Chapter 118: Chapter 96 Li_4
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They were already very grateful that I taught them swordsmanship, and most of the requirements they proposed earlier were half-joking.
“Hey, hey, don’t make your demands too outrageous.”
Lin Feifei immediately stood up to warn them, feeling that a few of the guys were somewhat ungrateful.
Chastened by Lin Feifei’s words, several people sheepishly started to laugh.
“Teacher Li, you definitely wouldn’t agree to go to Listening Rain Tower, so how about taking us to visit the brothels instead?” someone teased with a playful laugh.
Hearing this person’s words, the other young men’s eyes lit up, and they immediately cheered:
“That’s great, that’s great!”
All at the prime age of robust health, they had come to study at Tan Palace Academy in Qingzhou and had hardly ever left the mountain. The intense competitive pressure within the academy and the threat of elimination from the bottom ranks made them dare not relax.
They had long harbored desires for that place of romantic encounters.
Upon hearing this, however, the female students all rolled their eyes, looking disdainfully at these fellows.
Li Hao chuckled: “Going to a brothel is a trivial matter.”
In this era, entertainment was scarce, and going to a brothel was akin to swiping through TikTok in a previous life.
Brothels come in different grades, and the lowest ones are naturally the whorehouses, cheap and likely to be diseased.
Famous brothels mostly sell artistic performances; one can listen to songs and poetry. Of course, if one has good poetry or lots of money, they could also enjoy some pleasurable services.
If Li Hao were to take them, it would naturally be to the best brothel in Qingzhou to listen to some tunes, and they shouldn’t expect anything else.
“Really?”
The male students, upon seeing Li Hao agree, were overjoyed beyond measure.
But the female students all sneered, their cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
Song Yueyao gave Li Hao an annoyed glance and huffed, “If you guys want to go, then go. I’m not going.”
“I’m not going either.” Lin Feifei immediately declared.
All of the female students expressed their protest.
But the other male students, afraid that Li Hao might change his mind, were chattering non-stop like animals in the heat of spring, already set aflame with excitement.
“It’s hard to please everyone. Those of you who don’t want to go, I will gift you a drawing as compensation.”
Li Hao said to the female students.
Upon hearing Li Hao’s words, the female students were somewhat astonished, and then saw Li Hao take out a scroll from his hand and unroll it:
“This is what I sketched yesterday. You divide it among yourselves, one for each person.”
Everyone gasped in surprise when they saw it.
They had noticed that Li Hao was drawing the previous day, thinking it was just a pastime, never expecting the sketches to be so exquisite and lifelike!
The drawings included every student and White Hall, with each person’s expression pure and clean, some furrowing their brows, others tilting their heads in contemplation—each with their own charm. The girls were depicted as gentle and the boys as handsome and dashing, each with a distinct aura.
Together under the warm sunlight, it seemed as beautiful as a ten-mile spring breeze.
Many were captivated by the sight.
A young man raised his hand and said, “Teacher Li, I won’t go to the brothel, can I have one of the drawings?”
“There aren’t many, priorities for the female students.” Li Hao said with a smile.
The previously unsatisfied female students all pushed forward eagerly, scrambling to get one.
Song Yueyao’s eyes, as expressive as autumn waters, stared in astonishment at Li Hao. Such skillful artistry couldn’t have been mastered overnight.
Seeing that youth as serene as a virgin, dressed in a green robe as stout as a pine, not only was his cultivation level in swordsmanship unmatched, but he also had spare energy to devote to side skills, truly unfathomable.
After receiving their pictures, many girls began to appreciate them closely. Even though they practiced martial arts and couldn’t afford to delve into other disciplines, they naturally loved beautiful things.
Having dealt with the female students, Li Hao used the time of the second lesson to lead the male students out of White Hall, heading down the mountain.
Seeing that Li Hao was using teaching time to take them for an outing, everyone was exceptionally excited, something that had never happened before.
If other teachers found out, they would probably have all been punished by facing the wall.
But with Li Hao backing them, they were fearless even if the sky fell.
As the group descended the mountain, the news also reached Tan Palace.
Song Yufeng, who was drinking tea, almost choked, coughing repeatedly and looking up in astonishment:
“You’re saying that Li Hao went to teach, but ended up taking all the students down the mountain to visit the brothels?!”
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Chapter 119: Chapter 97: Once Promised to be the Top in the World
News came from another Black Hall elder who had used his Divine Soul to investigate upon hearing the commotion.
“Absurd! It’s utterly absurd!”
Song Yufeng was so livid his face turned a shade of iron blue, and suddenly a thought struck him, “What about Yue Yao? She didn’t go, did she?”
“Grandfather.”
At that moment, a voice came from outside Tan Palace, and Song Yueyao just happened to walk in.
Upon lifting his head to see her, Song Yufeng’s heart returned to its place and he breathed a sigh of relief,
“What brings you here? I was wondering, did Li Hao take everyone to visit the brothel?”
Although mentioning “brothel” in front of his granddaughter was somewhat indelicate, Song Yufeng couldn’t care less at the moment.
