Chapter 95: The Step to Mastery
Sun Hongdian was slightly surprised but didn't overthink it. After letting go of his grip, he turned to address the group of students below:
“Everyone, this is the new guest lecturer of the academy, the scion of the Li family—Li Hao!”
The announcement caused an uproar.
The mere mention of “Li Hao” silenced the once curious and doubtful students, who now erupted into a wave of astonished murmurs.
Over the past few days, this name had been the talk of the entire city.
Teahouses, taverns, even brothels and inns buzzed with discussion about him.
In the vast world of competing martial elites, his arrival might have been a mere pebble rippling a pond, yet to the residents of Qingzhou City, his name had already become household knowledge.
The youngest practitioner to achieve the Fifteen Li Realm at the age of fourteen—a thousand-year prodigy!
This living legend was now standing before them?
Everyone’s eyes widened as they gazed at Li Hao as if he were a rare treasure.
Li Hao, feeling helpless but unsurprised, steeled himself for the attention and resolved to adapt.
“Next, Li Gongzi will be teaching you,” Sun Hongdian announced loudly. “Li Gongzi only lectures three times a year, so treasure this opportunity! No noise, no disturbances!”
The students’ eyes lit up. This legendary youth was about to teach them?
What could he impart? His cultivation insights?
The group, full of noble scions, eagerly anticipated his teachings. Even those with modest expectations looked forward to witnessing his demeanor and speech.
“Li Gongzi, I’ll leave this to you,” Sun Hongdian said, turning to Li Hao with a smile.
Li Hao nodded and waited until Sun Hongdian had left, waving cheerfully, before turning back to the classroom, which was now gradually falling silent.
“Since everyone already knows who I am, I’ll skip the introductions,” Li Hao began with a smile. “What would you like to learn? Sword techniques, fist techniques, or movement techniques?”
“You’re going to teach swordsmanship?”
Song Yueyao’s eyes brightened at his words; most of them were sword practitioners.
Li Hao knew that swordsmen and bladesmen were as fundamental in the martial world as language and mathematics in academia—a primary discipline. Historically, swords and blade techniques were the most numerous among martial arts manuals.
“If you wish to learn, I’ll teach,” Li Hao replied with a smile.
“Will it be the techniques from Tingyu Pavilion?” a bold youth asked expectantly.
The students, being from prominent families, often entered the world to make their name or returned home to inherit their family legacies. With cultivation at the Spiritual Wandering Realm, they could suppress many threats and were considered formidable among their peers.
“Apologies, but the Li family’s secret techniques are not to be shared,” Li Hao said, still smiling. “However, I can teach you the sword techniques White Hall disciples commonly practice.”
“You’ve never studied them before. How would you teach us?” one student asked, astonished by the casual offer, which instantly altered their impression of Li Hao.
“I can study them now,” Li Hao replied lightly. “Does anyone have a sword manual they can lend me?”
Hearing this, the students exchanged bewildered glances, their initial excitement giving way to dissatisfaction. Li Hao’s words came off as arrogant, as if he weren’t taking this lecture seriously.
The hopes they had harbored quickly evaporated.
Song Yueyao frowned, her impression of Li Hao dimming further. She found his attitude overly conceited.
“Li Shao, we genuinely want to learn,” a well-meaning student interjected.
“In that case, let’s begin. Does anyone have a sword manual?” Li Hao asked.
His nonchalant manner left many students disillusioned. Would merely pointing out moves in a sword manual count as teaching?
Not only did they doubt his ability to instruct, but they also found his attitude disappointing.
Song Yueyao’s eyes showed clear disappointment. Li Hao was undoubtedly a rare prodigy, but his arrogance was just as undeniable.
Although many were dissatisfied, no one dared to voice their complaints aloud. After all, Li Hao’s identity carried significant weight, and no one wanted to offend him openly.
Li Hao scanned the room, noting their expressions. He could guess what they were thinking and felt a bit helpless. Finally, his gaze settled on Song Yueyao.
“Song Tongxue, you should have a sword manual, right? Let me take a look,” he said.
Song Yueyao stiffened, her face betraying discomfort. Feeling the eyes of her peers on her, she frowned and replied, “I didn’t bring a manual with me. Besides, I’ve nearly perfected this sword technique.”
