Volume 2 - Chapter 36: Arrangements - Part 2
Li Muxiu's face was filled with rage as he stopped chasing the three demon kings. Sweeping his gaze across the camp, he noticed another massive demon king’s corpse lying amidst the chaos. His pupils constricted involuntarily. This seemingly insignificant Tianmen Pass had actually drawn the simultaneous incursion of four demon kings!
No wonder Feng Boping was so gravely injured. No wonder Li Hao was in such a pitiful state!
Li Muxiu turned and returned like a blur, descending before Li Hao as if by instantaneous movement. Looking at Li Hao, whose body was a bloody mess, Li Muxiu’s eyes—dry from years of battlefield experiences—grew slightly wet.
The last time he felt this furious was when his eldest brother died.
“Hurry, take this medicine.”
Li Muxiu quickly pulled out a variety of pills from his sleeve, many of which scattered on the ground. Each one was a priceless treasure that would make anyone envious.
Seeing the arrival of Li Muxiu, Li Hao’s heart finally settled. When the Master of Tianji Tower appeared, Li Hao had already realized they might survive this battle. Seeing his second uncle, he even managed a faint smile.
“You’ve been worrying about me again.”
“Don’t say such foolish things,” Li Muxiu nearly choked. “I came too late.”
“You definitely took your time. Why did you only get here now?”
Feng Boping, however, didn’t spare Li Muxiu. The relief of surviving a hopeless situation made him grin, his tone teasing.
Li Muxiu glanced at the gaping hole in Feng Boping’s abdomen and handed him some medicine as well. “Say less, or you might just talk yourself to death.”
“Don’t jinx me. We agreed to die together. If you’re not dead, how could I die?”
Feng Boping joked but didn’t force himself further. He casually grabbed a bottle of the precious medicine handed to him and swallowed it down.
Li Muxiu ignored him and looked at Song Qiumo nearby, handing her a portion of medicine as well. In a low voice, he said, “This kindness, my Li family will remember.”
Song Qiumo smiled faintly. Though her face was still pale and frail, with the situation now under control, she no longer needed to keep herself on edge. The energy within her body began circulating silently, focusing on self-healing.
“This favor isn’t for your Li family—it’s for him,” she said with a soft chuckle.
Li Muxiu was momentarily stunned, his expression subtly changing. A favor from the Li family was incredibly precious, yet this Palace of Sandalwood demon king had chosen to want a favor from Li Hao instead.
However, Li Muxiu understood her words carried a hint of jest. She clearly wasn’t treating this as a true favor.
Otherwise, why would she have held her ground so steadfastly here?
What favor could outweigh one’s own life?
Li Muxiu turned to give Li Hao a long, deep look. That this demon king of the Palace of Sandalwood had gone so far for Li Hao was proof of the deep bond between them.
This thought brought both comfort and a touch of bitterness to his heart.
“Eat it. Why aren’t you taking the medicine?”
Seeing Li Hao merely holding the treasure medicine without consuming it, Li Muxiu immediately pressed him.
Li Hao shook his head slightly, passing the medicine to Feng Lao. Taking it himself would be a waste—it wasn’t necessary.
Now that the demon kings had been driven off, their lives were temporarily out of danger. By relying on his trait of concealing and nurturing his strength, Li Hao could recover on his own. It would just take a little time—though this injury was severe.
Li Hao’s actions caused Li Muxiu’s expression to shift slightly. Recalling what Li Hao had said when he left the Li family estate, he spoke bitterly, “Would you even refuse something your second uncle gives you now?”
Li Hao hurriedly replied, “Second Uncle, you’ve misunderstood. Using these treasure medicines on me would be wasteful. I can recover on my own.”
“What waste? No amount of treasure medicine for you could ever be considered wasteful!” Li Muxiu retorted angrily.
Sensing his uncle’s genuine care, Li Hao smiled and said, “Second Uncle, there’s no need to worry. I have my own ways to recover.”
...
Li Muxiu still wanted to argue, but Feng Boping, his eyes flickering with intent, changed the subject. “Why did you arrive so late? Was it that brat who delayed you?”
