Secret News

Did the Gale-Rending Formation-Breaking Spear come from the Chen Kingdom's army, or was it a secret spear art?

Li Yi was instantly stunned by what Li Erniu had said.

Having spent so long in the Chen Kingdom's army, he knew very well that the cultivation manuals circulating within the ranks were all commonplace goods. The truly fine ones could only be obtained by meeting extremely demanding requirements.

Yet the technique Li Erniu had casually given him was actually a secret inheritance!

Seeing the shock on Li Yi's face, Li Erniu sighed and continued, "You should know that I have an elder brother."

Li Yi nodded. He remembered Li Erniu's older brother. It was just that many years ago, his brother had left Blackstone Town, and there had been no news of him ever since.

"After my brother left Blackstone Town, he enlisted in the army. Through countless battles, he charged ahead in triumph all the way and became a general."

A general?

After rendering such great merit himself, Li Yi was only a company commander. What had Li Erniu's brother gone through to become a general?

But Li Erniu was already breathing weakly, hanging by a thread. Li Yi said nothing more and waited for him to continue explaining.

"This spear art was exchanged by my brother with his military merits after he became a general. He intended to make it an inherited martial art of the Li family, so you needn't worry about the army holding you accountable for secretly learning it."

The Chen Kingdom followed a military merit system. Military merits could be exchanged for many things. The [Wind-Breaking Breathing Technique] Li Yi had obtained was the same—a powerful breathing technique that could be passed on to others to cultivate one's own trusted followers.

"Since your brother became a general, then why are you...?"

Li Yi's gaze traveled over Li Erniu's body.

If Li Erniu had not been impotent and riddled with illness, he would not have needed to ask Li Yi to sire a child for him, letting him take Liu Fang's first time.

Li Erniu understood exactly what Li Yi meant.

"My brother was an upright man. He accidentally offended one of the Chen Kingdom's great aristocratic clans and was ultimately framed, stripped of his post, and thrown into prison."

"And I was dragged into it because of that. I was beaten so badly that my manhood was ruined, leaving me unable to perform as a man."

The great aristocratic clans were mountains looming over the Chen Kingdom.

Their power was immense and their roots ran deep, beyond what ordinary people could imagine.

There had even once been a Chen Kingdom emperor who wanted to marry a direct daughter of an aristocratic clan to his own son, only to be refused by that clan.

The rebel Cao Li they had captured earlier had also dared to openly threaten General Guan even with irrefutable evidence against him, precisely because he came from a great aristocratic family.

That was because the Cao Family he came from was one of the Chen Kingdom's seven most powerful great clans.

After hearing Li Erniu's words, Li Yi fell silent for a moment before asking, "May I ask which clan it was?"

Li Erniu looked at Li Yi, his gaze roaming over Li Yi's increasingly robust body. After pondering for a moment, he finally said in a low voice, "It was the Cao Family!"

The Cao Family?

The Cao Family again?

Hearing that name, Li Yi froze. He had not expected that after just getting rid of Cao Li and the Revenue Officer, the Cao Family would appear again.

It seemed he truly clashed with the Cao Family!

He had first killed Cao Li and the other man, then cultivated the [Gale-Rending Formation-Breaking Spear], taking on the karma of Li Erniu's elder brother. It seemed the Cao Family would surely never let him go.

Thinking of the Cao Family looming over the imperial court, Li Yi felt not the slightest fear. Instead, a trace of excitement rose within him.

The Cao Family could make a move against him—but could he not step on the Cao Family's corpses and climb higher, one step at a time?

Thoughts churned through Li Yi's mind as he raised his eyes to Li Erniu.

"Rest easy, Brother Erniu. I'll take care of Liu Fang for the rest of her life. In the future, I'll also adopt a son into your line to carry on your family incense."

Li Yi's words made Li Erniu's face flush red. He struggled to sit up, wanting to thank Li Yi.

Ever since his manhood had been ruined and he could no longer continue the family line, it had remained a wound in Li Erniu's heart. Now that he had received Li Yi's promise, joy surged through him, and even his complexion improved considerably.

Supporting Li Erniu, Li Yi did not stop.

"The [Gale-Rending Formation-Breaking Spear] has saved me from danger many times, and you have also given me much money and many weapons. I have always remembered this debt of gratitude."

"One day, when I have the ability, I will surely destroy the Cao Family and avenge you two brothers!"

"Li Yi, I knew I hadn't judged you wrong!"

Li Erniu tightly gripped Li Yi's arm, his face flushing ever redder.

"With your promise, even if I die, I can rest in peace!"

Before his words had even faded, Li Yi felt the grip on his arm loosen. Looking up, he saw that Li Erniu had already fallen back onto the bed, dead.

"Brother Erniu!"

Li Yi cried out, remembering how Li Erniu had cared for him in ordinary days.

Hearing Li Yi's shout, several people outside hurriedly rushed into the room.

Seeing Li Erniu already dead, they were overcome with grief. Liu Fang, in particular, sobbed so hard she could barely catch her breath.

"Little sister, what's wrong?"

All of a sudden, Liu Ru cried out in panic and tightly embraced Liu Fang.

Overwhelmed by crushing grief, Liu Fang actually cried herself unconscious!

For a moment, the house was thrown into chaos. Fortunately, Li Yi remained composed. He hurriedly arranged for Liu Ru to care for Liu Fang, then sent Dog Egg to fetch a physician for her.

He himself took Li Xin and busied himself arranging Li Erniu's funeral.

Li Erniu had land and fields, as well as some savings, on top of the rewards Li Yi had received.

