"To think such a thing exists in this world!"
Li Kuangren indignantly shook off those ridiculous figures trailing behind him and, led by a guide, found where his aunt was staying.
However, the moment he arrived, Li Kuangren furrowed his brows tight.
It was a large residence, heavily guarded.
At that moment, numerous soldiers were moving vast quantities of treasures inside to decorate the house.
His aunt, Li Tianyue, was swamped, busily directing them, yet the house itself appeared utterly wretched and filthy.
Even the dwelling of the town drunk in Merit City was better than where Li Tianyue was living.
This was the residence of a General of Duskwild Prefecture?!!
Li Kuangren clenched his fists. Seeing his aunt busy arranging the furnishings, he grit his teeth and silently withdrew.
Encountering someone on the road who was obviously dressed as a military commander, he offered no explanation.
Right in front of the many soldiers following the man, Li Kuangren clamped onto his neck as if grabbing a chicken and practically growled, "Where is Dongfang Liancheng? Take me to see him."
Seeing beads of sweat cover the general's forehead and his eyes darting around, Li Kuangren tightened his grip even further; the killing intent radiating from him turned the general's face pale.
"Don't even think about lying. I guarantee that if you die by my hand, the report tomorrow will simply state that you died on the battlefield."
The general nodded repeatedly.
The man before him was dressed in opulence and exuded a domineering aura—a presence rare even among men of the military.
He feared this man truly dared to commit murder right here in the camp.
Li Wei's expression was also dark.
Six months ago, Li Tianyue had not been living in a place like that.
...
Not long after.
Li Kuangren followed the general toward Dongfang Liancheng's location.
Along the way, he saw servants bustling in and out of numerous residences, all of which were resplendent and magnificent.
Li Kuangren remained expressionless the entire way.
Soon, they arrived at a grand mansion, which served as the Military Administration Headquarters for the Duskwild Prefecture battlefield.
After the announcement was made, Li Kuangren entered the interior.
Many generals were present in the great hall at that moment, evidently in the midst of discussing military affairs.
Old General Dongfang Liancheng was clad in full armor.
Even though several hundred years had passed, Dongfang Liancheng recognized Li Kuangren at a glance.
This son of the Li family had been incredibly arrogant in the Golden Throne Hall of the Heavenly Palace back then.
He laughed and stepped forward to greet him.
"Haha, Kid Kuangren! I haven't seen you in hundreds of years, yet you still look exactly the same!"
Li Kuangren walked forward without saying a word, merely staring at him expressionlessly.
Dongfang Liancheng screamed 'not good' inwardly.
Frowning, he hurriedly dismissed the attendants and subordinates on either side.
"Kid Kuangren, what is the meaning of this?"
At this moment, Li Kuangren suddenly smiled.
"Old General Dongfang addresses me too familiarly.
This humble one and the Old General have had little fate to cross paths; with my lowly status, I am unworthy of such a form of address from you."
"This..." Dongfang Liancheng's expression changed.
"Is this because of the matter regarding Tianyue?"
"Hahaha, so you do recognize my Aunt?!!"
Li Kuangren laughed wildly.
"Back then, you sought out my High Ancestor and requested my Aunt to come to Duskwild Prefecture, and she came.
She has been here for three hundred years, risking her life for you lot, only to be given some bullshit title like 'Blood-Robed War God'—what a grand reputation you people bestowed!
But apart from that, what have you given my Aunt?
Her Dharma Treasures were sent by my family.
Her medicinal pills were refined by my clansmen.
Even her recent official rank was granted only because the Crown Prince cherishes his bond with my family!"
"She endured hardships alongside our clan in the past. But now, my Azure Cloud Prefecture is wealthy and prosperous.
My Aunt is cherished by the elders of my family. If she returned to Azure Cloud Prefecture, she would be revered and supported by millions.
If my Great-Grandfather had any treasures, he would never forget her!"
"But what about here?"
Li Kuangren no longer cared about Dongfang Liancheng's status or cultivation base.
With a face twisted in fury, he slammed his hand onto the table.
"For over three hundred years, she has braved death time and again for the Azure Dynasty, yet you motherf*ckers make her live in a tiny shack without even a single servant?!!"
His eyes glowered at Dongfang Liancheng with such intensity that the latter dared not meet his gaze.
Dongfang Liancheng could only offer a bitter smile. "Kid Kuangren, quell your anger."
"I should quell my anger."
Li Kuangren suddenly calmed down. He found a seat and sat, exhaling a long breath.
Though his demeanor was now calm, he could not suppress the flush that lingered on his face after his outburst.
"I really should be calm. Back at the Heavenly Palace, I saw through the lot of you.
It turns out you are no exception. Just you wait. I will make you realize that all things in this world are bound by cause and effect."
Hearing this, Dongfang Liancheng's expression turned unsightly.
Although he knew that Li Kuangren was arrogant, he hadn't expected the younger man to dare address him in such a manner.
Suppressing his anger, he said, "Kid Kuangren, listen to me. I do not wish for things to be this way either, it is just... sigh."
Amidst Dongfang Liancheng's sighs and laments, Li Kuangren learned the details of the situation.
The battlefield of Duskwild Prefecture required a constant source of troops.
The fighting had been fierce in recent years, compelling the Dynasty's nobility to invite numerous factions to aid them.
Gradually, these factions had come to control the voice of command within the army.
Among them was a Great General, a personal disciple of "Cloudreach Mountain"—one of the two supreme Immortal Sects within the Forgotten Immortal Lands, a realm housing many Immortal Sects.
This man was named Tang Miao.
He was six thousand years old, a cultivator at the Void Refining realm, and the designated successor to become the next Sect Master of Cloudreach Mountain.
Currently, there were 400,000 troops on the Duskwild Prefecture battlefield, all of whom were cultivators from various major sects that Tang Miao had brought from Cloudreach Mountain.
This man was no different from those weirdos who had surrounded Li Kuangren earlier; he, too, wished to savor Li Tianyue's charms.
However, with the Li family's reputation known far and wide, Tang Miao dared not force the issue and could only pursue her relentlessly.
"Tang Miao demanded military authority.
Since the people he brought from the various sects are all elders, I had no choice but to give it to him.
As for her residence, it was Tianyue herself who insisted on moving to a remote location," Dongfang Liancheng said with a bitter smile.
"Kuangren, you must understand. In a few days, Tang Miao will be bringing even more men. As the Commander-in-Chief, I must consider the bigger picture."
"I understand." Li Kuangren lowered his gaze.
Dongfang Liancheng breathed a sigh of relief.
"It is good that you understand. For a commander, personal feelings are the hardest thing to account for."
"So you want the 'bigger picture,' do you?"
Li Kuangren stood up abruptly. "If you want the bigger picture, I'll give it to you!"
This sudden roar caused Dongfang Liancheng's expression to change drastically.
Li Kuangren even unleashed his Divinity Transformation Domain, but this fury vanished as quickly as it had arrived.
Upon turning his head, he saw that his Aunt had arrived.
Li Kuangren felt a suffocating weight in his chest.
He turned around and, casting aside his pride as a man, knelt on the ground.
"Aunt, you have suffered. Your nephew begs you—please, let's go home!"