Chapter 103: Seven Origin Thousand Hands Divine Condor Technique, this child enters the temple to observe and surpass the divine

After the rain, a light chill lingered; spring was only two parts in, and the pavilions were newly clear.

The spring rain gradually ceased.

Second floor of the Imperial Observatory's Treasure Tower.

Inside the examination room, it was tranquil as usual, making the faint sound of the blade tearing the spirit wood's tissue exceptionally clear.

Li Che focused intently on carving the wood sculpture; continuing to carve the wood sculpture posed little difficulty for him, who possessed the embryonic Divine Ability of the Thousand Dissecting Hands.

He could nearly perfectly inherit the previous wood sculptor's technique, even replicating the mindset they had while carving the wood sculpture.

And replication is merely the most basic ability of the Immortal Craft.

Only by integrating one's own technique, insight, and understanding upon this foundation, even innovating, does the Immortal Craft Dao Fruit bring about a change in talent.

Most importantly, the artistic talent bestowed by the Immortal Craft Dao Fruit is not limited to wood carving.

Elixirs, divine weapons, and the like—Li Che felt he should also be able to master them through the unparalleled artistic talent of the Immortal Craft Dao Fruit.

Shush—

Li Che sat upright on the chair, his spine straight as a rod, his vital blood intertwined throughout his body, subtly merging with the diffused divinity between heaven and earth into the fully formed 'Four-Armed Wrathful Third Prince' wood sculpture before him.

The wood carving was lifelike, the wrinkles and engraved marks between its fingers clearly visible.

The angle at which the chisel fell, the depth of the cuts, the changes and size of the openings where the wood tissue tore under the chisel's edge—all unfolded in his mind like a scroll.

His ten fingers were incredibly dexterous, the tools constantly shifting—carving, engraving, chiseling, scooping, piercing—various skilled techniques blossoming at his fingertips.

Li Che closed his eyes, as if carving with his eyes shut.

Yet closing his eyes allowed him to see more, to perceive more.

He even infused his own sensation into it.

In his past-life memory, the image of a child stepping on the Wind Fire Golden Wheel, holding a red silk and stirring the Four Seas, slowly emerged……

Bang—!

A sound like fireworks exploding rang out from outside the Treasure Tower.

Thick water vapor surged skyward, as if the spring rain filling the heavens suddenly burst open, forming a hazy mist.

Indoors.

Shangguan Qinghong, seated in the corner, twitched slightly; she leaned to the carved wooden window, looked out, and saw white waves lashing.

"The waves are rising!"

Shangguan Qinghong spoke softly.

The sound was not loud, yet in this moment inside the examination room it was like thunder; two junior overseers hurried over, looking out through the wooden window.

The Treasure Tower was built beside the riverbank, its foundation a slab of cliff stone; waves crashed upon it, exploding into water vapor that shot upward.

Because the water waves of the Nine Dragons River's tributary within the city had always been calm year-round, now a single wave was strikingly obvious, and the splashing waves revealed the divinity within them all the more clearly.

"What a fellow, this kid really has something..."

Gongyang Liancheng stroked his beard, feeling somewhat astonished.

It actually drew forth the divinity in the Nine Dragons River's tributary, provoking the waves; although the waves were not large, Li Che himself was merely a Ten Dukes level wood carving master.

"Not bad, the talent is indeed not bad; continuing the carving based on the traces and ideas left on the original wood sculpture… a pity he probably hasn't learned any 'Divine Condor Technique.'" The beautiful lady Gong Yunli also offered praise.

"Purely relying on talent."

The two naturally had the vision; Li Che's displayed skill was akin to mastering the techniques of an ordinary wood carver to near perfection, reaching the level of a Ten Dukes level wood carving master, yet he had not mastered any Divine Condor technique lineage.

Moreover, with insufficient vital blood and divinity, he could only reach the Ten Dukes level.

If he possessed Divine Foundation cultivation, plus the inherited Divine Condor technique, Li Che would surely easily achieve the rank of Nine Luminaries level wood carving master.

