Chapter 115: Friends
Liu Yurong found herself at a loss for words.
That child’s monstrous talent shattered every argument she could muster.
She knew that no matter what she said, it would be futile, leaving her seething with resentment.
“Hao'er has such achievements in cultivation. Isn’t it because Second Uncle and Fifth Uncle defied the heavens to change his fate?” Liu Yurong gritted her teeth as she spoke.
Li Muxiu laughed in exasperation and said, “My chance to defy the heavens and change fate was used up long ago. Jianlan knows this, and Hefang knows it too. As for Old Fifth’s chance, he’s been saving it as a last resort—to reshape the fate of a descendant only if the Li family has no one worthy of taking on great responsibilities!”
“Use it for Hao'er? Why would Hao'er even need such a chance?”
Everyone stared at Liu Yurong. They knew that this Second Uncle, Li Muxiu, although eccentric, would not lie.
Liu Yurong could feel the weight of their gazes upon her. In that moment, she suddenly understood what Li Hao had felt earlier when he had been the center of attention. A bitter smile and a sense of irony welled up in her heart.
Perhaps at this moment, she was the one who could most vividly understand that child’s despair.
However, she refused to admit it outright and simply said, “Second Uncle, all of this is mere talk without proof. Our Li family is such a vast and noble clan; even when enforcing the rules, evidence must be considered, right?”
Li Muxiu responded coldly, “The kind of poison Hao'er described—I’ve heard of it before. Once consumed, unless detected immediately, it’s impossible to trace. This substance has been lost to history for many years. Back then, the Five Divine General Mansions united to eradicate it, and even ancient noble families joined the effort. Not just the formula, but even the land where it originated was reduced to ashes.”
“And yet, this thing has somehow survived.”
The poison pill known as the Bloodbane Elixir was something that ancient families, including the imperial clan, dreaded above all.
After all, only the descendants of families who had produced immortal powerhouses could potentially fall victim to its treachery.
For other families, without immortals, destroying divine blood was meaningless; they simply didn’t qualify.
“Hao'er is intelligent, yet even he hasn’t been able to find evidence all these years. This thing leaves no traces. Unless you confess, or we make a trip to Boundless Mountain to dig around under that Buddhist Lord’s seat…”
“You dared to poison someone back then, so you must have anticipated the worst outcome, right?”
Li Muxiu sneered as he stared at her.
The worst outcome would be exposure—but even exposure would leave no evidence.
Liu Yurong trembled internally at his words, but her expression remained unchanged as she said, “Second Uncle, you may hold a high position, but even you cannot ignore evidence. I’ve never even heard of what you’re describing.”
“Then tell me, why would Hao'er falsely accuse you and not someone else?”
“Well, you’d have to ask Hao'er. I can’t think of anything I might have done to offend him.”
“Fine! Very well!”
Li Muxiu laughed angrily. But since the other party refused to admit anything, and he had no evidence in hand, his hands were tied.
Unless they went to Boundless Mountain.
The only possible source of this substance was there, and only that Buddhist Lord could have hidden it so well for so many years.
“They say the Buddha saves all beings—what a joke. Inflicting calamity only to swoop in as a savior?”
Li Muxiu sneered. “To think they’d dare meddle with the true dragon of the Li family! From today onward, Liu Yurong, your son Li Qianfeng has two choices: either move to Boundless Mountain permanently and never set foot in this house again, or stay here and never go back to Boundless Mountain. Choose one!”
Liu Yurong’s face changed dramatically. “Second Uncle, you can’t make such a decision without any basis! Besides, you’re not the Li family’s true dragon. Even though you’re of high seniority, do you think you can oppress us orphans and widows by pulling rank? How would Fengping rest in peace in the afterlife?”
“Silence!”
Li Muxiu roared in anger. “When Fengping sought your Liu family back then, I was against it from the start. Your Liu family has been civil officials for generations, with all your scheming and tricks. I’ve long found you intolerable!”
