Whether it was Tianmen, the Underworld, or any other large organization, they were all gatherings of vast numbers of people, and thus, they could not escape the universal hard currency: money! No matter how powerful your martial arts might be, the fundamental necessities of life—food, clothing, housing, and transportation—remained unavoidable. The larger the organization, the greater the need for funds, covering expenses for various equipment, weaponry, and the indispensable expenditure for resettlement allowances.

To enhance the overall strength of their members, whether it was the procurement of medicinal pills for the power-based martial artists or the matching of various equipment for the intellect-focused members, the amount of capital involved was an astronomical figure in the eyes of ordinary people.

Money does not materialize from thin air. Therefore, these major organizations could only solicit the capital they needed through various means and channels! Gold.

Real estate has always been a massive source of lucrative income. Since Tianmen could dispatch people to engage in this semi-underworld activity of accumulating cash, Qin Fen naturally had reason to believe they wouldn't shy away from something like the drug trade in the Golden Triangle.

The Golden Triangle—a place that causes countless people's faces to change color—operates under a survival order akin to the law of the jungle. It is simultaneously a paradise for some people, where, besides the high risk of losing one's life easily, one can also amass wealth quickly, colossal fortunes! Of course, this presupposes one possesses an adventurous spirit coupled with a ruthless, inhuman heart, believing that trafficking narcotics is not a matter of moral outrage.

Besides narcotics, the Golden Triangle has another revenue stream that the Federation heavily restricts yet remains extremely popular: life-and-death fighting, the 'Fist of Life and Death'! Although the Federation has developed the Sky Combat Network, allowing most combative desires to be satisfied without actual injury or death, and frequently hosts various martial arts tournaments, it still fails to satisfy the deep-seated craving many harbor for blood and life.

Societal pressure drives countless people to commit suicide by jumping from buildings, and simultaneously, it conceals a latent, violent craving deep within the hearts of countless others. A person who works daily in a museum, handling priceless antiques worth tens of millions, might still feel an urge to smash those very artifacts.

Blood, screams, and the impact of fists meeting flesh in a fight to the death! This, too, is something deeply yearned for in the recesses of countless souls. Yet, in the Federation, there is only one scenario where these lethal, no-holds-barred ring battles are fully sanctioned: the Gathering of Heroes! The Gathering of Heroes is perhaps not a creation of the Federation's will, but rather a unique martial arts convention established by the most elite martial artists, one that does not fall under Federation jurisdiction. Here, there are no restrictions; anyone stepping onto the Gathering of Heroes stage must come prepared for the possibility of dying in battle, or else they should never appear—this is the Federation's official narrative about the martial arts convention boasting the highest rates of severe injury and fatality.

In reality, there exists a form of combat in this world with an even higher fatality and severe injury rate than the Gathering of Heroes: the life-and-death rings of the Golden Triangle, where nearly every match ends with the permanent death of one combatant.

The martial artists in the Golden Triangle's life-and-death rings, in terms of their star ratings, lag far behind the grand masters assembled at the Gathering of Heroes, by more than a hundred thousand miles. But the sheer brutality and the visceral impact of fist meeting flesh here are in no way inferior to the Gathering of Heroes.

In the Golden Triangle's life-and-death rings, a monster has emerged over the past six months, a martial artist known as the 'Legendary Maniac.'

To survive for half a year in the Golden Triangle's life-and-death rings without dying is in itself a legendary feat, but his legend is not limited to this alone.

Fighting every day! This is something that has never happened before in the Golden Triangle's life-and-death rings. Human stamina is finite; even a fighter who enters the ring once every ten days is considered frequent.

Every fight necessitates challenging opponents above one's own rank! A five-star champion fighting a seven-star opponent, ending the battle by taking a life. When people were astonished by this method of fighting, the Legendary Maniac performed an act that cemented his status as a true legend.

