Cultivation Begins from Infancy - Chapter 447

Volume 3 - Chapter 131: The Holy Son’s Fishing, The Battle of the Top 100 Holy Sons - Part 2

Suddenly, a tremendous force pulled, causing its body to rise into the air once more, yanked back to the towering Sword Cliff thousands of feet above.

The one holding the line was still Li Hao.

“Holy Son, spare me! Holy Son, spare me!” the dragon demon Ao Jie hastily begged for mercy.

Li Hao looked a bit helpless and said, “Why is it you again? Can’t you learn your lesson?”

Ao Jie felt like crying but had no tears. Clearly, it was Li Hao who was too devious. Who could have thought he would disguise himself as a small fish and bait his own hook?

Li Hao withdrew the power in his palm and said, “Don’t take the bait again.”

If only I could… Ao Jie thought in bitter frustration. What kind of situation was this? He had been hooked yet again, only to be scorned for it!

Nearby, the Sword Lord, holding the fishing rod, let his hand tremble slightly.

His formerly composed expression now held a trace of solemnity.

The first cast might have been luck or a little trick, but the technique behind the second cast was far more refined—it was a continuous strategy. The first hook lured with curiosity, and the second, with anger. Li Hao was fishing for emotions, targeting the demon's heart!

At this moment, the Sword Lord had to admit: Li Hao’s fishing skill was indeed impressive.

Li Hao glanced at the Sword Lord and then cast his line again.

That glance left the Sword Lord somewhat unsettled. In swordsmanship, he had reached the pinnacle, lonely like snow. But in fishing, he was still a climber, and now, surprisingly, he felt a rare sense of competition.

The Sword Lord said nothing, but his expression turned serious.

Not long after, Li Hao lifted his rod for the third time.

And once again, it was Ao Jie who was hooked.

Li Hao felt like spitting blood. Was this dragon demon cursed to take the bait every time?

Catching the same prey repeatedly would only diminish his fishing experience. He really didn’t want to hook this dragon demon anymore.

Can’t you leave the opportunity for someone else? Li Hao thought as he stared at Ao Jie, pondering whether to release him back into the Dragon Pool.

Ao Jie shivered under Li Hao’s gaze, immediately sensing his intentions. He hastily pleaded, “Holy Son, spare me! I promise I won’t move again. I’ll stay limp in the water, even if the sky falls, I won’t budge!”

Hearing this, Li Hao thought for a moment and decided to release him once more.

Time passed, and much later, on the fourth cast, Li Hao and the Sword Lord both lifted their rods simultaneously.

Seeing the fishing experience displayed on his line, Li Hao instantly knew he hadn’t caught Ao Jie this time.

However, when the two dragon demons were hauled up, Li Hao still heard Ao Jie’s voice—this time from the Sword Lord’s hook.

“Sword Lord, spare me…”

Ao Jie’s face was full of misery. He had merely sneezed, and somehow the hook had ended up in his mouth!

Li Hao glanced at Ao Jie, speechless. The fact that this dragon demon was still alive was truly a miracle.

The Sword Lord didn’t say a word. He simply removed Ao Jie from the hook and tossed him back into the Dragon Pool, then cast his line again.

Li Hao did the same, refraining from killing the dragon demon.

Not long after, the Sword Lord’s luck improved, with fish frequently taking his bait. Once, he even caught two dragon demons in a single cast.

In front of the Sword Cliff, the wails of dragon demons echoed intermittently. Meanwhile, the intense battles of the second round continued on the ten arenas before the Holy Mountain.

As the sun set, the Sword Lord reeled in his final line, having narrowly outperformed Li Hao with seven successful catches to Li Hao’s six.

“It’s late today. Let’s continue tomorrow,” the Sword Lord said to Li Hao, his face showing a rare smile.

This young man had actually made him feel a sense of urgency today—a feeling he hadn’t experienced in a long time.

“Alright,” Li Hao nodded.

...

Over the following days, the second round battles rotated continuously on the ten arenas, while Li Hao visited the Sword Cliff daily to accompany the Sword Lord in fishing.

The dragon demons in the Dragon Pool were becoming all too familiar to Li Hao.

One day, while Li Hao was fishing, a young man arrived.

The Sword Lord, seeing him, chuckled lightly. “You’re here. Take a seat.”

