Dividing the Spoils
"Hahaha, it's been a long time. I was just thinking of going into the cave to see if there was any danger inside," the Great Elder said, pulling Qin Yiyi back with his black sword. He didn't sit down, his entire body tense, ready to fight at any moment.
It's like a wolf encountering a tiger.
The visitors outside the cave didn't look at him; they simply sat by the campfire, warming their hands against the flames.
This middle-aged man had long, slender hands with distinct knuckles, as if carved by a knife or axe. For some reason, looking at his hands evoked a sense of heroic spirit.
The remaining two guests did not sit down, but stood silently behind him.
The atmosphere inside the cave was eerie. Some people's eyes lit up when they saw him, some were inexplicably excited, and others looked on with worship.
"Why do you run away the first thing you do when you see an old friend?" the middle-aged man laughed. "Old man, that's not how you warmly welcome guests around your hearth."
The Great Elder hesitated for a moment before pulling Qin Yiyi down to sit. "Our Huotang's hospitality is for our friends. Li Shutong, you are not a friend of our Huotang. Our Huotang will never let you get away with this."
The name "Li Shutong" is like a thunderclap, no matter where in the Federation it is uttered, and can arouse the interest of countless people in idle chatter.
This legendary figure was the focus of City No. 18 from a young age...
In those years, Li Shutong was the most beloved youngest son of Li Xiurui, the Head of the Li Clan. Many people said that the position of head of the Li family in this generation might not go to the eldest son, but to Li Shutong.
People's impression of conglomerates is that they are serious, harsh, and cold-hearted.
However, right in this secluded mansion, a chivalrous young man who loved to wield a sword and sing songs emerged. He did not take over any of the Li family's power, but instead left the Federation.
He once ventured alone into Forbidden Zone 001 and lived there for thirty days, eventually emerging alive.
He once single-handedly hunted down an organ trafficking organization for thousands of miles for a little girl who was killed by it, killing 617 people in 7 days.
Of course, this is only the tip of the iceberg in Li Shutong's life.
For a while, any news even remotely related to Li Shutong could make the front page of the entertainment section of Hope Media. Despite not being a celebrity, he lived like one.
During that period, in the high society of City No. 18, if any banquet could invite Li Shutong, countless people would scramble to get in.
However, none of this could overshadow the title "demigod" in terms of Li Shutong's reputation.
There are only a handful of demigods in the entire Federation, and whenever they are mentioned, they are always the most dazzling words in all topics.
Under normal circumstances, demigods will not meet or fight each other, since battles of this level involve too many interests.
Most demigods are created by conglomerates and families using their resources, with only a few exceptions. This is also why organizations like the Knights are so prestigious: they don't need conglomerates.
Therefore, demigods, who are created by their family's resources, no longer belong to themselves. They are the core strategic weapons within the conglomerate, used to intimidate all sides.
Demigods rarely make a move; this is an unspoken rule within the Federation.
But when Li Shutong was young, he went to challenge Chen Chuanzhi, the demigod who lived in seclusion outside City No. 7.
The two went to the uninhabited Mingzhou Island and fought a demigod battle that had not occurred in hundreds of years.
No one has ever actually witnessed the two demigods fighting.
It is said that the Chen family member was a great drinker, but after the battle of the demigods, Chen Chuanzhi gave up drinking.
Some say that after the battle of the demigods, Chen Chuanzhi promised Li Shutong that he would never set foot in the Central Plains again.
Regardless of the rumors circulating outside, Mr. Chen has never come out to explain.
None of the major intelligence agencies, including Hu Corporation Intelligence Agency, Secret Intelligence Department, The Blade Wielder, Red Sparrow, Orochi, and Lone Island, have recorded this battle.
However, Chen Chuanzhi never drank a drop of wine again, nor did he ever enter the Central Plains again.
At this very moment, such a legendary figure appeared in the wilderness, and even a little girl like April, who was in the Tribunal of Taboos, looked at him with admiration.
Only the Great Elder wore a bitter expression. "What are you doing here?!"
Li Shutong laughed and said, "Old barbarian, we haven't seen each other for so many years, why are you talking like that? Back in the Great Snowy Mountain Holy Land, we spent quite a while together, haven't you forgotten how we drank and laughed together?"
It would have been better if we hadn't brought it up, because the Great Elder got even angrier once it was mentioned.
That year, he was having a nice meal by the fire pit when Li Shutong, who was rated A, stormed into the fire pit and forced him to become a guide in the snow mountain.
Moreover, no one knows what serious illness this guy has that makes him insist on climbing the sacred mountain by the fire pit!
In the end, the Great Elder had no choice but to lead Li Shutong to climb the mountain. He thought it would only be a matter of a day or two, but Li Shutong ended up staying on the mountainside for more than a month, and only continued to climb to the summit after he had adapted to the high-altitude climate.
The moment they reached the summit, the Great Elder suddenly felt that Li Shutong's aura had weakened, and he seemed like an ordinary person.
He wanted to make a move against Li Shutong, but he was intimidated by Li Shutong's ambiguous smile.
Then Li Shutong used a snowboard to ski down the north slope of the cliff and disappeared without a trace.
At that time, the Great Elder always felt something was strange. That day might have been when Li Shutong was at his weakest. If he had made a move then, he could have gotten his revenge!
