“I hope that this child can cultivate what she desires in this life…”
Mr. Lin watched his departing granddaughter and shook his head with a light sigh.
Given Lin Qingyue’s talent, equipped with Holy Bone, coupled with the frequent reincarnations and manifestations of saints over the past millennium, it was hard not to speculate that she, too, might be the reincarnation of a saint. However, which particular saint was a mystery.
But Mr. Lin didn’t feel disgusted by this; at least in this life’s memories, she was his granddaughter, whom he had lovingly held since she was a child.
Lin Qingyue’s parents had died early, and it was he who took care of her as a child, amusing her when she cried. The playful and well-behaved moments of her childhood were deeply etched in his heart.
“Mr. Lin, why do these saints need to rebuild?”
Li Hao asked curiously, holding a teacup.
Mr. Lin, holding a teapot, refilled his cup and looked up at the clouds floating beyond the eaves as a gentle breeze blew through the courtyard, a sense of leisure and comfort in the air.
He smacked his lips after a sip of tea, turned his head with a light chuckle, and said, “You kid, you still claim you don’t practice alchemy!”
“If you were a true martial artist, you should know that these saints reincarnate in search of a fully unobstructed Martial Arts Extreme Realm. I have heard that cultivating each realm to the utmost involves a shocking secret of the universe, especially the Sixth Extreme Realm!”
I really don’t practice alchemy… Li Hao gave a wry smile. Ever since he had demonstrated his skill in purification, the old master had taken to treating him as a descendant of his family’s declining Alchemic legacy. His explanations were seen as hiding his identity, as not trusting the other party, and being secretive.
On this account, he naturally wouldn’t bother to explain further, so as not to provoke annoyance. Enjoy new chapters from My Virtual Library Empire
“The Sixth Extreme Realm? Is there something mysterious about it?”
Li Hao’s curiosity stirred.
“How would I know, I haven’t heard of anyone who has cultivated all the Extreme Realms yet, including the saints,” Mr. Lin said, shaking his head.
“What?”
Li Hao was taken aback, looking at him in astonishment.
Saints had long lifespans, and the history of the Land of All Saints was incredibly ancient, far predating the Dayu Divine Dynasty. Although the various Martial Arts Extreme Realms were difficult to master, beings who became saints naturally lacked neither talent nor resources. Given enough time, they could eventually refine themselves.
And yet, these exalted saints had not mastered all the Extreme Realms?!
Ever since he had killed the Dao Law Realm and encountered beings who mastered several Extreme Realms, Li Hao had subconsciously assumed that saints had generally perfected all the Extreme Realms. But it seemed that this was not the case.
“Your ancestors were Alchemists, so it’s normal for you not to understand about the Martial Arts. These Extreme Realms are not so easily cultivated.”
Seeing Li Hao’s shocked expression, Mr. Lin patiently and gently explained: “If it were any other Extreme Realm, perhaps it wouldn’t matter, but the Third Extreme Realm, Heaven and Earth Law Manifestation, requires one to be born with the heart of a saint, daring to contend with heaven and earth! And as for the Sixth Extreme Realm, it’s universally acknowledged as the most difficult to cultivate, very mysterious. According to the secret information I have received, most saints reincarnate precisely for this reason.”
“Hmm…”
Li Hao was somewhat stunned. The Sixth Extreme Realm was the hardest to cultivate? It even forced the All Saints to reincarnate for it?
He suddenly felt unexpectedly flattered. Could his talent surpass that of saints?
When he first cultivated the Six Extremes Realm, although he did spend several months in contemplation, compared to the other realms, it didn’t seem to differ much.
It just seemed to require some perception and understanding of heaven and earth.
“This Sixth Extreme Realm is very mysterious; it’s not about perception, ambition, nor the depth of Cultivation Techniques. No one can clearly state how to achieve it, but all of the saints suppose it might be a certain State of Mind!”
