Volume 2 - Chapter 20: Ren Qianqian Crossing Boundaries
“Oh?”
Upon hearing Li Hao's words, Zhou Haitang looked slightly surprised.
After all, he was a Grandmaster of the Heaven and Man Realm. To personally extend an invitation, only to be refused—it was unexpected.
However, recalling what his apprentice had just mentioned, this young man had managed to approach without disturbing even a single flicker of candlelight. This feat alone demonstrated his remarkable martial foundation. Once he stepped into the Fifteen Li Realm, his chances of advancing to the Heaven and Man Realm far surpassed those so-called geniuses in cultivation.
For someone of this caliber, he was either an extraordinary prodigy or had been nurtured by a prestigious sect.
“What kind of painting are you looking to buy?”
Zhou Haitang arched his brow slightly as he spoke.
Li Hao shook his head gently and simply said, “The painting is in Bai Chunhai’s possession. I’d trouble you to make an introduction.”
“You’re looking for him—not to seek tutelage, but for a painting?”
“Mm.”
Zhou Haitang couldn’t help but size Li Hao up. Beside him, Zhou Ling’er and the other two disciples were equally astonished as they stared at him.
A Grandmaster stood before him; all Li Hao had to do was nod, and he would immediately be accepted as an apprentice. Such an opportunity was invaluable.
“Then you’ll just have to wait. That old fellow isn’t here yet, but he should be on his way. When the Grandmaster Gathering begins in three days, he’ll appear, and you can meet him then.”
Zhou Haitang picked up a nearby teacup, taking a small sip before speaking in a calm tone.
Picking up tea was also a gesture of dismissal.
Since Li Hao wasn’t interested in becoming his apprentice, he wouldn’t force him.
Thousand-li horses are common, but a discerning eye is rare.
Having obtained information about Bai Chunhai, Li Hao had no reason to linger. He requested the contact address of Zhou Haitang’s inn and left the restaurant.
...
The three disciples chased after him. Zhou Ling’er puffed her cheeks and said angrily, “My father rarely wishes to take on a disciple, yet you don’t know how to appreciate the opportunity! Or do you already have a master?”
“?”
Li Hao looked at her in confusion.
“Ling’er!”
The young man hurriedly tugged at Zhou Ling’er, then turned to Li Hao and apologized, “I’m sorry, her tone can be a bit harsh. Please don’t take it to heart.”
Li Hao didn’t bother acknowledging them further. The dagger he had gifted and the guidance he had provided made them even.
Without saying anything more, he turned and headed toward the Martial Shrine, wondering if Ren Qianqian’s soul fusion had been completed.
“He has a deep martial foundation. He’s probably from a renowned sect, right?” The girl in the white dress murmured softly, watching Li Hao’s retreating figure.
Zhou Ling’er heard this and became both embarrassed and angry. “Are you implying that my father isn’t from a renowned sect? What do you mean by that?”
The white-dressed girl came to her senses, paused for a moment, and quickly replied, “That’s not what I meant…”
“Hmph!”
...
When Li Hao returned to the front of the Martial Shrine, he saw Ren Qianqian standing under the eaves of a building outside, holding her sword and looking around.
Li Hao waved to her.
The girl saw him, her face lighting up with joy as she sprinted over.
“How did it go?”
“A senior at the Fourth Pillar Realm saw my swordsmanship and deemed me a promising talent.”
Ren Qianqian couldn’t contain her excitement. To her surprise, the sole heroic spirit at the Fourth Pillar Realm in this Martial Shrine had chosen her.
Although her father was a Grandmaster, achieving soul fusion at the Fourth Pillar Realm was extremely challenging. It represented the highest level of soul fusion potential, second only to the imperial family.
Her initial plan in enrolling at Tangong Academy had been to undergo soul fusion there, though it would have come with numerous restrictions and trade-offs.
In contrast, the conditions for soul fusion in the Martial Shrine were far more lenient.
Most of these heroic spirits had only one condition: to stand up and defend the Great Yu Divine Dynasty in times of peril!
But in over three thousand years of Great Yu history, even during crises, the troubles were typically at the borders, where the Divine General Mansion handled the issues. These heroic spirits were rarely called upon. The requirement was essentially nominal—unless one voluntarily enlisted in the military to earn merits at the border.
“Fourth Pillar Realm? Not bad,” Li Hao said with a smile.
“It’s all thanks to the sword intent you taught me. Without it, I wouldn’t have caught the senior’s attention.”
