"My son... he's the pride of our noble family?"
Li Tiangang was taken aback by Ji Yunyu's words, and for a moment, he couldn't quite grasp the meaning of what he had just heard.
That child had become the pride of the Ji family?
"That's right. Your son escorted the War God's proud soul back to our Ji family. To see his mother, he challenged all the prides of our family and defeated them all. His talent is unparalleled throughout the ages!"
Ji Yunyu's eyes shone as he spoke of Li Hao.
The earth-shattering battle in the heavens a few days ago was still fresh in their memories.
The other members of the Ji family standing nearby also looked at the young man with reverence in their eyes when Ji Yunyu mentioned him.
"Challenged all the prides of the Ji family?" Li Tiangang's heart skipped a beat.
He had heard from his wife about the exceptional talents of the Ji family's prides, each one a peerless dragon among men, far surpassing the prides of the Great Yu Divine Dynasty. Any one of them could be as remarkable as his ninth brother, or even surpass him.
"Then, then did he offend any of you?" Li Tiangang asked cautiously.
Having defeated all the prides of a family would undoubtedly bring great shame, and if it weren't for the smile on Ji Yunyu's face when he mentioned this, Li Tiangang would have thought that Li Hao had been killed by the furious Ji family.
"Haha, you worry too much. Your son is gentle and polite, neither arrogant nor impetuous. How could he offend us?" Ji Yunyu laughed. "Besides, it's normal for a youth to have some hot-bloodedness and temperament. What kind of pride would he be if he didn't have a unique character? He would just be a lucky child inheriting his forebears' talents."
Li Tiangang secretly breathed a sigh of relief and echoed, "Senior is right."
"Is this your only son?" Ji Yunyu asked with a smile.
Li Tiangang nodded hastily. "Yes, my only son."
"You've nurtured him well," Ji Yunyu praised.
Li Tiangang was slightly taken aback, and his cheeks flushed as he avoided meeting Ji Yunyu's gaze.
Nurture? Before that child left home, his second uncle and his aunt had already told them about Li Hao's situation in the Li family.
Aside from food and drink, that child had hardly used any of the Li family's cultivation resources, and neither he nor his wife had ever accompanied the child. So how could he talk about nurturing at this moment?
"We've arrived. This is my Ji family."
As Li Tiangang looked up, he saw the majestic mountain gate and the long, winding stairs.
The mountain gate, forged from the remains of countless dragons, exuded an awe-inspiring aura.
Li Tiangang's eyes narrowed as he instantly sensed the terrifying heritage of this ancient family, which far surpassed that of their own Divine General Manor.
News of Ji Leping's father's arrival had already spread throughout the Ji family. As Li Tiangang followed Ji Yunyu up the mountain, many people came to catch a glimpse of the father of the one with the Dao Seed.
Ever since Li Hao's consecutive sensational feats—defeating all the prides, vying for the Dao Seed, and obtaining the Sage's mark—these past few days, almost everyone in the Ji family had been talking about this strongest pride.
And with the mention of Li Hao came the inevitable curiosity about his mixed heritage.
Speculations ran wild, and everyone was intrigued by Li Hao's ancestral families.
Some even guessed that Li Hao's mother might have secretly married into an ancient and hidden family beyond the Great Wilderness, and the combination of the two bloodlines had produced such an unparalleled genius.
"That's Ji Leping's father?"
"He has the aura of the Four Establishments and the Life-Sustaining Realm. His cultivation is decent, but not as powerful as I imagined."
"I heard he's from beyond the Great Wilderness, from that Jiang family's dynasty. Energy is scarce there, so to cultivate to this level, he must have exceptionally strong talent."
On the mountain path, many members of the Ji family whispered among themselves as they gazed from a distance.
These conversations inevitably reached Li Tiangang's ears, and he suddenly felt the weight of their attention. It seemed that because of Li Hao, the Ji family was observing him.
Remembering what Ji Yunyu had said about Li Hao defeating all the Ji family's prides, Li Tiangang felt a twinge of nervousness.
He had never doubted Li Hao's talent, but he hadn't expected that in this ancient family, Li Hao would continue to lead the way, surpassing all his peers.
When they reached the mountain's belly, Ji Yunyu dismissed the others who had accompanied him to intimidate the Qin family, keeping only a few people with him as he led Li Tiangang toward the summit.
"Senior, is my son and Qingqing ahead?" Li Tiangang asked anxiously as they ascended.
