Showing Off and Letters

Very soon, Li Muxiu descended onto the fishing platform from before.

His gaze swept over it, but there was no sign of Li Hao. His expression changed at once. He quickly scanned the surroundings and immediately saw Li Hao near a mound of earth a thousand meters away, crouched low to the ground, hiding there as he fished.

"Sure enough, he couldn't keep his temper in check?"

Li Muxiu shook his head slightly and was just about to hurry over when, out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly saw a fish demon with its skull smashed in.

He paused in slight surprise, then his figure flickered, appearing before the fish demon as if by teleportation.

After examining it carefully, he discovered that the wound had been smashed out by brute force with a fist.

Li Muxiu reached out and touched the fish demon's body, sensing it carefully. His expression immediately changed.

Circulation Realm? And around the third level! This fish demon... was beaten to death by that little fellow?!

A trace of shock appeared in Li Muxiu's eyes. He could not help looking toward Li Hao in the distance. Then, without another word, he flew a thousand meters, arriving beside Li Hao in the blink of an eye.

"Kid!"

The sudden voice gave Li Hao a fright.

He had been staring intently at the float, somewhat absorbed, and had not even noticed when the old man had come over.

"Shh!"

Li Hao hurriedly made a gesture.

Li Muxiu was startled. The question already on the tip of his tongue stopped there, and he followed Li Hao's gaze toward the float.

His gaze pierced through to the bottom of the water, and he immediately saw a fish demon circling near the hook, seemingly hesitating.

What surprised Li Muxiu was that the hook had actually been completely covered by the bait, hidden extremely well. It was impossible to tell that there was a hook inside the food.

Good fellow, when did he learn this hidden-hook technique?

While Li Muxiu was inwardly astonished, the fish demon circling underwater finally could not restrain itself. Though it vaguely felt uneasy in its heart, it could not say why. In the end, stimulated by the bait, its head heated, and it impulsively bit down.

It's hooked! Li Hao's eyes lit up. Once the float sank, he suddenly lifted hard.

The hook immediately locked onto the fish demon's mouth, and the stabbing pain made it struggle, churning waves in the water.

Li Hao was not polite either. He rapidly reeled in the line, using the fish-playing technique from before to skillfully drag the fish left and right through the water, exhausting its strength.

Several minutes later, this fish demon was dragged ashore by Li Hao. It was a little demon at the sixth level of the Power Through Realm.

Seeing Li Hao's relaxed manner, Li Muxiu's eyes flickered slightly. After Li Hao removed the hook from the fish demon's mouth and swung it onto the slope behind him, Li Muxiu finally said, "That fish demon over there, did you kill it?"

"Mm."

Li Hao nodded and admitted it.

There was no one else here, and lying would be meaningless.

"Do you know what realm that fish demon was?" Li Muxiu narrowed his eyes slightly, staring into Li Hao's eyes as if he wanted to see straight through the child's soul.

"Circulation Realm?"

Li Hao estimated based on the power that fish demon had erupted with in the water earlier.

In any case, it absolutely could not have been in the Power Through Realm.

"That's right, at least the third level of the Circulation Realm!" Li Muxiu stared at Li Hao. "You've only practiced Wild Bull Strength, so at most you should be at the sixth level of the Power Through Realm. Be honest, have you secretly practiced something else?"

Li Hao had long since thought of an excuse. Seeing that Li Muxiu had actually handed him the opening himself, he pretended to hesitate for a moment before nodding. "That's right."

"Which manual?"

"The Thousand Dragons Sacred Body from the sixth floor," Li Hao said.

Li Muxiu raised an eyebrow. Such a coincidence? He had been thinking that if Li Hao truly had talent in body refining, he would not mind teaching him this Body Refining Manual later. He had not expected this kid to have gone and learned it on his own already, and judging by the situation, he seemed to have learned it quite deeply too! "What level have you practiced it to?" Li Muxiu stared at him and asked.

"The second level," Li Hao said truthfully.

The second level was the Dragon Body, capable of erupting with half a dragon's strength. Even without stepping into the Circulation Realm, one could display power comparable to the early Circulation Realm. Thus, it could also explain how he had killed that fish demon.

Hearing this, Li Muxiu secretly sucked in a breath. Good fellow, the second level?

He looked at the child before him, not even eight years old, still such a tiny little thing, yet he had actually practiced it to the second level?! It seemed that brat Li Fu had not been wrong. This child really did damn well have talent in body refining.

"Even if you've mastered the Dragon Body, being able to fish that fish demon ashore was still extremely difficult. You little fellow, not only do you have talent in body refining, you also have great potential in fishing!" Li Muxiu praised him with a face full of satisfaction.

Li Hao scratched his head and smiled modestly, but inwardly he was grumbling. From the old man's tone, why did it feel like his body-refining talent made him less happy than his fishing talent?

