Chapter 130: Chapter 101 Li Qianfeng Returns to His Mansion
The time in the small courtyard quietly slipped away.
Since Li Hao and Bian Ruxue returned from the temple fair that day, neither of them had gone out again, both quietly waiting for that day to arrive.
On ordinary days, Bian Ruxue practised her swordsmanship in the courtyard, focusing only on her Sword Intent, and not her sword moves.
Otherwise, the formidable might of her sword moves would likely sever the last hints of autumn in the courtyard.
After finishing her sword dance, the girl turned her gaze back to the pavilion.
But the pavilion was now empty, no longer housing the figure of the boy from before.
In the girl’s clear eyes, as pure as the first snow, an involuntary shade of sadness and despondency appeared, but only for a moment before she gathered herself and delved back into the cultivation of her Sword Intent.
Meanwhile, in the Li Family ancestral hall, Li Hao’s figure appeared from time to time. He would find Fifth Master for a game of chess, or head to the Listening Rain Tower to randomly pick up a book, and sit reading for an entire day.
As the two-month deadline drew near, only the last ten days remained.
On this day, Li Hao took out his sketchpad from his room by the pond—which he hadn’t touched for half a month—planning to capture the final fallen leaves of late autumn.
A figure ran into the courtyard: it was Li Yuanzhao.
Gasping for breath, he said to Li Hao, “Hao, Qianqian is looking for you.”
“Qianqian?”
“It’s Ren Qianqian. The one we went to Cangyu City with before,” Li Yuanzhao quickly added.
Recalling the matter, Li Hao asked, “What does she want with me?”
“She said her father agreed, and she wants to learn swordsmanship from you,” Li Yuanzhao immediately replied.
Li Hao was slightly surprised to remember this.
“Hao, do you agree? If you do, I’ll go and call her over,” Li Yuanzhao asked, as he was only sent to relay the message.
After some thought, Li Hao said, “Alright.”
Since she was so insistent, it wouldn’t be good for him to refuse any longer.
“Okay.”
Li Yuanzhao grinned, saying, “She’s just outside the mansion. I’ll go bring her in now.”
Li Hao nodded.
By the time he finished his painting with ink, Li Yuanzhao had led the slender and beautiful Ren Qianqian over.
The girl, holding a sword in her arms, didn’t glance around excessively. She simply turned her gaze from side to side subtly, scrutinizing the Divine General Mansion that so many people envied and aspired to.
Even as a Grandmaster’s daughter, well-travelled and knowledgeable, upon arriving here, Ren Qianqian couldn’t help but reveal a hint of nervousness on her cheeks.
From the entrance of the Divine General Mansion to the Mountain and River Courtyard was not a short distance. Along the way, there were elite guards with a natural air of solemnity stationed at regular intervals, and patrolling guards occasionally passed by.
To say it was a mansion was an understatement; it was akin to a slightly smaller palace.
On her journey here, Ren Qianqian had already seen several figures with a presence similar to her father’s, and some even more profound and restrained than his.
However, they lacked that detachment from worldly affairs and elegance, instead possessing a more reserved and deadly aura reminiscent of Blood Sea.
This revelation startled her internally. These figures, who had transcended worldly bounds and could be called Grandmasters, seemed to be mere guards within the Divine General Mansion.
“Hao, Qianqian is here,” Li Yuanzhao called out with a smile.
By the pond, there was only Li Hao sitting alone.
Ren Qianqian looked at this genius youth whose fame had spread like thunder through Qingzhou City in recent days, her eyes lighting up with admiration.
Since the battle in Cangyu City, she had predicted that his renown would sweep through Qingzhou City. Yet, she didn’t anticipate the fervor with which it actually happened.
At this moment, she saw Li Hao clad in a white robe, exuding a natural aura of elegance, holding a brush, having just paused from his sketching.
Ren Qianqian was surprised and taken aback, having thought that a talent like Li Hao would be relentlessly cultivating at every moment.
Yet here he was, relaxed as ever.
“I’ve thought it through,” she said.
