Chapter 96: Master Li
The sword shadows seemed dreamlike, as though illusions lingering in the mind. Even after the demonstration ended, remnants of the sword shadows remained etched in the viewers’ eyes, haunting them, impossible to forget.
Yet the complexity of the sword technique was overwhelming. Despite their efforts to remember, it remained elusive, as though slipping through their grasp.
Seeing everyone deep in thought, Li Hao didn’t linger. He sat down, picked up his brush, and began painting once more.
+827, +789, +702...
Li Hao’s movements were swift as he ground ink and painted.
Depicting these dozens of Spiritual Wandering Realm cultivators on paper, each painting earned him seven to eight hundred points of experience, causing his expertise in the Painting Dao to grow rapidly.
As Li Hao painted, the others gradually snapped out of their daze. Noticing Li Hao immersed in his work, none dared disturb him. Instead, they seized the opportunity to reflect and contemplate.
Once Li Hao finished his fourth painting, he looked up and asked, “How are you all feeling?”
“Master Li, could you demonstrate again?”
After exchanging hesitant glances, a refined young man finally spoke up.
This was one of the geniuses of the White Hall, on par with Song Yueyao. Yet now, his request carried a trace of embarrassment.
Despite watching the demonstration twice, he had barely grasped anything.
Li Hao scanned the group and noted their eager, albeit restrained, expressions.
“Alright.”
Li Hao thought it over. Repeated demonstrations were clearly inefficient.
Since he had taken it upon himself to teach, he decided to adopt the proper attitude—ensuring they could truly master the technique. Otherwise, merely going through the motions felt meaningless.
After asking the group about their levels of understanding, he learned they were all at the Adept Level of the sword technique. However, their proficiencies varied: some had just reached the threshold, while others were nearing perfection.
“Since I’ve chosen to teach, I hope you all will achieve something worthwhile.”
Li Hao swept his gaze across the group. “I have three classes scheduled this year. I want all of you to bring this sword technique to the Perfection Level within these three lessons. If you succeed, I will grant three wishes—anything within my power.”
“Perfection Level?”
“Three wishes?”
The group was stunned, shocked by Li Hao’s ambition.
This wasn’t a promise; it was a challenge he had set for himself!
Three lessons to teach all of them to reach the Perfection Level?
This wasn’t just wishful thinking—it bordered on sheer fantasy.
None dared to compare themselves to Li Hao, who could master a sword manual at first glance and execute it flawlessly.
Moreover, some harbored doubts, suspecting Li Hao had prepared beforehand.
What kind of teacher doesn’t prepare for lessons? Surely, he must have practiced in advance.
“Master Li, isn’t that a bit too difficult?” someone couldn’t help but ask.
“Master Li, you must be joking. It’s kind of funny, I’ll admit...” another person chimed in.
Song Yueyao cast a puzzled look at Li Hao. She had been at the Adept Level for half a year and knew how challenging it was to advance to the Perfection Level. Even with talent, it required over a year of relentless practice to engrain the sword moves into one’s very marrow.
Three lessons were simply impossible.
Yet this “impossible” task didn’t seem entirely out of reach for Li Hao, the legendary scion of the Li family.
After all, everything he displayed always defied expectations.
Seeing the murmurs among the group, Li Hao said no more. Picking up his sword again, his expression turned cold and commanding.
“Silence!”
With just two words, the chatter instantly ceased.
An inexplicable sense of dread gripped everyone’s hearts, and their gazes instinctively grew solemn.
“Focus and feel it with your heart,” Li Hao instructed. His demeanor shifted, his gaze locking onto the blade.
Raising his sword, he began the demonstration.
...
Yin-Yang Dividing Sword, True State!
Yes, surpassing the flawless Perfection Level, Li Hao executed the True State of the Yin-Yang Dividing Sword!
At the True State, the technique transcended the mundane, returning to its purest form. It laid bare the essence and rhythm of the sword technique.
As the sword light danced, black and white beams alternated, representing the interplay of light and shadow.
The sword roamed freely in the air, as if traversing another dimension.
The sword was solid, the void illusory.
As the sword light swirled, the black and white beams merged into one in a sudden, dazzling display.
The demonstration ended.
The hall fell into a stunned silence. Everyone stared in a trance, their minds seemingly drawn into the profound depths of that single strike.
