Chapter 140: Seven Elements Corpse Curse Tests the Sect Leader; the Gods Have Patrolled the Mountain and Found You

Grandmaster?

Li Che……has become a Grandmaster?!

Lao Chen felt the powerful true qi surging into his body, evaporating and removing the corpse qi and deathly qi hidden within him.

He felt every piece of his flesh trembling uncontrollably!

This deathly qi and corpse qi are very subtle; if not for Lao Chen's exceptional talent in perception, it would indeed be hard to sense them.

Lao Chen knew the Corpse God Sect; how could he not be clear about this evil cult?

It was this sect's power, under the Corpse God Sect's jurisdiction, that caused him to leave his homeland back then.

He knew the Corpse Curse Seal, which is the Corpse God Sect's means of controlling its followers.

Upon sensing the corpse qi within his body, Lao Chen found it did not affect his flesh, and realized the sender was not targeting him.

But it was aimed at Xixi!

Upon realizing this, Lao Chen immediately chose to move out of Li Che and Zhang Ya's courtyard, fearing his corpse qi would infect them.

As for the source of the corpse qi within him, Lao Chen suspected it was due to problems with the Beggar Sect work recommended by his fellow villager.

The next day after learning the situation, he secretly went to look for that villager.

But he discovered that the villager's entire family had died.

Lao Chen fell silent; the danger in the prefectural city is even more piercing than outside—outside, a person dying can still scream, but inside the city, death is soundless.

In Lao Chen's view, the Beggar Sect is truly powerful, so he did not want to involve Li Che's family, nor Xixi.

Lao Chen silently moved out of the courtyard and refused Li Che's invitation to see Xixi.

Even if his heart felt like being cut by a knife, even with myriad reluctance……

He also had to make this decision.

This is for Xixi's sake.

Even a martial man like Lao Chen, in the deep quiet of night, cannot help but redden his eye sockets, filled with sorrow and reluctance.

Today is Xixi's fourth birthday, which he firmly remembers.

So, tonight he drinks wine in the darkness.

But Li Che arrived.

The corpse qi that had long troubled him was easily dispelled in Li Che's hands.

That stubborn corpse qi, like evil spirits meeting the blazing sun, instantly evaporated without a trace.

And Li Che's cultivation has reached the Grandmaster realm!

A realm he could not imagine.

After opening the meridians comes the Grandmaster realm, but Lao Chen well knows how difficult the Grandmaster realm is……

"Lao Chen, I have become a Grandmaster."

Li Che said with a gentle smile.

He already knew what Lao Chen intended to do, so tonight he came out to stop him, dispelling his idea of seeking death.

"How long have you been cultivating?" Lao Chen swallowed.

What kind of monster is this?

Li Che's martial arts training counts as him being half-guided into the door, although it was at Xu Ji Mu diao Pu, taught by Xu Beihu.

But he also counts as an enlightener.

Result: in less than four years, Li Che became a Qi Blood Grandmaster!

Lao Chen closed his eyes, sensed the corpse qi and deathly qi inside his body, and indeed felt none at all.

He opened his eyes, his eyes slightly moist……

"I……"

"Lao Chen, if you have any trouble, you can come to me; Xixi is someone you watched grow up, you also count as our family."

"Do you know what family means?"

Li Che picked up the cup on the stove and poured himself a cup of wine.

He raised his cup toward Lao Chen from afar and drank it all in one gulp.

Lao Chen exhaled, his tense body relaxed, and he plopped down under the eaves.

"Ah Che, someone wants to use me to deal with Xixi……they planted corpse qi in my body, targeting Xixi."

Lao Chen raised his head and spoke solemnly.

"I know……"

"I know everything."

"Today is Xixi's birthday, let's not see blood."

Li Che patted Lao Chen's shoulder.

Lao Chen was stunned……

Those words are frightening.

What does 'no blood' mean?

Li Che smiled: "I know, you suspect that those who want to deal with Xixi should be the Beggar Sect; someone in the Beggar Sect has joined the Corpse God Sect and wants to act against Xixi, this heavenly prodigy."

"As for these Corpse God Sect experts……"

"Just kill them."

"Anyway… anyone who wants to harm Xixi, just kill them."

