Capítulo 6: Chapter 21 - 27: Fishing. Freedom. Rapid Progress. Fishing for Dragons. Showing Off and a Letter. Pinnacle of Body Tempering. True Nature of Skills
"Second Uncle?"
Li Hao was taken aback. Within the household, Li Fu's generational status was based on his father's generation, so the only ones who could be addressed as 'uncle' were from the previous generation of the Li family.
"Oh."
The old man didn't pay much attention to Li Fu's respectful greeting. He casually acknowledged it and then glanced over, noticing the boy following behind Li Fu. The boy was dressed in fine clothing, with a dragon blood jade pendant hanging at his waist, and he held a body-tempering manual in his hands.
"I heard that our Li family has produced a martial arts failure. Could this be that child?" The old man asked nonchalantly.
Li Fu was exceedingly respectful as he bowed and replied, "Indeed, it is Hao'er. He is the son of Xing Wu Hou. He was born with blocked meridians and cannot cultivate martial arts."
"Oh ho ho..." The old man smiled faintly, "So he is the child of that stubborn fellow. Tch, this little guy intends to temper his body? That's a tough path ahead of him."
Li Fu maintained his respectful demeanor and said, "Although body tempering is a difficult path, it is the only way for this child to amount to something in the future."
"Pfft."
The old man scoffed derisively, "How far can body tempering take one? Even if he reaches the heights of those few body cultivators in history, what then? In an army of a million, he would only be a slightly larger pebble."
Li Fu couldn't help but smile bitterly, knowing that what the old man said was true. He could only respond, "But as a son of the Li family, it would be an honor to die on the battlefield."
Upon hearing these words, the old man's smile vanished, and his face turned solemn as he coldly snorted.
"What nonsense! Are the sons of our Li family destined to perish on the battlefield? What honor is there in that? I think your brains must be broken!"
"Only those who can survive the battlefield truly possess skill!"
"Uh..." Li Fu was left dumbfounded by the sudden rebuke. He had long heard that this Second Uncle had a peculiar personality and had done many unconventional things in his youth, and now it seemed that he was indeed unlike ordinary people.
"Is this Li Tian Gang's idea, or yours?" The old man asked, seemingly irritated.
Li Fu cautiously replied, "It's the Lord Marquis' and our intention..."
"Hmph, that Tian Gang fellow is becoming more and more useless as he grows older."
The old man snorted, "Forcing a child to cultivate is nothing impressive. If he has the skill, let him break the Three Unbreakables and enter the Four Establishments on his own. Then he can truly defy the heavens and change his fate."
"No matter how useless, disabled, or feeble-minded one is, they can still become an unparalleled genius. Instead of forcing the child to work hard, why don't you put in some effort yourself? Are you aware of your own incompetence?"
"Ah... this..."
Li Fu was left speechless, unable to respond.
The Four Establishments? It sounded simple, but reaching that realm was no easy feat!
In the entire Great Yu Dynasty, those who had achieved this level could be counted on one's fingers.
Beside him, Li Hao struggled to hold back his laughter. He found this old man rather adorable.
Initially, he had expected a solemn elder of the clan, someone like Li Fu, who would tirelessly impart earnest advice—the usual spiel about working hard and enduring hardship to achieve success. He never imagined the old man's words would be so contrary to his expectations.
"Could it be that our grand God General Manor can't even support a single child?"
Seeing Li Fu at a loss for words, the old man coldly huffed, "We risk our lives in battle, and those few children died on the battlefield. Can't we let a younger generation enjoy the hard-earned wealth and honor for a while?"
Li Fu trembled, only able to stutter in agreement, too intimidated to continue the conversation.
The old man shot Li Fu a disdainful glance, knowing that further words would be wasted on this wooden-headed man. From his youth, he had witnessed too much and understood the ideology that had been passed down through the Li family for countless years.
However, as his gaze shifted, he noticed the young boy beside him sneaking a smile, and his eyebrows rose in response.
"Little brat, why are you smirking when I'm insulting your father?"
"Old man, I think you're right," the boy replied.
"Hao'er!" Li Fu exclaimed in shock, immediately chastising him. "How dare you be so rude! How should you address your elders?"
Contrary to his expectations, the old man didn't get angry. Instead, he paused, taken aback. "What did you call me?"
"Old man," Li Hao replied with a smile. "I can't exactly call you 'young man,' can I?"
The old man's face darkened slightly. "Hasn't anyone taught you how to address your elders properly?"
"You call me 'little brat,' so I call you 'old man.' I'd say we're even," Li Hao said. "Surely someone has taught you how to address your juniors as well?"
Li Fu was so flustered that he began to sweat. He quickly covered Li Hao's mouth and addressed the old man, "Second Uncle, please don't take offense at the boy's words. His father and mother left for the Yanbei battlefield when he was born, so he grew up without proper guidance, resulting in his unruly behavior and lack of manners..."
The old man raised his eyebrows slightly, giving a soft hmm of acknowledgment. "What the child says makes sense. I suppose we're even then."
The old man replied nonchalantly, "I don't fish to eat. Fishing is a hobby, something you wouldn't understand since you're still young."
"If it's just a hobby, your fishing skills are pretty terrible," Li Hao remarked. "Catching only one fish is like being a pilot who never leaves the ground."
Mentioning pilots seemed to strike a nerve, and the old man reacted even more intensely than before, glaring at Li Hao. "You insolent brat, I wasn't trying today. We were at the new lake, and I'm not familiar with the waters there. Just you wait until tomorrow, and I'll show you what I can really do!"
As if to add credibility to his statement, he lifted the basket and brought it closer to Li Hao. "Do you think this is an ordinary fish? It's a demon! If I let it out, even that fellow next to you might not be its match!"
The "fellow" he referred to was, of course, Li Fu.
Li Fu's face turned awkward at the mention of his name. "What does this have to do with me?"
"Second Uncle, this demon is so dangerous. Please keep it away from Hao'er..." Li Fu said cautiously.
The old man snorted coldly. "Once it's in my basket, what trouble could it possibly cause?"
"A demon?" Li Hao's curiosity was piqued as he examined the small fish in the basket.
The fish was only as long as a pair of chopsticks, with a golden back and a red belly. Strangely, its fish eye sockets had scales that resembled eyelashes.
As Li Hao leaned in for a closer look, the fish seemed to sense his presence and glared back at him with hatred and killing intent.
Li Hao could clearly sense the emotions of loathing and murderous intent emanating from the fish's eyes, and he couldn't help but exclaim in surprise. This was his first time encountering a demon up close.
"Old man, your fishing skills are incredible! You can even catch demons. Why don't you teach me?" Li Hao asked eagerly.
If he recalled correctly, fishing was considered an art form, just like sculpting, painting, and playing the zither.
"Of course, I can teach you!" The old man's eyes lit up at the idea. "It's rare for someone to have an eye for it like you do. Those blockheads want to practice useless body tempering techniques. I'll teach you how to fish, and tomorrow, I'll show you my true skills. I'm not just blowing hot air. Today, I was just unfamiliar with that new lake..."
The old man continued to justify himself, still stinging from Li Hao's earlier comment.
Li Fu, who had been standing by dumbfounded, finally found his voice. "But, Second Uncle, Hao'er has a talent for body tempering! In just three months, he's mastered a low-grade body tempering technique. He's an exceptional talent. You... you can't distract him!"
Li Fu's voice trailed off as he finished, steeling himself for a possible beating.
"What talent? Even if he does manage to train, how strong could he possibly get? Could he match the might of ten thousand Li family soldiers?" The old man scoffed. "Why would you want to turn this delicate and adorable child into a sun-baked brute?"
"I won't become a sun-baked brute..." Li Hao thought to himself.
Ignoring Li Fu, the old man snatched the Dragon Spine manual from Li Hao's hands and stuffed it into Li Fu's chest. "Get lost with this trash. What's the point of practicing this? Hao'er, come with me. You must be hungry. I'll cook this demon and make you a tonic soup."
"Yes!" Li Hao nodded enthusiastically.
"Second Uncle, you... you can't do this!" Li Fu's desperate calls echoed behind them.
As he was led away by the old man, Li Hao realized just how fearless his second uncle was. The old man cooked his meal on the seventh-floor balcony of the Listening to Rain Tower, right next to the most precious ancient tomes of the Li family, some of which were older than they were.
As they chatted, Li Hao learned the old man's name—LiMuxiu.
Xiu meant to rest and recuperate, but it could also mean "unfinished business."
_______________________
The golden-backed, red-bellied fish in the basket transformed into a yao beast and leaped out. As it jumped, it transformed mid-air into a massive creature, tens of zhang in size. Its scales shimmered like an array of knives, its fins stood tall like sharp banners, and it spoke in a pitiful, pleading voice:
"Senior, I swear I will never harm another human life again. Please spare me."
