https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-20-Comprehensive-Body-Cultivation/13449780/
Chapter 21: Fishing
Chapter 21: Fishing
Second Uncle?
Li Hao was surprised. Li Fu's generation in the Li Family was counted alongside his father's. The only ones he could call uncle were from the first generation of the Li Family.
"Oh."
The old man didn't pay much attention to Li Fu's respectful greeting, just casually acknowledging it. His gaze then shifted, noticing Li Hao, who was dressed in fine silk and wearing a Dragon Blood Jade Pendant, as well as the Body Cultivation Secret Manual in Li Hao's hands.
"I heard our Li Family has a Martial Wasteland Body. Could it be this child?" the old man asked casually.
Li Fu bowed deeply, clasping his hands together. "Second Uncle, it is indeed Hao'er. He is Marquis Xingwu's son, born with Blocked Meridians, unable to practice martial arts."
"Oh, oh..." The old man chuckled. "So, this is that stubborn man's child. Tsk, the little guy is planning to take the path of Body Cultivation, huh? That's a tough road."
Li Fu remained respectful. "Though Body Cultivation is a tough path, it's the only way to ensure this child has a future."
"Tch."
The old man snorted. "How much can Body Cultivation achieve? Even if he reaches the level of those few historical Body Cultivators, what good would it do? In the midst of a thousand soldiers, he'd still just be a slightly larger pebble."
Li Fu smiled bitterly, knowing the old man had a point. "But as a son of the Li Family, dying on the battlefield would also be an honor."
The old man's smile vanished, his face suddenly turning stern as he coldly snorted.
"What nonsense. Are the sons of the Li Family supposed to die on the battlefield? What honor is that? I think your brains are addled!"
"Surviving the battlefield, that's what real skill is!"
"Uh..." Li Fu was taken aback by the sudden reprimand. He had heard that Second Uncle had an eccentric personality and had done many unconventional things in his youth, but he hadn't expected him to be so different from others.
"Is this Li Tiangang's idea, or yours?" the old man asked, sounding somewhat angry.
Li Fu cautiously replied, "It's the Marquis and our idea..."
"Hmph, that Tiangang kid has really become useless with age."
The old man sneered. "Forcing a child is no skill. If he has any real ability, let him break through the Three Immortalities and reach the Fourth Establishment Realm. Then he can change his fate."
"Any cripple, weakling, or fool can be turned into a peerless genius. Instead of making the child work hard, why don't you put in some effort yourself? Is it because you know you're incompetent?"
"Ah, this..."
Li Fu was speechless, not daring to respond.
Fourth Establishment Realm? It sounded easy, but reaching that realm was no simple feat!
In the entire Dàyǔ, one could count on one hand those who had achieved it.
Beside him, Li Hao couldn't help but find the old man's words amusing. He had expected a stern elder who would earnestly teach him the importance of hard work and perseverance, much like Li Fu. Instead, the old man's words were completely different.
"Is our grand Divine General Manor so poor that it can't support a child?"
Seeing Li Fu at a loss for words, the old man coldly snorted. "We risk our lives, and a few of our children die in battle. Can't we let a young one enjoy the hard-earned wealth and status?"
Li Fu trembled, only able to nod dumbly, not daring to speak.
The old man glanced at Li Fu, knowing that talking to such a stiff would be futile. He had seen too much in his long life and understood the Li Family's traditions and style that had been passed down for centuries.
However, his eyes caught the young boy beside him, who was smirking, and he raised an eyebrow.
"Brat, you think it's funny that I call your father useless?"
"Old man, I think you're right."
"Hao'er!" Li Fu was shocked and quickly scolded, "Don't be disrespectful! How do you speak to your elders like that!"
The old man, however, didn't get angry; instead, he was taken aback. "What did you call me?"
"Old man, of course." Li Hao smiled. "I can't call you a young man, can I?"
The old man's face darkened. "Has no one taught you how to address your elders?"
"You called me a brat, so I call you old man. That should even things out, right?" Li Hao said. "And someone should have taught you how to address the young, right?"
Li Fu was so frightened that he broke out in a cold sweat, quickly covering Li Hao's mouth and turning to the old man. "Second Uncle, please don't take offense. Hao'er was born when the Marquis and Lady were at the Northern Yan Battlefield, so no one was around to discipline him. That's why he's a bit wild and doesn't know much about manners..."