"Qingqing is on Imprisoning Heaven Island, detained for her mistakes. But your son has already atoned for her sins by becoming a Dao Seed. As a Dao Seed, he can pardon his mother, and you will be able to see them soon," Ji Yunyu replied.
Li Tiangang was stunned. Had that child already absolved his mother of her wrongdoing?
Suddenly, a memory flashed in his mind—the day he had angrily slapped Li Hao in the Divine General Manor.
His heart clenched.
Could he ever make amends?
He grit his teeth and remained silent, but deep inside, he had made a certain decision. No matter how Li Hao might blame or question him when they met, he would accept it as long as Li Hao could calm down and forgive him.
When they reached the summit, several elders and high-ranking members of the Ji family were already waiting.
Having heard of Ji Leping's father's arrival, they had all come to greet him respectfully.
In the past, if the man who had married Ji Qingqing dared to show up at the Ji family, he would have been executed on the spot. But now, with the son's prestige, the Ji family had to treat the father as an honored guest.
"These are the elders of my Ji family," Ji Yunyu introduced, seeing the elders who had come to welcome them. Some of them were originally unfamiliar with the 'cloud' generation like him, but at this moment, he didn't show any signs of displeasure. Instead, he smiled and introduced them all impartially.
After all, one shouldn't air their family's dirty laundry in front of an in-law, especially during their first meeting. It was important to maintain a harmonious facade.
Li Tiangang's expression changed slightly as he looked at the elders. Although most of them had their auras restrained, he could still sense that many of them were on the same level as his second uncle, and a few were even more formidable, possibly having reached the Peaceful Dao Realm! In the Great Yu Divine Dynasty, these elders would be on par with the Buddha Lord himself.
"Greetings, elders," Li Tiangang bowed respectfully.
The elders didn't put on airs and quickly returned the greeting, exchanging pleasantries.
Li Tiangang was surprised by the warm reception and felt overwhelmed by their hospitality.
Previously, his wife had told him about the strict clan rules of the Ji family and how he would face their wrath upon his arrival. But now, everything he experienced felt surreal.
As they made their way up the mountain and through the conversations with the elders, who casually mentioned Ji Leping, Li Tiangang realized that all of this seemed to be because of that child.
Amidst these greetings, Li Tiangang's mood became increasingly complex and indescribable.
His father Li Tianzong's words from earlier involuntarily resurfaced in his mind.
That child was exceptionally outstanding.
If he didn't bring him back, he would die with regrets! Now, these many powerful elders of the Ji family were also being so courteous, and their words were full of praise for that child.
Aside from guilt and remorse, Li Tiangang's heart was filled with bewilderment.
Had he truly made a grave mistake?
"Are you Ji Leping's father?"
A voice rang out from the crowd, young and curious.
Li Tiangang looked up and saw a group of young figures standing at a distance. Among them was a leader, a youth with an exceptional posture and a jade-like appearance, as if transcending the mortal realm with an ethereal aura.
What shocked Li Tiangang was that although the youth looked only twenty-six or twenty-seven years old, the restrained aura within him was no less formidable than Ji Yunyu, who had guided him up the mountain earlier.
Was this the Peaceful Dao Realm?
"Who are you?" Li Tiangang asked cautiously.
"He is our Ji family's former strongest genius, Ji Xuanshen!" One of the elders beside him smiled and introduced, "He is only twenty-six years old this year, but he has already reached the Peaceful Dao Realm. In the future, he may become our Ji family's War God. The youths behind him are also our Ji family's top geniuses."
After the introductions, the elder turned to Li Tiangang and smiled, "But they were all defeated by your son."
Upon hearing the youth's age and cultivation level, Li Tiangang was already astonished. But when he heard the elder's last sentence, his pupils contracted, and he couldn't help but reveal a shocked expression.
Were these the Ji family's top geniuses? And Li Hao had defeated them all?!
He had thought that although Li Hao was strong, the geniuses of the Ji family that he had defeated might only be at the Realm of Defying Fate or at most, the Realm of Ultimate Techniques. But now, this youth before him had already reached the Peaceful Dao Realm!
For such a genius to be defeated by that child...
"Could it be that your son's cultivation level has recently broken through? It seems that you are not very clear about your son's strength." One of the elders smiled and teased, but his words struck Li Tiangang like a heavy hammer, making his ears ring.
"Not very clear..."
