“You are…”
Li Tian Gang’s gaze sharpened as he saw Feng Boping appear so suddenly. He had long been aware that there was a Four Stands Realm expert assisting Li Hao, allowing Hao to stand his ground upon his arrival at Heavenly Gate Pass.
It must be the person before him.
He scrutinized the newcomer, and his expression suddenly changed, exclaiming angrily,
“You’re the Thief Saint?!”
Feng Boping had originally avoided revealing himself by staying away from the courtyard, as the only people in the vast Li Family he was related to were no more than Li Hao and Li Muxiu.
Stepping forward now was a reluctant move, but since he had decided to show himself, he was prepared for his identity to be exposed.
“It’s me.”
“So it’s you who has been following Hao Er in secret?!”
Li Tian Gang was somewhat shocked, his eyes wide with anger, “What are your intentions? What are you planning?”
Feng Boping replied with a cold laugh, “Without me, your son wouldn’t even have made it to Heavenly Gate Pass. Do you know, the moment he stepped out of the Li house, how many pairs of demon eyes were viciously fixed on him? You pushed a fourteen-year-old child out the door; do you know what he’s carrying?!”
“He’s bearing the wrath of all the demons your Li Family has provoked over the past thousand years!”
“He’s carrying that hatred for your Li Family; without me, your son would have been dead long ago!!”
“You ask what my intentions are? My intention is to keep him alive, to let him live with his spine straight!”
Li Tian Gang retorted angrily, “But if not for you, Hao Er wouldn’t even have dared to leave the Divine General Mansion. It’s your protection that made him so bold, enabled him to defy me like this!”
Feng Boping was provoked to laughter, saying, “Even if he chose to remain in the Divine General Mansion just to scrounge by and save his own life, so what? Would he listen to you? During your decade-plus absence in Northern Yan, has your son ever lost to anyone else by half a point?!”
“Does he need your teaching? Does he?! “
Li Tian Gang, hearing these angry, almost roaring words, couldn’t help but pause. Indeed, the separation of over a decade in Northern Yan made him feel guilty about Li Hao.
In terms of innate talent, the boy truly wasn’t inferior to anyone.
But precisely because of that, he needed to be guided onto the right path.
“You, a thief, naturally wouldn’t understand the ethics of our traditions, matters of sovereign and subject, of filial piety!”
Li Tian Gang stared coldly at Feng Boping, saying, “Do you think that those who achieve great things can convince the masses with ability alone? Even as an officer or a general, relying on power to suppress your subordinates might work, but on the battlefield, you might just get a knife in your back!”
“The government may be stronger than the people, but the government is like a boat, and the people like water. Although water appears weak, it can overturn the boat!”
“Even the current Emperor must adhere to rituals and virtue, balance kindness and severity. What counts sheer bravery?!”
Feng Boping laughed, but it was a cold laugh, “Are you talking about yourself? Can’t you see, whose banners now flutter uncertainly all over Liangzhou?”
“Whose valor is being praised by countless commoners?!”
“Is it yours, Li Tian Gang? Is it the Li Family’s?!”
“Isn’t it all achieved by Hao Er on his own?!”
Li Tian Gang exploded with rage, “This is why I came here. Whose battle standard is it? Surely it can’t be yours!”
Feng Boping sneered, “Whose name is on the battle standard, that’s who made it. Isn’t that obvious? Or do you still think there’s some other hermit or grand master involved? Even if there were such a person, why would they help Hao Er? Have you thought about that?!”
Li Tian Gang was momentarily stunned, a multitude of thoughts flashing through his mind. For a moment, he found himself at a loss for words.
Seeing him speechless, Feng Boping sneered,
“Even if there is such a grand master, do you think he would help Hao Er for the sake of the Li Family? If your Li Family had such influence, then why, having lost six out of nine sons in battle, has there never been such a grand master to offer help?!”
Li Tian Gang’s complexion turned unsightly, but he also realized that what the other party said was not entirely unreasonable.
“Really? Hao Er made it himself?”
Li Tian Gang stared at him, suppressing his anger as he asked.
Feng Boping let out two cold laughs, but did not answer.
Li Tian Gang, seeing his reaction, took no offense but instead felt a stir of surprise and excitement in his heart.
If it was truly crafted by his own son, no matter how he came to possess such a secret technique, just having that ability meant what was there to worry about the demons at the frontier passes of the various states in the future?
If they could mass-produce such standards, with the Li Family’s reputation, it would surely be enough to defend the entire Dayu Divine Dynasty!
“Is it really your own work?”
Li Tian Gang’s gaze shifted past Feng Boping to look at Li Hao’s split form.
The shadowy Li Hao spoke with a cold gaze, “It’s none of your business, get out!”
Although he knew the person before him was only Li Hao’s split form, and didn’t recognize him, seeing someone with his own son’s face talk so rudely still ignited a spark of resentment in Li Tian Gang’s heart.
Feng Boping’s eyes were cold as he said, “What’s the point of these questions? With Hao Er’s life in question, even if he did create it, what of it?”
“If he’s dead, everything is gone!”
Li Tian Gang’s face paled slightly, his voice cold, “The heritage of the Li Family is beyond your comprehension. With my fourth uncle there, he knows the Dragon City Mo River not just like the back of his hand, but is also quite familiar with it. Hao’s own combat ability is not lacking, so being careful, he won’t encounter trouble. I’ve already stationed hundreds of thousands of troops outside Dragon City Mo River, just waiting for them to emerge, then we will escort them back!”
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“You, a thief, a vagrant person, what do you know about connections, about heritage?!”
Feng Boping’s lips trembled slightly with anger, but he held back any rebuttal at the tip of his tongue.
He too hoped that the foundation of the Divine General Mansion was indeed as Li Tian Gang claimed, powerful enough, so that Hao would return safely.
“Hopefully your Divine General Mansion truly lives up to its renown.”