Follow the path of Dao from infancy

He then looked at Li Hao with a satisfied expression, “Li, what do you think of my poem?”

“Very moist.”

Li Hao chuckled lightly in his heart and responded casually.

Jiang Hanxing smiled and said, “Although Li’s poem does not quite match the beauty before us, it is still quite good.”

So you actually got smug… Li Hao glanced at him, thinking: Your poem counts as quite good? You really have some cheek.

“Shall we have another one?”

As a literary copyist, Li Hao could not allow original creation to be humiliated and immediately decided to enlighten him.

“Oh?”

Jiang Hanxing’s expression changed slightly, feeling a bit guilty, “Another one? What should the topic be this time?”

“You choose.”

“Perhaps… the waterfall?”

“Waterfall?”

Li Hao laughed.

Are you running headfirst into your weak spot?

“Fine.”

Li Hao agreed immediately, then stopped writing, looked up, and effortlessly recited a poem, ‘Viewing the Waterfall at Mount Lu’.

By the time he recited “From a leap of three thousand feet, it seems as if the Milky Way has descended from the heavens,” Jiang Hanxing was already stunned, his face full of astonishment with wide-open eyes.

Jiang Hanxing had not been particularly impressed by the previous poem, but this one was spot on, as if he could see the cascading and rushing image of a waterfall right before his eyes.

The Milky Way falling from heaven—such a choice of words is too elegant and imposing!

Seeing the other party struck with awe, Li Hao gave a faint smile, thinking there were plenty of classic poems describing waterfalls by the ancients. He intended to use Du’s, but it seemed more fitting to let the poetry sage claim this face.

Jiang Hanxing had thought of trying again, but suddenly he couldn’t continue.

It felt as though this poem had perfectly captured the essence of the waterfall.

Even though the poem was not composed on the spot by Li Hao but taken out of his stash like his own, it was enough to reveal Li Hao’s talent.

Ideas of composing on the spot are mere talk; they are martial artists, after all, not one of those great scholars in the Hanlin Academy who spend their days searching for beauties among the books!

“Li, I am utterly convinced by your poem,” Jiang Hanxing admitted with a bow.

“Glad to hear that.”

Seeing this, Li Hao picked up the brush to paint again.

“Li, born in the Divine General Mansion, yet you possess such profound mastery in both poetry and painting, do the elders in your mansion not mind?” Jiang Hanxing could not help but ask curiously.

“Of course, they do.”

“Then how come…”

“They just didn’t manage to control it.”

Jiang Hanxing was speechless for a moment, then couldn’t help but laugh, feeling that he really had met an amusing person.

This was the first conversation between Jiang Hanxing and Li Hao, which he still vividly remembered years later.

Li Hao didn’t pay any more attention to Jiang Hanxing and continued painting.

Seeing that Li Hao was focused, Jiang Hanxing didn’t make any more noise to disturb him but quietly left.

The next day.

Before Li Hao went to the cold pool to paint the Water Kylin, he was summoned to the Tan Palace by Shen Yunqing.

Upon hearing the two conditions Song Yufeng set for him, Li Hao was momentarily stunned but didn’t struggle much with the decision, choosing to become an honorary professor.

Staying for a year was too long.

However, he also had one condition of his own, which was to have everyone, including Song Yufeng, and all the elders of the Tan Palace cooperate with him on one thing.

And that was to let him paint.

Put in modern terms, it meant being a model.

Upon hearing Li Hao’s peculiar request, Song Yufeng was a bit taken aback, but it was a trivial matter, and he agreed without refusal, considering it a quirk of this talented member of the Li Family.

As an honorary professor, he would need to teach three classes a year, and if he didn’t teach in any year, it would accumulate to the next.

The term for the honorary professor was ten years.

That means thirty classes in total, which was relatively easy.

Anticipating Li Hao’s choice, Song Yufeng also told Li Hao that the disciples he would be teaching were not from Alpha Academy, but from the Black and White Hall.

As for this, Li Hao didn’t care much; he just needed to teach, and it didn’t matter if anyone listened or who came to listen.

Seeing Li Hao agree readily, Song Yufeng’s lips curved into a smile, as both the young and the old got what they wanted, making the cooperation very pleasant.

Leaving the Tan Palace, Li Hao was about to rush to the cold pool, but suddenly Li Yuanzhao found him.

“Hao, Wushuang has returned,” he said.

Upon seeing Li Hao, Li Yuanzhao spoke, “The eldest lady says there will be a family banquet tonight to welcome Wushuang home and cleanse her of her travel dust. She asked us all to get back early.”

“Ah?”

Li Hao was taken aback for a moment. After pondering, the image of a pretty young girl surfaced in his mind.

Years ago, Fifth Lady had tearfully watched her leave with an old man who had the appearance of a child.

Had that girl now returned as a learned young lady?

Thinking this, Li Hao couldn’t help but think of the little tail in Sword Cottage far south, nine thousand miles away.

Shaking his head, Li Hao told Li Yuanzhao, “It’s still early. I’ll make another round and just be on time later.”

He wasn’t particularly attached to that young girl, especially since Li Yun and his siblings had deliberately kept their distance over the years, which meant he saw Fifth Lady far less frequently.

“Uh, should we prepare a gift in advance?” Li Yuanzhao asked.

Regarding Miss Wushuang, he had only a faint impression of her, but over the years, he had heard much about her achievements within the mansion, recognizing her as the standout of their generation.

Of course, she couldn’t be compared to the current Li Hao.

“Indeed.”

