Everlasting Renown Chapter 321: Yaizu, Sword Intent Enhancement (Part 2 Unity) - Novel Cool

Chapter 321: Yaizu, Sword Intent Enhancement (Part 2 Unity)

Chapter 321: Yaizu, Sword Intent Enhancement (Part 2 Unity)

Bian Ruxue immediately used her Divine Sense to probe. When she saw Li Hao behind the Painting Board, she was slightly taken aback but quickly remembered that he was the Potion Master who had delivered the medicine to her earlier.

Is it him?

Bian Ruxue's eyes flickered as she stared for a moment, but she eventually shook her head. Even if he had come to this place through a similar stroke of luck as she had, it was impossible for him to become a Potion Master while still in the Mortal World. Although she knew little about alchemy, she understood that it required a long period of accumulation, unlike cultivation. She had also heard of the recent fame of the Qingfeng Alchemist, and his abilities were far beyond what Li Hao could achieve in just a century.

Meanwhile, Li Hao was diligently sketching.

Under the careful observation of his Painting Heart, he noticed that the three Semi-Saints were watching him, but they did not seem to have any intention of stopping him. This put Li Hao at ease.

With each stroke of his brush, the figures of the three Semi-Saints soon came to life on the paper.

Next, he captured their aura and essence, infusing the unique spirit of each one into the painting.

Time passed slowly, and the Arena in front had already begun its battles, but Li Hao remained immersed in his work. Capturing the essence of three Semi-Saints simultaneously was no easy task; this painting was a masterpiece that required his utmost effort and dedication.

After a long while, the cheers from the audience and the laughter and sighs of Lin Shanhai and others, who had won or lost their bets, snapped Li Hao out of his deep concentration. The distractions of the surroundings flooded his senses, and at that moment, his painting was complete.

As he put down his brush, Li Hao felt a sense of relief and clarity. A message appeared before his eyes.

Painting Experience +150,394.

…150,000?

Li Hao carefully counted to confirm he hadn't misread, but he was still somewhat stunned. However, he quickly understood.

After all, they were Semi-Saints, and there were three of them in the same frame!

At the same time, a notification panel appeared, indicating that his Painting Rank had ascended to the eighth level.

Art Skill Points +1.

The experience required to advance from the eighth to the ninth level was doubled, at one million!

However, Li Hao believed he would reach that quickly, given the numerous geniuses competing in the Sword God Battle. Even if each Fourth Establishment Realm Inner Disciple only provided a few thousand experience points, the sheer number of them would add up.

When his Painting Experience reached the eighth level, numerous insights into the Art Dao flooded his mind. It took him over ten minutes to gradually digest and absorb these insights, leading to a new and deeper understanding of the Art Dao.

The painting he had just completed with such effort and dedication now seemed to have some flaws in his eyes.

They weren't really flaws, but rather issues of level.

The painting only captured the essence, but it lacked his personal style and a deeper connection to himself.

Every top painter should have their own unique style, one that blends seamlessly with their work, neither jarring nor obscure, but instantly recognizable.

Li Hao realized this and decided to put away the current painting and start a new one.

But suddenly, a voice echoed in his mind.

"I want this painting. What do you need?"

It was a woman's voice, calm and cold, with an air of authority.

Li Hao was taken aback and looked up to see the female Semi-Saint among the three, staring at him intently.

Their gazes met, and Li Hao immediately knew that the voice belonged to her.

He promptly replied telepathically, "If Senior likes it, you may have it. My paintings are not for sale."

"You have some backbone."

The woman's lips curved into a slight smile as she transmitted her voice, "Since that's the case, I'll take it. If you need anything in the future, you can mention my name. I am Yaizu."

Yaizu… Li Hao memorized the name, nodded, and replied, "If Senior is not displeased, I can paint another one for you. I was a bit rusty this time and didn't perform at my best."

"Oh?"

Yaizu's eyes flickered. She had wanted the painting because her Divine Sense had been monitoring Li Hao's work. When he finished the painting, she was truly impressed.