Song Yueyao’s heart also surged with anger upon hearing this, and she coolly responded, “That’s correct.”
“This boy, how preposterous!”
Song Yufeng was seething with rage.
Song Yueyao was startled, seeing her grandfather so angry, she couldn’t help but say, “Grandfather, it’s really not his fault.”
“What?” Song Yufeng widened his eyes, looking at his granddaughter.
Song Yueyao felt helpless and could only explain the whole situation.
After listening, Song Yufeng’s eyes widened even more, and the Black Hall elder beside him was also dumbfounded.
“You, you mean to say, Li Hao glanced through a sword manual and then demonstrated swordsmanship at the level of true form?”
“Impossible, that’s absolutely impossible!”
Despite his denials, Song Yufeng and the Black Hall elder had to believe it, especially since, according to Song Yueyao, dozens of people in the White Hall had seen it with their own eyes.
It was just that such a thing was too exaggerated to believe.
Song Yufeng’s first thought was that the sword manual had been leaked and Li Hao had secretly practiced it for a long time before revealing his skills today.
But his second thought was, even if the boy had practiced in secret, this was just too outrageous, wasn’t it?
After all, he was only fourteen years old. Did he start training as a baby?
With a Cultivation Level at the Fifteen Li Realm, already breaking the record of the nineteen states, but he now also mastered a high-grade swordsmanship at the level of true form?
Wait a second.
Song Yufeng suddenly felt something wasn’t quite right.
Li Hao might not only have mastered one true form level swordsmanship.
And it was not necessarily the case that their sword manual was leaked.
After all, Listening Rain Tower of the Li Family had numerous sword techniques, with who knows how many high-grade sword techniques. Even if someone secretly collected the Yin and Yang Divided Sword, why would they need to teach it to Li Hao?
The Li Family had access to peerless swordsmanship!
Since one’s energy is limited, they would have trained Li Hao in the peerless sword techniques, not waste time on a high-grade sword technique.
Thinking of this, Song Yufeng’s heart gave a violent twitch, and if that was the case, there seemed to be only one explanation.
That was, Li Hao indeed learned it by glancing through a sword manual once!
And he even reached the true form!
Listening to his granddaughter say, it seemed there was a process, initially showing perfect level, then stepping into true form, skipping the ultimate perfection…
Dammit, it’s still unacceptable!
Even if it was the reincarnation of a Sword Immortal, it would be no more than this… Song Yufeng’s face twitched, somewhat dazedly looking outside Tan Palace, what kind of child had the Li Family brought into this world?
It took a long time for Song Yufeng to come back to his senses and, thinking of the affair at the brothel, he couldn’t help but chuckle to himself,
“This young fellow really dares to agree, not even considering his age.”
Upon hearing this, Song Yueyao’s face shifted slightly.
Song Yufeng seemed to recall something, smacked his forehead, and in haste said, “They didn’t wear the academy’s uniform there, did they?”
It was too late to stop them now.
Moreover, after a single lesson from Li Hao, the effect was so impressive it surpassed what the students had achieved with a year or two of hard training; letting them take a break didn’t seem unreasonable.
As long as they didn’t disgrace Tan Palace.
“They didn’t.”
The Black Hall elder stated.
Song Yufeng breathed a sigh of relief and laughed, “The youngster still has some sense.”
…
On his way down the mountain, Li Hao encountered the prince who loved to compose poetry, Jiang Hanxing.
Learning that Li Hao was going to visit the brothel, Jiang Hanxing was so astonished that he immediately hitched a ride on the opportunity, saying he too wanted to experience it for himself.
Li Hao didn’t mind and let him follow.
Cloud Smoke Pavilion, the number one brothel in Qingzhou City.
Here, it wasn’t just about money for pleasure; it was usually a gathering place for the talented scholars from noble families where they would compose poetry and verses.
They often held poetry contests, and one had to come out on top to meet the head courtesan of Cloud Smoke Pavilion, who was none other than the famous Hong Wan’er, celebrated throughout Qingzhou.
By the time Li Hao and others arrived, a poetry contest was in full swing.
One needed silver to enter and poetry to partake in the musical exchange.
However, all these disciples from the White Hall were Martial Artists who had trained in martial arts since childhood. They could recite some famous poets’ works, but when it came to composing their own, they were clueless.
Luckily, Li Hao was well-prepared, having promised to fulfill their wishes, he naturally wouldn’t let them return disappointed.
“Come on, one for each of you, memorize these,” Li Hao summoned the disciples.
Zhou Zheng, who had a fondness for poetry, was astoundingly surprised. He had secretly prepared two poems himself, but never expected that this prodigious Martial Artist would also have poems at the ready.
It was known that participating in a poetry contest required original compositions, and borrowing someone else’s work would be scorned upon.
Jiang Hanxing, having witnessed Li Hao’s poetry talent before, also came over, his heart filled with surprise and disappointment upon hearing Li Hao’s confident claim. A poem per person, could they be any good?
But the next moment, his eyes bulged in disbelief.
