The swordsmanship that was still somewhat unfamiliar yesterday already exhibited the essence of a swordsman today.
Her posture was precise and her movements were crisp and agile!
A swordsmanship prodigy!
At this moment, only these four words appeared in Lin Haixia's mind.
To know that Bian Ruxue had only been learning this set of swordsmanship for a few days, being able to grasp it in half a month would already be impressive.
But now, she was incredibly proficient, and there was a rare touch of spirit in her moves; that was the key.
Although he had scolded the little girl a few times yesterday, it was only because he had seen her potential in the Sword Dao. Seeing hope that she would become a strong swordsman in the future, he became stern and demanding.
He hadn't expected Bian Ruxue's performance today to far exceed his expectations. She was definitely a swordsmanship prodigy, the rarest type!
"Good, very good."
Lin Haixia smiled, nodding repeatedly. After Bian Ruxue finished her practice, he asked, "Did you practice on your own last night?"
Bian Ruxue immediately thought of Brother Hao's guidance but also remembered his stern instructions and warnings, so she nodded gently.
Lin Haixia was not surprised; without hard work last night, today's performance would not have been possible.
It was just that the progress from merely one night's practice was so rapid, and that was the most gratifying part.
"This swordsmanship is a bit too simple for you; today I will teach you superior swordsmanship!"
Lin Haixia said.
The previous one was just basic swordsmanship. The Li Family's Listening Rain Tower was off-limits to him, and he wasn't qualified to replace them in teaching this little girl the superior or even extraordinary swordsmanship listed there.
Unless it was at the request of Li Hao's parents, even Li Hao himself did not have the right currently.
He was still too young to take on such responsibilities.
"Hmm."
Bian Ruxue nodded.
The master and pupil again practiced new swordsmanship in the courtyard.
One taught, one learned.
Li Hao glanced at them briefly, felt a bit bored, and then continued pondering over his own chess strategies.
He held the black and white chess pieces in his hands, flipping them back and forth between his fingers, gently rubbing them, while contemplating matters related to the chess manuals.
Time silently swept through this courtyard without leaving any trace.
During the day, Li Hao would stare blankly at the chessboard.
At night, he would occasionally give Bian Ruxue a few pointers, correcting some minor mistakes.
Bian Ruxue's progress in the Sword Dao was astonishing, much to Lin Haixia's delight.
Several months later, in Piaoxue Courtyard.
Li Hao stood silently in the crowd, watching as an elder with an ethereal demeanor took the eight-year-old Li Wushuang away to begin her cultivation.
The Fifth Lady tearfully sent her off, reminding her to eat well, be obedient, and get enough rest.
Li Hao remembered when he was still in swaddling clothes, this little girl would tug at his mother's pants, her eyes bright and curious as she looked at him.
The Fifth Lady had three children, two daughters, and a son; this was the eldest daughter.
At the age of five, during the bone assessment, she was found to have a ninth-caliber War Body, another Heavenly Pride for the Li Family.
Now, it was heard that she exhibited extremely high talent in cultivation and was taken as a disciple by a knowledgeable elder.
*This familiar scene was something Li Hao had seen two years ago.*
*At that time, it was Liu Yue Rong's child, who was taken by a bald monk chanting Buddhist sutras.*
It was evident that he was from Mount Wuliang.
*In the Li Family, those with top-tier talent often joined Dayu's elite forces for cultivation; it was one of the ways elite forces extended their networks.*
*Those with secondary talents, like the Second Lady's second son, who only tested for a seventh-caliber War Body, although a genius, clearly lagged behind the Heavenly Prides and would in the future join the Tan Palace Academy in Qingzhou City for cultivation.*
*Compared to the Fifth Lady's motherly sentiments, Li Wushuang's face appeared exceptionally mature, almost like a young adult, as she calmly nodded and told her parents to take care of their health.*
Then, the little girl's eyes swept across the courtyard, glancing at everyone.
When she passed by Li Hao, she merely gave him a cursory glance as if she had no impression of him.
Among the third-generation children in the household, the names her mother frequently mentioned were just a few, all possessing exceptional talent, such as the Second Lady's child, Li Qianfeng, who was her current rival.
Everyone else was already overlooked by her.
*Immersed in this great vat of martial arts, the words and deeds of her mother, the training instructors, and the family servants she was exposed to fell on her ears; despite her young age, she was already mature in mind with a sharp gaze and had set her aspirations and goals toward achieving the pinnacle of martial arts.*
*Bidding farewell to her parents, amid the crowd's goodbyes, the little girl left with the Daoist.*
*The next time they would meet would likely be when she returned to the household after gaining fame years later.*
Life returned to peace again.
In this tranquil passage of time, Li Hao gradually went back to playing chess against himself.
But now, it was not for experience; he simply pondered over every game of chess.
He was attempting to defeat himself, switching between thinking as the white pieces and the black pieces alternately. Although the process was challenging, there was a sense of exhilaration.
*The joy of battling oneself was endless.*
*In this world, with scarce entertainment, Li Hao gradually came to enjoy this feeling of focusing on a particular matter, especially when there was the pleasure of challenge involved.*
Thus, the maids would occasionally see the young master suddenly react with excitement.
Like when quietly eating, he would suddenly shout, "Ah, that move should have been placed there!"
He would look quite regretful.
Sometimes he would even point to the flowerbed and ask the maids beside him, "Don't those flowers look like a chessboard to you?"
The maids: ???
They didn't understand at all.
But if the young master said so, it must be so.
After all, he was their young master; what else could they do but agree?