Chapter 275: Regret Is Too Late

Li Li Muxiu's body trembled slightly, but he stood firm, silent.

Li Li Xiaoran struggled with his arm but could not break free; he glanced at his second brother and saw the profound sorrow in his eyes, his heart shaken, slightly awakening.

Seeing Li Li Tiangang lying beneath him, his breath faint, his body drenched in blood, he stared blankly, then collapsed in anguish, clutching his head.

He knew his eldest brother would never return.

For what purpose had he guarded the Mo River all these years, repeatedly failing to cross it?

Was it not to bring his elder brother home?

But now, nothing could bring them back…

"Aaaah!!"

Li Li Xiaoran let out a furious roar to the heavens, blood tears streaming down his face.

Li Li Muxiu said nothing, standing like a stone; the wind from beyond the border swept over the three of them, then drifted away lightly.

Long, long…

Li Li Muxiu looked at Li Li Tiangang, still lying in the deep pit, his face covered in blood, and said: "Are you planning to lie here for the rest of your life? If you're not dead, get up."

Li Li Tiangang's body trembled slightly, then slowly sat up, wiping the blood and tears from his face.

He looked at Li Li Xiaoran, slumped like a stone beside him, and at Li Li Muxiu, expressionless; grief welled within him, but he held it back—he knew he was still Li's True Dragon.

If he was the True Dragon, he must stand firm; everyone else could fall, but the True Dragon could not—that was the burden the True Dragon must bear.

"I will find Hao'er."

Li Li Tiangang rose from the ground, swaying unsteadily as he stood, nearly falling, but quickly channeled true energy to repair his body.

He took a deep breath, gritting his teeth: "I will bring Hao'er back, then pass on the True Dragon inheritance to him. I, Li Li Tiangang, am too weak to fulfill Father's dream of a glorious era—he must entrust it to Hao'er."

Li Li Xiaoran stared blankly into the distance, his eyes unchanged, as if he hadn't heard a word.

Li Li Muxiu, expressionless, said: "Now that the fourth brother has emerged, this is the perfect moment to counterattack the demonic forces beyond the Mo River—won't you go to hold the line?"

Li Li Tiangang looked at him; from his second uncle's unchanging eyes, he could not read his thoughts, and he sneered:

"I'm not the only one missing. With the fifth brother holding the line, two imperial princes there, and you lurking in the shadows… Father was right: if I could break the rules for Ji Qingqing, I can do the same for Hao'er!"

"I'm his father—what's wrong with breaking the rules once for him?"

Li Li Muxiu's gaze slowly shifted, fixing on him; coldness slowly surfaced in his eyes: "If you'd held this thought back then, would we be here today?"

Li Li Tiangang's heart ached; he whispered: "Second uncle, I was arrogant and reckless before—I hurt Hao'er's heart, and yours. Please, give me a chance to make amends."

Li Li Muxiu looked at him now, humble and broken; his eyes, once devoid of all emotion, now revealed waves of sorrow and pain:

"Your father died here—can you make amends for that?"

A simple sentence, yet it struck Li Li Tiangang like a sledgehammer; his blood seemed to freeze.

A hero's spirit gone—how could it be mended?

He understood Li Li Muxiu's meaning: death could not be undone—what of a heart broken beyond repair?

Thinking of this, his body trembled; he had never feared in over a decade of battle in Yanbei, yet now he felt fear, dread.

Had his mistakes become irreparable?

"No, Hao'er is my son. Even though I struck him, Father struck me too—did I ever resent him? We're father and son—he will forgive me…"

Li Li Tiangang murmured.

"Your father struck you because he loved you—he expected greatness from you, and when he punished you, your brothers secretly cared for you."

Li Li Muxiu's sorrow could not be hidden: "But Hao'er—was he at fault when he was poisoned? Did you ever truly care for him? Did you ever know him? What dishes does he like? Which streets in the city does he enjoy walking? Do you know?"

"You only wanted him to bear the burden of the Li family—don't you realize how heavy that burden is? When Father chose Xiao Jiu as the True Dragon, did you know how helpless and heartbroken he was? He couldn't sleep properly for months!!"

Li Li Tiangang froze—Father… was heartbroken over Xiao Jiu becoming the True Dragon?

"If you had truly cared for Hao'er, would he have left? That child remembers even the smallest kindness!"

"He saw through you long ago—he's far smarter than you imagine. You treated him like a child, unaware that Hao'er surpassed all other children. I treated him like an old friend—how could you treat him so lightly, so stubbornly?"

Hearing Li Li Muxiu's anguished words, Li Li Tiangang trembled; a nameless emotion surged in his chest—a giant hand squeezing his heart.

Once, he might have thought Li Li Muxiu favored the boy—but now, after all he'd witnessed, after saving Liangzhou, after seeing Hao Tian's battle flag fly everywhere, after hearing the demons speak of the boy's renown—he was no less than their most seasoned generals, even greater!

At fifteen, he had reached this level—even his own proudest brother, Xiao Jiu, was utterly overshadowed by Li Hao's talent.

Now, even his dead father had favored the boy, even passing on his power to him, urging him to bring Li Hao back—suddenly, Li Li Tiangang awoke; the veil of prejudice before his eyes had been torn away by that single slap.

At this moment, he finally realized—he was wrong.

He had obsessed over strengthening the boy's power, ignoring the boy's feelings.

"I… I must find him…"

Li Li Tiangang clenched his fists, his eyes slightly red: "He will forgive me—we're father and son—he won't hold a grudge forever…"

"If he held a grudge, perhaps there'd still be hope—but what if the boy doesn't even hate you anymore?"