Li Hao had no intention of showing off with poetry, naturally, he wouldn’t act like those transmigrated literary copycats, squeezing out poems one by one to impress.
He instead simply dished out an entire collection of them.
Soon, the whole poetry contest was in uproar.
As timeless masterpieces from Li Hao’s world were recited for the first time in this one, the whole Cloud Smoke Pavilion went from lively to boiling, then from boiling to silent.
“Don’t you see, the water of the Yellow River coming from the sky, rushing to the sea and never returning…”
Chapter 120: Chapter 97 Once Promised to be Top-Notch in the World_2
Zhou Zheng softly chanted, stupefied as a wooden chicken, feeling the majestic and grand momentum.
“No one to support my aspirations to the clouds, I tread the snowy path to the mountain’s peak alone!”
Jiang Hanxing’s eyes sparkled, and he clenched his fists tightly, as if those lines spoke of the hidden ambitions in his heart.
“The sea has no bounds, the heavens serve as shores, scale the utmost heights, and I am the apex!”
When Ma Jing heard that Li Hao had given him this poem to recite on stage, his eyes reddened with excitement. Though he himself could not compose poetry, he could at least appreciate it.
These lines seemed to speak of the extraordinary youth before them.
In the world, there are millions of talents, but only the youth before them has reached the pinnacle, standing above the mountain peaks, becoming an even higher summit!
“Born a leader among men, only I shall live as long as the heavens…”
“Alone, I battle across thousands of miles, with one sword, I’ve stood against a million…”
One after another, these arrogant and spirited poems were recited by the disciples of the White Hall, their chanting filled with an electrifying excitement.
For Martial Artists, these vigorous poems struck straight to the heart.
“Under the drunken light, I scrutinize the sword; in dreams, I hear the bugle call of camps…”
Zhou Zheng, born the son of a military officer, stood up, trembling with emotion upon hearing these verses.
“Together with the Dapeng bird, I rise with the wind, spiraling upwards to the ninth layer of heaven!”
This bold and unrestrained poem comforted the hearts of many, igniting the passions of those who had long been frustrated and unfulfilled.
One by one, the disciples of White Hall ascended the platform, their poetry commanding the attention of Cloud Smoke Pavilion.
Atop the pavilion, a dazzlingly dolled-up girl, just twenty, stood entranced by the peerless verses being recited below.
Verse after verse, whether bold and forceful or carefree and unrestrained, stirred the emotions of the listeners.
In the Great Yu Dynasty, built on martial valor, the poetic style within these walls largely favored verses of battle and heroism.
Lewd and suggestive tunes were scarce, and even if present, were only circulated in common places, unworthy of true consideration.
Hong Wan’er had a keen grasp of poetry; discerning good from bad, she knew few scholars in Hanlin Hall could match the verses heard here, except perhaps a handful of famous poems known throughout the lands.
Moreover, Hong Wan’er noticed that these young talents ascending the stage to recite poetry all rose from beside a certain youth, who would whisper to each before they took to the platform—actions that sparked much speculation.
Time flew by.
As the poetry event concluded, the women of the establishment were left with hearts aflutter, and the accomplished guests intoxicated with joy.
Someone let slip the truth, and it became known that all the poems were penned by Li Hao. And when someone recognized Li Hao’s identity and called him out, Cloud Smoke Pavilion erupted into a buzz.
This sensational youth coupled with his sharp and vigorous verses made people feel as if the poems had taken on a tangible form.
In their excitement, nobody cared that the Tan Palace disciples had shown off Li Hao’s work; rather, they were delighted these individuals had been so favored by Li Hao. Even without their own poems to boast, they received the affections of many women and invitations galore.
The manager of the establishment approached Li Hao with a bow, relieved to find the famous young master of the Li Family from Qingzhou City to be casual and amiable, and then summoned Hong Wan’er to accompany him.
The rest of the White Hall disciples were also led away by other girls to enjoy music and art.
Additionally, the manager cautiously asked Li Hao if he might lend two pieces of poetry to adorn the place.
Li Hao, indifferent, allowed him to choose two.
Before long, two lines hung outside the doors of Cloud Smoke Pavilion:
You must know, in my youth I grasped at clouds,
Promised to be the finest in the world.
The manager regretted that Li Hao hadn’t completed the poem, leaving only these two lines.
At the same time, she could never have foreseen that because of these two lines, the Cloud Smoke Pavilion’s fame would soon spread throughout the nineteen provinces.
By then, Li Hao was already in the room of the most sought-after courtesan in Cloud Smoke Pavilion, eating and drinking to his heart’s content.
“Young Master, tonight I am all yours. Whatever you wish me to do,” said Hong Wan’er with a playful smile, sizing up the finest young master of Qingzhou City.
Since Li Hao had revealed his Cultivation Level, no one among Qingzhou’s younger generation could compare to him.
“Is that so? Then peel some seeds for me,” Li Hao replied.
Hong Wan’er was taken aback, but she came over with a smile and began peeling seeds for Li Hao, delivering them to his mouth.
