章 7: Chapter 28 - 30: Unity of Qi and Strength, 100,000 Jin! . The Li Family's Astonishing Talent. The Two Sages and the Little Mouse
The qi coursed through his body in a vast and powerful stream, like a giant dragon coiling within him. Despite this being the first time he had attempted to channel his qi in such a manner, the wealth of knowledge and memory in his mind made it feel as though he had been practicing this art for decades. As he directed his qi, his body instinctively knew what to do.
A faint rumble, like distant thunder, echoed through his meridians as a major meridian was opened up by the surging qi. With this main channel unblocked, his qi flowed unimpeded, rapidly cycling through the meridian sixteen times in a single breath.
Lee Hao cycled it again, this time with greater familiarity, his body synchronizing more closely with his memory.
Thirty-eight cycles in a single breath.
On the third attempt, fifty-two cycles.
The fourth, fifth... and by the seventh, a full hundred cycles in a single breath!
The Hundred Dragon Body, also known as the Hundred Cycle Body, was so named because upon reaching its pinnacle, one could achieve exactly one hundred cycles!
At this moment, Lee looked at the status panel and noticed that his cultivation level was no longer at the tenth level of the Penetrating Power Realm, but had entered the first level of the Cycling Heaven Realm!
As he formally stepped into the Cycling Heaven Realm, Lee felt the tension and power of the qi coursing through this major meridian. It was as if his body had suddenly gained an extra spine, causing him to stand taller and prouder.
With every movement, he could effortlessly cycle his qi through his body, unleashing a strength far beyond what he had before.
Lee's heart was filled with joy, and he immediately proceeded to cultivate the Primordial Art.
Following the memories in his mind, he practiced the second layer of the Starry Body to the third layer of the Penetrating Mystery Body.
As he cultivated, the qi within him surged even more fiercely, like a raging river.
Lee discovered that the Penetrating Mystery Body also contained a qi cycling technique, no less impressive than the Hundred Dragon Body, and perhaps even more formidable!
Old Man Li must not have mentioned this to him because he hadn't delved deeply into this martial art, especially since it was a fragment. Considering it was a body-refining art, the old man probably didn't think it suitable for Lee to practice.
As Lee repeatedly practiced, his body underwent tremendous changes, and a second major meridian began to slowly open up within him!
This new meridian was exceptionally sturdy and robust, capable of accommodating even more qi than the first.
This meridian was the core of the Penetrating Mystery Body – the Mystery Meridian!
From the description in the cultivation technique, Lee learned that this Mystery Meridian had another name in the martial world – the Taiyin Meridian!
Lee glanced at his cultivation status. Even though he had opened up a second major meridian, he was still at the first level of the Cycling Heaven Realm and had not advanced further.
This Taiyin Meridian seemed to be a hidden channel, separate from the other meridians.
The Hundred Dragon qi that had been circulating in his first meridian now flowed into the Taiyin Meridian, cycling back and forth between the two. However, while the Hundred Dragon qi had nearly filled the first meridian to its limits, it was like a small stream in the vastness of the Taiyin Meridian, barely able to touch its inner walls.
Thunderous roars and tiger-like growls reverberated within Lee's body, as if a dormant beast was slowly awakening and opening its eyes.
The external force generated by the surging qi caused the dust around him to scatter, leaving a three-foot radius completely clear.
With his insights into the third level of the Fleshly Way, Lee had a profound understanding of both cultivation techniques, and he immediately realized that the qi cycling techniques of the two arts had overlapping and intertwining aspects.
With a thought, he activated both techniques simultaneously, and soon, the two qi cycling methods began to interact, dividing his qi into two streams that chased each other through the meridians like twin dragons.
As Lee practiced more, he became increasingly adept, and the two streams of qi entwined and merged.
This was a fusion of cultivation techniques!
The overlapping parts were covered, and the intertwining aspects became one, resulting in an increase in the speed of his qi circulation.
From one meridian with a hundred cycles, he reached one hundred and thirty-two cycles!
An additional thirty-two cycles per breath!
This exceeded even the Li family's top-tier qi cycling technique, the Hundred Battles Cycling Heaven Manual.
