Follow the path of Dao from infancy

Chapter 1201: Chapter 257: Leaving a Name on Emperor Sword Cliff (Part 4)

Wei Hongye and Xu Jianming exchanged a glance, both realizing that this little junior sister seemed to be competing with this little junior brother everywhere. However, being from the Calamity Clan and entering at the same time, such a competitive mindset was understandable, and she certainly had the qualification to compete!

“Senior brother, senior sister, I’ll head back to the courtyard first.”

Li Hao greeted them and left.

Upon returning to the courtyard, Housekeeper Qi immediately came up, his face showing a hint of urgency and contemplation, and asked, “Young master, how did it go?”

“I passed.”

Li Hao chuckled lightly.

Qi Meng’an was stunned, looking at Li Hao with a face full of astonishment. Others didn’t know, but he had been accompanying Li Hao these days, knowing that this young master had been sightseeing and eating, without cultivating at all. He hadn’t even seen Li Hao hold a sword.

“Let’s go find something to eat and gather some ingredients.”

Li Hao said, having played for so long he figured it was time to devote himself to cultivation.

Housekeeper Qi paused for a moment, then smiled wryly, sensing the young master’s uniqueness, he agreed and accompanied Li Hao down the mountain.

On the way, he told Li Hao about his previous search for local high experts, and within a few days, after the competition ended, they would be able to select experts from various fields.

Upon hearing this, Li Hao felt delighted and praised Housekeeper Qi for his swift work.

Several days later.

The Painting Saint, Chess Saint, and other masters selected from nearby Holy Dynasties were brought to Sword Abyss Heavenly Court, in Li Hao’s courtyard.

Most of these people appeared to be old, with white hair and beards, looking dignified and respectable. But upon arriving at the courtyard at Sword Abyss, knowing they were meeting a noble young master from the Sword Institute Heavenly Courtyard, they all showed signs of nervousness and apprehension, along with anticipation and hope.

Xiyan greeted them upon arrival.

Seeing this young girl looking sixteen or seventeen, with a crisp voice and lively demeanor, their nervousness eased a bit.

Soon after, they were led to the front of Li Hao’s sword room.

This place was filled with various swords, yet Li Hao, though coming here, had never touched them.

Outside the sword room on the open ground, he was painting the trees and pond ahead.

A Painting Saint saw Li Hao using his finger to paint in the air, the depicted scenes surpassing reality, the trees seemed to have gained spirits, and the tranquil pond water seemed to stir up waves, yet in the blink of an eye, it remained quiet trees and water.

This kind of illusion stunned him, realizing the painting skill had exceeded his own.

As they were about to respectfully kneel down to worship, Li Hao quickly got up, helping them up, and had Housekeeper Qi arrange seats for them.

Seeing Li Hao’s warm and courteous manner, these individuals felt somewhat flattered. Even though they were masters in their respective fields from a Holy Dynasty, in front of the disciple of Sword Abyss Heavenly Institute, their status seemed insignificant.

Even the Imperial Family had to bow down, let alone them.

Li Hao noticed their nervousness, conversing with them in a gentle tone, then gradually discussing their specialties.

Once they started talking about the things they loved, during the conversation, these people unknowingly sat straighter, their faces radiating brightness.

Li Hao laughed, after such a conversation, the tense atmosphere quickly disappeared.

Li Hao sparred with them individually, realizing most were at the Ninth to Tenth Stage.

In the Artistic Path, Chess Tao, and Cooking Dao, he hadn’t found anyone to match him evenly, feeling a bit regretful. But in other skills, his own rank was not high, and he even encountered those who exceeded him.

Li Hao immediately had Housekeeper Qi arrange rooms for them to stay, making them his short-term sparring partners.

Qi Meng’an, seeing Li Hao getting serious, hesitated but eventually complied.

Unknowingly, three months passed.

Li Hao had been at Sword Abyss for three months, yet in the True Realm, such time felt like a blink of an eye. Even for prodigies like Wei Hongye, a single retreat cultivation might take several years, or even decades.

In Li Hao’s courtyard, there was laughter and laughter all day.

Under the shade of the trees in the courtyard.

In front of a chess game, Li Hao sat opposite an elderly man with white hair.

“Young master Hao, you did mention that if I could win a game against you, you’d grant me a wish.”

The old man placed a piece, seeming to have spotted a flaw in the pattern of the chessboard. His eyes gleamed as he smiled and said.

Li Hao smiled, saying, “You told me before about your nephew, if you can win against me, I can make him the first military general of the Holy Dynasty.”

The old man, seeing his thoughts exposed by Li Hao, was so moved that he got up to kneel and give thanks.

Li Hao quickly gestured for him to stop, smiling, “But you have to win it first.”

