Hundreds of miles away from Cangya City in Liangzhou.
Violent tremors reverberated through the land as two beams of scarlet and cyan light clashed, their clashing powers shaking the earth. The residual heat from their battle shattered rocks and set the forest ablaze, the flames rising high.
Boom!
A cyan beam of light descended like a towering pagoda, crashing down towards Li Tiangang.
Li Tiangang's eyes flashed with a chilling divine light, and he unleashed a scorching red flame in the form of a divine blade. The overwhelming divine might rippled, clashing with a clear ring, deflecting the cyan pagoda of light.
Li Tiangang's body surged with power as he took several consecutive steps forward. His aura surged, and he roared, "All things in the world, bring forth fire!"
Miraculously, a divine fire appeared out of thin air in the void, transforming into a fire dragon that pursued the cyan figure.
The cyan figure retreated rapidly, but in a flash, it vanished right before the fire dragon's eyes.
Before Li Tiangang could react, a palm pressed against the divine armor on his chest. The explosive force sent him flying, and he crashed into a mountain peak.
Li Tiangang's blood boiled, and he struggled free from the shattered rocks. His expression was grim.
He had heard tales of Thief Saint's elusive movements, his speed so swift that even powerful masters at the Exquisite Realm struggled to track him. Indeed, his reputation was well-deserved.
"If I hadn't had to escort Hao'er to Tianmenguan, and had the time to spare, I would have taught you a lesson back when you were still at the Immortal Realm!"
Feng Boping's figure appeared, his hand raised as he once again summoned the cyan pagoda of light to suppress and entrap the fire dragon. His tone was indifferent as he spoke.
Li Tiangang, now at the Four Established Dao Heart Realm, was a true dragon of the Li family. Although his innate martial talent didn't surpass Li Junye's, he was still considered a top talent among the nine sons, an unrivaled genius outside of the Divine General Mansion.
Considering the other party's numerous contributions, Feng Boping didn't use his full strength, merely intending to teach Li Tiangang a lesson.
"Too bad you won't have that chance anymore!"
Li Tiangang's eyes turned icy, and he flicked the divine flame blade in his hand. With a roar, he took several consecutive steps forward.
This time, he took nine steps in one go, his aura peaking as he unleashed a might comparable to the Reversal of Fate Realm.
Feng Boping's expression turned cold. "Do you truly intend to go all out? Then I shall teach you a lesson on behalf of your elders!"
"You dare!" Li Tiangang bellowed, his blade slicing through the air with fury. The void seemed to burn, and the heat waves emanating from the divine blade caused the flowers and grass below to wither and burn.
Guided by Dao patterns, the blade light arrived in an instant, slashing towards Feng Boping.
However, Feng Boping's figure suddenly vanished, ignoring the lock-on of the Dao patterns, causing Li Tiangang's expression to change drastically.
Boom! The cyan light flickered, and Feng Boping reappeared behind Li Tiangang, like an elusive ghost. The Heaven and Earth Traceless Art was his own creation, and in his hands, it reached perfection. He was but a step away from entering the Exquisite Realm with this movement technique.
Feng Boping's palm struck out, aiming for Li Tiangang's back. But suddenly, a fiery light burst forth from Li Tiangang's back, as if it had eyes, forming a large Flame Hand that slapped Feng Boping's palm.
Caught off guard, Feng Boping's expression changed, and he retreated, his figure flickering and vanishing. He reappeared a few miles away.
His palm was charred black, his veins melted by the intense heat. Even as he healed, blood continued to flow from his injured hand.
The extreme fiery intent of the Great Flame Hand had seared through his palm, burning his blood and reaching his heart and lungs. It felt as if his entire body was soaking in boiling water, the pain spreading throughout his body.
"Hmph, a lifelong thief, what good is a higher realm?"
Li Tiangang saw his opponent injured and couldn't help but sneer. "I, Li Tiangang, have fought countless battles. When it comes to combat experience, how could you even begin to imagine it!"
Feng Boping glanced at his blackened palm before turning his gaze back to Li Tiangang. "Then let's try again."
His robes fluttered as his body suddenly vanished.
Li Tiangang's pupils contracted as he scanned his surroundings, but he couldn't detect the other's figure or trace.
A howling sound suddenly approached from behind.
Li Tiangang smirked. Flames gathered behind him, but the howling sound disappeared, only to reappear from the side.
Li Tiangang remained unfazed. He had anticipated that the attack from behind might be a feint, and his opponent wouldn't be foolish enough to repeat the same mistake.
