Cultivation Begins from Infancy - Chapter 363

Volume 3 - Chapter 82: Since You Have Seen Me, Why Do You Not Kneel? - Part 1

“Old Fengtou.”

Li Muxiu sat in the courtyard, dazed, his mind buzzing as if an endless echo filled his head. He seemed completely lost.

No matter how he thought about it, he could not believe that his lifelong friend, who had roamed the martial world with grace and freedom, had truly fallen into the hands of the Buddhist Sect.

His Heaven and Earth Unbounded Technique, even he himself could not hope to catch up to it.

His Divine Concealment Technique allowed him to merge with grass and trees, moving through bustling cities or mountains as easily as a fish returning to the sea—impossible to track.

Even the heavily guarded imperial palace’s forbidden grounds, watched over by a million imperial troops, were places he could come and go freely, like a ghost leaving no trace.

And yet, now, he had been captured by the Buddhist Sect.

The news came from a collateral disciple of Boundless Mountain—verified and beyond doubt. Li Muxiu had no choice but to believe it.

Old Fengtou, how could you fall like this?

Li Muxiu clenched his fists slowly, his eyes moist. The intense pain spreading from his heart felt as if it would tear his chest apart.

He sat alone for the time it takes for half an incense stick to burn before he finally stood up and walked out of the courtyard.

First, he went to the ancestral shrine, where he saw his fifth brother, Li Qingzheng, seated alone at a chessboard outside.

Li Qingzheng, engrossed in a game of solitary chess, looked up when he noticed Li Muxiu approaching.

The two of them locked eyes. A trace of sorrow flickered in both their gazes, but they quickly suppressed it.

When they used to meet, there was often a lively, youthful figure by their side. Now, that presence was no more.

“Second Brother, what brings you here?” Li Qingzheng forced a faint smile.

Li Muxiu’s expression was somber. “I came to pay my respects to our ancestors. I must seek their forgiveness.”

“Forgiveness?” Li Qingzheng’s brows furrowed.

Li Muxiu walked toward the ancestral shrine at a slow and heavy pace. When he reached the threshold, he paused briefly before stepping over it.

Li Qingzheng said nothing, only staring intently at him. It seemed he had realized that this second brother, once rebellious and unruly, who had never earned their father’s favor, was about to make another drastic decision.

“Unworthy descendant, paying respects to the ancestors.”

Li Muxiu knelt before the golden ancestral tablets on the prayer mat and gently kowtowed.

The tablets trembled faintly, but no ancestor manifested. After all, appearing required them to expend the remnant strength of their souls, something they would only do for urgent matters.

“What is it?”

A stern voice resounded, its source unknown among the ancestors.

After the battle in Qingzhou City, many ancestors had burned their souls. Some had dissipated entirely, while others, weakened, had fallen into deep slumber. Only a few stronger spirits remained awake.

Li Muxiu’s face twitched slightly. Finally, he explained his purpose for being there.

“You wish to sever ties with the Li family?”

The ancestor’s voice carried shock upon hearing his words.

Li Qingzheng, standing nearby, froze in disbelief. Then, he stared blankly at Li Muxiu.

“Foolishness! What nonsense are you spouting?!”

Another golden spirit emerged from one of the tablets—a broad-shouldered figure with a furious expression.

“Is your youthful recklessness still not enough? You’ve only been leading the Li family for a few years, and now you’re stirring up trouble again? Do you want me to reprimand you in front of the ancestors?”

“Father.”

Seeing this spirit, Li Qingzheng hastily shifted from sitting to kneeling, his aged eyes revealing rare traces of fear.

Even now, at over eighty years old, he felt the same trepidation before his father as he had in his youth—a respect deeply ingrained in his bones.

Li Muxiu listened to the enraged voice above him. The coldness of a snowy night seemed to sweep over him, bringing back memories of when he knelt in the courtyard outside the main hall, hearing his father’s scolding, his mother’s pleas, and the intercessions of his siblings.

Back then, his rebellious heart brimmed with defiance and resentment.

But over the years, he had come to terms with those events, recognizing his own faults.

That snowy night, his eldest brother—whom he had once envied—had secretly brought him a steaming bowl of braised meat noodles after their father left the dinner table.

Even now, it remained one of the most delicious meals he had ever eaten.

The other two dishes that came to mind were a grilled fish prepared by a boy on the lakebank and a soup made by a woman after he was wounded fighting demons in his youth.