Li Hao clapped his hands, continuing to enjoy himself as he picked up other delicacies.
…
Meanwhile, news reached back to Divine General Mansion.
“What?!”
Li Tian Gang’s eyes bulged as he heard his servant’s report, and he slammed his palm onto the table, splintering the valuable piece of furniture instantly.
“That rascal, how dare he!”
Li Tian Gang’s face turned red with anger; the former thought resurfaced that his son lacked discipline and would dare anything!
Li Fu jumped in fright and said, “My lord, I inquired at the Tan Palace, and apparently, the young master…”
“No matter the reason, quick, fetch him back this instant!” barked Li Tian Gang.
He felt that with every passing second, his family’s reputation was being tarnished.
Heeding the command, Li Fu hurriedly ran off to carry it out.
Back in Cloud Smoke Pavilion, Hong Wan’er’s hands were numb from peeling seeds by the time she saw off the well-fed and well-drunken Li Family scion.
She was both angry and upset. Such a great beauty that countless worthy men sought after, and this youth barely gave her a second glance, only having her do menial tasks.
Her initial good impression of Li Hao due to his poetry largely vanished. She had thought to use this opportunity to build a good relationship with him, hoping perhaps to marry into Divine General Mansion someday, even as a concubine, for a life of wealth and splendor.
Chapter 121: Chapter 97: Once Promised to be Top-Notch in the World_3
It’s a pity that it fell through.
After tonight, the upper floors of Cloud Smoke Pavilion never displayed melon seeds and snacks again.
On the other side.
As soon as Li Hao left Cloud Smoke Pavilion, he bumped into Fu.
Seeing Fu rushing over in a hurry, with an expression of slight tension on his face, Li Hao raised an eyebrow.
“Young Master, thank goodness, you… you didn’t do anything in there, did you?”
Li Hao quickly checked Li Hao’s clothing.
Li Hao couldn’t help but speak wordlessly, saying, “Fu, how old do you think I am? Besides, I have a fiancée. I was only here to join in the fun with these guys, to help them relax; constantly practicing martial arts is quite miserable.”
Hearing Li Hao say this, Li Fu immediately felt relieved and, while he still somewhat trusted Li Hao, he said with a bitter smile, “Young Master, you should hurry back with me; the Marquis is quite angry right now.”
Angry?
Li Hao was slightly stunned, frowning.
He immediately returned with Li Fu.
As for the disciples inside the building, they were no longer children; they could make their way back on their own without his care.
Before long.
Li Hao followed Li Fu back to the Mountain and River Courtyard.
Inside the courtyard, Li Tian Gang sat commandingly in the main hall, a new desk beside him. Aside from a teacup, there was also a rattan stick on it.
Li Hao and Li Fu saw this as soon as they came in.
Li Fu’s face changed immediately, and he hurriedly said, “My lord, the Young Master has returned, and there are reasons for this matter…
“Is that so? I would like to hear it.”
Li Tian Gang’s face was overcast with anger, but remembering the incident with the scroll last time, he spoke in a heavy tone.
Li Hao’s brow knit slightly.
Li Fu quickly recounted the whole story.
“Nonsense! If someone made a wish for you to give them a piece of land, would you agree to it as well?”
After listening, Li Tian Gang grew even angrier, feeling that Li Hao’s nature was indeed too wild, casually speaking of making promises like this.
What’s said must be done; otherwise, it is to break faith with others.
Li Hao said, “This is to motivate them, and it’s conditional, within the realm of what I can handle.”
“You could afford to give away a city too, if you become a True Dragon, couldn’t you?” Li Tian Gang looked at him and said.
Li Hao met his gaze, and after holding it for a moment, he couldn’t help but sigh and said:
“What I can handle is a relative term, very broad, and I think that I’m the one to judge its extent. If the demand is too excessive, I naturally won’t agree.”
Li Tian Gang raised an eyebrow and said, “You still know to leave some leeway, but have you considered the consequences of visiting a brothel today?”
Li Hao said, “If I remember correctly, my second uncle said that you all visited quite a few in your youth, so why can’t I?”
“Do you think you can compare with us?”
Li Tian Gang couldn’t help but inwardly scold his second uncle, wondering how he could carelessly chat about the elders’ past with a child.
Just as he was about to scold Li Hao, seeing the cold look in Li Hao’s eyes, he was slightly taken aback, his expression subtly changing; he looked at Li Hao for a moment and let out a long sigh, saying:
“Hao Er, times change. I’ve received news that the Infinite Buddha Lord has recalled your cousin. At this juncture, to act in such a way suggests you’re certainly prepared to clash with him in the struggle for the True Dragon position.”
He continued, “They are aware of your situation and still made this choice; they must be fully prepared. You can’t afford any negligence at this time.”
Li Hao fell silent for a moment, then nodded and said, “I understand.”
Li Tian Gang looked at him for a while, wanting to say something, but ultimately held back and said:
“During this time, you should refrain from wandering about. Although I’ve promised that you can do as you wish and I would compensate you, you should at least stay put for this period.”
