Volume 2 - Chapter 21: The Divine General Mansion Lost Him - Part 1
"Just one move."
Li Hao pondered briefly before responding in a rather measured tone.
Ren Qianqian's eyes lit up. She didn’t doubt Li Hao's words—after all, his mastery of swordsmanship far surpassed her own. Even being able to exchange a few moves with him felt like a monumental feat.
"Then what about someone at the tenth level of the Soul Fusion Realm?" she pressed further.
"One move."
"...What about someone who has just stepped into the Spiritual Wandering Realm?"
"One move."
"..."
Seeing Ren Qianqian's stunned expression, Li Hao chuckled softly and turned to leave. "Let’s go. Enough playing around. Time to head back and rest."
Ren Qianqian quickly snapped out of her daze and hurried to catch up. "Young Master, are you serious? Is it really just swordsmanship?"
Li Hao lightly knocked on her head. "Don’t compare yourself to me."
The meridians he had developed in the Zhoutian Realm and his internal energy circulation techniques were both top-tier. This power allowed him to transcend realms in combat.
Coupled with his Soul Fusion of Heaven and Earth, such abilities were nearly impossible to replicate. Even at the first level of the Soul Fusion Realm, the number of times he could refine a soul aspect was equivalent to someone at the fifth level. When combined with the Yin-Yang Dual Meridians, it was enough to defeat a martial artist who had just stepped into the Spiritual Wandering Realm in a single move.
If he were to include his swordsmanship, the calculation would become even trickier.
Ren Qianqian cradled her sword with one hand and rubbed her head with the other, looking somewhat aggrieved.
But she knew Li Hao wasn’t wrong. Comparing herself to him would only shatter her Dao Heart.
"Walk your own path of swordsmanship. There’s no need to compare yourself to others," Li Hao advised.
Ren Qianqian’s heart trembled. Walk your own path of swordsmanship. No need to compare... She looked at the young man’s figure ahead and thought to herself, Is that how he does it too?
...
As the two left, on the other side of the Spiritual Wandering Realm platform...
A group of figures gathered. Suddenly, one of the women halted mid-step.
"What’s wrong, Yueyao?" Lin Feifei asked in surprise.
"I thought I just saw Master Li."
Song Yueyao stopped and gazed into the distance.
"Isn’t that the Soul Fusion Realm platform over there?" Lin Feifei followed her gaze, looking puzzled.
Song Yueyao caught a glimpse of some moving figures and furrowed her brows slightly before shaking her head. "I must have been mistaken."
Given his level, how could that person possibly appear at the Soul Fusion Realm platform?
She dismissed the thought and said, "Let’s go witness the skills of the Spiritual Wandering Realm martial artists from various provinces."
"Okay." Lin Feifei’s eyes turned eager as she looked at the Spiritual Wandering Realm platform.
For martial artists, the desire to compete and excel was almost irresistible.
...
Time passed quickly.
Li Hao and Ren Qianqian found an inn in the city and settled in, spending their days eating, drinking, and wandering around. In the blink of an eye, three days passed.
During these three days, Ren Qianqian returned to the Soul Fusion Realm platform to challenge and spar. She achieved decent rankings but failed to break into the top ten.
After all, her realm was still too low. She had just stepped into the Soul Fusion Realm and hadn’t yet had time to properly cultivate the soul-refining techniques. It was as if she possessed the realm but lacked the power associated with it.
Those capable of vying for the top ten were typically at the peak of the Soul Fusion Realm. They were either prodigies from renowned sects or fortunate geniuses blessed by serendipitous encounters, such as inheriting treasures from an old master beneath a mountain cliff.
Li Hao, on the other hand, did not accompany her further. Instead, he roamed the city in search of famous paintings and chess manuals.
His search yielded mixed results. While he didn’t find any chess manuals, he did discover two renowned paintings in the home of a wealthy aristocrat.
Unfortunately, one of them was a counterfeit and could not be cataloged, while the other was an authentic masterpiece by a master of the Painting Dao, titled A Thousand Sails Crossing the River.
This aristocrat was rich beyond measure and collected paintings purely out of personal interest. Li Hao’s silver proved useless in negotiations. If he wanted the painting, he would have to exchange something else.
Though he considered secretly cataloging the painting and leaving, he ultimately dismissed the idea. Once a painting was cataloged, it would decay and disappear from the mortal world.
The aristocrat’s generosity dissuaded him from such a course.
Fortunately, the aristocrat’s son, Han Wu, was an avid martial arts enthusiast. Li Hao demonstrated his skill, easily subduing the martial instructors in their courtyard. This impressed both the instructors and the aristocrat’s son. Li Hao then agreed to help find a renowned master for the son in exchange for the painting.
...
