Chapter 20: Comprehensive Body Refinement
As Jian Wudao led Bian Ruxue away, a group of madams and young ladies from the estate gathered to see them off. The courtyard was filled with the silhouettes of delicate ladies, each trying to push forward, hoping to exchange a word before his departure.
Some went as far as arranging for their children to practice swordsmanship along the path Jian Wudao would take on his way out, hoping to catch his eye.
But none managed to attract Jian Wudao’s attention.
The Sword Abode was not easy to enter; this exclusivity only fueled people's deep desire to gain access to it.
The vibrant colors in the courtyard seemed to fade as the madams and young ladies withdrew, restoring the empty silence of autumn leaves falling.
Li Hao held the sword Bian Ruxue had been practicing with, standing silently by the gate. After a long, long time, he finally withdrew his gaze.
Handing the sword to Li Fu behind him, he instructed, “Uncle Fu, place this on the sword rack in my room, and let the maids know they don’t need to clean it daily.”
Li Fu accepted the sword reluctantly, looking at Li Hao’s profile with a trace of regret and guilt in his eyes. In a low voice, he said, “Starting today, I won’t allow any more indulgence. I’ll be taking away the chessboard—you need to train!”
Li Hao was taken aback and looked up. “Uncle Fu, do you really think I wasn’t chosen as a disciple by that old man because of chess? That’s unfair!”
“I don’t care.”
Li Fu’s face was stern. “Thousand-li horses are common, but a good judge of talent is rare. You had a chance before you and didn’t seize it. That’s because you weren’t fully prepared. From now on, you must present yourself in the best way, ready for any opportunity that may come your way.”
“Opportunities in life are scarce. Once you miss them, what hope is there?”
Li Hao protested, but seeing that Li Fu was serious, he asked, “Then, Uncle Fu, what do you consider ‘promising’?”
“A son of the Li family should earn a name known across the world, defend our borders, and protect the people of our nation. That is what it means to be ‘promising!’” Li Fu said solemnly without a moment's hesitation.
“Being a Li family member sounds exhausting,” Li Hao said with a bitter smile.
“You bear the surname Li, and you’ve enjoyed the luxury it brings; you should shoulder this responsibility,” Li Fu replied coldly.
Enjoyed it? Li Hao chuckled wryly to himself but then recalled the cakes and fresh fruits Aunt Wu had sent him and the nutritious congee his eldest aunt provided…perhaps he had enjoyed it after all.
“Uncle Fu, are you talking about body refinement for my training?”
“Of course.”
Li Fu cast him a glance that conveyed the thought: what other path is there besides body refinement?
Body refinement was unpopular because it was grueling, had low potential, and required extraordinary insight coupled with techniques to compete with other experts.
Many forced to choose body refinement could grit their teeth through the hardship but rarely possessed the insight needed.
After all, while hardship might sculpt brilliance, it could also distort the soul...
...
After a round of bantering, Li Hao and Uncle Fu came to an agreement. Li Hao agreed to train, but the chessboard couldn’t be taken away—he needed it to relax each day.
Reluctantly, Li Fu agreed, planning to let Li Hao settle into training before reconsidering the matter.
In the days that followed, Li Hao was forced to dedicate some time to training, following a basic body refinement manual that Li Fu had provided.
However, with his understanding of the Body Dao, his training advanced quickly, much to Li Fu’s astonishment. He had not expected Li Hao to be such a promising candidate for body refinement.
Li Hao subtly controlled his training pace to ensure he still had time for leisure, completing the foundational body refinement manual after three months.
Even so, this achievement moved the battle-hardened man to tears. Late that night, he wrote to the Yanbei region to share this joyous news with the family stationed at the border.
Through continuous effort like water wearing down stone, Li Hao’s skills in Chess Dao finally reached the fourth rank.
[Name: Li Hao]
[Age: 7]
[Cultivation: Tongli Realm, Level Ten]
[Sword Dao: Rank Two (Flying Slash) (Hidden Bow)]
[Skills: Boundless Sea · Tides (Supreme), Falling Snow Sword Technique (Supreme)]
[Body Dao: Rank One (All-Manifestations) (Tiger Pressure)]
[Skills: Stone Skin Hundred Refinements (Complete), Thousand Serpent Sacred Body (Dragon Body, Minor Success), Primeval (Star Battle Body, Initiate), Barbaric Bull Strength (Complete)]
[Chess Dao: Rank Four (1/10000)]
[Chess Manual Collection: All-Manifestations, Tiger Pressure, Flying Slash, Hidden Bow]
[State of Mind: Chess Heart]
[Skill Points: 1]
Li Hao glanced at Li Fu, who was always by his side, but he didn’t immediately choose to allocate the point.
If it were in Sword Dao, he could just rely on memory infusion, but he preferred to use this skill point in Body Dao to enhance his strength, which made him feel more secure.
Insights in Body Dao, however, would inevitably alter the body refinement manual, affecting his physical state. The changes might be too conspicuous...
...
One day, Li Hao followed Li Fu to Tingyu Pavilion.
When He Jianlan heard of Li Hao’s talent in body refinement, she granted him special permission to enter and exit Tingyu Pavilion freely, allowing him to select any manuals from within.
Of course, Li Fu was not allowed entry.
Though he was a trusted aide of Li Tiangang, he wasn’t part of the core Li family lineage, so his status differed.