Li Che spoke his words gently and calmly.

This is his resolve, his unshakable will.

Chen Lao stared blankly at Li Che, wondering how he could speak so gently and calmly about slaughtering the Beggar Sect……

Is this still the gentle woodcarving master Li Che in his impression?

"The Beggar Sect…… is very strong."

Chen Lao gave a reminder, fearing that Li Che, who had just broken through to Grandmaster, would become overconfident and make an unwise move.

Soon after, Chen Lao saw Li Che smile.

Then.

Chen Lao's pupils contracted.

The snow piled up in the courtyard, in an instant, melted away!

And the Li Che before him instantly turned into a towering, mountain‑like colossus, a dense black shadow that blotted out the sky and completely blocked Chen Lao's view.

A cute cow mask was placed on Li Che's face.

Just like that……

Looking down upon him.

Chen Lao's face flushed red, he stood there like a wooden chicken.

After a long while……

Only then did he pluck out a beard hair and blurt out a sentence.

"Fuck!"

……

……

Chen Lao followed Li Che up to the Divine Sect overnight.

This was Chen Lao's first time entering the Divine Sect; he felt a bit nervous, but the night was deep and quiet, heavy snow falling, and there wasn't much to see.

Li Che, to hurry, lifted Chen Lao and directly employed the Cloud Hawk Treading Clouds Leap.

Wind‑like lightning, soaring like a hawk, speed reaching the extreme, air currents shooting, blowing Chen Lao into some disarray.

This was his first time experiencing just how fast a Grandmaster's speed could be.

Zheng Lei Peak.

Chen Lao, somewhat dazed, stepped into the brightly lit courtyard.

Heavy snow fell, yet the snow on the ground had been swept clean; the newly fallen snow evaporated before it could settle, leaving a dry, comfortable expanse.

A familiar, long‑missed feeling.

Zhang Ya was busy in the kitchen; although Li Che had brought vegetables back from outside, she still habitually prepared some dishes that Xixi liked to eat.

She would also cook a bowl of dragon‑beard longevity noodles, adding an egg.

One egg, one bowl of noodles.

Wishing Xixi, a happy new year of age, peace and safety.

When Li Che brought Chen Lao into the courtyard, Xixi, who was playing with the wiggle car alongside Lü Chi, Gong Yuanliang, and Gongyang Xiu, suddenly let out a scream.

"Grandpa Chen!"

Xixi excitedly jumped down from the wiggle car and, like a little hamster released from its cage, darted toward Chen Lao.

In one leap, she flung herself into Chen Lao's arms.

The powerful impact left Chen Lao, who had just undergone high‑speed flight, dizzy and light‑headed.

"Little Stinky Xixi…… you've gotten strong!"

Chen Lao came to his senses, embraced Xixi, and said solemnly.

Four‑year‑old Xixi had grown noticeably taller, but her face remained chubby and her belly still had a little pooch.

It had been about seven or eight months since he last saw Little Stinky Xixi, and Chen Lao really missed her.

But after the old and the young had been a bit clingy when they first met, they soon started bickering again.

"Little Stinky Xixi!"

"Old Stinky Chen!"

The old and the young began arguing, you saying this, me saying that.

On Chen Lao's wrinkled face, a smile involuntarily blossomed; he hadn't smiled this happily in a long time.

Zhang Ya walked out of the kitchen, saw Chen Lao, and was slightly surprised.

"Husband, Chen Lao hasn't come in a long time."

Zhang Ya didn't know what had happened to Chen Lao.

But since Li Che could invite Chen Lao over, the problem must have been resolved.

"It's a small matter; as your husband I'll take care of it, and everything will be fine."

Li Che appeared rather puffed up in front of his wife.

"Let's also cook a bowl of noodles for Chen Lao," Li Che suddenly said.

Zhang Ya paused, looking puzzled.

"Congratulate him on his rebirth, returning home anew."

Li Che smiled gently.

As the meal was about to begin, Li Qingshan came with Granny Mu, and besides them were Xixi's senior fellow disciples, Sang Guanyin and Liu Yangyuan.

Elder Zhu Hongdou of Red Cloud Peak also came over.

Shangguan Qinghong followed behind Li Qingshan and came along.