Ren Qianqian collected her thoughts and straightened her posture a bit more, declaring, “I want to learn swordsmanship from you, the strongest swordsmanship of the Li Family. I am willing to serve at your command for life!”
The corners of Li Hao’s mouth twitched slightly; he, too, was before a child willing to give up everything for the sake of the sword.
He let out a faint sigh in his heart and set his brush down on the edge of the ink stone.
Then he turned in his chair to face the girl and asked seriously, “Have you really thought this through?”
“I’ve thought it through!” Ren Qianqian’s eyes were solemn and resolute.
“Your father agrees?”
“He has consented,” she replied.
“Really?”
Ren Qianqian nodded, clutching the sword tightly, “I want to transcend the Grandmaster, to achieve Immortality with my sword!”
Li Hao gave a faint smile and said, “What is Immortality, after all? Even a Grandmaster is not free from the mortal coil, and Immortality is not truly eternal.”
“Once today is over, you will be a person of the Li Family. You will never be able to leave, not even if you abandon your martial skills, because as long as you remember, you will not be allowed to go.”
“Unless you die!”
As he spoke, his eyes suddenly became sharp as blades, piercing into the girl, “Can you really do it?”
Ren Qianqian’s heart trembled slightly as she instinctively wanted to step back in the face of Li Hao’s intense gaze; the pressure was too overwhelming to bear.
But as her heels started to lift, she stopped herself. If she couldn’t even withstand the gaze of a peer her age, how could she talk of mastering the sword or achieving Immortality with it?
She took a deep breath, held her sword tighter, and gritted her teeth, “I can, I can do it!”
Li Hao looked deeply into her eyes, then withdrew his gaze and said indifferently, “Fine. From today onward, you are my sword attendant, bearer of my sword.”
Ren Qianqian’s heart shook slightly, and she immediately nodded, “Thank you!”
“No need for thanks, it is simply an exchange of efforts,” Li Hao said. “Later, I will take you to meet Zhao, and you will sign a servitude contract with him; you’ll also familiarize yourself with the environment and rules of the Divine General Mansion.”
Chapter 131: Chapter 101 Li Qianfeng Returns Home_2
“Yes.”
Ren Qianqian nodded, then immediately asked, “When can I start learning swordsmanship?”
Li Hao glanced at her and said, “I’ll teach you one sword technique first. Reflect on it slowly, understand it slowly. If you don’t understand, then ask.”
“Okay.”
Ren Qianqian’s face lit up with joy, and then, seeing that Li Hao had no sword by his side, she quickly offered her own sword: “You can use mine.”
“No need.”
Li Hao turned around and picked up the brush that was resting on the inkstone table next to him.
He then casually released a stream of Sword Qi.
The Sword Qi skimmed over the surface of the pond, and the water parted on its own, the slash as clean as a severed waterfall.
For a good few moments, the parted space only slowly healed, and where the Sword Qi had passed the end of the pond, it caused no disturbances, not harming even a single blade of grass or tree.
Li Yuanzhao and Ren Qianqian both stood there stunned, rooted to the spot.
They could muster Sword Qi as well, but to flick it forth as easily as Li Hao did was something they did not even dare to dream of.
Especially since this Sword Qi actually vanished without a trace, this effortless control left them dumbstruck!
“Brother Hao…”
Li Yuanzhao came back to his senses and hurriedly said, “Brother Hao, I want to learn too!”
“The sword manual from Listening Rain Tower, go flip through it yourself,” Li Hao glanced at him and said, “Come ask me when you don’t understand.”
“Okay!”
Upon hearing this, Li Yuanzhao’s face broke into a joyful smile, and after bidding farewell to Li Hao, he scampered off.
Yet Ren Qianqian was still staring at the edge of the pond, lost in a slight daze.
Time flew by.
In the following days, Li Hao continued to read in Listening Rain Tower, occasionally lost in thought in the courtyard.
As for Ren Qianqian, Li Hao was not in a rush to teach her the swordsmanship of Listening Rain Tower, instead, letting her practice with a sword in the courtyard by herself. He would occasionally give pointers, identifying flaws in her swordsmanship, helping her gradually perfect her technique, moving towards an ultimate level of mastery.
