At this moment, having been summoned by her master to lead the way, Jiang Yingyue felt somewhat displeased in her heart, but her expression softened slightly upon learning that Li Hao was the Qingfeng Pill Master. Although she was still annoyed, she at least did not show it to Li Hao, for he was the most talked-about person among alchemists recently.
Offending Li Hao would be like offending half of the alchemist community, which would make future alchemy endeavors difficult.
Before long, Jiang Yingyue, riding a flying sword, brought Li Hao to the front of the Sword Tower.
The two descended from the flying sword, and Li Hao looked at the Sword Tower, immediately feeling as if he were looking at a steep and piercing tower peak.
The Nine-layered Sword Tower, each level extremely tall, with eaves and flying corners twined with chains, the whole tower like a sky-reaching treasure sword, and those chains wound around each level as if to limit its sharpness, shrouding and imprisoning it.
“This is the Sword Tower…”
Li Hao felt a sense of shock at the sight, as this was far more majestic and imposing than any building in the Mortal World, even surpassing the Imperial Palace.
Outside the Sword Tower, two swordsmen wearing copper masks were waiting.
They did not recognize Li Hao but did recognize the top talent of the Inner Sect, Jiang Yingyue.
Thus, they quickly deduced Li Hao’s identity and approached, asking, “This must be Qingfeng Pill Master? We heard that Elder Ancestor Yao and the other elders have decided to place your painting within the Sword Tower, have you brought the scroll?”
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Li Hao flipped his hand, taking out the First Battle Image of the Sword God from the Heaven and Earth Space.
Seeing the scroll in Li Hao’s hands, the two sword attendants nodded and immediately said, “Come with me, please. This requires the Sword Master’s approval.”
“Sword Master?”
Li Hao was puzzled.
The two said no more, only giving Li Hao a look that carried a hint of displeasure.
Clearly, they felt offended by Li Hao’s ignorance of the Sword Master’s existence.
“The Sword Master is the second Sword Saint within our Sword Ancestor Holy Land!”
Jiang Yingyue, who was accompanying him, communicated to Li Hao through a whispered transmission, “The Sword Master guards the Sword Tower year-round. What he says here, goes. You must be careful not to offend him.”
Her reminder was both out of concern that Li Hao might misspeak and cause trouble for her master and an attempt to curry favor with Li Hao. Although she found the task of guiding wayward, it was an opportune chance to befriend the Qingfeng Alchemist.
“The second Sword Saint…”
Li Hao’s heart shivered. There were two Sword Saints in the Sword Ancestor Holy Land?
He had always assumed that there was only one Saint in the Holy Land. Now, there was a second one?!
Soon, the two sword attendants led Li Hao and Jiang Yingyue along the plaza steps in front of the Sword Tower, and then they made their way behind the tower to Sword Cliff.
Opposite the Sword Cliff was a snow-white waterfall cascading down from a towering fault, the sound of splashing water falling into the depths of the Sword Cliff, where one could faintly hear the sound of rushing water at the bottom, likely a river.
At the edge of Sword Cliff, an old man with a straw hat sat upright, and Li Hao was surprised to find that the other held a fishing rod in his hand. It was a true fishing line, not one made of condensed energy, seemingly forged from some treasure, currently being cast into the deep valley within the Sword Cliff.
“Master.”
The two sword attendants spoke out, their address startling Li Hao, these two were disciples of a Saint?
“Elder Ancestor Yao and others have sent word to place the painting from the hands of Qingfeng Pill Master within the First Level of the Sword Tower, and we come to seek your opinion,” said one of the male sword attendants in a low voice.
The figure did not respond, seemingly indifferent.
Li Hao and Jiang Yingyue could only wait silently for the person to speak; Jiang Yingyue dared not even breathe too loudly, bowing her head and surreptitiously observing the Sword Master, an even more esteemed figure than her master.
Time slowly passed.
The two sword attendants did not speak further, simply standing with their hands down in front of them, maintaining their posture throughout.
Although it was a wait, Li Hao was neither angry nor impatient. He could tell that the other was focusing on fishing, and their arrival was rather an interruption and an offense.
Putting himself in the other’s shoes, if he were fishing, he would not want others to talk much by his side.
Li Hao’s gaze moved past the person’s figure to the fishing rod in their hand, watching the line gently sway, indicating the swift currents below the Sword Cliff. Fishing in such turbulent water was a difficult and challenging affair, requiring a great deal of control and skill.
If one were to use Divine Thought to probe and control, to peer into the depths of the water, it would be a different matter altogether.
But that would detract from the joy of fishing.
Fishing is a blind struggle with the fish, much like humans cannot see Heaven’s Will but still struggle against heaven and earth, offering endless delight.
Suddenly, the fishing line hesitated briefly, and Li Hao’s eyes brightened, sensing that a fish was nibbling.
But the fish had not yet taken the bait and must not be moved hastily.
Then, the fishing line slackened again, apparently, whatever was at the bottom had only brushed against it, possibly probing as well.
One must wait a bit longer, wait a bit longer… Li Hao’s eyes fixed on the line, his thoughts becoming concentrated.
As time went on, there seemed to be no motion at the bottom, the line still loose. Had the fish gotten away?
But Li Hao knew it was even more important not to rush at this moment.
Suddenly, the fishing line paused again, then slowly grew taut.
Don’t rush!
Li Hao’s eyes instantly sharpened; the fish was still probing, not yet a signal of being hooked.
He must wait longer!
Fortunately, the Sword Master did not lift the rod, and the just-tautened line slowly relaxed again, but the next moment it abruptly tensed.
“Lift!”
Li Hao couldn’t help but exclaim in excitement.
At the same time, the Sword Master’s movement was extremely fast, and as soon as the words left Li Hao’s mouth, he sharply lifted the fishing rod, pulling the taut line, and then with a sudden flick of his body, seemed to yank the line with a force, flinging it straight out from the deep valley of the Sword Cliff.