Thus, the flames behind him were merely a ruse. His energy coursed through his body, ready to be mobilized at any moment. As the howling sound approached from the side, he burst forth with power, the Great Flame Hand lashing out.
Boom! Suddenly, a formidable force struck him from behind, shaking his body. Sharp, stabbing pains penetrated his back, and despite the protection of his battle armor, his back ached as if his spine had been slashed by a dagger!
Li Tiangang's body pitched forward, and he swung his hand back in a furious palm strike.
But the howling sound had already vanished, and as he turned and struck with his palm, a sharp sound assaulted him from the front, sending him flying once more.
Li Tiangang spat out a mouthful of blood, his body tumbling down the mountain cliff.
However, in the next moment, he surged out from the river gully at the bottom of the cliff, his armor steaming with divine flames. He glared angrily at his surroundings.
Soon, on a leaf at the top of a tree, he spotted the calm figure standing there.
"Is this your idea of killing experience? When it comes to understanding the human heart, I, Feng Boping, have spent a lifetime infiltrating the secret grounds of various sects, never once failing. How could you even begin to comprehend that?"
Feng Boping smirked, returning Li Tiangang's words.
Li Tiangang's eyes blazed with divine fire, his body engulfed in scorching flames. "You ask for death!"
He roared and charged forward, his nine steps covering the distance in an instant. With incredible speed, he reached Feng Boping's face.
At that moment, a distant dragon's roar echoed, and a golden sword light slashed through the air.
Boom! The sword light collided with the divine blade, sending sparks flying.
Li Tiangang turned his head and saw the pursuing Li Hao's clone, his brows furrowed in anger.
"You beast! How dare you help this wild thief kill your father?!"
Dark Li Hao's expression was cold, unmoved by the accusation. His body burst with power as he manipulated the divine sword, locking onto his target and waiting for an opening to strike.
"Hao'er, go back now," Feng Boping said, his expression shifting slightly as he saw Li Hao approaching.
Dark Li Hao shook his head. "I can't leave you alone to face an invader."
Li Tiangang heard these words and couldn't help but laugh aloud. "Invader? What a joke!"
As he spoke, the divine flames around him grew more intense, like a fiery god striding forward. "I've tried to treat you well countless times. I've wanted to compensate you, but time and again, you've disappointed me. You are truly a disappointment!"
Feng Boping took a step forward, his eyes narrowing. "Li Tiangang, what are you planning?"
There were many types of martial art clones. Some could live independently but had extremely weak combat capabilities. Some could merge with the original and share memories.
Some could share their field of vision with the original, acting as scouts, while others maintained a constant blood connection, influencing each other.
There were even demonic clones that shared a life with the original, possessing immense power. However, if the clone perished, the original would be severely injured or even meet the same fate! For now, Li Tiangang couldn't determine which type Li Hao's clone was.
Seeing that Li Tiangang was still rational, Feng Boping secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He immediately turned to Li Hao and said, "Hao'er, listen to me and go back now."
"I can't leave."
Dark Li Hao shook his head.
Upon hearing this, Li Tiangang couldn't help but laugh bitterly, "As a divine general of the Li family, you collude with thieves and shield them so blatantly. You truly are my good son!"
Feng Boping angrily retorted, "You shut up! Hao'er is no longer your son. Don't you remember the three-year agreement when he left your Li family? What gives you the right to accuse him?"
"This is a family matter of the Li family. If it weren't for the fact that you sheltered Hao'er, I would have taken real action already!" Li Tiangang glared at him coldly.
"If you dare to interfere in the affairs of the Divine General Mansion again, you will not get off so lightly!"
Feng Boping's face turned cold as he replied, "I've decided to take care of Hao'er, and I'll teach you a lesson if you don't comply."
Li Tiangang's eyes turned icy, and he was about to say something when suddenly, a whistling sound approached from the distant horizon.
The sound was incredibly loud, causing the three of them to turn their heads.
They saw a figure clad in a dark black robe flying towards them.
"So it was you."
As the figure drew closer and recognized Feng Boping and Li Tiangang, his expression changed slightly.
Feng Boping was also taken aback when he saw the newcomer, but he soon relaxed and coldly replied, "You finally decided to show up. Take care of your nephew yourself."
As he spoke, he stepped back, placing Li Hao's clone behind him, and quickly moved away from Li Tiangang's side.
Li Tiangang's eyes narrowed as he recognized the figure, "Second Uncle, what are you doing here? What about the Divine General Mansion...?"
"Hao'er?"
Limuxiu interrupted him, his eyes fixed on the dark-faced Li Hao standing behind Feng Boping. His expression soon turned agitated, "When did Hao'er get out of danger? Wasn't he in the River of Oblivion? What about my fourth brother?"
