Chapter 317: The Saintess Bian Ruxue
Upon hearing the whispers behind her, Lin Qingying frowned slightly. She didn't like being disturbed while practicing her swordsmanship, especially by those who didn't understand it.
However, she didn't immediately turn around. Instead, she held her sword, lowered her head, and contemplated, reflecting on the sword momentum she had just executed.
She was cultivating the sword intent of extreme softness, but "extreme" meant the limit. This limit was hard to grasp—if exceeded, the sword intent would disperse; if not fully reached, the sword intent would lack sharpness and present flaws.
As she reflected on it, she realized that her sword intent had indeed become somewhat scattered, exceeding the limit of softness. Such a mistake in battle would be a significant flaw.
However, only someone whose swordsmanship was on par with hers could detect such a flaw.
"You understand swordsmanship too?"
Lin Qingying turned around, her eyes as cold as the moon, falling on Li Hao with a hint of doubt.
If his swordsmanship could rival hers, he would have to be on par with the Holy Sons of the sect. How could such a person be gravely injured and just happen to be rescued by her? Was it intentional, or purely coincidental?
"Uh, I just said that casually," Li Hao quickly corrected himself, noticing the suspicion in her eyes.
He had spoken impulsively, with good intentions since she had saved his life. However, since his injuries hadn't fully healed, revealing too much might invite unnecessary suspicion and trouble.
"Casually?"
Lin Qingying raised an eyebrow. Saying something casually and pinpointing her mistake so accurately—who would believe that?
She scrutinized Li Hao and asked, "How exactly did you figure it out?"
Seeing her serious expression, Li Hao knew that if he didn't give a satisfactory explanation, she would likely suspect ulterior motives. "It was just a feeling," Li Hao said.
"A feeling?"
"Yes, I enjoy painting and am sensitive to posture and lines. When I saw your sword's movement just now, it seemed too soft. You're a swordsman—such a soft sword won't exert any force and could easily be seen as a flaw," Li Hao explained, half-truthfully.
"Do you think such a flimsy explanation would convince me?" Lin Qingying raised an eyebrow, a trace of coldness appearing in her eyes.
With the Sword Saint competition approaching, a matter of great importance, she couldn't help but suspect that someone might be trying to get close to her intentionally.
"Did Qingfeng really guess correctly?"
Lin Shanhai, who overheard their conversation, stopped fiddling with his herbs and looked at them in surprise. He had thought Li Hao's remark was just offhand, but seeing his granddaughter's reaction, it seemed Li Hao had hit the mark.
Li Hao smiled bitterly and said, "Wait a moment, I'll draw it for you." With that, he got up to find some paper and ink, using a wooden board as a makeshift drawing surface. He began to paint.
Soon, on the white paper appeared the graceful figure of a peerless beauty wielding a sword, her posture soft and elegant.
Painting Experience +32837.
Whoa, as expected of someone in the Enlightenment Realm—the experience gained from this drawing was immense! Li Hao put down his brush, and Lin Shanhai, who had been watching him closely, was stunned. He had witnessed the entire process, and as Li Hao's brushstrokes brought his granddaughter to life on paper, it seemed as if the figure on the paper was infused with a soul, dancing on the page.
"This..."
Although Lin Shanhai only cared about alchemy and tea, he was old enough and well-traveled enough to recognize the depth of the painting. It wasn't just realistic; it conveyed an immersive atmosphere.
"Hmm?"
Lin Qingying also walked over, and when she saw the figure on the paper, she was taken aback.
She was, of course, very familiar with that appearance, and the sword posture depicted in the painting seemed almost alive, capturing even a hint of her soft sword intent.
He had managed to capture and convey her sword intent through his painting!
Lin Qingying stared at the painting, momentarily lost in thought. After a while, she snapped out of it, a hint of embarrassment flashing in her eyes.
The painting was so detailed, it was as if it had been etched into his mind after countless observations. Although she wasn't knowledgeable about painting, she knew that the first step was detailed observation.
Thinking of this, her neck turned slightly red, and she shot Li Hao a glare.
