The news came from another Mr. Black Hall, who had sensed the commotion and used his spirit to investigate.
"Ridiculous! Absolutely ridiculous!"
Song Yufeng's face turned pale with anger, and he suddenly thought of something: "Where's Yueyao? She didn't go, did she?"
"Grandpa."
At that moment, a voice came from outside the hall, and Song Yueyao walked in just in time.
When Song Yufeng saw her, his heart settled back into his chest, and he breathed a sigh of relief.
"What are you doing here? I need to ask you, did Li Hao take everyone to visit the brothel?"
Although he felt it was inappropriate to mention "brothel" in front of his granddaughter, Song Yufeng couldn't care less at that moment.
Song Yueyao felt a surge of anger at his words and replied coldly, "Yes, he did."
"This kid is simply outrageous!"
Song Yufeng was furious.
Song Yueyao was taken aback. Seeing her grandfather so angry, she couldn't help but say, "Grandpa, it's actually not his fault."
"What?" Song Yufeng glared at his granddaughter.
Feeling helpless, Song Yueyao explained the situation.
After hearing her, Song Yufeng's eyes widened even more, and the Mr. Black Hall beside him was also dumbfounded.
"You mean, that kid Li Hao just looked at the sword manual once and was able to demonstrate sword techniques at the true state level?"
"Impossible, absolutely impossible!"
Even though he said it was impossible, both Song Yufeng and Mr. Black Hall had to believe it since, according to Song Yueyao, dozens of people in the White Hall had witnessed it.
However, this was just too exaggerated.
Song Yufeng's first thought was that the sword manual had been leaked, and Li Hao must have been secretly practicing before revealing it today.
But his second thought was, even if that kid did practice secretly, it was still too outrageous!
After all, he was only fourteen years old. Did he start practicing as a baby?
Having already broken the record of the nineteen states with his fifteen-mile cultivation, how could he also master a top-tier sword technique at the true state level?
Wait a minute.
Song Yufeng suddenly felt something was off.
Li Hao might not just have mastered one true state sword technique.
And his sword manual might not have been leaked after all.
After all, the Li family's Listening Rain Tower had many sword techniques, and there were countless top-tier sword techniques. Even if they secretly collected the Yin-Yang Sword, why would they need to teach it to Li Hao?
The Li family had supreme sword techniques!
With limited energy, if they were to practice, it should be supreme sword techniques for Li Hao, not wasting time on a top-tier sword technique!
Thinking of this, Song Yufeng felt his heart twitch violently. If that's the case, there seems to be only one explanation.
That is, Li Hao really learned it just by looking at the sword manual once!
And he even practiced it to the true state!
From what his granddaughter said, it seemed there was a process: the first display was at the perfect level, followed by a step into the true state, skipping over the ultimate level...
Damn it, this is still hard to accept!
Even if he were a reincarnated sword immortal, it wouldn't be like this... Song Yufeng's face twitched as he stared blankly outside the hall. What kind of child had the Li family given birth to?
After a long time, Song Yufeng finally came back to his senses and thought about the brothel situation, leading him to chuckle bitterly.
"This kid is really bold to agree, not even considering his age."
Hearing this, Song Yueyao's expression changed slightly.
Song Yufeng suddenly thought of something and slapped his forehead, quickly saying, "They didn't go without their academy uniforms, did they?"
At this point, it was too late to stop them.
Moreover, Li Hao's teaching session had been so effective that it surpassed what these students could achieve in a year or two of hard work, so letting them take a break was no big deal.
But they shouldn't embarrass the hall.
"Not at all," Mr. Black Hall replied.
Song Yufeng immediately relaxed and smiled, "This kid still knows how to keep his limits."
...
On the way down the mountain, Li Hao ran into the poetic prince Jiang Hanxing.
Upon learning that Li Hao was going to visit the brothel, Jiang Hanxing was taken aback and immediately decided to tag along, wanting to see for himself.
Li Hao didn't mind and let him follow.
Yunyan Tower was the best brothel in Qingzhou City.
Here, you couldn't just buy fun with money; it was mainly a gathering place for talented scholars who came to recite poetry and compose verses.
They often held poetry competitions, where you had to win first place to meet the tower's top courtesan, the famous Hong Wan'er.
When Li Hao and the others arrived, a poetry competition was just getting underway.
You paid with silver to enter and exchanged poems for music.
However, these disciples from the White Hall were all martial artists. They had practiced martial arts since childhood, and while they could recite a few famous poems, asking them to compose their own was another story.
Fortunately, Li Hao was prepared. Since he had promised to fulfill their wishes, he wouldn't let them leave disappointed.
"Come on, everyone, each person recite a poem," Li Hao called out to them.
Zhou Zheng, who loved poetry, was astonished. He had secretly prepared two poems but didn't expect this talented martial artist to have poetry as well.
You see, all poems for the competition had to be original. Copying someone else's work would lead to ridicule.
Jiang Hanxing, who had seen Li Hao's poetic talent before, also gathered around. He was both surprised and somewhat disappointed. What good poetry could come from everyone reciting one?
