Chapter 331
In the high sky, one could already see the numerous rivers winding below, along with the neatly arranged buildings lining the riverbanks.
Ahead lay Qinghe County.
Before the cloud of transformation even touched the ground, a massive banner came into view.
**"Congratulations to the Li family’s children for making it onto the Qianlong List, ranking in the top five!"**
How ostentatious, far too ostentatious.
“What Li family children?”
Li Mo felt something was off and turned to Ying Bing, saying, “Bing Tuozi, you don’t even have the surname Li.”
Ying Bing clutched her big-headed doll, not looking at him, and he couldn’t tell if she had heard.
“This isn’t even the end of the month…”
Li Mo found it a bit strange.
Could it be that Bing Tuozi was feeling shy about returning home?
Seeing that banner, Li Mo decided to head straight home. If he and Bing Tuozi appeared on the streets, it would probably cause quite a stir.
He didn’t want to be the center of attention, but given that they were all from the same hometown, if someone came over to chat or ask for a favor, he wouldn’t be able to maintain his aloof demeanor.
So, he simply landed in his own yard with Ying Bing.
But things didn’t go as planned.
Even if he didn’t wander around, it was still chaotic at home. The main hall was bustling, filled with the sounds of people enjoying dinner, as if it were a banquet.
“Da Long, our Li family is on fire! We’ve got a hero on the Qianlong List!”
“It’s been ages since we’ve all gathered. Ah, Li Mo, when he was a kid, he even peed on me when I held him! And now look at him, all grown up.”
“I thought it was just a coincidence with the name; who would have thought?”
“Are Xiao Mo and Xiao Bing still as close as before?”
“Do they still fight?”
...
PS: Sorry, dear audience, the review process took a while. There was a chapter missing yesterday, but I’ll make it up today.
**Chapter 361: Thankfully, No One Died**
“Ah, what can I teach? It’s all that kid’s own hard work.”
“When he was little, he was weak, and we thought about sending him to Qingyuan Sect to strengthen his body. Who knew he’d accidentally become a Qianlong? He’s way more impressive than his old man.”
Surrounded by relatives, Li Da Long feigned modesty, waving his hands, but the wrinkles on his face were blooming with joy.
In truth, Da Long felt a bit guilty.
After all, his son and Xiao Bing made it onto the Qianlong List, and he didn’t even know until the next morning when the county magistrate personally came to lead his horse and asked around.
That was impressive.
Li Da Long was in high spirits when suddenly, the room fell silent, and he felt a twist at his waist.
He looked up:
“Whoa, son, you’re back!”
“Our Li family’s dragon and phoenix have returned! Come, sit down.”
“With such great achievements in the South, the emperor must reward you, right? How much do you think it’ll be?”
“A title of nobility would be more than enough!”
The family laughed and praised him, but it felt a bit different, yet not so different.
After all, last year when the family gathered, he was still frail, and his uncles and aunts were all smiles, praising him, though the content of their praise had changed.
Even if Li Mo had become a little tyrant, he had seen his share of grand occasions.
But when faced with the compliments of relatives and friends, he still felt the same urge to dig his toes into the ground.
Li Mo and Ying Bing took their seats, one beside Li Da Long and the other next to Gu Xueqin.
In front of relatives and friends, the two were much more restrained, as if they had returned to the days before they went to Qingyuan Sect, maintaining a polite distance.
After all, there were so many eyes on them.
He lowered his voice and asked, “Dad, it’s not even New Year yet. Why are Aunties and Uncles all here?”
“They’re here to feel the waters,” Li Da Long replied discreetly.
Li Mo was puzzled. Feel what waters?
“Don’t you know what nickname you have on the Qianlong List?”
“Divine Hammer... Little... Wife-Devouring Soul?”
“Why ask if you already know?” Li Da Long raised his cup and clinked it with his uncle.
“...”
Li Mo’s fists clenched tightly.
Who said the best actor of Qingyuan Sect had no rivals? Huh?
Yan Tian Sect! Just wait for me, thirty years in the east, thirty years in the west.
