Cultivation Begins from Infancy - Chapter 429

Volume 3 - Chapter 123: The Enlightenment of Chess Dao - Part 1

"This child... I hope she can cultivate the things she desires in this life."

Lin Shanhai gazed at his departing granddaughter, shaking his head with a soft sigh.

With Lin Qingying's exceptional talent and her innate Sacred Bones, coupled with the frequent revelations of saints' reincarnations and manifestations over the past millennia, it was hard not to speculate that she too might be a reincarnated saint. However, which saint she could be specifically remained unknown.

Yet, Lin Shanhai didn’t feel uneasy because of this. At least in this lifetime, from his memories, she was his granddaughter, someone he had personally raised from a young age.

Lin Qingying’s parents had passed away early, leaving Lin Shanhai to care for her during her childhood—calming her tears and teasing her with playful antics. Those memories of her mischievous yet obedient nature were deeply imprinted in his heart.

“Old Lin, why do these saints choose to reincarnate and cultivate again?”

Li Hao, holding a teacup, asked curiously.

Lin Shanhai, refilling his own cup from a teapot, glanced up at the floating white clouds beyond the eaves. The gentle breeze in the courtyard carried a serene and relaxed comfort.

He sipped his tea, then turned with a faint smile. “You boy, you claim you don’t know alchemy!”

“If you were a true martial artist, you’d understand. These saints reincarnate in pursuit of the extreme realms of Martial Dao. It’s said that fully cultivating each realm to its peak leads to an earth-shattering secret, especially regarding the Sixth Extreme Realm!”

I really don’t know alchemy… Li Hao forced a bitter smile. Ever since he demonstrated a technique for extracting and purifying ingredients, this old man had been treating him as a descendant of a once-prestigious alchemy family in decline. Any attempt to explain otherwise was seen as him concealing his identity or distrusting others.

To avoid provoking further misunderstanding, Li Hao refrained from offering any more explanations.

“The Sixth Extreme Realm? What kind of profound mysteries does it entail?”

Li Hao’s curiosity was piqued as he asked.

“How would I know? No one’s ever been known to cultivate all the extreme realms, not even the saints.”

Lin Shanhai shook his head.

“What?”

Li Hao was stunned, staring at Lin Shanhai in shock.

Saints, with their extraordinary longevity, lived through the ancient history of the Land of Saints, a time far older than the Great Yu Divine Dynasty. The realms of Martial Dao, though challenging, were not insurmountable for saints with their talent and vast resources. Given enough time, they should have been able to master them.

Yet, those high and mighty saints had not achieved all the extreme realms?!

When Li Hao fought opponents at the Dao Law Realm, many of them had already mastered several extreme realms. He had assumed that saints, as the pinnacle of cultivation, had perfected all of them. But now, it seemed that wasn’t the case.

“Your ancestors were alchemists, so it’s natural you don’t understand Martial Dao,” Lin Shanhai said, seeing Li Hao’s shocked expression. With patient warmth, he explained, “Other extreme realms aside, the Third Extreme Realm, the Heaven and Earth Avatar, requires one to be born with the heart of a saint and dare to challenge the heavens themselves! The Sixth Extreme Realm is even harder, universally acknowledged as the most challenging to cultivate. According to the hidden truths I’ve uncovered, most saints reincarnate specifically for this.”

“Huh…”

Li Hao was momentarily dazed. Was the Sixth Extreme Realm truly the hardest to cultivate? Could it really force saints to reincarnate for a chance at success?

A sudden thought struck him, leaving him feeling both startled and slightly flattered. Could it be that his talent surpassed that of the saints?

When he cultivated the Sixth Extreme Realm, although it took him several months of intense contemplation, it didn’t seem drastically more challenging than the other extreme realms.

Perhaps it simply required some insight and an understanding of heaven and earth.

“The Sixth Extreme Realm is indeed mysterious. It doesn’t rely on talent, ambition, or foundational techniques. No one knows exactly how to achieve it. Saints speculate that it might be tied to a specific state of mind!”

Lin Shanhai continued, “However, one’s state of mind is the most elusive and difficult thing to grasp. What’s strange is that, among the countless prodigies in the world, all with diverse experiences and unique mindsets, not one has comprehended this state required for the Sixth Extreme Realm. Isn’t that peculiar?”

Li Hao was dumbfounded. He hadn’t expected the Sixth Extreme Realm to be this difficult.

If he had arrived in the Land of Saints through ordinary means, he might have shocked the entire region.

The Void Saint’s shameless attack on him was likely out of fear for this very reason.

“Why would saints need to reincarnate to cultivate the Sixth Extreme Realm?”

Li Hao couldn’t help but ask.

“Because, just like the Third Extreme Realm, the Sixth Extreme Realm is one of those realms that cannot be re-cultivated!”

