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Chapter 103: The Renowned Sword, Eternal Night
Chapter 103: The Renowned Sword, Eternal Night
"Are you Xiao Hao?"
Apart from Li Qianfeng, standing outside the hall were He Jianlan’s children, Li Mingguang and Li Sibei, both around thirty-five years old.
They were significantly older than Li Hao and the others, almost twice their age.
Both had long been in the military and now held the rank of general, with extremely high cultivation. Li Mingguang had recently entered the first stage of the Three Immortalities, while his sister Li Sibei had been in the Tianren Realm for many years.
In terms of cultivation, they were the top of the third generation in the Li Family, far surpassing their peers.
Their achievements were equally impressive.
After all, their age gave them a significant advantage.
However, He Jianlan had long declared that his children would not compete for the True Dragon Seat.
This public statement held significant binding power.
However, even if they were to compete, Li Mingguang didn’t step into the Fifteen Li Realm until he was eighteen and reached the Tianren Realm at twenty-five.
In the ten years since, he had advanced to the Three Immortalities, an extraordinary achievement!
Still, compared to Li Qianfeng and Li Hao, who were of the same age, he fell short.
At the moment, Li Mingguang smiled and sized up Li Hao.
He had heard of his name even before returning to Qingzhou, and he harbored high expectations for this cousin he had never met.
Such remarkable talent had already surpassed that of Ninth Uncle.
He and his sister Li Sibei were born earlier and grew up with Ninth Uncle. In fact, they were a bit older than him!
However, in terms of seniority, he had to bow his head and respectfully call Ninth Uncle "Uncle", even though he was only two years younger.
Apart from the strict rules of the Li Family, he did so willingly, as Ninth Uncle, who played and trained with them in their childhood, had soared far ahead in cultivation.
Each year, he would astonish everyone in the courtyard like a brilliant meteor.
Unfortunately, heaven envies talent.
Fourteen years ago, Ninth Uncle’s fall was deeply mourned, even by Li Mingguang, who was serving in the distant Border Pass military. He drank a pot of wine in his memory.
Drinking in the military was a serious offense, but he still did it.
After drinking, he turned himself in and received one hundred lashes, which left him bruised and bloody.
But he didn’t even flinch, and instead, he smiled.
Later, in his tent, he cried uncontrollably.
"Brother."
Li Hao nodded and greeted Li Mingguang.
"Even I can’t see through your cultivation. Looks like you’ve mastered some cultivation techniques to conceal your aura", Li Mingguang said with a smile.
Li Hao smiled slightly.
Li Mingguang then turned to Li Qianfeng, who, compared to Li Hao’s gentle breeze, was like a half-drawn sword, though restrained, it exuded a sharp and cold aura, with a deep and powerful presence far exceeding the typical Fifteen Li Realm.
Seeing both his cousins excel, Li Mingguang’s eyes showed a sense of relief and satisfaction:
"This time, I’m back to watch you two compete for the True Dragon. Neither I nor your elder sister will participate. In terms of talent, we can’t match you. The future lies in your hands."
Li Qianfeng nodded slightly: "Cousin, rest assured."
Li Hao glanced at the other, thinking that this cousin’s character somewhat resembled Mother’s.
Putting aside talent, the natural air of a senior brother in Li Hao’s eyes made him seem somewhat suited to be the family head.
"However, while you compete, don’t hold grudges or secretly resent each other."
Beside him, Elder Sister Li Sibei cautioned.
Both she and her brother had changed out of their military uniforms into fine clothing, but years of military service had made them stand tall and proud, giving her a more heroic appearance compared to other women.
"Elder Sister is right."
Li Hao smiled and nodded.
Li Qianfeng also nodded, his expression calm.
Seeing their responses, Li Sibei smiled and glanced past them to Li Wushuang and the others, nodding in greeting. Given the setting outside the hall, she didn’t linger to catch up.
It wasn't long before the elders in the hall finished paying respects to Grandmother, and they called Li Hao and the three generations of the Li Family inside.
