Chapter 20: Holistic Body Cultivation

As Jian Wudao left with Bian Ruxue, the entire courtyard was filled with the fluttering silhouettes of Lady daughters—melodious and numerous, each eager to whisper a final word before they departed. Some even had their own children practice sword forms along the road leading out of the mansion, hoping to catch the master’s eye. Yet none of it drew Jian Wudao’s attention.

The Sword Pavilion wasn’t easy to enter—precisely why so many coveted it.

The vibrant colors of the courtyard seemed to fade with the departure of the ladies, returning once more to the quiet stillness of autumn leaves drifting through empty air.

Li Hao stood at the gate, holding the sword Bian Ruxue had trained with, staring silently into the distance for a long, long time before slowly turning away.

Then he handed the blade to Li Fu behind him.

“Master Fu,” he said, “put it on the sword rack in my room. No need for the maids to clean it every day.”

Li Fu took the sword with a heavy heart, gazing at Li Hao’s profile. There was sorrow in his eyes, a quiet guilt. “From today,” he said, voice low and stern, “I won’t indulge you anymore. I’m taking your go board. You’ve got real cultivation to do now!”

Li Hao blinked, startled. “Master Fu… you don’t really think I wasn’t taken as a disciple because of my go skills, do you? That’s a gross misunderstanding!”

“I don’t care,” Li Fu snapped, face dark. “A thousand horses exist, but a true connoisseur is rare. When opportunity knocks, you failed to seize it—not because you weren’t ready, but because you didn’t prepare. From now on, you must always be at your absolute best, waiting for that single chance—perhaps only once in a lifetime.”

“Opportunities in life are scarce. Miss one, and what future do you have?”

Li Hao groaned in protest, seeing that Li Fu meant business. “Then what, Master Fu—what’s real success?”

“Li family men must make names across the world, guard the frontiers, protect the people of a nation. That is success.” Li Fu spoke without hesitation, solemn and unwavering.

“That’s… kind of a heavy burden to carry,” Li Hao muttered with a bitter smile.

“You bear the name Li. You’ve enjoyed this family’s boundless fortune. Now you must shoulder its responsibilities.”

Have I really enjoyed it? Li Hao thought with a wry inner laugh. But then he remembered: Wu Niang’s sweet pastries, the fresh fruit she sent, the nourishing porridge from the elder lady—yes, he had tasted some of the pleasures too.

“Master Fu… when you say cultivation, you mean Body Cultivation, right?”

“Of course.” Li Fu glanced at him, as if to say: What other path is left for you?

Body cultivation wasn’t popular because it was grueling, had low ceilings, and required exceptional insight—only with proper combat techniques could one hope to stand against true masters. Many who were forced into it endured hardship, but not all had the necessary talent. After all, pain could shape a man into something exquisite… or twist his soul beyond repair.

After a long, tense negotiation, Li Hao finally agreed to begin cultivation—but only if his go board wasn’t taken. He insisted on playing a game every day.

Li Fu reluctantly agreed, deciding to wait until Li Hao had truly begun before enforcing discipline.

For the next few days, Li Hao was forced to spend time practicing the basic Body Refining Secret Manual Li Fu had taught him. But thanks to his deep understanding of the Body Dao, his progress was astonishing. Li Fu was stunned—this boy was a natural talent for Body Cultivation.

Li Hao subtly controlled his pace, not wanting to lose all time for leisure. It took him three months to master the manual completely.

Even so, the result left the battle-hardened warrior nearly in tears. That very night, he penned a letter to Yanbei, eager to share the joy with the couple stationed at the frontier.

And after months of relentless, water-drip accumulation, Li Hao’s Three-Stage Chess Cultivation finally leveled up.

---

[Name: Li Hao]

[Age: 7]

[Cultivation Level: Tongli Stage, Tenth Level]

[Sword Dao: Second Rank (Flying Segment) (Hidden Bow)]

[Skills: Tide of the Infinite Sea · Tide (Supreme Perfection), Falling Snow Sword Art (Supreme Perfection)]

[Body Dao: First Rank (Ten Thousand Phenomena) (Tiger Press)]

[Skills: Stone Skin Hundred Smelts (Complete), Thousand Dragon Sacred Body (Dragon Body Early Stage), Tai Chu (Stellar Body Beginner),蛮牛劲 (Complete)]

[Go Art: Fourth Rank (1/10,000)]

[Go Manuscript Collection: Ten Thousand Phenomena, Tiger Press, Flying Segment, Hidden Bow]

[Mindset: Chess Heart]

[Art Skill Points: 1]

Li Hao glanced at Li Fu, who stood faithfully beside him, then chose not to spend his one Art Skill Point immediately.

If it were the Sword Dao, it would’ve been simple—just a memory imprint. But he wanted to use this point on his Body Dao first. Only by securing his physical strength could he feel truly safe.

Moreover, deepening his Body Dao would inevitably alter the Body Refining Secret Manual—his body itself would change. The disturbance would be too great to ignore.

That day, Li Hao followed Li Fu to the Pavilion of Listening to Rain.

Learning of Li Hao’s talent in Body Cultivation, He Jianlan granted him special permission to enter the pavilion at will, allowing him to select any secret manual he desired. Of course, Li Fu was barred from entry.

Though he was a trusted confidant of Li Heavenly Pole, he wasn’t a direct heir of the Li family’s core branch—his status was different.