Li Hao, bewildered by her reaction, thought she hadn't understood the painting, so he quickly pointed to it and explained, "Look here, the line of the arm, the waistline—it's all very graceful, almost boneless, but your sword is like a bone, supporting you. It's just that when you reached this point, the curve of the sword became a bit dispersed..."
"Enough!"
Lin Qingying's face flushed with embarrassment. Although she had lived under the same roof with Li Hao for over a month, they had barely spoken, and now he was analyzing her body lines through a painting. If it weren't for the sincerity in his gaze, she might have thought he was being lewd.
"Uh..." Li Hao realized he might have gone too far.
Lin Qingying, unwilling to engage further, focused on the painting. After careful consideration, she began to understand why Li Hao had been able to pinpoint her earlier mistake. He had analyzed her form through painting, not by understanding her path.
Typically, cultivation involves shaping one's form through understanding the Way, but Li Hao had used form to interpret the Way. Lin Qingying's eyes flickered as she glanced at him, then quickly looked away, deep in thought.
Being able to capture sword intent through painting—was he a genius in painting or swordsmanship?
Her grandfather had often praised his extraordinary talent in alchemy, and recently, she had witnessed other alchemists like Zhao Yingzhen and Shi Huajin come to visit, all singing his praises. Although she didn't understand alchemy, she knew that Li Hao was considered a prodigy in the field.
Perhaps he wasn't lying? Lin Qingying pondered.
Top-tier talents usually don't divide their attention among multiple pursuits. Even if they do, they focus on martial arts that enhance their cultivation.
But someone of this age, with such achievements, would surely have no time for anything else.
Satisfied with her conclusion, Lin Qingying left the drawing board and said, "Wait here, I'll be right back."
"You rascal..."
Lin Shanhai turned to Li Hao and warned, "Don't get any ideas about my granddaughter!"
Li Hao was confused. "Elder Lin, what do you mean?"
"You know exactly what I mean!"
Lin Shanhai glared at him. "Qingying is destined to become a Saint. For her sake and yours, you two aren't compatible."
Li Hao was stunned, wondering how the conversation had shifted to this topic. Smiling wryly, he replied, "Elder Lin, I have no such intentions toward Qingying."
"You rascal, calling her Qingying!"
Lin Shanhai became even more agitated.
Li Hao could only smile bitterly as Lin Shanhai continued to lecture him. Finally, Li Hao nodded repeatedly and promised he wouldn't entertain any thoughts about her.
"What are you two talking about?"
Not long after, Lin Qingying's figure suddenly appeared, as if she had heard something. She raised an eyebrow slightly and glanced at Li Hao.
Lin Shanhai shook his head and said, "It's nothing. What's that in your hand?"
"Imprint Bone Mirror," Lin Qingying replied, holding a small black oval mirror. Li Hao had seen a similar mirror when he was at the Ascension Gate, but that one was much larger.
"Let me check your age. It won't affect anything, right?" Lin Qingying asked, staring at Li Hao.
Li Hao nodded. There was no need to hide such a thing.
Lin Qingying immediately aimed the Imprint Bone Mirror at Li Hao. Soon, his image appeared on the pitch-black surface of the mirror, revealing his age.
"Twenty-seven."
Lin Qingying was stunned. A hint of surprise appeared in her eyes as she looked at Li Hao. That was quite young.
When she had rescued him after he fell unconscious, she had checked his body and found that he was seriously injured, yet his cultivation was at the Four Pillars Realm.
To reach the Four Pillars Realm at the age of twenty-seven was remarkable, making him a rare talent, one of the best among his peers.
In the Sword Ancestor Holy Land, he would be among the top inner disciples.
Moreover, being able to cultivate martial arts to the Four Pillars Realm at such a young age, and mastering a unique alchemical refining technique as her grandfather had mentioned, was no small feat. Swordsmanship?
There couldn't possibly be any more time or energy left to refine that. Human energy is limited.
With this, she felt reassured. Such a young age confirmed that what Li Hao had said earlier was likely true. He had simply used his art to capture her swordsmanship flaw. She didn't understand painting, but there was no other explanation.