"They all thought you were a martial Dao cripple. Who would have thought that at such a young age, you could already kill a Circulation Realm? Haha..."

Li Muxiu burst into hearty laughter. No matter what his upper limit might be in the future, at least in this moment, Li Hao's combat strength was even three parts stronger than those supreme prodigies with Ninth Grade Battle Bodies!

After his long laugh ended, Li Muxiu thought of something and lowered his head to look at Li Hao.

"Speaking of which, Li Fu shouldn't know about this, right? You little imp, when did you secretly start cultivating on your own? Why didn't you tell Li Fu? Is it because you don't trust him?"

"A few years ago, when I first entered Listening Rain Pavilion, I was already learning it."

Li Hao looked simple and honest as he said, "Uncle Fu... Uncle Fu never asked me."

Li Muxiu rolled his eyes. "If he doesn't ask, you don't say, is that it? Don't give me that. No wonder you could cultivate Wild Bull Strength to major accomplishment in just three short months. With this kind of foundation, cultivating Wild Bull Strength would be the same as eating and drinking, wouldn't it? Did your father tell you to hide this?"

Li Hao thought for a moment, then shook his head slightly.

"Then it was your own decision?"

Li Muxiu's eyes narrowed.

Seeing Li Hao fall silent without speaking, many things instantly flashed through his mind, and a cold glint faintly appeared in his eyes. "Could it be that someone in the residence has designs on you, so you kept a low profile and disguised yourself?"

Li Hao looked into the old man's eyes and saw the bone-chilling killing intent within them. After weighing it for a moment, he merely nodded slightly.

"Who is it?!"

Seeing that it was truly so, Li Muxiu flew into a towering rage.

To make a seven-year-old child suffer such grievance, those second-generation little vixens were simply about to overturn the heavens! Li Hao shook his head slightly and said, "For now, I still don't want to say."

"Why?" Li Muxiu was startled. He stared at Li Hao, then immediately understood the child's thinking.

"You don't trust me? You think I might be connected to the person who has designs on you? Heh, you're overthinking it. I have no sons or daughters. There are not many in this world worth my concern."

Li Hao still shook his head and made no sound.

Li Muxiu stared at him with a dark face. A moment later, the anger on his face vanished, and he actually nodded slightly, revealing a somewhat gratified smile.

"We grandfather and grandson have only just met, so we can't be considered familiar. It's only normal for you to maintain this kind of caution. However, since you refuse to say who that person is, why were you willing to expose your strength in front of me? You could have completely let that fish demon shake off the hook. Even if it dragged the fishing rod away, it wouldn't have mattered. You could have continued hiding."

Li Hao smiled slightly and said, "Because you aren't bad, old man."

Li Muxiu was startled. Looking at the bright smile on Li Hao's face and those clean eyes, he actually lost focus for an instant.

Only after a long while did he come back to himself, and he could not help laughing with a hint of self-mockery.

"Then you've misjudged me. This old man is not a bad person, but when I turn bad, I don't look like a person."

"Then what do you look like?"

"When you step out of the Divine General Residence in the future, you'll hear my title outside," Li Muxiu said with a smile.

Seeing this, Li Hao did not ask further.

"You little fellow, at such a young age, your thoughts are sly as a little ghost's. It's a bit of a pity." Li Muxiu sized up Li Hao, liking this child more and more. If such a seedling could cultivate normally, then in all likelihood, would he not be another Xiao Jiu?

However, he only felt a bit of regret, without too deep an obsession.

After all, so what if one became Li Junye? Had he not also died on the battlefield? This seemed to be the fate of the men of the Li Family.

"In the future, there's no need to hide your body-refining talent in front of me. Display it openly and with confidence. I've seen plenty of geniuses. Someone like you is only at the level of an ordinary first-rate genius, and you're not enough to frighten this old man."

Li Muxiu said calmly, "If anyone in the residence has designs on you again and thinks you're obstructing someone, then I'd like to see whether our Divine General Residence can still tolerate a child who refines his body."

After packing up the catch, Li Muxiu brought Li Hao flying back to Qingzhou City.

In order to increase Li Hao's interest in fishing, Li Muxiu did not land directly inside Listening Rain Pavilion in the inner residence. Instead, he landed at the main gate of the residence, then had Li Hao carry the fish basket as the old and the young swaggered into the mansion just like that.

"Old man, what are we doing?" Li Hao asked, puzzled.

"You don't understand. This is a fishing tradition."

Li Muxiu held his head high and thrust out his chest, his expression proud and at ease.

"Not counting the one you beat to death or the one you borrowed me to use as bait, you caught four afterward. For a beginner like you, that already counts as a great harvest. We have to let everyone take a look."

"There's such a rule?" Li Hao was astonished.

Li Muxiu gave him a sidelong glare. "If I say there is, then there is."

"Mu Tianhou!"

