Li Hao Drew His Sword

Li Hao Drew His Sword. Yesterday, the sword technique had still seemed a little unfamiliar, but today it already showed the flavor of a swordsman.

The stances were precise, the movements crisp and clean, carrying a nimble feel! A sword dao genius!

At this moment, only these four words surfaced in Lin Haixia's mind.

One had to know, how many days had Bian Ruxue been learning this sword technique? It would already be good if she managed to enter the threshold within half a month.

But now she was actually already proficient, and there was a rare trace of spirituality within her moves. That was the key.

Although he had scolded the little girl harshly a few times yesterday, it had only been because he had seen the child's talent in the sword dao and thought she had hope of becoming a powerful swordswoman in the future, which was why he had been strict and severe.

He had not expected Bian Ruxue's performance today to far exceed his expectations. She was absolutely a sword dao genius, the kind rarely seen in the world!

"Good, very good."

Lin Haixia laughed and nodded again and again. Once Bian Ruxue finished practicing, he asked, "Did you practice by yourself last night?"

Bian Ruxue immediately thought of Brother Li Hao's guidance, but then remembered the other party's stern little face as he had urged and warned her, so she nodded lightly.

Lin Haixia was not surprised. If she had not put in effort last night, it would have been impossible for her to show such performance today.

Only, after merely practicing for one night, she had improved at such divine speed. That was what delighted him.

"This sword technique is a little simple for you. Today, I'll teach you a Superior Sword Art!"

Lin Haixia said.

The previous one had only been an inferior sword art. The Li Family's Listening Rain Pavilion was not a place he had the authority to enter, and the superior sword arts listed inside, even the transcendent sword arts, were not things he was qualified to teach this little girl on behalf of the Li Family.

Unless Li Hao's parents gave the order, otherwise even the current Li Hao himself did not have that qualification.

He was still too young. He could not be master of the household.

"Mm."

Bian Ruxue nodded.

One big and one small, they began practicing a new sword technique in the courtyard again.

One taught, one learned.

Li Hao watched for a couple of glances, felt it was rather boring, then continued pondering his own chess heart.

He pinched a black and a white piece in his hand, flipping them back and forth between his fingertips, rubbing them lightly, while his mind pondered those chess manuals.

Time quietly swept through this courtyard without leaving a trace.

During the day, Li Hao stared blankly at the chessboard by himself.

At night, he would occasionally give Bian Ruxue some pointers and correct a few of her small flaws.

Bian Ruxue's progress in the sword dao advanced at divine speed, making Lin Haixia endlessly pleasantly surprised.

Several months later, in Snowdrift Courtyard.

Li Hao silently stood among the crowd, watching as an elderly man with the bearing of an immortal led away the eight-year-old Li Wushuang to take her off for cultivation.

Fifth Madam sent her off with tears in her eyes, telling Shuang'er to eat properly, listen well, and sleep well.

Li Hao remembered that back when he had still been in swaddling clothes, this little girl had tugged on his mother's trousers, her small eyes sparkling as she sized him up.

Fifth Madam had three children, two daughters and one son. This was her eldest daughter.

During Bone Measurement at the age of five, she had been found to possess a Ninth Grade Battle Body, another heavenly pride of the Li Family.

Now, it was said that she had displayed an extremely high talent for cultivation, gained the notice of an expert, and been accepted as a disciple.

Li Hao had seen such a familiar scene two years ago as well.

At that time, it had been Liu Yuerong's child, taken away by a bald monk chanting Buddhist prayers.

Clearly, that person had been from Boundless Mountain.

Those in the Li Family with supreme talent would mostly enter Great Yu's top forces to cultivate. This was also one of the ways top forces spread their network of connections.

As for those with slightly inferior talent, like Second Madam's second son, who had only been measured to possess a Seventh Grade Battle Body, though he could still be considered a genius, he was clearly a notch below those heavenly prides. In the future, he would enter Tan Palace Academy in Qingzhou City to cultivate.

Compared with Fifth Madam's loving mother's feelings, Li Wushuang's little face was filled with maturity. Like a little adult, she merely nodded calmly and said one word of advice, telling her mother to take care of her health and her father to take care of his health.

Afterward, the little girl's gaze swept across the courtyard, looking once over everyone present.

When it passed over Li Hao, it was only a simple glance. She had long since lost any impression of him.

Among the third-generation children in the residence, the ones she usually heard her mother mention most were only those few, all of them with supreme talent. For example, Second Madam's child, Li Qianfeng, was the target she was currently chasing.

As for the others, she no longer placed them in her eyes.

