Chapter 4: Three-Six-Nine Ranks

On a sunny day.

The General’s Mansion sent a powerful warrior from the military to the Shanhe Academy to assist Li Hao in Foundation Establishment.

He was a short, sturdy middle-aged man with dark skin, yet dressed in a flowing blue robe named Lin Haixia—a name like a girl’s, which Li Hao later called him Uncle Lin.

Accompanying Lin Haixia back was a little girl.

The little girl was the same age as Li Hao, just two months younger.

She was said to be the orphaned daughter of a comrade of the Xing Wu Hou, stationed far away on the Yanbei battlefield.

Before his death, the little girl’s father entrusted her to the Xing Wu Hou, and on his deathbed, the two arranged a childhood marriage pact.

Li Hao found this sudden marriage arrangement utterly baffling.

Fine, you go fight, and if you don’t come back, fine.

But such a major matter—did you even ask my opinion?

Though furious, Li Hao did not vent his accumulated resentment on the little girl.

Thus.

In the vast Shanhe Academy, besides Li Hao, there was now another small figure.

The little girl was named Bian Ruxue, exquisitely carved and delicate, pink and soft, like a porcelain doll.

Upon arriving in this unfamiliar place, she was timid, daily grabbing people and asking, Where is my father? Where did my father go?

The little girl wanted to find her father.

But no one in the academy dared answer; some tender-hearted maids could only quietly wipe tears in the corners.

The little girl lost her appetite and grew thinner day by day. Li Hao saw that none of the servants here knew how to comfort a child, and he was annoyed—he must have been too well-behaved, failing to train these people properly.

He had no choice but to take matters into his own hands, half-threatening, half-persuading the little girl:

“Your father is hiding somewhere. If you behave well and eat properly, he’ll come out.”

The little girl blinked with tearful, innocent eyes and asked, Am I not good? Why is Father hiding from Snow? Where is he hiding?

Where?

Seeing the little girl’s pitiful expression, Li Hao softened slightly and uttered a cliché, pointing to the sky:

“Your father is up there, on one of the stars.”

From then on, every night in the courtyard, a small figure would look up at the heavens.

The silver glow of countless stars fell upon the lonely little back.

Meanwhile, another small figure, sprawled over a chessboard inside the house, ordered retainers every day to fan the little girl, warding off mosquitoes so she wouldn’t be covered in bites.

Half a month passed, and the military warrior Lin Haixia had prepared the Foundation Establishment tonic for both Li Hao and Bian Ruxue.

The two would undergo Foundation Establishment in the same year.

Foundation Establishment meant establishing the very foundation of martial cultivation!

The Foundation Establishment tonic, brewed from countless precious herbs, was soaked daily into the body, bathing the flesh to forge a pure martial body. The General’s Mansion was one of the supreme clans of Dayu, rich in resources; since Li Hao began Foundation Establishment, a flood of rare herbs and treasures had poured into the Shanhe Academy like snowfall, inexhaustible.

Foundation Establishment tonic came in three grades.

Common, Rare, Supreme!

Li Hao’s was naturally the supreme-grade tonic, brewed with a millennium-grade herb as the core, supplemented by countless other precious ingredients, capable of cultivating a seventh-rank martial body.

Once Tashang the cultivation path, one could break through the first realm within just two or three years. Martial cultivation was a gold-consuming pit; this supreme-grade tonic consumed one dose daily, continuing for half a year to a year—only a top-tier mansion like the General’s could afford to use it so freely.

In the courtyard, two enormous herbal tubs.

Li Hao and Bian Ruxue soaked in them separately.

But around the little girl’s tub, a curtain shielded it, with female attendants watching over her.

These female attendants differed from maids—they had some cultivation, equivalent to the mansion’s female personal guards.

Li Hao’s side, however, was overseen personally by Lin Haixia.

At this moment, the dark purple tonic, symbolizing nobility, surged against Li Hao’s body, submerging even his chin, leaving only his nostrils exposed for breathing.

An indescribable medicinal stench filled his nose, like swallowing bitter lotus root, keeping his mind sharply alert.

Li Hao asked: “Can I drink it?”

Lin Haixia said: “Better not.”

The tonic’s power was too strong; a child’s digestive system couldn’t absorb it and would be damaged instead.

Moreover,

This is for external application.

Just as Li Hao was holding his breath and focusing, a line of text suddenly appeared before his eyes: [Detecting unknown substance, analyzing…][Analysis failed, automatically isolated.] Li Hao: ??? What’s going on? Damn it! Could it really be what I think it is?

Li Hao was startled and uncertain.

Beside the tub, Lin Haixia’s calm expression was slowly turning grave; as time passed, his brows knotted into a deep “ Chuan ” shape.

Li Hao noticed his expression and felt a pang in his chest, asking:

“Uncle Lin, is there… something wrong?”

Lin Haixia wasn’t surprised by Li Hao’s perceptiveness; over these days, he’d already realized this young master was far more precocious than his peers, extremely intelligent, like a five- or six-year-old child.

But now he had no mood for conversation; suddenly, he yanked back the curtain, glanced at the other side, then returned to Li Hao’s side, his face grim.

“Uncle Lin?”

Lin Haixia reached into the edge of the tub, carefully sensing, his gaze turning complex. He looked at the child inside, wanting to speak, but the words died on his lips.

