"Senior Sword Saint, this is the child of Tiangang, Li Hao."
Taking advantage of the maid's absence while she went to call for Bian Ruxue, He Jianlan introduced the white-haired elder beside her. "By the way, the name Hao was given by Emperor Yu. What do you think of this child?"
Upon hearing Emperor Yu's name, the elder glanced at the woman and immediately understood her intentions. He felt a bit displeased but didn't say anything, instead observing the child before him.
Li Hao was also looking up at the elder. Hearing the woman refer to the old man as "Senior," he was surprised and realized why Uncle Fu had reacted so strongly earlier.
While searching through the chess records at the Listening Rain Tower, he had come across some interesting stories about the martial world and its notable figures. Among the many heroes recorded over the past century, only three were known as Sword Saints.
One resided in the southern Sword Lodge, another had retreated to the Yellow Sands and Green Lakes of the Northern Desert, and the last one was elusive, rarely seen. All three were masters of the sword, renowned for their skills, and were honored as Sword Saints.
The debate over who among these three was the strongest had been a hot topic for many years. Li Hao's third uncle had exceptional talent in swordsmanship, having shattered half of Jingzhou's martial world and demon forest with a single strike, yet he had not earned the title of Sword Saint. This showed just how terrifying the strength of the elder before him was.
He wondered which of the three this elder was.
As the eyes of the old man and the young boy met, Li Hao immediately sensed a profound sword intent hidden deep within the elder's gaze, like an ocean or an abyss. However, this intent was concealed beneath calm, dark eyes, and without his own understanding of the sword at the second level, he wouldn't have been able to perceive it.
"I heard that the child of Tiangang has failed to establish a foundation and lacks martial talent?"
Jian Wudao looked at the child in front of him with indifference. In the eyes of the world, the Qilin child of the Divine General's Mansion was a highly esteemed figure, second only to the royal heirs, but to him, it meant little, and he felt no need to be courteous to a child.
He Jianlan's expression stiffened slightly as she nodded. "That's right. That's why I wanted to ask Senior Sword Saint to see if this child has any talent for swordsmanship. If he can cultivate his body and practice the sword in the future, he could serve the country and protect the land for Da Yu."
When she mentioned "protecting the land," Jian Wudao's gaze shifted slightly, softening a bit. Given his status, as long as the older generation of the Li family remained, he didn't need to care about the thoughts of the younger generations. However, the Li family's long history of achievements was indeed admirable, especially in recent decades when the borders had seen occasional conflicts. Six of the nine sons of the Li family had died in battle, which was enough to earn respect.
"Let's take a look together later," Jian Wudao said calmly.
He Jianlan was delighted and nodded.
Soon, Bian Ruxue was brought before everyone by Xue Jian. The little girl looked at the crowd of adults, clearly feeling nervous. She instinctively stood behind Li Hao, using him to shield half of her body.
She had seen this kind of scene before, back when Li Hao was establishing his foundation and measuring his bones. However, the gazes of these adults had made her feel sad.
"Senior Sword Saint, this is the swordsmanship genius I asked Bai Jing to mention to you."
Once Bian Ruxue arrived, an elderly military man stepped forward respectfully.
Jian Wudao nodded slightly. The old man had come over mainly because his third disciple had persistently requested him to meet the little girl from the Divine General's Mansion, praising her talents. He had a heart for talent, which is why he left the Sword Lodge to witness this prosperous world.
"Ten levels of the Unity Realm, complete, with abundant bones. Not bad."
Jian Wudao immediately recognized the little girl's cultivation level, his eyes showing satisfaction. Hearing that she had a ninth-grade battle body, he knew she had top-notch potential, and he wouldn't need to worry about her future cultivation.
"Little girl, show me your best sword technique," Jian Wudao instructed.
Bian Ruxue looked at the unfamiliar yet imposing elder, feeling nervous and instinctively glanced at Li Hao.
Li Hao understood that this was Xue'er’s opportunity and smiled, pushing her forward. "Don't be afraid, don't be nervous. I'm right here with you."
With Li Hao's encouragement, Bian Ruxue's fear eased significantly. She nodded and stepped aside, while the others automatically made space for her without needing He Jianlan's prompting.
Soon, Bian Ruxue's sword technique began to flow, graceful and light like snow or a waterfall. Her movements were skilled and agile, carrying a hint of a return to simplicity.
This essence was immediately captured by Jian Wudao, who had immersed himself in swordsmanship for nearly a century. His sharp, narrow eyes widened slightly, revealing uncontainable surprise.
This was more than just talent; she was truly a once-in-a-century sword genius!
At her age, being able to master a high-quality sword technique to perfection was already enough to rival his best disciple, not to mention the subtle spiritual quality she displayed.
What an extraordinary seed for swordsmanship!
"Hahaha..." Jian Wudao couldn't help but burst into laughter, his booming voice causing the dry leaves on nearby trees to tremble and fall.
This was worth it, truly worth it!
The people around, hearing the Sword Saint's hearty laughter, immediately understood that the little girl's fate had taken a turn for the better from that moment on.
Although she was already highly esteemed in the Divine General's Mansion, being recognized by a Sword Saint like this meant she was truly climbing to the peak, with the potential to become a household name in the future, leaving her mark for generations!
In an instant, countless complex gazes in the courtyard focused on the girl holding the sword.
Bian Ruxue stopped her movements, feeling the attention on her, and nervously looked at Li Hao.
Li Hao smiled back at her, giving her a thumbs up.
She understood that this gesture meant he was praising her for doing great.
So, the little girl relaxed and smiled brightly.
"You made a great recommendation, a wonderful recommendation!"
Jian Wudao, who had previously worn a serious expression, now laughed heartily, patting the shoulder of the elderly military man beside him. If it weren't for the old man’s strong recommendation, he wouldn't have stumbled upon such an extraordinary sword talent.
"You're too kind, Senior. It's a blessing for Xue'er to be able to study under the Sword Saint," the military elder said, feeling overwhelmed.
Though they appeared similar in age, both looking like elderly men, their actual ages and statuses were vastly different.
Jian Wudao smiled, feeling very pleased. He walked up to the little girl, bent down, and said kindly, "Little girl, you like swords, right? How about I take you to train?"
Bian Ruxue was momentarily stunned and asked, "Where to?"
"To the Sword Lodge."
Jian Wudao smiled as he mentioned this place that all sword practitioners longed for. "I will teach you swordsmanship there, giving you the best techniques."
Bian Ruxue didn't understand much and simply asked, "Is it far?"
"It's about nine thousand miles to the south. For you, that's quite a distance," Jian Wudao replied with a smile.
Bian Ruxue immediately turned to Li Hao nearby and asked, "Brother Hao, are you going too?"
Jian Wudao suddenly realized he had forgotten about the child.
He Jianlan stepped forward at the right moment, smiling gently. "Senior Sword Saint, you also forgot to check on Hao's sword talent. I heard he has a certain understanding of swordsmanship as well."
"Yes, Senior."
Beside them, Li Fu, feeling excited, quickly added, "When Xue'er practices, Young Master often watches and gives her good advice. Though Young Master hasn't trained, it seems he has his own understanding and talent for the sword."
Jian Wudao was a bit surprised and looked at Li Hao. His brows furrowed slightly, but considering He Jianlan was nearby, he said, "Alright, give him a sword and let him demonstrate. Any technique will do."
"Thank you, Senior Sword Saint!"
Li Fu was overjoyed and expressed his gratitude, then turned to Bian Ruxue. "Miss Xue'er, please lend your sword to Young Master for a moment."
Bian Ruxue obediently nodded and handed her sword to Li Hao.
(End of Chapter)