Mr. Lin continued: “But the State of Mind happens to be the most elusive thing. Oddly enough, among the myriad talents of the world, each with different experiences and differing states of mind, none who are qualified to touch the Sixth Extreme Realm has grasped this State of Mind. It is indeed strange.”
Li Hao froze, not expecting the Sixth Extreme Realm to be so challenging.
Had he arrived from the Immortal Gate in the usual way, he might have startled the entire Land of All Saints.
The Void Saint’s disregard for face in attacking him was likely due to this apprehension as well.
“If one is to cultivate the Six Extremes Realm, why do saints need to reincarnate?”
Li Hao couldn’t help asking.
“Of course, it’s because, just like the Third Extreme Realm, the Sixth Extreme Realm is an irreversible state! Once attempted, it cannot be recultivated!”
Mr. Lin said: “Moreover, if it’s a matter of State of Mind, with the thoughts of saints being unable to figure it out, it’s naturally best to start from scratch. After all, the will of a saint can sometimes be an interference. Once you become aware of certain things, it’s hard to pretend you’re unaware.”
“Experience, history, can sometimes be a terrifying intrusion, one that can completely alter your appearance.”
Hearing this, Li Hao immediately understood the other’s meaning.
With the Dao Thoughts born of a saint’s mind, attempting to comprehend things beyond one’s own Dao could instead become an obstacle.
It was easier to start from scratch.
Even if saints pretended to be naïve, some things, once known, could not be forgotten.
“Along with my wine to celebrate the sale of my orchids, this era cannot compare, to the travels of youth…”
Li Hao murmured to himself; this was probably the reason why saints needed to reincarnate for cultivation.
Only by living another life, truly starting anew, could one return to the genuine simplicity of youth.
Seeing the jump in his Poetry and Book Experience, Li Hao ignored it.
Beside him, Mr. Lin heard Li Hao’s murmuring and was a bit stunned, feeling something poetic in his words.
After pondering it carefully, a look of surprise emerged on his face as it dawned on him how fitting it was for the mindset of saints who reincarnate for recultivation.
“With such talent, you would have no trouble securing the position of Scholar of Literature in the Mortal Realm’s Dynasties.”
Lin Shanhai said to Li Hao,
Li Hao blushed slightly. Becoming a top scholar wasn’t an easy feat, not something that could be fudged with just a line or two of poetry.
“Let’s not talk about this anymore. We have guests arriving, and this bunch…”
Lin Shanhai suddenly put down his tea cup, flicked the dust off his sleeve, and was about to stand up to greet them when suddenly, he remembered something. He glanced at the teapot and motioned to Li Hao with his lips,
“Hurry and put this away. Also, hide that packet of Dragon Ginseng Tea in the drawer under my table in the stove, and cover it up with the scent of the medicine. Those guys have very keen noses…”
While speaking, he put on simple cloth shoes and walked toward the courtyard.
Li Hao was startled, but his actions were swift. He gathered up the Dragon Ginseng Tea from the teapot, then tucked away another packet from the drawer into the Heaven and Earth Space. He then gathered several slices of fragrantly-scented herbs and threw them into the teapot, pouring a cup each for himself and the other.
Palm slightly warmed, he hastened the herb’s release of medicinal power, with the herbal fragrance wafting between the cups.
At this moment, bursts of laughter came from outside as several elders walked in led by Lin Shanhai. Continue your saga on My Virtual Library Empire
“Why didn’t you guys tell me in advance that you were coming?”
“Why would we need to notify for such a short trip? We just came over together to check out your new apprentice and see what kind of genius he really is.”
Four figures entered the courtyard—three elderly men and a glamorous-looking middle-aged woman. Except for one elder who was dressed extravagantly in gold and jewels, the others were dressed quite plainly with wooden hairpins.
Yet without exception, all four bore a scent of medicinal herbs.
“Is this the young man?”
Once they entered the yard, their eyes quickly noticed Li Hao.
