Li Hao took the sword, and his mind began to race. He wasn't worried about hiding his abilities anymore; he was weighing the pros and cons. If he showed his sword skills and revealed his talent, it would surely amaze everyone.
Even if he didn't reveal his true strength and just swung the sword with the body of an ordinary child, he might not be able to unleash the full power of the ultimate Tide Sword Technique. However, with a hint of its essence, the Sword Saint, with his sharp eyes for swordsmanship, should still be able to see his potential.
Having the Sword Saint as a master meant he wouldn't have to worry about others coveting him. But if he became the disciple, he would have to go to the southern Sword Cottage for training. That place was a holy land for swordsmen, but in terms of overall resources, it might not be as deep as the Divine General's Mansion or as rich as the Listening Rain Tower.
He needed to improve through chess and other arts, and given the Sword Saint's serious demeanor, he would likely be very strict and might not tolerate him "not focusing on the right things." Or perhaps he could discuss with the Sword Saint about staying in the Divine General's Mansion for guidance? But the Mansion might not allow a powerful outsider, comparable to the Li family, to stay for long... and the Sword Saint might not agree either.
“Forget it, there’s no need for him to practice,” came the Sword Saint's voice, tinged with displeasure.
Li Hao, lost in thought, was startled by the words and looked at him. He Jianlan quickly reacted and asked, “Sword Saint, why is that?”
“He has no love for the sword in his eyes. At such a young age, his thoughts are scattered; he’s not cut out for sword practice,” the Sword Saint replied, his expression returning to indifference. If it weren't for being in the Divine General's Mansion, he would have turned and left without a word.
“Sword Saint, this child must be nervous. Why not give him a chance to show what he can do…” Li Fu hurriedly suggested from behind. This was a rare opportunity, and missing it would be a huge loss.
But before he could finish, the Sword Saint shot him a glance. That cold, sharp gaze made Li Fu feel a chill in his throat, as if his life was being cut off, and he stopped speaking.
“Sword Saint, Hao'er has been in the mansion since he was little and hasn’t seen much of the world. He can’t practice martial arts, so it’s normal that he hasn’t had much contact with swords and doesn’t have a passion for them,” He Jianlan said, her brows furrowed.
The Sword Saint didn’t treat He Jianlan the same way he treated Li Fu; after all, she was the current lady of the Divine General’s Mansion. He looked at her and gently shook his head, “I understand your concerns, Madam. But you don’t know how to use a sword, so you don’t understand the sword path. If he reaches an ordinary level or becomes a master among commoners, with my guidance, he might barely make it.”
“But if he wants to reach the peak and attain even the lowest level of my Sword Cottage, he is still far from it.”
“When it comes to practicing the sword, I only look at two things: one is talent for the sword, and the other is the feeling for the sword.”
“Good talent but no feeling for the sword can only reach a mediocre level.”
“And if one loves the sword, even if their understanding is average, once they grasp the heart of the sword, they can step into the top tier!”
It was rare for the Sword Saint to say so much at once, and he laid it all out clearly. He looked at Bian Ruxue and said to He Jianlan, “Earlier, when this little girl came over holding the sword, I could see the love for the sword in her eyes. Among a thousand weapons, she would spot the sword at a glance!”
“With that, even if her talent is slightly lacking, with continuous practice, she will refine her sword heart and achieve great things in the future. Not to mention her exceptional talent.”
After saying this, he turned to Li Hao, “But this child has no trace of the sword in his eyes. Even when he holds the sword, there’s no emotion. No matter how talented he is, it doesn’t matter anymore.”
“He’s not suited for the path of the sword!”
This final judgment left He Jianlan speechless. The courtyard fell silent.
She wanted to say something but saw the determination in the Sword Saint's eyes and knew further persuasion would be useless. Unless she called for the clan elders, but that would be too embarrassing for the Li family.
She glanced at Li Hao, her expression complex, and sighed inwardly. She knew this child had a wild nature and often played chess with the servants in the courtyard. Those minor skills were just trifles in a prosperous world. But with Li Tiangang and his wife not around, she couldn't discipline him too strictly. After a few words, if the child didn’t listen and secretly had servants accompany him, there was nothing she could do.
Was everything really fate?
While He Jianlan was lost in thought, the Sword Saint had already made his point clear and did not care about others' opinions. If the Li family insisted on forcing this child into his tutelage, he wouldn’t hold back.
At that moment, he looked at the little girl beside him, his eyes softening with hidden affection. His cold demeanor melted a bit as he smiled and asked, “Little girl, what’s your name?”
“Bian Ruxue,” the little girl replied honestly.
Then she turned to Li Hao and said to the old man, “Can you let Brother Hao practice a bit? Brother Hao is very smart, much smarter than me.”
The Sword Saint smiled slightly. What good is being smart? Aren’t all those scholars in the court clever?
