Chapter 93: Radiantly Brilliant
"Freedom?"
"For example, you can’t force me to practice martial arts anymore, nor interfere with anything else I choose to do," Li Hao said.
Li Tiangang was momentarily stunned.
He suddenly recalled Li Hao's usual habits—idleness and squandering of his unparalleled talent.
This was absolutely unacceptable to him.
But… having just agreed to Li Hao’s request, would he now go back on his word?
His eyes flickered with internal conflict. He thought to himself that with Hao’er’s exceptional aptitude, even if he temporarily neglected his training and continued his carefree life, it wouldn't have much impact.
When the time came for him to become a True Dragon, inherit the family responsibilities, and feel the weight of countless soldiers pinning their hopes and lives on him, perhaps he would dedicate himself wholeheartedly to cultivation.
With this thought in mind, Li Tiangang nodded to Li Hao and smiled. "Fine, I agree!"
"Really?"
"Really!"
Li Hao couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief, feeling as though a heavy burden had finally been lifted from his heart.
Considering his father’s strictness, Li Tiangang was likely the most rigid member of the Li family, even stricter than his stepmothers. Without revealing the secret of his panel, it would have been extremely difficult to convince him.
The reason Li Hao had refrained from showing his full strength back then was precisely to avoid the situation where his stepmothers, upon realizing his immense talent, would push him even harder to train.
It was akin to someone who could earn millions in an instant yet chose to spend their time playing games.
Unacceptable!
However, his circumstances were unique. Even though he could indeed "earn millions effortlessly," his "game-playing" was essential, and he couldn’t explain it in a way others would understand.
"Then I’ll head over to play chess with Fifth Uncle later," Li Hao said.
These past few days in Tangong, coupled with his trip to Cangyu City, had kept him busy.
It had been a while since he last visited; the old man must be feeling lonely by now.
Li Tiangang’s eyelid twitched at this but said nothing, only adding, "You can go, but don’t disturb the ancestral spirits."
"Don’t worry, I’ve got experience."
Li Hao’s response nearly made Li Tiangang choke.
As Li Hao turned to leave, Li Tiangang quickly called out, "Wait! There’s still something I haven’t told you. In two months, the competition for the True Dragon Seat will take place. During this period, you need to prepare. I’ve already had Uncle Yuxuan gather information—your biggest rival should be Second Sister-in-law’s child."
Hearing the mention of Liu Yurong, a glint of cold light flashed in Li Hao’s eyes.
He looked at his father and thought about the poisoned pill incident. Although he wanted to bring it up, he ultimately held back.
If he told his father now, it would surely alert the enemy. He wasn’t entirely confident in his father’s methods.
Besides being the Marquis Xingwu and a general, Li Tiangang also held the title of Minister of Justice, overseeing Great Yu's Ministry of Justice. His personal guards were known as the Law Battalion, and his title was no less than that of the Marquis of Martial Justice.
However, that woman held the title of First-Class National Madam, meaning the Ministry of Justice could only temporarily detain her and would have to report the case to the court for further approval.
If they moved to arrest her, her son would likely flee out of fear, potentially hiding in Boundless Mountain, making the situation even harder to resolve.
This possibility was highly likely.
In Li Hao's estimation, his Fifteen Li Realm cultivation had already been exposed, leaving no doubt about his talent. For his opponent, giving up the competition to protect their safety might seem like a better choice.
But that wasn’t the result Li Hao wanted.
If his rival retreated to Boundless Mountain, they would have no means to deal with him.
After all, the other party had once been the direct disciple of the Boundless Buddha, one of the three supreme forces in Great Yu.
Over the years, Li Hao had thoroughly investigated Boundless Mountain.
The Great Yu Dynasty was home to three pinnacle powers.
The foremost was Qiandao Palace, followed by Boundless Mountain, and lastly, the Hanlin Academy.
The first, Qiandao Palace, was unquestionably supreme because it was guarded by the strongest individual in Great Yu, the True Person.
The second, Boundless Mountain, was presided over by the Boundless Buddha, who ranked just below the True Person in power.
As for the Hanlin Academy, though it comprised scholars, literary masters, and grand tutors, and lacked martial might, it was backed by the imperial court itself, led by the mysterious, all-powerful Emperor Yu.
In this world, scholars could not wield attacks crafted from words or launch assaults through their writings. Yet, their edicts and documents carried the weight of absolute laws and regulations.
An official decree could confiscate the wealth of even a top-tier sect, leaving no room for protest.
Resistance?
That would invite the imperial army to crush any opposition. Not only would they seize your assets, but they’d even smash the eggs in your kitchen.
Thus, while the Hanlin Academy had no martial power, none dared provoke it. The balance of law and strength had kept Great Yu stable for millennia.
