Chapter 218: Slapping Li Tiangang

Upon hearing LiMuxiu's words, Li Tiangang's expression changed, and he immediately exclaimed:

"Second Uncle!"

LiMuxiu lifted his head, gazing deeply at him as he said, "He is my good friend. Even in front of His Majesty, I would say the same. My relationship with him is aboveboard; I have never asked him to do anything for the Li family, nor has he ever done anything for us."

Speaking thus, he seemed to recall something and paused, his expression turning grim.

"Except for entrusting him to take care of Hao'er, but he is your child..."

Fenbaoping interrupted, "Taking care of Hao'er is my voluntary decision; it has nothing to do with whether or not you entrust me. If you don't say it, does it mean I would neglect Hao'er? Just based on the seven years of grilled fish that Hao'er made for me, I will also protect him for life!"

Li Tiangang's eyes narrowed slightly. Seven years?

So, Li Hao had been in contact with this Saint of Thieves for seven years.

Thinking of his second uncle's hobbies, he immediately deduced the general situation and sighed inwardly.

It seemed that Hao'er had been influenced by him from a young age.

"Leaving Hao'er at home was my biggest mistake and my greatest regret."

Li Tiangang took a deep breath and said to LiMuxiu, "Second Uncle, I won't pursue the influence you've had on Hao'er. But now, in the name of the True Dragon, I demand that you must cut off all ties with him and never have any contact again!"

LiMuxiu's expression changed, and he looked at Li Tiangang in shock and anger. "Are you going to command me in the name of the True Dragon?!"

"That's right."

Li Tiangang's expression was cold and serious as he suppressed his anger. "Second Uncle, don't forget the blood that flows in our veins and the surname we carry on our backs! Although my father is no longer here, and no one can restrain you, our Li family's thousand-year-old family rules have been passed down from generation to generation. Do you intend to rebel against them?"

LiMuxiu looked at him with a mix of shock and anger, but in the end, his eyes were filled with disappointment.

He closed his eyelids, and after a long while, he opened them again. His eyes now held an indescribable pain and vicissitude, and he said in a low voice, "I wasted the first half of my life and did many wrong things. I wronged your father by letting him guard the lonely city alone. I won't break the rules anymore. This life of mine was given by the Li family, so I shall burn it for the Li family..."

His body trembled slightly as he slowly turned around to face Fenbaoping.

As they gazed at each other, LiMuxiu's eyes welled up with bloody tears. "Old Feng..."

Fenbaoping's body trembled slightly, but a smile gradually appeared on his face. "Old Li, why are you crying at such an old age? Didn't I say that even if we are separated, we can still share the sun and the moon? We have reached the age where we accept our fate. Let it be..."

LiMuxiu's fists clenched tightly, and his whole body trembled. His fists were strong and heavy, earning him the title of Fist Saint, yet they could not break the shackles of bloodline or the constraints in his heart.

Being half a step away from invincibility did not make one truly invincible.

Once that half step was taken, there was no turning back.

"Second Uncle, this is for your own good as well. Don't blame me, Li Tiangang, for being heartless."

Li Tiangang spoke in a deep voice.

LiMuxiu's back looked weary, and he remained silent, saying nothing.

Fenbaoping smiled at LiMuxiu and then glanced at Li Hao's clone, his eyes filled with regret. "But I promised Hao'er that I would guard the Celestial Gate for three years..."

"There's no need!"

Li Tiangang turned to him, his expression turning cold. "If you truly care about Hao'er, you should know that your reputation is tarnished. Continuing to associate with Hao'er will only bring him burden and trouble!"

"Do you want to ruin him? He will inherit the True Dragon of my Li family in the future and shine brilliantly. If people find out about your connection with him, what will they say?"

Fenbaoping's cheeks twitched slightly, and he wanted to refute, but the words died in his mouth, and he could only laugh softly.

"You're right. I'm just a lone passerby in this world, incomparable to the splendor of your Divine General's Mansion, and I can't aspire to such heights..."

He shook his head in self-mockery, looking at Li Hao's clone and saying softly, "Hao'er has grown up and no longer needs anyone to take care of him. If he can return from the River of Extinction, no one will dare to invade the Celestial Gate. Even if someone does come, I'm afraid this old man won't be of much use. It must be an existence from the Tai Ping Pure Land..."

He muttered to himself and smiled again, gazing at the dark clone of Li Hao with gentle and affectionate eyes.

"Child, from now on, you must walk your own path."

"I can only accompany you through this journey of wind and snow."

The dark Li Hao stared blankly at him, wanting to say something but not knowing what to say. Finally, he only said two words: "Don't go..."

