Gripping the Sword Again (Second Update)

"Transcendent Saint Talent!"

The Green Hill Mountain Daoist didn't keep him in suspense any longer. His face showed not only surprise but also excitement as he said, "Young Master's physique far surpasses that of Ninth Grade Battle Body. I haven't seen anything like it in thousands of years!"

After submitting to Great Yu, Green Hill Mountain lived a life of peace and tranquility. He was an extremely old fox on Green Hill Mountain, with extensive knowledge and experience.

"Oh?"

Li Tianzong's eyes shone, Transcendent Saint Talent?!

Chen Hefang and the others were also shocked and looked at the Green Hill Mountain Daoist in astonishment.

"Generally, Ninth Grade Battle Body possesses at least one main bone within its body, such as the Golden Iron Divine Jade, which contains a seven-colored dark light, with flowing patterns on its surface—this is of the highest grade!"

The Green Hill Mountain Daoist exclaimed excitedly, "And the young master's entire skeletal system is like that!"

"All 72 main bones radiated Divine Radiance, with flowing patterns, resembling Innate Dao Markings!"

"Once the young master embarks on the path of cultivation, he will surely soar to great heights, comparable to a reincarnated Sage. His cultivation path will likely be unstoppable, breaking through realms as easily as eating and drinking, unmatched by anyone!!"

Hearing the old Daoist's words, Chen Hefang and the others came to their senses and looked at Li Hao with a mixture of surprise and delight.

This is the legendary qualification evaluation!

Normally, Ninth Grade Battle Body is already the limit, but Li Hao's entire body is made of Divine Bone, and his divine appearance is as beautiful as jade, comparable to a Saint Transcendent!

True Sage have always been legends. It is said that Sage live in seclusion and are Transcendent. Currently, the person in the Great Yu Dynasty who is closest to Sage is the True Person of the Qian Dao Palace.

"Good, good, good! You truly are my son!"

Li Tianzong burst into laughter, his face beaming with pride.

"Congratulations, Gong-rank Noble! Congratulations, Madam!"

The Green Hill Mountain Daoist bowed to offer his congratulations, his eyes sweeping over the child beside him. He was secretly astonished; such talent was even more terrifying than that of the Great Yu Forefather Emperor.

This branch of the Li Family is full of talented people, and they will likely lead the Li Family to glory once again!

"As expected of the Tenth Child!"

"Wow, Tenth Child, you've secretly pulled ahead of us by a huge margin!"

"Ninth Brother, you've been outdone by Tenth Child!"

The other "Older Brother" excitedly gathered around Li Hao, some hooking their arms around Li Hao shoulders, some around his neck, and others vigorously ruffling Li Hao hair, all looking surprised and excited.

Li Junye, the ninth brother who is two years older than Li Hao, is now seven years old and has already shown amazing comprehension and talent in the Martial Arts Arena.

But being a child, he was overjoyed with Li Hao and said, "Tenth Brother, in another year, you'll be able to cultivate too!"

"Won't we get caught by the Tenth Child?"

"Looks like we'll have to work even harder."

The other "Older Brother" all laughed.

Li Hao looked at the "uncles" surrounding him with a strange expression. Although he knew his current status, he joined them and was promoted to a higher seniority.

But this kind of interaction still made him feel somewhat awkward.

As his gaze swept over them, seeing their genuine smiles, Li Hao could feel the unbreakable brotherly bond between them.

However, this is also thanks to the guidance of elders, and the fact that they are siblings from the same mother.

Li Hao felt somewhat uncomfortable with the passion and excitement of these physical touches and wanted to skip them.

But now that he's under so much attention, he worries that if he skips it, he'll look different from his "managed" self, and a direct comparison would reveal his flaws. So he has to be patient for now.

"You little rascal, you're something else!"

"How come they're the smartest when they're young? Does that mean Mom saved all the good genes for later?"

"Are you asking for a beating? Are you implying that your Eldest Brother is the least intelligent?"

"Hey, stop pinching me! It hurts!"

Li Hao was surrounded by many "Older Brother" who played and joked around, sometimes using Li Hao's body as a shield.

Li Hao was being pulled around a bit, his head becoming a mess.

Seeing these cheerful and joyful fellows, he felt a little helpless. His mature soul prevented him from joining in their merriment. But for some reason, this atmosphere made him feel comfortable and at ease.

That very day, Li Tianzong announced the news and held a grand banquet.

The mansion was bustling with activity.

Li Hao looked at the brightly lit Divine General Residence, and at the Nine Sons of the Li Family who were laughing, joking, and chasing each other at the banquet, but his eyes were somewhat dazed.

Is this what the Li Family used to look like?

Compared to those desolate Courtyard where only women remained, things are much more lively now.

