Chapter 274

Li Tiangang couldn't believe his father would slap him.

The gentle kindness on the other party's face a moment ago was now replaced only by anger and heartbreak, and his eyes held disappointment... disappointment? Li Tiangang's face turned pale. He knew his ability was insufficient, that he hadn't taken good care of the Divine General's Mansion, and hadn't taken good care of his brothers, but his father hadn't been disappointed by this, instead gently comforting him.

But now, he showed heartbreak and disappointment toward him over this matter of Li Hao.

The burning pain on his face made Li Tiangang's consciousness somewhat dazed. It wasn't that the slap was heavy, it was just that suddenly, the scene in that courtyard flashed through his mind.

That slap he had swung in anger.

That youth's gaze also seemed to hold disbelief.

Li Tiangang suddenly felt his heart contract. An indescribable emotion spread in his heart. He couldn't put it into words—was it fear?

"Big Brother..."

Li Xiaoran wanted to speak but stopped, and didn't continue, sighing secretly.

He hadn't wanted Big Brother to know about this, but now that he knew, it was too late to stop it.

Moreover, he also found it difficult to understand Li Tiangang's handling of Li Hao's matter. Not to mention the child's talent, his temperament didn't seem like the loose, unruly, and rule-breaking rumors circulating in the family.

If one really had to say, it could only be considered not being bound by trifles.

Li Muxiu just stood on the side with a cold face, not speaking, even feeling that the slap was a bit light.

"No wonder when that child looked at me, I always felt a bit awkward. So the reason is here. He had already left the Li Clan, and he... he didn't want to acknowledge me as his grandfather..."

Li Tianzong's eye sockets became moist, but on the way back, that child clearly still called him affectionately.

Was it because he knew he was about to dissipate completely, so he didn't want him to worry?

Although he had no body, why did Li Tianzong feel a stinging pain in his heart?

That child was clearly so sensible! Why would it be like this, why would such a thing happen?!

"You, you tell me in detail, what exactly happened? I want to know everything!"

Li Tianzong gritted his teeth, looking at Li Tiangang angrily and heartbrokenly.

Li Xiaoran's expression changed slightly, and he hurriedly said: "Big Brother, this is too time-consuming..."

"It doesn't matter!"

Li Tianzong gritted his teeth: "If I don't figure it out, I won't die in peace!"

Hearing this, Li Muxiu and Li Tiangang both changed color. Li Muxiu hurriedly said: "Big Brother, don't get angry. I will tell you about this matter slowly."

"Father, don't be angry. You can hit me, but please don't be angry," Li Tiangang hurriedly said, looking nervous, fearing that Li Tianzong would have any mishap.

"Speak, speak right here!"

Li Tianzong gritted his teeth and roared.

Li Tiangang didn't expect his father to be so angry. Since his father passed away, no one had disciplined him anymore. At this moment, that feeling of being disciplined in childhood appeared again, just like the feeling of making a mistake while practicing martial arts in the training ground, shrinking back and not daring to return to the courtyard.

His expression changed, and he lowered his head: "Father, don't be angry. I'll tell you. This matter is also my fault. I was too impulsive..."

He narrated the matter.

Beside him, Li Xiaoran's expression was extremely ugly, feeling that every second was a torment.

He knew that Big Brother was using the last time of his life to distinguish this matter.

"... then he wanted to leave the Divine General's Mansion."

After hearing Li Tiangang finish, Li Tianzong's expression was ugly, and he said to Li Muxiu on the side: "Is it like this?"

Li Muxiu sneered slightly, noticing the look Li Xiaoran gave on the side, somewhat surprised, but didn't think much, and said: "What he said is from his perspective. In his eyes, he returned from a bitter battle in Yanbei, only to see Hao'er playing around, idle, and not practicing well. But has he ever thought that Hao'er was fourteen years old and reached the Fifteen-Li Realm, already breaking the cultivation record of the Emperor Da Yu Divine Dynasty!"

Saying this, he added some things, filling in what was missing from Li Tiangang's perspective.

