```html
On a sunny day,
Strong warriors from the army arranged by the Divine General Mansion arrived at the Mountain and River Courtyard to help Li Hao build his foundation.
The warrior was a short, sturdy middle-aged man with dark skin, wearing an elegant green robe, named Lin Haixia. It sounded like a girl's name, so Li Hao later called him Uncle Lin.
Alongside Lin Haixia was a little girl.
The little girl was about the same age as Li Hao, only two months younger.
It was said that her father, who was far away on the battlefield of Northern Yan, was the orphaned child of Xingwu Marquis' war comrade.
Before the little girl's father encountered trouble, he entrusted his young daughter to the Xingwu Marquis, and before he passed away, they agreed on a childhood marriage.
To this sudden marriage arrangement, Li Hao was speechless.
*Goodness, you go to war, but don't even come back.*
*For such a big matter, did you ask for my opinion?*
Despite his frustrations, Li Hao did not vent his accumulated resentment on the little girl.
So.
In the expansive Mountain and River Courtyard, besides Li Hao, there was now an additional small figure.
The little girl's name was Bian Ruxue, delicately carved, rosy and tender, like a porcelain doll.
Being new to a strange place, the little girl was timid and asked everyone every day, where is my father, where did my father go.
The little girl wanted to find her father.
But no one in the courtyard dared to answer. Some soft-hearted maids would just secretly wipe tears in the corner upon hearing her.
The little girl lost her appetite and became increasingly thin. Li Hao noticed that none of the servants in the courtyard could coax a child. He was also annoyed, *It seems I've been too capable, not teaching these guys properly.*
He had to step in personally, half-threatening and half-coaxing the little girl, saying,
"Your father is hiding in a place. You need to behave and eat well for your father to come out."
The little girl, with innocent tear-filled eyes, asked, was Xue'er being naughty, why would her father hide from her, where was he hiding?
Where?
Looking at the little girl's pitiful appearance, Li Hao softened and said a clichéd line, pointing at the sky:
"Your father is up there, on one of those stars."
From then on, every night in the courtyard, there was a small figure looking up to the sky.
The silver radiance of the myriad stars reflected down upon the lonely little back.
While in the house, another little fellow sprawled over the chessboard, instructed the house servants daily to fan the mosquitoes away from the little girl, keeping her from being bitten.
In a blink of an eye, half a month passed, and the warrior Lin Haixia from the army also prepared the foundation-building elixir for Li Hao and Bian Ruxue.
Both established their foundations in the same year.
Foundation Establishment was the basis for Martial Arts!
The elixir, made from countless precious herbs, required soaking the body in it daily, using medicinal baths to forge a martial arts body.
The Divine General Mansion was one of the top noble families in Dayu, with abundant resources. Since Li Hao began his foundation establishment, countless precious herbs and rare treasures poured into the Mountain and River Courtyard, like an unending snowfall.
The foundation-building elixirs came in three grades.
Common, rare, and supreme!
Naturally, Li Hao used the top-grade foundation elixir, led by a thousand-year-old treasured herb, supplemented with countless other precious herbs, capable of nurturing a seventh-tier war body.
Once stepping onto the path of cultivation, he could break through the First Realm in just two or three years!
Martial Arts was a money-burning pit. This top-grade foundation elixir consumed one portion daily and lasted for six months to a year. Only a top-level noble house like the Divine General Mansion could use it freely.
In the courtyard, in two large barrels of medicinal liquid.
Li Hao and Bian Ruxue were soaking separately inside.
However, around the little girl's barrel, there were curtains for privacy, with female attendants watching over her.
The female attendants were slightly cultivated, equivalent to female trusted aides in the mansion.
Meanwhile, Lin Haixia personally watched over Li Hao.
At this moment, the dark purple medicinal liquid, symbolizing nobility, washed over Li Hao's body, only leaving his nostrils exposed to breathe.
The indescribable strange aroma of the medicinal liquid filled his nostrils, like swallowing bitter lotus, keeping Li Hao's mind sharp.
Li Hao asked, "Can I drink it?"
Lin Haixia replied, "It's better not to."
The elixir was too potent for a child's stomach to absorb, in turn causing damage.
Besides.
It was meant for external application.
Just as Li Hao was concentrating, suddenly some characters floated before his eyes:
[Detected unknown substance, analyzing...]
[Analysis failed, automatically isolated.]
Li Hao: ???
*What the heck?*
*Could it be what I'm thinking?*
Li Hao felt uncertain and apprehensive.
Beside the medicine barrel, Lin Haixia's previously calm expression was becoming gradually more serious, and over time, his brows furrowed into a "川" shape.
Li Hao noticed his expression, feeling a sudden unease, and asked,
"Uncle Lin, is there... something going on?"
Lin Haixia was not surprised by Li Hao's attentiveness. Over the past days, he had long noticed that the young master appeared more perceptive and intelligent than his peers, equivalent to a five- or six-year-old child.
However, he was not in the mood to talk to Li Hao at the moment. He quickly lifted the curtain to check on the situation on the other side. Soon after, he returned to Li Hao's side, his expression particularly grim.
"Uncle Lin?"
Lin Haixia reached into the edge of the medicine barrel to carefully feel around, his expression becoming complex. He looked at the child in the barrel, wanting to speak but hesitated.
"Uncle Lin, just say what you want to say." Li Hao couldn't help but speak.
