Chapter 272

Hearing Li Muxiu's words, Li Tiangang couldn't help but change color and immediately called out:

"Second Uncle!"

Li Muxiu raised his head and stared at him deeply, saying: "He is my good friend. Even in front of the Emperor, I will say the same. My private friendship with him is clean and clear. I have never let him do anything for the Li Clan, and he has never done anything for our Li Clan!"

Speaking of this, he seemed to think of something, paused, and his expression became somewhat ugly:

"Except for entrusting him to take care of Hao'er, but that is your child..."

Feng Master Feng Bo Ping interrupted: "Taking care of Hao'er was my own willingness. It has nothing to do with whether you, old guy, entrusted me or not. If you didn't say it, would I have ignored Hao'er? Just based on the fish Hao'er grilled for me for seven years, I would protect him for a lifetime!"

Li Tiangang's eyes narrowed slightly. Seven years?

In that case, Li Hao had been in contact with this Saint of Thieves for seven years.

Thinking of this Second Uncle's hobby, he immediately inferred the general situation and sighed secretly in his heart.

It seems Hao'er has been influenced since he was young.

"Leaving Hao'er at home was my biggest mistake and the thing I regret most."

Li Tiangang took a deep breath and said to Li Muxiu: "Second Uncle, I won't pursue your influence on Hao'er, but now, I demand you in the name of the True Dragon to break off the relationship with him and never associate again!"

Li Muxiu's expression changed, and he looked at him in shock and anger: "You want to order me in the name of the True Dragon?!"

"That's right."

Li Tiangang's expression was cold and serious, restraining the anger in his heart:

"Second Uncle, don't forget what blood flows in our bodies and what surname we carry! Although my father is no longer here and no one can restrain you, our Li Clan's thousand-year family rules have been like this for generations. Are you going to rebel against them too?"

Li Muxiu looked at him in shock and anger, but finally, it was full of disappointment.

He closed his eyes, and after a long time, he opened them again, but his eyes contained indescribable pain and vicissitudes. He said dejectedly:

"I was dissolute in the first half of my life and did many wrong things. I failed your father, letting him guard the lonely city alone. I will not break the rules again. This life of mine was given by the Li Clan, so let me burn it out for the Li Clan..."

His body trembled slightly, and he slowly turned around, looking at Feng Master Feng Bo Ping.

Looking at each other, Li Muxiu had blood and tears gushing out: "Old Feng..."

Feng Master Feng Bo Ping's body trembled slightly, but a smile slowly appeared on his face, saying: "Old Li, why are you crying at such an old age? Didn't I say that even if we are far apart, we can still drink to the sun and moon together? Gathering and parting are not up to people. You and I have long reached the age of accepting fate. Accept it..."

Li Muxiu's fists were clenched tightly, and his entire body was trembling. His fists were very strong and heavy, known as the Fist Saint, but he couldn't break the shackles of bloodline or break the constraints in his heart.

Half a step away from invincibility is ultimately not truly invincible.

Once that half step is taken, it can never be taken back.

"Second Uncle, this is good for both of you. Don't blame me, Li Tiangang, for being heartless."

Li Tiangang said in a deep voice.

Li Muxiu's back was full of vicissitudes, and he didn't speak, just silent.

Feng Master Feng Bo Ping smiled at Li Muxiu, then glanced at Li Hao's clone, with regret in his eyes, saying: "But I promised Hao'er to guard Tianmen Pass for him for three years..."

"Not needed!"

Li Tiangang looked at him, but his expression wasn't very good, and he said coldly: "If you really care about Hao'er, you should know that your reputation is notorious, and getting entangled with Hao'er will only bring him burdens!"

"Do you want to destroy him? He will inherit my Li Clan's True Dragon in the future, shining brightly. If it becomes known that he is colluding with you, how will people discuss him?"

Feng Master Feng Bo Ping's cheeks twitched slightly. He wanted to refute, but when the words reached his lips, he just laughed in a low voice:

"That's true. I am just a lonely passerby in this world, incomparable to the splendor of your Divine General's Mansion, and I can't climb high..."

