Chapter 315: Achieving Spiritual Insight in Chess
"I just hope that child can cultivate what she truly desires in this lifetime…" Lin Shanhai sighed softly as he watched his granddaughter leave.
With Lin Qingying's talent, possessing a saint bone, and the frequent occurrences of saint reincarnations and manifestations over the past millennia, it was hard not to suspect that she too was a saint reincarnated. However, which saint she was remained a mystery.
But Lin Shanhai didn't let this bother him. To him, in this lifetime, she was his granddaughter, the child he had cradled and raised with his own hands.
Lin Qingying had lost her parents early, and it was he who had cared for her, soothed her when she cried as a baby, and witnessed both her playful and obedient moments. These memories were etched deeply in his heart.
"Lin Lao, why do these saints choose to reincarnate and start over?" Li Hao asked curiously as he held his teacup.
Lin Shanhai refilled his own cup, gazing out at the floating white clouds beyond the eaves. The gentle breeze in the courtyard brought a sense of leisure and comfort. He took a sip of tea and then turned to Li Hao with a smile, "You claim you're not an alchemist, yet here you are asking such profound questions."
"If you're truly a martial artist, you should know that these saints seek to perfect their paths by mastering every extreme realm. It's said that reaching the pinnacle of each realm is tied to an earth-shattering secret, especially the Sixth Extreme Realm!"
I really don't know alchemy… Li Hao smiled wryly. Ever since he had shown his skill in stirring and refining, the old man had assumed he was from a declining family of alchemists. Any attempts at clarification were taken as an effort to conceal his identity, leading to more misunderstandings.
Thus, Li Hao decided not to explain further, lest it cause any resentment.
"The Sixth Extreme Realm? What's so mysterious about it?" Li Hao asked, his curiosity piqued.
"I wouldn't know. So far, no one has fully cultivated all the extreme realms, not even the saints," Lin Shanhai replied, shaking his head.
"What?" Li Hao was taken aback, staring at him in shock.
Saints had long lifespans, and the history of the land of the saints was ancient, far older than the Great Yu Divine Dynasty. Although the various martial extreme realms were difficult to cultivate, those who became saints were naturally gifted and had ample resources. With enough time, they should be able to master them all.
Yet, those exalted saints had failed to master all the extreme realms?!
Since encountering opponents who had mastered several extreme realms during his Dao cultivation, Li Hao had assumed that saints would have fully cultivated all the realms. But now, it seemed that was not the case.
"Your ancestors were alchemists, so it's understandable if you don't fully grasp martial arts. Extreme realms aren't easy to cultivate," Lin Shanhai explained patiently. "Other extreme realms might be manageable, but the Third Extreme Realm, the Heavenly Law Manifestation, requires a saintly heart capable of challenging the heavens! And the Sixth Extreme Realm is even more elusive. It's considered the most difficult to cultivate. From what I've heard, many saints reincarnate specifically to pursue this realm."
"Hmm…" Li Hao was stunned. Was the Sixth Extreme Realm really that difficult? Could it be that his own talent surpassed that of the saints?
When he had cultivated the Sixth Extreme Realm, it had taken him several months of contemplation, but compared to other realms, the difference didn't seem too great. Perhaps it required a bit of insight and understanding of the world.
"This Sixth Extreme Realm is quite mysterious. It doesn't rely on insight, ambition, or foundational techniques. No one can explain how to achieve it, but the saints believe it might be tied to a certain state of mind!" Lin Shanhai continued. "But state of mind is the hardest thing to grasp. It's strange that among the countless geniuses in the world, each with different experiences and mindsets, none have been able to comprehend this state of mind."
Li Hao was momentarily speechless, realizing the immense difficulty of the Sixth Extreme Realm.
Had he entered the world of the saints through the proper channels, it might have caused quite a stir.
No wonder the Void Sage had been so determined to strike him down—he must have feared Li Hao's potential.
"If the Sixth Extreme Realm is so challenging, why would saints reincarnate to cultivate it?" Li Hao couldn't help but ask.
