Severing Sentimental Ties

In the distance, a figure came hurtling towards them; it was Li Tiangang.

Li Hao's roar had shaken the entire city, and he had naturally heard it. When he finally took a moment to observe, he saw a series of battles unfolding behind him.

The sacrificial array he was setting up naturally stopped, since all the Demon had been killed and there was no need to invoke the ancestors anymore.

When his Divine Soul soared into the sky and he saw Li Hao protecting Li Muxiu before the two Demon leaders, and heard He Jianlan and the others calling out, he felt his heart tremble. Was that boy really the child he had fallen into that Abyss?

At this moment, he was excited and rushed over at full speed, stepping on the flames.

Standing before Li Hao, Ji Qingqing felt as if every word Li Hao was a needle piercing her heart. She couldn't help but say:

"It was Mother's fault, but you're back now, aren't you? What do you want Mother to do for me to forgive me?"

Li Hao's eyes, which had been calm, suddenly flashed with two cold beams, and he said:

"I have returned, but your child is dead forever in that Abyss. I returned by my own ability, by my own strength, not by yours, or by all of you!"

Ji Qingqing froze, staring at the boy who had been calm just moments before but now had a cold expression. She realized she had said the wrong thing, and tears slowly streamed down her face.

"But you are my child, can't you give your mother another chance to make amends?"

Hearing her choked words, Li Hao glanced at her and said:

"Make up for lost time? Did I go to the Ji Family to seek death? Did I go to Heaven Imprisoning Island to explore the Abyss?"

The two rhetorical questions struck Ji Qingqing's heart like heavy hammer blows. She felt as if all the warmth had been drained from her body, leaving her shivering with cold. Yes, that child had gone through so much hardship, venturing alone into the Great Wasteland Heaven, just to see her, hadn't he?

She suddenly realized that she didn't deserve to say such words. Could she make amends? Letting go more than a decade ago, and letting go more than a decade later, had twice put her child in danger. Could she still make amends?

Her tears flowed like a burst dam, and she felt so heartbroken that she couldn't breathe.

"Qingqing!"

Li Tiangang flew over and landed outside. When Li Wushuang and the others saw this Family Head, they couldn't help but step aside.

Li Tiangang quickly stepped forward, glanced at Li Hao's cold eyes, and looked at his wife who was crying uncontrollably. His heart was breaking.

You can't talk to your mother like that!

Li Tiangang's eyes reddened slightly as he said to Li Hao, "It was my fault before. I was too harsh on you. I was stubborn and didn't investigate carefully, which caused you to suffer injustice. You can treat me however you want, but you can't treat your mother like this. She went through a lot to give birth to you."

Li Hao frowned, his originally calm heart now filled with an indescribable annoyance and weariness.

He said indifferently, "Stop calling me 'Mother' all the time. You don't need to apologize to me. I've forgiven the past. From the moment I stepped out of the Divine General Residence, I had nothing to do with you anymore. I've paid back everything I had for you all those years. I've also returned double the Demon Blood you sent back from Northern Yan. Now, I have nothing to do with you. Can't you feel that I no longer have your Bloodline in me?"

As he spoke, Li Hao made no effort to conceal his Aura, and he had already temporarily removed his Myriad Manifestation Attribute.

Upon hearing Li Hao's words, Li Tiangang was stunned and stared at him in shock. Ji Qingqing was also stunned, forgetting her tears, and hurriedly checked Li Hao's Aura.

He Jianlan and the others nearby were all taken aback. Li Hao's Aura was too strong for them to notice, but Li Hao's words made them hurriedly release their Aura to examine Li Hao's body.

"Hao'er!"

Beside him, Li Muxiu, who was being healed on the back of the Candlelight God, suddenly sat up, coughing up a mouthful of blood. One of his arms had already healed, but his wrinkled old face was now filled with panic as he looked at Li Hao.

He knew Li Hao wouldn't lie easily, and disregarding the potential offense, he quickly Past, only to find that he truly couldn't detect Aura of the Li Family Bloodline within Li Hao's body.

His body swayed precariously, like a candle flickering in the wind, and he seemed somewhat dazed.

