Chapter 116: Your Son is Already Dead
Within the Divine General Mansion, in the Shanhe Courtyard...
Inside an opulent and luxurious room, a young man gradually woke up on a soft bed.
Li Hao had a dream. In the dream, his body seemed weightless as he soared through the heavens and earth.
He flew over grasslands, rivers, and lakes, gliding alongside birds, roaming freely across mountains and valleys.
Countless streams converged, gradually forming an ancient character.
That character was his name.
Then, Li Hao woke up. As soon as he opened his eyes, an aged, concerned face appeared before him.
"Hao'er!"
Li Muxiu, overjoyed, quickly said, "You’re finally awake. Are you feeling better?"
Over the past two days, Li Hao’s body had been carefully tended to by Qingzhi, the maidservant who bathed him and cleaned away the bloodstains. He had been dressed in clean clothes, and the torn flesh and fractured ribs were slowly healing under the frequent care of Li Muxiu and the divine physician.
Such severe injuries, yet they could heal on their own—this was indeed the ability of the Undying Realm, part of the Three Immortals path. Although Li Hao hadn’t reached the Three Immortals, his unique constitution was nothing short of extraordinary.
“Where is this place…?”
Li Hao’s dazed eyes gradually focused. Soon, his expression changed as he recognized his surroundings—this was his room.
So, he was still within the Divine General Mansion?
He immediately tried to get out of bed, but as soon as he moved, sharp pain radiated from his not-yet-healed ribs. His wounds reopened slightly, and fresh blood seeped through.
The clean white clothes he had changed into were quickly stained with red.
"Hao'er, rest for now," Li Muxiu said urgently.
But Li Hao was already sitting up. Slightly gasping for breath, he glanced at the anxious second uncle, sweeping his gaze across the room. Apart from Li Muxiu and Qingzhi, no one else was present.
Noticing Li Hao’s gaze, Li Muxiu explained, "Your Fifth Uncle is still guarding the ancestral hall, but he can sense everything happening here."
Li Hao smiled faintly and nodded. Then, releasing his divine soul, he sent it outside his body, surveying the Shanhe Courtyard.
In the courtyard, he saw Li Yuanzhao and Bian Ruxue, both looking uneasy and worried.
Outside the courtyard, Li Wushuang was pacing back and forth with his sister, Li Zhining.
Finally, in a hidden corner, Li Hao spotted the little white fox. It was nestled among flowers, and its injuries seemed to have healed.
Li Hao let out a breath of relief, retracted his divine soul, and smiled. “Thank you, Second Uncle, for saving my life.”
Li Muxiu’s expression shifted slightly. He said in a low voice, "Hao'er, your father didn’t intend to kill you. He was merely momentarily crazed. You are father and son; you should…”
He trailed off, struggling to continue.
He had wanted to say, You should try to understand him.
Li Muxiu ultimately hoped for harmony between father and son.
But seeing a pale, gravely injured boy and asking him to empathize with such an unyielding father—it felt cruel.
However, Li Hao had already inferred what his second uncle meant. Smiling faintly, he turned to Qingzhi and said, "Please fetch my outer robe."
Qingzhi, delighted to see Li Hao awake, nodded eagerly, her prior weariness melting away.
“Hao’er, what are you planning to do? Your injuries haven’t fully healed. Rest first,” Li Muxiu urged.
Li Hao shook his head slightly and suddenly thought of something. “Second Uncle, do you know anything about my mother? Did she come from the Great Wilderness Heaven?”
Li Muxiu was momentarily stunned. “Who told you about this? Tiangang?”
Hearing that name, Li Hao instinctively frowned and shook his head. “Second Uncle, tell me about her.”
Assuming Li Hao already knew everything, Li Muxiu sighed. “Your mother’s background is complicated. Yes, she came from the Great Wilderness Heaven. She met your father by chance. At the time, their union was not approved by anyone. But in the end, no one wanted to separate those star-crossed lovers.”
Li Hao’s lips twitched slightly, but he said nothing.
“You’re not thinking of searching for her, are you?” Li Muxiu suddenly asked.
Li Hao froze. “Isn’t my mother already dead?”
“Hm?”
Li Muxiu was taken aback, instantly realizing he had misspoken. He fell silent.
Li Hao noticed the change in his expression and asked urgently, “Second Uncle, you know something, don’t you? Please tell me!”
Li Muxiu hesitated, then sighed. “You do have the right to know. It wasn’t wrong for your father not to tell you. After all, she returned to the Great Wilderness Heaven. She likely won’t ever come back, especially since she had already borne a child.”
Li Hao’s heart shook. So, his mother wasn’t dead?
“Although your mother is alive, it’s unlikely you’ll ever see her again. Don’t even think about looking for her. The Great Wilderness Heaven is vast and perilous, even for those in the Fourth Pillar Realm. For someone at your level, entering it is certain death. Moreover, even if you went, you might not find her. I don’t even know where her clan resides...”
Li Hao stood still for a moment, then regained his composure.
He smiled faintly and nodded. “Don’t worry, Second Uncle. I won’t take reckless risks. Even if I were to go, I’d wait until I had the strength to traverse the Great Wilderness Heaven freely.”
