Even the Demon King would have to avoid its edge.
The only drawback is that the attack unleashed by the damaged battle flag is indiscriminate, so Li Hao could only plant the flag a hundred miles outside the city.
Although ordinary military flags are not placed that far or that aggressively, afraid of accidentally damaging the flag and triggering the burst of the markers, Li Hao had no choice but to do so.
With these battle flags and the array, along with his own shadow clone stationed there, Li Hao felt that Cangya City, even without him, would hold firm should the Demon King attack, at least for the time being.
With this in mind, he was free to attend to another matter.
He had long been concerned about the reward from the Listening Rain Tower.
The Cultivation Techniques in the Listening Rain Tower were numerous and in no way inferior to Listening Rain Tower; should he find some other Peerless Meridian Opening Skills and Qi Circulation Skills, Li Hao felt he might be able to open all 108 major meridians!
Combining this with the Yin and Yang Dual Pulse, achieving full meridian circulation through his body, would undoubtedly bring a great enhancement, and he might well reach the Extreme Realm.
To this day, the Dayu Divine Dynasty’s records seem to have no one who has achieved full meridian circulation.
Perhaps there were such people, just unrecorded, or perhaps the books in Listening Rain Tower are not comprehensive enough.
For example, that Buddha or that true person, Li Hao guessed, might have possibly achieved full meridian circulation, considering they have lived far too long, had enough time to practice many Cultivation Techniques, to temper themselves, and to open more acupoints.
On this trip to Tianji Tower, Li Hao did not bring Ren Qianqian, planning to make a quick visit and return.
He left the Dragon Soar Sword with his shadow clone to oversee Heavenly Gate Pass and also told Feng to stay and guard the place instead of following him.
Now, even if he encountered a powerful Demon King, he would be able to fight or flee.
Moreover, after reaching the Sixth Stage of his movement technique, Feng passed on his movement technique, the Heaven and Earth Traceless Skill, to Li Hao.
Li Hao’s proficiency in this skill was only slightly inferior to Feng’s.
However, relying on the acceleration attribute of the manual, he could make up for it.
Therefore, in escaping, Li Hao was now already quite adept.
More than his own safety, Li Hao was concerned about demons taking advantage of his absence to launch a sneak attack on the Heavenly Gate Pass.
At the moment, using the Myriad Attributes to conceal his aura, Li Hao followed the guide from Tianji Tower out of the pass.
However, as soon as the guide left Heavenly Gate Pass, the Bird Demon from Tianji Palace hiding in the dark corners of Cangya City perceived his movements and relayed the news.
“The guide from Tianji Tower has left the pass!”
“Previously, we received information that he was coming to Cangya City to meet Marshal Haotian, who gained the first place in the Grandmaster’s Tournament and was awarded the opportunity to visit Tianji Tower to peruse the Cultivation Techniques.”
“He finally left the pass, is he going to leave Liangzhou?”
“Did you see him?”
“No, but he might have hidden his tracks.”
“Could this be a decoy?”
In Tianji Palace, a chorus of Bird Demons chattered and discussed.
Standing beside the girl in the red dress was a girl in a purple dress, a few years older, around fifteen or sixteen, with an attractive appearance. A tuft of purple feather adorned the black hair on her forehead, adding a noble grace to her liveliness.
“Actually, he doesn’t need to deliberately deceive us unless he wants to lure us into attacking Heavenly Gate Pass, but both the Dragon Gate and the Sacred Palace have already agreed to devour Liangzhou first before pulling out this thorn last!”
“He cannot possibly know our plan, so there is only one possibility for his actions: he fears we will attack Heavenly Gate Pass during his absence, which is why he’s hiding his tracks,” said the girl in red briskly.
The girl in purple nodded slightly and said, “Correct, but his concerns are unnecessary. Without killing him, attacking Heavenly Gate Pass is pointless. Now, while the young man is away learning new Cultivation Techniques at Tianji Tower, which will take some time, this is the perfect opportunity to attack Liangzhou.”
“Go notify the Dragon Gate immediately and see how much longer their elder needs to leave the pass.”
“Yes, Elder.”
On the western border of Liangzhou, deep within a lake two thousand miles away.
Within the lake, dark shadows slowly sank and rose beneath the surface, like colossal creatures lurking in the abyss, emanating a terrifying aura.
Suddenly, a red bird came swooping in with a shrill cry.
As it approached the lake, it transformed into the figure of a girl in a red dress.
She stopped above the deep lake, bent over, and respectfully said, “Hongyun of Tianji Palace pays her respects to the elders of Dragon Gate.”
