In the distance, a figure sped towards them, and none other than Li Tiangang.
Earlier, Li Hao's furious roar had shaken the entire city, and he had naturally heard it as well. When he turned his attention to observe, he witnessed the successive battles that had unfolded.
The sacrificial grand array he had been setting up naturally came to a halt. After all, with all the demons slain, there was no longer a need to invoke the ancestors.
As his soul hovered in the air, he saw Li Hao shielding Limuxiu from the two demon leaders and heard He Jianlan's cries. He felt his heart tremble—could that young man truly be his child who had fallen into the abyss?
At this moment, filled with emotion, he stepped on the flames and rushed over at full speed.
In front of Li Hao, Ji Qingqing felt like each of Li Hao's words was a needle piercing her heart. Unable to hold back, she said, "Mother was wrong, but now that you're back, what do I need to do for you to forgive me?"
Li Hao, who had been calm, suddenly shot out two rays of cold light from his eyes as he said, "I have returned, but your child has forever perished in that abyss. I returned relying on my own abilities—it was me, myself, and not you or anyone else!"
Ji Qingqing froze, looking at the boy who had been calm just a moment ago but now wore a cold expression. She realized she had said something wrong, and tears slowly flowed down her cheeks.
"But you are my child, born of me. Won't you give your mother a chance to make amends?"
Hearing her choked-up words, Li Hao glanced at her and said, "A chance to make amends? Was I going to the Ji family to seek death? Was I going to Prison Island to explore the abyss?"
These two rhetorical questions were like heavy hammers pounding on Ji Qingqing's heart. She felt as if all the warmth in her body had been drawn out, leaving her with a chill that made her tremble. Yes, that child had endured countless hardships and ventured alone into the Great Wilderness just to see her.
She suddenly realized that she didn't deserve to say such things. How could she make amends? After letting him go all those years ago, she had once again put her child in danger years later. How could she ever make up for that?
Her tears flowed uncontrollably, and she felt her heart ache to the point of breathlessness.
"Qingqing!"
Li Tiangang rushed over and landed outside. When Li Wushuang and the others saw the head of the household, they involuntarily stepped back.
Li Tiangang quickly walked forward, glancing at Li Hao's cold gaze and then at his wife, who was already sobbing uncontrollably. His heart felt as if it were being torn apart.
"You can't speak to your mother like that!"
Li Tiangang's eyes reddened slightly as he said to Li Hao, "It was my fault before. I was too harsh on you, and I stubbornly held on to my beliefs without thoroughly investigating, causing you to suffer injustice. You can blame me however you want, but you can't speak to your mother like that. She went through a lot to give birth to you."
Li Hao's brows furrowed, and the calmness in his heart was suddenly replaced by an indescribable annoyance and weariness.
Indifferently, he said, "Stop bringing up the word 'mother' all the time. You don't need to apologize to me either. I won't hold grudges for past events. From the moment I left the Divine General Mansion, I had nothing more to do with you. I've repaid everything I owed you for my upbringing, and I've returned double the amount of demon blood you sent me in Yanbei. Now, I have nothing to do with any of you. Can't you sense that my body no longer carries your bloodline?"
As he spoke, Li Hao made no attempt to hide his aura, and the Ten Thousand Images attribute had long been temporarily removed.
Upon hearing Li Hao's words, Li Tiangang was stunned. He looked at Li Hao in shock, and Ji Qingqing was equally dumbfounded, forgetting her tears and sobs as she hurriedly probed Li Hao's aura.
He Jianlan and the others beside them were also taken aback. They hadn't paid much attention to Li Hao's aura due to its overwhelming strength, but Li Hao's words prompted them to release their auras and examine his body.
"Hao'er!"
Beside them, Li Muchiu, who had been healing his body with the help of the Candlelight God, suddenly sat up, coughing up a mouthful of blood. One of his arms had already healed, but his aged face was filled with panic as he looked at Li Hao.
He knew that Li Hao wouldn't lie easily, and he couldn't afford to offend him at this moment. He quickly probed, only to discover that he couldn't detect the Li family's bloodline in Li Hao's body.
His body seemed like a flickering candle in the wind, swaying precariously. He felt dazed.
Li Xiaoran and Li Qingzheng also changed their expressions drastically. They quickly probed and then froze, staring blankly at the young man.
The surrounding ancestral spirits of the Li family frowned, seemingly realizing something. As deceased heroic souls, they had a natural sense of the Li family bloodline, and they had long noticed that Li Hao's body didn't contain a trace of the Li family's aura.