The image of herself in the painting was more beautiful than she had ever seen in a mirror. It was her, yet it seemed to be more than her.

This filled her with admiration, which was why she had decided to ask for it.

If he were to paint another one specifically for her, it would be even better.

She intended to keep it in her Cave Mansion for personal enjoyment, so she wouldn't have to see the other two who annoyed her every time she looked at it.

Thinking of this, she glanced at the tall middle-aged man and the old man beside her and transmitted her voice to Li Hao, "Then paint one for me to see."

"Alright!"

Li Hao nodded, drying the ink on his recent painting, rolling it up, and putting it aside. He then began to paint again, this time focusing solely on Yaizu. Li Hao’s gaze was sharp, closely observing Yaizu.

With her permission, Li Hao’s scrutiny was no longer furtive but open and direct.

Feeling Li Hao’s gaze roving over her body, Yaizu raised an eyebrow. No man had ever dared to be so bold and presumptuous.

In the past, she would have slapped him dead in anger.

But remembering that she had initiated contact with him just moments ago, she tolerated it, though it made her uncomfortable. She also used her Divine Sense to observe Li Hao’s painting, to see if he was genuinely painting or merely ogling her.

In the Sword Ancestor Sanctuary, Yaizu was renowned for her breathtaking beauty. In her youth, she was the most elite Holy Maiden, defeating all her peers and ascending to the rank of Semi-Saint centuries ago. Now, she cultivated her temperament, shedding the cold and ruthless demeanor of her youth, and radiating a sense of composure and nobility.

As she observed with her Divine Sense, Yaizu quickly realized that Li Hao was not taking advantage of the situation to offend her. Instead, he was truly observing and painting her.

Every part of her body that Li Hao’s gaze focused on was soon captured by his brush.

Yaizu’s eyes flickered, and the anger and discomfort she felt gradually dissipated. She noticed that Li Hao’s gaze was focused and pure, devoid of any lust, as if he were simply appreciating a form of beauty.

This gaze gave her a subtle sense of pleasure, unlike the furtive glances of the Inner Disciples and the subtle gazes of the Holy Sons.

Yaizu had heard of the Qingfeng Alchemist’s reputation before but had not taken it seriously. Even a Senior Alchemist’s assistance was limited for her current level, unless it was for alchemy to benefit her disciples. Now, however, she found herself appreciating this Qingfeng Alchemist.

As time passed, the Disciple battles in the arena grew intense, and the cheers from the audience grew louder. Amidst this noisy and lively environment, Li Hao felt as if he were sitting in a secluded mountain, exuding a profound and serene calm.

He painted quietly, observing with a quiet focus.

Yaizu lost interest in the Disciple battles and used her Divine Sense to follow the strokes of Li Hao’s brush, watching him paint her with every line and shade.

After a long while, as Lin Shanhai and the others placed their second bet, Li Hao completed his second painting.

As Yaizu’s figure came to life on the white paper, Li Hao received an experience prompt.

Painting Experience +42,320.

This time, he was painting her alone, and it was his second attempt, so the experience was less, but still substantial.

Previously, he had overflowed with over 70,000 experience points. Adding these 42,320 points, he was now a tenth of the way to the million experience points needed to reach the ninth rank!

Li Hao felt that if he could continue to "shear" the wool from the three Semi-Saints, he might fill half the bar.

On the painting paper, Yaizu appeared even more beautiful and captivating than in the previous group portrait. Although she stood quietly, the environment around her was devoid of other figures. In Li Hao’s painting, she stood alone, like a lotus blooming on a snow-capped mountain, radiating a transcendent and ethereal beauty.

Her ink-drawn eyes carried a sense of tranquility and a faint hint of sorrow, like a thick fog that could not be dispelled. That gaze was heart-wrenching and captivating.

Yaizu was momentarily lost in the painting of herself.

Her outward demeanor was calm as still water, but the painting revealed the hidden emotions within her.

It felt as if her inner thoughts had been laid bare.

Could he understand her hidden sorrows?

Yaizu was taken aback, her Divine Sense shifting to Li Hao, focusing on his eyes.

