Li Hao, who had been waiting for him to speak about the ancestral hall incident, was suddenly taken aback when he heard that last whisper, and froze on the spot.
His pupils contracted immediately, and he looked up in shock, his body springing up from the stool and adopting a defensive posture.
However, he only saw the other person reveal a warm smile to him.
It seemed to say, “Don’t be afraid, child.”
Li Hao was shocked, recalling Li Xiaoran’s words echoing in his mind, speaking much about the Mo River and repeatedly cautioning him not to slip up and to play his role well.
Li Xiaoran had no reason to harm him.
But Li Tianzong in front of him had already seen that he wasn’t his son!
“How did you…”
“Don’t be nervous, sit down.”
With a gentle expression, Li Tianzong beckoned to Li Hao and said:
“I was in a daze earlier, imprisoned in this Mo River, moving like a sleepwalker, out of control. But over these days, my consciousness occasionally became clear, and I have remembered many things.”
“Child, you carry the aura of the Li Family’s bloodline, are you my grandson or my great-grandson?”
He looked at Li Hao with eyes full of reassurance and anticipation.
Upon hearing this, Li Hao recovered from his shock and subconsciously furrowed his brows, falling silent without responding.
If he told his grandfather right now that he had left the Li Family, that would probably sadden him…
Seeing that Li Hao remained silent and thoughtful, Li Tianzong took it as Li Hao contemplating other matters and didn’t blame him, merely smiling slightly and said:
“Let’s talk about serious matters then. I don’t have much time when I’m clear-headed. Regardless of whose child you are, having a descendant like you in the Li Family’s bloodline is my pride.”
“Although I, Li Tianzong, am incompetent, my bloodline isn’t too bad, my descendants are formidable!”
He said this with a laugh.
But soon, his smile faded and he looked solemnly at Li Hao:
“Child, the Mo River is treacherous. Though your talents are extremely high, your current realm is not enough to guard it. Even reaching the Grand Tao of Peace Realm would be difficult… When the city breaks tomorrow, go with my fourth brother to the ancestral hall for shelter.”
“There, all you need to do is sleep, and you’ll be able to leave the Mo River.”
Li Hao’s heart jolted. Looking at his blood-related grandfather, he asked, “You recognized him too?”
Li Tianzong smiled slightly from the corner of his mouth, but there was a hint of sadness in his eyes: “How could I not remember my fourth brother? That little one loved to follow me around when he was young, but this time it’s different, this is the Mo River, and I am already dead.”
“He no longer needs to follow me…”
Li Hao looked at his downcast and bitter expression, puzzled he said, “But it seems that Uncle Four doesn’t know you’ve recognized him.”
Li Xiaoran never mentioned that Li Tianzong’s memory could return to clarity.
“You call him Uncle Four, so it seems you are indeed my grandson.”
Li Tianzong seized on the essential point in Li Hao’s words, immediately looking at Li Hao, his eyes sparkling with vigor:
“Which son of mine was so capable to have taken such a wife, a princess perhaps, to give birth to such an excellent son as you!”
“Was it number nine, or number six?”
“You must take after your mother in appearance, since you’re very close to number six. Is it number six?”
“…”
Li Hao could only offer a wry smile. Were these the focal points?
Seeing that Li Hao remained silent, Li Tianzong felt a trace of regret and said:
“I know the temperament of my fourth brother. If I were to recognize him, he would surely come even more frequently, risking even more for the sake of saying a few words to me. But not every visit here will allow him to be reborn into the Divine General Mansion, nor is it the case that he can always rely on the ancestral hall to save his life…”
“I’m telling you this so that when you leave, you can relay the message to my fourth brother: Tell him not to come to the Mo River anymore. You must be the True Dragon of this generation of the Li Family. Use the True Dragon command to order him not to come again. Remember this, child…”
As Li Tianzong spoke, his voice grew quieter, but he also spoke with increasing speed: “… and also, don’t get close to the daily me…”
After saying this, he fell silent.
Li Hao stared blankly, his gaze tumultuous as he watched him.
Soon after, Li Tianzong looked up again, but this time with surprise as he saw Li Hao, and said:
“When did you get here? What are you standing around for? Sit down and eat, get your rest sooner after you finish.”
Li Hao hesitated for a moment but sat down nonchalantly, picking up the chopsticks to eat as usual while he covertly glanced at the other person.
Compared to earlier, Li Tianzong’s brows were now furrowed with worry, resonating with Li Hao’s typical impression of him, deeply concerned about the matters of Dragon City.
But there was a hint of a heavy and ominous air between his brows, as if shrouded by looming clouds, which gave Li Hao an uneasy feeling.
Li Hao didn’t speak a word, finished his meal quietly, and then excused himself to leave.
When he returned to the city walls, Li Hao was greeted by Li Xiaoran.
“How did it go? He talked about the ancestral hall, didn’t he?” whispered Li Xiaoran.
“Did he say the same to you before?” Li Hao asked without revealing any emotion.
“No, I found out on my own,” Li Xiaoran shook his head.
Li Hao’s gaze flickered slightly; likely, that investigation was the result of his grandfather’s layout while he was lucid, leading Li Xiaoran to mistakenly believe it was his own discovery.
He chose not to share this with Li Xiaoran for now.