“In that case, could you help me find one?” Li Hao asked.
Song Yueyao was momentarily at a loss. Reluctantly, she turned to her good friend Lin Feifei to ask for assistance. Before she could speak, another young man stepped forward.
“Li Shao, I have one,” he said, quickly approaching with a sword manual in hand.
The youth, who introduced himself as Ma Jing, handed the manual over with a flattering smile.
Li Hao nodded in acknowledgment.
As Ma Jing returned to his seat, faint murmurs of disdain arose among the students, who clearly disapproved of his ingratiating behavior. Ma Jing, however, seemed unconcerned. To him, this was a golden opportunity to curry favor with Li Hao, and only a fool would pass it up.
“Give me a moment,” Li Hao said as he began flipping through the sword manual.
Page by page, the text and illustrations came alive under his Sword Dao comprehension. By the time he was halfway through, he had already deduced the subsequent techniques.
The manual, titled Yin-Yang Dividing Sword, was a top-tier work.
A voice echoed in his mind:
[Basic understanding acquired. Would you like to record it?]
“Record it,” Li Hao responded silently.
...
Soon, an overwhelming stream of information flowed into Li Hao’s mind. Thanks to his current cultivation level, he absorbed and processed it with ease. After closing his eyes for a brief moment, he had fully assimilated the knowledge.
He glanced at his status panel:
Yin-Yang Dividing Sword (Perfect Form) · Yin-Yang Reversal
The "Yin-Yang Reversal" represented the ultimate essence of this sword technique, its most profound mastery. Most techniques could reveal their core essence or secrets when approached with his current level of comprehension.
For example, the Falling Snow Sword Technique held its essence in the technique Avalanche.
Li Hao looked up and casually called out, “The student standing outside the door, come in and join us.”
The youth standing by the door had heard Sun Hongdian’s introduction and knew Li Hao’s identity. He had been eavesdropping with his ear pressed to the door and occasionally stealing glances inside.
Now that Li Hao had called him out, the youth was momentarily stunned. He hadn’t expected Li Hao to notice him, let alone invite him to join. A warm feeling rose in his chest.
Though he wasn’t particularly interested in Li Hao’s swordsmanship—whether Li Hao was serious about teaching or not—he himself had no passion for martial arts. Born into a military family, he had been forced to train, but it was never his choice.
“Thank you, Li Shao. My name is Zhou Zheng,” the youth said as he stepped inside.
Li Hao nodded. “Take a seat.”
After Zhou Zheng found his seat, Li Hao addressed the class: “I’ll first demonstrate the Yin-Yang Dividing Sword at its perfect level. Watch carefully and try to grasp as much as you can.”
“What?”
The students, most of whom had lost interest and were considering leaving, were taken aback. Some even stifled laughter.
Perfect level? Did he mean the Yin-Yang Dividing Sword?
This was a top-tier sword technique. Even for a prodigy, mastering it to perfection would take months of intense study.
Did he expect anyone to believe he had achieved that level after reading the manual just once?
The room was filled with skeptical smirks and glances. Most students were now watching Li Hao as if he were a jester performing tricks.
Song Yueyao frowned. Her earlier impression of Li Hao as an unassuming genius was fading fast. Today’s interaction painted him as someone ostentatious and shallow.
Then again, she thought, she barely knew him. Their previous encounter in Cangyu City had been fleeting, hardly enough to form a real opinion.
She sighed inwardly and turned away, not bothering to watch what she assumed would be an underwhelming display.
On the stage, Li Hao summoned a sword from the nearby weapon rack with a simple wave of his hand.
The casual use of object manipulation—a technique beyond the reach of most students—caused the mocking expressions in the room to falter. A flicker of respect appeared in their eyes.
No matter his personality, Li Hao’s cultivation level was undeniably terrifying.
Gripping the sword, Li Hao remained calm and composed. He used a burst of telekinetic energy to send the borrowed manual back to Ma Jing’s desk, then raised the sword and began his demonstration.
The Yin-Yang Dividing Sword was intricate, its moves alternating between reality and illusion, constantly shifting between lethal strikes and feints. Its complexity surpassed that of the Falling Snow Sword Technique by at least threefold.
