Chapter 162: with translation of the chapter title

Title: "162. Chapter 161: Martial Saint's Absolute Learning Hunyuan Qi Tian Staff, the Little Prince pays a visit to see Xixi Great Emperor"

Thus line 【1】 translation: "162. Chapter 161: Martial Saint's Absolute Learning Hunyuan Qi Tian Staff, the Little Prince pays a visit to see Xixi Great Emperor"

Now we need to translate each subsequent line.

We must keep each translation on a single output line, no line breaks inside.

We must not add preamble etc.

After all lines, output ===TITLE=== then translation of chapter title (the same as line 【1】 but maybe without the number? The instruction: "After ALL 【N】 lines, output the section(s) below. ===TITLE=== "

Then

Underworld, Ox Demon and Horse Face?

Underworld…… Cat Face?!

Several heads of the Temple Suppression Office, upon hearing this, revealed looks of astonishment in their eyes.

Ox Demon and Horse Face…… They naturally know of it!

But this is still the first time they have learned the origin of the Ox Demon and Horse Face!

"Underworld?"

Several people exchanged glances, a dazed color flashing in their eyes, and they couldn't help but feel astonished—this force called the Underworld, how had they never heard of it before?

Although obscure and unheard of, they nevertheless dared not slight it in the slightest.

Because the names Ox Demon and Horse Face had long been famous in Golden Light Prefecture City—who would dare to slight them?

Li Qingshan glanced lightly at the several Temple Suppression Office officers, hunched with hands behind his back, beneath the cat‑face mask his eyes were deep and gloomy.

He arrived late.

Even the hot stuff he couldn't catch up to.

But it's no big problem; he still needed to mix in a sense of participation.

Furthermore, his announcement of the Underworld's name was also carefully considered; earlier he had already asked Li Che whether to publicize the name of the Underworld.

Li Che said to let things take their natural course.

Li Qingshan immediately understood—just let the publicity happen naturally.

This isn't……

How natural is this time?

Although Cat‑Faced Li Qingshan didn't lift a hand, by adding a name, isn't that equivalent to saying he participated in this rat‑extermination operation?

With a light smile, the old cat‑faced man's voice gradually echoed between heaven and earth, suddenly spreading far and near.

A few divine officers of the Temple Suppression Office glanced and discovered the old cat‑faced man had vanished.

Several people frowned, exchanged a glance, and no longer pondered what force the Underworld actually was.

Carefully, they headed into the Mind Monkey Temple to begin investigating the situation.

Upon entering the Mind Monkey Temple,

The three divine officers felt their hairs stand on end; a thick gunpowder‑smell permeated the air, accompanied by incessant divine fluctuations, extremely agitated, making them feel nauseous enough to want to vomit.

Even if their cultivation were a bit weaker, the divine influence would be drawn into disorder, subsequently harming themselves.

This is the divine radiation left after the Guanyin Lotus Bullet exploded with a boom.

The entire Mind Monkey Temple fell into ruin, most of its buildings completely collapsed.

Yet as the divine officers proceeded with their investigation, their expressions subtly changed.

"Corpse God Sect!"

Inside the Mind Monkey Temple, there were actually so many Corpse God Sect evildoers hidden!

Many were not originally from the Mind Monkey Temple, but had also hidden there; they were the ones driven out by the Azure Excellence Ox and Horse combination in Golden Light Prefecture, forced to take refuge in the Corpse God Sect's stronghold.

Who would have thought they'd be found by the Ox Demon and Horse Face, who wiped them out in one fell swoop!

This matter is no simple affair.

Several divine officers sped up their actions, beginning to swiftly search the Mind Monkey Temple, now reduced to half a ruin.

They found corpse after corpse riddled with bullets like a sieve.

"Cursed Bronze Corpse!"

"It is the current abbot of the Mind Monkey Temple, Abbot Xuanli! He… was actually hammered into a puddle of mud."

"How ruthless! Truly worthy of the Ox Demon who hates evil like an enemy!"

……

The name of the Ox Demon had long been heard by the experts of the Temple Suppression Office.

Only now did they truly feel the Ox Demon's cruelty and hatred toward the Corpse God Sect.

"Chief, come over and take a look!"

A divine officer with an extremely grim expression came running.

Upon hearing this, the chief drew his saber and followed, and the several divine officers also came along.

They saw that courtyard.

They saw the courtyard piled thick with corpses, and at the gate a withered monk blocking the way, plus the statue of Zhong Kui split in half.

They could almost imagine what had happened here.