One man fighting a group! Standing on the stage, challenging a cluster of six-star and seven-star martial artists while possessing only five-star strength! From that moment on, this man became a unique anomaly who engaged in group battles with every fight.

For a full six months, he frequented almost every life-and-death ring in the entire Golden Triangle, taking hundreds of lives with his hands.

During this half-year span, several organizations attempted to recruit him, but the answer was always a negative. If any organization tried to force his inclusion, then by the next morning, every single member of that organization, from the generals down to the lowest-ranking member, would be dead without exception.

In half a year, this man has almost single-handedly purged half of the veteran fighters in the Golden Triangle. Now, when many people hear that their opponent is a young man named Solomon, their first reaction is to forfeit the match.

Fists in a life-and-death battle can disregard death, but they cannot disregard dying meaninglessly.

Over six months, the name Solomon, starting from utter obscurity in the Golden Triangle, has begun to gradually reach the ears of generals in various factions.

Today is a special day in the Golden Triangle, known as the Harvest Festival, the most significant holiday in the region, held only once a year to celebrate the bumper yield of poppies.

Although a bumper harvest is not guaranteed every year, this festival is celebrated annually.

For the generals of the Golden Triangle, the Harvest Festival holds another significance: it is the time for the redistribution of profits, and potentially, the time for the re-election of the Honorary Grand Commander.

In the Golden Triangle, new forces rise every year, and established powers decline.

Especially in this current era where martial arts flourish, when an individual's martial might reaches an extraordinary level, they can achieve astonishing feats relying solely on themselves.

However, most Martial Arts Masters value their reputations. There are simply too many lucrative avenues for making money; even without establishing their own sects, merely serving as bodyguards for political figures can yield substantial compensation. Thus, it is extremely rare to see a Martial Arts Master use their personal might to directly invade the Golden Triangle just for the sake of conquering a territory for sport.

The Honorary Grand Commander is somewhat akin to a President, serving a three-year term. The Honorary Grand Commander has the duty to mediate disputes between the generals of the Golden Triangle and receives a portion of the income from every mediation.

In the Golden Triangle, besides risking one's life, the objective is also to accumulate wealth. The generals do not particularly favor mutual conquest, as they are surrounded by wolves and tigers; even if one wins, a significant reduction in strength might invite attacks from other factions. The generals prefer negotiation over warfare when issues arise.

Today is the day for the triennial election of the Honorary Grand Commander.

The massive temple is magnificent; the statues of the Buddha, Bodhisattvas, and Vajra guardians have all been freshly gilded, appearing exceptionally radiant.

Dozens of middle-aged and elderly men and women, dressed in various military uniforms but bearing general's stars on their shoulders, arrive one after another before the colossal temple. They greet each other in small groups, searching for the armchair corresponding to their nameplate.

In the open space before the temple stand dozens of grim-faced male and female martial artists, each bearing a circular badge on their chest inscribed with an Arabic numeral. The backs of their combat uniforms display different characters: Blood Pool Arena, Heavenly Fiend Arena, Douluo Arena, Armament Arena...

Anyone familiar with the life-and-death rings of the Golden Triangle would be utterly astonished here; all these names are venue designations for the Golden Triangle's life-and-death fights.

Opposite these individuals stands a young man in a combat uniform that, despite being blood-stained, has been meticulously cleaned. His chest bears no Arabic numeral! His badge displays a single, large, blood-red character: [King]. Every life-and-death arena venue possesses one such badge; only the strongest fighter in that venue is permitted to wear this mark, symbolizing a specific status.

Currently, across all the life-and-death stages in the entire Golden Triangle, there is no other person wearing the badge marked with the character [King].

Since three months ago, when Solomon, wielding twelve-star strength, brutally killed the fourteen-star martial artist holding the [King] badge at the Blood Pool Arena, no one has worn that [King] tag since.

The Heavenly Fiend Arena once had an owner of the [King] character, a fourteen-star martial artist who, upon hearing that Solomon had slain the King holder of the Blood Pool Arena, voluntarily discarded his badge and ceased wearing it.