At the tranquil surface of the lake, a shadow suddenly emerged, then its body rapidly shrank, taking on the appearance of an elder.
“What’s the matter?” the elder asked the girl in the long dress, calmly.
“I’ve just received news. Marshal Haotian of Heavenly Gate Pass has just emerged from his retreat and seems to be heading to Tianji Tower. He will be leaving Liangzhou for a while. Our palace believes that now is a good opportunity to attack Liangzhou,” Hongyun said respectfully.
Although their powers were different, Tianji Palace treated these Great Demons and Demon Kings with the utmost courtesy.
“That yellow-mouthed child from the Li family?”
The elder raised his eyebrows slightly. He had heard about the young man from Heavenly Gate Pass before. The demons outside Liangzhou already knew that Heavenly Gate Pass was not to be approached.
According to the intelligence from Feng Shan Jun, who had joined the divine palace, the young man indeed had the ability to slay a Demon King; even the Ten Thousand Caverns Ghost Mother had perished at his hand, which made him extremely vicious.
Whish~!
The water surface suddenly rippled, and then a fierce dragon head emerged, covered in golden light, morphing into an elderly Taoist with an easygoing demeanor – the wanted Dragon Lord.
Having joined Dragon Gate, he had now become one of its elders.
“Did you witness this yourselves?” Dragon Lord immediately stared at Hongyun and asked.
Hongyun replied respectfully, “We did not witness it with our own eyes, but according to our intelligence analysis, there’s a ninety percent chance it is so.”
“You want to ambush and kill that youth?”
The elder beside him saw through Dragon Lord’s thoughts at a glance, his eyes cold as he said:
“Don’t get any ideas. According to previous intelligence, to kill that youth, it would take at least the combined efforts of three Demon Kings. Set aside your personal vendetta for now. Since you’ve joined Dragon Gate, you should prioritize its interests.”
Dragon Lord’s brows furrowed slightly, and with a grim face, he said, “I am not motivated by personal grudges. This is a rare opportunity. That youth’s growth rate far exceeds your expectations. I’m worried that if we don’t kill him now, Dayu Divine Dynasty will have another Immortal.”
“You’re worrying too much.”
The elder shook his head. “Do you really think we would allow him to grow unchallenged? Even if he is a genius, what of it if we gave him ten years? To make it even more exaggerated, five years? Hmph, not to mention five years, he won’t have even five months.”
“Once the grand elder emerges from his retreat, he will take care of him, and no one will be able to stop it!”
Dragon Lord’s expression shifted slightly, and he nodded. “If that’s the case, then I shall say no more.”
Hongyun cautiously asked, “Are you all going to wait for the grand elder to emerge before attacking Liangzhou?”
“We will consider this matter ourselves. Thank you, Miss Hongyun, for your report,” the elder said with a slight smile.
Hongyun immediately understood that this was their way of dismissing her.
In her heart, she cursed silently, but outwardly she smiled and exchanged a few pleasantries. Seeing that the other party’s response was lukewarm, she did not linger any longer and turned to fly away.
“Hmph, they don’t want to offer anything but are keen to extract intelligence.”
Once she had left, the smile on the elder’s face faded, and he said to Dragon Lord:
“This time the grand elder will emerge from his retreat earlier, probably within the next few days. By then, it won’t matter whether or not that young man is in Liangzhou. Go notify all the halls of Dragon Gate. It’s time to assemble!”
“We’re finally going to attack?”
Dragon Lord took a deep breath, and a look of fervor appeared on his immortal-like countenance, with a bloodthirsty gleam surfacing in the depths of his eyes.
…
…
The main tower of Tianji Tower is located in Yongzhou, neighboring Liangzhou.
Compared to the vast and sparsely populated Liangzhou, Yongzhou is close to the south with spring-like weather year-round and abundant resources. The lord of Tianji Tower resides here year-round, and it’s also heavily guarded by the Helian Clan, one of the five Divine General Mansions.
To this day, there has been no record of demons breaching the city in Yongzhou for three hundred years.
The people here live in peace and contentment. This serenity also attracts many noble families to relocate here. After a stable development, several prominent centennial noble families have emerged.
It takes six days to ride from Heavenly Gate Pass in Liangzhou to the main tower of Tianji Tower in Yongzhou.
Li Hao, following the master of the Three Immortal Realms who was guiding him, traveled through the air, making the round trip in just two days.
If Li Hao were to travel at full speed by himself, he could make it in one day.
This guide was the Hermit Tianji, who had presided over the conference on Taoism. He had seen Li Hao slay a lesser Demon King at that conference and was now guiding Li Hao very courteously, without putting on the airs of an elder.
