https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-136-Heaven-and-Earth-List-Part-Five/13450138/
Chapter 135: Lethal Attribute
Chapter 135: Lethal Attribute
Winter snow fell softly, blanketing the world in silver.
Chilly winds swept through the checkpoint.
In the small courtyard surrounded by a fence,
Ren Qianqian practiced her sword techniques in the snow. The wind of her sword movements swirled, lifting the surrounding snowflakes. Her movements were light and agile, like a butterfly flitting back and forth, making her sword strokes graceful.
"The Sword Move is just the surface; you need to understand the essence and true meaning of the sword's trajectory."
Beside her, Li Hao squatted in the snow, diligently building a snowman.
He patted and shaped the snowman, occasionally glancing up at the young woman practicing her sword, offering a few pointers.
Ren Qianqian paused at his words, looking puzzled. "The trajectory of the sword?"
"Hmm."
Li Hao nodded. Seeing that the snowman lacked branches for arms, he stood up, bent down, and picked up a branch from the firewood shed nearby.
"Look, like this."
He held the branch and gave it a gentle shake, causing the accumulated snow to fall off. Then, he lightly flicked it, and the branch moved gracefully, catching the snow it had just shaken off, restoring it to its original state.
Ren Qianqian was taken aback.
"Your sword should interact with the environment around you, making it more connected and sharp", Li Hao explained.
He returned to the snowman, gently shook the snow off the branch again, and then inserted it as the snowman's arms.
Ren Qianqian fell into deep thought, looking down at her sword. After a moment, she resumed her practice.
In the past few days, apart from Li Hao's occasional guidance, Li Hongzhuang and Song Qiumo would also offer a few pointers during their free time.
However, their advice, like Li Hao's, never stayed on the surface of the Sword Moves but delved deeper, explaining their understanding of the Sword Dao from a Grandmaster's perspective.
This kind of guidance had its pros and cons. The downside was that it was often vague and hard to grasp.
The upside was that if one had enough insight, once they understood the meaning, their progress in the Sword Dao could be rapid, allowing them to control their sword with sword intent, which was like a preview of their future Grandmaster path.
Ren Qianqian continued practicing her sword techniques.
Li Hao, on the other hand, continued building his second snowman.
Suddenly, an old horse galloped from outside the checkpoint.
The Crimson Blood Horse raced into the checkpoint and stopped outside the small courtyard.
Li Hongzhuang, who was tending to the stove, sensed the situation and rushed out of the courtyard.
"Are you... from the Liangzhou Mystic Camp?"
Seeing the silver emblem on the old soldier's armor, Li Hongzhuang's eyes brightened. "Has my fifth brother arrived in Liangzhou? Is he here to reinforce us?"
The old soldier dismounted quickly, bowed deeply, and presented a military report with both hands.
"The general has just arrived in Liangzhou and specially sent me to deliver the military report to the commander."
Li Hongzhuang took the report and quickly skimmed through it.
Soon, her expression changed, her eyes becoming sharp and cold.
"These demons actually dare to plot against Liangzhou!"
Closing the report, she took a deep breath and said to the old soldier, "The journey is long. Why don't you come in and rest for a moment?"
"No, thank you. The general is waiting for my return. Do you have any messages for me to bring back?"
The old man bowed his head respectfully, feeling surprised. He had galloped from outside the checkpoint and seen many demon corpses along the way. The once-magnificent Cangya City, as rumored, had been destroyed by the demons. He had expected a desolate military camp but instead found a warm and cozy little courtyard.
Message... Li Hongzhuang thought of the family letter included in the military report, which not only provided intelligence on the demons but also expressed deep concern for her well-being.
It cautioned her to be wary of the demons, inquired about her condition, and asked her to take care of Li Hao and be ready to retreat at any time. Though the words were few, she could feel her fifth brother's heartfelt concern.
"You can wait a moment."
Li Hongzhuang turned back into the courtyard, asked Li Hao for ink and paper, and quickly wrote a family letter, which she then handed to the old soldier waiting in the snow outside.
The old soldier tucked the rolled-up family letter into his sleeve, mounted his horse, bid farewell to Li Hongzhuang, and galloped away.
After the old soldier left, Li Hongzhuang called Li Hao and handed him the military report.
"Your fifth uncle says that the demons outside Liangzhou are becoming restless. Some cities have even been infiltrated by demons. These demons plan to attack Liangzhou from both inside and out, and he has come to take command."