Feng Boping gave a cold smile, "He's not out of danger yet. This is just Hao'er's clone."
LiMuxiu paused, and upon hearing the word 'clone,' he felt as if cold water had been poured over him. The excitement he had felt earlier instantly cooled.
He glanced at Li Tiangang, then scanned the surroundings, his expression turning grim, "I sensed the aura from this place from far away. What's going on here?"
Li Tiangang glanced at him and then at Feng Boping, narrowing his eyes, "Second Uncle, it seems you know this Thief Saint?"
From Feng Boping's attitude, he could tell that the two were already acquainted.
Considering that Li Hao was still a child, it was strange for him to know the Thief Saint unless the Thief Saint had taken the initiative to approach him. His intentions were questionable.
However, if his Second Uncle was the one who had facilitated their meeting, it seemed more plausible.
LiMuxiu's expression changed slightly as he understood Li Tiangang's thoughts. He sighed inwardly and nodded, "Indeed, I and your Wind Uncle here are old acquaintances. What's going on here? Why were you fighting?"
Li Tiangang's anger surged to the top of his head as he heard the confirmation from LiMuxiu. He clenched his teeth and said, "Second Uncle, I respect you as my father's brother and my uncle. They say you were reckless in your youth, but are you still so reckless now?"
LiMuxiu's expression changed, "How dare you speak to me like that! Our relationship is purely personal, and it has never affected the Divine General Mansion. Do you think I need your instruction on how to conduct myself?"
"I don't care about your other affairs, but you've been guarding the Divine General Mansion for the family all these years, and I've seen your contributions. Yet, you dare to associate with a thief!"
Li Tiangang's anger caused his fists to clench tightly, "And you dragged Hao'er into this, corrupting him. Second Uncle, how could you be so foolish?"
LiMuxiu's face turned livid with rage, "Li Tiangang! Let me tell you this. He is not a thief. A petty thief works for himself, but a great robber works for the world. Your Wind Uncle's actions live up to the name of 'Saint'!"
"As for your accusation of him dragging Hao'er down, that's even more ridiculous. Hao'er is exceptional, and the one who truly hurt him is you!"
"Are you saying he robs the rich to help the poor?"
Li Tiangang sneered, "Don't talk to me about your Wind Uncle. There are many ways to help the world—slaying demons, joining the army, guarding the borders. Why did he choose to steal?"
Feng Boping added coldly, "That's right, Old Li. Don't call me uncle; I don't deserve to be an uncle to your Li family's true dragons."
LiMuxiu understood the resentment in his old friend's heart. Seeing Li Tiangang's cold smile, he sighed, "Tiangang, you've trained in the martial arts since you were young, and you've led troops in battle. You've experienced too little of the jianghu world and spent too much time in the imperial court. You don't understand the world's grievances and helplessness. Who wouldn't want to be a righteous hero if they could?"
"There are three thousand miseries in the world, and while you may not have experienced them all, you should at least try to understand. Don't look down on others from your high position in the imperial court."
Li Tiangang replied coldly, "Because he has protected Hao'er, I can let him go. But from now on, he is not allowed to approach Hao'er. Second Uncle, you should know that if it becomes known that we, the Divine General Mansion, are colluding with the Thief Saint, how will the other Divine General Mansions and His Majesty view us?
Initially, they had been unaware of each other's identities and had gotten along splendidly, only revealing themselves to each other after becoming friends.
But how could they completely sever ties just because of their identities?
Hence, despite the myriad helplessness and worries, their friendship had not diminished over the years; instead, it had grown deeper.
Hearing Li Tiangang's words, LiMuxiu heaved a sigh, feeling the resentment from his childhood anew. He wished he wasn't a member of the Divine General Mansion, and now, he felt that sentiment even more strongly.
However, he carried too much on his shoulders now; he was no longer the hot-blooded youth who could gallop through the jianghu world, carefree and unfettered.
"My relationship with Brother Feng is only known to you. If you don't speak of it, no one will ever know," LiMuxiu said.
Li Tiangang let out a cold laugh. "Second Uncle, you should know that secrets don't stay hidden forever."
LiMuxiu took a deep breath and slowly said, "Let's not discuss this for now. I came here to meet Hao'er at Longcheng River and just passed by Tianmenguan. I wanted to take a look, but I ended up walking into this fight. What's the situation at Longcheng River? We must bring Hao'er back first; that's the most important thing."
Li Tiangang said, "I was just about to ask about you. When you left, did you investigate the situation in Qingzhou? Were you able to keep a low profile? If they find out you're not there, you know how dangerous it will be for the Li family!"