Even though Li Hao had sheathed his sword, the image of the sword shadow lingered before their eyes, its rhythm still echoing in their minds.
Li Hao said nothing, waiting quietly.
Suddenly, someone snapped out of their daze. One by one, the others gradually regained their composure.
“This... was that the Yin-Yang Dividing Sword?”
The group exchanged looks of astonishment.
“It’s completely different from what I practiced before! No, what I practiced was fake!”
“It wasn’t fake—it was wrong!”
“This is the true Yin-Yang Dividing Sword. Teacher Sun’s instructions were incorrect. No, even the sword manual was flawed!”
“A single strike to reverse yin and yang, a single strike to disrupt the void!”
The more they discussed, the more excited they became. Their voices rose, faces flushed with exhilaration.
Song Yueyao stood in a daze, blocking out the surrounding chatter. Closing her eyes briefly, she suddenly dashed to the weapon rack and drew her sword with a sharp clang!
What followed was a dazzling display of swordsmanship. The sword shadows gleamed like light, quivering like serpents, and blooming like a rainbow.
It resembled a peacock fanning its tail, its splendor perfect and flawless.
In that moment, Song Yueyao’s swordsmanship broke through the bottleneck she had struggled with for half a year!
Everyone noticed and stared at her in awe.
“Sister Song comprehended it...”
“She actually mastered the Perfection Level. And she’s only been practicing this sword technique for less than a year!”
“It’s the Perfection Level, identical to Master Li’s demonstration!”
The group was overwhelmed with admiration, their respect for Li Hao elevating from reverence to veneration.
At the same time, others began to feel a spark of inspiration, rushing to the weapon rack to seize swords and practice.
The spacious hall allowed for ample room for everyone to demonstrate.
Others hurriedly focused on their own insights, trying to capture and engrave the fleeting sense of the sword’s rhythm in their minds.
Before long, a wave of cheers erupted from those who had broken through their bottlenecks, each excitedly exclaiming their success.
Li Hao smiled faintly.
When someone sought his guidance, he clapped his hands and signaled for everyone to watch him again.
This cycle repeated four times.
As the sun dipped toward the horizon, the lesson finally concluded.
By the end, over a dozen individuals had reached the Perfection Level of the Yin-Yang Dividing Sword. Seeing their progress, Li Hao felt gratified—it was proof that effort truly paid off.
“Master Li, the swordsmanship you demonstrated—what level is it?”
“I heard that above Perfection is Supreme Perfection. Is that the level you showed us?”
As the lesson was about to end, someone couldn’t resist asking.
Li Hao smiled and replied, “Above Perfection is Supreme Perfection, but beyond that lies the True State, which is what I demonstrated.”
...
This level of mastery, in Li Hao’s view, was nothing worth concealing.
Sword Saints, Blade Saints, and other such figures, who had immersed themselves in their respective disciplines for decades, often reached the True State of their arts. Some even grasped the profound essence of their techniques.
Furthermore, Li Hao had a feeling that the True State wasn’t the pinnacle. Beyond it, there should be even higher realms. However, with his current comprehension of the Dao, he was unable to reach them. Perhaps once his mental state advanced to a higher level, he might catch a glimpse of that greater peak.
“True State...”
The group was dumbfounded by Li Hao’s explanation.
Song Yueyao’s pupils contracted slightly as she stared at Li Hao, disbelief written across her face.
She had heard her grandfather mention the existence of the True State, describing it as nearly impossible to witness. Achieving it required not only exceptional talent but also decades of relentless dedication.
Li Hao was undoubtedly a swordsmanship prodigy, but to master this technique to the True State would normally take at least ten years of arduous practice.
And yet Li Hao was only fourteen years old...
The thought unsettled her deeply, making her feel as though her resolve in the Dao was on the verge of crumbling.
Finally, she understood the sentiment of those who complained about the anguish of being in the presence of a true genius.
...
“Tonight, reflect on this yourselves,” Li Hao said with a wave of his hand. “A teacher can guide you to the door, but cultivation depends on personal effort.”
Dismissing the class, he returned to the Li family estate, where Li Fu came to deliver a message.
“Master Li, the Marquis has instructed that you should consider making friends when you have free time. While securing the True Dragon Seat is almost certain, building connections is a lifelong endeavor. The Marquis hopes you’ll achieve this grand accomplishment with dignity, leaving no room for others to criticize.”
