Chapter 133: War Chaos (Supplemental Update 1425)

So many Combat Scriptures suddenly returned—this overwhelming quantity was enough to prove just how resolute the child had become in severing ties with Li Tiangang!

He Jianlan glanced at Li Tiangang’s ashen, furious face and sighed, “Heavenly Pole, you’re still a father at heart. Don’t let this quarrel go further. If not for the open-mindedness of the elder generation, your marriage to Qingqing would’ve been blocked at every turn, and your child would’ve faced endless slander.”

“People say Hao is blessed in life. But what exactly is he blessed for? Born into a noble family, raised in luxury and comfort—yet you and Qingqing never truly raised him. He waited fourteen years for your return, and only just got you back… and now this massive rift has formed in mere days.”

“If this continues, your bond as father and son will truly be lost.”

“Seventh Elder,” Li Xuanli said, his expression complex, “I’ve seen Hao. He’s not nearly as bad as you claim. If he were my own son, I’d be overjoyed. He carries himself with grace and propriety—far from reckless. And you’ve seen the results of the investigation yourself…”

He paused, his eyes flickering with a sudden, deep emotion, then let out a quiet sigh.

“Seventh Elder, you can’t blame Hao for the slap that was dealt to Ruyi. It wasn’t his fault,” Li Fenghua interjected.

He shot a furious glare at his wife, Wang Xiangru, who stared back at him unflinchingly, her eyes blazing with anger.

Li Fenghua’s fists clenched, fury rising—but he forced himself to unclench them. Remembering his father’s teachings: A man’s fist is meant to conquer the world, not to strike his wife. That was why he had endured so much these past years.

“Seventh Elder,” Jiang Xian’er spoke softly, “even if you think Hao is carefree or idle, no matter how laid-back he may seem, his cultivation level still surpasses that of most his age. If he has such natural talent and the privilege of leisure, why push him so hard?”

Her words, and those of the others, fell on Li Tiangang’s silence.

He knew all of it. And yet, deep inside, he couldn’t shake the resentment—especially when he thought of Hao’s cold, indifferent face. That child was his son! Blood of his blood, bone of his bone. Even if he had misjudged, could the boy really turn against him with a sword drawn? Because of some demon beast? What little affection did that child still hold for his father?

“Cutting ties? Not so easy,” Li Tiangang said, taking a deep breath, his eyes glacial. “I don’t know how he obtained these Combat Scriptures, but what he owes the Li Clan goes far beyond this.”

“Three years garrisoning the frontier? That’s no small burden. Liang Prefecture is on the brink of chaos.”

The words struck a silence among the elders.

Li Xuanli, his voice sharp with urgency, demanded, “Seventh Elder, what do you mean? What’s happening in Liang Prefecture?”

Li Tiangang looked at him. The truth was out. There was no point hiding anymore—especially since he’d already begun preparing for this moment.

“Do you know why I ordered the Heavenly Gate Pass to retreat and sent Hongzhuang back?”

“That was the stronghold of the Third and Sixth Elders for years. Countless Li Clan soldiers died there, their blood soaked into the soil. To retreat… it would mean abandoning everything we’ve fought for.”

His voice turned icy, cold as winter stone. “It wasn’t that I didn’t want to defend it. It wasn’t that the Emperor refused. It was that we simply can’t hold it anymore.”

“Beyond the border, demon beasts have gathered in full force. War Chaos is imminent. The Heavenly Gate Pass will be the first to fall—the first barrier in their invasion.”

“Recently, three Meh Rivers have appeared within Liang Prefecture—each of Youdu Rank. One city was swallowed whole in a single night, half its structures vanished beneath the floodwaters. Thousands perished.”

“The Royal Family’s elder generation has already rushed to the frontlines, hoping to defeat these rivers temporarily. Complete victory over the realm? Impossible. But if we can destroy all three, we may suppress them for now—prevent further spread.”

“They plan to use Liang Prefecture as their breakthrough point to invade the Great Yu.”

“For years, those demons have seen Emperor Yu as their dining table. Our people—billions across the realm—have been nothing more than their prey. They’ve been restless, eager to strike. Just recently, the Xia Family suffered devastating losses. Two Demon Kings of the Four-Heaven Stage breached their borders. One of their elders was slain in battle.”

The revelation left everyone stunned.

The Li Clan’s most secret intelligence network—controlled by Li Tiangang, the True Dragon—had revealed this terrifying truth. They hadn’t known such horrors were unfolding beyond their walls.

“Heavenly Pole,” He Jianlan recovered, “if Liang Prefecture is so perilous, why send Hao there?”

Li Tiangang’s face remained hard. “I intended to break his stubbornness. But I never expected him to have a Four-Foundations Realm secretly protecting him. He defied me outright!”

He turned to look at Li Moxiu.

Li Moxiu’s voice boomed, “Without Four-Heaven Stage protection, do you really think Li He could’ve kept your son safe?!”

“Don’t forget—Hao’s talent has already surfaced. Those demons who bear grudges against our clan won’t stand by and watch him grow strong!”

“At the most critical moment in his life, you cast him out of Qingzhou, out of our base. Exposed him to the storm outside. Do you really want to kill him?!”

Li Tiangang’s suppressed fury finally erupted. “If it weren’t for your indulgence, would Hao have reached this point? Would he have left home over something so trivial? Now, can he still cut ties with me?!”

“Y-you—!” Li Moxiu’s face flushed crimson, trembling with rage, speechless.

“Heavenly Pole,” He Jianlan said, her voice tight, “Second Uncle meant well. You shouldn’t speak to him like that.”