The most lively time will surely come when they all get married.

But for some reason, even though he was in the midst of this lively scene, Li Hao felt as if he were detached from it all.

Despite the noise around him, his heart was calmer and more composed than ever before, and he even had the illusion that the night was getting colder.

Because he knew that such a harmonious scene no longer existed in the Li Family outside the Mo River.

And he was no longer a member of the Li Family.

"Tenth Child, what are you thinking about?"

The eldest brother Li Xingbei. He had previously clinked glasses with the nobles and dignitaries who had come to offer their congratulations. Now, he circled around to Li Hao and said with a smile:

"Is the food not to your liking? Tell your Eldest Brother, and I'll have someone get you a different table."

"Is the Tenth Child nervous because of the crowd? Haha, no need to be nervous. Even three thousand nobles and dignitaries must bow their heads before the Li Family!"

The second brother Li Fengping, also came over, chuckled, but lowered his voice as he spoke.

After saying that, he threw his head back and laughed heartily.

"Several Gong-rank Noble just came to propose marriage to the Tenth Child!" said the third prince, Li Jianming, with a smile. He was only about fifteen years old and looked like a spirited young man.

Li Hao remembered that his third uncle seemed to have died in the frontier while suppressing a demon. His only daughter went to the Border Pass to join the army to avenge her father and had not returned to the Li Manor for many years.

"That's right, many people came to propose to the ninth son back then, but Father rejected them all."

Li Xingbei laughed and said, "Now that the Tenth Child Heavenly Talent is even more talented, even if the Imperial Clan came to propose marriage, Father would have to think twice."

They gathered around Li Hao and talked. Li Hao sat at the table, listening silently. When he saw several more figures approaching from a distance, including the one that caught his eye, he turned his gaze away, closed his eyes, and quickly skipped over it.

The sounds of laughter and conversation quickly faded away, the scenery changed, and a wave of weakness washed over me.

Li Hao was surprised to find himself lying on a bed.

He reached out to touch it, but felt that his arm was limp and powerless.

As if sensing his Awakening, a figure dozing beside him jolted awake, jumped up, and rushed to the bedside:

"Tenth Child, how are you feeling? Are you feeling any better?"

Li Hao looked at the other person's face and, based on his memory of Bone Measurement earlier, remembered that the other person was Li Ziye, the Sixth Brother of the Li Family.

That is, Li Yuanzhao's father.

However, Li Ziye was only a little over ten years old at the time, and looked very young.

But the concern and anxiety in his eyes were genuine.

Perhaps because of Li Yuanzhao, Li Hao felt a surge of goodwill upon seeing him and asked with a puzzled expression, "Sixth Brother?"

"You're finally awake. Earlier at the banquet, Demon disguised as a prince nearly attacked and killed you."

Li Ziye seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, and immediately started shouting at the top of his lungs towards the outside.

Demon attack... Li Hao felt a chill in his heart. He was only five years old, yet the Demon couldn't wait to attack him and even managed to infiltrate the Divine General Residence.

It's unclear whether it's due to a flaw in the Mo River, or if the Demon truly possessed special infiltration skills.

"Fortunately, Fourth Uncle intervened in time and killed that Demon," Li Ziye said to Li Hao.

Upon hearing this, Li Hao secretly breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that Fourth Master had been keeping an eye on him all along, which was why he was able to act in time.

"My Eldest Brother and the others were also injured and are recovering," Li Ziye said.

Li Hao asked, "Apart from me, are the others alright?"

"It's nothing serious, just minor injuries. That Demon's main targets were you and Ninth Brother."

Li Ziye said, "Ninth Brother was standing quite far away, so his injuries aren't serious."

"That's good." Li Hao was relieved.

At this moment, as news of his Awakening spread, many people rushed over.

"Tenth Child, are you alright?" Chen Hefang rushed over, her face filled with anxiety and concern.

Li Hao also saw the other "Older Brother," but not Li Tianzong, and asked, "Where's Dad?"

"Father went outside the city to slay a demon and seek justice for you," said the second son Li Fengping, whose forehead was bandaged, suggesting he was injured.

Li Hao remained silent for a moment.

He knew he needed to intensify his cultivation.

Li Hao's gaze swept across their faces one by one, then he closed his eyes, accelerating the recovery process.

When Li Hao opened his eyes again, he found himself in a side room with Drawing Board in front of him. His body had fully recovered, and the feeling of weakness had disappeared.

The crowd that had gathered around him was gone, and the stark contrast of emptiness made him Pause for a moment, but he quickly recovered and picked up his pen to start drawing.

While painting, Li Hao was also thinking about how to expand his skills and increase his Art Skill Point as soon as possible.

