Follow the path of Dao from infancy

Chapter 1054: Chapter 217: The Descent of All Saints, He Is Unrivaled

The Divine General’s Mansion was located in the most bustling area of Qingzhou City.

A few miles away, stood the imposing Tan Palace Academy.

At this moment, horse hooves approached the entrance of the Divine General’s Mansion. Li Ping’an leapt off his horse, and the attendants behind the gate hurriedly came forward to take the reins.

Li Ping’an returned to the Divine General’s Mansion, removed his helmet and armor, and after changing into his everyday clothes, he headed to the Mountain and River Courtyard where his parents lived to pay his respects.

As he walked into the Mountain and River Courtyard, Li Ping’an’s gaze instinctively fell on the southeast corner of the courtyard, where there was an old, shabby side room. The accumulated dust inside was always swept away by his mother’s personal maid, never allowing anyone else to get close.

Li Ping’an knew that the old side room was a forbidden place for the Li Family.

It was where his brother, whom he had never met, once lived.

“Zhao,”

Seeing an old man walking towards him, Li Ping’an nodded slightly and then walked past him, entering the main house.

The house was empty, with only two maids stationed outside the door.

“Where is mother?”

“The mistress is in the vegetable garden behind the house. She knew you would return today and wants to make a meal with the vegetables she personally grew.”

A maid replied respectfully.

Upon hearing this, the cold sharpness in Li Ping’an’s eyes softened. Ever since he ran away from home as a teenager and saw his mother cry upon their reunion, he understood how important he was to her.

From that point onward, he matured a lot and silently obeyed family rules, no longer deliberately being mischievous to draw attention.

“Where’s father?”

He glanced around, sensing that his father, Li Tian Gang, was not present in the courtyard.

“The Duke went to the Youth Training Camp for drills,” a maid responded respectfully.

Li Ping’an frowned slightly. Although dealing with the Tao Comprehension Realm demons during the recent expedition was not difficult for him, it was extremely dangerous. Yet upon his triumphant return, his father did not come to check on his safety and well-being.

However, he was used to this. Besides, today was indeed a day for youth training.

He didn’t say anything more and turned to head towards the vegetable garden behind the house.

From a distance, he spotted a woman in her early thirties wearing a dark green, gold-embroidered coat. Her skin was fair, and she had a gentle elegance about her as she rolled up her sleeves, crouched, and picked vegetables in the garden.

Li Ping’an approached and said, “Mother, you shouldn’t soil your hands with such menial tasks.”

Upon hearing this, Ji Qingqing turned her head and, seeing Li Ping’an, smiled gently with warmth in her eyes, saying:

“You’re back. It’s just dirt; it won’t make me dirty. But you should be careful not to dirty the formal attire bestowed upon you by Emperor Yu.”

Li Ping’an shook his head slightly and said, “These tasks should be left to the servants.”

Ji Qingqing did not continue to argue with him on this, instead asking, “Have you just returned? Have you visited your Second Uncle and Fifth Uncle to pay your respects?”

Upon hearing her words, Li Ping’an frowned slightly and replied, “I’ll visit them later.”

Seeing his expression, Ji Qingqing knew that he held some grudges and was unwilling to be near those two. She said, “Your Second Uncle and Fifth Uncle are the pillars of the Li Family. They love you dearly, so don’t hold grudges against them.”

A few hints of displeasure flickered in Li Ping’an’s eyes as he replied coldly, “It’s not grudges. Their achievements are recorded in the ancestral hall, and they are enjoying their golden years. That’s not treating them unfairly, is it?”

Ji Qingqing saw his expression and sighed with a bitter smile, “You’ve always said they treated you kindly and never wronged you. Why do you hold such opinions against them?”

Upon hearing this, Li Ping’an’s eyes turned slightly cold, yet as he looked at his mother, they softened a little as he said:

“Although they loved me since childhood, the way they looked at me was as if they were seeing someone else’s shadow.”

“I am Li Ping’an. I despise that look!”

Ji Qingqing’s expression changed slightly, recalling the time he ran away from home, and she said nothing more, merely smiled and said, “Let’s not talk about this. Come on, the vegetables are harvested. I’ll personally cook your favorite braised pork with beans for you.”

The coldness on Li Ping’an’s face vanished, and he nodded with a smile.

Returning to the courtyard, as his mother Ji Qingqing busied herself in the small kitchen, Li Ping’an heard the sound of combat and walked towards another area of the mansion where the martial arts arena was located.

Just after he left the courtyard, he encountered a plump middle-aged man swaggering over, holding a wine gourd.

Seeing him, with drunken eyes slightly opening, the man laughed and said, “Oh, it’s Ping’an. Finished slaying demons, have you? What rewards did His Majesty bestow this time? This brother’s a bit tight on money lately. Do you have any gold to spare?”

As he spoke, he leaned in, wafting alcohol breath.

Li Ping’an frowned and said coldly, “Brother Yuan Zhao, hung out at the brothel drinking again? You’re a great general of Qingzhou, with the high office of First Rank. If you idle away like this, it might lead to public criticism in Qingzhou, harming the dignity of our Divine General’s Mansion.”

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged man laughed, dropping his hand on Li Ping’an’s shoulder, and said, “Your father doesn’t meddle in my affairs, and here you are, trying to manage me. You’re truly growing more like your father.”

Li Ping’an’s expression changed slightly as he pushed the man’s hand away and angrily said, “Li Yuanzhao, restrain yourself. You constantly violate family rules. If not for your merits, don’t force me to penalize you by sending you to the ancestral shrine!”

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged man’s eyes flickered and glanced at him slyly, then shook his head, muttering “boring,” and swaggered away.

Li Ping’an watched his departing back with a cold expression, remaining silent for a long while until the man walked away far enough. He left from another side, but the scent of alcohol drifting along the path left him feeling agitated.

Meanwhile, Li Yuanzhao wobbled into another courtyard, where a woman in a plain moon-white outfit sat. Seeing her, he immediately smiled and said:

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