"You're that young?" Lin Shanhai was also surprised. "A twenty-seven-year-old at the Four Pillars Realm? Your martial talent is incredible. Did your family give you some kind of divine pills? It seems like your talent could allow you to directly apprentice under an inner elder of the Holy Land. You could cultivate here for centuries and might even have the chance to become a personal disciple of a Semi-Saint in the future."
Hearing his words, Li Hao smiled bitterly, regretting the encounter with the Void Saint. It had been an unexpected disaster, wasting ten years of his life.
When he had escaped from the void, his battle body had shattered, his internal power dissipated, and his realm had plummeted. They had mistaken him for being at the Four Pillars Realm. He had since been lying low and gathering his strength, and his cultivation had already returned to the Enlightenment Realm.
However, with the Myriad Forms attribute concealing his true power, Li Hao hadn't bothered to reveal it. His internal injuries were still not fully healed.
"Pills?" Lin Qingying's eyes shifted from surprise to understanding.
Li Hao's refining method must have made Lin Shanhai think he was from a declining alchemical family that had once been glorious and had divine pills passed down through the generations. If he had relied on pills to reach this level, it wasn't too surprising.
However, pills that could significantly aid in cultivating the Three Immortal and Four Pillar Realms were rare, and high-level alchemists could only refine them in limited quantities.
"If you want to join the Sword Ancestor Holy Land, I can recommend you," Lin Qingying said as she put away the Imprint Bone Mirror. Her tone was calm, as if making amends for her earlier suspicion of him.
Li Hao caught her meaning and shook his head slightly. "I'm not interested in cultivation."
Hearing this, Lin Qingying didn't press the matter further. It only reinforced her belief that Li Hao had reached this realm through pill consumption. After all, during this time, she hadn't seen him cultivate even once.
Having such a cultivation base was likely a necessity for alchemy, similar to her grandfather.
Generally, alchemists needed to master certain fire techniques and even Daoist methods to refine pills. Alchemy was also somewhat physically demanding. If one's cultivation level was too low, it would be impossible to refine high-level pills.
Some divine medicines were difficult to tame even as raw materials. If demonic blood was used for refining, one would need to suppress the soul within the blood, which required a certain level of cultivation.
"Regardless, thank you for pointing out the flaw in my swordsmanship. If there's anything you want, feel free to ask. I'll help if I can," Lin Qingying said, her tone cold and detached. She didn't like owing people anything and always kept things clear and straightforward.
"You still haven't repaid me for saving your life. This is just a minor thing. I just mentioned it casually," Li Hao replied, glancing at her. He hesitated for a moment, then added, "If you really want to repay me, you could let me paint a few more pictures for you in the future?"
"You rascal!"
Before Lin Qingying could respond, Lin Shanhai immediately grew anxious and glared at Li Wu. "After everything I said, it was all for nothing?"
Lin Qingying was also momentarily stunned, her earlobes turning slightly red as she recalled the painting. She gave Li Hao a deep look, as if trying to confirm something in his gaze. But Li Hao's eyes were calm, with no hint of evasion.
Lin Qingying stared at him for a moment, then turned away and said calmly, "No problem. If you can still identify flaws in my swordsmanship, I will only be grateful."
"So you agree?" Li Hao smiled.
Lin Qingying didn't respond and flew back to the courtyard to continue practicing her swordsmanship. This was a tacit agreement.
After all, if she were unwilling, she had countless ways to prevent Li Hao from seeing her again.
She was, after all, the Saintess of the Sword Ancestor Holy Land, second in power only to the Semi-Saint Elders.
"Qingfeng, Qingfeng, why don't you ever listen to advice?" Lin Shanhai sighed bitterly, feeling like he had invited a wolf into the house.
"Old Lin, you don't need to worry. I have no other intentions towards Qingying. Please believe in my devotion to painting. I'm just interested in pure art. I'll even paint a few pictures for you as well," Li Hao said earnestly.
Lin Shanhai looked at Li Hao's sincere expression, feeling a bit doubtful. "Really?"
"Absolutely," Li Hao confirmed.