Li Hongzhuang looked at Li Hao. "We might face a major demon attack at Heavenly Gate Pass in the coming days!"
Li Hao took the military report and read it, noticing the concern from his fifth uncle. He immediately thought back to the family feast and the brief conversation they had.
He reined in his thoughts and replied to Li Hongzhuang, "If soldiers come, we'll send generals to block them. If water comes, we'll use earth to cover it. If Demons come, we'll cook them in a big pot!"
"..."
Li Hongzhuang smiled bitterly. Then, she thought about the presence of two Fourth Establishment Realm experts, which reassured her. If a situation arose, they could still retreat in time. The only question was when these Demons would invade.
He put away the Military Report and invited everyone to have lunch.
After the snowfall, the Border Pass had a rich supply of water.
Li Hongzhuang, who had previously had greasy, tangled hair, relaxed over the past few days with no Demon invasions. After combing it, her hair now flowed like dark ink, draping over her shoulders.
Her once bloodstained red armor, now cleaned, still clung to her body, ready for battle at any moment. Her hair, now flowing freely, made her look much fresher, like a female general stepping out of a painting.
Li Hao crafted several large wooden tubs. At night, they melted snow into water, creating a makeshift hot spring.
Soaking in the tubs, they ate roasted meat, drank alcohol, and chatted casually with Old Feng. Life was truly enjoyable.
This Border Pass seemed to have turned into a resort.
The vast snow, which should have been bleak and cold, was no longer a concern thanks to the shelter from the wind and snow.
In the following days, Li Hao took Song Qiumo out hunting during the day, hunting Demons, and returned to the courtyard to rest at night. His life was very routine.
The Demons he hunted provided him with a lot of Art Dao experience, bringing him close to upgrading to Sixth Rank.
During the hunts, his Fishing Experience also increased gradually, slowly approaching the bottleneck of Sixth Rank.
Unfortunately, the nearby Three Immortalities Great Demons seemed to have received some news and had all withdrawn from Heavenly Gate Pass.
Li Hao found several caves that were foul-smelling, with the aura of Three Immortalities Demons. From the small Demons he captured nearby, he learned that the Great Demons had left days ago.
Li Hao casually collapsed these caves and left subtle fish marks. If any Demons passed by, he could investigate next time.
Days passed one by one.
As Li Hao hunted Demons, his Grandmaster Mindset slowly improved.
Back then, he had been arrogant, questioning the Grandmaster with all the things in heaven and earth.
This was much more difficult than the ordinary Grandmaster Dao.
The world behind the Heavenly Gate he had kicked open was far broader than he had imagined.
What are all things?
What is the essence of all things?
Li Hao had been pondering this question.
Mountains, rivers, fish, insects, and beasts—all were part of all things.
But the number was too vast. Even with a lifespan of ten thousand years, an ordinary person could not learn them all.
Li Hao, with his Sixth Rank Flesh and Body Dao insights, could grasp the essence of all things at a glance. Mastering them all individually was not difficult, but what Li Hao wanted was not diversity, but unity!
He wanted to fuse the essence of all things into one. This was a self-imposed challenge that only he could complete.
While hunting, Li Hao and Song Qiumo also explored the mountains and rivers outside the pass.
From understanding oneself to glimpsing the universe.
Li Hao saw shrubs, flowers, the moon, and streams.
He saw the melting snow under the sun and the stubborn young leaves under the heavy snow.
All things had a force, but what was the commonality of this force?
Snow could freeze all things, yet a ray of sunlight could pierce through it.
Young leaves, though weak, could not be stifled by snow.
Birds and beasts, though they could walk and destroy trees, shivered in the snow and hurried back to their nests after foraging.
Therefore, what was the force of all things?
A cold wind blew, brushing against his face. Li Hao gazed at the distant mountains and nearby forests, feeling as if he had touched something in his heart, but it vanished in an instant.
As the weather gradually turned colder, snowy days became more frequent.
Today, they hunted two Fifteen Li Realm Demons, and Li Hao and Song Qiumo returned together.
The number of Demons in the wilderness outside the pass was still much greater than within the territory.
Outside the wattle-and-daub courtyard, Li Hao built some additional houses.
With no Demon invasions for now, he didn't worry about them being destroyed immediately.
Li Hongzhuang asked, "Are you planning to rebuild the original city?"
Li Hao just smiled, "If the Demons don't come, it's not impossible."
Li Hongzhuang pondered this.
These days, she occasionally left the camp to search for Demon traces.