Soaked in this great vat of martial dao, words spoken by the mother beside her, the instructors who taught martial arts, the household servants, and so on, had all fallen on her ears through what she saw and heard. Although she was still young, her mind had already matured, and there was even a certain sharpness in her eyes. In her heart, she already had the ambition and goal of pursuing the highest peak of martial dao.

After bidding farewell to her parents, amid everyone's send-off, the little girl left with the Daoist just like that.

When he saw her again, it would probably be when she returned to the residence after making a name for herself many years later.

The days returned to calm once more.

In this quiet flow of tranquil years, Li Hao slowly returned to playing chess against himself.

But now, it was no longer for experience. He was simply thinking about each game of chess.

He was trying to defeat himself. When holding the white pieces, he switched his thoughts to the white side. When holding the black pieces, he switched to the black side again. Though the process was somewhat difficult, it gave him a feeling of challenge.

To battle oneself, the joy was endless.

In this world, entertainment was scarce. Gradually, Li Hao came to like this feeling of focusing on something, especially when there was also the pleasure of challenge within it.

Thus the maids would occasionally see the young master startle and cry out.

For example, when eating quietly, he would suddenly shout, "Aiya, that move should have gone there!" wearing a face full of regret.

Sometimes he would even point at the flower bed and ask the maids beside him, "Look at that patch of flowers. Doesn't it look like a chess game?"

The maids: ???

They did not understand. They completely did not understand.

But if the young master said it was, then it was.

After all, he was their own young master. What else could they do? Go along with it.

When Li Hao was six years old, Lin Haixia found Li Hao and said he would teach him techniques.

He moved over a weapon rack and let Li Hao choose the weapons on it to practice with one by one, just like when he had chosen a weapon for Bian Ruxue back then.

It was just that, considering Li Hao's bones were not like Bian Ruxue's top-tier battle body, he had chosen to delay it for a year, lest training too early instead affect the development of his bones.

Only then did Li Hao learn that the reason this powerful man from the army had still remained in the residence was precisely to teach him techniques.

"Can't I not cultivate?" Li Hao had been dragged up early in the morning. Yawning, he only wanted to climb back into bed.

"Practice techniques first. If the commander finds a way in the future and can help open your meridians, you'll be able to step onto the path of cultivation immediately, and your techniques won't have fallen behind," Lin Haixia said. This was his plan: train first, and be prepared.

What if he could cultivate in the future? Then it would be of use, would it not?

"And what if it doesn't work?" Li Hao asked.

"You'd be idle anyway," Lin Haixia said flatly.

Li Hao felt like spitting blood. What kind of words were those?

Being idle was still better than suffering exhaustion!

But Lin Haixia had clearly steeled his heart. No matter how Li Hao tried to persuade him, it was useless. In the end, his face darkened, and he directly took out a bamboo strip with a stern look, ready to hit him if he disobeyed again.

Li Hao was not afraid of pain. After all, with his current physical body, unless Lin Haixia truly used a ruthless hand, it would basically just be scratching an itch.

But seeing the other party be so serious, he could only temporarily avoid his edge.

Li Hao picked up the weapons and practiced with them one by one, only wanting to go through the motions. Saber, spear, staff, and cudgel were all waved in a completely shapeless manner.

When he picked up the sword, the little girl stood beside him with a face full of expectation, clenching her little fists as she encouraged him, "Hao Ge, good luck!"

Li Hao was somewhat speechless. He casually waved it a few times and ended it sloppily.

Lin Haixia's face darkened, as if he had seen through this little fellow's thoughts, and said, "Among these weapons, if you don't pick one today and practice it to my satisfaction, you're not allowed to rest, and you're not allowed to touch that damned chessboard again!"

"Uncle Lin!" Li Hao wailed.

"Practice!" Lin Haixia gnashed his teeth and ignored Li Hao's plea.

Li Hao could only pick up a saber and start swinging it, but his mind was not on cultivation. Though he looked serious, there was no method to it at all.

Seeing that Li Hao was interested in the saber, Lin Haixia taught him move by move, beginning from the simplest stance.

Seeing him be so serious, Li Hao became even more afraid to practice. If he let him see signs and hope, would he not spend every day filling him with fighting spirit? Forget ever having peace.

Therefore, when Lin Haixia taught him, he nodded repeatedly and said he knew, he knew.

Once the saber was in his hands, he swung it again in a dazed, muddled mess.

It was as if his hands and feet were saying, know your sister! After the entire afternoon passed, Lin Haixia wanted to curse someone's mother too.

Even the lowest-grade saber technique had not taken any shape. This meant he did not have even a bit of comprehension in the martial dao.

He could not help thinking of certain geniuses.

Some people had extremely high talent in certain aspects, but in other aspects, they knew absolutely nothing, even worse than ordinary people.

And Li Hao seemed to be this type.

