Chapter 23

Pfft pfft pfft!

Dense and numerous, as fine as cow hair yet extremely sharp wooden needles, in an instant like rain, covering the sky and earth!

Zhao Chuanxiong's long blade in his hand was stained with blood; he brandished it fiercely, seeing this scene, his hairs stood on end, pupils constricted, and he had no choice but to sweep his blade, raising a gale to block this dense barrage of hidden weapons!

But there were too many; the blood lotus exploded, and the dense wooden needles, like a torrential rain, ultimately pierced his body!

Blood mist billowed up; Zhao Chuanxiong's leaping body crashed heavily back into the snow‑filled courtyard, fine blood beads oozing from his pores, instantly staining large patches of the white snow red.

"Ah!"

Zhao Chuanxiong let out a low angry roar, his beard and hair bristling; he hurriedly circulated his inner strength to resist the surging vital energy and blood in his meridians, his face flushing red with fury.

"How cunning, how vicious! What a vicious ox demon!"

Zhao Chuanxiong shouted angrily without cease.

Beside him, the martial artist wielding the Eight Trigrams staff, wearing a girl's mask, leapt onto the wall, but this brief delay meant there was no trace of the ox demon left.

Even amidst the hazy wind and snow, his trace had vanished.

He glanced back, seeing the snow covered in countless tiny holes from the dense wooden needles, and the staff wielder couldn't help but shiver.

"Protect me for a moment; this ox demon is truly vicious, these wooden needles are exceedingly fine—even my tempered‑body realm skin cannot block them, they have pierced into my body, and now, following the flow of my qi and blood through the meridians, they seek to pierce my heart vessels; I must use inner strength to shield myself and force these needles out!"

Zhao Chuanxiong gasped heavily, immediately sat cross‑legged in the snow, said a sentence to the staff wielder, and then began earnestly circulating his inner strength.

Scorching heat spread from every inch of his skin.

After roughly the time it takes to finish a cup of tea, Zhao Chuanxiong's whole body shuddered violently, he opened his mouth wide, and with a 'pfft' spat out a large mouthful of congealed blood.

Within the congealed blood lay countless tiny wooden needles stained red.

"How is it?"

The man shouldering the Eight Trigrams staff looked at Zhao Chuanxiong and asked in a deep voice.

"It's fine; just injured the meridians, needs some time to recuperate—this ox demon… truly vicious."

Zhao Chuanxiong's expression was grim; he had set a trap intending to capture and slay the ox demon.

But he never expected to suffer a great loss.

"At least he didn't poison those wooden needles…" the staff wielder glanced, then chuckled.

Zhao Chuanxiong's mouth twitched; he couldn't be bothered to reply, yet inwardly he felt a bit relieved.

This ox demon is vicious, yet not poisonous enough…

"Wearing an ox demon mask, his stature is burly and tall, with bone‑tempered cultivation—such a conspicuous build could not possibly stay hidden in Wai Cheng."

Zhao Chuanxiong exhaled: "Could it be from Nei Cheng?"

"Most likely; the inner‑city aristocratic clans possess superior inheritances, their martial arts are extremely profound, and with rich nutrition their qi and blood are abundant, their bodies sturdy—take the Yang family, for example, all are as strong as oxen; nearly every great Shijia Zhuzu has such physique‑focused external martial artists."

"Moreover, the ox demon's strength exceeds that of a minor bone‑tempered martial artist; surely his martial arts are exceptional, undoubtedly coming from a noble clan."

"And those wooden needles… likely relate to the wood‑carvers serving those aristocratic houses; such skill could well be the work of a master wood‑carver."

The staff‑bearing martial artist nodded and said.

"The Dharma Chief went to the inner city, dealing with those aristocratic families, seizing many benefits…… these clans are not pushovers; retaliating is only natural."

"Yang family? Xu family, An family… or Si family?" Zhao Chuanxiong slowly rose, carefully picking out one slender wooden needle after another from the snow, each as fine as cow hair.

His rough fingers ground the wooden needle, killing intent blazing intensely in his eyes.

"No matter what, this ox demon… will eventually be killed!"

……

……

Li Che wore a bamboo hat and a coarse robe, returning to the rented small courtyard.

His body instantly deflated like a leaking balloon, returning to its normal size.

"Escaping from the hands of those two bone‑tempered martial artists… is not bad, but my trump cards have been exhausted."

