Cultivation Begins from Infancy - Chapter 308

Volume 3 - Chapter 47: Your Son is a Prodigy – Part 2

Li Hao entered the ancestral shrine of the Ji family and met his maternal grandfather there.

Seeing that the shrine was filled with the memorial tablets of the Ji family's ancestors, Li Hao hesitated for a moment but ultimately followed their customs, bowing respectfully in homage.

After Ji Yunqing introduced Li Hao’s identity, she left the shrine with Ji Yunyue.

Ji Yunzhan, upon seeing his grandson, was so excited that his spirit emerged from his memorial tablet. He grasped Li Hao’s hand, asking all manner of questions.

Li Hao sat on a meditation mat and accompanied the elder’s heroic spirit in casual conversation.

Though it was their first meeting, they didn’t feel distant. Li Hao’s mood was relaxed and amiable as he shared anecdotes from his mother’s childhood.

Occasionally, soft laughter echoed from within the shrine.

Standing outside, Ji Yunqing heard the laughter and felt a sense of relief in her gaze.

The next day...

News arrived that the Arid Sea had calmed.

Ji Yunyue came early to fetch Li Hao. After a night of rest, he got up and flew alongside this grandaunt toward the far northern region of the sacred land’s secret realm.

As he thought about the prospect of meeting his mother face-to-face, Li Hao couldn’t help but feel a bit of anticipation. It wasn’t out of deep affection but rather akin to reuniting with an old friend from years past.

The warmth and concern conveyed in those seven letters were still vivid in his memory.

The sentiments of that woman remained engraved in his heart.

...

...

Beyond the Ji family’s borders...

Amidst a barren field of jagged rocks, a lone figure concealed himself. It was none other than Li Tiangang.

He fixed his gaze on a distant hub of commotion. The powerful energy fluctuations emanating from an earlier clash had drawn him here, making him realize this was the Ji family’s domain he had been searching for days.

For the past four or five days, he had been circling the area without progress, seemingly stuck in place.

He had come to understand that he was trapped in some kind of illusion array.

At first, he suspected his wife had deliberately left false information to prevent him from risking his life by seeking her out. However, upon reflection, he realized that she had willingly provided a route to the Great Wilderness Heaven. Even if entering the Ji family wasn’t an option, this area was perilous in itself. She had no reason to deceive him.

If she had wanted to mislead him, it would have been easier to withhold any clues entirely.

“Qingqing, Hao’er...”

Li Tiangang’s gaze flickered with determination as he took a deep breath.

Suppressing his presence, he waited until the commotion subsided and one of the parties left. Only then did he cautiously approach the site.

When he saw a group of people with ancient-style garments bearing the character "Ji," a mix of excitement and unease swelled in his heart. He knew he had finally found the secret realm of the Ji family his wife had mentioned.

That ancient character, "Ji," was his wife’s surname and one of the few archaic characters he recognized.

As the group was about to leave, Li Tiangang clenched his teeth and decided to risk everything. Whatever happened—be it life or death—he had no choice. He couldn’t let his mistakes burden his child or his wife.

“Please wait!”

Li Tiangang stepped forward and called out.

Startled, the Ji family members turned to look at him, their gazes instantly locking onto him.

“Who are you?!”

One of them shouted sharply, full of vigilance.

Li Tiangang hurriedly replied, “I am the husband of Ji Qingqing, here to find my wife.”

He refrained from revealing his surname and identity directly, fearing that the Ji family might act impulsively, bringing trouble to the Li family.

If the Ji family truly sought retribution against the Great Wilderness Heaven, his clan would have no choice but to seek protection from the imperial family.

Hearing Li Tiangang’s words, the Ji family members were taken aback.

Among them was an elder named Ji Yunyu, the fourth brother of Ji Yunge.

“You’re Qingqing’s husband?”

Ji Yunyu stared in surprise before recalling that young man and his eyes glimmered.

“Yes...”

Li Tiangang felt an immense pressure emanating from the elder, making his heart tremble. He had encountered Supreme Dao Realm cultivators before, and this elder gave off a similar aura.

The Ji family truly harbored hidden dragons and crouching tigers. Even a random elder possessed such overwhelming strength. His wife hadn’t exaggerated when she warned that stepping foot here without reaching the Dao Realm was essentially a death sentence!

Tense and on edge, Li Tiangang braced himself to plead for forgiveness, hoping to exchange his life for the safety of his wife and son. But suddenly, the elder spoke warmly:

“Did you lose track of your son? Why have you only arrived now?”

The elder’s tone was unexpectedly kind.

Li Tiangang, seasoned from years in the military, detected no malice in the elder’s voice. He froze momentarily before growing nervous again:

“Senior, have you seen my son?”

He looked at the elder anxiously.

Ji Yunyu chuckled and replied, “Your son arrived days ago. Why are you only coming now? Were you lost in the array outside?”

