Follow the path of Dao from infancy Chapter 5: The Ultimate
Previously on Follow the path of Dao from infancy...
Chapter 5: The Ultimate
Translator: 549690339
One hour slipped by.
The medicinal bath prepared for Bian Ruxue had turned perfectly transparent, with every drop of the medicinal essence fully absorbed.
After the maids finished dressing her in fresh attire and drying her locks, she stood quietly beside Li Hao’s tub. Though she couldn't grasp the gravity of the situation, she waited patiently for him to finish.
Meanwhile, Li Hao remained submerged in his own tub, forced to comply with Lin Haixia’s stern insistence.
The liquid surrounding him retained its piercing purple hue, showing no signs of change.
The servant girl attending to Bian Ruxue stole a glance and was struck dumb with shock.
As another hour passed, the news traveled through the Divine General Mansion. Servants and maids hurried to the scene, and one by one, they were gripped by disbelief.
Living within the walls of the mansion, they were well-versed in what such a sight implied.
Exchanging glances, they saw a shared terror in each other's eyes—it felt as though the very heavens had collapsed.
Was the noble scion of the Martial Marquis truly incapable of practicing martial arts?
This was the prestigious bloodline of the Li Family!
The idea was unthinkable, yet the evidence was undeniable.
A heavy silence smothered the courtyard until a servant suddenly broke into a frantic run to spread the word. Shortly after, the Mountain and River Courtyard was swarmed by a crowd of elegantly dressed figures.
The ladies of the various households arrived, surrounding the tub. When they heard how long Li Hao had been soaking without results, they were stunned.
Standing among them, Liu Yue Rong felt her heart skip a beat.
Could it be the medicine she used?
But she had never heard of that concoction causing such a catastrophic side effect!
Though panic surged in her chest, she maintained a mask of composure, her face twisting into a display of urgent grief.
Inside the tub, Li Hao—who felt utterly miserable—observed the second wife’s masterful performance. He even caught a flicker of genuine alarm in her eyes.
Was the second wife actually frightened?
Li Hao gave an internal sneer.
As the noise in the courtyard escalated, the chief wife took charge. With a cold expression, she dismissed the servants, allowing only the ladies of the house to remain. She issued a strict command: not a single word of this was to be leaked outside!
Seeing that the Foundation Establishment elixir remained undiminished, Lin Haixia’s heart sank into an icy void.
This wasn't just "slow absorption" anymore.
He shuddered at the thought of a cursed constitution. Was the Lord’s "Kylin child" actually a complete waste who was barred from the path of cultivation?
Giving up on the process, Lin Haixia lifted Li Hao from the water.
The ladies watched with mixed emotions as Li Hao emerged with pale, oxygen-deprived skin that had begun to wrinkle from the long soak.
The fact that he had been in the Foundation Establishment elixir for six hours without the slightest change confirmed the severity of his condition.
Noticing Li Hao’s blanched lips, Liu Yue Rong realized this was no trick.
Her heart hammered against her ribs; her goal had been to suppress the boy’s Divine Blood, not to turn him into a complete cripple!
If he became a total invalid, the situation would draw far too much scrutiny.
How could a member of the powerful Li Family be unable to cultivate?
If an investigation into the cause was launched...
The chief wife was the first to regain her footing. She commanded Lin Haixia to look after Hao Er and ordered her personal maids to prepare tonic soups to restore the boy’s strength.
...
...
The following day.
Lin Haixia prepared two separate tubs of Foundation Establishment elixir for Li Hao and Bian Ruxue once more.
He watched with intense focus as Li Hao stepped into the bath.
Li Hao felt a sense of futility, knowing this was a waste of precious herbs, but he lacked the power to refuse and simply went along with it.
He figured it wouldn't be long before they finally gave up hope.
Just then, the same glowing prompt from the previous day flickered before his eyes.
[Detection of unknown substance, analyzing...]
[Analysis failed, automatic isolation initiated.]
Expecting this result, Li Hao wasn't surprised. He sat obediently in the medicinal water, wiggling his toes to pass the time.
As the hours ticked by and the elixir remained untouched, the short military man finally lost his temper and let out a frustrated growl.
"How is this possible?!"
Lin Haixia was more agitated than Li Hao himself, pacing the room in disbelief.
He struck his own forehead in frustration. "The elixir is perfect; there’s no mistake there. Could it be that the Lord’s child is truly incapable of cultivation?"
This was the Li family bloodline they were talking about!
Li Hao didn't feel particularly bothered. With his system panel, he could grow powerful without the need for these elixirs.
However, seeing his teacher so distraught made him feel awkward, so he tried to comfort him. "Uncle Lin, it’s alright. Please don't be sad."
Lin Haixia’s frame trembled at those words.