But the Great Elder had been warned by Li Shutong for over a month, and even though he guessed that the other side had weakened, he dared not make a move, nor did he dare to ask...
There was nothing they could do but watch as their opponent leaped off the summit of the sacred mountain and vanished...
Later, whenever the Great Elder thought about this matter, he felt that he had missed the most important thing in his life.
From then on, I'm afraid I'll never be able to get revenge.
After that leap, the world lost an A-level expert and gained a demigod.
Looking back now, the Great Elder realized that he and Li Shutong were not enjoying each other's company at all. Instead, he was the one who carried grain and wine for Li Shutong like a laborer, and he had to stand by and smile and pour wine for Li Shutong while Li Shutong drank!
You call this "enjoying drinks and chatting happily"?!
Aren't you knights shameless?!
Thinking of this, the Great Elder was furious. "What bad luck! What bad luck! What bad luck! What bad luck! I told you not to come, but you insisted on coming!"
Li Shutong comforted him, saying, "Don't worry, we'll get along peacefully this time. I've cultivated my mind and character these past few years, and I'm different from before."
That sentence almost meant "I won't beat you up again this time."
At this moment, Qin Yiyi suddenly called out with a smile, "Uncle, it's been a long time!"
The Great Elder, looking wary, pulled Qin Yiyi: "Stay away from him! He's no good! You wouldn't be wrong to say that Li Shutong is one of the worst people in the world!"
However, Qin Yiyi didn't care at all. "Uncle, it's me, Yiyi. I came here specifically to save Qing Chen."
Li Shutong smiled as he looked at the little girl who had once shared apples with him, "I heard before that you went to the Fire Pit alone, but I didn't expect that you would actually receive the inheritance and become a rare Goddess in the Fire Pit. The speed at which your strength and realm have improved is almost faster than Qing Chen's. The Fire Pit has taken good care of you."
With that, Li Shutong turned to the Great Elder and said, "Thank you."
The Great Elder immediately became agitated. "What do you mean? What's the meaning of thanking me? This is the Goddess of my hearth, why are you thanking me? It's as if we're nurturing her for you. Don't even think about stealing her away, no way!"
Li Shutong smiled but remained silent.
The Great Elder was immediately in a bad mood!
Li Shutong turned around and said, "Ye Wan, Xiao Xiao, you two come and sit down too, we're all friends."
Just then, a weak voice came from the corner. "Uncle Qi... no, Master. I am Li Ke, my father is Li Yunshou, and my master is Qing Chen."
Li Shutong slowly turned his gaze...
He had been away from the Li family for so long that he didn't recognize these younger members at all.
But he knew Li Ke was telling the truth, because Li Yunjing was also there.
Li Yunjing stood up and bowed respectfully. "Seventh Brother."
At this time, he was already a registered member of the Li Clan Ancestral Hall, ranking after Li Shutong, so he should be called Seventh Brother.
Li Shutong nodded calmly. "You've worked hard these past years. I heard you had the upper hand in the battle against the gods a few days ago. Congratulations."
Li Yunjing slowly sat down. He was a quiet person by nature and didn't like to talk.
Unlike Li Ke, Li Yunjing was older and had personally experienced the era that belonged to Li Shutong, so he knew better what a brilliant person this seventh brother was.
Li Shutong looked at Li Ke and carefully examined him. He did indeed resemble his elder brother Li Yunshou.
But then he frowned again. Qing Chen had become Li Ke's master, and was now on the same level as his elder brother, Li Yunshou.
Now my nephew wants to call me "Master Advisor"? What kind of nonsense is this?!
Everything's in chaos!
What exactly is Qing Chen doing?!
However, now that they have become knights, they have left the family and must follow the knightly hierarchy.
Therefore, this Li Ke is his grand-disciple.
"My grand-disciple..." Li Shutong murmured.
He had no children of his own, but treated Qing Chen like his own son, and in his feelings, he regarded himself as a father figure.
Seeing Qing Chen's apprentice now is like a middle-aged or elderly person suddenly holding their grandson...
Li Shutong suddenly turned to Ye Wan and said, "Ye Wan, take out the three Forbidden Item we found on the way and let Xiao Ke choose one to see which one he likes."
"Huh?" Li Ke was stunned. The advisor was being too polite. Why was he giving Forbidden Item as soon as they met?
What is Forbidden Item? It's something that all superhumans dream of. Haven't you seen Li Dongze with a Forbidden Item that can read the weather forecast? He takes it out every day and looks at it whenever he has a chance?
At this moment, Li Shutong suddenly felt a surge of emotions.
I used to find those old men in Forbidden Zone No. 002 the most annoying. They were always showing affection to their grandparents and urging me to stop wasting my time and start taking on apprentices.
Any Forbidden Item were given directly to Qing Chen, not to himself.
And now, I've become the very thing I used to hate the most.
But then again, the bond between grandparents and grandchildren is truly wonderful; he finds Li Ke lovable no matter how he looks at him now!
The Great Elder muttered under his breath, "They say 'found'? They clearly stole it! Look, this is a scene of knights dividing up the spoils. I knew they weren't good people... By the way, does my Yiyi have any Forbidden Item she can choose from?"
Qin Yiyi glared angrily at the Great Elder: "What are you doing?"
The Great Elder said, "Why not take advantage of this opportunity? Consider it revenge for the Great Elder! Quickly, go ask him for it!"
There will be another chapter at 11 PM.