As soon as he and Ying Bing sat down, the atmosphere grew even more lively, and since Ying Bing had always been cool and aloof, no one dared to provoke her.
All the firepower was directed at Li Mo.
Seeing the two sitting together, Auntie, recalling their past conflicts, squinted and smiled, “Xiao Mo is already this age, and still hasn’t mentioned a marriage?”
In the Da Yu Dynasty, marrying at sixteen was quite common.
Creak—
Huh?
Just as Auntie finished her question, she looked around, wondering what made such a loud noise.
“My parents are in love, so I believe in free love. I’m not into matchmaking,” Li Mo said, sitting up straight with a serious expression.
Second Uncle Li Xiao Long cleared his throat and said, “Free love is good. If you ever have someone in mind, just tell me. I have some colleagues with lovely daughters; a concubine wouldn’t be a bad idea.”
Creak!
“...I’m not even married yet! What concubine?”
Li Mo’s expression changed slightly as he waved his hands repeatedly.
Fortunately, Uncle was sharp-eyed and noticed the training outfits they were wearing.
“Let’s not worry about the kids. Xiao Mo and Xiao Bing are both focused on martial arts. They’re aiming for the top of the Qianlong List, so they don’t need us meddling.”
Li Mo nodded, agreeing with Uncle’s words.
He, Li Mo, was dedicated to martial arts.
Tonight, he planned to ask Bing Tuozi for advice on how to project the Golden Crow. His quest for knowledge needed no further explanation.
Who would have thought, Uncle took another sip of wine and stroked his beard, saying, “But on the other hand…”
“You two made it onto the Qianlong List and can be together. That’s great! Working together and progressing together is a lovely story.”
“...”
Li Mo’s eyelids twitched.
Oh no, I forgot to change.
“Hey, you two are quite well-matched in your outfits,” Li Da Long said, beaming.
“Training outfits. The sect made these for me and Ying Bing.”
“Why are the standard outfits black and white, and the styles different?”
Faced with this soul-searching question, Li Mo was momentarily speechless.
“I’m going to rest now.”
Ying Bing glanced at Li Mo, then stood up and turned to head back to her room.
“Son, what’s going on in the South?”
Gu Xueqin shifted the topic. She had been worried for a long time, and now seeing her son return safe and sound, she felt a sense of relief.
Li Mo sighed and shared some of his experiences from the South, picking out what he could say.
After a few rounds of drinks, he excused himself and got up to leave the table.
He instinctively headed toward the side room, then corrected his path to his own bedroom.
Of course, Bing Tuozi wouldn’t be sharing a room with him.
They would have to ‘part ways’ for now.
Relatives and friends watched as the two returned to their respective rooms, exchanging glances, finding it hard to imagine how these two would end up together.
Mainly because Ying Bing was beautiful but so cold; when he brought her home as a child, he thought she was a mute.
But those eyes, when they looked at you, made you feel like Meng Po had mixed a lot of water into her soup.
Little Master, there’s more to this chapter, please click the next page to continue reading; it gets even more exciting!
“Aren’t those two little rivals?” Auntie wondered.
Uncle watched Li Mo head to his room, raising an eyebrow.
“Ha, rivals aren’t so bad, right? You all should stop worrying about those two kids.”
With Ying Bing’s personality, no one who didn’t meet her standards could get close.
If they couldn’t even talk, how could they be rivals?
It was special because of that ‘one and only’ aspect.
Auntie and the other relatives truly felt that these two didn’t seem to have anything going on, but since Uncle had spoken, they nodded in agreement.
For instance, Second Uncle only brought it up because his superior had mentioned it several times.
As relatives gradually took their leave, the hall quieted down again.
Li Da Long watched the two head to different rooms, finally feeling relieved.
He and Gu Xueqin were a bit worried.
Although Xiao Bing still looked cool and aloof, there was something subtly different about her. Other relatives might not notice, but the couple had watched her grow up and shared an unspoken intuition.
This time, that feeling was even stronger.
Thankfully, they hadn’t reached the point of sharing a room.
They weren’t married yet; what if something happened...?
Li Da Long and his wife exchanged glances, feeling relieved yet somehow a bit empty inside.
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