85: Father and Son Reunite

Chapter 85: Father and Son Reunite

"Fifteen Li realm?!"

Li Wushuang's pupils constricted in shock, her mind buzzing and a bit dazed.

She couldn't move at all, bound tightly by an invisible force, unable even to turn over.

This was complete domination in terms of cultivation.

She shouted angrily, "Bastard, let me go!"

"Your brother called me that too back then."

Li Wushuang had bottled up her anger yesterday, not realizing that Li Hao wasn't someone with a good temper. Seeing her still speaking insolently, he gave her another dozen hard slaps.

If it weren't for his telekinetic power supporting her, the force of those slaps would have cracked the ground.

Of course, for a Spirit Wanderer Realm cultivator like Li Wushuang, she could endure it, but it was painful enough to make her bite her lip, her eyes turning red.

"Let go of me!" she demanded, struggling with all her might. Her spirit tried to escape, but Li Hao's spirit forcefully suppressed it back into her body, completely immobilizing her.

"Still not convinced?"

"Bastard!"

Li Hao responded with another series of slaps.

Suddenly, he heard sobbing from beneath his hand.

Li Hao paused, looking down to see the once proud and aloof young lady who had just returned home yesterday now with red eyes and tear-streaked cheeks, having been beaten into tears.

The previously graceful and haughty air she had was now entirely gone, as if a fairy who had stepped gracefully out of the mist had tripped and fallen into the mundane world.

Seeing this, Li Hao stopped, speaking indifferently, "Have you had enough?"

Li Wushuang lay across the horse's back, biting her lip and stubbornly remaining silent, only letting a few more tears fall.

Li Hao wasn't moved by this, and coldly said, "Cousin, if you still refuse to submit, do you believe I won't strip you naked, seal your powers, and hang you from this tree?"

"!!"

Li Wushuang's head shot up, staring at Li Hao in shock.

Could a person really say such a thing? I am your cousin!! Next to them, Li Yuanzhao was initially stunned, then his eyes brightened slightly.

(((o(▽)o))) Li Hao had no inappropriate thoughts about Li Wushuang; he was merely trying to intimidate her. He coldly said, "I'll count to three!"

"You wouldn't dare!" Li Wushuang's face turned pale, a mix of anger, urgency, and fear.

"Two!"

"You..."

"One!"

"I submit!" Li Wushuang hurriedly said. She didn't know her cousin well enough to gauge his temperament and was genuinely scared.

Li Hao had anticipated this. He coldly smiled, recognizing that no matter how talented someone was, a sixteen-year-old girl was still a sixteen-year-old girl. This tactic was both efficient and effective.

With a casual flick, he threw her aside.

He no longer used telekinetic power to restrain her.

Realizing she could move again, Li Wushuang quickly twisted around, gracefully landing on the ground. She discreetly wiped away her tears before turning to glare at Li Hao.

"Cousin, you better not try to tattle."

Li Hao sat atop his red-blooded horse, looking down at her indifferently, "And don't come provoking me again. If you cause trouble next time, I won't just talk."

Li Wushuang bit her lip hard. Even when she had joined the Qianji Sect, she had never been humiliated like this. She had never suffered such a loss. What made it worse was that her younger cousin, who was two years younger than her, had reached the Fifteen Li realm. His cultivation level was a full stage higher than hers. How was this possible?

Didn't her brother say he had been a martial arts wastrel, only able to cultivate smoothly around eight or nine years old? From eight or nine to now, how many years was that?

Her mind was a mess, finding today's events as unbelievable as seeing a ghost.

"Cousin, Brother Hao is right. It was Yun who provoked him first. You had no reason to come after him, and you can't beat him anyway," Li Yuanzhao advised, feeling a bit sorry for her. After all, until yesterday, he had looked forward to her return with great anticipation, having heard stories of her training under a famous master and holding her in high regard.

Li Wushuang glared at him fiercely, "Don't add fuel to the fire!"

Li Yuanzhao was speechless. He was genuinely trying to advise her, how was that adding fuel to the fire?

But she was clearly in a bad mood, and even the branches brushing against her would get slapped, so he refrained from further comment.

"So you were hiding your abilities all along? Was it Grandpa who taught you?" Li Wushuang stared angrily at Li Hao, feeling humiliated. Given their blood relationship, she naturally had no other thoughts, but being beaten up was pure shame.

"None of your business."

Li Hao snorted, "If it wasn't me, someone else would've killed you with that brain of yours long ago!"

Li Wushuang clenched her teeth in rage. She had returned with the ambition of seizing the True Dragon position.

She had hinted at it with her second aunt last night. After all, among the third generation, the only serious contenders were herself and Li Qianfeng.

And she had already made up her mind to follow the example of an ancestor, never marrying and leading the Li family.

Who would have thought she'd get a beating from Li Hao today?

"Stop bothering me. I don't have time for you."

Li Hao gave her a glance, lightly tugging the reins, and the red-blooded horse pranced past her.

"You!"

Li Wushuang trembled with anger, wanting to strike but holding back. She had many techniques and Qianji Sect skills, but the gap between Spirit Wanderer Realm and Fifteen Li Realm was too vast.

She couldn't move under his telekinetic power, making her skills useless.

Unless she too reached the Fifteen Li Realm, she wouldn't stand a chance in a fair fight against Li Hao.

Watching the two boys ride off, Li Wushuang felt a burning rage but suddenly realized something.

He was only fourteen but already in the Fifteen Li Realm.

This...seemed to have broken her ninth uncle's record!

Her pupils constricted, feeling as if a thunderbolt had struck her mind.

That invincible figure she had idolized since childhood had been surpassed?

Still in shock, the stinging pain in her buttocks brought her back to reality. She couldn't help but touch it gently, noticing a bit of blood on her skirt.