He shook his head as if laughing at himself, looked at Li Hao's clone, and said in a low voice: "Hao'er has also grown up and doesn't need anyone to take care of him anymore. If he can return from the Mo River, no one will dare to invade this Tianmen Pass. Even if someone really comes, I'm afraid this old man won't be of any use. That must be the existence of the Taiping Dao Realm..."

He muttered to himself, then laughed again, looking at Li Hao's dark-side clone, his eyes kind and gentle:

"Child, you have to walk your own path from now on."

"A journey of wind and snow, I can only accompany you to here."

The dark-side Li Hao stared blankly at him, wanting to speak, but didn't know what to say, and finally only said two words: "Don't go..."

Feng Master Feng Bo Ping's lips trembled slightly, but he just smiled, then turned around, looked at the vast and boundless heaven and earth, looked around, and looked toward the direction of Cangya City in the distance.

His eyes flickered slightly, he didn't speak, just his figure suddenly stepped out and vanished into thin air.

Heaven and Earth No Trace Technique—if he wanted to leave, no one could keep him.

This technique was created by him, and combined with his martial arts, he could exert it to the extreme.

A breeze swept by, like a small hand lifting Li Muxiu's hem, fluttering, and then falling down.

Li Muxiu was like a stone, silent without a sound.

Li Tiangang glanced at him, also knowing that this Second Uncle was feeling uncomfortable, and said in a low voice: "Second Uncle, we should go to the Longcheng Mo River. I'll go over first to see the situation there..."

Li Muxiu didn't respond.

But in the distance, a whistling sound suddenly came, accompanied by a joyful voice: "Second Brother, Tiangang?!"

Hearing this voice, both of them were shaken, even Li Muxiu suddenly raised his head and looked toward the sound.

Then he saw a figure galloping over, wearing a tattered gray robe, dressed like a beggar, his hair also messy and unkempt, but that face, and the saber hanging at his waist, was exactly Li Xiaoran!

"Fourth Brother?!"

Li Muxiu was stunned.

Li Tiangang was also stunned, doubting for a moment if he was seeing things. He condensed divine light in his eyes, and only then did he see clearly that it was really that Fourth Uncle! He returned? How is he here?! "Hao'er?"

When Li Tiangang and the other were shocked and astonished, Li Xiaoran saw the dark-side Li Hao beside them and was stunned, almost crying out in surprise, but soon, he sensed that the Li Hao in front of him was a bit wrong, his aura wasn't that strong.

Moreover, he was dressed cleanly, not at all like the tattered appearance when they parted!

Earlier, when Li Hao was chased and killed to the front of the Mo River, he had experienced the Great Battle of Liangzhou, and his hair was stained with quite a bit of demon blood, and his clothing was also torn and tattered due to the great battle.

"How come only you returned? Where is Hao'er?!"

Li Muxiu came back to his senses and hurriedly asked, stunned, his eyes bulging violently, as if his whole body's blood and energy were tense.

Li Xiaoran came back to his senses and hurriedly said: "Second Brother, don't be excited. Hao'er is fine. He still has things to finish. He is only one step away from clearing the Mo River. Now he is heading to the Great Desolate Heaven."

Speaking of this, he glanced at Li Tiangang, hesitated, and didn't know whether he should say it.

After all, the Ancient Saint Clan Ji Clan was a sensitive term.

Li Tiangang had fought in Yanbei for over a decade. After the war ended, such a big thing, he naturally heard about the situation later and knew it was related to that Ji Clan woman.

"He went to the Great Desolate Heaven?"

Li Muxiu was stunned, but hearing the other party say Li Hao was fine, his tense body slowly relaxed, and he immediately asked: "The Great Desolate Heaven is so dangerous, why did he go there? How long will he be gone?"

"He should be able to return soon," Li Xiaoran said.

Just send that Ji Clan old man back to the territory of the Ancient Saint Clan, it shouldn't take much time.

Speaking of this, he saw that the two still wanted to inquire about Li Hao, smiled, and said: "Is this Hao'er's clone?"

"Hmm."

Li Tiangang nodded. Hearing the other party say Li Hao was fine, his expression also relaxed, but hearing that Li Hao went to the Great Desolate Heaven, his expression changed slightly, and in his mind, he immediately thought of that woman, his wife.