In the small courtyard, a lively scene unfolded; the winter snow could neither conceal nor dispel this joy.

As the star of today, Xixi was overjoyed—there was delicious food, fun games, she got to see Grandpa Chen whom she hadn't seen in a long time, and there were all kinds of gifts she could receive.

She really wishes it were her birthday every day. - OK.

The night breeze stirs, and snowflakes drift down. - OK.

After eating, Li Che and the others gathered around a brazier in the courtyard to brew tea and chat. - OK.

In the courtyard where Li Che blew away the accumulated snow with his qi and blood, Xixi and several playmates were happily playing. - OK.

Li Qingshan narrowed his eyes while sipping tea; observing the divine consumes a great deal of mental energy, but being able to drink a cup of tea in between and relax the mind is also not bad. - OK.

Sang Guanyin and Shangguan Qinghong went to play with Xixi. - OK.

The eerily handsome Liu Yangyuan was also drinking tea together with Li Che and Li Qingshan. - OK.

"Little Yuan, where is your master?" - OK.

【132】

Li Qingshan took a sip of tea, narrowed his eyes, and asked. - OK.

Liu Yangyuan also sipped his tea carefully and said, "My master has entered seclusion again; recently, he has been doing so quite frequently." - OK.

"Oh? It seems our sect leader might be trying to break through to the Spirit Origin Realm and achieve the title of True Person?" - OK.

【137】

Li Qingshan narrowed his eyes. - OK.

Liu Yangyuan shook his head and said, "How could the Spirit Origin Realm be that easy? My master doesn't have much confidence..." - OK.

"After all, my master... was injured back then." - OK.

Li Che stood quietly at the side, listening,

After finishing his tea, Liu Yangyuan bade farewell and left, walking side by side with Sang Guanyin.

Snowflakes swirled in the air, but before they could fall, they were shattered by a sharp aura.

Li Qingshan exhaled a breath.

"Liu Yangyuan and Sang Guanyin, this Old Three and Old Four, are ultimately inferior to Old One and Old Two."

But we need to decide whether to list them as separate entries. The instruction: list every character that appears. So yes.

Li Che cast a curious glance.

Li Qingshan cleared his throat and continued, "Besides Xixi, the sect leader has four inner disciples..."

"The highest talent belongs to the deceased eldest disciple, Zhou Dao Yuan, who, like Xixi, possesses the Jiazi Child Prodigy talent, with extraordinary aptitude; he completed the forging of his Divine Foundation at age twelve, and forged the Six Offices Divine Foundation, later entering the orthodox cultivation of the Qianyuan Divine Sect."

Thus we need to include: Zhou Dao Yuan, Six Offices Divine Foundation, Qianyuan Divine Sect. Also maybe child prodigy of the Jiazi cycle as a title? It's a term meaning "child prodigy of the Jiazi cycle". Could be considered a title; but it's describing talent. Might be considered a title; but it's not a proper noun; it's a descriptive phrase. I'd exclude as generic.

"Having performed exceptionally well at the orthodox sect's Young Gods Assembly, he secured abundant resources for our Golden Light Branch Sect."

Li Che exclaimed in surprise, "The Young Gods Assembly?"

Li Qingshan nodded and said, "One Dao, one Divine Sect; one prefecture, one branch sect. The Lingnan Circuit has ten prefectures in total. Besides Yúnzhōu's Golden Light Branch Sect, there are other branch sects in the other prefectures..."

"With so many branch sects, resource distribution is a problem; there has never been fair allocation. Besides looking at the number of Divine Physique cultivators in each branch sect, we also consider the quality of the disciples."

"The Young Gods Assembly is precisely the evaluation of disciple quality."

Upon hearing this, Li Che raised his eyebrows, drank a sip of hot tea, and glanced toward Xixi, who was happily playing with a twirly car in the courtyard.

"With such talent, how could Zhou Dao Yuan have died?"

Li Che narrowed his eyes.

"This is also our doubt, but I have vaguely heard that Zhou Dao Yuan's death... is related to the City Lord's Manor."

"How does it involve the City Lord's Manor again?"

"Nan Lihuo harbors intense killing intent toward the City Lord's Manor; although he appears mild-mannered on the surface, his killing intent is actually extremely heavy... He truly wishes to kill City Lord Su Huaili."