Led by Li Mingguang, the group followed one after another, entering the hall. They saw Grandmother Chen Hefang sitting at the top, with the other elders and the Madams of the various courtyards sitting on either side. The concubines stood obediently behind their respective Madams.
Li Mingguang, a tall and sturdy man, walked to the center of the hall and knelt down.
The others followed suit, all kneeling to pay their respects.
"Everyone, please rise", Chen Hefang said with a smile.
Everyone stood up, and Li Hao looked up at his grandmother. Her hair was white as silver, neatly combed, and she looked elderly, with wrinkles on her skin but no age spots. Her complexion was rosy, making her appear as a very clean and tidy old lady.
Despite her age, it was evident that she had been a beautiful woman in her youth, with a graceful and elegant bone structure.
As Li Hao observed her, Chen Hefang was also examining her grandchildren.
She was most familiar with Li Mingguang, having held him as a child and often seeing him play in the Qinglian Courtyard with Junye.
However, after the eldest and the third sons fell in battle, followed by the deaths of the ninth and sixth sons, her hair turned white overnight. She then handed over all the household affairs to her eldest daughter-in-law, He Jianlan.
She herself retreated to Forget Sorrow Mountain to fast and pray, hoping for the return of the ninth son's Heroic Souls.
Thinking of the sixth and ninth sons, Chen Hefang's eyes grew sad.
Over the years, she had countless dreams of them running towards her, as they did in their childhood, filled with joy and vigor, calling out "Mother, Mother..."
Those two children had suffered too much; one left behind a single son, while the other had yet to marry.
They had practiced cultivation from a young age and had not even seen the world's splendor before they perished on the border.
"Min-guang, come here, let Grandmother take a look at you."
Chen Hefang quickly composed herself and smiled, calling out.
Seeing the white hair on his grandmother's head, Li Mingguang's eyes filled with pain. He stepped forward and bent his straight back, which he had maintained from his travels.
"At the Border Pass, don't be rash or overambitious. The Li Family doesn't lack achievements or glory."
Chen Hefang gently patted her grandson's shoulder and whispered, "Grandmother only hopes that you all can live well."
As she spoke, many of the Madams' eyes welled up with tears.
Jiang Xian'er, sitting at the end, her eyes moist, turned her head slightly.
These young men were still here, but how many of the young men from back then had returned?
Those spirited young men were the fathers of today's children and the husbands of these women.
Li Mingguang's heart trembled, and he nodded firmly, "Grandson will remember."
Chen Hefang's eyes softened, and she called Li Sibei to her side, carefully examining the girl who had grown into a spirited young woman. They say daughters resemble their fathers, and her features bore a resemblance to her eldest brother, Li Xingbei.
Chen Hefang grew more fond of her with each look and sighed.
Then, her gaze moved to the other grandchildren, scanning their young faces, which were already showing signs of their future strength and valor.
Though it was their first meeting, she could see many familiar traits in them.
"Who is Li Hao?"
Chen Hefang asked gently.
Li Hao was slightly taken aback, taking a small step forward, "Grandson is here, greetings to Grandmother."
Chen Hefang looked him over and beckoned him with a smile, "Come closer, let Grandmother take a good look."
Under everyone's gaze, Li Hao obediently stepped forward and stood before Chen Hefang.
Chen Hefang carefully examined Li Hao and suddenly sighed, "You look just like your mother!"
Li Hao's eyes flickered, but he remained silent.
"Since it's our first meeting, Grandmother doesn't have much to give you. I heard you like swords, so I have one for you."
Chen Hefang called for a servant, who brought forward a sword case.
Seeing the case, Li Tiangang couldn't help but stand up, "Mother, this, this was the ninth brother's..."
Jiang Xian'er's eyes also focused intently.
"That's right, it was your ninth brother's sword, Eternal Night!"
Chen Hefang gently stroked the sword case, her eyes filled with affection as she looked at Li Hao, "This sword is one of the Ten Great Swords of the World. I heard you use a sword, so I'm giving it to you. Don't let such a famous sword gather dust."