He looked down at the boy in the tub, and tears began to prick his eyes.
Child, you have no idea what kind of grim future awaits you!
Seeing that innocent, optimistic gaze felt like a knife to Lin Haixia’s heart.
Was this really the fate of the Commander-in-Chief’s only son?
Yet, he was powerless to change it.
The only explanation Lin Haixia could find was "innate meridian obstruction."
It was the definitive mark of a martial arts cripple.
In a common family, this would be unremarkable, as most ordinary people lacked the talent to cultivate. It wasn't a rare occurrence for the masses.
But this was the Li Family!
A clan that birthed True Dragons in every generation!
Even the least gifted members of the Li family were far superior to ordinary geniuses.
As for the True Dragons of the Li family—they were legendary figures who commanded the world's respect.
And yet, this child...
Lin Haixia was choked with grief. Even on battlefields covered in blood and corpses, he had never flinched, but now he couldn't bear to look at the boy.
Those pure, untainted eyes were simply heartbreaking.
"It’s okay, really..." Seeing the man’s genuine sorrow, Li Hao felt a surge of warmth.
He stood up from the bath and tugged at the man's pants, trying to offer what little comfort he could.
...
...
The second attempt at Foundation Establishment was officially deemed a failure.
The news swept through the Divine General Mansion like a storm. The fact that Li Hao was unable to cultivate was now a settled matter.
The ladies and servants of the various Li households were left shaken and confused.
In the days that followed, the medicinal baths stopped. Instead, a parade of experts arrived to examine his body, only to leave shaking their heads in disappointment.
By eavesdropping, Li Hao learned that they had diagnosed him with a "Martial Arts Disabled Body."
This condition didn't make cultivation impossible, but it made it incredibly grueling.
Since he couldn't absorb elixirs or external Qi, he would have to rely entirely on brutal physical training for even the smallest gains.
Furthermore, he would be capped at the Second Realm.
To go further required a connection with the energy of heaven and earth, making the Second Realm his absolute ceiling.
The report eventually reached the Northern Yan front. Soon after, an urgent letter was sent back across a thousand miles.
The contents of that letter sent another shockwave through the mansion.
The Grand Marshal had actually broken through to the Three Immortal Realms!
The letter insisted that the Lady of the House must not abandon Hao Er. Regardless of the difficulty, he had to be set upon the Martial Path.
Even a basic start was enough. If his Divine Blood eventually awakened, he might still achieve something. He might not be a world-shaking genius, but he could at least earn a rank as a centurion.
That way, he would not bring shame to the Li name.
The Lady of the House, He Jianlan, hailed from the He Family.
Though she was over sixty, she looked no older than forty. After reading the letter, she let out a heavy sigh.
"Hao Er’s destiny is a cruel one, and it is all because of that wretched woman."
No one knew exactly which woman she was referring to.
...
...
As time passed, Li Hao’s life seemed to return to a normal routine.
Foundation Establishment was abandoned; the plan was to wait until he was four to attempt the Blood Melting process.
With no other obligations, Li Hao spent his days secretly playing chess, watching his experience points climb steadily.
However, the rumor of Li Hao’s "Martial Arts Disabled Body" eventually leaked beyond the mansion walls.
In the tea houses and taverns of Qingzhou City, it became a hot topic of gossip, though many dismissed it as a wild story.
How could a son of the Li family be a cripple?
But for the Li family’s political rivals in the capital, the news was of great interest.
After their spies confirmed the truth, many were both thrilled and shocked.
They were delighted that the thousand-year glory of the Li family was finally fading!
The shock came from the Grand Marshal’s hidden strength; he had reached the Three Immortal Realms long ago without anyone knowing.
It was a stroke of luck that his son was a martial invalid; otherwise, the world might have seen the rise of another Li Junye!
...
...
In a flash, Li Hao reached the age of four.
After a year of diligent, secret practice, he had reached the second tier of Chess Tao.
This achievement granted him another Artistic Skill Point.
Without a moment's hesitation, Li Hao invested the point into Sword Dao.
His Sword Dao immediately rose to the second tier.
Unlike the overwhelming mental strain he felt at the first tier, the four-year-old Li Hao handled the influx of knowledge with only a slight headache.
With his Sword Dao upgraded, his status panel reflected the changes:
[Name: Li Hao]
[Age: 4]
[Cultivation Level: Mortal]
[Sword Dao: Second Tier]
[Skills: Endless Sea·Tide (Perfected)[Forbidden]]
[Known Art: Chess Tao]
[Chess Tao: Second Tier (0/1000)]
[Chess Catalogue Collection: 0]
[Artistic Skill Points: 0]
However, now that his Chess Tao was at the second tier, Li Hao realized that playing against himself no longer provided experience. He would have to find a real opponent to continue his progress.