On the day of the Grandmaster Conference, Li Hao was accompanied not only by Ren Qianqian but also by Han Wu, the aristocrat’s youngest son. The boy, roughly Li Hao’s age, was brimming with curiosity and excitement.
"That’s the Grandmaster Arena over there, but without invitations, we can’t enter the inner grounds," Han Wu said, clearly well-versed in the event’s rules. His gaze was filled with reverence and admiration for the grandmasters inside.
"It’s fine. We can enter," Li Hao replied as he walked toward the inner grounds.
Though he lacked an invitation, his status as a Heaven-and-Man Grandmaster allowed him direct access.
At the entrance, two twin youths from Tianji Tower blocked their way. They were polite, mistaking the trio for young disciples accompanying their master or children of noble families seeking mentorship.
Li Hao didn’t present an invitation. Instead, he lightly flicked the nearby dragon-patterned war drum.
The drum, wrapped in dragon scales and beast hide, was specially designed to only resonate under the strength of a Heaven-and-Man Grandmaster. Its internal mechanisms ensured that even someone at the peak of the Fifteen Li Realm would struggle to make a sound without immense force. Yet, with a light flick, Li Hao caused it to emit a deep, resonant boom.
The twin youths froze, their expressions shifting to one of shock. Moments later, their eyes widened in astonishment as they stared at Li Hao.
Even Han Wu, following closely behind, jumped in surprise. He had witnessed Li Hao overpower martial instructors before and assumed he was at the Spiritual Wandering Realm. A young martial artist at that level was already considered extraordinary—a true dragon among men. But to realize Li Hao was a Heaven-and-Man Grandmaster? That was unimaginable.
"You... you couldn’t be..."
The twins recovered, their pupils contracting as they stared at him in disbelief. They hadn’t seen the legendary prodigy of Qingzhou in person, but a grandmaster of such a young age could only be one person!
"May we let you through now?" Li Hao asked calmly.
The twin youths, still trembling with excitement, hurriedly stepped aside to make way.
Ren Qianqian, already aware of Li Hao’s level, simply smiled. Meanwhile, Han Wu was so stunned that he momentarily forgot how to move. Only when Li Hao and Ren Qianqian had gone ahead did he scramble after them, his excitement palpable.
As they entered, a group of figures approached from afar. One among them, a young man in a monk’s robe, narrowed his eyes as he noticed the scene unfolding.
...
The Grandmaster Arena wasn’t located in the city center but along a riverbank outside the city walls.
This river, the renowned Longjiang, was famous throughout the Liang Province. It stretched over seven thousand li, cutting across half the province and connecting more than ten cities.
At the river’s edge stood the magnificent Grandmaster Arena, a grand structure whose imposing presence was accentuated by the turbulent waters of Longjiang. At times, the river’s surging waves sent splashes against the arena’s outer walls, lending it an air of rugged majesty.
Such a setting, vast and untamed, inspired a sense of boundless ambition. It was an ideal place for grandmasters, who challenged both the heavens and the earth, to resonate with the grandeur of the natural world.
Inside the inner grounds, the Dao Discussion Platform was bustling with figures. Though entry was restricted to grandmasters and their entourages, the sheer number of grandmasters present, each allowed to bring five additional guests, made the inner grounds lively and crowded.
Familiar grandmasters greeted one another warmly, introducing their disciples or the sons and daughters of noble patrons. The atmosphere was a blend of martial camaraderie and worldly ambition.
Li Hao scanned the area. Beyond the rich martial culture, he also saw the interplay of fame and influence.
Ren Qianqian and Han Wu glanced around nervously. Most of those present were powerful figures who had established their own sects. Higher still were the Three Immortals Realm experts, who stood on the verge of transcending mortal limitations.
"Let’s find a spot to sit," Li Hao said, leading them to an unoccupied table.
Here, they found refreshments, including a variety of pastries. Li Hao picked up one to taste but, finding the flavor unremarkable, didn’t take another.
"Young Master, could it be that you’re the one ranked fifth on the Qianlong List, representing the Divine General Mansion..."
Han Wu couldn’t suppress his curiosity any longer. He leaned closer, lowering his voice to ask.
Li Hao shook his head slightly. "You’re overthinking it."
You can’t fool me... Han Wu thought, though he dared not say it aloud. He was already convinced of Li Hao’s identity.
Han Wu’s father often scolded him for his obsession with martial arts, saying, "My foolish son! Why pursue martial arts when you could inherit my vast fortune in peace?" But Han Wu thought otherwise. In a world plagued by monsters and demons, wealth without strength was meaningless.
Determined to transform his family from wealthy merchants into a martial aristocracy, Han Wu saw his opportunity right before him.
"Young Master, why not take me as your disciple?" Han Wu suddenly knelt, preparing to bow in the formal gesture of accepting a master.
