Chapter 6 The Three Holy Lands

Furthermore, as his mastery of the Sword Dao increased, Li Hao's understanding of "Endless Sea·Tide" had also escalated from "perfect" proficiency to "Ultimate Perfection!"

The abundant memories of swordsmanship made Li Hao feel as if he had been wielding a sword for decades.

The Tidal Sword Skill, which he had previously mastered to the pinnacle of perfection, now appeared flawed in his eyes.

These were flaws inherent to the sword technique itself.

Or rather, they were shortcomings inherent to that particular move.

After all, no sword move could cover all bases.

It was like an extremely perfect stick that could chop and smash but couldn't cut another person.

Now, Li Hao had compensated for that slight weakness in the sword technique through his own understanding of the Sword Dao.

Li Hao thought of the military sword instructor who had taught Li Qianfeng, who said that beyond the three realms of any skill, there was a Fourth Layer.

Now, Li Hao was at that Fourth Layer, at Ultimate Perfection!

However,

Although his Sword Dao had improved and the Tidal Sword Skill had reached Ultimate Perfection, Li Hao had never performed it even once.

He had only pushed it to its limits in his mind.

Yet, Li Hao had a feeling that as long as he had a sword in his hand, he could execute it flawlessly.

However, what kind of burden this would place on his body, he could not predict.

His current child's body was far too fragile; indeed, even if he grew to adulthood, an ordinary body might not be able to withstand that dazzling sword technique.

A very strong physique was required.

"Sword techniques, no matter how exquisite, are ultimately like gazing at the moon in the water if they cannot be performed."

"Perhaps, I should find a Body Refinement cultivation technique, I wonder if it can be included…"

The Li Family's martial arts secret manuals were endless and diverse.

All these were housed in the Listening Rain Tower within the Divine General Mansion.

In Qingzhou City, there were three places famed throughout the land, places every martial artist dreamed of visiting.

One was the Black and White Hall at Tan Palace Academy, the next was the Parrot Park at the Rouge Tower, and the last, was the Listening Rain Tower at the Divine General Mansion of the Li Family.

Li Hao planned to find an opportunity to visit there.

However, before that, the diverse blood prepared for him had already been formulated.

That year, just like Bian Ruxue, he underwent Blood Melting.

The diverse blood used for the Blood Melting was still of the highest quality, made from a thousand-year-old Great Demon's bone— the sixth-grade, top-tier treasure medicine.

Moreover, it was said that, far away on the Northern Yan frontlines, the Margrave of Martial Execution, whose low-born father had personally slain a 3,000-year-old Great Demon and transported it back to the Divine General Mansion, stepping up the class of the Blood Melting medicine to its pinnacle.

A 3,000-year-old Great Demon almost lived as long as the Dayu Dynasty.

As Li Hao marveled, he also gained some insight into the strength of that foster father.

With the assistance of Lin Haixia, Blood Melting started.

The blood-red liquid exuding a strange fragrance covered Li Hao's body.

Li Hao felt anxious.

Soon, the familiar characters jumped up before his eyes.

{Detecting unknown substance, beginning analysis…}

{Analysis failed, automatically isolated.}

"..."

Li Hao was completely speechless.

But this time, he felt a bit heartbroken.

After all, it was something risky prepared by that man, now wasted.

Lin Haixia was heartbroken too.

When she saw no abnormal reaction on Li Hao's body, and his body trembled slightly, looking even more agitated than Li Hao.

But everything seemed traceable, with his past experience of failed Foundation Establishment, he did not lose his composure this time, merely silently closed his eyes for a moment, restraining his emotions of loss and sadness.

"Uncle Lin, did it fail?"

"Um…"

Lin Haixia slightly opened his eyes, his gaze tinged with fatigue, he looked at Li Hao's small face and silently chuckled wryly, to be reincarnated in a golden cradle like the Divine General Mansion, yet the plethora of top-tier martial arts resources prepared for Li Hao were not destined for him.

Whether that was good or bad luck, he could not tell.

"Uncle Lin, do you see, could this diverse blood still be used for that little girl?"

Li Hao asked.

Lin Haixia nodded slightly, now that it couldn't benefit Li Hao, it could only benefit that little girl.

"That's great." Li Hao smiled upon seeing that it hadn't gone to waste.

Lin Haixia also gave a faint smile, saying to Li Hao, "Young master, let me scrape it off for you, you go rest."

His smile was forced, his eyes filled with sorrow.

"Hmm."

Li Hao nodded but did not point it out.

...

The news of Li Hao's failed Blood Melting spread quickly to the ears of the ladies of each courtyard.

In Shuihua Courtyard, Liu Yue Rong heard the quiet report from the maid beside her, she slightly raised her eyebrows, yet there was not much joy on her face, only a gentle shake of her head.

She had secretly gone to Mount Wuliang to inquire about that person, and that medicine was not supposed to have such side effects. That is to say, this child was naturally disabled, just fortunate to be born into the Li Family, in the womb of Ji Qingqing.