Li Fu didn’t mind. Tingyu Pavilion was a heavily guarded place. Although it didn’t appear to be under close watch, no one would dare to steal or rob from here.
It was safer than any of the ladies’ quarters.
Li Fu waited downstairs while Li Hao climbed the stairs alone.
At his age, he was already mature enough, and He Jianlan no longer had Xuejian accompany him. He went up unescorted.
Li Hao had heard that two months ago, the Sword Saint had placed a body refinement manual on the sixth floor. He headed straight up to the sixth floor.
...
He quickly found the newly placed manual.
"Dragon Cicada True Vacuum Body"
Li Hao began to study it.
With his understanding of Body Dao at Rank One, he quickly grasped the basics.
He registered it.
Soon, the panel displayed the newly acquired body refinement technique, showing it had reached the second level of mastery.
The "Dragon Cicada True Vacuum Body" comprised six levels, each refining a unique physique.
The first level was the Silent Cicada Body, which allowed the user to perceive subtle airflow patterns on their skin.
The second level was the Hidden Dragon Body, which endowed him with the strength of a dragon-elephant.
The third level was the Shell-Leaping Body, allowing one to walk on air...
His body emitted a faint cracking sound as he advanced to the Hidden Dragon Body, generating an internal power he estimated to be over ten thousand pounds!
Though he remained at the Tongli Realm, Level Ten, his strength was worlds apart from a typical practitioner of the same level.
Li Hao pondered—if he trained with multiple body refinement manuals, could he accumulate even more strength?
Following his curiosity, he started searching through each level of Tingyu Pavilion.
Before long, he had found seven or eight body refinement manuals, all of decent quality. Though their pinnacle level might only barely elevate one to a first-rate warrior, they each had unique applications.
One by one, he recorded these techniques on his panel. As he did so, he sensed ongoing, subtle changes in his body, with his limbs becoming noticeably sturdier.
Though his cultivation level remained unchanged, these techniques refined various aspects of his physique, such as claws, legs, bones, and organs.
He realized that the overwhelming strength he had previously unlocked left little room for further improvement from lower-level manuals, but the targeted effects on specific areas could still enhance his combat abilities.
His Stone Skin Hundred Refinements technique hardened his skin, but the Thousand Serpent Sacred Body's Dragon Body effect overlapped with it, like dragon scales, far surpassing Stone Skin Hundred Refinements alone.
Other body refinement techniques, however, complemented aspects not fully covered by the manuals on the sixth floor.
His bones, liver, ears, and eyes all grew stronger...
In battle, although his overall power hadn’t changed much, these enhancements created a significant improvement in practical strength.
Li Hao realized he needed to gather diverse body refinement techniques to temper his entire body to a uniform level, reaching an impenetrable state.
...
At this moment, he truly appreciated the abundant collection of Tingyu Pavilion and its value to a martial artist.
There weren’t many chess manuals here, but body refinement manuals were in ample supply!
Exhilarated, Li Hao continued searching the pavilion, recording each technique he came across.
Time slipped away.
As dusk settled, Li Hao finally emerged from the pavilion, holding a newly acquired manual.
In the distance, dim silhouettes of crows flew across the horizon, and the faint aroma of food and woodsmoke drifted from the main courtyard—it was time for dinner.
Li Hao stretched, loosening his muscles.
The sheer number of manuals in Tingyu Pavilion was overwhelming. After an entire afternoon of browsing, he’d only managed to review about a tenth, and only those in the body refinement category.
He hadn’t recorded every manual; the Barbaric Bull Strength manual Li Fu had forced him to practice didn’t offer any improvements, as it had been surpassed by stronger techniques.
For instance, if two manuals were both claw techniques, mastering the stronger one meant the lesser version would have minimal effect, as the superior technique had already refined his hands to a high level.
Only if the lesser manual focused on a different part of the body could it fill in the gaps.
“You finally came out.”
Seeing Li Hao emerge, Li Fu sighed, a bit exasperated after waiting an entire afternoon—had this kid been too picky?
He glanced at the manual in Li Hao’s hand: a mid-grade body refinement manual, Dragon Spine, clearly focused on back training.
“This is all you picked?” Li Fu asked, somewhat at a loss. “Didn’t you go up to the sixth floor?”
“I did, but I couldn’t understand much,” Li Hao replied casually.
Li Fu thought that was understandable; the sixth-floor manuals were of the highest quality. Even he would need months of dedicated training to grasp even the basics.
“Don’t rush into this one. I’ll consult the First Madam and see if there’s a more suitable manual in Tingyu Pavilion. This one is a bit too specific.”
Li Fu hoped Li Hao would practice a comprehensive body refinement technique, covering all parts of the body, to avoid weaknesses.
“Alright.” Li Hao didn’t object and casually added, “Let’s go. I’m starving—what’s for dinner tonight?”
Slightly frustrated by Li Hao’s lack of focus on martial arts, Li Fu walked with him away from Tingyu Pavilion, the two of them heading back.
They soon encountered an old man in a straw hat, carrying a fishing rod on his shoulder and a fish basket in his hand, his attire simple and unremarkable.
Li Fu’s eyes widened as he spotted the man, his expression turning respectful. He halted immediately, standing to the side and bowing deeply, “Li Fu greets Second Uncle.”