In the courtyard.
Li Hao stood with his hands behind his back, looking at a withered, yellow, bare tree.
Bian Ruxue walked over and on the other side of the tree, she saw a young girl practicing with a sword, which caused a brief flicker in her eyes.
She had heard these past few days that the girl was Li Hao’s sword attendant, the daughter of a Grandmaster.
However, even with the noble identity of a Grandmaster’s daughter, that was nothing rare in the Divine General Mansion.
Bian Ruxue could tell that the girl’s swordsmanship was quite exquisite, but it still paled in comparison to her own.
Thus, she didn’t pay much more attention. After all, there were thousands of swordsmen in the world, with no small number who were masters of their craft.
“Brother Hao, what are you looking at?”
Seeing Li Hao gazing at a withered tree, Bian Ruxue couldn’t help but ask.
The last vestige of autumn on the tree had already withered away.
Li Hao’s gaze sharpened as he said softly, “I am watching the wind.”
“The wind?”
Bian Ruxue looked around; there was wind in the world, but it could only be felt, so how could one “see” it?
“It’s a shame the wind is too light,” Li Hao said with a smile. “So light that it cannot lift the tangled fallen leaves, let alone shake this tree.”
Bian Ruxue paused for a moment, looking towards the barren tree.
Indeed, she could feel the breeze against her face, which in the leafy sprout of spring would have revealed the wind’s form as it swayed.
But the season was now deep autumn.
Suddenly, a thudding noise came from the ground.
Immediately after, a multitude of horse hooves sounded from far to near, galloping past the courtyard outside.
Bian Ruxue was surprised.
Riding horses within the mansion was not unusual, but who would ride in groups so recklessly and at such high speeds?
Her divine soul flew out of her body, and from midair, she saw a group of figures wearing kasayas passing by on the road outside the Mountain and River Courtyard, heading towards a distant direction.
That place was Shuihua Courtyard.
And the leader of the group was a middle-aged man draped in clean robes, with the solemn appearance of a Bodhisattva.
Aside from practicing swordsmanship in Jian Lu, Bian Ruxue, under the tutelage of other senior brothers, had learned about the renowned forces of the world, knowledge that would be useful when she eventually joined society.
Understanding human relations and recognizing people and paths were even more important than swords and sabers in Jianghu.
And these people in front of her were from Mount Wuliang.
The leader was dressed in the attire of a Bodhisattva from Mount Wuliang.
Bodhisattvas are powerful beings of the Four Stands Realm!
Only second to the Infinite Buddha Lord who has been revered for a thousand years!
Bian Ruxue’s expression changed slightly, and she soon noticed at the Bodhisattva’s side, a young figure riding shoulder to shoulder with him.
The figure passed by hurriedly, but at that moment, he suddenly turned his head and looked towards Bian Ruxue’s divine soul, their eyes meeting.
Bian Ruxue immediately knew that he was the son of her second aunt, the very True Dragon competitor for Li Hao this time!
Li Qianfeng!
The horses were running fast, and the gaze was but a fleeting exchange, the youth had already turned back and rode away.
Bian Ruxue’s divine soul returned to her body, her face showing solemnity as she said to Li Hao,
“Brother Hao, you must be careful of that person, just now I felt that he is very extraordinary!”
That brief eye contact had given her a chilling sense of all her hairs standing on end; she felt that if the other party made a move, he could kill her in an instant!
This inevitably caused her to worry about Li Hao.
“Hmm.”
A smile appeared on Li Hao’s face.
The breeze blew past his feet, lifting only a fallen leaf which tumbled onto the top of his shoe.
As time counted down, with the return of Li Qianfeng to the mansion, the days at the Divine General Mansion became increasingly lively.
Every day, people came to visit, with most heading towards Shuihua Courtyard.
These visitors were mostly relatives of the Liu Family, naturally coming to support their nephew.
On the third day before the deadline, Li Tian Gang, accompanied by Li Xuanli, the ladies of each courtyard, went deep into Divine General Mansion to Wangyou Mountain, and led down the old lady who had been chanting and praying for twenty years.
The old lady was none other than Li Tian Gang’s mother.
