Chapter 31: Completion
"Xiao Haozi's cooking skills are getting better and better. This old man has been fishing for half my life and grew tired of eating fish long ago. Only the fish dishes Xiao Haozi makes can still whet my appetite," Feng Boping said, laughing heartily. He flicked his sleeves and sat on a large rock beside the pot, his hand waving gracefully as cups and jade chopsticks appeared as if conjured from thin air.
Although Feng Boping and Li Muxiu shared similar tastes, there were distinct differences between them. Feng Boping was fastidious, bordering on obsessive cleanliness, and had a deep appreciation for fine jade. Even the bowls and chopsticks he used for eating and drinking were extravagantly luxurious, rivaling those used by royalty.
With a smile, he handed a clean pair of chopsticks and a bowl to Li Hao but paid no attention to Li Muxiu, quietly waiting for the pot to boil.
Li Hao estimated that it was about time. He lifted the lid of the pot and placed it on a large leaf beside him. Instantly, a rich aroma wafted out. Ignoring etiquette about respecting elders and letting them eat first, he immediately picked up his chopsticks and began grabbing food.
"Hey, wait for me!"
Li Muxiu hurried over, quickly grabbing a branch and rubbing it clean to use as chopsticks. Without hesitation, he thrust it into the pot and stirred vigorously.
Feng Boping, though particular about cleanliness, said nothing about Li Muxiu’s actions. Li Hao figured that this must be what it meant to have lifelong friends who tolerated each other's quirks.
The three of them ate heartily. Despite the significant age gap, neither elder acted superior to Li Hao. They often teased each other with nicknames—Li Hao calling them "old man" while being called "little rascal" in return—fostering an easygoing atmosphere.
"Who would've thought you could add such flair to fish dishes?" Li Muxiu exclaimed in admiration, sipping a spoonful of spicy broth.
Li Hao chuckled. Over the past six months, his self-taught skills in painting and cooking had steadily improved, reaching a solid second stage. His fishing techniques had progressed similarly.
Perhaps there truly was a beginner's luck phase. During his first month, his catch rate was remarkably high, but now he rarely hooked any fish. Sometimes, he stayed out fishing until midnight, only to return empty-handed. In such cases, he would reluctantly find shallow waters and bait a fish demon of the Tongli Realm, just to avoid returning empty-handed.
As they chatted, Li Hao’s eyes suddenly flicked to the fish bladder bobbing gently on the water's surface.
Something was happening!
He quickly put down his chopsticks and darted to the fishing rod, his movements agile like a cat. At that moment, the fish bladder abruptly sank beneath the water.
...
Li Hao pulled the line taut. The other end went rigid as immense force surged through the line, churning the water violently.
"This kid..."
Both elders watched with a trace of envy in their eyes. Once again, the boy had caught something first.
The commotion in the water intensified until, finally, a demon beast emerged. But it wasn’t a fish demon. It was a shrimp demon!
The creature spanned four to five meters, its body covered in sharp shells and spikes. Its pincers, large enough to snap through mountain rocks, looked especially menacing.
The shrimp demon clamped the fishing line with its pincers, its bulging eyes glaring at Li Hao on the shore. It let out strange cries, angered to see that its opponent was just a child. Yet, at the same time, it was filled with dread—what kind of wild kid possessed such strength?
The shrimp demon struggled fiercely, but the fishing line—crafted by Li Muxiu from water- and fire-resistant material capable of withstanding a million jins of force—was far beyond what an ordinary Zhoutian Realm shrimp demon could break.
Gradually, the creature was dragged closer to the shore. Its eyes betrayed hesitation as it debated whether to sever its own body to escape.
Just then, Li Hao appeared to falter, his body swaying as if unable to hold the rod steady.
"Hmm?"
The shrimp demon hesitated.
In the tug-of-war that followed, the shrimp demon began to feel that the boy was only slightly stronger. If not for the injury caused by the fishhook, it might even have been a fair match.
