Chapter Seventeen: The Young Man in White, Lost in Solitude

Chapter Seventeen: Li Hao, Alone in White

Li Hao and Lu Mei had their playful quarrel, and soon the laughter faded into calm.

“Sister Mei, you’re always here by yourself. It must be lonely, isn’t it? Do you have any plans for the future?” asked Li Hao. He had grown up without family but was fortunate to have companions like them, who had become the closest thing to kin.

“I haven’t thought about it yet,” Lu Xue Mei replied casually. Whether she truly hadn’t decided or simply didn’t wish to discuss it with Li Hao, only she knew.

Li Hao, bereft of family, was exceptionally mature for his age. He always brought joy and positive energy to those around him. Deep down, he understood Lu Xue Mei’s feelings well. Unlike her, he had never known what family was like—only the vague silhouette of his mother in dreams, and the rough descriptions of his grandfather from the renowned Herb Sage.

Lu Mei had lost her mother and left other relatives behind. Their situations differed, but the loneliness was the same.

The two sat quietly in the pavilion, big and small, enveloped in silence. After a while, Lu Xue Mei spoke first.

“Li Hao, why didn’t Yao’er come with you today?”

“Yao’er said Aunt Qin was taking her to her grandmother’s house. She’ll be back tonight.”

“I see… I miss my mother, too,” Lu Mei said, her voice tinged with sadness.

Li Hao was drawn into the same longing, his brows furrowing slightly. Seeing his expression, Lu Mei’s maternal instincts stirred. She reached out and gently smoothed his creased brow.

“Our Li Hao is so handsome; his mother must be beautiful,” Lu Mei said with a smile.

“Yes, just as beautiful as Sister Mei. Actually, I don't know what my family looks like at all. I’ve only seen my mother’s shadow in dreams and heard Grandpa Herb Sage describe my grandfather.” Li Hao’s words were contradictory, but in his heart, his mother was the most beautiful and gentle woman.

Lu Xue Mei was amused by his paradoxical answer.

“My little brother Li Hao, you’ve got such a way with words. I wonder how many good girls will lose their hearts to you in the future.”

“No, I really think Sister Mei is the prettiest. She’s the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen.”

She laughed.

“How can you say that? You’re so young and haven’t been anywhere else. How would you know there isn’t someone prettier than me?”

“Because no matter how pretty other girls are, none would treat me as kindly as you do.” Li Hao’s simple answer struck right at the heart, leaving Lu Xue Mei speechless.

“Sister Mei, how did I do with the flute today?” Li Hao asked, a hint of pride in his voice.

“You played wonderfully. You’re catching up with me,” Lu Mei praised.

“Sister Mei’s zither grows ever more enchanting. The world itself is entranced by your music. I wonder when I’ll reach your level?” Li Hao said admiringly. The gap between them was vast.

The two continued their exchange.

“Li Hao, what was the piece you played just now?” Lu Mei was curious.

“That? I composed it today for you, thinking you must feel lonely here, missing your mother like I miss my family. I wanted to make you happy, so I created a song just for us. Please don’t laugh at me, Sister Mei,” Li Hao explained earnestly.

“It was lovely. I liked it very much. You composed it well and played it beautifully. What’s it called?” Lu Mei asked.

“I haven’t named it yet,” Li Hao scratched his head. “If you like, Sister Mei, you can name it.”

Lu Mei pondered, “We’re both in white robes, sharing the same sorrow. Let’s call it ‘Youth in White, Alone and Melancholy.’”

“Hehe,”

“Sister Mei, that name feels a bit odd, but I like it,” Li Hao said, his smile carrying deeper meaning.

Lu Xue Mei sensed something amiss and was about to suggest a new name, but Li Hao interrupted her, and the matter was dropped.

“Sister Mei, I want to take part in the Talent Gathering selection in Lishui City,” Li Hao confided.

“That’s great—wait, what? You want to enter the Talent Gathering?” Lu Xue Mei was supportive at first but then remembered Li Hao was only ten. Though gifted and mature, he was still too young.

“Yes, Sister Mei, you heard right. I’m not mistaken. I’m entering with little sister Lu Yao,” Li Hao repeated, his tone firm.

“Yao’er too?” Lu Xue Mei was surprised again upon hearing this.

“You two mustn’t be reckless. That’s an important event for our Star Domain,” she cautioned, thinking they were just playing around and fearing their grandfather might punish them.

Her worries were misplaced; even if they were mischievous, the Herb Sage would never punish his beloved treasures over such a trivial matter.

“We’re serious. Yao’er said not to tell Grandpa Herb Sage yet. We’ll wait for the selection results. If we do well, we’ll tell him; if not, we’ll keep it quiet,” Li Hao replied sheepishly.

He shared their plan with Lu Xue Mei. Over the years, Li Hao often confided in her. She was like an elder sister to him, and they were the best of friends, never holding back. Lu Xue Mei didn’t mind his age, and in her heart, she admired his maturity. Many times, when she was alone and secretly crying over family woes, Li Hao’s wild antics and peculiar behavior would interrupt her. His optimism always brought her positive energy, and sometimes she would share her own troubles with him.

“Sister Mei, will you enter too? I think your beauty could captivate the crowd, and your skill would awe them,” Li Hao teased.