Without this equilibrium, warriors might slaughter civil officials at will, disregarding governance. In such a world ruled solely by brute force, chaos and ruin would soon follow.
Below these three pinnacle powers were the Five Divine General Mansions, which held semi-pinnacle status.
Next were the various state departments, such as the Demon Subduing Division and the River of Death Division, which were also court-established. Their positions were bolstered not just by martial power but also by their official status, deterring any rash challenges from others.
Beyond these came first-tier factions of the martial world, such as the Sword Abode and Thousand Machines Mountain.
If the Boundless Buddha were to shield his personal disciple, even a Divine General Mansion would struggle to shake him.
What’s more, the rival in question—Liu Yurong's child—hadn’t yet entered the fray and was, by all accounts, innocent.
However, in Li Hao’s eyes, that child had benefited from their mother’s schemes and thus owed a debt that had to be repaid.
Years ago, Liu Yurong had poisoned him without provocation, her sole aim being to clear the path for her own child.
Li Hao's ambitions extended far beyond merely securing the True Dragon Seat. He wanted Liu Yurong to witness the utter downfall of her child, to see their future crushed beneath his feet.
The poisoned pill he had consumed thirteen years ago…
Would now, thirteen years later, finally unleash its ruthless and devastating effects.
At that moment, Li Tiangang continued speaking, “Apart from Second Sister-in-law’s child, the children of your eldest and third sisters-in-law also have a chance to compete. However, Third Sister-in-law’s child is a daughter and, as I’ve heard, is engaged to someone from the military. Once she marries out of the family, she will automatically lose eligibility for the True Dragon Seat.”
“As for Eldest Sister-in-law’s two children, they are already in their thirties, having established themselves as generals in the military. If they were to compete, they would indeed be formidable contenders. However, in terms of talent, they are still inferior to you and Second Sister-in-law’s child.”
“What’s more, Eldest Sister-in-law stated years ago that she would not let her children participate in the competition for the True Dragon Seat. I trust her word on this matter.”
Li Hao nodded. He was already familiar with these details.
“Qianfeng, on the other hand, while his talent cannot compare to yours, has been trained under the Boundless Buddha and has cultivated his mind and body in that environment. Naturally, his composure is exceptional. From what I’ve gathered, he too has reached the Fifteen Li Realm at the age of seventeen. Setting you aside, that level of talent is rather impressive.”
Li Tiangang’s tone was steady, yet his words carried a hint of praise.
Li Tiangang himself had reached the Fifteen Li Realm around the same age. By nineteen, he had achieved the Grandmaster Realm, and at twenty-three, he had entered the Three Immortals Realm. Such achievements placed him far ahead of other top-tier talents of his generation.
Of course, that was assuming no comparison was made to his ninth brother.
“Qianfeng also benefits from his connections to the Boundless Buddha, so his network isn’t lacking either. Another advantage is his accumulation of merits.”
Li Tiangang looked at Li Hao and added, “From what I’ve learned, he has left the mountain, but hasn’t returned yet. It’s likely he is out building his reputation and earning merits—an essential element for the True Dragon Seat competition.”
“You, on the other hand, have spent most of your time within the family estate and lack the merit to your name. This might slightly weaken your standing. However, no matter—over the next two months, I plan to send you to the borderlands to slay a major demon. That should earn you sufficient merit.”
Hearing the word “merit,” Li Hao’s lips curved into a faint smile.
Standing nearby, Li Fu couldn’t help but chuckle softly as well.
Li Tiangang noticed their odd expressions and frowned. “What’s so funny?”
Before Li Hao could respond, Li Fu stepped forward respectfully and said, “Marquis, the young master’s merits are already substantial.”
“Oh?”
Both Li Tiangang and Yuxuan turned to look at him, confusion evident in their eyes.
Li Fu smiled knowingly and explained, “Do you remember how I learned of the young master’s cultivation level? It was during the demon calamity in Cangyu City—the young master saved the entire city single-handedly!”
His words left both Li Tiangang and Yuxuan stunned, their faces a mixture of shock and disbelief.
They turned to Li Hao, their eyes filled with amazement.
Saving an entire city? That was a monumental achievement!
For seasoned warriors like them, who were deeply familiar with how merits were calculated, such a feat was practically unheard of.
“Hao’er, you actually…”
Li Tiangang stared at Li Hao in disbelief. His initial astonishment soon gave way to excitement and joy, his pride in his son growing tenfold.
He had always assumed Li Hao was carefree and unmotivated. Who could have guessed that he had secretly accomplished such a heroic deed?
Yuxuan, too, looked at Li Hao with admiration, his gaze brimming with respect. Saving lives and protecting the people—that was the true mark of greatness!
Li Fu added with a grin, “The young master’s commendations and rewards should be arriving in Qingzhou any day now.”
“Good! Good! Good!”