But listening to these people, this breathtakingly outstanding young man seemed to be one of their Li family, a carrier of their bloodline!
How could this be?
"Child, were you once a member of our Li family?" One of the ancestral spirits couldn't help but ask, confusion evident in his gentle eyes.
Li Hao glanced at him, his expression calm and detached. "I am who I am. There used to be a child in your Li family who resembled me, but that child is dead."
Hearing Li Hao's words, Li Tiangang's aura fluctuated violently, and he roared, "Impossible! I don't believe it! You're definitely not him! Who are you?!"
"Tiangang!"
Li Muchiu, his face as white as paper, suddenly shouted, his words reverberating with the power of the Dao, causing Li Tiangang's head to buzz as if it were about to explode.
"How wrong do you want to be?!" Li Muchiu's eyes seemed bloodshot as he glared at Li Tiangang.
Li Tiangang stood frozen in place, then slowly raised his head to look at Li Hao. His eyes were filled with sadness as he said, "You've severed your ties with the Li family. How could you be so heartless?"
Li Hao raised an eyebrow and glanced at him, but facing that sad face, he felt speechless and like laughing at the same time.
He didn't bother to say more. "So be it if I'm heartless. In any case, we have nothing more to do with each other from now on. Don't come and offend me again. I won't hold grudges for the past, but I might not be so forgiving in the future!"
After saying that, he turned to look at Li Muchiu. Seeing the despair in the older man's eyes as he looked back at him, Li Hao felt a twinge of guilt. "Old man, although I'm no longer a member of the Li family, if you ever need a fishing companion in the future, just give me a call, and I'll be there."
But he had severed his ties with his parents alone!
What kind of disappointment must he have felt?
Despite being so exceptional and flawless, this child had been utterly lost to their Li family.
Li Muchiu was filled with sorrow, but in the end, it turned into low, bitter laughter. It was as if he found the situation painful yet amusing. However, after laughing for a while, his gaze gradually became focused and gentle.
"You promised, so I'll be expecting to see if your fishing skills have gotten rusty."
At this moment, amidst the intertwining pain and sadness, Li Muchiu realized that leaving the Li family had no impact on Li Hao.
The only ones hurting and suffering were them.
But at least the child would no longer be hurt.
If that was the case, then perhaps it wasn't so bad?
While the Li family had lost this glory, it had no impact on the Great Yu Divine Dynasty as a whole.
Even if he was no longer a member of the Li family, he still came to their aid. Even without the Li family's blood running through his veins, he had saved Liangzhou and now Qingzhou City.
He was still himself, and he had never felt the need to shoulder any burden because he was born in the General's Mansion.
He merely possessed a sincere heart, doing his best for humanity and embracing the world.
With these thoughts, Li Muchiu's tears flowed even more freely. They were tears of relief for Li Hao and also of pain and irony for the past doubts about Li Hao's character.
"Mhm."
Seeing the look in Li Muchiu's eyes, Li Hao felt slightly more at ease. He then glanced over and directed his attention to He Jianlan, the armored madam:
"If there's an opportunity in the future, let Madam taste my culinary skills."
Upon hearing Li Hao's address, He Jianlan's heart, which had been suppressing her sadness, broke, and tears flowed like rain. She felt that Li Hao had come to Qingzhou to bid farewell, to part ways with his past identity in front of them.
She was no longer considered his aunt...
"Child, is there really no turning back?" He Jianlan asked, holding back her sadness.
Li Hao shook his head slightly. "I can't return to my previous identity, but if you don't mind, my sentiments remain unchanged."
He Jianlan felt even more saddened by Li Hao's words, but she held back her tears and didn't try to keep him any longer. She knew that Li Hao had always been resolute in his decisions since he was young, and it would be difficult to change his mind.
Besides, the Li family might now be a burden to Li Hao, and perhaps he could live a good life on his own. That was enough.
Li Hao's gaze shifted to Li Xiaoran and Li Qingzheng, his expression softening.
"To the two of you, thank you for your care over the years. If you don't mind, I'm also lacking chess partners these days."
"Child..."
Li Qingzheng's lips trembled slightly, but he couldn't bring himself to say anything more. He knew that the matter was already settled.
It was like a chess piece leaving one's hand, and there was no turning back.
Li Xiaoran clenched his fists, his mind filled with thoughts of his eldest brother and his final instructions before his soul scattered. Yet, they had failed to fulfill his wishes.