The hideous fish head nodded up and down, as if kowtowing in the air.
Li Hao was hit by a wave of fishy odor, and he pinched his nose to prevent himself from vomiting.
That fish... was indeed extremely fishy!
"If I spare you, I'll be reduced to a meatless meal!" Li Mu Xiu's words left the fish yao desperate, angering it to the point of trembling, yet it dared not show its fury.
"Into the pot with you!"
Li Mu Xiu lifted his hand and pointed.
Although the fish yao had pleaded for mercy, it had already transformed and leaped into the air, intending to escape at any moment. Now that it saw the old man would not let it go, it began to sway its body, using the air as its lake, and tried to fly away into the distance.
However, before its body could fully turn, it suddenly trembled as if electrocuted. Fresh blood spurted from its gills, and its hideous body split apart in mid-air, as if sliced by countless invisible blades, using the void as a chopping board.
Strangely, the splattered blood did not fall to the ground but was carried away by the wind and disappeared without a trace.
The same happened to the separated chunks of the fish yao's remains, leaving behind only a dark purple yao dan the size of a fist, along with several pieces of snow-white fish meat, floating in the air.
Li Mu Xiu gestured, and the yao dan landed in the boiling water. The white fish meat was sliced into thin, translucent pieces by invisible blades in the air and then slowly added to the pot after the water had boiled.
At this moment, the old man took out a salt shaker from somewhere, added a couple of spoonfuls to the pot, and then covered it to let it simmer.
Li Hao was amazed by the old man's actions and gained a concrete understanding of the powerful martial artists in this world.
This was a yao beast, this was the might of a powerful martial artist!
"Old man, that purple meatball is the yao dan, right? Shouldn't it be eaten raw?" Li Hao asked curiously.
"Where did you hear that from?"
Li Mu Xiu glanced at him and said indifferently, "Do you want to be overwhelmed by the fishiness? Yao dan needs to be refined with various medicinal ingredients to be effective, and it can't be mixed randomly. After all, there are differences between various types of yao beasts. This is something that those professionals in pill refining can distinguish. Eating it raw... is like a regular person hunting a tiger and making soup from its bones to strengthen their body. Can you digest it raw?"
"So, what are you doing?"
"I'm using it as an ingredient. Although a lot of its efficacy will be wasted, there's not much point for me in eating this anyway. I'm just tasting it. As for you, you can drink some of the soup and eat a few slices of the fish meat to fill your stomach. This level of yao dan is not something you can handle yet."
"I see."
Li Hao nodded, not feeling any sense of loss or regret.
After all, there were countless precious pills and elixirs in the Shen Jiang Fu, let alone the raw materials for this yao dan. Those were all refined and completed pills.
However, after his failed foundation establishment, he had tested them, and those precious pills and elixirs could only fill his stomach. The extraordinary medicinal effects were completely isolated from his body.
Although they had an abundance of spiritual medicine, the distribution to the disciples in each courtyard was extremely conservative.
After all, ordinary medicine was three parts poison. While pills could lead to quick success, to reach the pinnacle, one mostly had to rely on their own power and avoid backlash.
...
The water in the pot boiled again, and the steam caused the pot lid to rattle gently.
The old man lifted the lid with his Iron Hand, and the steam escaped, only to be gently swept away by the breeze, not touching the beams of the pavilion.
A fragrant smell of fish filled the air, mixed with a hint of fishiness.
Li Hao frowned slightly, instinctively feeling that it didn't taste good even though he hadn't tried it yet.
"Here, try it."
Li Mu Xiu took out a pair of chopsticks from somewhere. They were black and shiny, and he wiped them on his clothes before picking up a piece of the yao dan, which resembled braised lion's head, and ate it.
At the same time, he waved his hand, and a swaying branch outside the pavilion snapped and flew into his hand.
He handed it to Li Hao, "Just peel off the bark and you can use it."
Li Hao was speechless.
However, he was not a rigid person either. At this moment, he sat cross-legged with the old man on the top floor of the Ting Yu Pavilion, a place revered as a holy land by martial artists. He casually peeled off the bark from the branch in his hand, broke it, and then stabbed it into the pot, picking up a piece of translucent fish meat.
"How does it taste?"
"Not bad, quite good, but a bit fishy."
"Fishy? I don't think so."
"Well, you're the one who smells fishy, so of course you wouldn't notice."
"Hey, you little rascal, how dare you talk to me like that?"
"I'm just stating the facts. I didn't say anything wrong."
"Hmph, you only have the guts to talk back to me. If it were anyone else, they would have spanked you good by now."
"I wouldn't want to talk back to anyone else."
"Ho, you've got quite the attitude there."
The old man and the young boy ate without much ceremony. The old man didn't act like a senior, and the young boy wasn't overly cautious. After finishing the fish meat and soup, the two of them leaned back, legs spread out, and simultaneously sighed in satisfaction:
"Ah, that hit the spot!"
In this moment, their postures were strikingly similar.
"You little rascal..." Li Mu Xiu glanced at Li Hao and suddenly burst into hearty laughter.
Li Hao smiled faintly, propped his head up with his hand, and looked forward. Outside the eaves, the sky had turned into night, and faint starlight gradually appeared on the horizon.
A gentle breeze blew in from the floor below and the surrounding mountains and fields, bringing with it a refreshing and relaxing feeling.
He suddenly felt that all the worldly luxuries and servants surrounding him couldn't compare to the freedom and comfort he felt at this moment.
As he lay there quietly for a moment, Li Hao suddenly thought of something and turned his head, asking, "Old man, do you have any special fishing techniques when you go fishing?"
"Why? Do you want to learn now?" Li Mu Xiu looked at him with interest.
"I want to give it a try tomorrow and see who catches more fish," Li Hao said with a mischievous smile.
Hearing this, Li Mu Xiu couldn't help but laugh. He never expected that among the stiff-necked people of the Li family, there would be such a lively and interesting child.
"Very well, from now on, you will follow me and learn how to fish. Fishing is a form of cultivation. Take me, for example. With just one cast of my line, I can hook a Three Unyielding expert and pull their mouth into a pucker!"
Li Mu Xiu chuckled softly, his eyes filled with pride. This pride, however, wasn't about his cultivation but his fishing skills.
Li Hao couldn't help but find this hilarious, and his mind began to wander, imagining the scene... It was just too vivid!
"Why are you laughing? Don't you believe me?" Li Mu Xiu raised an eyebrow, his face slightly stern.
"I believe you, of course, I do. It's just that the image is too funny," Li Hao said, laughing out loud again.
"Now that I think about it, it is quite amusing," Li Mu Xiu said, chuckling softly. "Tomorrow, when we get there, I'll teach you how to fish. For now, it's just talk, and you won't understand. Let's turn in early tonight. I'll get you a fishing rod."
With that, he sat up, patted his buttocks, and with a sweep of his sleeve, the remaining embers and iron pot on the floor disappeared without a trace.
Then, with a single step, he vanished into the night.
The next day.
Early in the morning, when the sky was just beginning to brighten, Li Mu Xiu woke Li Hao up.
Fortunately, Li Hao had gone to bed early the night before and didn't feel too sleepy. He asked, "Are we leaving this early?"
"Of course. Morning fishing is best when you start early. The fish are most likely to bite at this time."
A smile played on Li Mu Xiu's face. Usually, when he went fishing alone, it was just him, his rod, and his basket. Today, with this little fellow by his side, his enthusiasm for fishing had increased severalfold.
"Here's a fishing rod for you. Take it."
The old man took out a black fishing rod from somewhere and handed it to Li Hao.
Li Hao took it and felt its considerable weight. However, with his strength at the peak of the Tongli Realm, it was nothing. Moreover, his strength was ten times that of an ordinary Tongli Realm cultivator.
But Li Hao estimated that one would need to be at least at the fourth or fifth level of the Tongli Realm to wield this fishing rod with ease.
Seeing Li Hao take the rod with ease, a hint of surprise flashed across Li Mu Xiu's eyes. "It seems that Li Fu wasn't exaggerating. You do have a talent for body refinement. Which technique are you cultivating? Have you reached the pinnacle yet?"
Only then did Li Hao realize that the old man had chosen the fishing rod according to his cultivation level, putting in some thought.
The Bull Demon Technique was a low-grade body refinement technique. When cultivated to perfection, it would grant strength comparable to the sixth level of the Tongli Realm.
_______________________
Li Hao didn't hide anything and honestly told the old man what had happened.
Upon learning that it was the Wild Bull Technique, LiMuxiu nodded slightly and handed Li Hao a backpack without saying much:
"Inside is the bait for your fishing trip. These are quite tasty to demons and magical beasts of the Tongli Realm. What you catch will depend on your luck."
After speaking, he was about to take Li Hao downstairs.
"What about my fish basket?" asked Li Hao.