Fenbaoping's lips trembled slightly, but he just smiled and turned around, looking at the vast and desolate sky and earth and the distant direction of Cangya City.

His eyes flickered slightly, but he said nothing, and his figure suddenly disappeared into thin air.

With his Heaven and Earth Disappearance Technique, if he wanted to leave, no one could stop him.

This technique, created by him, was perfectly complemented by his martial arts, allowing him to use it to its fullest potential.

A gentle breeze blew by, like little hands lifting the hem of LiMuxiu's clothes and letting it flutter before settling down again.

LiMuxiu stood there like a stone, silent and unmoving.

Li Tiangang glanced at him, knowing that his second uncle was feeling emotional. He said in a low voice, "Second Uncle, we should go to the Dragon City of Extinction. I'll go ahead and take a look at the situation there..."

LiMuxiu did not respond.

However, a whistling sound suddenly came from the distance, accompanied by an excited voice. "Second Brother! Tiangang?!"

Hearing this voice, the two of them were shocked, even LiMuxiu, who immediately raised his head to look in the direction of the voice.

A figure rapidly flew towards them. He wore a tattered gray robe and was dressed like a beggar, with unkempt hair that showed no signs of grooming. But his face and the sword at his waist revealed his identity—it was Li Xiaoran!

"Fourth Uncle?!"

LiMuxiu was stunned.

Li Tiangang was also dumbfounded, wondering if his eyes were playing tricks on him. He focused his divine light on the figure, and only then did he confirm that it was indeed his fourth uncle! He's back? But how did he end up here?!

"Hao'er?!"

As Li Tiangang and the others were shocked and surprised, Li Xiaoran noticed the dark clone of Li Hao next to them and paused, realizing that something was amiss. The clone's aura was not as strong as the original.

Moreover, he was dressed neatly and cleanly, unlike the tattered state he had been in when they last parted.

Before Li Hao had fled to the River of Extinction, he had just experienced the Great Battle of Liangzhou, where his hair had been stained with the blood of demons and his clothes had been torn and tattered from the intense battle.

"How come only you have returned? Where's Hao'er?!"

LiMuxiu confirmed that it was indeed Li Xiaoran, and his shock turned to urgency as he asked, his eyes widening with tension as if all the blood in his body had tightened.

Li Xiaoran snapped out of his daze and quickly replied, "Second Brother, don't be agitated. Hao'er is fine. He still has something to finish. He's just one step away from completing the River of Extinction, and now he's on his way to the Great Wild Heaven.

Li Tiangang had been campaigning in Yanbei for over a decade, and after the war ended, he naturally heard about the situation and learned that it was related to that woman from the Ji family.

"He went to the Great Wild Heaven?"

LiMuxiu was stunned, but upon hearing that Li Hao was fine, his tensed-up body slowly relaxed, and he immediately asked, "Why would he go to such a dangerous place, and how long will he be gone?"

"He should be back soon," Li Xiaoran replied.

After all, it shouldn't take too long to send that old man from the Ji family back to the land of the ancient sacred clan.

As he spoke, he noticed that the two men still had questions about Li Hao, so he smiled and asked, "Is this Hao'er's clone?"

"Yes."

Li Tiangang nodded, and upon hearing that Li Hao was unharmed, his expression eased slightly. However, when he heard that Li Hao had gone to the Great Wild Heaven, his face changed, and he immediately thought of that woman, his wife.

His heart skipped a beat as he wondered if the child had gone to find his mother.

Previously, during the father-son confrontation in Qingzhou, he had heard that the reason Li Hao slapped Li Rumeng was because she had insulted his wife and also revealed the truth about her to Li Hao.

"This child..."

Li Tiangang grit his teeth, his face tightening with worry.

Even he didn't dare to approach that ancient sacred clan of the Ji family, let alone Li Hao.

"Let's not talk about Hao'er for now. Look who I've brought back with me."

Li Xiaoran said to the two men.

As his words fell, a voice rang out in Li Tiangang and LiMuxiu's ears:

"Tiangang, old second..."

Hearing this familiar, aged voice, Li Tiangang and LiMuxiu were both stunned, their hearts trembling as they looked up in astonishment. They saw a phantom-like spirit slowly emerge from behind Li Xiaoran.

The majestic figure and kind face left the two men dumbfounded, as if they were in a trance.

"Father?"

Li Tiangang's pupils contracted, and he stood there for a moment before rubbing his eyes vigorously.

When he looked again, all the thoughts in his mind were suddenly cast aside, and tears welled up in his eyes.

"Father!!"

His knees buckled, and he knelt in mid-air before Li Tianzong, his face wet with tears. "It's this unfilial son's fault, I was useless, and I couldn't bring you back sooner!"