"Because the Sixth Extreme Realm, like the Third Extreme Realm, cannot be retraced once cultivated!" Lin Shanhai explained. "Moreover, if it's a matter of state of mind, even the thoughts of a saint could interfere with the process. Starting fresh as a blank slate is likely the best approach. After all, once you've learned something, it's hard to pretend you haven't."
"Knowledge and experience can sometimes invade your mind and change you entirely."
Hearing this, Li Hao understood what Lin Shanhai meant.
The Dao insights carried within a saint's mind could become obstacles to comprehending new paths.
Starting over from scratch would be simpler.
Even if a saint tried to feign innocence, some things, once known, could never be forgotten.
"'To buy osmanthus and carry wine, but it's never the same as youthful days…'" Li Hao muttered to himself. This might be why saints needed to reincarnate—to truly return to their youthful selves.
Seeing the poetic experience points increase on his status panel, Li Hao ignored it.
Nearby, Lin Shanhai heard Li Hao's murmured verse and paused, finding it quite meaningful.
After some thought, his face showed surprise—it was a fitting reflection of the mindset required for saints to reincarnate and cultivate anew.
"With talent like yours, it wouldn't be hard for you to become a top scholar in the mortal world," Lin Shanhai remarked.
Li Hao blushed slightly. Becoming a top scholar wasn't so easy—it took more than a few poetic lines.
"Let's not dwell on that. It seems we have guests…" Lin Shanhai suddenly put down his teacup, brushing off the dust from his sleeves as he stood up. He glanced at the teapot and motioned to Li Hao, saying, "Quickly put that away, and hide the dragon ginseng tea in the drawer under my table in the furnace. Use some herbal fragrance to cover it up—those guys have keen noses…"
With that, he slipped on his simple cloth shoes and headed out to greet the visitors.
Li Hao was momentarily stunned, but his hands moved swiftly. He scooped up the dragon ginseng tea, stashed it in his spatial storage, and retrieved a few fragrant herbs to toss into the teapot. He poured a cup for himself and Lin Shanhai, gently heating the herbs to release their aroma.
At that moment, laughter echoed from outside the courtyard, and several elderly figures entered, led by Lin Shanhai.
"You lot! Why didn't you let me know you were coming?" Lin Shanhai scolded with a smile.
"Why bother with a notice when it's such a short distance? We just came to check out your new assistant, see what kind of prodigy he is."
Four figures entered the courtyard—three old men and a charming older woman. Aside from one elderly man adorned in gold and jade, the others were dressed modestly, with wooden hairpins.
But all of them carried a strong scent of herbs.
"Hmm? Is this the young man?" The four quickly noticed Li Hao.
As guests, they refrained from probing with their divine senses and simply observed.
Li Hao stood up immediately.
Lin Shanhai noticed the teapot still on the side and was momentarily surprised. But he soon caught a whiff of the herbal aroma and couldn't help but chuckle, giving Li Hao a knowing glance. This kid was even craftier than him.
"Come, take a seat," Lin Shanhai greeted them warmly, instructing Li Hao to fetch more teacups and snacks.
Li Hao played the role of the assistant, bringing cushions, teacups, and pastries for everyone.
"Old Lin, was it this young man who helped you with that recent batch of pills?" asked the elderly man in gold and jade, rubbing a jade thumb ring as he smiled.
Lin Shanhai, seeing through the man's intentions, snorted, "Don't you dare try to poach him. I've already decided to pass my knowledge on to him."
"Now, now, who said anything about that?" The refined woman chuckled, covering her mouth. "Old Lin is still as protective as ever. But I must say, those recent pills you made were quite impressive—so pure! You couldn't have done that on your own."
Lin Shanhai didn't bother to hide the truth. In fact, he had anticipated his old friends' visit and intended to introduce Li Hao to them, hoping to help him expand his network. After all, with such rare talent, Li Hao was destined to become a high-level alchemist. With a few decades of diligent study, he could easily become a grandmaster of alchemy.
"Indeed, I owe much of it to Qingfeng's help. He had a fortuitous encounter after falling off a cliff, but was later hunted down for it. My granddaughter Qingying saved him, and he's been here recovering ever since," Lin Shanhai explained.