“Second Brother,” interjected Chen Hefang, her face pale. “Let’s keep today’s conversation about family matters. Don’t drag in unrelated grievances.”
Li Muxiu’s face flashed with anger, but he restrained himself.
Indeed, voicing such words publicly would offend both Boundless Mountain and the imperial court’s civil officials.
For now, he could only vent his frustrations within the family.
Even so, venting was better than holding it in!
Still, given his level of cultivation, saying a few things wouldn’t matter much—so long as it wasn’t overly publicized.
“Even if you deny everything outright, it won’t make a difference. I will get to the bottom of Hao’er’s situation. Until it’s resolved, your son is forbidden from stepping outside!” Li Muxiu’s furious words bore down on Liu Yurong like a mountain.
Liu Yurong trembled as she said, “Second Uncle, are you oppressing us orphans and widows? If you can never find the truth, does that mean Qianfeng will never be allowed to go out to cultivate for his entire life?”
Li Muxiu snorted coldly. “If you’re afraid, then confess now. Don’t waste everyone’s time.”
“How could I confess to something I didn’t do?” Liu Yurong’s voice was filled with sorrow.
Seeing this, Li Muxiu could no longer be bothered to argue with her. His sharp gaze turned toward Li Tiangang, who had been silent all this time.
“And you, Tiangang. You’re Hao’er’s father. You failed to care for him when he was young. Has he ever complained about you? You’ve guarded the borders for years, and everyone recognizes your hard work!”
“But now, in such a critical matter, you stand on the opposite side of your own son. What kind of father does that make you?”
Li Tiangang sat as still as a stone. After a long moment, he finally spoke. “Second Uncle, Hao’er is arrogant by nature. I disciplined him not because I completely distrust him but because he has no respect for his elders!”
He raised his head to look at Li Muxiu and continued, “If he had come to me and spoken calmly, I would have sought justice for him. But he went straight to extreme measures—do you think that’s right?”
Li Muxiu roared in anger, “With an attitude like yours, do you think Hao’er wouldn’t have noticed? Talking to you is about as useful as talking to a brick wall!”
“You claim you would seek justice for him? Then do it! Go ahead and show me!”
Li Tiangang caught the sarcasm in his words but maintained a stern expression as he replied, “Naturally, we should investigate and interrogate step by step. If Second Aunt is truly guilty, she should be punished according to the law and sealed away by family rules.”
Li Muxiu sneered. “This venomous woman is a titled State Madam, a rank equivalent to Jianlan’s. By the time you’ve gone through all the procedures to investigate and interrogate her, how many years will have passed? Even if she finally confesses, what punishment would she receive? Do you not already know?”
“At most, she’d lose her title and be demoted to a commoner. Considering the Li family’s contributions and Fengping’s merits, she’d never face severe punishment!”
“In that case, while she might officially be punished, she’d still live a life of luxury in the Divine General Mansion. Do you think Hao’er could accept that?”
“So what? Does he want to break the law and commit murder?”
Li Tiangang glared at Li Muxiu and retorted, “Do you expect me to stand by idly as my own son kills an orphaned widow? Is that what you want?”
“You!”
Li Muxiu bellowed in anger. “You’ve led troops into battle and shown great wisdom, yet in this matter, you act like a fool. Whether she’s punished or killed doesn’t matter—just as long as Hao’er feels this injustice is righted. Is that so hard?”
“That rebellious child would even dare to kill me. He’s as hot-tempered as they come, and I can’t appease him.”
Li Tiangang snorted coldly and said, “Second Uncle, I will investigate Hao’er’s matter thoroughly. I will ensure justice is served for everyone. The Li family will never shield a criminal, nor will it condone wrongdoing!”
His words, though indirect, made his stance clear. He was signaling that he, as the true dragon of this generation, was the one in charge of the Li family.
Although Li Muxiu and Li Qingzheng held higher seniority, the clan leader’s authority ultimately trumped all.
It was like the emperor’s uncle might be respected as a prince, but dictating to the emperor was out of the question.