The same thing, told by different people, is a different result. Even if a wise man expounds it relatively objectively, it is hard to guarantee absolute objectivity.

Li Tianzong listened to the words of the two, combined with what he saw and heard in the Mo River, and already roughly understood the reason in his heart.

He was so angry that he trembled, finding it hard to imagine that the child had endured so many grievances.

"You actually let him walk out of the Li Clan like this. Don't you know how much hatred the Li Clan attracts from demons?"

"You, how could you be so stupid!"

Li Tianzong raised his fist and hammered it fiercely onto Li Tiangang's chest, knocking him back several steps.

He condensed a divine whip of divine sense in his palm, suddenly whipping Li Tiangang, and roared: "I rarely beat you when you were young. I didn't expect you to make such a big mistake. You deserve to be beaten!"

Li Tiangang's expression was ugly, enduring the pain, but didn't make a sound, nor did he dodge.

"Big Brother, don't consume too much."

Li Xiaoran couldn't help but say: "Or, let me do it?"

Li Muxiu couldn't help but glance at him. This Fourth Brother is actually more active than himself? "Don't worry about it!"

Li Tianzong whipped again, looking at Li Tiangang angrily: "You say, do you know where you were wrong?"

Li Tiangang raised his head painfully, looking at him with pity, and said: "Father, don't be angry. I know I was wrong."

"Wrong where?"

Li Tianzong roared.

"I shouldn't have been so impulsive. I was wrong. I will definitely bring Hao'er back and treat him well," Li Tiangang said immediately.

Li Tianzong whipped again, but seeing the pity in his eyes, the whip in his hand could no longer fall.

"You really, really disappointed me..."

He looked sorrowful, the whip in his hand dissipated, and he said bitterly: "It's all my fault for dying early, for not educating you well, for not being a good example of a father for you..."

"Father, you have done well enough!" Li Tiangang's expression changed, and he hurriedly said.

Li Tianzong looked up, feeling ridiculous, and also feeling sad, and said:

"I didn't expect the Li Clan to have such a poisonous woman, and she is still Second Brother's wife. That Liu family married in back then, and she was obedient, treating your mother and me with courtesy and consideration everywhere. I couldn't see any bad intentions."

"Second Brother died in battle, and she actually had such thoughts. It is a sad thing that such a thing happened in my Li Clan!"

He lowered his head, looking bitterly at Li Tiangang: "What's the use of beating you? Tiangang, you should know that some mistakes must never be made. Once made, even if you regret it, you can never make up for it!"

Li Tiangang hurriedly said: "Father, don't be angry. I will go find Hao'er. Everything is still in time, I am still in time!"

Li Tianzong looked at his nervous and fearful appearance, but felt a burst of sourness in his heart.

He knew that this child was a very filial child, which made him feel heartbroken while swinging the whip in anger.

Angry at his lack of ambition, hating his ignorance, yet pitying his obedience and filial piety, Li Tianzong's mood was extremely complex. He sighed long and said dejectedly:

"I originally wanted to go home and take a look, but now, I'm afraid it's too late."

Li Xiaoran's expression changed, looking at Li Tianzong's figure which was much thinner, and couldn't help but say: "Big Brother!"

Li Tiangang and Li Muxiu were both stunned. When they heard Li Xiaoran's sad cry, both of their blood seemed to freeze.

It was as if all the blood flowed back to the brain, and then froze, a chill making both of them unable to help but shiver.

"Big Brother?"

Li Muxiu suddenly noticed that Big Brother's figure was much thinner than before.

His heart trembled, and he said: "Big Brother, what does this mean? You, you cannot return to the family?"

He suddenly realized something and looked at Li Xiaoran fiercely, hurriedly saying: "Fourth Brother, what is going on, what is going on?!!"

"Father?"

Li Tiangang stared blankly at Li Tianzong, stunned on the spot.

He wasn't stupid. That short sentence, plus Li Xiaoran's reaction, and Li Tianzong's thin heroic soul at this moment, suddenly gave him a feeling of fear.