"Ha..." Li Muxiu laughed, "Let's talk about it when you've actually caught something. If you do, we can share a basket."
"Okay," Li Hao agreed without pressing further.
As the two stepped downstairs, they saw Li Fu waiting outside the building.
"Second Uncle, where are you going...?" Li Fu began, his eyes widening slightly as he noticed the fishing rod in Li Hao's hand.
"Do you need to ask? We're going fishing," Li Muxiu glanced at him, clearly not interested in conversing with this wooden-headed man.
Li Fu felt like crying but had no tears. "Second Uncle, it took Hao'er only three months to learn the Wild Bull Technique and achieve great success. He has an extremely high talent for body tempering. You... you can't hold him back!"
"Didn't you say the same thing yesterday? Do you have anything new to say?" Li Muxiu asked as he dug in his ear. "What's the point of body tempering? Even if you reach your limit, you'll only be as good as him. Tell me, are you a good fighter? Can you stand against ten thousand troops?"
Li Fu was left speechless.
The ten thousand troops Li Muxiu mentioned were not ordinary soldiers but the Yuanzi Camp of the Li family, an elite force. Ten thousand of these troops could raze half a city, and there was no way Li Fu could stand against them.
"Hao'er, don't mind him. Let's go."
Li Muxiu seemed worried that Li Fu would influence Li Hao and pulled the boy's small hand to leave.
"Uncle Fu, don't worry," Li Hao waved at Li Fu. Although the man had a serious and rigid personality, Li Hao appreciated his concern.
"Hao'er..." Li Fu opened his mouth slightly, wanting to stop him, but seeing Li Hao being pulled away, that bright little face turning back to look at him, he suddenly found himself unable to say what he had intended.
"Can't the vast God General Mansion support a single child?"
The words from yesterday seemed to echo in his ears once more.
Li Fu fell silent.
Perhaps, at this moment, Hao'er was happy.
At least he could have a happy childhood...
The figures of the old and young man disappeared in an instant, leaving only the man standing there, who, after a long gaze, sighed softly...
...
...
Li Hao experienced what it felt like to ride the clouds as Li Muxiu held his hand and flew high in the sky.
The various courtyards of the God General Mansion sped past beneath their feet. Li Hao saw the maids and servants of each courtyard drawing water and cooking early in the morning, as well as the older madam who had already gotten up and was walking in the courtyard. He also saw the fifth madam sending her children off to the martial arts field, standing at the courtyard gate and entrusting them with something...
These scenes flashed by, prompting Li Hao to exclaim in surprise. He never expected that while he slept in on regular days, the world was already so vibrant and full of life.
"Are you scared?"
Li Muxiu looked down and asked calmly.
"Acrophobia? I'm fine," Li Hao replied.
He felt no different from standing on solid ground. It seemed like there was an extremely solid force supporting him.
The morning breeze that blew against them seemed to have been filtered, leaving only a cool, gentle wind that ruffled their hair.
Li Muxiu smiled faintly and said, "I'm going to speed up now."
As soon as he finished speaking, Li Hao felt the scenery in front of him blur, and they were speeding like lightning.
In the blink of an eye, they had flown out of Qingzhou City and into the vast mountains beyond.
Half an hour later, Li Muxiu slowly descended with Li Hao to the shore of a vast lake.
This lake was boundless, its black waters surging.
Clear water runs deep, black water runs deeper.
The vast lake seemed bottomless, and at this moment, its surface was only slightly rippled, appearing calm and peaceful.
But precisely because of this, it evoked a bone-chilling sense of standing at the edge of an abyss.
Surrounding the lake were several majestic mountains, their terrain diverse. Some cliffs hung over the lake, while others were short and round, spreading out widely.
At this moment, the two landed at the foot of a mountain. Li Muxiu scanned the area and said with the experience of an old fisherman, "The water is shallow here, so you can cast your line here. I'll go to the center of the lake to catch the bigger ones. Take this with you. It will help protect you if you get into trouble. Don't worry; if anything happens over here, just shout, and I'll be there as soon as I can."
"Okay," Li Hao nodded and took the golden talisman that the old man handed him.
"Do you know how to bait the hook? Let me see how you cast your line first."
Li Muxiu didn't leave immediately. With a palm stroke, a large stone beside them seemed to erode, transforming into a fishing platform.
He waved his hand again, clearing away the messy bushes and branches around them. This would prevent the fishing line from getting tangled when Li Hao, as a beginner, cast his line, saving him some time and trouble.
Li Hao jumped onto the stone fishing platform, opened the backpack, and took out a package of soft, red dough.
"When fishing for these small demons and magical beasts of the Tongli Realm, dead bait will do. Later, when your strength is sufficient, I'll give you live bait, which has a higher chance of attracting prey," Li Muxiu explained.
Li Hao didn't complain and nodded, skillfully pulling out a lump of bait and immediately smelling the pungent fishy smell.
He kneaded the bait onto the hook, which was the size of a fist. It took a lot of bait to cover it entirely.
Li Muxiu was a little surprised to see Li Hao's skilled movements and asked, "Have you fished before?"
"No," Li Hao replied.
"Isn't this how it's done?"
"Yes," Li Muxiu nodded, glancing at Li Hao. He didn't think much of it, but from their brief conversation yesterday, he could tell that this child was intelligent.
"This will mask your scent.
With a swift movement, he swung his fishing rod, casting the line as far as it could go, sending it plummeting into the lake a hundred zhang away.
As the fishing hook plunged into the water with a splash, a string of text appeared before Li Hao's eyes:
[Angling Dao: Zero Stage (1/100)
]
[Angling Experience +2]
Li Hao smiled inwardly. As expected, the Angling Art from that game could also be collected in the panel.
Moreover, what surprised Li Hao was that he had gained 2 points of experience just by casting his line! Normally, he would only get 1 point for playing a game of chess.
Only when facing slightly more challenging opponents would he gain 2 points of experience.
It seemed that angling, like the art of chess, was a skill that required patience and strategy. The fact that he gained experience just by casting his line indicated that the lake before him was relatively dangerous and posed a certain level of difficulty for anglers.
"Remember to be patient, stay quiet, and don't startle whatever is underwater," Li Muxiu instructed seriously, concerned that Li Hao's childish nature might cause him to give up too soon.
After all, angling was often a pastime for older folks like him. For a seven or eight-year-old child full of energy, it might be challenging to remain still and quiet for long.
"Mhm," Li Hao nodded.
Seeing Li Hao's calm and composed demeanor, a slight smile curved Li Muxiu's lips, and he remained silent, quietly observing from the side.
Since he wasn't the one holding the rod, he secretly released his spiritual sense to probe the waters, spotting two small fish swimming towards their bait—one at the fourth level and the other at the seventh level of the Tongli Realm.
"As expected of the newbie protection period, there's activity so soon. Let's see if he can reel them in," Li Muxiu thought, a hint of envy in his heart. Although he could use his abilities to make the fish bite directly, which would greatly foster Li Hao's interest in angling, his love for the sport wouldn't allow him to do something so uninteresting.
Not long after, Li Hao noticed the float bobbing.
His eyes lit up, and after a brief moment of patience, he waited for the float to sink halfway before swiftly pulling the rod.
The line went taut with a twang, and he could feel something tugging at the other end, struggling vigorously and transmitting a tremendous force.
However, in Li Hao's hands, that force felt as gentle as a feather. He pulled forcefully, and whatever was at the other end was dragged uncontrollably towards him.
"Don't be too hasty, or you might lose your catch," Li Muxiu advised hastily from the side.
Li Hao's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly eased up a little, skillfully playing out the line under Li Muxiu's guidance.
The black lake waters churned, and the splashes were enormous.
After about ten minutes of struggling, Li Hao finally pulled the exhausted demon fish to shore. It was a massive creature, four to five meters long, with sharp fangs that could easily swallow an adult whole.
Anyone who fell into the water would surely become this demon fish's meal.
The demon fish, still at the Tongli Realm, hadn't learned how to transform yet, and its intelligence was only beginning to manifest. It possessed a bloodthirsty and ferocious demonic nature.
As the fish was hauled onto the shore, a string of text appeared before Li Hao's eyes.
[Angling Experience +37]
Li Hao's eyes widened slightly at the substantial amount of experience gained. This demon fish, now on land, thrashed about violently and pounced at Li Hao with its mouth wide open, intending to devour him.
Li Muxiu casually flicked his finger, causing the demon fish's body to shrink, turning it into a tiny fish the size of a bullet. He then picked it up and tossed it into the fish basket.
"Kid, I didn't expect you to catch something so soon," Li Muxiu laughed, turning to Li Hao. "How do you feel? Are you tired? That fish was at the seventh level of the Tongli Realm, and its strength is even greater underwater. Someone at the eighth level might not even be able to hold on to the rod, but you've got some skills!"
"I'm not tired," Li Hao replied with a grin.