It was one of the best qi cycling techniques in the Great Yu Dynasty, aside from those possessed by the royal family, and was coveted by martial artists everywhere.
As the qi flowed through the Taiyin Meridian, Lee felt a peculiar icy-cold power circulating through his body. He realized that if he cultivated certain techniques like the Freezing Ice Palm or the Ice Soul Body, their effectiveness would be greatly enhanced.
After he finished cultivating, Lee planned to research this Taiyin Meridian further to understand its origins.
However, for now, he continued to practice the third of the top-tier body-refining techniques – the Dragon Cicada Vacuum Body.
Compared to the previous two, the third layer of this technique was slightly inferior.
The Leaping Shell Body contained a qi cycling method as well, but it only allowed for seventy-two cycles. In other words, cultivating this technique alone would still enable Lee to break through to the Cycling Heaven Realm.
Leaping Shell – using qi to control strength, one could briefly levitate and fly.
It was important to note that the ability to levitate was typically associated with the Soul Formation Realm.
However, the Leaping Shell Body's levitation ability couldn't compare to that of the Soul Formation Realm. It could only be used to achieve some unique effects in specific battle situations, and it didn't significantly enhance one's combat power.
On the other hand, the second layer of the Dragon Cicada Vacuum Body was quite powerful. Previously, when Lee had been at the first level of the Fleshly Way, he had only cultivated the second layer of the Dragon Cicada Vacuum Body to a small achievement. Now, the second layer, the Subdued Dragon Body, had reached perfection!
This layer granted him a ferocious and explosive power akin to that of a rampaging dragon or elephant, a pure enhancement of his physical strength, adding at least 20,000 jin of might!
Lee estimated that his raw physical strength at this moment was around 50,000 jin.
When combined with the internal circulation of his qi, the unity of his physical strength and qi could explosively release a power of around 100,000 jin!
Each cycle of qi circulation was equivalent to one cauldron of power.
With Lee circulating his qi a hundred and thirty-two times, it amounted to a hundred and thirty-two cauldrons, and with two meridians, it doubled to two hundred and sixty-four cauldrons!
Each cauldron represented 200 jin, totaling approximately 50,000 jin.
This amount of strength was enough to easily punch and explode an ordinary Peak Unity of Spirit Realm cultivator.
Ordinary Unity of Spirit Realm cultivators with ten meridians and ten cycles were the lowest tier of this realm, with little hope of advancing to the Soul Anchoring Realm. Their strength was only a hundred cauldrons, or 20,000 jin.
At the first level of the Unity of Spirit Realm, with one meridian and ten cycles, they would increase their strength by only 2,000 jin. Although this was almost a doubling of their strength compared to the average 3,600 jin at the Peak Channeling Power Realm, it was nothing compared to the Godblood warriors. At the Peak Channeling Power Realm, Godblood warriors could double their strength to 7,200 jin, and with that, they could easily defeat an ordinary first-level Unity of Spirit Realm cultivator!
This was the power of those with Godblood.
Moreover, this did not include the enhancements brought about by additional techniques and cultivation methods.
After all, every martial artist had a few signature techniques up their sleeve.
Furthermore, those with Godblood often came from powerful families with access to superior cultivation techniques, widening the gap even more. Generally, a Godblood warrior at the Peak Channeling Power Realm could easily defeat a Unity of Spirit Realm cultivator at the second or third level with their techniques alone.
Some exceptional talents could even defeat opponents two to three levels higher!
And when it came to the Unity of Spirit Realm, the differences in cultivation methods and resources would result in even greater disparities in combat power and cultivation speed.
Just the combination of the Li family's two supreme qi circulation techniques and meridian-opening techniques, when cultivated to perfection, could grant one a million jin of strength at the Peak Unity of Spirit Realm!
In contrast, the weakest would only have 20,000 jin, a fifty-fold difference!
However, it was rare for an ordinary Peak Unity of Spirit Realm cultivator to only cultivate the weakest method of ten cycles.
Everyone had some opportunities, and even if they didn't, they could gain access to better techniques through their own hard work and adventures. Even by joining the military, one could obtain a medium-grade qi circulation technique and a medium-grade eighteen-meridian opening martial art.
