Chapter 66: Refusal

In response to Li Nianlong's provocative statement, the old patriarch did not become angry and showed no trace of guilt in his eyes. He spoke calmly, "Back then, your grandmother wanted me to divorce and marry her. As the head of the Liu family, I naturally could not comply. In anger, she left with your mother without saying goodbye, and we never heard from them again."

Li Nianlong had heard bits about Qin Yu from Li Ying, and as the old patriarch said, Qin Yu was a fiercely independent woman with a strong desire for control. Given her temperament, it was indeed plausible that she would force the issue as a mistress. However, how could the patriarch, as the head of the family, divorce his lawful wife for a mistress?

Qin Yu, unable to achieve her goal, would have predictably left. But after leaving the old patriarch, she transferred all her controlling tendencies onto Li Ying. As Li Ying grew older, she developed a rebellious streak, leading her to courageously marry Long Qingyun at the age of 16 and break free from Qin Yu's grasp. Qin Yu, enraged, disappeared without a trace.

Personality shapes destiny, and Li Nianlong truly understood the meaning behind this phrase now.

"If she chose to leave you, it means she didn't want anything more to do with you. Since she has long since separated, you should have given up on her and my mother. Although I bear the surname Liu, it was only because my mother couldn't enter my father's family that I was compelled to do so. Besides, I am but a commoner. To elevate me to such a position without considering my background or abilities is too frivolous."

My mother couldn't enter my father's family? This revelation from Li Nianlong gave the old patriarch and Shao Meiyun pause, initially leading them to assume that, like Qin Yu, Li Ying had been unable to become part of a man's family and thus left him.

Sometimes, mental inertia could be terrifying. The assumption that the daughter followed the mother's footsteps led both wise minds of the Liu family astray.

"Well said." The patriarch smiled faintly. He wasn't concerned about who Li Nianlong's father was, as long as he carried the Liu surname. Li Nianlong's earlier display of composure had greatly pleased him. "Calm-headed, meticulous, neither hurried nor rushed, not flustered. Indeed, as Meiyun said, you are born to be a great leader. I am at ease handing the Liu family over to you."

"Do you wish to forcefully decide my fate?" Li Nianlong sneered.

"Far from it!" The old patriarch shook his head slowly. "The Liu family indeed faces numerous crises, and the position of its head is a vulnerable target. But in the midst of chaos, true heroes reveal themselves. If you possess the ability to survive amidst crisis, to prop up a collapsing dynasty, and lead the Liu family out of adversity, when you wield great power, who would dare defy you?"

At this point, the old patriarch spoke earnestly, "The man whose leg you broke a few days ago was one of the top ten experts in the Liu Manor. With your ability to protect yourself, your safety is significantly enhanced. Whether you accept it or not, there is now an opportunity for a meteoric rise before you, and even though it comes with risks, you should bravely face them. After all, the Liu family is the number one clan in Tianfu. Once we overcome this crisis, as the head of the Liu family, at least within Tianfu, you can act as you please, and no one will dare to humiliate you."

Act as I please in Tianfu?

Li Nianlong's heart stirred, and he asked casually, "What about beyond Tianfu?"

The old patriarch chuckled, "As long as it doesn't touch upon the foundation of the Liu family, what does it matter?"

"Oh."

That simple 'oh' openly displayed Li Nianlong's disdain for the old patriarch's words, and the old patriarch, seasoned and cunning, understood it all too well.

Twisting his long eyebrows, the old patriarch gazed deeply at Li Nianlong. "Do you bear a deep grudge against another clan?"

Li Nianlong glanced at him but remained silent.

"What kind of family is so untouchable even for my Liu family?" The old patriarch was intrigued. Under the condition that it wouldn't harm the Liu family's core, the Liu family's influence was beyond ordinary imagination. Yet, Li Nianlong still found it insufficient, indicating that the clan he aimed to confront must rank within the top twenty in China.

However, the old patriarch had learned from Shao Meiyun that Li Nianlong had never interacted with any clans throughout his life. The only suspicious point was that he and his mother were able to live in a villa and drive sports cars without doing anything. Upon investigation, it was discovered that a foreign account transferred half a million yuan to them every month. But upon tracing the transfer account, it was found to originate from abroad.