Qingfeng was the alias Li Hao had given, as he was still wary of the saints' methods, fearing they might trace him through his real name.
Given how many people knew his name, using it could bring more trouble.
Listening to Lin Shanhai's introduction, Li Hao couldn't help but feel a bit speechless. The old man had crafted a complete backstory for him, ensuring no one would dig too deep. Lin Shanhai had certainly gone to great lengths to protect him.
"I see…" The four exchanged glances but didn't press for more details—everyone had their secrets.
"Could you demonstrate your skill for us? Don't worry, we won't share it with anyone—we just want to learn," one of the elderly men requested.
Lin Shanhai scoffed, "That's his prized technique. You think you can just learn it like that? If you want to exchange, you'll have to offer a couple of your advanced alchemy formulas."
"Old Lin, no one's making any demands here," the man retorted. "And who said anything about poaching? How about a friendly alchemy contest? Each of us puts up a formula as a wager."
"Not interested. I don't care for your formulas," Lin Shanhai huffed.
"Alright, let's not argue. We don't want to embarrass ourselves in front of the young ones," the elegant woman sighed, trying to diffuse the situation.
Lin Shanhai turned to introduce his friends to Li Hao.
They were all high-level alchemists within the Sword Ancestor Sacred Land and old friends of Lin Shanhai.
Li Hao memorized their names and greeted them respectfully.
"Young man, would you be willing to demonstrate your technique? Don't worry, we'll compensate you fairly," said Zhao Yingzhen, the elderly man with the jade thumb ring.
"Indeed, if you're open to an exchange, I'd be willing to trade an advanced alchemy formula for your skill," offered the woman, Shi Huajin, her eyes serious as she observed Li Hao.
As high-level alchemists, they had all analyzed Lin Shanhai's recent pills, which had garnered widespread praise within the Sacred Land.
After their analysis, they discovered that the method used to extract the medicinal properties was extraordinarily advanced, surpassing even their own skills.
Upon learning that Lin Shanhai had found a rare talent, they couldn't resist coming to see for themselves.
Lin Shanhai, seeing their eager expressions, secretly chuckled and took a sip of tea. However, he soon frowned—the herbal tea was far too bitter.
Couldn't the kid have picked a better herb? He grumbled internally but felt relieved that his treasured dragon ginseng tea had been safely hidden.
"If you'd like to see it, I'm happy to demonstrate. There's no need for an exchange," Li Hao smiled.
The four were momentarily stunned, not expecting Li Hao to be so agreeable. They exchanged glances, feeling a bit guilty.
"This… It wouldn't be right to take advantage of you. If you need anything, just let us know, and we'll do our best to help," Zhao Yingzhen said earnestly, no longer fiddling with his thumb ring.
"Indeed," agreed another elderly man, Sun Zhengshang.
"I don't need anything at the moment," Li Hao replied, shaking his head.
The four looked at each other, feeling a bit conflicted. With Lin Shanhai present, they couldn't simply take advantage of the young man's generosity.
But owing him a favor would be even more troublesome.
Seeing their discomfort, Lin Shanhai chuckled. "Since Qingfeng is willing to show you, just watch. If he needs help in the future, lend him a hand."
With Lin Shanhai's approval, the four no longer hesitated and eagerly awaited Li Hao's demonstration.
Li Hao headed to the alchemy room, selected some herbs, and began his stirring technique.
The four watched closely, eyes wide in astonishment.
Stirring?
The technique looked more like cooking than alchemy!
Their suspicions weren't far off—Li Hao was indeed cooking, using his culinary skills to extract the essence of the herbs.
Before long, the herbs were fully cooked, releasing a rich medicinal aroma.
The four were stunned, quickly probing with their divine senses, only to be shocked once again.
The medicinal properties had indeed been extracted simply by stirring!
With such refined ingredients, it was no wonder the pills turned out so pure and potent. If they had an assistant like this, they could achieve similar results!
