Cultivation Begins from Infancy - Chapter 438

Volume 3 - Chapter 127: The First Battle, The Painting Semi-Saint - Part 2

As for whether there were any other secluded Dao Seeker Realm cultivators, it was uncertain. Even if there were, at most, there would only be one or two more.

The six Dao Law Realm cultivators slain earlier in the imperial palace were likely the six inner disciples from the Void Holy Land, all of them prodigies in their realm. Within the inner disciples, they could be considered elites.

However, such elites would be considered commonplace in the Sword Ancestor Holy Land's ranks, with no fewer than a hundred at this level.

This reflected the stark disparity between holy lands and mortal kingdoms, akin to the difference between a dragon and an ant.

"Qingying is over there."

Shi Huajin raised her hand to point. On the opposite side of the ten arenas stood three figures surrounded by many influential figures of the holy land. Yet, before those three, there were more than a dozen individuals with extraordinary bearing and remarkable appearances, their presence like stars shining high above, leaving others in awe.

Even the brightest elites among the inner disciples paled slightly in comparison to these individuals.

"Those are the three Semi-Saints of the holy land," Lin Shanhai introduced to Li Hao.

Li Hao focused his gaze. Semi-Saints were second only to Saints. Although the gap between Semi-Saints and Saints was vast, compared to the Dao Seeker Realm, a Semi-Saint’s strength was overwhelming, with absolute dominance.

Of the three, one was a man, one a woman, both appearing middle-aged, and the third was an elder whose aura was elusive yet profound, like a distant yet towering divine mountain, rooted firmly as if anchoring heaven and earth.

The mere presence of their natural aura exerted a tremendous oppressive force on Li Hao.

His expression turned serious as he vaguely sensed that, despite his current strength allowing him to easily defeat Dao Law Realm cultivators, engaging a Semi-Saint in battle would likely end in his defeat.

Semi-Saints had long lifespans, and most of them had reached the pinnacle of their realm, only a step away from becoming Saints. They were already among the greatest prodigies of their era. To overcome such a figure against the odds was as difficult as ascending to the heavens.

"This preliminary selection—feel free to observe. If you don’t wish to stay, you may return," a tall, imposing middle-aged man, his shoulders seemingly capable of bearing the heavens, spoke calmly to the dozen or so Holy Sons and Holy Daughters before him.

Hearing his words, their expressions remained indifferent. Some stood quietly, their garments fluttering in the wind, curious to see the level of excellence among these inner disciples.

Others slightly cupped their hands toward the three Semi-Saints before turning to leave, unwilling to waste time watching.

For many Holy Sons and Holy Daughters, their competitive focus was primarily directed at one another. The inner disciples, considered a tier below, held little interest for them, as they were destined to become stepping stones beneath their feet.

"Haoyue Holy Son isn’t here. He’s likely in seclusion," someone remarked.

"He’s probably waiting for the Top Hundred Battle to make an appearance. This level of combat doesn’t interest him. Coming here would just be a waste of time."

"It’s been thirty years since we last saw him. I wonder how far he’s advanced now. This is truly something to look forward to," a few familiar Holy Sons and Holy Daughters spoke of the Haoyue Holy Son, a flicker of battle intent in their eyes.

Among the many Holy Sons, some names were exceedingly renowned, and the Haoyue Holy Son was one such figure.

"This time, there are quite a few rising stars. Be careful not to focus solely on Haoyue Holy Son, or you might be surpassed by some young ones," a graceful Holy Daughter, her face veiled in a thin layer of mist, her eyes like autumn waters, glanced at a figure in white nearby.

Hearing her words, the gazes of the other Holy Sons and Holy Daughters shifted toward the figure she mentioned. Some narrowed their eyes slightly, while others remained nonchalant.

"I heard the Bone Reflection Mirror measured him to be not even twenty-seven years old. That makes him the youngest among us, doesn’t it?" a tall, sword-browed young man remarked with interest.

"Being personally taught by the Sword Saint, just like Haoyue Holy Son, it’s likely he possesses the same potential as the Haoyue Holy Son of thirty years ago," another Holy Son commented calmly.

Their casual conversation was unrestrained, revealing their confidence and composure, indifferent to provoking or offending anyone.

After all, in the Sword God Battle, they were all potential competitors.

Moreover, while they were all Holy Sons and Holy Daughters, only one could inherit the Sword Ancestor Holy Land’s legacy and become the new Sword Saint. Everyone else was a rival unless someone voluntarily withdrew from the competition.

As these discussions unfolded, Bian Ruxue, dressed in snowy white, stood silently, her gaze fixed on the ten arenas ahead.

She had no intention of leaving. Instead, she wanted to observe the elites among the inner disciples. Some of the top-tier inner disciples were not much weaker than the Holy Sons and Holy Daughters.

Among them were even individuals who had broken through since the last selection for Holy Sons and Holy Daughters. It was possible they now possessed comparable power, though such occurrences were rare.

Nearby, Lin Qingying gazed indifferently, uninterested in the conversations around her, nor did she participate. She knew that everyone here was her competitor. Her only companion was the sword in her hand.

...

As the idle chatter subsided, the dozen or so Holy Sons and Holy Daughters gradually dispersed, leaving only five to observe the proceedings.

These Holy Sons and Holy Daughters, with their extraordinary presence, naturally drew attention as they departed. Low murmurs arose among the disciples in the spectator seats.

The inner disciples preparing for battle also noticed and felt a subtle disdain in the air. However, they understood it was inevitable, as their opponents were far stronger than them.

Still, a few among them showed a glint of determination in their eyes.

Before long, the spectator seats filled to capacity, and the floating seats above were nearly full as well.

