Cultivation Begins from Infancy - Chapter 240

Volume 3 - Chapter 9: Seven Years Old, A Strength of a Million Jin

The sword momentum was graceful, as agile as a swimming dragon.

Li Hao did not hide his talent. He casually performed the sword techniques that the instructor had just demonstrated, reaching a level of nimbleness and mastery.

The instructor was stunned, his eyes wide in disbelief.

But before he could fully recover from his shock, Li Hao repeated the demonstration. On the second attempt, he achieved perfection.

The instructor was thunderstruck, his gaze fixed on Li Hao in astonishment. Just two attempts, and he had already reached perfection?!

Li Hao casually spun the sword in his hand and handed it back to the instructor, hilt-first.

The instructor hesitated briefly before taking it, turning to look at Li Tianzong. He knew that even without saying a word, Li Hao’s prodigious talent in swordsmanship was undeniable—terrifyingly so.

Sure enough, Li Tianzong stood there in a daze. It wasn’t until Li Hao finished his demonstration that he snapped back to his senses. Overcome with excitement, he stomped his foot and rushed over to Li Hao, exclaiming:

"Xiao Shi, was this your first time practicing swordsmanship?"

He grasped Li Hao’s shoulders, his expression filled with fervor.

"Yes."

Li Hao saw the trembling emotion in his father’s eyes and felt the moment’s reality profoundly.

"My son is a prodigy!"

Li Tianzong was so thrilled that he lifted Li Hao high into the air, spinning him around several times before putting him down. Turning to the instructor, he declared, "Did you see that? Did you see it?!"

The instructor quickly composed himself, suppressing his astonishment, and respectfully replied, "Congratulations, sir. The Tenth Young Master’s talent in swordsmanship is unparalleled. He has the potential to become a Sword Saint in the future!"

"Sword Saint? No, that’s too modest—he’s destined to be a Sword God!"

Li Tianzong exclaimed enthusiastically, "The Sword Saint wasn’t nearly this brilliant as a child. Achieving nimbleness after just one glance would already be impressive. But my son? He reached perfection!"

The instructor pondered this for a moment and had to agree. His heart filled with awe, he offered his congratulations once more.

"With such talent in swordsmanship, coupled with my son’s innate gifts, in ten years, he will undoubtedly make his name known across the world!"

Li Tianzong’s laughter resounded throughout the courtyard.

From a distance, the other direct descendants and branch members of the Li family witnessed the scene, too stunned to speak.

Even Li Tianzong’s bold laughter didn’t seem like an exaggeration. After all, the display of skill from that young boy was truly terrifying!

"Old Ten!"

The nine siblings from Qinglian Courtyard surrounded Li Hao, their expressions a mix of shock and excitement.

Li Tianzong smiled and said, "From now on, Xiao Shi will train here. Take good care of him."

"Understood."

The group nodded, immediately swarming Li Hao like children catching lice, touching and examining him from head to toe.

Li Hao felt slightly helpless. These idle moments of chatter felt like wasted time to him. He would rather focus on his cultivation.

After instructing the instructor on a few matters, Li Tianzong left to attend to his military duties.

Once he was gone, Li Hao resumed training with the instructor.

However, upon realizing that the instructor’s teachings were too basic, Li Hao chose to skip these sessions.

Spending his lucid hours here was pointless; he might as well use the time to gain artistic experience.

Practicing in the martial training grounds was merely laying the groundwork for showcasing his strength later on...

...

Time passed.

After stepping into the martial training grounds at the age of six, Li Hao truly began to reveal his brilliance and embark on the path of cultivation.

The numerous cultivation techniques he had recorded earlier could finally be practiced. Li Hao repeatedly performed every body-refinement technique, drastically increasing his physical strength. His cultivation advanced rapidly, reaching the tenth level of the Tongli Realm before breaking through to the Zhoutian Realm, achieving perfection!

Through sheer physical strength, Li Hao forced his way to the limits of the Zhoutian Realm. His single-arm strength alone surpassed 300,000 jin!

Li Hao knew this was not his limit.

He invested two skill points into the Path of the Body, raising it from the fourth stage to the sixth stage.

Numerous body-refinement techniques underwent new iterations, with their grades and levels improving. His understanding of the Dao deepened, leading him to derive inspiration from various techniques and create seven or eight powerful new methods.

After practicing these, Li Hao’s physical strength surged again. He broke through the bottleneck of the Soul Fusion Realm, using his body to connect with the power of heaven and earth, condensing his True Soul. He could now observe his meridians internally, and his will was as sharp as a divine blade that could project outward!

His gaze was like cold lightning, his mental strength skyrocketing. Even without sleep for a month, he could remain energetic and alert!

At this point, Li Hao’s strength had reached over 900,000 jin, nearing the million-jin limit of the Tongli Realm, approaching the threshold of divine strength.

Unfortunately, the body-refinement techniques available in Tingyu Pavilion were fewer than those he had acquired earlier. They lacked the savage refinement methods of the Demon Race.

