Chapter 320: Yaozu, Sword Intent Enhancement
Bian Ruxue immediately used her divine sense to probe, and when she saw Li Hao behind the drawing board, she was momentarily taken aback. She quickly recalled that this person was the alchemist who had delivered medicine to her earlier.
"Is it him?"
Bian Ruxue's eyes flickered. She observed him for a moment and then gently shook her head. Even if he had obtained some opportunities, there was no way he could have become an alchemist in such a short time.
Although she didn't understand alchemy, she knew that the art required long-term accumulation, unlike cultivation. Moreover, she had heard of the name of the renowned Qingfeng Alchemist recently, and such skill was certainly not something Li Hao could achieve within a hundred years.
Meanwhile, Li Hao was meticulously sketching.
Under the careful observation of his "Drawing Heart," he noticed that the three Semi-Saints were all paying attention to him, but none of them seemed to stop him. This allowed Li Hao to secretly breathe a sigh of relief.
As his brush outlined strokes, the figures of the three Semi-Saints quickly appeared on the paper.
Next came their aura and charm; Li Hao captured their unique divine presence in his painting.
Time slowly passed, and while the battle had already started in the arena ahead, Li Hao remained immersed in his artwork. To capture the essence of three Semi-Saints at once was no simple task—this painting was truly a labor of love.
After a long while, with the cheers from the audience and the laughter and regrets from Lin Shanhai and others over their betting wins and losses, Li Hao's mind finally returned to his body, and the surrounding commotion rushed in. At this moment, his painting was completed.
As he laid down his brush, Li Hao felt an overwhelming sense of clarity and ease, and a notification flashed before his eyes.
Drawing Experience +150,394.
...150,000?
Li Hao counted carefully, confirming that he hadn't seen wrong, and was slightly stunned, but quickly felt relieved.
After all, these were Semi-Saints, and there were three of them in the same painting!
At the same time, the panel showed that his Drawing Level had advanced to Level 8.
Art Skill Point +1.
However, the experience required to advance from Level 8 to Level 9 had doubled—it was now one million!
Still, with so many talented individuals gathered for the Sword God's battle, Li Hao believed he would reach the maximum level soon enough.
Even if each of the disciples at the Four Stages Realm could only provide him with a few thousand experience points, the sheer number of them would suffice.
As his Drawing Level advanced to 8, a flood of insights rushed into his mind. It took Li Hao over ten minutes to digest and absorb them, giving him a new understanding of the art of drawing.
The painting he had just poured his heart and soul into now seemed to him to have a few flaws.
However, it wasn't exactly flaws, but rather a matter of artistic level.
The painting captured the essence, but it lacked personal style. He had not yet fully integrated himself into his work.
Every top-tier artist should have their own unique style, which should blend seamlessly with the painting, neither standing out awkwardly nor being too hidden, but still recognizable at a glance.
Li Hao realized this and was about to put the painting away to start a new one when a voice suddenly echoed in his mind:
"I want this painting. What do you want for it?"
The voice was calm and cold, carrying an air of undeniable authority.
Li Hao was startled, looking up to find the woman among the three Semi-Saints staring quietly at him.
Their gazes met, and Li Hao immediately knew that the voice belonged to her.
He quickly replied via divine transmission, "If senior likes it, I can give it to you. I don't sell my paintings."
"You have some backbone," the woman smiled faintly, responding via divine transmission, "Since that's the case, I'll take it. If you ever need anything, you may call upon my name. I am Yaozu."
Yaozu... Li Hao committed the name to memory, nodding as he replied via divine transmission, "If senior doesn't mind, I can draw another one specifically for you. I wasn't quite at my best just now."
"Oh?"
Yaozu's eyes flickered. The reason she had asked for the painting was because her divine sense had been observing Li Hao's work throughout. When he finished, she was deeply impressed.
The version of herself in the painting was even more beautiful than what she saw in the mirror. It was her, but also not quite her.
This filled her with fondness, prompting her to ask for the painting.
If Li Hao were to create another one solely for her, that would be even better.
She had intended to keep the painting in her private sanctuary, so she wouldn't have to see the other two Semi-Saints when she admired herself.
At this thought, she glanced at the towering middle-aged man and the elderly man beside her, then transmitted to Li Hao, "Go ahead and paint it."
"Alright!"
Li Hao responded immediately, drying the ink on the previous painting and rolling it up carefully before starting a new one.
This time, he focused solely on painting Yaozu. His gaze sharpened as he stared intently at her.
With her permission, Li Hao no longer hid his observations and looked openly.