Chen Hefang.
She was also Li Hao’s paternal grandmother.
At the same time, the old lady was also a member of one of the five great Divine General Mansions, the Chen family.
Having married off to the Li Family, she bore nine sons whose names shook the world for the generation’s True Dragon of the Li Family.
It seemed, however, that the old lady had long since had little contact with the Chen family.
The feuds and entanglements among the millennia-old Divine General Mansions were complex, not to mention the grudges within the mansion itself, and were not easily conveyed in a few words.
As Chen Hefang was brought out, everyone in the Divine General Mansion gathered in Green Lotus Courtyard, which had been cleaned and long unoccupied.
In the grand main hall, Li Tian Gang and other members of the second generation gathered to pay their respects, while Li Fenghua, the uncle guarding the Frontier Pass, also hurried back. This selection of the True Dragon was a moment to be witnessed, unless one had absolutely no way to be excused.
There, Li Hao and Li Qianfeng encountered each other once again.
For Li Qianfeng, this was his first time seeing Li Hao.
As for when they were children, when Li Hao was brought to the courtyard by his mother, Li Qianfeng hardly paid any attention, and even if he did see him, it had long since been tossed to the back of his mind and not taken to heart.
This was the son of his seventh uncle?
He stood with his hands behind his back, tilting his head as he sized up Li Hao, squinting his eyes.
As for Li Wushuang, who stood behind Li Hao, and the rest of the third generation of the Li family, he glanced over them as well, but found none who caught his eye.
Li Wushuang, whom he had originally regarded as a rival, now under his scrutinizing gaze found to be only of the Divine Travel Realm, not having stepped even fifteen li into it.
Even if it were a contest of power within the same realm, he was not afraid.
Only this young man, whose fame was growing throughout Qingzhou and gradually spreading to other provinces, gave him a sense of depth that was immeasurable.
He could not see through Li Hao’s Cultivation Realm at all.
Chapter 132: Chapter 102: The Famous Sword, Eternal Night
“Are you Xiao Hao?”
Apart from Li Qianfeng, standing outside the hall among the third generation were also the children of He Jianlan.
Li Mingguang and Li Sibei, both were around thirty-five years old now.
In terms of age, they were much older than Li Hao and the others, almost twice as much.
Both had already joined the military early on and now held the rank of general in the army, with exceedingly high cultivation levels. Li Mingguang had just entered the first stage of the Immortal, while his sister, Li Sibei, had entered the Heavenly Human Realm many years ago.
In terms of cultivation level, the two of them were the top among the third generation of the Li Family, unmatched by anyone.
The same was true for their merits and contributions.
After all, age was a factor.
But He Jianlan had said early on that her children would not vie for a True Dragon seat.
These words were public, naturally carrying great binding force.
However, even if they were to compete, in the same age group, Li Mingguang had only entered the Fifteen Li Realm at eighteen years old.
He stepped into the Heavenly Human Realm at twenty-five.
Now, ten years later, having entered the Immortal realm, such progress was already extraordinary!
However, compared to Li Qianfeng and Li Hao of the same age, they seemed somewhat inferior.
At this moment, Li Mingguang was smiling as he scrutinized Li Hao.
He had heard of him even before returning to Qingzhou and had quite some expectations for this younger cousin whom he had never met.
Such astonishing talent had already surpassed that of his uncle from back in the day.
He and his sister Li Sibei were born earlier and grew up together with the uncle. Speaking of which, he was even somewhat older than the uncle!
But still,
Seniority was seniority, and when he saw his uncle, two years his junior, he would obediently bow his head and respectfully and politely call out ‘Uncle.’
Aside from the Li Family’s strict rules, he did it willingly, after all, the uncle with whom he had played and cultivated as a child, once he stepped onto the path of cultivation, had left everyone in the dust.
Each year, he would shock everyone in the courtyard, like a brilliant shooting star.
Unfortunately, the heavens envy the gifted.
Fourteen years ago, when the uncle passed away, he too had accompanied with a flask of liquor in the distant frontier military post.
Drinking in the military was a big taboo, but he still drank.