While those demon techniques were brutal and primitive, they significantly boosted physical strength.

Li Hao still had three skill points left, which he allocated to the Path of Dominion.

This time, Li Hao planned to focus on the Path of the Body and the Path of Dominion, with swordsmanship and movement techniques as secondary priorities. Any remaining skill points would be spent on the Path of the Fist.

The Path of the Fist greatly enhanced arm strength, which, in turn, bolstered swordsmanship and attack power. However, with limited skill points, it was the last priority.

Li Hao went to Tingyu Pavilion to record numerous meridian-opening techniques and qi-circulation methods.

At the same time, he used the opportunity to seek out Li Xiaoran to see if he had any demon techniques.

Although Li Xiaoran had no idea what Li Hao intended to do, seeing that this six-year-old child could already reveal the aura of the Zhoutian Realm left him stunned.

Even though Li Hao was cultivating anew, his previous understanding of cultivation had been sealed. Restarting cultivation wasn’t a matter of simply retracing old steps; it required opening new paths, just as before.

However, with a more mature mindset and a deeper understanding of martial arts, Li Hao could create more efficient cultivation plans.

"How are you cultivating so quickly?" Li Xiaoran couldn’t help but ask.

Li Hao smiled and replied, "Maybe I’m just naturally gifted."

Li Xiaoran was momentarily speechless.

Li Hao’s extraordinary aptitude was already a well-known fact—born with the potential of a Saint, his legendary talent was no surprise.

"It seems you are truly the hope of the Li family," Li Xiaoran said softly, sighing in admiration.

Hearing this, Li Hao paused briefly, then shook his head without responding.

Li Xiaoran rummaged through the shelves on the sixth floor, eventually retrieving three demon techniques from a sealed section on the lower tier and handing them to Li Hao.

"These are demon techniques. We humans can’t cultivate them because our body structures and meridians differ. They’re only useful as references for martial arts or for understanding the Demon Race."

Li Hao didn’t explain further. He carefully examined the techniques and quickly recorded all three into his panel.

Using the Path of the Body, he adapted the techniques into forms suitable for human cultivation.

"Thank you," Li Hao said, returning the manuals to Li Xiaoran.

Seeing that Li Hao truly just wanted to examine them, Li Xiaoran said nothing further.

After all, having once reached the Three Immortals Realm outside of the River of Death, Li Hao might gain some insights from these techniques when he reached the Tianren Realm in this life.

After bidding farewell to Li Xiaoran, Li Hao returned to his training.

The three demon techniques refined his physical body to a golden state, granting him unimaginable strength.

Li Hao also located an earlier chess manual in Tingyu Pavilion and concealed it with a universal chessboard technique to avoid appearing too conspicuous.

While his legendary aptitude already explained his astonishing cultivation speed, he couldn’t allow his progress to seem excessively beyond comprehension.

At just six years old, if he were to reveal a strength of a million jin, it wouldn’t inspire awe but outright terror.

It would no longer be seen as talent but as something monstrous.

...

At the age of seven, one year after Li Hao officially began his path of cultivation—though for him, only ten days had passed due to his accelerated perception of time—he stood on the martial training grounds.

It was the day of the arena sparring tournament, a competition to assess the progress of the disciples’ cultivation.

Boom!

A nine-year-old boy unleashed his full strength, brandishing a spear and sending a stocky thirteen-year-old flying from the arena.

That older boy was at least thirteen or fourteen years old, but he was utterly defeated by the overwhelming strength of his nine-year-old opponent.

"Good! Well done!"

Li Tianzong was present to oversee the event. Beside him sat Chen Hefang, with a platter of fruit and pastries placed between them.

Li Tianzong clapped and cheered openly, showing no restraint.

On the stage, nine-year-old Li Junye, with a burgeoning heroic spirit between his brows, glanced toward his father upon hearing the cheers. A slight smile curved his lips before he turned to say:

"Li Tian, come fight me!"

"Fight, it is!"

A boy about the same age as the defeated opponent stepped forward from the crowd. Though similar in age, his posture was upright, and he wielded a warblade confidently.

At the instructor’s signal, the two began a fierce battle.

Li Tianzong watched with keen interest and commented with a laugh, "Junye is truly remarkable. At just nine years old, he’s already reached the perfection of the Zhoutian Realm and has even developed dual meridians of yin and yang!"

"His yang meridian is innate, while the yin meridian was self-developed. His talent is indeed rare," Chen Hefang added with a smile. "I heard from the instructor that he comprehends any lesson with just one explanation and can master it with a single attempt!"

Li Tianzong chuckled, picking up a pastry and praising its flavor. "Xiao Shi’s cooking skills are improving by the day."

Chen Hefang also sampled the pastries. Glancing at the young boy sitting near the steps, she sighed with slight exasperation.

"This child may possess unparalleled talent, but he spends too much time on other things."

