Cultivation Begins from Infancy - Chapter 431

Volume 3 - Chapter 124: Sole-Self Sword Intent

What is chess?

There are numerous forms of chess: Gobang, Chinese Chess, and more.

The game of Go, played by Li Hao, is also known as zuoyin, shou tan, and yi.

On the chessboard, vertical and horizontal lines intersect to form a grid. Stones are placed on the intersections, and when they connect, they form a structure. This is the layout of the chessboard.

Beginners familiarize themselves with the rules, entering the initial stages of mastery. Their moves become adept and precise, their offensives fierce, with an emphasis on strategy and trade-offs.

However, true masters of chess focus on momentum rather than individual pieces. They no longer obsess over capturing stones but instead shape the overall momentum of their game.

Whether it’s Chinese Chess, Gobang, or Go, all emphasize the accumulation of momentum!

When momentum builds into an unstoppable force, victory naturally follows, and nothing can stand in its way.

Li Hao’s Chess Dao had reached the sixth stage, allowing him to glimpse the Way of Momentum. Yet at this moment, Li Hao realized that relying solely on his own moves to gather momentum made his strategy too obvious to experts. True Chess Dao momentum is akin to nature itself—effortless and naturally formed!

...

From the very first stone placed, the momentum begins.

Each piece has its purpose. Though all may seem like simple white stones, they differ in strength—some are soldiers, while others are generals, forming a fierce and cohesive force.

Pa-ta!

Li Hao placed a white stone. Alone, it charged into the encirclement of black stones. Yet its momentum was like a thunderclap, linking and reviving a previously trapped and isolated group of white stones, saving them from a desperate situation. Like a dagger, it shattered the opponent’s momentum.

This move was brimming with brilliance and beyond words. It was like watching a strategist maneuver armies, calmly observing the ebb and flow of clouds.

Shi Huajin froze, holding a black stone between her fingers. She seemed ready to place it, yet hesitated. Gazing at the board for a moment, she let out a soft sigh.

“I lost.”

Previously, she had planned to swallow that group of white stones to expand her offensive. But now that route was blocked. She calculated Li Hao’s next moves and realized that in just seven moves, she would fall into a disadvantageous position, with her momentum completely broken. Thus, she decisively admitted defeat.

For experts, the outcome is often crystal clear.

...

For novices, however, the battle remains unpredictable. Until the last moment, you can never guess what foolish or ingenious moves the other might make.

Seeing Shi Huajin concede, Li Hao emerged from his state of enlightenment. Gathering up the white stones, he said with a smile, “Shall we play another round?”

“No. I still need to refine today’s elixirs. You’ll have to extract the materials for me,” Shi Huajin replied irritably.

“No problem,” Li Hao replied with a grin, standing to accompany her to the alchemy room.

On the way, he glanced at his panel and noticed the latest notification, a faint smile forming at the corner of his lips.

Soon, using his culinary expertise to refine the materials, Li Hao efficiently extracted all the required ingredients for Shi Huajin.

Afterward, he sat outside, waiting. He didn’t bother to watch her refine the elixirs, leaving Shi Huajin feeling helpless. She was, after all, a high-ranking alchemist, and countless others dreamed of the chance to observe her work. Watching a master alchemist at work was a privilege akin to being a personal disciple.

Yet even when she freely offered Li Hao this opportunity, he showed no interest.

She could only summon her disciples to assist her.

Meanwhile, Li Hao found a secluded branch outside the alchemy room. Reclining on it, he rested while summoning his panel.

Chess Dao: Seventh Stage.

Mental State: Enlightenment in Chess Dao (Usable).

Li Hao smiled faintly and, without hesitation, applied this state to his Sword Dao.

Soon, his Sword Dao, which had been stuck at the bottleneck of the sixth stage for ages, finally advanced.

Sword Dao: Seventh Stage!

A torrent of Sword Dao insights flooded his mind, and Li Hao quietly absorbed them with his eyes closed.

Reaching the seventh stage of the Sword Dao, he noticed similarities with Chess Dao. Where previously the focus was on peak swordsmanship techniques, it now emphasized Sword Momentum!

