The Name of Eternals

Chapter 136: Introduction

"After all, he is just a youth." "People chase fame and fortune, unlike us who pursue elegance."

The two young temple caretakers laughed as they talked.

Li Hao, who had already walked away, heard this and returned. He grabbed a handful of white stones from the Go board and placed them in five positions on the board. He then hummed lightly and left.

"How dare you, boy..."

The young caretaker playing the white stones was furious and was about to scold the boy, but Li Hao had already walked away. Annoyed, he looked back at the board, only to see his friend staring at it in shock.

Curious, he looked down and found that his previous dire situation on the board had been completely reversed. The five stones had opened up a new territory for him.

Each stone was critical, and missing even one would have left the positions scattered and ineffective.

"This..."

...

After wandering around and feeling a bit bored, Li Hao noticed that Ren Qianqian's soul fusion wasn't finished yet. He found the elderly caretaker and asked him to relay a message to the girl who had just entered, telling her to wait here after she finished and not to wander off.

After handing over a couple of silver coins, the caretaker happily accepted the task. Li Hao then left the temple and went into the city. He found a bustling tavern and began to inquire about the whereabouts of Master Bai Chunhai.

The tavern was lively and packed with guests. At the center of the staircase, a candle was burning with a beautiful dagger encrusted with amber gems hanging about half a meter above it.

Downstairs, a group of people were making a commotion.

Li Hao observed for a moment and realized that the tavern was holding a contest. Anyone who could retrieve the dagger without causing the candle flame to flicker would win it. The dagger, adorned with precious stones, was clearly worth a fortune, which explained the excitement.

Not particularly interested in the dagger, Li Hao went upstairs and found a seat near the railing. He looked around, filtering out the noise, and focused on eavesdropping on various conversations.

His sharp hearing picked up not just the chatter inside the tavern, but also conversations from nearby teahouses and passersby on the street. Even whispered secrets reached his ears.

Like the women at the next table and downstairs, whispering, "That boy by the railing is so handsome..."

Li Hao's mood brightened.

Suddenly, he heard the name "Bai Chunhai" mentioned at a table near the window. Intrigued, he saw three figures—a man and two women—discussing:

"Master is going to duel with Master Bai Chunhai at Tianjian Peak after the master gathering." "I heard Bai Chunhai's palm techniques are extraordinary. They say he can strike a tree covered in snow without shaking the snow, yet shatter the tree. Is that true?" "Maybe it's just his disciples boasting..."

Li Hao's eyes lit up. He got up and approached their table, saying, "Excuse me, do you know Master Bai Chunhai?"

The conversation at the table halted abruptly. The three looked uneasy, not expecting someone to eavesdrop on their discussion.

"Are you his disciple?" the young man asked, eyeing Li Hao warily. Seeing Li Hao's youthful appearance, they relaxed a bit, thinking he wouldn't be a threat.

"No, I just want to meet him," Li Hao replied, shaking his head.

The three exchanged glances and relaxed further.

"Are you here to become his apprentice?" asked the girl in a white dress, her demeanor gentle.

Li Hao realized that many young martial artists had come to the master gathering to seek apprenticeship with renowned masters. He smiled and said, "Do you know where he is?"

"Even if we did, why should we tell you?" retorted the girl in the orange dress, glaring at Li Hao.

The young man in the middle didn't intervene but said coolly, "If you want to become his apprentice, wait outside after the master gathering. You'll meet him then."

The girl in white also looked at Li Hao, saying nothing.

Li Hao, undeterred, took out the remaining half-bag of silver and said, "Please help me and show me the way."

"We don't care for your money," the girl in orange scoffed, glancing at the dagger hanging by the candle. "If you're sincere, get that dagger for me, and I'll tell you."

The young man, realizing his junior was giving Li Hao a hard time, smirked. He had tried to get the dagger himself and failed.

"Zuo Ling."

The girl in white called softly, then apologized to Li Hao, "Sorry, we can't casually reveal information about Master Bai Chunhai. If we're caught..."

