Chapitre 132: Chapter 268: A Friend From Afar
Li Tiangang's gaze was equally complex as he looked at the young man's retreating figure, his fingers clenching slightly, a mix of tension, anticipation, bewilderment, and sadness.
In the past, when they argued, the young man had forsaken the Li family name and left this illustrious Divine General Mansion.
Who would have thought that today, their ancestor would personally invite him back.
Li Tiangang couldn't help but question himself. He knew he had been wrong, but had he really made such a grave mistake? He established his Dao heart with the Universal Laws, but at this moment, his conviction wavered.
Li Hao was equally surprised that the Li family ancestor would go to such lengths for him. He felt a mix of astonishment and regret.
The regret was not born of remorse but of the necessity to hurt their feelings.
The moon has its moments of darkness and fullness, and it is ancient and difficult to comprehend.
Ever since he severed his bloodline in the abyss, there was no turning back. Many things were missed or done wrong, and ultimately, they could only regret them. Mending a broken mirror would still leave cracks, reflecting only a shattered image.
"I appreciate your kindness, seniors," Li Hao said with a slight bow. "It's not worth making an exception for me. The thousand years of glory that you have accumulated through countless battles and demon-slaying should not be compromised because of me. The Li family has its rules and ancestral laws that must be upheld, or the family will perish after a single generation of brilliance."
"I no longer carry the Li family bloodline. Even if I were the True Dragon, it would be difficult to convince everyone. Moreover, my decision is firm, and I cannot bear the burden of this Divine General Mansion."
After finishing his words, he bowed respectfully and expressed his sincere gratitude.
Hearing Li Hao's words, He Jianlan and the others lost the color in their faces, and the hopeful light in their eyes dimmed like extinguished fireflies, fading into darkness.
Li Tiangang, still kneeling on the ground, was stunned as well. His face twitched and trembled uncontrollably.
In the past, he had demanded that the young man abide by the rules and be upright and law-abiding, but the other party had been lazy and carefree.
Now, however, the young man was using the family laws and ancestral rules as an excuse to sever ties with the Li family.
He was cutting off all connections with the standards he had once imposed.
"You..."
Li Tianyuan was taken aback, not expecting Li Hao to refuse so decisively.
He fell silent for a moment before continuing, "Child, even if you're not the True Dragon, it's fine. The Li family owes you, and we old folks will make up for it. The True Dragon of the Li family can receive our soul power to condense its soul form. Even if you aren't the True Dragon, let us do it for you!"
Li Hao suddenly thought of the scene in Dragon City's River of Extinction, where he had inherited the True Dragon and donned the mantle of this ancestor to engage in slaughter and warfare.
But that had been Li Tianzong's memory.
He didn't know if the old man had felt relieved before dissipating.
Li Hao sighed inwardly and said to the Li family ancestor before him, "Senior's kindness is something I cannot bear. Soul Condensation consumes too much for all of you. There's no need for that. The Li family doesn't owe me anything. We're already even."
In the River of Extinction in Dragon City, the Li family ancestor had helped him condense his soul, aiding him in breaking through the 360-soul bottleneck. However, Li Hao felt that with a few more soul condensation manuals, he could achieve it on his own without exhausting the soul power of these heroic souls.
After all, the heroic souls before him were once valiant heroes of the human race who had fought on the battlefield and slain demons. It would be unfair to let them sacrifice for him, shortening their time as lingering souls.
Upon hearing Li Hao's words, Li Tianyuan fell silent once more.
He wanted to gather the power of numerous heroic souls to both repay Li Hao for his assistance and to leave an impression on him, hoping that Li Hao would come to their aid again if the Li family faced peril in the future.
However, the young man before them seemed unaffected by these offers.
To a martial artist, this was an extremely prestigious and beneficial opportunity for strength enhancement, yet the young man in front of them treated it as lightly as a feather.
"Child..."
Li Tianyuan frowned, looking at Li Hao, wanting to say something more.
"Senior," Li Hao quickly interrupted, a smile on his face. "Even if we can't be blood-related, if you wish to become friends with me, I would welcome it."
"A friend from afar, how delightful," he quoted.
"I appreciate your intentions, seniors. Please do not try to detain me further."
With that, he lowered his head slightly in a polite gesture and then turned his gaze to Li Yuanzhao, who was in the courtyard, offering a faint smile. "If you have time, you can also come and visit me."