Li Li Muxiu's eyes were filled with sorrow: "You never truly took his running away seriously—but do you know he waited alone in that courtyard for fourteen years? What did he wait for? When he left the Li family, how many dangers did he face? Did he nearly die? We don't know."

"Yet in one year, he reached this level—without the terror and pressure of life and death, how could he transform so rapidly?"

"Do you treat life and death like a game?"

"Can you not imagine the despair and rage one feels facing death? When will you finally understand—you've already lost him for good!"

Boom—Li Li Tiangang's mind reeled as if struck by lightning; he stood frozen. Had he truly lost the boy?

His pupils shrank; his breath seemed to stop; he screamed: "No, impossible! He wouldn't truly leave—I'll bring him back!"

He turned and strode toward the exit.

But Li Li Muxiu stepped forward, blocking his path.

"How will you bring him back? By force?"

Li Li Muxiu stared at him fiercely: "I held back these words while your brother's spirit still lingered—I didn't want his final moments to be filled with despair. But I know this boy's nature—you've lost your chance!"

"No!"

Li Li Tiangang roared at him, eyes bloodshot, tears of blood rolling down: "We're father and son!"

"Father and son? Your bond was thin—fourteen years of separation, shattered by your slap!"

"Do you know why Hao'er waited until you returned to strike back at that poisoner? Because he believed you stood by him—because you once risked your life to slay a great demon for him, to dissolve his blood and establish his Foundation—this debt he carried in his heart!"

"Though your letters were few, your distance great, that tiny warmth kept Hao'er going."

"But you smashed it with one slap!"

Li Li Muxiu spoke sorrowfully: "When I saw Hao'er return the Demon King's blood to the Divine General's mansion, I knew—there was no bond left between you. Hao'er… will never return."

Li Li Tiangang stood frozen, as if doused in ice water, his entire body cold.

Between father and son, was there truly nothing but that single act of slaying a demon and offering blood?

His body swayed, as if he could no longer stand.

He looked at Li Li Muxiu, eyes filled with sorrow and despair: "Second uncle, what should I do? You don't want to see Hao'er truly leave—how can I make him forgive me?"

Li Li Muxiu looked at his panicked expression; once, he would have raged, eager to mock him—but now, he felt only a hollow, deadened sorrow.

"The most painful thing in this world is not failing to act."

"It's knowing you could act—but choosing not to."

"With your insight, your wisdom, you could have handled this well—but your prejudice, your indifference toward Hao'er, led you to choose the easiest path: training your son like a soldier…"

"That is the deepest wound."

"Second uncle, stop. I know I'm wrong—just tell me how to bring him back!" Li Li Tiangang pleaded.

Li Li Muxiu remained silent.

He had spoken so much—wasn't it because he still clung to the faintest hope, that he might awaken Li Li Tiangang, that he might still have a sliver of chance to bring Li Hao back?

"Perhaps, as your father said, only if you truly go and apologize to him is there even a slim chance."

Li Li Muxiu whispered.

He took a deep breath, looking at Li Li Tiangang's grief-stricken face: "But whether you can do it… I don't know. Whether Hao'er will forgive you… I don't know either. You hurt him too deeply…"

"I understand. I will find Hao'er. No matter what happens—even if he draws his sword against me again—I will let him strike me. As long as he will come back!"

Li Li Tiangang declared fiercely.

Li Li Muxiu watched him, silent for a moment; a faint glimmer of hope stirred in his heart, but mostly, he felt regret.

If only he had acted this way sooner—how different things would be now?

His elder brother might have returned home to see him…

His heart was bleak; he had no more words.

Li Li Tiangang looked at him, then at Li Li Xiaoran, standing beside him, expressionless and unresponsive; his heart ached. He remembered his father's final words—he could not let his father die with unfulfilled wishes!

"Father, I will bring Hao'er back—he will visit your ancestral shrine!"

Li Li Tiangang knelt on the ground and bowed three heavy, resonant bows toward the spot where Li Li Tianzong had last vanished.

Then, wiping tears from his eyes, he rose and said to Li Li Muxiu and Li Li Xiaoran: "Second uncle, Fourth uncle—I leave the matter beyond the Mo River to you. This time, I fear I must abandon my duty—let me fight for Hao'er!"

Seeing their indifference, he felt a deep sorrow—he knew they were still lost in their grief for Father, and utterly disappointed in him.

But as he turned to leave, the previously motionless Li Li Xiaoran suddenly spoke: "I'll go with you."

Li Li Tiangang trembled; his eyes welled again; he gritted his teeth, turned, and bowed deeply:

"Thank you, Fourth Uncle. I'll go alone. The boy went to the Ji family—they're an ancient holy clan; more people won't help. I'm Ji Qingqing's husband—perhaps the Ji family, out of that thin connection, will show mercy."

Li Li Xiaoran said nothing, simply rose to his feet.

Li Li Muxiu spoke: "Old Four, let him go alone."

Li Li Xiaoran paused, turning to him.

"He's right—the Ji family's power—if they mean to harm Hao'er, no one's presence matters…"

Li Li Muxiu's eyes seemed to age decades; he whispered: "I only hope they see Hao'er as their nephew, and won't kill him…"

Li Li Xiaoran heard this, looked at the knife in his hand, and bowed his head in silence.

Li Li Tiangang's heart trembled—he had heard from his wife that the Ji family's rules were extremely strict, forbidding marriage with outsiders; his union with Ji Qingqing had already violated a grave taboo of the Ji family, and now that the child was going to the Ji family, he feared it would be fatal.

He had no time to say more, and immediately said: "Second Uncle, Fourth Uncle, wait for me to bring Hao back!"

Saying this, he turned and shot off, becoming a streak of golden light heading toward the distant Da Huang Tian beyond the pass.

……

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