Cultivation Begins from Infancy - Chapter 433

Volume 3 - Chapter 125: The Holy Daughter Bian Ruxue - Part 2

These words were meant to make up for Lin Qingying’s earlier suspicions about Li Hao.

Li Hao understood her intention and shook his head slightly. “I have no interest in cultivation.”

Hearing this, Lin Qingying didn’t try to persuade him further. Instead, she became even more convinced that Li Hao had reached his current level by relying on medicinal pills. After all, during this time, while she hadn’t deliberately observed him, she’d noticed he never cultivated.

Achieving such a level was likely due to the requirements of alchemy, where he had relied on pills to advance—just like his grandfather.

Typically, alchemists needed to master certain fire-attribute techniques or even Daoist arts to refine pills. Alchemy was partially a physical endeavor; if one’s own cultivation level was too low, they simply wouldn’t be able to refine high-grade treasure elixirs.

Some divine medicines, even as raw ingredients, were extremely difficult to tame. When using the blood of demons for refining, one would also need to suppress the soul imprint within the blood—tasks requiring a certain level of cultivation.

“No matter what, you helped point out the flaws in my swordsmanship. I must thank you. If there’s anything you need, just ask. I’ll do my best to help you.”

Lin Qingying’s expression was cold and distant, matching her temperament. She disliked owing others and liked to keep things clear and straightforward.

“Your earlier act of saving my life is a debt I haven’t yet repaid. This small favor is nothing. I merely pointed it out casually.”

Li Hao glanced at her, hesitated for a moment, and then said, “If you truly want to thank me, there is one thing you could do. Perhaps in the future, you could let me paint a few more portraits of you?”

“You brat!”

Before Lin Qingying could respond, Lin Shanhai spoke up, glaring at Li Hao. He was furious—everything he had just said seemed to have been in vain.

Lin Qingying was momentarily stunned. Remembering the painting from earlier, a faint redness spread across her earlobes. She looked into Li Hao’s eyes as if searching for some confirmation.

But Li Hao’s gaze was calm and unwavering, showing no sign of avoidance.

Lin Qingying stared deeply at him before turning away and speaking plainly, “Fine. If you can point out more flaws in my swordsmanship, I will only be grateful to you.”

“So, you agree?”

A smile appeared on Li Hao’s face.

Lin Qingying didn’t reply but instead flew to the courtyard and resumed her sword practice.

This gesture was as good as an agreement.

If she were unwilling, she had countless ways to make it impossible for Li Hao to see her again.

After all, she was the Holy Daughter of the Sword Ancestor Holy Land, second in authority only to the semi-saint elders.

“Qingfeng, oh Qingfeng, why won’t you listen to reason?”

Lin Shanhai sighed, suddenly feeling as though he had invited a wolf into his home.

“Old Lin, don’t worry about it. I have no ulterior motives toward Qingying. Please trust in my devotion to the art of painting. It’s purely about the art. How about I paint a few for you as well?”

Li Hao spoke earnestly.

Lin Shanhai looked into Li Hao’s sincere eyes, his suspicion lingering. “Really?”

“Absolutely!”

Li Hao’s firm response made Lin Shanhai finally relax a bit. “Alright then, I’ll trust you this once.”

Li Hao chuckled helplessly, deciding not to continue the topic.

Meanwhile, their conversation fell into Lin Qingying’s ears. She frowned slightly and swung her sword even faster, as if trying to cut through all those words.

Before long, she was once again entirely absorbed in the practice of sword intent.

...

Since Li Hao proposed painting Lin Qingying, Lin Shanhai had called over his medicine boy and built another courtyard behind the main one for Li Hao.

Despite claiming he trusted Li Hao, Old Lin still subtly took precautions.

Li Hao could only smile bitterly at this but didn’t take offense. Having a separate courtyard offered him some peace and quiet.

In his daily routine, apart from painting and carving, he focused on recovering from his injuries.

The void energy that had seeped into his body had already been cleared out by half. This Land of Saints had a significant advantage—its energy was more than ten times denser than in the mortal world.

It was no wonder that warriors yearned to enter the immortal sects.

Training here for a year equated to ten years in the mortal world while consuming only one year’s worth of lifespan.

However, for Li Hao, whether in this place or the mortal realm, it made little difference. He only wished to live each day to its fullest and find enjoyment.

Two months passed in the blink of an eye.