Feeling Li Hao's gaze roam over her, Yaozu's brow furrowed slightly. No man had ever dared to observe her so boldly.
If this had been before, she would have killed him on the spot in a fit of anger.
But remembering that she had initiated contact with him, Yaozu, though somewhat uncomfortable, slowly tolerated it. At the same time, she used her divine sense to monitor Li Hao's painting, wondering if he was truly drawing or merely taking advantage of the opportunity to gaze at her.
Among the Semi-Saints of the Sword Ancestor's Holy Land, Yaozu was well known, not only because of her stunning beauty but because she had once been the Holy Maiden, the most talented in swordsmanship, having defeated all her peers and ascended to Semi-Sainthood centuries ago.
Now, with her martial prowess restrained, she exuded an air of grace and nobility instead of the cold, deadly aura she once carried.
As she observed, Yaozu soon realized that Li Hao was not taking liberties but was indeed carefully studying and painting her.
Every time his gaze focused on a part of her body, his brush would trace that part on the paper.
Yaozu's eyes sparkled. Her slight discomfort and anger gradually subsided as she noticed the purity in Li Hao's eyes—there was no lust or desire, only a simple, sincere admiration for beauty.
His gaze filled her with a quiet sense of pleasure.
It was entirely different from the furtive and suggestive glances she often received from the disciples or even some Saints.
Yaozu had heard of the Qingfeng Alchemist's fame but hadn't paid much attention. Even a high-level alchemist was of little help to her at this stage, unless it was for her disciples.
But now, she was starting to appreciate this Qingfeng Alchemist.
As time passed and the battles on the arena grew more intense, with the audience's cheers echoing in the background, Li Hao maintained his focus, calm and serene like a lone figure sitting in a remote mountain, unaffected by the noise.
He quietly painted, and Yaozu, having lost interest in the arena battles, used her divine sense to follow the movements of Li Hao's brush, watching as he sketched her.
After a long time, just as Lin Shanhai and the others finished their second round of bets, Li Hao completed his second painting.
As Yaozu's form emerged vividly on the paper, another notification flashed before Li Hao's eyes.
Drawing Experience +42,320.
Since this painting was focused solely on Yaozu and it was his second attempt, the experience gain was notably lower, but still impressive.
With the additional experience from earlier, Li Hao had already accumulated over 70,000 points. Now, with this 42,000 added, he had completed nearly one-tenth of the million required to reach Level 9!
Li Hao figured that if he could continue drawing the three Semi-Saints, he could likely fill half of the required experience bar.
At that moment, Yaozu's figure on the paper was even more radiant than in the previous group painting. Although she simply stood quietly, the way she was depicted seemed as if she was alone, a pure lotus blooming serenely on a snow-covered mountain, exuding an ethereal beauty, separated from the world.
Her ink-drawn eyes conveyed tranquility with a hint of melancholy, like a thick fog that wouldn't dissipate, a gaze that could break hearts and linger in memory.
Yaozu gazed at the painting of herself, momentarily lost in thought.
Her exterior remained calm, but the painting revealed emotions buried deep within her heart.
"Could he see my inner sorrow?"
Yaozu was taken aback, and then she shifted her divine sense back to Li Hao, focusing on his eyes.
"Yaozu, your painting is finished," Li Hao said, putting down his brush. He looked at the painting, satisfied with the result. Though he knew that he could likely improve upon it as his drawing skills advanced, this was, for now, his best work.
Yaozu withdrew her divine sense, her voice calm as she replied, "I see. I'll take it, and consider myself in your debt."
With that, the painting on Li Hao's drawing board vanished into thin air.
Yaozu remained standing quietly as though nothing had happened.
Li Hao couldn't tell what method she had used and felt a sense of awe. If even a Semi-Saint was beyond his comprehension, then his future challenge against the Void Saint would be even more daunting.
"Yaozu, you're too kind. I only give my paintings to those who appreciate them. I'm glad you like it," Li Hao replied via divine transmission.
Yaozu didn't respond again, her gaze returning to the arena, appearing indifferent.
However, her divine sense remained fixed high above, silently watching Li Hao.
After waiting for a moment and sensing no further communication from her, Li Hao didn't say more. Instead, he picked up his brush and continued his work—this time sketching all three Semi-Saints together once more.
Seeing him resume drawing, Yaozu withdrew her divine sense, her focus returning to the arena battles.
Yet, her mind had already etched Li Hao's image.
As the battles on the stage grew more intense, Li Hao finished his third painting.
This time, the experience gain was about 120,000—still incredibly substantial.
Li Hao wasn't surprised. Just as he was about to pick up his brush again, a dignified male voice echoed in his mind:
"That's enough drawing for now. Don't overdo it."