Seeing his assurance, Lin Shanhai secretly breathed a sigh of relief. "Alright, I'll trust you this time." Li Hao could only smile wryly and drop the subject.
Their conversation didn't escape Lin Qingying's ears. She frowned slightly and swung her sword even faster, as if trying to dispel all those words.
Soon, she was fully immersed in her swordsmanship practice again.
Since Li Hao had requested to paint Lin Qingying, Lin Shanhai had arranged for his medicine apprentice to build another courtyard for Li Hao at the back of the estate.
Although old Lin had said he trusted Li Hao, he still took precautions.
Li Hao could only smile wryly at this but didn't mind. Having his own courtyard gave him more peace and quiet.
Aside from painting and carving, he spent his days quietly healing his injuries.
The void energy that had seeped into his body was now more than half eradicated.
The good thing about this Land of Saints was that the energy here was incredibly dense, at least ten times more than in the mortal world.
No wonder warriors longed to enter the Immortal Gate.
Cultivating here was ten times faster and also slowed the aging process.
A year of cultivation here was equivalent to ten years in the mortal world, while consuming only one year of lifespan!
However, to Li Hao, it didn't matter whether he was here or in the mortal world. He just wanted to live each day peacefully and enjoyably.
Two months quickly passed.
Li Hao's injuries had almost completely healed, and the void energy in his body had been nearly eradicated as his flesh continued to heal.
As his body recovered, Li Hao resumed his cultivation alongside painting and carving. During his battle with the Void Saint, his heavenly veins had shattered, which meant that all his great veins had collapsed.
Although his flesh had healed, those heavenly veins needed to be rebuilt.
Fortunately, with his previous cultivation methods, re-opening the great veins wasn't difficult for Li Hao.
He set up barriers around his small courtyard and used his Hidden Bow and Myriad Forms attributes to completely conceal his aura.
Then he began practicing his vein-clearing techniques, reopening the great veins one by one.
All 108 great veins were successfully reopened as Li Hao's techniques took effect. The remaining two veins were the Nether Vein and the Yang Vein. The Nether Vein could be reopened through the Dry Jiao Holy Body Technique.
As for the Yang Vein, Li Hao found its location at the top of his skull, a perilous spot. A failed attempt could lead to madness or even death by cranial explosion.
But for someone who had mastered the Seventh Extremity Realm like Li Hao, reopening the Yang Vein was relatively easy.
Even if his head exploded, he could regenerate through blood.
After two attempts, the first of which ended in failure and cranial explosion, Li Hao succeeded the second time.
Without the Seventh Extremity Realm, no matter how talented or exceptional a genius was, they would meet their end if they failed to reopen the Yang Vein.
With the Yin-Yang Twin Veins open, the Heavenly Vein reappeared.
With seven extreme realms and a half-terminal realm, this was the height Li Hao had reached.
In the days that followed, he focused on refining his Dao energy. When he had ventured to the Immortal Gate, he had just entered the Enlightenment Realm, and his Dao energy hadn't fully converted. Later, his energy was scattered in battle, and now he was back at the early Realization Realm, with shallow Dao energy.
The strength of a Realization Realm cultivator depended on the depth of their Dao energy. The immortal nature of Dao energy theoretically meant that if it were refined deeply and powerfully enough, it could serve as a near-absolute defense.
Sitting in his courtyard, Li Hao divided his time between carving, painting, and the monotonous conversion of Dao energy.
Every morning, he would visit Lin Shanhai's alchemy room to help refine herbs.
Occasionally, he would be invited by Zhao Yingzhen, Shi Huajin, and others to assist in refining high-level divine pills, enhancing their success rates.
With Li Hao's help, their success rate for high-level pills increased dramatically, from thirty percent to seventy percent.
This made Li Hao the darling of the Sword Ancestor Holy Land's alchemy circle, earning him widespread fame.
Time passed day by day, and another month went by.
Li Hao had completely stabilized his Realization Realm cultivation, regaining his previous level of power.
In fact, his strength had surpassed its previous peak.
The conversion of Dao energy in the Land of Saints was far faster than in the mortal world. In just five days, he had fully converted, his body filled with Dao energy. The remaining twenty-plus days were spent refining and consolidating it.
