Chapter 117: Xixi the Great Emperor Expands Territory, on the Spring Equinox of the Second Month the Divine Sect Opens the Mountain

A wealthy collaboration?

Li Che raised an eyebrow, glancing at Li Qingshan.

He sensed an unusual meaning; this wealthy collaboration might suit his taste, as the address changed from "Li Che, kid" to "Niu Mo," indicating Li Qingshan's wealthy collaboration is with Niu Mo, not with Li Che himself.

Li Che probably guessed that Li Qingshan wanted to cooperate with the Niu Mo identity, and which aspect.

After sipping hot tea, chewing the verdant tea leaves that entered his mouth, the bitter taste spread across his tongue.

Li Che smiled: "Senior, speak plainly—what wealthy collaboration? I'm very interested."

Wealth—who isn't interested?

Now Li Che desperately needs resources; if he could obtain a few more Eight Extremes Divine Nature Crystals, Nine Luminaries Martial Elixirs, or supreme martial arts, that would be even better.

Li Qingshan also narrowed his eyes at Li Che.

To be frank, the shock Li Che gave him is no less than Xixi's three-year-old bone tempering.

After all, Li Che has cultivated for only three years; truly stepping onto the martial path, nurturing divinity, the time spent is almost identical to Xixi completing bone tempering perfection.

A twenty-two-year-old prodigy, in three years from entering the martial path, refining skin to the point of killing a grandmaster.

How terrifying!

Converting this talent into genuine spirit child value equals saying a spirit child at three years old can kill a grandmaster.

Compared like this, Li Che's daughter Xixi seems less monstrous.

Of course, Li Qingshan also knows this calculation isn't valid.

Undeniably, Li Che and Li Nuanxi, this father-daughter pair… possess absolutely terrifying talent!

Li Qingshan pondered deeply but could not fathom the reason, because it's unreasonable…

Xixi can be understood; after all, Li Che is monstrous, so a monstrous daughter makes sense.

Yet why is Li Che's talent so monstrous?

Bloodline inheritance? Late bloomer?

Before Li Che, he was merely a mud-legged laborer!

Working as a porter in a woodcarving shop, earning a miserable daily wage of several dozen Dàjǐng circulating copper coins.

How could he achieve a sudden turnaround overnight?

Could it be… there truly exists a sudden enlightenment in the world, like a kunpeng spreading its wings to rush into the clouds?

Perhaps Li Che obtained some powerful inheritance.

Li Qingshan isn't interested in these; everyone has their own fate, he won't covet anything, and he, Li Qingshan, likewise has his own fate.

Li Qingshan withdrew his strange gaze, took a deep breath: "Niu Mo…

"Your actions after arriving at the prefecture city, I know them all; I can only say… well killed!"

"These forces in the prefecture city are a mixed bag, each with their own thoughts; they should be thoroughly slaughtered, make them fear, so they won't be full and idle, always scheming."

Li Qingshan sipped tea, smirking.

"You killed the Fishermen's Gang; their subordinate forces are all related to the Corpse God Sect—no need to elaborate on the Gang's composition."

"That Jing Wudao placed his bet on the Corpse God Sect, intending to use it as the sect's vanguard to invade Golden Light Prefecture, to gain great benefits, even obtain the Corpse God Sect's 'Cursed Copper Corpse' refining method, to temper his flesh to the level of a Cursed Copper Corpse."

Li Che's heart trembled slightly: "Cursed Copper Corpse?"

He activated the Ascending Tower state, aided by the temple god chess pieces, erupting with power enough to kill a Cursed Iron Corpse, but the opponent's toughness exceeded his imagination.

Just how terrifying is a Cursed Copper Corpse?

Li Qingshan narrowed his eyes: "Cursed Copper Corpses are not ordinary; a low-grade Cursed Iron Corpse already possesses grandmaster strength, while a top-grade Cursed Iron Corpse can rival a grandmaster-perfected martial artist, even surpass them, because their bodies are peerless, undying and painless, like perfect death warriors; once becoming a Cursed Copper Corpse, they are comparable to a grandmaster!"

