeared.
Simple.
Efficient.
Merciless.
One subordinate stepped forward.
"Master."
"The Dragon Vein Secret Realm will open in two days."
Luo Chen nodded.
"What about the capital families?"
"The Qin Family, Nangong Family and Xuan Family are all mobilizing."
A faint smile appeared.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
His original plan had been simple.
Acquire resources.
Recover cultivation.
Leave.
Now things had become far more entertaining.
A secret realm capable of attracting this many forces could not be ordinary.
Perhaps...
there might even be resources capable of supporting Core Formation.
His eyes became slightly brighter.
After arriving in this impoverished world...
he had finally discovered something worth fighting for.
At the same time.
Ye Feng's faction was also preparing.
Inside a luxurious villa.
The atmosphere was completely different.
Several heroines sat together.
Tang Jing.
Shen Yao.
Lin Bingxue.
Xu Yue.
Others.
Every single one possessed improved cultivation.
Their beauty seemed even more extraordinary than before.
However the atmosphere felt strange.
Especially around Ye Feng.
Ever since his breakthrough...
something had changed.
His strength increased dramatically.
His temperament became more domineering.
More aggressive.
More impatient.
The girls noticed it.
Some ignored it.
Some accepted it.
Others felt uncomfortable.
Yet nobody spoke openly.
Ye Feng himself remained unaware.
Or perhaps...
he simply no longer cared.
His current cultivation had already reached Middle Earth Immortal Realm.
A level that would have taken years in his previous life.
Although the foundation was unstable...
the power was real.
He clenched his fist.
Spiritual energy exploded.
Furniture nearby shattered.
The girls looked shocked.
Ye Feng smiled.
The feeling of overwhelming power was intoxicating.
Soon.
The Dragon Vein Secret Realm would belong to him.
Just like every major opportunity had belonged to him in the previous timeline.
Inside Li Tao's consciousness.
Neo was staring at several panels.
His expression looked increasingly ugly.
"Damn."
"Damn."
"Damn."
Li Tao ignored him.
"What now?"
Neo pointed at the screen.
Several names appeared.
Qin Family.
Nangong Family.
Xuan Family.
Xue Family.
Ye Feng.
Luo Chen.
Various provincial forces.
Several unidentified factions.
Neo swallowed.
"This thing has become ridiculous."
Li Tao nodded.
"I noticed."
Neo continued.
"The realm's energy level keeps increasing."
"It shouldn't be doing that."
Li Tao frowned.
"What does that mean?"
Neo hesitated.
Then opened another panel.
The numbers immediately caused Li Tao's expression to change.
[Dragon Vein Secret Realm]
[Estimated Rank: Blue]
[Current Rank: Blue+]
[Energy Growth Continuing]
[Warning.]
[Unknown Energy Source Detected.]
[Warning.]
[Black Gate Resonance Increasing.]
Li Tao slowly narrowed his eyes.
The Black Gate again.
Ever since his rebirth...
everything eventually led back to that thing.
Ye Feng.
Luo Chen.
The spiritual awakening.
The secret realms.
Everything.
Neo looked increasingly nervous.
"I have a bad feeling."
Li Tao laughed.
"You always have a bad feeling."
"No."
Neo shook his head.
"This time is different."
He looked toward the distant mountains.
Toward the hidden realm preparing to open.
Then he spoke softly.
"The thing inside..."
"I don't think it was meant for humans."
For a moment—
silence filled the room.
Outside.
Dark clouds began gathering above the Good Fortune Mountains.
The Dragon Vein Secret Realm would open soon.
The capital families were arriving.
The provincial factions were mobilizing.
The Xue Family was seeking redemption.
Ye Feng was pursuing destiny.
Luo Chen was pursuing recovery.
And Li Tao...
was pursuing an ending.
An ending to a story that had already lasted far too long.
The final battlefield was slowly taking shape.
And none of them yet realized—
the greatest danger waiting inside the Dragon Vein Secret Realm was not another faction.
It was the thing sleeping beneath the Black Gate.