"Yaizu, your painting is complete."

Li Hao put down his brush, examining the painting and finding it nearly perfect. Although he knew that as his Art Dao improved, there would be room for further refinement, for now, this was his best work.

Yaizu withdrew her Divine Sense, her voice calm. "I see. I will keep this painting and owe you a favor."

With that, the painting paper on Li Hao’s painting board vanished.

Yaizu stood there, her body unmoving, as if nothing had happened.

Li Hao couldn’t discern what technique she had used, feeling a chill of respect. Even a Semi-Saint was beyond his current comprehension, let alone the Virtual Sage he sought to avenge.

"Yaizu is too kind. My paintings are only for those who appreciate them. I’m glad you like it", Li Hao replied telepathically.

Yaizu didn’t respond, her eyes revealing a calm demeanor as she seemed to gaze at the Arena.

But her Divine Sense quietly observed Li Hao from the sky.

Li Hao waited for a moment, and seeing no further communication, he picked up his brush again and continued painting, this time with the same three Semi-Saints.

Yaizu, noticing Li Hao's continued brushwork, retracted her Divine Sense and refocused her gaze on the Arena.

However, she had already memorized Li Hao’s appearance.

As the battles in the Arena grew more intense, Li Hao completed his third painting.

This time, the experience was reduced to around 120,000, still an extremely generous amount.

Li Hao wasn’t surprised. Just as he was about to pick up his brush again, a stern male voice echoed in his mind:

“Painting is fine, but don’t overdo it.”

Li Hao was slightly taken aback and glanced at one of the Semi-Saints, the towering, imposing man.

The man’s eyes also glanced at Li Hao, conveying a subtle warning.

Li Hao, understanding the situation, transmitted his thoughts: “I apologize for any offense, Elder. Please forgive me.”

He realized that painting without permission was indeed a transgression, and he bitterly smiled, knowing he wouldn’t have another chance to “shear their wool.” However, Yaizu might still be willing to let him paint.

But Li Hao didn’t continue painting Yaizu. Instead, he focused on the Arena below. He could request to paint her again when he visited her in the future. For now, this grand event offered rare and valuable scenes, and most importantly, it provided an opportunity to collect cultivation techniques.

He had missed some of the earlier matches, but the winners would continue to compete, allowing him to see them later.

“Next is Jing Feng. I heard that in the Great Peace Dao Realm, he condensed seven layers of Dao Domain, which is extremely formidable. His Sword Art has also reached very high levels. Now that he’s in the Enlightened Realm, he’s quite renowned among the inner gate prodigies. Do you think he can win all ten battles?”

Zhao Yingzhen recognized the youth guarding the Arena and smiled at Lin Shanhai and the others.

“Seven layers of Dao Domain? That’s old news. Before he transcended to the Enlightened Realm, he already had nine layers of Dao Domain.”

“I heard he’s only in his seventies, which is incredibly young. But he was a disciple of a Semi-Saint from a young age, and he comes from a prestigious family. Achieving this level at his age is understandable.”

“Yes, back in the day, Yaizu entered the Enlightened Realm within a mere sixty years and defeated all the other Holy Maidens. That was truly remarkable.”

The other Alchemists were also discussing and praising him.

They were all part of the same circle, so their conversations were casual.

Li Hao was surprised to hear them mention Yaizu and glanced at her, only to find her also looking in his direction.

But when their gazes met, she seemed to only glance at him briefly without lingering.

Li Hao hadn’t expected that even as a young prodigy, Yaizu was so outstanding. Indeed, those who could become Semi-Saints were once top-notch prodigies themselves.

This was why Adversity became increasingly difficult. People who could cultivate to such a high level were also capable of crossing realms and dominating their enemies.

Semi-Saints were already such monsters, let alone the Sages.

“Stop talking so much, place your bets. It’s about to start.”

Lin Shanhai said lazily.

The group placed their bets.

Li Hao also looked at the Arena, where a tall, elegant youth stood.