Li Hao’s injuries were almost entirely healed. The void-like cracks in his body had also accelerated their clearance as his flesh mended.

With his body recovered, Li Hao resumed cultivation alongside his painting and carving.

In his earlier battle against the Void Saint’s avatar, his Heaven and Earth Meridians had been severed. This meant all his major meridians had been shattered.

Although his body had healed, the opened meridians needed to be rebuilt.

Fortunately, with his previous cultivation techniques, reopening his major meridians wasn’t too difficult for him.

He set up a formation around his courtyard, using the attributes of the Hidden Bow and the Myriad Manifestations to completely conceal his aura.

Then he began activating his Meridian-Opening Technique, clearing his major meridians one by one.

All 108 major meridians were successfully reopened under the operation of Li Hao’s technique.

The remaining two meridians—the Yin Meridian and the Yang Meridian—required specific methods.

By cultivating the Thousand Serpents Sacred Body technique, Li Hao was able to reopen the Yin Meridian.

As for the Yang Meridian, located at the crown of the head, its location was exceptionally dangerous. One misstep could result in brain damage or even death.

But for Li Hao, now at the Seven Extremes Realm, opening the Yang Meridian was a relatively simple task.

Even if his head were to explode, he could regenerate through blood rebirth.

After two attempts—the first resulting in failure and his head shattering—he succeeded the second time.

Without the Seven Extremes Realm, even the most extraordinary geniuses would face death if they failed to open the Yang Meridian.

With the Yin-Yang Dual Meridians now open, his Heaven and Earth Meridians reemerged.

The Seven Extremes Realm combined with a half-completion stage—this was the pinnacle Li Hao had reached so far.

From that point onward, he began condensing his Dao power. Earlier, when he had entered the Dao Seeker Realm, his Dao power hadn’t been fully transformed. After the battle, his Dao power had been scattered. Currently, at the early stage of the True Person Realm, his Dao power was thin and undeveloped.

The strength of one in the True Person Realm depended on the refinement of their Dao power.

The indestructible nature of Dao power meant that, in theory, if it were condensed enough, it could act as a near-absolute defense.

Sitting in the courtyard, aside from carving and painting to pass the time, Li Hao spent the rest of his days diligently converting and refining his Dao power.

Each morning, he would visit Lin Shanhai’s alchemy room to assist with purifying medicinal ingredients.

Occasionally, he received invitations from Zhao Yingzhen and Shi Huajin to help refine high-grade divine pills. His role was to enhance the medicinal properties, increasing the chances of success.

With Li Hao’s help, the success rate of high-grade pills increased dramatically—from 30% to 70%.

This made Li Hao a much sought-after figure in the Sword Ancestor Holy Land’s alchemy circle, earning him considerable fame.

...

Time passed day by day.

Another month went by.

Li Hao had thoroughly stabilized his cultivation in the True Person Realm, restoring his strength to its previous peak.

More accurately, his strength had already surpassed what it had been.

The conversion of Dao power in this Land of Saints was far quicker than in the mortal world. In just five days, his body had filled completely with Dao power. He spent the remaining twenty days refining and stabilizing it further.

Now, his physical body had surpassed even the hardness of top-tier sacred treasures.

Dao power permeated his entire being, turning him into a supreme treasure. His every move exuded destructive force.

In addition, Li Hao’s swordsmanship had reached the eighth stage. Mastering both sword momentum and sword intent meant his attacks were now sharper and more formidable.

However, his battle against the Void Saint’s avatar had taught him the immense gap between himself and a Saint.

During this time, he occasionally gathered information from Lin Shanhai, further deepening his understanding of Saints.

The Saint Realm was a general term encompassing varying levels of power. A Saint had to overcome three major tribulations, with each one significantly enhancing their strength.

Once the final heavenly tribulation was overcome, one would become a Supreme Saint—a pinnacle existence, one of the true overlords of the Land of Saints.

According to Lin Shanhai, there were only about ten Supreme Saints in existence, each capable of dominating the world.

The Void Saint, who had attempted to assassinate Li Hao, was not one of them. Despite the vast distance between the Canglan Realm and the Yunxia Realm, the reputation of Saints extended across the 33 realms, ensuring their fame.

Lin Shanhai was aware of the Void Saint and confirmed that he had not reached the level of a Supreme Saint.

When Saints crossed heavenly tribulations, the phenomenon was so grand that it was impossible to remain unknown. Supreme Saints were figures universally revered.