After finishing the drink, he voluntarily received his punishment and was awarded a hundred military lashes, his skin split open and his flesh a blurry mess.
Yet he did not frown at all at the time and instead smiled.
It was only later when he returned to his own camp that he wept inconsolably.
“Cousin.”
Li Hao nodded in greeting to Li Mingguang.
“I can’t even see through your cultivation level. You must have practiced a technique to conceal your aura, little rascal,” Li Mingguang said with a smile.
Li Hao smiled slightly.
Li Mingguang then turned to look at Li Qianfeng next to him. Compared to Li Hao’s breeze-like presence, Li Qianfeng was like a blade, half unsheathed. Though restrained, he already displayed a chilling sharpness, and his aura was even more profound and imposing, far surpassing any ordinary Fifteen Li Realm.
Seeing both his younger cousins doing so well, a look of relief surfaced in Li Mingguang’s eyes:
“I’ve come back this time to see you vie for the True Dragon position. Your eldest sister and I will not participate. In terms of talent, we are no match for you. The future will depend on you.”
Li Qianfeng nodded slightly: “Cousin, rest assured.”
Li Hao looked at the other two times, thinking that his cousin’s character was somewhat similar to his aunt’s.
Setting aside talent, the elder brother’s demeanor he naturally carried, in Li Hao’s view, was also somewhat suitable for taking on the role of family head.
“But, while you compete for the position, do not hold grudges or harbored resentment secretly,” said Li Sibei next to them.
She, like her brother, had changed from armor into fine clothes, but after years of military service, she was still upright in posture and, unlike ordinary women, her brows were imbued with a certain heroic air.
“You’re right, cousin,” said Li Hao with a smile, nodding.
Li Qianfeng gave a slight nod, his expression serene.
Seeing their reactions, Li Sibei smiled faintly, her gaze moving beyond them to Li Wushuang and the others, giving them all a slight nod in greeting. As it was not appropriate to say much outside the hall, she did not reminisce with each one.
Before long, the elders in the hall finished paying respects to their grandmother and called in Li Hao and the rest of the third generation of the Li Family.
Leading the way, Li Mingguang and the others followed suit, and upon entering the hall, they saw Grandmother Chen Hefang sitting at the upper end of the hall. The other elders and ladies of various courtyards were respectively seated on the two sides, while the concubines stood obediently behind the ladies.
Li Mingguang, tall and broad, walked into the center of the hall and knelt down in respects.
The rest followed closely, all kneeling to pay their respects.
“Please rise,” Chen Hefang said with a smile on her face.
Everyone got up, and Li Hao looked up to observe his grandmother. Her hair was snow-white, combed neatly like silver threads. She looked old, with wrinkles on her skin but no age spots, and her skin was rosy, making her appear to be a very clean old lady.
Furthermore, although she was aged, one could see that she must have been very beautiful when she was young, and she still had beautiful features.
While Li Hao was observing her, Chen Hefang was also sizing up these grandchildren.
She was most familiar with Li Mingguang; she had held him when he was a child, and he often came to play in the Green Lotus Courtyard, together with Jun Ye.
However, after the eldest and the third brother died in battle one after the other, followed by the death of the ninth and the sixth sons, her hair turned white overnight, and she handed over all the household affairs to her daughter-in-law He Jianlan.
She herself went to Wangyou Mountain to pray and fast, hoping to see the soul of the ninth son return soon.
Thinking of the sixth and ninth sons, Chen Hefang’s eyes filled with sorrow.
For years she had dreamed of them running towards her countless times at night, as joyous as when they were children, filled with vigor, calling out ‘Mother, Mother…’
Those two children had lived too bitterly. One left behind only a single son, while the other had not yet married.
Without the chance to glimpse the pleasures of the world, buried early in the frontier wilderness.
“Mingguang, come here, let your grandmother have a look at you,” said Chen Hefang as she quickly composed her emotions and smiled.
Li Mingguang, seeing his grandmother’s white hair, had nothing but distress in his eyes. He stepped forward, bending his normally straight and tall spine.
“At the Frontier Pass, do not seek glory recklessly, for the Li Family no longer lacks for accomplishments and honors.”