"Good, then keep going. Perfect timing, I'll use this fish as bait," Li Muxiu said, itching to get his hands on the rod. After speaking, he picked up the fish basket and took a step forward, instantly disappearing into the distance, leaving behind only a black dot.
Li Hao gazed at the fading figure and noticed that Li Muxiu had reached the center of the lake. Even with his sharp eyesight, he could barely make out a small dot.
Shaking his head, Li Hao stopped staring and continued to take advantage of the time to gain more experience.
He re-baited his hook and cast the line once more.
[Angling Experience +2]
Li Hao sat on the fishing platform, his eyes fixed on the float as he waited quietly.
The previous catch had proven that reeling in a fish would grant him more experience, so he remained focused on the task at hand.
Time passed slowly.
Perhaps due to the prolonged struggle with the previous fish and the large splashes it had caused, the surrounding fish seemed to have been frightened away. Li Hao sat there for a full hour without any movement from the float.
Could the bait have been secretly eaten?
The thought crossed Li Hao's mind, and he considered pulling the hook out of the water to check, but he restrained himself.
Earlier, he had wanted to exploit a bug in the system by repeatedly casting his line, as it seemed to be a faster way to gain experience than simply waiting for a bite.
However, the second time he cast his line, he only gained a single point of experience.
The third time, he didn't gain any experience at all.
Apparently, frequent casting without any bites only resulted in minimal experience gains.
Just then, the still float suddenly dipped into the water and disappeared.
Li Hao's eyes, which had almost gone numb from the wait, lit up instantly. But before he could exercise any patience, the float vanished beneath the water.
Li Hao hastily pulled the rod, and the line went taut with a twang, transmitting an immense force from the other end—a force that felt like dozens of tripods worth of weight.
_______________________
A Monster Indeed!
Li Hao immediately sensed the enormous size of the creature struggling at the end of his line. His heart skipped a beat, and he knew he had to be cautious. Instead of yanking the fishing line forcefully, which could cause the hook to straighten or break, he kept the line taut and carefully eased off some tension before pulling it tight again.
In an instant, the serene black water erupted into furious waves, creating a tumult with a diameter of several tens of meters.
Li Hao could vaguely make out a massive dark shadow being pulled out from the depths. It struggled violently closer to the surface.
The shadow was hideous, measuring seven or eight meters in length, and its splashing grew more intense with each thrash.
Maintaining a tight line, Li Hao employed the same technique of alternating between gentle and firm pulls to slowly draw the massive shadow closer to the shore.
Suddenly, the creature beneath the water seemed to sense something. With a powerful surge, it leaped out of the water, revealing a huge, flat head and a mouthful of sharp teeth like countless sharpened bamboo spikes.
Its emerald green eyes, filled with malevolence, fixed on Li Hao standing on the fishing platform. But when it realized that its captor was just a child of seven or eight years old, the malicious glint in its eyes turned to anger.
"Ignorant brat! How dare you hook old Master Catfish here!"
To Li Hao's surprise, the fish demon spoke in a shrill, grating voice. Instead of struggling further, it abruptly changed course and swam rapidly toward the shore, causing the taut line to go slack in an instant.
"I'll eat you for this!"
In the blink of an eye, the distance of several hundred meters was bridged as the demon fish surged through the waves. It leaped out of the water, aiming to swallow Li Hao whole, and lunged at the fishing platform, which was just a few feet above the water.
As the fish demon reached the shore, Li Hao saw these words appear before his eyes:
[Fishing Experience +68]
[Fishing Dao improved to First Stage]
At the same time, a multitude of fishing techniques flooded his mind.
However, Li Hao had no time to absorb and digest this newfound knowledge. He tensed his scalp, focusing intently on the present danger.
The foul-smelling maw was just inches away, and he could even see the pink, tender flesh quivering in the demon fish's throat.
Facing his first enemy, Li Hao's heart pounded with surprise and tension, not least because of the fish demon's terrifying appearance. But fortunately, its movements seemed painfully slow to his eyes.
In the Listening Rain Pavilion, he had cultivated his eyesight through three different body-refining techniques, layering them to identify and fill gaps, elevating his visual perception to a level far beyond what was typical for the Tongling Realm.
Biting the tip of his tongue, he quickly calmed himself. With a swift sidestep and a bend at the waist, Li Hao's palm shot out, grasping one of the demon fish's sharp teeth. In one fluid motion, he spun and flung the creature away!
It all happened in the blink of an eye, a seamless sequence of actions.
A loud bang resounded as the demon fish crashed into the mountainside several dozen meters behind the shore, its tail thrashing violently against the ground.
"Wh-What kind of monster are you?!"
The fish demon, dazed and battered, managed to utter these trembling words.
It twitched its belly slightly, and in that moment, its years of cultivation made it aware of the shadow of death looming over it. The tender child before it, mere seven or eight years of age, exuded an aura of terror. It couldn't be a member of the human race; it must be a descendant of some powerful demon.
Li Hao was taken aback by the demon fish's words, but he couldn't help but laugh.
However, wary of any unknown abilities the demon fish might possess, he decided to end the battle swiftly. With a burst of speed, he charged forward.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, the demon fish's gill flared, and a mouthful of black, putrid mud shot out like poisonous arrows.
Li Hao had anticipated some sort of hidden ability and was ready. As soon as he saw the mud leave the demon's mouth, he twisted his foot, dodging the foul projectile. Then, with a powerful push, he closed the distance in an instant.
"Spare me... please!"
The fish demon, overcome with fear, tried to beg for mercy, but Li Hao's fist was already upon it, slamming into its head with bone-crushing force.
The sheer impact of Li Hao's punch caused the demon fish's body to shudder, and its skull caved in with a sickening crack. Green brain matter splattered everywhere, some of it landing on Li Hao's body.
A strong stench assailed his nostrils, making him feel nauseous.
No wonder the old man always reeked of fish—encounters like this were probably commonplace for him.
The demon fish's tail continued to twitch and slap against the ground, but it seemed more like a nervous spasm than a vigorous struggle for life.
Li Hao, cautious of any tricks, delivered two more punches to ensure the demon fish was truly defeated. Only when its head was reduced to a pulpy mess, with brain matter oozing out, did he finally step back and retreat from the creature's side.
However, Li Hao didn't like relying on others.
After dealing with the fish demon, Li Hao recalled the multitude of information that had flooded his mind earlier. Many fishing techniques emerged one by one, making him feel as though he had been shore fishing for over a decade.
Water observation, line measurement, hidden hooks, and other fishing skills became clear to him. Li Hao returned to the fishing platform, straightened his fishing rod, and untangled the line. He baited the hook once more, but this time, his movements were more skilled, and he expertly manipulated the bait to securely wrap around the hook.
Then, he gazed at the black lake. Strangely, what was once an opaque body of water now revealed distinct changes to his eyes.
He could discern subtle variations in the water flow and see as deep as seven or eight meters below the surface. The ripples that formed after the waves calmed resembled a pattern in his eyes, outlining the hidden currents beneath.
Through these currents, Li Hao sensed that something was moving far away from his location.
And near this fishing platform, after the two previous disturbances, there probably weren't any significant creatures left. Any substantial beings at the bottom had likely fled.
A thought occurred to Li Hao, and instead of casting his line and waiting passively, he decided to take the initiative.
Holding his rod, he walked along the shore, occasionally glancing at the water's surface. By observing the underwater currents, he could determine the direction of his prey.
Soon, after walking for nearly a kilometer, Li Hao stopped at a place that resembled a bay. He chose a solid platform and cast his line.
This time, despite his vigorous swing, the heavy sinker created only small ripples as it landed on the water, without the loud plopping sound from before.
Then, the line was pulled by the sinker, slowly sinking to the bottom.
Li Hao squatted slightly, waiting patiently.
Within just a few minutes, there was movement near the float.
Li Hao was not surprised. This bait was practically delivered right in front of the underwater creature.
With a swish, the float disappeared underwater, revealing an impatient creature.
Li Hao chuckled and abruptly lifted the rod. An immense force transmitted through the line, and in the first moment of the creature's struggle, Li Hao could sense and judge its strength. It was probably around 2,000 catties, likely a fish demon in the Tongling Realm, whose spiritual intelligence had not yet fully manifested. No wonder the disturbance it created could be vaguely perceived from a thousand meters away.
He continued with sharp lifts and gentle pulls.
Then, he swung the rod from side to side, each tug securing the hook further and making it harder for the fish to escape.
Soon, after playing the fish for seven or eight minutes, Li Hao pulled the exhausted fish demon out of the lake.
[Fishing Experience +23]
The fish demon emerged from the water and pounced at Li Hao ferociously, only to be punched to death and flung onto the hillside behind him.
Li Hao baited his hook once more and resumed fishing.
There was still something down there.
...
...