Li Tiangang’s face paled slightly, but seeing the elder’s kind smile brought a sliver of hope to his heart.

“That’s right. I was too ignorant and got caught in the array. Senior, may I ask if my son has offended anyone? I am willing to atone on his behalf, even at the cost of my life, but I beg you not to implicate Qingqing or my son, Li Hao.”

“Li Hao?”

Ji Yunyu frowned, the warmth in his expression fading as he stared intently.

“You said you are Qingqing’s husband?”

Li Tiangang’s heart sank at the elder’s abrupt change in demeanor. Unsure of what he had said wrong, he replied nervously:

“Yes.”

“And you claim your son’s name is Li Hao?”

“...Yes.”

“Nonsense!”

Ji Yunyu’s face darkened. “Think carefully. What is your son’s name?”

“My son...” Li Tiangang found the question absurd. Did he not know his own son’s name?

“I ask you—do you know Ji Leping?”

The elder’s stern gaze bore into him. Ji Yunyu’s thoughts raced. Perhaps the boy had changed his surname to follow his mother, which might involve complex reasons. After all, this man’s Fourth Realm strength wasn’t nearly enough to survive here without a purpose.

“Ji Leping...” Li Tiangang murmured the name, stunned.

Suddenly, a memory shot through his mind like an arrow piercing his thoughts.

A sunlit courtyard, his wife heavily pregnant, softly saying:

“Husband, if we have a child, let’s call him Leping. Li Leping—how about it?”

“Alright, as you wish...”

Leping. Leping...

Li Tiangang’s pupils contracted as his heart trembled. He recalled the family conflicts and the truths revealed during their son’s childhood.

The words spoken in the interrogation hall after the father-and-son battle came flooding back—when his second sister-in-law had admitted to poisoning his son.

He remembered the confrontation after the True Dragon Battle, where that young man had stood in the courtyard and declared with conviction, “I remember everything from my childhood!”

Could it be that he truly remembered it all?

But this matter—his son being renamed after birth—hadn’t been mentioned by anyone for years. If he did recall, how had he learned about it?

Had Qingqing whispered this to the boy when he was an infant, and he somehow remembered?

Li Tiangang’s entire body trembled slightly at the thought, both in disbelief and anguish.

Was it Ji Leping and not Li Leping?

Had his son taken his mother’s surname?

He clenched his teeth slightly, knowing this wasn’t the time to argue over such matters. His only concern now was ensuring Li Hao’s safety.

Forcing a smile, he replied, “Yes, that’s my son’s childhood name.”

“Is he really your son?”

Ji Yunyu’s sharp gaze scrutinized him.

Li Tiangang quickly replied, “There’s no falsehood in my words. I understand that my marriage to Qingqing may have violated the Ji family’s rules, but I am willing to bear the consequences alone. I beg you not to trouble them.”

Ji Yunyu observed Li Tiangang’s earnest demeanor, finding no trace of deceit. His expression softened, and a faint smile appeared as he said, “There’s no need to be so tense. Come with me.”

Seeing the elder’s change in attitude, Li Tiangang secretly breathed a sigh of relief, though his heart remained heavy with apprehension.

From his wife’s countless descriptions, he understood the Ji family’s rigid adherence to their laws and customs. He knew that without the strength of a Dao Realm cultivator like the master of Qiandao Palace, stepping into the Ji family’s territory was tantamount to suicide.

But he had no choice. The situation had left him with no other options.

“Yes, Senior.”

Li Tiangang bowed his head and followed Ji Yunyu.

The surrounding Ji family members were surprised upon hearing that this man was truly Ji Leping’s father. They stared at him curiously, eager to see what kind of person could have fathered such a monstrous prodigy.

As they entered the sacred realm, Li Tiangang was struck by the grandeur before him. Majestic sacred mountains and numerous floating islands filled his vision, leaving him awestruck.

Now he understood his wife’s warnings about how perilous the Ji family was.

This was the ancient sacred clan of the Great Wilderness Heaven.

Li Tiangang’s heart pounded as hope felt increasingly distant.

He bit his lip slightly, a sense of insignificance and powerlessness washing over him. This feeling had haunted him at many pivotal moments in his life.

When his father died, he had felt powerless.

When his brothers fell in battle, he had felt powerless.

When he succeeded the Ninth Prince and guarded Yanbei for over a decade, he had still felt powerless as his wife departed.

Now, once again, that same despairing powerlessness consumed him.

“You needn’t worry. Your son is doing very well here, and Qingqing will soon be released.”

Ji Yunyu, noticing Li Tiangang’s tense posture and gray complexion, smiled gently and reassured him.

Li Tiangang froze and abruptly raised his head, his eyes wide with shock.

“Senior, is that true?”

“Of course. Your son is a prodigy of our clan!”

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