Chen Hefang spoke softly as she caressed her eldest grandson’s shoulders, whispering, “Grandma only wishes for all of you to live well.”
As she spoke these words, tears welled up in the eyes of many ladies.
Jiang Xian’er, sitting at the end, had moist eyes as she turned her head slightly away.
These young men are still here, but how many of the young men from those days have returned?
Those spirited youths are the fathers of the children today; they are also their husbands.
Li Mingguang’s heart trembled, and he nodded firmly: “Your grandson will bear it in mind.”
Chen Hefang’s gaze was gentle as she called Li Sibei over and scrutinized the former little girl who had now blossomed into a dashing figure, resembling her elder brother Li Xingbei around the brows and eyes.
Chen Hefang liked what she saw more and more and couldn’t help but sigh.
Afterward, her gaze turned to the other grandchildren. Her eyes swept over their young, tender cheeks, which were already showing signs of distinction; there was a youthful aura about them.
Although it was their first meeting, she could see many familiar reflections in them.
“Which one is Hao Er?”
Chen Hefang asked gently.
Li Hao was slightly taken aback, took a small step forward: “I am, greetings to Grandma.”
Chen Hefang looked him up and down and beckoned with a smile, “Come here and let Grandma have a look at you.”
Under the watchful eyes of everyone present, Li Hao obediently stepped forward, coming before Chen Hefang.
Chen Hefang examined Li Hao carefully, then suddenly sighed lightly, “You look so much like your mother!”
Li Hao’s gaze shifted slightly, and he said nothing.
“It’s our first meeting, and Grandma doesn’t have much to give you, but I heard you like to use the sword. I’ll give you one,” she said.
As Chen Hefang spoke, she called a servant by her side to bring over a Sword Box.
Upon seeing the Sword Box, Li Tian Gang couldn’t help but stand up, saying, “Mother, this, this was the companion sword once used by Uncle Nine…”
Jiang Xian’er’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“Exactly, it’s the companion sword your Uncle Nine used, ‘Eternal Night’!”
Chen Hefang’s hand gently stroked the Sword Box, her eyes full of affection as she looked at Li Hao, “This sword is one of the ten famous swords in the world. I’ve heard you also wield a sword, so I’m giving it to you. Do not let its reputation be tarnished.”
Li Hao’s heart jolted; a sword capable of killing Great Demons at the Four Stands Realm was incredibly sharp.
And the sword possessed an extremely special power, but it required a certain realm to unleash it.
In his hands at the moment, its only abilities were to banish souls and expel evil, in addition to its sharpness.
But that was enough.
“Thank you, Grandma,” Li Hao said as he accepted it, speaking softly.
Though softly spoken, Chen Hefang could detect the gravity in the child’s words and couldn’t help but smile.
The others remained silent. The Sword Box, stored away for so many years, had now been entrusted to Li Hao; it was clear how much the mother cherished this grandson she was meeting for the first time.
But perhaps it was also because Chen Hefang saw the shadow of Li Junye in Li Hao.
Both were equally dazzling, shining brightly.
In the crowd, Li Qianfeng’s expression darkened for a moment, but he said nothing.
Liu Yue Rong had a smile on her face, though it seemed a bit forced. Yet at that moment, everyone’s attention was on Li Hao and the black Sword Box, and no one paid her any mind.
After handing over the Sword Box to Li Hao, Chen Hefang called Li Qianfeng over as well.
She said gently, “I heard you have been cultivating in Mount Wuliang. I have three treasured Buddhist scriptures here that I’ll give to you.”
Li Qianfeng looked slightly awkward.
A famous sword to Li Hao, and Buddhist scriptures to him?
Still, he dared not show his discontent, and instead bowed his head: “Thank you, Grandma.”
Chen Hefang said with a smile, “One of these scriptures contains a top-notch Buddhist Cultivation Technique, Great Compassionate Hand. If you can master it, not only will the technique itself be powerful, but it will also aid in your future cultivation of sword arts.”
Li Qianfeng was taken aback, then couldn’t help showing his delight: “Thank you, Grandma!”
