“A place where people devour each other?”
Li Feng was taken aback. He had heard many things about the business networking event, with everyone holding different views, but Fu Xiyan’s words still shocked him.
“Exactly,” Fu Xiyan nodded, looking at Li Feng. “Young Master Feng, you must know that this event is about allocating Tianhai City’s business resources.”
Li Feng nodded.
“But do you know how these resources are allocated?” Without waiting for his response, Fu Xiyan continued, “The so-called allocation is actually the four major families of Tianhai City dividing up the resources. In Tianhai City, any new technology or product development must be reported to the four families, who can then use the new tech or produce the new products without conditions.”
“How is that possible? Are the four families that arrogant?” Li Feng said, stunned.
“Arrogant? They have the capital to be,” Fu Xiyan shook her head. “Young Master Feng, do you know how many experts are hiding in this Empire Hotel?”
Before Li Feng could answer, she went on, “As far as I know, there are several experts here just below the Innate Realm. These are the guardians of the four families. Any business in Tianhai City that wants to survive must follow their rules, or they’ll be wiped out.”
“The four families are that domineering?” Li Feng’s expression shifted. He had thought the resource allocation at this event would be like a discussion, a negotiation. But Fu Xiyan was telling him the four families acted like bandits, seizing what they wanted. How could he not be shocked?
What shocked him even more was the presence of near-Innate Realm experts in the Empire Hotel—peak Acquired Realm masters. Back in Kunyang Town, he had encountered two and knew exactly what they represented.
Were these experts owned by the four families, or by the force behind them?
If they belonged to the four families, Li Feng would need to reassess their strength. If their visible power was this strong, the hidden forces behind them must be even more formidable.
But Li Feng suspected these experts likely belonged to the force backing the four families—a force capable of destroying a first-class family. He didn’t know how strong a first-class family was, but even without Innate Realm experts, he doubted one or two peak Acquired Realm masters could take one down.
After all, this was the era of firearms. Li Feng didn’t know if Innate Realm experts could withstand bullets, but he was certain peak Acquired Realm masters couldn’t—not to mention more powerful explosives.
The first-class family destroyed by the force behind the four families likely had access to firearms. In China, gun control was strict for ordinary citizens, but for major families, their arsenals rivalled the military’s.
“Correct,” Fu Xiyan nodded. “But this has only been the case in recent years. When I first came to Tianhai City, the four families weren’t this excessive. But over time, they’ve grown more arrogant and overbearing with each event.”
She paused, glanced at Li Feng, and continued, “Young Master Feng, your Fengyuan Group’s Intelligent One is coveted by many, including the four families. I’m certain they’ll target you at this event.”
“If they want my stuff, they’ll have to see if they’re capable of taking it,” Li Feng said, a sharp glint in his eyes. The presence of peak Acquired Realm experts was shocking, but only shocking—not enough to scare him or make him back down.
He had killed peak Acquired Realm experts before. If it came to it, he’d kill a few more.
Though he had taken down Zheng Xiaoyang and Du Wu by capitalizing on their mutual destruction, Li Feng had his own trump cards now. Killing one or two peak Acquired Realm experts wasn’t impossible.
Hmph, if the force behind the four families wanted trouble, let them come. He wanted to see how strong they really were.
At that moment, Li Feng’s heart surged with battle intent.
“Young Master Feng, confidence is good, but you must be cautious. The eight top families are riddled with conflicts—they won’t help you. Plus, you’ve offended Zhu Yuanyang today,” Fu Xiyan said, assuming Li Feng was relying on the eight families. She didn’t know he had killed peak Acquired Realm experts.
“The eight top families?” Li Feng sneered. He and Li Wu were sworn enemies, let alone the others.
Glancing at Fu Xiyan, he asked, “President Fu, you’ve been in Tianhai City for years. What do you know about the Emperor’s Pavilion?”