Stay put… Li Hao glanced at him, silently sighed to himself.
When had he ever not behaved?
Hadn’t he always stayed in the residence over these years?
Was visiting a brothel really being so unruly?
He felt somewhat helpless; once prejudices are formed, they seem hard to change.
Yet, it was somewhat ironic and lamentable that such prejudices would emerge among those with the closest blood ties.
Having lost the interest to say more, he turned and left.
“This child, when will he rein in his nature? I wonder who he takes after…”
As he watched Li Hao depart, Li Tian Gang heaved a sigh, feeling greatly fatigued.
He wanted to make amends to Li Hao, but didn’t want Li Hao to go down the wrong path.
“Master, after all you’ve just returned; perhaps it’s best not to rush things too much…” Zhao said with a worried expression.
He always felt that there might be big problems arising between this father and son.
Their personalities were truly worlds apart.
Chapter 122: Chapter 98: The Heart of a Grandmaster
Time flies.
Since returning from the brothel, Li Hao had been kept in the family mansion by Li Tian Gang, not allowed to wander off.
Because of this, father and son had a small argument once, but in the end, they both compromised. Li Hao agreed to stay in the family mansion, but what he did there was no longer subject to interference.
Li Tian Gang agreed.
Li Hao no longer spent his days painting, but apart from going to play chess with the Fifth Elder, he spent the rest of his time in the Listening Rain Tower.
He was waiting for his Second Uncle to return and in the meantime, he was browsing through these cultivation techniques.
There were so many books in the Listening Rain Tower that it would take at least ten years of non-stop reading to get through them all, let alone comprehend them.
Initially, Li Hao had picked some high-level cultivation techniques to practice, not paying much attention to the basic ones, but this time he started from the basics.
With his Sixth Stage insight of the physical body path, he should have been able to step into the Heavenly Human Realm, yet he was stuck here.
Li Hao planned to first understand the heart of a Grandmaster.
However, easier said than done, it was difficult in practice.
What is a Grandmaster?
It means someone who can start their own school and have their own way.
No one could teach a Grandmaster how to act, nor could anyone give advice to a Grandmaster.
Not even the three Immortals could do it because each Grandmaster’s path is different. Although the Immortals’ realms are higher, they can only pass on some of their own experiences in promotion and cultivation and cannot specifically point out what to do.
Similarly, reaching the Celestial Master Realm, one must find their own way forward step by step.
With no cultivation techniques to guide, no one to teach, one can only learn by referencing, contemplating, and understanding for oneself.
“My own path in martial arts…”
Li Hao sat in the Listening Rain Tower with a book on the fundamentals of martial arts in hand, his eyes flickering.
He had asked his Second Uncle how to comprehend the heart of a Grandmaster.
The Second Uncle gave him three ways. One was to gain worldly experience and find one’s martial heart through the trials and tribulations of life.
The second was to teeter on the brink of life and death, and in the face of great terror, to stimulate a moment of enlightenment and thereby set foot into that realm.
The third way was steadier and depended on personal comprehension: to seek from the most basic martial arts techniques.
Why the most basic techniques? Because the higher and more profound a technique, the easier it is to be blinded by the intricacies and miss the core essence.
It’s like a stone.
Tossed to the ground, everyone knows it to be a stone, despised by thousands, casually trampled upon.
But if it’s placed on a table, especially in a shrine, it’s cherished by the world, worshipped and revered by thousands.
Yet in essence, it is still just a stone.
At the moment, Li Hao was browsing the overall compendium of martial arts, which contained many disciplines, but it was only a simple list.
Swords, spears, staffs, fists, movement techniques…
Li Hao flipped through the pages casually, not forcing himself to gain any particular insight, simply passing the time as if out of boredom.
A month went by in the blink of an eye.
Li Hao read quite a few books in the Listening Rain Tower, covering not only martial arts but also quirky tales of interesting people.
Many books also recorded the life stories of numerous Grandmasters.
These Grandmasters followed all sorts of bizarre paths with different martial arts styles.
Some belonged to the sly school, where every move was underhanded, poking eyes out, attacking the groin, throwing poison, flinging sand and the like; the more ruthless the better. They condensed these types of moves into a set of techniques, their cultivation technique, and established schools with them.
Others belonged to the tough-fighting style, who were stubborn and fought head-on, never resorting to trickery, with every move explosive.
Still others focused on movement techniques, emphasizing light and agile movement.
For Li Hao, creating his own cultivation techniques wasn’t hard.
With his Sixth Stage insight into swordsmanship and fist techniques, it was easy for him to invent his own styles of swordplay and boxing.
He could even blend the two kinds of techniques.
However, though the techniques were there, the heart was not yet formed.
Most people who enter the Grandmaster Realm do so by first establishing their will, and then according to the direction of their Grandmaster heart, they strengthen their own cultivation techniques.
But Li Hao did it the other way around.
“Where is my heart…”
Li Hao murmured to himself.
He had seen too many cultivation techniques, and now, it seemed to dazzle and confuse him.
His heart was unsettled.