Witnessing life-and-death struggles during the Harvest Festival has long since become a major event in the Golden Triangle. To maintain survival within this Federation, the martial spirit of the Golden Triangle is even more fervent than that of the Federation.

Over the past six months, Solomon has swept through the entire Golden Triangle. Even in the most perilous situations on the stage, he has consistently adhered to the rule he set for himself: he would rather be killed on the stage than use strength less than two stars higher than his opponent! A minimum difference of two stars! Almost all the fighters in the life-and-death rings pray daily that this martial artist, who appeared suddenly and has yet to unleash his full power, would leave the Golden Triangle soon.

Dozens of generals are seated, only the central seat remains empty. Everyone knows this seat belongs to the current Honorary Grand Commander, Jiang Long, a being possessing true, powerful martial prowess. The current tranquility of the Golden Triangle is maintained not only because the generals possess considerable strength but more importantly due to the presence of this Honorary Grand Commander.

A martial artist who surpasses the level of ordinary fighters, if determined to cause trouble for the Federation, would be very difficult for ordinary armies to capture. Even if the Holy Martial Hall were called upon to dispatch super experts for an encirclement, by the time he was killed, many Federation cities would likely suffer considerable losses.

This realization would anger the populace into overthrowing the President. The generals exchanged glances, seeing a clear message in each other's eyes: this term's Honorary Grand Commander would still be Jiang Long.

Laughter flickered in their eyes; they all understood that this time was merely a formality. But it didn't matter; although this Grand Commander charged slightly more in mediation fees than his predecessors, since his appearance, the Golden Triangle has virtually ceased to face the kind of government military crackdowns that plagued it previously.

"Gentlemen, apologies! I am late, quite late."

A hearty voice, filled with a tone of triumphant satisfaction, preceded a man walking down the spacious aisle. He stood two meters tall, with a shaved head. A black dragon was tattooed across his bare torso, coiling around him; the dragon's head followed his arm all the way to the palm, completing the image as if he held the dragon's head in his hand.

He possessed no eyebrows, no beard, and no hair—like a giant, smooth egg—yet he exuded a fierce aura. He strode with the bearing of a dragon, clasping his fists in greeting toward the generals around him. As he passed by the martial artists of the life-and-death rings, these men, long accustomed to death, subconsciously took a step back to evade his expanding presence, lowering their heads and avoiding eye contact.

The assembled generals, seated in their armchairs, rose immediately, hastily responding to the newcomer: "Grand Commander, we arrived early."

"Grand Commander, it has been many days, and your spirit is even greater than before."

The Grand Commander? Solomon slightly tilted his head, watching the imposing man pass by, a spark of interest igniting in his eyes.

Grand Commander Jiang Long sensed Solomon’s gaze. He glanced briefly at Solomon with the corner of his eye, gave a faint smile, and his brow furrowed slightly. He felt a secret astonishment: Is this the person rumored to have swept through all the life-and-death rings? Solomon? Solomon, the current head of the Solomon family in Europe!? Am I seeing things? Why is he here? Six months ago, he killed David, and Solomon, along with that group of youths, swept through four families with overwhelming momentum. Then, in the Sahara, he jointly executed Zuo Dongting. At the peak of his trajectory, he suddenly vanished without a trace. How can one of them be here? Jiang Long kept glancing back at Solomon, his eyes scanning the surroundings nervously. Rumor has it that Qin Fen and Solomon rarely act separately. If Solomon is here today, where are Qin Fen and the others? What is Solomon doing here? Didn't they kill Zuo Dongting? Shouldn't they be joining forces with Snake King Du Hen to land on Saturn? Why are they here? Is the military interested in drugs? Impossible! Are they trying to ruin the military's reputation?

Jiang Long settled onto the Grand Commander's throne, his mind entirely consumed by Solomon. He merely nodded reflexively even when his aide beside him spoke.