Now, his flesh was even harder than the most treasured holy items.
Dao energy suffused his entire body, turning him into a top-tier treasure. Every gesture carried immense destructive power.
Moreover, his Sword Creation Dao had reached the eighth level, mastering sword momentum and sword intent. If he were to strike again, his attacks would be even more deadly.
However, his previous battle with the Void Saint had made Li Hao fully aware of the vast gap between himself and a true Saint.
During this time, Li Hao had casually inquired with Lin Shanhai, gaining a clearer understanding of the Saint Realm.
The term "Saint Realm" was a broad designation. In reality, the Saint Realm had different levels. Saints had to undergo three tribulations, each elevating their strength to a new level.
Those who overcame the most difficult heavenly tribulation became Supreme Saints.
Supreme Saints were the pinnacle of Saints and the true rulers of the Land of Saints. According to Lin Shanhai, there were only about ten Supreme Saints, beings capable of dominating the world with a single hand.
As for the Void Saint who had tried to kill Li Hao, Li Hao had also inquired about him. Although Canglan Realm and Yunxia Realm were far apart, a Saint's reputation spread across all thirty-three realms.
Lin Shanhai knew of the Void Saint, who was not a Supreme Saint.
When Saints transcended their heavenly tribulations, the event was earth-shattering, and Supreme Saints were always in the spotlight.
Li Hao sat in the pavilion outside the alchemy room on Medicine Mountain, idly playing with a chess piece. Jiang Xiaohui, one of Shi Huajin's personal disciples, respectfully delivered several alchemy ingredients to him, including Fire Dragon Liver, Hundred Fragrance Ganoderma, and Purple Coral Su.
Jiang Xiaohui was extremely polite and respectful toward the young man in front of her. Within the Holy Land's alchemy circle, the name "Qingfeng Alchemist" had become well-known. Although Li Hao didn't hold an official title as an alchemist, many people regarded him as one, even considering him close to the level of a high-ranking alchemist.
After all, Li Hao had connections with numerous alchemists. Besides Shi Huajin, other alchemists also sought his assistance, some even offering gifts multiple times, hoping he would help purify medicinal ingredients to increase the success rate of refining high-grade divine pills.
"Just leave them here," Li Hao replied casually.
Jiang Xiaohui stole a glance at Li Hao. She had heard that his purification technique was so extraordinary that it seemed almost supernatural. In her heart, she was filled with admiration, but she had also heard that this was a secret family technique passed down through generations.
Even though Li Hao had demonstrated it before, those who watched realized it wasn't something one could learn in just a day or two. Only if Li Hao personally and meticulously taught it could anyone hope to master it. But who would share such a valuable skill without a substantial benefit?
Not long after, a metallic sound echoed from within the alchemy room.
Li Hao turned his head toward the source and caught a faint whiff of a strange, fragrant medicinal scent, signaling that the pill had been successfully refined.
Soon, the door of the alchemy room was pushed open, and the barrier inside was removed—not to guard against Li Hao but rather to protect against the other apprentices and even Shi Huajin's personal disciples.
The pill refined that day was a high-grade divine pill, one of Shi Huajin's secret techniques. Even her personal disciples were rarely taught this, as it required careful consideration of their character and other factors. It was a treasured skill reserved for passing down her legacy.
"Qingfeng, come and take a look," Shi Huajin called as she stepped outside, noticing Li Hao lounging idly in the pavilion. She smiled. Earlier, she had invited Li Hao inside to observe the process, but he declined, saying it was stuffy inside, nearly making her choke in frustration.
Her disciples, upon hearing Li Hao's refusal, had widened their eyes in disbelief, wondering what strategy he was employing—was he playing hard to get?
"Hm," Li Hao responded, tossing the chess piece back into the box. He stood up and entered the alchemy room, where he saw a jade-colored tray with seven divine pills radiating a hazy aura.