When Li Hao was halfway through painting, the door was pushed open, and Li Hao saw that it was Li Hongzhuang who pushed the door open and came in.

Li Hongzhuang is now three years old and has begun her Foundation Establishment.

Li Hao asked, "Have you finished your Foundation Establishment today?"

"Um."

Li Hongzhuang nodded. Although she was only three years old, she was extremely well-behaved and sensible, and also showed her intelligence and cleverness. She said:

"Tenth Brother, why do you draw every day?"

Because I like it.

"Tenth Brother, do you like wearing Hongzhuang?"

"I like it too."

"Then you should spend more time with Hongzhuang."

Li Hongzhuang walked over, tugged at Li Hao's sleeve, and said expectantly.

Li Hao was speechless. This little guy had even learned to use words to trick people.

"Alright, Older Brother, I'll keep you company," Li Hao said, becoming increasingly accustomed to and adept at his current identity.

"Hmph, Tenth Brother only knows how to do his own thing and doesn't play with Hongzhuang at all."

Li Hongzhuang pouted.

Li Hao immediately offered a suggestion: play hide-and-seek with her.

Upon hearing Li Hongzhuang's eyes lit up, and she immediately agreed, then ran out.

Li Hao dismissed her and then took over the painting.

When I got tired of working, I suddenly thought that I could go to the Kitchen to accumulate Path of Cooking experience first. Art Skill Point are quite easy to obtain in the early stages.

While you're at it, you can also find some dry firewood in the Kitchen and learn the Path of Carving.

Li Hao went out, only to find Li Hongzhuang standing at the door with a sullen expression. Li Hao asked in surprise, "What are you doing here?"

"Tenth Brother, why aren't you coming to see me!"

Li Hongzhuang angrily.

Li Hao was speechless for a moment, then coughed lightly and said, "I've already looked everywhere. I couldn't find you anywhere. I thought you were hiding here, so I came back."

"Tenth Brother is lying."

Li Hongzhuang said angrily, "I was just hiding in the flower bed in the yard by the door."

"..."

Li Hao was speechless. This clever little devil was really hard to fool.

"Come on, let me take you to make something to eat." Li Hao immediately changed the subject and led her towards the Kitchen.

Li Hongzhuang, who was only three years old, was quickly intrigued by Li Hao and asked curiously, "What are you doing?"

You'll know when you get there.

Li Hao smiled and led Li Hongzhuang to the Kitchen. The servants there hurriedly bowed when they saw Li Hao.

Li Hao, however, appeared quite mature. He asked them to clear out the stove and then brought out the ingredients, inviting Li Hongzhuang to join in the cooking.

Children, especially little girls, seem to have an innate love for playing house. They quickly forgot about Li Hao's earlier trickery and began to knead and wash the ingredients with their little hands. Their little faces were extremely serious as they arranged each washed ingredient neatly on a plate.

"Young Master..."

Many servants from the Kitchen rushed over and stood by as if facing a formidable enemy, fearing that something might happen to Li Hao.

At the same time, they were also curiously observing this young master, whose fame was known throughout the entire Divine General Residence. Normally, they, as servants in the kitchen, were not qualified to see those dazzling direct descendants.

As the fire started in the kitchen, Li Hao began preparing the meal with methodical skill.

"Older Brother, can we pour it in now?"

"Later, I'll let you pour it again."

"Good!"

"Older Brother, should we add the scallions last?"

"Um."

Li Hongzhuang stood to the side, clearly becoming Li Hao's number one assistant.

Seeing the increase in experience points, Li Hao smiled. This meant that before he started cultivating at the age of six, he should be able to accumulate another four or five Art Skill Points.

Before long, the servants outside suddenly knelt down in panic:

"Please calm down, sir."

Two figures approached, dressed in luxurious clothes; they were Li Tianzong and Chen Hefang.

The couple were stunned to see Li Hao standing on a stool, stirring the food in the kitchen. They had only come over after hearing the message from the servants.

At this moment, Li Tianzong had finished slaying the demon outside the city, removed his armor and changed into brocade robes. Half a month had Past since Li Hao was injured at the banquet.

"Tenth Child, what are you doing?"

Li Tianzong couldn't help but ask, "Who taught you to come to a place like this?"

Seeing his furrowed brows, Li Hao's heart tightened slightly, and he thought of an excuse, "I want to cook for you."

Li Hongzhuang nodded and smiled, showing her teeth, "Father, Mother, we'll be done soon. Would you like some?"

Li Tianzong and Chen Hefang were both speechless. Cooking was a servant's job; how could they be so disrespectful to their own bodies?

However, seeing the tension in Li Hao's eyes and the radiant face of Li Hongzhuang, they exchanged a glance, and their expressions softened.

