Chapter 41: Chapter 38 Tan Palace Academy
“The Qingyuan Era” was the newly established reign title in the year Li Hao was born, highlighting the deep favor bestowed upon the Li Family by Emperor Yu.
This dynasty, which had stood for over three thousand years, was still like a majestic lion. Though it had gradually aged and weakened, its mighty presence profoundly protected most of the land in peace, preventing the daring demons from wantonly setting foot within the territory, and ensuring the tribute-paying vassal states continued their annual offerings!
In that year, on the Yunzhou border within the Secluded Valley Mountain Range, the eighty-six-year-old veteran general Jiang Tianshou embarked on a campaign amid the cheers of the border shepherds. Leading more than thirty thousand royal cavalry, in just three days, he annihilated over one hundred thousand Tiger-Leopard Demon Clansmen that plagued the border, extending the territory by a thousand miles, his fame spreading across nineteen provinces!
That same year, a twelve-year-old prodigy known as the Bright Moon Sword braved the nine heavenly gates and, as a Direct Disciple, entered the Gan Tao Palace to listen to the teachings of the sage, becoming renowned throughout the world!
Also in that year, a secluded old Grandmaster who had retreated for thirty years atop Wanfeng Mountain descended to engage in a duel by the shore of Redwater Lake, drawing onlookers from all over. The final outcome, however, remained unknown to all.
Now, in the deep of October’s autumn.
The withered yellow leaves covered the ground of Qingzhou.
The sacred training ground of Qingzhou City, known as the Leap Immortal Gate – Tan Palace Academy, also opened its doors that had been sealed for six years.
Once the news broke out, it swept through the provinces.
Countless young talents, heirs and princesses swarmed from all over the world like shoals of fish, racing towards this opportunity for fame and fortune.
Meanwhile, in a small courtyard of the Divine General Mansion not far from Tan Palace Academy in Qingzhou City, a young man sat leisurely.
He listened to the sound of the fluttering leaves in the courtyard, brewed a pot of green tea, and quietly played a game of chess.
As if the hustle and bustle and the struggle taking place outside the courtyard,
were unrelated to him.
“Young Master, you’ve lost again.”
The last move of the black piece sealed off the white piece’s final escape route, a checkmate.
The young man picked up the tea cup beside him, took a gentle sip, and said with a smile.
His lips were red and teeth white; his eyes shone like bright stars, clear and profound. His face, still bearing a touch of youthful softness, carried defined and yet gentle lines. The skin was pale as if long shielded from the sun, with a hint of moon-like coolness. His fingers, holding the chess piece, were slender and strong with translucent nails, free of any impurity.
After he spoke, the corners of the mouth of the old man sitting across the chessboard twitched. He scrutinized the chessboard with a frown and eventually, unable to find a way out, frustration made him toss the white pieces back into the chess (qi) box.
“You lad, your skills in Chess Tao are becoming increasingly exquisite.”
Li Qingzheng, referred to as the Fifth Master, said even though he was praising the young man, his eyes reflected a deep resentment.
Having immersed himself in it for the better part of his life, his proudest and most satisfying skill in Chess Tao was continuously defeated by this youth recently. Winning the occasional game only added to his irritation.
“It’s all thanks to your good training, Fifth Master,” the young man, who was Li Hao, said with a modest chuckle.
“You cheeky boy!”
Li Qingzheng glared at him, not in good spirits, intending to play another round, but then he eyed the current game and felt somewhat deflated.
He still hadn’t figured out how he lost this last game.
At this moment, the sound of crunching dry leaves underfoot arose, and a snowy white figure swiftly darted over and jumped into the young man’s arms without a word – it was a white fox.
The white fox had reddish-orange ears, which added a touch of liveliness to its appearance.
Li Hao rubbed the white fox nuzzling in his arms and frowned, “Why do you smell of medicinal herbs again, where did you sneak off to eat this time?”
At these words, the white fox burrowed deeper into Li Hao’s embrace, as if trying to avoid answering.
Just then, Li Hao heard footsteps and looked up to see a figure in green, briskly approaching. It was a sixteen or seventeen-year-old maid with bright eyes and white teeth, quite pretty.
Panting, she arrived outside the gazebo, greeted Li Qingzheng with a bow, and then hastened to Li Hao, “Young Master, Xiao Rou has been to the Great Lady’s kitchen again. She knocked over the Great Lady’s beauty-preserving medicinal soup, and now they are searching for the culprit all over the Eternal Spring Court…”
Li Hao was speechless, dug the little head out from his embrace, and said with a lack of patience, “I told you not to be mischievous everywhere. Do you want to be spanked again?”
The small head of the white fox struggled to turn away, not daring to meet Li Hao’s eyes, apparently aware of the trouble it had caused.
“If you keep this up, I’ll hand you over to the Great Lady to deal with you properly, and she’ll shave off all your fur!” Li Hao threatened.
The thought seemed to scare the white fox, causing it to tremble and, with a pitiful look, it turned its head to gaze at Li Hao.
“You’re already in the Zhou Tian Realm, why can’t you talk yet…” Li Hao said, looking at the pathetic eyes of the white fox and feeling rather helpless.
He turned to address the maid, Qing Zhi, “Later on, apologize to the Great Lady on my behalf and send over a tray of the Perilla Cakes I made. And, have you bought today’s Cotton Jade Pastries?”