The monk, expending his last ounce of energy, sought to prevent these wandering souls from turning into vicious ghosts, thereby completely destroying their chance of rebirth.

Several divine officers sighed.

"The evildoers of the Corpse God Sect… truly deserve death!"

"Ox Demon and Horse Face… truly heroic!"

The chief sighed with feeling.

"Chief, there's still a cat‑face."

……

……

The fierce wind howled wildly, and heavy snow fell in swirling flurries.

The flames of the Mind Monkey Temple began to gradually fade.

Li Che wore a straw hat and a cute ox mask, standing atop a large tree, his whole body wrapped in a black robe; amidst the winter wind and snow, his black shirt fluttered.

The pupils beneath the mask reflected the gradually dying firelight of Heart Monkey Temple.

He let out a light sigh.

Master Fakuang, it's not that Li Che didn't want to save him, but that he could no longer be saved.

The oil exhausted, the lamp withered—it had burned everything away…

He clung to life, but only by a breath.

When Li Che killed Xuanli, broke the Thousand Soul Banner—a technique for raising ghosts—Master Fakuang's mind went blank, and he had already severed his life force, departing without regret.

He was a master worthy of admiration.

He used his own life to sustain the fading lineage of Equal Heaven Temple in its present glory.

After all, Heart Monkey Temple was one of the three lineages transmitted from Equal Heaven Temple.

Fakuang maintained the last semblance of Heart Monkey Temple's reputation.

Li Che gazed wistfully as the Heaven-Earth Chessboard unfolded once more, taking himself as the star point, expanding outward to envelop the entire Heart Monkey Temple within.

Only after ensuring that every heretic of the Corpse God Sect had perished did he disperse the Heaven-Earth Chessboard, his whole person vanishing like a breeze amidst the ice and snow.

When his form reappeared.

He had already returned to the workshop courtyard in Falling Flowers Lane, Golden Light Prefecture.

Heavy snow drifted down from the sky.

Li Che stood amidst the snow curtain; this time, he truly exerted his full strength in his strike, successfully beating to death a Silver Gang Corpse.

He had slain a Seven Yuan Corpse God Envoy.

Although he was merely a lower-tier Seven Yuan Corpse God Envoy, this also signified that Li Che's combat prowess had now reached the consummate level of a grandmaster.

If he did not open the Ascension Tower or rely on the Temple Gods' Divine Chess Pieces, even facing a grandmaster beyond that realm, he still had a chance to slay them.

Summarize and review this battle.

Li Che's heart throbbed; this battle… was his most open and aboveboard fight, aside from the single Barrett shot fired by the Horse Face.

The rest of the time, the Ox Demon, from his move to blowing up the opponent, was basically a straightforward clash of strength on equal footing!

"Not bad."

Li Che was very satisfied with this battle.

But while satisfaction is fine, one must not become overly arrogant; one still needs to review the shortcomings of this battle and sum up the experience.

This battle was actually somewhat more difficult than the one in which he slew Wen Longshan.

In terms of physical form, Wen Longshan could not compare to this Silver Gang Corpse!

His heart stirred.

A stream of light welled up before his eyes.

【Dao Fruit: Dragon Elephant Golden Body (lv3, 97%)】

This battle increased its maturity by 7%.

Not much, but not little either.

After all, Li Che had previously gained a large surge in maturity from slaying Wen Longshan, and now the Silver Gang Corpse he slew was hardly different in overall strength from Wen Longshan.

Roughly, it gave about a 5% increase, the extra 2% likely coming from clearing the remaining heretics of the Corpse God Sect within Heart Monkey Temple.

"Soon."

Li Che curled the corner of his mouth; he hadn't actually expected to directly ascend and transform in this wave.

Moreover, only 3% more maturity was needed to ascend.

If Li Che hardened his heart, he could even use the divine transfer within the 【Immaculate Heart】 Dao Fruit to forcibly boost his advancement.

But first, setting aside the fact that forcibly raising the maturity of the lv3 Dragon Elephant Golden Body Dao Fruit would require an immense amount of Immaculate Heart divinity.

Simply put, his intuition told Li Che that if he could rely on his own combat accumulation to increase the Dao Fruit's maturity,

then he should avoid the folly of pulling up seedlings to help them grow.

Li Che temporarily chose not to forcibly boost his transformation; he looked forward to the next battle.

Sitting cross-legged in the courtyard, his powerful qi and blood evaporated the snow covering the entire yard.

Inside the house, the 【Picture Immortal】 avatars were still diligently cultivating their nature.