Biting her lip slightly, she felt an inexplicable sense of grievance, her eyes reddening again.

...

"Brother Hao, wasn't that a bit too much?"

After they had ridden away, Li Yuanzhao asked Li Hao, concerned.

Although his eyes were small, he had noticed a bit of redness as they passed by.

"Just a flesh wound. A bit of medicine and it'll heal in two days."

Li Hao said indifferently, "Hitting her hard is for her own good. Didn't you see her attitude at the banquet last night? Being famous at a young age isn't necessarily good. Surrounded by praise, even a pig would float up and not see their flaws."

"She might have learned skills from the Qianji Sect, but she's been coddled too long. Better to correct her now while she's young. If she keeps this attitude, she'll suffer a major setback someday!"

Li Yuanzhao paused, not having thought that far.

But thinking it over, he realized Li Hao was right.

His admiration for Li Hao grew.

"Brother Hao, you always talk and act like you're from my parents' generation," Li Yuanzhao remarked.

Li Hao glanced at him. With a soul from two lifetimes, his inner age indeed matched that of the older generation. So his earlier actions had a hint of elder educating junior.

Throughout, he had never considered these third-generation members as his peers.

It wasn't arrogance, just a matter of mindset.

...

While Li Hao and Li Yuanzhao were heading to Dan Palace for school, the General's Mansion suddenly became lively.

Li Wushuang had just quietly returned home, changed into new clothes, and applied muscle-healing powder she had found in her room from her training days at six or seven years old.

Throughout the process, her resentment towards Li Hao deepened, but thinking of his cultivation level, her feelings became complicated.

She realized she might be at fault too.

After finishing her treatment and changing into fresh clothes, she heard a commotion outside. Surprised, she immediately thought of Li Hao. Had his cultivation level already been discovered by their mothers?

But she hadn't mentioned it to anyone yet.

Upon stepping out of the side courtyard and asking a servant, she learned that it wasn't about Li Hao. The news was that Marquis Xingwu had returned from Yanbei.

...

The news of Marquis Xingwu's return had already stirred all of Qingzhou!

In Qingzhou, the Li family was undoubtedly the equivalent of the King with Shared Powers. Their centuries-old achievements were known to everyone. The city's statues of them were numerous, and four temples were built in their honor.

In other cities, the common folk might not feel the same attachment, but in Qingzhou, the Li family was deeply cherished. The people knew how difficult and great the Li family was.

With six of the nine brothers dying in battle, their sacrifice was beyond words.

And now, Marquis Xingwu, after fourteen years of war in Yanbei, had slain countless demons, with his deeds filling three thick volumes!

As the triumphant troops approached the thirty-mile mark outside Qingzhou, someone rushed back to inform the city and the Li family.

The entire city of Qingzhou was buzzing. Many people went out to welcome them.

Some stall owners, hearing the news, closed up shop or left their businesses to family members, carrying food and drink to greet the famous demon-slaying general.

On the thirty-mile stretch of road, people arrived in ones and twos, growing into a large crowd.

Some, hearing the news wrong, went to the wrong gate.

At the east gate, the road was crowded with people, eagerly awaiting.

Soon, a battle flag fluttered in the distance, atop the official road lined with cypresses.

The waiting crowd burst into cheers, calling out the renowned name: "Marquis Xingwu returns victorious!!"

"The General's Mansion endures forever!!"

"Marquis Xingwu returns victorious!!"

"The General's Mansion endures forever!!!"

The echoing shouts demonstrated the Li family's high regard, astonishing passing warriors and foreign merchants.

Upon inquiry, they learned the reason. During these fourteen years of peace, people had fought and bled, slaying countless demons in Yanbei.

The returning troops weren't numerous, just the personal guards of the law enforcement battalion led by Marquis Xingwu.

Of the formidable five hundred men who had set out fourteen years ago, fewer than a hundred remained.

Some had lost limbs, others had bandaged heads, a wounded army.

Yet the battle flag still flew proudly, unyielding and majestic!

Seeing these wounded soldiers, some common folk teared up, offering baskets of eggs and hanging meat to the returning warriors.

The Li family's love for the people was well-known in Qingzhou, and the common folk showed no fear.

This scene left outsiders awestruck.

They had seen victorious troops before but always from afar. The fierce aura of those soldiers kept them at a distance.

But the Li family and the common folk were like fish and water, harmonious and close.

Meanwhile, Li Hao, just arrived at Dan Palace, received the news. Panting, Shen Yunqing found Li Hao:

"What are you doing here? Your father, Marquis Xingwu, has returned!"

Shen Yunqing's voice held a trace of excitement, as it was hard not to be influenced by the Li family in Qingzhou.

Li Hao was stunned.

His parents...had returned?

Fragments of memories flashed in his mind, but fourteen years was a long time, enough to blur details.

He froze for a moment, then quickly regained composure, thanking Shen Yunqing before taking off with astonishing speed.

Shen Yunqing watched Li Hao's swift departure, eyes widening slightly before sighing and stroking his beard:

"The Li family's dragon of this generation is even more extraordinary than the last..."

Li Hao shot out of Dan Palace, heading downhill.

Kicking open the stable, he leapt onto the red-blooded horse he had ridden that morning and spurred it on.

The horse's hooves clattered crisply on the city streets, and pedestrians quickly made way.

Seeing the red-blooded horse, some initially frightened onlookers relaxed, recognizing it.

Finally.

When Li Hao arrived at the outer city road at top speed, he saw the fluttering flag in the distance, leading a majestic figure riding a dragon-lion.

He quickly reined in his horse, the sturdy beast rearing with a neigh before landing gracefully.

One dragon, one horse, one father, one son.

In that moment, their eyes met