Its eyes gleamed with cunning as it tried to pull Li Hao into the water. But each time, the boy managed to steady himself at the last moment, narrowly avoiding disaster.
At last, the shrimp demon grew desperate from the pain and let its ferocity take over. With a sharp cry, it lunged onto the fishing platform, intending to crush the insolent child.
However, as soon as it landed, the previously teetering boy suddenly steadied himself. A brilliant smile spread across his face as he exhaled in relief.
Something was wrong!
The shrimp demon realized too late. With a sudden surge of force from the fishing line, it was yanked into the air, its body flailing helplessly.
A flash of silver streaked through the air.
What was that? So bright!
The next moment, the shrimp demon knew nothing. Its world plunged into darkness.
A massive shrimp head rolled to the ground. Li Hao casually thrust his sword into the dirt beside him, then dragged the demon’s body near the cooking pot. Turning to the elders, he remarked, “What a pity it didn’t bite sooner. We could’ve had shrimp balls for lunch.”
Seeing Li Hao dispatch a Zhoutian Realm ninth-stage shrimp demon so effortlessly, both elders chuckled. They had concealed their auras earlier, allowing the shrimp demon to feel confident enough to attack.
Li Hao cast his bait into the water again and resumed eating with his chopsticks.
“That shrimp demon was at the ninth stage of the Zhoutian Realm, yet you killed it so easily. You must have achieved at least a minor success in cultivating your Dragon River Divine Veins,” Feng Boping commented with a smile.
Li Hao made no attempt to deny it.
Minor success? It was already perfected.
...
...
The day’s fishing came to an end as the sun dipped toward the horizon. Li Hao bid farewell to the two elders. The "Thief Saint," as Feng Boping was called, mentioned he would be away for half a month on a long journey.
Clearly, somewhere, another treasure would soon vanish.
Li Muxiu, long accustomed to such news, laughed and bade him farewell before taking Li Hao back to the Divine General Mansion.
By now, Li Hao had developed a strong interest in fishing. Li Muxiu decided not to teach him the "traditional rules" of fishing any further and led him straight to Tingyu Pavilion instead.
Outside the pavilion, Li Fu was waiting as usual. This time, however, he wasn’t alone. A young maid, Xuejian from the Changchun Courtyard, stood beside him.
When the pair of elder and youth returned, Xuejian took the opportunity to carefully observe Li Hao. She had long heard of Second Master Li Muxiu’s eccentric nature. Many mistresses and ladies from different households had tried to send their children to learn under him, but he had rejected them all. Yet he seemed to have a special fondness for Li Hao, a supposed “Martial Waste Body.”
These thoughts flitted through Xuejian’s mind, but her gentle smile revealed none of them. With a graceful bow, she stepped forward and explained her purpose for being there.
It turned out that Madam He Jianlan had sent her. She had heard that Li Hao had spent considerable time practicing body refinement techniques and now wanted him to join the family’s training ground to practice with other Li family disciples.
Li Fu, already privy to the details from Xuejian earlier, wore an eager expression as she spoke. He seemed ready to nod in agreement on Li Hao’s behalf.
However, Li Hao and Li Muxiu exchanged a glance and both began to chuckle.
Li Muxiu knew that Li Hao, being young and lacking authority within the family, would struggle to refuse without further entanglements. Waving dismissively, he said, “This little guy is learning from me, and my guidance is more than sufficient. Sending him to the training ground would be a waste of time.”
The old man muttered under his breath, Letting this boy go to the training ground? Isn’t that just bullying the others?
The family disciples at the training ground were, at best, at the Zhoutian Realm. Those with greater talent had already sought apprenticeships at prestigious sects or joined the army.
Letting Li Hao, who could casually decapitate ninth-stage Zhoutian Realm demon beasts, train with them? That would be no different from punching children or kicking the elderly.
Hearing Li Muxiu’s refusal, both Li Fu and Xuejian grew anxious.
But Xuejian had anticipated such an argument. With a gentle and persuasive tone, she explained that Li Hao only needed to spend his mornings sparring lightly at the training ground. The primary purpose was to have him engage in actual combat with peers and hone his practical skills.