Martial Artists are different from civil officials, valuing strength above all else.
Civil officials like to say that the accomplished can be one’s teachers, but in everyday life, they follow the practice of respect for their elders and teachers.
Even if a young top scholar criticizes an ordinary, ignorant elder, they can be bashed, even by some acerbic people to the point of being denounced as worthless and encouraged to take their own life.
And with the current emperor valuing civil servants, many military officials and martial artists in Jianghu have also adopted some scholarly air, favoring the order of seniority and lineage.
“Master Lu has said that if General Haotian wishes to come and meditate for as long as he likes, he may do so,” Hermit Tianji said to Li Hao with a smile.
“If you say that, I might just stay and not leave,” Li Hao said.
“That would be most welcome,” Hermit Tianji laughed heartily.
Li Hao’s three years at Heavenly Gate Pass were no secret to Tianji Tower, and they naturally knew that Li Hao was unlikely to stay long in Tianji Tower.
Before long.
The two arrived at the heart of Yongzhou, a city called Tianji City.
In the distance, they could see a towering tower standing within the city.
Li Hao’s gaze swept towards the city, where the streets were bustling with an extremely lively and prosperous crowd.
Along the way, he felt the unique ambiance of Yongzhou, slightly different from other states. This place had more young warriors in fine clothes, and on many hilltops, one could see groups of youth banding together to slay demons.
The perilous outskirts also had a visible presence of merchant caravans.
It was clear that the number of demons here was significantly fewer than in other states.
Li Hao had already sensed the peace and prosperity of the region.
Only in a peaceful and prosperous place like this would there be so many young people, full and idle, out to make a name for themselves by slaying demons.
Soon, the two arrived at the main building of Tianji Tower.
There are seven Tianji Towers, each guarded by a tower master.
Although Hermit Tianji is also a tower master, he belongs to the “floor” of the tower.
To be precise, he should be considered a floor master.
Each Tianji Tower has nine floors, managed by three floor masters like Hermit Tianji and one true sub-tower master. Its foundation is incredibly strong.
This is also one of the reasons why Tianji Tower has a strong presence in Yongzhou, and seldom any demons dare to invade.
At this moment, Li Hao was brought in front of the main building.
Outside the main building, on the training ground, many disciples of Tianji Tower were cultivating. In the distance, there were high mountains with waterfalls, deep pools, and deep gorges and precipices resembling a moat, shrouded in misty clouds, appearing like a fairyland and sacred place.
No sooner had Li Hao’s figure landed than he looked up at the plaque of Tianji Tower and heard a voice drifting to his ears:
“Marshal, the tea is ready, please come up.”
It was the voice of Master Lu, the main tower master—Lu Chunsheng.
Li Hao looked up and saw a figure in white on the top of Tianji Tower, smiling at him.
“The main tower master is waiting for you,”
said Hermit Tianji with a smile.
Only those in the Four Stands Realm, who could receive tea hospitality from the main tower master, enjoyed such treatment. Even those esteemed princes of the royal family rarely received such attention, and the young man before him was an exception.
“Thank you for guiding the way.”
Li Hao smiled, bid him farewell, and then flew up to the top of the building, entering from the outside of the tower.
The roof of the building was a spacious area like a private chamber, with a long table for burning incense, a guqin placed horizontally, and the fragrance of tea wafting through the air.
“Please,”
said Lu Chunsheng, in his snow-white clothing. He appeared elegant and gentle, gesturing lightly with his hand towards Li Hao.
Li Hao sat down on the cushion beside the tea table and said with a smile, “Thank you for the invitation, Master Lu.”
“It’s only the reward you deserve.”
Lu Chunsheng smiled, sizing up Li Hao with a gaze that briefly intensified, then softened again with a smile, “It seems the rumors are true, Marshal. Could it be that you have already stepped into the Three Immortal Realms?”
To ask such a question of any other person Li Hao’s age would seem ridiculous and insane, but given it was Li Hao, it wasn’t that hard to understand.
“Hmm.”
Li Hao saw that he had been figured out and didn’t hide it, considering he had already exposed himself while slaying demons outside the pass.
Hearing Li Hao’s admission, and although Lu Chunsheng was prepared, his eyes still cast a slight, intense gaze, and the teacup he lifted gently rippled.
“Marshal is indeed a rare talent of the ages.”
Lu Chunsheng spoke with a smile, a light sigh of admiration in his tone.
Although he was well-learned and well-informed, such natural talent astonished him, and he felt even more admiration for the emperor, who had a discerning eye.
Li Hao chuckled, took a sip of tea, and said, “Excellent tea.”