But the next moment, his eyes widened.
Li Hao had never intended to show off with poetry, and he certainly wouldn't be like those who traveled through time and churned out poems one after another just to show off.
At that moment, he simply pulled out an entire book of poetry.
Soon, the entire poetry competition was in an uproar.
As Li Hao's timeless masterpieces from his world were recited in this one, Yunyan Tower went from lively to boiling, then from boiling to silent.
"Do you not see the waters of the Yellow River coming from the sky, rushing to the sea never to return..."
Zhou Zheng murmured, dumbfounded, feeling the overwhelming grandeur of the words.
"No one supports my ambition to reach the clouds; I will tread through the snow to the mountain peak!"
Jiang Hanxing's eyes sparkled as he clenched his fists. These lines seemed to express the hidden aspirations in his heart.
"The sea has no bounds, the sky is its shore; climbing to the peak, I am the summit!"
When Ma Jing heard Li Hao hand him this poem to take to the stage, he was so excited that his eyes turned red. Although he couldn't write poetry himself, he could at least appreciate it.
These lines seemed to speak of this extraordinary young man before him.
There are countless geniuses in the world, but only this young man before him had climbed to the peak, standing atop the mountain, becoming an even higher summit!
"Born to be the best among people, only I share my longevity with the heavens..."
"I have fought across three thousand miles, a single sword once faced a million troops..."
One powerful and arrogant poem after another was continuously recited by the White Hall disciples. As they recited, they felt a thrilling excitement.
For martial artists, these bold poems struck right at the heart.
"In drunkenness, I light the lamp and look at the sword; in dreams, I return to the sound of horns in the camp..."
Zhou Zheng, the son of a general, stood up in excitement, trembling all over.
"The great roc rises with the wind, soaring straight up to the ninth heaven!"
This magnificent poem comforted countless hearts, igniting the passion in those who felt lost and unfulfilled.
The disciples from the White Hall took turns reciting their poems, captivating the brothel.
On the upper floor, a stunning girl in her twenties stood at a high window, listening intently to the extraordinary poems being recited below.
The poems, whether bold and passionate or carefree and wild, stirred the emotions of everyone present.
In the Dayu Dynasty, the country was established by martial prowess, and the people revered martial arts. Thus, the poetry in the brothel mostly revolved around battle and valor.
There were few lewd verses, and even if there were, they were found in ordinary brothels and were not worth noticing.
Hong Wan'er had a deep understanding of poetry and could discern good from bad. Even the poems recited here might not be something that even the most learned scholars from the Hanlin Academy could write, with only a few famous poems that could stand the test of time.
Moreover, Hong Wan'er noticed that these young talents reciting poetry all rose from around a certain young man, who whispered a few words to each of them before they took the stage. This action made one ponder a lot.
Time flew by.
As the poetry competition ended, the women in the brothel were all stirred with romantic feelings, and the talented guests were all enchanted.
It was unclear who let it slip, but someone learned that all these poems were written by Li Hao. Someone recognized Li Hao's identity and called him out, causing Yunyan Tower to erupt in excitement.
This astonishing young man paired with such brilliant poetry made it feel as if the poems themselves had come to life.
In the midst of this excitement, no one cared that the disciples from the Hall had revealed Li Hao's poems. Instead, because they had received such favor from Li Hao, even without poetry to their names, they received the admiration of many women and were invited in.
The manager of the brothel hurried to Li Hao, bowing deeply. When he saw the famous young master of the Li family from Qingzhou, who was easygoing and gentle, he breathed a sigh of relief and then called for Hong Wan'er to accompany him.
The other disciples from the White Hall also had different girls to take them to enjoy the music and art.
Additionally, the manager cautiously asked Li Hao if he could borrow two of his poems to hang in the brothel.
Li Hao didn't mind and allowed him to choose two.
Before long, two lines of poetry were hung outside Yunyan Tower:
"One must know the ambition to seize the clouds in youth,
Once promised to be the best in the world."
The manager regretted that Li Hao hadn't completed the poem, leaving only these two lines.
At the same time, he didn't expect that because of these two lines, Yunyan Tower's fame would soon spread throughout the nineteen states.
Meanwhile, Li Hao was already in the most sought-after room of the brothel, eating and drinking.
"Young master, tonight I am yours. You can ask me to do anything," Hong Wan'er said with a smile, her beautiful eyes constantly assessing the first young master of Qingzhou City.
Since Li Hao revealed his cultivation, no one among the younger generation in Qingzhou could match him.
"Is that so? Then you can start by peeling sunflower seeds," Li Hao said.
Hong Wan'er was momentarily taken aback, then walked over with a smile, peeling the seeds and bringing them to his mouth.
Li Hao clapped his hands, enjoying the snacks while picking up other food and drinks.
...
At the same time, the news reached the Divine General's Mansion.
"What?!"
Li Tiangang's eyes widened in shock upon hearing the report from his servant. He slammed the table, causing the expensive table beside him to crack.
"This brat, how dare he!"
