Follow the path of Dao from infancy

“Xue’er should be back in over half a year.”

The other ladies also did not let Li Yun continue to be embarrassed and smoothly transitioned the conversation to a new topic.

“Xue’er is also a ninth-grade combat body, isn’t she?”

“She’s so smart. That year…”

In a back and forth of words, the earlier dispute was smoothly swept under the rug.

Li Hao was at ease, chatting and laughing with the ladies, reminiscing about the past. Meanwhile, Li Yun’s cheeks were flushed with embarrassment. From time to time, he sneakily glanced at his father and saw that the latter had put away his angry expression, revealing a contented smile amidst his conversation with Li Hao. Although Li Yun felt relieved, he also inexplicably experienced a sense of loss.

Just then, he felt the constrained palm under the table being touched. Looking down, he saw it was his younger sister beside him.

Li Zhining gave Li Yun a smile, then promptly served him some food. This gesture warmed his heart…

Gao Qingqing glanced at the composed and collected Li Hao, then at her own son, and couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.

In all aspects other than cultivation, her son really did fall short compared to Li Hao, whose precocity and sensibleness were well known within the household. The only regret was that he had fallen behind in his cultivation in his earlier years.

“Shuang Er has made it onto the Qian List. Now that she’s back home, does she have any plans for the future?”

Mid-conversation, Liu Yue Rong asked casually.

Li Wushuang glanced at the youth across from her who was two years her junior, yet still conversing with ease. She reached out with her chopsticks, subconsciously heading for the dragon liver dish. But due to her years of control over her sword-wielding wrist, she gracefully altered her trajectory and picked up a dish next to it instead.

Putting the food in her mouth, she said while eating, “I don’t really have any plans; I just want to spar with cousin Qianfeng.”

Her words caught the attention of many ladies, but it seemed as if they had not heard anything noteworthy, and they carried on eating, drinking, and chatting.

Liu Yue Rong’s expression did not change as she continued smiling, “Qianfeng has just descended from Mount Wuliang and will return to the household in the coming days. We can arrange a match for you two then. Back in the day, Xuan Li and Tiangang used to chase each other around the courtyard all the time…”

Li Xuanli forced a smile: “Second sister-in-law, those are embarrassing tales of our youth, please let’s not bring them up.”

The banquet gradually came to an end as the night deepened.

The seven or eight dishes that Li Yuan Zhao had bought, along with the other subsequent dishes prepared by the eldest lady, were all brought to the table in sequence and finished off.

Li Wushuang also ate quite a bit, unaware of which dishes were purchased by Li Hao, simply finding them delicious.

Li Hao naturally had no interest in revealing the truth, since it was a one-time affair anyway. From the moment the dragon liver was brought onto the table, he would not offer her any more gifts of food or drink.

At best, he would give a token gift out of politeness when she got married in the future.

After having their fill, everyone gradually left Eternal Spring Court, and there were no further conflicts.

Li Hao bid farewell to the ladies and returned to Mountain and River Courtyard with Zhao and Qing Zhi.

On the other hand, Li Xuanli led his wife, daughter, and son back to Piaoxue Courtyard.

Once the three children had entered the house, Gao Qingqing pulled her self-absorbed husband aside on the small path at the back, reproaching him:

“How could you speak about Yun’er like that at the table just now? He’s your child, and so is Shuang Er. She’s only just returned, and you speak of her that way, hurting the children’s feelings!”

Li Xuanli was taken aback, thought for a moment, and sighed, “It was their fault to begin with. As for Yun’er, let’s not talk about him now; he’s too timid. If this continues, he’ll hardly achieve anything great in the future. And Shuang Er, too. Although she has been following the Thousand-Mechanism Taoist in her studies and has made good progress in her cultivation level, why is she still so rash?”

“She’s devoted to protecting her brother. Isn’t it good for siblings to be close?” Gao Qingqing retorted irritably.

Upon reflection, Li Xuanli smiled and agreed, “That is true.”

“You…” Gao Qingqing was at a loss for words, the men of the Li Family were indeed all brutes.

Li Xuanli sensed his wife’s discontent and said helplessly:

“I can’t very well criticize Hao Er, can I? Fourteen years ago when the seventh brother had just finished his military campaign, I happened to be injured those few years. Otherwise, the affairs of Northern Yan would have fallen to me, but the seventh brother took over instead. Now, after many years of campaigning in Northern Yan, both he and Qingqing have endured hardships you and I understand. How can I possibly reprimand his son here?”

Gao Qingqing was at a loss for words, naturally aware of the reasoning.

Li Xuanli continued, “Besides, Hao Er did nothing wrong. You saw at the table too; how clever he is, conversing with the elders so eloquently, without showing any timidity or disrespect, and not being offensive. To have such a temperament at such a young age is truly rare. It’s a pity he cannot cultivate; otherwise, our Shuang Er might not really hold a candle to him.”

Just as Gao Qingqing’s anger had subsided, hearing his praise and comparison flared it up again.

With a flick of her sleeve, she said angrily, “Then go and be with your precious Hao Er!”

With that, she went inside the house.

Li Xuanli stood there perplexed, with a puzzled expression, thinking, ‘Did I say something wrong again? Why is she angry now?’

Elsewhere, at Shuihua Courtyard.

Liu Yue Rong returned to the courtyard and, barely settling on the soft couch, huffed angrily and slapped her palm on the tea table:

“That girl, who will be married off one day, actually intends to spar with Qianfeng and vie for the True Dragon seat. She doesn’t realize her own limitations!”

