The decision about the True Dragon will take place in two months. Li Tiangang passed this news to He Jianlan and informed everyone in the manor.
In an instant, all the courtyards were in an uproar. However, they had anticipated this since Li Wushuang returned from the mountains, knowing it was about the True Dragon. Originally, the main candidates for the True Dragon were from the Shuihua Courtyard, but now, unexpectedly, Li Hao from the Shanhe Courtyard had emerged as a contender.
"Hmph, Liu Yuetong must be furious," Xiao Yujing sneered in the Linglong Courtyard. She had no children of her own, only an adopted son, Li Yuanzhao. Though Li Yuanzhao had an eighth-grade battle physique, it wasn't enough to compete for the True Dragon. However, with Li Hao's sudden rise, and their close relationship, Li Yuanzhao might benefit from it.
But she didn’t care too much about that.
In the Shuihua Courtyard, Liu Yuetong had expected this but was still gritting her teeth in anger. She had the old woman prepare some stationery; at this point, she could only seek help from Qianfeng's master. Perhaps that master, who was on par with the real person of Qiandao Palace, would have a solution. Even though her child was also at the Fifteen Li realm, he was three years older.
...
Mount Wuliang.
In the pure land of the Buddha, within the limitless spiritual realm. The rules of Mount Wuliang were strict; everything from food to living arrangements was determined by the Buddhist hierarchy. For example, a Vajra could stay in the Vajra Heart Hall to comprehend the master's heart and cultivate into an Arhat, while an Arhat could reside in the Buddha Hall and enjoy offerings.
As for the spiritual realm, it was the highest place, where the Wuliang Buddha practiced and lived. The spiritual mist here was vast, like a fairyland.
"Amitabha, Buddha Master, the news has been sent to Qian Kun Vajra, and he is on his way back. We also just received a letter from the Divine General's Mansion, sent by Qian Kun Vajra's mother, the Liu family."
A Bodhisattva quietly recited a Buddhist chant and handed the letter to the Buddha Master above.
The Wuliang Buddha Master wore a cassock, radiating Buddha light, with a blazing wheel of Buddha behind him, shining with the light of salvation for all beings. He was enormous, towering over ten feet tall, a result of a special cultivation method that granted him incredible power. The Bodhisattvas who had reached the Fourth Standing realm appeared as tiny as ants beside him, only able to look up.
The letter flew toward the Wuliang Buddha Master, but he did not take it. Instead, it hovered in front of him for a moment before turning to ashes, which he read with his insight.
"We already knew this news; the Liu family is too anxious," the Wuliang Buddha Master said softly. "Tell her not to rush. Talent is not solely determined by realm; it also depends on the foundation of each realm. Qian Kun Vajra practices the top techniques of our Buddhist sect, plus the unique skills of the Li family, making him one of the top five in his realm."
"When he returns, I will pass on a Buddhist wish to ensure he is invincible in the same realm."
The Bodhisattva sighed in relief and said, "Thank you, Buddha Master."
The Wuliang Buddha Master continued, "In the past hundred years, conflicts have been frequent, and the luck of Dayu has waned. Our involvement in the True Dragon contest at the Divine General's Mansion is a last resort. When chaos approaches, it is time for us to descend and help the people."
"Amitabha." The Bodhisattva looked sincere.
...
As news of the Li family's True Dragon selection spread, everyone began to take action quietly.
"The selection of the True Dragon mainly depends on two aspects," Li Tiangang said, calling Li Hao in front of him in the Shanhe Courtyard. Looking at his son, he felt both relieved and worried. "The first is talent, and the second is character."
"Besides that, there are also merits, connections, and so on, but those are secondary, like icing on the cake."
Li Hao nodded, as his second uncle had already told him these things. The Divine General's Mansion was a top family, not just looking at strength. Talent was important, but having talent alone wasn’t enough. If one's character was poor, they wouldn’t go far.
For example, impatience, arrogance, and stubbornness; if someone with such a character had top talent, entrusting the family to them would be like letting a madman take the wheel, leading to destruction.
Steadiness, humility, being adaptable, and remaining calm in the face of praise or blame were the qualities of a good character. In simple terms, not only should one have outstanding talent, but their moral character should also be in place; that’s what a family heir should embody.
As for connections and merits, those were just bonus points. Connections reflect one's character; after all, if someone couldn’t handle situations well, how could they build connections? If someone offended others with their words, no matter how strong they were, they would only make enemies when they became the family head.
While the selection of the Li family's True Dragon wasn't as strict as that of a royal prince, it was still carefully chosen. It wasn't like a small family where a side branch could suddenly rise due to some chance and shock everyone, making the uncles kneel in submission.
But such cases often ended with the side branch soaring high, leaving the family behind, merely becoming a figurehead. The reason top families stood strong was that the head must support the entire family and move forward with them; that’s why character was tested.
Li Tiangang glanced at Li Hao and said, "I'm not worried about your talent, but I’ve neglected your education over the years, leading to your character being a bit lax. If you could put in a little more effort, your achievements would be much greater."
He paused, looking at Li Hao. He had said this before, and now it felt like he was repeating himself. Li Hao's previous response was, so what?
Seeing Li Hao's expressionless face now, he sighed and said, "I know your mother and I haven't been there for you, and that's our fault. But the millions of people in Yanbei need us. If I abandon Yanbei, not to mention what would happen to Dayu, just the people of Yanzhou would suffer greatly."
"As a child of a military family, you should understand this."
"I understand!" Li Hao replied, looking seriously at his father. "I have never blamed you for this, never!"