"Big Brother was imprisoned in the Mo River for too many years and was eroded too deeply by the Mo River. Now, although he has broken free, he can only barely go home and take a look."

Li Xiaoran said sorrowfully: "But now, Big Brother... cannot go back!"

The obsession that had been firmly held in the Mo River for many years was now about to dissipate here. He only felt his heart aching so much that he could hardly breathe. Li Muxiu and Li Tiangang heard his words and were stunned on the spot as if struck by lightning.

They originally thought that Li Tianzong's trip was a liberation, that he could return to the ancestral hall, could be warmed on the spirit tablet, and could be seen often in the future...

But now, is this the last time?! "Big Brother..." Li Muxiu's body trembled, staring blankly at Li Tianzong, his body seeming to lose blood, lose temperature, only feeling his hands and feet cold.

"Father!"

Li Tiangang's pupils contracted, his brain buzzing, and he had a feeling of the world spinning. Back then at the funeral, he cried his eyes red facing his father's half-remains. Now, he had to watch his father dissipate before his eyes?!

Is it because of the shot just now? He only felt his heart beating, twitching, and a tearing stinging pain.

"Don't be sad."

Li Tianzong looked at their sad appearance, but calmed down, only with a bit of bitterness on his face:

"I didn't expect such a thing to happen. Well, Second Brother, remember to ask your sister-in-law for me when you go back, and say I'm leaving first. Let her be well. If she misses me, go to the mountain we often sit on. The cicada chirps she hears will be my greeting..."

Li Tianzong's eyes were full of vicissitudes, starting to arrange his affairs here.

His words also made Li Muxiu tremble, filled with sadness, unable to say a word.

"Father, it's all my fault. It's me who made you angry, it's me who is bad, it's me who is bad..."

Li Tiangang knelt on the ground, raised his palm suddenly, and slapped his face fiercely.

He slapped several times, using flame power on his palm, actually making his face bleed.

After slapping several times, he looked at Li Tianzong, his eye sockets full of tears:

"Tell me, what can I do to bring you back?"

Li Tianzong saw his appearance, couldn't help but sigh, and said: "What you want to bring back is not me, but your son. You don't have to be sad either. With my current power, I can still persist until I get home, it's just... no need."

He took a deep breath and said: "I originally intended to pass my power to Hao'er, but he didn't want it. Now, I will pass this power to you. Go and bring Hao'er back immediately, at all costs, no matter what the situation, bring him back!"

"If he has any mishap, I will not die in peace!"

His palm fell on Li Tiangang, his eyes becoming extremely serious, staring: "Did you hear that?"

Li Tiangang's body shook, his eyes red: "I cannot take your power, you go back and take a look, Mother also misses you very much..."

"As a man, don't be long-winded."

Li Tianzong waved his hand, interrupting his words, and said: "Don't keep your rules anymore. Back then, for Qingqing, you could ignore the opposition of the whole family, and even break military rules and family laws. Now for Hao'er, he is your own son, you should also fulfill a father's true responsibility for him!"

"You must remember, you are a son first, then a husband, then a father, and finally a subject, a general, and a commoner!"

Li Tiangang's heart was shaken. Looking at Li Tianzong's solemn and serious face, he realized that he might have really been wrong.

His heart was sad, and he said: "Father, I know everything. Don't say any more, go back and take a look, I beg you!"

"As long as you can bring Hao'er back, my Li Clan will surely be glorious, and the Emperor Da Yu Divine Dynasty will surely restore to the prosperous age again. I have seen that prosperous age..."

Li Tianzong's eyes flickered with faint golden light and memories, as if he saw that distant prosperous scene: "If you want me to truly see my hometown, go find Hao'er. Even if it's apologizing to him, even as a father, if you are wrong, you should bow your head. That is your own child, what are you afraid of?"

Li Tiangang felt sad in his heart and nodded repeatedly: "The child has heard everything. Father, don't say any more, go back and take a look!"