“It is made with spring dew from March, just slightly sweet,” Lu Chunsheng said casually but with satisfaction in his tone.
Seeing this, Li Hao did not hold back and drank several more cups before looking at the guqin beside him, “Master Lu, you also understand the guqin?”
“I know a little, just a little.”
Lu Chunsheng laughed, “I heard the Marshal has broad interests and is quite learned. Would you care to play a tune?”
“Why not have Master Lu start first and cleanse my ears?” Li Hao replied modestly.
At these words, Lu Chunsheng laughed, did not insist further, and went over to the guqin.
He sat down with a proper posture, made a slight gesture, and then raised his hand to play the instrument.
The melodious sound of the guqin filled the space around the building.
Li Hao listened quietly and then felt surprised. He had thought the other’s claim of ‘knowing a little’ was out of modesty, but it turned out… it was indeed just a little?
Seeing Master Lu engrossed in playing, Li Hao had no choice but to carry on savoring his tea slowly.
The tea was flavorful, at least.
Master Lu’s musicianship, Li Hao estimated, was about the level of the second rank.
That level could be reached by a talented individual after seven or eight years of study.
For one with no talent, it would take twenty or thirty years of practice.
Soon, the piece ended, and Lu Chunsheng opened his eyes, smiling at Li Hao, “I have shown my lack of skill.”
Indeed… Li Hao thought inwardly, but outwardly he smiled and said, “Not at all, Master Lu’s skill on the guqin is quite impressive. You must have practiced for a long time, right?”
“For a little less than half of a solar term,” Lu Chunsheng replied with a light laugh.
“You play very well.”
Better not to play next time… Li Hao outwardly complimented.
“Would the Marshal like to play a tune?” Lu Chunsheng’s smile grew wider, and his eyes held more warmth when he looked at Li Hao.
Li Hao shook his head, “My skill on the guqin is modest; I would prefer not to embarrass myself.”
“The Marshal is still young. It is admirable that you can spare the time to delve into music on top of your cultivation. There’s no need for self-deprecation,” Lu Chunsheng immediately reassured, feeling a pang of guilt for having perhaps played too passionately and dented Li Hao’s confidence.
Li Hao shook his head slightly, “Master Lu, I need to hurry back to Heavenly Gate Pass where I am stationed. Perhaps it is time for me to examine the cultivation techniques?”
Upon hearing this, Lu Chunsheng sighed regretfully and replied, “Alright then, please follow me, Marshal.”
He led Li Hao downstairs and said, “Marshal, feel free to choose any secret manual here. Whichever you take a fancy to, I can grant you.”
Li Hao, looking at all the various secret manuals, felt like he had entered a library.
All the secret manuals were spotlessly clean.
Li Hao turned and asked, “How long can I look?”
“As long as you wish,” Lu Chunsheng said with a smile.
Li Hao smiled as well, seriously saying, “Then I thank you very much, Master Lu.”
Lu Chunsheng smiled, explained the classification of some secret manuals to Li Hao, and then left Li Hao there, going back upstairs himself.
Li Hao wasn’t in the Four Stands Realm, so there was no need to worry about him stashing the secret manuals away in a pocket dimension. Besides, all these manuals were cataloged; he wasn’t concerned about them being stolen.
After Lu Chunsheng left, Li Hao began to wander around in the Tianji Tower.
The dazzling array of Cultivation Techniques, sorted into various categories, gave Li Hao the feeling of browsing the Listening Rain Tower.
However, there was no scent of agarwood here as in the Listening Rain Tower, and it was cleaned even more thoroughly as if it were frequently visited.
In the sunlight streaming in from outside the tower, the dust was clearly visible, drifting over the scrolls of Cultivation Techniques.
Li Hao first explored the Qi Circulation Skills.
Searching for the Meridian Opening Skills and Qi Circulation Skills.
The layout of the Cultivation Techniques in Tianji Tower was similar to that of the Listening Rain Tower; the Peerless Techniques were all placed on the top floor, and Li Hao found seven Peerless Qi Circulation Skills and five Peerless Meridian Opening Skills.
There were only three Peerless Meridian Opening Skills recorded in the Listening Rain Tower.
Considering that Tianji Tower specializes in intelligence, it was understandable that they had such a foundation.
Li Hao included all the Techniques in his panel, and with the insight of the Sixth Stage of Control Path, once these Techniques were included, the panel immediately showed they had reached perfection.
The details of the five Meridian Opening Skills flooded into his mind.
Li Hao closed his eyes quietly, as though he had cultivated all five Peerless Meridian Opening Skills for decades, gradually integrating the insights into his memory.
Li Hao also gradually understood the meridian locations these Meridian Opening Skills could open, and which meridians they were.