Since they were guests, they didn’t rashly use Divine Thought to probe; they just glanced around a bit.
Li Hao also stood up swiftly.
Lin Shanhai noticed the teapot still on the side and was briefly stunned, but he quickly noticed the medicinal fragrance drifting from the cups. He could not help but smile wryly, giving Li Hao a glance, thinking how this young man was even sneakier than himself.
“Please, have a seat.”
Lin Shanhai greeted them with a smile, asking Li Hao to fetch some more tea sets and pastries.
Lin Shanhai’s old friend remarked while rolling a jade slab in his hand, “Lin, that batch of pills you recently made, this young man helped you concoct them, right?”
Lin Shanhai seemed to read the other’s mind and hummed, “Don’t get any ideas about him, I have already planned to pass on my mantle to him.”
“Look at you, getting all worked up with a single comment; who said we’re here to take him?” The middle-aged female Alchemist covered her mouth and laughed.
“That’s still Lin for you. But I must say, those pills you have been concocting lately are truly remarkable. Such purity is not something you could achieve on your own,” another elder stated.
Lin Shanhai, hearing this, did not intend to hide the facts. In fact, he had anticipated these old friends’ visit today and wanted to introduce Li Hao to them to help expand his network of contacts. He intended to keep Li Hao close by, recognizing the rare alchemy talent in him. This skill alone was enough for him to enter the ranks of senior Alchemist.
Should he keep studying the Alchemy Dao intently for another several decades, becoming a Grandmaster was within reach.
“Indeed, Qingfeng was a great help. He had fallen off a cliff early in life and obtained a fortunate encounter. Later, he was pursued and nearly killed on account of being spied on, but was saved by Qing Ying. Now he has finally settled down,” Lin Shanhai said.
Qingfeng was the alias Li Hao had told him to use. Although they were not in the Cloud Realm, Li Hao was unaware of the extents of a Saint’s methods and worried about being traced by his name.
Moreover, many people knew his real name. If his whereabouts were revealed through those people’s mouths, trouble might arise again.
Hearing Lin Shanhai’s explanation, Li Hao was somewhat speechless. The old man had really gone through the effort of fabricating a background for him to prevent others from investigating.
“Is that so…”
The four exchanged glances, not probing further. After all, everyone had their secrets.
“Could you give us a demonstration? Don’t worry, we won’t divulge anything; we just want to learn,” one of the elders proposed.
Lin Shanhai replied unhappily, “This is his signature specialty. You think you can just learn it because you say so? Aren’t you supposed to offer a couple of your high-level Pill Formulas in exchange?”
“Lin, he hasn’t even opened his mouth yet, and you’re already worked up,” the elder replied agitated, “And two high-level Pill Formulas? I think you’re the one who covets them. If you’re capable, why don’t we exchange, or how about a competition in alchemy, each of us stakes a Pill Formula, how about that?”
“Who wants to compete with you, I’m not that keen,” Lin Shanhai hummed.
“Enough, that one Pill Contest at that time didn’t even calm you two down, you still want the younger generation to laugh at us?” the well-dressed woman said in resignation.
Lin Shanhai stopped bickering with them and turned to introduce the four people to Li Hao.
All four were senior Alchemists from Sword Ancestor Holy Land and were old friends of Lin Shanhai.
Li Hao memorized their names one by one and greeted them accordingly.
“Young man, would you mind giving us a demonstration? Whatever conditions Lin has given you, I can match them,” Zhao Yingzhen, who was playing with the jade slab, said.
“That’s right, if it’s an exchange, I can offer a high-level Alchemy Formula in exchange,” offered the elegantly dressed woman named Shi Huajin, her eyes earnest as she gazed at Li Hao.
As senior Alchemists, they had all analyzed the pills Lin Shanhai recently concocted, which had caused quite a stir of positive reviews within the Holy Land.
After analyzing, they realized the technique used to refine the medicinal power within the pill was exceedingly profound, even surpassing theirs.
