Chapter 98

Chapter 98

Yang Chen glanced at her. If Zhao Shirou hadn’t been pregnant, she would have acted regardless of the opponent’s strength. But now, she restrained herself, indicating how deeply Li Hao’s betrayal hurt her. The mother-son bond was nearly severed, which was advantageous for Yang Chen. If Li Hao died, she wouldn’t be too heartbroken and could focus on raising their child.

“Hao’er, listen to your mother. Don’t be stubborn! We are family; why torment yourself?” Yang Chen said with feigned pity.

Yang Chen, damn you!

You scoundrel, bastard!

Li Hao cursed inwardly, wanting to resist to the death. But if this continued, he would really die. With just Li Junfeng, he might gamble on survival. But now, with a Soul Transformation realm cultivator backing Li Junfeng, there was no escape. Dying here would be a waste.

Li Hao, torn between pride and survival, chose the latter. He strained to lift Li Junfeng’s foot slightly, barely able to speak.

“Yang … Uncle Yang! He’s … my stepfather!”

Li Hao endured the humiliation and spoke with difficulty. However, having been ground for so long, many of his teeth were missing, making his speech unclear.

Li Junfeng scolded: “Li Hao, are you mute? Speak clearly! No one can save you today!”

Li Junfeng enjoyed torturing Li Hao, reveling in the revenge for past humiliations.

“Damn it!”

Li Hao, filled with rage, gave in again.

“Uncle Yang is my stepfather! He is my stepfather! My stepfather! Ah!”

Li Hao shouted, collapsing emotionally. He had acknowledged Yang Chen as his stepfather in front of his mother, fiancée, and the kingdom’s officials and cultivators. The deep-seated humiliation would haunt him forever.

[Ding, Li Hao has publicly acknowledged you as his stepfather, and has lost 3000 point of Providence Luck. The host has gained 3000 VPs!]

Yang Chen’s lips curved again. Another 3000 points. This blow was severe for Hao’er. When he killed Li Hao’s father, he only gained 2000 points. Forcing him to admit Yang Chen as his stepfather was a greater humiliation than killing his father.

Hao’er, your thoughts are unique. But your Providence Luck is nearly exhausted. From over 20,000 points, you now have only 1000 left.

“Great Elder, did you hear? Hao’er called me stepfather! This Holy Son is Hao’er’s stepfather, not an outsider! Li Junfeng, lift your dog foot off my son’s face, or you will die!”

Yang Chen said coldly, his voice filled with killing intent. Li Junfeng, a mere Golden Core cultivator, trembled and lifted his foot.

“Ah!”

Li Hao exhaled heavily, struggling to stand. He spat out blood from his severe injuries, wiped his mouth, and stood straight, only to meet the contemptuous and pitying gazes of everyone around him. Especially from his mother and fiancée, their disdainful looks made him almost cough up blood again.

Yang Chen, damn you! I will kill you, make you call me grandfather a thousand times! And you, Li Junfeng, you will die! Your concubines will be mine to toy with!

Li Hao roared internally, unable to voice his hatred aloud.

He moved quickly away from Li Junfeng, approaching Zhao Shirou.

“Mother!”

Li Hao called softly, but Zhao Shirou coldly retorted: “Don’t call me mother!”

She turned away, refusing to look at him.

“Damn, even mother rejects me!”

Li Hao clenched his fists, furious. His once close relationship with his mother had never seen such disdain.

[Ding, Zhao Shirou has shown disdain and anger towards Li Hao for the first time, causing Li Hao to lose 500 points of Providence Luck! The host has gained 500 VPs!]

Yang Chen’s lips curved slightly. Unexpectedly, this earned him points. In Li Hao’s heart, Zhao Shirou was his reverse scale.

Yang Chen sincerely said: “Hao’er, don’t blame your mother. You poisoned her! Thankfully, Yang Uncle had the True Dragon Essence to detoxify her, or your brother would’ve been in danger!”

Yang Chen patted Zhao Shirou’s shoulder: “Rou’er, don’t be angry at Hao’er anymore. As elders, we should be magnanimous! I believe Hao’er was momentarily misguided and won’t repeat his mistakes! Forgive him for my sake as his stepfather!”

“Brother Chen! He almost harmed our child!”

Zhao Shirou frowned, her voice still cold.

Yang Chen touched her belly gently: “Our child will forgive his brother! Being angry is bad for the child! As a pregnant woman, you shouldn’t stay angry!”

“Alright, I’ll listen to you, Brother Chen!”

Zhao Shirou, moved, leaned into Yang Chen’s embrace. Li Hao, seeing Yang Chen openly show affection with his mother, felt his veins bulge in anger. His fists clenched, eyes filled with murderous intent.

“Yang Chen, damn you!”

“I will kill you, bastard!”

He roared internally, his face flushed with rage and humiliation.

***

“Xuantian Holy Son, even though Li Hao is your stepson, I still believe that the throne of Liyang Kingdom should be taken by Li Junfeng,” said Lei Qianjue, the Grand Elder of the Wind and Thunder Sect.

Lei Qianjue had been cultivating for over a thousand years and had entered the Nascent Soul stage more than three hundred years ago. He was a renowned Nascent Soul cultivator in the Northern Spiritual Realm. At this moment, he stood with his hands behind his back, speaking slowly and heavily, his tone leaving no room for argument.

“Oh?” Yang Chen’s expression froze slightly. “Is the Grand Elder planning to act unreasonably?”

“Reason?” Lei Qianjue’s eyes flashed with lightning. Outside the main hall, dark clouds gathered, and bolts of lightning streaked through them. As a cultivator, he had already condensed his primordial spirit and could manipulate the forces of heaven and earth. His emotional fluctuations alone could alter the weather. Thunder roared, and lightning danced among the dark clouds, creating a terrifying and oppressive atmosphere.

The group of cultivators from Liyang Kingdom, even with Yang Chen resisting the pressure for them, still trembled in fear. A Soul Formation cultivator was the pinnacle of power in the Northern Spiritual Realm. The mere mention of a Soul Formation realm cultivator was enough to instill fear in people’s hearts. After all, Liyang Kingdom had existed for ten thousand years without producing a single Soul Formation realm cultivator!

Lei Qianjue said in a deep voice, “Xuantian Holy Son, I have already given you face by sparing your stepson! If you know what’s good for you, I won’t make things difficult for you! This Liyang Kingdom is what my Wind and Thunder Sect has set its sights on!”

Yang Chen immediately laughed. “Grand Elder, you are indeed imposing! But what if I don’t know when to quit?”