For example, the Yuan Battalion, which was led by the Li family's ancestor in the past, selected only the most exceptional warriors. Those who were chosen to join the Yuan Battalion would be able to cultivate top-tier qi circulation techniques and meridian-opening martial arts, making them powerful beyond their peers. Thus, the Yuan Battalion's ten thousand soldiers were worth more than a million soldiers from other factions!
Lee Hao felt the surging power within his body, a smile forming on his lips.
The terrifying boost brought about by cultivation techniques far surpassed that of Godblood. After all, Godblood could only double one's strength at the Channeling Power Realm, increasing the base strength of 3,600 jin to 7,200 jin. But the enhancement from cultivation techniques was not limited in this way.
For him now, an increase of a mere 3,000 jin was insignificant.
"Not counting the Tiger Suppressing, Flying Sections, and other attack characteristics, as well as the Boundless Ocean Sword Technique, in terms of pure physical combat, I should be able to easily defeat a tenth-level Unity of Spirit Realm cultivator from the Jianghu who lacks a powerful background. However, compared to the warriors of the Yuan Battalion who have reached the Peak Unity of Spirit Realm, I still have a long way to go," Lee Hao thought to himself.
The warriors of the Yuan Battalion were fierce tigers of the Great Yu Dynasty, and the Yuan Army was synonymous with death among the demon tribes of Yanbei.
Whenever the Yuan Battalion flag was raised in battle, demons and monsters would tremble in fear. The reason for this was that their top-tier qi circulation techniques and meridian-opening martial arts granted them a staggering 500,000 jin of strength at the Peak Unity of Spirit Realm!
An army of ten thousand such warriors was a force to be reckoned with.
Moreover, the Unity of Spirit Realm was the weakest realm among the Yuan Battalion.
"With my current strength, I can barely spar with a third or fourth-level Unity of Spirit Realm warrior from the Yuan Battalion, but their battle experience far surpasses mine, and I might not even be their match," Lee acknowledged.
Despite the tremendous improvement, Lee's ego did not inflate.
He then proceeded to fuse the qi circulation technique from the third layer of the Dragon Cicada Vacuum Body, removing the overlapping parts. This further increased his qi circulation speed to a hundred and forty-three cycles per breath!
That was fifteen cycles more than the Hundred Battles Cycling Heaven Manual, and the gap of fifteen cycles per meridian would accumulate to a significant difference by the time he reached the Peak Unity of Spirit Realm.
However, compared to the royal family's Supreme Cycling Heaven Manual, it was still inferior.
Lee then went on to practice numerous other upper, middle, and lower-tier body-refining techniques multiple times, synchronizing his memory with his body completely.
This process further enhanced his physical strength, bringing it to around 15,000 jin. After all, he was assimilating dozens of cultivation techniques. Additionally, various parts of his body were also strengthened, with his senses of sight and hearing, as well as his skin's perception, enhanced by several folds.
These enhancements would undoubtedly have a significant impact on the outcome of battles.
Subsequently, Lee began searching for information about the Taiyin Meridian within the tower.
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Within the tower, there was a vast array of martial arts techniques, categorized and sorted. However, perhaps due to the elusive nature of the Taiyin Pulse, Li Hao spent several hours searching but found no mention of it in any of the cultivation methods.
On the contrary, he discovered and acquired two more intermediate and lower-grade body refinement techniques, which further enhanced his physical prowess to a modest extent.
In the evening, Li Mu Xiu returned, looking somewhat weary.
Noticing Li Hao holding the Divine Dragon River Pulse manual, Li Mu Xiu shook his head and smiled, "Are you thinking of attempting to open your meridian now? Have you reached the Zhou Tian realm? Don't get ahead of yourself."
"I just entered it," Li Hao replied.
"What?"
Li Mu Xiu was taken aback and asked in surprise, "You've already started with the Hundred Flood Dragons technique?"
"Mhm," Li Hao nodded, considering himself to have achieved a level of mastery.
"Show me," Li Mu Xiu instructed without further ado, eager to see for himself.
Li Hao didn't hold back and proceeded to demonstrate the technique unreservedly.