Li Muxiu’s face darkened. Li Tiangang’s assertion of authority left him with no room to argue.
After all, if the elders always had the final say, the clan leader would become nothing but a figurehead.
And if that were the case, the family’s legacy would be doomed to stagnation, with everyone fearing death and no one daring to take risks. How could such a family survive for generations?
“If your father were still here, he’d be disappointed in you.”
Li Muxiu said no more, leaving with a flick of his sleeves.
Even he was powerless against Liu Yurong. As a State Madam, she had the protection of the imperial court, and going through official channels would take far too long.
Punishing her through family rules was feasible, but it required Li Tiangang’s consent—and without it, nothing could be done.
“Yurong, you’d better come clean about this matter if you want Qianfeng to retain his place in the family.”
After Li Muxiu left, Chen Hefang turned to Liu Yurong, her expression grave.
Liu Yurong replied bitterly, “Mother, even you don’t believe me?”
Chen Hefang gazed at her for a long moment before sighing deeply.
...
...
The clash between the Li family’s father and son quickly became the talk of Qingzhou.
The battle caused collateral damage to the city, witnessed by many, making it impossible to cover up.
In taverns and teahouses, speculation ran rampant. With so many guests present at the true dragon’s selection, rumors spread like wildfire.
Some said that Li Hao had claimed the true dragon seat and sought to unify the family by killing his brother and father.
Others claimed drunken remarks at a banquet had sparked the conflict.
There were even whispers that Li Tiangang had returned from Yanbei with an illegitimate child, only for his legitimate son to discover the truth, igniting the battle.
The stories, true or false, grew increasingly exaggerated with each retelling.
However, one question dominated the speculation: what punishment would Li Hao face for such a shocking conflict?
Some elders argued that no matter what grievances he had, drawing his sword against his father was unfilial and unforgivable.
Others said he was still young and should be forgiven for his mistakes.
...
Two days passed, and amidst the fervent speculation, all eyes turned to the Divine General Mansion. The towering walls seemed to isolate the family from the world, shrouding it in an eerie silence.
Rumors swirled that the Marquis Xingwu was severely punishing his son.
...
...
At the cold pond in the Tangong Academy, Song Yufeng, dressed in a white robe resembling a Daoist’s attire, approached with a bitter smile.
He looked at the woman standing by the pond and said, “You’ve heard about it?”
“I didn’t just hear about it.”
Song Qiumo’s face was icy as she replied, “This city is so small. I saw it with my own eyes. That so-called slayer of demons didn’t hold back against his own son!”
Song Yufeng was momentarily at a loss for words. For someone at the Fourth Pillar Realm, the entirety of Qingzhou was within sight.
And indeed, he had witnessed it himself.
With a sigh, he said, “Such a gifted child, blessed by the heavens… Even if he made a mistake, he shouldn’t have been treated this way. I wonder what the Marquis Xingwu experienced at the border to become so volatile.”
“I don’t care what he’s been through. I just want him to walk out of this alive.” Song Qiumo’s voice was cold and sharp.
The two “him” she referred to were not the same person.
Song Yufeng chuckled wryly. “Even a tiger won’t eat its own cubs. You’re overthinking it.”
“Hmph, that’s not certain.”
Song Qiumo cast him a sidelong glance and said, “You didn’t come here just to stop me, did you?”
“Of course not.”
Song Yufeng sighed helplessly. “He is, after all, a registered lecturer at Tangong. I came to check on him and persuade him to return to class. That seems reasonable enough, doesn’t it?”
Song Qiumo rolled her eyes, but her expression softened slightly. “In that case, let’s not delay. Let’s head there as soon as possible.”
“I’m fine with that, but you have to promise we’re just there to talk, no fighting. This is, after all, a family matter.”
“So you still don’t trust me, huh?”
“That’s not what I meant…”
“Since he’s your registered lecturer, why didn’t you go earlier?”
“I already told you—I prefer to offer help when it’s needed, not when it’s convenient!”