Li Xiaoran and Li Qingzheng also changed color suddenly, hurriedly investigated, and then they were stunned, just staring blankly at the young man.

The many Li Family Ancestors Heroic Soul of the Li family surrounding him frowned, seemingly realizing what was happening. As deceased Heroic Soul, they had a natural affinity for the Li Family Bloodline and had long ago noticed that Li Hao had no trace of the Li Family's Aura within him.

But judging from what these people are saying, this stunningly talented Heavenly Prodigy in front of them seems to be from their Li Family, and is of their Li Family Bloodline!

But what... is going on?

"Child, were you once a member of my Li Family?" an ancestral Heroic Soul asked, his gentle eyes filled with doubt.

Li Hao glanced at the other person, his expression calm and indifferent, and said:

"I am who I am. There was once a child in your Li Family who resembled me, but that child is dead."

Upon hearing Li Hao's words, Li Tiangang's Aura surged violently, and he roared, "Impossible! I don't believe it! You're definitely not him, who are you?!"

"Heavenly Gang!"

Li Muxiu, his face as white as paper, suddenly roared, his Dao Realm power causing Li Tiangang's head to seem to explode, leaving him stunned.

"How far wrong can you get?!"

Li Muxiu stared intently at him, his eyes bloodshot.

Li Tiangang stood frozen in place, then slowly raised his head to look at Li Hao, his eyes filled with sorrow:

"You severed your Bloodline with the Li Family, how could you be so heartless?"

Li Hao raised an eyebrow and glanced at him, but faced with that sorrowful face, he felt a mixture of speechlessness and a desire to laugh.

He was too lazy to say anything more, and said, "So be it. No matter what, we have nothing to do with each other anymore. Don't offend me again. I can forgive past transgressions, but not in the future!"

Having said that, he turned to look at Li Muxiu, and seeing the other looking at him with a sorrowful expression, his eyes seemingly broken, he couldn't help but feel a little guilty, and said:

"Sir, although I am no longer a member of the Li Family, if you ever need fishing buddies in the future, just let me know, and I'll be happy to keep you company anytime."

Looking into Li Hao's eyes, Li Muxiu knew that the child had completely severed ties with the Past. He felt a pang of pain and regret. He had severed Bloodline, yet he still rushed over. Was it only because of past affections?

That sword, capable of slaying countless Demons, could not sever this child's emotions.

But he severed ties with his parents!

What kind of disappointment must that be?

Such an outstanding and impeccable child, yet the Li Family completely squandered him.

Li Muxiu was filled with sorrow, but in the end, it turned into a low, murmured laugh, seemingly painful yet also laughable. After laughing for a while, his eyes slowly became focused and Wenrou.

"You said it yourself. I'll see if your fishing skills have gotten rusty."

At this moment, amidst the intertwining pain and sorrow, Li Muxiu suddenly realized that leaving the Li Family wouldn't have any impact on the child.

They are the ones who are hurt and in pain.

But at least the child won't get hurt again.

If that's the case, why not do it for the best?

The Li Family lost this glory, but it had no impact on the entire Great Yu Dynasty.

Even though he wasn't Li Family, this child still came. Even though he didn't have the blood of the Li Family flowing in his veins, he still saved Liang Prefecture, and now he has saved Qingzhou City.

He was still himself; he never felt he should bear any burden because of his birth in General's Residence.

He simply had a sincere heart, and as Human Race, he did his best to care for the All Under Heaven.

Thinking of this, Li Muxiu's tears flowed even more, partly for Li Hao's relieved laughter, and partly for the pain and irony he felt for Li Tiangang's past remarks questioning Li Hao's moral character.

"Um."

Seeing Li Muxiu's expression, Li Hao felt slightly relieved. His gaze then swept over the others before settling on He Jianlan, the armored First Madam.

"If there's a chance in the future, I'll let your wife try my cooking."

Upon hearing Li Hao's address, He Jianlan, who had been holding back her sorrow, burst into tears. She felt that this child had come to Qing Prefecture to say goodbye, to bid farewell to his Past identity in front of them.

She's no longer his First Madam...

"Child, is it really impossible to go back?" He Jianlan asked, suppressing her grief.

