Chapter 164: Chapter 1 Henceforth only to indulge in pleasure (Supplementary update 7/25)
Hearing the loud recitation of poetry by the young man, the faces of everyone in the Divine General Mansion slightly changed.
“Who in the world does not know of your excellency!”
Such domineering confidence, yet so completely true.
A Grandmaster of the Heavenly Human Realm at only fourteen, an unprecedented rarity, had now parted from their Li Family.
“Tiangang, can’t you speak to Li Hao more gently?”
He Jianlan felt a sour ache in her heart, thinking of the well-behaved child who had come to pay his respects early in the day, and couldn’t help but say to Li Tiangang.
Li Tiangang came back to his senses but remained expressionless and said nothing.
“Li Tiangang, you pushed Hao Er away, you drove away the most astonishing talent the Li Family has seen in a thousand years.”
Li Muxiu seemed to have lost all his anger at this moment, his face showing a timeworn and desolate look as he glanced deeply at Li Tiangang and said,
“You will definitely regret what you said today.”
Li Tiangang’s mouth twitched slightly; the child’s talent truly was astonishing, which he had seen and felt pained in his heart.
But, regret it?
He thought of various recent events, then after a deep breath, he said in a low voice, “I won’t regret it. The one who will regret it will be him. If I can’t grind down his stubbornness, those demons will!”
“In less than three years, he will come back crying and begging to return. He will realize what he has abandoned today is something countless people in this world dream of obtaining. He’s still young, just doesn’t know how fortunate he is!”
As he spoke, he turned his head to look at Li Muxiu and the others, and said slowly:
“By the command of the Li Family’s True Dragon, I warn you all, no one is permitted to assist him in secret. Violators will be severely punished by the family law!”
Having said that, his expression turned cold once more and stated:
“Helping him would be harming him; don’t hinder me, I will bring him back!”
Everyone’s expressions changed slightly, not expecting his determination to be so resolute.
“Xuanli.” Li Xuanli started to speak, then stopped.
Li Muxiu’s lips trembled slightly and said, “Do you realize, he has not yet recovered from his injuries, and leaving today, how many eyes from all over the world will be fixed on him?”
“Our Li Family is a thorn in the side of demons, a nail in their eyes. Once this child leaves Qingzhou and this place, imagine how many demons will ambush and assassinate him along the way?”
“The millennium-old grudge between the Li Family and the demons might very well descend upon that child’s head!”
The pupils of everyone present constricted slightly, immediately sensing the danger of the young man’s journey.
Li Tiangang said expressionlessly, “Second uncle, Hao Er is my child after all. If you can think of these things, so can I. I will send people to covertly protect him, and they will act if there’s danger.”
He looked seriously at Li Muxiu and added, “I am giving him three years, not out of impulsiveness, but to let him temper his character. This three years is for him to strive for; I will apply to our ancestors, and after three years, we will decide the true heir to the Dragon again. If he can correct himself by then, he may still claim his position.”
Li Muxiu’s face trembled, looking at the departing back of the young man, his heart filled with bitterness.
This child has never cared for the True Dragon; after three years… he would probably care even less.
Moreover, with the child’s talent, if he seriously cultivates, he might very well reach the Immortal Realm in three years…
At this moment, a figure suddenly ran forward, crossing everyone and swiftly rushing towards the young man.
It was Ren Qianqian, recently recruited into the Divine General Mansion, Li Hao’s sword attendant.
She had not yet practiced the Cultivation Technique of Listening Rain Tower, and although she was registered as a resident of the Divine General Mansion, no one stopped her as she decided to follow the young man.
However, the girl set out alone, not carrying the black Sword Box with her.
When Chen Hefang noticed, she came back to her senses, quickly said, “Muxiu, Hao hasn’t brought his sword; how can this be? What about Eternal Night? Hurry and bring it to him.”
Li Muxiu was also stunned and immediately released his sense, quickly finding the black Sword Box within Mountain and River Courtyard. He immediately took it and caught up with Li Hao, Sword Box in hand.
“Hao Er, you forgot to take your sword.”
Li Muxiu looked at the child in front of him, wanting to say more but stopping himself, finally with a sorrowful expression he said.