"This old dragon is cunning. It hasn't revealed any traces at all."
In the sky above the Demon Lake, LiMuxiu's figure was hidden in the high clouds. He didn't have a fishing rod, only an almost invisible line that sank vertically into the water.
His fishing skills were already adept at line sensing, allowing him to perceive the underwater situation through the movement of the line. This technique was akin to directly searching with his spiritual soul to peer beneath the lake's surface.
He had cast his line in a sufficiently stealthy manner, but the old dragon remained unstirred.
Previously, the small fish demon that Li Hao had caught was eaten by another fish demon—a bigger fish eating the smaller one.
But his goal was not to catch fish; it was to catch the dragon!
"Oh well, it seems this old dragon is in a deep slumber today. In these three thousand li of the Black Lake, who knows where it's hiding."
LiMuxiu shook his head slightly and scanned the thousand li of turbulent lake stretching before him, its end unseen.
He sighed and reeled in his line, pulling out a fish demon over ten meters long and covered in spikes, which he had been using as bait for the dragon.
With a flick of his finger, the fish demon's body shrank, transforming into a palm-sized fish with black spots. He tossed it into his fish basket.
"I wonder if that kid has caught anything. I hope he hasn't lost patience and ended up with nothing."
LiMuxiu muttered to himself as he picked up the fish basket and flew back in the direction he had come from.
_______________________
Soon, LiMuxiu landed on the fishing platform he had been on before.
Scanning the area, he did not see Li Hao, and his expression changed. He quickly looked around and immediately spotted Li Hao crouching and hiding behind a mound about a thousand meters away, fishing.
"So, he couldn't hold back, huh?"
Li Muxiu shook his head and was about to go over when his peripheral vision suddenly caught sight of a fish demon with its skull smashed in.
He paused, then his figure flickered, appearing in front of the fish demon as if he had teleported.
After examining it with a frown, he realized that the wound was made by a hard punch.
Li Muxiu reached out and touched the fish demon, sensing its power. His expression changed immediately.
"A Void Transformation Realm demon?! And it's at the third level, too!"
This fish demon... was killed by that little guy?!
A hint of surprise flashed in Li Muxiu's eyes, and he turned to look at Li Hao in the distance. Without another word, he flew over to Li Hao's side in an instant.
"Kid!"
Li Hao was startled by the sudden voice.
He had been concentrating on the fish bladder, a little too focused, and hadn't noticed when the old man had approached.
"Shh!"
Li Hao quickly signaled for quiet.
Li Muxiu paused, about to ask a question, but stopped when he followed Li Hao's gaze to the fish bladder.
His gaze penetrated the water, and he saw a fish demon hovering near the hook, seemingly hesitating.
What surprised Li Muxiu was that the hook was completely covered by the bait, hidden extremely well, making it impossible to detect.
This kid, when did he learn such a stealthy hook technique?
As Li Muxiu was marveling inwardly, the hesitating fish demon finally gave in to temptation. Although it felt a vague sense of unease, it couldn't pinpoint why. In the end, overcome by the lure of the bait, it bit impulsively.
"It's hooked!"
Li Hao's eyes lit up, and as the fish bladder sank, he quickly lifted the rod with force.
The hook firmly lodged in the fish demon's mouth, causing it to struggle and create waves in the water.
Li Hao didn't hesitate and quickly reeled in the line, using the fish-tiring technique he had learned earlier to skillfully tug the fish left and right in the water, exhausting its stamina.
A few minutes later, Li Hao pulled the fish demon, a small demon at the sixth level of the Channeling Power Realm, onto the shore.
Seeing Li Hao's casual and relaxed demeanor, Li Muxiu's eyes flickered. He waited for Li Hao to remove the hook from the fish demon's mouth and toss it onto the hillside behind them before speaking. "Was it you who killed that fish demon over there?"
"Mhm."
Li Hao nodded in admission.
There was no one else around, so there was no point in lying.
"Do you know what realm that fish demon was in?" Li Muxiu narrowed his eyes, staring intently at Li Hao as if trying to see through his soul.
"Void Transformation Realm?"
Li Hao guessed based on the burst of power he had felt from the fish demon in the water.
It definitely wasn't in the Channeling Power Realm.
"That's right, at least the third level of Void Transformation Realm!" Li Muxiu fixed his gaze on Li Hao. "You've only cultivated the Ox's Power, which is at most the sixth level of the Channeling Power Realm. Now, be honest, have you been secretly cultivating something else?"
Li Hao had already prepared an answer. Pretending to hesitate for a moment, he nodded, "Yes."
"Which technique?"
"The Thousand Flood Dragon Sacred Body from the sixth floor," Li Hao replied.
Li Muxiu raised an eyebrow. What a coincidence! He had been thinking that if Li Hao truly had a talent for body refinement, he wouldn't mind teaching him a body refinement secret manual himself. He never expected this kid to have taken the initiative to learn one, and from the looks of it, he seemed to have delved quite deeply!
"How many layers have you cultivated?" Li Muxiu asked, his eyes intense.
"The second layer," Li Hao replied honestly.
The second layer was the Flood Dragon Body, which could unleash half the power of a dragon. Even without reaching the Void Transformation Realm, one could still exhibit strength comparable to the initial stages of that realm, thus explaining how he was able to kill that fish demon.
Hearing this, Li Muxiu drew a quiet breath. What a kid!
He looked at Li Hao, who was not yet eight years old, and couldn't believe that he had already reached the second layer!
It seemed that Li Fu was right; this kid truly did have a talent for body refinement.
"Even with the mastery of the Flood Dragon Body, it would still be extremely difficult to pull that fish demon onto the shore. You, little fellow, not only have a talent for body refinement but also show great potential in fishing!" Li Muxiu praised with a very satisfied smile.
Li Hao scratched his head and smiled modestly, but in his heart, he was thinking that the old man seemed happier about his fishing potential than his body refinement talent.
"They all thought you were a martial arts waste, but who would've thought that at such a young age, you're already capable of killing a Void Transformation Realm demon. Hahaha..."
Li Muxiu burst into laughter. Regardless of what his future limits might be, at this moment, Li Hao's combat power was stronger than those proud geniuses with their nine-grade battle bodies!
After his laughter subsided, Li Muxiu's expression turned thoughtful as he looked down at Li Hao. "Now that I think about it, Li Fu probably doesn't know about this, does he? When did you start cultivating on your own, and why didn't you tell Li Fu? Don't you trust him?"
"I started when I first entered the Listening Rain Pavilion a few years ago," Li Hao said with a sincere expression. "He... he didn't ask me about it."
Li Muxiu rolled his eyes. "So, you weren't going to say anything unless he asked? Come on, no wonder you were able to cultivate the Ox's Power to perfection in just three months. With this foundation, cultivating the Ox's Power must've been like eating and drinking water for you. Did your father tell you to keep this a secret?"
Li Hao thought for a moment and shook his head slightly.
"So, it was your own decision?"
Li Muxiu narrowed his eyes.
Seeing Li Hao's silence, a flurry of thoughts ran through Li Muxiu's mind, and a cold light flashed in his eyes. "Could it be that someone in the mansion has their eyes on you, and that's why you're keeping a low profile?"
Li Hao looked into the old man's eyes and saw the chilling killing intent within. He hesitated for a moment before nodding slightly.
"Who is it?!"
Seeing that it was indeed the case, Li Muxiu flew into a rage.
How dare they make a seven-year-old child suffer like this! Those second-generation brats would pay dearly!
Li Hao shook his head slightly. "I don't want to say yet."
"Why?" Li Muxiu paused, staring at Li Hao, then immediately understood the boy's thoughts.
"You don't trust me? You think I might be related to the person who has their eyes on you? Tsk, you're overthinking it. I have no children of my own, and there aren't many people in this world that I care about."
Li Hao still shook his head, remaining silent.
Li Muxiu glared at him, his face stern. After a moment, the anger on his face faded, and he actually nodded slightly, a hint of relieved smile appearing on his face.
"It's normal for us to be cautious since we've just met and aren't that familiar with each other. But since you're not willing to reveal who that person is, why are you willing to expose your strength in front of me? You could've easily let that fish demon get away and continue hiding your power."
After a while, he snapped out of his daze and laughed, a hint of self-mockery in his voice.
"Then you're wrong. I may not be a bad person, but when I turn bad, I'm worse than a monster."
"Then what are you like?"
"In the future, when you step out of the Divine General Mansion, you will hear of my name outside." Li Muxiu said with a smile.
Seeing this, Li Hao didn't press the issue further.
"You're quite the crafty one for your age. It's a bit of a pity." Li Muxiu sized up Li Hao, his fondness for the child growing. If he could cultivate normally, he would likely become another Little Nine.
However, he only felt a slight regret and didn't dwell on it too deeply.
After all, what difference would it make if he became Li Junye? He would still end up dying on the battlefield, which seemed to be the fate of the men of the Li family.