Yet, as Li Hao moved, his swordplay was fluid and effortless. His posture was elegant, his sword strikes dazzling. Every move seemed to radiate a profound mastery of blending the real and the illusory.
The students who had been smirking moments ago now stared, their expressions frozen in shock.
What they saw wasn’t a sloppy attempt or an amateurish mimicry. Instead, it was a flawless execution that bordered on the divine.
Li Hao’s sword seemed to dance, weaving a mesmerizing pattern in the air.
All thoughts of mockery vanished from their minds. Even the faintest smiles evaporated, replaced by utter awe.
Song Yueyao, who had been looking elsewhere, noticed the stillness in the room and turned back, curious.
The sight before her left her stunned.
The swordplay was breathtaking, each move as precise as a master craftsman’s stroke. The illusions created by the technique were so convincing that even her trained eyes couldn’t distinguish the real from the feigned.
This was the Yin-Yang Dividing Sword!
She had been practicing this technique for years and was on the verge of mastering it. Yet, compared to what she saw now, her own attempts seemed clumsy and incomplete.
Which strikes were real? Which were feints? Or was everything both real and illusory at the same time?
Her thoughts spun as she tried to comprehend the perfection before her, but the swordplay was beyond her understanding.
The room was deathly silent as Li Hao finished his demonstration. He withdrew the sword and turned to face the students, giving them a moment to digest what they had just witnessed.
“Did you all learn it?” Li Hao asked after a pause.
“…”
“…”
The students were speechless, caught between incredulity and frustration.
Learn it?
They hadn’t even managed to memorize the moves, let alone grasp the essence of the technique.
One student finally broke the silence, his voice hesitant: “Li Shao… Did you really just learn this technique today?”
The question snapped everyone to attention, and all eyes turned to Li Hao.
Had he truly mastered a top-tier sword technique at its perfect level after a single reading?
Li Hao sighed inwardly at the question but maintained his calm expression. “Our Li family has a vast collection of martial manuals, but the techniques taught at Tangong Academy are not shared publicly. As such, we would never resort to theft.”
He paused and added silently in his heart: Even if I did borrow them without permission, I certainly wouldn’t admit it to you.
His explanation left the students glancing at each other, confused but unable to refute him. What he said was true.
Each martial sect guarded its unique techniques closely. Any unauthorized learning was considered a grave offense, often leading to retribution. Not only would the victimized sect demand justice, but other sects would also condemn such actions in solidarity.
“So then…” one student murmured hesitantly. “Did you… really just master it on the spot? After only looking at it once?”
Their gazes sharpened, growing increasingly incredulous.
Could someone master a top-tier technique by merely glancing through a manual?
Wasn’t such a feat unheard of, even among legendary prodigies?
Li Hao waved off their doubts. “Let’s not dwell on such things. Focus on what you remember from my demonstration. Once you’ve had time to process it, I’ll slow it down and perform it again for you to observe more closely.”
Hearing this, the students snapped out of their stupor. They hurriedly began recalling what they had just witnessed, though their minds were still awash with fragmented images of dazzling swordplay.
The hall grew silent as everyone concentrated on their memories.
With nothing to do for the moment, Li Hao turned his attention elsewhere. Spotting the drawing board left outside the classroom, he retrieved it and set it up near the front.
As the students continued their recollections, Li Hao began sketching. His mind drifted to what he could draw. After a moment, he decided to create a portrait of the classroom, including all the students.
Even though most of them were only at the Spiritual Wandering Realm and lacked impressive cultivation, they still provided experience worth noting.
Some students noticed his unusual behavior, glancing up in confusion but saying nothing. They quickly returned to their efforts, determined to reconstruct the sword moves in their minds.
Before long, Li Hao finished his sketch. Glancing at the clock, he realized half an hour had passed. By now, those who could remember something likely had, while those who couldn’t had likely forgotten most of what they saw.
Clearing his throat softly, Li Hao spoke up: “I’ll perform it again, this time at a slower pace. Watch carefully.”
The students immediately sat up straighter, their attention fully focused on him.
Li Hao picked up the sword once more. Without further explanation, he began the Yin-Yang Dividing Sword again, his movements deliberately slower and more deliberate this time.