[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-name-that-echoes-through-eternity":3,"chapter-the-name-that-echoes-through-eternity-the-name-that-echoes-through-eternity-chapter-39":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Name That Echoes Through Eternity",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2282588,4466,"Chapter 39: Merit and Oil Pastry","the-name-that-echoes-through-eternity-chapter-39",39,"\u003Cp>“Lady also instructed me to remind Young Master that you must attend—it’s a rare opportunity.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xue Jian spoke with respectful gentleness: “If Young Master doesn’t go, Lady says she’ll confine you for three months, confiscate all your paintings, poetry books, and ancient zither, and forbid you from entering the kitchen again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she spoke, a strange feeling stirred in her heart—this Young Master’s interests were so broad and varied; he truly was a remarkable person.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And such a precious opportunity, others would fight over it outside, yet here, I must beg this Young Master to go—it’s utterly unbelievable…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Isn’t this punishment too harsh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Hao sighed, “Is this a request or a threat?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xue Jian lifted her head, her lovely face filled with innocence as she blinked her eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright, alright, I get it.” Li Hao sighed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xue Jian smiled faintly—this Young Master was truly a peculiar soul. She bowed gracefully, bid farewell politely to Fifth Master, then bowed respectfully to Li Hao before taking her leave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You should listen to Jianlan and go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Xue Jian left, Li Qingzheng said calmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is it for the supreme technique in the Black and White Hall?” Li Hao asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of Qingzhou City’s three sacred sites, the Black and White Hall was mentioned alongside the Listening Rain Pavilion; though Li Hao had heard from Second Master that they weren’t on the same level, the Black and White Hall still had its merits—such as its palace-supreme technique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Correct. That supreme technique is worthy of the Seventh Floor.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Qingzheng said coolly: “Moreover, the Tan Gong Academy’s teaching standards are quite good. You need to temper your nature.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s the real goal, isn’t it…” Li Hao smirked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not long after, the maid Qing Zhi skipped back in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing her empty hands, Li Hao asked: “Where’s the oil pastry?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I couldn’t buy any.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qing Zhi bowed formally to Li Qingzheng before turning to Li Hao: “I asked Old Wang next door—Uncle Liu went to the Tan Gong Academy’s market fair. Word is, there are crowds there—geniuses from all nineteen provinces have come, business is booming. Besides Uncle Liu, many other vendors from nearby streets have also set up stalls there.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh…” Li Hao drew in a sharp breath, then smiled wryly—he clearly had no choice but to go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though his cooking skill has reached Stage Six, Uncle Liu has made Mian Yu Fragrant Crisp for decades; I can replicate it, but it’s never quite as perfect, never quite as exquisite.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Opposite him, the old man chuckled, stroking his beard as he watched Li Hao’s helpless expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Young Master, when I came back, Yuan Zhao Young Master said he’s waiting outside on the Jiao Shi carriage, telling you to hurry up and get ready to go to Tan Gong Academy together,” Qing Zhi said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With things as they were, Li Hao had no choice but to go—for the oil pastry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had Qing Zhi prepare his outer garments and dressed to leave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fifth Master, I’m going—I won’t see you off.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go. When you return, I’ll crush you,” Li Qingzheng chuckled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then you’d better think hard… Li Hao smiled inwardly, then stepped out with Fu Bo beside him and Qing Zhi following.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qing Zhi entered the household three years ago; rumor says she was a young lady from a minor clan, whose family fell into ruin and was sold into servitude, eventually ending up in the Divine General’s Mansion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Hao brought her to Shanhe Courtyard after hearing she knew calligraphy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Given the earlier assassination attempt, Qing Zhi underwent multiple layers of vetting and was cleared by Li Fu’s poison tests before being officially transferred to Shanhe Courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Later, gaining Li Hao’s favor, she gradually became his personal maid—a trusted presence in his inner circle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside the mansion, a squad of Li family personal guards stood ready. Five giant Jiao Shi beasts, each as large as elephants, stood in a line before a massive carriage, radiating grandeur.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Li Hao and the other third-generation Li family members, except for a few who had inherited titles, held no official ranks, the carriage bore no canopy. Yet its carved dragon and painted phoenix body still exuded noble elegance, and with the five Jiao Shi beasts’ wild, imposing forms, the whole scene radiated formidable presence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Stepping into the carriage, Li Hao saw two men and one woman already waiting—same age as him: Li Yuanzhao, and the siblings Li Yun and Li Zhining.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among the direct-line third-generation cultivators from the training grounds, only these three and the eight-mother’s children—five in total—had trained together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the eight-mother’s children, spoiled since childhood, had always been distant from others, aloof and unsociable—a trait evident before, now even more pronounced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As time passed, many things had changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hao Ge!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Li Hao, Li Yuanzhao immediately called out with a grin, patting the seat beside him to invite Li Hao over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now thirteen, his body had grown rounder, his appearance delightfully comical—his small, squinting eyes like two slits drawn on a round bun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yuanzhao’s parents were dead; he was the orphan of the third generation, raised since childhood in Fourth Mother’s courtyard. Rumor says he was greatly favored by her, which is why he grew so plump and pale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing his warm voice, the siblings beside him turned their heads, frowning slightly, and offered no greeting to Li Hao.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they grew older, absorbed more knowledge in the training grounds, or were influenced by other factors, the siblings gradually visited Shanhe Courtyard less and less; since Li Hao turned eleven, they had never returned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Hao occasionally met them when accompanying the old master fishing, but they no longer showed their former warmth—instead, they seemed to avoid him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Hao greeted them several times himself; after many attempts, he understood. He said nothing—no resentment, no blame—just became a stranger to them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, with the passage of time, not only did those around him change—so did he.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Five years had brought too many transformations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fifth Master, who had sat alone in the ancestral hall for decades, had stepped out to frequently visit the courtyard and play chess with him to ease his boredom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet the once lively children who ran to hear stories had slowly drifted away, leaving only Li Yuanzhao, still faithfully coming to Shanhe Courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sometimes when there were no stories, he’d bring a small stool, sit beside Li Hao, watch him paint alone, watch him chat and play chess with Fifth Master.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides that, the letters from the Sword Cottage thousands of miles to the south had long ceased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The last one arrived a year ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But that letter had promised: this time next year, the little girl would complete her training and descend the mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking of meeting that little tail again in a year, Li Hao’s eyes softened with a gentle smile as he sat down on the half-seat Li Yuanzhao had cleared for him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Zhining, why don’t you call Hao Ge?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Li Hao sat down, Li Yuanzhao noticed the silent siblings beside him and called out to the girl.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once neat and demure, Li Zhining now carried a graceful, poised air—but her once bright, innocent eyes had grown calm and resolute.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She glanced at Li Hao, saw his familiar easy, warm smile, frowned slightly, and said nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beside her, Li Yun’s expression darkened. He called to the driver: “Set off, Ming Bo!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, Young Master.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The carriage began to move slowly; after the initial jolt, the ride smoothed into perfect stillness, not a single tremor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Li Yuanzhao, though we have invitations to Tan Gong Academy, my mother says rely on your own strength to enter—don’t depend on the family. Don’t let outsiders laugh at us!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Yun’s face was stern, his tone cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1300,"2026-06-20T02:15:40.176Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","8b247e4cf44cbbc42e04ea926c0d89ee3309888ae0700912c99f881c6223432a","the-name-that-echoes-through-eternity-chapter-40","the-name-that-echoes-through-eternity-chapter-38",929,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-name-that-echoes-through-eternity-cover.jpg"]