But the Demons in the nearby area had been cleared by Li Hao. She ventured to the outskirts of the Myriad Mountains Demon King's territory without venturing too deep, but the number of Demons there seemed to have decreased significantly. There was no sign of a Demon army gathering.
This didn't quite match the information from the Military Report sent by her fifth brother.
But she did not doubt the information from her fifth brother. A thought inevitably arose in her mind.
Could it be that these Demons decided to take a detour because Heavenly Gate Pass is guarded by two Fourth Establishment Realm cultivators?
There was no way to verify this conjecture, so she could only wait and see. If there was still no activity outside Heavenly Gate Pass after some time, she would send a letter to inform her fifth brother, so he could be on high alert for other areas.
...
Every first rank of the month, Song Qiumo would go to nearby cities to purchase supplies, including vegetables, noodles, seasonings, and the painting paper that Li Hao needed.
On this day, after returning, Song Qiumo brought Li Hao some extra surprises.
A Chess Manual and two famous paintings.
These were all items Li Hao had asked Song Qiumo to find for him.
Upon receiving the Chess Manual and the paintings, Li Hao was overjoyed and immediately stored them in his panel.
The Chess Manual was titled *New Studies in Chess*.
It was a guide designed to help beginners quickly grasp the basics of chess.
After some thought, Li Hao integrated it into the Yudao, and the corresponding attribute immediately appeared:
*New Studies in Chess*: Object Control speed increased by 20%.
Compared to other Chess Manuals, this one’s attribute seemed ordinary, not as impressive as *Seven Stars Lighting the Lamp*. However, like the Omni Attributes, once equipped, it continuously released its effect, making it a passive skill.
It did not require any additional energy from Li Hao, had no side effects, and provided a permanent percentage boost.
As his Object Control speed improved in the future, this 20% increase would become even more significant.
As for the two famous paintings, Li Hao could not determine what special attributes they would bring, so he decided to try embedding them in the Flesh Dao and the Yudao separately.
One of the paintings was *Mingquan Shrimp*, and when embedded in the Flesh Dao, it granted a 20% Water Affinity.
Li Hao didn’t fully understand what this attribute meant, but he could feel a peculiar sense of familiarity when he touched snow. Bathing in hot springs also became more comfortable. If he were to cultivate ice-based cultivation techniques, it seemed there would be a beneficial effect. However, apart from that, it currently had no practical use.
The other painting, *Yellow Finch Catching Insects*, depicted a classic scene of a mantis catching a cicada while a yellow finch lurks behind.
The attribute it granted was quite unique:
When an attack is not yet revealed, it has a 1% chance of being lethal!
This effect seemed similar to *Hidden Bow*, where a hidden attack could double in power before being exposed. However, *Hidden Bow* had a 100% chance of doubling the attack, while this painting only had a 1% chance, which was quite low.
Still, the term “lethal effect” was intriguing.
Could it be that it ignores realm and defenses, and once it hits, there is a 1% chance of an instant kill?
If so, the effect of this painting would be quite terrifying.
However, upon further thought, Li Hao felt that this effect might be somewhat underwhelming.
Against lower realms, he could easily kill with a single strike, making the lethal effect unnecessary. Against higher realms, it would be difficult to hide his attack, as they could easily detect it.
The only situation where it might be useful is during intense battles when the opponent fails to notice his attack, allowing for a sneak attack.
But such opportunities were rare, and even if he managed to sneak an attack, the 1% chance of hitting was very low. If it did hit, the amount of Channeling Qi consumed would be enormous, and he would have to be cautious even while walking to avoid accidentally falling and dying.
Nevertheless, adding an extra attribute was better than nothing.
This additional power did not require him to cultivate, making it feel like he was getting something for free.
Seeing Li Hao’s excited expression, Song Qiumo smiled and shared another piece of good news:
“Besides these, I also found out the whereabouts of another famous painting. It’s said to be in the possession of a Grandmaster.”
“Oh?”
Li Hao’s eyes lit up: “Can it be bought? What are the terms?”
“It’s just a rumor for now. I haven’t contacted the Grandmaster yet, but I’ve traced his whereabouts. He should be heading to Daiyue City in Liangzhou soon.”
Song Qiumo explained, “I heard that there’s a grand gathering in Daiyue City recently, where Tianshi Mountain has invited Grandmasters from all over to discuss the Martial Dao. The Grandmaster in question is likely attending this gathering.”
“A gathering of Grandmasters?”
Li Hao was somewhat surprised.
