Chapter Thirty-Three: Kissed

At present, Li Hao did not believe that his affection was the romantic kind; he simply regarded them as family. After Lu Zhengtian’s teasing, random thoughts made his heart race uncontrollably, and he dared not dwell on it any further. Yet, after the old eccentric’s remarks, the images of Lu Xuemei and Lu Yao kept replaying in his mind. Remembering Lu Zhengtian's words from moments ago, his emotions surged, unstoppable.

Ten years of youth, a boy's heart,
More splendid than the lotus roots in June.
Time once gone never returns,
A youth's sincerity is worth its weight in gold.

“Senior, please, enough jesting. I have come to you for an important matter,” Li Hao said.

The old eccentric rarely saw Li Hao with such a serious expression, and he dropped his usual careless demeanor. His attitude now was solemn, quite different from his habitual playfulness, making him appear rather earnest.

“My young friend, what troubles you?” The old eccentric blinked his deep-set eyes beneath five-inch long brows and looked at Li Hao.

Li Hao thought for a moment. “Senior, is there a method to cultivate quickly and efficiently?”

“Certainly. For example, I could directly transfer my cultivation to you; but your current realm is too low, your body not strong enough, unable to withstand much power. Or you could take pills to improve your cultivation, though that power must be gradually absorbed, and your body must withstand it. Besides these, you could practice forbidden arts, seizing power from others and refining it for yourself. The best way, however, is to slowly refine the laws of heaven and earth to raise your realm. Many factors influence this: foremost is physical aptitude—the better your body, the more power it can accommodate. Second, your cultivation method—the higher its level, the faster you absorb the laws. Third, the density of the laws—the denser the area, the faster you cultivate. Fourth, the attributes of the laws—whether they match your own. When you leave this starfield, you’ll find places with unique laws. Some regions have singular law attributes, so cultivators there generally practice the same attribute. It’s not that you can’t refine other attributes, but it’s a thousand times harder than refining those that match your own. Some cultivators are blessed with multiple attributes, though rare; their path is tougher by far, but they can absorb other law powers without slowing their progress.”

The old eccentric gestured animatedly, speaking at length, leaving Li Hao somewhat bewildered. Though he didn’t fully understand, he carefully memorized everything, thinking it would benefit him in the future.

Li Hao smiled slyly. “Senior, may I propose a deal? One that will never leave you at a disadvantage.”

The old eccentric eyed Li Hao curiously. “What is it? Tell me.”

Li Hao hesitantly said, “I’d like to exchange a secret manual for your Soul Refining Method of Reincarnation and Breath Suppression. Think it over!”

The old eccentric seemed quite interested. “That’s an intriguing offer, but why should I trade with you?”

His words left Li Hao feeling disappointed and unwilling.

“Are we close?” the old eccentric asked.

Li Hao thought, “If you won’t even exchange a manual with me, we’re not that close—probably just average.”

After considering, he replied, “Well, I suppose we’re only somewhat close.”

“Wrong. Our relationship is extremely close,” the old eccentric declared.

“Hmph.” Li Hao rolled his eyes, curling his lips and snorting.

Neither the old nor the young could persuade the other.

The old eccentric said, “My young friend, give me some time. Let me explain.”

“Go ahead, senior,” Li Hao replied.

“You’re saying you want to exchange a secret manual for my Soul Refining Method of Reincarnation and Breath Suppression?”

“Yes,” Li Hao answered.

“So, do you think we’re close?” the old eccentric pressed.

Li Hao considered. “You haven’t agreed, so it doesn’t really relate to our closeness.”

“Wrong. It matters greatly,” the old eccentric said decisively.

He chuckled mysteriously. “You don’t understand, do you?”

At this, Li Hao was thoroughly confused by the old eccentric’s playful attitude, thinking, “I’ll wait and see what logic you come up with.”

As Li Hao watched the old man’s deep eyes, an inexplicable sense of pressure arose, stirring his competitive spirit. Strangely, when he truly met the old eccentric’s gaze, everything felt quite ordinary—nothing unusual.

In truth, the old eccentric was fully aware of Li Hao’s every move. When he noticed Li Hao studying his eyes, he worried that the boy’s soul might not withstand the pressure hidden in his gaze and lose consciousness. So he instantly suppressed that power.

“My young friend, why are you spacing out?” The old eccentric’s call drew Li Hao’s mind away from the old man’s eyes, leaving him slightly embarrassed.

He chuckled, “Senior, what were you saying?”

The old man was not annoyed. “I said that exchanging secret manuals is closely related to our relationship; you haven’t understood yet, have you?”

Li Hao nodded, admitting he hadn’t understood.

“I say our relationship is extremely close, so why bother with exchanges? If you want it, just say so—I'll give it to you,” the old eccentric said, leaving Li Hao stunned and at a loss for words.

Li Hao finally asked, “Why?”

“Because we’re close!” the old eccentric replied, making Li Hao laugh and cry at once.