He was sincere, not simply trying to appease his second uncle.
When he had first encountered Li Tiangang, Li Hao might have had the impulsiveness to take such a risk. But now, he only wished to live his life well.
Besides, after more than a decade of separation, a little more time wouldn’t make much difference.
Li Muxiu sighed in relief. “It’s good that you think this way.”
Li Hao smiled lightly. When Qingzhi returned with his clothes, he dressed silently. Once ready, he took a deep breath and looked at his second uncle.
Softly, he said, “Second Uncle, the paths of the martial world are long. In the future… I won’t be able to accompany you on fishing trips anymore.”
Li Muxiu’s pupils contracted sharply. “Hao’er, what are you planning to do?”
Li Hao turned his gaze toward the courtyard. “I won’t stay here anymore.”
“Young Master!” Qingzhi cried out in disbelief.
Li Hao stepped forward, his pace steady despite his injuries, and entered the courtyard.
Seeing him emerge, Li Yuanzhao and Bian Ruxue, who had been anxiously waiting, immediately rushed over with joy.
“Hao-ge!” Li Yuanzhao called out eagerly.
Bian Ruxue, equally delighted, said, “You’ve already recovered?”
Li Hao smiled faintly at the two and said to Li Yuanzhao, “From now on, you must train diligently on your own.”
Li Yuanzhao froze, his expression confused. “Hao-ge, are you…?”
Li Hao’s gaze slowly swept over the courtyard he had lived in for fourteen years.
He knew every flower, plant, and tree within it.
Many parts of it he had even drawn on paper.
But now, none of it mattered anymore.
The autumn air was already cold, and the fallen leaves of late fall had long since withered. The caretakers had swept the ground clean, leaving a desolate, frost-laden chill in the atmosphere.
Without saying a word, Li Hao walked to a flowerbed in the courtyard. This area was surrounded by stones, marked as off-limits to stepping feet.
He paused there in silence before bowing deeply.
“Uncle Lin, farewell. Take care.”
Straightening, Li Hao looked at the flowerbed for a moment longer before turning. He extended his divine soul, brushing against the little white fox hiding nearby.
The little white fox, sensing his presence, bolted out like a streak of snow and darted to his side.
Li Hao smiled softly and turned his eyes to Li Muxiu, his expression solemn. “Second Uncle, thank you for your care over the years. If the opportunity arises in the future, I will repay your kindness.”
He bowed deeply once more, his movements deliberate and full of gratitude.
Li Muxiu’s face paled. “Hao’er, you…”
Li Yuanzhao grew anxious. “Hao-ge, are you leaving?”
Li Hao turned to him, smiling faintly as he patted his shoulder. “Hao-ge is leaving.”
“Brother Hao!” Bian Ruxue called out urgently, but she couldn’t find the words to say more.
“You’re leaving? And where do you think you’ll go?”
A cold, angry voice suddenly sounded from behind them.
Li Hao’s faint smile faded as he stopped walking but did not turn around.
The little white fox trembled in fear, shrinking back but baring its teeth slightly, standing protectively behind Li Hao, facing Li Tiangang.
“Tiangang!”
Li Muxiu, seeing Li Tiangang approach with Yu Xuan, Li Fu, and Zhao Bo in tow, scolded him with fury. “What kind of tone is that? Can’t you speak to Hao’er properly?”
Li Tiangang’s expression was dark. He, too, had been healing over the past two days and had mostly recovered. During this time, his other siblings had advised him to reconcile with his son.
But seeing Li Hao awake and choosing to visit everyone except him, then preparing to leave without a word, reignited his anger.
“So, you’ve just barely recovered and already feel like spreading your wings, is that it?” Li Tiangang said coldly.
Li Hao’s lips curled faintly. Turning slowly, he met the man’s gaze with calm intensity.
“So, do you want to fight again?”
As he spoke, his aura began to emerge.
“Fine, fine, fine!”
Li Tiangang’s face flushed with anger, but he held himself back this time. His injuries from violating his oath and harming his own son had taught him a harsh lesson.
“Very well. You’ve just stepped into the Heaven and Man Realm, and now I can’t control you anymore?” Li Tiangang’s voice was icy, his eyes piercing.
Li Hao stared at him without a ripple of emotion in his heart. Calmly, he said, “From this day forward, you have no right to control me. And I am no longer your son. As I’ve said, your son was killed long ago.”
“What do you mean by that?!”
Li Tiangang’s voice turned even colder.
Li Hao gazed at him steadily and said softly, “Have you forgotten? Well, let me remind you. Do you remember why Uncle Fu came back?”
Hearing this, those present froze, their expressions shifting subtly.
Li Fu’s return had been prompted by an assassination attempt on eight-year-old Li Hao by a Zhoutian Realm human enslaved by the demon race.
“When I was six, your son should have died already. He was killed while you were stationed at the border!”
Li Hao spoke calmly. “You thought he was protected by a hidden expert? That assassin was killed by my own hands.”
“Before he died, he even said that I was your weakest point. Ha! They tried to kill me to disrupt your mental state. Looking back now, I think the demon race overestimated things.”
At these words, everyone froze in shock, their pupils contracting as they stared at Li Hao in disbelief.