"These are Condensed Dao Pills. Even those at the Four Pillars Realm can use them to condense a trace of Dao energy within their bodies, allowing them to suppress others of the same level!" Shi Huajin explained with a smile as she introduced her secret formula. "These were specially made for a certain Saintess. For someone in the Enlightenment Realm, taking just one of these pills is equivalent to years of hard cultivation!"
Li Hao couldn't help but click his tongue in amazement. No wonder alchemists had such high status—it was well deserved.
A single pill could allow a Four Pillars Realm cultivator to condense Dao energy and suppress their peers.
It made talent and effort seem almost laughable. But such was the accumulated heritage of a great power.
In the Great Yu Divine Dynasty, the alchemists at the Alchemy Institute, who were considered only mid-level, already produced pills that were regarded as divine in the mortal world. Aside from supplying the royal family, all the other factions had to offer considerable benefits just to have a chance to secure their services.
Even the Five Great General's Mansions had to rely on strong connections to cut in line.
If this Condensed Dao Pill were brought to the Great Yu Divine Dynasty, it would drive all the Four Pillars Realm cultivators to madness. It was clear how highly regarded Shi Huajin was for being able to refine such a pill.
"If you want to learn, I can teach you," Shi Huajin offered with a half-smile.
Li Hao shook his head.
He could learn it and even refine it for others, but he had already memorized the ingredients. With his cooking techniques, he could make something similar, though it would be slightly less potent. The advantage, however, was that his dishes would be free of pill toxins and could be eaten every day!
However, the materials required for this pill were rare. Even Shi Huajin would feel the sting of a failed attempt, which was why she had asked him to help purify the ingredients to increase the success rate.
In the mortal world, it would be nearly impossible to gather all the necessary ingredients. Even if he learned the technique, it would be useless without the materials.
"Are you worried that I'm testing you? I'm sincere about this," Shi Huajin said with a playful smile. "All you need to do is agree to become my disciple."
"Sister, please don't tease me. I'm really not interested in alchemy," Li Hao replied helplessly.
Shi Huajin rolled her eyes at him. Anyone else would have been trembling with excitement at such an offer.
"I really don't know what you're thinking. Do you want me to beg you to become my disciple?" She sighed, feeling more exasperated than Li Hao. For them, alchemists' formulas were treasures, and others would give anything to learn them. Yet here they were, practically begging Li Hao to inherit their legacy and help him become an alchemy grandmaster, but he couldn't care less.
"Enough. I'm a bit tired from refining today. These pills are for Saintess Xue'er. You and Xiaohui take them to her for me," Shi Huajin said, a hint of weariness in her eyes. Refining pills was exhausting, and if not for the excitement of success, she would have wanted to rest much sooner.
"Alright," Li Hao agreed.
Outside the door, Jiang Xiaohui, who had overheard their explosive conversation, couldn't help but twitch at the corners of her mouth. She wished she could rush over and cover Qingfeng Alchemist's mouth, shouting, "I'll learn! I want to learn!"
Shi Huajin placed the Condensed Dao Pills into a treasure gourd and handed it to Li Hao before waving them off, clearly tired.
Li Hao took the gourd and, without saying much, signaled to Jiang Xiaohui to lead the way.
Jiang Xiaohui, knowing that her master didn't trust her to deliver such a precious pill alone, smiled bitterly. Compared to the many years she had spent by her master's side, it seemed her master trusted Qingfeng Alchemist even more.
"Qingfeng Alchemist, this way, please," Jiang Xiaohui said respectfully, keeping her thoughts to herself as she led Li Hao.
The two of them flew away from Medicine Mountain, heading toward the disciples' area of the Sword Ancestor Holy Land.
This was Li Hao's first time leaving the alchemy-focused area to visit where the disciples trained.
The Sword Ancestor Holy Land was vast, with most of the space dedicated to the disciples' training areas.
After flying several thousand miles, they entered a mountain range filled with towering peaks. Many of these peaks had formations and emitted a faint glow, with numerous disciples visible on them.
After traveling over ten thousand miles, they finally arrived at a towering mountain.
This mountain seemed to pierce the heavens, towering over all the surrounding peaks.