During the past two years, the old eccentric had grown fond of this sensible youngster, regarding Li Hao as a friend. Li Hao often visited him to play, and the two, the old trickster and the young rascal, were a perfect pair. Li Hao frequently brought tasty treats to share, and though such experts had little need for food or drink, the gesture was valued.

The old eccentric began to explain the essence of affection. “Feelings can’t be measured by material things; if they are, it’s not affection, but interest.”

Li Hao, always imaginative, asked, “What about kindness to strangers, or strangers being kind to you with no expectation of return—what do you call that?”

The old eccentric thought, “This lad is truly clever, jumping so far in his thinking.”

“That’s a bit complex; it depends on the situation. Kindness to the weak is called sympathy; kindness to the strong is flattery; to friends, it’s friendship; to family, it’s love; to elders and children, it’s respect and care. But kindness without boundaries to anyone is just blind kindness, which is the saddest of all—it harms both others and oneself.”

Listening to the old eccentric’s eloquent explanation, Li Hao admired him greatly, despite his usual careless ways.

Li Hao asked again, “Senior, why does blind kindness harm both others and oneself?”

“My young friend, that’s a good question. The human heart is insatiable. If someone is unconditionally kind to others, those who benefit without effort may repay kindness if they’re grateful. But if they lack gratitude, they’ll see it as their due. If one day they lose that benefit, they’ll feel wronged and may even retaliate. Isn’t that self-harm?”

Li Hao nodded.

The old eccentric continued, and Li Hao listened: “Showing kindness to those without ambition teaches them that life is easy, so they spend their days idly, harming themselves. Those who lack ambition and gratitude share a common flaw—boundless greed.”

Li Hao’s view of the old eccentric changed completely, and he sincerely praised, “Senior, you are truly learned.”

“My young friend, no need for flattery—but I like it,” the old eccentric laughed, returning to his playful self.

Then the old eccentric pressed his finger to Li Hao’s brow, transmitting waves of information directly into Li Hao’s mind. Experience and skills flooded his consciousness.

Moments later, Li Hao exclaimed excitedly, “Soul Refining Method of Reincarnation and Breath Suppression!”

He then reached into his collar and handed the old eccentric the manual for “Phantom Shadow Steps.”

The old eccentric looked puzzled.

Li Hao explained, “It’s only polite to reciprocate.”

The old eccentric simply said, “Good.” He added nothing more.

At that moment, Li Hao's impression in the old eccentric's heart could be summed up in three words: “Extremely good.”

The old eccentric’s “good” was more than mere courtesy; it was his judgment of Li Hao’s character. Li Hao, however, thought it just meant his gift was accepted.

Before presenting Phantom Shadow Steps as a gift, Li Hao had carefully studied it and memorized every detail; now he only needed time to master it.

Initially, the old eccentric had not valued this technique, thinking it was just an ordinary movement skill. But after reading it, he became elated, leaping to Li Hao and planting a kiss on his cheek. Li Hao froze, then quickly wiped his face and distanced himself, maintaining a safe gap.

The old eccentric paid no mind to Li Hao’s reaction.

Li Hao’s promise was indeed true: he would never leave the old eccentric at a disadvantage.

With tens of thousands of years’ experience, the old eccentric was thrilled by Phantom Shadow Steps, proving its extraordinary value—a top-grade movement technique, rare in the world.

This technique was left by a powerful cultivator who had come to the Lu Jiashan Starfield seeking the divine doctor Baicao for treatment. After recovering, he departed in haste, leaving his treasured skill behind. Later, Lu Zhengtian, obsessed with martial arts, received it from his father, who had chosen it from the Martial Arts Library of Treasure Palace for his son’s cultivation.

Lu Zhengtian memorized its contents. After befriending Li Hao, he gifted it to him, and now Li Hao passed it to the old eccentric. Where this treasure would end up in the future was unknown.

For three days, Li Hao divided each day into three phases, each lasting four hours—one hour equaling two hours, so four hours meant eight.

Every morning, he spent four hours practicing “Brushwork of Heaven and Earth,” midday four hours on “Phantom Shadow Steps,” and evening four hours on the “Soul Refining Method of Reincarnation and Breath Suppression.”

After four hours of practicing Brushwork of Heaven and Earth, his mind felt swollen. Then he switched to Phantom Shadow Steps for four hours, repeatedly training until exhausted. Afterwards, he gritted his teeth and practiced Soul Refining Method of Reincarnation and Breath Suppression.

Strangely, although Soul Refining Method was painful to practice, he always felt invigorated afterward.

The old eccentric watched Li Hao cultivate three top-grade techniques simultaneously, feeling envious. He thought back to his own youth, when such resources were unattainable—these treasures were only accessible after he became famous. Unfortunately, he knew nothing of Brushwork of Heaven and Earth; otherwise, he would certainly have tried to get it from Li Hao to study.

What amazed him was Li Hao’s extraordinary talent—he immediately grasped the essence of these techniques. Three days would suffice for him to achieve a minor mastery, a feat that would take ordinary cultivators three years.

Before the selection trials, Li Hao spent these three days immersed in cultivation.