Chapter 25: Showing Off and the Letter
Chapter 25: Showing Off and the Letter
Soon, Li Muxiu landed on the same fishing platform he had been on earlier.
A quick glance revealed no sign of Li Hao. His expression changed, and he scanned the area quickly. He immediately spotted Li Hao crouched on the ground, fishing near a mound about a kilometer away.
"So, he couldn't hold his patience after all?"
Li Muxiu shook his head slightly, about to head over, when he caught a glimpse of a Fish Demon with a smashed skull in his peripheral vision.
He paused, his figure flickering as he instantly appeared in front of the Fish Demon.
After a careful inspection, he realized the injuries were caused by bare fists.
Li Muxiu touched the Fish Demon's body, sensing it carefully, and his expression changed.
Zhou Tian Realm? And around the third level!
This Fish Demon... was killed by that little guy?!
A hint of surprise flickered in Li Muxiu's eyes as he looked toward Li Hao in the distance. Without another word, he dashed a kilometer away, arriving beside Li Hao in the blink of an eye.
"Kid!"
Li Hao was startled by the sudden voice.
He had been concentrating intensely on the float, so engrossed that he hadn't noticed when the old man had arrived.
"Shh!"
Li Hao quickly made a gesture to hush.
Li Muxiu was taken aback, but he held back his questions and followed Li Hao's gaze to the float.
His eyes pierced through the water, and he immediately saw a Fish Demon circling the hook, seemingly hesitant.
What surprised Li Muxiu was that the hook was completely covered by the bait, making it nearly undetectable. There was no way the Fish Demon could tell there was a hook in the food.
When did this kid learn such a Hidden Hook technique?
As Li Muxiu was surprised, the Fish Demon circling underwater finally couldn't resist. Despite a vague sense of unease, it was driven by the lure of the bait and impulsively bit down.
Hooked!
Li Hao's eyes lit up. As the float sank, he yanked hard.
The hook immediately caught the Fish Demon's mouth, causing it to struggle and create waves in the water.
Li Hao didn't hesitate, pulling the line quickly and using the fish-playing techniques he had learned to skillfully drag the fish back and forth, wearing it out.
A few minutes later, Li Hao hauled the Fish Demon ashore. It was a Force Mastery sixth-level demon.
Seeing how effortlessly Li Hao handled it, Li Muxiu's eyes flickered. He waited until Li Hao removed the hook from the Fish Demon's mouth and flung it onto the hill behind them before speaking. "Was that Fish Demon over there the one you killed?"
"Uh-huh."
Li Hao nodded in acknowledgment. There was no one else around, so lying would be pointless.
"Do you know what realm that Fish Demon was in?" Li Muxiu narrowed his eyes, staring deeply into Li Hao's, as if trying to see into his soul.
"Zhou Tian Realm?"
Li Hao estimated based on the power the Fish Demon had displayed in the water. It certainly wasn't Force Mastery.
"Exactly, at least Zhou Tian Realm third level!" Li Muxiu stared at Li Hao. "You've only been practicing Mighty Ox Strength, which puts you at most at Force Mastery sixth level. Be honest, are you secretly practicing something else?"
Li Hao had already prepared his response. Seeing Li Muxiu's leading question, he pretended to hesitate before nodding. "Yes."
"Which one?"
"Sixth Floor Thousand Dragon Sacred Body." Li Hao replied.
Li Muxiu raised an eyebrow. What a coincidence. He had been thinking of offering to teach Li Hao this Body Cultivation technique if the boy truly had a talent for it. He hadn't expected Li Hao to have learned it on his own, and from the looks of it, he seemed to have delved quite deep into it!
"Which level have you reached?" Li Muxiu asked, his gaze intense.
"Second level." Li Hao answered truthfully.
The second level was Dragon Body, which could unleash half the power of a dragon. Even without reaching Zhou Tian Realm, it could exert strength comparable to the early stages of Zhou Tian Realm, which explained how he managed to kill that Fish Demon.
Li Muxiu took a deep breath upon hearing this. Second level?
He looked at the boy, who was not yet eight years old, and was already at the second level!
It seemed Li Fu was right; this kid really did have a Body Cultivation talent.
"Even with Dragon Body, it's no small feat to reel in that Fish Demon. You not only have a talent for Body Cultivation, but you also show great potential in fishing!" Li Muxiu praised, his face filled with genuine satisfaction.
