“You severed your ties with the Li family’s bloodline; how can you be so heartless?”
Li Hao raised an eyebrow, glanced at him, but facing that sad face, he felt a sense of speechlessness and an urge to laugh.
He couldn’t be bothered to say more, and said, “Heartless, then heartless be it. No matter what, from now on there will be no relationship, and don’t you come offending me again. The past may be overlooked, but the future may not!”
With these words, he turned to look at Li Muxiu, seeing the other’s eyes filled with bleak sadness, looking like they were shattered, he couldn’t help but feel a bit apologetic and said,
“Old Master, although I’m no longer a member of the Li family, if you ever need a fishing buddy in the future, just call on me anytime, and I’ll be there.”
Li Muxiu looked into Li Hao’s eyes, knowing that this child had cut off his past completely, his heart was inevitably filled with pain and sorrow. Had the bloodline been severed, yet he still came, merely because of past affections?
That sword capable of slaying countless demons, yet it could not sever this child’s affections.
But uniquely to his parents, he had severed affections!
What sort of disappointment was that?
Clearly such an outstanding, flawless child, yet they, the Li family, had completely lost him.
Li Muxiu, filled with sorrow, finally let it transform into a low, intermittent chuckle, resembling both pain and absurdity, but after chuckling for a while, his gaze slowly became focused and gentle.
“That’s a promise then, I’ll be checking to see if your fishing skills have become rusty when the time comes.”
Stay tuned with empire
At this moment, in the intertwining pain and sadness, Li Muxiu seemed to understand that parting from the Li family didn’t affect that child at all.
The ones hurt and in pain were them.
But at least that child wouldn’t get hurt anymore.
In this case, perhaps it was for the best.
The Li family may have lost this glory, but for the entire Dayu Divine Dynasty, it made no difference.
Even if he was no longer a member of the Li family, this child still came, and although his blood no longer carried the Li family’s lineage, he had still saved Liangzhou and now Qingzhou City.
He was still himself; he never felt entitled because of his origins from the General’s Mansion.
He just possessed a sincere heart, doing as much as he could, embracing this world as a member of the Human Race.
Thinking of this, Li Muxiu found himself tearing up more, both from the relieved laughter of Li Hao and also from the past painful and ironic remarks claiming Li Hao’s nature was suspect.
“Okay.”
Seeing Li Muxiu’s gaze, Li Hao felt a bit more relieved. He scanned around then looked at He Jianlan, the armored Grand Lady:
“If given a chance in the future, let the Lady taste my cooking.”
He Jianlan, hearing how Li Hao addressed her, couldn’t contain her sorrow anymore and tears fell like rain. She felt that this child came to Qingzhou to bid farewell, to say goodbye to their former identities.
“I’m no longer considered his aunt…”
“Child, is there really no going back?” He Jianlan asked, holding back her sadness.
Li Hao shook his head slightly: “I can’t go back to that identity, but if you don’t mind, this sentiment still remains.”
He Jianlan felt even sadder, but she held back her tears, didn’t say anything further to retain him, knowing that Li Hao had always been determined since childhood and it’s hard to change his decisions.
Moreover, now for him, the Li family might be a burden, and perhaps Li Hao himself could live well enough on his own, that was enough.
Li Hao’s gaze swept towards Li Xiaoran, Li Qingzheng, and others, his gaze gentle:
“Gentlemen, thank you for all the past care. If you don’t mind, I still am in need of chess buddies.”
“Child…”
Li Qingzheng’s lips trembled but he said no more; he knew the matter was settled.
Like a chess piece once moved, no regrets remain.
Li Xiaoran clenched his fists; what came to his mind at that moment was his older brother, and his instructions before his soul dispersed. Yet they had not been able to fulfill them.
A wave of sorrow surged in his heart; gripping the knife tightly in his hand, veins bulging on the back of his hands, his eyes flickering with a murderous intent when scanning past Li Tian Gang and Ji Qingqing, but, in the end, he managed to restrain himself, leaving only sorrow.
Li Hao scanned around and then said, “Since it’s rare for me to come to Qingzhou, I’ll hold a banquet tonight at the Cloud Pavilion in the city; we can gather slowly then.”
After saying this and seeing Li Yuanzhao’s lost expression, he smiled and patted his shoulder:
“Don’t space out, head back to the Cloud Pavilion, tell the owner to prepare those signature dishes in advance.”
Li Yuanzhao’s body shook as if being physically restored, his eyes welling up with moisture.
Li Hao smiled and then looked towards the distant perimeter where Song Yufeng and other disciples of Tan Palace, along with that azure-cloaked figure, were located.
“You cannot leave!”
Li Tian Gang seemed to snap back to his senses, suddenly blocking in front of Li Hao, his face filled with anger: “I might just…”
“Might just what?”
Li Hao paused in his steps, quietly looking at Li Tian Gang blocking his path, just a calm glance, yet it suddenly extinguished the blood and ardor in Li Tian Gang, like cold water poured over him.
He stood still, suddenly realizing that this wasn’t two years ago.
Initially, incapacitating Li Hao and binding him could have brought him back, but not now.
He slightly spaced out, but quickly came to his senses, gritting his teeth: “I now request you in my capacity as a Duke, you cannot leave, you must stay in Qingzhou City!”
Li Hao glanced at him faintly and replied: “Speaking of which, it reminds me, if I’m not mistaken, for pacifying Liangzhou, His Majesty seemed to have also decreed me a duke. You are a duke, and I am also a duke, you are of the second rank, and I am of the third rank, although one rank lower than you, but as a duke, you have no authority to command me.”