…
On this day, Li Hao came to the Listening Rain Tower as usual.
But soon after sitting down, he was called back to the Mountain and River Courtyard, told that there was something they needed him for.
When Li Hao returned to the courtyard, he was immediately greeted by the sight of his father, Li Tian Gang, seated in the main hall, and facing him, the figure of a young girl.
The girl was talking with his father, her back turned to the entrance.
She was dressed in a dark purple robe, exuding an air of mystery, like a fragrant and intense orchid in bloom.
Even just her upright back seemed to radiate with the vibrancy of youth.
At that moment, they seemed to be discussing something that brought smiles to Li Tian Gang’s face, his gaze was filled with warmth and affection.
Reaching the doorway, Li Hao thought of the etiquette he had been forced to learn over the past month, and instead of entering directly, he stopped and called out from outside.
Li Tian Gang looked toward Li Hao and, at the same time, the girl with her back to the entrance turned around.
Her brows were like distant mountains, her eyes as clear as bright streams, and her delicate face was softly illuminated, her skin white as jade.
Li Hao stared for a moment before his eyes widened in surprise.
“Xue’er?”
“Brother Hao.”
The girl recognized Li Hao as well, the past memories rising in her mind. She broke into a radiant smile and called out to him with a crisp voice.
Li Hao finally confirmed that the girl before him was the little miss he hadn’t seen for eight years, the little tail that used to follow him around.
He stepped forward quickly, looking her up and down with astonishment. In the eight years they had not seen each other, the little girl who used to cry at the smallest thing had grown into a young lady.
And not only that, she was beautiful and delicate, as though crafted with care.
“You’ve grown up so much,” Li Hao couldn’t help but utter a remark full of amazement.
The girl was indeed Bian Ruxue. She stood up from her chair with graceful movements and smiled, “Brother Hao, you’ve grown a lot taller too.”
“Of course,” Li Hao laughed and said, “Why didn’t you say something before coming back? Have you eaten yet? Let me tell you, my cooking skills have improved a lot. In a few months, I can fatten you up into a little fatty!”
Bian Ruxue’s cheeks flushed slightly as she said, “Brother Hao still likes to joke around.”
“Who told you to be such a crybaby, I definitely have to tease you.”
“I’m not a puppy.”
Li Hao laughed heartily, then asked, “How is it going with your swordsmanship training over there? Did anyone bully you?”
Bian Ruxue smiled and shook her head, “Master and my senior brothers and sisters are very nice to me, nobody bullies me.”
“That’s good.”
“And what about you, Brother Hao? Have you been well these years?”
Bian Ruxue asked, her eyes intently gazing at Li Hao.
Li Hao grinned and said, “Of course, I’ve been great. Don’t you know who I am? I am the one who bullies others – nobody can bully me. My days are filled with eating and drinking, incredibly joyful.”
Li Tian Gang listened and frowned slightly, sighing softly to himself.
Bian Ruxue glanced at Li Hao and said softly, “Brother Hao, stop joking around.”
Upon hearing this, Li Tian Gang’s face turned stern as he said, “Hao Er, be serious. Xue’er has just come back; you’re not allowed to bully her.”
“Alright, alright, alright.”
Li Hao smiled helplessly.
Bian Ruxue immediately turned to Li Tian Gang and said, “Uncle, Brother Hao never bullies me.”
Li Tian Gang looked at her, a smile appearing on his face, “Xue’er, you’re just too soft-hearted. Don’t worry, now that I’m back, if Hao Er dares to bully you, just come to me, and I’ll stand up for you.”
“When your father entrusted you to me, I promised to take good care of you. I will never let you suffer any grievances in our Li Family!”
“Thank you, Uncle.”
Bian Ruxue smiled and bowed slightly in thanks. Then, she looked at Li Hao in front of her and noticed that the smile on his face seemed suddenly less bright.
She didn’t think much of it and said to Li Tian Gang, “Uncle, I’d like to go for a walk with Brother Hao and have a chat alone.”
“Go ahead, you two.”
Li Tian Gang said with a nod and a smile.
Bian Ruxue bowed slightly again, then said to Li Hao, “Brother Hao, shall we go? I haven’t been back in a long time; would you accompany me for a walk outside?”
Li Hao nodded, then, as if thinking of something, turned to look at his father who was seated higher up, “I’ll take Xue’er out for a walk?”
Li Tian Gang nodded and said, “With Xue’er by your side, I am at ease. Spend some good time with her in the upcoming days.”
The corners of Li Hao’s mouth twitched slightly, then he turned and took hold of Bian Ruxue’s hand, saying, “Let’s go. I’ll show you around the city. There’s not a single delicious spot in Qingzhou City that I don’t know about.”
Her tender wrist that was grabbed gave a slight struggle as if startled, but quickly relaxed, allowing Li Hao to lead her.
After watching them leave, Li Tian Gang sighed softly, “Hao Er has been living a rather good life despite not having us around these years. It’s a pity no one has been disciplining him; he’s become too wild.”
Zhao opened his mouth slightly but then closed it again without saying anything.