Li Tianzong laughed. "What’s wrong with that? Xiao Shi’s cultivation hasn’t fallen behind. I’ve heard that he practices daily in the martial training grounds, mastering everything the instructor teaches with just one look. True geniuses walk their own paths, and we shouldn’t interfere unnecessarily."

Chen Hefang sighed. "I’m only worried for your sake. You carry a heavy burden. Those demons beyond Dragon City eye us hungrily. If these children could grow stronger sooner, they could share some of your burden."

"Defeating those demons is my responsibility as a father. I can’t place that burden on the children."

Li Tianzong’s tone turned solemn as he waved his hand dismissively. "Those demons have repeatedly invaded. If I can break through in cultivation, I’ll do my best to resolve this battlefield in my generation. I don’t want to burden our children with this conflict."

Chen Hefang looked at him with a mixture of admiration and pity. "Don’t overwork yourself."

Li Tianzong patted her hand with a reassuring smile. "The children are watching. Let’s eat."

However, Chen Hefang had lost her appetite.

At that moment, a loud crash drew their attention to the stage, where the battle had reached its climax.

Nine-year-old Li Junye had won.

His victory was not without effort—his body bore several dusty footprints, and his qi and blood were slightly disordered. The battle had forced him to exert his full strength.

Meanwhile, his opponent coughed up blood as he was hurled off the stage.

"Well done!"

Li Tianzong cheered loudly once again.

Other Li family disciples were equally stunned by the display. The direct descendants of the Li family were truly extraordinary, capable of easily defeating their peers from the branch families.

"Well done, Ninth Brother!"

The other eight siblings cheered enthusiastically for Li Junye.

"Nine Brother, you’re amazing!"

Nearby, the four-year-old Li Hongzhuang, seated beside Li Hao, waved her tiny fists in excitement, her tender voice cheering for Li Junye.

Li Junye remained on the stage. His gaze swept across the crowd until it settled on Li Hao. With a bright smile, he called out:

"Tenth Brother, it’s your turn!"

Li Hao heard this and had no intention of holding back. He decided to reveal a bit of his strength this time, as saving it for later might seem too inexplicable.

He popped a handful of peanuts into his mouth, dusted his hands off, and rose to his feet.

"I’m coming."

He stepped forward lightly, landing gracefully on the stage with a single leap.

Seeing Li Hao’s movement, many in the audience were visibly surprised. His agility clearly indicated a level of skill beyond ordinary.

Li Tianzong, too, was momentarily stunned before bursting into laughter. "Just look at that! Xiao Shi’s cultivation is at least at the perfection of the Tongli Realm!"

Chen Hefang sighed with relief. "It seems that despite his playfulness, his cultivation hasn’t suffered. In fact, after only one year of training, his progress appears to slightly outpace Junye’s!"

"Xiao Shi has the potential of a Saint. Even casual practice allows him to surpass others with ease," Li Tianzong remarked with a chuckle.

At this point, Li Hao had already reached the stage.

Li Junye looked at him, his eyes gleaming with interest. "Tenth Brother, it seems you’ve been training hard!"

"Not bad," Li Hao replied with a smile.

"I’ll hold back a bit," Li Junye said as he adjusted his breathing.

"Don’t bother. Just come at me with everything you’ve got—I can handle it," Li Hao replied, his tone straightforward, as he intended to display some of his cultivation.

Li Junye was briefly taken aback before bursting into laughter. "Alright then, let’s test your mettle!"

With that, he kicked his spear into his hands and thrust it forward like a dragon.

Li Hao stood his ground, making no move to dodge.

Seeing that his spear was about to make contact, Li Junye’s expression shifted, and he redirected his strike to avoid injuring Li Hao. However, Li Hao reached out and caught the spearhead with his bare hand.

Then, with a flick of his arm, a shockwave traveled through the spear, forcing Li Junye to bear the brunt of the force. The recoil tore his palm, but he stubbornly refused to let go until his grip finally gave way.

Li Hao casually swung the spear, using its blunt end to strike Junye’s midsection.

Pulling his strength back slightly, Li Hao sent Junye stumbling several steps backward.

Junye’s qi and blood surged chaotically as he struggled to regain his footing. When he finally steadied himself, he looked at Li Hao in shock.

Li Hao regarded this brilliant young talent calmly. Even without taking his words into account, Junye was undoubtedly one of the Li family’s most gifted geniuses in generations.

"Tenth Brother, your strength..." Junye stammered in disbelief.

"Ninth Brother, you let me win," Li Hao said, flicking the spear back toward him.

Junye caught it, his eyes still wide with astonishment. For the first time since he began cultivating, he had been defeated by someone of the same generation—and someone two years younger than him!

"Incredible strength!"

Li Tianzong, watching from below, saw the entire exchange clearly. The match seemed effortless, but Li Hao’s precision and power allowed him to overcome Junye with ease.

"Could this child have already reached the perfection of the Zhoutian Realm?" Chen Hefang murmured, her eyes widening slightly.

After just one year of cultivation, could his legendary aptitude truly be this terrifying?

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