6. The Three Sanctuaries
Chapter 6: The Three Sanctuaries
Moreover, with the improvement in swordsmanship, Li Hao's mastery of the Tides of the Boundless Sea also increased from (Perfect) to (Perfection)! The rich memories of swordsmanship made Li Hao feel as if he had been wielding a sword for decades.
Previously mastered and already flawless in his eyes, the Tides sword technique now revealed some imperfections.
These were flaws within the sword technique itself.
Or rather, they were limitations that the technique could not overcome.
After all, no sword move can be all-encompassing.
It's like a perfectly crafted stick that can slash and smash but cannot cut.
Now, Li Hao used his understanding of swordsmanship to fill in those gaps in the technique.
Li Hao recalled that the military swordsmanship instructor who taught Li Qianfeng mentioned that beyond the three realms of any skill, there is a fourth realm.
Now, Li Hao had reached this fourth realm, Perfection!
However, even though his swordsmanship had improved and the Tides technique reached Perfection, Li Hao had never used it.
He had only performed simulations in his mind to the extreme.
But Li Hao felt that as long as he had a sword in hand, he could perform the technique exactly as envisioned.
However, he couldn't predict what kind of burden it would place on his body.
His current child's body was too fragile, and even if he grew up, a normal physique might not be able to handle the brilliant sword technique.
A very strong body is essential.
"No matter how exquisite the swordsmanship, if it cannot be performed, it's like looking at the moon in the water."
"Perhaps I should find a body-refining technique to see if it can be recorded…"
The Li family's martial arts manuals were countless and comprehensive.
They were all housed in the Listening Rain Pavilion within the General's Residence.
In Qingzhou City, there are three sanctuaries famous throughout the land, places that countless martial artists dream of visiting.
One is the Black and White Hall of the Tan Palace Academy, another is the Hundred Birds Garden of the Rouge Pavilion, and the last is the Listening Rain Pavilion of the Li family in the General's Residence.
Li Hao planned to find an opportunity to visit that place.
But before that, the special blood that had been meticulously prepared for him in the residence was ready.
This year, like Bian Ruxue, he was undergoing blood refining at the same time.
The special blood used for the refining was of the highest quality, made from the bones of thousand-year-old great demons, classified as sixth-grade supreme treasure medicine.
Moreover, it was said that the Xingwu Marquis, his father far away on the Yanbei front line battlefield, had specially slain a three-thousand-year-old great demon and brought it back to the General's Residence, raising the level of the blood refining treasure medicine to an unprecedented level.
A three-thousand-year-old great demon, a lifespan almost matching that of the Great Yu Dynasty.
Li Hao marveled at this, gaining some appreciation of his father's strength.
With Lin Haixia's assistance, the blood refining began.
Scarlet and aromatic liquid covered Li Hao's body.
Li Hao felt anxious.
Before long, familiar text flashed before his eyes.
[Unknown substance detected, analyzing...]
[Analysis failed, automatically isolated.]
"…"
Li Hao was at a loss for words.
This time, however, he felt a pang of heartache.
After all, this was something his father had risked his life to prepare for him, and now it was wasted.
Lin Haixia shared his heartache.
When he saw that Li Hao's body showed no unusual reaction, he trembled slightly, looking more agitated than Li Hao.
But it all seemed predictable, given the previous foundation-building failure. This time, he did not lose his composure, just closed his eyes silently for a moment, suppressing his disappointment and sadness.
"Uncle Lin, did it fail?"
"Mm…"
Lin Haixia opened his eyes slightly, looking a bit weary. He gazed at Li Hao's small face, bitterly smiling. He was born into the golden cradle of the General's Residence, yet the countless top martial arts resources prepared for him remained beyond his reach.
Whether this was considered good or bad luck was unclear.
"Uncle Lin, do you think this special blood could be used for that little girl?"
Li Hao asked.
Lin Haixia nodded slightly. Since Li Hao couldn't benefit, it would be better to use it for the little girl.
"That's great," Li Hao smiled, seeing it wouldn't go to waste.
Lin Haixia also smiled faintly and said to Li Hao, "Young master, let me scrape it off you. You can go rest."
His smile was forced, with a hint of sadness in his eyes.
"Mm."
Li Hao nodded and didn't say more. ...
News of Li Hao's blood refining failure quickly reached the ears of the ladies in the various courtyards.
In the Water Flower Courtyard, Liu Yue raised an eyebrow at the quiet report from her maid, but there was not much joy on her face, just a slight shake of her head.
