Chapter 96: One Step of Essence [Sixth Chapter]

Sun Hongdian was slightly surprised but didn’t dwell on it; once he released his grip, he turned to the students below and said, “Everyone, this is the newly arrived provisional Master of the Academy, Young Master Li Hao of the Li family!”

Hua ！As soon as “Li Hao” was spoken, the students—who had been puzzled, doubtful, or curious—burst into a clamor.

For these past few days, the entire city had been talking about the man behind this name.

Tea houses, inns, even brothels and lodging houses all buzzed with it.

In the vast world of heroes and champions, this might have been just a pebble dropped into water—barely ruffling the surface, never spreading far.

But within Qingzhou City, it was known to every household.

A fifteen-ri cultivator at fourteen years old—the first wonder in a thousand years!

Could this living legend truly stand before them?

Everyone widened their eyes, staring at Li Hao as if he were a priceless treasure.

Li Hao felt a bit helpless, but he’d expected this—he’d long grown used to it.

“From now on, Young Master Li will teach you. He offers instruction only three times a year—listen well and cherish it. Do not make noise or disrupt!”

Sun Hongdian shouted to the crowd.

Their eyes gleamed. Was this legendary youth really going to teach them? What could he possibly impart? His cultivation insights? Many wore eager expressions, not expecting him to truly instruct them, but eager to see how this boy spoke.

“Young Master Li, the class is yours now.”

Sun Hongdian turned and smiled at Li Hao.

Li Hao nodded with a smile; once the man waved farewell and left, he turned to face the classroom, now gradually falling quiet.

“Since you all already know me, I won’t waste time introducing myself.”

Li Hao smiled. “What do you want to learn? Sword techniques? Fist methods? Body movements?”

“You’ll teach sword techniques?”

Song Yueyao’s eyes brightened slightly at this—most of them trained swords.

Li Hao knew swordsmen and knife-wielders were like literature and mathematics—core disciplines, major categories; nine out of ten warriors studied one or the other.

Ancient sword manuals and knife techniques were also the most numerous among cultivation arts.

“If you want to learn, I’ll teach,” Li Hao said with a smile.

“Will you teach us the Rain Listening Pavilion’s style?” a bold youth asked, face alight with anticipation.

They were all scions of noble families, well-off; after completing their studies here, they’d either make a name for themselves in the martial world or return home to inherit their clans.

With their Divine Wander realm cultivation, they could easily suppress many threats—among their peers, they were among the stronger.

“Sorry, the Li family’s secret manuals are not taught outside the family.”

Li Hao smiled. “But I can teach you what the White Hall’s main sword art is.”

“You haven’t even studied it—how can you teach it?”

Someone exclaimed in surprise, thinking Li Hao’s words were too casual; his impression instantly soured.

“It’s not too late to learn now.”

Li Hao chuckled. “Who has a sword manual? Let me borrow one.”

Hearing this, everyone was stunned, then grew resentful—Li Hao’s tone was far too arrogant; he clearly treated this lesson as a joke.

Their initial anticipation instantly evaporated.

Song Yueyao frowned slightly, her view of Li Hao shifting—he seemed too conceited.

“Young Master Li, we truly want to learn.”

Someone kindly warned him.

“Then let’s begin quickly—do you have a sword manual?” Li Hao said.

Seeing Li Hao remain so indifferent, the remaining students also grew disappointed, frowning.

Just pointing randomly at a manual—was that teaching? Whether he taught well was one thing; the attitude itself was abysmal.

Song Yueyao’s eyes betrayed clear disappointment. The prodigy was real—but so was this arrogance.

Everyone looked displeased, yet no one spoke up.

Fine, don’t teach—then why pretend? Is the General’s son so special?

Of course, these thoughts stayed locked in their hearts—no one dared voice them aloud.

After all, Li Hao’s status still carried weight; no one was foolish enough to openly offend him.

Li Hao glanced around, reading their expressions instantly—he understood their thoughts, felt a touch of helplessness, then scanned the room until his gaze settled on Song Yueyao: “Song classmate, you have a sword manual, right? Let me see it.”

Song Yueyao, suddenly called out, looked uneasy—especially under the weight of surrounding stares. She frowned and said:

“I didn’t bring one. I’ve already nearly perfected this sword art.”

“Then go find me one.”

Li Hao said.

Song Yueyao fell silent, lips curling slightly in reluctance. She was about to ask her close friend Lin Feifei for one, when suddenly a youth spoke up:

“Young Master Li, I have one.”

He rushed forward, handed the manual to Li Hao, and grinned: “Young Master Li, I’m Ma Jing.”

His face wore a fawning expression.

Li Hao nodded.

As the youth returned to his seat, murmurs of disdain rippled through the crowd—clearly, they looked down on Ma Jing’s sycophancy.

But Ma Jing didn’t care. Whether Li Hao respected them or not, this was a chance to cling to a powerful leg—only a fool would miss it.

“Wait a moment.”

Li Hao picked up the manual and addressed the class.

Then he lowered his head to read.

Page by page, the characters and diagrams—through his sword Dao insight—he understood them effortlessly. By halfway through, he could already deduce the following techniques in his mind.

It was a high-grade sword manual: The Yin-Yang Reversal Sword.

[Skill acquired: Basic grasp. Record? ] Record.

Li Hao silently thought.

Instantly, a torrent of information flooded his mind—but given his current cultivation, he absorbed it effortlessly. Only closing his eyes for a moment, he fully internalized it.

He glanced at his panel: Yin-Yang Reversal Sword (True Form) · Yin-Yang Reversal.

Yin-Yang Reversal was the sword’s essence. Most techniques, through his Dao insight, he could grasp their essence—like the Falling Snow Sword Art’s essence: Avalanche! “Student outside the door, come in and join the lesson.”