"So, it's a unique extraction method…"
After their initial shock, the four understood that it wasn't some secret technique, but rather a specialized extraction process. And from the looks of it, mastering this method would be incredibly difficult—it couldn't be learned from a single demonstration.
No wonder Li Hao didn't mind showing them. The technique was so intricate that it wasn't something they could easily replicate.
"I've never seen anything like this—it's truly eye-opening," Zhao Yingzhen admitted, his eyes gleaming as if a new path in alchemy had just opened up for him.
"Qingfeng, would you be willing to assist me in refining a high-grade pill? I won't hold anything back during the process, and if you can learn from it, it's yours. I need your extraction skills to help concentrate the liquid…" Shi Huajin looked at Li Hao intently, extending an invitation.
Li Hao hesitated and glanced at Lin Shanhai.
Lin Shanhai, noticing Li Hao's hesitation, was momentarily surprised. He realized that Li Hao was seeking his approval, showing respect for his opinion. If he encouraged it, Li Hao would likely agree. If he remained indifferent, the boy would probably decline…
It was rare for someone to turn down an offer to work with a high-level alchemist and gain access to advanced alchemy formulas. Was this kid really not interested?
Lin Shanhai was both amused and perplexed—he had never encountered someone like Li Hao before.
"Since Master Shi has extended the invitation, it's up to you. If you're willing to help, I suggest you accept. This is a rare opportunity. If you're not interested in the formulas, you can ask for something else—Master Shi has a vast network and considerable wealth…" Lin Shanhai said with a smile.
Shi Huajin was momentarily taken aback. Did the boy really have no interest in her high-grade formulas?
"Since you've invited me, I'll humbly accept," Li Hao decided after some thought.
While it might take time away from his sculpting, it wouldn't be too much of a burden.
Given that Shi Huajin was Lin Shanhai's friend, rejecting her might come across as rude. Besides, Li Hao owed Lin Shanhai a great debt for his help.
And since he was still unfamiliar with this world, making some connections wouldn't hurt.
"So, what do you need?" Shi Huajin asked curiously.
Li Hao shook his head. "I don't need anything. But if you have any rare calligraphy, paintings, or chess manuals, I'd be interested."
"Calligraphy, paintings, and chess manuals?"
The four were surprised—such items were of little value to cultivators, except for a few who dabbled in the arts.
Lin Shanhai, having seen Li Hao's unusual hobbies over the past month, wasn't too surprised. However, even he paused for a moment upon hearing the request.
Shi Huajin, somewhat skeptical, asked Li Hao twice more to confirm that these were indeed his only interests. Once satisfied, she let the matter drop. Whatever his reasons, they would become clear in time.
"Old Lin, why are you using medicinal herbs to brew tea? It's terrible!" complained Liu Dongting, another elderly alchemist, as he spat out a leaf from his cup.
"You wouldn't appreciate fine tea even if it were served to you. Consider this a tonic to strengthen you," Lin Shanhai chuckled.
The conversation soon shifted back to alchemy, the Sacred Land's medicinal requirements, and occasionally touched on Lin Shanhai's granddaughter, Lin Qingying, and the upcoming Sacred Land Sword God Battle.
Within the Sword Ancestor Sacred Land, all disciples, including the saintesses, revered the sword above all. The upcoming battle would test both cultivation and swordsmanship, and there would be no excuses for defeat.
Li Hao sat quietly, listening attentively.
Whenever the conversation turned to him, he responded with a smile.
After the chat, Li Hao had a better understanding of the four alchemists and their personalities, and they, in turn, took note of this quiet, thoughtful young man.
After the guests departed, life in the courtyard returned to its usual rhythm.
Time flew by.
In the days that followed, Li Hao continued assisting Lin Shanhai with alchemy and also accepted invitations to help the other four with their work. His frequent appearances earned him a small reputation within the Sacred Land, with whispers spreading among the disciples and alchemy apprentices about a talented assistant favored by several high-level alchemists.
Back in Lin Shanhai's courtyard…
Under a starry night sky, sword light flashed.
Lin Qingying completed a set of sword techniques, wiping the sweat from her brow, when she caught a whiff of a delicious aroma.