Unfortunately, his talent had been used in the wrong place.

Chess skill... what kind of damn thing did that count as?! Lin Haixia even began to hate it, why in the world would someone be so bored as to invent such a thing? It was simply deserving of death! But after the hatred passed, grief rose in his heart again. Was he truly unable to help the young master? He hated his own incompetence, hated that he could not repay the commander's kindness.

After forcing Li Hao to practice for another half a month, Lin Haixia finally despaired and gave up.

He told Li Hao that the war in Northern Yan had recently undergone some changes, and he would have to leave after some time.

Li Hao looked at this man and knew that his heart had already died.

During this period, seeing the man's sorrowful appearance, he felt both moved and ashamed.

The other party had hated the chessboard, hated his own inability to teach, but only had not hated Li Hao.

"Uncle Lin, tell me, if someone who can't cultivate martial dao walks the path of body refining instead, and pairs it with techniques, can they become an expert?"

Sitting in the courtyard, Li Hao looked at the man beside him, who was drinking again, and asked.

Lin Haixia set the wine down beside him, thought for a moment, and said with absolute certainty, "Yes!"

Immediately after, he continued, "I once saw an expert in the army with a powerful physical body and spear techniques that had reached the point of spirits appearing and gods transforming. He could also be considered at the level of a strong one."

He turned his head to look at Li Hao, but his eyes quickly dimmed again. "Young master, I know you are clever and can endure hardship. If you walk the path of body refining, you can definitely bear it, but your comprehension..."

He did not continue. His heart was bleak. Previously, making Li Hao cultivate techniques had also been with this thought in mind.

Li Hao looked at him in considerable surprise and said, "I sleep until the sun is three poles high every day, and you say I can endure hardship?"

Lin Haixia shook his head slightly, a bitter smile appearing at the corner of his mouth. "I've seen the way you play chess. I know you can endure hardship. It's just that you don't like to endure hardship."

From Li Hao, he had seen the possibility of becoming a top expert.

That was cleverness, temperament, and diligence.

But only martial dao aptitude and martial dao comprehension were missing.

These two things just happened to be the entry ticket to martial dao.

If one could not even enter the door, how could there be any talk of a first-class seat? This also caused the sky-filling cultivation resources inside the Divine General Residence to pile up before Li Hao, yet they were only an empty mountain.

Hearing Lin Haixia's words, Li Hao felt slightly surprised. He tilted his head and glanced at the man, then fell silent again.

The night wind blew over. One person continued drinking, while the other silently gazed at the night sky, where a shooting star seemed to streak past. Whose general's star had fallen this time? Two months later.

Lin Haixia was leaving, and formally bid farewell to Li Hao.

Li Hao waited for him in the inner courtyard. The vast courtyard was empty and deserted. He had the servants of the inner courtyard withdraw to the outer courtyard, and only he saw him off.

"Does Uncle Lin think it's too lonely?" Li Hao stood with his small hands clasped behind his back and asked with a smile.

Lin Haixia sighed softly and said, "I don't care about these empty formalities. Rather, you, Xue'er will be left for you to look after. That girl has extremely high talent in the sword dao. In the future, she will definitely achieve great things. Treat her well, and in the future, she will protect you."

At this moment, there was a complicated look in his eyes, as well as sighing emotion and release.

At this point, he had already completely given up on Li Hao practicing martial arts.

Back then, full of expectation and hot blood, he had come to the Divine General Residence, originally wanting to do all he could and use all his heart's blood to properly nurture the commander's youngest son and repay his kindness.

Now, however, he was leaving in desolation with a heart full of regret. His heart was somewhat pained.

Li Hao smiled slightly and said, "Uncle Lin, when we met, I had nothing to give you. Today, now that you're leaving, I'll give you a small gift."

"I don't want any gift, and I don't have the face to accept one. As long as you're doing well, that's enough." Lin Haixia felt slightly gratified, but had no real interest in the gift Li Hao mentioned. He lacked nothing.

Li Hao did not speak, only slowly walked to the side of the weapon rack.

Lin Haixia was stunned and looked at him in confusion.

Afterward, he saw Li Hao slowly draw a sword from it.

"This sword is for Uncle Lin."

"Your disciple thanks you for your teachings!"

Li Hao said softly.

Then, the sword rose.

His posture was graceful as drifting snow. The sword light in his hand was like surging, raging ocean waves, flashing out countless sword flowers in an instant, intricate and exquisite, gorgeous to the extreme.

Supreme Perfection, Boundless Sea, Tidal Swordplay! At this moment, that dazzling and resplendent sword light illuminated the entire empty inner courtyard.

Likewise, it also shone in Lin Haixia's eyes, reflecting his dark, contracting pupils until they glowed snow-white and bright.