Before teaching, Li Hao remembered to call in the youth who’d been standing outside as punishment.

The youth, having heard Sun Hongdian’s introduction, knew Li Hao’s identity. He’d been listening intently outside, peering in secretly.

Now, hearing Li Hao call him, he was startled—he hadn’t expected Li Hao to remember him. A warmth and joy stirred in his chest.

As for Li Hao teaching sword techniques—he didn’t care even if Li Hao taught seriously. He’d never liked martial arts since childhood; he only trained because he was born into a military family, with no choice.

“Thank you, Young Master Li. I’m Zhou Zheng,” the youth said.

Li Hao nodded. “Return to your seat.”

Once Zhou Zheng returned, Li Hao said: “I’ll first demonstrate the perfect-level Yin-Yang Reversal Sword. Try to feel it.”

What? The students—who’d already lost interest or were ready to leave—froze at this. Then someone covered their mouth, stifling a laugh.

Just one look—and he claimed he’d teach them the perfect-level sword art?

This was a high-grade martial art! Even if you were a genius, wouldn’t you need two or three months of study to reach perfection? Hearing such bold claims, everyone now watched with amusement, ready to enjoy the spectacle of this “legend.”

Song Yueyao frowned. Li Hao didn’t seem like this flamboyant type—but today’s interaction left her deeply disappointed.

Still, she recalled their brief encounter in Cangyu City—they’d barely exchanged a glance.

She sighed inwardly, turned her gaze away, no longer even wanting to watch—this was just boring.

Onstage, Li Hao finished speaking and casually summoned a sword from the weapon rack.

The effortless control of his spiritual force caused a few who’d sneered to subtly rein in their mockery—their eyes now held seriousness.

No matter how this Li family heir behaved, his cultivation was undeniably terrifying.

Holding the sword, Li Hao’s expression remained calm and casual. He floated the manual back to Ma Jing’s desk, then began to wield the blade.

The Yin-Yang Reversal Sword had one real and one illusory movement—real within illusion, illusion within real; lethal strikes and feints constantly shifted, extremely complex.

In sheer difficulty, it surpassed the Falling Snow Sword Art by thirty percent.

Yet now, as Li Hao swung the blade casually, his posture was like jade, his sword momentum like a rainbow—a flawless, intricate fusion of illusion and reality unfolded before the students.

Instantly, the smirks and mockery in the students’ eyes froze.

The smug smiles on their lips vanished without notice; they stared, dumbfounded, at the exquisite, complex sword shadows.

Suddenly, the deathly silent hall made Song Yueyao feel a strange sensation, greatly surprising her; she turned her head to look toward Li Hao, who was about to perform acrobatics ahead.

Song Yueyao felt something strange—a surprise stirred within her. She turned her head to look at Li Hao, who’d seemed ready to perform a circus act.

But what met her eyes was a sword display as magnificent as a peacock’s tail.

This… was the Yin-Yang Reversal Sword!

She froze, as if struck by lightning.

She’d trained this sword art nearly to perfection—but she herself could never produce such exquisite sword shadows.

Which was illusion? Which was real?

Or were both illusion? Both real?

She could no longer tell. Before her, countless swords danced, blindingly intricate.

In the silent hall, after Li Hao finished his demonstration, silence lingered for a long while.

Li Hao sheathed his sword, glanced at the students, waited for them to absorb it, then broke the quiet:

"Have you all learned it?"

"..."

"..."

The students snapped out of their daze, then fell into another round of stunned silence.

Learned?

You just watched it once, and you ask if we’ve learned it?! We’d love to learn it, but... we can’t remember it, we simply can’t remember it! "Um... Li, Young Master Li, is this sword art really something you just learned?"

Someone couldn’t help but ask.

Hearing this, everyone suddenly realized, their eyes widening in shock as they stared at Li Hao as if seeing a ghost.

He flipped through the sword manual once... and learned it?

And not just basic mastery—but perfect execution?! Song Yueyao was also stunned, her red lips slightly parted, her throat as if blocked, unable to speak.

Li Hao sighed, "Although our Li family has collected many cultivation manuals, all these techniques at Tan Palace Academy are strictly non-transmissible. We wouldn’t dare steal them."

Even if we did steal them, I wouldn’t dare tell you... Li Hao silently added in his heart.

Hearing Li Hao’s words, the others exchanged glances—his statement was indeed true.

Each sect has its own secret arts and forbidden techniques; if someone dared to steal them, it would be a grave violation, inviting retribution and universal condemnation from all martial sects.

"Then how...?"

The others were bewildered—if he hadn’t stolen it, could he really have mastered it on the spot?

Just by watching once? "Don’t dwell on that. Focus on recalling what you’ve absorbed. Once you’ve processed it, I’ll demonstrate again, more slowly." Li Hao said.

Hearing Li Hao’s words, everyone immediately snapped to attention and frantically began recalling the previous scene.

The hall fell silent once more.

With nothing else to do, Li Hao turned and brought in the painting board left outside the door.

Then he set it up before them and began to paint.

He had already decided what to paint.

He would paint every single student in this hall.

Though they were all merely Spirit Wandering realm cultivators, low in cultivation, such a large group could still offer him plenty of experience.

Seeing Li Hao’s strange behavior, some were puzzled, but no one asked—everyone continued striving to recall.

Moments later, Li Hao finished the painting and checked the time—it had been half an hour.

Those who could absorb it had absorbed enough; those who couldn’t had probably forgotten it all.

He cleared his throat lightly and said, "I’ll demonstrate once more. Pay close attention."

At his words, everyone perked up instantly, their gazes snapping to Li Hao in unison.

Li Hao picked up his sword and began demonstrating again, his movements much slower.

(End of Chapter)