The whole courtyard was utterly quiet.

Li Che sat upright, beginning to tally the gains of this expedition.

He had slain all the heretics of Heart Monkey Temple who had sworn allegiance to the Corpse God Sect; each one who had received a seal was presented with a wooden crane.

In total, he harvested ninety-seven Divine Appearance divine chess pieces and eight hundred sixty-two Divine Foundation divinity…

The yield of the Guanyin Lotus Pellets that could be manufactured had grown considerably.

His divine sense tore open Xuanli's Cosmos Jade, delving inside to begin tallying the spoils.

Needless to say, as the newly appointed abbot of Heart Monkey Temple, Xuanli's reserves were indeed not insignificant.

Compared to the Seven Yuan Corpse God Envoy that Li Che had slain by ambush, his wealth was far richer!

Two Seven Yuan divine crystals, ten Eight Extremes divine crystals, thirty-two Nine Luminaries divine crystals!

It's abundantly rich!

Li Che was dazzled.

The main thing… there are two Seven Yuan divine crystals!

Li Che guessed that likely all of Heart Monkey Temple's reserves had also been hoarded by Xuanli; however, if one were to add Heart Monkey Temple's reserves, that would still be understandable.

As for divine weapons, there were none of high rank; Li Che was not surprised, for it was a declining faction, and high-rank divine weapons could not be retained.

Li Che has now accumulated many Nine Luminaries and Ten Metropolises divine weapons; finding an opportunity, he could sell them on the black market to exchange for divine crystals, which would be the most practical.

Besides, the same principle applies to divine arts and the like.

Li Che was perusing the hidden collections of Profound Separation and Heart Monkey Temple.

Suddenly, his eyes lit up slightly.

With a grab of his five fingers, a book of teachings written on spirit-beast hide paper fell into his hand.

Above the teachings emanated an extremely rich rank radiance.

Martial Saint's Supreme Art, the Primordial Unity Heaven-Equal Staff!

Boom——

Within the whole courtyard, Li Che's heart-fire seemed to ignite, in an instant evaporating all the slowly drifting snowflakes falling from the sky, with a hissing sound as the heat wave surged upward.

The wild wind howled fiercely! Air currents intertwined and undulated!

After a moment, it gradually calmed down.

Li Che's eyes gleamed brightly, like two balls of blazing fire!

Who——

"Martial Saint's Supreme Art?"

Li Che's voice could hardly conceal his astonishment.

Martial Saint, in the Qi Blood Martial Dao, only a realm above Grand Master can be called a Martial Saint!

That is a person who has pushed Qi Blood Martial Dao to its true pinnacle.

The inheritance of Equal Heaven Temple?

Li Che's eyes brightened, but soon he restrained his emotions, sensing something amiss.

Because if Heart Monkey Temple truly possessed Equal Heaven Temple's inheritance, it could not possibly keep it!

This Martial Saint's Supreme Art surely has some problem.

Li Che quietly and seriously began to peruse it.

After a moment, he closed the beast-skin book.

"A deficient Martial Saint's Supreme Art…"

"Only one-third of it, somewhat resembling the defective Equal Heaven Face, both only one-third."

This Martial Saint's Supreme Art is divided into three, taking only a part.

No wonder Heart Monkey Temple can still keep it.

Because this deficient Martial Saint's Supreme Art is too difficult to cultivate, with the risk of ruining oneself!

Indeed the grade of martial supreme arts is high, but after being damaged, entry is difficult and advancement even harder.

The difficulty of entry is not just talk; Heart Monkey Temple has obtained this Equal Heaven Staff art for hundreds of years, countless have cultivated this supreme art, and even many clans of Golden Light Prefecture City have studied it.

But those who truly enter are no more than the number of fingers, and they merely manage to enter.

The rest cannot even enter.

The difficulty of entry shows one aspect; thus it is also why this deficient Martial Saint's Supreme Art can remain in Heart Monkey Temple's hands.

It is like a latrine stone, smelly and hard.

Although it bears the name of Martial Saint's Supreme Art.

Yet a supreme art that no one can learn, how is it different from trash?

"Deficient…"

Li Che's eyes gleamed.

"It doesn't matter… Anyway, it's all to be fused into my Myriad Transformations Dragon Elephant, deficient or not, it's fine."

Li Che laughed.

His Myriad Transformations Dragon Elephant encompasses all martial arts; even deficient martial arts can be fused just the same.

Difficult to enter?

He Li Che possesses the Dragon Elephant Vajra Dao Fruit; even if entry is harder, he can still force his way in!