His aura wasn’t hidden but flowed naturally, like a True Dragon standing tall on the Arena, appearing refined yet exuding a powerful and domineering presence.

Soon, someone stepped forward to challenge him.

But they were quickly defeated. The youth only needed to release his Dao Domain to render the challenger immobile.

Then came the second challenger, the third, and more. Each was easily defeated, until the seventh, who seemed to be another inner gate prodigy. Their Dao Domains clashed, and they engaged in a fierce sword battle.

Both of their Sword Arts had reached the peak of the seventh level, with formidable momentum.

“Do you want to collect this technique?”

A prompt appeared before his eyes.

Li Hao smiled and chose to collect it.

Soon, several Body Movement Techniques and Sword Techniques were added to his panel.

Four cultivation techniques were added to his panel, including the Body Movement Techniques and Sword Techniques used by the two combatants.

As the cultivation techniques were collected, a large amount of information flooded his mind. Li Hao absorbed and digested it, savoring it. He quickly mastered the techniques. While his Body Movement Techniques didn’t match the two combatants, his understanding of the eighth level of Sword Art allowed him to refine and elevate their Sword Techniques to higher levels, grasping their Sword Intent!

This time, when Li Hao observed again, he noticed that the two fighters' Sword Moves, though intense, had obvious flaws.

If he could grasp the Sword Intent, he could break through their Sword Momentum with a single strike!

Without the intent to coalesce the momentum, it would be nothing more than a loose and vulnerable form!

However, after comprehending the Sword Intent behind the two Sword Techniques, Li Hao felt that his Sole Self Sword Intent seemed to be approaching Perfection.

His Sole Self Sword Intent could sever anything he wished to cut.

But to truly achieve this, he needed an extremely deep understanding of all things in the world.

Only through understanding could he break through.

In other words, the more Sword Intents he gathered, the stronger his Sole Self Sword Intent would become... Li Hao realized this, and a curious thought crossed his mind: Could Sword Intents be divided into levels?

If he comprehended enough Sword Intents, would his Sole Self Sword Intent reach true Perfection?

Li Hao's eyes flickered. Regardless, the more Sword Intents he collected, the stronger his Sole Self Sword Intent would become.

Li Hao's Divine Sense immediately spread out, observing the battles in ten Arenas simultaneously.

Soon, notifications began to ring out.

"Basic understanding achieved, do you wish to record?"

Yes, yes, yes!

Li Hao continuously confirmed, and the number of Cultivation Techniques on his Panel increased, mostly focusing on Sword Arts and Body Movement Techniques. The Sword Ancestor Sanctuary was rather pure, primarily valuing the Sword Dao!

Unlike academies or other top-tier forces that explored a variety of Cultivation Techniques, the Holy Land was led by Sages, each with their own Saint Path, making their Cultivation more singular and pure.

This might seem less comprehensive, but the extreme purity made it easier to cultivate exceptional experts who could stand on their own!

When Sword Arts are strong enough, they can cut through everything.

When Fist Techniques are strong enough, they can suppress all methods!

In the Holy Land, Cultivation Realms advance faster, not just because of the dense energy, but more so because of the purity!

Purity often touches the extremes.

Unless one reaches a certain level of Cultivation, hits a bottleneck, and sees no hope of progress, they would start to explore other Cultivation Techniques to enhance their comprehensiveness.

Through observation, Li Hao discovered that his Body Movement Techniques were on par with those of ordinary Inner Disciples, but far inferior to those of the top geniuses.

These prodigies, who had trained for decades, generally had Body Movement Techniques at around the Sixth Rank.

However, Li Hao had the Gui Xu Ultimate Realm, which could compensate for his shortcomings in Body Movement Techniques.

As he recorded more Sword Arts, Li Hao's grasp of Sword Intents grew.

Each Inner Disciple's Sword Art was a Dao-level Sword Technique.

In the Sword Ancestor Sanctuary, the most abundant were various top-tier Sword Techniques, and the Inner Disciples cultivated these, differing only in the depth of their mastery.

Li Hao felt that with his round of recordings, he had likely stolen and learned about ninety percent of the Sword Techniques in the Sword Ancestor Sanctuary.

Under his eighth-stage Sword Dao comprehension, all these Sword Techniques condensed into Sword Intents.

As the number of Sword Intents he mastered grew into the dozens and then the hundreds, even with his current physical strength, Li Hao felt a slight swelling in his mind. However, his Sole Self Sword Intent absorbed more knowledge and became even more formidable.

Previously, when Lin Qingying was practicing her Sword Art, Li Hao felt that her soft and weak movements were easy for him to sever. Now, he felt that even if she used her strongest Ultimate Softness Sword Intent, he could still easily cut through it.

He had gained insight into a multitude of Sword Intents and identified their weaknesses. His understanding of Sword Intent was now approaching the realm of Entering the Dao.

The battles below continued, and Li Hao watched quietly. The young man named Jing Feng had already finished his fight. He won his seventh battle, achieving ten consecutive victories, which directly propelled him into the top hundred.

In his tenth battle, he faced a formidable opponent and had to display three Ultimate Realms to secure victory, causing a stir among the crowd.

These three Ultimate Realms were the top three: Divine Power, Heaven and Earth Pulse, and Heaven and Earth Dharma Body.

Especially the Heaven and Earth Dharma Body, which indicated that his Soul Continuation was not with a Sage but with the Heaven and Earth itself. This was essentially the standard for becoming a Sage.

Those who possessed such an Ultimate Realm had the potential to Ascend.

Li Hao later learned that without the Heaven and Earth Dharma Body, even if one obtained Incense, they could only carry two incense sticks. When Ascending with two incense sticks, one could only reach the first realm of the Sage Realm and could not advance to higher realms, making them the weakest of Sages.

After all, without the capacity to encompass the Heaven and Earth, how could one encompass all living beings?

Li Hao observed for several hours. At first, when disciples from various Arenas took the stage, he could gather different Sword Techniques and Body Movement Techniques, occasionally even other Cultivation Techniques. However, as time went on, the techniques became repetitive.

Despite this, Li Hao gained a great deal and was thoroughly satisfied.

As he no longer found new Sword Arts to gather, Li Hao picked up his brush and began to paint again.

This time, he depicted the entire ten Arenas, including the numerous Outer Sect Disciples below.

However, there were too many Outer Sect Disciples for Li Hao to capture each one in detail, so the painting focused mainly on the Inner Disciples clashing in the ten Arenas.

To create this painting, Li Hao had prepared in advance, taking out a massive scroll several dozen meters long.

Ordinary painting paper would have been insufficient to capture the grandeur of the scene before him.

Seeing Li Hao's actions, Shi Huajin and the others were surprised. When they saw him slowly sketching with his brush, they were even more amazed. They could tell that Li Hao's Painting Skill was truly exceptional, far beyond a mere hobby, and indicated deep expertise.

This time, Li Hao worked more slowly, fully focused, and meticulously detailed.

Gradually, a vast and grand scene of the ten Arenas in battle began to take shape on the paper, slowly extending, with the Inner Disciples' figures coming to life.

From a distance, Yaizu noticed Li Hao pulling out the enormous scroll and sent her Divine Sense to investigate, feeling somewhat surprised.

She quickly understood Li Hao's intention and a faint smile appeared on her lips.

Such a grand scene, if captured and preserved through painting, would indeed be a memorable event.

But as martial artists, they rarely had the time or inclination to delve into such pursuits.

"This Qingfeng Alchemist is painting the battle scene of the ten Arenas. It looks grand and majestic. Once he finishes, why don't we buy it and keep it in the Sword Tower for decoration? It would help future disciples understand the true appearance of the Sword God Battle when they come to select techniques."

Yaizu suggested suddenly.

Beside her, Shanzu, one of the Semi-Saints, a burly middle-aged man, raised an eyebrow and sent his Divine Sense over, a hint of surprise in his eyes.

He thought for a moment and said, "Indeed, his Painting Skill is remarkable, far more than just precise brush control and resemblance. The spirit and essence are unique, and I couldn't even replicate it."

He had warned Li Hao earlier, but that was only because he disliked being spied on. He genuinely admired Li Hao's Painting Skill.

For a Martial Artist, a higher Realm means greater control over the body, making it easier to wield a brush and create lifelike depictions. However, the difficulty lies in capturing the essence, that indescribable quality that they can recognize but not replicate. It seems that mere likeness is not enough to achieve this.

The old man glanced at the painting but said nothing, his gaze returning to the Arena.

Seeing no opposition, Yaizu smiled. The Sword Tower was a Holy Land where all disciples chose their Cultivation Techniques. By signing the painting, the artist’s name would be remembered for generations.

In her view, whether they were commoners or nobles, everyone fought their entire lives to leave a lasting legacy. Her suggestion was a way to help Li Hao achieve that, ensuring his name would be remembered as long as the Sword Ancestor Sanctuary stood.

After a long while,

As the first battle in the Arena drew to a close, Li Hao’s astonishing masterpiece was finally complete. The ten Arenas stood tall, the Holy Mountain majestic, and numerous Inner Sect prodigies gathered, each with distinct expressions, painted in meticulous detail. The Outer Sect disciples, in vast numbers, could also be seen in the painting, their faces clearly recognizable.

The weapons, Sword Qi, and Sword Momentum displayed during the battles were all captured by Li Hao, creating a vivid and intense Battle Epic. This was an era of prodigies, where countless brilliant talents shone with the brightest light.

Lin Shanhai and the others gradually lost interest in betting, instead focusing on Li Hao’s brushwork, watching the painting come to life. The scenes depicted were more captivating than the actual battles, evoking a sense of awe and excitement that stirred the blood.

As Li Hao put down his brush, the painting was complete.

He saw the notification on the panel.

Painting Experience + 762,892

Seven hundred and sixty-two thousand!

Li Hao had spent nearly an entire day on the painting, from the start of the battle to its end. This single piece had granted him an astonishing experience boost, surpassing any previous work!

Li Hao put away his brush, feeling a strong sense of fatigue. The painting had drained him, requiring him to observe and depict every detail with full concentration, a task as demanding as a rigorous cultivation session.

However, the sight of the massive experience gain instantly rejuvenated him. With the additional experience, his Painting Experience was now approaching one million!

The painting featured many Inner Sect disciples, but Li Hao knew that the limited space meant he couldn’t depict every single one. If he were to paint every disciple in the Sword Ancestor Sanctuary, the experience gained would far exceed a million, likely reaching into the tens of millions!

After all, the Outer Sect alone had over a million disciples, and even if each only granted ten points of experience, that would still amount to tens of millions!

And most of those Outer Sect disciples were at the Three Eternities Realm, so they certainly wouldn’t only grant ten points of experience.

Leaning back in his chair, Li Hao caught his breath and smiled. Indeed, the harvest this time was immense. With a bit more effort, he could fill up his Painting Experience.

But the next step was to comprehend the Art Dao!

If he could grasp the Art Dao, he could break through his bottleneck and advance it to the ninth rank. With the Dao Heart of Entering the Dao, he could also elevate his Sword Art to the ninth rank!

Li Hao gazed at the painting before him, the grand and intense battles depicted stirring his heart. Besides the painting experience, he had gained a deeper understanding of the art itself.

As Li Hao finished his painting, the first battle also concluded.

The Outer Sect disciples below were excitedly discussing the day’s rankings, with the more famous Inner Sect disciples becoming the subjects of their conversations.

Li Hao had little interest in these discussions. Once the ink dried, he rolled up the painting and put it away.

“Are you available? Come over here.”

At that moment, Yaizu’s voice echoed in his mind.

Li Hao was taken aback and looked at her, following her gaze.

He was surprised but, after a moment’s thought, stood up and said to Lin Shanhai, “Old Lin, Yaizu wants to see me. I’ll go over there.”

“Huh?”

Lin Shanhai and the other Alchemists were taken aback by this.

(End of Chapter)

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