8. The Tongli Realm

Chapter 8: The Tongli Realm

That year, the war on the Yanbei border became increasingly tense, with constant battle reports and problems with weapons and food supplies. The collusion between Prince Heisei and the great demons even revealed another force behind the scenes, making the situation more complicated and difficult.

In the General's Residence, there was much discussion, and people were worried about the front lines.

It was said that there was endless debate over this matter in the court, with many proposals.

But despite the storm of affairs reaching the Shanhe Courtyard, it did not affect the two young figures there.

At five years old, Li Hao went through the bone measurement as usual.

"Weak bones, no unusual color, no unusual glow, no condensed marrow..."

The one who measured Li Hao's bones was an old Taoist invited from Qingqiu Mountain, with white hair and a youthful face. He looked at the little boy in front of him with surprise and doubt. If the Li family's First Lady weren't beside him, he would have suspected that there was a case of switching the heir, a secret exchange of the young master.

"Bone quality, lowest grade, combat physique unranked, merely the normal bones of an ordinary child."

The old Taoist finally announced the result of the bone measurement.

Hearing this, the faces of Madam He Jianlan and the other ladies turned a bit grim. The Fifth Lady couldn't help but say, "Are you sure you didn't make a mistake? How could Hao'er have such a qualification?"

The other ladies said nothing. This old Taoist was an old acquaintance of the General's Residence and had measured the bones of the children in all the courtyards, never making a mistake.

Moreover, Li Hao's previous failures in foundation establishment and blood refinement had already prepared them for this outcome. Seeing this result now seemed expected.

Li Hao quietly scanned the expressions of everyone. His second mother was also among them, her expression equally sorrowful, even more so than others.

He couldn't tell how many of them were genuinely saddened for him.

"Hao-gege."

Bian Ruxue tugged at Li Hao's clothes, her small face full of tension.

Although she couldn't understand what had happened, she could sense that Li Hao seemed to have lost something.

Looking at the little girl's pitiful expression, Li Hao couldn't help but smile.

He pinched her soft little cheeks. It was he who should feel sad, but this little girl would probably amaze everyone when her bones were measured in two months.

The old Taoist left, and everyone dispersed.

Like the tide receding, the Shanhe Courtyard returned to peace, leaving only two small figures and Lin Haixia standing nearby.

That evening, the officer who had abstained from alcohol for years drank alone in the Shanhe Courtyard.

Smelling the wine, Li Hao got a craving. He fetched a small jade cup, holding the bottle to pour himself a little when a half-drunk Lin Haixia glared at him and snatched the bottle from his hand, scolding him unusually, "You're really daring, drinking alcohol!"

"I'm just keeping you company." Li Hao grinned.

"What do you know? Drinking is for adults," Lin Haixia said with a bit of annoyance.

"It's lonely to drink alone; it's better to have someone with you." Li Hao tried to grab the bottle again, but the officer lifted it out of his reach.

Glancing at Li Hao, Lin Haixia wanted to scold him a bit more, but after hearing his words, he suddenly fell silent.

He suddenly remembered that this little guy, since his parents left after the hundred-day banquet, had always been alone.

Yes, he must want someone to accompany him. When Xue'er didn't have her father by her side, the little girl cried all the way to the General's Residence...

He looked at the vast Shanhe Courtyard, beautiful as it was, but no scenery could replace the presence of parents.

Lin Haixia said nothing, taking a few more swigs of wine, and looked at the smiling, relaxed Li Hao. He suddenly realized that in the two years he had been here, he had never seen this little guy cry.

"Hey."

Perhaps the alcohol was kicking in, and Lin Haixia was too lazy to address him as the young master. In his eyes, this was just a little kid.

"Do you miss your parents?"

Li Hao was taken aback by the question.

Then, the image of the young girl holding him and speaking to herself in sorrow at the window floated into his mind.

Five years had passed, and he had long forgotten the warmth of that embrace, but the sorrow in those eyes had been etched into his heart.

"I guess I do." Li Hao glanced at the starry night sky and said softly, "The battle over in Yanbei must be difficult. I hope nothing happens to them."

Lin Haixia was stunned.

He thought this child would be sad or had forgotten his parents, as they had not been around since he was so small, and perhaps he had no concept of them.

Who knew this child remembered, had no resentment, and even worried about the commander and them?

For a moment, Lin Haixia felt his heart stabbed sharply, aching with sorrow.

He rubbed his eyes, tilted his head back, and downed more wine.