His heart couldn't help but skip a beat. Could it be that the child went to find his mother?

Earlier, during the father-son battle in Qingzhou, he heard later that the reason Li Hao slapped that Li Rumeng was because the other party insulted his wife, and he also spoke his mind, informing Li Hao about his wife's situation.

"This child..."

He couldn't help but grit his teeth, his expression becoming tense again, his heart full of worry.

That Ancient Saint Clan Ji Clan, even he wouldn't dare to visit, let alone Li Hao.

"Let's not talk about Hao'er's matter first. You all look, who I brought back for you."

Li Xiaoran said to the two.

As his words fell, a voice entered the ears of Li Tiangang and Li Muxiu:

"Tiangang, Second..."

Hearing this old and familiar voice, Li Tiangang and Li Muxiu were stunned at the same time, their hearts shaken violently. They raised their heads in horror and saw a phantom-like heroic soul floating out from behind Li Xiaoran.

That mighty body and kind face made the two stand there blankly, as if in another lifetime.

"Father?"

Li Tiangang's pupils contracted tightly. He was stunned for a moment, then rubbed his eyes hard.

When he saw clearly again, the many thoughts in his mind just now were all thrown to the back of his head, and hot tears suddenly gushed out of his eye sockets:

"Father!!"

His knees went soft, and he knelt in the void in front of Li Tianzong, tears wetting his face: "It is the child who is unfilial, the child who is incompetent, and failed to bring you back early!"

Li Tianzong stared blankly, his eye sockets somewhat red, and he said: "Second Brother, have you been liberated from the Mo River?"

Li Tianzong hurriedly raised his hand to help Li Tiangang up. To Li Muxiu's question, he nodded with a smile: "That's right, I am liberated now, and I can go home!"

Li Muxiu's old body trembled slightly. He clenched his fists, gritted his teeth, and lowered his head.

Time seemed to take off its coat. This old man full of vicissitudes was now like the spirited youth in brocade robes back then, his shoulders trembling, lowering his head as if suppressing his throat, but his voice was choking:

"Big Brother, it was all my fault back then. I was playful and let you guard Longcheng alone. I was the one who harmed you!" "All these years, it should have been me suffering in the Mo River. It was me..."

Li Tianzong was slightly stunned. He gently raised his palm and patted Li Muxiu's shoulder lightly.

When he saw the tear-stained face of this brother who grew up with him, this old man who had been through many battles and had never shed a tear even after climbing out of the corpses of ten thousand demons, his eyes also became a bit moist, and he said softly: "As a True Dragon, the Battle of Longcheng should have been me going on the expedition. It has nothing to do with you. Even if you were there, it would just be both of us brothers dying there."

"Fortunately, you were not there. I heard from Fourth Brother that now the Li Clan is all supported by you. You are the Dinghai Divine Needle of the Li Clan..."

He said this, smiled, and said: "Back then, when Father beat you, do you remember? You knelt in the courtyard for three days and three nights. When I secretly sent you food, I said that besides me, you might be the most capable one in the Li Clan in the future. You really didn't disappoint me."

Li Muxiu was stunned, looking at his gaze, the brothers looked at each other at this moment.

Both were old men.

But the years seemed to roll up the wind again, blowing them back to their youth...

Just like in that courtyard, in the sweltering summer, the Big Brother practicing martial arts in front of the wooden stake, and the Second Brother sitting by the pond, naughty.

Big Brother looked at him with the same gentleness as back then, while the naughty Second Brother turned his head away with a look of dissatisfaction.

But now, this gaze faded by the years met at this moment, and all words melted at this moment.

Li Muxiu was in tears. This old man who had been through many battles couldn't stop sobbing.

The knot and scar in his heart for many years disappeared at this moment.

So Big Brother never blamed him...

Li Muxiu's body trembled slightly, but slowly, he put away his emotions, wiped the tears from his face, and a look of rare blushing appeared on his old face.

He quickly changed the subject, thinking of the main business, and hurriedly asked: "Big Brother, how were you liberated? Wasn't it said that you had to clear the Mo River? You just said you haven't cleared it yet..."

