Cultivation Begins from Infancy - Chapter 379

Volume 3 - Chapter 93: A Game of Chess, Part 2

"You choose that child, and I will sustain Great Yu for another ten years, giving that young man ten more years to grow."

The Taoist’s voice was frail. He continued, "Before I leave, I will take all the dust with me. If you have not made your choice by then, you may select one from Chunsheng and Mingyue Sword to succeed as the next head of the Taoist tradition. I will entrust this Taoist temple to them."

The two he mentioned were his disciples, carefully chosen from among his personal students.

The Yu Emperor glanced at him. The Taoist’s frail, withered body had shielded Great Yu Divine Dynasty for over three thousand years.

He lowered his head slightly, saying, "Ten years will be enough for that child."

The Taoist fell silent for a moment. It seemed that the emperor had already made his choice.

"Are you sure of your decision?"

The Taoist asked.

The Yu Emperor did not respond.

The Taoist sighed deeply, then slowly said, "I hope you haven’t misjudged."

"Wait for me to return."

The Yu Emperor spoke softly.

A thousand years in a dark room, one light brings clarity.

He knew what it took to light that long-lasting flame.

With that, he slightly cupped his hands and then vanished in the blink of an eye.

The faint light illuminated the peaceful secret hall, dust floating in the glow, unable to hide from the light.

...

In Liangzhou, at the Tianmen Pass.

After slaying the Buddha Lord and returning from Wuliang Mountain, Li Hao had brought Zhu Huoshen, Xiyan, and Old Feng back to the familiar Tianmen Pass.

Ren Qianqian learned of Old Feng’s missing soul and shed tears. Though she usually appeared cold, she was quite sentimental around familiar faces and could easily be moved to tears.

Li Hao comforted Ren Qianqian and resumed his normal routine.

He knew that the elder in the imperial capital was probably troubled over his own affairs right now.

He too awaited an outcome, and it wouldn’t take long.

Even if the result wasn’t ideal, he wouldn’t bear any resentment.

After all, that elder had provided him with too much help.

"Old Feng, it’s been a long time since you’ve had my roasted meat, right? Try some."

In the small courtyard, the rich aroma of roasted meat wafted through the air. Zhu Huoshen and Xiyan could already smell it, their mouths watering as they watched Li Hao cook.

Old Feng sniffed the air, his previously slow expression softening as he eagerly took the roasted meat from Li Hao’s hand, devouring it with large bites.

Li Hao smiled and handed him a wine gourd.

The scent of fire and food filled the small courtyard.

Two days later, an elderly man in a black long robe arrived alone at the edge of Liangzhou’s border.

Looking up, he saw the towering city walls, adorned with banners of Haotian.

The flags fluttered in the wind, imposing and mighty.

The elderly man glanced up, then walked leisurely into the city.

He presented his pass and encountered no obstacles. The soldiers who checked his documents noticed his extraordinary demeanor—his noble bearing was apparent, and he likely held some power or influence.

Inside the city, bustling market stalls were set up, with young masters and young ladies of noble families strolling about. The scene appeared prosperous, not at all resembling the usual quiet of a border town.

The elderly man wandered leisurely, taking in the sights of the city. Soon, he arrived at the city center.

There, a small walled courtyard stood alone, surrounded by emptiness, with no one daring to approach, though soldiers patrolled the area.

The elderly man heard the faint sound of a zither playing from within the courtyard. He couldn’t help but smile. "This fellow is quite at ease, even after slaying the Buddha Lord, he still has time to play the zither. Little does he know, the entire world is already in chaos over that incident."

He walked straight to the courtyard, only to be stopped immediately.

"An old friend has come to visit."

The elderly man said.

The guards, whose strength was not weak (at the Fifteen Li realm), wanted to ask more questions but felt a deep, indescribable sense of pressure. Despite the old man’s calm appearance, their minds seemed to freeze for a moment, and they involuntarily nodded, intending to report the visit.

"Please, let the distinguished guest in."

A voice came from within the courtyard.

...

The two guards quickly invited the elderly man in.

Inside, Li Hao’s fingers paused over the zither strings. His eyes revealed a hint of surprise.

Though there was a wall separating them, it couldn’t block his senses. Though he hadn’t intentionally probed, he instantly recognized the elderly man.

He hadn’t expected such a major event, and for this elder, who should be in the imperial capital, to appear here—it was truly shocking.

At this point, if Li Hao still didn’t recognize the elderly man’s identity, he would have to admit that he was too slow-witted.

He had been waiting for news, but he never imagined the person would come in person.

Li Hao quickly stood and went to greet him.

The old man and the young man had met once before, by the willow tree by the river, and now they met again in this small courtyard.

Li Hao slightly cupped his hands to salute, but the old man raised his hand, a wave of force lifting him up. "No need for formalities."

Just a few simple words, and Li Hao understood immediately—he hadn’t misjudged the old man’s identity.

"This place isn’t bad."

The old man surveyed the surroundings, noticing a young girl practicing swordplay, and further spotted the sluggish and dazed Feng Bo Ping, as well as the imposing figure of Zhu Huoshen sitting quietly nearby.

The small courtyard was indeed quite peculiar.

The old man chuckled softly.

Li Hao, stunned, asked, "Why—why have you come here, Senior?"

He had avoided calling the elder by title, as it was clear from the elder’s actions that he wished to keep his identity concealed. Moreover, with Great Yu facing danger from all sides, with demons lurking everywhere, the Yu Emperor’s departure from the imperial palace to come here—it made Li Hao’s heart feel complex.

He had just slain the Buddha Lord, yet the elder had come to see him in person. It was a sign of great trust.

"I got bored and wanted to find someone to play a game of chess."

The old man chuckled, looking around at the paintings, zither, and chessboard in the courtyard, all signs of Li Hao’s usual pastimes. He couldn’t help but laugh softly and say,

"All you do is play these things. Don’t you practice cultivation?"

This is cultivation, Li Hao thought inwardly. On the surface, however, he could only give a sheepish smile—such things were hard to explain.

"Is it tiring to be here? Has your chess skill gotten rusty?"

The old man lightly chuckled, walking around the courtyard. He noticed the young girl practicing swordplay stop and look curiously at him, so he smiled and nodded at her.

"It’s not too tiring," Li Hao answered, "The border has its own unique scenery, all top-tier in the world."

He smiled lightly and invited the old man into the courtyard to sit.

He then asked Ren Qianqian to prepare tea for their guest.

Ren Qianqian was puzzled, unsure of the elder’s identity, but she trusted Li Hao’s words and quickly brought tea for the elder.

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