https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-92-The-True-Dragon-Contention-Second-Update-/13450034/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-94-Radiant-and-Glorious-Fourth-Update-/13450037/
Chapter 93: Li Hao's Aspirations [Additional Chapter for the Patriarch of 'Solitary Star Soul']
Chapter 93: Li Hao's Aspirations [Additional Chapter for the Patriarch of 'Solitary Star Soul']
The True Dragon will be determined two months from now.
Li Tiangang relayed this news to He Jianlan and informed the entire household.
For a moment, there was a commotion throughout the various courtyards.
However, they had anticipated this. Ever since Li Wushuang descended the mountain and returned, it was clear that the goal was the True Dragon.
But this time, the primary contenders for the True Dragon were originally from the Shuihua Courtyard. Now, however, Li Hao from the Mountain and River Courtyard had unexpectedly emerged as a strong candidate.
"Hmph, Liu Yuerong must be furious."
In the Linglong Courtyard, Xiao Yujing sneered.
She had no biological children, only an adopted son, Li Yuanzhao. Despite Li Yuanzhao's Eighth-Rank War Body, he still fell short, as the Ninth-Rank War Body was merely the baseline for a Top Genius.
Naturally, he was unlikely to compete for the True Dragon.
But this time, Li Hao had shown his prowess, stunning the world. Given Li Yuanzhao's close relationship with Li Hao, he might benefit as well.
However, she was not particularly concerned about this.
Inside the Shuihua Courtyard.
Liu Yuerong, though she had anticipated it, was still seething with anger.
She instructed the old woman to prepare a letter. At this point, she could only seek help from her master in Qianfeng.
Perhaps that Buddhist Master, who was on par with a True Person of the Qian Dao Palace, would have a solution.
Although her child was also in the Fifteenth Li Realm, he was three years older.
...
...
Wuliang Mountain.
In the Vast Heaven Pure Land, within the Wuliang Spirit Realm.
Wuliang Mountain had strict rules, and clothing, food, and housing were all determined by the Buddhist rank system. For example, Vajras could reside in the Diamond Heart Hall, where they could cultivate the Master's Heart and achieve Arhat status. Arhats could live in the Buddha Hall and receive offerings.
As for the Spirit Realm, it was the highest and most sacred place, reserved for the Immeasurable Buddhist Master to practice and reside.
The spiritual mist here was vast and ethereal, like a celestial paradise.
"Amitabha, Master, I have sent the message to Qiankun Vajra. He is on his way back. Additionally, we just received a letter from the Divine General Manor, sent by Qiankun Vajra's mother, Lady Liu."
A Bodhisattva recited the Buddhist mantra and handed the letter to the Immeasurable Buddhist Master from a distance.
The Immeasurable Buddhist Master, clad in a saffron robe, radiated a brilliant Buddhist light. The blazing Buddhist Halo behind him illuminated the surroundings with a benevolent glow.
His body was massive, towering over a dozen zhang tall, a result of a special cultivation technique that bestowed incredible power.
In contrast, the Bodhisattva, who had reached the Fourth Establishment Realm, was of normal human size, appearing like an ant next to the Master, only able to look up in reverence.
The letter floated to the Immeasurable Buddhist Master but did not reach his hands. Instead, it paused briefly before him and then disintegrated into ashes, having been read by his insight.
"We have already been aware of the news. Lady Liu is too anxious."
The Immeasurable Buddhist Master spoke gently, "Tell her not to worry. Talent is not determined solely by realm; it also depends on the depth of one's foundation. Qiankun Vajra practices the highest cultivation techniques of our Buddhist sect, combined with the Li Family's ultimate skills. Among peers, he is certainly among the top five."
"When he returns, I will bestow upon him a Buddhist vow, ensuring his invincibility among his peers."
The Bodhisattva breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Thank you, Master."
The Immeasurable Buddhist Master said softly, "In the past century, conflicts have occurred frequently, and Dayu's fortune has waned. This intervention in the Divine General Manor's True Dragon contest is a reluctant choice. When the chaotic times approach, it is our duty to descend the mountain and save the world."
"Amitabha."
The Bodhisattva's face was filled with devotion.