Others glanced at Li Moxiu. Though he’d lived in the Divine General’s Residence for years, his past was… complicated. He’d once clashed fiercely with their elders, and that had colored their perception of him. Only He Jianlan had maintained a close bond with him, understanding his true nature.

The others hesitated—should they intervene?

Li Tiangang cooled down. He knew his tone had been too harsh. Taking a deep breath, he turned to Fifth Elder Li Xuanli and said, voice low and serious, “Fifth Elder, I originally meant to speak with you in a few days. I’m sending you to Liang Prefecture. Take residence there, assess the situation. When the demons launch their full assault, I’ll lead the army myself.”

Li Xuanli nodded. “Understood. I’ll handle it. These past years, I’ve been resting and recovering. I’m nearly whole. Yanbei’s battle should’ve been mine.”

Li Tiangang shook his head. “We don’t need to draw lines like that.”

Li Xuanli’s eyes dimmed slightly, but he held his composure, saying nothing.

Li Fenghua stepped forward. “Seventh Elder, if you need anything, just call on me.”

“Eighth Uncle,” Li Tiangang said, his voice stern, “you stay and guard Cangzhou. That’s a place Xiao Jiu staked his life to claim. It cannot be lost.”

Li Fenghua nodded. He knew the stakes. That’s why he’d guarded Cangzhou with unwavering diligence for years—rarely returning to the Divine General’s Residence. And because of that, he’d neglected his children, letting his wife spoil them beyond reason. Now that they were back, he found it nearly impossible to reclaim authority.

And his wife—she relied on her status as a Royal Family member, her family’s influence, and wasn’t afraid of him.

Seeing Li Tiangang and Li Hao’s clash, he felt a deep, personal ache. He understood the pain of a father torn between duty and love.

“Then, Fifth Elder, prepare yourself. Depart soon. The sooner you’re there, the better. You don’t need to worry about the Heavenly Gate Pass.”

Li Xuanli hesitated. “What about Hao?”

“He has Four-Heaven Stage protection. If things go south, he’ll return on his own. Unless he truly wants to die,” Li Tiangang said coldly.

Li Xuanli’s face darkened. He sighed silently but said nothing.

“Elders,” Li Tiangang bowed slightly to the group, “take these Combat Scriptures to the Pavilion of Listening to Rain.”

The elders nodded in unison. They had no intention of interfering in Li Tiangang’s family matters. For years, they’d upheld their duties with quiet respect.

“And these three Ultimate Techniques…” One elder hesitated.

Li Tiangang’s expression darkened instantly. He remembered the letter.

“What about the Ultimate Techniques?” He Jianlan asked, puzzled.

The elder spoke gently, “Elder Lady, Young Master Hao mentioned—if we acquire these three, we must promise not to allow Li Qianfeng to cultivate them. Only then would he hand over the Ultimate Techniques.”

The room fell silent. They looked at each other, stunned. The child hadn’t forgotten.

But then again, that very promise had sparked the father-son battle. It was only natural he’d hold onto it.

“Alternatively,” another elder added, “he could be allowed to cultivate them—but he must never inherit the True Dragon position of the Li Clan.”

He Jianlan turned to Li Tiangang. “Is this true?”

Li Tiangang nodded, face grim.

The elders exchanged glances. Fortunately, Liu Yuerong wasn’t here. If she had been, she’d have screamed in outrage.

“This child… has a sharp mind,” He Jianlan said, a faint smile tugging at her lips.

Li Tiangang shot her a cold glare. “Demanding three Ultimate Techniques in exchange for our obedience? He’s playing games. Cunning beyond his years. Not a child at all.”

“He’s quick-witted, not deeply cunning,” Li Moxiu snapped.

Li Tiangang’s brow twitched, but he said nothing.

Li Xuanli mused, “Hao’s move wasn’t a threat. It was an open strategy. If Qianfeng were allowed to cultivate these techniques and inherit the True Dragon title, then the techniques themselves—originating from Hao—could contain hidden traps. In the future, if Qianfeng used them against Hao, the True Dragon could be struck down in a single blow.”

“Even if Qianfeng learns them, without the True Dragon’s aura and authority, he’d be powerless. So once he begins studying them, he’d be permanently subordinate to Hao.”

“What about the others?” Wang Xiangru blurted, her face paling. She’d been hoping her own children could train in them.

Li Xuanli glanced at her, calm. “The others? There’s such a vast gap between them and Hao. Whether they cultivate or not… it makes no real difference.”

Wang Xiangru’s face fell. A wave of humiliation washed over her. But she couldn’t argue—she knew it was true.

Only the Buddha Lord’s direct disciple had any real hope of catching up to Hao’s pace in the future. The rest? Even if they mastered the Ultimate Techniques flawlessly, the cultivation gap would render them helpless against Hao’s attacks.

Still, resentment stirred in her heart.

There’s still time, she thought. Leading by a step doesn’t guarantee eternal dominance. When one reaches the bottleneck, stagnation sets in—decades pass. The current lead will vanish. It won’t matter.

Her children weren’t exceptional, but they had the advantage of the combined strength of the Wang and Li families—something Hao could never match. In time, they might still stand against him.

That thought eased her mind—slightly. But her gaze toward Li Xuanli turned colder.

“Then let’s wait and see. For now, the benefits outweigh the risks. We’ll accept the three Ultimate Techniques. Whether Qianfeng cultivates them or not… that’s his choice. If he does, he’s voluntarily submitting to being crushed by Hao. If not, he’ll have to learn another path.”

“Exactly,” another elder said. “The Pavilion of Listening to Rain has countless Ultimate Techniques. Master one, and you master ten thousand. One method breaks all others. It makes no real difference.”

In the end, they agreed—accept the three.

Li Tiangang, seeing their decision, didn’t oppose it.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end