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Apart from Li Qianfeng, standing outside the hall among the third generation were also the children of He Jianlan.

Li Mingguang and Li Sibei, both were around thirty-five years old now.

In terms of age, they were much older than Li Hao and the others, almost twice as much.

Both had already joined the military early on and now held the rank of general in the army, with exceedingly high cultivation levels. Li Mingguang had just entered the first stage of the Immortal, while his sister, Li Sibei, had entered the Heavenly Human Realm many years ago.

In terms of cultivation level, the two of them were the top among the third generation of the Li Family, unmatched by anyone.

The same was true for their merits and contributions.

After all, age was a factor.

But He Jianlan had said early on that her children would not vie for a True Dragon seat.

These words were public, naturally carrying great binding force.

However, even if they were to compete, in the same age group, Li Mingguang had only entered the Fifteen Li Realm at eighteen years old.

He stepped into the Heavenly Human Realm at twenty-five.

Now, ten years later, having entered the Immortal realm, such progress was already extraordinary!

However, compared to Li Qianfeng and Li Hao of the same age, they seemed somewhat inferior.

At this moment, Li Mingguang was smiling as he scrutinized Li Hao.

He had heard of him even before returning to Qingzhou and had quite some expectations for this younger cousin whom he had never met.

Such astonishing talent had already surpassed that of his uncle from back in the day.

He and his sister Li Sibei were born earlier and grew up together with the uncle. Speaking of which, he was even somewhat older than the uncle!

But still,

Seniority was seniority, and when he saw his uncle, two years his junior, he would obediently bow his head and respectfully and politely call out ‘Uncle.’

Aside from the Li Family’s strict rules, he did it willingly, after all, the uncle with whom he had played and cultivated as a child, once he stepped onto the path of cultivation, had left everyone in the dust.

Each year, he would shock everyone in the courtyard, like a brilliant shooting star.

Unfortunately, the heavens envy the gifted.

Fourteen years ago, when the uncle passed away, he too had accompanied with a flask of liquor in the distant frontier military post.

Drinking in the military was a big taboo, but he still drank.

After finishing the drink, he voluntarily received his punishment and was awarded a hundred military lashes, his skin split open and his flesh a blurry mess.

Yet he did not frown at all at the time and instead smiled.

It was only later when he returned to his own camp that he wept inconsolably.

“Cousin.”

Li Hao nodded in greeting to Li Mingguang.

“I can’t even see through your cultivation level. You must have practiced a technique to conceal your aura, little rascal,” Li Mingguang said with a smile.

Li Hao smiled slightly.

Li Mingguang then turned to look at Li Qianfeng next to him. Compared to Li Hao’s breeze-like presence, Li Qianfeng was like a blade, half unsheathed. Though restrained, he already displayed a chilling sharpness, and his aura was even more profound and imposing, far surpassing any ordinary Fifteen Li Realm.

Seeing both his younger cousins doing so well, a look of relief surfaced in Li Mingguang’s eyes:

“I’ve come back this time to see you vie for the True Dragon position. Your eldest sister and I will not participate. In terms of talent, we are no match for you. The future will depend on you.”

Li Qianfeng nodded slightly: “Cousin, rest assured.”

Li Hao looked at the other two times, thinking that his cousin’s character was somewhat similar to his aunt’s.

Setting aside talent, the elder brother’s demeanor he naturally carried, in Li Hao’s view, was also somewhat suitable for taking on the role of family head.

“But, while you compete for the position, do not hold grudges or harbored resentment secretly,” said Li Sibei next to them.

She, like her brother, had changed from armor into fine clothes, but after years of military service, she was still upright in posture and, unlike ordinary women, her brows were imbued with a certain heroic air.

“You’re right, cousin,” said Li Hao with a smile, nodding.

Li Qianfeng gave a slight nod, his expression serene.

Seeing their reactions, Li Sibei smiled faintly, her gaze moving beyond them to Li Wushuang and the others, giving them all a slight nod in greeting. As it was not appropriate to say much outside the hall, she did not reminisce with each one.

Before long, the elders in the hall finished paying respects to their grandmother and called in Li Hao and the rest of the third generation of the Li Family.