The household servants and maids along the way were startled when they saw Li Muxiu. They did not understand why this Pillar of the Sea, who had long resided in Listening Rain Pavilion, would be here, and they hurriedly bowed and knelt in greeting.

Li Muxiu acted as though he had not seen them. He paid them no attention and led Li Hao straight past.

The two of them turned here and there, going specifically to all the places with many people.

Inside the Martial Arts Arena, the clan's younger generation were practicing, and an old man from the army was giving a lecture above them. Yet Li Muxiu pushed open the door and walked in.

The old man from the army was just about to frown, but when he saw Li Muxiu's face, he was immediately startled and hurriedly rose to welcome him. "This old general of Yuan Character Camp greets Mu Tianhou!"

"You're giving a lesson."

Li Muxiu knowingly asked the obvious and said indifferently, "Today I brought Hao'er out fishing. It was Hao'er's first time trying, and he didn't have much experience, so he only caught these few little demons. Do you want to take them to go with your wine?"

The old man from the army was taken aback. Seeing the few fish demons in the fish basket in Li Hao's hand, he quickly said, "Many thanks for the marquis's kind intention, but I already have dishes to go with my wine today."

A tactful refusal.

Having been in the residence for many years, how could he not know this old marquis's temperament? He immediately understood that this was routine procedure, that he had come here to show off.

If he really took them, the old marquis would definitely get angry with him and sneak over in the middle of the night to beat him up.

By then, he might not even be able to get out of bed tomorrow.

He did not dare take such a risk.

"Oh, then fine. Continue teaching." Li Muxiu said this blandly and casually, then led Li Hao away.

Li Hao's head was full of black lines. This was the fishing tradition? Too forced!

After turning away from the Martial Arts Arena, they then turned to Evergreen Courtyard.

"Second Uncle, what brings you here? It's almost time for lunch. Shall I have the servants add another set of bowl and chopsticks for you? What would you like to eat?" He Jianlan was chatting idly with Fifth Madam Gao. Seeing Li Muxiu, the two hurriedly rose to welcome him.

Li Muxiu said indifferently, "Hao'er caught a few little fish. Use them to make soup."

"Hao'er caught these?"

He Jianlan was startled. She saw Li Hao holding the fish basket, as well as the several small fish inside, alive and kicking as they struggled.

"Who else? Do you think I'd fish for these kinds of small fish?" Li Muxiu glared at her irritably, his face full of displeasure.

He Jianlan was left speechless. She knew this Second Uncle had a strange temperament. Being rude to him was a small matter, but one absolutely could not touch upon matters of fishing.

"Yes, yes. Since Second Uncle is giving them, then I'll accept them with thanks," He Jianlan immediately said.

"Why thank me? They're Hao'er's fish," Li Muxiu emphasized.

He Jianlan froze for a moment and could only say helplessly, "Then I thank Hao'er."

"First Madam, no need to be polite," Li Hao hurriedly said. At the same time, he rolled his eyes sideways at the old man. This tradition simply made him feel as if he were sitting on a carpet of needles, with thorns at his back and a fishbone stuck in his throat.

The fish were handed over to He Jianlan. After the old and the young left, He Jianlan glanced at the small fish and discovered they were all little demons of the Power Through Realm. She could not help feeling shocked.

Earlier, she had heard Li Fu say that Li Hao had talent in body refining. It seemed that was truly the case.

"Were these really caught by that child?"

Gao Qingqing looked at the little fish in surprise. Li Hao was a martial Dao cripple, something everyone knew. Everyone had thought that child was only an ordinary person. Who would have thought he could actually catch little demons of the Power Through Realm? This showed that Li Hao had also stepped onto the path of cultivation, and that his progress was not bad.

"Second Uncle would not lie about fishing," He Jianlan said.

She looked toward the courtyard gate, where the figures of the old man and child could no longer be seen. "It seems that child has begun cultivating through the body-refining path. This is a bitter path. Poor child."

Gao Qingqing could not help shaking her head slightly as well, letting out a soft sigh.

Although Li Hao had talent in body refining, this path was too bitter. Few people could persist to the end. If it were her child, she would rather let him be a mortal and enjoy his life properly.

"It must be Seventh Brother and the others' intention... They really are cruel enough," Gao Qingqing said softly and faintly.

When they returned to Listening Rain Pavilion, Li Hao saw Li Fu waiting outside the building from afar.

Li Muxiu also saw him and gave a light snort.

When Li Fu saw the two of them, he immediately came forward. Looking at the fish blood staining Li Hao's body, his expression changed, and he hurriedly said, "Second Uncle, Hao'er, he..."

"When fishing, it's inevitable to have a contest with fish demons. Don't worry. With me beside him, Hao'er won't be injured," Li Muxiu said calmly.

Li Fu let out a breath of relief, then handed the item in his hand to Li Hao. "This is a letter from Sword Hermitage. It should have been sent by Miss Xue'er. Take a look."