...
...
As the news of the Li Family's True Dragon determination spread, various parties received the message and began to act quietly.
"The determination of the True Dragon will primarily depend on two aspects."
In the Mountain and River Courtyard, Li Tiangang summoned Li Hao to his presence. Looking at his son, he felt both comfort and a touch of worry:
"The first thing to look at is Talent, and the second is Character."
"Besides these, there are also Achievements and Connections, but these are secondary, merely adding to the overall package."
Li Hao nodded, as Second Uncle had already told him this.
The Divine General Manor is a top-tier great family, and it doesn't just look at strength.
Talent is indeed important, but having Talent alone isn't enough. If Character is poor, one won't go far.
For example, traits like impatience, arrogance, and obsession—if someone with such a Character has top-tier Talent, entrusting the family to them is like letting a madman drive a car, leading to quicker destruction.
Steadfastness, humility, adaptability, and equanimity are what make for excellent Character.
In short, not only must one have outstanding Talent, but their moral character must also be sound. This is the demeanor a successor of a great family should have.
As for Connections and Achievements, they are merely additional points.
Connections also reflect Character, after all, how can one have Connections without the ability to navigate complex social situations?
Someone who offends others with every word, no matter how strong they are, will only turn the entire family into enemies if they become the head of the family in the future.
The selection of a True Dragon in the Li Family, though not as stringent as choosing a Crown Prince in the Imperial Clan, is still carefully done. Unlike smaller families, where a Secondary Lineage might rise to prominence through some fortunate opportunity and shock their elders into submission.
But such a rise often leaves the family behind, with the Secondary Lineage running ahead, leaving the rest behind as mere caretakers.
Top-tier families remain standing because the head of the family must support the entire family and lead it forward. This is why Character is so important.
Li Tiangang glanced at Li Hao and said, "I'm not worried about your Talent, but over the years, I have been negligent in your upbringing, leading to a lax Character. If you could try a bit harder, your achievements would be far greater."
At this, he paused and looked at Li Hao.
He had said this before, and now he was reiterating it.
Li Hao, who had previously responded with, "So what?" now had a blank expression. Li Tiangang sighed and said, "I know that your mother and I were not there for you, and that was our failure. But the millions of people in Yanbei need us. If I were to abandon Yanbei, not to mention what Dayu would do, the people of Yanzhou would suffer greatly."
"Being the offspring of a military family, you should understand this."
"I understand!"
Li Hao spoke, looking earnestly at his father. "I have never blamed you for this, never!"
"I can vouch for that."
Li Fu, who had been standing respectfully in the pavilion, interjected.
He looked at Li Hao with a mixture of pity and unwillingness, and said to Li Tiangang, "My Lord, when Young Master was targeted by Assassins, you sent me back to protect him. I asked Young Master, but he not only didn't blame you, he was also worried about your safety in Yanbei."
"He... has never blamed you."
Upon hearing Li Fu's words, Yu Xuan, who had been standing guard on the side, was taken aback.
He looked at the earnest and stubborn young man, and a strange feeling welled up inside him.
Being an orphan, he understood that feeling.
He had been abandoned at birth and grew up in the military camp. When he was four or five, every time he saw other children playing with their parents, he felt a deep pain.
Envy, resentment, and anger.
He had questioned the darkness countless times in the night, asking why they had been so heartless as to abandon him.
If they didn't want to raise me, why did they have me?
This anger gradually subsided as he grew older, as he realized that perhaps his unknown parents had their reasons.
But the young man before him, who had been separated from his Marshal and Madam since birth and was now at this age, was able to understand?
How old is he?
Looking at the young man's slender frame, Yu Xuan felt something stir in his heart.
He suddenly realized that this was the first time he truly understood this Young Master.
Hearing Li Fu's words, Li Tiangang was stunned.
He looked at Li Hao's earnest eyes and knew he wasn't lying, especially with Li Fu's testimony. He felt a lump in his throat, but he never cried easily. He took a deep breath to suppress the feeling, and then, thinking about Li Hao's previous attitude, he asked, "Have you ever harbored any resentment?"
"Yes."
Li Hao answered seriously, without hiding anything.