There were many overlaps with the meridians of some Cultivation Techniques he had practiced before.
As more meridians were opened, the number of overlapping meridians opened by these Skills also increased.
Nevertheless, within the five Peerless Meridian Opening Skills, each had its unique route, adding seven new meridians for Li Hao!
From the original 98 meridians, now there were 105!
Only three meridians short of perfection!
“What a pity, there are too many overlaps,” Li Hao felt regretful. Each of the five Peerless Meridian Clearing Skills could open more than 50 meridians, but after mastering all of them, the overlapping only resulted in seven additional meridians.
No wonder it’s so difficult to open all the body’s meridians. The Dayu Divine Dynasty has almost no records of such feats over thousands of years.
The difficulty is too high.
Too time-consuming, cultivating another Peerless Meridian Opening Skill to perfection could take decades of hard work.
Even for a genius, it would still take eight to ten years.
Ordinary people don’t have an understanding of the Tao Realm like he does, enabling them to master skills easily with the Control Path.
Unless one relies on a long lifespan and slowly powers through, but that also requires connections and resources.
“If I could master that royal family’s Meridian Opening Skill, I should be able to complete the last three meridians!” Li Hao thought to himself.
Unfortunately, that was just wishful thinking.
Practicing the royal family’s Meridian Opening Skill was a capital offense.
It was one of the fundamental secrets of the royal family, not to be trifled with.
Li Hao shook off the thought and turned to go downstairs.
On the lower floor, there were numerous High Grade Meridian Opening Skills.
Li Hao looked them over one by one, included them, and as he included more and more Meridian Opening Skills, more information flooded his mind.
Each Meridian Opening Skill added to the panel reached perfection, but unfortunately, they all overlapped with the many Meridian Opening Skills he had already mastered.
Although the routes of the different Skills were unique, the meridians they opened were not much different.
Li Hao continued to descend floor by floor.
After recording more than twenty High Grade Meridian Opening Skills, one of them finally opened up a new meridian for Li Hao.
Li Hao was somewhat delighted and continued downward.
Before long, he included three more, and among them, there was another Meridian Opening Skill that could open up another new meridian.
Now he had 107 meridians, only one meridian short.
Li Hao kept going down, having included all High Grade Meridian Opening Skills, he then looked at the Mid Grade ones, but after going through dozens of the Mid Grade skills, they were all overlapping.
Li Hao could only hope for the best and check the Low Grade skills. If there were none, then he would have to find a chance later to visit various famous schools and seek them out individually.
Just when Li Hao was not holding much hope, after including thirty-two Low Grade Meridian Opening Skills, suddenly, the information from one of them made him stupefied.
This Low Grade Meridian Opening Skill was extremely peculiar, taking an unconventional route that precisely opened the last meridian he needed.
All 108 meridians had corresponding Techniques to open them!
After his moment of stunned silence, Li Hao was overjoyed and could hardly wait to start cultivation right away.
But this was the Tianji Tower, so he restrained himself and refrained from practicing there.
Otherwise, once all meridians were connected, along with the Yin and Yang Dual Pulse, Li Hao couldn’t be sure of what kind of phenomena might occur.
His previous Heaven and Earth Law Manifestation and Divine Power states had caused considerable disturbance, and since this also involved his martial arts secrets, he preferred to keep them hidden if possible.
Swords and knives have sheaths for the very purpose of concealing the blade.
Now, with Meridian Opening Perfection, Li Hao went back to the top floor to start searching for Body Refining Skills.
In the same manner, he included and searched his way down, finding hundreds of them, with a deluge of information flooding in.
Although he had yet to practice them, Li Hao knew that many of these Techniques would refine parts of his physical body that he had previously been unable to reach.
Once he practiced them later, his Physical Strength would surely improve again.
Next were swordsmanship, boxing, and the like.
Li Hao mastered and recorded each one by one.
As he was going up and down including them, suddenly, the sound of a qin drifted down from the rooftop.
“Young General, although there are many secret scrolls, be careful not to be dazzled by them. How about I play a piece on my qin to help you calm your mind?” the voice of Lu Chunsheng reached his ears.
Though it took the form of a question, the qin music had already begun.
“…⚆_⚆?”
Li Hao: 눈_눈
You just want to play the qin for your own sake… Li Hao criticized in his mind but responded through a voice transmission, “Many thanks, Master Lu.”
Maintaining social etiquette, ☜ with finesse.
With the sound of qin music coming from the rooftop, Li Hao continued to immerse himself in the selection of secret scrolls.
Although in Li Hao’s view, Master Lu’s qin skills still needed improvement, listening to his Second Stage qin music as background music was indeed quite pleasant.
