Hao Zhongli

An hour later.

In the Li Family's main courtyard, more than two hundred Li Family elites stood astride with sabers at their waists.

Even the weakest among them had reached Body Tempering Minor Accomplishment.

Standing at the very front were the Li Family's six great Elders.

Several hundred people stood together in silent wait, so quiet one could hear a pin drop.

The atmosphere was exceptionally grim and murderous.

A few breaths later.

A figure clad in a green robe appeared upon the central High Platform at some unknown moment.

At the sight of that figure, reverence and fervor filled everyone's faces!

"We greet the Family Patriarch."

Li Xinge looked down upon the numerous elites of his Lineage.

A surge of heroic spirit rose within him.

He shouted, "My clansmen, I will not waste words. On this journey, we will annihilate the Mangshan Su Clan and wash away our Li Family's century-old hatred!"

The clansmen seemed as though they had been injected with chicken blood.

They brandished their weapons and roared:

"Kill!"

"Kill!"

"Kill!"

The battle cries soared into the heavens and echoed throughout Green Maple Valley. The birds in the valley were startled into flight, circling in midair for a long while, too afraid to return to their nests.

Over the past century, conflict between the Li and Su Families had never ceased.

Neither knew how much of the other's clansmen's blood stained their hands. This hatred had long since been carved into their bones.

Now, the time had finally come to settle it.

More than two hundred Li Family elites set off toward Mangshan at full speed without the slightest attempt at concealment.

Upon witnessing this, the informants of countless forces sucked in cold breaths and raced back without stopping to deliver the news to the factions behind them.

Dongjiang Zheng Clan. Zheng Lingjun, the Zheng Family Patriarch, had just received the news. With a look of amazement, he said, "As expected of a young man. He has courage!"

The Zheng Family Elder beside him, however, spoke with clear disdain.

"Young people are hot-blooded and impetuous, too hasty. That one from the Su Family is still alive. He has accumulated over twenty years in the Qi and Blood Realm and is only one step away from Qi and Blood Minor Accomplishment. Li Xinge has only just broken through; he may not necessarily be that man's match."

His words won the agreement of the Zheng Family's Elders.

Yet Zheng Lingjun shook his head. "I do not see it that way. This Young Patriarch is no simple man."

Seeing their Family Patriarch regard Li Xinge so highly, the Zheng Family Elders were all somewhat puzzled.

Unfortunately, Zheng Lingjun offered no explanation.

He recalled what his Old Ancestor had said that day.

He believed Li Xinge was the person of great fortune his Old Ancestor had spoken of.

He had already made his decision.

If the Li Family won, he would go with the flow and befriend them.

If the Li Family lost, that would be even better. He could intervene to save Li Xinge and gain the friendship of a future powerhouse.

As for the Su Family—

Heh. A Lineage caught between generations, with only one aged Qi and Blood Realm Cultivator—what could it possibly do to the Zheng Family?

As the saying went, bully the old, not the young.

Zheng Lingjun had applied those words to perfection.

At that thought, Zheng Lingjun could not help but laugh. "Gentlemen, are any of you interested in accompanying me to Mangshan to watch the battle?"

Naturally, no one refused.

After all, today, the Qi and Blood Realm Cultivators of the Li and Su Families were bound to engage in a life-and-death battle.

Watching a great battle between such experts would also benefit their cultivation.

The county yamen.

County Magistrate Gu Zhitíng, who had been enjoying songs and dances, heard the news that the two Families had gone to war.

He sighed somewhat helplessly. "What troubled times."

Then he cast the matter out of his mind. "Close the gates. Keep the music playing, keep the dancing going!"

The yamen gates slowly closed.

Inside, singing and dancing continued in an age of peace and prosperity.

Baibo Song Clan.

The Song Family Patriarch raised his head and gazed up at the sky.

He murmured, "Perhaps this is an opportunity for my Song Family."

For a time.

Baihe County was swept by gathering winds and impending rain.

Elsewhere.

The Li Family's forces were rushing toward Mangshan.

"Family Patriarch, there is a group ahead blocking our path. They wish to meet with you."

A Li Family elite scouting ahead spoke respectfully.

"Who are they?"

"Reporting to the Family Patriarch, they are from the Hao Family."

"The Hao Family?"