"This is complicated."

Li Xiaoran said on the side: "But in general, I have to thank Hao'er. It was his help that allowed Big Brother to break free."

Speaking of this, he felt a sourness in his heart. Although he broke free, he also perished.

But on the way back, Li Tianzong instructed him not to tell others about this matter. Li Tianzong just wanted to go home and take a look, and then leave quietly.

"Thank Hao'er?"

Li Muxiu was stunned, and then he thought of the child who had repeatedly created things that surprised him. A sense of gratification and pity filled his eyes.

"Hao'er?"

Li Tiangang heard Li Xiaoran's words, and the body that had just stood up felt a shock in his heart, saying: "What does it have to do with Hao'er?"

"The relationship is huge!"

Li Tianzong took over the words and smiled lightly: "I heard from Fourth Brother that Hao'er is your son. Tiangang, you really gave me a good grandson! It's amazing!"

Li Tiangang was stunned. He never expected that even his own father would favor that child so much. Is he really... that good?

"That child doesn't understand the rules and is naturally loose. Did he offend you?"

Li Tiangang couldn't help but ask, with a bit of caution.

At this moment, he was no longer the general and marshal holding the divine saber, but a son in front of his father.

Li Tianzong was stunned and laughed: "What are you talking about? Hao'er is naturally lively and cute, proficient in everything from zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and is omnipotent. His martial arts talent is even comparable to an ancient saint reincarnated. In our Da Yu Divine Dynasty for thousands of years, he can be considered a first-class heaven's pride expert!"

"Moreover, he is very sensible. Where is there any rule-breaking? It's just red tape. Although the Li Clan needs family rules, home is home, and the country is the country. There is no need for everything to be rigid at home."

Li Tiangang's heart was shaken, and he stood there blankly for a long time, unable to speak.

If it were someone else, he might not listen, but since his father said so, he suddenly doubted whether he had done something wrong all along?

Is it... too harsh on that child? Or is it that he really managed too much?

People who have been in contact with that child seem to favor and appreciate him. Is it because of his noble status in the Divine General's Mansion, or is it just because of the child himself? Li Tiangang's thoughts turned, and the various memories of getting along with Li Hao since returning from Yanbei flashed through his mind quickly.

But before he could recall carefully, Li Tianzong said gently: "I heard from Fourth Brother that after Little Nine left, you succeeded Little Nine and became the True Dragon of the Li Clan. You have worked hard all these years."

Li Tiangang came back to his senses. Hearing this gentle concern, he felt his entire body's blood trembling.

He knelt down in front of Li Tianzong with a thud, lowered his head, and wept:

"Father, Father, the child is incompetent. I am not worthy of being the True Dragon of the Li Clan. Third Brother, Sixth Brother, they all left. I failed to take care of them, and I failed to protect this home!"

His shoulders trembled. He hadn't cried even when the Liangzhou border was broken. His tears had long since run dry in Yanbei, and they had also run dry at the Li Clan's funeral.

But at this moment, he cried like a child again.

Li Tianzong was slightly stunned, thinking of some family situations he had inquired about from Li Xiaoran on the way. Among his nine children, six died in battle. Some sacrificed when he was still in the Divine General's Mansion, such as the eldest and second.

It's just that he didn't expect that after he left, others would have accidents one after another.

Looking at Li Tiangang's sobbing, he also felt deep sorrow in his eyes, but he restrained this sorrow, revealed a smile, and gently helped Li Tiangang up:

"Child, it's not your fault. It's me, the father, who didn't do a good job. If I hadn't had an accident in Longcheng, if I could have stepped into the Taiping Dao Realm earlier, you wouldn't have had accidents."

"Father, how can I blame you? You were strong enough."

Li Tiangang couldn't help but say. His emotional release was temporary. His years of war career made him quickly restrain himself at this moment.

He wiped the tears from his face and grabbed Li Tianzong's heroic soul arm: "It's fine now. You are back. When I step into the Taiping Dao Realm in the future, I will go and bring Little Nine back!"

