Li Chang’an couldn’t possibly show any willingness to negotiate over the shares of the Night City Military Technology Group. This was his bottom line, one he had to hold firmly from the very beginning.
He had no doubt that if he showed even a hint of hesitation, the sharks lurking beneath the surface, smelling blood in the water, would swarm without a second thought to carve up the entire Night City Military Technology Group.
...
The stars were scattered, the moon hung high.
Li Chang’an saw off the last of the arms-manufacturing families who had come to Cangxuan City to negotiate.
Overall, he had shown a willingness to negotiate on matters of arms production and had made enough concessions on some of the less critical core issues.
The ultimate goal was to sow discord among these factions, ensuring they would no longer be a united front against Cangxuan City as they had been in the past.
It was an overt scheme.
Everyone knew Li Chang’an’s intentions, but as long as the profits were high enough, there was nothing they wouldn’t sell out.
Previously, to suppress Li Chang’an’s rise, the Gu Family had united with over half the arms industry to impose a boycott on him. This had forced Li Chang’an to resort to promoting his products on the Rebirth Forum, the one place they couldn’t control.
Now, Li Chang’an had successfully broken through their blockade. He had not only secured tens of millions of Rebirth Points in funding but had also gained the right to ship weapons from the Night City Military Technology Group to be sold in the towns controlled by the great families.
Of course, if he wanted to do business on the turf of the great families, Li Chang’an had to concede a sizable portion of the profits. He promised that over the next few years, he would invest in building factories in their various towns and grant some of the arms-manufacturing families the authority to become contract manufacturers for Night City...
After all the intense back-and-forth, achieving such a result was far beyond Li Chang’an’s expectations.
After watching the last group of negotiators leave, Li Chang’an let out a heavy sigh of relief. He looked up at the bright moon hanging high above and murmured to himself, "The Gu Family, the Cao Family... Let’s see what else you have up your sleeves. I hope you don’t disappoint me!"
Li Chang’an reviewed the information he had recently gathered.
The Cao Family’s strongest ancestor was a Tier Eight Peak Evolver, though his specific evolutionary path was unknown.
And as for the Gu Family, their most formidable ancestor was, of course, at Tier Nine.
However, this formidable ancestor had been guarding the entrance to the Kyoto Cave for many years and had long since stopped meddling in the affairs of the outside world.
He likely wouldn’t concern himself unless the family was facing a crisis of life and death.
In other words, he was currently facing a massive faction presided over by a Tier Nine Evolver and managed by several Eighth Rank Peak Evolvers.
For Li Chang’an as he was now, such power was still unattainable.
If not for his status as a Level 5 Citizen, which made his enemies hesitate to act openly, they likely would have already cast aside their pride and dealt with him personally.
The pressure he was under was still immense, but it was a significant improvement from when he was being completely besieged. At the very least, the defections from the enemy’s side had given Li Chang’an some breathing room.
Night City’s influence and order volume had both increased significantly as a result.
...
After returning to the City Lord’s Mansion, Li Chang’an summoned Zhao Xi. He gave her instructions on several matters that required attention, and then began a new round of closed-door cultivation.
More than half a year had passed since his last Rebirth.
Although Li Chang’an had been preoccupied with numerous affairs during this period, he had not neglected to consolidate his Cultivation.
By now, he had fully adapted to the techniques and power of a Tier Seven Peak Cultivator and was ready to begin a new Rebirth.
Only by becoming at least an Eighth-rank Evolutionist would Li Chang’an have the strength to even begin to challenge the Gu and Cao Families.
Otherwise, Cangxuan City could only continue to take a beating passively, unable to mount an effective counterattack. Li Chang’an had been swallowing this frustration for a long time and had yet to vent it.
Thus, after handling the most pressing matters that required his personal attention, Li Chang’an immediately prepared to begin a new Rebirth.
[Welcome to the Rebirth Space!]
[Name: Li Chang’an]
[Permanent Rebirth ID: 31402]
[Evolution Level: A+ (Martial Arts Seventh Rank Peak)]
[Citizen Rights: Level 5 (1500/30000)]
[Exclusive Talent: Heaven-defying Comprehension (Unique)]
[Remaining Rebirth Points: 13,831,461]
[Basic Information Updated. Begin a new Rebirth?]
Li Chang’an glanced at the personal stats that appeared in his vision, already knowing them by heart. He nodded and said, "Begin a new formal Rebirth!"
’I have to get stronger, and fast. Only then can I strike back at the Gu and Cao Families without fear and finally vent all this pent-up frustration.’
[Acquiring Rebirth Data... Acquisition Complete!]
[Loading Rebirth World... Load Complete!]
[Matching Character Model... Match Successful!]
[World Background / Predestined Fate: This is an interstellar world where civilization long ago reached for the stars. On the farthest frontier of the endless Star Sea, humanity is pioneering new homes.]
[The veil of rebirth has been lifted. You will bypass your early years and begin your new life directly!]
[Age 16: You are born in the Star Sea Era on a barren planet called Lion’s Fang, designated Planet 4-7007.]
[Due to its remote and barren nature, career prospects on Lion’s Fang Star are extremely limited. Your parents are nothing more than two ordinary employees at a small factory...]
[To escape a fate of tightening bolts in a factory, you resolve to become a full-fledged Martial Artist and get into a decent Martial Arts University.]