Li Hao shook his head slightly. "My status is gone, but if you don't mind, the sentiment remains."

He Jianlan felt even more sorrowful, but she held back her tears and didn't try to stop him. She knew that Li Hao had always been very determined, and once he made up his mind, it was hard to change it.

Besides, the Li Family might be a burden to him now, and Li Hao might be able to live a good life on his own, and that would be enough.

Li Hao's gaze then swept over Li Xiaoran, Li Qingzheng, and the others, his eyes softening:

"Gentlemen, thank you for your past help. If you don't mind, I'm actually looking for a chess partner in the future."

"Child..."

Li Qingzheng's lips trembled slightly, but he said nothing more; he knew the matter was settled.

Just like Chess Piece that's been moved, once it's placed, there's no going back.

Li Xiaoran clenched his fists. At this moment, he was thinking of his Eldest Brother, who had given him instructions before his soul was scattered, but they had failed to do so.

A wave of sorrow washed over him. He gripped the knife tightly, the veins on the back of his hand bulging. When his eyes swept over Li Tiangang and Ji Qingqing, Killing Aura flashed in them, but in the end, he restrained himself, leaving only grief.

Li Hao glanced around and then said, "Since you've all come all this way to Qing Prefecture, I'll host a banquet at the Cloud Glow Pavilion in the city tonight, and we can all get together then."

Having said that, he glanced at Li Yuanzhao's dazed expression, smiled, and patted him on the shoulder:

"Stop daydreaming. Go back to the Cloud Glow Pavilion and tell the proprietress to prepare all the signature dishes in advance."

Li Yuanzhao's body swayed as if his soul had been forced back into his body, and his eyes welled up with tears.

Li Hao smiled, then looked at Song Yufeng and the other disciples of the Sandalwood Palace in the distance, as well as the transformed azure figure.

You can't leave!

Li Tiangang seemed to snap out of his daze, suddenly stepping in front of Li Hao, his face contorted with Anger: "Even if I were..."

"Even if what?"

Li Hao paused slightly, quietly looking at Li Tiangang who was blocking his way. Just that one glance from his calm eyes suddenly extinguished all of Li Tiangang's blood and arrogance, as if a cold water had been poured over his head.

He stood there, stunned, and suddenly realized that things were not two years ago.

Even if he had crippled Li Hao back then, he could have tied him up and taken him back, but he couldn't now.

He was momentarily stunned, but quickly recovered and gritted his teeth, saying, "I am now demanding of you as the Gong-rank Noble that you not leave. You must stay in Qingzhou City!"

Li Hao glanced at him indifferently and said, "Speaking of which, this reminds me of something. If I remember correctly, His Majesty also granted me the title of Duke after I quelled the rebellion in Liang Prefecture. You are Gong-rank Noble, and so am I. You are of the second rank, and I am of the third rank. Although I am one rank lower than you, we are both Gong-rank Noble, and you have no right to order me around."

"Furthermore, please return His Li Family's bestowal of titles and edicts to me. I will report this to His Majesty later. From now on, I have no connection with the Li Family. If there are any further bestowals or edicts, please send them directly to my territory."

When he was fourteen and guarding Cangyu City, he was crowned Bo-rank Noble and granted a fiefdom. He never went to see it, but it didn't matter, the Fief was still there.

Upon hearing Li Hao's words, Li Tiangang trembled even more violently. Gong-rank Noble not even sixteen years old—the only one of its kind in the entire Great Yu Dynasty —he was bewildered. What had he done wrong? Why had he come to this?

As Li Hao spoke, he walked straight past Li Tiangang and came to Song Yufeng and the others to reminisce and exchange pleasantries.

Song Yufeng overheard all of this and could only sigh with regret in his heart. He avoided mentioning these things when he reminisced with Li Hao.

After a brief chat, they agreed to meet again that evening.

Li Hao looked at Song Qiumo. This woman stood in the air like Autumn Water, clear and distant, carrying an unapproachable chill, but her eyes were like the softest water, gazing at Li Hao.

The two looked at each other, as if a thousand words were contained in that single glance.

They both smiled.