Leading the way, Li Mingguang and the others followed suit, and upon entering the hall, they saw Grandmother Chen Hefang sitting at the upper end of the hall. The other elders and ladies of various courtyards were respectively seated on the two sides, while the concubines stood obediently behind the ladies.

Li Mingguang, tall and broad, walked into the center of the hall and knelt down in respects.

The rest followed closely, all kneeling to pay their respects.

“Please rise,” Chen Hefang said with a smile on her face.

Everyone got up, and Li Hao looked up to observe his grandmother. Her hair was snow-white, combed neatly like silver threads. She looked old, with wrinkles on her skin but no age spots, and her skin was rosy, making her appear to be a very clean old lady.

Furthermore, although she was aged, one could see that she must have been very beautiful when she was young, and she still had beautiful features.

While Li Hao was observing her, Chen Hefang was also sizing up these grandchildren.

She was most familiar with Li Mingguang; she had held him when he was a child, and he often came to play in the Green Lotus Courtyard, together with Jun Ye.

However, after the eldest and the third brother died in battle one after the other, followed by the death of the ninth and the sixth sons, her hair turned white overnight, and she handed over all the household affairs to her daughter-in-law He Jianlan.

She herself went to Wangyou Mountain to pray and fast, hoping to see the soul of the ninth son return soon.

Thinking of the sixth and ninth sons, Chen Hefang’s eyes filled with sorrow.

For years she had dreamed of them running towards her countless times at night, as joyous as when they were children, filled with vigor, calling out ‘Mother, Mother…’

Those two children had lived too bitterly. One left behind only a single son, while the other had not yet married.

Without the chance to glimpse the pleasures of the world, buried early in the frontier wilderness.

“Mingguang, come here, let your grandmother have a look at you,” said Chen Hefang as she quickly composed her emotions and smiled.

Li Mingguang, seeing his grandmother’s white hair, had nothing but distress in his eyes. He stepped forward, bending his normally straight and tall spine.

“At the Frontier Pass, do not seek glory recklessly, for the Li Family no longer lacks for accomplishments and honors.”

Chen Hefang spoke softly as she caressed her eldest grandson’s shoulders, whispering, “Grandma only wishes for all of you to live well.”

As she spoke these words, tears welled up in the eyes of many ladies.

Jiang Xian’er, sitting at the end, had moist eyes as she turned her head slightly away.

These young men are still here, but how many of the young men from those days have returned?

Those spirited youths are the fathers of the children today; they are also their husbands.

Li Mingguang’s heart trembled, and he nodded firmly: “Your grandson will bear it in mind.”

Chen Hefang’s gaze was gentle as she called Li Sibei over and scrutinized the former little girl who had now blossomed into a dashing figure, resembling her elder brother Li Xingbei around the brows and eyes.

Chen Hefang liked what she saw more and more and couldn’t help but sigh.

Afterward, her gaze turned to the other grandchildren. Her eyes swept over their young, tender cheeks, which were already showing signs of distinction; there was a youthful aura about them.

Although it was their first meeting, she could see many familiar reflections in them.

“Which one is Hao Er?”

Chen Hefang asked gently.

Li Hao was slightly taken aback, took a small step forward: “I am, greetings to Grandma.”

Chen Hefang looked him up and down and beckoned with a smile, “Come here and let Grandma have a look at you.”

Under the watchful eyes of everyone present, Li Hao obediently stepped forward, coming before Chen Hefang.

Chen Hefang examined Li Hao carefully, then suddenly sighed lightly, “You look so much like your mother!”

Li Hao’s gaze shifted slightly, and he said nothing.

“It’s our first meeting, and Grandma doesn’t have much to give you, but I heard you like to use the sword. I’ll give you one,” she said.

As Chen Hefang spoke, she called a servant by her side to bring over a Sword Box.

Upon seeing the Sword Box, Li Tian Gang couldn’t help but stand up, saying, “Mother, this, this was the companion sword once used by Uncle Nine…”

Jiang Xian’er’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“Exactly, it’s the companion sword your Uncle Nine used, ‘Eternal Night’!”

Chen Hefang’s hand gently stroked the Sword Box, her eyes full of affection as she looked at Li Hao, “This sword is one of the ten famous swords in the world. I’ve heard you also wield a sword, so I’m giving it to you. Do not let its reputation be tarnished.”