Li Che loved it so much he couldn't put it down, viewing it once; this counts as his greatest gain so far!

Martial Saint's Supreme Art, even if deficient, is precious.

If one could cultivate it to master level, according to the power recorded in this supreme art, it would rival the might of a Grandmaster's supreme art!

Grandmaster……

Li Che's heart sank slightly; even now, even if he initiates the tower ascent, facing a Grandmaster he would still be somewhat lacking.

He does not know whether activating the Golden Heavenly King Tower Ascent State could withstand a Grandmaster.

But the Golden Heavenly King Tower Ascent State also has a drawback: it is not enduring.

Moreover, the Golden Heavenly King's divine chess piece, he currently cannot fully bear.

If he could fully bear a single Heavenly King piece, he would definitely have Grandmaster-level combat power.

But as he is now, one tower ascent can at most bear half a piece.

"Perhaps, after I refine my five viscera and six bowels to the post-Grand Master realm, my bodily strength will increase, allowing me to bear a whole Golden Heavenly King divine chess piece."

Li Che pondered.

Estimating the gap between himself and a Grandmaster, his anxiety and sense of crisis surged again like a tide.

Cultivate!

Li Che also couldn't be bothered to rest.

On the spot he began cultivating the deficient Martial Saint's Supreme Art, the Primordial Unity Heaven-Equal Staff!

……

……

The next day.

News that the Mind Monkey Temple encountered a great change, being exterminated by the Ox Demon……

Meaning: "News that the Mind Monkey Temple had suffered a great change, being exterminated by the Ox Demon……"

We need to keep the ellipsis. So translation: "News that the Mind Monkey Temple had suffered a great change, being exterminated by the Ox Demon……"

News of a great change, of being exterminated by the Ox Demon……

Instantly, it was as if a spring breeze had blown into Golden Light Prefecture City!

Translation: "Instantly, it was as if a spring breeze had blown into Golden Light Prefecture City overnight!"

The Underworld's Ox Demon, Horse Face, and… Cat Face.

the underworld's ox demon, horse face, and... cat face.

Translation: "The Netherworld's Ox Demon, Horse Face, and…… Cat Face."

But need to keep the ellipsis. So: "The Netherworld's Ox Demon, Horse Face, and…… Cat Face."

This news was like throwing a large stone into a great lake with surging undercurrents, instantly stirring up a tremendous wave!

Translation: "This news, like dropping a huge stone into a lake of surging undercurrents, instantly stirred up a tremendous wave!"

The name of the Underworld was also spreading for the first time in Golden Light Prefecture City.

The Qin clan, the Qin clan's elder Qin Dikun, has left seclusion.

Translation: "The name Netherworld was also spread for the first time in Golden Light Prefecture City."

Listening to the subordinates' report, his expression turned extremely grave: "The Underworld's forces… I have never heard of them, yet they have these two formidable individuals, the Ox Demon and Horse Face."

Translation: "The Qin Clan, the Qin Clan's patriarch Qin Dikun, emerged from seclusion."

"The Ox Demon appears and disappears like a ghost, his methods are ruthless; that Horse Face can capture souls from a thousand miles away… they are not easy opponents."

Translation: "Listening to the subordinates' report, his expression turned extremely grave: 'The Netherworld forces…… I've never heard of them, yet there are these two individuals, Ox Demon and Horse Face, whose methods are sharp.'"

We need to keep quotes. We'll translate: "Listening to the subordinates' report, his expression turned extremely grave: 'The Netherworld forces…… I've never heard of them, yet there are these two individuals, Ox Demon and Horse Face, whose methods are sharp.'"

"Investigate, investigate thoroughly to find out where this Underworld comes from!"

Translation: "'The Ox Demon appears and disappears like a ghost, his methods are ruthless; that Horse Face can capture souls from a thousand li away…… they are not easy opponents.'"

Not only the Qin clan.

Translation: "'Investigate, investigate thoroughly just what the origins of this Netherworld are!'"

The Hai, Gong, and Gongsun families were also shaken, sending people to investigate the Underworld's secrets.

Translation: "Not only the Qin Clan."

Besides that, the most severely shaken were the remaining four major sects of Golden Light Prefecture.

Translation: "The Hai Clan, Gong Clan, and Gongyang Clan were also shaken, sending people to investigate the Netherworld's secrets."

Originally there were five major sects, but with the Mind Monkey Temple wiped out, only four major sects remain.

Translation: "Besides that, the most severely shaken were the four major sects remaining in Golden Light Prefecture."

