Chapter 82: Death by Talking Too Much
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“As the head of the Li family, you now help an outsider to bully your own clansman? If our ancestors were to witness this, what would they think? And if the other members of our clan heard of it, what would they say? You—”
Smack!
A surge of profound energy erupted from the Li family patriarch. With a single slap, he shattered the wooden table beside him, glaring furiously at Li Shang.
“Did you not hear me?”
“I told you to hold your tongue! Now, at once, go to the Cliff of Reflection!”
Seeing this, Li Shang wore a look of bitter disappointment. “Patriarch, your loyal words may sound harsh, but I only—” Before he could finish, the patriarch, seeing that Li Shang would not relent, sent a powerful blast of energy straight into Li Shang’s chest.
Blood spurted from Li Shang’s mouth as his body was hurled backward.
Bang!
He crashed against the doors with a heavy thud and lost consciousness.
Seeing Li Shang had fainted, the patriarch glanced apologetically at Yan Li, then called out toward the door, “Take this useless fool and throw him onto the Cliff of Reflection!”
“Yes, sir!”
At the patriarch’s command, a Li family disciple swiftly appeared and dragged the limp, dog-like Li Shang away.
Once they were gone, the patriarch's anger vanished as quickly as it had flared.
“Forgive this unpleasantness, Nephew Yan. Let us return to the matter at hand.” He paused. “The annulment of the engagement… it would damage the Li family’s reputation greatly.”
Yan Li frowned slightly as she listened. “Three Essence-Gathering Pills.”
“Ah, Nephew Yan, you—Li Shang is indeed unworthy of you. As his elder, I will decide on his behalf. As for the pills…”
“Many thanks, Uncle Li. Of the three pills, two will be delivered from Xuanqing Sect in due course,” Yan Li nodded.
“That is no trouble, there is no hurry,” the patriarch replied with a smile, seeing Yan Li off. Once she was gone, his smile faded instantly.
“Someone come here! Li Shang has defied authority and lost all discipline—punish him by the clan’s rules!”
He was determined to utterly destroy Li Shang.
...
“Where am I?”
After a brief period of unconsciousness, Li Shang’s mind gradually cleared.
He found himself on a treacherous peak, a hundred meters high. The terrain was perilous; a single misstep would send him plunging into the roaring river below.
“Boy, you’re awake?”
Before Li Shang could take in his surroundings, an old man's voice suddenly sounded by his ear, startling him. He jumped up, looking around in alarm.
The mountaintop was small, with only a few crude stone huts for shelter. In one glance, he could see the entire summit.
He looked around several times but saw not a single soul.
It seemed he was alone.
“Was I hallucinating?”
Li Shang wondered. But before he could think further, hurried footsteps sounded from the stone steps leading up the mountain.
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He looked over and soon saw a middle-aged man with a sullen face ascending the steps.
“Strange, why isn’t it an old man?”
“What old man?” the newcomer frowned at Li Shang’s words, then relaxed. “Seems the patriarch knocked something loose in your head.”
He unslung a long staff from his back and strode toward Li Shang.
“What do you want?”
“I suggest you stay away from me.”
“The patriarch can’t do this—I am a direct descendant of the Li family! My father was wounded for the clan, my mother bled for the clan—don’t come any closer!”
...
As the man drew closer, Li Shang retreated step by step until he reached the very edge of the cliff. One more step and he would fall to his death.
The middle-aged man, hearing Li Shang’s endless protests, couldn’t help the twitch in his facial muscles. Now he understood why the patriarch wanted to cripple this fellow—he was insufferable.
Impatient, he strode forward and reached to grab Li Shang, ready to start his work.
But just as his hand brushed Li Shang’s sleeve, Li Shang “accidentally” slid and swept his leg at the man’s shin.
Had it been an ordinary person, such a move might have sent them tumbling off the cliff.
But this was no ordinary man; he was a master of the second rank of the Profound Path.
Li Shang’s kick did not even budge him.
“Useless.”
The man looked down at Li Shang, who was sprawled on the ground, his eyes full of disdain.
He raised the staff and brought it down hard on the thigh that Li Shang had failed to retract.
Crack!
The blow landed with such force that the sound of breaking bone echoed on the cliff.
Li Shang cried out in pain, his body curling instinctively.
The man did not stop; he raised the staff again.
By the patriarch’s command, Li Shang would spend the rest of his days bedridden.
Crack!
Crack!
Crack!
After three more gruesome snaps, Li Shang lost consciousness.
“Disaster comes from the mouth. Remember that in your next life.”
With that, the man turned and left.
With a sliver of consciousness remaining, Li Shang watched the man’s departing figure.
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His heart was ablaze with anger and unwillingness, but these were soon overwhelmed by despair.
He was ruined.
What did it matter how much resentment burned in him?
“Do you want revenge?”
“To trample all those who look down on you underfoot?”
“Who are you?”
Hearing the old voice again, Li Shang asked weakly.
He doubted his own senses, but even a hallucination was better than utter despair.
“Who am I? That isn’t important. You only need to know that I can help you get your revenge.”
Hearing these words, a faint spark of hope lit in Li Shang’s heart.
“How? What’s the price? Don’t tell me it’s free—there’s no such thing as a free lunch in this world, nor love or hate without cause. And why help me? Why not someone else? Do I have something special, or…”
Old voice: “…”
“You ask too many questions. Just go die.”
As the words fell, Li Shang saw black mist envelop him, and his vision was swallowed by darkness.
[Restriction lifted]
Seeing the message appear before him, Li Shang’s dazed expression cleared.
“Damn it!”
As his memories flooded back, Li Shang cursed aloud.
He felt his tender soul had suffered a grievous blow.
Was it such a crime to be particular about his words?
He was indignant.
“If only I’d had my memories along with my consciousness, I’d have roasted those idiotic NPCs until they were speechless.”
He could only fume in silence.
[Game Summary]
[Outcome: Death by excessive talking]
[Reincarnation Points: 0]
[Restart game?]
Li Shang saw the prompt before him, exhaled, and clicked “Yes.”
The screen shifted.
But this time, the game interface was different from before.
A new panel appeared before him.
[Congratulations! You have received a one-time privilege: Rebirth with all memories from your past life.]
[Use now?]
Yes ☜
No