Li Xinge's brows furrowed slightly.

He quickly recalled exactly what sort of faction the Hao Family was.

The Hao Family, along with the already-destroyed Jin Family and Great Saber Sect, had all been subsidiary forces of the Li Family.

However, after Li Xuanfeng's death and the Li Family's decline, the Jin Family and Great Saber Sect had chosen to rebel without hesitation, joining forces with the Zhang and Zou Families.

The Hao Family lacked such courage—or perhaps they were simply more cautious. They had merely stopped paying tribute to the Li Family and chosen to wait and see.

Even so...

This was something Li Xinge could not tolerate. He had long wanted to settle accounts with the Hao Family after autumn, but simply had not found the time.

He looked at the Great Elder beside him and sneered. "I had not even gone looking for trouble with the Hao Family, yet they have delivered themselves right to my door. Bring the Hao Family Patriarch to see me. I would like to see what medicine they are selling in their gourd!"

A moment later.

A middle-aged man of roughly thirty or forty came running over in small steps, carrying a box in one hand, led by a Li Family elite.

"You are the Hao Family Patriarch?"

Seated atop his horse, Li Xinge looked down coldly at the middle-aged man before him.

Thin of frame and dark of complexion, he did not look like the head of a Family at all. He looked more like an old farmer from the countryside.

This left Li Xinge somewhat puzzled.

The Hao Family Patriarch in his memories should have been a fair-skinned, plump, prosperous-looking middle-aged man.

"Greetings, Sect Master. In reply to Sect Master, this subordinate is Hao Ergou, the Hao Family's new Patriarch."

The middle-aged man answered with utmost respect.

"Pfft..."

Upon hearing the Hao Family Patriarch's name, everyone could not help laughing.

But when they saw Li Xinge's icy gaze, they hastily restrained the smiles on their faces.

"Sect Master? Heh, I cannot bear such a title. Also, you are the Hao Family's new Patriarch. What happened to the previous Hao Family Patriarch?"

"Here!"

Hao Ergou pointed at the box in his hand, then opened it. Inside was a bloodless, incomparably ferocious human head.

Its eyes were wide open, and disbelief filled its gray-white pupils.

"Hao Cheng colluded with outsiders and intended to betray the main Family. This subordinate has already enforced the family law!"

Li Xinge's pupils contracted slightly.

"What is your relationship with Hao Cheng?"

"He was my half-brother from the same father."

When Hao Ergou said this, his face remained utterly calm, as though the head in his hand belonged to a stranger.

Li Xinge nodded thoughtfully.

"Why have you blocked the Li Family's path?"

Hao Ergou replied respectfully, "I brought the sinner's head to beg Sect Master's forgiveness. On the way, I heard that Sect Master intended to march against the Mangshan Su Clan, so I specially gathered the Family's elites to die in service to Sect Master."

Li Xinge stared deeply at Hao Ergou, then suddenly laughed.

"What a Hao Ergou. This Sect Master shall let the Hao Family's affairs pass, but there will be no next time. If you offend again, the Hao Family will be exterminated!"

Hearing this and feeling a chill run down his back, Hao Ergou let out a long breath. The stone hanging over his heart had finally fallen.

Over this period, the Hao Family had suffered torment like ants on a hot pan.

The miserable fates of the Jin Family and Great Saber Sect remained vividly before their eyes.

Though the Hao Family had not rebelled, how could they know whether the Li Family would not hold their past actions against them?

"Hao Ergou swears to heaven that for generation after generation, the Hao Family shall be the Li Family's hawks and hounds. Should we ever waver, heaven itself shall destroy us!"

Hao Ergou dropped to one knee and pointed to the heavens as he swore.

In this world where the Heavenly Dao manifested.

To swear to heaven meant that if one broke the oath, the consequences would be grave.

At that moment, Li Xinge could not help but feel moved.

He gave Hao Ergou a meaningful look.

Then he slowly said, "Hao Ergou is not a pleasant name. From this day onward, you shall be called Hao Zhongli."

Hao Ergou—no, Hao Zhongli—abruptly raised his head.

Then he knelt heavily again. "Hao Zhongli thanks the Family Patriarch for bestowing this name!"

Beneath an unseen shadow, Hao Zhongli's eyes gradually grew moist.