Around the mountain, rivers flowed, and several smaller peaks formed a five-pointed arrangement, seemingly part of a formation that gathered the world's energy and directed it toward the towering mountain. This was no natural formation but one created by altering the earth's veins, a massive undertaking.
The immense effort and resources required indicated the extraordinary status of the person residing on the mountain.
Jiang Xiaohui led Li Hao to the top of the mountain, where they landed before a gate at the top of the stairs. There, they were greeted by guards.
"We are here on Master's orders to deliver pills to the Saintess," Jiang Xiaohui said, presenting Shi Huajin's token.
The guards, who had initially looked stern, immediately softened their expressions into welcoming smiles. "So you're the esteemed disciple of Master Shi. Please, come in."
Jiang Xiaohui nodded politely, skipping the pleasantries, and allowed herself and Li Hao to be led inside.
They crossed a plaza and soon arrived at an imposing and magnificent building.
Li Hao glanced at the central structure and couldn't help but feel a twinge of surprise. The building's design was somewhat reminiscent of the General's Mansion he had seen before.
"The Saintess is waiting inside. Please," the guard said respectfully.
As they entered the gate, Li Hao looked around and was stunned. The long corridor and structure bore a striking resemblance to something familiar. As the servant led them further, they soon arrived at a courtyard.
Walking into the courtyard, Li Hao noticed it was an exact replica of the Mountain and River Courtyard he had seen before. The layout, the lotus pond, the catalpa trees, the main hall, and the side rooms were all identical, even down to the size.
The pavilion in the courtyard was also in the same spot, along with the stone path.
Li Hao's eyes flickered as he surveyed the surroundings, then noticed a familiar figure in white practicing swordsmanship in the courtyard.
Her movements were graceful, almost like a dance.
But Li Hao could tell she was honing her sword intent.
When she turned slightly, Li Hao's eyes widened in recognition, and he immediately understood.
He hadn't expected to encounter someone familiar here.
Before he had gone to the imperial palace in the capital, he had met that human Sword Saint, Jian Wudao, who had mentioned that someone had been chosen by a Saint and taken to the world within the Immortal Gate...
It turned out to be here.
Li Hao felt a mixture of realization, surprise, and inevitability.
The Sword Ancestor Holy Land's Saint was known as the Sword Saint.
This was the true Sword Saint, and only someone like her would be interested in someone like Bian Ruxue, who used swords.
Jian Wudao had said she had sword bones hidden beneath the surface, which a Saint had recognized.
"Saintess, the alchemist has come to deliver your pills," the servant leading them announced softly to the white-clad woman.
The snow-white figure halted her sword practice and slowly raised her head, looking in their direction.
Years had subtly sculpted her appearance, but there were still familiar contours beneath the changes.
Li Hao had not mistaken her—this was indeed Bian Ruxue.
However, she was no longer the young girl who always had a sword by her side. Now, she was a serene and ethereal beauty with the grace of an immortal.
Her eyes were like tranquil lakes on a snow-capped mountain, deep and calm, exuding a profound confidence that came from within.
"Greetings, Saintess Xue'er," Jiang Xiaohui stepped forward and bowed respectfully.
Although she was Shi Huajin's personal disciple, she was just one of many, while the woman before her was a Saintess, someone of higher status than her master. More importantly, the Saintess had the potential to become a Saint in the future.
Becoming a Saint was uncertain, but at least she had that potential—a potential that the vast majority of cultivators in the world didn't even possess a sliver of.
"Hm? Who is he?" Bian Ruxue's gaze swept past Jiang Xiaohui, her nose wrinkling slightly at the faint medicinal scent that clung to her, though she didn't let it show. Instead, her eyes landed on the young man standing behind her.
She had noticed the way he looked at her. It wasn't like the others, who hid their desire or admiration in their eyes. His gaze held something she couldn't quite place, a feeling she couldn't describe.
And strangely enough, it felt familiar.
"He is Qingfeng Alchemist, who has come with me to deliver the pills to the Saintess," Jiang Xiaohui quickly answered.
"A high-level alchemist, is he? Why doesn't he bow when meeting the Saintess? Does he wish to have his eyes gouged out for daring to look directly at her?" The servant, who had earlier been all smiles, suddenly turned hostile, angrily scolding Li Hao.
