Chapter 90: Sword Dao – Red Dust

The family banquet was held in the Mountain and River Courtyard.

Each of the various courtyards sent their Ladies to attend, offering congratulations to Li Tiangang. Outside the main gates, a crowd of outsiders had gathered—concubines from distant branches, illegitimate descendants of the Li Clan—craning their necks to peer through the gate, eager to catch a glimpse of the prodigy whose talent was said to surpass all others in Li Clan history. What kind of monster could this boy be, with three heads and six arms?

Li Hao’s name had now spread throughout the entire Li Estate. Even the servants and maids, the kitchen staff chopping firewood and preparing meals, were whispering about the legendary young master—this mysterious, fearsome prodigy.

Fourteen years of obscurity. One moment, the heavens trembled.

The news didn’t stay confined within the estate’s walls. It flew over rooftops, carried by the wind, spreading far beyond the city—reaching the secret intelligence outposts of powerful factions stationed in Qingzhou City. Like silk threads on a spider’s web, the information spread swiftly and silently across the land.

Every faction, every watcher keeping an eye on Qingzhou, learned of it. And each was shaken to the core.

The True Dragon of the Li Clan, which had fallen fourteen years ago—now, after fourteen years of silence, it seemed to rise again, reborn with a fiercer, more radiant might!

And as the fame of Li Hao spread like wildfire, in the midst of the joyous banquet in the courtyard, Li Hao followed Zhao Bo into the innermost depths of the estate—toward a cold, quiet room, untouched by celebration.

He pushed open the door. Inside, the scroll paintings were neatly arranged, carefully preserved.

A wave of Divine Mind swept through him. He counted them—none were missing.

“Young Master,” Zhao Bo said softly from behind, “don’t be angry with the Elder. Yu Xuan has served the Elder for years, fought alongside him in countless battles. He’s an orphan, too. That’s why the Elder protects him—not because he’s truly angry with you.”

An orphan…

Li Hao thought silently.

He had parents, yet wasn’t that the same as being an orphan in spirit?

He exhaled a quiet breath, letting go of the thought.

After all, he had waited fourteen years. And the man who had raised him—his father—was still his father.

He didn’t accept him. He simply let it be.

“Now that your cultivation level has been revealed, the world will know your name,” Zhao Bo said, trying to lighten the mood. “No one will ever look down on you again.”

Li Hao smiled faintly. “Wasn’t my name already known the moment I was born?”

Zhao Bo paused, then chuckled. It was true—Li Hao had been personally named by Emperor Yu himself at the time of the Li Clan’s True Dragon’s fall. The imperial decree had echoed across the realm.

“But still… so much time has passed,” Zhao Bo added, scratching his head. “Back then, he was just a baby. Who cared? Everyone’s eyes were on the dazzling Ninth Young Master.”

“Exactly,” Li Hao said. “All things pass.”

“In the endless sweep of time, even sages are but dust in the wind.”

He turned and walked out, stepping into the moonlit courtyard. Stars shimmered above, their silver light falling like a veil over the silent grounds—contrasted sharply with the bright, bustling glow of the front courtyard.

“Let’s go join the celebration,” he said.

“Yes, Young Master.” Zhao Bo exhaled, relieved. That was why he’d come—to bring Li Hao to the banquet.

…

At the banquet, the moment Li Hao arrived, the atmosphere surged with energy.

Li Wushuang and her siblings, along with the children of Eighth Lady—Li Jiangying and Li Ruomeng—sat together at the main table, part of the core bloodline. The other Ladies’ children were mostly absent.

Their eyes immediately locked onto Li Hao, expressions varied.

“Brother Hao is fierce!” Li Yuanzhao burst out, thrilled. Having learned of Li Hao’s strength in Cangyu City, he had been counting on this moment. Now, seeing others stunned and awed, it felt like biting into icy winter fruit in the middle of a sweltering summer—pure, electrifying delight.

His gaze swept sideways, smugly meeting Li Yun’s. The look in his eyes said it all: I told you so.

