Sword Saint

Bian Ruxue won.

With one sword stroke, she sent Li Dongbai's sword flying, and at the same time thrust her blade to half an inch before his throat.

The boy was so startled his body went rigid. When he came back to himself, he quickly retreated several steps before staring in fear at this half-grown girl.

This scene was beyond everyone's expectations. They all looked at Bian Ruxue in disbelief. Li Dongbai had cultivated here for eight years, yet he was no match for this little girl who had cultivated for one year. Was this the gap in talent? Bian Ruxue withdrew her sword, a brilliant smile appearing on her small face. She had won.

Immediately after, she lifted her head and looked at the boy before her, saying seriously, "I want you to apologize to Brother Hao."

Apologize? Apologize to that cripple? Li Dongbai came back to himself, and his face instantly flushed scarlet with shame. He gnashed his teeth and said, "I admit I lost to you, but I will never apologize!"

"You..." Bian Ruxue furrowed her little brows, somewhat at a loss for what to do.

She thought for a moment, then said, "If you don't apologize, I'll compete with you again."

"Childish!"

Li Dongbai was furious. He turned and ran down from the platform. Feeling the gazes cast over by the others, he said nothing and charged straight out of the Martial Arts Arena.

The old man from the army did not stop the boy from leaving. After suffering a setback, there were some things one had to comprehend for oneself.

On the contrary, this little girl left him somewhat amazed. The exquisiteness of that sword strike had already come extremely close to the perfect level.

And this was a high-grade sword art, one with quite a high difficulty in cultivation.

What the Ninth Grade Battle Body granted was only cultivation speed, not the speed of training techniques. It was clear that Bian Ruxue's talent in the sword dao was as rarely seen in the world as her cultivation aptitude! "Was it just one small defeat yesterday that spurred out her potential?" the old man from the army could not help secretly chuckling in his heart.

In the arena, the Branch Family Disciples looked at the little girl's figure, their gazes quite complicated.

They had not only seen Li Dongbai's proud defeat in this battle, but also seen the gap between themselves, as branch family children, and the children from those great courtyards.

"Xue'er, you're amazing."

Several small figures ran toward Bian Ruxue as she stepped down from the platform. They were the brother and sister from the Fifth Courtyard, as well as Li Yuanzhao from the Sixth Courtyard.

They were the same age as Bian Ruxue, with only a few months' difference before and after. The youngest was Li Yun's younger sister, Li Zhining, who had just turned six this year and had only recently come to the Martial Arts Arena.

As for their elder sister, Li Wushuang, she had long since left the residence to follow a famous master in cultivation.

It's Brother Hao who's amazing... Bian Ruxue thought inwardly.

The three children gathered around Bian Ruxue, chattering noisily about the excitement just now. The one who spoke the most enthusiastically was Li Yun, Li Wushuang's younger brother.

"Xue'er, do you want some milk-crisp cakes?"

Li Yun suddenly took out a small wooden lunch box with exquisite decorations. He gently opened it, and a rich milky fragrance drifted out. Inside were soft, glutinous cakes as white as jade. "For you."

Bian Ruxue sniffed with the tip of her nose. It smelled so fragrant. Her eyes shone brightly as she said happily, "All for me?"

"If you like them, take them all." Li Yun grinned.

"Thank you."

Bian Ruxue did not forget to thank him, and put them all away.

It was now also the time when the day's cultivation ended. She waved her little hand, then carried the small lunch box in one hand, hugged her sword in the other, and left.

Li Yun watched her departing back and chuckled foolishly.

Beside him, his younger sister Li Zhining lifted her little face and said in puzzlement, "Brother, wasn't that prepared for you by Mother? I haven't even tasted any yet."

"If you want to eat some, just have Mother make more for you later. Xue'er hasn't eaten them before." Li Yun smiled foolishly, not caring in the least.

Li Zhining gave a soft snort, puffed out her little cheeks in jealousy, and turned to leave.

"Ningning, you can eat mine." Beside her, Li Yuanzhao's short, plump little figure chased after her, saying with a grin.

"I don't care for it!" the little girl snapped, angrily swatting it away.

In the pavilion, Li Hao's chess game had only reached the halfway point when he heard Bian Ruxue had returned.

He casually glanced over. Seeing the smile on the little girl's face that she could not conceal, he already had the answer in his heart. He continued staring at the chessboard and placed a piece.

"What made you so happy? Tell me so I can be happy too."

"I won."

Bian Ruxue jogged into the pavilion and said joyfully, her eyes blinking as she stared at Li Hao, waiting for praise as though claiming credit.

Li Hao smiled and placed another piece. "As expected of Xue'er. Amazing."

Receiving this praise, the smile on the little girl's face bloomed even more. She said, "Brother Hao, you play first. In a bit, I'll give you something tasty."

"Oh?"

Li Hao noticed the wooden box in her hand, but did not ask further. He continued slaughtering across the chessboard with Li Fu, and very soon finished this game.

Li Fu's chess skill counted as ordinary amateur level. He had not even entered the ranks. This caused Li Hao, whenever he played against him, to only gain one or two points of experience each time, and so he could not help often feeling resentful in his heart that the assassin had struck too early...

"What good thing is it?"

Li Hao turned around carelessly and looked at the wooden box beside her.

Bian Ruxue temporarily placed her sword on the chair, carried the food box to the table, and opened the lid. A milky fragrance drifted out. "It's milk-crisp cakes someone gave me. They look very tasty. Brother Hao, have a taste."

