Chapter 84: Chapter 220: Too Late for Regrets
LiMuxiu's body trembled slightly, but he stood tall and silent, saying nothing.
Li Xiaoran struggled against his bound arms, but to no avail. He glanced at his second brother, only to see profound sadness in his eyes. This struck a chord within him, and he came to his senses slightly.
Looking down at Li Tiangang, who was weak and covered in blood beneath him, he fell into a daze. Eventually, he slumped dejectedly and hugged his head in pain.
He knew that his eldest brother was truly gone.
What had all these years of guarding the perished river been for? The countless failed attempts to pass through—weren't they all in the hope of bringing his eldest brother home? But now, it was all too late...
"Ahhhhh!"
Li Xiaoran roared to the sky, tears of blood streaming down his face.
Li Muxiu remained silent, standing like a statue. The wind from beyond the pass blew over the three of them, then drifted away gently.
After a long, long time...
Li Muxiu looked at Li Tiangang, who was still lying in the deep pit, his face covered in blood. "Do you plan to lie there forever? If you're not dead, get up."
Li Tiangang's body trembled, and he slowly sat up, wiping away the blood and tears from his face.
He looked at Li Xiaoran, who sat slumped and dejected beside him, and at Li Muxiu, who was now expressionless. Sadness welled up within him, but he held it in. He knew that he was the true dragon of the Li family.
As the true dragon, he had to stand strong. Everyone else could fall, but the true dragon must not. This was the responsibility that the true dragon bore.
"I'm going to find Hao'er," Li Tiangang said as he climbed to his feet. He wobbled slightly, almost losing his balance, but soon he circulated his true energy to heal his body.
Taking a deep breath, he clenched his teeth and said, "I will bring Hao'er back, and I will pass on the true dragon lineage to him. As for Father's dream of a prosperous era, I, Li Tiangang, have failed to fulfill it. I can only entrust this hope to Hao'er."
Li Xiaoran sat numbly, his eyes fixed on the distance, unblinking.
Li Muxiu, his face impassive, said, "Now that the fourth brother has appeared, it's a good opportunity to counter-attack the demons beyond the perished river. Don't you plan to take command?"
Li Tiangang turned to him. He couldn't discern any thoughts in his second uncle's unchanging eyes, and he smiled mockingly. "It won't make a difference without me. Fifth Brother is there, along with two imperial princes, and you in the shadows..."
"What's wrong with breaking the rules once for your son? If I, his father, do it, so what?"
Li Muxiu's eyes narrowed, and he fixed his gaze on Li Tiangang. A cold glint appeared in his eyes as he said, "If you had thought this way from the beginning, would things have come to this?"
Li Tiangang's heart twinged with pain, and he lowered his voice. "Second Uncle, I was rash and impulsive before, hurting Hao'er's heart and yours. Please give me a chance to make amends, won't you?"
Seeing Li Tiangang's humble attitude, Li Muxiu's previously restrained emotions now surfaced, and his eyes reflected deep sorrow and pain. "Can you make amends for your father's death?"
This gentle question struck Li Tiangang like a heavy hammer, causing his blood to freeze. How could he make amends for his father's extinguished soul and scattered spirit?
He understood the implication of Li Muxiu's words. If one couldn't make amends for death, how could they possibly fix a heart that had died?
As these thoughts crossed his mind, Li Tiangang's body began to shake. He had never known fear during his years of battle in Yanbei, but now he felt a sense of dread.
Could it be that the mistakes he had made were beyond redemption?
"No, Hao'er is my son. I hit him, but Father hit me too. Have I ever resented him? We are father and son. He will forgive me..." Li Tiangang murmured.
"Your eldest brother hit you because he loved you. It was because you made mistakes and because he had high hopes for you. Occasionally, he would have your brothers secretly show you care when he punished you," Li Muxiu said, his eyes filled with sadness. "But what about Hao'er? Was he poisoned because he made a mistake? Have you ever truly cared for him or tried to understand him? Do you know what his favorite food is or which street in the city he likes to visit?"
"You only wanted him to shoulder the burden of the Li family. Don't you understand how heavy that burden is? When your father chose to pass the true dragon lineage to your ninth brother, do you know how conflicted and heartbroken he felt? He couldn't sleep peacefully for months!"
Li Tiangang was stunned. Had his father been saddened by the ninth brother becoming the true dragon?
"If you truly cared for Hao'er, he wouldn't have left. That child remembers even the slightest kindness in his heart!"
"He has seen through you long ago. He is far smarter than you think. While you treated him like a child, I treated him as a friend. How could you be so dismissive and biased towards him?" Li Muxiu continued, his voice filled with grief and anger.
Hearing these bitter words, Li Tiangang's heart trembled. An indescribable emotion rose within him, like a giant hand of fear clutching his heart.
In the past, he might have thought that Li Muxiu was biased towards the child. But now, after experiencing the salvation of Liangzhou and witnessing the fame of Hao Tian's battle flag, hearing tales of the boy's valor from the mouths of demons—he knew that the boy was no less than the veteran generals, perhaps even surpassing them!
At just fifteen years old, the boy had already achieved so much. Even his proud ninth brother was completely outshone by Li Hao's talent.
Now, even his father, who had long passed away, favored the boy so much that he was willing to pass on his power and have Li Hao pursued. This realization hit Li Tiangang hard, tearing away the veil of prejudice that had clouded his vision.
At this moment, he finally understood that he had been wrong.
He had been too focused on enhancing the boy's strength and had neglected his feelings.
"I... I will bring him back," Li Tiangang said, clenching his fists. His eyes were slightly red. "He will forgive me. After all, we are father and son. He won't hold a grudge forever..."