The three of them were taken aback. They had just believed that Li Hao wasn't lying, but this statement seemed to contradict his previous response.
Li Hao took a deep breath and stared at him.
"My resentment isn't that you didn't come back, but that you sent back so many Military Reports. I counted them—twenty-four in total, nearly two per year!"
"But in these fourteen years, you only sent back seven Family Letters!"
Li Hao wasn't a mere fourteen-year-old boy. If he were, he might have kept these thoughts to himself and pouted. Instead, he chose to speak his mind, hoping that only by doing so could he mend his relationship with this father:
"Every time a Military Report was delivered to Changchun Courtyard, I would look for it, hoping that a Family Letter would come with it. But I was disappointed seventeen times!"
"Those seventeen times, Mother fabricated seventeen Family Letters to comfort me. She thought I didn't know, but I could tell right away."
"I don't need you to rush back just to see me for a moment, but I don't understand why, if you can write a Military Report, you can't send a Family Letter along with it."
"Are you really that uncurious about how your own son is living? Whether he has learned to brush his teeth, if he has been bullied, if he has been hurt, or if he has been unhappy?"
As Li Hao spoke, the resentment in his eyes became evident.
This body, after all, carried the blood of the man before him, whom he regarded as his father.
Fourteen years without seeing each other didn't necessarily mean deep affection, but it certainly brought disappointment and a sense of loss.
Listening to Li Hao's words, the three of them were stunned.
Li Fu stared at Li Hao, his body trembling slightly.
He had been by Li Hao's side all these years and could easily see through the First Lady's fabricated expressions. He knew they were made up. But he never expected that young Li Hao would also have seen through them.
But every time Li Hao heard these letters, he would run back happily.
So, he had been pretending all along?
Was it to avoid disappointing the First Lady's well-intentioned efforts?
Li Fu clenched his teeth. This man, who had shed blood but never tears on the battlefield, felt like crying at that moment.
Li Tiangang and Yu Xuan were also stunned, their eyes quickly turning complex. Li Tiangang was speechless, realizing that he had no excuse to offer in response to Li Hao's words.
He wanted to say that the border battles were urgent and relentless, leaving him no time to think of anything else.
But was that a reason?
He couldn't bring himself to say it.
Even in the midst of urgency, couldn't he spare the time to write a Family Letter?
If he could send Military Reports, why couldn't he include a Family Letter?
The only reason he could think of was that he had truly neglected this son.
When did it start?
He couldn't remember. Perhaps it was after he learned that Li Hao couldn't Foundation Build or Blood Dissolve, and he gradually shifted his focus entirely to the battlefield.
Or maybe it was the constant battles that drained him, leaving no room for anything else.
Deep down, he even considered another reason: he had been away since Li Hao's birth, and he never got used to having a son.
But could he say that? As a father, could he admit that?
Worse, he barely remembered those seven Family Letters. It seemed that his wife had to remind him several times before he even thought to write them.
At that moment, Li Tiangang's face turned pale and grim. He realized for the first time that, despite his invincibility on the battlefield, he was a complete failure as a father.
"Li Hao..."
Li Tiangang looked at the boy before him, whose eyes were clear yet serious. He couldn't meet his gaze, feeling a pang of guilt. He pulled Li Hao into his arms, his voice slightly hoarse: "I'm sorry, I failed you!"
Hearing his father's whispered apology, Li Hao's hardened heart softened a little.
He sighed inwardly. Apologies were useless.
Some things couldn't be made up for.
But he silently consoled himself, deciding to let it go.
Everything had a process.
He was willing to accept the apology, but he couldn't help feeling a sense of regret. Perhaps this was just life?
Li Fu and Yu Xuan watched this scene in silence, feeling a mix of pity for Li Hao's understanding and regret for the distant battles that had hurt a child thousands of miles away.
After a long moment, Li Tiangang calmed himself, composed his emotions, and took a deep breath. He then said to Li Hao:
"I will make up for the fourteen years I missed. I promise!"
"From now on, whatever you want, I will give it to you!"
Li Hao felt a sense of relief and responded: "I hope I can have more freedom."
(End of Chapter)
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