“You must remember, you are first a son, then a husband, after that a father, and only lastly are you a subject, a general, and a member of the people!”
Li Tian Gang was shaken, looking at the solemn and earnest face of Li Tianzong, he realized that he might have truly been mistaken.
His father’s words were never wrong; his heart filled with sorrow, he said, “Father, your son understands all, please don’t speak anymore, I don’t want your power; just go back for a look, I’m begging you!”
“As long as you can bring back Hao Er, our Li Family will certainly shine brightly, and the Dayu Divine Dynasty will once again return to its golden age, an age I have witnessed…”
A faint golden glow and reminiscence flickered in Li Tianzong’s eyes, as though he could see that distant glorious view: “If you want to truly have a look at home, then go find Hao Er, even if it means apologizing to him. Even as a father, you should bow down if you were wrong; he is your child, what is there to fear?”
Li Tian Gang’s heart was flooded with sorrow as he repeatedly nodded, “Your son has taken it all to heart, father, please don’t speak anymore, just go back for a look!”
Li Tianzong raised his hand to wipe away his tears, smiled faintly, and then said:
“You too must live on well, my child…”
In that moment, he was not just a grandfather, but also a father.
As he spoke, his body’s radiance suddenly intensified, like a fierce white light, enveloping Li Tian Gang.
“Father!”
Li Tian Gang cried out in panic.
But Li Tianzong’s figure had already disappeared into the white light, no longer visible.
Li Muxiu and Li Xiaoran came forward to shout at the same time, but only Li Tianzong’s voice echoed in the void:
“Second brother, fourth brother, the family is now in your hands, let’s be brothers again in the next life… Heh, I probably don’t have a next life, but you must live well, live on for me.”
“Tiangang, open your mind, don’t waste my power!”
Li Tian Gang was heartbroken, but could only grit his teeth and open his mind.
A vast power poured in, engulfing his entire body.
“You must… bring back Hao Er…”
“Otherwise, I will die… unrestful…”
Li Tianzong’s voice eventually faded away from Li Tian Gang’s ears.
The great and powerful force suddenly expanded, turning into a sky-reaching golden column of light, enveloping Li Tian Gang within it.
That column of light lingered for a long time, slowly contracting after a while, and finally transformed into a vertical streak of golden light, completely dissipating.
“Big brother!!”
Li Xiaoran roared in grief and anger, his voice like that of an injured wild beast, raspy and echoing through heaven and earth.
Li Muxiu wanted to shout, but could make no sound, feeling as if his throat were clutched, he just stared blankly, his wrinkled eyes moist with tears.
The only thing left between heaven and earth was the wind roaring in tumult, fluttering non-stop.
After a while, Li Tian Gang’s body trembled slightly as he woke up from that inheritance.
He immediately looked around but did not see Li Tianzong’s figure. He clutched his chest in pain, this kind of pain was just like back in Northern Yan, when his wife Ji Qingqing left his side.
Just like at the funeral, witnessing the other brothers being buried in a collective grave.
Pain so intense, it made it hard to breathe.
He called out in sorrow, but there was no response.
The hand that had gently patted his shoulder was now utterly gone.
“Father, Tiangang was wrong, come out, come out and hit me!!”
Li Tian Gang shouted in grief.
But all around was empty silence, with no echo in return.
However, Li Xiaoran seemed to be provoked by Li Tian Gang’s words and abruptly looked at him, then suddenly rushed over, kicking him squarely in the chest.
With a thud, fierce power was unleashed, kicking Li Tian Gang’s body directly into a distant mountain peak.
Before Li Tian Gang could climb out of the dust, Li Xiaoran pounced fiercely, smashing a fist into his face, smashing his head hard into the broken stones.
“It’s all your fault, all your fault! Why did you treat Hao like this, why did you let big brother die here, why?!”
He flailed his fists like a madman, each punch landing fleshly, battering Li Tian Gang’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?!”
“That was his obsession, do you understand what an obsession is, it’s the thing you want to do most in the last moment before death!!”
“Big brother had already made it out, he had already left, why, why!!”
Li Xiaoran’s roars were frenzied, his fists swinging wildly.
Li Tian Gang was beaten until he was bloody and bruised, and his Immortal Treasure Body cracked open, spilling copious amounts of blood.
He had intended to fight back, but upon hearing Li Xiaoran’s angry roars, those words pierced his heart like a knife, and he stopped resisting for a moment, allowing the other’s fists and feet to fly.
Stones crumbled and the ground caved in, as Li Xiaoran beat Li Tian Gang into a pit tens of meters deep, the ground cracked all along the way.
“Enough, fourth brother,”
Suddenly, Li Muxiu’s figure appeared, grabbing Li Xiaoran’s flailing arm.
With disheveled hair like a madman, Li Xiaoran raised his head, his face streaming with tears as he hoarsely said to the other, “Second brother, big brother’s spirit has dissipated…”
“He doesn’t even have the chance to be reborn…”
His voice was not of anger, but of an utter despair and heartbreaking moan.