It seemed to be the case. If not for the child revealing his true strength, in Qingzhou and Liangzhou, he truly wouldn't have known the extent of his abilities.
Li Tiangang's eyes were filled with complex emotions as he remained silent. He felt his blood boiling, and his heart was heavy and uncomfortable. He longed to see Li Hao immediately.
Ji Xuanshen observed the middle-aged man before him, his eyes calm as he asked, "I came here only to ask, how did you cultivate him? What resources and techniques did you provide him with?"
Upon hearing the youth's question, Li Tiangang's expression changed slightly. If not for the other party's calm demeanor and lack of emotion, he would have suspected that he was deliberately mocking him.
These questions left him speechless.
Ji Xuanshen furrowed his brows slightly at Li Tiangang's silence. "It's understandable if you don't want to answer these questions. But I want to ask, are your ancestors also Saints? Or do you have some other bloodline? Otherwise, how could he defeat me at the Three Immortal Realm?"
"Three Immortal Realm..."
Li Tiangang once again doubted his own ears. He had thought that during Li Hao's time in Great Desolation Heaven, he had cultivated his Dao Heart and broken through to the Four Establishments Realm. But now, he had defeated this youth, Ji Xuanshen, who was at the Peaceful Dao Realm, while still at the Three Immortal Realm?!
"Hmm?" Ji Xuanshen stared at him, his eyes revealing a hint of confusion. He felt as though they were talking about two different people, and the middle-aged man seemed unfamiliar with the person they were discussing.
But wasn't this man supposed to be the father of that youth, as Elder Yunyu had said? Ji Xuanshen was puzzled. As one of the Ji family's top geniuses, he was used to being unrestrained, so he directly asked, "Are you really his father?"
Li Tiangang snapped out of his daze and heard the question. Seeing the doubt in the youth's eyes, his face turned red with embarrassment. He lowered his head and said, "That child grew up too fast, and there are some things that I don't understand either. But I am indeed his father."
Ji Xuanshen looked at him for a moment, thinking that it wasn't easy to reach the Four Establishments Realm. It was unlikely that someone would come to the Ji family and falsely claim such a relationship, so he nodded and didn't pursue the matter further. However, a hint of regret flashed in his eyes.
It seemed that the youth's cultivation was unknown even to his father. Could it really be that he was just a genius with exceptional talent?
Ji Xuanshen was unwilling to accept this explanation, as it would be too much of a blow to them, the Ji family's top geniuses.
To be surpassed solely based on talent, without the resources and support of the Ji family, would mean that the youth had completely crushed them in terms of innate talent.
"Elders, may I ask where my son is now?" Li Tiangang saw that the youth had stepped back and stopped questioning him, and he felt a huge weight lift from his heart.
He quickly turned to the elders beside him and asked anxiously, his heart filled with a strong desire to see Li Hao immediately.
"That child, Ji Leping, insisted on going to Imprisoning Heaven Island to bring his mother back." Ji Yunqing, who had just arrived, smiled gently and replied to Li Tiangang's question.
Li Tiangang's expression changed slightly as he thought of Li Hao and Qingqing, who had not seen each other for over a decade. He remembered how Li Hao had chosen to follow his mother's surname instead of his, and how he had spent some time with him after returning to the Li family.
However, when he thought of that period of time they had spent together and the angry slap he had given, his expression turned ugly. He quickly asked, "I want to go too. Elder, can you please tell me where Imprisoning Heaven Island is?"
"That place is dangerous. It's better for you to wait here." Ji Yunqing smiled and tried to reassure him.
Li Tiangang shook his head and bowed deeply. With a sincere and pleading look in his eyes, he said, "Please, Elder. Let me go and see them. I have wronged them, and I should be the one to come to the Ji family and atone for my sins. It shouldn't have been a child who bore this burden. Please allow me to do something for them!"
The elders were taken aback, exchanging glances with each other.
Ji Yunqing considered his request for a moment and then nodded. "Alright, now that the Wild Sea has calmed down, it's better for your family to be reunited and return together. It will be a joyous occasion."
As Li Tiangang heard the words "joyous occasion," a warm and harmonious scene flashed in his mind—a happy family of three, laughing together.
He felt a surge of indescribable emotion and longed to see Li Hao immediately and ask for his forgiveness.
During those years of battle in Yanbei, he had yearned for such a scene. Now, as the border disputes and the clamor of war faded away, he also craved this peaceful family reunion, with his wife sitting in the courtyard and his son by his side, showing filial piety.