The Golden Fracture Sect, Bamboo Grove Academy, Tide-Watching Pavilion, and Sand Scorpion Forest—these four major sects were terrified.

Translation: "Originally there were five major sects, but with the Mind Monkey Temple exterminated, only four major sects remain."

After all, the Mind Monkey Temple is not inferior to them; moreover, upon learning that the Mind Monkey Temple had allied with the Corpse God Sect, its abbot Xuan Li even reached the level of a Silver Gang Corpse.

Translation: "The Gold Split Sect, Bamboo Forest Academy, Tide Watching Pavilion, and Sand Scorpion Forest—these four major sects were terrified."

In terms of strength, the Mind Monkey Temple even surpasses them.

Translation: "After all, the Mind Monkey Temple was not weaker than them; moreover, after learning that the Mind Monkey Temple had allied with the Corpse God Sect, its abbot Xuanli had even reached the level of a Silver Gang Mantra Bronze Corpse."

After all, these aristocratic clans and sects merely have a Divine Physique Elder guarding them, and even the later stages of Divine Physique are scarce among them.

Translation: "In terms of strength, the Mind Monkey Temple even ranked ahead of them."

And the Silver Gang Corpse can be considered the culmination of Divine Physique, capable of contending even with the Yuan-Xiang realm, which is the transition from Divine Physique to Divine Origin.

Translation: "After all, these aristocratic clans and sects merely have a Divine Appearance elder holding the fort, and those who have reached the post-Divine Appearance stage are few."

Such powerful beings were actually all killed by the Ox Demon!

Translation: "And the Silver Gang Mantra Bronze Corpse can be considered the culmination of the Divine Appearance realm, capable of contending even with the Yuanxiang realm that lies between Divine Appearance and Divine Origin."

Unbeknownst to them, the threat brought by the Ox Demon has already become enough to intimidate all factions.

Translation: "Such powerful experts were actually all killed by the Ox Demon!"

But this is only the native forces of Golden Light Prefecture.

Translation: "Unbeknownst to them, the threat brought by the Ox Demon had already become enough to intimidate all factions."

Yet, while being intimidated, they also let out a slight sigh of relief.

Translation: "But this was only the native forces of Golden Light Prefecture."

Because another stronghold of the Corpse God Sect has been uprooted, reducing their threat somewhat.

Translation: "Yet, while being intimidated, they also let out a slight sigh of relief."

Although everyone knows the Corpse God Sect likely still has other strongholds, removing one is still a removal, meaning the Corpse God Sect's power in Golden Light Prefecture City has been weakened.

Translation: "Because another stronghold of the Corpse God Sect had been uprooted, reducing their threat somewhat."

The City Lord's Mansion.

Translation: "Although everyone knows the Corpse God Sect likely still has other strongholds, removing one is still one; it means the Corpse God Sect's power in Golden Light Prefecture City has been weakened."

The Little Prince listened to the report from his black-armored subordinates, and his eyebrows instantly rose.

Translation: "The Prefect's Residence."

"The Underworld…"

Translation: "The Young Prince listened to the report from his black-armored subordinates, his eyebrows instantly raising."

"I have never heard of this force's name; compared to the likes of the Hunter God Pavilion, it is far too inferior, probably just a minor local power, not worth worrying about."

Translation: "'Netherworld……'"

"However, this Underworld's Ox Demon specifically targets the wicked of the Corpse God Sect to kill, which is somewhat interesting."

Translation: "'I've never heard of this force's name; compared to the likes of the Hunter God Pavilion, it's far too inferior—probably just a minor local power, not worth worrying about.'"

"A minor local power, yet the Ox Demon's methods are quite interesting—does he kill using mechanisms?"

Translation: "'But this Netherworld Ox Demon, who specifically targets the evil ones of the Corpse God Sect to kill, is rather interesting.'"

"Was it he who killed Wen Longshan?"

Translation: "'A minor local power, yet the Ox Demon's methods are quite interesting—does he kill using mechanisms?'"

The Little Prince lightly tapped his fingers on the desk.

Translation: "'Was it he who killed Wen Longshan?'"

Although only five years old, he had already grown accustomed to imitating the Pacifying King Ji Mage Li, tapping his fingers on the desk, exuding authority without anger.

Translation: "The Young Prince lightly tapped his fingers on the desk."

Su Huaili beside him nodded slightly, his expression indifferent.

Translation: "Although only five years old, he had already grown accustomed to imitating the Prince of Pacification, Ji Moli, by tapping his fingers on the desk, exuding authority without anger."

