Slapping Li Tiangang

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

"Second Uncle!"

Li Muxiu raised his head, stared intently at him, and said:

"He is my good friend. I would say this even in front of His Majesty. My private relationship with him Innocent. I have never asked him to do anything for the Li Family, nor has he done anything for our Li Family!"

At this point, he seemed to remember something, Pause, and his expression turned somewhat grim:

"Besides entrusting him to take care of Hao'er for me, that's your child..."

Feng Boping interrupted, "Taking care of Hao'er is my own choice, it has nothing to do with whether you, old man, entrusted me with it or not. Even if you hadn't spoken, would I have abandoned Hao'er? Just for the seven-year-old fish Hao'er grilled for me, I will protect him for the rest of my life!"

Li Tiangang's eyes narrowed slightly. Seven years?

So, Li Hao has been in contact with this Thief Saint for seven years.

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

It seems Hao'er has been influenced since childhood.

"Leaving Hao'er at home was my biggest mistake, and the thing I regret most."

Li Tiangang took a deep breath and said to Li Muxiu, "Second Uncle, I will not pursue your influence on Hao'er, but now, in the name of the True Dragon, I demand that you sever all ties with him and never have any contact with him again!"

Li Muxiu's expression changed, and he looked at him with shock and anger. "You want to command me as True Dragon?!"

"That's right."

Li Tiangang's expression was cold and serious, suppressing his anger:

"Second Uncle, don't forget what blood flows in our veins, what surname we bear! Although my father is gone now, and no one can restrain you, our Li Family's thousand-year-old rules have been in place for generations. Do you intend to rebel against them?"

Li Muxiu looked at him with a mixture of shock and anger, but in the end, her eyes were filled with disappointment.

He closed his eyes, and after a long while, he opened them again, his eyes filled with indescribable pain and vicissitudes. He said dejectedly:

"I've lived a dissolute life in the first half of my life, doing many wrong things. I'm sorry to your father, leaving him to guard this lonely city alone. I won't break the rules again. My life was given to me by the Li Family, so I'll burn myself out for the Li Family..."

His body trembled slightly as he slowly turned around to look at Feng Boping.

They looked at each other, but Li Muxiu's eyes welled up with tears of blood. "Old Feng..."

Feng Boping's body trembled slightly, but a smile slowly appeared on his face as he said:

"Old Li, why are you crying at your age? Didn't I tell you, even if we're separated by vast distances, we can still share the same moon and sky? Meetings and partings are beyond our control. We've both reached the age where we should accept our fate. Just accept it..."

Li Muxiu clenched his fists tightly, his whole body trembling. His fists were very strong and heavy, earning him the title of Fist Saint, yet he could not break the shackles of his Bloodline, nor break the bonds in his heart.

Being invincible on the verge of defeat is ultimately not true invincibility.

Once that half-step was taken, it could never be taken back.

"Second Uncle, this is good for you all, so don't blame me Li Tiangang, for being heartless."

Li Tiangang said in a deep voice.

Li Muxiu's back looked weathered; he didn't speak, remaining silent.

Feng Boping smiled at Li Muxiu, then glanced at Li Hao's clone, his eyes filled with regret, and said, "But I promised Hao'er that I would guard Heaven's Gate Pass for him for three years..."

"Unnecessary!"

Li Tiangang looked at him, but his expression wasn't so good. He said coldly, "If you really care about Hao'er, you should know that your reputation is ruined. Getting entangled with Hao'er will only bring him burden!"

"Do you want to ruin him? He's destined to inherit the Li Family True Dragon and shine brightly. If people find out he's colluding with you, what will they say?"

Feng Boping's cheek twitched slightly, as if he wanted to retort, but the words caught in his throat, and he only chuckled softly:

"Indeed, I am but a solitary traveler in this Mortal World, far inferior to the Xuanhe of your Divine General Residence's Mansion, and utterly unworthy to be associated with you..."

He shook his head with a self-deprecating smile, looked at Li Hao's clone, and said in a low voice, "Hao'er has grown up and no longer needs anyone to take care of him. If he can return from the Mo River, no one will dare to invade Heaven's Gate Pass. Even if someone does come, I'm afraid this old man won't be of any use. That person must be a being at the Great Peace Dao Realm..."

