Cultivation Begins from Infancy - Chapter 442

Volume 3 - Chapter 129: Dao Domain Ninety-Seven, Is He an Alchemist? - Part 2

Li Hao looked exceptionally young, an age where one would typically be striving forward, dedicating themselves to the pursuit of martial arts. Who would have the leisure to immerse themselves in other pursuits?

"You mentioned a painting earlier, right? Let me take a look."

The Sword Lord spoke.

The two masked Sword Attendants turned their gaze toward Li Hao.

Jiang Yingyue, curious as well, looked at Li Hao. She had also come to see what kind of painting could move her master to place it within the Sword Tower.

Without delay, Li Hao raised his hand with a wave, unfurling a grand painting several dozen meters long into the air.

As the painting spread open, it revealed an awe-inspiring scene: ten dueling platforms, millions of disciples spectating, and tens of thousands of prodigies competing fiercely.

Every detail was captured—the exchange of countless sword techniques, the fleeting manifestations of Dao Domains. Everything was meticulously depicted.

Even the expressions on the disciples’ faces were vivid, down to the smallest detail. One could feel their emotions and their unwavering fighting spirit during the intense battles.

The group became captivated by the painting, overwhelmed by the grandeur of the depicted clashes.

Jiang Yingyue, who had previously stood by the dueling platforms herself, had not experienced this same feeling. But through the painting, she seemed to hear once more the deafening cheers from outside the platform and sense the unyielding will of the disciples striving for victory.

The two Sword Attendants exchanged a glance. Seeing the painting, even they felt their blood boil, an almost irresistible urge to join the fray.

But they didn’t—age had already disqualified them.

The Prodigy Battles were limited to those under three hundred years old, and they had long surpassed that age.

The Sword Lord observed the painting for a moment, a glimmer of admiration flashing in his eyes. "The artistry is remarkable. No wonder that child Yaozu is so fond of it."

Referring to Yaozu as “that child” left Jiang Yingyue slightly flustered. However, considering the Sword Lord’s status, her master was indeed a junior before him.

"Go ahead and hang it up," the Sword Lord said casually.

After speaking, he glanced at Li Hao and asked, "Young man, are you interested in casting a line and showing me your fishing skills?"

For the Sword Lord, fishing was a solitary pastime. His disciples were immersed in swordsmanship, unable to learn the skill even if they tried, and he couldn’t teach it either. Encountering someone skilled in fishing sparked a rare sense of admiration in him.

Li Hao was taken aback for a moment but quickly grasped the Sword Lord's intention. As an angler himself, he understood the sentiment. If he met a child proficient in fishing, he too would invite them to join, purely for the joy of the activity, irrespective of cultivation or status.

"Sword Lord, senior, may I first visit the Sword Tower and return afterward to accompany you?" Li Hao asked, mindful of his priorities.

"Very well, go ahead."

The Sword Lord nodded and turned back, casting his line again.

Jiang Yingyue glanced at Li Hao, her expression slightly odd. To decline a Saint's invitation was rare—it was a precious chance to build rapport.

The two Sword Attendants also looked at Li Hao, their gazes peculiar but silent, as they led him toward the Sword Tower.

Jiang Yingyue had initially intended to leave after escorting Li Hao here. However, she reconsidered. Since Li Hao would later accompany the Sword Lord fishing, she could use the opportunity to stay nearby. It wasn’t every day one could get close to a Saint.

"You go ahead. I’ll wait outside, and we’ll leave together later," she said to Li Hao.

"Wouldn’t that delay you? Senior Sister Jiang, you can return first," Li Hao responded hurriedly.

Jiang Yingyue felt a flicker of annoyance but maintained a cheerful demeanor. "The first battle has already concluded. I’m free now. Since my master entrusted you to me, it’s my duty to see you back safely."

"Alright then, but I may take a while," Li Hao said.

"No problem. I’ll wait," Jiang Yingyue replied.

"Many thanks, Senior Sister Jiang," Li Hao said, cupping his hands before following the two Sword Attendants into the Sword Tower.

...

The first floor of the Sword Tower was vast, resembling an enormous library. Shelves of martial techniques stood clean and organized, neatly divided.

Scanning the shelves, Li Hao realized that the books here far surpassed the Dao Repository Hall of Qiandao Palace in both quantity and variety.

And this was merely the first floor. The Dao Repository Hall was famed for collecting the world's techniques, yet it couldn’t compare to the Sword Tower.

Li Hao marveled inwardly as he followed the Sword Attendants to the back of the Sword Tower. There, a prominent wall in the main hall awaited. The two attendants took his painting, unfurled it, and mounted it on the wall using a law-sealing technique, rendering it untouchable and impervious to damage.

Once the painting was secured, Li Hao presented Yaozu’s token to the attendants and said, "I wish to browse the techniques here."

The two attendants, recognizing the token, exchanged a glance, surprised by the favor Li Hao seemed to enjoy from Yaozu.

One of them, a man, said, "Feel free to browse. However, the books here are bound by laws—you can only read the initial portions or the summaries. Attempting to forcefully bypass the seals will trigger the Sword Tower’s array, resulting in instant death by ten thousand swords."