"If he truly held grudges, there might still be a chance to make amends. It's just that I'm afraid he doesn't even resent you anymore," Li Muxiu said sadly. "You never took his leaving home seriously. But do you know that he waited for you alone in that courtyard for fourteen years? What did he wait for?"
However, Li Muxiu stepped forward, blocking his path.
"How do you plan to bring him back? By force?" Li Muxiu asked, his gaze fixed on Li Tiangang.
"Before, when Big Brother's spirit was still around, I didn't say these things. I didn't want his last moments to be filled with despair. But now, I know that child's temperament, and you have lost your chance!" Li Muxiu continued, his eyes filled with sorrow.
"Impossible!" Li Tiangang shouted back, his eyes blazing with anger.
"Father and son? Your bond is shallow and fragile. That single slap years ago was enough to shatter it!" Li Muxiu's voice carried an edge of sadness. "Do you know why Hao'er waited for you before confronting that poisonous woman? It was because he believed you would stand by him. Because when he was young, you sacrificed yourself, left the army, and slew a powerful demon for him. You helped him build his foundation with blood cleansing. He remembered that debt of gratitude."
"Despite the rarity of your letters and the distance between you, that tiny bit of warmth was what kept Hao'er going all these years."
"Yet, you destroyed it all with that slap!"
Li Muxiu's voice trembled with emotion as he continued, "When I saw Hao'er returning the Demon King's blood to the Divine General Mansion, I knew then that there was no longer any affection between you. Hao'er... he won't be coming back."
Li Tiangang stood there, feeling as if cold water had been poured over him, his body turning icy.
Aside from their blood relation, was their connection based solely on that one act of demon-slaying and blood cleansing?
Li Tiangang's body swayed as if he might lose his balance. He turned to Li Muxiu, his eyes revealing his sadness and despair. "Second Uncle, what should I do? You don't want to see Hao'er truly leave either, do you? Tell me, how can I make him forgive me?"
Li Muxiu looked at the panic in Li Tiangang's eyes. In the past, he would have felt a surge of anger and taken the opportunity to harshly criticize him. But now, he felt only a deep sense of desolation.
"The most heartbreaking thing in this world is not failing to achieve something." Li Muxiu's voice was soft and calm. "It's having the ability to do something but choosing not to. With your insight and wisdom, you could have handled these matters well. Yet, your prejudice and indifference towards Hao'er led you to believe that the most convenient way to discipline your child was through military training..."
"That is what truly hurts."
"Second Uncle, please stop. I know I was wrong. Just tell me, how can I bring him back?" Li Tiangang pleaded, his voice filled with pain.
Li Muxiu's face remained silent and expressionless. Though he had spoken harshly, there was still a tiny glimmer of hope in his heart that his words would wake Li Tiangang up, leading to a slim chance of bringing Li Hao back.
"Perhaps, as your father said, the only way is for you to truly apologize to him," Li Muxiu murmured softly.
He took a deep breath and looked at Li Tiangang, who was filled with remorse and sadness. "But whether you can do it or not is another matter. Whether Hao'er can forgive you... I don't know. After all, you've hurt him deeply."
"I understand. I will find Hao'er, and no matter what happens, even if he draws his sword against me again, I will let him strike. As long as he's willing to come back!" Li Tiangang declared vehemently.
Seeing Li Tiangang's determination, Li Muxiu fell silent for a moment. In his heart, there was only a faint glimmer of hope, but mostly, he felt regret.
If only Li Tiangang had realized this sooner, things might have been different.
His big brother could have returned home for one last look...
Li Muxiu's heart was filled with sadness, and he had no desire to continue the conversation.
Li Tiangang glanced at him and then at Li Xiaoran, who remained motionless and unresponsive. Feeling dejected, he thought of his father's last words and knew that he couldn't let him die with regrets. "Father, your son will bring Hao'er back to pay his respects to you at the ancestral hall!"
Li Tiangang knelt on the ground and kowtowed three times in the direction where Li Tianzong had disappeared.
Wiping away the tears from his eyes, he stood up and said to Li Muxiu and Li Xiaoran, "Second Uncle, Fourth Uncle, I leave the matters concerning the Perished River outside the pass to you. This time, I fear I have neglected my duties. Please let me go and try to bring Hao'er back!"
As he spoke, he saw that the two men remained unmoved, still immersed in the grief of losing their brother and disappointed in him.
Just as Li Tiangang was about to leave, Li Xiaoran, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke up. "I'll come with you."
Li Tiangang's body trembled, and his eyes welled up with tears once more. He bit his lip, turned, and bowed deeply. "Thank you, Fourth Uncle. I'll go alone. That child is going to the Ji family. They are a sacred ancient clan, and having more people won't make a difference... I am Qingqing's husband, and perhaps the Ji family will show some leniency because of this connection."
Li Xiaoran ignored him and stood up.
However, Li Muxiu spoke up. "Old Four, let him go alone."
Li Xiaoran paused and looked at him.
"What he said is true. If the Ji family intends to harm Hao'er, no one can stop them..." Li Muxiu's eyes seemed to carry the weight of the years, and his voice was soft. "But I hope that they will spare him because he is also their nephew."
Hearing these words, Li Xiaoran lowered his head and fell silent, his hand tightening around the hilt of his sword.
Li Tiangang's heart stirred as he recalled what his wife had told him about the Ji family's strict rules prohibiting intermarriage with outsiders. His marriage to Qingqing had already broken a major taboo, and now that Hao'er was going to the Ji family, the odds were not in his favor.
Without another word, Li Tiangang turned and swiftly flew out, transforming into a golden light that sped towards the distant Great Wilderness Heaven.
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