Li Hao’s heart jolted; a sword capable of killing Great Demons at the Four Stands Realm was incredibly sharp.

And the sword possessed an extremely special power, but it required a certain realm to unleash it.

In his hands at the moment, its only abilities were to banish souls and expel evil, in addition to its sharpness.

But that was enough.

“Thank you, Grandma,” Li Hao said as he accepted it, speaking softly.

Though softly spoken, Chen Hefang could detect the gravity in the child’s words and couldn’t help but smile.

The others remained silent. The Sword Box, stored away for so many years, had now been entrusted to Li Hao; it was clear how much the mother cherished this grandson she was meeting for the first time.

But perhaps it was also because Chen Hefang saw the shadow of Li Junye in Li Hao.

Both were equally dazzling, shining brightly.

In the crowd, Li Qianfeng’s expression darkened for a moment, but he said nothing.

Liu Yue Rong had a smile on her face, though it seemed a bit forced. Yet at that moment, everyone’s attention was on Li Hao and the black Sword Box, and no one paid her any mind.

After handing over the Sword Box to Li Hao, Chen Hefang called Li Qianfeng over as well.

She said gently, “I heard you have been cultivating in Mount Wuliang. I have three treasured Buddhist scriptures here that I’ll give to you.”

Li Qianfeng looked slightly awkward.

A famous sword to Li Hao, and Buddhist scriptures to him?

Still, he dared not show his discontent, and instead bowed his head: “Thank you, Grandma.”

Chen Hefang said with a smile, “One of these scriptures contains a top-notch Buddhist Cultivation Technique, Great Compassionate Hand. If you can master it, not only will the technique itself be powerful, but it will also aid in your future cultivation of sword arts.”

Li Qianfeng was taken aback, then couldn’t help showing his delight: “Thank you, Grandma!”

Chen Hefang waved her hand, telling him and Li Hao to step aside, then called over the other grandchildren, giving them various gifts in turn; while there were disparities, they weren’t significant.

After the meeting was over, everyone dispersed from the Green Lotus Courtyard.

However, Chen Hefang stopped He Jianlan and a few other ladies, seemingly to inquire about the internal affairs of the mansion over the years, and also asked Liu Yue Rong to notify the Four Standing Realms Bodhisattva who had descended from Mount Wuliang and was residing in the mansion to come for an audience.

…

…

Time flies.

Qingzhou City became increasingly lively after the elder lady came down from the mountain.

Before long, the day for the True Dragon’s decree arrived.

Outside the entrance of the Divine General Mansion, the street was jam-packed, with countless carriages arriving, all belonging to dignitaries and nobles, including numerous civil and military officials who had come from all nineteen provinces to extend their congratulations.

Such a grand occasion had occurred once before a decade ago, and it was equally bustling now.

The threshold of the Divine General Mansion was nearly worn down from all the foot traffic.

The Liu Family’s relatives arrived one after another.

The Liu Family was also a prominent clan in the outer provinces, and with Liu Yue Rong married into the Divine General Mansion, the Liu Family naturally leveraged the Li Family’s influence to grow even more rapidly, with their official ranks soaring in the court.

Most of the Liu Family were civil servants. Several of their ancestors were top scholars and were currently serving as officials in the court.

Beyond the Liu Family’s relatives and numerous civil and military officials, other earls and marquises also paid visits to support Li Qianfeng and display their connections.

In addition, individuals from the other four major Divine General Mansions came as well, but they were just making ordinary visits without siding with anyone, seemingly just curious to see the kind of strength the Li Family’s True Dragon possessed.

The outside of the courtyard was noisy and bustling.

Inside, however, Li Hao had moved an old armchair outdoors, comfortably basking in the sun.

Before long, Bian Ruxue came running back into the courtyard, followed by a series of footsteps.

Li Hao raised his eyebrows slightly and flipped open the book of poetry that shielded his face from the sun, turning his head to look. To his surprise, he saw a familiar face.

His hair and beard all white, his bearing as solid as a sword, the one walking in front of Bian Ruxue was none other than the Sword Saint, Jian Wudao.