No longer constrained by moves, his sword followed his heart, and his heart aligned with his will.

Every strike became a supreme technique, capable of unleashing the strongest sword move at will!

The various sword techniques recorded in his panel began evolving, simplifying from complexity.

After a long while, Li Hao slowly opened his eyes, having fully absorbed his new insights. Memories of his previous duel with Jiang Lichen resurfaced in his mind. Though he had won, Jiang Lichen’s swordsmanship had surpassed his own. At that time, Jiang Lichen had already reached the pinnacle of the seventh stage, where his sword was imbued with a frenzied Sword Momentum.

“With swordsmanship at the Absolute Technique Stage, he could cleave through a Dao Domain. Advancing further to the eighth stage would allow one to cut through even a Tenfold Dao Domain…”

Li Hao’s eyes sparkled. Swordsmanship at the seventh stage marked the level of a Sword Saint among mortals, capable of severing armies with a single stroke, with momentum as unstoppable as a rainbow. Yet for Li Hao’s current cultivation, even such swordsmanship was insufficient.

Recalling Lin Qingying’s practice earlier, Li Hao now noticed a deeper meaning in her seemingly simple sword movements. Her Sword Dao surpassed the seventh stage and embodied her unique artistic conception.

“Add points,” Li Hao murmured inwardly.

Swiftly, his Sword Dao surged from the seventh stage to the eighth stage!

Another flood of information poured into his mind, submerging him in an ocean of Sword Dao insights. He swam through this sea, absorbing and refining his skills.

...

Much time passed before Li Hao awoke from his meditative state, a newfound understanding lighting his eyes.

The seventh stage of the Sword Dao represented Momentum, while the eighth stage embodied Intent!

Compared to Momentum, Intent was far more refined. Momentum was external, while Intent was its core.

Perhaps due to his own Dao Heart, Li Hao’s Sword Intent was straightforward: to sever anything he wished to sever.

All things in the world could be cut. His sword would go wherever his heart willed.

Li Hao named this Sword Intent: Sole-Self.

With his comprehension of Sword Intent, Li Hao revisited his earlier battle with Jiang Lichen. He now realized that Jiang Lichen had only grasped Sword Momentum’s surface. If they were to fight again, Li Hao was confident that a single casual strike would be enough to break Jiang Lichen’s Momentum, shatter his sword, and defeat him effortlessly.

Reflecting further on Lin Qingying’s swordsmanship, Li Hao understood even more. She was indeed at the eighth stage of the Sword Dao. Her slow and deliberate movements integrated both Momentum and Intent, with Intent guiding Momentum. Her Sword Intent embodied supreme gentleness.

“Supreme gentleness becomes supreme strength. Gentleness cannot be broken…”

Li Hao’s eyes gleamed. He wondered whether his Sole-Self Sword Intent could sever her supreme gentle Sword Intent.

Having never crossed swords with her, it was impossible to judge whose intent was stronger.

Li Hao glanced at his panel and attempted to add points again.

[Point allocation failed. Please select an Enlightenment Heart.]

As expected…

Li Hao sighed inwardly. Just like with the Body Dao, advancing beyond the eighth stage required attaining the ninth stage in at least one skill to unlock the potential for further growth.

At present, his only skill at the ninth stage was Culinary Dao.

While his Chess Dao had passed the Enlightenment threshold and could continue accumulating experience, its growth was slow and heavily reliant on external conditions, such as finding opponents to play against.

By comparison, his Painting Dao allowed for solitary practice, making it easier to quickly gain experience.

“Ninth-stage Sword Dao… A Sword Saint of that level must possess skills beyond mortal comprehension,” Li Hao mused.

For the Body Dao, reaching the ninth stage corresponded to the Realm of Dao Seeking. Thus, the tenth stage signified sainthood.

The Sword Dao followed a similar trajectory. At the tenth stage, one could take the path of sacrificial sainthood, using the Sword Dao to break through the barriers to sainthood and become a saint through the sword!

This path was notoriously difficult. Even among the Sword Ancestor Holy Land’s Sword Saints, many had likely followed the path of incense sainthood instead. Their Sword Dao might have reached the ninth stage but not the tenth.