He muttered to himself, then smiled, gazing at Li Hao's Dark Side Clone with kind and Wenrou eyes:

"Child, you will have to walk your own path from now on."

"After this journey through wind and snow, this is as far as I can accompany you."

Dark Side Li Hao at him, wanting to speak but unsure what to say. Finally, he only uttered two words: "Don't go..."

Feng Boping's lips trembled slightly, but he only smiled, then turned around, looked at the vast and boundless Heaven and Earth, glanced around, and looked in the direction of Azure Cliff City in the distance.

His eyes flickered slightly, but he didn't speak. Instead, he suddenly stepped forward and vanished into thin air.

With his Heaven and Earth Trace Erasing Art, if he wishes to leave, no one can stop him.

This Cultivation Method was created by him, and when combined with his Martial Dao, it can be brought to its full potential.

A gentle breeze swept by, like a small hand lifting the hem of Li Muxiu's clothes, causing it to flutter for a moment before drifting down.

Li Muxiu silent, like a stone, without uttering a sound.

Li Tiangang glanced at him, knowing his Second Uncle was upset. He said in a low voice, "Second Uncle, we should go to the Dragon City Fallen River now. I'll Past first and check on the situation there..."

Li Muxiu did not respond.

But suddenly, a whooshing sound came from afar, accompanied by a surprised voice:

"Second Brother, Heavenly Gang?!"

Upon hearing the voice, both of them trembled. Even Li Muxiu abruptly raised his head and looked towards the source of the sound.

A figure came flying at high speed, dressed in a tattered gray robe, like Beggar, with messy and unkempt hair. But the face and the knife at his waist were none other than Li Xiaoran!

"Fourth Brother?!"

Li Muxiu was stunned.

Li Tiangang was also stunned, and for a moment he doubted his eyes. He focused his eyes with Divine Radiance and then saw clearly that it really was his Fourth Uncle!

He's back? What's he doing here?!

"Hao'er?"

While Li Tiangang and the other man were shocked and stunned, Li Xiaoran saw the Dark Side Li Hao beside him and was taken aback. He almost cried out in surprise, but soon he realized that something was wrong with the Li Hao in front of him; his Aura was not as strong.

Moreover, he was dressed neatly and cleanly, a far cry from the tattered state he was in when they parted.

Previously, Li Hao had been chased to the Mo River, but he had experienced the great battle of Liang Prefecture. His hair was stained with the blood of many Demons, and his clothes were torn and tattered from the battle.

"Why is it only you who's back? Where's Hao'er?!"

Li Muxiu confirmed that the person in front of him was indeed Li Xiaoran. Stunned, he couldn't help but ask hurriedly, his eyes widening as if all the Qi and Blood in his body was tense.

Li Xiaoran snapped out of his daze and quickly said, "Second Brother, don't get agitated. Hao'er is fine. He still has things to finish. He's just one step away from clearing the Mo River. He's heading to the Great Wasteland Heaven now."

At this point, he glanced at Li Tiangang, hesitated, and wondered whether he should continue.

After all, the Ji Family, Ancient Sacred Clan, is a sensitive term.

Li Tiangang fought in Northern Yan for more than ten years. After the war ended, he naturally heard about such a big event and knew that it was related to that woman from the Ji Family.

"He went to the Great Wasteland Heaven?"

Li Muxiu was stunned, but upon hearing that Li Hao was alright, his tense body slowly relaxed, and he immediately asked, "The Great Wasteland Heaven is so dangerous, what is he doing there, and how long will he be gone?"

"I should be back soon," Li Xiaoran said.

It's just a matter of sending the old man from the Ji Family back to the Earthly Territory of the Ancient Sacred Clan; it shouldn't take much time.

At this point, seeing that the two still wanted to ask about Li Hao, he smiled and said, "Is this the clone of Hao'er?"

"Um."

Li Tiangang nodded. Hearing that Li Hao was alright, he relaxed. But when he heard that the other party had gone to the Great Wasteland Heaven, his expression changed slightly, and the woman, his wife, immediately came to mind.

His heart skipped a beat. Could it be that the child had gone to find his mother?