She had secretly asked someone from Wuliang Mountain, and they said that the drug would not have such side effects, meaning the child was inherently a waste, merely fortunate to be born into the Li family and into Ji Qingqing's womb.
Had she known this, she wouldn't even have needed the drug.
A waste body, even with divine blood, amounts to nothing.
It would only highlight her child Qianfeng's brilliance even more.
After all, when both are third-generation Li family members, both with divine blood, if one is a waste and the other a true dragon among men, it's clear whom the old lady would choose.
After Li Hao's failed blood refining, the little girl's blood refining was extremely successful.
Absorbing the special blood prepared for Li Hao, Bian Ruxue's martial aptitude was further enhanced.
In the days to come, all she needed was gradual nourishment and to wait for the bone measurement at age five to see the results.
Li Hao heard this news and was happy for the little girl. However, he faced a personal frustration: self-play no longer provided chess experience, so he had to ask the maids to play with him.
Although the maids did not dare to disobey the young master's usual requests, they were all hesitant about this one.
These servants knew Li Hao failed in blood refining and had no martial aptitude, yet he still wanted to play chess…
They knew the young master seemed to have a natural talent for chess since he was a child, playing on the board.
But in a martial family, such talent was negligible…
Even seen as a distraction!
If the First Lady found out they were indulging Li Hao in such "pointless pursuits," she might vent her frustration about his inability to practice martial arts on them.
The servants in the General's Residence were smart and knew not to court disaster.
So, with no other choice, Li Hao turned to Lin Haixia.
Learning that he wanted someone to play chess with him, Lin Haixia was speechless. He didn't understand chess and found the young master's optimism naive.
Yet, he didn't refuse outright.
"Maybe this last year before the bone measurement is this child's final happy time…" Lin Haixia thought.
He agreed to Li Hao's request, promising to play chess with him after handling matters with Bian Ruxue.
From then on, a large and a small figure frequently appeared playing chess in the pavilion, with a little girl standing on tiptoe, watching.
Occasionally, the child lying on the chessboard would shout:
"You're doing it wrong! You have to place it on the intersection, not in the box!"
"That's not a foul, that's capturing!"
"This is surrounded; you can't place it there anymore!"
"You're so dumb, I've told you three times already."
After a game, Li Hao was exhausted but gained one experience point.
It was much more tiring than playing against himself.
If the opponent broke the rules, the game was void, so he had to teach while playing, explaining the rules.
Lin Haixia thought it was just playing with a child but didn't expect so many rules and couldn't keep his composure.
After several days, Lin Haixia vanished, leaving Li Hao stomping his little feet in frustration, having no choice but to visit the Listening Rain Pavilion.
...
Listening Rain Pavilion is located in the northern part of the General's Residence, nestled against a mountain.
The General's Residence covers a vast area, where one could even ride a carriage.
Aside from the various ladies' courtyards, there are peaks, scenic lakes, gardens, and other sights.
Weathered by time, the Listening Rain Pavilion seemed to be just an old building halfway up the mountain, unremarkable.
Yet, throughout the world, countless eyes longed to catch a glimpse of it.
However, these eyes did not dare to breach the golden high wall.
Li Hao, accompanied by the old steward Zhao Bo of the Mountain and River Courtyard, arrived in front of the pavilion. Zhao Bo set Li Hao down and advised him earnestly, "Young master, this is a critical place for the Li family. Even the ladies from each courtyard need to ask the First Lady for permission to enter. We should head back."
Besides the second-generation direct descendants of the Li family, only two ladies could freely enter the Listening Rain Pavilion, one being the First Lady.
"I told you to inform someone, didn't I? I just want to take a look; it should be fine, right?" Li Hao said, hands behind his back, casually.
Zhao Bo was used to the young master's mature demeanor, puzzled about who he might have learned it from, but said with a bitter face, "But there's no reply yet, and the First Lady might not agree. Although you have the right to go in, you're still too young…"
"What does age have to do with it? Are you looking down on me?" Li Hao said, keeping a straight face.
"I wouldn't dare, young master," Zhao Bo quickly replied.
Li Hao felt bored and quietly observed the Listening Rain Pavilion in front of him. The ancient and weathered building had seven stories. He had heard that after Li Qianfeng's bone measurement revealed a ninth-grade physique, that woman immediately asked the First Lady to find a martial art for her child, leading her to the top-floor placement of Tides of the Boundless Sea.
Tides of the Boundless Sea consisted of four forms.
Each form was extremely difficult, and it was said that only the Third Uncle mastered the final form, nearly cleaving half of Jingzhou with one strike.