16. Mindset

Chapter 16: Mindset

After the maid left, Li Hao stopped playing chess and walked towards the courtyard.

Li Fu also stood up. When Li Hao wasn't speaking to him, he reverted to his expressionless military demeanor, like a silent shadow, following Li Hao closely.

He had inquired about the previous assassination attempt with the servants in the mansion and felt some lingering fear after learning about it in detail.

Especially during these days of playing chess with the child, he was acutely aware that his current position was the same one the assassin once occupied.

Separated by just a chessboard.

At such a close distance, taking advantage of a child's complete vulnerability, a lethal strike could have been delivered in an instant!

But the assassination had been thwarted. Whether it was because the assassin was incompetent or the clan elder who intervened was too formidable, or perhaps this child was just incredibly lucky, was unclear.

Therefore, Li Fu took heed, accompanying Li Hao closely at all times, whether eating, drinking, or sleeping. Any servant or maid approaching within three feet of Li Hao would be subjected to his eagle-eyed scrutiny.

This made the servants and maids in the courtyard secretly complain, as every time they reported something to the young master, they were trembling, afraid to lift their heads... almost becoming introverted.

When Li Hao approached, Bian Ruxue, who was practicing swordplay, puffed out her cheeks and turned her body, as if unwilling to be seen by Li Hao.

Li Hao looked at her aggrieved and upset appearance and smiled gently. He called a servant to bring a small stool and some pastries and fresh fruits, then sat beside her and started eating.

"You're so distracted while practicing swordsmanship; you won't be able to defeat anyone like that." Li Hao said with a smile, noticing the little girl swinging her sword aimlessly, clearly absent-minded.

Bian Ruxue's eyes suddenly reddened slightly. She stopped her sword practice, lowered her head, and said, "If only Brother Hao could cultivate, with your intelligence, you would definitely surpass me in swordsmanship and become the best."

After a year of training in the martial arts arena, Bian Ruxue had grown quickly, and as she gradually matured, she began to understand why the adults had looked at Li Hao with those kinds of eyes after the bone measurement.

She also understood what Li Hao had lost that year.

Hearing Xue'er's words, Li Fu frowned slightly, his otherwise emotionless eyes revealing a hint of regret and pity.

This was not only a regret for the Li family but also a regret for the Duke of Xingwu!

Li Hao felt a little helpless. He wasn't even upset, yet this little girl was heartbroken.

"Don't say that."

Li Hao comforted her, "Practicing swordsmanship is so boring. Look at you, exposed to the elements every day, suffering in the freezing winter and scorching summer. Isn't that exhausting? Unlike me, enjoying iced melons in the pavilion during summer, playing chess, and staying warm in bed during winter, sleeping in till late in the day. That's true happiness!"

Li Fu couldn't help but glance at the boy; that indeed sounded like something he would say.

Without the Duke of Xingwu by his side, the other madams of various courtyards didn't have the authority to strictly discipline him. When Li Fu returned, he noticed that the child's temperament had become somewhat carefree.

"You're not afraid of hardship." Bian Ruxue looked up and said.

"You don't understand."

Li Hao said irritably, "Look at me now, too lazy to even stand, I would rather sit than stand, and rather lie down than sit. There's no point in suffering if it has no meaning; otherwise, what's the point of sweetness? You're still young, you don't understand. Just focus on practicing your sword."

"Don't talk nonsense."

Li Fu couldn't listen anymore and couldn't help but scold.

What kind of nonsense is this? Hardship without meaning? Which of the soldiers at the frontier isn't enduring hardship?

For a martial artist, the least they fear is hardship, but they do fear having no talent and no resources.

This kid is really spoiled, not recognizing his fortune. He has no talent, yet he despises hardship, not learning well himself, and now he wants to lead Xue'er astray.

Bian Ruxue's talent in swordsmanship, which Li Fu had observed, was outstanding, and she would definitely achieve great things in the future. She would be a shield for Li Hao, and he couldn't watch this brat ruin his future reliance.

"Uncle Fu, I think Brother Hao is right."

Bian Ruxue quickly defended Li Hao.

Li Fu glared at her, even more annoyed. This girl listened to Li Hao too much, and if he really led her astray, it would be disastrous.