Li Tian Gang’s gaze softened, “Fortunately, Xue’er is well-mannered and sensible. Having her by his side can somewhat restrain him. I feel more at ease now. That boy is fortunate to have Xue’er in his life.”
…
Once they left the Divine General Mansion, Li Hao took the girl beside him and headed straight for the bustling district nearby.
“Brother Hao, I just found out that Uncle only returned recently.”
Bian Ruxue let Li Hao lead her without struggling, only her cheeks blushing while she glanced from time to time at the side of Li Hao’s face, “After I left, were you all alone?”
Li Hao smiled and said, “Silly girl, still as naive as when you were a kid. The Mountain and River Courtyard is so large, and with so many house servants and maids, how could I be alone?”
“House servants and maids are different, Brother Hao would never confide his inner thoughts to them,” Bian Ruxue said.
“Then let’s not talk about it,” Li Hao said with a laugh.
Bian Ruxue paused, then asked, “Will it be uncomfortable not to talk?”
“I’m used to it.”
Li Hao brought Bian Ruxue to a sugar painting stall. “Want some candy?”
Bian Ruxue glanced at it and shook her head slightly. “Brother Hao, I’ve already grown up.”
“You’re only fourteen and saying you’re grown up? Then by twenty, won’t you be old?”
Seeing that she didn’t want candy, Li Hao continued to take her around.
They came across a toy stall on the road and he bought her a metal frog. With a gentle press, it could keep hopping forward, a product under the command of the Qianji Sect.
The two of them strolled and chatted. Li Hao asked about her life on the mountain these years, and Bian Ruxue also asked about Li Hao’s days in the courtyard.
When it was time for dinner, Li Hao found a restaurant and they continued to talk while eating.
After eight years of not seeing each other, there was a lot to talk about. It started off a bit awkward, but later Li Hao seemed to find the feeling of his childhood again.
“When did you come down from the mountain?”
“A month ago,” said Bian Ruxue.
Li Hao was surprised. “Then why have you only just returned?”
“I heard that some strange occurrences were happening somewhere, so I went to check it out. It turned out that the Mo River had seeped through, destroying an entire village,” explained Bian Ruxue.
Li Hao nodded. “And what happened after that?”
“I tried several times, but unfortunately, I could only destroy it; I couldn’t get through.”
Li Hao smiled, “Destroying it is still good. At least that can make it disappear for a while.”
Bian Ruxue sighed slightly and nodded, “That’s true.”
Li Hao noticed the sword that never left her side and asked, “How has your swordsmanship improved over these years under the Sword Saint?”
Bian Ruxue was slightly stunned, then fell silent for a moment before saying, “It’s alright, I guess.”
Seeing her reaction, Li Hao couldn’t help but laugh. “What? Did you get criticized for not practicing well? Why else would you get so down when swords are mentioned?”
Bian Ruxue shook her head slightly, set the sword aside, and said, “Brother Hao, let’s not talk about swords. I only found out after returning that you’re about to become the Li Family’s True Dragon. Along the way, I heard that someone else wants to compete against you. Are you confident?”
“What do you think?” Li Hao asked.
Seeing Li Hao so relaxed, Bian Ruxue immediately said, “I think you are.”
“I think so too.”
Li Hao smiled and served her some dishes.
“Speaking of which, I saw quite a few important figures heading towards Qingzhou on the road. I heard that the competition for the True Dragon requires considering one’s connections.”
Bian Ruxue said, “Brother Hao, do you want me to call my master and the others down to support you?”
“Connections are just a minor aspect. They don’t count for much. The choice of the Li Family’s True Dragon can’t be influenced by outsiders,” Li Hao said with a laugh.
Bian Ruxue thought it made sense and said, “Alright then. If there’s anything you need me to do, Brother Hao, you must tell me.”
“There is actually something I need you to do.”
“What?” Bian Ruxue was startled.
“I’m full. You finish the rest. Don’t waste food,” Li Hao said with a content burp, leaning back in his chair comfortably.
Bian Ruxue was momentarily speechless.
Chapter 123: Chapter 99 The Ultimate in Swordsmanship, The Sword of a God!
In the following days,
Li Hao stepped out of the Divine General Mansion, leisurely strolling through Qingzhou City with Bian Ruxue.
He took her to taste delicious foods, watch grand operas, and listen to storytelling.
They also went to a nearby lake outside the city, where he caught dragonflies and butterflies for her, and pressed them into a specimen book using the pages of a sword manual as a gift for her.
Although both were no ordinary people, doing these ordinary things, their faces were still filled with smiles.
During their jaunt in the countryside, Li Hao brought paper, brushes, and rolls of canvas, and painted numerous portraits for Bian Ruxue, with varied backgrounds and perspectives, totaling over a hundred pieces, which almost exhausted his painting experience.
But painting for her, Li Hao wasn’t doing it for the experience.
On the outskirts of the city, not at the Blackwater Demon Lake where the second master Li Muxiu took Li Hao, but by the bank of another, smaller demon lake.