She turned to see the alchemist she had rescued, emerging from the courtyard's kitchen with a plate of snacks.
"Hungry? Want some?" Li Hao smiled as he noticed her glance, raising the plate in offering.
Lin Qingying's gaze remained calm, and without responding, she resumed practicing a different sword technique.
As the enticing aroma lingered in the air, her stomach grumbled slightly.
Frowning, Lin Qingying paused her training and glanced toward the alchemy room, where an old man and a young man were enjoying their snacks and tea, seemingly quite content.
Those two… When did they get so close?
Surprised, Lin Qingying noticed the unexpected familiarity between her grandfather and the alchemist she had rescued. Despite her grandfather's seemingly easygoing nature, he had always remained somewhat guarded after experiencing many dangers in his younger years. Yet, he seemed to have grown quite fond of this newcomer.
"Qingying, if you're tired, come over and take a break. Try Qingfeng's cooking—it's amazing!" Lin Shanhai called out, waving a piece of pastry in the air.
Lin Qingying glanced at the snack, hesitated briefly, and then finally sheathed her sword and walked over to the alchemy room.
"Here you go," Li Hao offered the plate, allowing her to pick for herself. Being somewhat of a germaphobe, he disliked sharing food that others had touched.
Noticing his subtle gesture, Lin Qingying's eyes flickered slightly, but she said nothing. She gently picked up a piece with her delicate fingers and placed it in her mouth.
The snack melted on her tongue, its flavor indescribably delightful. Lin Qingying's eyes widened slightly in surprise before quickly returning to their usual calm. She quietly chewed the snack, savoring the taste.
After a moment of silence, she nodded to Li Hao. "It tastes good. Thank you for the snack."
With that, she turned and resumed her sword practice in the courtyard.
Unfazed, Li Hao pushed the plate toward Lin Shanhai, and the two of them continued eating.
Since Lin Shanhai had introduced him to his friends, Li Hao had grown closer to Zhao Yingzhen and the others. When he wasn't assisting Lin Shanhai, he often helped them with their alchemy or simply spent time with them.
To his surprise, Shi Huajin, unlike the others, had a keen interest in chess. So, aside from alchemy, Li Hao would occasionally visit her peak to discuss chess strategy.
The alchemists resided in the core area of the Sword Ancestor Sacred Land, surrounded by medicinal mountains. The area was serene, and the disciples of the Sacred Land were forbidden from disturbing the peace.
The Sacred Land was vast—according to Lin Shanhai's descriptions and Li Hao's own calculations, it was twice the size of the Great Yu Divine Dynasty, equivalent to thirty-eight provinces!
Lin Shanhai's alchemy area alone was the size of a city, with only a few servants and apprentices present, making it a quiet and spacious place.
The same went for the others, although Zhao Yingzhen's mountain was bustling with activity, filled with disciples and decorated like a royal palace.
"You've spent quite some time honing your chess skills. This isn't just a casual hobby," Shi Huajin commented during one of their games, dropping a piece to block Li Hao's white stones. After half a month of interaction, she had grown increasingly intrigued by this young man, who was unlike anyone she had met before.
"It's just a hobby that I've invested some time in," Li Hao replied with a smile, focusing on the board. Although her skills were decent, around five-dan, he couldn't afford to be careless. Even with his six-dan level, underestimating her could lead to defeat.
Overconfidence could lead to failure, especially when the skill gap wasn't too large.
"If you're interested, I can recommend you to the Sacred Land. With our endorsement, you could become a mid-level alchemist, equivalent in status to an inner disciple," Shi Huajin offered sincerely.
Li Hao shook his head slightly. He was only here to recover and improve his skills—alchemy didn't hold much importance to him.
Seeing his focused expression, Shi Huajin didn't press the matter and continued her move.
As the black and white stones intertwined on the board, Li Hao became fully absorbed in the game. The board seemed to expand before his eyes, the gridlines stretching infinitely, enveloping him.
It felt as though he had become one of the pieces on the board.
That elusive flash of insight appeared, and this time, Li Hao grasped it.