The death of Wen Longshan has always been a pain in his heart.

Translation: "Su Huaili beside him nodded, his expression indifferent."

It was originally a perfect anti-hunting plan, with Wen Longshan merely as bait, but that bait was eaten……

Translation: "The death of Wen Longshan has always been a pain in his heart."

That means his anti-hunting plan completely failed, turning into a joke.

Translation: "It was originally a perfect counter-hunting plan, with Wen Longshan merely as bait, but that bait was eaten……"

"Senior Brother Su, do you really want to kill this Ox Demon?" The Little Prince looked at Su Huaili's appearance and couldn't help but smile.

Translation: "That means his counter-hunting plan utterly failed, becoming a laughingstock."

Su Huaili glanced at the Little Prince, then laughed: "I do want to kill him, but this Ox Demon is not easy to kill—his methods are strange, he appears and disappears like a ghost, he masters a shifting technique, quite mysterious."

Translation: "'Senior Brother Su, do you really want to kill this Ox Demon?' The Young Prince looked at Su Huaili's appearance and couldn't help but chuckle."

"As for that Horse Face, he is even more adept at sniping people from tens of miles away, making his whereabouts nearly impossible to trace."

Translation: "Su Huaili glanced at the Young Prince, then laughed: 'I do want to kill him, but this Ox Demon is not easy to kill—his methods are strange, he appears and disappears like a ghost, he wields a teleportation technique, quite mysterious.'"

"They killed Wen Longshan the commander; I am naturally furious and wish to eradicate them swiftly."

Translation: "'As for that Horse Face, he can snipe people from tens of li away, making it extremely hard to trace his whereabouts.'"

"But Little Prince, you have come to Golden Light Prefecture City mainly to obtain the inheritance of the Third Prince's Mysterious Temple, so do not create unnecessary complications."

Translation: "'They killed Colonel Wen Longshan; I naturally feel resentful and want to eliminate them swiftly.'"

"Everything revolves around the temple god resonance!"

Translation: "'But Young Prince, you have come to Golden Light Prefecture City mainly to obtain the inheritance of the Third Prince's Guiyi Miao; do not let side matters distract you.'"

Su Huaili said seriously.

Translation: "'Everything must center on the Temple God's resonance!'"

The Little Prince, upon hearing this, pressed his lips together.

Translation: "Su Huaili said earnestly."

"Thank you, Senior Brother, for your instruction; I understand."

Translation: "The Young Prince, hearing this, pursed his lips."

Su Huaili's expression softened considerably.

Translation: "'Thank you, Senior Brother, for your instruction; I understand.'"

"Whether Ox Demon or Horse Face, they are not worth diverting the Little Prince's extra energy; everything will be settled after the temple god inheritance concludes."

Translation: "Su Huaili's expression softened considerably."

The Little Prince, Ji Haihui, hearing this, nodded solemnly.

Translation: "'Whether Ox Demon or Horse Face, they are not worth diverting the Young Prince's extra energy; everything can wait until after the Temple God's inheritance is concluded, then we will deal with them.'"

Young Prince Ji Hai nodded solemnly upon hearing the words.

Translation: "Young Prince Ji Haihui, hearing this, nodded solemnly."

"……"

Translation: "……"

"……"

Translation: "……"

The turmoil surged for five days before the entire Golden Light Prefecture City gradually calmed down.

Translation: "The turmoil surged for five days before the entire Golden Light Prefecture City gradually calmed down."

Inside the small courtyard.

Translation: "Inside the small courtyard."

Hot air billowed, the terrifying currents howled like a dragon, surging without cease.

Translation: "Scorching heat rose in waves, the terrifying airflow howling like a flood dragon, surging without cease."

Li Che's whole body, his tendons and bones twisted like steel rods, explosive power burst forth in his muscles and tendons.

Translation: "Li Che's whole body, his tendons and bones twisted like steel rods, explosive power bursting forth within his muscles and tendons."

The wooden staff clenched in his hand suddenly vibrated and exploded with a bang, countless dust and debris shattered, the falling snowflakes instantly shattered upon impact!

Translation: "The wooden staff gripped in his hand suddenly trembled and exploded with a bang, countless smoke and dust crashing down, the falling snowflakes instantly shattering upon impact!"

Instantly, countless staff shadows intertwined and appeared in his hand!

Translation: "Instantly, countless staff shadows intertwined and appeared in his hand!"

Crack……

Translation: "Crack……"

The wooden staff shattered and exploded, breaking into countless fragments.