Qing Zhi muttered under her breath, “It’s always me who has to go. Every time it makes trouble, I’m the one who gets scolded.”
“What?”
“Nothing, I’ll go buy the Cotton Jade Pastries right away.” Qing Zhi said quickly, then ran off swiftly like a streak of cloud.
“This little maid is becoming more and more unruly,” Li Hao said, lifting his cup of tea and shaking his head helplessly.
Li Qingzheng gave him a glance, “How many in your courtyard are actually serious?”
Li Hao almost spat out his tea, looking at the old man speechlessly, “Fifth Grandpa, those words shouldn’t be said carelessly.”
Li Qingzheng snorted coldly, “The house servants stand without poise, and the maids walk around frantically. Go see the other courtyards, where everything is prim and proper. This little demon fox too, always causing mischief everywhere. Sooner or later, she’ll be caught and stewed. It’s all because the top beam is not straight and the bottom beams are crooked, mostly because of you. You had a bright future ahead, but you chose to create a mess. Could our family’s ancestors really be inferior to a demon dragon?”
At this point, he was so angry that he was blowing his beard and glaring.
Clearly, even after several years, this matter still troubled him deeply.
In the year he turned eight, Li Hao could have entered the Soul Succession Realm, but he himself delayed it for a year.
As a result, when the ancestors in the ancestral hall couldn’t wait any longer and sent for him to find the boy, they discovered that Li Hao had already inherited a soul.
By using Body Refining Techniques to slay a flood dragon, he inherited a demon dragon soul.
Although it was a dragon’s soul that he inherited, how could a mere dragon compare with the Li Family’s illustrious lineage of ancestors?
Moreover, demon souls are prone to inherit their nature, making it hard for him to avoid a temperament of slaughter and brutality upon inheriting a demon soul.
Fortunately, over the years, Li Hao hasn’t shown this side of him, mostly it’s due to playing chess with me all the time and being influenced by me… He stroked his beard, feeling satisfied.
However, that demon dragon soul has lowered Li Hao’s qualifications for soul inheritance, dooming him to be considered just above average within the Soul Succession Realm.
He might seem sufficient in the face of most in the Soul Succession Realm, but compared to the cream of the crop from various factions, he would look quite inferior.
After all, others manifest the soul of an ancestor from the Four Stands Realm, while we have a demon dragon.
And the ancestors of others have slain countless demon dragons before, just the dragon-slaying momentum that comes with their soul might be enough to scare Li Hao down.
Thinking of this matter filled Li Qingzheng with anger.
The ancestors in the ancestral hall were also uncontrollably furious.
As a son of the Li Family, yet inheriting a demon dragon’s soul, where did that leave the faces of our venerable ancestors?
There was even an ancestor who proposed to punish Li Hao severely, lock him in the Li Family’s dungeon and let him thoroughly learn his lesson.
Even Li Muxiu, who was often by Li Hao’s side acting as a half-caretaker, was rebuked one by one by the ancestors…
But my second brother deserved it!
Just because my second brother coddled and indulged the boy too much and didn’t care about anything, that’s why he became so unruly!
If it weren’t for Li Hao’s skill in playing chess, I would need to give this boy a harsh lesson myself.
Thinking this, Li Qingzheng’s anger at the chessboard in front of him flared up even more.
How did I lose!
Since stepping out of the ancestral hall that year, he felt that his decades-long Peaceful Heart Realm was becoming increasingly disturbed.
“I feel pretty good, the servants are comfortable, and so am I.”
Li Hao gave the old man a sheepish smile.
“With you being so lax, your servants are lax too. Wait until your father comes back, see how he’ll deal with you.” Li Qingzheng snorted coldly.
Li Hao said, “What if he stops me from playing chess with you?”
“He wouldn’t dare!”
Li Qingzheng’s eyes widened immediately.
Li Hao chuckled, and just then, another set of footsteps approached, though the sound didn’t belong to the girl Qing Zhi.
He looked in surprise and saw a familiar face—Xuejian from Eternal Spring Court.
Only now, after several years had passed, the girl who used to be young had developed an air of graceful charm.
Following her were two maidens, with bowed heads and demure expressions, walking silently, obviously much more proper than those in his own courtyard… and also much more hardworking.
Seeing that Fifth Grandpa was also present, Xuejian quickly bowed and greeted him with respect, and while she was surprised, she couldn’t help but glance at Li Hao. Everyone in the mansion knew that this young master of Mountain and River Courtyard was neglectful in his studies, yet he managed to get along quite well with both of the elder lords.
“Young Master, the Lady has sent me to inform you that Tan Palace Academy has opened for the year. This is the invitation sent by the academy to the mansion, and the Lady asked me to deliver a copy to you,” Xuejian said, bowing her head in reverence as she handed a black and white double fish-adorned invitation to Li Hao.
Although she might not have much respect for Li Hao in her heart, her demeanor was impeccable.
Li Hao, aware of the girl’s exceptional handling of matters, took the invitation with a smile and then casually tossed it aside on the mat, saying, “Thank you, Miss Xuejian.”
Xuejian glanced down and saw that the precious invitation, sought after by martial artists all over the world, was carelessly placed to the side. Thinking of the young master’s character, it was as the Lady had predicted.