Li Hao's heart raced. The Ten Great Swords of the World were capable of slaying Fourth Establishment Realm Great Demons, incredibly sharp.
This sword possesses an extremely special power, but it can only be unleashed when the wielder reaches the corresponding realm.
Currently, in Li Hao's hands, it can only sever souls and dispel evil, and it is exceptionally sharp.
But that is enough.
"Thank you, Grandmother", Li Hao said softly as he took the sword.
Though his voice was quiet, Chen Hefang could hear the sincerity in his words and couldn't help but smile.
The others remained silent. The sword had been sealed away for many years, and now it was being entrusted to Li Hao, clearly showing how much his grandmother, whom she was meeting for the first time, loved him.
However, it was mostly because Chen Hefang saw Li Junye's shadow in Li Hao.
They were both so bright and brilliant.
In the crowd, Li Qianfeng's eyes darkened, but he said nothing.
Liu Yuerong wore a smile, though it seemed somewhat forced. However, everyone's attention was on Li Hao and the black sword case, so no one noticed her.
After entrusting the sword case to Li Hao, Chen Hefang called Li Qianfeng to her side.
She spoke gently, "I heard you are cultivating on Wuliang Mountain. I have three precious Buddhist scriptures here, which I will give to you."
Li Qianfeng's expression was somewhat unnatural.
A famous sword for Li Hao, and Buddhist scriptures for himself?
But he didn't dare show his dissatisfaction and bowed, saying, "Thank you, Grandmother."
Chen Hefang smiled. "These scriptures contain a top-tier Buddhist cultivation technique, the Great Compassion Hand. If you can master it, not only will the palm technique itself be powerful, but it will also aid your future Sword Dao cultivation."
Li Qianfeng was taken aback and couldn't help but show his delight. "Thank you, Grandmother!"
Chen Hefang waved him and Li Hao aside, then called the other grandchildren over, one by one, giving each of them a gift. Though the gifts varied, the differences were not significant.
After the meeting, everyone left Qinglian Courtyard.
However, Chen Hefang called He Jianlan and a few other madams to stay, seemingly to inquire about the family's affairs over the years. She also asked Liu Yuerong to inform the Fourth Establishment Realm Bodhisattva, who had descended from Wuliang Mountain and was residing in the family estate, to come for a meeting.
...
...
Time passed quickly.
After the old lady emerged from seclusion, Qingzhou City became even more bustling.
Soon, the day of the True Dragon's decision arrived.
Outside the Divine General Manor, the streets were crowded with carriages, all carrying high-ranking officials and military leaders from the Nineteen Provinces, who had come to offer their congratulations.
Such a grand event had last occurred over a decade ago, and it was equally lively now.
The threshold of the Divine General Manor was nearly worn down by the constant flow of visitors.
The Liu Family relatives arrived one by one.
In the outer provinces, the Liu Family was also a prominent clan. Over the years, since Liu Yuerong's marriage into the Divine General Manor, the Liu Family had leveraged the Li Family's influence, growing even more rapidly and gaining higher positions in the imperial court.
The Liu Family was primarily composed of civil officials, with several ancestors having been top scholars and currently holding important positions.
Apart from the numerous Liu Family officials and military leaders, other Earls and Marquises also came to pay their respects, supporting Li Qianfeng and showcasing their connections.
Additionally, representatives from the other Four Divine Generals' Mansions also arrived, but they were just paying a casual visit, not taking sides, seemingly just to see what kind of power the Li Family's True Dragon possessed.
The courtyard outside was filled with noise.
Inside, Li Hao had brought out a master chair and was comfortably basking in the sun.
Soon, Bian Ruxue ran back into the courtyard, followed by a series of footsteps.
Li Hao raised an eyebrow, opened the poetry book that was shading his face, and turned his head to look. He saw a familiar face.
With white hair and a steel-like constitution, the person walking in front of Bian Ruxue was none other than the Sword Saint, Jian Wudao.
(End of Chapter)
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