"Perhaps it is truly as the rumors say: City Lord Su Huaili killed Zhou Dao Yuan, so Nan Lihuo wants to kill Su Huaili..."

After speaking, Li Qingshan said no more.

"Why have you always doubted the sect leader? There must be a reason; otherwise, you shouldn't suspect a branch sect leader."

Li Che asked again, this being his doubt.

Li Qingshan looked at Li Che in surprise, as if doubting why he would raise this question tonight.

Suddenly, Li Qingshan's eyes lit up as he asked this question, indicating that Li Che should have already completed the refinement of the Seven Elements Corpse Curse Seal.

"Have you done it?"

Li Qingshan became excited.

Upon hearing this, Li Che smiled and did not deny it, nodding his head.

"Good."

Li Qingshan clapped his hands, rose to his feet, and glanced at the children playing in the courtyard.

"The two of us... will secretly make a trip."

Li Che stood unmoving like a mountain and asked, "Where are we going?"

"We are going to Golden Light Peak to test the sect leader."

Li Qingshan rubbed his hands and spoke those outrageous words.

Li Che remained silent for a long time before finally uttering a sentence.

"Aren't you eager to reverse the Heavenly Gang?"

Li Qingshan rose solemnly: "I merely want an answer; this speculation has tormented me for too long, making my heart tremble, filling me with fear, anger, helplessness, and chills..."

"Moreover, don't you want to know who masterminded the assassination attempt on Xixi?"

"This is a hidden danger; given your temperament, you could not tolerate it, could you?"

Li Qingshan leaned back in his chair, narrowed his eyes, and looked at Li Che.

Li Che finished the last sip of hot tea in his cup, brushed his robe, and stood up, saying, "You judge people well."

"Regarding the hidden danger targeting Xixi, I always advocate..."

"Exterminate them all, leaving none."

"No matter who it is."

…… (ellipsis) no names.

Li Qingshan bade farewell and left, saying he would go back to continue observing the divine.

Tonight, Madame Mu and Lü Chi are staying in Li Che's small courtyard, while Gong Yuanliang and Gongyang Xiu also took lodging there, planning to return to their cultivation peaks tomorrow.

Night deepened.

Li Che entered the study, lit a lamp, then projected an avatar of the In-Painting Immortal, and quietly and earnestly carved wooden figurines inside.

His true self, meanwhile, left the study, turning into a black shadow and departing.

Li Qingshan wore a cat-face mask, hunched his back, and waited early outside the courtyard for Li Che.

When Li Che arrived wearing the Ox-Demon mask, the Azure Ox duo met in the night, nodded slightly, then turned into streams of light and vanished into the darkness.

At the foot of Golden Light Peak.

The two "whoosh" down, landing on a towering tree, gazing at Golden Light Peak.

"After all, the sect master is a Yuanxiang cultivator, only one step away from achieving a Yuanshen; once the Yuanshen is attained, one can freely leave the flesh and roam heaven and earth, carefree and soundless—perhaps the Yuanshen is already beside you, yet you have not sensed it."

Li Qingshan, wearing the cat-face mask, spoke in a muffled voice.

Those words startled Li Che, causing the 【Chess Saint】 Dao Fruit in his chest to tremble, and the Heaven-Earth Chessboard expanded, enveloping.

After sensing the surroundings and confirming no Yuanshen was probing, he finally relaxed his breath.

"The Heaven-Earth Chessboard of the Chess Saint Dao Fruit should be able to detect a Yuanshen, right?"

Li Che pondered in his heart.

"Right here… could we detect it? Getting any closer might alert it."

Li Qingshan exhaled.

Li Che nodded, but did not act immediately: "Now you can tell me… what is your reason for suspecting the sect master?"

Li Qingshan fell silent for a moment.

Beneath the cat-face mask, his eyes gazed deep toward Golden Light Peak.

"Because… the clues I uncovered show that Zhou Dao Yuan's death… is actually related to Nan Lihuo."

As the words fell, Li Che suddenly narrowed his eyes.

The next moment, Li Che ceased speaking, closed his eyes, and sank his mind into the Heaven-Earth Chessboard.