Li Hao was momentarily stunned and looked toward one of the Semi-Saints, the towering and imposing man.
The man's gaze met Li Hao's, carrying a subtle warning.
Li Hao smiled wryly and responded via divine transmission, "My apologies for the offense, senior."
It was indeed presumptuous of him to paint without others' permission. Smiling to himself, he realized that his opportunity to "harvest" from the other Semi-Saints had ended, though Yaozu might still allow him to draw her in the future.
But for now, Li Hao turned his attention to the arena below. If he wanted to ask Yaozu for another chance to draw, he could wait for her next visit. In the meantime, the current battles were an excellent opportunity to observe and gather techniques.
He had missed some matches earlier, but the winners would continue competing, giving him more chances to watch.
"This next battle is Jing Feng. I've heard that he condensed seven layers of Dao Domains while in the Taiping Dao Realm. His swordsmanship is also at a very high level. Now that he's in the Wen Dao Realm, he's a well-known genius among the inner disciples. Do you think he can win all ten matches?"
Zhao Yingzhen recognized the young man defending the platform and asked Lin Shanhai and the others with a smile.
"Seven layers of Dao Domain? That's old news. He already has nine layers."
"I've heard he's only around seventy years old—still quite young. But he's been a disciple of a Semi-Saint since childhood and comes from a prestigious family. Achieving such accomplishments at this age is understandable."
"Indeed. Yaozu entered the Wen Dao Realm in just sixty years and defeated all the other Holy Maidens. Now, that's truly extraordinary."
The other alchemists exchanged remarks in admiration.
They were all from the same circle, so they spoke to each other in a relaxed tone.
Hearing them mention Yaozu, Li Hao was somewhat surprised. He glanced at her, only to see that she had also glanced his way.
However, when their eyes met, she merely gave him a cursory look before turning away.
Li Hao hadn't expected that this Semi-Saint had also been so astonishing in her youth. Truly, anyone who became a Semi-Saint was a top-tier genius.
It was no wonder that advancing through the higher realms became increasingly difficult. Anyone who reached such heights had once been able to battle across realms and emerge undefeated.
If even Semi-Saints were this extraordinary, then Saints must be even more formidable.
"Enough chatter. Let's place our bets. The match is starting."
Lin Shanhai said lazily.
The group quickly placed their bets.
Li Hao also turned his attention to the defending platform, where a tall, graceful young man stood.
The young man didn't conceal his aura but let it flow naturally. He stood on the stage like a true dragon, looking elegant but exuding an overwhelming sense of dominance.
Soon, a challenger stepped up.
But the challenger was quickly defeated, unable to move under the suppression of the young man's Dao Domain.
Then came the second challenger, then the third. One after another, they were easily defeated, until the seventh challenger—a talented inner disciple—appeared, and the two began to clash.
Both displayed swordsmanship at the peak of Level 7, with fierce and powerful sword intent.
"You've learned the basics. Do you wish to record it?"
A notification flashed before Li Hao's eyes.
Li Hao smiled and chose "Yes."
Soon, the sword techniques and movement skills of the two fighters were recorded into his panel.
Four new techniques appeared on the panel, corresponding to the movement and sword techniques used by the two fighters.
As the techniques were recorded, a flood of information entered Li Hao's mind. He quickly absorbed and understood them. Though his movement skills weren't as good as those two, his Level 8 swordsmanship allowed him to elevate their sword techniques to a higher level, even comprehending their sword intent!
With that, when Li Hao observed their battle again, he could see that their fierce moves had obvious flaws.
If either of them had mastered sword intent, a single strike could shatter the other's sword momentum!
Momentum without intent to solidify it was scattered and easily broken!
However, after comprehending the sword intent of the two techniques, Li Hao had a vague feeling that his "Solely My Sword Intent" had become even more refined.
His "Solely My Sword Intent" could sever anything he wished to cut.
But to truly achieve that, he needed to deeply understand all things in the world.
Only through understanding could he shatter them.
In other words, the more sword intents he gathered, the stronger his "Solely My Sword Intent" would become... Li Hao realized this, then became curious—could sword intent have different levels?
If he comprehended enough sword intents, would his "Solely My Sword Intent" reach a truly perfect state?
Li Hao's eyes sparkled. In any case, the more sword intents he collected, the stronger his "Solely My Sword Intent" would become.
Li Hao dispersed his divine sense, observing the battles on the ten platforms simultaneously.
Soon, a series of notifications sounded.
"You've learned the basics. Do you wish to record it?"
Yes, yes, yes!