Lin Shanhai explained, “And if it’s a matter of mindset, then even saints’ thought processes might interfere. To start with a blank slate is simply the best approach. The will of a saint can sometimes create obstacles. Once you’ve recognized certain truths, it’s hard to pretend you haven’t.”

“Insight and experience can sometimes become a terrifying intrusion, completely altering who you are.”

Hearing this, Li Hao immediately grasped the meaning behind Lin Shanhai’s words.

The principles carried within a saint’s thoughts could hinder their comprehension of concepts beyond their current understanding. Starting anew as a blank slate was a much easier path.

Even if a saint pretended to have the innocence of a blank slate, certain truths, once known, could not be forgotten.

“To buy osmanthus and share wine, yet never again as carefree as one’s youth…”

Li Hao muttered to himself. Perhaps this was why saints needed to reincarnate for cultivation.

Only by living another life, truly starting as a blank slate, could they return to their true youth.

Li Hao glanced at the notification indicating an increase in his Poetry and Calligraphy Dao proficiency and promptly ignored it.

Beside him, Lin Shanhai caught the poetic lines Li Hao had murmured. He froze for a moment, finding the words intriguing.

When he took a moment to savor the phrase, a look of surprise spread across his face. The sentiment perfectly aligned with the reasoning behind saints reincarnating to cultivate anew.

“With that level of poetic talent, you’d have no trouble becoming a top scholar in the mortal dynasties,” Lin Shanhai remarked.

Li Hao flushed slightly. Becoming a top scholar wasn’t so easily achieved; it took far more than a couple of poetic lines.

“Enough about that. We have guests incoming—this lot again…”

Lin Shanhai abruptly set down his teacup, dusted his sleeves, and prepared to greet the visitors. As he stood, he paused, his gaze drifting to the teapot. He gestured toward it with his chin and instructed Li Hao:

“Quick, stash this away. And grab the dragon ginseng tea from the drawer under my desk—hide it in the stove and cover it with medicinal herbs to mask the scent. Those guys have noses sharper than bloodhounds...”

Without another word, Lin Shanhai slipped on a pair of simple cloth shoes and headed toward the courtyard entrance.

Li Hao was momentarily startled but wasted no time. With a sweep of his hand, he collected the dragon ginseng tea from the teapot and also retrieved the package from the drawer, storing it in his spatial realm. Then he added a few fragrant medicinal leaves to the teapot, brewing a fresh batch of tea.

With a subtle application of heat from his palm, the medicinal aroma intensified, filling the courtyard.

Moments later, hearty laughter erupted outside the courtyard as several elderly figures entered, led by Lin Shanhai.

“You lot, why didn’t you notify me you were coming?” Lin Shanhai asked with feigned exasperation.

“For such a short distance, what’s the point of notifying you? We came to take a look at this new apprentice of yours and see what kind of prodigy he is,” one of the figures replied with a chuckle.

Four figures entered the courtyard: three elderly men and a charming woman who still retained an air of grace. Among them, one elderly man exuded a regal aura, adorned in gold and jade, while the others were dressed more simply, their hairpins made of wood.

However, all four bore the unmistakable scent of medicinal herbs.

“Hmm? Is this the young man?”

As they stepped into the courtyard, their gazes quickly settled on Li Hao.

Respectful of decorum, they refrained from using their spiritual senses to probe him, opting instead for a brief visual assessment.

Li Hao promptly rose to his feet, no longer remaining seated.

Lin Shanhai’s gaze flicked to the teapot. He paused briefly but quickly noticed the herbal fragrance wafting from the teacups. Unable to suppress a smile, he cast Li Hao a sly look, amused at how the young man had acted even more shrewdly than himself.

“Come, have a seat.”

Lin Shanhai warmly invited his guests, motioning for Li Hao to fetch more tea sets and some snacks.

Taking on the role of an apprentice, Li Hao quickly brought out cushions, tea cups, and a selection of pastries for the visitors.

“Old Lin, your recent batch of pills—this young man helped you make them, didn’t he?”

The elderly man adorned in gold and jade, Zhan Yingzhen, smiled as he turned the jade thumb ring on his finger.

Lin Shanhai, sensing his friend’s intentions, gave a faint snort. “Don’t even think about it. I’ve already decided to pass down my legacy to him.”

“Look at you, getting worked up over a single remark. Who said we were here to poach him?” The graceful woman, Shi Huajin, chuckled softly behind her hand.

“Old Lin is as fiery as ever. But seriously, I’ve examined your latest pills, and they’re impressive—of such high purity that I doubt they were made by you alone,” another elder remarked.

Lin Shanhai didn’t bother denying it. In truth, he had anticipated these old friends’ visit and had even planned to introduce Li Hao to them to help him expand his network. Lin Shanhai was determined to keep Li Hao by his side. A rare alchemical talent like this, with his exceptional refining skills, was more than capable of reaching the rank of a high-level alchemist.