Before they could speak, Li Hao lifted the lid and said, "The food is ready, sprinkle some salt."

Li Hongzhuang immediately stopped laughing, her face tense, and carefully scooped out a few grains of salt while holding the salt shaker.

"Not enough."

Then I scooped up another half spoonful.

"Not enough, more."

A large spoonful of salt was immediately sprinkled in.

Li Hao was speechless for a moment, then immediately used a spatula to scoop up some of the mixture and said, "That's enough, that's enough."

I thought to myself that next time, I should handle the seasoning myself.

Then, with great effort, he ladled all the food out of the pot. Glancing at the couple who seemed hesitant to speak, Li Hao chuckled and said, "Why don't you try some?"

Li Tianzong glanced at him, then picked up a piece of meat and vegetables and ate it. He slurped it a couple of times because it was hot, then nodded nonchalantly and said, "Hmm, not bad."

"Use chopsticks."

Chen Hefang sighed helplessly; men were all too rough. She took the chopsticks handed to her by the maid, picked up some food gently, and began to eat, her brows furrowing slightly.

But seeing Li Tianzong's smiling face beside him, he could only say helplessly, "You've all worked hard, it's rare to see someone so thoughtful. Go wash your hands and come back with us."

"Yes, bring this dish with you too. My son's cooking suits my taste perfectly. And bring me a small pot of wine; I want to savor it slowly."

Li Tianzong gave the instructions.

Li Hao was somewhat surprised, as he didn't even have a first-class Cooking; his limited culinary skills were entirely due to his experience of being single in his previous life.

He picked up a piece of meat and started eating, but almost spat it out immediately—it was indeed too salty!

Seeing Li Hao's wrinkled little face, Li Tianzong laughed and said:

"Put less salt next time. Don't waste this meat. Farmers work very hard, risking attacks from Demon. We work from sunrise to sunset, so we must treat our food well."

Li Hao paused for a moment, then nodded slightly. "Understood."

Before leaving, he found two more pieces of wood and took them with him.

"What are you doing bringing this?" Chen Hefang asked in surprise.

Li Hao said seriously, "I want to sculpt a little figure for you."

"Huh? You can carve?" Li Tianzong asked in surprise as he walked ahead.

"I don't know how yet, but I can learn."

"Don't focus all your attention on this. You've already Bone Measurement; you should be studying Martial Arts Cultivation Method more. You're about to embark on your cultivation journey," Chen Hefang advised helplessly.

Li Tianzong nodded slightly. "Your main job is to practice martial arts. If you like these things, just play around with them, but don't take them too seriously, understand?"

"I know."

Seeing that their attitude wasn't too forceful or hostile, Li Hao secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Back in the courtyard, Li Hao asked Uncle Zhao for a small knife and began Sculpting.

With the addition of the Path of Carving, Li Hao once again embarked on a journey to accumulate experience.

And the figures he Sculpting became increasingly lifelike and expressive.

Time flies.

Li Hao had to jump through time every two days. After all, his five-year-old body, which hadn't been cultivated, was still not strong enough to sustain him for long periods without rest, even though his Divine Bone were like jade and his physique was much stronger than that of an ordinary child.

After two or three jumps, Li Hao turned six years old.

During his time-jumping process, his original skills in Sculpting, Painting Dao, and other arts continued to accumulate experience along the predetermined path.

Currently, Li Hao has achieved the Fifth Dan in Painting Dao, the second dan in Path of Cooking, and the Third Dan in Path of Carving.

I also have 5 Art Skill!

"Tenth Child, this is your first time cultivating. Take a look at these weapons, which one do you like?"

Li Tianzong brought Li Hao to the Martial Arts Arena, where, in addition to the many "Older Brother" practicing martial arts, there were also direct descendants and Concubine-born Disciples of the Li Family from other courtyards.

Li Hao saw a young face inside, somewhat similar to Li He.

In addition, there is another face, like Li Fu.

Li Fu did not live in the main courtyard of the Divine General Residence, but was cared for as Li Tianzong's illegitimate son, residing in the illegitimate son's courtyard.

Li Hao wasted no time and his gaze fell on the weapons. He immediately noticed the weapon placed second: a longsword.

Li Hao stepped forward, picked up the sword, and swung it a few times with practiced ease.

After all, he had reached the first rank in Sword Dao.

"You like swords? Then give it a try."

Li Tianzong smiled slightly and gestured to the Instructor in the Martial Arts Arena to teach Li Hao basic Swordsmanship.

The other person stepped forward politely, picked up a sword and demonstrated it once, then said, "Young master, have you memorized everything I just demonstrated? See how well you can imitate it and let me see your aptitude for Sword Dao."

Li Hao immediately raised his hand, Sword Light flashed forth.