Although he had not practiced it for long, the old man gave him a sense of openness and honesty. If the old man had any ill intentions, he felt he wouldn't be able to hide it.
Besides, it was just the mastery of the Hundred Flood Dragons technique, which probably wasn't that big of a deal anyway.
As Li Hao's fists danced through the air, his vigor rippled, and in an instant, an aura reminiscent of a flood dragon emerging from the sea emanated from his being.
Li Mu Xiu's gaze sharpened, and his expression froze.
Li Mu Xiu stared at Li Hao in astonishment. If it had been merely the initial stages of the Hundred Flood Dragons technique, it wouldn't have been that impressive—perhaps just a sign of above-average talent. The Li family had no shortage of geniuses; they were as common as the servants.
But to achieve minor and major accomplishments, and now a mastery level of the technique in a single day?!
This kid's talent for body refinement was truly astonishing, perhaps even rivaling Xiao Jiu's talent for cultivation! Li Mu Xiu couldn't help but reevaluate Li Hao, wondering if his talent for body refinement was truly that exceptional. However, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of regret that such remarkable talent was only in this specific area.
As these thoughts crossed his mind, Li Mu Xiu heaved a silent sigh.
While he himself didn't care much for the pursuit of fame and fortune, the ability to cultivate was undoubtedly a blessing for anyone.
After Li Hao finished his demonstration, he noticed the old man staring blankly, his expression innocent. Seizing the opportunity, he asked, "Grandfather, I saw the words 'Yin Pulse' in another ancient manual of the Great Beginning. What is this Yin Pulse?"
"You've been looking through that secret manual too? Haven't you been cultivating it?" Li Mu Xiu snapped back to attention, his brows furrowing as his expression turned serious.
He fixed his gaze on Li Hao's young face, seeing the child's innocent demeanor, and suddenly realized he might have been overthinking things. If this kid had been dividing his attention to cultivate something else, he wouldn't have had the time to master the Hundred Flood Dragons technique today.
Without waiting for Li Hao's response, he continued solemnly, "You indeed have exceptional talent for body refinement, and that's a good thing. But don't squander it! Countless geniuses have ruined their potential because of their youthful arrogance, thinking they can master everything by dabbling in a little of this and that. In the end, they become jacks-of-all-trades, masters of none, only to be slapped to death by their peers."
"All your opponent needs is one powerful move, one that is strong enough and deadly enough to reign supreme," Li Mu Xiu explained. "Take those who are revered as Sword Saints, Blade Saints, Spear Gods, and Arrow Kings, for example. They are renowned figures, and they understand the importance of specialization. They focus on their chosen path and continually strive to improve."
"Our kind of family has the advantage of a solid foundation and a relatively comfortable path to growth," he said to Li Hao. "Unlike the common folk who are forced to learn whatever they can to survive, we have the luxury of choice."
"They may know about poisons, medicine, martial arts, and weaponry, but so what? They might have an edge against those of the same level, but think about how much time you'd need to invest to learn all that. Say it takes ten years; your peers could spend the same amount of time mastering one thing, and their realm would undoubtedly surpass yours. Then, it would be effortless for them to crush you."
"That's why you should only consider diversifying your skills when you've hit a wall in your cultivation and see no hope for progress in this lifetime. Until then, there's no need for it," he advised.
His words carried weight, and Li Hao could understand the old man's perspective.
While it was true that being well-versed in many skills could make one formidable, time was simply not on their side.
However, this only applied to ordinary warriors.
Li Hao, on the other hand, had the advantage of his cheat-like system.
But until he had accumulated a substantial amount of Artistry Points, Li Hao knew he had to focus on his sword skills and physical body, with the latter taking priority for now.
After imparting this serious advice, Li Mu Xiu sighed and returned to his usual casual demeanor. "The Yin Pulse you mentioned is from the Great Beginning body refinement technique, and that's why this incomplete method is placed on the sixth floor. However, to learn how to open the Yin Pulse, you'd have to cultivate step by step up to the third layer, and that would take an incredibly long time. This technique is more challenging to master; even those with high comprehension might take five to eight years, while those with average comprehension could take two to three decades!"
"Thus, while the Yin Pulse is valuable, it's something you'll have to give up on."