The old man raised an eyebrow and sniffed, saying, "The kid does have a point. Let's call it even, then."
Li Fu was taken aback, instantly feeling relieved. "Thank you, Second Uncle, for your magnanimity!"
Li Hao pried Li Fu's sweaty hand off his mouth and wiped his cheek with his sleeve. He then glanced at the old man's fishing basket and asked, "Did you only catch one? It's so small, who would even eat it?"
The old man replied coolly, "I fish not for food but for the pleasure of it. You're still young and don't understand."
"Since it's for pleasure, your fishing skills are pretty poor, aren't they?"
Li Hao said, "Catching just one fish, what's the difference from the Air Force?"
Mentioning the Air Force, the old man seemed to have been stepped on, reacting even more intensely than before. He glared at Li Hao angrily:
"What do you know, you brat? I wasn't serious today. I went to New Lake, which I'm not familiar with. Wait until tomorrow, and you'll see how many I can catch!"
He seemed to want to add more weight to his argument and lifted the basket in front of Li Hao. "Do you think this is just an ordinary little fish? This is a demon! If I let it out, even that guy might not be able to handle it!"
Clearly, the "guy" he referred to was Li Fu.
Li Fu looked embarrassed. What did this have to do with him?
"Second Uncle, such a dangerous demon, you should keep it away from Hao'er..." he said cautiously.
The old man snorted, "Once it's in my basket, do you think it can cause any trouble?"
"Demons?"
Li Hao's curiosity was piqued as he examined the small fish in the basket.
The fish was only as long as a chopstick, with a golden back and a red belly. Strangely, the fish's eyes had scales that looked like eyelashes.
As Li Hao leaned in to take a closer look, the fish seemed to notice the ignorant human child and glared fiercely.
Li Hao could clearly sense the hatred and murderous intent in the fish's eyes. He was amazed; this was the first time he had seen a demon up close.
"Old man, is your fishing skill really that impressive? You can even catch a demon. How about you teach me?" Li Hao asked, looking up.
If he remembered correctly, in the categories of arts on his panel, fishing was one of them.
There were also carving, painting, and playing the zither.
He had thought fishing was just for catching fish, but in this world, it could even catch demons. How was this different from martial arts?
The old man was taken aback, his eyes brightening.
"You want to learn fishing?"
"Sure, can you?"
"Of course, I can!"
The old man laughed heartily. "It's rare to find someone with your insight, unlike these wooden heads. Practicing body techniques is pointless. I'll teach you fishing. I'll show you my skills tomorrow, and I'm not exaggerating. Today, I just wasn't familiar with New Lake..."
He kept explaining, clearly still bothered by Li Hao's mention of the Air Force, wanting to prove himself.
"Ah, this..."
Li Fu stood there, dumbfounded. He had just managed to get Li Hao to settle down and practice martial arts, and now he was being swayed?
"Second Uncle, Hao'er actually has a great talent for Body Cultivation. In just three months, he perfected a low-grade body technique. He's a promising talent, and you can't hold him back!"
Li Fu was almost pleading, ready to take a beating if necessary, just to keep Li Hao on track.
"What talent? Even if he can practice, how strong will he be? Can he match the Li Family's ten thousand troops?"
The old man said irritably, "Do you really want to turn such a delicate and adorable child into a little blackie through Body Cultivation?"
I won't turn into a little blackie... Li Hao thought to himself.
The old man, having said his piece, ignored Li Fu and snatched the *Dragon Spine* secret manual from Li Hao's hands, shoving it into Li Fu's chest.
"Off with you, what good is this junk? Practicing this won't get you anywhere. Hao'er, right? Come on, you haven't eaten yet, have you? I'll kill this demon and make you a meal to nourish your body."
"Sure, sure."
Li Hao nodded eagerly, delighted.
"Second Uncle, you can't do this!" Li Fu's call from behind was filled with despair.
Once the old man led Li Hao away, he got a glimpse of the boldness of this Li Family Second Uncle. He set up his cooking spot on the seventh-floor terrace of the Rain Listening Pavilion, where the Li Family's most precious secret manuals had been stored for centuries.
Right next to these ancient, possibly older-than-them manuals, a stove fire was burning.
In their conversation, Li Hao learned the old man's name: Li Muxiu.
Xiu means "rest and recuperation."
It also means "never resting."
(End of Chapter)
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