Li Yi made the funeral a grand affair.

Beside the coffin, Li Yi looked at the many elders of the Li family, his expression solemn.

"Brother Erniu's property belongs to Brother Erniu's family alone. If anyone here dares entertain crooked thoughts, don't blame me for showing no mercy!"

Before his words had even faded, Li Yi grabbed several iron arrows and snapped them apart with his bare hands, tossing the broken pieces before the crowd.

The reason Li Erniu had been so eager for Li Yi to become a helper husband was because some members of the clan wanted to swallow up his entire household and seize his family's land and possessions.

Iron arrows that ordinary people could not even bend one of were snapped apart several at once by Li Yi. The sheer shock made the Li family elders present wave their hands repeatedly and hurriedly claim they would never dare.

And after learning that Li Yi had already become a garrison chief, some people pressed down their crooked thoughts even further.

Qing Kingdom and Chen Kingdom were currently locked in confrontation and at war, while Blackstone Town had only recently repelled a wave of Qing Kingdom's invasion.

With the situation so tense, everything concerning Li Erniu's funeral was handled as quickly as possible. In just two days, it was completely finished.

That night, Li Yi returned home.

Over the past two days, Liu Fang had only shown herself once before staying at Li Yi's home to recuperate.

Looking at Liu Fang resting in bed, Li Yi asked quietly:

"What did the physician say?"

Liu Ru rolled her eyes at Li Yi, but the joy between her brows could not be suppressed.

"After taking her pulse, the doctor said it was a joyous pulse!"

"My little sister... she's pregnant!"

Liu Fang was pregnant?

Li Yi felt as if his mind had gone completely blank.

He was going to have a child?

Faced with something he had never experienced before, Li Yi's mind froze for a moment.

But after only a few breaths, Li Yi roared in excitement.

"Hey, keep your voice down! The doctor said she was frightened and needs to rest!"

Liu Ru rolled her eyes at Li Yi and hurriedly told him to shut up, though there was now a trace of envy in her eyes as she looked at Liu Fang.

Her husband had died early, and she herself had no children.

Though Liu Ru had stopped him quickly, Liu Fang was still awakened by the noise.

"Brother Yi, you're back!"

At the sight of Li Yi, Liu Fang's eyes brimmed with delight.

"Yes, I'm done and I'm back. You're pregnant, so don't move. Rest properly."

Li Yi raised a hand and pressed Liu Fang back down when she tried to sit up.

The moment Li Yi mentioned her pregnancy, Liu Fang's face flushed red. She covered her face with the blanket.

Before Li Yi had joined the army, he had put her through no small amount of tossing and turning. Whenever she thought of Li Yi's tricks, Liu Fang felt unbearably embarrassed. Yet the more she thought about it, the more deeply she cared for him.

At this time, Li Xin and Li Yue also entered the room.

Seeing them, Li Yi brought over his bundle and took out several pieces of jewelry.

"Brother, these are...?"

Li Xin was instantly startled by the gold-inlaid, jade-adorned jewelry.

He was no longer young and knew the family's circumstances well. Their household did not have the means to buy such ornaments. If his eyes did not deceive him, each piece cost at least ten taels of silver, perhaps even more!

These ornaments were precisely the ones Song Jie had given Li Yi when they confiscated the Cao Family's property.

"You've all worked hard at home during this time. These are gifts I brought back for you."

Li Yi gave a brief explanation, placed a jade bracelet around his younger sister Li Yue's wrist, then took out a jade pendant to give Li Xin.

But Li Xin shook his head as he looked at the valuable jade pendant.

"Brother, I don't want this jade pendant. Can I trade it for a weapon instead?"

During the time Li Yi had been away from home, Li Xin had come to deeply understand that only by possessing strength could he protect his family.

Hearing Li Xin's words, Li Yue, who had been happily admiring her jade bracelet, hurriedly removed it as well and clamored for a bow.

The sensibility of his younger brother and sister filled Li Yi's heart with joy.

Now, the Cao Family hung over their heads.

Li Xin and the other were so sensible. If carefully cultivated, they would become powerful support!

Though Han Jia had inborn divine strength, he could only serve as a vanguard general. Matters of strategy still had to be entrusted to those who knew how to use their brains!

As he thought, Li Yi pushed the jade bracelet and jade pendant back to them.

"Since I'm giving them to you, keep them. As for weapons, I have other arrangements!"

After defeating the invading Qing Kingdom army, General Guan had rewarded Li Yi with a longsword, in addition to an official post, silver, and other things.

But Li Yi's usual weapons were a bow and spear, so this longsword was just right for Li Xin.

As for Li Yue, she could use the iron bow Li Yi had discarded earlier.

The two of them had only just entered the martial path and begun practicing archery. These would be more than enough for them for a long time!

After making arrangements for his younger brother and sister, Li Yi took out a golden hairpin and inserted it into Liu Fang's hair. "Rest well these days. Don't hurt the child in your belly."

Li Yi gently caressed Liu Fang, gathering up the loose strands of her hair.

That sight made Liu Ru's heart ache, and she lowered her head slightly.

"Sister Ru, this pearl necklace suits you very well!"

Liu Ru abruptly raised her head to see Li Yi smiling as he pressed a string of pearl necklace into her hand.

Every pearl on the necklace was as large as a fingertip!

"This is too precious. I can't accept it!" Liu Ru refused again and again.

"Take it. You've worked hard these past days."

Li Yi pressed the necklace back into her hands. "Besides, we're family too."

Family?

Warmth filled Liu Ru's heart. Liu Fang also urged her along, and she silently put away the pearl necklace.