Li Hao glanced at the old man and slightly shook his head, “Second Grandpa, please don’t be sad. I don’t want the sword anymore, thank Grandmother for me and tell her to give it to someone else.”
“Besides you, who in the Li Family is worthy to wield this sword?” Li Muxiu couldn’t help saying.
Li Hao’s gaze fell on the black Sword Box, and after a moment of silence, he said slowly:
“Let it be disposed of as it was intended, in any case, I won’t be taking anything from the Li Family again.”
Having said that, he turned and continued to walk away.
“Hao Er…”
“Second Grandpa, please go back,”
The young man didn’t turn around but waved his hand as he spoke.
Li Muxiu had a complex look in his eyes, looking down at the black Sword Box in his hand, feeling bitterness in his heart.
Abandoned by two generations of owners.
Eternal Night, it seemed, would forever slumber in the darkness.
Walking down the street, Li Hao moved forward, feeling with each step his body seemed lighter, more at ease.
At the entrance to the Divine General Mansion, he saw Song Yufeng and Song Qiumo, but he merely nodded slightly, without saying much. He seemed unfamiliar.
He did not wish to involve Tan Palace Academy.
Footsteps followed from behind, growing closer, then gradually slowing down.
Li Hao didn’t turn back, only saying, “I’m no longer the Li young master, why follow me? You haven’t been to Listening Rain Tower yet; tell Zhao, and she’ll release you from the attendant contract.”
Ren Qianqian shook her head slightly, holding her own sword, and said, “Without the Cultivation Technique of Listening Rain Tower, I can learn others from you.”
“My Cultivation Technique might not suit you,”
Li Hao said, “Besides, going to Heavenly Gate Pass, survival is an unknown.”
“Then we shall fight demons together,” Ren Qianqian said.
Li Hao paused for a moment, then continued forward, his voice calm, “Then let’s journey together.”
Joy appeared on Ren Qianqian’s face, and she nodded, quickly catching up.
Large snowflakes fell, accompanied by a frost-like cold mist.
The young man of distinguished status walked in the midst of the snowstorm, accompanied only by a white fox, a sword attendant, and the carefree spirit of the winds.
Entering Jianghu for the first time, he forgot his accompanying sword.
Reentering Jianghu, his hands bore no sword at all.
“The path to the horizon is long, from now on, only joy accompanies me; what care have I for idle sorrows…”
The young man suddenly sang out loud, letting out a free and easy laugh.
Before the Divine General Mansion.
Song Yufeng and Song Qiumo were both watching the departing youth in silence, without words.
They had never imagined that after the great battle between father and son, things would become so stiff that this exceptionally gifted young man would run away from home and sever ties with the Li Family.
Countless people in the world would do anything to step into the Divine General Mansion and forge even the slightest connection with the Li Family.
Yet the young man had cast it away as if it were nothing.
“Who says Heaven does not welcome guests, when it sends off a person amidst the vast wind and snow.”
Song Yufeng murmured to himself.
In front of the mansion gate, Li Yuanzhao stared blankly as Li Hao’s silhouette disappeared, murmuring to himself:
“From today on, does that mean Hao is without a father?”
As the words of his whisper faded, his mother Xiao Yu Jing immediately shot him a stern glance, then turned to look at Li Tiangang, whose expression was cold and stern like a slab of iron, her brow furrowing.
Standing beside Li Yuanzhao, Bian Ruxue, however, trembled violently as if struck by lightning, her eyes widening in shock.
In her mind flashed scenes from many years ago, when she had followed Uncle Lin to the resplendent Divine General Mansion, crying all the way.
In that unfamiliar environment, it was that child with eyes like stars who told her, her father was in the heavens.
On that day, she found a new dependence amidst the pain of losing her father.
And now, after so many years, the youth who once comforted and accompanied her had, before her very eyes, also lost his father.
Only now, he had left, and she could not only not stay by his side but had not even spoken a word of comfort.
At this thought, a sorrowful pang surged through her heart, as if pricked by a sharp thorn, feeling deeply pained.
She quickly went after him, but as the wind and snow in the world grew stronger, there was no trace of him left.