“Alright.”

The elder suppressed his excitement, his expression becoming particularly solemn, and began to play the piece.

Li Hao saw that he placed the piece in a trap he had laid and couldn’t help but smile, then proceeded to close the net.

The elder made several consecutive moves before realizing it was a trap, his face changing involuntarily to a paler hue.

Li Hao chuckled lightly, saying: “No matter, there will be another opportunity next time.”

The elder struggled to cope on the chessboard and was eventually driven to a desperate situation, sighing: “Young Master Hao’s chess skills are unrivaled in my lifetime.”

Li Hao smiled, just about to comfort him, when Housekeeper Qi ran over, his expression a mix of surprise and complexity, saying:

“Young Master, just now good news came from the Heavenly Institute, Miss Yue Xi has left her name at the Emperor Sword Cliff!”

Li Hao was about to gather the chess pieces for another game. Hearing this, he paused for a moment, then continued his actions, only saying:

“That truly deserves congratulations.”

Housekeeper Qi saw Li Hao still arranging the pieces to continue and couldn’t help but be stunned, then whispered: “Young Master, don’t you want to try at the Emperor Sword Cliff?”

Li Hao shook his head, having no interest in such matters.

Given this time, he would rather play a few more games, accumulate some experience, perhaps just happen to gain an understanding related to the state of mind, touching upon the Twelve-Step Chess Realm.

Qi Meng’an’s gaze underwent a subtle change, hesitated briefly, and ultimately said:

“Young Master, both you and Miss Yue Xi apprenticed together, attracting much attention, and many people are watching you.”

He spoke while glancing at Li Hao carefully, as his words were quite subtle, fearing to incur Li Hao’s displeasure.

Li Hao gestured for the elder across to grasp the pieces to determine the order, simultaneously asking: “Watching me?”

“That’s right, you spend your days playing chess and painting in the institute…” Qi Meng’an showed a troubled expression, “There’s quite a bit of criticism outside already.”

Li Hao couldn’t help but laugh, saying: “The path of cultivation contends with heaven and earth, why fear idle criticism, there’s no need to pay it any mind, those clamors cannot breach these courtyard walls.”

Qi Meng’an inwardly sighed bitterly, as Li Hao’s sword attendant, naturally he wished for Li Hao to rise smoothly, reaching the pinnacle.

As a servant, he shared both honor and loss with his master.

“Alright, I want to continue, you may leave.”

Li Hao said to Qi Meng’an.

Seeing this, Qi Meng’an had no choice but to refrain from saying more.

Another three months passed, a slight stir occurred again at the Heavenly Institute, the news spreading among the various institutes.

The younger junior sister under the new Li Tie Mu, went to the Sword Abyss Tower, receiving recognition from a named sword.

It was said that the named sword was once listed in the top ten supreme immortal techniques, though it was ultimately not selected.

Once this news spread, the hearts of all the disciples in the Heavenly Institute were a bit stirred, Wei Hongye and Xu Jianming were the first to find Yue Xi’s courtyard to congratulate her.

Yue Xi, not seeing Li Hao come, looked around, and finally revealed a faint smile.

Though her Dao Heart was defeated by Li Hao, in terms of talent in the Sword Dao, she was confident she wouldn’t lose to others.

That Li Hao didn’t come seemed to her just a move without face to offer congratulations, though acting so certainly lacked grace…

She no longer paid attention, finishing a simple conversation with her senior brothers and sisters, then once again secluded herself.

After joining the Sword Abyss Heavenly Court for a year, Yue Xi came out of seclusion and once again went to Emperor Sword Cliff for a second name-leaving challenge.

This time, learning that Yue Xi would again undertake a naming challenge at the Emperor Sword Cliff, many disciples within the Sword Cliff gathered to watch and wait.

In just a year, Yue Xi’s name had already spread within the Sword Abyss.

Not only were the Heavenly Institute disciples paying attention to this fast-rising newcomer, but disciples from other Earth Institutes, Xuan Institutes, and Yellow Courtyards had also heard about Yue Xi’s matters.

Previously, there were those who were dissatisfied, feeling she dropped in suddenly at the Heavenly Institute with inside connections, but now these voices of doubt gradually quieted.

“Look quickly, Yue Xi Fairy is coming!”

“Only joined the Heavenly Institute for three months, able to leave a name at Emperor Sword Cliff, truly terrifying, now after only a year, might her ranking rise again?”

“Possible, worthy of being a disciple of the Heavenly Institute, her previous name-leaving was at the bottom, but it’s heard she received top-notch swordsmanship from the Sword Abyss Tower and surely has considerably progressed by now!”

In the void outside the Emperor Sword Cliff, many disciples within the Sword Cliff stretched their necks to watch.

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