When they inquired further, they found out that their old friend Lin Shanhai had picked up a treasure.
Seeing the envious looks of his old friends, Lin Shanhai secretly chuckled to himself and picked up his tea, tasting it indifferently.
However, after taking just a couple of sips, he frowned slightly. The medicinal fragrance was too overpowering, making the tea really hard to drink.
This kid didn’t know how to pick something good… He thought to himself in complaint, but the thought of his hundred-year-old stash of Dragon Ginseng Tea, which had almost been exposed, much improved his mood.
“If the seniors wish to see, this young one will shamelessly show his skills, no need to exchange pill formulas,” Li Hao said with a smile.
The four were taken aback, not expecting Li Hao to be so easy-going. They exchanged glances, suddenly feeling a bit guilty.
“This… There’s no reason to learn for free, young man, just tell us what you need, and as long as we can do it, we will try our best to help you,” Zhao Yingzhen said seriously, stopping his fiddling with a wooden device in his hands.
“Exactly.”
Another elder, Sun Zhengshang, nodded in agreement.
“As for me, I don’t need anything at the moment,” Li Hao shook his head.
The group looked at each other, all feeling a bit of a headache. With Lin Shanhai there, they couldn’t just shamelessly take advantage of a younger generation.
But owing a favor was even more troublesome.
Lin Shanhai sensed their difficulty and, with a smile, said, “Since Qingfeng is willing to show you, just watch for now and talk about it later. If Qingfeng runs into trouble in the future, just lend him a hand slightly.”
With Lin Shanhai having spoken, the four no longer hesitated and immediately invited Li Hao to demonstrate his skills.
Li Hao went to the pill chamber, selected some medicinal materials, and started to stir them in the air.
Watching Li Hao’s actions, all four widened their eyes.
Stir-frying?
The way he handled it, if it weren’t for the medicinal materials in his hands, they’d think the young man was cooking!
And indeed, their feeling was right, Li Hao was actually cooking, refining through his cooking.
Soon, the cooking of the medicinal materials was finished, and a burst of medicinal fragrance spread out.
The four were astonished, quickly extending their Divine Thoughts to observe closely, and were immediately shocked.
The strength of the medicine in the materials had really been simply stir-fried out!
Using such medicinal power for further alchemy, no wonder the purity improved and the quality increased, with such a treasured assistant, they could do it too!
“So it is, a unique refining technique…”
After overcoming their shock, they all understood; it wasn’t some secret technique but a special method of refinement which seemed difficult to master. Merely demonstrating it once was not enough to grasp it.
No wonder he didn’t mind showing it; the technique was too mysterious, and they plainly didn’t fear them learning it.
“I never thought there would be such an alchemy method. It really broadens one’s horizons,” Zhao Yingzhen was somewhat lost in thought, and when he came back to his senses, he couldn’t help but light up, as if it had opened up new possibilities in alchemy.
“Qingfeng, right? Qingfeng, would you be willing to assist me in refining a high-level pill, during which I won’t deliberately hide anything from you if you can learn it, then count it as your skill. I need your refinement ability to help me condense the medicine…” Shi Huajin gazed at Li Hao, extending the invitation.
Li Hao was momentarily stunned, looking towards Lin Shanhai beside him.
Seeing Li Hao’s gaze, Lin Shanhai was also startled, instantly seeing through Li Hao’s thoughts; he was asking whether to accept. It seemed if he agreed, he was doing so out of respect for Lin Shanhai, while if he showed indifference, the young man would likely refuse…
Such was the invitation of a high-level pill master, and they were even going to refine a high-level pill formula with no reservations. What a precious opportunity, was this young man really not interested?
Lin Shanhai was somewhat speechless; this was the first time he had encountered such a person.
“Since Master Shi is asking for your help, if you are willing to help, just agree. It’s up to you, but this opportunity is rare. If you are not interested in the pill formula, you can ask for something else. Master Shi has extensive connections and is very wealthy…” Lin Shanhai said with a smile.