While it might seem unworthy of the title Sword Saint, the truth was that reaching the ninth stage of the Sword Dao was already an extraordinary feat, a rarity among millions.

The ninth stage of the Sword Dao represented entry into the Dao. Few warriors could dedicate themselves fully to comprehending the Sword Dao, as most prioritized advancing their cultivation realms. For those who reached the Dao Seeking Realm, only a small fraction pursued Sword Dao to this depth.

Understanding this, Li Hao withdrew his thoughts. Recent battles had left many of his skills falling behind. If he could bring three of his skills to the ninth stage, his strength would reach unimaginable heights.

Just then, Li Hao noticed that Shi Huajin’s elixirs were ready.

He jumped down from the tree branch and approached the alchemy room. After exchanging a few words with Shi Huajin, he strolled back to Lin Shanhai’s alchemy courtyard.

The distance between the two places was merely a thousand miles. Within a few hundred miles of the area, apart from his medicine boy disciples and servants, there were no other idle wanderers, making the environment exceptionally tranquil and pleasant.

Alchemy required focused study of medicinal formulas, and such a peaceful setting was indeed necessary.

“You’re back. You seem to be in a good mood today,” Lin Shanhai said with a cheerful smile when he saw Li Hao return.

Li Hao glanced around the courtyard and saw Lin Qingying practicing her sword as always.

She remained focused on her training, paying no attention to his arrival.

Not wanting to disturb her, Li Hao quietly walked around the veranda and joined Lin Shanhai, who was examining some medicinal herbs. Dropping into a seat, Li Hao said casually, “I won a few rounds against her.”

“You…” Lin Shanhai shook his head helplessly.

Recently, he had heard about Li Hao’s exploits from his old friends. Despite helping them refine their medicinal materials, Li Hao had asked for nothing in return—not even the elixirs or recipes they offered as thanks.

Lin Shanhai couldn’t tell whether Li Hao was avoiding something or genuinely uninterested.

Yet after spending time with Li Hao, Lin Shanhai had concluded that the young man’s mindset was indeed unusual, unlike anyone he had encountered before.

“Oh, by the way, I brought some Five-Tone Tea for you,” Li Hao said suddenly, retrieving a pouch of tea leaves from his spatial realm and handing it to Lin Shanhai.

Lin Shanhai was momentarily stunned before quickly accepting it. Aside from alchemy, he had few hobbies—one of them being tea.

“Well, well! Five-Tone Tea! It seems that Shi Huajin really favors you. I’ve begged her countless times for this and she never gave me any. Our decades-long friendship apparently doesn’t measure up to yours!”

Opening the pouch to confirm its contents, Lin Shanhai’s eyes lit up. He clicked his tongue in admiration.

Li Hao glanced at him and remarked, “Ever consider that it’s not about friendship?”

“Then what is it?”

“Next time, try calling her by a different title.”

“Shi Huajin? I’ve been calling her that for decades. What else could I call her?”

“...”

Li Hao gave him a sidelong look. Calling her that for decades without being beaten to death? That must count as deep friendship.

Lin Shanhai suddenly realized something. Everyone knew women disliked being reminded of their age. He suspiciously eyed Li Hao.

“And what do you call her?”

“Shi Jie (Elder Sister),” Li Hao replied smoothly, without the slightest blush.

“...”

Lin Shanhai stared at him incredulously. “You’re outrageous. She’s old enough to be your grandmother. That’s far too frivolous!”

“She told me to call her that,” Li Hao said evenly.

“...”

Lin Shanhai was stunned into silence.

Li Hao shrugged lightly and said no more, his gaze drifting to the courtyard where Lin Qingying was practicing.

Watching her train now, Li Hao realized he could fully understand her sword movements.

“That strike is too soft,” Li Hao muttered when her sword momentum turned overly gentle at one point.

Although he hadn’t tested his sword against hers, he felt certain that if she relied too much on gentleness, it would become diffuse. Such a strike, he believed, could be severed with ease.

...

Though Li Hao’s voice was quiet, the woman in the courtyard stopped her sword practice.

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