"Grandmaster?!"

Li Che drew a deep breath.

In blood martial dao, after opening the meridians comes true qi grandmaster; refining martial dao true intent, integrating it into oneself, the perfect fusion of true intent and blood qi forms stronger killing power true qi.

And a grandmaster, then condenses divine gang, even more terrifying, every move possesses the power to cleave mountains and break rivers!

"Yes, divine gang grandmaster… that is one who clearly understands their own martial dao path, comprehends the heavenly-earth true intent, a martial dao exalted one; each martial dao grandmaster, even without divine aid, can easily shake off the divine pressure of a divine origin grand cultivator and escape alive."

"Any grandmaster, even without cultivating divinity, can hold down a region, become a regional heavyweight, face a divine aspect without fear, even easily slay them."

"Normally, when martial dao is matched against divinity cultivation, a pure divine gang grandmaster roughly equals a top-tier divine aspect cultivator; compared to a divine origin true person, they are considerably weaker."

"After all, to become a divine origin true person… the flesh must also condense divine gang, reaching the grandmaster realm."

"Without grandmaster, one cannot become a true person."

Li Qingshan spoke softly, eyes flickering, also somewhat yearning and pursuing.

"Unless one attains the heaven-man unity within the grandmaster realm, then relying purely on martial dao can battle a divine origin true person."

Pure blood martial dao, pitted against a divine origin true person!

Such a realm, how magnificent and vast, making one's heart yearn involuntarily.

"Of course, nowadays, pure martial dao grandmasters are extremely rare; most will also cultivate divinity, after all, sensing heaven and earth through divinity is easier and more relaxed."

Li Qingshan laughed, eyes carrying a hint of sigh.

"Those who rely solely on their own insight to step into the grandmaster ranks are few and far between."

He returned to his senses, looked at Li Che, and resumed the topic.

"You killed the Fishermen's Gang, mostly targeting those beneath them who received the corpse curse mark; can you see who received the corpse curse mark?"

Li Qingshan's gaze burned, looking at Li Che, or rather… Niu Mo.

Li Che furrowed his brows, then relaxed, nodding.

"I can sense it… thus I strike to kill."

"The Corpse God Sect eyes my daughter; all those marked are not innocent, kill without pardon."

Li Che's words carried a cold killing intent.

Li Qingshan clapped his hands, stroked his beard, and burst out laughing.

"Very good."

Being able to sense the corpse-seal mark shows you're naturally sensitive to corpse qi; normally, after a cultivator receives the corpse-seal mark and it enters the mud-pill palace, divine nature hides it, making it impossible to see—ordinarily it's no different from an ordinary person……

Being able to see through it is an advantage, the foundation for us to get rich through cooperation!

Li Qingshan narrowed his eyes, a sharp intent flashing in their depths; he didn't care how Li Che sensed it, he only needed Li Che to confirm that the Ox Demon always targets those who have received the imprint among the Fishermen's Gang cultivators to kill—not a guess, but because Li Che truly has the ability to recognize the corpse-seal imprint, which is enough.

"Senior, how do you want to cooperate?"

Li Che narrowed his eyes.

"It's not just the Fishermen's Gang secretly colluding with the Corpse God Sect, bestowing seals to refine corpses; the other two major gangs, the five great clans, the five great sects……could all be involved, even……branches of the Divine Sect……could harbor trash that has defected to the Corpse God Sect!"

"This prefecture city is filled with pollution, corpse qi rampant, enough to make one nauseous."

"Point out the pollution to me, and we'll clean it up ourselves."

Li Che instantly understood.

"This is to let him confirm who has received the corpse-seal imprint, and then……launch a hunt to kill them?!"

"The idea is good……but it might be a bit difficult?"