Li Muxiu’s expression faltered slightly as he glanced at Feng Boping, then at Li Hao. He finally said, “Hongzhuang returned to the family to request reinforcements and gather troops. I first went to the Xia family, and it wasn’t long after returning to the clan that I received word. Tian Gang specifically instructed me to come and assist, saying I must ensure Hao’er’s safety.”
Feng Boping raised an eyebrow and glanced at him, then at Li Hao, before falling silent for a moment. “Why did you go to the Xia family?”
“That’s a matter of the Divine General Mansion. Why are you asking so much?” Li Muxiu glared at him.
Feng Boping laughed lightly, his tone tinged with sarcasm. He said no more and instead turned to the white-robed Master of Tianji Tower.
“May I leave now?”
Lu Chunsheng stared at him coldly. “Considering your contributions in repelling the demons and defending the border, I’ll let you off this time. Next time we meet, I won’t show mercy!”
“Well, then I must thank you,” Feng Boping replied mockingly. He cupped his hands before turning and disappearing in an instant.
Lu Chunsheng glanced at Li Muxiu. He had heard every word of their conversation earlier and hadn’t expected to learn such shocking news during this visit.
So the old Fist Saint of the Li family was actually friends with this notorious thief?
The Divine General Mansion colluding with a thief—if word of this spread, the Li family would surely face endless accusations.
However, Lu Chunsheng had no interest in exposing such matters. Instead, he considered how such information could be turned into a secret file, providing another piece of leverage for Tianji Tower.
“Don’t listen to that crazy old man’s nonsense. Although Tian Gang has a fiery temper and a stubborn streak, he wouldn’t act rashly about such matters…” Li Muxiu turned to Li Hao, attempting to reassure him.
“Second Uncle!”
Li Hao interrupted him with a soft call. Meeting Li Muxiu’s slightly startled gaze, Li Hao smiled and said, “I’m just glad you came. This favor—I’ll repay it.”
Li Muxiu’s expression shifted subtly, and he stood there, momentarily dazed.
He could hear the underlying meaning in Li Hao’s words. The boy had categorized this instance of his help as a “favor” rather than assistance born of familial ties or goodwill between them.
Because he had mentioned that person, it had drawn a line in Li Hao’s mind, defining this journey of his as one that owed repayment.
A pang of bitterness surged in Li Muxiu’s heart, and he sighed. “Hao’er, are you really planning to stay here and guard this place for three years?”
“Yes.”
Li Hao nodded resolutely. “Today, I almost died. I nearly had to flee, which would have broken my promise.”
Li Muxiu’s expression darkened slightly at the implications of these words. Only on the brink of death would Li Hao even consider breaking his vow.
At this moment, Li Hao turned to Lu Chunsheng, bowed slightly, and said, “Many thanks to the Master of Tianji Tower for your assistance.”
Lu Chunsheng smiled faintly. “Tianmen Pass is a key defensive point in Liang Province and part of Great Yu’s territory. My coming here wasn’t entirely for your sake. As martial artists, it’s our duty to defend the borders.”
Li Hao smiled back. “In that case, you were also assisting His Majesty in solving problems for the empire.”
Lu Chunsheng froze for a moment, his eyes narrowing as he stared at the fourteen-year-old youth.
Though Li Hao’s tone seemed casual, Lu Chunsheng instantly understood—the boy seemed to know everything and had seen through the entire arrangement.
Indeed, Lu Chunsheng’s arrival here was no coincidence.
The gathering of martial artists and masters from across the provinces was also no accident; it had been orchestrated through the covert efforts of Tianji Tower.
Tianji Tower, leveraging the Qian Kun Ranking and its subordinate forces, could discreetly guide the martial world. Such manipulation was hardly difficult for them.
Furthermore, Tianji Tower operated under the emperor’s authority and was part of the royal family’s power structure.
This fact was known to only a select few. Among them were the elder figures in the Divine General Mansion.
Clearly, the young Li Hao had learned of this connection from his elders in the Li family.
As such, the convergence of martial masters and Lu Chunsheng’s appearance became easy to deduce. All of it was part of a grand design.
It was His Majesty’s arrangement.