Translation: "The wooden staff shattered and exploded, breaking into endless fragments."

Li Che's every pore was spraying open, as if puff puff was spitting out scalding hot air.

The formidable strength of his furnace-like physique gives him a natural advantage in cultivating this Hunyuan Qitian Staff.

"It truly lives up to being a Martial Saint's supreme art; even though it's incomplete, it remains a top-tier qi-blood martial dao method!"

"I have trained bitterly for five days, and finally I have managed to get started in this Martial Saint's supreme staff technique."

Li Che's body scorched, sweat continuously evaporating, the high temperature warping the air around his figure.

Gradually, his body grew cold and still; after donning a dark robe, his whole frame resembled steel forged in a furnace, brimming with explosive power.

"I've entered the gate."

Li Che smiled, a strange hue flashing in his eyes.

This staff technique is indeed not ordinary.

Its power is extraordinarily great, its cultivation follows a unique path, and it possesses a distinctive method of issuing force.

Judging solely by the might of the martial technique, it is hardly weaker than the attack of the Myriad Transformations Dragon-Elephant.

And this is only just having entered the gate.

If one reaches the master level, perhaps they could truly unleash the striking force of a grandmaster-level expert.

After a simple tidy-up, Li Che sat cross-legged in the courtyard, took out a Seven-Origin Divine Crystal, and began to absorb and refine it.

After absorbing and refining for about half an hour, his cultivation session ended.

Let the Painted Immortal clones continue their cultivation.

He, meanwhile, changed into a clean dark robe, braving the wind and snow as he left the small courtyard.

He arrived at the Treasure Pavilion of the Directorate of Heavenly Observation on the cliffside.

Li Che brushed off the few snowflakes clinging to his clothes and stepped into the pavilion.

Seeing Li Che, Shangguan Qinghong hurriedly put on her shoes and rushed over.

"Che Ge!"

Shangguan Qinghong's face bore a hint of anxiety.

Li Che's face bore a gentle smile: "What's wrong?"

"They're here, the examiners from the Directorate of Heavenly Observation for your second-rank guest-officer assessment have arrived."

Shangguan Qinghong said.

"Moreover, the visitor is not from the prefectural Directorate of Heavenly Observation, but a deputy director from the Lingnan Qianyuan Dao City Directorate of Heavenly Observation!"

After Shangguan Qinghong finished speaking, Li Che's eyes flashed with an unusual hue.

The deputy director of the Dao City Directorate of Heavenly Observation?

This is definitely a big shot, a level above Deputy Director Lin Xiu.

After all, one is a deputy director of a Dao city, the other of a prefectural city.

That's essentially the difference between a province and a city.

"How could the deputy director of the Dao City Directorate come to supervise the exam? Isn't it said that for a second-rank guest-officer assessment, only an official from the prefectural Directorate is needed?"

Li Che showed a look of doubt.

Shangguan Qinghong, well-informed, said solemnly.

"Because… the divine resonance of the Third Prince's Guiyi Miao?"

"This deputy director of the Directorate also brought a divine child… the Temple Stabilization Office likewise brought a divine child."

"This time the divine resonance is extremely important; the Grand Director said there might be an inheritance appearing, so the court naturally attaches great importance."

"So the Divine Sect sent a divine child, and the court naturally won't be outdone."

Shangguan Qinghong said with feeling: "Xixi's competitive pressure… is growing ever greater."

"It's so cutthroat, really so cutthroat…"

Shangguan Qinghong thought about it and felt the pressure.

"The Dao City court's divine child, plus the son of Prince Pinglan Ji Moli, and the divine child of the Dao City Divine Sect…"

"If it weren't for the fact that Jinguang Prefecture City produced a divine child named Xixi this year, relying solely on a few supreme and upper-grade spirit children would likely be crushed completely."

Li Che's expression also turned solemn.

"Since you happen to be coming to participate in the divine resonance, the deputy director of the Dao City Directorate simply took on your assessment as well."

"This isn't good news… the officials of the Dao City Directorate will naturally raise the assessment standards and be stricter."

Li Che raised his eyebrows.

He was about to discuss further details with Shangguan Qinghong.

Gong Yunli and Gongyang Liancheng had already come down together from upstairs; seeing Li Che, they raised their hands to beckon.

"Master Li Che, perfect timing; we were just about to inform you that your second-rank guest-officer assessment is ready—adjust your mood, and we can begin shortly."

Gongyang Liancheng smiled and said.

Gong Yunli, meanwhile, clenched his fists, nodded heavily, his chest rising and falling.