At this moment, the Sword God Battle’s preliminary selection officially began.

The rules of the preliminary selection featured two formats: head-to-head duels and arena battles. In the latter, participants could become arena defenders. Successfully defending the arena ten times would secure a direct advancement to the Top Hundred, skipping the other rounds.

Arena battles were designed for those confident in their strength, while head-to-head duels allowed others to exchange skills.

The three Semi-Saints presided over the event. Once the rules were announced, they began selecting participants.

The disciple badges of all contestants were gathered, and through a mystical law, matches were randomly assigned in the void.

Meanwhile, those opting for arena defense had already stepped onto the central arena.

In past Sword God Battles, arena defense always garnered the most attention, as the inner disciples’ elites typically chose this straightforward path.

"Wow, the first to step onto the arena defense platform is Mu Feng."

"Among the inner disciples' prodigies, he’s one of the best. Choosing arena defense is entirely expected."

"Just a few days ago, he asked me to refine a Condensed Dao Pill. Qingfeng, you were there to help. Do you remember?" Zhao Yingzhen remarked to Li Hao.

Li Hao nodded slightly, recalling it vaguely.

"How about it? Same as usual—place some bets?" Zhao Yingzhen grinned. "I’ll go first. I’ll wager a mid-tier pill formula, the Pure Fire Pill. It can purify pill toxins in the body, though it leaves a minor amount of residue. But compared to its benefits, that’s negligible."

Shi Huajin smiled lightly. "Alright, I’ll join with a mid-tier formula as well, the Violet Gold Pill. It enhances physical strength, increasing it by about fifty thousand jin per pill. Effective only for up to three pills, though."

"I don’t know him well, so I’ll wager a basic pill formula," Lin Shanhai added casually.

The others soon joined in, selecting their wagers and setting the rounds and odds.

Listening to their discussion, Li Hao realized they had devised intricate rules for betting, resembling a card game like poker.

Hearing this, Li Hao couldn’t help but marvel inwardly: Who says ancient cultivators don’t know how to play? They just need enough time to make it creative.

"Qingfeng, want to join in?" Zhao Yingzhen invited with a grin.

Li Hao shook his head. "I don’t understand these games, so I’ll pass."

"Leave him alone, don’t drag Qingfeng into this nonsense," Lin Shanhai retorted irritably.

Getting involved in this kind of thing was far from beneficial.

The others didn’t press him further. Li Hao, meanwhile, retrieved a prepared brush and canvas from his spatial realm and began grinding ink.

Of everyone here, no one else will gain as much from this battle as I will, Li Hao thought with satisfaction. Once the ink was ready, he propped up his canvas and began sketching the three Semi-Saints.

Li Hao was eager, his heart racing with excitement. He wondered just how much experience in Painting Dao these Semi-Saints could provide.

"Qingfeng, what are you doing?"

Shi Huajin noticed Li Hao’s peculiar actions and looked surprised.

The other alchemists turned to observe as well, startled by his unusual behavior.

Li Hao smiled. "This is such a rare sight; I thought I’d capture it as a keepsake."

Lin Shanhai, aware of Li Hao’s passion for Painting Dao and his exceptional skills in it, chuckled. "Go ahead and paint. Don’t disturb him—Qingfeng’s paintings are truly remarkable."

"Oh?"

The others showed intrigued expressions, clearly interested in seeing his finished work.

Li Hao, however, was fully immersed in his painting, his focus entirely on the task.

The three Semi-Saints stood together, and as Li Hao observed them carefully while sketching, he quickly discovered that painting powerful figures was far from simple.

Drawing on his extensive experience in Painting Dao, he still needed to channel all his mental energy into observation. Yet as he scrutinized the Semi-Saints, his spiritual energy was being consumed, as though exploring a labyrinth.

The aura of a Semi-Saint, profound and restrained, made it immensely challenging to capture their likeness.

"Hmm?"

From afar, the three Semi-Saints sensed someone watching them. Their gazes swept across the crowd and landed on the young man seated in the floating seats, his canvas propped before him.

Noticing the alchemists around him, they exchanged subtle glances.

"Who is that disciple, daring to act so presumptuously?" the woman, her mature features exuding a cold elegance, remarked icily.

"It may not be presumptuous," the tall middle-aged man replied calmly, his lips curling into a faint smile. "I used my divine sense to take a look. He’s painting us. Likely out of admiration, wishing to preserve our likeness. Judging from the strokes, it seems he’s quite skilled."

"That’s not just any disciple," the elder added after a glance. "He’s likely the alchemist who’s been making waves recently for his skill in refining medicinal materials. If I recall correctly, his name is Qingfeng Dan Master."

"Qingfeng Dan Master?"

The woman’s eyes flickered briefly. Evidently, she had heard of him. Her sharp demeanor softened slightly. Scanning with her divine sense, she noticed her own visage taking shape on his canvas, her beauty perfectly captured.

"If it wasn’t intentional disrespect, we’ll let it slide," she said, her tone neutral.

Their conversation wasn’t concealed, so Lin Qingying and Bian Ruxue nearby overheard it.

Lin Qingying glanced over, noticing Li Hao fully focused on painting, his canvas already displaying the Semi-Saints’ forms. She felt momentarily at a loss for words, finding the situation amusing.

Having spent nearly a year in this place, she had come to understand Li Hao quite well. Aside from painting and sculpting, he rarely did anything else productive—apart from refining medicinal materials, of course.

...

Bian Ruxue also turned her gaze toward the floating seats, her attention drawn by the mention of “painting.” For some reason, the sight of the canvas stirred a vague sense of familiarity deep within her. It was as if her very blood pulsed slightly faster for an inexplicable reason.

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