“The Emperor’s Pavilion?” A trace of sorrow flashed in Fu Xiyan’s eyes. After a long pause, she said, “Young Master Feng, the Emperor’s Pavilion is the most mysterious force in the world. You’d best not provoke it.”
“Not provoke it?” Li Feng gave a wry smile. “President Fu, it’s not about me provoking them. The Emperor’s Pavilion wants my life.”
He recalled how the Emperor’s Pavilion had tried to kill him multiple times. Even compared to Qin Feng or Fu Yanxiong, his anger toward them was unmatched. Their motives were traceable, and with some effort, he could figure out their plans. But the Emperor’s Pavilion was different—its actions were unpredictable.
Fu Xiyan was stunned, then gave a bitter smile. “You’re right. Since you came to Tianhai City, the Emperor’s Pavilion has tried to kill you countless times these past two years.”
She paused, then continued, “Young Master Feng, though I’ve clashed with the Emperor’s Pavilion many times, I don’t know much about them. I can only tell you they’re mysterious and powerful. In my view, they could easily wipe out the four families.”
Li Feng’s pupils contracted as he said gravely, “President Fu, do you think the Emperor’s Pavilion could be the force behind the four families?”
“Impossible.”
Without hesitation, Fu Xiyan said firmly, “The force behind the four families cannot be the Emperor’s Pavilion.”
“Why?” Li Feng asked, puzzled. To him, the Emperor’s Pavilion’s mystery and power, combined with the four families’ arrogance, made it seem plausible they were connected.
“Some suspected the same thing once,” Fu Xiyan said, a trace of fear in her eyes. “But an event fifteen years ago made everyone abandon that idea.”
“Fifteen years ago?” Li Feng was taken aback, sensing the fear deep in Fu Xiyan’s eyes as she spoke of it.
“Yes. Fifteen years ago, the Emperor’s Pavilion and the four families went to war. It was a bloodbath—countless bodies, rivers of blood. Tianhai City lost who knows how many people. If not for the force behind the four families intervening, they would’ve been wiped out by the Emperor’s Pavilion,” Fu Xiyan said gravely.
Fifteen years ago, when she first arrived in Tianhai City, Blade was still a small force. The war between the Emperor’s Pavilion and the four families had affected them, and her husband had died at the Pavilion’s hands. Her hatred for them was bone-deep, and she constantly dreamed of revenge. But despite Blade growing into one of Tianhai’s three major underground forces, facing the colossal Emperor’s Pavilion, her hopes of vengeance remained slim.
Li Feng picked up the teapot from the table, poured himself a cup, and sipped it while processing the shocking information.
He hadn’t known about this hidden history, and its impact was profound. Clearly, he hadn’t expected such an event.
However, the enmity between the Emperor’s Pavilion and the four families gave Li Feng some relief. He could barely handle the Pavilion alone; if they were allied with the four families, the trouble would be immense. But since they were enemies, it gave him an opportunity to exploit.
“Young Master Feng, you don’t need to worry about the Emperor’s Pavilion for now. They won’t act against you at this event. Besides, they wouldn’t do it themselves—this is the four families’ turf,” Fu Xiyan said.
Li Feng nodded and stood. “President Fu, if there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave.”
In the danger-filled Empire Hotel, he didn’t feel safe leaving Hu Yuanyuan alone, even with Song Zhiyuan nearby. He didn’t fully trust Song Zhiyuan either.
Moreover, having offended Zhu Yuanyang and Ma Xiaoyong—especially Ma Xiaoyong—he couldn’t be sure Ma wouldn’t target Hu Yuanyuan. If anything happened to her, he’d regret it too late.
“Young Master Feng, wait,” Fu Xiyan said, pulling a small box from her handbag and handing it to him. “This might come in handy in the Empire Hotel.”
“What is it?” Li Feng asked, taking the box curiously.
“See for yourself,” Fu Xiyan said with a faint smile.
Li Feng opened it, and his face lit up with delight.