Hearing this, Shi Huajin was slightly stunned. Listening to what was said, this young man really wasn’t interested in an unrestrained display of a high-level pill formula?
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“Since it is a senior inviting, I shall humbly comply,” Li Hao considered for a moment and then accepted.
Although this would delay his Carving, it wouldn’t be by much.
After all, Lin Shanhai was a friend, rejecting him would be a bit disappointing and he also owed Lin Shanhai a great favor.
Moreover, being unfamiliar with the place, receiving such help from the other party to this extent, making some friends couldn’t be bad.
“What do you need then?” Shi Huajin curiously asked Li Hao.
Li Hao shook his head, “I don’t need anything, but if possible, anything like famous paintings and chess manuals would interest me.”
“Paintings and chess manuals?”
Shi Huajin and the others were stunned. Such things, of negligible value except to some merchants feigning interest in elegance, were basically useless to cultivators.
Lin Shanhai, having seen Li Hao spend his free time Carving and never meddling with alchemy or cultivation, had already learned of Li Hao’s unconventional interests, but still, he couldn’t help but be astounded upon hearing this.
Slightly skeptical, Shi Huajin asked Li Hao repeatedly to confirm that he really only wanted these; she then stopped overthinking it. Whatever Li Hao’s reasons, she would find out eventually.
“Lin, why on earth would you brew tea with medicinal materials? It tastes terrible.”
Another elder, Liu Dongting, spat out the medicinal herbs from his tea, complaining irritably.
“You don’t appreciate tea, so have some medicinal herbs to strengthen your body,” Lin Shanhai said with a light chuckle.
The group then casually chatted about alchemy, masters, Holy Land pill formulas, tasks, and the topic occasionally shifted to Lin Shanhai’s granddaughter, Lin Qingyue. Mentioning her inevitably led to discussions about the upcoming Sword God War in the Holy Land.
The many disciples inside the Sword Ancestor Holy Land, including the saintesses, all held swordsmanship in the highest regard. The ultimate test of cultivation and swordsmanship doesn’t leave room for excuses like disparities in weaponry—the loser would be in complete and utter defeat, without a doubt.
Li Hao sat quietly on the side, simply sitting and listening in silence.
When occasionally praised, he would respond with a laugh.
After a leisurely chat, Li Hao became somewhat familiar with the names and personalities of the four, and they also remembered the quiet, polite young man.
After saying goodbye, life in the yard went on as usual.
Time quickly passed.
In the following days, Li Hao not only assisted Lin Shanhai in refining and purifying pills but was also invited to help out at the alchemy places of the four masters. His frequent appearances began to create a small reputation. Both the attendants of the Pill Masters and those disciples of the Holy Land who buttered up to the attendants heard that there was a pill refining assistant who had won the favor of several senior alchemists…
In Lin Shanhai’s courtyard.
The night sky was dazzling, and sword light flashed.
After completing a set of swordsmanship, Lin Qingyue wiped the sweat from her forehead, then was immediately greeted by the wafting aroma of pastries.
She turned her head and saw the alchemist she had found, carrying a plate of pastries from another part of the yard’s kitchen.
“Are you hungry? Want some snacks?” Li Hao saw her looking and smiled, gesturing with the pastries in his hands.
Lin Qingyue’s eyes were calm, without a response, she continued to practice another sword technique.
During her practice, she also pondered the course of the Sword Momentum.
Gurgle…
Perhaps it was the drifting scent of food, but halfway through her routine, her stomach quietly rumbled.
Lin Qingyue frowned slightly, took a break from her Sword Intent contemplation, and glanced at the pill room, where an old man and a young man were eating and drinking, appearing to be very cheerful.
These two… since when did they get so familiar?
Lin Qingyue paused, a hint of surprise flickering in her eyes. She knew her grandfather’s temperament. Although he seemed easy-going, he had been through many dangers in his early years and was always slightly guarded against others. But now, he seemed extremely amiable toward the alchemist he had brought back.
