Volume 3 - Chapter 405: The Chess Realm — All Things Are Soldiers, Heaven and Earth a Chessboard (Part 1)
In that moment, even the wind around them seemed to fall into a brief stillness.
Staring at the Immortal Aura Purple Osmanthus before her, Su Wanqing was stunned by the young man's words.
The youth’s handsome face gazed quietly at her, his eyes clear and profound, free of any impurity.
A strange, delicate fragrance wafted from the osmanthus, curling into her nose, seeping into her body as if it had no barriers to block it. Her whole being responded involuntarily, breathing in its scent.
Her heart suddenly skipped a few beats. In a soft voice, she asked, “For me?”
She clearly hadn’t expected that Li Hao was serious—that he truly intended to give her this Immortal Aura Purple Osmanthus, painstakingly plucked, and right in front of her elder sister Su Muqing no less.
A thought struck her, and she turned to glance at Su Muqing beside her.
The coldness on Su Muqing’s face had frozen in place the moment Li Hao bypassed her to offer the flower.
She turned her head, her gaze pausing briefly on the Immortal Aura Purple Osmanthus in front of Su Wanqing. Then, lifting her eyes, she stared at Li Hao with icy sharpness.
“What do you mean by this?”
“Hm?” Li Hao looked at her in puzzlement.
“You’re trying to provoke me on purpose?”
Su Muqing’s expression darkened, anger flickering faintly in her eyes.
Li Hao frowned and said calmly, “You already have one. Giving you another would be pointless. Wanqing likes it. What’s wrong with giving it to her?”
“You—!”
Su Muqing’s fingers tightened around her celestial robe. Rage surged in her heart, but seeing the boy’s calm demeanor, her fury suddenly faltered.
It was obviously he who had been courting her, clinging to her shamelessly. If anyone had reason to be upset, it should be her.
Just some petty tricks. Did he really think this could provoke her and win her attention?
Su Muqing suddenly let out a cold laugh. Staring at Li Hao with mockery, she said, “With your talent, you waste your mind on these childish games just to draw my notice. If you spent even a fraction of that effort on your cultivation, why would you still need to rely on the Su Clan?”
Li Hao froze. He had no idea where her thoughts had run, but clearly, she had misunderstood.
Still, after a moment's thought, he chose not to explain. When prejudice stands tall, even the truth is dismissed as an excuse.
Beside him, Su Wanqing came to her senses and quickly sent Li Hao a voice transmission:
“Hao Tian, don’t make her angry. This won’t work. Hurry and give the Immortal Aura Purple Osmanthus to my sister. I know her—if she said that, it means she minds. You’ve worked so hard; don’t let it go to waste.”
Li Hao saw that she was still trying to ease Su Muqing’s emotions and gently shook his head.
“She’ll just toss it aside even if I give it to her. Don’t overthink it. I said I picked it for you, so it’s yours. No other reason.”
With that, he placed the Immortal Aura Purple Osmanthus in her hands.
He hadn’t used a voice transmission—his words landed directly in Su Muqing’s ears. Her expression grew even colder.
“Hmph!”
Su Muqing cast Li Hao a long, deep glance, then turned to Su Wanqing. Only then did the frost in her eyes thaw.
“If he picked it for you, then take it. I’m not angry.”
Su Wanqing gave a bitter smile. “Sister, why don’t you take it? Hao Tian was just talking nonsense.”
“I have one already.”
Su Muqing sneered faintly. “Even if he gave it to me, I’d stomp it into the mud. Everything I desire, I earn with my own two hands. I’m not like some people with weak Dao hearts, always waiting to reap what others sow. No ambition, no drive—not even worthy to serve as a Su Clan servant.”
With that, she turned and walked away, as though blocking out everything behind her.
Su Wanxue frowned and glanced at Li Hao, sending him a voice transmission: “Wanqing is simple at heart. Don’t use her. Whatever issues you and Muqing have, handle them yourselves.”
Li Hao turned to look—it was Su Wanxue. He frowned slightly and replied coldly, “You’re overthinking it.”
Seeing that Li Hao denied it, Su Wanxue said nothing more. If it happened again, she wouldn’t stand idly by.
At that moment, Jiang Huanhuan had been helped over by the Jiang clan members. Her face was pale as paper.
Before falling into the water, she had seen Li Hao obtain the Immortal Aura Purple Osmanthus. Now seeing it in Su Wanqing’s hand, she couldn’t help but look at Li Hao.
“You… how did you break that sword intent?”
Compared to the flower, what concerned her more was how Li Hao had withstood the sword intent she herself couldn’t withstand.
Could it be that this young painter at the first level of the Immortal Lord Realm actually possessed a sword Dao beyond her own?
“With sword, break sword.”
Li Hao replied with just four words.
Jiang Huanhuan was stunned. With sword, break sword? With sword, break sword… She suddenly laughed. What a line. So simple. So domineering!
“Your sword Dao…”
The smile faded from Jiang Huanhuan’s lips. She stared intently at Li Hao.
Li Hao said nothing. His gaze, almost involuntarily, fell once more upon Su Muqing’s face. His thoughts drifted far.
Jiang Huanhuan noticed and glanced toward Su Muqing. For the first time, a tinge of envy surfaced in her heart.
Back when she heard Su Muqing and that Lin Clan heir were childhood sweethearts, she’d felt nothing. But now, seeing even someone like Li Hao revolve around her, so utterly devoted—she couldn't help but feel envious.
“Muqing, cherish it well.”
Jiang Huanhuan said softly, then turned and left.
Su Muqing was momentarily dazed. But when she noticed Li Hao’s gaze, she instantly understood Jiang Huanhuan’s meaning. Her face darkened.
By now, everyone else had returned with their own Immortal Aura Purple Osmanthus. All six blossoms had been picked.
“Congratulations to all of you,” Immortal King Tan said gently, his expression warm. “This Immortal Osmanthus blooms once every nine thousand years and flowers every ten thousand. You are truly fated.”
He continued, “This particular Immortal Aura Purple Osmanthus has existed for a hundred thousand years. This is its tenth blooming. Though it may not possess the same wondrous effects as other rare divine herbs, it symbolizes eternity and waiting. May you all walk your path of cultivation with an Eternal Dao Heart, with the patience to endure the tides of time. I believe that one day, you will all blossom in your own right and stand at the summit of the True Realm!”
Eternity… waiting…
Li Hao looked up, a flicker in his eyes. He couldn’t help but think of Shi Miao—that soul from across time.
Though they had exchanged only a few words, could it be… that she was already waiting for him, somewhere in the future, eternally?
A sudden, inexplicable pain pierced his heart. He couldn’t describe it. It felt like some intangible, formless chain of fate tightened around him in that very moment.
“This concludes the Sword Pool Osmanthus Gathering.”
Immortal King Tan waved a hand, his voice echoing across the field.
Everyone rose from their meditation mats and bowed respectfully to the Immortal King.
Disciples of the Jiang, Su, and Lin clans also stood. Despite their lofty lineage, their etiquette lacked nothing.
After the event concluded, various noble families mingled and built connections. But Su Muqing immediately took flight, heading straight back to the Su Clan.
Li Hao followed at once, but this time Su Muqing didn’t travel with Su Wanqing and the others. Her movement technique was swift. Li Hao had to go all out just to keep up.
Soon, the two of them returned to the Su Clan’s Zhexian Courtyard.
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