Those flavors were unforgettable.

Thinking of that snowy night reminded him of his eldest brother’s figure vanishing beyond the border. Tears welled up again in Li Muxiu’s eyes. He bent down further, pressing his forehead against the ground until he could smell the dust on the floor.

“Father, I must do this. I made a promise to an old friend, and I cannot let him down…”

“But he is a thief!”

The golden spirit roared, “When you were young, didn’t you suffer enough from those scoundrels you befriended? They exploited your connections and tarnished the Divine General Mansion’s name for their own gain. Haven’t you learned your lesson?”

“That was because I was ignorant and naive then. But this is different. He is different. Though he is a thief, he has never abused the name of the Divine General Mansion, never sought favors for personal gain. He is different…”

“But he is a thief!”

The spirit’s fury flared. “If his nature were truly good, how could he resort to theft? Stealing the fruits of others’ labor—how can such a person be good?”

Li Muxiu raised his tear-streaked face and looked straight into the sorrowful and angry eyes of the spirit.

“Father, there are eight million ways to live in this world. The righteous path and the wicked path each account for half. Though his path differs from ours, he has never harmed the innocent, never bullied the weak, and never wronged me.”

“Some esteemed nobles and wealthy clans tear down old homes to build new ones, forcing commoners to toil endlessly under the guise of lawful actions, leaving them destitute for life. Such deeds are worse than outright theft.”

“You’re defending a thief now? Perhaps you’re becoming one yourself!”

Li Muxiu let out a bitter sigh, recalling his old friend’s words. In a low voice, he murmured:

“To steal the will of Heaven is to be a saint; to steal the hearts of men is to be an emperor; to steal a kingdom is to be a duke; to steal a trinket is to be a thief… He has his own code of conduct. He is different.”

“You… you are truly incorrigible!”

The golden spirit trembled with rage. “The Divine General Mansion has just endured a calamity, with demons and monsters running rampant. The Desolate God of Heishan is sure to return for revenge after his defeat. And now, at such a critical moment, you want to abandon the Divine General Mansion? How will you face your brothers? Your mother?”

Li Muxiu closed his eyes in pain, his head lowering further. He kowtowed again, his voice muffled but resolute.

“Father, I wish to rescue him, but I do not want to drag the Divine General Mansion into this. If the mansion faces danger in the future, I will be the first to step forward and the first to fall!”

His forehead pressed firmly against the ground, leaving a faint red mark as he knelt there motionless.

The golden spirit burned with fury and seemed ready to unleash another tirade, but another voice, calm and gentle, interrupted.

“Let him go.”

“Father!”

The golden spirit turned, startled, and fell silent.

“Children carry too many burdens as it is. Must we deny them even the freedom to have friends? To remain true and loyal to a friend is rare and precious in its own right.”

The second golden spirit spoke with a serene tone, its figure hazy but its presence commanding.

Li Muxiu trembled slightly upon hearing these words. He bit his lip to hold back tears, but the floor beneath him was already damp.

He kowtowed three more times, each strike of his forehead heavy with resolve. Finally, he raised his head to look at the towering figure of the golden spirit, whose expression was a mix of sorrow and fury.

“Since your grandfather has spoken, then go.”

The first golden spirit’s voice was filled with bitterness and suppressed anger. “But don’t utter nonsense about severing ties with the Divine General Mansion. Go, complete your task, and then return. If things go awry, I will use my own life to clean up your mess!”

Li Muxiu’s heart trembled at the words. He lowered his head deeply. “I will return to face my punishment.”

He bowed once more, deeply, and then hurriedly left the ancestral shrine. He dared not linger, afraid the guilt in his heart would weigh him down.

“Second Brother, make sure you return alive.”

Li Qingzheng’s voice reached him through sound transmission.

Li Muxiu heard him but did not pause. From his spatial realm, he retrieved a black iron mask and secured it over his face.

This mask was a divine artifact, capable of concealing his aura. Only his bloodshot eyes, red with unshed tears, remained visible. As the sorrow in his gaze receded, it was replaced by a sharp, murderous intensity.

In that moment, a wave of regret washed over him. Why, two years ago, when that youth stepped out of the family gates, had he not acted with such resolve? Why had he not avenged him on the spot?

The ties to the Divine General Mansion had weighed him down after all.

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