Lin Haixia was slightly surprised, looking at him. Although Li Hao was more perceptive, he was still just a three-year-old child. Yet, he noticed his hesitance?
However, in his poor mood, he didn't think much of it. Whether Li Hao understood or not, he went straight to the point, "Martial arts talent can be seen directly at the age of five by measuring the bones, but it's evident during foundation establishment itself."
"The faster the elixir is absorbed, the higher the martial arts aptitude, but young master, your... absorption rate is too slow!"
He glanced at Li Hao in the medicine barrel, his eyes filled with incomprehension and pity.
After thinking for a moment, he muttered to himself, "Perhaps today was just an accident, a mistake in my preparation. I will check more carefully tomorrow."
Li Hao felt a chill in his heart.
Was that font prompt earlier referring to the foundation elixir?
*What do you mean, absorption is too slow? It's all blocked. How can there be absorption?*
Li Hao was speechless. *Is this panel truly adopting the game settings completely?*
Over the past year, he had explored the panel and discovered:
There was no combat system in the game, so it seemed as if he was cut off from martial arts completely.
Or rather, he was cut off from practicing martial arts.
Training combat skills didn't grant experience, only the skills predefined in the game had experience bars.
While he could improve through hard practice, on the contrary, focusing on art was more rewarding.
At least, he could quickly progress, enter the Dao, and form cultivation techniques.
One leap could outmatch decades of hard practice.
However, it was regrettable, with those resources piled up around him, he could cultivate a top-tier martial artist, at the very least.
Speaking of which, why couldn't this extraordinary elixir be absorbed, yet the poison worked?
Or perhaps it didn't work? Did he simply fell asleep without noticing the font prompt?
Perhaps, once he awakened the Divine Blood in the future, he'd be able to tell.
But that woman once said that awakening the Divine Blood was probabilistic, and not guaranteed.
*Well, whatever happens, it's your skill if it's harmful, this can't be let go unaccounted.*
"Don't be discouraged. I'll try again tomorrow. If it doesn't work, I'll inform the Marquis. He will definitely think of a solution for you."
While Li Hao pondered, Lin Haixia comfortingly said, although unsure if Li Hao understood him.
"No need."
Li Hao slightly waved his hand, intending to climb out of the medicine barrel.
Since the foundation elixir was isolated by the panel, soaking further was useless.
"Don't get out, try again, keep soaking," Lin Haixia quickly said as he saw Li Hao about to climb out.
Li Hao shook his head, "It's useless."
"You need to listen!" Lin Haixia had a stern face and became serious.
Li Hao was rendered speechless and had to say, "I'll go check on the little girl."
Saying so, he lifted the curtain and headed to the little girl's medicine barrel, where he immediately saw the foundation elixir, which was exactly the same when poured earlier, now transformed from purple to almost transparent water in the little girl's barrel, with just wisps of light purple cloudy medicine liquid lingering.
"Brother Hao?"
Bian Ruxue in the medicine barrel looked at Li Hao in confusion. The little girl was too young to conceal her expression, and her face was full of puzzlement.
"Uncle Lin, how is the little girl's absorption rate regarding talent?"
Li Hao did not look back but asked Lin Haixia, who stood behind him.
Feeling amused, Lin Haixia was melancholic and puzzled. Despite the same age, this little fellow always seemed so mature in front of Xue'er.
"Her absorption rate is considered very good."
Lin Haixia had already observed earlier, and now his eyes were a bit sentimental, "If she successfully undergoes Blood Melting at four years old, by the time she measures bones at five, given the top resources of the Divine General Mansion, her war body might leap to the Eighth Layer, or even ninth-tier level, ranking among the top Heavenly Pride!"
"Ninth-tier?"
Li Hao questioned in confusion.
Lin Haixia was patient with the young master's questions, intending to explain, regardless of Li Hao's comprehension.
After Lin Haixia's detailed explanation, Li Hao finally understood.
Apparently, Foundation Establishment, Blood Melting, and bone measurement collectively termed as the Three Six Nine Layers!
Foundation-building elixirs were in three grades.
Blood Melting and different bloodlines were of six grades!
While bone measurement aptitude was of nine grades!
The first to third-tier war bodies were common aptitude, classified as Low Rank.
Fourth to sixth-tier war bodies were elite, among the best, categorized as Middle Rank.
Seventh-tier, would be considered a genius.
Eighth-tier would gain fame in a state.
Ninth-tier war bodies were the most exceptional martial physiques, equivalent to unparalleled talents.
This superior physique would easily break through realms, commonly reaching the Fourth Realm and Fifth Realm!
Regarding the higher realms, besides talent, it required additional elements, such as one's perception, resilience, luck, opportunities, and more.
Li Hao turned to view the little girl in the medicine barrel, somewhat awed.
*This little girl, will she be a genius famous throughout the world in the future?*
He envisioned a picture in his mind, a little girl with a runny nose standing proudly among the crowd, which made him burst into laughter.
Lin Haixia glanced at Li Hao, but his eyes were filled with worry.
Although the child seemed intelligent, after all, he was only three.
He didn't understand the magnitude of today's event.
The possibility of error in the foundation elixir was slim.
And this implied that... he might be unable to cultivate, a martial waste body!
In this family of generals, especially as a son of the Li Family, yet unable to cultivate, Lin Haixia couldn't imagine how cruel this reality was.
```