"Don't say these nonsensical things to Xue'er. Don't think I won't punish you. If I hit you, even your father will commend me!"

Li Fu couldn't bring himself to scold the obedient little girl who had lost her parents, so he had to sternly threaten Li Hao.

Li Hao smiled sheepishly, knowing that he and this serious, rigid fellow had no common ground in this regard.

Moreover, the Li family, being a military family, always advocated for frugality and enduring hardships.

Although the madams in various courtyards were dressed in fine clothes and envied by others, given the Li family's status and foundation, they could actually live more extravagantly.

As for Madam He Jianlan, for many years, she had eaten vegetarian food two days a week. Although she didn't believe in Buddhism, she said it was to remind herself and the children not to get lost in the wealth and prosperity and forget the soldiers' duties and spirit.

"Yes, yes, yes, Uncle Fu is right."

Li Hao said to Xue'er, "You see, you've upset Uncle Fu, so hurry up and practice your sword."

Xue'er blinked her small eyes and pouted slightly, thinking, "It's clearly Brother Hao who upset him."

However, she didn't argue. If she could take the blame for Li Hao, she was willing.

Hearing Li Hao's shameless words, Li Fu almost laughed in exasperation and rolled his eyes. This kid was really hard to discipline.

"Uncle Fu, help guide Xue'er's swordsmanship," Li Hao said to Li Fu.

Li Fu said flatly, "I use a knife, not a sword."

"Sword and knife are similar, there's not much difference," Li Hao said with a smile.

"What do you know? To practice a weapon to perfection, even the slightest difference makes a huge difference." Li Fu said irritably, but then he held back his temper. After all, this kid didn't understand martial arts, so it was natural for him to see it that way.

Li Hao felt a little helpless and continued to eat fruit, crossing his legs while watching Xue'er practice her sword.

"Your spinning motion seems off to me."

Midway through, Li Hao casually started giving pointers to Bian Ruxue, saying, "If you lower your arm a bit, it'll look better."

"Don't say random things; you'll distract Xue'er." Li Fu scolded, frowning.

An amateur giving guidance to a professional? This was simply nonsense!

However, Bian Ruxue ignored Li Fu. She was already used to Li Hao's casual advice. Although Brother Hao hadn't stepped into martial arts, every time she practiced according to Brother Hao's suggestions, she felt more fluid.

At this moment, she lowered her arm and executed the spin again, and indeed, she felt a natural ease.

Li Fu uttered a small "hmm," not because Bian Ruxue listened to Li Hao, as the little girl was too compliant with him, but because her posture, as Li Hao described, slightly adjusted, actually made her sword move more aggressively.

He looked down at the kid eating fruit with his legs crossed in a casual posture. Was it a coincidence?

Or did he judge based on aesthetics? "Use your waist. For this spinning and chopping motion, it's not just your hands that need to exert force; use your waist to drive your arm," Li Hao added.

Bian Ruxue nodded slightly and executed the move again, practicing several times until she grasped the technique, and the sword generated wind, evidently more powerful than before.

Li Fu raised his eyebrows, surprised. Once could be a coincidence, but twice, it wasn't.

Could it be that this child truly understood swordsmanship and had a talent for it?

Although Li Fu was somewhat discontent with Li Hao's attitude, he had to admit that after half a year of interaction, this child was very clever, with maturity and wisdom beyond his years.

Could it be that he actually had talent for swordsmanship, but because he couldn't practice martial arts, he couldn't demonstrate it?

Thinking of this, he felt a pang of heartache. If this were true, what a regret it would be! As Li Hao casually guided, Bian Ruxue's sword technique gradually approached perfection.

With Li Hao's understanding of swordsmanship, just a glance allowed him to absorb Bian Ruxue's superior sword technique into his panel, achieving perfection.

With his perfect-level understanding, he guided her beyond perfection, so that even if Bian Ruxue grasped a fraction, she could achieve nearly perfect power.

Afterward, Li Hao asked the little girl to demonstrate the move she lost in during practice.

Bian Ruxue obediently complied.

Li Hao immediately understood, and in his mind, he imagined how the opponent had defeated her.