"From now on, you don't have to hide your talent for body refinement from me. Feel free to display it openly. I've seen many geniuses, and your talent is only considered first-rate. It's not enough to scare this old man."
Li Muxiu said indifferently, "If anyone in the mansion has their eyes on you and feels that you're standing in someone's way, I want to see if our Divine General Mansion can still accommodate a child who cultivates the body."
...
...
After they had cleaned their catch, Li Muxiu took Li Hao and flew back to Qingzhou City.
To increase Li Hao's interest in fishing, Li Muxiu did not land directly at the Listening Rain Pavilion within the inner court but instead descended at the main entrance of the mansion. He then had Li Hao carry the fish basket as the two of them strolled into the residence.
"Old man, what are you doing?" Li Hao asked, puzzled.
"You don't understand. This is a fishing tradition."
Li Muxiu stood tall and proud, his demeanor casual and unconcerned:
"Not counting the one you killed and the one I used as bait, you caught four more on your own. For a beginner like you, that's already a great harvest. We have to show it off to everyone."
"Is there such a rule?" Li Hao asked in surprise.
Li Muxiu glared at him, "I say there is, so there is."
"Marshal Mu!"
The servants and maids along the way were startled by Li Muxiu's appearance and hurriedly bowed and knelt to greet him. They were puzzled as to why the guardian of the Listening Rain Pavilion, who usually stayed in seclusion, would be here.
Li Muxiu ignored them and continued walking with Li Hao.
The two of them turned several corners, deliberately passing through areas where there were more people.
In the training field, the young disciples of the clan were practicing, while an elderly military instructor was teaching. Li Muxiu pushed open the door and walked in.
The instructor was about to frown, but when he saw Li Muxiu's face, he was startled and quickly got up to greet him, "The old soldier of the Yuanzi Camp pays respect to Marshal Mu!"
"You're teaching a class,"
Li Muxiu said, knowing full well, and then added indifferently, "Today, I took Hao'er out fishing. It was his first time, so he didn't have much experience, but he still managed to catch a few small demons. Do you want them for wine?"
The military instructor was taken aback when he saw the few demon fish in Li Hao's basket and quickly replied, "Thank you, Lord Marquis, for your kindness, but I already have wine for today."
A polite refusal.
Having served in the mansion for many years, he naturally understood the old marquis's temperament. He immediately realized that this was a routine show-off.
If he really took the fish, the old marquis would surely take offense and come to beat him up in the middle of the night.
By tomorrow, he might not even be able to get out of bed.
He dared not take such a risk.
"Oh, then never mind. You can continue teaching," Li Muxiu said casually, and then he led Li Hao away.
Li Hao's head was full of black lines. Was this the fishing tradition? It was too forceful!
After passing the training field, they turned towards the Changchun Court.
"Second Uncle, what brings you here? It's almost lunchtime. I'll ask the servants to set an extra pair of chopsticks for you. What would you like to eat?" He Jianlan was chatting with Aunt Gao when she saw Li Muxiu and quickly got up to greet him.
Li Muxiu said indifferently, "Hao'er caught a few small fish. I'll make you a soup."
"Did Hao'er catch these?"
He Jianlan was surprised to see Li Hao carrying the fish basket, with a few small fish wriggling inside.
"Who else would it be? Do you think I would catch such small fish?" Li Muxiu glared at her, clearly annoyed.
He Jianlan was speechless. She knew that her second uncle had a quirky temperament, and it was fine if he was impolite, but one must never mention fishing in front of him.
"Yes, yes, since it's Second Uncle's gift, I'll gladly accept it," He Jianlan quickly said.
"Thank me for what? These are Hao'er's fish," Li Muxiu emphasized.
He Jianlan hesitated and could only reluctantly say, "Then thank you, Hao'er."
"You're welcome, Aunt," Li Hao quickly said, while also giving the old man a sideways glance. This tradition was making him feel like he was on pins and needles, like he had thorns on his back and a bone in his throat.
After giving the fish to He Jianlan, when the old man and the boy had left, she looked at the few small fish and realized that they were all small demons at the Channeling Power Realm. She was quite surprised.
Previously, Li Fu had mentioned that Li Hao had a talent for body refinement, and it seemed to be true.
"Did Hao'er really catch these?"
Gao Qingqing was also surprised to see the small fish. Everyone knew that Li Hao had a waste body for martial arts, and they all thought he was just an ordinary person. She never expected that he could catch demons at the Channeling Power Realm, which meant that Li Hao had also started cultivating, and his progress was quite good.
"Second Uncle wouldn't lie about fishing," He Jianlan said.
She looked at the courtyard gate, where the old man and the boy had already disappeared, "It seems that Hao'er has started cultivating the path of body refinement. That's a tough road. Poor child."
Gao Qingqing also shook her head slightly and sighed softly.
Although Li Hao had a talent for body refinement, this path was too difficult, and not many people could persist until the end. If it were her child, she would rather let him be an ordinary person and enjoy his life.
"It must be Old Seven and the others... They're really heartless," Gao Qingqing said softly.
...
...
When they returned to the Listening Rain Pavilion, Li Hao saw Li Fu waiting from afar.
Li Muxiu also noticed and snorted softly.
When they approached, Li Fu quickly came forward and looked at the fish blood on Li Hao's body, his face changing as he asked anxiously, "Second Uncle, Hao'er..."
"It's just fishing. It's inevitable to have a contest with the fish demons. Don't worry, with me there, Hao'er won't get hurt," Li Muxiu said calmly.
Li Fu breathed a sigh of relief and then handed the item in his hand to Li Hao, "This is a letter from the Sword Lodge. It should be from Miss Xue'er. Take a look."
_______________________
A letter from the Sword Sect? Li Hao was slightly surprised, his mind involuntarily conjuring the image of that tearful little girl.
Months had passed since she left for the Sword Sect, and he wondered how she was doing. Had she adjusted to her new surroundings and sleeping arrangements?
Li Hao carefully unfolded the letter and began to read.
The neat yet unfamiliar handwriting seemed to be the girl's own. She greeted him and expressed her longing.
Perhaps it was a rare opportunity for her to write and send a letter, as she filled the paper with details of her daily life at the Sword Sect over the past few months. She wrote about her apprenticeship, recognition as a disciple, cultivation, and learning to read sword manuals, among other things, leaving no detail untold.
Although she described only mundane routines, her words conveyed a deep sense of longing.
At the end of the letter, the girl seemed to realize she had filled most of the paper, so she promised to cultivate diligently and strive to descend the mountain as soon as possible. She asked Li Hao to wait for her return.
Li Hao silently finished reading, carefully refolded the letter, and tucked it back into his brocade robe over his chest.
Beside him, Li Muxiu asked Li Fu about the Sword Sect. This grandfather, who was either out fishing in the wild or staying in the Listening Rain Tower, was clearly unaware of matters concerning the younger generations of the family, such as Li Hao. If it hadn't been for the shocking news of Li Hao's martial arts disabled body that had stirred discussions throughout the mansion, he wouldn't have heard about it at all.
Upon learning the truth, Li Muxiu's first reaction was clearly one of relief.
His expression seemed to say, "Oh, so it's not that Hao'er has a talent for the sword, I almost thought the Sword Saint wanted to take him on as a disciple."
Although he didn't care about Li Hao's cultivation, if Li Hao truly possessed an extremely high talent, he wouldn't stand in his way.
Then, Li Muxiu snorted coldly, his expression displeased.
"That old man, Jian Wudao, is taking advantage of his senior status to bully Jian Lan, who doesn't dare to talk back to him. Humph! A ninth-rank battle body and a sword genius to boot, any prestigious family would be scrambling to have him. Yet, he's being stingy even after getting a good deal, using a tattered old body tempering manual as compensation? One of these days, I'll have to pay a visit to the Sword Sect and set him straight!"
Li Fu listened, breaking into a cold sweat and bitterly smiling to himself, not daring to join the conversation.
Who would dare to haggle when others had the opportunity to become a disciple of the Sword Saint? It was already exciting enough to keep them up at night.
"Second Uncle, how was the fishing today? Quite a big catch, I presume!"
Li Fu changed the subject, knowing that the old man loved to be praised for his fishing skills. This old warrior, usually stern and upright, now revealed a fawning smile, though it looked extremely awkward and embarrassing.
His failure to flatter effectively was the most fatal flaw.
Li Muxiu glanced at him indifferently and said to Li Hao, "Hao'er, did you see that? This is why our family's tradition of fishing is so important. You must let others see your catch as much as possible, otherwise, those who don't know might think you returned empty-handed."
'If you went straight home, who would know you went fishing? And even if they did, who would care?' Li Hao thought to himself.
"Let's go," said Li Muxiu, ignoring Li Fu and leading Li Hao into the Listening Rain Tower.