And to obtain the examination qualification for a Second-rank Guest Minister of the Imperial Observatory, one must reach the Nine Luminaries level.

Whether alchemist, divine painter, divine weapon master, or divine condor master, it is the same.

Within the Imperial Observatory, the various arts are divided into categories, but ultimately they are ranked by the grade of Guest Minister.

Gongyang Liancheng and Gong Yunli basically acknowledged Li Che's level; the quota for Third-rank Guest Ministers was as good as set.

However, Li Che had not yet stopped carving, so they did not speak to interrupt him.

How proficient could Li Che ultimately bring the wood carving to?

And how high could he stir the waves outside the building in the Nine Dragons River that contain the Temple Deity's divinity, causing them to splash ashore?

They too wanted to see.

……

……

Hiss—

Li Che's posture with closed eyes shifted abruptly; as the final blade swept over the wood carving, completing the last outline.

The entire wood carving placed on the workbench seemed to suddenly come alive; between heaven and earth there were rumbling angry sounds, and even the sound of waves being stirred.

Li Che felt the divine wood carving continually drawing his vital blood, even greedily pulling the internal energy of his Mysterious Pulse hidden away by the Dragon-Elephant Vajra Dao Fruit.

The Dragon-Elephant Vajra Dao Fruit in his chest trembled like a great blade, chopping away at the other's sneaky, salty-pig hand.

All of the vital blood Li Che had displayed through blood exchange was drained dry.

The nurturing, stream-like divinity was also completely exhausted.

Li Che abruptly retreated several steps, eliciting sweat from his body, appearing extremely strained, a picture of immense physical exhaustion.

A wood carving master carving a divine condor consumes not only stamina but also divinity, with both mind and body suffering immense depletion.

After all, carving a divine wood carving is no longer ordinary woodworking.

It was as if illusory flames ignited—those were the wandering divinity between heaven and earth; after the water of the Nine Dragons River evaporated, the Temple Deity's divinity rose and was drawn in, forming this phenomenon.

"Done!"

Inside the room, Gongyang Liancheng and Gong Yunli's eyes lit up; they instantly appeared beside the carved wooden window, their gazes falling as they looked toward the now-calm Nine Dragons River outside.

Spring rain drizzles, the river surface is calm, without a ripple.

The two were stunned: "No wave?"

Shangguan Qinghong also poked her head out: "It shouldn't be like that..."

Suddenly.

Shangguan Qinghong's eyes narrowed as she looked toward the end of the Nine Dragon River, there...

A white snake rolled across the river surface, and a single line of river tide separated heaven and earth!

"Here it comes..." Gong Yunli took a deep breath, her whole body involuntarily trembling, a faint shock.

This momentum...

This is the tide that a Ten Metropolis-level woodcarver could summon?!

Also "woodcarver" (woodcarver) generic.

One could see the tide rolling in from the river's end, the water rising and falling, suddenly collapsing several meters.

Whoosh—

Accompanied by an angry howl, it was as if thousands of troops and horses were galloping forward!

The spring rain between heaven and earth suddenly turned violent, bean-sized raindrops merging with the river's qi, striking the human world and striking the earth.

Even faintly, one could hear roaring, sobbing, and sorrowful sounds beneath the river tide.

It was as if an awakened deity stood upon the vast, boundless sea, looking around in bewilderment, raising its head to let out a long cry and weep.

Who knows how many drops of divine tears turned into a thousand-year angry tide!

Bang—!

The huge wave fiercely slapped against the cliff stone beneath the treasure tower of the Imperial Observatory by the Nine Dragon River.

Also "treasure tower" (treasure tower) generic.

Boom—

The three standing before the carved wooden window saw the white waves rise high, actually leaping higher than the window's height, pouring down before them like a waterfall curtain.

Silent, soundless.

There was also a bit of shock!

The divine aura was extremely intense, accompanying the overturning river tide that spread throughout heaven and earth, its concentration nearly forty to fifty percent higher than before.

Gongyang Liancheng was the first to react, his expression slightly changing, his spiritual sense fluctuating, a divine wheel forming behind him with light swirling, faintly a blurred divine visage about to be reflected and manifested from the wheel.

