THE GOD'S OF CHOSEN WARRIOR

The Revelation of a Great Secret

'My grandson, Li Jie, by the time you read this letter, I may already be in a faraway place. I apologize for not being able to bid you farewell in person. Perhaps this is the only way I can ease the pain of parting with you.

Li Jie, there is a great secret you must know. Ever since your parents passed away, I have been watching over your life. You may not have realized it, but I have observed your growth every day until the moment I finally saved you."

The handsome young man paused as he read the letter in his hands. His mind drifted back to the days when he had to survive on his own after losing both of his parents. As the child of a couple accused of being thieves, no one in the village showed him any sympathy. Nearly every day, he endured insults and scorn from the villagers who still harbored hatred toward his parents.

Li Jie continued reading the letter.

Regarding the great secret I mentioned earlier, I believe it is time for you to learn your true identity. I can see that you have grown tremendously—your demeanor, character, and way of thinking have all changed.

Li Jie, your mother was actually the only daughter of a great emperor who ruled the Dynasty Shang. Your grandfather was Emperor Li Wei, and you are, in fact, the rightful heir to the throne of Dynasty Shang.

For more details about your parents, you can ask Mo Yan. I have told him everything.

Lastly, take the item inside the box I placed under your bed. That item belonged to your mother, and it is the only proof that you are truly Emperor Li Wei’s grandson.

Travel to the Dynasty Shang and present the item to Emperor Li Wei. It is time for you to return to your true life.

I pray that someday the heavens will grant me a long life so that I may see you again.

—Song Rui.

Li Jie was stunned after reading Song Rui’s letter. He stood frozen, unable to believe that his mother was the daughter of an emperor. A burning question arose in his mind—if his mother was truly a princess, why had she lived a life far from the luxuries of the palace?

For a long time, the young man was lost in his thoughts. Finally, he stepped toward his room to retrieve the item Song Rui had mentioned.

Under his bed, Li Jie took out a small wooden box. He stared at it for a moment, wiping away the dust that had settled on its surface. Taking a deep breath, he carefully opened it.

The young man couldn't stop his eyes from widening in shock. Inside the box was a gold necklace with a rather large pendant. The pendant, also made of gold, bore an engraving unlike anything he had ever seen.

Overcome by curiosity, Li Jie decided to return to the village. He needed to learn the full truth about his parents from Mo Yan before setting off for the Dynasty Shang.

After packing his belongings, Li Jie stepped out of the small hut. However, he did not leave immediately. Instead, he turned around and gazed at the humble dwelling for a long time. No matter what, this hut had been his true home. It was here that he had learned so much about life from Song Rui.

"Grandfather, thank you for all the wisdom you have imparted to me. I promise that I will apply every valuable lesson you have taught me in my life," he whispered in his heart.

The young man closed his eyes for a moment, feeling the heavy weight of leaving behind the hut that held so many memories. But after steadying his emotions, he finally set off toward the village.

Unbeknownst to him, a pair of eyes watched him from the branches of a large tree.

Those eyes belonged to Song Rui. He had deliberately left only a letter because he knew that if he spoke to Li Jie in person, the young man might hesitate to leave. He also believed that Li Jie needed to seek out his own destiny—the life of a prince in the Dynasty Shang.

"Your Majesty, your grandson will soon be by your side. I hope you will receive him with open arms. No matter what, Li Jie is the rightful heir to the throne of Dynasty Shang, and he deserves to claim it," Song Rui murmured to himself.

The old man leaped down from the tree after ensuring that Li Jie had gone far. His heart was in turmoil. Watching the young man leave tormented him deeply because, in his eyes, Li Jie was already like his own grandson.

Upon entering the village gates, Li Jie stopped by a small eatery at the edge of the village. The moment he stepped inside, several patrons immediately lowered their heads.

The lively chatter that had filled the eatery moments ago fell into an eerie silence. No one uttered a single word. They all feared that Li Jie still held a grudge against them for the mistreatment he had suffered in the past.

The young man had already proven his strength by defeating Zou Fei, and that alone had struck fear into their hearts.

Noticing the strange atmosphere, Li Jie finally spoke, addressing everyone in the eatery.

"Why is everyone so quiet? Do I look like a ghost that scares you all? Since when do ghosts walk around in broad daylight and look as handsome as I do?" he said with a wide grin.

None of the patrons dared to respond. They remained silent and motionless, afraid that his smile was merely a trap that would lead to their doom.

Eventually, a middle-aged man gathered the courage to approach Li Jie. With his head bowed, he stood before the young man.

"Li Jie, I apologize for all the wrongs I have done to you and your parents. I truly did not know that the masterminds behind your parents' demise were Qian Li and Cheng Xi."

Li Jie smiled and patted the man's shoulder. "It’s all right, Uncle. Please, let’s not dwell on the past. I understand that all of you were deceived by Cheng Xi and Qian Li. They have already faced their punishment. I just hope that such things will never happen in this village again," he replied.

Hearing Li Jie’s words, everyone in the eatery breathed a sigh of relief. The fear they had felt vanished instantly. One by one, the patrons stood up and shook Li Jie’s hand as a gesture of apology.

After finishing his meal and preparing to pay, Li Jie was taken aback by what the people around him did. Every patron in the eatery scrambled to pay for his meal.

"Enough, enough! Let me pay for it myself. I still have money to cover my own meal," Li Jie interjected.

However, the eatery’s owner had other plans. She insisted on giving Li Jie the meal for free as her own way of apologizing, as she had once mocked him in the past.

"Thank you, Auntie."

Li Jie then left the eatery and walked toward Mo Yan’s house.

Upon arriving at the elderly man’s home, he knocked lightly on the door. Before long, it swung open, revealing Mei Lian standing there, staring at him without blinking.

"I thought you wouldn’t come back here," the beautiful girl said with a bright smile.

"There’s no way I would break my promise to return. Besides, there’s a lovely angel waiting for me in this house," Li Jie replied quickly, playfully pinching the girl’s delicate nose.

His compliment made Mei Lian feel as if she were floating in the clouds. Her cheeks instantly flushed red with happiness.

"Li Jie, are you trying to cook my granddaughter without fire?" Mo Yan’s voice suddenly cut in from behind Mei Lian.

"What do you mean, Elder?" Li Jie asked, puzzled.

"Can’t you see how red her cheeks are? If you keep praising her like that, soon it won’t just be her cheeks—her whole body will turn red," Mo Yan chuckled. Li Jie couldn’t help but laugh along.

"Grandfather, don’t embarrass me in front of Li Jie like that," Mei Lian pouted.

"Why should you be embarrassed? Are you planning to keep your feelings a secret forever?"

"Grandfatherrr!" Mei Lian’s face turned even redder as she ran back into her room.

Mo Yan turned to Li Jie. "There’s something important I need to discuss with you. Come inside."

"That’s perfect, I also have something important to ask you," Li Jie replied.

He stepped inside the house, ready to uncover the truth about his past.