Cultivation Begins from Infancy - Chapter 242

Volume 3 - Chapter 10: Inheriting the True Dragon - Part 2

Li Hao advanced rapidly along the River of Death.

During his lucid moments, he focused on refining his skills, skipping through most of daily life and pausing only at crucial junctures.

Since he first displayed extraordinary strength at the age of seven, Li Hao's reputation had spread throughout the Divine General Mansion. Whenever Qinglian Courtyard was mentioned, the name of its youngest master, Li Hao, invariably followed.

What sparked the most discussion, however, was not his martial training but his unusual hobbies.

Some had seen him in the kitchen learning to cook alongside the chefs. Others had observed him playing music and painting in the courtyard, resembling a carefree scion of an aristocratic family. This mystique, coupled with his enigmatic aura, made him an irresistible subject of curiosity.

This time, during his soul inheritance, Li Hao once again chose the Soul Fusion of Heaven and Earth.

His body, robust as divine iron, endured the infusion of the Soul Power from Heaven and Earth more easily than before.

Li Tianzong had intended to take Li Hao to the ancestral shrine for the soul inheritance. Upon learning that Li Hao had already completed it through the Soul Fusion of Heaven and Earth, he was both astonished and overjoyed.

From the ancient martial records of the Li family, Li Tianzong understood the significance of the Soul Fusion of Heaven and Earth. It represented a talent on par with the ancient saints!

"Excellent! Excellent! Excellent! Truly my son!"

"You will surpass our ancestors!"

Li Tianzong was filled with affection and pride for Li Hao.

Li Hao handed two figurines he had meticulously carved to his father.

One was a man, and the other a woman.

Examining the lifelike carvings, Li Tianzong laughed instead of scolding him, saying, "So you've been putting effort into this, have you? Not bad at all. My son is truly gifted."

"Did you spend a lot of time on this?"

Chen Hefang, receiving the gift, was equally delighted, though she soon expressed concern.

"Your filial piety warms our hearts, but you should focus more on martial arts. Don't let these things consume your precious time."

"Understood," Li Hao nodded.

Li Tianzong waved dismissively. "That's enough. Xiao Shi has shown his good intentions, so let's not dampen the mood with such words."

Chen Hefang relented, her fingers gently caressing the carvings, her expression radiant with joy.

Seizing the harmonious atmosphere, Li Hao asked, "Father, may I take a look at the demon king imprisoned in the mansion? I’d like to carve a demon king."

"A demon king?"

Li Tianzong was taken aback. "You're that fond of carving?"

"Not really. I’m just curious to see one," Li Hao replied with feigned innocence.

Li Tianzong considered this. "It’s not impossible, but you lack the strength for it now. At the very least, wait until you reach the Fifteen Li Realm. Otherwise, even a single glance from the demon king could overwhelm you."

"Deal!"

Li Hao couldn’t hide his excitement.

Having access to a demon king would significantly enhance both his sculpting and painting techniques.

"When have I ever lied to you?" Li Tianzong laughed heartily.

...

Time flew by.

At eight years old, Li Hao mastered culinary skills, broke through the bottleneck of three sections in Object Manipulation, and used his accumulated skill points to reach six sections in one go, rapidly increasing his cultivation.

By integrating various vein-opening techniques, he further expanded the number of major meridians he had opened.

In Tingyu Pavilion, he collected numerous Spirit Refinement and Object Manipulation techniques, achieving consecutive breakthroughs, progressing through the Spiritual Wandering Realm, and stepping into the Fifteen Li Realm.

Eight years old and already at the Fifteen Li Realm.

During the martial assessment at the training grounds, Li Hao once again showcased astonishing strength, easily defeating many Li family disciples.

Li Junye, who had trained diligently for a year to match him, found the gap had only widened.

Li Tiangang also refused to admit defeat and challenged him again, only to be defeated in a single move.

Even the eldest of the family, Li Jianming, who was significantly older, couldn’t resist stepping in. He employed the power of Object Manipulation but was similarly countered and overwhelmed by Li Hao’s far superior force.

Thus, Li Hao's cultivation at the Fifteen Li Realm was revealed, shocking the Divine General Mansion and spreading his fame across Dragon City.

...