Li Fu hesitated, wanting to say something but stopping short, while Li Muxiu paused just before entering the tower, without turning back, and said, "Little Fu, you don't have to worry about Hao'er's cultivation anymore. He does have a talent for body tempering, and I'll teach him while we're fishing."
With that, he strode into the tower and disappeared into the light and shadows within.
Li Fu was taken aback, the conflicting thoughts in his mind suddenly clearing, and he felt as though a heavy stone had been lifted from his shoulders.
He quickly bowed deeply and thanked his second uncle, his heart filled with joy and excitement for Li Hao.
If his second uncle personally guided and taught him, it would be even better than his own instruction. After all, this second uncle was by no means inferior to the Sword Saint...
...
...
Although Li Muxiu seemed frivolous, he was a man of his word, and this was partly influenced by the military family's household precepts.
Upon entering the tower, Li Muxiu gathered some firewood and set up a stove on the tower platform. As he dissected the fish demon he had caught that day, he casually said to Li Hao, "If there's anything you don't understand about your cultivation, feel free to ask, and I'll help you clarify it."
Li Hao shook his head slightly. "Not for now."
"Nothing?"
Li Muxiu huffed in displeasure. "Are you saying you haven't encountered any bottlenecks yet? Humph, this body tempering technique is quite powerful, and it's already impressive that you can understand it. Alright, show me your practice."
Li Hao thought it was unnecessary, but seeing that the old man genuinely wanted to teach him, he didn't want to disappoint him, so he obediently demonstrated his moves.
Li Muxiu had intended to give some pointers but found that there were hardly any flaws in the boy's technique. He couldn't help but reevaluate this young man.
To have achieved this level through self-study showed an astonishing level of comprehension!
"Not bad. With your current cultivation, you should have reached the tenth level of the Tongli Realm, right?"
"As for the later stages...
Body tempering has no late stages.
As they say, it's a grueling path. You must understand that even normal cultivation is extremely arduous, and for it to be called a 'grueling path' by them, you can imagine how difficult body tempering must be.
Hence, very few persist to the end. Even those with great willpower often find their lifespan exhausted due to slow progress, making breakthroughs difficult, and they ultimately perish with regrets."
"Mhm."
Li Hao nodded in acknowledgment.
"Not yet eight years old and already at the perfect state of the Tongli Realm, your cultivation progress can be considered to be catching up to the heels of those top geniuses."
Li Mu Xiu continued, "Next is the Zhoutian Realm, where strength is transformed into qi, and qi circulates through the cycles of heaven. There are two ways for you to break into the Zhoutian Realm. The first is to enter the Hundred Flood Dragon Body, forcibly breaking through with your physical body. The Hundred Flood Dragon Body also involves qi cultivation techniques, and cultivating it to perfection will allow you to reach the ultimate level of a hundred cycles."
"It is because of this point that this body tempering technique is placed on the sixth floor."
Seeing Li Hao sitting cross-legged, listening intently, Li Mu Xiu explained further, "There are ten layers to the Zhoutian Realm, but the differences between each layer are vast. In the Tongli Realm, one can increase their strength through powerful techniques and awaken their divine blood, creating a gap in power. However, in the Zhoutian Realm, the gap between the prodigies and the ordinary is further widened through the use of top-tier qi cultivation techniques."
"Most ordinary warriors without influential backgrounds cultivate lower-grade techniques, achieving around ten cycles of the meridian."
"As for middle and upper-grade techniques, one can achieve thirty-six cycles of the meridian!"
"And for supreme techniques, it's seventy-two cycles."
He looked at Li Hao and said, "As for the ultimate techniques, it's a hundred cycles! This is the essence contained within the Thousand Flood Dragon Sacred Body. Setting aside body tempering, it's also considered a top-tier qi cultivation technique."
"I see." Li Hao nodded slightly.
He had some knowledge about the Zhoutian Realm from the books he had read. If one cycle of the meridian represented a doubling of one's strength, then ten cycles would mean ten times the power! A hundred cycles would be a hundred times, and that was the difference.
Especially as one progressed in the Zhoutian Realm, with each cycle opening up new meridians, the compounded gap in power would become even more pronounced. By the tenth layer of the Zhoutian Realm, the difference between an ordinary qi cultivation technique and a supreme technique would be like the difference between clouds and mud.
When factors like major powers, famous clans, and prodigies were added, the top Zhoutian Realm warriors, even if they didn't reach a hundred cycles, would have at least seventy-two cycles, easily sweeping through ordinary Zhoutian Realm warriors without influential backgrounds or connections.
"An ultimate qi cultivation technique is considered a pillar-level treasure in any famous clan, and is usually only passed down to direct disciples or closed-door disciples."
"Here in the Listening Rain Tower, there are three such ultimate techniques, and the Hundred Flood Dragon Chapter within the Thousand Flood Dragon Sacred Body is one of them."
Li Mu Xiu continued, "However, even so, in my God General Mansion, it is only passed down to direct descendants and not to collateral branches, to prevent the reversal of heaven's might and chaos within the hearts of men."
"The gap in cultivation between warriors ultimately leads to life-and-death battles. Some people cultivate not to pursue the peak of strength, but to surpass others. Thus, when they are unable to surpass, they resort to hindering others as a means of surpassing, which is often easier than improving themselves through bitter cultivation."
"This is why top powers and famous clans keep their ultimate techniques a secret and do not pass them down. Once leaked, the one who obtains it may instead bring about their own destruction."
Li Hao asked, "Isn't cultivation about slaying demons?"
Li Mu Xiu's voice paused as he glanced at Li Hao, a mocking tone in his voice, "Demon slaying is the duty of a minority of warriors, such as our Li Family and the other God General Mansions. But most people live within the prosperous and peaceful lands of our Great Yu Dynasty, where demons are forbidden to roam. How many opportunities are there to slay demons, and even if there are, how many would dare?"
"Have you seen ordinary hunters go out of their way to hunt tigers or bears without any reward?"
"Our Great Yu is in a prosperous age. In such times, people seek fame. Demon slaying is for fame, sparring matches are for fame, and founding a sect is also for fame!"
"For fame, fortune, and glory, countless people have died without regret!"
"Who doesn't want to be remembered by the world even after death, to have their statue erected in the Martial Temple, enduring a thousand years of incense offerings?"
His voice held a hint of agitation, but it wasn't the kind born from aspiration—it seemed to carry a hint of suppressed anger.
"I don't want that."
Li Hao shook his head slightly, "If I can choose, I want to keep living."
_______________________
Upon hearing Li Hao's words, LiMuxiu was stunned.
He stared at Li Hao, then suddenly laughed, but there was a hint of sadness in his eyes.
"The rise and fall of ancient and modern times, all reduced to laughter. It's laughable that so many people in this world are not as insightful as a child."
As he spoke, he turned away, and Li Hao saw the old man secretly wiping a tear.
Here was a man comparable to a Sword Saint, a formidable figure, shedding a tear. What could he be thinking of?
Li Hao wisely chose to remain silent. After a moment, Li Muxiu seemed to have adjusted his emotions and turned back with a smile.
"As I was saying, there are two ways to break through to the Zhoutian Realm. One is the Hundred Dragon Manual, and the other is the Zhoutian Breathing Technique."
"There are two supreme techniques within the Listen to Rain Pavilion. One, when cultivated to perfection, can achieve a hundred and eight cycles in a single meridian. The other can reach a hundred and twenty-eight cycles, both of which are considered top-notch in the Great Yu Dynasty. Only the royal family's 'All-Heavenly Cycles Technique' can surpass it."
"A hundred and sixty-eight cycles is truly unparalleled."
"That powerful?" Li Hao exclaimed.
Reaching seventy-two cycles was already considered high-grade, but the royal family's technique more than doubled that. Did this mean that in the Zhoutian Realm, the royal family was invincible?
"Of course. Otherwise, how could the royal family rule over the world?" Li Muxiu said. "This is called the exclusivity of a cultivation technique. Aside from the royal family, no one else can practice or learn it. This is how powerful families maintain their dominance."
Li Hao nodded, understanding that the Listen to Rain Pavilion was no different in this regard.
This pavilion alone was enough to ensure the prosperity of the Divine General Mansion for generations.
"However, the more supreme the technique, the more difficult it is to cultivate, and the more it tests one's insight. It's not something that can be easily achieved. Take our Li family, for example. Although many practice the 'Hundred Battles Zhoutian Technique,' even more, choose to cultivate the 'Heavenly Canopy Zhoutian Technique.'"
"The reason is simple. If it takes you five years to master the Hundred Battles Zhoutian Technique, but you can learn the Heavenly Canopy Zhoutian Technique in just three years, then after those three years, the one who practiced the latter will surely win in a contest."