Before his knees could touch the ground, an invisible force lifted him. Li Hao found the situation amusing. The boy might be young, but he had inherited some of his father’s cunning.
"I don’t take disciples," Li Hao said.
"I’m hardworking, willing to endure hardships, and eager to do good..." Han Wu quickly offered, eager to prove his worth.
Li Hao stopped him. "Even if I did, it wouldn’t help. I have no time to teach anyone."
Teaching chess or painting might have interested him, but martial instruction bored him to tears. If not for Ren Qianqian’s loyalty in following him across ten thousand li from Qingzhou, he wouldn’t have guided her either.
"Young Master..."
Han Wu put on a pitiful expression, as if he might burst into tears. "I lost my mother when I was young..."
Li Hao was speechless. Was this boy about to start singing a lament?
"Excuse me? How did you get in here?"
A surprised voice interrupted them.
The tone was familiar. Li Hao turned to see Zhou Haitang and his disciples approaching.
Zhou Ling’er, seeing Ren Qianqian, froze briefly. Her expression darkened as her gaze flickered with embarrassment and anger. As the daughter of a grandmaster, being defeated by someone of Ren Qianqian’s level—a mere beginner in the Soul Fusion Realm—was a humiliation beyond compare.
Unsure whether to meet Ren Qianqian’s gaze or look away, Zhou Ling’er finally let her frustration boil over, fixing an indignant glare on Li Hao.
"Senior Zhou," Li Hao greeted Zhou Haitang with a slight nod, remaining seated.
In the martial community, grandmasters regarded one another as equals, regardless of age. Only within the same sect would hierarchy dictate etiquette.
Zhou Haitang frowned slightly but decided not to dwell on past misunderstandings. He raised his hand to point. "The person you’re looking for, Bai Chunhai, is over there."
Li Hao followed his gesture to see an elderly man in gray robes with a kind expression, engaged in conversation.
"Thank you," Li Hao said with a nod.
Zhou Haitang didn’t linger, turning to leave. He saw this brief exchange as repayment for the small token gift his daughter had received, leaving both sides even.
In the martial world, debts of gratitude were dangerous. A single favor could entangle not just individuals but entire families.
As Zhou Haitang departed, his disciple Xu Wan’er offered a polite nod to Li Hao before following. Zhou Ling’er, however, cast one final glare before stomping off in frustration.
Only when they were out of earshot did she grumble, "They must have snuck in! How infuriating!"
Zhou Haitang frowned. "That young man carries himself with composure, unfazed even before grandmasters. He’s likely from a noble lineage and holds an invitation. Besides, you lost to his attendant. Stop provoking others and focus on your cultivation. You’re grounded until you reach the Spiritual Wandering Realm."
"Father!"
"No excuses. You’ll remain on the mountain until then!" Zhou Haitang’s tone left no room for argument.
Ling’er stomped her foot in frustration, glaring at Xu Wan’er as though blaming her for the scolding.
...
After Zhou Haitang left, Li Hao stood and walked toward Bai Chunhai.
The elder sat at a table with three or four other grandmasters, their disciples standing respectfully behind them.
"Bai Grandmaster?" Li Hao asked cautiously.
The gray-robed elder turned, his expression kind as he studied the well-mannered young man before him. "And you are?"
Acknowledging him, Li Hao smiled. "I heard you have a renowned painting. I’d like to purchase it. What would be your price?"
"Hmm?"
Bai Chunhai’s brows furrowed. When not practicing martial arts, his passion lay in painting and collecting masterpieces.
"Young man, if you’re here to request mentorship, just say so directly. Don’t beat around the bush," interjected a burly middle-aged man. He was at the peak of the Fifteen Li Realm, hoping to gain insight to ascend to the Heaven-and-Man Realm.
The other disciples chuckled lightly, clearly dismissing Li Hao as a noble youth feigning interest in paintings to curry favor.
"You misunderstand," Li Hao said calmly. "I’m not here to seek instruction—just the painting."
The burly man’s expression darkened, and he growled, "Are you here to cause trouble?"
Bai Chunhai raised his hand to calm his disciple, then turned to Li Hao. "Young man, that painting isn’t for sale. You should leave."
Li Hao knew that mere wealth wouldn’t sway a grandmaster. Only extraordinary treasures or opportunities could tempt them.
"Grandmaster Bai, perhaps you could name your price. I could offer rare techniques or unique artifacts?" Li Hao proposed again.
Bai Chunhai studied him carefully, beginning to suspect the young man’s sincerity.
He shook his head. "I lack nothing in this world. What could you possibly offer? Please, do not trouble me further."
Li Hao paused, feeling a twinge of helplessness. The elder seemed determined not to part with the painting—or perhaps believed Li Hao had nothing worthy to offer.