"Like the Fishermen's Gang, its gang leader Jing Wudao, who has received the corpse-seal imprint, is a true Divine Appearance cultivator; if we go to eliminate him……we might end up being eliminated instead."

Li Che spoke bluntly.

Acting alone, he directly uses the Flying Thunder Chess Piece to instantaneously shift and escape; even a Divine Appearance cultivator might not be able to catch him.

But once acting with companions,

he ran, but his companions might not be able to run.

Although Li Qingshan is strong, facing a true Divine Appearance cultivator would probably be difficult.

"You brat, do you think we're just the two of us acting? Do you think we have no companions……pah, companions?"

"We'll eliminate them, naturally starting from the Illusory Appearance Realm……"

Li Qingshan's eyes flashed with a hint of defiance: "Besides, give me another year, and I'll handle a Divine Appearance cultivator……"

"And then?"

……

……

Granny Mu abandoned Li Qingshan, took up residence in Li Che's courtyard, wanting to accompany Xixi.

Li Qingshan felt resentful, but there was nothing he could do; having just returned to the prefecture city, with too many affairs, he could only follow his old lover's wishes.

Li Che had no objection to Granny Mu living in his home.

It's merely a matter of having an extra pair of chopsticks.

Moreover, with Granny Mu this strict teacher present, Xixi's martial practice can also be more earnest; after all, she's a teacher from the Divine Cultivation Institute, her dignity can still intimidate Xixi a bit—perfect for diligently preparing before the sect assessment begins.

Unlike Old Chen, who constantly calls her "Little Stinky Xixi," making Xixi now extremely rebellious.

She basically doesn't listen to Old Chen; the old and the young often start arguing, shouting "Little Stinky Xixi!" and "Old Stinky Chen!" back and forth without end.

In the days that followed, everything returned to normal.

Li Che resumed his regular routine.

By day he serves at the Imperial Observatory; after his shift he goes to the workshop courtyard to practice martial arts, nurture his nature, carve, and secretly cultivate.

The Fishermen's Gang collapsed; with its leader Jing Wudao fleeing, the once-large gang fell into utter obscurity.

The Fishermen's Gang's influence was divided and devoured by the various powers of the prefecture city; although the gang still exists in name, it has actually been completely wiped out.

Perhaps due to the deterrent from the Fishermen's Gang's collapse, or perhaps the lingering might of the Divine Appearance battle, and also the prestige of Li Qingshan's return suppressing things.

The entire prefecture city has become much more peaceful.

Outside Listening Flower Lane, no faction is keeping watch any longer.

For a moment, gazing at the empty Heaven and Earth Chess Board, Li Che felt somewhat unaccustomed.

Nevertheless, he habitually lays out the Heaven and Earth Chess Board to monitor the surroundings; if anything abnormal occurs, it will give feedback.

Steadiness is Li Che's foremost requirement for establishing himself in this world.

……

……

The spring breeze brushes the willows, bringing warm wind.

Ten days passed silently.

Inside the workshop courtyard.

The Heaven and Earth Chess Board enveloped the area, isolating all qi.

Li Che sat cross-legged in the courtyard's center; the wood shavings from his carving had long been swept by the invisible gusts to the corners of the courtyard walls.

His jet-black, lustrous hair fluttered continuously; light burst from the point between his eyebrows, the mud-pill palace.

Milky-white 【Immaculate Heart】 divinity, like a great net, divides the many divinities.

「Wuu—」

It seemed as if countless wails of ghosts echoed without end, densely packed ghostly shadows intertwined and arrayed, weeping incessantly, as if the gates of hell were flung open, full of wronged souls returning from the underworld!

Boom—!

Accompanied by a mighty, invisible surge of qi, it manifested as concentric ripples spreading outward.

It struck the barrier separating the heavenly chessboard, bursting open like splashing waves.

Behind Li Che, a grim wheel of ghostly qi suddenly rose, accompanied by the sound of angry weeping—a millstone-like divine foundation!

The divine foundation burst forth with waves of divine light, stirring a divine fluctuation that made one's nose tingle.