"Okay!"
Li Yuanzhao's eyes were filled with sadness, and he nodded vigorously, his gaze filled with reluctance to part.
Upon hearing Li Hao's words, Li Tianyuan and the other Li family ancestor souls fell silent, knowing that the young man had made up his mind and that there was no turning him back.
Li Tianyuan's face turned slightly gloomy, and he said to Li Xuanli in the hall, "The True Dragon of the Li family will be temporarily under your care."
After finishing his words, he nodded slightly to Li Hao and then turned and flew away without another word.
The other ancestors had varying expressions, but they all looked dejected or sorrowful. They nodded to Li Hao in gratitude before flying back to the ancestral hall one after another.
Although Li Hao had come to Qingzhou City's aid earlier, effectively rescuing them as well, this debt was difficult to repay.
However, the young man didn't seem to mind, which left them with a bitter taste in their mouths.
Li Hao walked towards the courtyard exit, followed by Li Yuanzhao and the others. Li Wushuang wanted to say something to keep him there, but upon seeing that even the ancestor souls couldn't stop the young man, he gave up, his eyes dimming with disappointment.
Li Mingjian, Li Zhining, and the others had complex expressions as well. Never before had anyone in the Li family received such attention, not even their parents or grandparents.
Yet, in their generation, such a dazzling figure had emerged.
Li Xuanli hesitated for a moment, snapping out of his daze at the elbow nudge from his wife, Gao Qingqing. He quickly replied, "She's in his courtyard. If you want to see her, I'll take you there. Given your current status, whatever punishment you deem fit is justified."
A flurry of thoughts raced through Li Xuanli's mind, including the potential fallout and embarrassment for the Divine General Mansion if Li Hao were to kill Liu Yuerong.
However, he quickly pushed these worries aside. With Li Hao's current status as a duke, poisoning him would be a scandal for the Li family. But if Li Hao chose to execute her, he could simply smooth things over with the right connections, and it wouldn't be considered a breach of the law.
After all, if the Liu family dared to seek revenge, they would have to think twice before taking on Li Hao now.
They might even send people with lavish gifts to apologize.
As the head of a prominent family, he knew that the family's prosperity took precedence over momentary anger and the honor of a single branch.
With these thoughts in mind, Li Xuanli hurried after Li Hao.
"Then I'll have to trouble you," Li Hao said with a slight nod.
Upon hearing this, the others followed suit. They remembered how Li Hao's break with the Li family had been sparked by Liu Yuerong's poisoning attempt.
While the scandal had been suppressed and not widely publicized, everyone within the Divine General Mansion was aware of it.
Now, it seemed that the young man was about to take his revenge.
Li Tiangang's expression turned ugly as he thought of his second brother, who had shielded him from a sword strike and entrusted his wife and children to him before dying. But now...
He felt sad, but at this moment, he had no reason to stop Li Hao.
Moreover, he harbored his own resentment towards Liu Yuerong, but the bond of brotherhood was something he couldn't forget, and that was why he had protected her in the first place.
Meanwhile, Ji Qingqing quickly got up and chased after Li Hao, her face filled with sorrow. She couldn't believe that the child was leaving so resolutely.
...
In front of the Water Splendor Pavilion.
Li Xuanli opened the pavilion door for Li Hao and glanced at his former nephew, a silent sigh escaping his lips. "She's inside. Ever since the investigation cleared you, she has been imprisoned here by your father..."
"Is this what you call imprisonment?"
Li Hao surveyed the courtyard. Aside from the absence of the usual flock of servants, the place was still opulent. Fallen leaves blanketed the pool, giving it the appearance of stagnant water, yet it remained a luxurious setting.
Li Xuanli's face twitched slightly at Li Hao's comment, and he said, "We'll wait for you out here."
It was his subtle way of telling Li Hao that he could do whatever he wanted, and they would turn a blind eye.
Without another word, Li Hao walked into the pavilion, strolling along the path of blue-gray stones until he reached the pavilion, where a beautiful woman was leaning against a pillar.
However, she had clearly lost her former allure. The once jewel-adorned hairpins in her hair were now sparse, with only a single round pearl hairpin remaining.
Hearing the footsteps, Liu Yuerong turned around. When she saw Li Hao, her eyes widened slightly, but she didn't seem overly surprised. Instead, she studied him intently for a moment before speaking, "In less than two years, your appearance has changed so much?"
