Nobody could have thought that when the whole Dark World was focused on Zhongzhou State, on the final battle between the Master of Samsara Palace and the War God of Zhongzhou State, the supreme leader would personally go to the border and visited the Li family in such a secretive way.
Even Li Honghe himself felt deeply surprised. But apart from the surprise, he didn’t show much excitement and joy. Judging from his attitude, he was even a little cold and aloof.
The President went there himself.
The former War God of Zhongzhou State didn’t even go downstairs to greet him. He just showed up in a casual way and went back to the damp, hot wooden house.
Downstairs, the President of Zhongzhou State, who had the aura as broad as the galaxy, slightly narrowed his eyes. There seemed to be a beam of light shining in his pupils.
His attitude wasn’t soft, but it wasn’t resentment, either. Li Honghe’s reaction was a kind of casualness. What his reaction meant was pretty obvious. For Li Huacheng who had prepared himself for a bad result, Li Honghe’s attitude really surprised him.
He didn’t need the so-called respect and manners, especially from people like Li Honghe. Their nice attitude could only mean disappointment in most of the situations.
In the past twenty years, every two years at most, there would be a leader of Decision Making Committee member level coming here, to visit or to pay a new year call, with all kinds of reasons. Every time Li Honghe would greet them personally, and every time he would curse his son who betrayed his country in front of the visitors and made self-criticism for Zhongzhou State, with impeccable attitude. But many years had passed, no matter who came to this place, none of them could get what they wanted from him. The respect and smiley faces that came from an old fox like him, no matter how honest and sincere, didn’t really mean anything. But this casualness somehow made him more approachable and likable.
In the drizzle, Li Huacheng shook his clothes and walked up to the wooden building that looked more like an observation tower than a place to live.
He climbed the stairs and went up.
His body was rising.
Looking from above, everything in this campsite seemed immutable and dead, with a sad, desolating atmosphere after the downfall of a superpower.
But Li Honghe changed.
Li Huacheng twitched the corners of his mouth and made an expression that nobody knew the meaning of, then went upstairs and opened the door.
A young man in his twenties was standing in front of a little desk and practicing calligraphy. The young man had thick eyebrows and big eyes. He was rather good-looking, but his dull, dead face really did him dirty. He was holding the writing brush and writing stroke after stroke on the paper with concentration.
Li Honghe sat in front of the young man, holding an old porcelain bowl with a gap. He kept drinking water in silence.
When Li Huacheng walked in, the young man had written down one character on the paper. Li Huacheng also stayed silent. He watched the young man finished the final stroke with light in his eyes.
The young man’s calligraphy didn’t show much authority, but there was a kind of paranoid tidiness in every character and preciseness in every stroke. But perhaps because of its excessive tidiness, the character felt weird, and the familiar character seemed a little bit deformed.
Freedom.
Li Huacheng mumbled to himself. In the dreary atmosphere, he stared at the character for a while, then asked in a soft voice,
What’s freedom?
Grandpa Li once said, freedom is not being able to do what you want, but it’s being able to do what you don’t want.
Li Wangsheng stared at the middle-aged man who was actually entering his old age in front of him. His tone was soft and his eyes were clear and focused, like stars that had never been tainted.
Li Huacheng stayed silent.
Senior Li is literally the advisor of our generation.
After a long while, the President of Zhongzhou State that still looked in the peak of his vigor and health, laughed and said suddenly,
From Senior Li’s perspective, how many people at our times can own this form of freedom?
Maybe I can?
Li Honghe filled another bowl with water while laughing. The food in the campsite was horrible, but there was a water source nearby, and the water was clear and refreshing. There was a favor of simplicity in every mouthful, very nourishing to both body and mind.
The water flew around in the bowl. Li Honghe laughed and said softly,
For example, I don’t want to go out there, then nobody can make me get out there. Whether it is the general trend or I am just struggling to survive. But after all these years, it is what it is, right?
Sounds right.
Li Wangsheng carried a chair over. Li Huacheng nodded and sat down without hesitation. He stared at Li Honghe who was drinking water with his calm eyes and continued to ask,
But after all those years, does Senior Li really think you’re free?
In the surrounding area within a hundred miles, there is no human habitation. You’re living in the worst environment, eating the worst food, hiding from the most dangerous plots.
His palm gently patted on the desk and he stared at Li Honghe deeply.
And that most important graveyard behind the campsite. Senior Li, in twenty years, have you ever been free? Have the Li family ever been free?
Li Honghe froze and stayed still like a sculpture for a whole five minutes. He wasn’t struck with lightning by his words. On the contrary, under Li Huacheng’s gaze, his momentum grew weaker and weaker. Then he shook his head and said in an aloof tone,
No, we haven’t.
Then go out there.
Li Huacheng waved his hand with great force and looked at Li Honghe sincerely.
Senior Li, now, time is different from the past. The situation is very complicated. If you’re willing to leave the mountain, there might be some hardships, even some danger to be honest. But you have seen it all. In the hundreds of years, when was the War God family ever afraid of anyone? Compared to the life here, why not try to fight for a new life out there?
Ha, go out there?
Get out!
After the self-mocking rhetorical question, he refused him sternly.
In the suffocating heat, everyone stayed silent again.
After a while, Li Honghe shook his head and said calmly,
Not yet.
Li Huacheng’s expression froze, and his eyes lit up again. Then he took a deep breath and acted like he didn’t hear what Li Honghe just said.
What did you just…
Now is not the time.
Li Honghe repeated again.