While the Liu family held sway domestically, they were powerless overseas and couldn't identify the owner of the foreign account.

Unsolved mysteries, the old patriarch didn't want to dwell on them too much. He was merely curious how Li Nianlong, who had lived a relatively peaceful life, could have incurred the wrath of a major clan. And if he really had offended a major clan, how could he remain so calm now?

He couldn't figure it out, truly couldn't. For a moment, the old patriarch became quite interested in this newfound grandson. But Li Nianlong's next sentence left him smiling bitterly.

"What does it have to do with you?"

Yes! What does it have to do with me? The old patriarch smiled bitterly. "Forget it, if you don't wish to say, I won't force it. But regardless of who you plan to deal with, the entire Liu family's strength is far greater than yours alone, isn't it?"

Indeed, with the Liu family's control over the military and political powers of Tianfu, their strength was naturally much greater than his alone. But his feud with Long Zongheng was personal, and the only person he intended to deal with was Long Zongheng himself. To kill Long Zongheng required elite assassination capabilities, and one person was enough. No matter how powerful the Liu family was, they merely controlled resources and power. Unless Li Nianlong's target was the entire Long family, the Liu family's strength would be of no use to him.

Li Nianlong glanced at him indifferently. "Are you done?"

Li Nianlong's gaze and tone made the old patriarch's heart sink, and the atmosphere instantly became tense and heavy. Nalan Ruyue, who had been hiding in the kitchen, looked worried, her palms sweating.

After a long while, seeing no change in Li Nianlong, the old patriarch sighed softly, "Meiyun, help me up."

"Grandfather..." Shao Meiyun was startled, realizing that the old patriarch had given up on Li Nianlong.

"Help me up," the old patriarch said calmly, "Even if my Liu family is in turmoil and on the verge of collapse, we will not beg for help in a servile manner. The Liu family is a proud noble, not a lowly beggar."

As he spoke, the old patriarch exuded a sense of unyielding pride, as if the former Liu family patriarch, who once commanded with authority, had returned!

Shao Meiyun pressed her lips together and helped the old patriarch up, her eyes filled with disappointment as she looked at Li Nianlong. "Menglong, you've disappointed me greatly."

"Your disappointment stems from expectations you arbitrarily placed on me from the beginning. I never agreed to anything from the start," Li Nianlong replied coolly.

These words struck Shao Meiyun like a heavy hammer, draining the color from her face instantly.

Feeling Shao Meiyun's icy hands, the old patriarch sighed softly. "Forget it, we were wrong from the beginning. We shouldn't have pinned our hopes on an outsider."

The old patriarch and Shao Meiyun left, and Li Nianlong confined himself to the third floor, saying he needed some quiet time.

Li Nianlong skipped lunch and dinner. Nalan Ruyue was anxious but helpless. Now that Li Nianlong was dealing with emotional turmoil, she could only hope that he would resolve his inner conflicts himself.

The rainy weather stopped just before midnight, and Li Nianlong emerged from Training Ground 20.3.

Since noon, Li Nianlong had locked down the entrance to the third floor and had been rigorously honing his skills. This continued until 8:30 PM, after which he took a shower drenched in sweat and immediately entered the training ground again. This time, Li Nianlong survived in the barren desert for three days.

Without water, scarce food, sandstorms and tornadoes, and extreme temperature fluctuations between day and night, it was enough to drive anyone mad. It was then that Li Nianlong realized that the level 20 training ground was essentially a wilderness survival training. The first day was the grasslands, the second day the frozen tundra, and the third day the desert. What would be next? Forests? Swamps? Or a deserted island?

Whatever it might be, Li Nianlong had gained experience from the previous three simulations and was confident he could overcome the next challenge unscathed.

The rain stopped, and the air was unusually fresh. The sounds of frogs croaking resonated outdoors. Li Nianlong opened the door to the third floor and paused, his gaze falling on the scene before him.

He saw Nalan Ruyue sitting on the ground with her back against the wall, knees hugged to her chest, head buried in her knees, breathing evenly. Beside her was a tray with beef buns and a bowl of egg soup. Warmth surged in Li Nianlong's heart, and his nose tingled, nearly bringing tears to his eyes.