"You might think that in just two more years, you could surpass them. But don't underestimate those two years. By the time you've perfected the Hundred Battles Zhoutian Technique, they might already be in the Succession Soul Realm. A lead in the beginning is a lead forever!" Li Muxiu explained.
Li Hao nodded in agreement.
It was important to match one's talent with the appropriate cultivation technique.
Otherwise, it would be like a primary school student trying to study high school material—they wouldn't be able to grasp anything, and they would be surpassed by those who progressed step by step, wasting their time.
"Since your body refinement talent is exceptional, I suggest you use the Hundred Dragon Manual to break through to the Zhoutian Realm. With your insight, you should be able to achieve it within three years."
Li Muxiu continued, "By then, at the age of ten, you'll have reached the Zhoutian Realm with a hundred cycles in one meridian. Compared to your father, you'll only be slightly inferior."
"He's that amazing?" Li Hao asked, astonished.
Ordinary people would consider it impressive to perfect their Tongling Realm by the age of ten.
But in the Divine General Mansion, where geniuses and monsters gathered, the standards were naturally higher. Still, reaching the Zhoutian Realm at ten years old was considered genius, wasn't it?
"If I remember correctly, Little Seven's talent is slightly inferior to Little Nine's. At your age, he had perfected the Tongling Realm at seven, reached Zhoutian perfection at nine, Succession Soul perfection at twelve, and Divine Travel perfection at sixteen... That kid joined the army after that, so I'm not sure about his progress." Li Muxiu shook his head.
Li Hao was secretly amazed. This was a monster of a genius.
To put it into perspective, Lin Shu could be considered to have moderate talent, and he was still in the Divine Travel Realm in his forties.
And these geniuses... They had perfected their cultivation at the age of sixteen.
Even then, they were inferior to that Ninth Uncle?
Li Hao was left speechless, but when he thought of Ninth Uncle's talent, which placed him at the very pinnacle of the hundreds of millions of cultivators across the nineteen provinces of the Great Yu Dynasty, he felt a sense of resignation.
"Once you enter the Zhoutian Realm, you'll need to learn the meridian-opening techniques of the Zhoutian Realm while cultivating your breathing technique. Your father cultivated two extremely difficult and top-notch martial arts, the 'Hundred Battles Zhoutian Technique' and the 'Divine Dragon River Meridian Technique,' to perfection within two years, becoming the pride of the heavens, second only to the royal family."
Li Muxiu explained, "Just as there are differences in breathing techniques, meridian-opening techniques are similar. Ordinary techniques open one meridian per layer, so when you reach the tenth layer of the Zhoutian Realm, you'll have ten meridians."
"Moderate meridian-opening techniques, when perfected, can grant you eighteen meridians, while superior techniques can give you thirty-six!"
"Supreme techniques can give you fifty-four meridians!"
"The Divine Dragon River Meridian Technique is the best meridian-opening technique of our Li family. Each of the first nine layers opens five meridians, and the tenth layer, when perfected, opens nine meridians!"
Li Muxiu looked at Li Hao and smiled, "Now you understand the immense difference between supreme and ordinary breathing and meridian-opening techniques, don't you?"
Li Hao calculated with his fingers, then inhaled sharply, feeling a sense of awe.
At the same level of perfection in the Zhoutian Realm, the difference between the supreme and the ordinary was more than fiftyfold—a truly monumental gap, like the difference between cloud and mud!
If one's breathing and meridian techniques were both ordinary and of the same level, with ten meridians and ten cycles, their explosive power would only be slightly stronger than that of someone in the first layer of the Zhoutian Realm with a supreme breathing technique.
The gap was simply unimaginable!
This realization also helped Li Hao understand the importance and value of resources on the path of martial arts.
And that is why only the top martial artists reign supreme and become renowned throughout the world.
It's a tough road to walk.
"If you were born with blocked meridians, it would make meridian-opening more difficult, which could slow down your progress. However, with our top-notch techniques, the worst that could happen is that you'd fall out of the top-tier genius bracket, but in the eyes of ordinary martial artists, you'd still be an unattainable genius," Li Muxiu said.
The Li Family had produced too many geniuses.
Having held high positions for so long, they had also seen countless other geniuses from smaller families rise like comets.
Thus, only top-tier monsters like Li Tiangang and Li Junye would attract the attention of elders like him. The rest were like the numerous illegitimate disciples in the martial arts field, merely qualified members of the family.
Li Hao nodded slightly without speaking.
"The fish is done."
Li Muxiu removed the clay pot's lid, releasing a mouthwatering aroma of cooked fish.
He extinguished the firewood, rolled it up, and said to Li Hao, "Eat first, then practice here by yourself. I'll be going out this afternoon. If you have any questions, ask me when I get back."
"Okay," Li Hao replied.
The old man handed Li Hao the "chopsticks" from yesterday's fish-scaling.
Li Hao imitated the old man, wiping the chopsticks on his clothes before reaching into the pot to pick out the fish meat and eat it.
This time, Li Hao didn't find the taste fishy at all. Instead, he savored the sweet and tender delicacy.
After Li Hao finished eating, Li Muxiu collected the pot and chopsticks, gave him a brief instruction, and then departed with a flourish of his sleeves, disappearing into the horizon.
Li Hao stretched and walked over to the shelf of techniques, browsing through them. Soon, he found the few techniques the old man had mentioned, all placed within the glazed cabinet on the seventh floor, which could significantly slow down the decay of the books.
Of course, Li Hao believed that the Li Family definitely had secret copies of these techniques hidden elsewhere.
Perhaps, the ones on display here were even copies.
Li Hao flipped through the Hundred Battles Zhoutian Manual and the Divine Dragon River Meridian Technique, but he couldn't add them to his panel right away. Indeed, they were top-notch techniques.
He brought up his panel, looking at the two skill points he had accumulated. Without hesitation, he chose to add them both to the Fleshly Body Dao.
In an instant, a flood of complex information surged into his mind. It took him a full fifteen minutes to gradually digest it all, a look of enlightenment appearing in his eyes.
He brought up his panel again and saw that the techniques he had mastered had undergone earth-shaking changes.
[Name: Li Hao]
[Age: 7]
[Cultivation: Tongling Realm, 10th Level]
[Sword Dao: Second Level (Feidan)
(Hidden Bow)
]
[Skills: Limitless Sea · Tides (Ultimate)
Falling Snow Sword Art (Ultimate)
]
[Fleshly Body Dao: Third Level (Myriad Phenomenon)
(Tiger Suppression)
]
[Skills: Stone Skin Tempering (True State)
Thousand Dragon Sacred Body, 3rd Layer (Hundred Dragon Body Perfection)
Primordial, 3rd Layer (Penetrating Obscurity Body Perfection)
Dragon Cicada Void Body, 3rd Layer (Shell-Breaking Body Perfection)
...]
[Chess Dao: Fourth Level (5/10000)
]
[Fishing Dao: First Level (112/500)
]
[Chess Manual Collection: Myriad Phenomenon, Tiger Suppression, Feidan, Hidden Bow]
[Fishing Manual Collection: None]
[Mental State: Chess Heart]
[Skill Points: 0]
...
With the Fleshly Body Dao reaching the third level, the Thousand Dragon Sacred Body directly reached the third layer of perfection. At the same time, the Primordial and Dragon Cicada Void Body techniques also entered the third layer, both achieving perfection!
However, what surprised Li Hao the most was the inferior body-refining technique, the Stone Skin Tempering.
Its subsequent realm actually reached (True State)
!
Li Hao's mind automatically gathered countless pieces of information about the Stone Skin Tempering technique. At this moment, if he were to use it, it would surpass the level of perfection.
The levels of body-refining techniques were similar to those of skills: Beginner, Minor Success, Major Success, Perfection, and Ultimate.
The True State seemed to be a realm above Perfection and Ultimate!
Aside from Stone Skin Tempering, many other inferior body-refining techniques were the same, all labeled with (True State)
!
Barbaric Ox Strength (True State)
. Li Hao could sense that this body-refining technique had overcome its original flaws. Subconsciously, he channeled his understanding and attempted to use it.
His power coursed through his body, and his qi erupted. The meridians throughout his body swelled like ox tendons, gathering at his fist as he willed it.
With a whoosh, he threw a punch, and the curtain on the pavilion over ten meters away fluttered from the force of his punch! This Barbaric Ox Strength at the True State gave him a boost in strength far beyond what he had before, increasing the effect by four to five times!
Moreover, it felt like a return to the basics, with a subtle elegance in his movements that transcended the original essence of Barbaric Ox Strength, containing a wondrous and indescribable sense of roundedness.
It was as if this was the true form of Barbaric Ox Strength!
Subsequently, Li Hao began to practice the Thousand Dragon Sacred Body.
In an instant, the vast qi in his dantian was mobilized, spinning like a windmill.
_______________________
Status de energia semanal
-- Ranking de
Poder 
-- Pedra de
Poder