Qin Fen, Yang Lie... The names of these individuals were so resonant six months ago! Those with real influence could gather at least some data on them and could attempt to extrapolate their personalities based on their actions.

To collectively resist their families, seize the patriarchal seats, and then hand over control of all four families to Xing Wuyi—this was not something achievable by ordinary people with mere courage.

The Four Families today are completely different from those of six months ago. Xing Wuyi! By merging the resources of the Four Families, he has fully demonstrated to the world what is meant by extraordinary strategic vision and decisive boldness. The overall strength of the Four Families has doubled in just six months.

People were perplexed; even though Xing Wuyi and the Four Families cooperate seamlessly, this pace of acceleration is too rapid. With them in charge, many matters proceeded with unexpected smoothness.

Sometimes, when the key to a matter rested with an inconspicuous person, or when a minor figure proved more troublesome than a major one, they could still resolve the issue easily.

For what reason? Many could not fathom it. Only a few people, like Xing Wuyi, knew that many matters proceeded so smoothly thanks, in fact, to Qin Fen.

In reality, they appeared to be a group of unconnected individuals, yet they shared a profound connection in one specific area that most people overlooked: a special network of relationships—the Sky Combat Network.

More than two years ago, an organization named the Dragon Hall was established on the Sky Combat Network. As time went on, with Zhang Xiangyang's continuous expansion, combined with the police forces from Tianbei City who had long become the core strength of the Dragon Hall, the organization grew immensely powerful.

In the Sky Combat Network, apart from Zhang Xiangyang’s organizational capability, the martial power of the police forces also exerted immense deterrence.

Martial artists who typically complete the Blood Exchange Rebirth to reach the True Innate level rarely appear on the Sky Combat Network, but there are exceptions.

Those young police officers from the Tianbei City Police Department, following the guidance Qin Fen left for Ji Zhen Xuan Yi, have all miraculously completed their Blood Exchange Rebirth, and some have even reached eleven-star strength.

In this Sky Combat Network, which lacks Martial Arts Masters, a group of martial artists above the ten-star level constitutes a terrifying force.

Over two years, the Dragon Hall’s growth speed on the Sky Combat Network has been explosive. Zhang Xiangyang truly proved capable, building a genuine core nucleus within this virtual world.

This nucleus encompasses people from every industry, and all of them know one thing: the founder of the Dragon Hall! He is one of the most talked-about martial artists today: Qin Fen! A young Martial Arts Grandmaster! This also grants enormous appeal. When these individuals shared this secret, they dedicated themselves even more wholeheartedly to the Dragon Hall, truly developing the virtual organization into an invisible entity that exists even in reality.

A complex yet clear network of relationships involving people from all walks of life; they communicated not only within the Combat Network but also assisted each other in reality. Upon learning of the connection between the Four Families and Qin Fen, whenever matters concerning the Four Families' business arose, they would help within their capacity.

These seemingly small forces, without anyone noticing, would generate astonishing capabilities. Often, some of Xing Wuyi’s plans wouldn't even need to be enacted before these people used their connections to resolve the issues ahead of schedule, a smoothness that elicited praise even from Xing Wuyi.

Everyone exerted their utmost effort. All core members received the same message from Zhang Xiangyang: their founder, Qin Fen, was currently preparing to break through to the Divine Beast Martial Artist level.

Pride! Every core member who received this news from Zhang Xiangyang felt immense self-esteem and pride, thrilled by the choice they made long ago.

If he truly achieves the rank of Divine Beast Martial Artist, the Dragon Hall will cease to be merely a virtual network organization; it will become a massive entity anchoring an entire planet! At that time, the Dragon Hall will finally manifest in the physical world! All core members of the Dragon Hall will have a significant role to play on that planet! The honor of pride, coupled with the attraction of future benefits, motivates every core member to go all out. This drive directly manifested in their daily work, leading to far better results than before. Consequently, they gained greater appreciation from their bosses, resulting in promotions, raises, or perhaps some even became bosses themselves, leading their companies forward and elevating their status within their industries.