Given a few decades of diligent study, achieving the status of a Pill Dao Grandmaster was within reach.

“That’s right. It’s thanks to Qingfeng’s assistance. He had a fortuitous encounter after falling off a cliff in his early years. Later, he was hunted for his knowledge until Qingying saved him. Only recently has he been able to settle down.”

Lin Shanhai explained.

The name Qingfeng was the alias Li Hao had given him. Even though this was not the Yunxia Realm, Li Hao remained cautious of the means saints might possess to trace his whereabouts.

Besides, far too many people knew his real name, and any loose lips could lead to new dangers.

Hearing Lin Shanhai’s introduction, Li Hao felt speechless. The old man had gone as far as fabricating a backstory for him to preempt others’ inquiries—truly going the extra mile.

“I see…”

The four visitors exchanged glances but refrained from prying further. Everyone had their secrets, after all.

“Could you demonstrate your skill for us? Don’t worry—we won’t reveal anything. We just wish to learn,” one of the elders suggested.

Lin Shanhai snorted. “That’s his unique expertise. You think he’ll just show it off for nothing? How about you hand over two high-level pill recipes in exchange?”

“Old Lin, he hasn’t even spoken yet. Why are you so hasty? Two high-level recipes? Sounds like you’re the one who wants them. Why don’t we have a little alchemy competition instead? Each of us wagers one recipe. What do you say?”

“Who wants to compete with you? I don’t care for them,” Lin Shanhai retorted with a light snort.

“Alright, you two. Still bickering over that last alchemy duel? Aren’t you worried the younger generation will laugh at you?” Shi Huajin said with exasperation.

Lin Shanhai stopped his bantering and instead introduced the four guests to Li Hao.

All four were senior alchemists from the Sword Ancestor Holy Land and old friends of Lin Shanhai.

Li Hao memorized their names and greeted them courteously.

“Young man, could you show us your skill? You’ve already demonstrated it to Old Lin. Whatever terms he offered, we’ll match them,” Zhan Yingzhen said, his tone sincere as he stopped fidgeting with his thumb ring.

“Indeed. If you’re willing to exchange, I can provide a high-level alchemical recipe,” Shi Huajin said, her gaze unwavering as she focused intently on Li Hao, her expression earnest.

As experienced alchemists, they had already analyzed the pills recently crafted by Lin Shanhai. These pills had gained significant acclaim within the Sword Ancestor Holy Land, sparking a wave of admiration.

After their analysis, they discovered that the method used to refine the medicinal power within the pills was extraordinarily advanced, surpassing their own capabilities.

Through their inquiries, they learned that Lin Shanhai had found himself a remarkable helper.

Observing their eager expressions, Lin Shanhai smirked inwardly. He leisurely sipped his tea, enjoying their evident envy.

However, after just two sips, he frowned. The herbal aroma was overly potent, making the tea difficult to enjoy.

This brat doesn’t know how to pick decent herbs… Lin Shanhai grumbled silently, though he felt somewhat relieved knowing that his precious dragon ginseng tea had narrowly avoided being exposed.

“Young man, would you mind showing us your skills? Rest assured, we won’t leak a thing. We only wish to observe and learn,” said another elder, his tone mild yet eager.

Lin Shanhai scoffed, “That’s his signature technique. You think you can just learn it for free? If you want to see, hand over two advanced pill recipes for exchange!”

“Old Lin, you’re jumping the gun here. Who said we’d take advantage of him? And two recipes? Looks like you’re the one with your eye on them,” the elder retorted with a snort. “Why don’t we settle this with an alchemy duel instead? Each of us wagers one recipe. Agreed?”

“Compete with you? As if I care for your recipes.” Lin Shanhai huffed, clearly dismissive.

“Goodness, are you two still holding grudges from that last alchemy contest? You should be ashamed of yourselves. Don’t let the younger generation see this and laugh at you,” Shi Huajin interjected, shaking her head in exasperation.

Realizing there was no point in further banter, Lin Shanhai turned to properly introduce the four guests to Li Hao.

The four were senior alchemists from the Sword Ancestor Holy Land and longtime friends of Lin Shanhai.

Li Hao made sure to remember their names, greeting each one respectfully.

“Young man, if it’s convenient, could you show us your technique? After all, you’ve already demonstrated it to Old Lin. Whatever terms he offered you, we’ll meet them,” Zhao Yingzhen said earnestly, his tone serious as he stopped fiddling with his jade thumb ring.

“Exactly,” Shi Huajin added. “If it’s an exchange, I’ll offer a high-level pill recipe.”

...

“This… there’s no such thing as free learning, young man. Whatever you need, just tell us. If it’s within our ability, we’ll do our best to fulfill it,” Zhao Yingzhen said, his tone firm and sincere, the thumb ring on his hand momentarily forgotten.

“Indeed.”

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