"Qingfeng Alchemist is new here and doesn't know the rules. We ask for the Saintess' forgiveness," Jiang Xiaohui hurriedly said, tugging at Li Hao's sleeve to get him to bow and apologize to the Saintess.
Li Hao withdrew his gaze, finding the servant's sudden hostility amusing. It was strange how quickly people could change when they were around their superiors, baring their fangs and claws.
"Qingfeng greets the Saintess," Li Hao said, bowing slightly in acknowledgment.
At this moment, he had no intention of revealing his true identity, not wanting to cause unnecessary trouble. After all, the little girl he once knew was no longer the same person.
It had been more than ten years since they parted at the Sword Hut, and it was unclear whether she still remembered him.
"What kind of attitude is that…" The servant was about to berate him further when Bian Ruxue gestured for her to stop. She then looked at Li Hao and asked, "Have we met before?"
Li Hao's eyes flickered as he responded, "Why does the Saintess ask such a question?"
"You resemble someone I once knew," Bian Ruxue replied softly. She didn't know why, but she couldn't shake the feeling that there was something familiar about him. Although his face and aura were different from the person in her memory, she couldn't help but think of that person.
"There are many people in this world, and it's not uncommon to find similar faces. The Saintess must be mistaken," Li Hao said.
Bian Ruxue stared at him for a moment before falling silent.
Yes, the person she knew was in the mortal world. When her master brought her to the Land of Saints, they had been separated by the vast divide between mortals and immortals.
As she thought of their final farewell and the words spoken by the campfire, her lips curved slightly. Now, she finally had the chance to ascend the peak of the Sword Dao and see what lay at the summit.
If she could comprehend the ultimate sword technique, she wanted to show it to him, just as they had agreed.
But would he truly be amazed by that sword?
A faint sigh echoed in her heart. The pinnacle of the Sword Dao might only captivate those who were sword enthusiasts. That elder brother of hers had always been different from others, preferring those seemingly useless miscellaneous arts and squandering his talents. Even if she demonstrated it to him, he might not understand.
He might not even appreciate its subtlety or grasp the difficulty of mastering such a sword technique.
Such a display was destined to be a one-sided admiration.
Just as it was with them—she could never see through his thoughts, nor could he understand her love for the Sword Dao.
However, no matter what, she had promised him she would climb to the top and then tell him what she had seen from there.
"Are you an alchemist?" Bian Ruxue asked softly.
"…You could say that," Li Hao replied.
Bian Ruxue averted her gaze, knowing that the person before her couldn't possibly be Li Hao. When her master brought her to the Land of Saints, he had still been at the Heaven Gate Pass.
Now, more than ten years had passed, and a century had likely passed in the mortal world.
With that thought, she sighed inwardly and said, "Leave the pills and thank the two alchemists."
With that, she picked up her sword and resumed her practice. As Li Hao watched her movements, he noticed that her sword intent was now imbued with the essence of ice and snow. Her first upper-grade sword technique had been the Falling Snow Sword Technique. Had she continued to refine it?
Li Hao thought of Lin Qingying's mention of the upcoming Sword Saint battle. Would these two eventually cross swords?
One wielded the Supreme Soft Sword Intent, while the other mastered the Ice and Snow Sword Creation. Their sword intents were similar, yet one was soft, and the other cold and sharp. Who would emerge victorious?
Li Hao withdrew his gaze, deciding not to watch further, lest he be tempted to offer corrections.
But the little girl he had once known was no longer the same person. She had her master and her path, and he no longer had the right to offer guidance.
He took out the treasure gourd and handed it to the servant who had led them there, then turned and left without lingering.
In that courtyard, the figures of two people from the mortal world gradually receded, neither looking back.
After returning from the Saintess Peak, Li Hao resumed his cultivation. As his Dao energy grew more concentrated, one day, he suddenly sensed a faint, ethereal power flowing through the void and into his body. This power was different from the world's energy; it was something mysterious and elusive.
After some contemplation, Li Hao realized that this seemed to be the power of incense.