Moreover, he had noticed that Li Hao’s thoughts were complicated, even at such a young age. With such a mind, it was harder to lay a solid foundation during the early stages of sword training. He would only be half-hearted and delay his own progress.
This is why some precocious children fade into obscurity later, while some quiet and unassuming kids achieve great things in the end.
The Sword Saint didn’t like the term “late bloomer.” He thought it was the ignorance of the common folk who couldn’t see through the protective outer layer of true genius. Focus and dedication are the true qualities of a genius.
Some seemingly clever children know a little about everything, can chime in on adult conversations, and make adults laugh, but in the realm of practice, the worst thing is to be overly clever.
Being steady and a bit perceptive is the best foundation.
“Ruxue, come with me to the mountain to train,” the Sword Saint said gently.
“Will you take Brother Hao with you?” Bian Ruxue asked, looking up.
“Just you,” he replied.
“Then I won’t go.”
Bian Ruxue immediately said, stepping back as if afraid he would insist on taking her away. She shrank to Li Hao's side and hugged his arm, “I want to stay with Brother Hao. I’m not going anywhere.”
The Sword Saint's expression changed slightly, his brows furrowing.
However, even though Bian Ruxue was exceptionally talented, she was still a child. He wasn’t angry but turned to He Jianlan and said, “Madam, I’ll take Ruxue with me. When she achieves success in her training, I will bring her back. In a few years, you will probably hear her name spread far and wide.”
He spoke confidently because if he announced it now, many would soon know the name “Bian Ruxue.”
The new disciple of the Sword Saint would be enough to make a name for herself across the state!
He Jianlan nodded slightly. There was no reason to refuse the Sword Saint’s words.
Li Hao had already come to his senses. He forced a smile but said nothing. It was better this way; it made the choice easier for him.
“Brother Hao, I won’t leave,” Bian Ruxue said, gripping Li Hao’s arm tightly, her eyes red and timid.
Li Hao didn’t want the little girl to leave, but he understood this was her opportunity.
Staying in the Divine General’s Mansion, her training would be limited to just that. But becoming a disciple of the Sword Saint would open up vast connections and allow her to see a broader world.
Out of selfishness, he wanted to keep her around. Having her as a little companion made him feel secure and happy. But considering Bian Ruxue’s future, he chose to let her go, softly saying, “Ruxue, you need to be obedient. Go with this grandpa to train, and when you succeed, you can come back to see me. I’ll take you to eat delicious food then.”
“I won’t go! I don’t want to train! I don’t want to practice the sword! I hate swords!” Bian Ruxue suddenly burst into tears.
The Sword Saint frowned, realizing he had underestimated the little girl’s feelings for this boy.
After all, they were childhood friends who grew up together.
He thought to himself that if it really didn’t work out, he could take Li Hao as well. A talent like this little girl was worth fighting over, even if she wore a shabby pendant.
“Be good. You’re a big girl now. You can’t keep crying,” Li Hao said, wiping her tears with his sleeve, speaking gently, though his heart felt a twinge of reluctance.
The adults in the courtyard were silent, watching one child comfort another.
Many had complex expressions, feeling a mix of jealousy and envy. After all, what a rare opportunity it was to go to the Sword Cottage! If their own children had such a chance, they would have kicked them out the door to let them experience the harshness of life.
Finally, Li Hao managed to comfort the little girl.
Bian Ruxue, with tear-filled eyes, said, “Then we promise, Brother Hao, you have to wait for me to come back. You have to stay here and not go anywhere.”
“Okay,” Li Hao replied, gently patting her forehead and smiling.
The Sword Saint’s expression softened, and his gaze towards Li Hao became a bit gentler.
Although he could ignore Bian Ruxue’s feelings and take her away by force, she was still just a child. In half a year at the Sword Cottage, time would ease her reluctance.
But for now, it was better that she willingly followed him up the mountain.
After all, with such talent, time was precious, and there was no room for delay.
“Ruxue is soft-hearted. Old man, you must protect her well and not let anyone bully her,” Li Hao said seriously to the Sword Saint after calming Ruxue.
The Sword Saint raised an eyebrow at Li Hao’s way of addressing him but didn’t get angry, replying lightly, “Don’t worry, little guy. I will take good care of Ruxue. With me around, no one in this world can bully her!”
“Good,” Li Hao said, looking deeply at him before turning to Bian Ruxue, “If someone bullies you at the Sword Cottage, write it down, and I’ll get back at them for you later.”
Everyone present took this as a child’s innocent words, not taking it seriously.
Before leaving, the Sword Saint thought for a moment and said to He Jianlan, “I have a body-refining manual at my Sword Cottage. I’ll send someone to deliver it. If you leave it at your Listening Rain Tower, it should reach the sixth level. Let this child try it out then.”
He Jianlan was delighted and quickly expressed her gratitude, then added with a hint of hope, “Is it really impossible for Brother Hao to become your disciple?”
The Sword Saint left, leaving behind only one sentence: that child is fortunate, but his fortune is shallow.
(End of Chapter)