Honorary Instructor

Soon, Jiang Hanxing finished reciting his poem.

He then looked at Li Hao with a smug expression. "Young Master Li, what do you think of my poem?"

"So wet."

Li Hao scoffed inwardly and gave a perfunctory reply.

Jiang Hanxing smiled and said, "Although Young Master Li's poem doesn't quite capture the beauty of the scene before us, it's still quite good."

"You're really getting cocky..." Li Hao glanced at him. "You think the Poet Immortal's poems are any good? You're really shameless."

"Shall we sing another one?"

As a plagiarist, Li Hao couldn't allow the original work to be insulted, and he immediately decided to teach the plagiarist a lesson.

"Oh?"

Jiang Hanxing's expression changed slightly, feeling a pang of guilt. "Again? What will the topic be this time?"

You choose.

"How about... a waterfall?"

"Fall?"

Li Hao smiled.

You're hitting me where it hurts, aren't you?

"OK."

Li Hao readily agreed, immediately stopped writing, and casually recited a poem, "Viewing the Waterfall at Mount Lu."

When he recited "The waterfall plunges three thousand feet, as if the Silver River were falling from the ninth heaven," Jiang Hanxing was stunned, his face full of astonishment, his eyes wide open.

Jiang Hanxing hadn't thought much of the previous poem, but this one was so spot-on; he could almost picture a waterfall cascading down.

The phrase "The Silver River falls from the ninth heaven" is such an elegant and powerful expression!

Seeing that the other party was intimidated, Li Hao smiled faintly. There are too many ancient poems describing waterfalls. He originally wanted to use Du Pangzi's poem, but it's better to let the poet himself prove him wrong.

Jiang Hanxing originally wanted to give it a try, but suddenly couldn't pronounce it.

This poem seems to have perfectly captured the essence of waterfalls.

Even if this poem wasn't written on the spot by Li Hao, but rather, like his other works, it was still enough to demonstrate Li Hao's talent.

Composing poems on the spot—that is to say, they are, after all, Warrior. Do you really think they are those great scholars in the Hanlin Academy who spend their days searching for beautiful women in books?

"I am completely convinced by Young Master Li's poem," Jiang Hanxing, bowing in admiration.

"It's good that you're convinced."

Seeing this, Li Hao picked up his brush again and began to paint.

"Young Master Li comes from the Divine General Residence, yet he has such profound attainments in both poetry and painting. Don't your elders in the mansion care about you?" Jiang Hanxing couldn't help but ask curiously.

Of course I'll take care of it.

"Then what...?"

"We just couldn't control it."

"..."

Jiang Hanxing was speechless for a moment, then suddenly couldn't help but laugh, feeling that he had truly met a wonderful person.

This was Jiang Hanxing's first conversation with Li Hao, and he still remembers it vividly many years later.

Li Hao ignored Jiang Hanxing and continued painting.

Seeing that Li Hao was focused, Jiang Hanxing didn't disturb him further and quietly left.

The next day.

Before Li Hao could go to the Cold Pond to find the Water Kirin to paint, Shen Yunqing summoned him to the Sandalwood Palace.

Upon hearing the two conditions Song Yufeng offered him, Li Hao paused for a moment, but didn't hesitate much and chose to become a registered teacher.

Staying for a year is too long.

However, he had one condition: all the elders of the Sandalwood Palace, including Song Yufeng, had to cooperate with him in doing one thing.

That means having him draw.

In modern terms, it's being a model.

Hearing Li Hao's strange request, Song Yufeng was somewhat taken aback, but it was a minor matter, so he didn't refuse and readily agreed, simply assuming it was just a quirk of this Li Family Prodigy.

If you are a registered teacher, you are required to teach three classes each year. If you miss a class in a certain year, it will be accumulated and carried over to the next year.

The term of office for a registered officer is ten years.

That's thirty lessons, which is relatively easy.