Moreover, Li Hao glanced through the cultivation techniques, only needing a few looks, without truly engaging in contemplation to learn. Otherwise, the music would become the most considerable noise.
Time slipped away.
An hour later, Li Hao had recorded quite a few cultivation techniques into the panel.
All the peerless techniques were swept clean, except for those that couldn’t be recorded, such as saber techniques and spear techniques.
Since Li Hao hadn’t entered the Dao with saber and spear techniques, the panel couldn’t record them, except through his own insights.
But Li Hao had no intention of wasting skill points on sabers or spears.
With fists and a sword, that was enough.
To slay an enemy, one sword stroke was sufficient. There was no need for an additional saber slash or spear thrust.
Mastering many was not as good as mastering a few well, after all, skill points didn’t just come from a gust of wind.
This trip’s greatest gain, apart from completing the major channels, was the qi circulation skill and movement technique.
Li Hao’s repertoire of movement techniques was very limited. The Heaven and Earth Traceless Skill given by Feng was considered a top-tier peerless technique among peerless techniques.
Now having compiled numerous movement techniques, the insights from these techniques fused into his heart, greatly enhancing Li Hao’s movement abilities.
“Four peerless movement techniques, plus Feng’s, plus eighteen superior movement techniques…”
Li Hao was eager to test out how fast he could move now when bursting forth with all his might.
Although he could only deploy one movement technique at a time, Li Hao cultivated these techniques to a true state, able to piece together their strengths and weaknesses, blending them into one.
With his control over the Grandmaster Martial Realm, he took the essence of these numerous movement techniques, making them his own.
Li Hao returned to the rooftop contentedly, feeling that Master Lu’s music seemed more melodious now.
“Junior General, have you found a cultivation technique that you liked?” Lu Chunsheng asked with a smile.
Seeing that Li Hao had come out so quickly, he inwardly complimented him as a gentleman.
He had previously let Li Hao enter and choose at will, already prepared for Li Hao to secretly memorize many techniques.
This was his subtle hint to Li Hao, and also a favor he intended to extend.
But now, it seemed that even if Li Hao had memorized other cultivation techniques, such a short time wouldn’t have allowed for many.
To partake with moderation marked a gentleman.
“The ‘Embroidered Spring Breeze’ swordsmanship is quite good,” Li Hao said, bringing out one peerless swordsman’s manual. “This one.”
“Junior General has good taste. This sword technique was created by someone from the Three Immortal Realms eight hundred years ago. The swordplay is sharp, yet the Sword Intent is gentle, indeed suitable for the Junior General’s kind personality,” said Lu Chunsheng with a laugh.
Though he hadn’t interacted much with Li Hao, he could tell Li Hao was different from other military generals, not so heavily imbued with a killing aura, his nature being soft and refined.
This was one of the reasons he found Li Hao agreeable.
“Master Lu flatters me,” Li Hao said, smiling.
Lu Chunfeng handed Li Hao the perfectly brewed tea with a friendly smile, “Junior General, do you have any comments on the tune I just played?
Li Hao: (/≡_≡)=
Just practice more… Li Hao cleared his throat and said, “Master Lu’s qin skills are like this cup of tea, sweet and refreshing!”
“Haha…”
Lu Chunfeng laughed heartily, thinking the young man certainly knew what’s good.
Feeling great, he said, “Actually, I have another piece of my own composition. Would the Junior General like to hear it?”
He asked, but his body was already rising from the meditation cushion.
Just as Li Hao was about to speak, a commotion came from outside the building.
With Li Hao’s strong physique, even at a distance, he could hear it clearly and immediately asked curiously, “Master Lu, what’s happening over there?”
Lu Chunfeng had just stood up and glanced outside the pavilion. He then said with a smile:
“It seems someone has passed the Heavenly Shadow Stele. Junior General, would you like to take a look? It might also be an opportunity for our Tianji Tower disciples to learn from you and gain some insights.”
“`
“Okay.”
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Li Hao agreed.
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The two immediately flew out from the outer pavilion and headed toward the martial field.
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There, they saw a gathering of disciples who were previously practicing, their figures spread around the area.
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In front of them, leading to a high mountain outside the field, stood numerous black stone steles.
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These steles were two to three zhang tall, standing erect on the ground, almost resembling a row of tombstones due to their large size.
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“Tang has observed the steles three times and successfully challenged Jiang!”
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“That’s incredible, only three observations!”
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“Tang is well-known for her talent. She mastered that superior swordsmanship in just three tries and became agile in seven days!”
