Top-Tier Superpower Student-Chapter 708 - 680: Taking the Oath

Capital City, within a majestic little villa.

A guard rushed in, his tone quite heavy, and said to Li Xiangjin.

"General, Li Xiangqian. Li Xiangshang, and some elders of the Li Family are to be executed by firing squad today. Will you go pay your last respects?"

Upon hearing the words "firing squad," Li Xiangjin, who always maintained a calm and undisturbed expression, suddenly showed signs of agitation. He found it very hard to bear but was helpless to change anything.

He waved his hand, signaling for the guard to leave.

Then he called out, "Head chef!"

A few seconds later, a man dressed as a chef walked in.

"General, you called for me."

"Take out that bottle of wine I've been saving, and make a bowl of Zhajiang noodles, a plate of soy-braised beef, use chicken for the sauce in the Zhajiang noodles, make the sauce mild with plentiful meat, and use old yellow cow meat for the soy-braised beef, not too salty, without heavy spices."

Zhajiang noodles were Li Xiangqian's favorite, the soy-braised beef was Li Xiangshang's favorite. Although Li Xiangjin greatly disapproved of his two brothers' actions, before their departure, he still wished to send off his brothers with something they loved.

After hearing this, the head chef frowned. Today, Li Xiangjin's requests seemed especially numerous. Usually, he would eat whatever was made without such fussiness.

Especially that bottle of treasured wine. It was a personal reward to him from "The Emperor" several years ago when he had made great achievements. He had kept it all this time, never willing to drink it.

He asked, "General, do you have some sort of celebration happening?"

His tentative inquiry, expecting a positive response, was met instead with a sudden change in Li Xiangjin's expression, as if filled with a murderous aura.

This gaze sent chills through his body, giving him the impression that Li Xiangjin could see right through him. He shivered and immediately stood at attention, "General, I will get it done right away."

After speaking, he scurried away, leaving Li Xiangjin alone with an indescribable heartache.

A dozen minutes later, the meal was ready. Li Xiangjin, accompanied by a guard, entered a secret prison.

The execution of Li Xiangqian and the others was set for twelve noon, to be carried out secretly. It was now ten o'clock in the morning, two hours away.

In one of the prison rooms, Li Xiangjin saw his two brothers.

At that moment, Li Xiangqian and Li Xiangshang looked utterly dejected, sitting in a corner with their heads lowered, silent, waiting for death to descend upon them.

Li Xiangjin walked in with the wine and dishes. Hearing the noise, both brothers simultaneously looked up and saw Li Xiangjin. At first surprised, their expressions quickly turned to anger.

"We are about to be executed, and you come here today, to mock us?"

After hearing this, Li Xiangjin's face stiffened. Faced with such barbed words, he was quite helpless and decided to avoid the subject.

He casually took out his treasured wine, a bowl of Zhajiang noodles, and a plate of soy-braised beef.

He sent the guard away who had accompanied him, placing the Zhajiang noodles and soy-braised beef in front of his two brothers.

"Big brother, second brother, these are the foods you loved to eat when you were young. Have one last taste!"

"One last time, huh!"

Li Xiangqian, angered, kicked over the soy-braised beef and Zhajiang noodles.

Li Xiangjin felt a mix of anger and a sense of grievance. This kick seemed to sever all the brotherly bonds between them.

He stood up, bellowed angrily, "Third brother, hmm, you still realize this is our last meal together. If it weren't for you standing by, not deploying a single soldier or horse, would we have fallen to our current state?"

Li Xiangshang, who was beside him, also stood up furiously and shouted, "Third brother, what exactly did Lin Tian offer you that made you so afraid to lay a hand on him? Among the Li Family, you hold the most power, yet you remained inactive, watching as our family fell into ruin. Our ancestors' legacy has decayed because of you—you seem so at ease with that, are you really content?"

After hearing this, a tear trickled from the corner of Li Xiangjin's mouth as he asked helplessly, "Big brother, do you also believe that it is because we didn't take action, that is why you fell to this state, that the Li Family is marching towards its demise? Is it really all because of me?"

"Hmph!"

Li Xiangqian glared furiously at Li Xiangjin, turned his head away, and spoke no more.

Li Xiangjin, with unspeakable agony, shook his head at the enormous resentment from his two older brothers.

Cause and effect, the cycle of heaven's law!

The downfall of the Li Family today was entirely self-inflicted; in other words, all of it had nothing to do with Li Xiangjin—it was all caused by Li Xiangqian and Li Xiangshang. freёwebnoѵel.com

If they hadn't bullied men and overpowered women, how could they have provoked Lin Tian? If they hadn't been greedy and forgotten their principles, harming the loyal and the good, how could they have incurred the dissatisfaction of the old General?

Li Xiangjin didn't take action because he knew his two brothers' actions had enraged heaven and the people, beyond any redemption. His inaction was simply to keep a clear conscience, to leave a single seed for the Li Family, that's all.

Now, Li Xiangqian and Li Xiangshang were placing all the blame on Li Xiangjin, who felt quite helpless and knew that arguing was futile.

He placed the bottle of wine on the ground and said, "My two brothers, I'm leaving. I will ensure you are buried honorably. Li Yuan, I will also take good care of you."

He turned to leave, and with one last look back, he noticed Li Xiangqian and Li Xiangshang hadn't even turned their heads.

At noon, Li Xiangqian and Li Xiangshang would be executed by firing squad, but Li Yuan would be released. The old General, out of respect for Iron Crutch Li's sake, spared Li Yuan's life so he could live an ordinary life.

At twelve o'clock, two gunshots rang out. Li Xiangjin stood aside, a stream of tears rolling down his face.

He found Li Yuan and said, "Let's go, follow me. I will take care of you."

Li Yuan clenched his teeth, his fists tightly gripped as he glared at Li Xiangjin. Clearly, he shared the same view as Li Xiangqian and Li Xiangshang, blaming the Li Family's ruin entirely on Li Xiangjin.

His words carried a sting as he said, "Uncle Three, I appreciate your kindness, but I, Li Yuan, cannot accept it. From now on, there is no kinship between us. You walk your broad avenue, and I'll cross my log bridge!"

After speaking, he walked away, not even blinking, directly past Li Xiangjin, who thought about stopping him but ultimately did not speak up.

Afterward, he approached a soldier and said, "Follow him. If possible, try to help him."

"Yes, General!"

Inside a tavern, Li Yuan slammed his hand down hard on the table and roared.

"Thinking I can be an ordinary person, impossible. Lin Tian, you caused the destruction of my Li Family, led to the death of my great-uncle. This vengeance, I, Li Yuan must avenge."

His eyes were bloodshot, filled with terrifying hatred.

"The Tuoba Family!"

"My Li Family is not defeated, my Li Family still has a backer!"

Afterward, he pointed three fingers to the sky and took an oath.

"Today, I, Li Yuan, vow here that at any cost, I will ask the Tuoba Family to make a move. If I do not destroy Lin Tian in this life, I swear not to be human."