Li Hao scratched his head and smiled modestly, though inwardly he was somewhat amused. Listening to the old man, it almost seemed like his Body Cultivation talent was less impressive to him than his fishing skills.
"They all thought you were a Martial Dao waste, but who would have thought that at such a young age, you could already slay a Zhou Tian Realm opponent. Haha..."
Li Muxiu burst into laughter. Regardless of his future potential, at this moment, Li Hao's combat strength surpassed even the most outstanding Ninth-Rank War Body prodigies by a significant margin!
After his laughter subsided, Li Muxiu seemed to think of something and looked down at Li Hao.
"By the way, Li Fu probably doesn't know about this, right? When did you start secretly training, you little rascal? Why didn't you tell Li Fu? Do you not trust him?"
"Ever since I entered the Rain Listening Pavilion a few years ago."
Li Hao's face was earnest. "Uncle Fu... he never asked me."
Li Muxiu rolled his eyes. "So, you didn't tell him because he didn't ask. Don't give me that. No wonder you managed to perfect Mighty Ox Strength in just three months. With such a solid foundation, practicing Mighty Ox Strength must have been as easy as eating and drinking. Did your father ask you to keep it a secret?"
Li Hao thought for a moment and shook his head slightly.
"Then it was your own decision?"
Li Muxiu's eyes narrowed.
Seeing Li Hao's silence, a myriad of thoughts raced through his mind, and a cold glint appeared in his eyes. "Could it be that someone within the manor has been eyeing you, so you've been keeping a low profile and pretending to be weak?"
Li Hao looked into the old man's eyes and saw the cold, lethal intent. He deliberated for a moment and nodded slightly.
"Who?!"
Seeing that it was indeed true, Li Muxiu's anger flared up.
To let a seven-year-old suffer such injustice, those second-generation brats were really getting out of hand!
Li Hao shook his head slightly. "Not yet, I don't want to say."
"Why?" Li Muxiu was taken aback, staring at Li Hao. He quickly understood the child's thoughts.
"You don't trust me? You think I might be connected to those who are eyeing you? Ha, you're overthinking it. I have no children, and there are few in this world I truly care about."
Li Hao still shook his head, remaining silent.
Li Muxiu glared at him for a moment, then the anger on his face dissipated, and he nodded, a hint of satisfaction in his smile.
"We've only just met, and we're not that close yet. It's normal for you to be cautious. However, if you're not willing to reveal who it is, why did you choose to show your strength to me? You could have let the Fish Demon escape and taken the fishing rod away, continuing to hide it."
Li Hao smiled slightly. "Because, Grandpa, you're not a bad person."
Li Muxiu was taken aback, looking at Li Hao's radiant smile and clear eyes. For a moment, he was lost in thought.
After a while, he came to his senses and chuckled, a hint of self-mockery in his voice.
"Then you're wrong. I might not be a bad person, but when I'm bad, I'm worse than anyone else."
"Then what are you like?"
"You'll hear my name when you step out of the Divine General Manor." Li Muxiu smiled.
Li Hao, seeing this, didn't press further.
"You're a clever little guy, with a sharp mind. It's a bit of a pity", Li Muxiu observed Li Hao, growing even more fond of the child. If such a talent were to cultivate normally, he could very well become another Li Junye.
However, he only felt a slight regret, without deep attachment.
After all, even becoming Li Junye didn't change his fate of dying on the battlefield. It seemed to be the destiny of the Li Family's sons.
"In the future, you don't need to hide your Body Cultivation talent from me. Show it openly. I've seen many geniuses, and you're just a first-rate one. It won't scare me."
Li Muxiu said calmly, "If anyone in the manor still covets you or thinks you're in their way, I'll see if the Divine General Manor can still tolerate a Body Cultivation child."
...
...
After gathering the catch, Li Muxiu took Li Hao and flew back to Qingzhou City.
To increase Li Hao's interest in fishing, Li Muxiu didn't land directly at the Rain Listening Pavilion but at the main gate of the manor. Then, the old man and the boy walked into the manor, Li Hao carrying the fish basket.
"Grandpa, what are we doing?" Li Hao was puzzled.
"You wouldn't understand. It's a fishing tradition."
Li Muxiu held his head high, looking proud and composed.
"Except for the one you killed and the one I used as bait, you caught four more. For a beginner, that's a great catch. Everyone needs to see it."
"Is that a rule?" Li Hao was surprised.
Li Muxiu gave him a look. "If I say it is, it is."
