https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-93-Li-Hao-s-Aspirations-Additional-Chapter-for-the-Patriarch-of-Solitary-Star-Soul-/13450036/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-95-Leisurely-Teaching-Fifth-Update-/13450039/
Chapter 94: Radiant and Glorious [Fourth Update]
Chapter 94: Radiant and Glorious [Fourth Update]
"Freedom?"
"For example, you can't force me to practice martial arts or interfere with what I do." Li Hao said.
Li Tiangang was speechless.
He finally remembered Li Hao's usual habits—neglecting his studies and wasting his top-tier talent.
This was something he could not tolerate.
But... he had just promised Li Hao. Could he go back on his word now?
He hesitated for a moment, then thought to himself that given Li Hao's talent, even if he temporarily stopped cultivation and continued his previous lifestyle, it wouldn't have a significant impact.
In the future, when Li Hao becomes a True Dragon and inherits the family legacy, feeling the weight of responsibility on his shoulders and the hopes of countless soldiers resting on him, he might fully commit to cultivation.
With this in mind, Li Tiangang nodded at Li Hao and smiled, "Alright, I agree!"
"Really?"
"Really!"
Li Hao couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, feeling the heavy burden on his heart finally lifted.
From his father's strictness, he knew that his father was the most rigid in the Li Family, far stricter than Mother and the others. It was really difficult to convince him without revealing his true capabilities.
Initially, he hadn't deliberately shown his strength, fearing that Mother and the others would become even more insistent on his cultivation if they thought he had great talent.
It's like having someone who can make millions in a minute, but you see them lying around playing games.
Unthinkable!
But his situation was special. He could make millions in a minute, but he was really just playing games, and he couldn't say that, as no one would understand.
"Then I'll go find Fifth Master for a game of chess."
Li Hao said.
He had been in Tan Palace for a while and had also gone to Cangyu City for training.
It had been a long time since he last saw Master, who must be quite lonely by now.
Li Tiangang's eyelid twitched, and he was speechless. He only said, "You can go, but you must not disturb the Ancestral Heroic Souls."
"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."
Li Hao's words nearly made Li Tiangang choke.
Seeing Li Hao about to leave, Li Tiangang immediately said, "Wait, there's more to discuss. In two months, the True Dragon will be decided. You need to prepare well during this time. I've had Uncle Yu Xuan look into it, and your biggest competitor will likely be Second Sister-in-Law's child."
At the mention of Liu Yuerong, a cold light flashed in Li Hao's eyes.
He looked at his father, thinking about the poison pill incident, but decided to hold his tongue.
If he told his father now, it might alert the enemy, and he wasn't sure of his father's methods.
Apart from being a marquis and a general, Li Tiangang was also the Minister of Justice, overseeing the Dayu Criminal Law Department. His guard unit was known as the Fa Camp, and he himself was titled "Marquis Xingwu"!
But that woman had the title of First-Class National Lady, and the Criminal Department could only temporarily detain her, needing to report to the imperial court for further action.
If they arrested her, it would alert her son, who might be scared and refuse to return for the True Dragon competition, retreating to Wuliang Mountain. That would be a difficult situation to handle.
And this was a very real possibility.
In Li Hao's view, his Fifteen Li Realm had already been exposed, and in terms of talent, there shouldn't be any doubt. The other party's chances of becoming the True Dragon were slim, and it would be better to retreat and preserve their strength.
But this wasn't the outcome he wanted.
If the other party retreated to Wuliang Mountain, they would be at a loss on how to deal with them.
After all, the other party had been a disciple of the Buddhist Master, a direct disciple!
Over the years, Li Hao had conducted extensive investigations into Wuliang Mountain.
The Great Yu Dynasty had three top-tier forces.
The first was Qian Dao Palace, the second was Wuliang Mountain, and the third was Hanjindian.
The first force, Qian Dao Palace, was undisputed, as it was home to the strongest True Person in Dayu.
The second, Wuliang Mountain, was presided over by the Infinite Buddhist Master, who was second only to the True Person.
The third, Hanjindian, was filled with scholars and literati, including the Grand Guardian, who had no martial power. However, their backing was the imperial court and the mysterious, all-powerful Emperor Yu.
In this world, scholars did not possess the ability to attack with their words, but their documents and regulations were the law and the rules!
A single document could destroy a family, and even a first-tier sect wouldn't dare to protest.
Resist?
The imperial army would immediately descend, and by then, not only would the family be destroyed, but even the eggs in the house would be scrambled.