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“It’s a pity. Though Tang possesses exceptional perception, she came from a humble background and lacked quality resources for cultivation in her early years. Now that she’s older, she can’t be listed in the Qiankun List, otherwise, she would have made a name for herself long ago!”
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“Shh, do you want to die? Why bring up such taboos?”
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“Don’t you feel regretful?”
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“Regretful my head! If you dare say Tang is old again, you’re the one who doesn’t want to live!”
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“…”
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The disciples whispered and discussed among themselves in front of the stone steles, occasionally letting out exclamations of admiration and sighs.
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Suddenly, someone noticed Li Hao and Lu Chunsheng fast approaching.
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They were extremely unfamiliar with Li Hao, but they recognized Lu Chunsheng very well.
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After all, at the entrance to the Tianji Tower, there stood a statue of Lu Chunsheng.
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The idea that this young man could accompany the Master of Tianji Tower made them wonder which family’s qilin offspring he was. Many curiously scrutinized him, but their first reaction was to bow respectfully:
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“Disciple greets Master Lu.”
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Lu Chunsheng nodded slightly as a sign for the youngsters to dispense with formalities.
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Then, he looked at Li Hao beside him, chuckled, and introduced, “Let me introduce everyone, this is Marshal Haotian.”
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Knowing the relationship between Li Hao and the Li Family, as well as what Li Hao had said at the Grandmaster’s conference, he did not touch on what might provoke Li Hao and used his original name for the introduction.
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“Haotian, Marshal Haotian?”
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Everyone was stunned, some not quite catching on at the moment.
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But soon, all their eyes widened slightly.
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Within the crowd, a young lady previously surrounded by admirers, tall and slender, holding a long sword, with eyes as clear and sharp as autumn waters and carrying an air of cool detachment, also paused, slightly taken aback as she looked toward the gentle-faced youth upon hearing Lu Chunsheng’s introduction.
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As disciples of Tianji Tower, they had access to denser and more extensive information and were aware of the many achievements of Marshal Haotian.
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At the age of fourteen, he had been awarded a military title, fulfilling the dreams of countless young people.
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Even as a woman, she held curiosity toward the legendary young man.
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Seeing the shocked and astounded expressions of the people around him, Lu Chunsheng smiled and then noticed the cold and proud lady in the crowd. He turned to Li Hao and said:
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“You’re here for the first time, right? Are you interested in trying our Tianji Tower’s Heavenly Shadow Stele?”
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“This is the Heavenly Shadow Stele?”
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Li Hao looked over the numerous black steles with some surprise.
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He had heard from his second grandfather that Tianji Tower had found a divine stone from beyond the heavens, infused with the natural Taoist charm of the cosmos, capable of inscribing one’s cultivation technique’s essence onto the stone.
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Tianji Tower cut the stone into what became the Heavenly Shadow Steles, which turned into a beautiful landmark of the Tower, attracting countless talents over a thousand years ago.
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Later, after certain events, Tianji Tower restricted the use of the steles to its own disciples and ceased to open them to outsiders.
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Lu Chunsheng’s invitation for Li Hao to try the steles was with the hope that if Haotian could leave his mark upon them, those steles would be sealed and preserved as an inspiration to the Tower’s disciples in the future.
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“Okay.”
Li Hao was also curious about this legendary stone.
Their conversation was overheard by everyone, and when Lu Chunsheng led Li Hao forward, the many disciples consciously made way, their eyes filled with curiosity.
The rules of the Heavenly Shadow Stele had nothing to do with cultivation level; they primarily tested one’s enlightenment.
The young man before them was famous throughout the world for having the fastest cultivation speed in a thousand years; they too wanted to see just how much his enlightenment differed from theirs.
Sometimes, a fast cultivation speed doesn’t mean high enlightenment.
After all, below the Heavenly Human Realm, as long as one had the resources, one could improve quickly.
If one disregarded foundational issues, they could even chug elixirs and advance by leaps and bounds in a single day.
Stepping into the Heavenly Human Realm, besides requiring enlightenment, also involved a fair amount of luck.
Some people would have an epiphany just by watching a falling leaf or scooping up a handful of water.
Others would gallop across the world, challenging all the major sects, accumulating scars all over their bodies, yet still find themselves halted in front of that heavenly gate.
“These one hundred Heavenly Shadow Steles record the cultivation technique realms of all the disciples of Tianji Tower over the past hundred years,”
Lu Chunsheng said with a smile, “When the cultivation technique you perform exceeds the level recorded by the stele, the essence of the stele will automatically record the level of your technique, replacing the previous shadow. This is what we call the Stele Shadow Legacy.”
Li Hao nodded; he knew all this.