Opening his eyes, Li Che exhaled a turbid breath, his gaze as still as an ancient well.

"The Angry Cry Suppress Ghosts Divine Foundation has also been completed!"

Li Che's lips curled into a faint smile.

The Immaculate Heart's divine nature surged out, merging into the Angry Cry Suppress Ghosts Divine Foundation.

The upper dantian at the brow opened wide.

In an instant, two mighty streams of Divine Foundation aura rose up.

They were exactly the Suspended Thought Flowing Sword Divine Foundation and the Heart Startled Shocked Strong Divine Foundation!

"Completed, all completed..."

"After forging the Divine Foundation with the Immaculate Heart's divine nature, then forging other divine-nature Divine Foundations, it takes little effort; the divine-nature power of the Immaculate Heart Divine Foundation basically can harmonize the conflict and repulsion brought by other Divine Foundations."

Li Che exhaled a breath, light glowing at his brow.

Of the Seven Emotions Divine Foundations, he has forged four layers.

Anger, grief, thought, startle!

Plus the versatile Immaculate Heart Divine Foundation.

Li Che's upper dantian inner vista now brims with five Divine Foundation layers!

Boom—

Mighty divine nature, like a tide, strikes the inner vista walls, continually expanding the inner vista space!

Each layer of Divine Foundation floating within releases divine impact, opening space, allowing the Divine Foundation layers to be accommodated more freely!

Now Li Che's upper dantian inner vista space is nearly ten times or more that of an ordinary cultivator who has opened a single Divine Foundation layer.

This brings about Li Che's formidable divine sense!

Extremely formidable!

Most importantly, Li Che can feel a unique change; his divine might... is immensely powerful and terrifying!

His eyes widened, eye light seeming to flash with five-colored radiance, his five fingers opening and closing, then pressing down sharply.

Boom—

Releasing immense divine might, the air of the small courtyard seemed to be evacuated in an instant, instantly collapsing into a huge void!

"Whoosh—"

"I now, not counting the versatile Immaculate Heart Divine Foundation, just the divine might from the four layers of Seven Emotions Divine Foundations, likely could immobilize a mid Divine Foundation cultivator, and even a late Divine Foundation cultivator would break into a sweat."

"It can roughly counter the divine might of an Illusory Appearance cultivator."

Li Che's gaze flowed, as if light gleamed and faded.

"Just four Divine Foundation layers; if I were to forge a complete Seven Emotions Divine Foundation, perhaps... I could, in the Divine Foundation realm, counter a true True Form cultivator!"

Li Che lifted his head, the divine light at his upper dantian brow suddenly converged.

In an instant, the four Divine Foundation layers returned to the upper dantian inner vista; the Immaculate Heart Dao fruit throbbed, and the divine aura converged and vanished without trace.

"Joy, worry, and fear—three divine natures still lack Divine Foundations."

"Now we can begin."

"For the divine natures of worry and fear, Li Che still lacks the Divine Foundation method, but it's no problem; with his current status, he can simply obtain it from Li Qing Shan."

"However, wanting a higher rank is somewhat difficult."

"Li Che also must consider gradually altering the Divine Foundation; but after understanding altering the Divine Foundation, he realizes it is far easier than forging one, mainly requiring the Divine Foundation method."

"In ten days of assiduous cultivation, Li Che's gains were certainly not just forging three Divine Foundation layers."

"In martial arts, his breakthrough was truly immense."

"He took out a pill entwined with deathly qi and swallowed it."

"Gulp!"

"The pill dropped into his belly, emitting a muffled thud; under divine sense control, his stomach walls writhed, a powerful force crushed the pill coating, and the potent medicinal power surged forth."

"Li Che rose to his feet, his qi and blood bursting forth, as if dragons and elephants roared in unison."

"His self-created supreme art, the Dragon Elephant True Technique, has now been mastered to minor accomplishment; his qi and blood surge and roar, accompanied by dragon-elephant power, even without activating the Ascending Tower state, Li Che can unleash the mighty strength of one dragon and one elephant, akin to heavenly divine power!"