Li Tiangang's face turned slightly red with anger. The earlier thoughts returned to him, feeling that his son was too undisciplined, daring to do anything!
Li Fu jumped in fright and said, "Lord, I inquired with the hall, and it seems the young master..."
"No matter the reason, hurry up and bring him back!" Li Tiangang shouted angrily.
Every passing second felt like a disgrace to the Li family.
Li Fu quickly agreed and ran off.
Inside Yunyan Tower, Hong Wan'er had peeled seeds for a long time before finally sending the well-fed young master of the Li family away.
She was both angry and frustrated. As a beautiful woman, countless heroes had come to catch a glimpse of her beauty, yet this young man barely looked at her and only made her do some trivial tasks.
Her earlier fondness for Li Hao's poetry had diminished significantly. She had hoped to use this opportunity to form a good relationship with this young man, thinking that if she were lucky enough to marry into the Divine General's Mansion, even as a concubine, it would be a life of wealth and honor.
Unfortunately, that dream was dashed.
From that night on, there were no more sunflower seeds served in the upper floors of Yunyan Tower.
On the other side.
Li Hao had just exited Yunyan Tower when he bumped into Uncle Fu.
Seeing Uncle Fu rushing over with a slightly nervous expression, Li Hao raised an eyebrow.
"Young master, thank goodness! You... you weren't doing anything in there, were you?"
Li Fu quickly checked Li Hao's clothes.
Li Hao couldn't help but feel speechless. "Uncle Fu, how old do you think I am? Besides, I have a fiancée. I came here just to accompany these guys and let them relax a bit. Practicing martial arts all the time is pretty tough."
Hearing Li Hao say this, Uncle Fu immediately felt relieved. He smiled wryly and said, "Young master, you should hurry back with me. The lord is quite angry."
Angry?
Li Hao was momentarily taken aback, frowning.
He immediately followed Uncle Fu back.
As for the disciples inside, they were no longer children and could find their way back without his help.
Before long.
Li Hao returned to the Shanhe Courtyard with Uncle Fu.
In the courtyard, Li Tiangang sat firmly in the main hall, having replaced the table with a new one. Besides a teacup, there was also a rattan whip on it.
Li Hao and Li Fu walked in and saw this.
Li Fu's expression changed instantly, and he quickly said, "Lord, the young master is back. There is a reason for this..."
"Is that so? I'd like to hear it," Li Tiangang said, his face dark with anger, but recalling the previous incident with the scroll, he spoke in a low voice.
Li Hao frowned slightly.
Li Fu hurriedly explained the whole situation.
"Ridiculous! If they made a wish for you to give them a fief, would you agree to that too?"
Li Tiangang was even angrier after hearing this, feeling that Li Hao's temperament was indeed too wild, casually mentioning something like a wish.
If you say it, you must do it; otherwise, it would be a breach of trust.
Li Hao replied, "This was to motivate them, and it was conditional, within my means."
"You could afford to give away a city, right, once you become a true dragon?" Li Tiangang stared at him.
Li Hao met his gaze for a moment, then sighed and said, "What I can afford is a measure, very broad. I believe I get to decide that measure myself. If the request is too excessive, I naturally won't agree."
Li Tiangang raised an eyebrow and said, "You still know to leave some leeway. But have you considered what consequences your visit to the brothel today might have?"
Li Hao said, "If I remember correctly, Second Uncle said you all went to many when you were young. Why can't I go?"
"Can you compare yourself to us?"
Li Tiangang silently scolded his second uncle in his heart for casually discussing the past with a child.
Just as he was about to say something to Li Hao, he noticed the coldness in Li Hao's eyes. He paused, his expression changing slightly as he looked at Li Hao for a moment, then sighed heavily.
"Hao'er, this time is different from the past. I've received news that the Infinite Buddha Lord has summoned your cousin back. At this critical moment, doing something like this seems to indicate that they will definitely challenge you in the true dragon competition."
He continued, "They know your situation and still made such a choice, so they must be fully prepared. You cannot afford to be careless at this time."
Li Hao was silent for a moment before nodding, "I understand."
Li Tiangang looked at him for a moment, wanting to say something, but ultimately held back and said, "During this time, you should avoid wandering around. Although I promised you that you could do whatever you wanted, I will compensate you, but at least for now, you should stay put."
Stay put... Li Hao glanced at him, secretly sighing.
When has he ever not stayed put?
Hasn't he been in the mansion all these years?
Going to a brothel is considered not staying put?
He felt somewhat helpless. Once a prejudice forms, it seems very hard to change.
He never expected that such prejudice would appear in the closest blood relations, which was somewhat ridiculous and lamentable.
He also lost interest in saying anything further and turned to leave.
"This child, when will he learn to rein in this temperament? I wonder who he takes after..."
Watching Li Hao leave, Li Tiangang sighed, feeling very weary.
He wanted to make it up to Li Hao but didn't want him to go down the wrong path.
"Lord, you have just returned; it's best not to rush into many matters..." Uncle Zhao said with a worried expression.
He always felt that a big problem might arise between this father and son.
Their personalities were indeed worlds apart.
(End of Chapter)