Li Tiangang repeated the word three times, bursting into hearty laughter.
“With this, your position as the True Dragon is as good as secured!”
Li Tiangang’s worries were completely alleviated.
Li Hao had both unparalleled talent and extraordinary merits to his name. Even if his temperament was somewhat carefree and lacked the discipline of a top contender, the fact that he could achieve such an outstanding feat spoke volumes about his capabilities.
This kind of gap would be nearly impossible for others to bridge.
Even if Second Sister-in-law’s child went out to earn merits, doing so within just two months would be nearly impossible. Merits were not earned on a whim.
Besides, Li Family’s borders, apart from Yanbei, were relatively peaceful for the time being.
Venturing into other borders would involve complex arrangements and alliances.
Moreover, earning merits on the battlefield wasn’t an easy task. Among hordes of hundreds of thousands or even millions of demons, a Fifteen Li Realm cultivator was hardly a decisive force.
The leaders of such massive demon armies were almost always Heavenly Master-level beings, far beyond what most cultivators could challenge.
Seeing that the matter seemed settled, Li Hao asked, “In that case, is there anything else for me to do?”
Li Tiangang, who had just finished laughing, immediately felt a wave of helplessness. This child, left unrestrained for so many years, truly had an unorthodox personality.
“If you don’t intend to cultivate, then what do you plan to do?” Li Tiangang asked.
“Whatever comes to mind,” Li Hao replied casually. “Maybe painting, playing music, or composing poetry.”
Li Tiangang’s lips twitched slightly. He had little regard for any of these pursuits.
Had Li Hao suggested such things earlier, he would have categorically refused. However, recalling his earlier promise, he could only sigh and suppress his objections. “Fine. Do as you wish. I’ll honor my word.”
“Great.”
Relieved by his father’s concession, Li Hao decided not to push for his understanding. Permission was good enough. He promptly took his leave, announcing that he was going to visit Fifth Uncle for a game of chess.
Li Tiangang didn’t stop him, letting him go without further objections.
After Li Hao left, Li Tiangang turned to Yuxuan and sighed. “I wonder when this boy will truly grow up.”
Li Fu, standing to the side, smiled and remarked, “Marquis, in truth, the young master is far more mature than most of his peers. His visit to Fifth Uncle may not be for his own amusement, but to keep Fifth Uncle company.”
Li Tiangang froze, recalling the solitary elder in the ancestral hall, often seated before an empty chessboard.
His expression shifted as he fell silent, lost in thought.
...
A few days later, news of Li Hao’s commendations finally arrived.
For his heroism in defending the city and safeguarding its millions of inhabitants, Li Hao was officially conferred the title of Earl of the Third Rank, along with a personal fief.
Additionally, he was awarded ten chests of jewels and gold.
A complete set of divine armor for the Fifteen Li Realm was also included in the rewards.
The treasures and wealth, while significant, were merely supplementary.
The title of Earl and the fiefdom were the true prizes.
This was akin to the recognition given to Li Junye when he fell in battle years ago. Though the golden rewards were notable, the real honor was the Yu Dragon Token, a symbol of ultimate grace and a death-exemption medallion that granted three pardons from capital punishment.
Such commendations underscored the extraordinary scale of Li Hao’s achievements.
When the ceremony was over, Li Hao accepted the imperial decree and the rewards from the palace envoy with a respectful bow.
The news spread swiftly throughout the Li family estate and across Qingzhou.
The story of the Li Family’s young master, only fourteen years old, being granted the title of Earl and a personal fief, shocked the entire region.
In addition to this, Li Hao’s heroic deeds during the city’s defense were widely publicized, drawing admiration and praise from the citizens.
Many were astounded. Ten years ago, rumors had painted the young master as a Martial Waste Body. Now, it was clear those claims had been baseless slander.
Li Hao’s name resonated throughout Qingzhou, and his reputation began spreading even farther.
Within the Li family estate, the news left the various wives utterly astonished.
He Jianlan, one of the principal wives, was in disbelief. Since Li Tiangang’s return, every revelation about Li Hao had been a shock. One after another, the news had left her feeling overwhelmed.
“Is this still the same child I once pitied so much?”
He was now so dazzling that she could hardly look directly at him.
“That boy… he…”
In the Piaoxue Courtyard, Gao Qingqing was equally stunned by the news. She thought back to the advice she had given her child years ago, urging them to distance themselves from Li Hao. Now, a sense of regret gnawed at her heart.
Nearby, Li Xuanli, a senior member of the family, was elated. He chuckled, nodding his head in approval.
“As expected of Old Seventh’s son. Such talent! He’s not even inferior to Old Ninth back in the day. No, wait, at fourteen, Old Ninth wasn’t nearly as brilliant as this!”
“Incredible. Old Seventh really knows how to raise a child!”