"With a step, countless qi and blood intertwined behind him, resembling a spread-winged goshawk, he shot straight up."

"Tapping the void repeatedly, Li Che actually flickered with countless afterimages, dashing wildly through the courtyard!"

"Finally landing lightly, his toes tapped the blue bricks, kicking up a ring of expanding dust."

"\"Cloud Goshawk Treading Clouds\" has reached the transformation realm!"

"This body technique divine martial art has finally been cultivated by Li Che to the transformation realm, giving rise to a transformation intent, merging into his divine meridians qi and blood, causing his divine meridians qi and blood to change once more!"

"Now Li Che has mastered three transformation-realm martial arts: White Tiger Chaotic Fist, Eight-Link Bone-Shattering Spear, and Cloud Goshawk Treading Clouds, achieving three transformations of his divine meridians qi and blood!"

"He now has the qualifications to assault the Grandmaster realm!"

"But Li Che is ambitious; after all, possessing the Dragon Elephant Diamond Dao fruit, which enhances martial arts talent, he cannot break through to Grandmaster via the lowest tier of divine meridian breakthrough."

"He must therefore complete the nine transformations of the divine meridians, then assault the Grandmaster realm!"

"Maitreya Golden Robe, Hundred Ghosts Wind-Arrow, Serpent Dragon Cannon, Corpse God Death Smoke Finger, Fury Triple-Blade, and Thousand-Hand Divine Eagle—Li Che's remaining six martial arts, aside from the supreme-level Thousand-Hand Divine Eagle still at great accomplishment, the rest have reached master level."

"Especially the Corpse God Death Smoke Finger, due to the support of copious top-grade ninth-rank Corpse God Myriad Ghost Death-Qi Condensing Martial Pills, plus Li Che's own transcendent martial arts talent."

"In just ten days, he reached the master level!"

"Although the death-qi martial pills are exhausted, reaching the transformation realm in a short time is somewhat difficult, but for Li Che this progress is already quite gratifying."

"After the martial pills were crushed, the surging immense death-qi struck Li Che's skin; he circulated the Dragon Elephant True Technique, suppressing the death-qi's erosion, using it to temper his physique, with astonishing effect!"

"Even better than the effect of ordinary flood-dragon blood martial pills!"

"\"The Corpse God Sect truly lives up to being the creator of the 'Corpse Curse Technique'; their research on the flesh is indeed profound—this death-qi pill... for martial artists who can suppress death-qi, it is simply excellent!"

"\"Unfortunately, the death-qi condensing martial pills obtained from the Corpse God Envoy and Liu Jin Song are exhausted... we need to figure out how to restock."

"Li Che gathered his qi and blood, the lingering afterimages of the Cloud Goshawk Treading Clouds slowly faded."

"Senior Qing Shan…… we'd agreed on great wealth and nobility, why hasn't the action started yet?"

"If we still don't act……"

"I'll just go solo if I can't hold back."

"……"

"……"

"February 21st, the Spring Equinox."

"The Divine Sect opens its mountain."

"Fine drizzle hazy, a Mysterious Bird arrives, day and night equal in length."

"At the Spring Equinox, wheat sprouts; fertile water must follow closely."

"One spring rain brings one warmth, yet may accompany a late spring chill; in the drizzling spring rain, there is still a hint of cold."

"Today is a major event for the entire Jinguang Prefectural City."

"On the prefectural city's wide blue‑stone boulevard, broad enough for ten carriages to drive side by side, a traffic jam has actually appeared."

"Carriages and horses flow like water and dragons, heads thronging."

"Oil‑paper umbrellas bloom like spring flowers along the long street."

"The wide official road of Jinguang Prefectural City, stretching all the way to the mountain gate of the Primordial Origin Divine Sect's branch, over ten li long, has fallen into congestion."