Li Fu nodded enthusiastically. “Yes, yes, exactly!”
Although staying with Second Master Li Muxiu offered the best possible guidance, Li Fu was worried that the old man’s unconventional behavior might have a negative influence on Li Hao. After all, while Li Muxiu’s strength was undeniable, he seemed a little... distracted from serious matters.
Li Fu had never seen Li Hao and Li Muxiu discuss cultivation seriously. Instead, they talked animatedly about which fish to catch or how to reel in a line. They seemed far more engrossed in fishing techniques than martial arts.
Besides, even disciples of renowned masters, like the Sword Saints, needed to spar with others of similar cultivation levels. Otherwise, relying purely on theoretical teaching would slow their progress.
Li Muxiu rolled his eyes slightly at this reasoning. How could sparring with the family's younger generation compare to battling wits and strength with fish demons?
Fishing for Zhoutian Realm demon beasts wasn’t just a test of brute force. These fish demons had developed intelligence. They could sense danger and, if necessary, tear their own bodies apart to escape. Fishing required a full range of skills—strategic planning, deception, feigned weakness, and bursts of power.
For this very reason, Li Muxiu had spent half his life immersed in fishing, completely captivated by it.
He flatly rejected the suggestion again, adding with mock anger that he’d hit someone if the matter was brought up again. Only then did Xuejian and Li Fu reluctantly drop the subject.
Li Hao, meanwhile, stored his fishing gear in Tingyu Pavilion before following Li Fu back to the family courtyard. Along the way, Li Fu mentioned that a letter had arrived from Yanbei, causing both of their eyes to light up. They hurried toward the Changchun Courtyard.
Inside the main hall, He Jianlan sat gracefully, her demeanor dignified and elegant. In her hands was a family letter she had just received.
“Military rations are running low in Tiangang. Tomorrow, I must go to court...” He Jianlan’s gaze turned contemplative as she spoke softly.
At that moment, Li Hao and Li Fu rushed in hastily. Li Fu still managed to maintain some decorum, but Li Hao, less mindful of etiquette, barged straight into the room. Li Fu tried to stop him but failed and had no choice but to follow.
When He Jianlan’s eyes fell on them, Li Fu’s face turned slightly embarrassed. He immediately bowed deeply to apologize.
“Is it a letter from them?” Li Hao asked eagerly.
He Jianlan’s gaze shifted to him. Noticing the faint smell of fish, she realized he had just returned from fishing with Li Muxiu.
Seeing the anticipation in his eyes, He Jianlan softened slightly and nodded.
“What did they say?” Li Hao asked, his face full of expectation.
He Jianlan hesitated briefly, a trace of sorrow flickering in her eyes before she masked it with a gentle smile. “It’s a war report from Yanbei. Your father mentioned that they’ve recently eliminated a group of demon beasts. There’s also mention of some supply issues.”
She didn’t go into detail, as much of the letter involved military matters.
“Did they mention any danger? Did they ask about me?” Li Hao pressed.
He Jianlan’s fingers tightened slightly around the letter before she nodded, smiling warmly.
“They told me to make sure you eat well and not to overwork yourself. They also asked what you’ve been eating lately, whether you’ve caught a cold, and if you’ve been obedient to your elders...”
Li Hao listened quietly and then said, “May I see the letter? I can read.”
He Jianlan folded the letter and shook her head gently. “No, there’s military information in it. You’re still too young.”
“Alright,” Li Hao relented. Then he added, “Can you write back to them for me? Tell them I’ve been eating well and cooking delicious meals for myself. My cooking skills are great, and I’m practicing body refinement techniques, so I’m strong and won’t catch a cold. I also go fishing with Second Master often, so I’m not overworked. Second Master treats me well and even praises my cooking skills. When they return, I’ll cook for them too.”
He paused, then added with a determined smile, “And also, tell them not to worry about me. I’m very safe here at the Divine General Mansion. With Second Master and you looking out for me, no one dares to bully me.”