Li Tianzong saw him regain his confidence and pride, and a smile appeared on his face. He patted his shoulder and said:

"I know you can do it. Hao'er also inherited the True Dragon, right? Give him a few more years, and Hao'er will surely lead our Li Clan to eliminate all demons and restore the Li Clan to the glory of the ancestors!"

Li Tiangang's expression changed slightly when he heard this, and he nodded: "When he returns from the Great Desolate Heaven, I will let him inherit the True Dragon."

"Hasn't he inherited it yet?"

Li Tianzong was somewhat surprised. True Dragon inheritance is better at a young age. At the age of fourteen or fifteen, combined with the help of ancestors, the cultivation speed will soar, and he can quickly pass the heaven's pride period and become a truly powerful person.

"It was supposed to be inherited, but he was driven away by Tiangang."

Li Muxiu stood on the side and said coldly.

Li Tianzong was stunned and looked at him suspiciously.

Li Xiaoran's expression changed slightly. On the way back, he deliberately avoided the matter of Li Hao and Li Tiangang. He didn't want Big Brother's heroic soul to still have worries and concerns before dissipating, and worry about this matter.

"Second Brother, what are you talking about?" Li Tianzong asked.

"Big Brother, ask him yourself."

Li Muxiu took a deep breath. He originally wanted to mock Li Tiangang, but thinking that Big Brother had just returned and father and son were rarely reunited, there was no point in mocking him again, so he restrained himself.

"Tiangang?"

Li Tianzong looked at his son.

Facing his gaze, Li Tiangang didn't think about hiding it and said:

"Father, when Hao'er was born, Yanbei suffered a disaster. I was transferred to Yanbei to fight, thinking of leaving him in the mansion to practice, taken care of by Sister-in-law and the others. As a result, in the years when Qingqing and I were not by his side, this child learned a lot of bad habits."

He said: "He didn't attend to proper duties all day, didn't practice well. After I returned, I disciplined him a little, but he drew his sword against me, fought a great battle with me, and finally left home in anger, coming to this Tianmen Pass to fight with me..."

"You fart!"

Li Muxiu's anger, which had already been restrained, erupted at this moment. He said angrily:

"Where does Hao'er have bad habits? Big Brother also said it, he is proficient in everything from zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Although he likes these, he never delayed his cultivation because of them!"

"Is his cultivation not high enough? Far exceeding his peers!"

"Now he is fifteen years old, only fifteen, and he is already in the Three Imperishable Realms, able to slay demon kings. Who in this world can do it?!"

"You two were not by his side for over ten years. That Liu woman poisoned Hao'er and abolished his divine blood. He hadn't had time to take revenge, but you, you gave Hao'er a slap because of that daughter of Little Eight's complaint, and didn't listen to his explanation. You say you were just disciplining him?!"

"Without your discipline all these years, is Hao'er worse than others?!"

Hearing Li Muxiu's angry roar, Li Tiangang's expression changed slightly, feeling familiar, and he said:

"But if he used the energy of zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting on cultivation, he would only cultivate higher!"

"Then don't eat or sleep, just practice to death for me!"

Li Muxiu said angrily: "That is your son, not a wooden man, not a stone. He is flesh and blood!!"

Li Tiangang opened his mouth slightly, but was somewhat speechless.

Li Tianzong heard the argument between the two and immediately understood the situation. His expression became ugly, and he said to Li Muxiu on the side: "What happened later, how could Hao'er leave home?"

"Of course he was forced to leave by your so-called 'discipline'."

Li Muxiu looked at Li Tiangang with hatred, but there was sadness in his eyes, still remembering the day when the wind and snow filled the sky: "That child said he would never be surnamed Li again. He would rather die outside than die in the Divine General's Mansion!"

"He didn't want to be beaten to death by his own father!"

Li Tiangang said angrily: "How could I want to beat him to death? I was just teaching him a lesson..."

With a crisp sound, it suddenly interrupted his words.

Li Tiangang's head tilted to the side. He was stunned for a long while before turning his head, only to see the pale figure of his father Li Tianzong, full of anger on his face.

"How could you force that child to say such words!"

"You should know how sad that child must have been to say such heartbreaking words!!"

Li Tianzong looked at him, trembling with anger.

(End of chapter)