"Lord Muxiu!"
The servants and maidservants along the way were startled when they saw Li Muxiu, wondering why the pillar of stability from the Rain Listening Pavilion was here. They hurriedly bowed and knelt.
Li Muxiu ignored the stares and led Li Hao straight through.
The two of them took several winding paths, heading to areas where people gathered.
Inside the Training Grounds, the clan's younger members were practicing, with a Military Elder giving a lecture. Li Muxiu pushed open the door and walked in.
The Military Elder was about to frown but froze when he saw Li Muxiu's face. He quickly stood up and greeted him, "This old general of the Yuan Camp greets Lord Muxiu!"
"You're in the middle of a lesson."
Li Muxiu knowingly asked, then said casually, "Today, I took Hao out fishing. It's his first time, so he doesn't have much experience. He only managed to catch a few small demons. Do you want them for your wine?"
The Military Elder was taken aback. Seeing the Fish Demons in Li Hao's basket, he hurriedly replied, "Thank you, My Lord, but I already have something for my wine today."
He politely declined.
Having served in the household for many years, he knew all too well the old lord's temperament. He immediately understood that this was just a routine show of pride.
If he really took the demons, the old lord would likely lose his temper and sneak in to beat him up at midnight. He might not even be able to get out of bed the next day.
He dared not take such a risk.
"Ah, well, then. Continue your lesson", Li Muxiu said casually, then turned and led Li Hao away.
Li Hao felt a headache coming on. This was the fishing tradition? Too much!
After leaving the Training Grounds, they turned to the Changchun Courtyard.
"Second Uncle, what brings you here? We're about to have lunch. Shall I have the servants add another set of utensils? What would you like to eat?" He Jianlan was chatting with Lady Gao when she saw Li Muxiu. Both women quickly stood up to greet him.
Li Muxiu said coolly, "Hao caught a few small fish. I'll have them make you a soup."
"He caught these?"
He Jianlan was surprised, looking at Li Hao and the few small, wriggling Fish Demons in the basket.
"Who else? Do you think I'd catch such small fish?" Li Muxiu glared at her, clearly irritated.
He Jianlan was speechless, knowing that Second Uncle had a peculiar temperament. Insulting him was a minor offense, but mentioning fishing in the wrong way could be disastrous.
"Yes, yes. If Second Uncle is giving them to me, I'll accept them with gratitude", He Jianlan said quickly.
"Why thank me? They're Hao's fish", Li Muxiu emphasized.
He Jianlan paused, then said helplessly, "Then I'll thank Hao."
"Mother, don't be so formal", Li Hao said, giving the old man a sidelong glance. This tradition made him feel like he was sitting on pins and needles, with thorns in his back and a fishbone in his throat.
He Jianlan took the fish. After the old and young pair left, she looked at the small Fish Demons and realized they were all Force Mastery demons. She was surprised.
Earlier, she had heard from Li Fu that Li Hao had a talent in Body Cultivation. It seemed this was true.
"Did that child really catch these?"
Gao Qingqing looked at the small Fish Demons in surprise. Li Hao had a Martial Wasteland Body, and everyone thought he was just an ordinary child. To think he could catch Force Mastery demons meant he had started his cultivation and was making good progress.
"Second Uncle wouldn't lie about fishing", He Jianlan said.
She looked at the courtyard gate, where the old and young figures had disappeared. "It seems that child has started his cultivation through Body Cultivation. It's a hard path. Poor child."
Gao Qingqing also shook her head and sighed softly.
Although Li Hao had a talent for Body Cultivation, the path was too arduous, and few could endure it to the end. If it were her child, she would rather have them live a normal life and enjoy it.
"It must be Seventh Uncle's idea... They are truly heartless", Gao Qingqing murmured softly.
...
...
When they returned to the Rain Listening Pavilion, Li Hao saw Li Fu waiting outside the building from a distance. Li Muxiu noticed and lightly hummed.
When Li Fu saw them, he immediately approached, noticing the fish blood on Li Hao's clothes. His face changed, and he quickly said, "Second Uncle, Hao..."
"Fishing involves a bit of a struggle with Fish Demons. Don't worry, I was there to make sure Hao didn't get hurt", Li Muxiu said calmly.
Li Fu breathed a sigh of relief and handed something to Li Hao, "This is a letter from the Sword Hut. It's probably from Miss Xue'er. Take a look."
(End of Chapter)
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