However, he didn't reveal it, as with Li Fu nearby, showing a little talent in swordsmanship was fine, but being too detailed would seem too monstrous.

"This strike doesn't look good. I think this downward chop should be slanted, and your elbow should be raised."

"Change this chop to a straight thrust, and don't shake your wrist."

Li Hao casually pointed out.

Bian Ruxue, puzzled, listened carefully, slowly comprehending Li Hao's words, and then practiced accordingly, time and again, gradually aligning with Li Hao's description.

Li Fu glanced at Li Hao, now certain that he possessed extremely high talent in swordsmanship.

Although the kid expressed himself in amateurish terms like "looks good" or "doesn't look good" to correct Bian Ruxue's movements, perceiving the beauty of a weapon at such a young age was a form of talent.

After all, in the eyes of a genius, things appeared differently.

Li Fu sighed inwardly, feeling more and more regretful for Li Hao.

The next day.

The two went to the Changchun Courtyard for their morning visit, after which Bian Ruxue excitedly headed to the martial arts arena.

After the morning exercises and lessons in the martial arts arena, Bian Ruxue sought out the illegitimate boy from the previous day. The little girl, holding a sword almost as tall as herself, wore a serious expression, ready to challenge him again.

Hearing Bian Ruxue's words, the boy couldn't help but laugh.

Several other illegitimate boys around him joined in mocking and ridiculing her.

They didn't dare provoke other legitimate heirs, but Bian Ruxue, after all, wasn't a legitimate member of the Li family, merely the fiancée of a legitimate heir, not yet married, and the legitimate heir was already known throughout the God General Mansion as a waste. Any one of them would surpass him in the future.

Therefore, naturally, they despised those who sat atop a treasure mountain, enjoying endless resources and pampering.

"Beaten by Brother Bai yesterday, haven't you learned your lesson?"

"Want to stand up for that waste? Have him come himself. Brother Bai doesn't even need to take action. I could beat him with both hands tied!"

"Hmph, Brother Bai went easy on you yesterday, and you still don't know your place."

"You may be talented, but Brother Bai has been training here for eight years. If you want revenge, maybe in half a year, but by then, Brother Bai should already be gone."

Bian Ruxue bit her lip and just stared seriously at the boy in the middle, "Do you dare?"

Her words immediately inflamed the boy's pride. Named Li Dongbai, he was one of the top three most talented illegitimate children in the martial arts arena, possessing a seventh-grade battle physique and enjoying resources almost equal to those of legitimate heirs. He had already stepped into the Zhoutian realm.

However, the martial arts arena's rules for technique competitions required the stronger party to suppress their cultivation to the same level as the weaker opponent.

Currently, Bian Ruxue's cultivation was at the peak of the Tongli realm! "Today, I'll make sure you lose clearly."

Li Dongbai's eyes were cold. He hadn't intended to provoke this exceptionally talented little girl, only casually mentioning that waste during a chat with his friends, which led to her seeking him out.

Even as an illegitimate child, he had high aspirations and wouldn't apologize, leading to yesterday's confrontation.

"Come on, then!"

Li Dongbai stepped onto the martial arts arena's platform.

Soon, the area around the platform was filled with people eager to watch the contest between these two talented illegitimate boys and the extraordinary young girl.

Outside the arena, the military veteran instructor smiled with narrowed eyes, supporting the competitive spirit of these young, energetic kids.

"The sharpness of a sword is forged through honing. If they don't fight when they're young, where will the setbacks and progress come from? I can't be expected to risk my old bones at this age," the old soldier thought.

Soon, the large and small figures clashed fiercely in the arena.

The scene was similar to what the military veteran had witnessed the day before. Today, the difference was not significant, except that Li Dongbai's attacks were a bit more aggressive.

"It looks like Xue'er is going to lose again," the military veteran thought to himself. "After all, her cultivation time is too short. Although her talent is excellent, she still needs to be tempered."

Just then, as the figures intertwined in the arena, the most intense strike was unleashed.

With a swish, a sword flew out, rolling to a stop outside the platform, embedded diagonally in the sand.

The figures on the platform also froze in place.

Along with them, the cheers and shouts of encouragement from the crowd below the platform also came to a halt.

And the smile on the military veteran's face froze.