Li Hao noticed the pervasive law energy around the bookshelves and nodded in acknowledgment. After the attendants left, he began exploring the floor.

As he opened the techniques, he found that only the first sections were accessible, while the rest remained sealed, impervious even to spiritual probing.

Fortunately, even partial access was sufficient for Li Hao to glean the essence, enabling him to record them.

Without hesitation, he began methodically flipping through one book after another.

With each turn of a page, the notifications on his mental interface rang out continuously. One by one, the techniques were recorded into his interface.

The techniques here were predominantly sword arts, encompassing an astonishing variety. Some sword techniques were named Blade and Sword Arts, using blade intent to command the sword. Others utilized spear techniques to manipulate swords, pushing the concept of swordsmanship to unimaginable heights.

Li Hao gathered a myriad of unconventional sword techniques. Though focused on collecting sword arts, the influx of information gave him a sense of encompassing all techniques in existence.

A single sword could represent countless methods.

Perhaps due to the sheer amount of information flooding in, a surge of inspiration rose in his mind. Ideas swirled like a tempest, and for a moment, he felt an epiphany—a profound understanding of the sword.

If you treat it as a sword, it is a sword.

If you see it as a blade, it becomes a blade.

If you envision it as a gust of wind, it takes the form of wind.

What is the sword?

A sword is a sword. Yet it can also transcend the sword, and still remain a sword.

This realization brought a clarity that sharpened Li Hao’s Sole-Self Sword Intent, refining it to a higher degree.

To cut through all things with the sword, one must first understand all things.

Li Hao found himself on the path of understanding everything.

The techniques on the first floor of the Sword Tower were at least of superior grade.

After spending several hours there, he had recorded all the techniques available. Most were sword techniques that his interface elevated to the Dao-level.

Li Hao sat cross-legged on the first floor of the Sword Tower for three hours, merging insights from the myriad techniques. This allowed him to condense nine layers of Dao Domain.

Following that, he moved to the second floor.

...

The second floor primarily housed supreme techniques, along with a few exceptional superior-grade techniques. While fewer in number compared to the first floor, there were still over a thousand texts.

Li Hao methodically recorded these techniques as well. His Sole-Self Sword Intent advanced significantly once again.

Where others would need months, years, or even decades to comprehend a single technique, Li Hao absorbed them all at once, bypassing years of arduous training.

As his understanding of the sword deepened, his Sole-Self Sword Intent became more refined.

Li Hao spent four hours on the second floor, cultivating thirteen layers of Dao Domain.

Then he rose and ascended to the third floor.

...

The third floor contained even fewer techniques, only a few hundred, but all were supreme techniques.

Li Hao read through each one, recording them into his interface. Time passed, and by the time he had absorbed all the techniques on the third floor, he had strengthened his Dao Domain to eighty-nine layers!

Thanks to his interface’s All-Manifestations attribute and abilities like the Hidden Bow and Jiangxue Diagram, his Dao Domain remained concealed within his body, causing no disturbances. However, Li Hao could clearly feel the immense strength of his Dao Domain.

Even though he was only in the Supreme Dao Realm, the sheer weight of his layered Dao Domain enabled him to easily suppress those in the True Person Realm!

Without relying on transformation into an Immortal, he could already fight across realms using his Dao Domain alone.

Li Hao did not stop there and continued to the fourth floor of the Sword Tower.

...

Meanwhile, outside the Sword Tower, the two Sword Attendants withdrew their spiritual senses, appearing slightly bored.

"This alchemist is truly greedy," one remarked.

They had secretly observed Li Hao’s actions within the Sword Tower. To their surprise, he had browsed every single technique on the first three floors, meticulously flipping through each one as if conducting a thorough search.

Even though he possessed Yaozu’s token, which granted direct access to the ninth floor containing top-tier Dao and Saint techniques, he had taken the time to examine every superior-grade technique on the lower levels.

"Still not out yet?" Jiang Yingyue asked upon seeing the two Sword Attendants.

She had been waiting outside the Sword Tower for nearly an entire day. Although Li Hao had warned her he would take his time, she hadn’t expected it to drag on for this long.

"Is he selecting a technique, or has he fallen asleep in there?"

"If you’re in a hurry, you may leave," said one of the Sword Attendants, his tone indifferent. Naturally, they didn’t mention that they had been secretly observing Li Hao’s actions.

Jiang Yingyue felt exasperated but refused to leave. She had promised Li Hao she would wait for him, and she wasn’t one to go back on her word.

At that moment, a slow set of footsteps approached. The Sword Lord, carrying his fishing rod, strolled toward them. Seeing the three of them standing at the entrance, he asked curiously, "What are you all doing here?"

"We’re waiting for the alchemist to finish selecting a technique. He holds Yaozu’s token and can choose one to take with him," the female Sword Attendant replied in a voice as clear as an oriole’s song.

The Sword Lord raised an eyebrow and looked toward the Sword Tower. Though standing outside, his gaze seemed to pierce through the countless barriers and walls. In mere moments, a trace of astonishment flickered in his eyes.

"Dao Domain, ninety-seven layers? And you say he’s an alchemist?"

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