With a fierce wave of the hand, instantly the extremely rich divine aura enveloping the entire treasure tower was swept away, yet the divine aura within the tide continued unceasingly, as if being evaporated by scorching heat.

Gong Yunli also joined in the suppression.

The two Vice Directors of the Imperial Observatory joined forces, barely managing to suppress this boiling divine aura.

Mainly because the temple deity's divine rank is too high...

Shangguan Qinghong's fair, beautiful face, struck by the impact, turned flushed.

Li Che panted, his face slightly paling, showing signs of overexertion, he stepped back two steps.

He let out a long breath.

That is... the divine aura of the temple deity merged into the river water?

That is the divine aura of the temple deity of the 【Eight-armed Hell Lotus Furious Third Prince】?

Also "temple deity" again.

The tug-of-war lasted a moment, the tide subsided, the divine aura remerged into the river waves, and everything returned to calm.

Gongyang Liancheng and Gong Yunli both let out a long breath.

They almost caused an examination accident.

The two returned to the wood carving, their eyes showing a strange color.

"How much?"

"Seventy percent? Definitely not... Ninety percent? To summon such a huge wave, provoking the temple deity's divine aura in the river to boil like this... even if the examiner personally carved it, they might not succeed."

The beautiful lady Gong Yunli couldn't help but say.

The two's gaze fell upon the wood carving carved by Li Che, but they saw nothing special about it.

But why could it summon such a tide?

A Ten Metropolis-level divine wood carving—where does this kind of divine affinity come from?

The two fell into contemplation, but soon they stopped thinking about it.

"Li Shifu, congratulations, you passed the Third-Class Guest Official examination."

The beautiful lady Gong Yunli looked at Li Che, her long eyelashes lightly trembling, her eyes showing a hint of eagerness.

"Give me your identity token, I will activate the divinity within it, then you can infuse your own divinity or vital energy, and it will serve as proof of your Third-Class Guest Official status."

Li Che took out the token and handed it to Gong Yunli.

After Gong Yunli received it, a thread of divinity flickered from her palm and then vanished, whereupon she returned it to Li Che.

Li Che only felt that the tiny temple pattern on the token became increasingly lifelike.

"All right, Guest Official Li, from today onward you are a member of the Imperial Observatory's Guest Officials, enjoying steward treatment; using the Guest Official token to purchase resources within the Imperial Observatory entitles you to a twenty percent discount."

Gong Yunli lightly laughed.

"Furthermore, you are a Divine Eagle Master Third-Class Guest Official, and may receive one copy of《Great Jing Imperial Observatory Seven Origin Thousand Hands Divine Eagle Technique (Upper Volume)》; you must not leak or transmit it. Additionally, you may accept divine wood carving production tasks from the Imperial Observatory, for which the observatory only takes twenty percent of the remuneration."

Also "task remuneration" generic.

"As for the other benefits and treatment, let Shangguan Qintian Cheng and the others explain them to you in detail."

Upon hearing this, Li Che nodded.

"We'll take this wood carving, Guest Official Li; we look forward to the day you become a Second-Class Guest Official."

The beautiful lady Gong Yunli gave Li Che a gentle smile.

Then, together with Gongyang Liancheng, they took the wood carving carved by Li Che and left.

"……" No.

……

Shangguan Qinghong's little face flushed, the red glow on her fair, tender skin lingering and refusing to fade.

Li Che glanced at her oddly, and as he watched the tide, his face flushed.

Miss Shangguan, you're incredible.

It made you seem as if you were allergic to divinity.

"Congratulations, Guest Official Li; from now on we are colleagues." Shangguan Qinghong said, her face as red as Guan Yu's, smiling.

Shangguan Qinghong led Li Che out of the second-floor examination room.

Along the way she briefed Li Che on the benefits and treatment available to a third-rank guest official.

The two returned to the first floor, where Liu He and Hai Chuan Ying were already waiting, evidently having heard of Li Che's examination today and awaiting the result.

Upon seeing the token tied at Li Che's waist, the two couldn't help but smile.