After all, she was a long-lost cousin; no matter what, some small gifts should be prepared. Li Hao thought for a moment and said:

“I’m not sure what she likes, but she must like to eat. Go to Hongxiang Building and buy a portion of crispy roasted goose, and from Emerald Lake Courtyard, get a portion of Bamboo Fragrant Dark Dragon Liver… make sure it’s hot, and send it over during the dinner.”

Li Hao mentioned seven or eight famous Qingzhou City delicacies, all of which he had personally tasted and found to be delicious.

Li Yuanzhao appeared stunned and asked, “Is that all? But these aren’t expensive, altogether, they barely cost a few silvers.”

“Our family isn’t short of money. It’s the thought that counts. These delicacies, which she certainly hasn’t had while traveling, should suffice. She likely has everything else she needs,” Li Hao explained.

Li Yuanzhao thought it made sense.

Miss Wushuang was, after all, a disciple of the Qianji Sect, personally taught by a famous master. What could she possibly lack?

Cultivation Techniques? She could choose her own at Listening Rain Tower.

Weapons? She could find them herself in the armory.

As for common items like gold, silver, and jewels, it’s likely she wouldn’t even spare them a glance.

“Alright, then I’ll buy what Hao has listed.”

Li Yuanzhao agreed.

After he left, Li Hao picked up a canvas from his room and returned to the cold pool.

He set up the canvas and reached a hand into the pool water to stir it.

Sure enough, a shadow suddenly surged up, splashing water everywhere.

Li Hao swiftly returned to the canvas and quickly said, “Predecessor Qiumo, please keep it like this.”

Song Qiumo, revealing her Water Kylin form, looked formidable. She intended to transform but stopped when she heard Li Hao. She also kept the surrounding splashes suspended in the air, frozen in place.

Li Hao began painting rapidly and soon completed a depiction of the Water Kylin emerging from the water.

“Done.”

Following Li Hao’s words, Song Qiumo let the suspended splashes retreat back into the pool and stepped forward, her figure as light as sand changing into a human form, her white and bare feet moving towards Li Hao’s canvas.

“Hmm, not bad.”

Upon seeing her depiction on the canvas, Song Qiumo’s eyes glinted with a hint of joy.

Was her pose just now really that beautiful?

She tilted her head to look at Li Hao and asked with a smile, “What do you think of my attire today?”

Li Hao turned and saw her in a water-blue dress, the same one from yesterday, but now with noticeable bracelets and silver chains on her arms and legs, which sparkled brightly.

Do women all like shiny things… Li Hao chuckled and said, “It looks very beautiful.”

Song Qiumo gave him a look and said, “Then paint.”

“Alright.”

Li Hao immediately began to paint seriously.

Sure enough, today’s Song Qiumo, with the addition of ornaments, manifested a more dazzling and transcendent beauty in her ethereal allure.

And from completing the painting, he gained an additional hundred points in his Painting Experience.

Clearly, these ornaments were no ordinary items.

“Hmm, not bad.”

Song Qiumo nodded lightly, though her eyes could hardly hide her joy and satisfaction.

Li Hao chuckled, prompted her to switch positions, and started another painting.

Time flowed slowly.

By the cold pool, Li Hao had already created a dozen paintings of Song Qiumo.

Among them, he had her transform back to her original form for seven or eight paintings.

In total, they gathered over four thousand points of experience, adding up to nearly twenty thousand with yesterday’s session.

Li Hao had noticed the day before that painting Song Qiumo yielded more experience than painting others like Feng and the Fifth Lady, even though he did not believe their Cultivation Levels were inferior. It was likely because they usually concealed their aura, so when he painted them, he couldn’t capture their essence.

Seeing Song Qiumo in front of him without much restraint, her aura overwhelming, made his paintings possess an impressive power.

It seems, he thought, I’ll have to ask them to show their true strength when I paint them next time… though Feng can be difficult to persuade. Preparing his favorite dish of chicken stewed with mushrooms might do the trick.

“Let’s stop for today,” Li Hao suggested as he noted the time, which was getting late, to Song Qiumo.

With many sheets of paper in hand, an utterly joyful Song Qiumo said, “If you ever face any difficulties, feel free to seek me out anytime, as long as I am within Tan Palace, I can mostly help you.”

“Is Predecessor Qiumo confined here?” Li Hao asked in surprise.

Song Qiumo slightly shook her head, not elaborating further, and said, “Then, until next time.”

Saying this, she dived perfectly back into the cold pool.

Seeing this, Li Hao too packed up his canvas and headed back to the mansion.

As Li Hao passed Alpha Academy on the way down the mountain, he noted that Li Yun and his sister were no longer around while the other disciples of the academy were still training. Upon spotting Li Hao, one of them exclaimed in surprise.

Soon, others also noticed him, and all eyes turned towards him.

Seeing this, Li Hao smiled and waved a greeting, quickly making his getaway to avoid being surrounded with inquiries.

At the foot of the mountain, Li Hao rode back to the mansion.

Upon reaching the grand entrance, he felt today’s atmosphere within the mansion was unusually lively, with smiles gracing the guards’ faces.

As Li Hao approached, the guards bowed and paid their respects.

Back in Mountain and River Courtyard, Zhao informed him that Fu had sent word from Cangyu City about his recovery, planning to leave tomorrow and return home.

Additionally, Zhao presented a gift box, saying to Li Hao:

“Young master, Miss Wushuang from Piaoxue Courtyard has returned to the mansion today, and the lady of the house has prepared a family dinner. You are invited over, and I have taken the liberty of preparing this gift for you to bring along later.”