"Uncle Lin, are you crying?"

"Nonsense, I spilled the wine; what do you know?"

The night wind grew chilly.

Haixia was drunk.

The drunken Haixia recited battle poetry in the courtyard, waving his fists, eventually collapsing like a piece of mud.

Li Hao instructed the servants to carry him to his room to sleep, lest he become mosquito food.

Two months later.

It was time for Bian Ruxue's bone measurement.

The old Taoist from Qingqiu Mountain came again to this courtyard, at the same spot, to measure Bian Ruxue's bones.

In no time, the old Taoist's eyes widened, slightly excitedly looking at the little girl, and he laughed, "Bones like divine jade, a divine bone, rainbow-like glow, marrow full of luster, supreme grade, ninth-grade combat physique! Haha, as expected of a child from the General's Residence, it never disappoints. The rankings will gain another new entry in the future!"

Saying this, he glanced down and saw Li Hao, his smile freezing momentarily.

Then, he coughed awkwardly twice.

That was close; he almost forgot about the little record-breaking fellow in the General's Residence.

Only He Jianlan was present this time; the other ladies were uninterested in Li Hao's betrothed little girl and didn't come.

Hearing the old Taoist's words, He Jianlan and Lin Haixia both smiled.

Then, both of them glanced at Li Hao simultaneously.

Although Li Hao lacked martial talent, having a wife with such extraordinary aptitude would give him something to rely on in the future.

"Amazing, little girl."

Li Hao smiled as he pinched the dazed Bian Ruxue's cheeks, the latter still appearing confused, clearly not understanding what had just happened.

Hearing Li Hao's words, Bian Ruxue wasn't happy; instead, she pouted slightly.

At that moment, the little girl only wished that if the old man had treated Hao-gege the same way earlier, it would have been wonderful.

After sending off the old Taoist, in the courtyard, Lin Haixia began explaining martial knowledge to Bian Ruxue.

The little girl was now five years old and beginning to understand things; it was time to teach her some things.

A ninth-grade supreme combat physique can break through as easily as eating and drinking. Once she starts her cultivation, she could break through the first realm within a year.

Two realms in three years.

Under ten years, reach the peak of the third realm.

This is the terror of a ninth-grade combat physique!

The three realms of martial arts are the Tongli, Zhoutian, and Jihun.

Each realm has ten levels.

The fourth realm is Divine Wandering.

Lin Haixia was a fourth-realm powerhouse.

And he was already over forty years old.

In ten years, Bian Ruxue would only be sixteen.

A sixteen-year-old at the pinnacle of the Jihun realm would be a dazzling figure like the moon, capable of defending a city, a true powerhouse.

For an ordinary martial artist, reaching the Zhoutian realm at sixteen would already be quite impressive and qualify them to join a prestigious mountain.

...

...

With the placement of the final piece, this game of chess was over.

Li Hao won.

Experience +2.

Li Hao yawned and glanced out the window. The little girl was practicing swordsmanship with Lin Haixia, her posture wobbly but adorable.

He withdrew his gaze, dismissing the servant who had been playing chess with him, and then pulled up the panel.

A year had passed, and his chess experience was finally maxed out.

He gained another art skill point.

Without hesitation, Li Hao applied the skill point to his Physical Body Path.

Soon, a flood of complex information surged in, and he frowned slightly as he absorbed it. After a moment, he had digested it completely.

Numerous insights about body refinement techniques surged up, and with a thought, Li Hao closed the window, shut the door, and started exercising in the room.

He practiced the body refinement technique Hundred Refinements of Stone Skin.

As he assumed the posture, his body moved like a dragon and tiger leaping, and a cracking sound echoed from within.

His blood, meridians, and bones seemed to twist, and his cells felt activated, his whole body burning hot.

After completing a set of Hundred Refinements of Stone Skin,

Li Hao's skin was already red and steaming, his hair soaked with sweat, his little face covered in a fine sheen of sweat.

Feeling something within, Li Hao pulled up the panel and found that his cultivation attribute was no longer Mortal; he was at the Tongli realm, third level!

Li Hao could feel unprecedented power coursing through his body, as if he could easily crack stone monuments.

He was overjoyed and practiced again.

This time, with ample strength, his posture was more standard, and his skin flushed even redder, the heat like smoke.

After the second practice, Li Hao saw that his cultivation had risen to the fourth level!

He continued practicing.

Third round, fourth round.

By the eighth round, his cultivation stopped rising, fixed at the seventh level of the Tongli realm!