landbeastnovel Chapter 260: Like A Son, Like A Father
Chapter 260: Like A Son, Like A Father
After the Lanfeng set sail again, it took only a few hours before black dots appeared on the horizon once more.
This time, it was armored cavalry riding flying beasts, escorting a middle-aged man with a gloomy expression, exuding a formidable aura.
As the cavalry descended with the stench of the beasts, people quickly landed and rounded up villagers who were both at home and away, bringing them together in front of the middle-aged man.
Due to Chu Shen's warning to the villagers here and the provision of funds for them to leave, the number of villagers brought before the middle-aged man was small, only about one-fifth of the usual population, approximately forty to fifty people.
Most of them were elderly, with a few disabled and a small number of young and strong individuals.
The middle-aged man frowned and asked his subordinate, "Why are there so few people?"
A trusted aide who commanded the private soldiers to capture people quickly reported, "Master, it can be confirmed that the young master had an incident here. These commoners here are afraid of trouble and have fled. I have already sent people to pursue them, ensuring that not a single one will escape!"
The middle-aged man was none other than Tuoba Li, the Duke of Dengguo, one of the top dignitaries of the Great Tang Xian Dynasty. Despite his upright and resolute appearance, he was actually a ruthless and cunning individual.
His ancestors were indeed remarkable heroes. They were ennobled for their military achievements in defeating the barbarians in the northern frontier. By the time it reached his generation, it had been five generations, and their noble lineage was well-known.
However, the grace of a gentleman lasts for five generations. Neither his grandfather, his father, nor himself were exceptional generals. When he took over the position of the Duke, his influence in the court was actually not high. He was able to successfully inherit the title of Duke by bribing relevant officials with a large sum of money.
In pursuit of power, after inheriting the title, he had also made efforts to follow in his ancestors' footsteps and seek glory and wealth through military exploits. He had indeed contributed a lot in suppressing peasant uprisings, relying on indiscriminate killing and beheading to gain merit, earning himself the reputation of being knowledgeable in military affairs.
Then, he was taught a lesson by the barbarians on the northern frontier and lost his territory. After suffering a defeat and losing his teacher, he contracted a fear of the barbarians and became a staunch advocate for peace in the court. He gained the support of many officials from the peace faction.
Subsequently, he even attached himself to the Pilgrimage Sect. All the qualified children in his family joined the Pilgrimage Sect and became disciples, establishing a deep connection with the sect.
The rewards he received were also considerable. He became a prominent figure in the court. Similarly, due to several of his children being in the Pilgrimage Sect, the family gradually showed signs of transforming into a family of practitioners. Compared to the declining national situation, the family was thriving.
This was also the root cause of the arrogance and recklessness of the Duke of Dengguo.
Unexpectedly, amidst the flourishing flowers and raging fire, there were still people daring to provoke him!
Immediately, people rushed to inform him that the master of the Pilgrimage Sect had specially extinguished the longevity lamp left behind by his youngest son, Tuoba Jing. He almost fainted.
This longevity lamp was not just a decoration, but a magical tool connected to Tuoba Jing's life soul. As long as the lamp was lit, he would be alive; once the lamp was extinguished, he would die. It was a common method used by various sects in the cultivation world to determine whether their disciples were alive.
Tuoba Jing was not a core disciple of the Pilgrimage Sect. Due to his insufficient talent, he could only be an outer disciple. While enjoying the convenience of practicing at home, his longevity lamp was placed in the Duke of Dengguo's residence.
Unexpectedly, today, his youngest son went out to play and actually extinguished the longevity lamp.
This meant that Tuoba Jing was dead!
Tuoba Li immediately ordered someone to investigate Tuoba Jing's whereabouts today. Upon learning that he had come to this remote village outside the city, he immediately brought his private soldiers with him. However, they ended up empty-handed.
"These peasants actually dare to escape? Chase after them! Don't let a single one go, all of them must be buried with my son!" Tuoba Li was furious. "Before that, find out who killed my son!"
His trusted subordinate immediately took the order and signaled his men to reveal their ferocious expressions towards the gathered villagers.
One villager after another was pulled out and mercilessly whipped. The lackeys of the Duke of Dengguo showed no mercy at all. Some frail elderly people were whipped to death on the spot.
The villagers screamed and struggled, unable to withstand the strength of these strong private soldiers.
Many people regretted not listening to Chu Shen's advice earlier and leaving this place to find another residence.
However, some people also felt that all this unwarranted disaster was brought about by Li Qinxue and Chu Shen. It was immediately revealed that Tuoba Jing brought people to harass Li Qinxue, but was intercepted by Chu Shen and ultimately died.
After receiving accurate intelligence, Duke Deng Tuoba Li became extremely angry and drew his sword, chopping down a withered tree by the roadside.
"Youngster from Langhuan Heavenly Palace, you have gone too far in bullying others!"
Although he was a "mediocre general," he had also rolled on the battlefield. The Tuoba family was able to prosper, and their ancestors had some skills, which were passed down.
... Seeking flowers ...
So he was not a wealthy man without any strength, but someone who truly had a certain level of cultivation.
It's just that this level... relying on resources to reach the Spirit Gathering stage, at least it can be considered as the Spirit Gathering stage, right?
Chopping down a withered tree or sprinkling water, it's all the same!
The trusted aides were also well-informed and knew who Chu Shen was and what kind of existence Langhuan Heavenly Palace was.
Even the emperor of the Great Tang Immortal Dynasty had to be wary of him to some extent, and the princess being taken as a concubine by Chu Shen was reluctantly accepted. Such an "enemy," even in Duke Deng's mansion, was a bit underestimated!
Tuoba Li also knew this, even more clearly. He had witnessed how Chu had negotiated with Emperor Chongling and others in the court, with a sharp edge supported by a powerful force behind him. Even he felt a chill.
But should he just let the enemy go like this?
"No, my son cannot die in vain, but I cannot give away a head for nothing. Chu Shen and his group have many experts protecting them, and they have a powerful warship..."
Tuoba Li bit his nails, thinking quickly about what to do.
"Lord, we can seek help from the Holy Pilgrimage Sect. Isn't this the time for them to contribute?" A trusted aide suggested.
Tuoba Li slapped his thigh suddenly. "That's right. Although Jing'er is not a true disciple, he is still a disciple of the Holy Pilgrimage Sect, and he has several siblings who are true disciples of the sect.
How can the masters of the Holy Pilgrimage Sect tolerate this anger?
How can his brothers and sisters not show any response when his younger brother is in trouble?"
Among his children, although Tuoba Jing was the least promising, he was his son who had been with him the longest. Compared to those children who had been studying at the Holy Pilgrimage Sect for years, he still cherished this son.
Now, with Tuoba Jing's death, even if he had a way to end his life, as a father who doted on his son, Tuoba Li could not bear this grief.
He must seek revenge, he must make the Qumin pay with their blood!
As for the countless evil deeds committed by his wicked younger son, and the fact that he had brought this upon himself by provoking the wrong people, Tuoba Li had chosen to selectively forget.
PS: There are too many uncertain things happening recently, and I am quite busy. Updates are unstable, please forgive me...