During the battle between father and son in Qing Prefecture, he later heard that Li Hao slapped Li Rumeng because the latter had insulted his wife and revealed her secrets to Li Hao.

"This child..."

He gritted his teeth, his face tensing up, his heart filled with worry.

Even he wouldn't dare to visit the Ji Family, that Ancient Sacred Clan, let alone Li Hao.

"Let's put Hao'er aside for now. Look who I've brought back for you."

Li Xiaoran addressed the two of them.

As he finished speaking, a voice reached the ears of Li Tiangang and Li Muxiu:

"Heavenly Gang, Second Brother..."

Upon hearing the aged yet familiar voice, Li Tiangang and Li Muxiu were both startled, their hearts pounding. They looked up in horror and saw a phantom-like Heroic Soul floating out from behind Li Xiaoran.

His imposing physique and kind face left the two of them stunned, as if they had been transported to another world.

"Father?"

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

Upon seeing clearly again, all the thoughts that had been swirling in his mind vanished instantly, and tears welled up in his eyes.

"Father!!"

His knees buckled, and he knelt before Li Tianzong in Void, tears streaming down his face.

"It is my fault, my incompetence, that I failed to bring you back sooner!"

Li Muxiu stared blankly, his eyes slightly red, and asked, "Eldest Brother, you've been freed from the Mo River?"

Li Tianzong quickly reached out and helped Li Tiangang up. In response to Li Muxiu's question, he smiled and nodded, saying, "That's right, I'm free now, I can go home!"

Li Muxiu's aged body trembled slightly. He clenched his fists, gritted his teeth, and lowered his head.

Time seemed to have stripped away its outer garments, and this weathered old man now resembled the spirited young man in his brocade robes of yesteryear. His shoulders trembled, his head bowed as if suppressing a sob, but his voice choked with emotion.

"Eldest Brother, it's all my fault. I was too playful and left you to guard Dragon City alone. I'm the one who caused your death!"

"All these years, I should have been the one suffering in the Mo River, it was me..."

Li Tianzong was slightly taken aback. He Wenrou raised his hand and patted Li Muxiu's shoulder lightly.

Upon seeing his childhood friend's face streaked with tears, his own eyes moistened, and he whispered:

"As True Dragon, the Battle of Dragon City should have been mine to lead, not yours. Even if you were here, it would only mean that all of us brothers would have died there."

"It's a good thing you weren't here. I heard from the Fourth Brother that the Li Family is now entirely dependent on you; you're the Pillar of the Sea of the Li Family..."

He smiled and said, "Remember when Father beat you? He made you kneel in the yard for three days and three nights. When I secretly brought you food, I said that besides me, you might be the most capable member of the Li Family in the future. You certainly didn't disappoint me."

Li Muxiu was stunned, looking into his eyes, the brothers locked eyes at that moment.

They both looked like old people.

But Years seems to have swept them back to their youth...

Just like in that Courtyard, on a sweltering summer day, there Eldest Brother practicing his kung fu in front of the Wooden Stake, and the mischievous second brother sitting by the pond.

The Eldest Brother met his gaze with the same Wenrou look as before, while the unruly second brother crossed his arms and turned his head away with a defiant expression.

But now, these eyes, faded by Years, meet at this moment, and all words melt away.

Li Muxiu was in tears. This old man, who had fought countless battles and had never shed a tear even after crawling out from among the corpses of 100,000 Demon, was now sobbing uncontrollably.

The knot and scar in his heart that had been there for many years disappeared at this moment.

It turns out his Eldest Brother had never blamed him...

Li Muxiu's body trembled slightly, but slowly, he composed himself, wiped away the tears on his face, and a rare blush appeared on his old face.

He quickly changed the subject, remembering the important matter, and hurriedly asked, "Eldest Brother, how did you escape? Didn't you say you had to pass through the Mo River? You just said you haven't passed it yet..."

"That's a complicated matter."

Li Xiaoran chimed in, "But overall, we should thank Hao'er; it was his help that allowed our Eldest Brother to escape."

At this point, a pang of sorrow gripped his heart; though he had escaped, he had also perished.

But on his way back, Li Tianzong told him not to tell anyone about it. Li Tianzong just wanted to go home and take one last look before leaving quietly.