LiMuxiu stared, his eyes reddening as he asked, "Big brother, have you been freed from the Underworld River?"

Li Tianzong quickly reached out to help Li Tiangang up and nodded with a smile at LiMuxiu's question. "Yes, I'm free now, and I can finally go home!"

LiMuxiu's aged body trembled, and he clenched his fists, biting his lip as he lowered his head.

Time seemed to strip away the years, and this weathered old man suddenly resembled the proud young man in a brocade robe from their youth. His shoulders twitched as he lowered his head, seemingly suppressing his throat, but his voice was choked with sobs.

"Big brother, it was all my fault back then. I was the one who played instead of guarding Dragon City, and I was the one who got you killed!"

"All these years, I should have been the one suffering in the Underworld River, it's my fault..."

Li Tianzong paused, his gentle gaze falling on LiMuxiu as he softly patted his brother's shoulder.

Seeing his brother, who had grown up with him, with tears streaming down his face, his own eyes grew moist, and he said softly, "As the True Dragon, it was my duty to fight in the Dragon City battle. It had nothing to do with you, and even if you were there, we brothers would have died together."

"It's a good thing you weren't there. According to your fourth brother, the Li family is relying on you to hold everything together. You are the pillar of our family..."

As he spoke, he smiled and continued, "Do you remember when Father beat you and made you kneel in the courtyard for three days and three nights? I sneaked you food, and I told you that besides me, you would probably be the most capable member of the Li family. You really didn't disappoint me."

LiMuxiu was stunned, and the brothers locked eyes, both now aged but connected by their shared past.

"Indeed, you have become the most capable one," LiMuxiu said with a rare blush on his weathered face. He quickly changed the subject, thinking of more pressing matters. "Big brother, how did you escape the Underworld River? I thought you had to pass through it to be truly free?"

"That's a long story," Li Xiaoran interjected. "But to make a long story short, we have Hao'er to thank for your escape."

As he spoke, his heart twisted with sorrow. It was an escape, but it also meant the end of a life.

However, on their journey back, Li Tianzong had instructed him not to tell anyone else, as he just wanted to see his home one last time before quietly departing.

"Thank Hao'er?" LiMuxiu asked, his eyes widening with surprise.

He immediately thought of the many times the child had surprised him, and his heart stirred with warmth and protectiveness.

"Hao'er?" Li Tiangang asked, his heart pounding as he stood there. "What does he have to do with this?"

"A lot!" Li Tianzong replied with a light laugh. "According to your fourth uncle, Hao'er is your son, Tiangang. You really gave me an excellent great-grandson! I'm so proud of you!"

Li Tiangang was stunned, never expecting that even his father would hold such high regard for the child. Could he really be that amazing?

"That child doesn't understand rules and is unruly. I hope he hasn't offended you?" Li Tiangang asked cautiously.

At this moment, he was no longer the mighty general but a son standing before his father.

Li Tianzong was taken aback, then laughed. "What are you talking about? Hao'er is lively and adorable, and he's a genius in the arts and martial arts. His talent is comparable to that of an ancient saint's reincarnation, and he's one of the top geniuses in the entire history of the Great Yu Divine Dynasty!"

"Moreover, he's very sensible. He just doesn't care for meaningless formalities. Our family needs rules, but there's a difference between family and the nation. We don't need to be so strict about every little thing at home."

Had he been too harsh and demanding of the child? Or had he simply interfered too much?

Everyone who had come into contact with the child seemed to favor and appreciate him. Was it because of his esteemed status as the heir of the Divine General's Mansion, or was it simply because of who the child was?

Li Tiangang's thoughts raced as memories of his interactions with Li Hao since returning from Yanbei flashed through his mind.

But before he could reminisce further, Li Tianzong gently said, "I heard from your fourth brother that after Xiao Jiu left, you succeeded him as the True Dragon of the Li family. These years must have been difficult for you."

Li Tiangang snapped out of his reverie, and upon hearing his father's gentle concern, he felt his blood stir as if it trembled within him.

He fell to his knees again in front of Li Tianzong, his head lowered as he sobbed uncontrollably. "Father, I am useless. I am unworthy of being the True Dragon of the Li family. Third Brother and Sixth Brother are gone, and I failed to protect them and our family!"

His shoulders shook, and though he had not cried when the border of Liangzhou was breached, and his tears had dried up in Yanbei and at the Li family's funeral, he now wept like a child.

Li Tianzong was taken aback, recalling the family situation Li Xiao ran had shared during their journey. Of his nine children, six had perished, some even before he had left for the Underworld River.

But he never expected that the others would meet their end one after another in his absence.