To this, Li Hao merely nodded casually in response.
...
The next day, Li Hao arrived at the cold pool, prepared with an extra serving of pastries. With a flick of his toe, he sent a small stone skipping into the water.
Soon, the massive figure of the Water Qilin surfaced and transformed into human form, emerging from the pool spotless and refreshed.
Seeing the pastries in Li Hao’s hand, Song Qiumo’s eyes lit up with delight.
Li Hao handed them to her with a smile, then waved farewell without lingering.
Watching him depart, Song Qiumo took a bite of the fragrant pastry, her eyes curving into crescent moons as a smile spread across her face.
...
Li Hao then proceeded to the White Hall for his second class, having already arranged for the lesson handover.
As he approached the hall, he heard an angry voice erupting from inside:
“How could you, as a teacher, insult a child like that?!”
“He may lack aptitude in martial arts, but that doesn’t mean he’s a lesser person!”
“You can discipline him, punish him severely, and hold him to the standards of a martial artist—but you cannot demean him as though he’s an animal!”
The voice was filled with fury and righteous indignation, resounding through the hall.
Pausing, Li Hao slowly made his way to the entrance.
Inside, the hall was already filled with people. Because of his habit of sleeping in, Li Hao hadn’t arrived early.
At the front stood three individuals: Sun Hongdian, Zhou Zheng, and a middle-aged man clad in simple attire that couldn’t conceal his imposing presence. His features bore a resemblance to Zhou Zheng, though Zhou Zheng appeared more refined.
Scattered on the floor were torn fragments of books. The scene bore a striking resemblance to what had transpired the day before, except now there was an additional person.
“General Zhou, you’re being unreasonable!”
Sun Hongdian, red-faced from being berated, glared at the middle-aged man. He had been reprimanding Zhou Zheng when Zhou’s father had arrived unannounced.
Sun Hongdian had assumed that the general would appreciate his strict teaching methods, but instead, he was met with a tirade of scorn.
“I’m unreasonable? Tell me, what part of my words are unreasonable? Do you consider insulting my son reasonable?!”
General Zhou roared, “I may be a mere soldier, but I understand basic principles. I know my son is a human being—a dignified individual—not a rotten rat spoiling the pot of porridge!”
“Nor is he a filthy, depraved worm!”
“He may have poor martial aptitude, but that doesn’t mean he’s unworthy of being treated as a person!”
The general’s voice thundered with wrath, shaking the hall. “My son may only be at the Tongli Realm, but he is still my pride. What gives you the right to humiliate him like this?”
The hall fell silent.
No one dared mock Zhou Zheng for needing his father’s protection. Instead, their eyes revealed faint envy.
Sun Hongdian fumed. “There’s no reasoning with you. If that’s your stance, then withdraw your son from the school!”
“With a teacher like you, I’ll gladly withdraw him!” General Zhou snapped, seizing his son’s arm to leave.
Zhou Zheng, his eyes reddened, bit his lip to keep his tears from falling in front of everyone. Lowering his head, he choked out:
“Father, I want to stay. I want to learn. I mastered the sword technique yesterday!”
“If you want to learn, I’ll find you another teacher. The world has no shortage of renowned instructors!” General Zhou snorted.
Sun Hongdian trembled with anger. “If you walk out, don’t expect to come back!”
“Who says we’d want to come back?” General Zhou growled. He turned to leave with his son, only to run into Li Hao at the door.
Suddenly, all eyes turned toward Li Hao.
The students stood in unison, bowing as they shouted in chorus: “Greetings, Master Li!”
The thunderous greeting startled Sun Hongdian and General Zhou, as well as Li Hao himself.
“Master Li?”
Sun Hongdian blinked in confusion, staring at Li Hao.
Zhou Zheng’s eyes, still brimming with tears, brightened instantly. Turning to his father, he exclaimed, “Father, this is Li Hao! Master Li! Yesterday, in just one class, he helped all of us elevate the Yin-Yang Dividing Sword from the Adept Level to the Perfection Level!”
“???”
General Zhou and Sun Hongdian looked utterly baffled.
Li Hao, too, was momentarily stunned.
What? All of them mastered it yesterday?
Wait a minute—why am I even here today?
...
“Li Hao went to teach, and instead, he took all his students down the mountain to visit a brothel?!”