...

“Qingfeng Dan Master, these are today’s deliveries: Fire Dragon Liver, Hundred-Fragrance Ganoderma, and Purple Coral Su…”

On the Medicinal Mountain, Li Hao sat in a pavilion outside the alchemy room, toying idly with a chess piece.

Jiang Xiaohui, a personal disciple of Shi Huajin, respectfully handed over the medicinal ingredients.

Faced with the young man before her, Jiang Xiaohui maintained an attitude of utmost humility. Within the Holy Land’s alchemy circle, Qingfeng Dan Master was a revered name. Though Li Hao held no official position, many viewed him as an alchemist of advanced standing.

Li Hao’s connections among alchemists were extensive. Besides Shi Huajin, other alchemists frequently sought his assistance, often bearing gifts to secure his aid in enhancing the potency of their concoctions.

“Just leave them here,” Li Hao replied casually.

Jiang Xiaohui stole a glance at Li Hao. His method of purifying medicinal power was said to be legendary. She was filled with awe and envy, though she had heard it was a secret family technique.

Even those who had witnessed his process understood it wasn’t something one could learn in a day. Without personal guidance from Li Hao, mastering it was impossible.

But such unique skills would hardly be taught to outsiders without significant benefits.

Soon, a metallic sound rang from within the alchemy room.

Li Hao turned to look, catching a faint whiff of a peculiar medicinal aroma. He knew immediately that a pill had been successfully refined.

Moments later, the door to the alchemy room opened, and the protective formation dissipated. This wasn’t to guard against Li Hao but rather other disciples of Shi Huajin, or even the medicine boys.

The pill refined today was a high-grade divine pill, one of Shi Huajin’s most prized techniques. Even her personal disciples weren’t easily allowed to learn it, as it was a skill reserved for a successor worthy of her legacy.

“Qingfeng, come and take a look,” Shi Huajin called out, noticing Li Hao lounging in the pavilion.

Earlier, she had invited him inside to observe the process, but Li Hao had declined, saying it was stifling in there. This almost made her cough up blood.

Her disciples, overhearing his refusal, had been equally flabbergasted, their eyes wide with disbelief. Was this some sort of reverse psychology?

“Alright,” Li Hao replied, tossing the chess piece back into the box. He walked into the alchemy room, where seven radiant pills lay on a jade tray, emitting a faint aura of treasure light.

“These are Condensed Dao Pills. Even someone at the Four Extremes Realm can use them. They help cultivate a strand of Dao power within the body, allowing them to suppress opponents of the same level!”

Shi Huajin smiled as she introduced her treasured creation. “This batch was specially commissioned by a Holy Daughter at the Dao Seeker Realm. For someone at that level, consuming just one of these pills is worth years of diligent cultivation!”

Li Hao couldn’t help but marvel. Alchemists truly held a special status for a reason.

A single pill capable of condensing Dao power and suppressing peers of the same realm?

It made talent and hard work seem almost laughable.

But this was the heritage and accumulation of a major power.

In the Great Yu Divine Dynasty, the elder alchemist from the Alchemy Academy had seemed like only a mid-tier alchemist by comparison.

The pills he refined were already considered divine-grade in the mortal realm. Aside from supplying the royal family, other factions had to offer significant bribes to secure his services.

Even the Five Divine General Mansions only managed to jump the queue because of strong connections.

If this Condensed Dao Pill were brought to Great Yu, it would undoubtedly drive everyone at the Four Extremes Realm into a frenzy.

Shi Huajin, as the one capable of refining such pills, would need no further explanation for her status.

“If you wish to learn, I can teach you,” Shi Huajin said with a sly smile.

Li Hao shook his head. He could learn and even use the technique to refine pills for others, but he had already memorized the list of ingredients. Using culinary techniques, he could prepare dishes with similar effects—though slightly less potent, they were free of residual pill toxins and could be consumed daily!

That said, the ingredients needed for this pill were rare. Even Shi Huajin felt the sting of failure, which was why she sought his help to enhance the success rate.

In the mortal realm, gathering these ingredients would be nearly impossible. Learning the technique would be meaningless without access to the materials.

“You’re worried I’m testing you? I’m sincere,” Shi Huajin said with a faint smile. “All I ask is that you become my disciple if you decide to learn.”

“Shi shijie, please stop teasing me. I really have no interest in alchemy,” Li Hao said helplessly.

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