Knowing this earlier, she wouldn't have even needed that medicine.

A disabled body, even with Divine Blood, what good would it do?

Instead, it would only highlight how much more outstanding her own son, Li Qianfeng, was.

After all, in time, both being the third generation of the Li Family and both possessing Divine Blood, one being a waste and the other a True Dragon among men, everyone knew how the elderly lady would choose.

After Li Hao's Blood Melting failure, the young girl's Blood Melting situation was exceedingly excellent.

Absorbing the different blood prepared for Li Hao, Bian Ruxue's martial arts aptitude was further enhanced.

In the following days, all that was needed was gradual nurturing, waiting for the bone measurement at the age of five to see the specific results.

Li Hao heard this news and was happy for the young girl. However, he himself was now facing a troubling matter, unable to gain any Chess Tao experience from playing by himself anymore, he could only turn to the maids around him to accompany him in his chess games.

These maids, though they dared not disobey the young master's daily commands, were very hesitant and afraid to agree to this.

These servants knew about Li Hao's Blood Melting failure and his lack of martial arts talent, and now he still wanted to play chess...

Although, they knew the young master had been playing on the chessboard since he was little, seemingly born with a talent for Chess Tao.

But in a martial family, such talent was insignificant...

It was even considered a distraction!

If the mistresses found out that they were encouraging Li Hao in such "irresponsible behavior," they might vent their anger about Li Hao's inability to practice martial arts on them.

These servants in the Divine General Mansion were all very shrewd, and none dared to provoke misfortune.

Therefore, Li Hao, left with no choice, could only turn to Lin Haixia.

When Lin found out that Li Hao wanted him to join in a game of chess, he was speechless. He didn't understand this stuff at all and was somewhat helpless about the young master's optimistic ignorance.

However, he did not outright refuse.

"Perhaps, this last year before the bone measurement, will be this child's last happy days..." Lin Haixia thought to himself.

He agreed to accompany Li Hao in chess after sorting out Bian Ruxue's situation.

From then on, a scene often appeared in the courtyard, two figures, one tall and one small, playing chess in the pavilion, with a young girl standing by, tiptoeing to watch.

And occasionally, they would hear the boy leaning over the chessboard yell out:

"That's not right, you have to place it on the intersection of the lines, not inside the square!"

"That's not cheating, that's called capturing!"

"That's already been surrounded to death, you can't place any more pieces inside!"

"You're so silly, I've already told you three times."

After a game of chess, Li Hao was exhausted, having gained just 1 point of experience.

This was much more tiring than playing against himself.

Whenever the other player broke a rule, the game was voided, so he had to teach and explain the rules while playing.

Lin Haixia initially thought he was just playing with a child, but hadn't expected so many rules and his patience was also wearing thin.

After several days of continuous games, Lin Haixia disappeared, leaving Li Hao stomping his little feet in anger, and with no other option, he could only go to the Listening Rain Tower for the time being.

...

The Listening Rain Tower stood by the mountainside in the northern part of the Divine General Mansion.

The Divine General Mansion covered an extensive area, wherein even horse carriages could be driven.

Apart from the courtyards of the ladies, there were also mountains, lakes, gardens, and other sights.

Weathered through the years, the Listening Rain Tower appeared just like an old building nestled on the mountainside, unremarkable.

Yet in the world, numerous eyes wished to catch a glimpse of its true face.

However, none of these gazes dared to overstep the golden high wall.

Accompanied by the old steward Zhao from the Mountain and River Courtyard, Li Hao arrived in front of the tower. Zhao set Li Hao down and painstakingly tried to persuade him, "Young master, this is a critical place for the Li Family. Even the ladies from the courtyards need to ask the chief madam for permission to come here, let's go back, shall we?"

Besides the direct second-generation descendants of the Li Family, only two ladies had the freedom to come and go from the Listening Rain Tower, one of them was the chief madam.

"Didn't you send someone to notify them? I'm just here to look around, it shouldn't be a problem, should it?" Li Hao said casually, with his hands clasped behind his back.

Zhao, already accustomed to the young master's precociously solemn demeanor, puzzled about who he might have learned it from, just said with a distressed face, "But there's no reply yet, and the chief madam might not agree. Although you're eligible to enter, you're still too young..."

"What's wrong with being young, you look down on me?" Li Hao's face hardened.

"No, young master, I dare not," Zhao quickly replied.

Li Hao, feeling bored, quietly surveyed the Listening Rain Tower in front of him. The ancient tower had seven floors. It was said that after Li Qianfeng underwent bone measurement and achieved a ninth-level war body, that woman asked the chief madam that very night to find a martial arts manual for her son, thus locating "Endless Sea" at the top of the tower.

"Endless Sea" consisted of four movements.

Each was extremely difficult, it was said that only Third Uncle managed to master the final movement, nearly splitting half of Jingzhou with a single sword.

...