Ren Qianqian looked at Li Hao, her eyes gleaming.
Li Hao chuckled. “It was all your own comprehension. I merely pointed you in the right direction.”
Ren Qianqian shook her head slightly, clearly unconvinced, but she didn’t argue further. Instead, she silently etched his words in her heart.
“What’s next? Where are we going?”
“Let’s wander around, eat, and have fun until the Grandmaster Gathering starts in three days.”
Li Hao added, “We can also listen to the discussions during the gathering and observe the martial paths of these Grandmasters. It might help you in reaching the Heaven and Man Realm in the future.”
“Alright!”
Ren Qianqian beamed with joy.
Li Hao immediately led her away from the Martial Shrine. The two strolled leisurely through the streets, taking in the customs and sights of the city of Liang Province.
...
That evening, a lively event took place in a part of the city.
It was a Ranking Contest, featuring sparring matches on a platform. Competitors were ranked and rewarded by the City Lord’s Mansion.
With Grandmasters from across the land gathering, geniuses from various provinces were drawn to the event. The atmosphere was more festive than when Tangong Academy recruited disciples, and the city was packed with people.
Countless young talents crossed paths but had no way to test their strength against each other, leading the City Lord’s Mansion to organize this event as a prelude to the Grandmaster Gathering.
The ranking platform was limited to three realms, ranging from the Soul Fusion Realm to the Fifteen Li Realm.
Anyone below the Soul Fusion Realm wasn’t worth showcasing and could simply sit in the audience and enjoy the show.
Li Hao wasn’t particularly interested in such excitement. If he were to compete, even those at the Fifteen Li Realm wouldn’t be able to withstand a single finger from him—it would be nothing short of bullying.
However, Ren Qianqian had just completed her soul fusion and was brimming with enthusiasm. Not wanting to dampen her spirits, Li Hao accompanied her to the ranking platform for the Soul Fusion Realm.
“How is it you again?”
As soon as they arrived, by sheer coincidence, Li Hao ran into Zhou Ling’er once more.
Standing next to her was the white-dressed girl, Xu Wan’er. Both of them were also in the Soul Fusion Realm and had rushed over after dinner upon hearing about the contest. Their expressions showed eager anticipation.
Their senior brother, on the other hand, had gone to the ranking platform for the Spirit Refinement Realm, ready to spar with the talents of other provinces.
“Young master, do you know them?”
Ren Qianqian stood on tiptoes to look ahead, then turned her attention to the group in front of her, her tone curious.
“We just met,” Li Hao said plainly.
“And what are you doing here? You’re only in the Soul Fusion Realm?”
Zhou Ling’er raised her brows slightly and, with a hint of mockery, asked him coldly.
Xu Wan’er, however, was scrutinizing Li Hao curiously. Hearing him referred to as “young master,” she recalled his earlier behavior: casually gifting an exquisite dagger and mentioning purchasing a painting from a Grandmaster. He indeed fit the image of a carefree and wealthy young master.
“Hmm?”
Sensing Zhou Ling’er’s unfriendly tone, Ren Qianqian stepped forward, her voice sharp. “Watch your manners!”
Zhou Ling’er was taken aback for a moment, noting that Ren Qianqian’s aura was also at the Soul Fusion Realm. With her face darkening, she said sternly, “And who are you? His servant?”
Ren Qianqian simply stared at her coldly, refusing to answer.
Zhou Ling’er’s anger flared, but she hesitated. She had realized that Li Hao’s identity might not be so simple. Otherwise, how could someone afford to give away a precious dagger just for directions to Bai Chunhai?
Moreover, seeking out that Grandmaster wasn’t for the purpose of becoming a disciple or seeking guidance but merely to purchase a painting.
“Hmph!”
With Xu Wan’er tugging at her arm, Zhou Ling’er managed to restrain her temper, letting out a cold snort instead.
At that moment, cheers erupted from the platform as a well-matched battle concluded, and one competitor fell in defeat.
“Let’s go. It’s our turn,” Zhou Ling’er said to Xu Wan’er.
Before leaving, she shot a glance at Li Hao and added mockingly, “If you’re so skilled with that dagger, why not come up and spar with me? Beat me, and I’ll admit you’re better.”
Li Hao cast her a disinterested look. This girl hadn’t experienced enough hardships to temper her arrogance; she was clearly spoiled.
“You think someone like you is qualified to challenge my young master?”
Ren Qianqian frowned and responded coldly.