Li Fu didn’t mind. The Pavilion of Listening to Rain was the family’s most sacred treasure. Though it appeared quiet, with no guards visible, no one dared trespass. It was far safer than any lady’s private courtyard.

Li Fu waited below while Li Hao ascended the stairs alone.

Now old enough to understand, He Jianlan no longer sent Xuejian to shadow him. This time, he was truly alone.

Li Hao had heard that two months ago, the Sword Saint had delivered a new Body Refining Secret Manual to the sixth floor. Without hesitation, he headed straight there.

Moments later, he found a newly added manual.

《Dragon Cicada Vacuum Body》

He flipped through it. With his understanding of the Body Dao at the first stage, he quickly reached the Basic Level.

Acquired.

Instantly, the technique appeared in his Character Panel—and immediately advanced to the second stage, complete.

The Dragon Cicada Vacuum Body had six layers. Each layer refined a different aspect of the body.

- First: Still Cicada Body – capable of sensing the faintest flow of Qi along the skin.

- Second: Hidden Dragon Body – storing power like an elephant, vast and deep.

- Third: Leap Shell Body – able to leap through the air, defying gravity.

…

A faint crackling echoed through Li Hao’s body. He felt a new surge of power blooming within him—roughly equivalent to ten thousand jin!

Though still at Tongli Stage Tenth Level, his strength now dwarfed that of ordinary Strength Integration Realm cultivators.

Li Hao’s mind stirred. If I master more Body Refining Secret Manuals, could I accumulate even greater power?

He acted on the thought immediately, scouring every floor of the Pavilion of Listening to Rain.

In no time, he found seven or eight more manuals—mostly mid-to-high tier. If perfected, they could just barely elevate one to the rank of top-tier martial practitioner.

As each manual was acquired into his panel, his body underwent subtle yet profound changes. His hands and feet—metaphorically speaking, his actions—grew stronger, more resilient.

Yet his Cultivation Level remained unchanged. He had expected a power surge—but none came.

Still, he sensed the truth: these manuals weren’t all about raw strength. Some focused on claw techniques, others on leg power. Some forged bones, others refined internal organs.

He realized: his body was already so strong that most of its potential had been unlocked. The lesser manuals couldn’t trigger further increases in overall power—but they did enhance specific parts.

For instance, his Stone Skin Hundred Smelts technique had hardened his skin. But now, Thousand Dragon Sacred Body had already evolved his outer layer into dragon-like scales—far superior to mere stone skin. So the effects of the older technique were overshadowed.

But the other manuals filled in gaps left by earlier ones—bones, liver, ears, eyes, and more—all quietly leveled up.

Though his overall power didn’t increase dramatically, his combat effectiveness had changed utterly.

Li Hao finally understood: he must collect diverse Body Cultivation techniques, refining every part of himself. If he could unify all aspects of his body at the same peak level, he would become truly invincible.

At that moment, the true depth of the Pavilion of Listening to Rain struck him.

It had little in terms of Go manuscripts—but Body Refining Secret Manuals? Infinite.

Li Hao’s heart raced with joy. He darted from floor to floor, devouring manual after manual, acquiring them one by one.

Time passed.

By the time the sun dipped below the horizon, Li Hao stepped out of the pavilion, holding a newly acquired manual.

In the distance, a flock of crows flashed across the twilight sky. The scent of evening meals and woodsmoke drifted from the front courtyard—dinner time had arrived.

Li Hao stretched his arms, loosening his limbs.

Inside the pavilion, the collection of secret manuals was overwhelming. He’d only managed to find about one-tenth of the Body Cultivation section—just one afternoon’s work.

He didn’t acquire every manual he found. Like the earlier Mighty Ox Strength manual Li Fu had forced him to practice, it offered nothing new—its effects were already surpassed by stronger techniques.

For example, two claw manuals—one stronger than the other. Once he mastered the superior one, the weaker became useless. The hand was already trained to perfection. Only if the second manual targeted a different part—say, the fingers or palm joints—could it add value.

“You’re finally out,” Li Fu said, watching Li Hao emerge. He looked tired, slightly exasperated. “Did you spend the whole afternoon staring at scrolls?”

He took the manual from Li Hao’s hand—a mid-tier Body Refining Secret Manual called 《Dragon Spine》, focused entirely on back cultivation.

“You picked this?” Li Fu sighed. “Didn’t you go to the sixth floor?”

“I did,” Li Hao shrugged. “But I couldn’t understand it.”

Li Fu nodded. The sixth-floor manuals were all top-tier—masterpieces. Even he, after years of training, would need months to grasp the basics.

“This one,” Li Fu said, “don’t rush into it. I’ll consult the Elder Lady later. I want you to learn a well-rounded, comprehensive Body Cultivation technique—something that strengthens the whole body. Otherwise, you’ll have too many weak points.”

“Fine,” Li Hao said casually. “Let’s go back. I’m starving. What’s for dinner tonight?”

Li Fu sighed, seeing clearly that Li Hao’s heart wasn’t on the martial path. The two turned and walked away from the Pavilion of Listening to Rain.

Not long after, they met an old man wearing a straw hat, carrying a fishing rod over his shoulder and a basket of fish in hand. He looked ordinary, unremarkable.

Li Fu froze. His eyes narrowed instantly, his expression hardening. He stopped, stepped aside, and bowed respectfully.

“Li Fu greets Second Uncle.”

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end