Upon returning to Qingzhou City, while the Li Family ordered their soldiers to collect the Demon corpses on the city walls, Li Hao and Song Qiumo walked together through the city.

Behind them, the young man who had taken the form of the Candlelight God silently followed.

Evening Primrose has returned to Li Hao's wrist. Once Old Master Li Muxiu's injuries have stabilized, he can slowly heal on his own with the Li Family's Divine Medicine, and there is no need for her to continue treatment.

"I see..."

As Song Qiumo and Li Hao walked and talked, Song Qiumo naturally inquired about Li Hao's death when she accompanied Li Hao on a revisit to this old place.

Only then did Li Hao realize that the Li Family had already held a funeral for him, and everyone thought he was dead.

He smiled slightly, thinking it was for the best. The child was indeed dead, buried forever in that Abyss, so the funeral wasn't a waste.

When Song Qiumo learned that Li Hao had narrowly escaped death from the Demon Sage's clutches, although Li Hao hadn't elaborated, she understood that Li Hao had encountered unimaginable danger. No wonder the Li Family had assumed Li Hao was dead.

She sighed inwardly, unable to imagine what Li Hao had gone through during this time.

"You're so much better than me now."

Song Qiumo said with a smile.

Li Hao smiled and said, "Cultivation is only useful when slaying demons. Rather than praising my cultivation, I'd rather you praise my paintings."

Song Qiumo blinked slightly and couldn't help but laugh.

This boy remained as eccentric and unconventional as ever.

"Uncle Liu!"

Li Hao suddenly called out and waved towards a small shop on the street.

The shopkeeper opened a small door and peeked out, seemingly unsure whether the Demon had been completely eradicated.

Hearing Li Hao's shout, the middle-aged couple inside the door paused, looking at Li Hao with a puzzled expression.

"Make me two servings of Cotton Jade Crisps," Li Hao said with a smile.

The middle-aged couple were taken aback and looked at Li Hao with some uncertainty, but considering the news from the Li Family, they ultimately did not dare to ask. Apart from that young master, all the young men and women who came to eat their food nearby also called him that.

"I'm not setting up my stall today."

"That's what the middle-aged man said."

Upon hearing this, Li Hao said with some disappointment, "Alright then."

Song Qiumo's eyes flickered slightly, but she said nothing.

But the middle-aged couple seemed to have suddenly heard something, their bodies tensed up, their eyes became somewhat flustered, and they glanced at Li Hao, looking somewhat timid.

"Well, it's not that we can't do it, please wait a moment."

The middle-aged man Uncle Liu, quickly said something, and then swiftly retreated back into his home.

His wife smiled apologetically at Li Hao and said, "Yes, yes, it'll be ready soon, almost done."

Seeing this, Li Hao smiled and nodded, "Thank you very much then."

The couple immediately retreated back into the house to get busy. They hadn't planned to set up a stall today, nor had they prepared the dough in advance; everything had to be made from scratch.

Li Hao looked at Song Qiumo beside him and sighed, "Uncle Liu is a very good person, don't scare them."

Song Qiumo looked completely innocent. "What?"

Seeing her like this, Li Hao smiled helplessly. Although the fluctuations in her voice transmission were subtle, they couldn't hide them from him now.

The two immediately stood at the entrance of the small shop, waiting quietly.

Before long, several portions of the Cotton Jade Crisps were ready.

Li Hao took one and handed one to Song Qiumo, one to the Candlelight God, and one to Evening Primrose:

"You should try it too, it's Mortal World delicacy."

Curious, Evening Primrose curled up her Chi Xu and crawled into the crispy, oil-paper-wrapped pastry to eat.

"Mmm, so crispy and fragrant! Is this what you Human Race eat?"

Evening Primrose immediately let out a pleasant and comfortable sound, along with the crunching sound of eating.

"Eat more if you like it."

Li Hao smiled and said to Uncle Liu, "Could we have a few more servings?"

The middle-aged couple nodded quickly and continued doing so.

After picking up a bag containing four or five portions, Li Hao followed Song Qiumo and continued to stroll leisurely along the old street, eating as they walked.

"This tastes really good."