The boy who had made waves in Dayue City by slaying a lesser demon king was naturally on Emperor Yu’s radar. However, since Liang Province was under the Li family’s control, the royal family couldn’t directly intervene without potentially overstepping their bounds.
Especially given the sensitive nature of Li Hao’s estranged relationship with the Li family. Initially dismissed as a petty dispute, Li Hao’s decisive actions in slaying a lesser demon king and suppressing grandmasters had shifted perceptions. His supposed “childish tantrum” in leaving the Li family was now viewed with greater significance.
This boy was capable of holding his own and defending his territory.
Who would dare claim that he would fail, crumble, or return to the Divine General Mansion, seeking its glory?
At just fourteen years old, Li Hao had suppressed grandmasters and slain three demon kings of the Three Immortals Realm. Such feats were enough for boundless pride.
Given time, this boy was destined to become a figure of immense influence. By then, whether the Divine General Mansion leaned on him or vice versa was anyone’s guess.
It was likely not a coincidence that His Majesty had not mobilized the Divine General Mansion for reinforcements but had instead used Tianji Tower to gather martial forces from the martial world to assist the youth.
The intentions behind this arrangement could be interpreted in multiple ways, depending on how one looked at it.
...
“No matter what, I’ll remember this favor.”
Li Hao cupped his hands earnestly toward Lu Chunsheng.
Lu Chunsheng gave the boy a long, thoughtful look. Though Li Hao expressed gratitude, he left the recipient ambiguous, without explicitly acknowledging Tianji Tower.
This implied his gratitude was directed elsewhere.
Finally, Lu Chunsheng understood why His Majesty held this youth in such high regard. Not only had the emperor intervened during the Li family’s internal strife, bestowing honors on the youth, but he had also gifted him a sword when he took up the post of guarding the border.
Setting aside Li Hao’s immense potential, his composure, intellect, and humility were far beyond what one would expect from a fourteen-year-old.
Unspoiled by his achievements, he demonstrated wisdom and grace while remaining respectful and courteous.
Lu Chunsheng couldn’t fathom what was on the mind of the Duke now overseeing the Divine General Mansion.
How could they abandon such a treasure to the wilderness, where he almost lost his life?
Could it be that the thousand years of glory enjoyed by the Li family had grown too overwhelming, prompting them to cut themselves down voluntarily?
Lu Chunsheng shook his head silently. The grudges and entanglements within the Divine General Mansion were too convoluted for him to delve into. The mere thought gave him a headache. He chose to dismiss them entirely and spoke calmly to the boy.
“I heard that during the recent Martial Grandmaster Debate, you claimed first place, unmatched by anyone. Tianji Tower still owes you a reward. When will you visit?”
“When I’ve recovered from my injuries, I’ll come,” Li Hao replied with a smile.
“Very well. I’ll have tea ready for you,” Lu Chunsheng said with a grin.
For such a prodigy, he saw no need to assume the airs of an elder.
...
Given time, this youth would likely reach the Fourth Pillar Realm. If he could maintain his current momentum and avoid the pitfalls of stagnation, he might dominate the world within a generation and rival the likes of the Boundless Buddhist Lord.
Li Hao smiled faintly and once again thanked the Master of Tianji Tower.
As Li Muxiu listened to their conversation from the side, he felt increasingly uneasy.
He now realized that even His Majesty had secretly intervened in these events.
Yet, His Majesty showed no intent to reconcile the relationship between Li Hao and the Li family.
Why?
Could it be that His Majesty knew Li Hao had no intention of performing the ancestral rituals of the Li family?
Or perhaps the emperor intended to foster the creation of a sixth Divine General Mansion?
Or was it simply that he favored Li Hao and didn’t want to see him suffer?
Li Muxiu found the last possibility far-fetched and couldn’t help but furrow his brow, feeling deeply worried.
His love for Li Hao was undeniable, but he dreaded the boy becoming entangled with the royal family and turning into a mere pawn for His Majesty.
If none of this had happened, if this child were still in that courtyard, spending his days painting, playing chess, and fishing by the lake with him—how wonderful that would have been...
Li Muxiu sighed silently, his heart heavy with sorrow.