"Who gave them to you?" Li Hao did not take one immediately, instead asking vigilantly in his heart.

Bian Ruxue was stunned. She thought for a moment, then shook her head and said, "I forgot to ask his name, but Brother Hao, you should know him. He's the one we often run into when we go pay our morning respects to First Madam."

"Those children?" Li Hao was surprised.

Li Fu rolled his eyes at him. You brat, aren't you a child too?

However, he had long since grown used to Li Hao's way of speaking like an old man leaning on seniority.

"Mm." Bian Ruxue nodded.

Li Hao relaxed slightly. "You girl, honestly. You've been cultivating with them in the Martial Arts Arena for a year at any rate, how can you not even remember their names?"

Bian Ruxue looked at him somewhat aggrievedly. "They never told me."

"They definitely did. Even if they didn't, the attendants nearby would have mentioned them. It's you who wasn't paying attention," Li Hao said irritably.

"Then I'll ask again next time." Bian Ruxue said with a gloomy little face.

Li Hao said, "You have to fit in a little more, otherwise you'll be bullied in the future."

"I won't." Bian Ruxue immediately raised her head, a slight pride showing on her little face. "Teacher said my talent is very good, and I'll be very powerful in the future. When the time comes, I'll protect Brother Hao too, and never let anyone bully you again."

"It's enough if you protect yourself. I haven't been bullied," Li Hao said. Every day he played chess in the courtyard, took strolls, and was so comfortable it was ridiculous. This basically counted as retiring early.

"You brat, Xue'er is offering you her sincere feelings. What kind of attitude is that?" Li Fu could not bear watching and scolded him.

Li Hao looked at him helplessly. This fellow was not that old, only in his forties, so why was he like an old stick-in-the-mud?

Too lazy to argue, Li Hao said to him, "Uncle Fu, you try them first. Test for poison. Although those children aren't bad people, I'm afraid they might be used by someone."

Li Fu nodded slightly, then glanced at Li Hao again. This brat always made people feel very contradictory. Sometimes he was extremely meticulous, and sometimes he was a little unable to tell good from bad.

Picking up a milk-crisp cake and eating it, Li Fu closed his eyes.

A moment later, Li Hao grew somewhat impatient from waiting and asked, "How is it? It should be fine, right? Say something, Uncle Fu."

"The taste is good," Li Fu opened his eyes and said.

Li Hao rolled his eyes at him and immediately said to Bian Ruxue, "Hurry up and eat, don't let them get cold."

As he spoke, he also picked up a piece and tasted it. The flavor was indeed good. He said, "It's a bit like Fifth Madam's handiwork. Was the guy who gave them to you Li Yun, or his younger sister Li Zhining?"

"The brother." Bian Ruxue could still distinguish between elder brother and younger sister.

"Next time, have that kid bring more. Who's supposed to get enough from this little?" Li Hao swept through them like wind rolling up clouds, though he left the other half for Bian Ruxue.

"Mm." Bian Ruxue nodded, keeping it in mind.

Li Fu secretly shook his head from the side. This brat was so young, yet why did he have a shameless air all over him? It was truly somewhat different from the solemn and dignified style of the Li Family.

Several days later, an honored guest suddenly arrived at the Divine General Residence.

There was a slight stir within the residence. When the madams of the various courtyards received the news, they all hurried over to pay a visit. They had learned that this honored guest was actually that person from the Sword Hermitage.

If they could climb into some relationship with him and have their own children take him as master, their future achievements would certainly be extraordinary.

Among them, those concubine madams were especially proactive. Their children's cultivation resources could not compare with those of the legitimate line, and so many of the things at the top had to be fought for by themselves.

He Jianlan received guests in the Evergreen Courtyard. Sensing the elegant, fluttering figures frequently passing back and forth outside the courtyard, she also knew these people's thoughts in her heart. She did not blame them for anything. Only when she heard what this legendary Sword Saint before her said did a few traces of surprise appear on her face.

After some conversation, He Jianlan nodded slightly, rose, and accompanied him to see him off.

Before long, the Mountains and Rivers Courtyard welcomed a liveliness it had not seen in a long while. A large crowd of figures rushed over.

Li Hao, who was playing chess in the pavilion, heard the commotion and was somewhat surprised. Soon after, he saw First Madam at the lead, and beside her was an old man with snow-white hair hanging long.

The old man's brows were sharp, his cheekbones quite prominent, and he looked extremely tough and lean.

Beside this unfamiliar old man was another old man, the old man from the army in the Martial Arts Arena. Li Hao had met him several times, so he could be considered familiar.

"What's going on?" Li Hao was completely baffled.

Sitting opposite him, Li Fu saw that white-haired old man, and his pupils shrank. So frightened, he hurriedly stood up.

While feeling shocked, he abruptly thought of something, and immediately grew secretly excited.

Li Hao rarely saw Uncle Fu this excited, and immediately understood that the unfamiliar old man was a major figure. It was just that there were not many figures who could make the Li Family treat them this way.

Looking at the unfinished chess game, Li Hao felt slightly helpless, but could only set it aside for now and turn his head, waiting quietly.

"Li Fu."

When He Jianlan saw Li Fu, she immediately waved gently to him. Then she also called to Li Hao, "Hao'er, come here quickly."

Li Hao could only get up and walk over.

"Where is Xue'er?" He Jianlan asked again.

Li Hao pointed toward another part of the courtyard. "Practicing sword over there."

"Xue Jian, go call Xue'er over," He Jianlan instructed the maid beside her.