Li Tianzong and Chen Hefang were both astonished and elated by his extraordinary cultivation speed, unable to contain their joy.

That year, Li Hao personally prepared the Qinglian Courtyard's New Year’s feast.

Conveniently skipping to that moment, he proposed the idea, which was promptly approved by Li Tianzong.

"What excellent cooking skills!"

"Xiao Shi’s culinary skills rival those of top chefs from famous restaurants!"

"My son is truly extraordinary—equally skilled in both literature and martial arts."

"What virtues did I, Li Tianzong, possess to deserve such a son..."

At the table, a rare hint of intoxication softened Li Tianzong’s demeanor, and his speech grew slightly slurred.

Chen Hefang gave him a playful glare. "Xiao Shi is remarkable, but our other children are no less talented. You mustn’t only praise Xiao Shi."

"Of course. All of them are my fine children," Li Tianzong replied with a hearty laugh.

Chen Hefang turned to the others, her smile gentle. "You don’t need to compare yourselves to Xiao Shi. Each of you has your own brilliance, and I can see it clearly."

Moved by her words, the other children exchanged glances. The eldest, Li Xingbei, smiled and said, "We would never envy Xiao Shi. The better he becomes, the happier we are."

"Exactly! The faster Xiao Shi advances, the more I can slack off later," joked Li Fengping.

"Xiao Shi is my role model. His progress only motivates me to train harder," said Li Junye with a smile. At eleven years old, he was already showing the refined demeanor of a young noble.

...

As the New Year’s feast concluded, Li Hao observed the bustling yet gradually quieting scene. Watching the empty plates left behind, he smiled, paused briefly, and accelerated his jump to the next moment in time.

Shortly after Li Hao's astonishing talent became apparent, the Divine General Mansion faced another demon king's intrusion. However, this attack was foiled as Li Tianzong and Li Xiaoran detected and killed the demon king in advance.

Li Xiaoran, having heard of Li Hao's rapid progress, was utterly astounded.

"To think he could advance this quickly after starting over?"

He suddenly began to understand why Li Hao was already at the Three Immortals Realm at just fifteen.

Moreover, he had even managed to hold his ground in a brief exchange against a demon king at the Absolute Technique Stage. Such talent was utterly monstrous and unimaginable!

Following the second demon incursion, Li Tianzong started keeping Li Hao close to him, occasionally teaching him military strategies.

During breaks from studying strategies, Li Hao composed poems, played music, and painted.

He appeared to be indulging in leisure, but the accumulated experience from these artistic pursuits rapidly enhanced his skills.

Li Tianzong did not stop him. Li Hao's cultivation speed was already more than satisfactory. If it were any other child, Li Tianzong might have been stricter, but Li Hao was so disciplined and mature in his behavior that he trusted him completely. He did not worry that these interests would distract him from martial arts.

After all, having reached the Fifteen Li Realm at just eight years old, Li Hao had already broken every cultivation record in the Great Yu Divine Dynasty, surpassing them all completely.

With such accomplishments, what reason was there to deny the child a chance to pursue what he enjoyed?

Under Li Tianzong’s indulgence, Li Hao's accumulation of skill points accelerated.

As his cultivation level increased, he noticed that the rules of the River of Death, which once bound him tightly, seemed to be loosening their hold. This made it easier for him to delve into various techniques with great focus.

His previous comprehension of the Dao began to manifest subtly, further accelerating his progress.

Numerous artistic techniques effortlessly reached the third stage, accumulating more than twenty skill points in total.

With ample skill points, Li Hao focused on collecting more techniques, researching, and experimenting in hopes of opening the Earth and Heaven Meridian in this realm.

The Earth and Heaven Meridian would provide immense benefits to his body, acting as a powerful foundation.

However, the techniques available in Tingyu Pavilion were limited. Thus, Li Hao conveyed his needs to Li Tianzong.

Upon hearing Li Hao's request, Li Tianzong didn’t hesitate and immediately instructed his subordinates to contact Tianji Tower to borrow Absolute Techniques.

Additionally, he wrote letters to other Divine General Mansions, requesting techniques and planning to suppress several rogue martial sects with unsavory reputations to confiscate their collections and enrich Tingyu Pavilion.

Although the River of Death primarily centered around Dragon City, Li Xiaoran had mentioned that the area beyond Dragon City was dominated by demonic forces.