Within the chessboard.

One after another, pure-heart divine chess pieces surrounded that jet‑black, hole‑like seal of the Seven Element Corpse Curse hovering on the board.

And now the Seven Element Corpse Curse seal has been thoroughly refined, utterly obedient.

Li Che's phantom hovered above the board, hands behind his back, and he flicked a finger.

A pure-heart divine chess piece shot forth instantly and was detonated by Li Che with a boom.

The shockwave formed by the explosion of the divine chess piece, like an avalanche, slammed hard into the Seven Element Corpse Curse seal…

Instantly!

Like a calm sea, it suddenly stirred up furious waves!

The Seven Element Corpse Curse seal trembled, and an invisible, concentric‑circle‑like storm ripple spread out in a fan shape, striking toward Golden Light Peak.

Li Che's tall, sturdy frame stood straight on the tree, his gaze fixed.

The shockwave bursting from the Seven Element Corpse Curse seal sweeps over anyone bearing the curse mark, leaving them nowhere to hide in his sight.

He seemed to have some hidden means of restraining the Corpse God Sect—no, it should be said the 【Chess Saint】 Dao Fruit naturally counters the corpse curse seal.

Black shockwaves, one after another, surged forth.

Li Che's eyes were deep, perceiving all.

The Heaven-Earth Chessboard had already expanded, enveloping the entire Golden Light Peak.

He also saw Nan Lihuo in seclusion within the hall.

Nan Lihuo sat cross‑legged on a futon, his whole body flowing with dense, almost substantive divinity.

The shockwave of the corpse curse seal swept over his body.

Nan Lihuo snapped his eyes open, and his immensely powerful divine sense erupted outward.

Yet he could detect no abnormality.

Nan Lihuo felt that someone was spying on him, but could not locate the source.

Li Che also dared not maintain the Heaven-Earth Chessboard's coverage for too long, only after confirming that Nan Lihuo bore no trace of the Seven Element Corpse Curse seal.

Li Che then withdrew the Heaven-Earth Chessboard's surveillance.

Inside the hall.

Nan Lihuo's eyes glowed like two clusters of golden flame, his whole body suffused with divinity as if forged of gold, constantly flowing.

"Who is spying on me? To do this soundlessly and tracelessly… could it be a Yuanshen?"

"Su Huai… has he broken through to Yuanshen?"

Nan Lihuo's eyes narrowed, and a sudden sense of urgency burst from every inch of his muscles and bones within.

An intense killing intent flashed from the depths of his eyes.

Then, a hint of sorrow and pain was silently concealed.

"I… am I ultimately destined to be one step behind?"

……

……

A gentle breeze stirred, the snowflakes were icy cold, and the chill was biting.

Thick snow piled on the branches, rustling and shedding with a hushing sound.

Li Che opened his eyes, and Li Qingshan immediately fixed his gaze, awaiting an answer.

Li Che, however, did not conceal anything, giving a slight shake of his head.

None?

Li Qingshan asked seriously.

Really none?

He asked again to confirm.

Li Che nodded, indicating there really was none.

Unless the corpse-curse mark on the other party reaches the Six Offices level, otherwise, if one hides a Seven-Element Corpse-Curse Mark, there is nowhere to hide.

Li Che was very confident.

Li Qingshan suddenly let out a low laugh, his whole body relaxed, and his tense spirit and energy seemed to undergo an earth-shaking change at that moment.

Hahaha… It's really not, that's good, that's good…

Li Qingshan felt as if the great weight pressing on his shoulders, like a mountain, suddenly collapsed and shifted away at that moment.

Like a bird breaking free from a cage, like a stone monkey shattering the mountain's suppression.

Li Che even sensed the change in Li Qingshan's divinity.

It was I, Li Qingshan, measuring a gentleman's belly with a petty heart.

Li Qingshan looked toward Golden Light Peak.

He clasped his fists and bowed, bowing at length.

It seemed as if all the doubts and pent-up frustration of these years were completely expelled.

Li Che watched silently.

With a clear mind, that unease weighing on my heart is completely dispelled; as long as it's not the sect leader, those flies and dogs hiding within the Divine Sect are nothing to fear.