"The Yin Pulse is also known as the Taiyin Pulse," Li Mu Xiu explained. "Aside from the usual meridian opening, there are rumored to be a total of one hundred and eight meridians in the human body!"
"Our Li family's strongest, the Divine Dragon River Pulse, can open up fifty-four meridians. As for the royal family's East Imperial Canon, it can open up sixty-two, making it the most powerful meridian-opening technique."
"But to reach one hundred and eight meridians is still a far cry, so whether or not there truly are that many remains a rumor."
"However, in addition to these one hundred and eight meridians, there are two other major meridians—the Taiyin Pulse and the Solar Pulse!"
"If these two major meridians are opened, the cultivation techniques will impart some special powers, making attacks more fierce and overwhelming. Simultaneously, these two meridians can accommodate more qi for circulation and revolution!"
He glanced at Li Hao and said, "If you can achieve a hundred revolutions in a single meridian, then in the Taiyin Pulse, you can attain a thousand revolutions—a tenfold difference! You can accumulate the power of a hundred revolutions within the Taiyin Pulse!"
"And a thousand revolutions is not merely a quantitative accumulation but a qualitative change in explosive power. This will be evident in combat, so those who can open these two special meridians are geniuses among geniuses, the cream of the crop, encountered only once in a century!"
Li Hao's eyes widened in realization, surprised to learn about the existence of the Solar Pulse in addition to the Taiyin Pulse.
These two special meridians were equivalent to an extra twenty meridians.
After all, even the royal family's most potent technique could only open up sixty-four meridians. If one could simultaneously open these two special meridians, it would be like enhancing their power by a third!
By then, even if they cultivated the Divine Dragon River Pulse unique to the Li family, they could unleash power surpassing that of the royal family!
"It's incredibly difficult to open these two special meridians; it requires opportunity, talent, understanding, and external forces can't help much." Li Mu Xiu glanced at Li Hao and continued, "Among the nine siblings of our Li family's second generation, only three have opened one special meridian. Only your ninth uncle possesses both, an unparalleled genius."
As he spoke, he let out a sigh.
Li Hao was left dumbfounded.
Listening to his words, he had assumed it was extremely rare, but it turned out that three out of the nine siblings of the Li family's second generation had this ability? And the ninth uncle had both?
"Little Jiu was born with the Solar Pulse, and he comprehended the Taiyin Pulse later in life. Even your grandfather, back in the day, only had one special meridian, similar to your father." Li Mu Xiu shook his head.
Li Hao was speechless. His ninth uncle was the real prodigy.
"Alright, you should focus on your cultivation."
Li Mu Xiu turned to Li Hao and said, "You have exceptional talent, but your meridians are naturally blocked, making it even more challenging than for other body refiners. If you're unlucky, reaching the Zhou Tian realm might be your limit, so don't be distracted. Cultivate the Thousand Flood Dragons sacred body well, and if you can cultivate it to the fourth layer, you might be able to break through to the Soul Succession realm."
"By then, you'll be a formidable warrior who can stand on his own. At the very least, you won't be easily killed."
Li Hao nodded.
Seeing Li Hao's obedient attitude, Li Mu Xiu felt relieved. "When you have free time, go take a look at the Divine Dragon River Pulse. If there's anything you don't understand, come and ask me. Your father and the others mostly self-taught themselves. Although they had instructors, how should I put it... Your grandfather has a bad temper, so he didn't teach them personally. The military instructors we hired often hadn't even finished explaining before your father and the others had already mastered the techniques. Little Jiu could even improve upon what he was taught... Ah..."
As he reminisced about those times, a smile appeared on the old man's face.
Li Hao felt helpless.
There were just too many prodigies in the Li family, to the point that he, a wall-hanging, seemed rather ordinary in comparison.
Of course, he hadn't been searching for artistry points with all his might, or else he might have progressed further.
But life wasn't just about cultivation; there was also everyday living. Otherwise, what was the point of him being reborn?
...
...
In the following days, Li Hao spent his mornings fishing with his grandfather and his afternoons in the tower, browsing through the top-tier luck-enhancing cultivation techniques and meridian-opening secret manuals.