“Qingyue, if you’re tired, come take a break. Try Qingfeng’s culinary art; it’s really fantastic!” Lin Shanhai called out, holding up a pastry when he saw his granddaughter’s gaze.
Lin Qingyue looked at the pastries, fell silent for a moment, and eventually put away her sword and walked into the pill room.
“Here.”
Li Hao handed over the plate for her to help herself, as someone as fastidious as him would dislike food others had touched.
Lin Qingyue noticed Li Hao’s subtle actions, her eyes sparkled briefly, but she didn’t speak. With her slender fingers like green onions, she lightly picked up a pastry and put it in her mouth.
The instantly melting flavor and ineffable spread of sensation slightly widened Lin Qingyue’s eyes, but she quickly returned to her usual expression, silently chewing a couple of times before tasting quietly.
Li Hao saw she swallowed and, not being stingy, handed the plate over again.
“…”
Lin Qingyue paused, picked another piece, chewed slowly, and after swallowing, she looked at Li Hao and nodded, “The taste is good, thanks for the pastry.”
She then turned and went back outside to the courtyard, resuming her sword practice.
Li Hao was unconcerned, pushing the plate towards Lin Shanhai, and the old and the young casually ate.
From the day Lin Shanhai introduced Li Hao, Li Hao mixed well with Zhao Yingzhen and others, frequently assisting in Lin Shanhai’s courtyard or at their places, even leisurely visiting them.
Lin Shanhai was only interested in alchemy and had no interest in playing chess, calligraphy, fishing, and so on.
But to Li Hao’s surprise, Shi Huajin, the woman, was quite accomplished in chess.
So aside from helping out, Li Hao would occasionally visit Shi Huajin’s peak to discuss Chess Tao during his leisure time.
The alchemists lived in the core area of the Sword Ancestor Holy Land, a secluded environment surrounded by Medicine Mountains, where disciples of the Holy Land typically were not permitted to disturb.
The Sword Ancestor Holy Land was vast, and by combining what he heard from Lin Shanhai and his own reasoning, Li Hao concluded that the area of the Holy Land alone was about twice the size of the Dayu Divine Dynasty, roughly equivalent to the size of thirty-eight states!
The area where Li Hao helped Lin Shanhai with alchemy was as large as a city, yet housed only a few servants and attendants, incredibly quiet and spacious.
It was similar with the others, but Zhao Yingzhen’s Medicine Mountain was bustling with many attendants and disciples, with the entire peak decorated lavishly, like the Imperial Capital in the Mortal World.
“You must’ve put a lot of effort into your chess skills; it’s not something achieved by playing casually,” Shi Huajin made her move in the pavilion on Medicine Mountain, blocking Li Hao’s white pieces after half a month of getting to know the young man, she became more and more interested in him, as he was different from the others she had met before.
“It’s just a casual interest, a little study,” Li Hao said with a smile, his attention on the chessboard. Her playing skill was not poor, about the fifth stage. If he was careless, even as a Chess Path Sixth Stage, he would lose.
Overconfidence leads to defeat, only a remarkable difference in skill level would allow a comeback.
“If you’re willing, I could recommend you to the Holy Land. With our mutual recommendation, you could immediately hold a position as an intermediate Alchemist, with a status comparable to an Inner Sect Disciple of the Holy Land,” Shi Huajin seriously suggested to Li Hao.
Li Hao shook his head slightly; he was here to heal and incidentally improve his Artistic Skill.
The alchemist status didn’t mean much to him.
Seeing Li Hao focused, Shi Huajin also did not say more and focused on making her chess moves.
Black and white pieces mingled on the chessboard, absorbing all of Li Hao’s attention as the board seemed to enlarge in his vision; the gridlines infinitively stretching to envelop him.
He felt as if he became a piece on the board himself.
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That Spirit Light, fleetingly appearing, Li Hao finally caught it.