However, hearing about it was one thing, but experiencing it was another. As he approached the pitch-black stele, Li Hao faintly sensed the rich energy of heaven and earth covering it, along with an enigmatic and elusive essence.
“In our tower, disciples may only observe each stele ten times. If they fail to leave a shadow within these ten attempts, they shall not be permitted to observe the stele again,”
Lu Chunsheng said with a smile, “The number of attempts to observe the stele, as well as whether one can leave a shadow or not, are measures of one’s talent and enlightenment.”
“Interesting.”
Li Hao remarked.
Seeing Li Hao’s interest, the corners of Lu Chunsheng’s mouth curled up. He knew geniuses couldn’t resist this kind of challenge.
“Young General, given your talent and swordsmanship, I suggest you try that Heavenly Shadow Stele.”
Lu Chunsheng pointed Li Hao to a Heavenly Shadow Stele not far away.
Everyone looked over, immediately beginning to whisper among themselves.
“It’s the stele left by Brother Kong ten years ago.”
“That stele is ranked 82nd in difficulty. Is he going to challenge one that difficult right off the bat?”
“It might be difficult for us, but not necessarily for him. I think he’ll definitely succeed in leaving a shadow within three tries!”
“Three tries? That’s hard to say; I think five tries should be about right. After all, he can suppress a grandmaster, and his talent and enlightenment are beyond any of us.”
Everyone whispered quietly, some expectantly watching Li Hao.
In the crowd, Tang Zhixi was also gazing intently at the 82nd ranked Kong stele, which was more difficult than the 93rd ranked stele she had just broken through.
Could this young man manage it in three tries?
Her lips were pursed slightly, and her eyes were focused on the young man.
“Okay.”
Li Hao glanced at it and walked up to that Heavenly Shadow Stele.
After scrutinizing it and following Lu Chunsheng’s whispered instructions, Li Hao placed his palm on the stele and then released his aura.
Soon, the stele seemed to activate, displaying a luminous splendor.
At the same time, a figure stood in the stele, a young man holding a long sword, who suddenly slashed down.
But this young man was just a shadow without the ability to attack. As he slashed and swung, he demonstrated a piercing sword technique.
To leave one’s shadow on the stele, one must replicate the exact same sword technique demonstrated by the shadow and perform it even more exquisitely.
If one were to use a different sword technique, it wouldn’t work, which is why countless people have used this to test their talents and their capacity for enlightenment.
Quickly, the young man finished the demonstration.
By the middle of his demonstration, Li Hao received a panel prompt, recording the demonstrated sword technique.
“I can actually record swordsmanship here, and it seems it’s not the swordsmanship of Tianji Tower…”
Li Hao’s eyes brightened.
Didn’t this mean that these hundreds of Heavenly Shadow Steles were akin to hundreds of cultivation techniques?!
At this moment, after the young man in the stele finished his performance, his shadow dimmed and disappeared.
Li Hao also came back to his senses, absorbing the multitude of information transferred from the panel, looking at the newly added and extrapolated to perfection “Grasping Moon Myriad Flowers Sword Skill” as well as the “True State” level, and he reminisced once again about the sword move that the young man had just performed.
It seemed to be only at the perfection level.
This was a superior sword technique.
To watch the stele ten times and comprehend and cultivate it to the perfection level really was a test of one’s enlightenment; it wasn’t any less difficult than passing the imperial examinations after only one year of study.
Most people observed the stele for the first time, memorizing by rote the shadow’s sword moves, then repeatedly practiced on their own, attempting the challenge again after a year or half. And so the cycle continued.
The period of ten observations could span over a decade.
“The shadow has disappeared, I wonder if he has comprehended it?”
“Comprehension isn’t difficult. I can do it too. If he can’t comprehend it after one observation, can he still be called a genius?”
“You’re right. However, Brother Kong’s sword technique is at the perfection level. The higher the realm, the harder it is to discern its subtleties, making it difficult to imitate and the cultivation even more demanding.”
People whispered softly.
Li Hao looked around for a moment and saw a tree in the distance. He summoned a dry branch with a wave of his hand.
Then, with a flick of his hand, the branch in his hand unleashed the Grasping Moon Myriad Flowers Sword Skill.
It was as if a bright moon appeared, captured by the sword light in his hand, and around him myriad Sword Qi, like numerous blossoming sword flowers, drifted about beautifully. However, each blossom carried a sharp Sword Qi, untouchable.
Soon after completing one sword dance.
The Heavenly Shadow Stele shimmered, and then, in the pitch-black stele, Li Hao’s sword-dancing figure emerged.
The shadow of the young man that had been there was covered and erased.