Whenever he considered this, Xing Wuyi marveled that a virtual Dragon Hall, owing to Qin Fen, had triggered such a massive chain reaction, forming an invisible yet very real massive power—a power that Qin Fen had not yet personally initiated.

If he were to initiate it personally, what kind of effect would that unleash? Xing Wuyi looked forward to it immensely.

...

"Mr. Xing, after Qin Fen and the others destroyed Mount Everest's summit, they have headed to the Golden Triangle."

"The Golden Triangle?" Xing Wuyi withdrew his gaze from the scenery outside the floor-to-ceiling window and slowly turned around. "The Golden Triangle? A matter that can be solved with a phone call—why go in person?"

"This..." The beautiful female secretary, imitating Xing Wuyi’s habit, pushed up her red-rimmed glasses. "According to intelligence, Tianmen's Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden visited Qin Fen at Mount Everest. Analysis suggests a ninety-seven percent probability that they intended to invite Qin Fen to join Tianmen."

"Join Tianmen?" Xing Wuyi's smile held three parts malice and seven parts mockery. "The Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden's calculation is sound, but it seems she doesn't know all of Qin Fen's capabilities, at least not about the Gun King."

"That's normal." The female secretary replied matter-of-factly. "The Gun King is nearly the strongest existence in the field of sniping, but in this world where martial power is more captivating, his martial star rating is too low to draw Tianmen's attention. Even if they trace Qin Fen's instructor back to the Gun King, they wouldn't connect him to the sniper from that incident on Saturn."

Xing Wuyi nodded in agreement. He was quite satisfied with his secretary, who usually maintained a blank expression and was rumored to be a twenty-seven-year-old virgin; talking to her was always so relaxed and pleasant.

"Is that so? The Golden Triangle?" Xing Wuyi glanced at the calendar on his desk and smiled. "The Golden Triangle's Harvest Festival? If Qin Fen shows up today, won't the Golden Triangle be quite lively? Secretary Chen, please immediately arrange for me to rent a military satellite capable of observing the Golden Triangle."

"Are you planning to watch the spectacle?"

"Of course." Xing Wuyi sat back in his office chair, propping his feet up on the desk. "I am very tired from work every day. I missed the confrontation at Mount Everest; am I going to miss the one in the Golden Triangle as well?"

"Abusing your authority?"

Xing Wuyi looked very seriously at his female secretary. "Yes, abusing my authority."

As the female secretary exited the room, she looked back at Xing Wuyi with curiosity, somewhat puzzled. This leader of the Four Families, who handled every matter with such icy calm and never wasted a single resource, was acting so extravagantly and impulsively today. This behavior was entirely out of character.

“Qin Fen... Harvest Festival... Interesting…” Xing Wuyi smiled as the projected image popped up on the desk shortly after; his secretary’s efficiency was indeed swift. The military satellite feed was locked onto the colossal temple complex at the Golden Horn.

Jiang Long shook his head, withdrawing his attention from Solomon to address the assembly. “Distinguished colleagues, following the established precedent, the triennial election for Honorary Grand Commander must proceed first, followed by the distribution among the various factions. I, Li Jianglong, am once again bold enough to stand for the office of Grand Commander…”

“I second that!” “Precisely! Commander Li is the most suitable candidate.” “Indeed, indeed! While all the generals present are exceptional talents, I pledge my loyalty only to Commander Li…”

Before Li Jianglong could finish his speech, the assembled generals burst into enthusiastic agreement. A satisfied smile touched his lips; his meticulous groundwork over the years in this domain had clearly paid off. Last time, someone had dared to challenge the election; this time, not a single contender had emerged.

“Heh heh, I am deeply grateful for your esteem, then I shall…”

“Step aside!”

A commanding voice boomed from the sky, abruptly cutting short Li Jianglong’s prepared acceptance speech.