"That's right. Back then, I couldn't buy Qingzhi type of herb), so Uncle Liu moved his stall to the foot of the Tan Palace Academy Mountain. That's why I Past and attended school there as well."

"... You're really something."

Song Qiumo was speechless. Who would have thought that the Tan Palace Academy could receive such an outstanding disciple because of the charm of an ordinary small merchant?

When they arrived at the Cloud Glow Pavilion, Li Hao, familiar with the place, easily booked a private room on the top floor with the proprietress.

He then instructed Cloud Glow Pavilion to send out Invitation in his name to various locations.

As night fell, the corpses of Demon piled up like mountains outside the city, but soldiers were clearing them away. Inside the city, notices were posted, and Li Family warriors were spreading the word along the way that the Demon outside the city had been eliminated and Qingzhou City was safe!

The announcements continued from afternoon until evening, and at night, the city was once again ablaze with lights.

Many daring individuals took the lead in wandering around the streets, attracting more people to come out of their homes, and the streets gradually became bustling again.

Restaurant, teahouses, and other similar establishments quickly reopened, and those with a little money flocked to these bustling places to gather, chat, and gather information.

Those without money would gather in alleys and courtyards to cool off, chatting in small groups about what they had heard that day, occasionally using palm-leaf fans to swat away the mosquitoes that were biting them.

And everyone was talking about nothing but the city-wide cry, the sheer size of the Demon, and the names that had been circulated during the slaying of those Demon Kings.

"Have you heard? That Demon called out to Haotian! Do you know who Haotian is? That's right, he's the one from Liang Prefecture, the General Star single-handedly quelled the Demon Calamity that plagued the entire Liang Prefecture!"

"Truly, Heaven blesses our Great Yu! General Star has descended to earth, appearing out of nowhere. It's a pity I never got to see his true form."

"He should be sixteen years old now, to be granted Gong-rank Noble and Dutong General. Tsk tsk, this reputation has probably never been surpassed in the past few centuries!"

"Is that General Haotian from the Li Family?"

"General Haotian is General Haotian, the one from the Li Family. Isn't he already dead?"

"That's right. The Li Family held a funeral not long ago. Although it was a low-key affair, I personally saw a white sign hanging at the Li Manor when I passed by."

"Is that so? It seems I remembered wrong. It's a pity that the Li Family's Heavenly Prodigy is also an exceptional individual."

"Aren't they the same person? Did the Li Family just make a mistake?"

"Are you kidding? Would the Divine General Residence make a mistake?"

"But I've never heard of General Haotian's background..."

The topic was being discussed everywhere in the streets and taverns. Some of the older folks could still remember some things, but most of the younger generation only had a fragmented understanding of these celebrities. They had their own chores to do every day and didn't have the time to pay attention to them every day. As a result, the information was all mixed up, and gradually, when they talked about General Haotian, they also talked about Liang Prefecture.

They gradually mentioned the Li Family less and less.

Inside the Cloud Glow Pavilion, Li Hao sat quietly waiting for his old friend, who had received the Invitation, to arrive. He had amazing hearing and naturally heard the many discussions around him, but now, many people seemed to have truly forgotten his former surname.

The river of time seems to bury everything and smooth everything out.

Li Hao poured himself a drink, gazing at the myriad lights outside the window; the night was beautiful.

Meanwhile, Invitation were being sent to various courtyards of the Tan Palace Academy and the Divine General Residence. Upon receiving them, He Jianlan and the others, aside from letting out a slight sigh, had already calmed down considerably and hurried to the banquet with their Invitation.

As the people in each courtyard gradually emptied out, only the Mountains and Rivers Courtyard remained brightly lit.

At the dinner table, Li Tiangang and Ji Qingqing looked at the dishes laid out on the table, but seemed to have lost their appetite.

Both of them were lost in thought.

Upon hearing the commotion outside the courtyard, the two extended their senses and discovered that carriages were speeding out of the Divine General Residence.

The Aura emanating from those carriages belonged to He Jianlan and the other ladies of the various courtyards.

Both Li Tiangang and Ji Qingqing looked rather grim, glancing occasionally at the courtyard gate, but no one came in or announced their arrival.