…
…
Heavenly Gate Pass, located to the north of Liangzhou’s borders.
Liangzhou, vast and sparsely populated, with cold winters and hot summers, barren and infertile land, yet rich in mineral veins; the people here do not like farming and most engage in animal husbandry and trade, and most grain is bought and transported from other provinces.
Right now, the moon shone brightly and the stars were sparse.
The cold moonlight poured over the earth.
In a clearing of a dense forest at the border of Liangzhou, a bonfire was lit, with two people and one fox sitting around it.
On the bonfire, several tiger paws and a tiger liver were skewered on green vine sticks, roasting on the fire.
The fragrance wafted through the air, indicating the amount of food clearly exceeded that for two people.
“It’s almost done, just wait a bit more.”
Li Hao, patting the head of the little white fox beside his knee, said with a smile.
It had been five days since leaving Qingzhou. Thanks to Ren Qianqian paying, they were able to rent a horse-drawn carriage that jolted them all the way to Liangzhou.
After returning the carriage at the post station, they could only rely on themselves to walk the rest of the way to this borderland.
Fortunately, over the past five days, Li Hao’s injuries had already healed.
In his free time, he pondered his various cultivation techniques and integrated them, creating a unique technique for himself.
Having just stepped into the Heavenly Human Realm, the haphazardly combined power he wielded could not bring out the strength of the Grandmaster Realm, but after some exploration, if he were to fight again, he was confident he could easily beat his former self.
As for whether he could defeat that person, Li Hao was too lazy to think about it for now.
“Feng, it’s almost ready,”
Li Hao raised his head and called towards the forest.
It was Feng who had sent him a message while he was in the Divine General Mansion, prompting him to agree to come to Heavenly Gate Pass.
Otherwise, even if he wanted to cut ties with the Li Family, he wouldn’t joke about his own life by coming here alone, which was tantamount to courting death.
The forest was silent, without any reply.
Li Hao had gotten used to this and didn’t mind it at all.
Suddenly, from the nearby woods came the rustling sound of movement.
Li Hao looked up, his divine soul reaching out to explore, and saw a familiar figure pushing through the bushes and walking towards him.
Soon, Bian Ruxue, following the light of the fire, appeared before the bonfire.
Seeing Li Hao, her face immediately lit up with joy, and she said, “It’s great, I finally caught up with you!”
“Why did you come here?” Li Hao asked with some surprise, frowning. “The journey here is very dangerous.”
“I didn’t encounter any demons,” said Bian Ruxue.
Gazing at the youth in front of the bonfire, emotions she had kept under control over the past several days suddenly became hard to hold back, and her eyes reddened slightly:
“You accompanied me back then, now I’m here to accompany you.”
Li Hao looked at her with surprise and asked, “Are you not pursuing the sword path anymore?”
Bian Ruxue was stunned for a moment, fell silent, then said, “I will not give up the sword, but I want to stay by your side. Otherwise, I can’t be at peace.”
Li Hao then understood that she felt guilty.
He laughed casually and said, “Silly girl, don’t worry about me. I’m not as fragile as you think. I’m not like you, crying all the time.”
Bian Ruxue, recalling the embarrassing moments when she often woke from nightmares as a child, blushed slightly and said:
“Let’s not talk about the past. When my father was not around, you were there for me, and now I’m here for you.”
“You want to repay me like this?” Li Hao asked with a smile.
Bian Ruxue bit her lip slightly, not denying it.
“If you’ve chosen the sword path, don’t be indecisive. With such a mindset, you won’t even reach the foothills of the mountain, let alone the peak,”
Li Hao said. “And about that favor, I don’t mind it. I’ve accompanied you, and you’ve also accompanied me. We’re even.”
Bian Ruxue was slightly taken aback, her eyes slightly hazy, looking at the young man’s carefree smile, she hesitated, “Really?”
“Really.”
Li Hao smiled frankly.
As the night wind caused the flames to dance, the warm yellow light illuminated Li Hao’s face. By the bonfire, he said to the girl with a smile:
“Go back. I’m waiting for you to reach the pinnacle of the sword path. When you come back, tell me what you saw at the top.”