A wave of sorrow washed over him, and he tightly gripped the knife in his hand, the veins on the back of his hand bulging. His eyes flickered over Li Tiangang and Ji Qingqing, and a murderous intent flashed in his eyes, but in the end, he suppressed and restrained himself, leaving only a deep sense of grief.
Li Hao scanned the group and then said, "Since I've come to Qingzhou, I'll be hosting a banquet at Yunxia Tower in the city tonight. We can catch up more then."
After saying that, he looked at Li Yuanzhao, who was still in a daze, and smiled as he patted his shoulder.
"Stop spacing out. Head to Yunxia Tower later and tell the lady boss to prepare all her specialty dishes in advance."
Li Yuanzhao's body shook slightly from the pat, as if his soul had been knocked back into his body, and his eyes glistened with tears.
Li Hao smiled and then turned his attention to Song Yufeng and the other Altar Palace disciples standing at a distance, as well as the azure-colored figure that had taken human form.
"You can't leave!"
Li Tiangang seemed to have snapped out of his daze, and he abruptly stood in front of Li Hao, his face filled with anger. "Even if I..."
"Even if what?"
Li Hao paused in his tracks, his eyes calmly fixed on Li Tiangang, who stood in his path. That calm gaze alone was enough to extinguish all the fire and fervor in Li Tiangang's body, leaving him feeling drenched in cold water.
He stood there, suddenly realizing that this was not two years ago.
Back then, even if he had beaten Li Hao to a pulp and crippled him, he could still have tied him up and brought him back. But now, he couldn't.
Li Tiangang was slightly dazed, but he quickly recovered and gritted his teeth. "I'm ordering you now as a Duke—you cannot leave! You must stay in Qingzhou City!"
Li Hao glanced at him indifferently and said, "Speaking of which, you've reminded me. If I remember correctly, His Majesty granted me a dukedom for pacifying Liangzhou. You're a Duke as well, and while I'm a third-rank Duke, lower than your second-rank, we're still both Dukes. You have no right to command me."
"Also, please return the Emperor's decree of enfeoffment to me. I'll report to His Majesty later that I have no relation to the Li family from now on. If there are any future decrees or awards, they can be sent directly to my fiefdom."
When he was fourteen and stationed in Cangyu City, he had been granted a county and a fiefdom, though he had never visited it. But that was fine, as the fiefdom was still there.
Hearing Li Hao's words, Li Tiangang's body trembled even more violently. A Duke at not yet sixteen years old—this was an unprecedented honor in the entire Great Yu Divine Dynasty. Li Tiangang was at a loss, wondering what he had done wrong. Why had things come to this?
As Li Hao spoke, he strode past Li Tiangang and approached Song Yufeng and the others to chat and catch up.
Song Yufeng sighed inwardly with regret as he listened. He avoided these topics when conversing with Li Hao, keeping the conversation light.
After a brief chat, they agreed to meet again in the evening.
Li Hao turned to look at Song Qiumo, a woman who stood there like autumn water, tall and distant, exuding a chilling aura that kept others at bay. Yet, her eyes were like the softest water, gazing at Li Hao.
...
...
Back in Qingzhou City, as the Li family ordered their soldiers to clear the demon corpses from the walls, Li Hao and Song Qiumo walked together through the city streets.
Following behind them was the youth who had taken the form of the Candlelight God, silently trailing after them.
Xiyan had already returned to Li Hao's wrist, and once Li Muchiu's injuries had stabilized, she could rely on the Li family's divine medicine to slowly heal on her own, without the need for further treatment.
"So that's what happened..."
As Song Qiumo walked alongside Li Hao, she naturally asked about the events surrounding his reported death. Li Hao then learned that the Li family had already held a funeral for him, and everyone believed he was dead.
He smiled faintly, thinking that it was all for the best. That child had indeed perished and was forever buried in the abyss. This funeral was not in vain.
Upon hearing how Li Hao had narrowly escaped death from the mouth of the Demon Saint, Song Qiumo understood the enormity of the danger he had faced, and she could see why the Li family had assumed he was dead.
In her heart, she sighed, unable to imagine everything Li Hao had gone through during this time.
"Now, you're far stronger than I am."
Song Qiumo said with a smile.
Li Hao also smiled. "In cultivation, it's only useful when slaying demons. Instead of praising my cultivation, I'd rather you praise my paintings."
Song Qiumo's eyes flickered, and she couldn't help but laugh.
This young man was still as eccentric and unique as ever, standing out from the crowd.
"Uncle Liu!"
Li Hao suddenly called out and waved at a small shop on the street.