"Rest assured, I know what I'm doing," LiMuxiu replied. "How is Hao'er?"
Li Tiangang gave a faint smile, but it soon faded as he added, "He should be fine. Fourth Uncle is there to look after him."
"Unless there are other variables, but we're not sure yet. I came to Tianmenguan to gather information from his clone, but instead, I stumbled upon this big secret!" Li Tiangang's eyes flashed with anger as he finished speaking.
LiMuxiu turned away from him and looked at Li Hao's clone, his expression softening as he asked, "Hao'er, can you sense your main body in the River of Oblivion?"
The dark-faced Li Hao shook his head. "I can't sense anything."
"Is it because the River of Oblivion cannot be sensed, or is it because of your main body?" LiMuxiu quickly probed further.
Dark Li Hao immediately gave a detailed account, answering all of LiMuxiu's questions.
Seeing Li Hao being so obedient and responsive to LiMuxiu, Li Tiangang's expression darkened, and he felt a mix of emotions—discomfort and anger.
I'm his father!
It didn't take long for LiMuxiu to ask all the questions he wanted to, and he found out that the clone didn't know much about Li Hao's main body.
However, from the clone's information, he learned that Li Hao's combat strength was extremely powerful and not inferior to a Demon King at the Ultimate Realm. If he utilized the special abilities the clone mentioned, he could even rival the peak of the Ultimate Realm.
Additionally, at Li Tiangang's request, LiMuxiu asked about the battle flags, and the clone thought about it before conveying the information to him through a sound transmission.
Seeing that Li Hao deliberately avoided Li Tiangang, his face twisted unpleasantly.
However, he had no choice but to ask LiMuxiu to relay his questions through a sound transmission. When he learned that the battle flags were indeed crafted by Li Hao himself, Li Tiangang's heart stirred with a mix of shock and elation.
But what followed was sheer delight. Li Hao's talent was heaven-sent!
If they could harness this talent when Li Hao returned, its impact could even surpass his own martial arts achievements.
After all, even the strongest martial arts, upon reaching the Tai Ping Dao Realm, could only protect a single state. But these battle flags, if mass-produced, could shield the entire Great Yu Divine Dynasty!
"With Hao'er's strength, along with Fourth Uncle's protection, he should be fine as long as there are no unforeseen circumstances in the River of Oblivion," LiMuxiu concluded after gathering intelligence from the clone. The tension in his heart eased slightly, but he still couldn't relax until he saw Li Hao's true body.
"Second Uncle, let's go to Longcheng River now," Li Tiangang urged. "But you must stay hidden to avoid exposing yourself in battle. If the demons and monsters shift their focus to Qingzhou and attack the Divine General Mansion, it will be a disaster."
"I'm aware of that," LiMuxiu assured him.
Li Tiangang glanced at Feng Boping, who stood quietly by, and added, "There's one more thing. You must sever ties with this man!"
"What?" LiMuxiu's face twitched, and Feng Boping's eyebrows furrowed, but he remained silent, watching LiMuxiu with a calm gaze, awaiting his decision.
If LiMuxiu chose the Divine General Mansion, he wouldn't blame him.
After all, when they had learned each other's identities, he had expected that this moment might come.
His identity was not something the esteemed Divine General Mansion would accept.
"Tiangang, this is my personal matter. Don't interfere!" LiMuxiu didn't look at his old friend but directed his cold words at Li Tiangang.
Li Tiangang's face remained cold as he retorted, "Second Uncle, you should be aware of the consequences if this gets out. This isn't just your personal matter; it concerns the entire Li family. Do you want to bring shame to our ancestors?"
LiMuxiu's expression turned ugly, a mix of emotions playing across his face.
"I've known Brother Feng for six decades," LiMuxiu began, but Li Tiangang cut him off.
"I don't want to discuss his character. I only know that if he's associated with our Li family, it will bring trouble to both sides! Even if he's a good person, what good will it do? I can listen to your explanation, but will the world listen to yours?" Li Tiangang argued.
LiMuxiu's expression shifted, and he knew what Li Tiangang meant. He was trying to skirt around the issue.
"Old Li, if it really doesn't work out, let's part ways and go our separate paths. We can still drink under the moon and stars another day," Feng Boping interjected.
He knew that his identity would eventually lead to this moment, and he didn't want to put LiMuxiu in a difficult position.
LiMuxiu's body trembled slightly, and he turned to look at his old friend, his eyes filled with sorrow. Lowering his head, he slowly shook it and said, "I've cut off enough ties. I don't want to cut off another."