Although the girl at the table had mentioned sparring, Liu Yue Rong could discern her true intentions. Moreover, the girl’s timely return coincided with her ambitions, didn’t it?

Although the True Dragon seat of the Li Family had largely been occupied by direct male descendants for hundreds of years, it wasn’t entirely exclusive to them. There was precedence for women to hold that position, but that was centuries ago.

The lady who did so never married, managed the family’s major affairs all her life, and eventually became a renowned female commander in Dayu.

Could it be that this young miss harbored the intention of emulating her ancestor?

“Hmph, a mere Divine Travel Realm, she’s overestimating herself…” Liu Yue Rong thought of something and a smile crept across her lips.

Meanwhile, an old housekeeper who had been following closely kept her head bowed, not daring to make a sound, although her eyes revealed a sense of melancholy and sorrow.

Once upon a time, when the ladies of each courtyard were new, everyone got along harmoniously, loving and supportive without any gaps among the nine courtyards.

But now, that atmosphere had subtly changed.

When did this situation start?

The old servant had served the Li Family for many years and could vaguely remember some things.

It seemed that ever since the eldest and the third sons of the Li Family died in battle, those joyous times had disappeared.

The next day.

Li Hao was on horseback, waiting on the small path beside the mansion. It wasn’t long before the sound of horse hooves approached from behind.

“Hao, bro.” Li Yuan Zhao called out with a smile as he rode up next to Li Hao, and the two of them headed side by side to Tan Palace.

“Did you eat your fill yesterday?”

“Almost stuffed myself.”

“Haha.”

“Hao, bro, my mother has a sharp tongue, don’t take it to heart…” Li Yuan Zhao thought for a moment before speaking.

Li Hao waved his hand: “Let’s not talk about that between brothers; I won’t blame your mother.”

Li Yuan Zhao was delighted and relieved: “I knew Hao, bro, you’re magnanimous.”

Li Hao just smiled.

Thinking back to the events of last night’s banquet, Li Yuan Zhao exclaimed, “Auntie and the others were all praising Cousin Wushuang, but little do they know, Hao, bro, your cultivation level has long surpassed hers. Hey, why didn’t you say anything last night?”

Li Hao casually tugged at the reins, letting the horse proceed cheerfully and lightly: “What’s the point of saying that? Trying to steal the limelight from a kid? It’s too childish.”

Li Yuan Zhao was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter. Indeed, this was his Hao, bro—it was just like him.

“If Cousin found out you called her a kid, she’d probably be furious.”

“You’re a kid too.”

“Hao, bro, you this…”

“Haha.”

Li Hao laughed.

Feeling somewhat helpless, Li Yuan Zhao said, having been accustomed to Li Hao’s company since childhood: “However, the news of your cultivation will certainly reach Auntie and the others soon enough.”

Li Hao nodded, unconcerned.

Once Fu returns from Cangyu City in a couple of days, the news will probably spread.

The peaceful days won’t last much longer.

Luckily Cangyu City is in Qi State, the territory of the Xia Family. With hundreds of cities within the state and the demon calamity not having caused too much harm, the news hadn’t made much of a splash.

Furthermore, in recent years, the Li Family had focused most of their attention on Northern Yan, and the remaining efforts were dispersed among other territories guarded by the Li Family, which made them less sensitive to news from other areas.

“Hm?”

Suddenly, Li Hao lifted the reins, and the Red Blood Horse, being sentient, came to a halt.

Just under the tree shade further down the path stood a figure clad in snow-white, unmistakably Li Wushuang by her silhouette.

Li Yuan Zhao narrowed his eyes, recognizing her face, and his expression changed: “Hao, bro, it’s Cousin. She… she didn’t hear what we just said, did she?”

“Whether she heard or not doesn’t matter now.”

Li Hao raised his eyebrows slightly, feeling a momentary annoyance. These youngsters could be quite a headache, but he rode over anyway.

When someone is purposely waiting for you, avoiding them is probably futile.

As they drew closer, Li Wushuang turned her head, having been alert to Li Hao and the others’ approach, her expression frosty:

“At last night’s banquet, with all the aunts present, I couldn’t be bothered to argue with you. But the way you bullied my brother won’t be overlooked.”

“Wushuang, that was so many years ago, and moreover, it was Li Yun who provoked Hao, bro, first,” Li Yuan Zhao hurriedly said.

Li Wushuang gave him a cold glance: “Shut your mouth.”

Then she turned to Li Hao: “You’re just a few months older than my brother. The way you bullied him before, today, I’ll get back at you on his behalf. You’d better not fight back, or my strikes might not be measured.”

Li Hao couldn’t help but laugh, “I spanked that kid’s butt. Do you intend to spank mine too?”

Li Wushuang was taken aback, her face turning frosty: “I’m not going to hit your butt; I want to slap your mouth!”

After saying that, she suddenly charged forward, covering a distance of over ten meters instantly, aiming to slap Li Hao who was seated on the horse.

As her palm neared his face, Li Hao leaned slightly back and then reached up to grab her hand. Like using Taiji to deflect force, he pulled her off balance and, with the power of controlling objects, pressed her onto the horse’s back.

“You!”

Li Wushuang’s pupils shrank in shock, a hint of astonishment in her eyes.

“Slap my mouth? If it weren’t for the fact you’re from the Li Family, you’d be in for a rough time,” Li Hao hummed coldly, then raised his hand and firmly spanked her bottom a few times.

“Avenge your brother, huh? The truth is, back then I was too lenient!”