"Your appearance has changed quite a bit as well," Li Hao replied with a smile, his expression devoid of the hatred and anger that one would expect between enemies.
As he spoke, he stepped into the pavilion and glanced at the fruit platter on the table, noticing that the fruits had wilted and were no longer fresh.
"Now that you've achieved success and fame, have you come to take revenge for what happened in the past?" Liu Yuerong fixed her eyes on Li Hao, a cold smile playing on her lips. There was no fear in her eyes as she continued, "Go ahead and kill me if you want. It's no different from being dead here anyway. My only hope is to see my son surpass you."
"But even if I don't get to see it, I believe that day will come sooner or later." Her cold smile turned into a fierce glare as she stared directly at Li Hao.
Li Hao's smile remained unchanged, and the corners of his mouth even curved upward slightly at her words.
"You certainly have big dreams," he remarked.
"Hmph, you are indeed a monster. But so what? I've seen plenty of monsters like you. Take your ninth uncle, for example. Although he wasn't as extraordinary as you, he once dazzled everyone, and people believed he would lead the Li family to even greater heights. But what happened in the end?"
"He died before he even turned 20, his brilliance cut short. That's what happens when heaven is jealous of talent!" Liu Yuerong's cold smile turned bitter as she spoke.
"You're right," Li Hao nodded. "Which is why I plan to let your son experience a little 'accident' before something unexpected happens to me."
Liu Yuerong's eyes widened in shock, and her face contorted with anger. "What do you mean?" she demanded.
Li Hao spoke slowly, "Do you think I'm here to kill you? On the contrary, after I left the Li family, I no longer held any grudge for what happened in the past. In fact, I even wanted to thank you."
Liu Yuerong was taken aback.
"That bit of divine blood may have been a great help to an ordinary person, but to me, it was insignificant.
Li Hao simply told Li Xuanli, "Criminals belong in a criminal's place."
Understanding his intent, Li Xuanli felt a slight relief that Li Hao hadn't directly killed Liu Yuerong. After all, she was still his brother's wife. He sighed inwardly as he bid farewell to Li Hao, along with the rest of the Li family.
"You can't leave!" Li Tiangang stood at the entrance of the Divine General Mansion, his face resolute as he tried to stop Li Hao.
Li Hao frowned slightly but didn't say anything. He merely activated his domain, suppressing Li Tiangang, and then walked past him, leaving the mansion for the second time.
"Hao'er!" Ji Qingqing chased after him, calling out desperately.
Without turning back, Li Hao continued on his way, striding down the street and out of sight of those watching from the mansion.
Pale-faced, He Jianlan and the others exchanged complicated glances. This was the second time they had witnessed the young man walking out of the Divine General Mansion, and this time, it was a final goodbye.
"A bird flies in the sky, and only when it's tired does it perch on a tree," Li Xiaoran remarked softly, his eyes following Li Hao in the distance. "And he is no mere bird, but a phoenix."
Hearing this, Li Tiangang and Ji Qingqing felt a jolt. They realized that if Li Hao was a bird, they were the cage from which he had now escaped.
...
...
In the Vast Mountain, within the Pure Land of Buddha, a young man named Li Qianfeng, dressed in white Buddhist robes, knelt before the Spiritual Buddha.
"Master, how much longer will it be before my mother receives news of our Li family...?" Li Qianfeng pleaded, his face filled with worry and urgency.
The Spiritual Buddha, seated on a golden lotus platform, gently sighed as he gazed at his disciple's anguished expression. He knew that his previous teachings had not truly sunk in, and Li Qianfeng had not yet attained true enlightenment.
"The disaster in Qingzhou City has been resolved, so you need not worry," the Spiritual Buddha assured him. "As for news of your mother, we must wait for the return of the Bodhisattva of Universal Salvation..."
Li Qianfeng's eyes widened in surprise. "Has the chaos in Qingzhou City been settled already?"
The Vast Mountain was only a few tens of thousands of miles away from Qingzhou City, much closer than Youzhou, which was considered a relatively nearby major state.
"You may rest assured," the Spiritual Buddha said gently.
"Thank you, Master!" Li Qianfeng bowed gratefully.
The Spiritual Buddha instructed Li Qianfeng to return to his cultivation and then turned to Lin Wuijing, asking about the stolen holy artifact and whether the thief had confessed its whereabouts.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone