Chapter 44: Beginner? True State!
Chapter 44: Beginner? True State!
"Then, try to persuade them more."
Shen Yunqing smiled, skipping the jest, and said to the two:
"You should also go and check out the stone steles. Each class has a limited number of spots. Today is already the second day of admissions, which means there's only one more day left for contemplation. You two should hurry up."
Li Yuanzhao quickly asked, "What if the Class A spots are full?"
"Then you'll have to go to Class B. But don't worry, after a month, there will be an assessment. If you're confident, you can challenge Class A and switch classes."
Shen Yunqing smiled and said, "No matter which class you're in, it's not a one-time deal. Cultivation is a competition, a struggle against the heavens, against demons, and most importantly, against other people!"
"To get the most resources and the best treatment, you must stand above the crowd. Only then will you be qualified."
In the Divine General Manor, as Main Lineage members, their parents would provide them with cultivation resources. But at Tan Palace Academy, everything depends on your own competition.
Upon hearing this, Li Yuanzhao quickly pulled Li Hao toward the stone stele where Li Yun and his sister were observing.
Clearly, this was the stele for High-Grade Martial Techniques.
There were only a dozen people contemplating at this stele, while the others had around twenty to thirty people. The stele for Mid-Grade Martial Techniques had the most people, as most chose to be cautious despite their confidence.
Li Hao glanced at the stele, which recorded a fist technique.
Fist techniques are almost a must for martial artists. Mastering fist and foot techniques makes it easier to excel in other weapon skills.
He carefully examined it, and soon, text appeared before his eyes:
{Basic understanding achieved. Do you want to record it?}
Li Hao chose "yes."
Shortly after, the panel added this fist technique, but its level was neither Beginner, Perfection, nor Ultimate.
【High-Grade Martial Technique: Wind-Cleaving Fist (True State)】
A single step, reaching the limit!
Li Hao wasn't surprised by this.
During the five years he spent fishing with his second uncle, the old man, though angry that he hadn't undergone the Ancestral Hall Soul Inheritance, still taught him some fist techniques to defend himself in the future.
As a result, besides the Sword Dao, the panel also recorded another:
Fist Dao.
It had already been elevated to... Level 6!
Apart from Fist Dao, Li Hao had also raised the other Dao paths—Flesh Dao, Sword Dao, and Jade Dao—to Level 6!
Over the past five years, he had been busy, and his various arts and skills had significantly improved.
Fishing: Level 5, Chess: Level 5, Cooking: Level 6, Art Dao: Level 5.
Poetry and Books: Level 3, Playing the Zither: Level 3.
In total, these brought him 27 Art Skill Points.
He had used 24 points, leaving him with 3 points to spare for emergencies.
Li Hao initially wanted to push one of the Dao paths to the limit, but he found that each Dao realm had a threshold at Level 3.
From Level 3 to Level 4 required Heart Immersion.
When the Cooking Dao reached Level 6 and full experience, it prompted him that he needed to grasp the essence of cooking to advance further.
If Heart Immersion is about focus and deep affection, then Spiritual Immersion requires insight and the mastery of Dao principles.
In cooking, it means creating dishes that break tradition, infusing them with the essence of the spirit.
The same applies to chess.
Each move isn't just about winning or losing; it requires your own wisdom and the essence of the game, known as the divine move, a surprising and profound move that transcends the mundane and reveals deeper insights!
Li Hao knew this wasn't just a requirement of the panel. Even without the panel, if he practiced normally, reaching a certain realm would still require Heart Immersion and Spiritual Immersion. According to his second uncle, this mindset is essential for any cultivation method.
Otherwise, one can only be a second-rate expert, never reaching the peak.
To become strong, one must first be obsessed!
He had heard that there were higher realms beyond Spiritual Immersion, such as Sainthood Immersion.
But even his second uncle, known as the Fist Sage, had only reached Spiritual Immersion in fist techniques and not Sainthood Immersion.
The word "saint" is the highest and most revered in Dayu, an untouchable existence.
Whether it's the Fist Sage, Sword Saint, or others, they are not at the Saint Realm. These titles are more of an honorific, indicating that they have reached the peak in a particular Dao, almost on par with a saint!
Li Hao speculated that when he reached the Ninth Rank, he might need the Sainthood Immersion Mindset.
It was hard to imagine what such a state would be like.
For now, however, he hadn't even achieved Spiritual Immersion.
The term "spirit" was like a word, encompassing spiritual essence, spiritual light, and the soul!
He needed to do something extraordinary and exquisitely refined to possess his own spiritual light, much like a Heavenly Master, who has their own Master's Dao!
As the Wind-Cleaving Fist technique was successfully recorded on his panel, a wealth of information about the technique flooded into his mind. Li Hao closed his eyes slightly and quickly digested it all.
It was as if he had practiced this fist technique for fifty years, knowing every move by heart. He had not only broken through the Ultimate but also deeply understood the core essence of the technique.
As the name suggested, the fist could cleave through the wind, breaking it apart with the force of a blade, possessing destructive power beyond that of mere fists and feet!
This High-Grade Martial Technique, in his hands, could unleash power comparable to that of a supreme technique.
Li Hao's gaze shifted from the stone tablet to the dozen or so people around him. They all looked intensely focused, staring intently at the tablet, carefully studying the technique. Some of them moved their lips, following the descriptions on the tablet, savoring and pondering the meanings.
Some of the technique's descriptions were obscure and difficult to understand, but most of the people here came from Martial Dao families, having been immersed in the Martial Dao from a young age. They could grasp even the most abstruse terms.
Li Hao noticed that Yuanzhao was also engrossed, his small eyes moving back and forth along the lines of text on the tablet.
He didn't disturb him and glanced around, seeing Li Yun and his sister crouching before the tablet, their faces serious, sometimes deep in thought, sometimes frowning. They gently moved their wrists, as if practicing the technique in their minds, completely absorbed and unaware of his and Li Yuanzhao's arrival.
They were all hardworking children... Li Hao sighed inwardly and turned to leave.
There were even more people gathered around the other two stone tablets. Some of them, having gained insights, were practicing in the open space, but their movements were awkward. After a brief attempt, they returned to the tablet to continue their study, feeling that their practice didn't quite match their mental images.
Li Hao didn't push his way to record the techniques on those tablets. The Li Family had no shortage of techniques below the Upper Grade.
As his gaze roamed, he suddenly spotted Shen Yunqing, who had brought him here earlier, in a corner of the square.
In front of him was a Chess Board.
Li Hao was taken aback, his eyes brightening. He walked over.
...
"This time, let's see how you escape!"
"Heh, didn't expect that move, did you!"
Across from Shen Yunqing, the Gray-robed Elder couldn't help but laugh. He had the upper hand on the Chess Board, and there was no way Shen Yunqing could turn the tide. This game was as good as won.
Shen Yunqing sat cross-legged, ignoring his old friend's smugness, scratching his head and thinking hard. Eventually, he gave up, sighing in resignation. "Alright, you win."
"What do you mean, 'you win'? I was already winning!" the Gray-robed Elder said irritably.
He then extended his hand and said casually, "Hand it over, that Drunken Wind Brew, as promised."
Shen Yunqing pouted unwillingly, took out the wine gourd from his waist, and handed it to his old friend. "Just one sip, take it easy."
"I'm not like you; I keep my word", the Gray-robed Elder said irritably, then opened the gourd and tilted his head back, gulping it down.
Shen Yunqing, alarmed, quickly snatched the gourd back, furious. "We agreed on one sip!"
"That was one sip, I haven't even swallowed yet."
"Are you a straight shooter?" Shen Yunqing clutched his gourd, his face contorted in pain, and peered into the spout, feeling a chill run down his spine.
"I'll add the previous game to your tab."
The Gray-robed Elder chuckled, then suddenly noticed something and turned to see a young man standing beside them. The youth had rosy lips and white teeth, a refined and graceful appearance, dressed in luxurious silk, radiating an aura of nobility.
"Hmm? The Young Master of the Divine General Manor?"
The Gray-robed Elder recognized the sleeve patterns and jade pendant, his expression turning serious, but his reprimand turned into a different tone.
"You're playing chess", Li Hao said with a smile.
Having lived two lives, he knew that the first words often seemed redundant, but they served as a way to open the conversation.
"Why aren't you studying the techniques?" Shen Yunqing asked, surprised, looking at Li Hao.
Everyone else was rushing to study the techniques at the stone tablets, but this kid had the leisure to stroll over here.
Could it be that this kid wanted them to give him some secret pointers?
(End of Chapter)
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