Chen Hefang waved her hand, telling him and Li Hao to step aside, then called over the other grandchildren, giving them various gifts in turn; while there were disparities, they weren’t significant.
After the meeting was over, everyone dispersed from the Green Lotus Courtyard.
However, Chen Hefang stopped He Jianlan and a few other ladies, seemingly to inquire about the internal affairs of the mansion over the years, and also asked Liu Yue Rong to notify the Four Standing Realms Bodhisattva who had descended from Mount Wuliang and was residing in the mansion to come for an audience.
…
…
Time flies.
Qingzhou City became increasingly lively after the elder lady came down from the mountain.
Before long, the day for the True Dragon’s decree arrived.
Outside the entrance of the Divine General Mansion, the street was jam-packed, with countless carriages arriving, all belonging to dignitaries and nobles, including numerous civil and military officials who had come from all nineteen provinces to extend their congratulations.
Such a grand occasion had occurred once before a decade ago, and it was equally bustling now.
The threshold of the Divine General Mansion was nearly worn down from all the foot traffic.
The Liu Family’s relatives arrived one after another.
The Liu Family was also a prominent clan in the outer provinces, and with Liu Yue Rong married into the Divine General Mansion, the Liu Family naturally leveraged the Li Family’s influence to grow even more rapidly, with their official ranks soaring in the court.
Most of the Liu Family were civil servants. Several of their ancestors were top scholars and were currently serving as officials in the court.
Beyond the Liu Family’s relatives and numerous civil and military officials, other earls and marquises also paid visits to support Li Qianfeng and display their connections.
In addition, individuals from the other four major Divine General Mansions came as well, but they were just making ordinary visits without siding with anyone, seemingly just curious to see the kind of strength the Li Family’s True Dragon possessed.
The outside of the courtyard was noisy and bustling.
Inside, however, Li Hao had moved an old armchair outdoors, comfortably basking in the sun.
Before long, Bian Ruxue came running back into the courtyard, followed by a series of footsteps.
Li Hao raised his eyebrows slightly and flipped open the book of poetry that shielded his face from the sun, turning his head to look. To his surprise, he saw a familiar face.
His hair and beard all white, his bearing as solid as a sword, the one walking in front of Bian Ruxue was none other than the Sword Saint, Jian Wudao.
Chapter 133: Chapter 103: A Document Quiets the Hall
Li Hao frowned slightly.
He remembered telling Xue’er that there was no need for her to ask his master to come down from the mountain and stand up for him.
It was pointless.
After an eight-year absence, Jian Wudao once again stepped into this courtyard.
Upon entering Mountain and River Courtyard, he saw the young man lying leisurely on a recliner in the sun, looking quite content.
He had thought that such a youth should be practicing all the time; he never expected to see him so relaxed.
But perhaps it was the calm before the storm, a final respite before the impending battle.
Behind Jian Wudao, four figures followed, all disciples of his, three men and a woman. The one with the highest level of cultivation had already entered the Three Immortal Realms as well.
All four of them likewise observed Li Hao, eyes revealing surprise and curiosity.
“Brother Hao.”
Bian Ruxue came trotting over with a bright smile, saying, “I’ve asked the master and the others to come down from the mountain.”
It disrupted the peace, but faced with the girl’s goodwill, Li Hao couldn’t bring himself to reprimand her; he simply got up, tossed the poetry collection aside, and sighed internally as he watched the revered Swordsman approaching.
It was he who had taken the little tag-along away, but it was also he who had let her leave.
And the one who truly said farewell to him was the little tag-along herself.
So whom could he possibly blame?
Li Hao blamed no one, for he had already reined in those extra feelings.
Thus, after a soft sigh, Li Hao set aside the multitude of distractions and greeted with a congenial smile and a cupped-fist salute, “Swordsman, your grace remains unchanged.”
“Hmm?”
Jian Wudao looked slightly taken aback and asked, “You still remember me?”
“With your peerless elegance, Jian, how could I forget?” Li Hao replied with a smile.
Jian Wudao raised his eyebrows slightly. He had expected this prodigal talent to be either arrogant and unrestrained, or deeply immersed in bitter cultivation, aloof and solitary.