"Congratulations, Brother Li, on becoming a guest official of the Imperial Astronomy Bureau; from now on, please look after me."

The two exchanged courtesies, and Li Che returned the gesture.

"Hahaha! With Senior Qing Shan's recommendation, how could you fail to become a guest official, Brother Li? Tonight let's hit Yun Fang Fang to celebrate!"

Liu He is very enthusiastic; listening to music in the pleasure quarters is his forte.

Moreover, as a guest official of the Imperial Astronomy Bureau, attending music houses is merely the most basic job skill.

Shangguan Qinghong kicked Liu He: "Don't lead Brother Li astray!"

"Brother Li is a married man!"

"Hahaha, just joking, just joking… By the way, I have good news to tell Brother Li." Liu He laughed, then looked at Li Che and said: "Just on the way here… I heard some explosive news."

"The Qin family's Qin Yuqing, the Jade-Faced Toxic Rakshasa… provoked someone she shouldn't have, and was shot to death inside the Qin manor! Her death was gruesome!"

"With the Jade-Faced Toxic Rakshasa dead, Brother Li can finally sleep soundly; this woman was incredibly vicious, originally planning to vent her wrath on everyone from Fēiléichéng, but now that she's dead, Brother Li has eliminated a major threat."

"I don't know which expert… I heard that from dozens of miles away, a single strike was fatal! It's simply shocking to hear."

Liu He shook his head, astonished beyond words.

"From dozens of miles away, killing a master… even if it was a weakened master who had taken drugs, it's still extraordinarily impressive."

Li Che showed an astonished expression, yet his heart suddenly relaxed, he exhaled deeply, and a great stone seemed to drop.

After all, he only had one chance with the "Artificer's Barrett"; after that shot, whether Qin Yuqing lived or died was up to her fate.

As it turns out, Qin Yuqing's fortune was not shallow; she died swiftly.

Shangguan Qinghong had also just heard the news, and exclaimed in surprise: "The Qin family has a Divine Appearance Elder Ancestor guarding them; how could they not have stopped it?"

"They didn't stop it, I heard the Qin family's Divine Appearance Elder Ancestor was furious beyond measure; the killer's method was said to be a secret mechanism art, so the elder ancestor contacted the Temple Suppression Office, wanting to investigate all forces, since Qin Yuqing was the Qin manor's direct descendant, she was outright shot dead inside the manor… the elder ancestor's old face was swollen from the blow." Liu He said, restraining his laughter.

When it came to the Divine Appearance Elder Ancestor, he didn't dare laugh too loudly.

Hai Chuan Ying usually spoke little, but now he couldn't help but glance oddly at Li Che.

The day before, they had just told Li Che about the threat posed by Qin Yuqing; the next day… Qin Yuqing was shot dead in her home.

Hai Chuan Ying naturally wouldn't think Li Che killed Qin Yuqing—what cultivation does Li Che have, and what does Qin Yuqing have?

The gap between them is simply exaggeratedly huge.

Even if Li Che became a third-rank guest official of the Imperial Astronomy Bureau, his status still cannot compare to Qin Yuqing's.

He merely felt that Li Che's luck was truly not bad.

"With Qin Yuqing's death, Jin Guang Prefecture City is likely to fall into chaos; before the Divine Sect Branch Spirit Child Examination, the city's major powers are already somewhat restless, and the Qin family may well take advantage of her death to stir trouble, seizing benefits from the other great clans—at least a few market streets and several gangs will change hands."

Hai Chuan Ying said in a low, heavy voice.

"Moreover, Qin Yuqing was the concubine of Golden Rift Sect's Grand Elder Jin Xuan; involved with him, Jin Xuan—a Divine Appearance realm Illusory Appearance cultivator who has lived two hundred years, greatly favored Qin Yuqing, even sparing no effort to promote her to core true transmission, funneling resources into her cultivation."

"Now that she's dead like this, that Divine Appearance cultivator will likely be even more furious than the Qin family, and will investigate to the end."