Therefore, although Hanjindian had no martial power, no one dared to provoke them. The power of the law was equal to martial power, and it was through the Martial Dao defending the Scholarly Dao that Dayu had remained stable for thousands of years.
Otherwise, if martial artists were to casually abuse and kill civil officials, disregarding the system with their brute force, this nation would be ruled by a group of brutes, leading to a disaster where the people suffer and the nation faces imminent destruction.
Below the three top-tier forces are the five Divine General Manors, which are considered semi-top-tier.
Below them are the various government departments, such as the Demon Suppression Bureau and the Mourning River Office.
These are all established by the court, and while they may not have the highest martial strength, their status is unassailable, and no one dares to offend them. Otherwise, they would face the full might of the army, which no one can withstand.
Following these are the first-tier forces in the martial world, such as the Sword Hut and Qianji Mountain.
If the Buddhist Master of Wuliang Mountain were to protect his personal disciple, even the Divine General Manor would find it difficult to challenge him.
Moreover, Liu Yuerong's child was not involved and is considered innocent.
However, in Li Hao's eyes, since the child has benefited from the mother's influence, they should also bear the responsibility of repayment.
Back then, Liu Yuerong poisoned him, and there was no real grudge or enmity. Her main goal was to pave the way for her own child.
Li Hao's objective was not just to compete for the True Dragon Seat but to make Liu Yuerong witness her child being brought to the lowest point, with their future utterly ruined!
The poison pill he swallowed thirteen years ago would unleash its fierce and cruel toxicity thirteen years later!
At this moment, Li Tiangang continued speaking:
"Besides the child of Second Sister-in-Law, Elder Sister-in-Law and Third Sister-in-Law's children also have a chance to compete. However, Third Sister-in-Law's child is a daughter and is engaged to someone in the military, so she automatically withdraws from the True Dragon Seat competition."
"As for Elder Sister-in-Law's two children, they are already in their thirties, have accomplished much, and hold general ranks in the military. If they were to compete, they would be quite competitive, but in terms of talent, they still fall short compared to you and Second Sister-in-Law's child."
"Moreover, Elder Sister-in-Law has long stated that she would not let her children participate in the True Dragon competition. I trust her on this."
Li Hao nodded, as he was already aware of these matters.
"Qianfeng's talent may not match yours, but with the guidance of the Buddhist Master, he has cultivated both his body and mind, and his character is undoubtedly commendable. It's said he has already reached the Fifteen Li Realm at seventeen, which is quite impressive, even without considering you."
Li Tiangang continued, "I reached the Fifteen Li Realm around the same age, then became a Grandmaster at nineteen and entered the Three Immortalities at twenty-three. This already makes me quite a prodigy, far surpassing most top geniuses."
Of course, that's assuming he's not compared to his ninth brother.
"Regarding Qianfeng's connections, with the Buddhist Master's backing, they are not lacking. Another bonus is his merit."
Li Tiangang said to Li Hao, "I have already investigated and learned that he has descended from the mountain but has not returned. I believe he is out accumulating merit, which is a significant advantage."
"Since you have been staying within the manor and have no merit to your name, it might slightly weaken your position, but it's not a major issue. In the next two months, I plan to arrange for you to go to the frontier to slay a great demon, which will count as a significant merit."
Hearing about merit, Li Hao smiled slightly.
Li Fu, standing nearby, couldn't help but chuckle.
Noticing the odd expressions on their faces, Li Tiangang frowned and asked, "What is it?"
Li Hao remained silent, but Li Fu respectfully said, "My Lord, Young Master's merit is not insignificant."
"Hmm?"
Li Tiangang and Yu Xuan both looked at him, puzzled.
Li Fu smiled, "My Lord, do you remember how I found out about Young Master's realm? In Cangyu City, it was hit by a demon plague, and Young Master single-handedly saved the entire city!"
Upon hearing this, Li Tiangang and Yu Xuan were stunned, their expressions filled with surprise.
They glanced at Li Hao, who had saved an entire city? That was a tremendous achievement!
For them, who had been in constant combat, the calculation of merit was all too familiar.
"Li Hao, you actually..."
Li Tiangang looked at Li Hao, his eyes wide with astonishment and joy, his affection for his son growing immensely.
He had thought Li Hao was merely carefree and playful, but who knew he had quietly accomplished such a feat!
Yu Xuan also looked at Li Hao with admiration, her eyes filled with appreciation. Saving the people from suffering was already a significant achievement!
"The rewards for Young Master's achievements should reach Qingzhou soon", Li Fu said with a smile, clearly looking forward to it.