Within Dragon City, however, many of the unique rules seemed to bend to Li Tianzong's influence. His obsessions encompassed the entirety of the Great Yu Divine Dynasty, which meant that, though many forces of the dynasty did not exist within the River of Death, Li Tianzong could still temporarily manifest them if necessary.

For example, the Daoist from Mount Qingqiu who measured Li Hao’s bones came from Mount Qingqiu, despite the mountain itself not being located near Dragon City.

It was likely that once such individuals left the Divine General Mansion, they would vanish in an unnoticed corner—such was the nature of the River of Death.

With the extraordinary talent Li Hao displayed, his every request was granted within the Divine General Mansion. He was the ultimate favored son of Heaven.

Thanks to Li Tianzong’s wholehearted support, Li Hao’s cultivation advanced rapidly. With numerous techniques merging seamlessly, he managed to open over one hundred meridians, leaving only a few remaining.

His Spirit Refinement and Object Manipulation techniques also advanced significantly.

Upon learning of Li Hao’s interest in famous paintings and chess manuals, Li Tianzong sent people to search for and bring back a variety of treasures.

By the age of nine, Li Hao successfully stepped into the Heaven and Man Realm. He enriched himself with numerous techniques and questioned the Dao through all things under Heaven, once again shaking the Divine General Mansion.

This step into the Grandmaster Realm was even smoother than before, as he now had a more extensive repertoire of techniques and broader knowledge.

That year, Li Hao's strength officially surpassed the nine sons of the Li family. Even the eldest, Li Xingbei, who had reached the Three Immortals Realm at the age of twenty-seven, acknowledged Li Hao’s superiority.

However, Li Hao chose not to defeat his eldest brother outright. Li Xingbei had always treated him with great kindness, so Li Hao refrained from crushing his path and shattering his Dao Heart.

Beyond martial arts, Li Hao demonstrated exceptional brilliance in strategy, etiquette, music, chess, calligraphy, and painting.

Li Tianzong was beyond pleased with Li Hao, and by the age of ten, he proposed naming him the True Dragon ahead of time.

The True Dragon would not only inherit command of the Divine General Mansion but also receive the support of the ancestors from the ancestral shrine. This would further enhance his potential and greatly benefit his cultivation.

The announcement caused an uproar.

Guests flocked to the Divine General Mansion, where Li Tianzong introduced Li Hao to prestigious families, giving them a chance to establish connections with him and paving the way for his future.

However, since this was the River of Death, everything would disappear after completing the stage, rendering such social networking meaningless. Thus, Li Hao wasted no time entertaining the guests, skipping ahead to the next moment.

...

After the banquet ended and the guests had departed, Li Tianzong took Li Hao’s hand and led him to the ancestral shrine.

The selection of the True Dragon had concluded, and Li Hao’s position was undisputed. None of the nine sons of the Li family raised any objections. Even the other legitimate and illegitimate descendants in the mansion, aware of Li Hao’s talent, dared not compete with him.

Gazing at the ancestral shrine ahead, Li Hao understood that Li Tianzong had brought him here for the ancestors to review him and to help refine his soul.

However, given the level of refinement he had already achieved, the ancestors could offer little assistance.

Nevertheless, Li Hao did not reject the True Dragon title. Firstly, he could find no reason to decline. Secondly, given that this was the River of Death, he needed to seize every opportunity to grow stronger.

After all, the Candlefire God and Lu Yuan had also entered this place, and the River of Death, being a Netherworld-Level domain, was fraught with danger. The stronger he became, the better his chances of survival.

Within the ancestral shrine, Li Hao noticed a middle-aged man seated in a corner of the square.

The man bore a resemblance to Fifth Uncle Li Qingzheng but exuded a ferocity that contrasted with the serene aura of the elderly man Li Hao had seen before.

...

"Old Fifth," Li Tianzong greeted with a smile.

Li Qingzheng cast a glance in their direction but did not respond. Instead, he curled his lip and said, "You’ve raised quite a fine son."

"Haha, and to think I told you to take a wife, but you refused," Li Tianzong laughed.

"My life is one of solitude and bloodshed. I won’t bring misfortune to the younger generation," Li Qingzheng retorted with a cold snort.

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