Li Hao brought a fishing rod to fish, while Bian Ruxue sat by his side, with the little white fox Xiao Rou lying in the girl’s arms, playfully frolicking with her.
When tired from playing, the girl would rest her cheeks on her small hands and quietly watch Li Hao fish.
Seeing the young man gaze intently at the float, his serious demeanor was just like when he was a child, and it made her smile subtly.
An image of that childhood courtyard seemed to appear before Bian Ruxue’s eyes.
In that courtyard, as she practiced swordsmanship, she would hear from a nearby pavilion the youthful, unweathered voice:
“Ah, Uncle Lin, you’ve placed it in the wrong spot again!”
“The pieces aren’t supposed to go inside the squares, they belong on the intersecting lines!”
“You’ve lost again, Uncle Lin!”
Every time she grew tired from practicing swordplay, she would look up at the pavilion, and finding the boy there brought her peace.
The cheerful laughter seemed like only yesterday, still resounding clearly in her ears at this moment.
The young man’s gaze was fixed on the lake’s float, while the girl’s gaze was fixed on the young man’s profile, both seemingly lost in their thoughts.
Suddenly, the float moved.
The young man yanked the fishing rod fiercely, as if drawing a curved bow to its full extent, and quickly, a demon fish from the Power Passage Realm was pulled ashore.
For such demons below the Soul Succession Realm, one could fish using rods and special lines made from tough metals.
“Brother Hao is amazing!”
The girl, regaining her senses, clapped her hands and cheered joyfully.
Li Hao smiled, killed the demon fish with a snap of his fingers, tossing it aside, and seeing that it was getting dark, he reeled in his rod, pulling up a basket from the water containing several ordinary fish.
He released them without much thought.
After packing up his seat and stool used for fishing, he called over the little white fox, and said to Bian Ruxue, “Let’s go home.”
“Okay.”
Bian Ruxue nodded with a smile; everything was carried by Li Hao, and with her hands behind her back, she walked with a lively skip, following behind Li Hao.
The mountainous smoke of evening cooking fires had just started, and the couple by the lake also headed home.
Their steps back were not hurried, passing by the fields and villages, they came across a field of melons.
Only a single earth dog guarded the melon field, and Li Hao, with a smile, had Xiao Rou distract the dog while he stole a watermelon from another part.
Holding the watermelon, he ran. Once a good distance away, he casually tossed down a couple of silver coins into the melon pit.
At a distant hillside, Li Hao knocked open the large melon, and its bright red flesh was revealed. He handed half to the young girl.
Li Hao had no such formalities; he simply buried his head and started munching away, juice spilling everywhere.
But Bian Ruxue was much more graceful and ladylike; with a light touch of her fingers on the hilt, the blade slid from the sheath, and with a flash of silver light, the watermelon was cut into several crescent-shaped pieces.
She handed a piece to Li Hao, and he started eating it as well.
“Days like this are so comfortable…” said Li Hao, sitting on the hillside, his palms pressed against the ground behind him, looking into the distance as the setting sun fell, its afterglow reaching the ends of the earth.
Hearing Li Hao’s words, Bian Ruxue paused slightly in her melon-eating, then smiled and said, “Yes, they are.”
Li Hao chuckled, finishing off his half of the melon while Bian Ruxue shared hers with the little white fox. After they had all eaten, they went home together.
Seeing that Li Hao and Bian Ruxue had returned late, with mud on their trousers and bootlegs, Li Tian Gang said to Li Hao:
“Take Xue’er to nicer places to play; don’t always go to those dirty, messy places. And this fishing rod—you go fishing, but what about Xue’er? Won’t she get bored? You should consider more for others.”
Li Hao listened expressionlessly, seeming to smile for a moment, he nodded and murmured an acknowledgment before turning away.
Bian Ruxue hastily said to Li Tian Gang, “Uncle, it was actually me who wanted to watch Hao fish. He’s really good at it, and he likes fishing. I can tell.”
Li Tian Gang was very fond and affectionate towards this future daughter-in-law; his gaze softened as he said:
“I know he likes it, but since you rarely come back, you can’t always indulge him, always accompany him. If one day I’m not here, if you keep being so soft-hearted, you’ll suffer.”
“Uncle, don’t talk like that, you won’t have anything wrong with you,” Bian Ruxue hurriedly said.
Li Tian Gang smiled and replied, “Good girl, Xue’er, don’t worry about me; you should think more for yourself.”
Bian Ruxue was momentarily stunned, then nodded, “I will.”
Another few days passed.
Li Hao continued to accompany Bian Ruxue around the city. As luck would have it, a temple fair was being held on the west side of the city, and they went there to enjoy themselves, watching fireworks resembling silver trees, street performers showing mortal skills, and shadow puppet plays.
The temple fair was about to end yet the pair still felt unsatisfied.
Li Hao carried an armful of things they had bought and had not brought any trusted aides to wait on them so that he and Xue’er could be at ease.
“Are you happy?”
Sitting on a stone by the roadside, shoulder to shoulder, watching the sunset beyond the city walls, Li Hao asked with a smile.