With a great battle imminent, he was concerned Li Xiaoran might lose his composure. After all, according to his grandfather, Li Xiaoran had a deep bond with his brother. Having left the Divine General Mansion for many years, guarding a desolate Mo River fraught with dangers, all for the sake of freeing his older brother to return home.
If he learned that his grandfather had moments of clarity, he would likely engage in the fight with abandon, driven by even more tumultuous emotions.
Li Hao took a deep breath and buried the matter in the depths of his heart.
He was afraid he was going to disappoint his grandfather; he had not become the Li Family’s True Dragon, and he was no longer even a member of the Li Family.
Limiting the movements of fourth elder Li Xiaoran was something he couldn’t manage; he could only keep the news to himself, to avoid causing more trouble.
“Did you recognize your grandfather when you first came here?” Li Hao asked through a voice transmission.
Li Xiaoran nodded: “I nearly screwed things up at that time; he almost killed me. That’s why I said you must hide your identity well and not expose it.”
Li Hao understood; it seemed that when Li Xiaoran first met the grandfather, he was most likely overwhelmed with emotion and exposed his identity, leading to the attack.
And the final words Li Tianzong said, warning him not to approach his usual self, must be due to the fear of Li Hao slipping up.
It was clear that the usual Li Tianzong, although he maintained a normal state as the great general defending Dragon City and his good “father,” would become extremely vicious once he discovered their identities, attacking them.
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This change was likely influenced by the Mo River.
“The demons have come again.”
Li Xiaoran said.
Li Hao was pondering, about to say something else, but on hearing this, he couldn’t help but look toward the distance.
He saw a dense swarm of demons once again assaulting the city.
Taking a deep breath, his eyes turned icy as he said, “That Candle Flame God and the old dragon are probably watching us from the shadows. If we leave, they might strike; why not draw them out in advance?”
Li Xiaoran gave Li Hao a look and nodded, saying, “That’s possible. Are you thinking of fighting them right here?”
“Let’s try it; I want to experience the power of the Dao Domain!”
Li Hao said.
“Alright.”
Seeing Li Hao’s resolute attitude, Li Xiaoran also chose to join him. Geniuses swim against the current. Despite the fearsome nature of the Grand Tao of Peace Realm, without personal experience, how could one force out one’s own potential?
“The fourth elder will join you!”
Li Xiaoran said.
As the demon tide swept over, Li Hao and Li Xiaoran communicated through voice transmission, first combining their efforts to manipulate Divine Weapons and slaughter within the demon tide.
But as Demon Kings within the demon tide were forced out, after several consecutive attacks, they chose to withdraw their Divine Weapons, turning to fly toward the city, weapons in hand.
In the distance, within the demon tide.
The Candle Flame God, along with Lu Yuan and Ms. Yin, three of them, noticed the weapons retracting atop the city walls and their expressions shifted slightly.
“Damn it, they aren’t going to start retreating now, are they?”
“Aren’t they from the Li Family? Aren’t they supposed to defend the city gates to the death?
Seeing this, Lu Yuan couldn’t help but reveal a ferocious expression, extremely angry.
“It could also be a deliberate lure,” the Candle Flame God said with a stern face.
“But what if it’s really a retreat?”
Ms. Yin furrowed her brows, saying, “After all, the Peerless Technique Realm has now appeared among the demons, matching our strength. It’s normal for them to feel despair, and there are still seven days to go!”
“Go, let those guys go up too. Can’t wait any longer, damn these ten days, we will break through today!”
The Candle Flame God took a deep breath; be it a trick or an overt plan, they could not let the chance slip by.
If the other side was abandoning the defense, it was possible they were planning to exit the Mo River.
That Li Xiaoran had entered the Mo River several times yet always emerged unscathed clearly held a special secret regarding this Mo River.
If they wanted to retreat, they had to break through Dragon City first and flatten the Divine General Mansion!
If the other side left first, exiting the Mo River and retreating back to Liangzhou, or even Qingzhou, it would be harder for them to make a move.
Moreover, the strategic deployment on Qingzhou’s side would also change due to the return of these two troublesome individuals; they had to be dealt with right here!
“We can’t let that kid get away!”
The Candle Flame God quickly sent a voice transmission, gesturing to his wife with a look. Ms. Yin immediately understood, releasing a black full moon, continually rising into the sky, scattering endless moonlight, illuminating the depths of the Demon Abyss.
Soon, those great figures he had previously gone to investigate and visit all noticed the dazzling silver moonlight.
However, only two of them moved, their presence closing in on the Candle Flame God’s location.
The Candle Flame God’s expression changed slightly, surprised that only two responded; these creatures were indeed too arrogant!
Mere death souls, after all.
He was annoyed inside but did not show it; two should be enough!
“Go!”
The Candle Flame God shouted lowly, quickly taking his wife and Lu Yuan, flying toward Dragon City.
The three of them traversed the demon tide, rushing out dozens of miles in an instant, and before long, they arrived outside the Array.
Bang!
The scorching fist, following the Candle Flame God’s arm, thunderously smashed upon the Array.
The Dragon City Array trembled immediately, lighting up with brilliant golden divine patterns that flickered rapidly.
“It can even block my Dao Domain Flame Fist!”
The Candle Flame God’s face showed a flash of rage. Where in reality could there be such an Array that could withstand this? Could it possibly be one of the divine arrays from the imperial palace!