"This fight is impossible, so Shen Shichang said with difficulty: ’No more fighting, Clan leader Li... you are truly formidable, no wonder you can lead your family at such a young age, standing at the pinnacle of the province!’

"His words were bitter, but he had to give in appropriately now. After all, Shen Shichang brought two elders, initially intending to have them tidy up Li Yifei, taking him down; even if they couldn’t harm him, at least they wanted to give him a lesson and make him apologize or something.

"Unfortunately, it’s all useless now because Li Yifei is too powerful, so powerful that he resolved everything with Elder Sunx and Elder Yang in just three moves.

"Li Yifei clapped his hands, turned around, walked back, and sat down. The tea temperature was just right when he observed the two elders. Their expressions were both angry and humiliated, yet they knew that to rush back in would only be self-humiliation, especially since Shen Shichang already said not to fight; rushing in again would be impossible to redeem.

"Elder Sunx glared fiercely, his hands temporarily incapacitated, while Elder Yang had several fingers broken, temporarily sealing the acupoints to relieve the pain, his gaze on Li Yifei filled with hatred.

"Finishing his tea, Shen Shichang forced a laugh, saying, ’Clan Leader Li’s skills are truly remarkable; today we have indeed broadened our horizons!’

"’Not bad, there’s always someone stronger!’ Li Yifei replied.

"’Thank you for showing mercy!’ Elder Yang recovered and came forward to express.

"’Elder Yang, you’re too kind; it’s not easy for you as well!’ Li Yifei responded.

"It’s not easy for him indeed. At such an old age, to exchange moves with someone like you is simply seeking humiliation. Elder Yang thought this but couldn’t voice it, nodded expressionlessly, stepped back, and made way. Elder Sunx couldn’t contain his anger and just said to Shen Shichang, ’Clan chief, I’ll go for treatment.’

"The hall quieted down. Shen Kaifeng tried to minimize his breathing. His impression of Li Yifei changed again. This man, younger than himself, resolved the two strongest family elders in just three moves. This ability... was something he had never seen before. Elder Yang could easily split a stone with one palm, yet striking Li Yifei’s chest had no effect.

"Fortunately, he was still somewhat courteous with him back then, so he probably wouldn’t hold a grudge against him, but Shen Kailong was unlucky; he had offended Li Yifei!

"’Mr. Li...’ After a brief silence, Shen Shichang finally spoke, ’I’ve heard the Li family wants to establish a complementary industry near the port. I wonder how that is proceeding?’

"Shen Shichang knew that Li Yifei’s visit today was undoubtedly not just for showing force. After establishing power, there would be other matters, so he decided to speak first.

"Li Yifei chuckled and said, ’Indeed, there is such a thing!’

"’It’s quite a coincidence; that area happens to be in Shen Family’s territory. Recently, your wife has also been in contact with the person in charge there, but at the time it was only mentioned, and the matter hasn’t been concluded. So it’s been put on hold temporarily. But since Clan Leader Li is here today, why not discuss it further?’

"Li Yifei raised his hand, gestured and said, ’Clan Leader Shen, I appreciate your goodwill. I’m not heavily involved in the family’s trade affairs. I focus solely on martial arts and protecting family members. If anyone wants to trouble the Li family, I’ll stand up!’ Then he laughed self-deprecatingly and continued, ’Basically, I’m an advanced bodyguard that most people can’t hire, but if it’s for the Li family members, I’ll be the first to jump in.’

"Shen Shichang nodded, his expression unreadable, but it’s likely his heart wasn’t very comfortable. After all, Li Yifei’s words... were aimed at him.

"A few seconds later, Li Yifei continued, ’Moreover, I’ve just arrived, I don’t understand the situation, nor do I know what to discuss. If it weren’t for that bald guy yesterday hitting on my wife and me seeing it, today wouldn’t be happening.’

"’Yes, yes, I will certainly deal with him well, give Mr. Li an explanation!’ Shen Shichang was a bit distracted; Li Yifei’s visit wasn’t for cooperation, but possibly venting, causing his reply to seem somewhat passive.

"Li Yifei chuckled and said, ’Let’s speak frankly, since you’ve mentioned the project matter, I also happen to have a few questions.’

"’Clan leader Li, please go ahead.’

"’If the Li family wants to do business in South Dian Province, in Yundian City, at the port, can we do it peacefully?’ Li Yifei asked at a slow pace. The atmosphere in the hall suddenly became oppressive. Shen Kaifeng and others didn’t dare breathe, while Shen Shichang gently coughed, his throat seemingly sore. After a full minute, Li Yifei patiently waited until Shen Shichang stopped coughing, then said, ’After all, the Shen Family is the local powerhouse, so I must come and pay my respects, to avoid misunderstandings and being seen as ignorant of the rules.’

"Your rules mean coming into someone’s home and fighting? Shen Shichang called out inwardly, yet his face still smiled and said, ’As Clan Leader Li just mentioned, you’re not too clear on the situation, so I think this matter should be handled by the relevant people for negotiation. Clan Leader Li visited today; I want to personally entertain.’

