Chapter 22: 恩怨情仇

Gu Mo instantly killed Wu Huan and Yang Tang. However, the others present paid little attention to them; their focus was entirely on Tang Tianqi, the second master of the Tang family.

Gu Mo remained vigilant and did not act rashly. He sensed that something was seriously wrong.

Under normal circumstances, Tang Tianqi had just taken a direct blow from his "Hundred Li Shock" palm strike. Although the strike was somewhat rushed, it was still one of the Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms, a top-tier powerful palm technique. Furthermore, Gu Mo had activated it while in a full-level Nine Yang Divine Art state. Given Tang Tianqi's martial arts level, this palm strike should have either killed him or left him severely wounded.

However, Gu Mo could perceive that Tang Tianqi's aura was remarkably stable, showing no signs of injury whatsoever.

"Second Brother, why did you do this?" Tang Tianhao demanded, panting.

This was also the question on everyone's mind. The recent events clearly indicated that Tang Tianqi was an accomplice, colluding with Feilong and his group of evil cultists.

Tang Tianqi dropped his longsword, threw back his head, and laughed wildly, his face contorted with a sinister expression. He said, "You ask me why? Hahaha, how dare you ask me why? Tang Tianhao, how dare you ask me why?

From childhood, I have always been superior to you in every way. In terms of martial arts talent, I could easily overpower you by the age of ten. In terms of intellect, I started studying literature at three, wrote poetry at five, passed the imperial examination as a *Xiucai* by fifteen, and took over the Tang family business at eighteen, making it flourish. And you? What do you have? What can you possibly compare to me?

But why? Why, when I am clearly superior to you in every aspect, are *you* the family head? The world only knows Tang Tianhao; how many people know Tang Tianqi? I've done so much; the Tang family rose to prominence under my hand, so why did you end up as the family head? Just because I'm a concubine's son and you're the son of the main wife? Just because your mother was the legitimate wife and mine was a concubine? I refuse to accept it! The old man was biased; he always favored you from childhood. I was clearly more suited to cultivate the Heavenly Star Sword Art, but he wouldn't teach it to me. I was clearly more suited to be the family head, but he still wouldn't give it to me!"

Tang Tianhao took a deep breath and said, "I know the Tang family has been unfair to you. I know all of this, but I couldn't change it, nor can I. I knew you were more suitable to be the family head, so for all these years, I've virtually handed over all the Tang family's power to you. I supported everything you wanted to do!"

"That was rightfully mine to begin with!" Tang Tianqi retorted. "Put your hand on your heart and tell me, what aspect of you is superior to me? In terms of martial arts, talent, or appearance, where do you excel? Why was the old man so biased? Why, just because of birth, does everything I do have to be yours? I won't accept it! Why was he so biased? Couldn't he see that I was more outstanding than you?"

Tang Tianhao sighed. "It wasn't Father's bias. In fact, he knew you were superior to me in every way. However, since ancient times, the family head has been chosen based on legitimacy, not merit. Second Brother, try to see it from Father's perspective. If we set a precedent by choosing the family head based on ability, then our Tang family would be plagued by internal strife for generations.

Take me, for example. Besides Buyi, my eldest legitimate son, I also have seven or eight sons born of concubines. If they all had the chance to become family head based on talent, none of them would submit to the others. They would all compete and fight. Other clan members would also take sides. How chaotic would that become? It would undoubtedly lead to fratricide and rivers of blood. We cannot set a precedent of choosing the worthy over the legitimate; even the imperial family dares not do such a thing for throne succession. Second Brother, don't you understand? I know it was unfair to you. From childhood, when did I not yield to you? I always looked after you. What more do you want me to do?"

"Hahahahaha..."

Tang Tianqi burst into a hysterical laugh, pointing at Tang Tianhao with utter contempt and roaring, "What you said makes sense: choose the legitimate eldest son, not the worthy. Although I resented it, I accepted it. I accepted not being taught the Heavenly Star Sword Art. I accepted the old man's demand that I wholeheartedly assist you and that all the prestige go to you. But Big Sister-in-law? Why did I have to yield the woman I loved to you too?!

Tang Tianhao, I devised the plan to marry Big Sister-in-law. I was the one who went to propose marriage. I was the one who competed against those young elites. I was the one who successfully found a way to arrange the marriage alliance with the Li family. So why were you the one who ultimately married her? Thirty years, Tang Tianhao, a full thirty years! I've watched you two live in harmony, like a loving couple. Do you know how much I hated it? I gave up everything to you, so why did you have to steal the woman I loved too?"

Tang Tianhao glanced at Lady Tang, still unconscious in Tang Buyi's arms, then averted his gaze from Tang Tianqi, muttering, "I... I didn't know..."

"You're lying!"

Tang Tianqi roared, "How could you not know? Back then, for Li Wanying, how many young masters who sought to propose to the Li family did I drive away? Didn't you know that? Didn't you know about the family's plan to have the old man trick Old Master Li into signing the marriage contract? Yet, even though I did everything, you ended up being the one in the marriage alliance! Didn't you secretly ask the old man to change the groom to yourself?"

Tang Tianhao leaned on his sword, feeling unsteady. He was speechless, staring at the monstrous and insane Tang Tianqi. After a long moment of thought, he said, "I'm sorry, Second Brother. Back then... I wronged you. But didn't you marry Sister-in-law later? Weren't you very much in love? I thought you had let it go!"

"Bullshit! That was all for the old man's sake," Tang Tianqi said darkly. "The old man is biased and ruthless. If he knew I harbored hatred for you, he would have killed me without hesitation. Tang Tianhao, do you know the extent of his favoritism? In his eyes, only you are his son. We concubine-born sons are just tools. If we dared to hate you, he would kill us without a second thought!"

"I..." Tang Tianhao didn't know what to say, only managing to murmur, "I'm sorry, Second Brother. I'm sorry I wronged you..."

"It doesn't matter now!" Tang Tianqi said coldly. "Anyway, all of you are going to die today. It makes no difference; once you're dead, Big Sister-in-law will still be mine." As he spoke, Tang Tianqi turned to Gu Mo, his eyes blazing with fury. "It's all your fault, you blind fool! If it weren't for you, my plan would have been perfect. No one would have known what I did. Tang Tianhao and Tang Buyi would both be dead, the Tang family would have fallen into my hands, and Big Sister-in-law would have willingly remarried me. It's all your fault, you blind fool, for ruining my plan!"

"Second Brother," Tang Tianhao said grimly, "Even if you hate me and want to kill me, you shouldn't have colluded with those evil cultists. Don't you realize you're playing with fire? Do you truly believe they would genuinely help you? If Young Master Gu hadn't intervened and you had succeeded, you would have dragged the Tang family into an endless abyss!"

"Playing with fire?"

Tang Tianqi scoffed, "Those demonic outsiders? Tang Tianhao, how do you know *they* aren't the ones playing with fire? Who exactly is the tiger here, them or me?"

At that very instant, a bloody aura swirled around Tang Tianqi, as if a demonic deity from the Nine Netherworlds had descended. His robes flapped wildly, making snapping sounds, and his long hair whipped around, each strand seeming to tear through the air. Blood-red light burst from his eyes, which had originally been deep.

The air suddenly turned cold. A terrifying, chilling aura spread out.