Li Tianzong wiped his tears and smiled, then said: "You also have to live well, child..."

At this moment, he was not only a grandfather but also a father.

While speaking, his body's light suddenly became intense, like blazing white light, covering Li Tiangang.

"Father!"

Li Tiangang shouted in panic.

But Li Tianzong's figure had already hidden in the white light, unable to be seen.

Li Muxiu and Li Xiaoran stepped forward to shout, and only Li Tianzong's voice echoed in the void:

"Second Brother, Fourth Brother, the family depends on you. Let's be brothers in the next life... Heh, I probably won't have a next life. You must live well, live for me."

"Tiangang, open your heart and don't waste my power!"

Li Tiangang was heartbroken, but could only grit his teeth and open his heart.

A vast power poured in, and his whole body was covered in it.

"Must... bring back Hao'er..."

"Otherwise I will die... not in peace..."

Li Tianzong's voice finally drifted into Li Tiangang's ears.

The vast and majestic power suddenly spread, turning into a golden light pillar that reached the sky, covering Li Tiangang.

This light pillar lasted for a long time, and after a long time, it slowly contracted, finally turning into a golden vertical light, completely dissipating.

"Big Brother!!"

Li Xiaoran roared in anger, his voice like an injured beast, spreading hoarsely in this heaven and earth.

Li Muxiu wanted to shout, but couldn't make a sound, only feeling his throat as if being pinched. He stared blankly, only tears wetting his wrinkled eye sockets.

Only the wind that came noisily remained between heaven and earth, drifting endlessly.

For a long time, Li Tiangang's body trembled slightly, waking up from that inheritance.

He immediately raised his head and looked around, but didn't see Li Tianzong's figure. He painfully gripped his chest. This pain was like when he was in Yanbei and his wife Ji Qingqing left his side.

Just like at the funeral, witnessing other brothers being coffined and buried.

Painful to the point of being unable to breathe.

He called out sadly, but there was no response.

That hand that had just gently patted his shoulder had completely disappeared.

"Father, Tiangang was wrong, come out, come out and beat me!!"

Li Tiangang shouted sadly.

But the surroundings were empty, with no echo.

Li Xiaoran seemed to be stimulated by Li Tiangang's words, suddenly looking at him, then rushed over fiercely, and kicked him in the chest.

With a bang, the violent power vented, kicking Li Tiangang's body straight into the mountain head in the distance.

Before Li Tiangang could crawl out of the dust, Li Xiaoran rushed over fiercely, smashed a fist onto his face, and smashed his head fiercely into the rubble again.

"It's all you, it's all you, why did you treat Hao'er like that, why did you let Big Brother die here, why?!"

He roared like a madman, waving his fists wildly, smashing onto Li Tiangang's cheeks, mouth, and nose, his fists covered in blood.

"Do you know how much Big Brother wanted to go home, do you know, do you know?!"

"That was his obsession, do you know what obsession is? It's the thing he wanted to do most at the last moment before death!!"

"Big Brother clearly came out, clearly already came out, why, why!!"

Li Xiaoran roared like a madman, his fists waving wildly.

Li Tiangang was beaten by him, his skin torn and flesh ripped, his immortal treasure body cracked, oozing a large amount of blood.

He originally wanted to fight back, but hearing Li Xiaoran's angry roar, those words pierced into his heart like sharp knives. He stopped resisting for a moment, just letting the other party's fists and feet wave.

The mountain rocks collapsed, the ground sank, and Li Xiaoran beat Li Tiangang into a deep pit dozens of meters underground, the ground along the way being cracked.

"Enough, Fourth Brother."

Suddenly, Li Muxiu's figure appeared and grabbed Li Xiaoran's waving arm.

Li Xiaoran had disheveled hair, like a madman, raised his head, but tears were streaming down his face as he looked at the other party, hoarsely saying: "Second Brother, Big Brother's heroic soul has even dissipated..."

"He doesn't even have a chance to reincarnate..."

His voice was not like a roar, but a sad and desperate wail.

(End of chapter)