Li Qingshan chuckled lightly, his whole person seeming to have grown many years younger.

A fixation-induced repression can indeed greatly change a person.

Li Che, I am about to break through; in three days, I will break through to the Divine Appearance.

I must break through; the Temple God Resonance is about to open, and then Dao City, the various prefectures, the various branch sects, and the experts of the Corpse God Sect will all gather in the prefectural capital; under those circumstances, my breaking through will be extremely dangerous.

Moreover, I need to enter the Divine Appearance early, to become the confidence for the Divine Sect to contend for benefits in the upcoming Temple God Resonance.

Li Qingshan's voice was filled with an irrepressible exuberance and joy.

In three days?

Li Che narrowed his eyes.

It will still be very dangerous, right?

That hidden expert of the Corpse God Sect has not yet been exposed; if one chooses to break through, the risk remains very great.

Fishing… this time it's real fishing.

Lure him out, he will surely die!

Li Qingshan's voice carried a chilling coldness and killing intent.

Li Che, what does Horse Face say? Remember to help me contact Horse Face!

After his words fell, Li Qingshan, as if he could no longer hold back, said a sentence to Li Che, then shot out, leaving no trace in the snow, disappearing into the snowy night.

On the treetops, thick snow piled up.

Li Che transformed into a mighty ox-demon, towering like a mountain, standing still upon it, yet he did not bend the treetops in the slightest, nor shake off the pure snow upon it.

Not the sect leader…

Then who could it be?

Li Che's eyes were deep and gloomy.

Tonight, after all, a result is needed.

You cannot hide.

Xixi's birthday has ended… it's time to see blood.

Li Che had his hands behind his back, his chest.

The Dragon Elephant Golden Core Dao fruit throbbed, the whole body's qi and blood, like a furnace, becoming ever more silent and still as it condensed.

His whole body suddenly plunged down, landing upon the white snow plain, then he walked slowly.

With each step he took, he left no footprints in the snow.

Dark clouds piled up, thickly covering the sky.

White snow drifted down from them, fluttering abundantly.

Li Che wore a black robe, head covered with a bamboo hat, and wore a cute ox mask.

His shoulders were broad, his body stalwart.

He moved soundlessly within the Divine Sect's mountain gate, passing over every inch of ground.

He walked slowly, yet seemed to merge with the darkness.

Even if a disciple who had just finished a mission and returned in the windy, snowy night brushed past him, they never sensed his presence.

The heaven-and-earth chessboard enveloped a radius of a hundred zhang around him, moving with his movement.

Within the chessboard.

The divinity condensed from Li Che's divine sense flicked his fingers.

One after another, pure-heart chess pieces were detonated by him using the embryonic divine ability Great Avalanche.

The exploding shockwave struck the Seven-Element Corpse-Curse Mark.

Forming ripples that spread outward in circles.

He seemed to walk upon the surface of a calm pond; as his toes touched down, concentric ripples continually spread outward.

It was like a single river tide rolling forth with a furious roar.

This is Li Che's first time acting without restraint within the Divine Sect.

The Smelting Furnace Patriarch's cultivation forged the Seven Emotions Seven Venerables Divine Foundation……

This can be considered the confidence brought by the increase in cultivation.

Involving his daughter, the other party hides in the darkness and does not show themselves.

Then Li Che……

Like a god patrolling the mountains, he personally drags out the hiding sneaky rats!

Beat them to death!

Boom—!

Li Che's target selected the four Elder Peaks.

Walking with hands behind his back, he melded into the night.

One mountain after another was swept away under his perception.

Suddenly.

Li Che abruptly stopped, stamped down with one foot, the large flat ground beneath him, covered in thick snow, suddenly sank inward, as if collapsing in an instant, countless white snow flakes flying up.

Li Che's black robe danced wildly in the turbulent, shooting airflow.

He pressed down on his bamboo hat and slowly lifted his head.

Snow flakes flew up, beneath the cute ox mask, his eyes were as clear as observing fire.

Gazing into the distance.

The corpse and death qi drawn by the Seven Element Corpse Curse Seal were like a cluster of black flame, twisting and burning between heaven and earth.

"I found you."

Seeking monthly votes, seeking recommendation votes, seeking readership support! Old Li gives thanks!