"Alright, alright, alright!"
Li Tiangang said the word "alright" three times in a row, bursting into hearty laughter.
"With this, the True Dragon Position is as good as secured!"
Li Tiangang finally felt at ease.
Li Hao's talent was top-notch, and he had achieved great deeds. Although his character was somewhat lax and not at the top, the fact that he could accomplish such a feat showed that he was competent in other areas, which was more than enough.
Such a gap would be hard to bridge.
Even if the second aunt's child went out to achieve great deeds, it would be difficult to encounter such an opportunity in just two months.
Achieving great deeds wasn't something that could be done at will. Even if one went to the border to earn merit, Li Family's borders, except for Yanbei, were mostly peaceful and quiet for the time being.
Going to other borders would complicate things.
Moreover, earning merit at the border wasn't easy. In the face of a massive tide of hundreds of thousands, even millions of demons, what did a Fifteen Li Realm mean?
The leaders who could command hundreds of thousands of demons were likely at the Heavenly Being Grandmaster level.
Li Hao said, "Since that's the case, do I have nothing else to do from now on?"
Li Tiangang, who had just finished laughing, felt a sense of helplessness upon hearing this. This child had been unattended for years and had truly become too idle.
"What do you want to do if you don't cultivate?" Li Tiangang asked.
"Whatever comes to mind, I'll do it. Like painting, playing the zither, or writing poetry", Li Hao replied.
Li Tiangang's lips twitched. He didn't look favorably upon any of those things.
If Li Hao had said this earlier, he would have likely rejected them all, but thinking about his promise to Li Hao, he could only suppress his feelings and sighed, "Alright, do as you please. I promised, so I'll keep my word."
"Good."
Li Hao felt a sense of relief. Although the other party didn't like what he wanted to do, he didn't seek understanding, only permission.
He immediately bid farewell and went to find Fifth Master for a game of chess.
Li Tiangang didn't stop him and let Li Hao go.
After Li Hao left, Li Tiangang sighed to Xuan Yu, "I wonder when this child will truly grow up."
Li Fu smiled, "My Lord, in fact, Young Master is already much wiser and more mature than other children his age. He might not be going to play with Uncle Five, but to keep him company."
Li Tiangang was taken aback, thinking of the lonely old man in the Ancestral Hall and the solitary chessboard in front of him.
His expression changed, and he fell silent.
A few days later.
The rewards for Li Hao were indeed bestowed.
Considering Li Hao's contributions in defending the city and protecting over a million people, he was granted the rank of Third-Class Earl!
He was also given a fief, a city!
In addition, ten chests of jewels and gold.
A set of divine weapons and armor from the Fifteen Li Realm.
For the rank and fief, these treasures were just additional bonuses.
Just like when Li Junye fell, the Yu Dragon Token and ten carts of gold were granted, but the gold was merely an extra, insignificant.
The true reward was the Yu Dragon Token, the token of life and death!
Three Yu Dragon Tokens meant three chances to avoid death, highlighting the magnitude of his achievements!
After the ceremony, Li Hao received the imperial decree and rewards from the "top student" from the palace, bowed in gratitude.
The news spread throughout the manor and quickly reached Qingzhou.
Li Family's Young Master, at just fourteen, was granted the rank of Earl!
And he had his own fief!
Moreover, Li Hao's achievements in defending the city spread throughout the city, constantly praised, leaving the people in awe, exclaiming that he truly lived up to being a Li Family son!
Some people still vaguely remembered the rumors from about ten years ago, saying that this Li Family Young Master had a Martial Wasteland Body. Now, it was clear that those were just false rumors.
Li Hao's name now echoed throughout Qingzhou and spread even further!
Within the manor.
The news stunned the ladies of various courtyards.
He Jianlan was taken aback. Ever since Li Tiangang returned, news from Li Hao kept coming one after another, almost numbing her.
Was this still the child she pitied?
He was so brilliant that she could hardly look at him directly.
"That child... he..."
In Snowfall Hall, Gao Qingqing, upon hearing the news, found it hard to believe. Thinking back to the advice she gave her child years ago to distance himself from Li Hao, she felt a twinge of regret.
Beside her, Li Xuanli was overjoyed, marveling:
"Truly a son of Seventh Uncle! His demeanor is almost as impressive as Uncle Nine's back then, no, Uncle Nine wasn't as brilliant at fourteen!"
"Amazing, Seventh Uncle really knows how to raise children!"
(End of Chapter)
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