Seemingly anticipating Li Hao's choice, Song Yufeng also told Li Hao that the disciple he would be teaching was not from the Class A Institute, but from the Black White Hall.

Li Hao didn't care much about this. He was only responsible for teaching; whether anyone listened or who listened didn't matter.

Seeing Li Hao readily agree, Song Yufeng smiled. Both the old man and the young man got what they wanted, and the cooperation was very pleasant.

As Li Hao was leaving the Sandalwood Palace, heading towards the Cold Pond, he suddenly saw Li Yuanzhao approaching.

"Hao Ge, Sister Unparalleled is back."

Upon Li Yuanzhao, Li Hao said, "First Madam said that a family banquet will be held tonight to welcome Unparalleled Wushuang back, and that we should all go home early."

"Ah?"

Li Hao didn't react for a moment, but after thinking for a while, a pretty little girl came to mind.

Many years ago, Fifth Madam watched with tears in her eyes as she saw him leave with an old man with white hair and a youthful face.

Has that little girl returned home after completing her studies?

Thinking of this, Li Hao couldn't help but think of the Little Tail in the Sword Hermitage nine thousand miles to the South.

Shaking his head, Li Hao said to Li Yuanzhao, "It's still early. I'll go take another stroll and check out the location when we arrive."

Li Hao had no feelings for that young girl, especially since Li Yun and his sister had deliberately distanced themselves from him, and he hadn't seen Fifth Madam much in recent years.

"Um, should we prepare some gifts in advance?" Li Yuanzhao asked.

He only had a very faint impression of that Unparalleled woman, but he had heard a lot about her deeds in the manor over the years and knew that she was the best among their generation.

Of course, he can't compare to Li Hao now.

"That's true."

After all, she was his cousin whom he hadn't seen for many years, so he should at least prepare a small gift for her. Li Hao thought for a moment and said:

"I don't know what she likes, but she'll definitely need to eat something. Go to Hongxiang Restaurant and buy a crispy roast goose, Emerald Lake Courtyard and a Bamboo Scent Ink Dragon Liver... make sure they're hot, and send them over for dinner."

Li Hao then listed seven or eight famous delicacies from Qingzhou City, all of which he had personally tasted and found delicious.

Li Yuanzhao was taken aback and said, "Is that all? But these aren't expensive; they don't add up to much silver."

"Our family isn't short of money. It's the thought that counts, not the gift. She's probably never tasted this kind of delicious food while she's been away from home. She shouldn't lack anything else," Li Hao said.

Li Yuanzhao thought about it and agreed.

Sister Unparalleled is a disciple of the Thousand Machines Sect, Personal Disciple Famed Master. What could she possibly lack?

Cultivation Method? Listening Rain Pavilion and choose for yourself.

Weapons? Find them in the armory yourself.

Needless to say, people wouldn't even bother to glance at things like gold, silver, and jewelry, which are considered vulgar.

"Okay, then I'll buy it as Hao Ge said."

Li Yuanzhao agreed.

After he left, Li Hao picked up his Drawing Board from the room and went to the Cold Pond again.

He set up his Drawing Board and dipped his hand into the pool.

Sure enough, a dark shadow suddenly surged up, splashing water everywhere.

Li Hao quickly returned to the Drawing Board and hurriedly said, "Senior Qiumo, please keep it like this."

Song Qiumo revealed her true form as Water Kirin, which was quite majestic. She originally intended to transform, but upon hearing Li Hao's words, she immediately stopped and simultaneously condensed the surrounding water droplets in the air, keeping them still.

Li Hao picked up his brush and quickly began to paint. Soon, a painting of a Water Kirin emerging from the water was completed.

"Alright."

As Li Hao finished speaking, Song Qiumo controlled the water droplets to shrink back into the pool, then stepped forward, her figure transforming into a human form like light sand, moving her snow-white bare feet to Li Hao's Drawing Board.

"Hmm, not bad."

Seeing the drawing on the Drawing Board, Song Qiumo's eyes sparkled, revealing a hint of delight.