But Li Yun and Li Zhinin were too preoccupied to care. Their eyes were heavy with emotion—this scene felt eerily familiar. Just days ago, their elder sister had returned, bathed in the same spotlight.

But today’s moment was even grander, more explosive.

“Hmph. Fifteen Li Stage? Big deal. Only when you reach Master Level does it matter,” came a cold, dismissive voice from another corner.

It was Li Ruomeng.

Li Yuanzhao blinked. He hadn’t expected such a voice to rise. He turned—and saw the two precious children of Eighth Lady.

He’d seen them before, when they’d come to pay respects to Madam Da. But they’d never spoken a word. Their manner was icy, aloof. They never mingled, never played with the others. In the training grounds, they trained side by side, forming their own little world—untouchable, untouched.

And Eighth Lady doted on them like jewels. He remembered once, when a minor illegitimate branch youth accidentally cut Li Jiangying during sparring. Just a small sword mark. With Li Clan’s treasure medicines, it would’ve healed in a day.

But Eighth Lady stormed into the training grounds, had the youth dragged out—and broke his arm.

The boy had decent talent, but the trauma was too much. He left the training grounds soon after. His mother even begged at Eighth Lady’s gate, weeping for mercy.

That incident had caused a stir. Even the children had gossiped about it. It was only when Madam Da intervened that the matter was settled.

Eighth Lady came from a powerful family—Lady Wang. She was a formidable presence among the Ladies, one not easily provoked.

But now, hearing Li Ruomeng’s mocking tone, Li Yuanzhao couldn’t stay silent.

“Nothing special?” he shot back. “Then tell me—what cultivation levels are you and your brother at? Fifteen and sixteen?”

Li Ruomeng flinched. She was already jealous, and the taunt stung. Her face flushed. “You think he got here so fast because he’s good? He’s always clinging to Second Uncle and Fifth Elder. That’s why he’s strong!”

Li Yuanzhao smirked. “Then why doesn’t Second Uncle favor you?”

“Because he’s smarter. He knows how to flatter better than you!” Li Ruomeng sneered.

Li Yuanzhao’s face burned red. He glared.

Li Yun and Li Zhinin exchanged a glance, frowning. They didn’t care much for Li Hao—yet they really disliked Eighth Lady’s children. Too proud, too cruel. They didn’t want to provoke trouble.

One wrong move, and Eighth Lady would come storming to their mother’s door.

“Hmph. You’re all Li Clan blood, yet you’re jealous of someone with real talent? Disgraceful,” Li Wushuang said coldly.

Li Yuanzhao stared at her, stunned. She was defending Hao? The one who’d beaten her before?

“Who are you calling talentless?” Li Ruomeng snapped, furious.

Li Wushuang’s eyes narrowed. “Who shouts the loudest? That’s who I mean. You’ve only just inherited your soul—how dare you say Fifteen Li isn’t impressive? Is your Soul Continuation Realm that much better?”

“They’ve inherited?” Li Yuanzhao and Li Yun gasped. They’d trained together, their potential similar. But these two had already advanced ahead?

“Nothing special,” Li Jiangying said coldly, stepping in to defend her sister. “Li Wushuang, don’t think your Divine Travel Realm makes you superior. There’s still a long road ahead. Even beyond the Heavenly Human Realm, we’re just ants. Wait until you cross that threshold.”

Li Wushuang’s eyes hardened. “Impudent! You don’t even call me cousin sister anymore—how dare you speak my name? Is that how your mother raised you? And don’t worry. I’ll be the first to cross that gate. Then you can come begging.”

“Just because you have a famous master?” Li Ruomeng scoffed. “We don’t even want one.”

Li Wushuang was about to retort—when Li Yun pulled her back.

“Sister, don’t stoop to their level. Be careful. They’ll bring their mother into it.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Li Jiangying snapped.

Li Yuanzhao narrowed his eyes. “Quiet down. This is Mountain and River Courtyard—not your Mehexuan Courtyard. Even if your mother came, she’d still have to call Heavenly Pole Uncle ‘Brother’.”