Li Hao continued to confirm, and his panel filled with more techniques, mostly related to swordsmanship and movement skills. The Sword Ancestor's Holy Land was highly specialized, with swordsmanship reigning supreme!
It wasn't like the academies or other top forces, which covered a wide range of techniques.
Within the Holy Land, the Saints led the way, and each Saint had their own "Saint Dao." As a result, the cultivation here was singular and pure.
Although this seemed to lack balance, the extreme focus made it easier to produce powerful individuals who could stand alone against all odds!
When swordsmanship reached a certain level, the sword could shatter all things.
When fist techniques reached a certain level, the fist could suppress all methods!
In the Holy Land, cultivation progressed faster not just because the energy here was rich, but because of its purity!
Purity often touched upon the extreme.
Only when one reached a bottleneck, with no hope of further advancement, would they start to dabble in other techniques to broaden their abilities.
Through watching the battles, Li Hao realized that his movement skills were comparable to the average inner disciple but fell short of the top talents.
These geniuses had honed their movement skills over decades, reaching around Level 6.
However, Li Hao had the "Return to the Void Extreme Realm," which compensated for his lack of movement skills.
As his swordsmanship techniques accumulated, Li Hao gained more and more sword intents.
Each inner disciple wielded a Dao-level sword technique.
In the Sword Ancestor's Holy Land, Dao-level sword techniques were abundant, and inner disciples all practiced them, though their proficiency varied.
Li Hao felt that after observing so many matches, he had probably stolen nine-tenths of the Sword Ancestor's sword techniques.
These techniques, when processed through his Level 8 swordsmanship understanding, all crystallized into sword intents.
As the number of sword intents he mastered grew into the dozens and then hundreds, Li Hao even began to feel a slight pressure in his mind. However, his "Solely My Sword Intent" absorbed all this knowledge and grew increasingly terrifying.
When Lin Qingying demonstrated her swordsmanship earlier, Li Hao had sensed her weaknesses and felt he could easily sever her attacks. But now, he believed that even if she wielded her strongest "Supreme Soft Sword Intent," he could still easily break through.
His knowledge of sword intents had become so vast that he could spot their flaws at a glance. His understanding of sword intent was now approaching the level of Dao.
The battles below continued, and Li Hao quietly watched. The young man named Jing Feng had already completed his tenth match, winning ten times in a row and advancing to the top one hundred.
In his tenth match, Jing Feng faced a powerful opponent and revealed the strength of his three "Extreme Realm" powers to win, which left the crowd in awe.
These three Extreme Realms were the first three realms: Divine Power, Heaven and Earth Meridians, and the Heaven and Earth Dharma Form.
Especially the Heaven and Earth Dharma Form, which meant that Jing Feng had not taken a Saint as his soul inheritance, but had inherited the heavens and earth themselves, a mark of true Saint potential.
Li Hao learned later that without the Heaven and Earth Dharma Form, even with incense offerings, one could only bear two sticks of incense. With just two, even if one became a Saint, they would remain at the first level of the Saint Realm for life, unable to break through—a weak and small Saint.
After all, how could one who cannot contain the heavens hold all living beings?
Li Hao observed the battles for several hours. Initially, he could record different sword and movement techniques from each match, and occasionally other types of techniques. But later, the techniques became more repetitive.
Even so, Li Hao had gained a great deal and was satisfied.
As fewer new sword techniques appeared, Li Hao picked up his brush again and began painting.
This time, he depicted all ten battle platforms, including the many outer disciples below.
However, there were far too many outer disciples for him to paint each one in detail, so the painting focused mainly on the inner disciples engaged in combat on the ten platforms.
For this painting, Li Hao had prepared in advance, taking out an enormous scroll, dozens of meters long.
The usual paper he used wouldn't be large enough to capture the grandeur of the scene before him.
Seeing Li Hao's actions, Shihua Jin and the others were astonished. When they saw the fine details he was beginning to sketch, they were even more shocked. At a glance, they could tell that Li Hao's drawing skills were extraordinary, far beyond a mere hobby—his skills were profoundly advanced.
This time, Li Hao worked even more slowly, entirely focused and careful with every stroke.
Gradually, a magnificent and expansive scene of the battles on the ten platforms began to unfold on the paper, with the inner disciples' figures coming to life.
In the distance, Yaozu noticed the massive scroll Li Hao had taken out and sent her divine sense over, feeling a sense of surprise.
She quickly understood Li Hao's intention and smiled faintly in realization.
Such a grand scene was indeed worth preserving in a painting.
However, as warriors, they rarely had the time or inclination to pursue such artistic endeavors.