Lu Xue Mei wasn’t annoyed; she was used to his irreverent remarks. She knew Li Hao well—his apparent carelessness was just a mask for his vulnerability. She loved him like a little brother.

But when it came to serious matters, Li Hao was always the most reliable.

“I’ll go, but I’m not as formidable as you imagine. Grandpa always said: ‘There’s always a higher mountain, always a stronger person. Never think you’re the best—humility is key.’” Lu Xue Mei spoke earnestly, as if imparting wisdom.

“Yes, like the black brute bear in the arena—arrogant and doomed to defeat,” Li Hao thought, silently agreeing and reminding himself.

“Have you decided which events to enter?” Lu Xue Mei asked, curious about his choices.

“I want to try my luck in every event, see if I can…” Li Hao trailed off.

Lu Mei understood his ambition.

She thought to herself, “Such a big heart… But letting him gain some experience and temper his spirit is good.”

“Which events will you enter, Sister Mei?” Li Hao asked.

“I like music, chess, calligraphy, and painting—so I’ll choose those,” Lu Xue Mei replied without hesitation.

“Have you trained in combat skills?” she asked, puzzled.

“No,” Li Hao answered directly.

“I’ve trained in the arts, but below the Soul Refining Realm, they lack strong offensive power—too weak for actual combat,” Lu Mei explained seriously, detailing the shortcomings of arts in battle at their current stage.

Li Hao had just reached the peak of the Foundation Realm and couldn’t harm targets with his flute’s sound waves. It was the same for the other arts. Only when he reached the Wandering Realm, when his soul began to awaken in the sea of consciousness, could he use soul power. At that stage, the soul was as fragile as a newborn, able only to sense things within its domain. This was why Li Hao needed to reach the Wandering Realm to wield the Nine Dragon War Pike—he couldn’t summon it yet, and besides, the Divine Sovereign of Li Yang had placed a seal on Little Nine.

Once Li Hao reached the Wandering Realm, he could learn to attack souls using the flute or zither. Although the soul would still be infantile, its power was beyond human measure.

The Soul Tempering Realm trained both the body and soul—the stronger the body, the more laws of heaven and earth it could bear through the soul. At this stage, the soul was like a child, able to call upon the laws to perform special feats. In the Soul Refining Realm, the soul matured to a youth, and the main goal was to tap its potential. The future heights of cultivation depended on how much was invested at this stage. Of course, choosing the right path was crucial—one misstep, and a lifetime’s effort might never reach the desired heights.

The Soul Refining Realm was a pivotal crossroads. After entering it, cultivators chose their ultimate path: some focused on the body to aid the soul; some trained both equally; some prioritized the body, with the soul as support. Both strengths were mighty but fundamentally different.

Beyond the Soul Refining Realm, only these three paths led to the pinnacle. Dual cultivation of body and soul was strongest, but it was so arduous that nearly all cultivators chose a single focus.

The stronger the body and soul, the broader the laws they could harness, and the greater their power. Both soul and body served as vessels for the laws of heaven and earth. All preceding realms merely laid the foundation for those to come. If the foundation was weak, one could not bear the power later on, and their achievements would be limited. Forcing power could cripple or even end one’s life…

“So how do you plan to join the martial selection?” Lu Xue Mei asked, perplexed.

In the Lu Jiashan Star Domain, cultivators relied mainly on elixirs to advance, and martial artists were rare. Lu Mei doubted that ten-year-old Li Hao, who had never trained in combat, could stand out in the martial selection.

“I don’t know,” Li Hao replied crisply, shaking his head.

Lu Mei sighed.

“I’ll just rely on my own ability and adapt as needed. Sister Mei, don’t worry; I shouldn’t be in danger. If my opponent is too strong, I’ll simply withdraw. I don’t need to win, just want to seize this opportunity and test myself. You’re one of the people who cares for me most here, and I don’t want you to worry,” Li Hao comforted her.

“Will you come with me tomorrow?” Lu Xue Mei asked.

“We’ll come get you tomorrow,” Li Hao said, preparing to take his leave.

“I think you should play the piece you did today in the competition. You wrote it well,” Lu Xue Mei suggested, encouraging him.

“Actually, I wanted Sister Mei to test whether my album was up to par,” Li Hao replied, flashing his charming smile.

Lu Xue Mei smiled gently.

Li Hao continued, “Sister Mei, I think this piece is too simple for the selection. I want to revise it.”

“All right, I’ll wait for my little brother Li Hao to shine in the selection,” Lu Xue Mei teased.

Li Hao blushed at her words.

“Take care, Sister Mei. I’ll be off now,” Li Hao said, eager to prepare for tomorrow’s registration with Lu Xue Mei and her sister.

“All right, be safe, little brother. I won’t see you off—see you tomorrow.”

“See you tomorrow.”

They waved goodbye.

Li Hao left the pavilion, exited the courtyard, and leapt onto the back of a rainbow cloud eagle. The eagle carried him back to the Sacred Medicine Hall.

Lu Xue Mei stood in the pavilion, gazing dazedly in the direction of his departure, murmuring, “Mother, tomorrow Mei’er will sign up for the selection. I’ll take good care of myself, so don’t worry. Li Hao is a good person, just too young for now.”

“Ugh, Lu Xue Mei, what nonsense are you thinking?” She scolded herself. This magical scene would forever remain known only to her and the heavens, never to anyone else…