Seeing Li Tiangang's heartbroken sobs, his eyes also showed deep sorrow, but he quickly masked it with a smile as he comforted his son. "It's not your fault, my child. It's my fault as a father for not doing enough. If I hadn't met my end in Dragon City, if I had reached the Tai Ping Pure Land earlier, none of this would have happened to you."

"Father, how can you blame yourself? You were already so strong," Li Tiangang choked out, his emotions flooding forth momentarily before he quickly regained control, a trait honed over years of military campaigns.

He wiped away his tears and grasped Li Tianzong's ethereal arm. "Now that you're back, once I attain the Tai Ping Pure Land, I'll go and bring Xiao Jiu back as well!"

Seeing his son's renewed confidence and ambition, Li Tianzong smiled and patted his shoulder. "I know you can do it, and Hao'er has also inherited the True Dragon, right? Give him a few more years, and he will lead our Li family to eradicate all demons and restore the glory of our ancestors!"

At these words, Li Tiangang's expression changed slightly as he nodded. "Yes, once he returns from the Great Wild Heaven, I will let him inherit the True Dragon."

"He hasn't inherited it yet?" Li Tianzong asked, surprised. It was better for the succession to occur at a younger age, around fourteen or fifteen. With the assistance of their ancestors, the heir's cultivation would soar, swiftly passing the Proud Child realm and becoming a true powerhouse.

"He was supposed to inherit it, but Tiangang drove him away," LiMuxiu interjected coldly.

Li Tianzong was taken aback and looked at him in confusion.

Li Xiao ran's face also changed, and he quickly explained, "On our way back, I avoided mentioning Hao'er and Tiangang's situation. I didn't want Big Brother to worry about it as his ethereal body dissipated. It's better that he returns home without any burdens on his mind."

"Second Brother, what are you talking about?" Li Tianzong asked, his brows furrowing.

"Big Brother, you should ask him yourself," LiMuxiu said, taking a deep breath. He had intended to mock Li Tiangang, but seeing the reunion of father and son, he knew that his cold words would be meaningless.

"Tiangang?" Li Tianzong turned to his son.

Li Tiangang met his father's gaze and saw no point in hiding the truth. "Father, when Hao'er was born, Yanbei was in turmoil, and I was dispatched there. I thought he could stay in the mansion and cultivate, with Big Sister-in-Law taking care of him. But in the years that Qingqing and I were away, the child picked up all sorts of bad habits."

He continued, "He was irresponsible and neglected his cultivation. When I returned and disciplined him slightly, he drew his sword against me. We ended up fighting, and he left home in a fit of anger, coming here to the Celestial Gate to spite me..."

"You're talking nonsense!" LiMuxiu interrupted, his suppressed anger finally erupting. "What's wrong with Hao'er? Big Brother also said that he excels in both the arts and martial arts. While he enjoys these pursuits, he has never neglected his cultivation because of them!"

"Isn't his cultivation high enough? At only fifteen, he has already reached the Three Immortals realm and can slay Demon Kings. Who else can match that?"

"For over a decade, you and Big Sister-in-Law were not by his side. Hao'er was poisoned by that woman from the Liu family, and his divine blood was crippled. Before he could take his revenge, you believed that little girl's accusations and slapped Hao'er without even listening to his explanation. You call that slight discipline?"

"In these years without your discipline, has Hao'er fallen behind others?"

Hearing LiMuxiu's outburst, Li Tiangang's expression changed slightly as he recognized the words. He said, "But if he had focused all his energy on cultivation instead of the arts, his progress would have been even faster!"

"Then why don't you stop eating and sleeping and train nonstop day and night!" LiMuxiu retorted. "Hao'er is your son, not a block of wood or a rock. He has emotions and a heart!"

Li Tiangang opened his mouth but found himself at a loss for words.

Li Tianzong, having heard both sides, now understood the situation. His face darkened as he asked, "And then? How did Hao'er end up leaving home?"

"Of course, he was driven away by your so-called 'discipline,'" LiMuxiu glared at Li Tiangang, his eyes filled with sadness as he recalled that snowy day. "'I will no longer carry the Li surname,' he said. 'I would rather die out there than in the Divine General's Mansion!'"

"He never wanted to be beaten to death by his own father!"

"How could I want to beat him to death? I was just teaching him a lesson..." Li Tiangang started to explain, but a sharp slap interrupted him.

Li Tiangang's head snapped to the side, his eyes wide with shock. After a moment, he turned back and saw his father, Li Tianzong, his face contorted with anger.

"How could you push him to say such heartbreaking words?" Li Tianzong demanded, his entire body trembling with fury.

"How heartbroken must he have been for him to say something like that?!"