Li Jiangying’s face paled. Though spoiled and arrogant, even they knew their place in this setting. They held back, their pride wounded but restrained.

Seeing the tension ease, Li Wushuang gave them a scornful glance and turned away. She found them laughable—this pair, raised by Eighth Lady, so wild and uncivilized.

Then Li Zhinin noticed Li Hao walking toward Madam Da’s group.

“Why isn’t Hao coming over here?” she asked quietly.

Li Yuanzhao smirked. “Brother Hao doesn’t sit with children.”

…

Elsewhere, Li Tiangang was being grilled by the Ladies.

“Why did you hide Li Hao’s cultivation level?”

“Exactly how did he cultivate?”

“Who trained him?”

Li Tiangang rubbed his temples. The sound of seven or eight women chattering was worse than the roar of ten thousand soldiers on the battlefield.

But he smiled through it, answering each question with patience.

At first, he thought it was Second Uncle’s doing. But now he knew it wasn’t. So he could only say it was Li Hao’s natural talent.

No one believed him. Not really. They didn’t say it aloud—but the suspicion hung thick in the air.

Li Hao was close to Second Uncle and Fifth Elder. Then suddenly, he skyrocketed in cultivation. A prodigy beyond measure. It was hard not to suspect—had they defied Heaven itself to alter fate?

When Li Hao arrived, the Ladies swarmed around him like bees. The elders couldn’t get answers, so they turned to the younger ones. But Li Hao’s mouth was even tighter than Li Tiangang’s.

Liu Yuerong got nothing. She clenched her teeth, furious. She hated both of them.

…

Far away, in the Sword Pavilion of Nine Thousand Li South—

“Master!”

Three or four figures burst into the thatched hut, breathless, reporting the news to the Master, who was quietly reading ancient sword treatises.

“Fifteen Li Stage?” Jian Wudao froze.

Was it… the little fiancé of Xue'er?

Slowly, memories stirred. Eight years ago, during a trip down the mountain, in a bustling human city… that vast, empty courtyard… and that unusually solemn child.

Fourteen years old—just a few months older than Xue'er.

And Xue'er had only just entered the Divine Travel Realm last month.

A full realm’s lead.

Jian Wudao’s expression darkened. This level of natural talent… even he had never matched it. Not even the former True Dragon of the Li Clan.

“The Li Clan is about to produce another True Dragon,” he murmured.

“With such talent… the True Dragons of the other Divine Generals’ Residences won’t be able to sit still.”

“For a hundred years, the Li Clan has been blessed beyond measure—chosen by Heaven’s Mandate.”

The disciples murmured in awe. They were prodigies themselves, yet the news left them speechless.

“Master,” one young disciple said, “didn’t you nearly take this Li Clan child as your disciple? We almost had a monster as a fellow disciple!”

Jian Wudao remembered that day. He shook his head. “Back then, rumors said he had a Warrior’s Wasteland Constitution. Now, I suspect the Li Clan deliberately concealed it—or the elders used forbidden arts to alter his fate.”

“But even if his potential is divine,” Jian Wudao added, “he won’t enter my sect.”

“Why not, Master?” the disciples asked.

“He’s not a Sword Dao cultivator. He walks a different path.”

The disciples nodded, understanding.

Prodigy, yes. But not a sword cultivator.

“Shame,” one sighed. “We could’ve been brothers with a monster like him. Might’ve even pushed us.”

“Fourteen years old, Fifteen Li Stage… terrifying,” another agreed.

Jian Wudao glanced at them. “I’ve always said—there are always higher realms beyond. Now you see it. You’re talented, but to suppress the future sixty years? You’re still far behind. Go train your swords!”

The disciples grimaced. Who among the countless heroes of the world could truly suppress the next six decades?

Then Jian Wudao asked, “Has Xue'er left the mountain?”

One of the younger disciples smiled. “After breaking through to Spirit Travel, she said she wanted to return home immediately. She’s already on her way.”

Jian Wudao frowned. Then sighed.

“She’s bound by Li Clan’s kindness. I hope this journey brings closure. In the end… Sword Dao and Red Dust can only have one.”

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end