After half a month, all three of the top-tier secret manuals had been successfully recorded into his panel.
Li Hao felt that his comprehension ability was pretty good. After all, he had to understand the basics of the techniques to record them, and he had managed to do so within five days per manual, which wasn't too embarrassing for the Li family.
He had heard that it usually took direct descendants of the Li family about half a month to grasp the basics of top-tier secret manuals.
However, with the mindset of someone who had lived two lives, Li Hao didn't feel proud. He figured he had simply performed as expected.
Nevertheless, these three cultivation techniques didn't belong to the category of body refinement, so his insight into the third level of the Way of the Flesh didn't affect them after they were recorded.
Instead, a new attribute appeared on his panel.
[Way of Cultivation: Uninitiated]
Li Hao guessed that these three secret manuals were cultivation techniques for regular warriors, and this Way of Cultivation most likely corresponded to the path of regular cultivation.
The name was a bit odd, though.
But Li Hao didn't think too much into it; as long as it gave him points, he was content.
Thus, he once again felt the scarcity of artistry points.
"Aside from fishing and playing chess, it's time to consider trying my hand at painting and cooking..."
These were all types of art mentioned in the game, and they would undoubtedly increase his artistry points.
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With a thought in mind, Lee Hao immediately put it into action.
He asked Zhao Bo to prepare painting tools for him, including ink, brushes, and paper. Every day, after fishing with the old man, Lee Hao would ask to return to his courtyard to rest.
Li Muxiu didn't say much about this either. His approach to mentoring Lee Hao was largely hands-off.
Even though Lee Hao had demonstrated an extraordinary talent for body refinement, Li Muxiu didn't force him to practice relentlessly. If Lee Hao wanted to seek his guidance, he would teach him diligently. If not, he would take the young boy on excursions to explore and fish.
...
In the spacious courtyard of the Mountain and River Court.
Lee Hao had someone bring two small stools, one tall and one short, resembling an art student. He set up a drawing board and began to draw.
Zhao Bo tried to dissuade him with earnest advice, but Lee Hao turned a deaf ear. When it came to this young master who was prone to being distracted by trivial pursuits, Zhao Bo was at a complete loss, and he could only leave the matter to Li Fu.
Lee Hao already had a strategy to deal with Li Fu. In front of him, he demonstrated the second layer of the Flood Dragon Body.
Li Fu was left stunned, wondering if his eyes were playing tricks on him. He asked Lee Hao to perform it again, and after witnessing it clearly for the second time, this burly man was so moved that his eyes turned moist.
He attributed Lee Hao's rapid progress to the guidance and teachings of the second uncle. In less than a month, Lee Hao had reached the second layer of this body refinement technique, and he felt both grateful to the second uncle and thrilled by Lee Hao's innate talent for body refinement.
Such talent was far superior to those who took three months to achieve the Great Perfection of the Wild Bull's Vigor. Lee Hao was undoubtedly a top-notch genius in body refinement.
Seeing Li Fu's ecstatic reaction, Lee Hao secretly breathed a sigh of relief that he hadn't demonstrated the third layer, the Hundred Flood Dragons Body, directly in front of him. After all, not everyone had the same breadth of vision and capacity for acceptance as the old man.
In exchange for Li Fu's promise, Lee Hao vowed to cultivate diligently with the second uncle. However, he stipulated that Li Fu must not interfere when he was engaged in other activities.
This left Li Fu both delighted and conflicted. On one hand, he was overjoyed by Lee Hao's exceptional talent for body refinement, and he desperately wanted him to cultivate day and night, except for when he was eating and sleeping, so that he could catch up to the heaven-defying geniuses of the nine-grade battle bodies. On the other hand, Lee Hao's carefree nature often left him feeling helpless.
After much back and forth, Li Fu finally relented and agreed to Lee Hao's terms.
And so, Lee Hao began to paint unabashedly in the courtyard.
As he brushed his strokes, words soon appeared before him.
[Painting Path: 0th Stage (1/100)
]
It worked!
Lee Hao smiled inwardly and continued to paint with abandon.
With his experiences in the ways of chess and fishing, Lee Hao surmised that the better he painted, the more experience he would gain.