"I can vouch for that," Li Fu, who had been listening quietly in the pavilion, interjected. He looked at Li Hao with a mix of pity and reluctance and said to Li Tiangang, "My lord, the young master was attacked, and you asked me to return to protect him. I asked the young master, and not only did he not blame you, but he also worried about whether you would be in danger in Yanbei."
"He... really has never blamed you."
Hearing Li Fu's words, Yu Xuan, who stood nearby like a guard, was also stunned. He looked at the serious and stubborn young man and suddenly felt an indescribable emotion.
He was an orphan and could understand that feeling. Abandoned at birth and raised in a military camp, every time he saw other children playing with their parents, he felt a mix of envy, resentment, and anger.
He had questioned the dark air countless times at night, asking why they were so cruel to abandon him. Why give birth to him if they wouldn’t raise him?
That anger faded as he grew up because he thought perhaps his unknown parents had their reasons.
But this young man before him, separated from his parents at birth, at this age, he thought he would feel the same resentment as he did, yet he could understand?
How old was he?
Looking at that thin figure, Yu Xuan felt something in his heart wanting to flow out.
He suddenly realized that it was the first time he truly understood this young master.
Li Tiangang was stunned by Li Hao's words.
He looked at Li Hao's serious gaze and knew he wasn't lying. With Li Fu's confirmation, he felt a wave of emotion rise in his chest.
But he never cried easily. Taking a deep breath, he pushed down the feeling and soon recalled Li Hao's earlier attitude, asking, "Then do you have any resentment in your heart?"
"Yes."
Li Hao answered seriously, not hiding it.
The three were taken aback. Just a moment ago, they thought Li Hao was being honest, but now this seemed contradictory.
Li Hao took a deep breath and stared at him. "My resentment isn’t that you didn’t come back; it’s that you sent back military reports many times. I counted, there were twenty-four in total, almost two each year!"
"But in these fourteen years, you only sent back seven letters home!"
Li Hao was no longer a simple fourteen-year-old. If he were just an ordinary boy, he might have kept these thoughts to himself and acted a bit sulky.
But he chose to speak openly, thinking that maybe this was the only way to ease his relationship with his father.
"Every time I saw the military report delivered to Changchun Courtyard, I would go to check. I was waiting, thinking there would be a letter from home sent back with it, but I was disappointed seventeen times!"
"These seventeen times, my aunt fabricated seventeen letters to comfort me. She thought I didn’t know, but I could tell the moment I heard them."
"I don’t need you to rush back from a thousand miles just to see me for a moment, but I don’t understand. Why, when you could write back, didn’t you send a letter home as well?"
"Aren’t you even a little curious about how your son is living? Has he learned to brush his teeth? Has he been bullied? Has he felt wronged? Has he been unhappy?"
As Li Hao spoke, the resentment in his eyes couldn't help but show.
He carried the bloodline of the man before him and regarded him as a father.
Fourteen years of absence didn’t necessarily mean deep feelings, but it would still lead to disappointment and loss.
Hearing Li Hao’s words, the three of them were stunned.
Li Fu stared blankly at Li Hao, his body trembling slightly.
He had been by Li Hao's side all these years and had seen the look on the madam's face; he knew those letters were fabricated.
But he hadn’t expected that the young Li Hao could see through it.
Yet every time Li Hao heard it, he would run back happily.
So he was just pretending?
Was he trying not to disappoint the madam's good intentions?
Li Fu bit his teeth slightly. This man, who fought on the battlefield without shedding tears, now felt like he might cry.
Li Tiangang and Yu Xuan both stared at Li Hao in shock, their expressions quickly becoming complex. Li Tiangang found himself at a loss for words. Faced with Li Hao's words, he suddenly realized he couldn’t find any excuses.
He wanted to say that the urgent military situation at the border had kept him too busy to think about anything else.
But was that a reason?
He couldn’t bring himself to say it.
No matter how urgent it was, didn’t he have time to write a letter home?
If he could send military reports, why couldn’t he send a letter home too?
The only reason he could think of was that he had truly neglected this son.
When did this start?
He couldn’t remember. Perhaps it was when he learned that Li Hao couldn’t establish a foundation and had gradually shifted his focus to the battlefield.
Or maybe it was the frequent battles that exhausted him, leaving him no time to care.
He even thought that he had too little contact with this son; he had left after Li Hao was born, so he hadn’t gotten used to having a son.
But… could he say that? As a father, could he voice it?
What was most frightening was that he didn’t have a deep impression of those seven letters home. It seemed that several times, it was his wife who reminded him before he remembered…
At that moment, Li Tiangang's face turned pale and ugly. For the first time, he realized how much of a failure he was as a father, despite being undefeated on the battlefield.
"Li Hao..."
Li Tiangang looked at the young man before him, whose eyes were clear yet serious.
He felt a bit afraid to look directly at him, his heart aching. He pulled Li Hao into his embrace, his voice slightly hoarse. "I’m sorry for you!"
Hearing his father's whisper, Li Hao's heart, which had been steady, softened a bit.
He sighed inwardly. Was saying sorry useful?
Some things couldn’t be made up for.
But he silently advised himself to let it go.
Many things, after all, have a process.
He was willing to accept the apology but would still feel a bit of regret. Maybe that’s just life?
Li Fu and Yu Xuan watched this scene in silence, feeling pity for Li Hao’s understanding and maturity. They also regretted that the conflicts far away not only harmed countless soldiers but also affected a child thousands of miles away.
After a long time,
Li Tiangang slowly calmed down, collected himself, and took a deep breath. He said to Li Hao, "For the fourteen years I missed, I will make it up to you!"
"From now on, whatever you want, you will have!"
Li Hao felt a sense of relief and then said, "Then I hope to have a bit more freedom."
(End of Chapter)