Apart from Wang Xiangru from Flying Cloud Courtyard, all the other academies have received Invitation, and now, only they haven't received theirs yet.

The child clearly hadn't intended to invite them.

At the doorway, Steward Zhao stood hunched over, watching the frequent glances cast from inside the hall towards the outside. His eyes were filled with sadness, and he sighed deeply in his heart.

If only I had known this would happen... He lowered his head, staring at his toes, noticing that his shoes were rather worn.

The cool moonlight shifted, and the night grew even quieter.

The sounds of carriages and horses outside the courtyard had all ceased, clearly indicating that all those who needed to be invited had been invited, and the banquet had probably already begun.

Li Tiangang's face turned ugly. He picked up his chopsticks and frantically shoveled food into the bowl in front of him, saying:

"Eat up, don't wait anymore. Everyone else is gone. After you finish eating, go check on the situation with the Demon outside the city. I'm going to visit our ancestors and also deal with the situation in the other cities. We can't fall!"

Ji Qingqing stared blankly at the food, seemingly lost in thought, without touching it.

Li Tiangang took a couple of bites, but couldn't eat anymore. He slammed his bowl and chopsticks down on the table and gritted his teeth, saying:

"He severed his Bloodline, but little did he know that without the changes brought about by the collision of our Bloodline, his talent would be greatly diminished. Although he is very strong now, this decision will prevent him from ever Dao Hearing enlightenment again. Even if he is fortunate enough to Dao Hearing, he will have reached his limit!"

"He possessed the potential to become Sainthood-Seeking, a Saint Realm that leads to eternal glory. He squandered his exceptional talent; he was so lacking in self-respect!"

Ji Qingqing's eyes trembled slightly, then dimmed. "Even so, he's still outstanding enough, and it's because of us that he..."

Upon hearing this, Li Tiangang's face twitched; he was well aware of this as well.

But the grief and anger in my heart had nowhere to be vented.

"He went too far; he'll regret it sooner or later!"

He clenched his fist and said this, then got up and left the hall.

Night quietly crept up the treetops.

The moon was perfectly round.

Inside the Cloud Glow Pavilion, Li Hao drank with everyone, and laughter filled the air.

He Jianlan, Li Muxiu, and the others who arrived here had given up on trying to persuade Li Hao and simply ate and drank together.

As their conversation became increasingly pleasant and intimate, she couldn't help but want to offer a few words of advice, but before she could even begin, Li Hao interrupted her with a smile.

Clearly, it will take some time for everyone to adjust to the fact that Li Hao has completely severed ties with the Divine General Residence.

During the banquet, the disciples of the Tan Palace Academy came to Li Hao and took turns toasting and thanking him. Li Hao noticed that the Two Princes were no longer there. Upon asking, he learned that they had already completed their advanced studies and had been taken back to the Imperial Capital.

Clearly, just as everyone suspected, the two princes came to the Tan Palace Academy to build connections and accumulate capital.

Li Hao still remembered the prince who had shown him off with a fondness for poetry, and he felt a little regretful that he hadn't seen him this time.

The gathering continued late into the night, filled with laughter and conversation.

Li Hao also found an inn to rest for the time being.

The next day.

Having finally gotten a good night's sleep, Li Hao felt refreshed. Last night, during the banquet, he heard Li Muxiu say that the Li Family had sent people with his Battle Flag and the heads of those Demon Kings, carried by elite light cavalry, to reinforce various cities in Qing Prefecture.

The rest of the army then rushed to the scene.

Without the pressure of Demon Qingzhou City, the large number of troops that had retreated into Qingzhou City could now launch a full-scale attack and head to the battlefield.

Those members of the Li Family Bloodline who returned through the Ancestral Blood Summons also rushed to various battlefields to join the Li Family army in their expeditions to recover the lost territory of Qing Prefecture.

Li Hao shook his head. He had drunk too much last night and hadn't consciously used his body to neutralize the alcohol, so he felt a little dizzy.

But he quickly regained consciousness.

With increased strength, it seems one is less prone to getting drunk.

Unless, it is a specially made type of fermented rice wine.