"A Che, I'm counting on you!"

Gong Yunli was extremely earnest.

Li Che is her subordinate guest-officer; if he becomes a second-rank guest-officer, she will also have face!

But her lovely brows soon drooped.

"But the one coming to supervise this exam is Deputy Director Lu Yao of the Dao City Directorate… notorious for his strictness, and the second-rank guest-officer assessment is already extremely difficult…"

"You might find it a bit tough."

Even though Gong Yunli thinks highly of Li Che, some worries still well up.

It's not that she lacks confidence in Li Che.

Rather, Li Che's time as a third-rank guest-officer has been brief, and the second-rank guest-officer assessment is extremely difficult.

Li Che's probability of failure is extremely high.

Gongyang Liancheng standing nearby thought the same.

He was not optimistic about Li Che becoming a second-rank guest official, mainly because Gongyang Liancheng felt Li Che still needed a period of settling and accumulation.

He shook his head slightly, knowing Li Che had great talent in woodcarving, recommended by Li Qingshan to enter the Imperial Observatory and become a guest official.

But having good talent is one thing; the difficulty of the second-rank guest official examination relies more on accumulation and experience!

Li Che, however, didn't care at all.

After all, his current self, the Immortal Artisan Dao Fruit talent has risen again to level 4, and in woodcarving production, Li Che's level has risen another notch.

"By the way, the second-rank guest official examination will test your mastery of the Thousand-Hand Divine Eagle Technique; you need at least Great Accomplishment, and the more proficient you are, the more advantageous it is for passing the exam… this is very important." Gongyang Liancheng suddenly spoke.

Li Che glanced at him, smiling and nodding.

"Alright, come up with us."

Gong Yunli pulled Li Che and went upstairs.

Shangguan Qinghong picked up a small stool, packed some fruit snacks, and quietly followed up.

Examination room.

When Gong Yunli pulled Li Che to arrive, the room already had someone waiting inside.

The Imperial Supervisor, unusually not playing the erhu, sat in a grand chair, conversing and drinking tea with a figure in white robes of the Astral Observatory.

Beside that white-robed figure stood a youthful boy, silently with hands hanging down.

As soon as Li Che entered, his gaze was involuntarily drawn to that youthful boy.

Hmm?

Li Che raised an eyebrow.

A crossbow hidden in his sleeve, thousands of spider silks wrapped three times around his waist…

Li Che, in a daze, almost thought he was seeing his younger self.

At the same time.

The white-robed figure sitting opposite the Imperial Supervisor drinking tea also had his gaze fall on Li Che.

In an instant.

Li Che then felt a scorching primordial spirit sweeping over him with a boom.

……

……

The splendid wheels crushed the snow on the ground, plowing two long ruts into it.

The carriage stopped outside the white jade archway at the mountain gate of the Divine Sect's branch.

Six black-armored knights riding demon-blood treasure steeds beside it pulled the reins and dismounted.

The one-armed coachman leapt down from the carriage.

From inside the carriage, the young prince Ji Haihui, wearing a fox fur cloak, with a jade-like complexion and eerie purple pupils, stepped down.

He raised his head, hands behind his back, gazing at the golden radiance peak that shot straight into the clouds like a spear, and smiled.

"Grandfather Dufu, let's go."

"Go see this divine child of Jinguang Prefecture; my father ordered me to pay close attention, not to be careless about this native prodigy."

Xue Dufu wore a bamboo hat, dressed in simple cloth, and had a dark hatchet slung at his waist.

His empty sleeve fluttered in the wind and snow.

"Good."

Then Xue Dufu pressed down his bamboo hat, wearing tattered cloth shoes.

He stepped forward.

He stepped onto the first blue stone step of the Divine Sect's mountain gate!

The old guardian of the Divine Sect's mountain gate, his expression changed slightly.

Suddenly, a divine foundation appeared behind him; he seized a red-tasseled spear, about to step out from the guardhouse.

However, the one-armed old man didn't even glance at him.

He merely raised a finger and lightly pointed downward.

The old man's divine foundation behind him was pressed back into his body; his face flushed red, he collapsed sitting on the ground, veins bulging on his forehead, fingers twitching incessantly, yet unable to move.

The one-sleeved old man lifted his head, his eyes deep, and took another step.

In an instant, his terrifying aura surged forth like a flood breaking its banks, rolling straight upward!

It seemed the entire Divine Sect was shaken by the impact.

"Son of the Pacification King."

"Young Prince Ji Haihui."

"Here to pay respects to the mountain!"