"The dagger, right? No problem," Li Hao said, smiling. He quickly put the silver back, saving it for later.

Although the dagger was more valuable than his silver, he viewed money and treasures as tools for convenience. With his current strength, earning money was easy. Slaying a few demons would make him rich quickly.

As Li Hao headed downstairs, the three looked puzzled.

"Does he think he can really get it?" Zuo Ling wondered aloud.

"He probably didn't read the rules and thinks he just has to jump up three feet," the young man scoffed.

The three moved to the railing to watch.

Downstairs, people were eagerly lining up to try. A middle-aged man from the tavern explained the rules enthusiastically, hyping up the crowd.

Ignoring the chatter, Li Hao quickly bought a ticket by ordering a Gold and Jade Full House Set for ten taels of silver. He didn't wait for the food to be served and went straight to the challenge area.

The crowd's attention turned to Li Hao. Seeing his young age, the jeers grew louder. Everyone thought he was just another rich kid showing off.

The middle-aged man from the tavern continued to explain the rules, creating an even more exciting atmosphere.

Ignoring the noise, Li Hao lightly jumped, rising like a breeze. He smoothly plucked the dagger from above the candle without disturbing the flame.

The rules prohibited Fifteen-Mile Realm participants and using martial power to grab the dagger, testing pure martial skills.

Even some Soul Fusion Realm warriors struggled to retrieve the dagger without shaking the flame.

But as Li Hao landed, the candle flame remained steady, the tip unwavering.

Li Hao smiled at the stunned middle-aged man and walked upstairs with the dagger.

A moment of stunned silence was followed by an uproar. Everyone was shocked, their eyes glued to the young man.

Returning to the second floor, Li Hao handed the dagger to the bewildered Zuo Ling, saying, "Lead the way, please."

The three were astonished. They had clearly seen the candle flame remain steady as Li Hao retrieved the dagger.

"How did you do that?" Zuo Ling asked, dazed, holding the dagger.

The young man, wide-eyed, examined Li Hao closely. Being a genius on the Kun-Phoenix Rankings, he couldn't accomplish what Li Hao had.

Could this boy be on the Kun Rankings too?

Feeling the growing attention, Li Hao urged, "Lead the way, please."

The three composed themselves. The young man took a deep breath, saying, "Follow us. Master Bai Chunhai might be with our teacher, but I can't guarantee you'll meet him."

"Okay," Li Hao agreed.

Leading the way, the young man left the tavern, with Li Hao and the girls following.

The middle-aged man from the tavern watched them leave, resisting the urge to stop them. These young nobles arriving in Dà Yuè City were best left alone to avoid trouble.

As they walked, Zuo Ling kept glancing at Li Hao, clearly impressed by his skills. Though she had a fiery temper, she respected strength and kept asking questions.

"How did you do that?" "What's your name?" "Where are you from?"

Li Hao didn't answer, feeling like a bee buzzed around his ear.

The girl in white also observed Li Hao, curious. She rarely encountered such skilled peers.

Before long, the young man led them to the master discussion platform in the city, crowded with people. Nearby inns were packed.

In a tavern with a stage, the young man found their teacher, a short middle-aged man named Master Zhou Haitang.

The young man introduced Li Hao and briefly explained what had happened at the tavern.

Master Zhou Haitang, listening to the performance, looked up at Li Hao, smiling. "May I ask your name and origin?"

"Ji Hao," Li Hao replied.

Zhou Haitang thought briefly, not recognizing the name from the Qian-Kun Rankings. He assumed Li Hao was a young noble who had just entered the martial world.

"You're one surname away from the legendary genius on the Qian-Dragon Rankings," Zhou Haitang chuckled. "Are you here to become Master Bai Chunhai's apprentice? I also know a bit of martial arts. Interested?"

Zuo Ling and the others were surprised, not expecting their teacher to immediately take an interest in the boy.

With Li Hao's displayed skills, he could surpass them quickly if he joined.

Li Hao shook his head, saying, "I'm not here to become an apprentice. I want to buy a painting from him."