"Countless people have come from the Thirteen Cities of Jinguang Prefecture, all appearing today and gathering outside the Divine Sect's mountain gate."

"The clamor is almost enough to tear the horizon."

"In every swaying carriage are parents hoping for their sons to become dragons, filled with hope and anxiety, as well as excited and nervous children."

"Whether one can pass the Divine Sect branch's entrance examination and enter the Divine Sect to cultivate will have a huge impact on the future."

"Besides the selected spirit children, some unwilling parents bring their children to take part in the examination, and there are also children judged to lack spirit‑child talent but possessing martial‑arts talent, who plan to give it a try."

"All sorts of people mingle and weave into a crowd that piles up on the official road."

"Listening Flower Alley."

"Small courtyard."

"Zhang Ya hurriedly changed the drowsy Xixi into the clothes she had just bought, and combed Xixi's hair into a nice braid."

"In the courtyard, Chen Lao held his pipe, pacing left and right, his hands behind his back clenched into fists, extremely nervous."

"The uncle's family also came; Aunt Liu Chunming took Li Chengzhou's hand, her face full of tension, and Cousin Li Zhengran's corpse‑curse mark had already been shattered by Li Che using the Eight Extremes Corpse‑Curse Mark."

"Now the whole person has regained vigor, with Li Che's help found a decent job, spirit and energy returned, condition is good."

"Madam Mu was also pacing, her anxiety no less than Zhang Ya's."

"Li Che, meanwhile, sat in a chair, smiling as he watched."

"\"Chengzhou just needs to be nervous; my Xixi isn't nervous. \""

"Li Che was quite interested."

"After all, Xixi is a top‑grade spirit child, basically a sure bet to enter the Divine Sect; the only question is whether she'll enter the branch's inner door or become a true transmission disciple."

Therefore, today's assessment is basically just going through the motions, although Li Qingshan said there would be an assessment and a sparring match or something like that.

But Li Che is still quite confident in educating Xixi.

When it comes to actual combat, this girl is absolutely a formidable opponent.

If one doesn't observe martial ethics, pulling out a miniature Namo Gatling is simply like punching the Southern Mountain Elderly Home and kicking the Northern Sea Kindergarten — an existence of that level.

He is absolutely the brightest star in this sect's assessment.

However, Li Che heard Li Qingshan say that this sect assessment is also not easy for Xixi.

After all, Xixi's age places her among the youngest in this assessment.

The geniuses secretly cultivated by the five great clans and five great sects are as old as eight, and perhaps they have already stepped into Blood Exchange.

Therefore, Li Che cannot guarantee that Xixi will surely win, after all, she is indeed quite young.

But Li Qingshan said that Xixi achieved great success in tempering her bones at three years old; such talent…… guarantees at least entry into the inner door.

As for the sect's true transmission, the chance is over seventy percent!

The sect's true transmission……

Being a disciple of Li Qingshan does not count as true transmission; every true successor is a direct disciple of a Divine Physique cultivator, the core of the sect, receiving tilted resource cultivation!

Li Che watched as Xixi, having tidied her hair inside the house, strode out with a domineering tiger's gait, his eyes gentle.

The Xixi Great Emperor raised at home is finally about to begin expanding territory.

In the gap while holding Xixi to board the carriage.

Li Che secretly warned Xixi not to use the miniature Namo Gatling unless absolutely necessary, for that would be bullying little kids, but it's fine against older kids bigger than Xixi.

By the way, one can also pair it with the Wood Ferry Crow to blow up together.

In the match, it's a choice between Xixi getting hurt and Xixi letting someone else's child get hurt.

As a parent, Li Che naturally chooses the latter without hesitation.

Rubbing Xixi's head, Li Che's eyes are gentle.

"Safety first, assessment second, whether or not there is a sparring match is not important……"

"Don't get hurt; just be safe and sound."

ps: Seeking monthly tickets, seeking recommendation tickets, seeking reading support! Lao Li thanks!