"Thank you, Hao'er?"

Li Muxiu was stunned, then he thought of the things that child had repeatedly done that surprised him. His heart stirred, and his eyes were filled with relief and tenderness.

"Hao'er?"

Upon hearing Li Xiaoran's words, Li Tiangang, who had just stood up, was startled and asked, "What does this have to do with Hao'er?"

"It's extremely important!"

Li Tianzong picked up the conversation and chuckled, "I heard from Fourth Brother that Hao'er is your son, Heavenly Gang, you really gave me a fine grandson! That's amazing!"

Li Tiangang was stunned. He never expected that even his own father would favor that child so much. Was he really... that good?

"That child doesn't know any rules and is naturally undisciplined. Did he offend you?"

Li Tiangang couldn't help but ask, with a hint of caution in his voice.

At this moment, he was no longer the Marshal and marshal wielding the divine Divine Saber, but had become the son before his father.

Li Tianzong was taken aback, then laughed, "What are you talking about? Hao'er a lively and adorable child, proficient in all the arts, including music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. His Martial Dao talent is comparable to that of a reincarnated Ancient Sage. In the thousands of years of our Great Yu Dynasty, he has been considered a first-rate Heavenly Prodigy!"

"Besides, he's very sensible. There's no such thing as breaking the rules; it's just formalities. Although my Li Family needs family rules, a family is a family, and a country is a country. There's no need to be so rigid about everything at home."

Li Tiangang was deeply shaken and remained speechless for a long time.

He might not have listened to anyone else, but since his father said so, he suddenly began to wonder if he had been doing something wrong all along.

Wasn't I... being too harsh on that child?

Or is it really just too much interference?

Those who had met the child seemed to favor and admire him. Was it because of his noble status in the Divine General Residence, or simply because of the child himself?

Li Tiangang's thoughts raced as memories of his time with Li Hao since returning from Northern Yan flashed through his mind.

But before he could recall, Li Tianzong said gently, "I heard from Fourth Brother that after Xiao Jiu left, you succeeded Xiao Jiu and became the Li Family True Dragon. You must have worked hard these past years."

When Li Tiangang came to his senses and heard this Wenrou concern, he felt as if the blood in his body trembled.

He knelt down again before Li Tianzong with a thud, sobbing uncontrollably as he bowed his head and said:

"Father, Father, I am incompetent. I am unworthy to be the Li Family True Dragon. Third Brother and Sixth Brother are gone. I failed to take good care of them and failed to protect this family!"

His shoulders trembled. He hadn't cried when the Liang Prefecture Frontier was breached; his tears had long since dried up in Northern Yan, and at the Li Family's funeral.

But at this moment, she cried like a child again.

Li Tianzong was slightly taken aback, recalling the Lineage situation he had inquired about from Li Xiaoran on the way. Of his nine children, six had died in battle, some of whom had sacrificed themselves while he was still in the Divine General Residence, such as his eldest and second eldest sons.

Unexpectedly, after he left, other people started to run into trouble one after another.

Seeing Li Tiangang's uncontrollable sobs, a deep sorrow also appeared in his eyes, but he suppressed this grief, smiled, and Wenrou took Li Tiangang's arm.

"Child, it's not your fault. It's my fault as your father. If I hadn't had this accident in Dragon City, if I had reached the Great Peace Dao Realm sooner, none of you would have been in this situation."

"Father, how can I blame you? You're already strong enough."

Li Tiangang couldn't help but say that his emotional outburst was temporary, but years of war experience allowed him to quickly regain his composure and control.

He wiped away his tears and grasped Li Tianzong's Heroic Soul arm. "Now it's alright, you're back. When I reach the Great Peace Dao Realm, I'll go and bring Xiao Jiu back too!"

Seeing that he had regained his confidence and spirit, Li Tianzong smiled, patted him on the shoulder, and said:

"I know you can do it. Hao'er has inherited the True Dragon, hasn't he? Give him a few more years, Hao'er will surely lead our Li Family to eradicate all Demon and restore the Li Family to the glory of our ancestors!"

Upon hearing this, Li Tiangang's expression changed slightly, and he nodded, saying, "When he returns from the Great Wasteland Heaven, I will let him inherit the True Dragon."