He hadn’t anticipated the youth would be like a breeze, neither joyous nor sorrowful, exuding a sense of easy freedom found in the wilderness.
“The Marquis of Xingwu has a fine son. The Li Family is set to soar once again,” Jian Wudao said calmly.
Li Hao smiled, concluding the pleasantries.
Jian Wudao’s gaze fell on a black Sword Box cradled by a girl dressed as a maid next to him.
As he had said years before, one obsessed with the sword could spot it immediately among ten thousand weapons.
Upon entering Mountain and River Courtyard, he had indeed noticed the black Sword Box at first glance, then had turned his attention to the young man.
Seeing the Sword Box, his eyes briefly lit up as he asked, “Could this be Eternal Night?”
“Jian, you’ve seen it before?”
“It did shine briefly, but alas, it faded into obscurity.”
Jian Wudao’s gaze remained even as he said, “It’s a shame for the name, Eternal Night; it should blanket the skies forever, known to all under heaven!”
“Are you accusing my uncle, Jian?” Li Hao asked lightly.
Jian Wudao indeed harbored such a thought; even though he felt it shouldn’t be voiced, his deep respect for the sword meant he was quite dissatisfied when he learned that the name had fallen into dust, sealed away completely.
He once visited the mansion to demand it, willing to exchange other promises for it.
But the elderly lady had turned him away.
However, today’s visit was a casual remark; many years had passed, and there was no use revisiting old matters, especially with a junior.
“My uncle wielded the sword to worldly acclaim; within just three years, he turned this once obscure forged sword into a renowned one. There is no shame in that,” Li Hao said indifferently. “Moreover, if my uncle were still alive, the world would surely know of this sword. Of course, had the revered elder Jian been willing to eradicate demons beyond the borders instead of sitting idle within Sword Cottage, perhaps the sword might now be known as the foremost in all the land.”
Upon hearing the mockery in Li Hao’s words, Jian Wudao’s expression shifted slightly.
The four behind him were also taken aback, their expressions quickly turning as the middle-aged man at the head said with a stern tone:
“Mr. Li, please apologize to my master!”
Li Hao merely glanced at the man, chuckled softly, and said nothing.
This was Mountain and River Courtyard, not Sword Cottage.
Bian Ruxue had not expected a disagreement between her master and Li Hao so soon upon meeting, and caught off guard, she became both nervous and anxious.
Jian Wudao looked at Li Hao with a slightly colder gaze and asked dispassionately:
“Li has indeed exceptional talent. Now that the sword has been passed on to you, are you worthy of it?”
“This sword was forged by the Li Family, gathering precious metals from across the world. Whether I’m worthy is hardly for an outsider to comment,” Li Hao replied with a smile.
“Brother Hao.”
Bian Ruxue couldn’t help but call out.
Li Hao looked at her and saw her distress at being caught in the middle, his smile fading slightly.
Years ago, in this very courtyard, perhaps even in this very spot,
that little girl stood resolutely by his side, speaking up for him at every turn.
Upon hearing she was to be taken away, she cried and said she didn’t love the sword anymore, that she would stop practicing…
Those days were gone, never to return.
Just like the autumn leaves scattered across the courtyard that could never return to the branches they had fallen from.
Even if the spring breeze blew anew next year, what would sprout would be new buds…
At that moment, several figures hurried from the inner courtyard, led by Li Tian Gang, with Yu Xuan and Li Fu flanking him on the left and right.
“Sword Saint!”
Li Tian Gang called out to Jian Wudao from afar, then stepped forward and gave a modest salute:
“I did not expect you to come in support of my son, I am grateful.”
Jian Wudao was a powerhouse of his father’s generation and had once visited to spar with his father when he was a child.
Though his father, despite being able to overcome Jian Wudao in overall martial prowess, was not a sword specialist, and thus often narrowly lost in swordsmanship matches.
“Support is unnecessary,” Jian Wudao replied indifferently. “I came out of regard for Xue’er, to join the festivities and have a cup of wine. I wonder if the Divine General Mansion welcomes me?”