Li Huacheng relaxed his tense muscle, and finally, he put a heartfelt smile on his face. He handed Li Honghe a cigarette with a smile on his face. He took a big drag after lighting the cigarette, then said,
I didn’t think you would say that.
He really didn’t expect that.
When he was asking how many people in this time could have freedom, the conversation had gotten onto the right track. It was just Li Honghe’s answer confused him a little. But the ‘Not yet’ made him understand what he meant. It was an answer that nobody expected.
In a normal situation, with the leaders that came for a visit in the past, Li Honghe would start the self-criticism, showing his regret to Zhongzhou State and his determination to protect the borders.
But this time, what did Li Honghe say?
Not yet!
I also didn’t think you would come.
Li Honghe let out a soft laugh, brought up the subject clearly and directly.
It looks like Tianlan has been doing great in the Sky Academy?
Li Wangsheng, who was listening to the conversation aside in silence, suddenly opened his eyes wide.
Very great, amazing skills in both fighting and causing troubles. He’s now in East Island. When he gets back, with his level of East Emperor Palace, he’s most likely to…
Puff!
Li Honghe suddenly spat out the water he just drank. The character ‘freedom’ Li Wangsheng wrote got wet, the ink got spread around, and the scent of ink filled the room.
Li Wangsheng’s body shook. He touched the surface of the desk subconsciously and felt a burning heat. The trace of water on the desk and the paper disappeared completely, not even ashes were left.
It was the control force that would stun most of the superiors of the Fire-flaming Realm.
Li Honghe didn’t care about this. He stared at Li Huacheng attentively and asked in great surprise,
What did you just say? East Emperor Palace?
East Emperor Palace.
Li Huacheng looked confused and a little bit embarrassed. He calmly wiped the water on his sleeves, then said with a smile on his face,
What’s wrong with that name?
No, nothing.
Li Honghe also noticed he had forgotten himself, then shook his head and said nothing more.
Li Huacheng gave up asking and continued.
Now Tianlan has become a key figure in the general trend. The Sigh City tried to protect him, the Dongcheng Clan gave him a helping hand, his sister-in-law, the Master of Samsara Palace went to Mount Dibing for him, even the final battle between the Samsara and Gu Xingyun had something to do with him. If things go on like this, his identity will most likely be exposed in the near future. This is not the problem we should worry about anymore. Even we, the Academics trust him with our future. That’s why I said the situation is different now. At least, the Li family is ready to reenter the secular world now.
Gu Xingyun…
Li Honghe sighed gently.
This man is hard to deal with. Well, the final battle between him and the Master of Samsara Palace, is it in today? Did he win or lose?
The Master of Samsara Palace won, Gu…
Li Huacheng answered subconsciously, then stopped abruptly.
He stared at Li Honghe in front of him and narrowed his eyes. His expression suddenly became complicated.
Li Honghe was also staring at him quietly. There were playfulness and banter, and a little bit of warning in his eyes. He didn’t ask how did the Academics found out Li Tianlan’s identity. But the warning in his eyes was more powerful than a question.
At that moment, an ice-cold chill went straight in Li Huacheng’s head, making his whole body shiver.
He quickly recalled what he just said.
He did mention the final battle between Gu Xingyun and the Master of Samsara Palace, but he didn’t tell him it was today.
How did Li Honghe, who seldom went out from the campsite, know that?!
How did you…
Li Huacheng opened his mouth and tried to say something, but after the great shock, he calmed down again. Leaving all the questions behind, he continued.
The Master of Samsara Palace won. I don’t know about the exact situation. I just finished a call with Tianzong, and he said two words: fate and coincidence.
Li Honghe nodded with a calm face, and he didn’t look surprised at all.
Li Huacheng looked at the old man in front of him attentively. There were so many things that he wanted to ask, but he couldn’t spill out a word. The two simple sentences had proven that Li Honghe did know what happened out there despite being in the mountain for so many years. This was a warning from him to the Academics, asking them to play fair when dealing with Li Tianlan.
But when it came to how did Li Honghe contact the outside world, or what did he plan in the outside world, he didn’t know him enough to ask these questions.
But somehow Li Huacheng could feel clearly that to let an old fox that looked like he was hiding in the mountain but still had power and control over the general trend in the outside world without anyone knowing remain dormant at the border for twenty years would be the biggest mistake that the Special Warfare Group, the Prince Group, and even the Southeast Group could make.
Senior Li, I came for you today, not only to ask you to leave the mountain but also to inquire about something important.
Li Huacheng looked at Li Honghe’s noncommittal expression and continued.
About six hours ago, the Master of Samsara Palace had defeated Gu Xingyun with the 24 Moves of Sword, the unique technique of the Li family. The Samsara Palace has been growing rapidly in recent years in the Dark World, this Master of Samsara Palace… who is she? I wonder if Senior Li should answer this question for us?
This was actually a very secretive question.
But the two of them were allies now, a small disclosure wouldn’t hurt anything. At least, this question could be brought up between Li Huacheng and Li Honghe.
What was the relationship between the Master of Samsara Palace and the Li family?
Over this question, Li Honghe didn’t need to give a specific answer, and just a small hint would be enough to make Zhongzhou State face up to the relationship with the Samsara Palace.
This was related to the fate of the country. As the old man who devoted most of his lifetime to Zhongzhou State without holding back, Li Honghe had no reason to refuse to answer this question.
The identity of the Master of Samsara Palace?
Li Honghe’s eyes looked a little detached. Under Li Huacheng’s attentive gaze, he grabbed his hair and looked at Li Huacheng, then said frankly,
Would you believe me, if I say I don’t even know who she is?