"Li Yifei waved his hand and said, ’Oh, so Clan Leader Shen means to refuse me?’

"’I never said it’s not possible.’ Shen Shichang replied. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

"Does that mean it’s guaranteed?"

The scene fell silent again. Li Yifei, with a smile in his eyes, stared intently, while Shen Shichang pretended to dodge, his eyelids drooping, quickly calculating in his mind. Several seconds later, he replied, "Speaking of which, Clan Leader Li, don’t laugh at me. Although I am the top clan chief in South Dian Province, there are actually many constraints in what I do. I have to be restricted by various aspects, and even people from neighboring provinces can affect me."

"So?"

"Well... an honest person doesn’t speak hidden words. Let me be direct. This matter has little to do with the Shen Family. One aspect is the government, and the other is..."

Li Yifei suddenly laughed because the other party stopped speaking. Li Yifei then said, "Some things are best said openly. Since Clan Leader Shen wants to be straightforward, it’s better to be completely straightforward."

Shen Shichang tapped the table with his fingers and said, "I don’t know what misunderstanding there is between Clan Leader Li and the Zhao Clan of Southern Sky, but the Zhao Family openly announced that they don’t welcome you. So, for this project... the Zhao Family also started a similar project. Naturally, the government supports local industries, which is the difficulty."

It turned out to be the Zhao Clan of Southern Sky. Li Yifei remained calm, but he didn’t fully believe it, lightly nodding and saying, "Is the Zhao Clan of Southern Sky considered locals?"

"Well... if their reach is long enough, they can be considered locals!" Shen Shichang said.

Li Yifei followed up, "So, the reason the project is obstructed is because of the Zhao Family’s intervention, and the government is inclined towards them?"

"That seems to be the case..."

"So it has nothing to do with the Shen Family?" Li Yifei asked.

Shen Shichang paused, shook his head, and said, "It has nothing to do with us. The Shen Family has always obeyed the law and won’t get involved in such matters. However, I must clarify that the Shen Family is neutral and will profit no matter which family we cooperate with..."

"But I’ve heard that the Zhao Family’s bid is much lower than the Li Family’s. This way, the government’s revenue will be squeezed to a very low level, and similarly, the Shen Family’s share will also decrease." Li Yifei’s gaze was piercing.

Is it possible he knows nothing? Shen Shichang thought, but he didn’t believe Li Yifei was clueless at all, so he forced an awkward smile and said, "It would indeed decrease, but the Zhao Clan of Southern Sky is a renowned and influential family in several surrounding provinces. They have a good relationship with the government, so..."

"Haha, very well, I have just one question, what is the Shen Family’s current attitude?" Li Yifei asked.

Shen Shichang looked down, remained silent for a moment, and said, "The Shen Family doesn’t have much of an attitude. We make money no matter who we cooperate with. After all, businessmen value profits most."

Businessmen prioritize profit, which seemed to be said for Li Yifei’s benefit—if the Li Family offers more money, the Shen Family earns more, so naturally, we can collaborate. Yet there’s another implication: under pressure from the Zhao Family, one must not neglect one side or offend the Zhao Family, as it could result in significant loss of profit.

As such, Li Yifei was unsatisfied with his answer and shook his head, saying, "Clan Leader Shen, honest people don’t do shady things. What if I want your exact answer right now?"

"Clan Leader Li, the foundation of the Shen Family is doing things with integrity. Although we have gray businesses, we always stick to our principles. For example, if you come here, I’d send martial artists to spar with you. If we lose, it’s because we’re weak, but that doesn’t mean we hold a grudge against you. Also, because we follow rules, I wouldn’t use bullets against you..."

At this point, Shen Shichang suddenly felt a chill. It had been a long time since he’d felt so cold. Others felt the same, even starting to shiver, while on the opposite side, Li Yifei continued to wear a faint smile with a hint of mockery.

This terrifying feeling... Shen Shichang paused his words and then heard Li Yifei quietly say, "Clan Leader Shen might not know my past. Before practicing martial arts, I was the king of soldiers in Huaxia’s strongest squad. When it comes to firearms, I’m more familiar than anyone. If you dare to use guns, the Shen Family might not exist for long, let alone any profits!"

Cold, Shen Shichang’s brain registered the first word, not just because his body felt cold, but also because of Li Yifei’s words. If someone else had made such a threat, Shen Shichang wouldn’t have felt this way. The key was that Li Yifei said it; his presence was too overwhelming.

"Phew!" Shen Shichang took a deep breath to calm himself. Having seen many tough individuals through a life of ups and downs, this was the first time he’d met someone like Li Yifei. It seemed that if he didn’t comply, the Shen Family might face ruin, despite being the most prominent family in South Dian Province.

Shen Shichang posed a question in his heart... if Li Yifei recklessly killed, could the Shen Family resist him?

Looking outside the door where two elders were defeated in an instant—if Li Yifei unleashed wanton killing, it seemed like they really couldn’t stop him. Knowing the strength of the two elders, if they both went berserk, the Shen Family might suffer heavy losses, let alone against someone like Li Yifei, who was much stronger than the two elders.