The young man had a straight posture but dressed plainly. A rusty, weathered sword hung at his waist, and a faint sword scar marked his forehead, its radiance subdued.

When the newcomer spotted Li Hao, his calm, indifferent gaze flickered with a hint of surprise. It was clear he hadn’t expected anyone else to be here.

Saying nothing, he walked to the edge of the Sword Cliff, retrieved a fishing rod from his spatial storage, and began fishing after baiting his hook.

“This is Wu Hen Holy Son. His name is Qiu Wuhen,” the Sword Lord casually introduced while fishing.

Li Hao and Qiu Wuhen exchanged glances. Qiu Wuhen’s gaze shifted slightly. The name “Qingfeng” sounded familiar to him. Soon, he remembered who it was and gave Li Hao a slight nod as a gesture.

Li Hao returned the nod courteously, and the three quietly immersed themselves in their fishing.

None of them spoke, each savoring the activity in silence.

As the catches came in, Li Hao noticed that the fishing line from Wu Hen Holy Son carried a distinct sword intent.

The sword intent was flexible and sharp, with a softness to it that differed from Lin Qingying’s extreme gentleness. It was a completely separate sword technique.

Li Hao recalled a sword manual from the ninth level of the Sword Tower, the "Thousand Threads Sword Rain Technique." The sword technique Wu Hen practiced seemed to be from this manual.

At its peak, this technique could condense countless strands of sword intent into a web-like rain, capable of cutting through space itself.

“Wu Hen uses fishing as a way to comprehend swordsmanship. You might try it someday,” the Sword Lord said to Li Hao. “Everything in heaven and earth can be used to reflect on one’s martial path.”

Knowing Li Hao’s remarkable talent and aptitude, this was his way of offering guidance.

“Alright,” Li Hao nodded.

Hearing their conversation, Qiu Wuhen, who had been quietly fishing, felt a ripple of surprise in his heart. The Sword Lord was offering advice to a dan master? Could it be that this person also aspired to excel in martial arts?

Such dual pursuits often led to mediocrity in both. After all, even the most gifted of geniuses struggled to reach the pinnacle in one path, let alone dividing their focus.

Suppressing his curiosity, Qiu Wuhen redirected his attention to his fishing line.

...

After the second round of battles ended, the third round began, set to last nearly half a month. These matches featured pairs of combatants, with no one defending a position, resulting in slower-paced duels.

Li Hao continued his daily visits to the Sword Cliff for fishing. Occasionally, when the Sword Lord was absent, only Li Hao and Qiu Wuhen fished together in peaceful silence.

Ten days after receiving the Great Dao Sword Manual, Li Hao arrived at Yaochi Peak.

When he ascended the mountain, Jiang Yingyue approached and led him to Yaozu.

“Ten days have passed. Show me how you’ve progressed in practicing swordsmanship,” Yaozu said softly, seated serenely on the Holy Platform, her figure emanating an ethereal, sacred glow.

Li Hao nodded. Reaching out, he retrieved a sword from a rack nearby and began practicing the Great Dao Sword Technique.

He deliberately restrained his sword intent, sword momentum, and the essence of his swordsmanship, refraining from displaying the true state of the Great Dao Sword Technique. Otherwise, the sheer intensity of the performance would be far too alarming and extraordinary.

Even so, his swordplay was smooth, fluid, and elegant, achieving a level of dexterity that belied his brief practice period.

A hint of surprise flickered in Yaozu’s otherwise composed gaze. Such a complex and profound sword technique, yet in just ten days, Li Hao had mastered it to this extent. It was a clear testament to his extraordinary aptitude for swordsmanship.

Beside her, Jiang Yingyue gawked as Li Hao executed the refined sword technique with ease, her jaw dropping in disbelief. However, recalling that Li Hao possessed ninety-seven layers of Dao Domain, she felt a sense of relief. It seemed his potential exceeded her initial expectations, and his talent in swordsmanship was no less exceptional than hers!

To think that even she couldn’t guarantee reaching such a level of proficiency within ten days, not without guidance from a Semi-Saint.

But Li Hao had not come to the peak during this time.

“Was this self-taught, or did someone guide you?” Yaozu asked after Li Hao finished his performance, her gaze steady.

Li Hao noticed the amazement in Jiang Yingyue’s eyes and wondered if he had overdone it. Adopting a guileless expression, he replied, “Qingying gave me a few pointers.”