The shop opened a small door and peeked out cautiously, unsure if the demons had been completely eradicated.
Hearing Li Hao's call, the middle-aged couple inside the shop froze, looking at Li Hao with confusion.
"Make me two servings of cotton candy pastry," Li Hao said with a smile.
The middle-aged couple hesitated, not sure if they should ask, but then they remembered the news from the Li family and thought that perhaps this young man was the same person they had heard about.
"We're not selling today," the middle-aged man said.
Li Hao frowned slightly, feeling disappointed. "Oh, alright then."
Song Qiumo's eyes flickered, but she didn't say anything.
However, the middle-aged couple seemed to have heard something that startled them. They tensed up, their eyes darting around anxiously as they glanced at Li Hao with trepidation.
"Umm, we can make it, just wait a moment," the middle-aged man quickly said, scurrying back into the house.
His wife also smiled apologetically at Li Hao. "Yes, yes, it'll be ready in just a moment."
Li Hao nodded with a smile. "Thank you then."
The couple quickly retreated into their house to prepare the pastries, as they hadn't planned on selling any that day and hadn't prepared the dough in advance.
Li Hao turned to Song Qiumo and sighed. "Uncle Liu is a good man. Don't scare them."
Song Qiumo looked at him innocently. "What?"
Li Hao couldn't help but smile at her expression. The sound of her transmitted voice was subtle, but how could it escape his enhanced senses now?
The two stood at the shop's entrance, quietly waiting.
Soon enough, several servings of cotton candy pastry were ready.
Li Hao took the pastries and handed one to Song Qiumo, one to the Candlelight God, and one to Xiyan.
"Try it, this is a delicacy of the human world," Li Hao said to Xiyan.
Xiyan was curious and curled her red beard as she dug into the oily paper wrapping to eat the pastry.
"Mmm, it's so crispy and fragrant. Is this what humans usually eat?"
Xiyan's delighted voice rang out, along with the crunching sounds of her enjoying the food.
"If you like it, have more," Li Hao said with a smile.
He then asked the middle-aged couple, "Can we have a few more servings?"
The couple quickly nodded and began making more pastries.
After receiving a bag containing four or five servings, Li Hao and Song Qiumo continued their leisurely stroll through the old streets of the city, munching on the pastries as they walked.
"This really is delicious," Song Qiumo commented.
"Of course," Li Hao replied. "Back then, because Qingzhi couldn't buy any, Uncle Liu moved his stall to the foot of the mountain where the Tan Palace Academy was located, so I went there too, and ended up enrolling."
"...You're something else," Song Qiumo said, at a loss for words. Who would have thought that the Tan Palace Academy would attract such an extraordinary disciple simply because of the charm of a common street vendor?
When they reached Yunxia Tower, Li Hao was familiar with the place and made a reservation for the top-floor private room.
He then asked the owner of Yunxia Tower to send out invitations on his behalf to various places in the city.
As night fell, the demon corpses piled up outside the city resembled mountains. However, the soldiers were busy clearing them away, and notices were posted within the city, with warriors from the Li family riding in carriages and announcing along the way that the demons outside the city had been eradicated, and Qingzhou City was now safe!
These announcements continued from the afternoon into the evening, and as night fell, the city once again lit up with the glow of a thousand lamps.
Many bold adventurers took to the streets, drawing out more people from their homes, and soon the streets were bustling with activity once more.
Various restaurants and teahouses quickly reopened for business, and those with a little money flocked to these lively places to socialize and gather information.
Those with less money gathered in alleys and courtyards, forming small groups to discuss the day's events, fanning themselves with banana leaves to shoo away mosquitoes.
And the topic of everyone's conversation was the earth-shattering cry that had shaken the entire city, the scale of the demon invasion, and the names that had been shouted during the slaying of the demon kings.
"Have you heard? That demon directly addressed him as Haotian. Do you know who Haotian is? Yes, it's that person from Liangzhou, the rising star who single-handedly pacified the demon disaster in Liangzhou!"
"It's truly heaven's blessing on our Great Yu Dynasty. A rising star has descended, an extraordinary talent. It's a pity we didn't get to see his true face."
"He should be sixteen years old now, right? He's been granted a dukedom, appointed as a grand marshal... Wow, this fame and glory will likely remain unmatched for centuries to come!"
"Is that General Haotian from the Li family?"
Li Hao poured himself a drink, gazing at the myriad lights in the windows, the night sky beautiful and serene.