"Sleeve crossbow, thousand‑spider silk, and Guanyin Blood Lotus—all three mechanisms deployed…… tsk, pity, my inner strength is not yet mature; otherwise, driving it with strong inner force would double the Blood Lotus's blast—Zhao Chuanxiong would not die but suffer grave injury."

"Now, at best I can only let him suffer some minor, harmless wounds."

"Mmm…… if we poisoned those wooden needles, forming the Guanyin Blood Lotus, once it pierces the meridians the toxin would erupt, doubling the lethality……"

Li Che exhaled, his eyes lit up, he clasped his fists together, feeling a sudden epiphany.

What a miscalculation; otherwise this time I could have killed Zhao Chuanxiong.

"Excluding the staff wielder, one‑on‑one, even if I activate the Dragon Elephant Prajna, I am no match for Zhao Chuanxiong; his inner strength has reached the third heaven, higher than mine, and he has cultivated martial techniques……"

Li Che reviewed the brief clash he had just had with Zhao Chuanxiong.

Without relying on immortal‑craft mechanisms, in a prolonged battle I would surely be defeated and suffer a great loss.

"Martial techniques… I need to acquire a martial art; I possess the Dragon Elephant Prajna Dao fruit, my martial cultivation is extremely fast, external martial arts will surely be learned even quicker, perhaps with extra enhancement." Li Che formed a plan in his heart.

"Will the second steward teach martial arts? Hmm, even if he did, it would be steeped in Xu family style… looks like I'll have to scavenge on my own, or go to Chen Lao's to pick something up."

Li Che stretched lazily, his bones crackling.

This battle gave him an estimate of Zhao Chuanxiong's strength and a degree of confidence in killing him.

He took off his clothes and tidied his attire.

Li Che leisurely went out, headed to the west‑city braised‑meat stall, sliced a jin of beef jerky and half a jin of pig ears, drew a jar of old yellow wine, bought a box of osmanthus cake, then strolled back to Xu Ji Mu diao Pu.

"Father!"

Just as he pushed open the courtyard gate, Xixi stepped on the snow, her nose tip red from the cold, toddling unsteadily toward Li Che.

Hearing that, Li Che felt warm inside, set down the braised meat and wine, and scooped up the chubby Xixi in one motion.

The little girl was delicately carved like jade, her lips bright red and adorable; as Li Che lifted her, her tiny hands naturally wrapped around his neck.

"Father… hold me."

The little girl is very clever; although just over one year old, she has already shown herself to be extraordinary.

Now she doesn't even need a learning walker; she walks smoothly.

Chen Lao sat under the eaves, holding a gourd and happily drinking wine. Seeing Li Che and Xixi's clingy affection, he couldn't help but sour the corners of his mouth: 'This little stinky Xixi is amazing; from far away it feels like I can hear your footsteps coming back…'

"As expected of a Spirit Infant."

Zhang Ya walked out from inside the house, saw the things Li Che had placed on the ground, and hurried over to pick them up and go inside.

"Husband, we have osmanthus cake again today; won't that be too extravagant?" Zhang Ya smiled sweetly. Since moving to Xu Ji, life has truly been getting better and better, and she feels more hopeful.

Li Che chuckled: "Wife wants to eat it; eating it every day is no problem."

Their family can now truly afford to eat.

Li Che's skill ensures that the wood carvings he makes are extremely profitable; basically each carving earns at least fifty taels or more, so much so that they have no worries about food and clothing.

Zhang Ya picked up the things and went inside.

Li Che held Xixi, picked up the aged yellow wine, and sat beside Chen Lao.

"Chen Lao, what's the story about this Spirit Infant?"

Li Che asked.

The Spirit Infant sect has determined that Xixi is a Spirit Infant… but what exactly does being a Spirit Infant entail? Li Che really isn't clear.

Chen Lao put away the gourd, gestured for Li Che to pour wine, and after Li Che filled a cup to the brim, Chen Lao finally broke into a grin.

He took a sip of the aged yellow wine.

Chen Lao became solemn, looking at Xixi, a flicker of pity flashing in his eyes.

"Ah Che, do you know about the Divinity Technique?"

"So-called Spirit Infant…… means one is born with divinity, making them excellent material for cultivating the Divinity Technique!"

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(End of chapter)