Was my pose when I first came out really that beautiful?

She turned her head to look at Li Hao, and said with a smile, "How do I look today?"

Li Hao looked over and saw that she was wearing a light blue dress, the same one as yesterday, but she was clearly wearing silver bracelets and chains on her hands and feet, which looked sparkly.

Do all women like shiny things...? Li Hao smiled and said, "It looks great."

Song Qiumo rolled her eyes at him and said, "Then you draw it."

"Good."

Li Hao immediately began to draw seriously.

And I must say, today, with the accessories enhancing her ethereal beauty, Song Qiumo exudes an even more dazzling and radiant aura.

Upon finishing a painting, he surprisingly gained an extra hundred points of Painting Dao experience.

Clearly, these ornaments are not ordinary items.

"Hmm, not bad."

Song Qiumo nodded slightly, but her eyes revealed undisguised joy and satisfaction.

Li Hao smiled, then asked her to change her pose and paint another picture.

Time passed slowly.

By the Cold Pond, Li Hao had already drawn more than a dozen portraits of Song Qiumo.

Among them, she was asked to create seven or eight original versions of the design.

I gained a total of over 4,000 experience points, and with yesterday's, I have nearly 20,000.

Li Hao discovered yesterday that he had gained more experience from painting Song Qiumo than from painting Second Master.

Of course, he didn't think it was because Second Master and the others were less skilled than Song Qiumo. It was probably because Second Master and the others usually concealed their Aura, so he couldn't capture the essence of their paintings.

However, Song Qiumo, when revealed before him, did not hold back much; his Aura was surging, making his paintings quite imposing.

It seems I'll have to ask Second Master and the others to paint for me again... Li Hao Dark Dao to himself.

A Four Establishments Realm has over 20,000 experience points. If you add Second Master, Master Feng, and Fifth Master together, that's 60,000.

I had only managed to extract less than 5,000 experience points from each of them, and I thought I had already reached my limit.

It seems I'll have to talk to them later and let them show their true strength... Li Hao muttered to himself. But the Second Master is a bit hard to please; I'll have to prepare his favorite stewed chicken with mushrooms.

"That's enough for today," Li Hao said to Song Qiumo, glancing at the sky. It was getting late.

Holding the numerous sheets of drawing paper, Song Qiumo was overjoyed and said with a smile, "If you encounter any difficulties in the future, feel free to come to me anytime. As long as you don't leave this Sandalwood Palace, I can basically help you."

"Is Senior Qiumo perhaps trapped here?" Li Hao asked in surprise.

Song Qiumo shook her head slightly, not elaborating, and said, "Then see you next time."

With that, he made another perfect dive into the water and returned to the Cold Pond pool.

Seeing this, Li Hao also packed up his Drawing Board and headed home.

When Li Hao passed by the Class A Institute on his way down the mountain, he saw that Li Yun and his sister were no longer there, but the other disciples of the Class A Institute were still practicing. When someone saw Li Hao, they immediately exclaimed in surprise.

Soon, everyone else noticed Li Hao and turned their gazes toward him.

Seeing this, Li Hao smiled and waved as a greeting, then quickly slipped away to avoid being bothered by their questions.

At the foot of the mountain, Li Hao rode his horse back to his residence.

As soon as I arrived at the gate of the mansion, I could feel that the atmosphere inside was quite lively today, and the guards at the gate all had smiles on their faces.

Upon seeing Li Hao, the guards all bowed their heads in salute.

Li Hao returned to Mountains and Rivers Courtyard and learned from Uncle Zhao that Uncle Fu had sent word from Cangyu City that his injuries were almost healed and he would set off to return tomorrow.

At the same time, Uncle Zhao took out a gift box and said to Li Hao:

"Young Master, Miss Li Wushuang from Snowdrift Courtyard is returning to the manor today. The First Madam has prepared a family banquet and invited you to Past. This is a gift I prepared myself; please take it with you to the banquet later."