Zhou Ling’er’s face flushed with anger, and she snapped, “If he’s so great, why isn’t he on the Fifteen Li Realm platform instead of hanging around here? If he’s so capable, let him come up and prove it!”
“If it’s a fight you want, I’ll oblige,” Ren Qianqian said.
“You?” Zhou Ling’er laughed mockingly. “You’ve just fused your soul. Don’t say I didn’t warn you—I’m not going easy on you.”
She leapt onto the platform with a grin.
Ren Qianqian turned to Li Hao and said, “Young master, let me handle her.”
“Be careful. She’s at the Fourth Level of the Soul Fusion Realm, and you’ve just started. Take care not to hurt her,” Li Hao advised.
Xu Wan’er froze at his words, doubting her ears. Did he really just tell someone who had only just fused their soul to be careful not to injure Zhou Ling’er?
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Ren Qianqian replied.
She immediately ascended the platform.
The previous victor had already stepped down to rest. As Zhou Ling’er and Ren Qianqian squared off, the crowd erupted in cheers.
“You’re not worried?” Xu Wan’er asked, noticing Li Hao’s calm demeanor.
“I am, a little,” Li Hao replied with a faint smile. He found the white-dressed girl to be somewhat agreeable and added, “I just hope she doesn’t hit too hard and make your precious Zhou Ling’er cry.”
“...” Xu Wan’er was left speechless.
On the platform, the match had begun.
Zhou Ling’er summoned her Soul Aspect, revealing a heroic spirit at the Fourth Pillar Realm, exuding an impressive aura.
Ren Qianqian also summoned her Soul Aspect, meeting Zhou Ling’er’s pressure head-on. She then drew her sword and charged forward. It was her own weapon, as she had returned the Dragon Sky Sword to Li Hao before ascending the stage.
Sword light shimmered, creating intricate patterns as if countless raindrops were descending all at once.
Startled, Zhou Ling’er quickly brandished her blade to counter. The clash of weapons rang out repeatedly, but before long, a sword sliced through the air and landed at Zhou Ling’er’s throat.
The match was over.
Below the platform, Xu Wan’er was stunned, her mouth agape. Ren Qianqian had actually won!
Wasn’t she supposed to have just fused her soul?
And what kind of swordsmanship was that? It was incredibly intricate!
On the platform, Zhou Ling’er stared blankly at the blade poised at her neck. The reflection of her face in the pristine blade was one of confusion.
Ren Qianqian glanced at her briefly, then turned her wrist. With a soft clang, the sword returned to its scabbard. She turned away and called to the audience, “Next challenger, please.”
It was clear she intended to continue challenging others. Her match with Zhou Ling’er had been little more than a warm-up.
Although their levels differed by four realms, and Ren Qianqian had only just entered the Soul Fusion Realm without having consolidated her cultivation, her mastery of swordsmanship was leagues above Zhou Ling’er.
Though the exchange of strikes had seemed intense, she hadn’t engaged in a direct clash of power but had instead used skillful deflection to dismantle Zhou Ling’er’s offense and end the match with a single decisive blow.
Hearing Ren Qianqian’s invitation, Zhou Ling’er awoke from her daze. Her face turned bright red with shame and anger, and her eyes glistened with tears as she bit her lip and stormed off the platform.
“Ling’er!”
Xu Wan’er hurried after her, setting aside her own intentions to compete.
On the platform, Ren Qianqian’s challenge quickly drew another competitor, and a new match commenced.
...
Before long, Ren Qianqian defeated four opponents in a row before finally being beaten by a woman at the Eighth Level of the Soul Fusion Realm.
When Ren Qianqian returned to Li Hao, looking slightly disappointed, he smiled and said, “Once you consolidate your cultivation and grasp the true essence of your Thousand Feathers Sword Technique, you would have won that match.”
“The true essence... that’s so difficult,” Ren Qianqian said with a wry smile.
Li Hao felt a twinge of helplessness. She had managed to bridge an eight-level gap within the same realm before losing, yet she still felt wronged.
“Young master, if you were to fight using only the strength of the First Level of the Soul Fusion Realm, how many moves would it take for you to win?”
Ren Qianqian suddenly looked at Li Hao with a mixture of curiosity and anticipation.
She knew that Li Hao was an extraordinary talent whose cultivation speed was terrifying. She realized she could never catch up to him in terms of realm progression, but she yearned to pursue the shadow of his past achievements.
“Me?”