“Uncle Lin, just say what you want to say.” Li Hao couldn’t hold back.

Lin Haixia was slightly startled, glancing at him. Though Li Hao was precocious, he was still only three years old—how did he notice Lin Haixia’s hesitation?

But his mood was foul, and he didn’t overthink it; regardless of whether Li Hao understood, he spoke directly: “Martial talent, besides being directly revealed at age five during bone measurement, already subtly manifests during Foundation Establishment.”

“The faster the tonic is absorbed, the higher the martial talent. But young master… your absorption speed is far too slow!” He glanced at Li Hao in the tub, his eyes filled with incomprehension and pity.

Then he paused, muttering to himself: “Perhaps today was just an accident—I made a mistake in brewing. Tomorrow I’ll examine more carefully.”

Li Hao’s heart turned cold.

That text prompt earlier—was it really referring to the Foundation Establishment tonic?

Absorption too slow? It’s been blocked entirely—what’s there to absorb, even a strand of hair?

Li Hao was speechless inside. Was this panel determined to stick rigidly to the game’s rules? Over the past year, while exploring the panel, he’d already noticed.

The game had no combat system, so he seemed utterly disconnected from martial cultivation.

Or rather, disconnected from training martial skills.

Cultivating combat techniques gave him no experience—only the game’s designated artistic activities had experience bars.

Though he could still improve through hard practice, it was better to just return to art—far more rewarding.

At least experience would soar, points would pour in, and cultivation techniques would form automatically.

In a single day, surpassing decades of grueling training.

But now, all these resources piled around him were wasted—they could have at least cultivated a top-tier martialist.

Speaking of which, if this extraordinary tonic beyond modern composition couldn’t be absorbed, why did the previous poison work?

Or perhaps it didn’t work—was he just asleep and missed the text prompt?

Maybe, when he one day awakened his divine blood, he’d know for sure.

But that woman had said awakening divine blood was probabilistic—not guaranteed.

Forget it. Whether you harmed me or not is your problem, but this debt won’t be forgotten.

“Don’t lose heart. Tomorrow I’ll try again. If it still fails, I’ll notify the Hou—he’ll surely find a solution for you.”

As Li Hao pondered, Lin Haixia comforted him, though he wasn’t sure Li Hao could understand.

“No need.”

Li Hao waved slightly, preparing to climb out of the tub.

Since the Foundation Establishment tonic was blocked by the panel, soaking further was useless.

“Don’t get up yet—try again, soak longer,” Lin Haixia said immediately.

Li Hao shook his head: “It’s useless.”

“Obey!” Lin Haixia’s face hardened, serious now.

Li Hao fell silent, then said: “Let me check on the little girl first.”

He pulled back the curtain and stepped to the little girl’s tub—immediately, he saw that the identical tonic poured into her tub had now turned nearly transparent, like clear water, with only faint wisps of pale purple, like mist, still drifting.

“Big Brother Hao?”

Bian Ruxue in the tub looked at Li Hao in confusion; she was too young to hide her thoughts, her face full of bewilderment.

“Uncle Lin, how would you rate this little girl’s absorption speed?”

Li Hao didn’t turn around, asking Lin Haixia behind him.

Lin Haixia, still troubled and puzzled, couldn’t help but smile slightly; though they were the same age, this little fellow always acted so old-fashioned around Snow.

“Her absorption speed is quite excellent.”

Lin Haixia had already observed earlier; now his gaze held a touch of awe: “If her blood dissolution proceeds smoothly at age four, by age five’s bone measurement, with the General’s Mansion’s supreme resources, her martial body could leap to eighth or even ninth rank—placing her among the top prodigies!”

“Ninth rank?”

Li Hao frowned.

Lin Haixia, though patient with this commander’s young master, answered regardless of whether he understood; since the child asked, this temporary teacher must respond.

After Lin Haixia’s detailed explanation, Li Hao finally understood.

Originally, Foundation Establishment, blood dissolution, and bone measurement were collectively called “Three-Six-Nine Ranks!”

Foundation Establishment tonic came in three grades.

Blood-type and bone-type qualities are each divided into six and nine grades respectively! Grades one through three for battle bodies are common, classified as inferior.

Grades four through six are elite, among the finest of humanity, and classified as medium.

Grade seven can be called a genius.

Grade eight is sufficient to make one famous throughout an entire province.

Grade nine battle body is the supreme martial physique, belonging to the level of peerless prodigy.

Such top-tier physiques break through realms as easily as eating and drinking; most can reach the Fourth Realm, even the Fifth Realm!

As for higher realms, beyond innate talent, one also needs other things—such as personal insight, perseverance, fortune, and opportunity.

Li Hao turned to look at the little girl in the medicinal tub, murmuring in amazement.

Will this little girl become a genius renowned across the land?

A vision flashed in his mind: the little girl, nose running, standing proudly amid a crowd… he couldn’t help laughing.

Lin Haixia glanced at Li Hao, her eyes filled with sorrow.

He’s still just a child; though he seems clever, he’s only three years old.

He doesn’t yet understand how monumental what happened today truly was.

The chance that the Foundation Establishment medicinal broth was flawed is negligible.

And that means… he is very likely a martial waste body, incapable of cultivation! In this military family, especially as a Li family son, being unable to cultivate—he himself could not imagine how cruel such a fate would be.

(End of Chapter)