According to the anecdotes recorded in the Rain Listening Pavilion, this was a once-in-sixty-years event.
Grandmasters from all over were invited to gather and share their insights on the Martial Dao.
These Grandmasters would also bring their younger disciples, and even just listening from the sidelines would be highly beneficial for their martial arts cultivation.
Most grandmasters retreat to the mountains, cultivating in the high peaks, rarely stepping into the mundane world. They devote themselves entirely to their grandmaster martial dao, and only such grand gatherings can invite them down to exchange and verify their martial arts.
It is said that in previous grand assemblies, some outstanding juniors, after listening to the teachings, would immediately break through the Heavenly Gate, leaping from the Fifteen Li Realm to become grandmaster heavenly beings, achieving fame throughout the world!
At each grand gathering, there are always one or two such juniors who make an appearance.
Therefore, besides the grandmasters, the geniuses of the Fifteen Li Realm also rush to these events upon hearing the news.
"Daiyue City is quite a distance from here. Even at full speed, it would take a day to make a round trip", Li Hao said thoughtfully.
Song Qiumo explained, "Daiyue City has a city array. Although I have a travel permit issued by the Dayu Dynasty, it is only valid for Qingzhou. I can freely travel between the cities of Qingzhou, but for Liangzhou, I need to register and undergo a review in the provincial capital. Song Yufeng will have to vouch for me."
Li Hao knew that Song Qiumo couldn't help him with this matter.
The registration and review process would take a considerable amount of time.
Especially for a Fourth Establishment Realm Great Demon King, the states are extremely cautious.
After all, once a travel permit is issued and they are allowed into the city, if the Great Demon King suddenly goes on a killing spree, it could quickly destroy the entire city.
By the time the news of the city's destruction reaches the authorities, the Great Demon King could have already swiftly moved on to wreak havoc elsewhere, causing immense damage to the entire state.
Moreover, the nobles and aristocrats within the city are extremely averse to such a situation.
A Great Demon King is like a fierce tiger out of its cage. Even if you are told it won't harm anyone, no one is willing to take the risk.
Li Hao looked at Li Hongzhuang and said, "Senior Red Makeup, can you help me make a trip to Daiyue City?"
Li Hongzhuang hadn't expected Li Hao to be so fixated on a famous painting. However, over the past few days, she had watched him paint and understood that this nephew seemed to have devoted all his attention to these side pursuits, showing little interest in cultivation.
Except for that night, she hadn't seen Li Hao cultivate since.
Despite having an incredibly terrifying cultivation speed, he showed no interest in cultivation, yet his realm was still unparalleled among his peers. Li Hongzhuang could only say that heaven had practically forced Li Hao to eat, even though he didn't want to!
"I'm too lazy to run such errands. If you want it, why don't you go yourself?" Li Hongzhuang said.
She had no interest in famous paintings. As a child, she had loved them and even embroidered them onto handkerchiefs. But after she picked up a sword, she never touched a needle again.
The only paintings in her eyes were the snow and wind beyond the border, and the countless demons she had to slay.
Li Hao felt a bit helpless but thought it might be feasible.
In recent days, all the demons within three hundred miles of the border had been killed by him. The demons farther away seemed to be fleeing and avoiding him, so the number he could hunt each time was limited.
Even if he left for a few days, it wouldn't be a big problem.
"If you're going, I'll keep watch for a few days", Song Qiumo said, reading Li Hao's thoughts and leaning back lazily in her chair, which was padded with soft fur.
Li Hao smiled. "Thank you, Senior."
Song Qiumo gave him a light glare, seemingly displeased with the term "senior", but didn't say anything.
With Song Qiumo watching over things, Li Hao felt reassured.
Staying here was far less effective than having her around.
These days, he hadn't found any demons, and Li Hao guessed it was because the news of Song Qiumo's battle with the Dragon Lord had spread among the demons beyond the border pass, making them realize that although the Heavenly Gate Pass was empty and the original army had retreated, it was now more terrifying than when it was guarded by the army.
Without a Demon King personally leading the charge and risking being hunted, this place would remain unshakable!
"Since that's the case, Qianqian, prepare yourself. We'll go to Daiyue City, and you can take the opportunity to undergo soul continuation", Li Hao said as he stood up.
Ren Qianqian's eyes lit up, and she quickly agreed.
Li Hao rubbed Little White Fox's head. "You've also reached the Soul Continuation Realm. Where will you go for soul continuation?"
(End of Chapter)
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