"This Qingfeng Alchemist is painting the battles on the ten platforms. It looks grand and impressive. Once he finishes, why don't we purchase it and hang it in the Sword Pavilion as decoration? It could serve as a visual reference for future disciples when they come to choose their techniques."
Yaozu suddenly suggested.
Beside her, the burly middle-aged Semi-Saint known as Mountain Ancestor raised an eyebrow slightly. He sent his divine sense over and showed a trace of surprise in his eyes.
After some thought, he said, "Not bad. His drawing skills are indeed impressive. It's not just about controlling the brush and capturing likeness—there's a unique charm to it. I couldn't replicate it myself."
Although he had warned Li Hao earlier, it was only because he didn't like being observed. He actually admired Li Hao's artistic talent.
For martial artists, higher realms granted them greater control over their bodies, making it easy to control a brush and draw lifelike images.
However, capturing the "spirit" was another matter. It was something intangible, something they could recognize but couldn't achieve themselves. It wasn't just about making the drawing look "real."
The elderly man nearby glanced over but said nothing, his attention still on the arena.
Seeing no objections, Yaozu smiled. The Sword Pavilion was where all disciples of the Holy Land went to select techniques, and having Li Hao's name attached to the painting would ensure that his name was passed down through the generations.
In Yaozu's view, whether commoners or nobility, everyone strived their whole life to leave their mark on history.
Her suggestion was meant to give Li Hao a hand, to help him leave his name behind.
As long as the Sword Ancestor's Holy Land endured, his name would be immortalized.
Time passed, and as the early battles of the disciples drew to a close, Li Hao finally finished his grand masterpiece.
The ten platforms stood tall, the sacred mountain looming, and countless inner disciples gathered, each with distinct expressions, meticulously detailed. Even the outer disciples, a sea of faces, could be seen, with some disciples' faces faintly visible in the painting.
The weapons, sword qi, and the sword stances of those battling on the platforms were all captured in the painting, creating a vibrant and epic scene of combat.
This was an era of prodigies, each shining brilliantly, unleashing their brightest glory.
Lin Shanhai and the others eventually lost interest in betting and were captivated by Li Hao's brushstrokes. The display of brilliance on the scroll was even more thrilling than watching the battles directly, filling them with awe and excitement.
As Li Hao finished the painting and put down his brush, a notification flashed before him.
Drawing Experience +762,892.
Seven hundred and sixty-two thousand!
Li Hao had spent almost an entire day on this painting, starting not long after the battles began and finishing as they ended.
And this painting brought an astonishing amount of experience, surpassing any of his previous works!
Feeling exhausted, Li Hao leaned back in his chair. The painting had drained him completely. Observing each individual and capturing every detail with precision and focus was as intense as a rigorous training session.
However, seeing the massive experience gain, all his fatigue vanished in an instant.
With the experience from earlier, his Drawing Experience was now close to one million!
This painting covered many inner disciples, but Li Hao knew that there wasn't enough space to include every single one.
If he had painted every disciple of the Sword Ancestor's Holy Land, his experience gain wouldn't have been just a million—it would have been in the tens of millions!
After all, there were over a million outer disciples alone. Even if each one gave him just ten experience points, that would still be over ten million!
And these outer disciples were all at least at the Three Immortals Realm, so there was no way they'd give just ten points of experience.
Li Hao leaned back in his chair, catching his breath with a satisfied smile. This had indeed been a huge gain.
With just a little more painting, he would be able to max out his Drawing Experience.
Next, however, he would need to focus on understanding "Drawing Dao."
If he could comprehend the "Drawing Dao," he would be able to break through the bottleneck and advance his drawing skills to Level 9. Once he achieved the "Dao of Drawing," he could also raise his swordsmanship to Level 9!
Li Hao gazed at the painting before him, feeling deeply inspired by the grand and awe-inspiring battle scenes he had captured. Beyond just the experience, his understanding of the art of drawing had also deepened.
As Li Hao completed his painting, the early matches of the disciples also came to an end.
Below, the outer disciples excitedly discussed the day's rankings, with the more famous inner disciples becoming the main topics of conversation.
Li Hao wasn't particularly interested in this. Once the ink on his painting had dried, he carefully rolled it up and put it away.
"Are you free? Come over for a moment."
Just then, Yaozu transmitted her voice to him.
Li Hao was slightly taken aback and looked in her direction. Seeing her signal, he was surprised but, after a moment of thought, rose and said to Lin Shanhai, "Old Lin, Yaozu's calling me. I'll go over for a bit."
"Hmm?"
Lin Shanhai and the other alchemists were all stunned to hear this.