Meanwhile, at the residences of the Altar Palace and the various halls of the Divine General Mansion, invitations were delivered one by one. Upon receiving them, He Jianlan and the others could only sigh softly and suppress their emotions before setting off for the evening banquet.
As the residences gradually emptied, only the Mountain and River Hall remained brightly lit.
Li Tiangang and Ji Qingqing sat at the table, staring at the untouched dishes before them.
Both were lost in their thoughts.
When they heard the commotion outside the hall, their senses reached out, only to find carriages carrying He Jianlan and the other ladies from the various halls leaving the Divine General Mansion.
Li Tiangang and Ji Qingqing's expressions turned ugly as they occasionally glanced at the hall entrance, expecting someone to enter and announce the arrival of their invitation.
Aside from Wang Xiangru of Flying Cloud Hall, all the other halls had received invitations, and now, it seemed they were the only ones left out.
That child clearly had no intention of inviting them.
At the entrance, Zhao, the butler, stood with a stooped back, his eyes dark as he gazed at the floor, his heart heavy with sighs.
If they had known it would come to this, why bother in the first place? He lowered his head, focusing on his toes as he felt the worn-out state of his shoes.
The moonlight shifted, casting a tranquil glow on the night.
The commotion outside the hall faded away, indicating that the invitations had been delivered, and the banquet was likely already underway.
Li Tiangang's expression darkened, and he picked up his chopsticks, forcefully shoveling the food into his mouth. "Eat. Don't wait anymore. Since everyone else is gone, finish your meal, then go and check on the demon situation outside the city. I'll pay respects to our ancestors and also handle matters in the other cities. We can't afford to falter!"
Ji Qingqing, however, sat there in a daze, her eyes vacant as she stared at the food.
Li Tiangang ate a few mouthfuls but soon lost his appetite. He slammed his bowl and chopsticks onto the table and gritted his teeth. "He severed his bloodline, but what he doesn't know is that without the collision of our bloodlines, his talent will be greatly diminished. He's strong now, but because of this decision, he will never be able to attain enlightenment, and even if he does by some stroke of luck, that will be his limit!"
"He used to have the potential to become a Sage, a path to the Saint realm, an eternal existence. He has ruined his own exceptional talent, such a waste!"
Ji Qingqing's eyes flickered slightly, and she said in a dull voice, "Even so, he's still outstanding, and it's because of us that he..."
Li Tiangang's face twitched at her words, a sentiment he shared.
However, the pain and anger in his heart had nowhere to go.
"He's made such a ruthless decision, and he will regret it sooner or later!" He clenched his fists and rose from his seat.
The night quietly crept up the treetops.
The moon hung full and round in the sky.
In the Yunxia Tower, Li Hao drank and chatted with his guests, laughter filling the room.
He Jianlan, Li Muchiu, and the others had given up on trying to persuade Li Hao and instead focused on enjoying the food and drinks.
As the night deepened and emotions grew warmer, they couldn't help but attempt to dissuade him once more, but their words were cut off by Li Hao's smile.
Evidently, it would take some time for everyone to accept that Li Hao had completely severed ties with the Divine General Mansion.
During the banquet, the disciples of the Altar Palace took turns offering toasts and expressing their gratitude to Li Hao. When he asked about the two princes, he learned that they had already completed their studies and been escorted back to the imperial capital.
As expected, the two princes had come to the Altar Palace solely to build connections and gain influence, just as everyone had speculated.
Li Hao remembered the poetry-loving prince who had seen him off, and he felt a slight twinge of regret at not seeing him again.
Amidst the laughter and drinks, the night slowly slipped away, and the gathering eventually came to an end.
Li Hao then found an inn to rest for the night.
The next day.
After a good night's sleep, Li Hao felt refreshed and energized. The night before, Li Muchiu had mentioned that the Li family had sent troops carrying his battle flag and the demon kings' heads to reinforce the various cities in Qingzhou.
The main army would follow shortly after.
Without the pressure of the demon horde outside Qingzhou City, the large number of troops that had retreated to the city could now join the battle, marching towards the front lines.
Additionally, the Li family members who had returned through the blood connection of the Li family ancestor were also dispatched to various battlefields, joining the Li family army to reclaim the lost territories in Qingzhou.
Li Hao shook his head, feeling a slight hangover from the previous night's drinking. He hadn't bothered to use his body's purification ability, resulting in a mild headache.
However, he quickly regained his clarity.
With his improved strength, it seemed he didn't get drunk as easily anymore.
Unless, of course, it was some specially brewed alcohol.