Yaozu nodded knowingly. “Even with guidance, achieving this level of improvement is extremely rare. Your talent for swordsmanship is enough to enter the inner circle of disciples. Would you consider taking me as your master?”

“This is a significant matter. I’d like to give it more thought,” Li Hao replied with a pre-prepared excuse.

Yaozu’s eyes glimmered briefly. Detecting the hesitation in Li Hao’s words, she was somewhat surprised. Accepting her tutelage was a rare honor, and many male disciples dreamed of joining Yaochi Peak.

Yet, Li Hao’s polite refusal reminded her of his gaze when painting her—a pure and untainted look, devoid of lust or ulterior motives.

Her lips curved slightly, and her appreciation for Li Hao deepened. “No matter. Take your time to decide. Whenever you’re ready, you may give me your answer. I will wait for you.”

Her final words carried a tone of weight, making it clear how serious she was.

Li Hao felt a pang of guilt. His initial intent in seeking her approval was to use her token to collect techniques from the Sword Tower. Becoming her disciple had never been part of the plan.

“Understood,” Li Hao replied, thinking he would find another way to repay her kindness later.

Jiang Yingyue was stunned by Li Hao’s refusal. Soon, however, she reconsidered, acknowledging his extraordinary talent and ninety-seven layers of Dao Domain. Perhaps he already had a master of great renown.

Understanding dawned on her. She even began to suspect that Li Hao’s identity as a "Qingfeng Dan Master" might not be as simple as it seemed.

Still, the Sword Lord had no objections to him, so it wasn’t her place to meddle.

...

After departing Yaochi Peak, Li Hao resumed his daily fishing at the Sword Cliff.

Half a month passed quickly. Over a span of twenty days, the selection process concluded, and the list of the Top 100 was finally announced. The entire Holy Land was abuzz with excitement, and countless disciples were in an uproar.

To rank among the Top 100, chosen from among so many geniuses, was already a feat of exceptional skill. In external sects, such individuals would be treated as personal disciples of the highest caliber.

The names of those who made it onto the ranking board spread quickly, and their fame grew far and wide.

As the Top 100 Battle Rankings appeared, towering battle platforms were erected at the summit of the Holy Mountain.

In the upcoming matches, Holy Sons and Holy Daughters would participate as well. With random pairings, it was even possible for two of the strongest Holy Sons to face off on the very first day!

Losers would have the opportunity to challenge again, with points accumulated to determine the Top 16.

When the Top 100 battles began, Lin Qingying, who had been meditating on swordsmanship for days, also rose and headed toward the Holy Mountain.

This time, Li Hao accompanied Lin Shanhai and other dan masters to their designated floating seats.

Below, in the spectator zones, hundreds of thousands of outer disciples and the defeated inner disciples gathered. This was a rare chance for them to witness the stark gap between themselves and the Holy Sons and Daughters.

“Look! The Sword Saint is here! The Sword Saint has personally arrived.”

At the summit of the Holy Mountain, three battle platforms stood tall, shrouded in protective formations.

As everyone gathered, a middle-aged man in pristine white robes, his hands clasped behind his back, descended slowly over the battle platforms.

His figure exuded a majestic aura. Around him, the void seemed to ripple, countless sword energies flashing like shadows.

Even his flowing sleeves carried a sharp, cutting edge, an overwhelming presence that could not be ignored.

Li Hao narrowed his eyes slightly. This was the strongest figure of the Sword Ancestor Holy Land—the Sword Saint!

No prefix, just two simple characters, yet they embodied singular supremacy!

In addition to the Sword Saint’s arrival, Yaozu and three more Semi-Saints appeared. They each occupied positions in mid-air, their auras unhidden, manifesting various phenomena influenced by their Saint Intent.

Behind Shan Zu loomed the phantom of a towering, sky-reaching mountain.

Behind Yaozu shimmered the ethereal image of the Yaochi Holy Platform.

The other Semi-Saints radiated distinct auras: one brimming with lightning, another blazing with fiery light that reddened the void.

Such an overwhelming aura of power caused even the Top 100 geniuses present to hold their breaths slightly. The Holy Sons and Holy Daughters had also arrived, their once-casual and indifferent gazes now turning particularly grave.

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