Hai Chuan Ying's words made Li Che's heart sink slightly; although they were solemn, he didn't take them to heart.

After all, having killed Qin Yuqing and offended the Qin family, adding the Golden Rift Sect…

…doesn't really seem like much.

Many debts do not weigh on the body.

Anyway, for him now, they are existences he cannot afford to provoke.

The group chatted a while longer, then Shangguan Qinghong went to fetch Li Che's guest official robe and the benefits he was entitled to.

Moments later, Li Che received the benefits of becoming a guest official.

One guest official robe, one bottle of ninth-rank martial elixir, and one copy of the "Dàjǐng Imperial Astronomy Seven Origins Thousand-Hand Divine Eagle Technique (Upper Volume)".

"This is the 'Imperial Astronomy Wrathful Mystic Flood Dragon Martial Elixir', ninth-grade superior; it is refined from the true blood of the wrathful mystic flood dragon, its potency far exceeds that of lower-grade ninth-rank elixirs—because it is too strong, Brother Li, when you take it, grind it into three parts… it can be used to accelerate blood exchange."

"About three doses should be enough for you to complete the nine transformations of blood exchange, which will take roughly two months."

"By then, Brother Li can come collect the Dàjǐng Meridian-Passing Method; these are all given free upon becoming a guest official."

Shangguan Qinghong handed the items to Li Che one by one, giving explanations.

"What is this?"

Li Che pinched up a crystal stone black as amber.

"This is a Ten Metropolises Divine Nature Crystal; a third-rank guest official's monthly stipend is ten such crystals. Brother Li, are you still nurturing your nature? Refining one divine nature crystal can accelerate that cultivation…"

Shangguan Qinghong said with a smile while introducing.

"Divine nature crystal?"

Li Che drew a deep breath… this is resources!

Such resources are only accessible in major cities; in Fēiléichéng one hasn't even heard of them, and Cao Guang, as the city lord, has none in his assets.

However, perhaps he once had them, but he has already refined them all away.

"Divine nature crystals are mostly produced in the strange gates of the Guiyi Miao… therefore only the Nine Luminaries Guiyi Miao can produce them." Shangguan Qinghong, seeming to know what Li Che was thinking, added.

Li Che pinched the divine nature crystal.

He attempted to secretly sense with his divine sense.

The next moment, his eyes involuntarily tightened.

Because……

What this divine nature crystal contains……

It is actually the same pure white divine nature as the divine nature in the 【Immaculate Heart】 Dao fruit!

……

……

Gong Yunli and Gongyang Liancheng, the two junior supervisors, holding the 'Four-armed Wrathful Prince' statue carved by Li Che, ascended to the upper floors of the Qintianjian Treasure Tower.

Upon reaching the seventh floor, the two stopped, walked around the corridor, and arrived before a tea room.

A faint tea fragrance wafted out from the tea room.

"Deputy Supervisor, today you will set the questions for evaluation; the works of the third-rank guest official recommended by Li Qingshan have been brought, please re-evaluate."

Gongyang Liancheng held the wooden carving, lowered his head slightly, and spoke respectfully.

"Come in."

A moment later, a faint sound came from within the tea room.

Gong Yunli and Gongyang Liancheng stepped into the tea room.

They saw a refined figure in simple white robes sitting calmly at a yellow pear wood tea table, skillfully brewing tea.

"Just put it on that table by the door; don't disturb my tea brewing."

"Yes." Gongyang Liancheng placed the wooden carving on the small table by the door.

The refined figure brewed a bowl of tea, took a small sip, then poured it all out.

Only then did he use a cloth to wipe his hands.

His eyelids slightly opened and lifted, his gaze falling upon the wooden carving placed by the door.

Just a glance, and the white-robed figure's eyes instantly narrowed.

"Huh?!"

"Bring it closer, put it on the tea table."

Gongyang Liancheng was startled.

He picked up the wooden carving and placed it on the tea table.

The Deputy Supervisor examined it closely, and a strange color flickered in the depths of his eyes.

"This child has entered the Four Sovereigns Guiyi Miao……"

"Has he seen the temple deity?"

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