Thus, he didn't take the task lightly but approached it with a degree of seriousness.
However, having been a businessman in his previous life, immersed in the business world for decades, he knew next to nothing about painting. But when it came to girls who could paint, he had some understanding...
For his first attempt at painting, Lee Hao chose to start with a figure sketch. He picked the most beautiful maid in the courtyard and had her stand in front of the easel.
With confidence, he began to draw. For a human figure, he started with a circle, then a vertical line, followed by a horizontal stroke and a vertical stroke.
Hmm, it's missing hair.
Done!
[Painting Path Experience +1]
Ah... As expected, painting is so difficult.
Lee Hao couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
Beside him, Zhao Bo sneaked a glance at the drawing board and asked in confusion, "Young master, what are you drawing?"
"Can't you tell? It's a person!" Lee Hao replied, feeling a mix of shame and anger.
"But where..." Zhao Bo stammered, perplexed.
Lee Hao huffed, "You think it doesn't look like a person, but that's because you don't understand the deeper meaning of my art. Look at this circle, do you think it's a head? No, it represents smoothness. And this vertical line, do you think it's the body? No, it expresses the idea that if a person wants to stand up, they must be smooth in their interactions. Zhao Bo, you still have much to learn. Don't be so blunt!"
"Then isn't the cluster on top of the circle hair?"
"Not exactly," Lee Hao replied. "It's both hair and ideal!"
"Ideal?"
Lee Hao explained calmly, "It's reasonable for ideals to be depicted as growing from the head, isn't it? And lush hair is an ideal for many people, which is also reasonable."
"???" Zhao Bo was utterly bewildered.
After his impromptu explanation, Lee Hao continued to paint.
What left Zhao Bo and Li Fu exchanging bewildered glances was that after dozens of paintings, they all looked fairly similar. And what was the point of having the beautiful maid stand in front of the easel as a backdrop?
Evidently, this young master had no talent whatsoever in the Painting Path, unlike his skill in chess.
However, since it was all a diversion from the martial path, they didn't bother to delve too deeply into it.
Lee Hao painted swiftly, and soon, a pile of discarded papers lay on the ground. Before long, his experience points accumulated to a hundred.
According to the self-introduction of the so-called "Steal Saint," his name meant not that he would only act when the wind was calm and the waves were flat, but that even after he made his move, the wind and waves would remain undisturbed.
During their leisurely fishing trip, Li Muxiu also cheerfully introduced Li Hao to Feng Boping's experiences, revealing that he indeed lived up to his name.
Many of the forces that had their treasures stolen by the Steal Saint only realized their loss months or even years later. Often, they wouldn't notice the theft immediately, making it impossible to track down the thief, the time of the theft, or even whether it was an inside job.
Such was the enigmatic and legendary life of Feng Boping, the Steal Saint.
On the shore, Li Hao skillfully set up a large pot while cleaning the freshly caught demon fish, dissecting and gutting them with his sword in a practiced manner.
He had become so adept at this that both Li Muxiu and Feng Boping were no longer surprised by his skills. Although he was merely preparing fish, the two elders had long ago recognized Li Hao's extraordinary talent for the sword. When Li Muxiu first saw Li Hao wielding his sword, he had even mocked him for having a sword that lacked vision and discernment, missing out on a true treasure.
The Steal Saint, Feng Boping, had also developed a soft spot for this lively and perceptive young boy who loved fishing. He had sincerely promised to help Li Hao search far and wide for the precious medicine that could unblock his meridians.
Soon, the white fish meat was cooking in the pot.
Li Hao added some coriander and chili peppers to the mix, filling the air with a mouthwatering aroma that drew the attention of the two elders on the shore.
Their fishing lines extended deep into the lake, far beyond the reach of ordinary lines. They used their bodies as rods, and the lines were invisible, stretching out without even a bobber to indicate their presence. They relied solely on the lines to sense any movement in the water.
"You two can start eating in three minutes," Li Hao announced with a smile.
Over time, Li Hao had become more casual in his address of Li Muxiu, calling him "Second Grandpa." He addressed Feng Boping as "Feng Elder," and the two elders had also come up with a lively and fitting nickname for Li Hao:
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