"Haven't you inherited it yet?"

Li Tianzong was somewhat surprised. It was better to inherit the True Dragon's power when one was young. At the age of fourteen or fifteen, with the help of his ancestors, his cultivation speed increased dramatically, allowing him to quickly pass through the period of Heavenly Prodigy and become a true powerhouse.

"He was supposed to inherit it, but Heavenly Gang drove him away."

Li Muxiu stood to the side and suddenly spoke up.

Li Tianzong was taken aback and looked at him with a puzzled expression.

Li Xiaoran's expression changed slightly. On his way back, he deliberately avoided talking about Li Hao and Li Tiangang. He didn't want his Eldest Brother to have any worries or concerns before his Heroic Soul dissipated, and to be preoccupied with this matter.

"Second brother, what are you talking about?" Li Tianzong asked suspiciously.

"Eldest Brother, why don't you ask him yourself?"

Li Muxiu took a deep breath. He wanted to mock Li Tiangang, but then he remembered that his Eldest Brother had just returned and that it was a rare reunion between father and son. He realized that there was no point in making sarcastic remarks, so he immediately restrained himself.

"Heavenly Gang?"

Li Tianzong looked at his son.

Facing his gaze, Li Tiangang didn't try to hide anything and said:

"Father, when Hao'er was born, Northern Yan was in turmoil, and I was transferred to Northern Yan to fight. I thought I would leave him in the manor to cultivate and be taken care of by my Eldest Sister-in-Law and the others. But in the years that Qingqing and I have not been by his side, this child has picked up a lot of bad habits."

He said, "He was idle all day long, neglecting his cultivation. When I returned, I disciplined him a little, but he drew his sword against me and we fought a fierce battle. In the end, he ran away from home in a huff and came to Heaven's Gate Pass to fight me..."

"You're talking nonsense!"

Li Muxiu, who had been suppressing his anger, erupted at this moment, and he roared:

"What's wrong with Hao'er? As his Eldest Brother said, he's proficient in all the arts, including music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Although he enjoys these things, he's never let them interfere with his cultivation!"

"Isn't his cultivation level high enough, far surpassing his peers!"

"He's only fifteen years old, just fifteen, and he's already at the Three Immortalities Realm, capable of slaying Demon King. Who in the world can do that?!"

"You two haven't been by his side for over a decade. Hao'er was poisoned by that Liu Shi, losing his Divine Blood. He hasn't even had a chance to take revenge yet, and you, just because Xiao Ba's daughter complained, you slapped Hao'er without even listening to his explanation. You call that disciplining him a little?!"

"Without your guidance all these years, is Hao'er any less capable than others?!"

Hearing Li Muxiu's angry roar, Li Tiangang's expression changed slightly. The words sounded familiar. He said:

"But if he were to dedicate all his energy—from playing musical instruments, chess, calligraphy, and painting—to cultivation, he would only reach even greater heights!"

"Then you can skip eating and sleeping, and train like crazy all day long!"

Li Muxiu retorted angrily, "That's your son, not a wooden figure or a stone! He's a living, breathing person!"

Li Tiangang opened his mouth slightly, but was somewhat speechless.

Hearing their argument, Li Tianzong immediately understood the situation. His expression turned grim, and he asked, "And then what happened? How did Hao'er end up running away from home?"

"Of course, I couldn't stand it anymore because of his so-called 'discipline'."

Li Muxiu glared at Li Tiangang with hatred, but his eyes revealed sadness; he still remembered that day when the wind and snow filled the sky.

"That child said he would never bear the surname Li again; he would rather die outside than die in the Divine General Residence!"

"He doesn't want to be beaten to death by his own father!"

Li Tiangang angrily retorted, "How could I possibly want to kill him? I just wanted to teach him a lesson..."

A sharp cracking sound abruptly interrupted his words.

Li Tiangang tilted his head to the side, his eyes filled with shock. He stood there stunned for a long time before turning his head back, only to see his father, Li Tianzong, with a pale face full of Anger.

How could you force that child to say such a thing!

"How heartbroken must you have been for that child to say such painful things?!"

Li Tianzong Anger at him, trembling with rage.