Chapter 366: with translation of the chapter title

Title: "368. Chapter 362: Can the Seven Openings Mysterious Gate withstand a Half-Step Divine Tribulation? Xixi enters the Imperial Astronomy Bureau, startling the Grand Director."

Named entities: Seven Openings Mysterious Gate (a technique), Half-Step Divine Tribulation (a cultivation realm), Divine Tribulation, Xixi, Imperial Astronomy Bureau, Grand Director.

"Splash-splash——" (sound effect)

Chains intertwine, collide and rub, as if sparks of fire leap and flicker.

On the ground of Mo City, paved with dark-colored bricks, faint cracks appear, torn apart by the impact of aura.

"Thud-thud-thud——" (sound)

The heart beats like thunder, mighty and powerful; each throb seems as if an ancient heavenly deity swings a mythic hammer, striking hard.

Rings of ripples explode outward, making the air seem like a translucent carpet undulating with waves.

Li Che stands firm within Mo City, arms outstretched, eyes flashing like lightning and thunder, radiant beyond measure.

An increasingly terrifying aura spreads from his body, like a divine metal heated to incandescent red in a ten-million-degree blaze, releasing heat that could warp and collapse space itself.

Every aperture of Li Che glows; seven vortices of qi and blood, twisted from golden qi-blood, stretch across his back along the spine, bursting with ultimate brilliant light.

Each qi-blood vortex seems to contain terrifying power, stacked like steps.

Just like nodes on the body's myriad meridians, after repeated blockages, the accumulated qi-blood power naturally reaches an extremely terrifying level.

The more blockages, the more terrifying the eruption when the shackles are broken.

"Boom——!!!"

As the light from the seven qi-blood vortices erupts and piles together.

Li Che feels as if he has become a billion-watt light bulb, blazingly bright; this brilliance cannot be suppressed for a short time.

If he wishes, should Li Che dare to return to the Divine Capital unchecked, his own radiance could even illuminate the entire Divine Capital!

"Crack-crack——" (sound)

Li Che's flesh is covered with cracks, like the fissures of shattered porcelain.

This is the flesh unable to bear the burden, unable to withstand the inner power that surges abruptly upon opening the Seventh Gate.

Transferring seven Divine Seeds into the human spine's Mysterious Gate is no longer a secret art.

In Li Che's view, it already belongs to an extraordinary kind of dao-guiding power.

It belongs to the supreme Pure Martial Technique!

Even with Li Che's current 90% pure Pure Martial Body, it still struggles to withstand the impact, showing just how terrifying the transfer of seven Mysterious Gate Divine Seeds truly is.

Li Che inhales and exhales.

He now merely struggles to channel the seventh Divine Seed into the Mysterious Gate, able to use its power, but if he wishes to detonate it as smoothly as the other Divine Seeds...

The difficulty remains too great.

He can't even manage it.

It's like having the explosive ready and the fuse set, but the fire to light it is still not prepared.

Mainly, his flesh cannot endure it; even with the aid of a Dragon-Elephant Diamond Dao Fruit, he still falls short of the standard needed to detonate seven Mysterious Gate Divine Seeds.

Mainly, my flesh is too weak; furthermore, my cultivation is only at the Two Aperture Sea Martial Saint level, which is far from enough.

Li Che feels that to detonate the seven Mysterious Gate Divine Seeds, he may need his flesh to reach the Three Aperture Martial Saint stage, or perhaps even the Four Aperture Supreme Peak.

Li Che's eyes sparkle, even though his cultivation speed is already quite fast.

Yet advancing beyond the Martial Saint realm is still far harder than imagined.

Nor can he, like the Bound Gods, simply devour them to boost his cultivation.

But... if I were to detonate the seven Divine Seeds, could I stand against a Half-Step Divine Tribulation that draws upon the power of the Dao's tribulation?

Li Che's eyes gleam with anticipation and eagerness to try.

"Whoosh——" (sound)

"Inhale——" (sound)

With each inhale and exhale, gales shoot forth and turbulent currents surge.

Li Che's eyes suddenly open and close; his aura begins to gradually gather and ease, his presence settles, the golden qi-blood cools like stillness, returning to calm within his body, flowing slowly through the meridians like a tranquil stream, smooth and steady.

The Seventh Gate is upon us; the eight Mysterious Gate Divine Seeds are within reach!

Li Che's gaze burns bright.

When the seven Mysterious Gate Divine Seeds are opened and detonated together, though it cannot last long, Li Che feels that even against the top supreme peak ranked first in the Heavenly Gate Pass arranged by the Grand Director, he might still have a fighting chance.

As for detonating all eight Mysterious Gates at once...

The radiant splendor bursting forth at that moment might perhaps be enough to slay a Martial God!

The realm above a Martial God is too illusory; Li Che knows little about it.

Because Li Che has no reference, he can only imagine the comparison in his mind, but he never lets himself think in inflated terms.

Lowering expectations of his own strength allows him to be more steady.

In this chaotic world, Li Che must protect his wife and daughter, naturally treading on thin ice and acting cautiously.

Being cautious is never wrong; as long as he lives, he will ultimately become invincible.

Over the course of a month, Li Che trains in Mo City; the epiphany feedback gradually dwindles, continually transforming into improvements in martial prowess.

All Divine Seed martial arts have been raised to perfection.

The Six Desires Slay Evil Lü Xuan Pure Yang Sword Manual, this Divine Seed martial art, has been further transferred by him into the seventh Mysterious Gate aperture.

The gains are enormous!

Li Che's eyes open and close; above his head, a Pure Martial Sea Golden Pool appears, expanding from its original hundred zhang to a thousand zhang!

"Splash-splash——" (sound)

Qi and blood erupt immensely, almost covering the entire sky like a vast sea of aura, manifesting above his head.

A thousand-zhang golden pool!

This is the improvement Li Che gained through the feedback of sudden enlightenment, earned from a month of bitter cultivation!

"It's time to prepare, to settle accounts with that Seven Treasures Relic Ruyi Golden Heavenly King Guiyi Miao in Shendu..."

Li Che changed into the clean, neat golden lotus black robe personally sewn by his wife; it seemed he could tell Li Che liked it, so Zhang Ya sewed a few more pieces during this period, each with different patterns.

The black robe fit snugly, and combined with Li Che's bright, piercing eyes, which faintly seemed to give birth to a divine, awe-inspiring double pupil, his whole person gained several measures of an imposing, awe-inspiring aura that exuded authority without anger.

A stir of heart and mind, and black rain swept across the sky.

Li Che's entire person vanished.

When he opened his eyes, he had already returned to the house inside the Qianyuan Institute in the Fourth City of Shendu.

Boom——!!!

And Li Che, who had just returned, in an instant felt that something was off.

The air suddenly surged with waves, as if heaven and earth in a moment became immensely heavy; both space and air became extraordinarily heavy, as if the will of heaven and earth sensed the seventh Qimen divine seed within Li Che's spine, giving rise to an unprecedented evil!

It seemed as if it wanted to personally erase Li Che, this heaven-defying existence, from the mortal world!

Boom——!!!

Qi and blood exploded directly from the apertures, as if in furious defiance!

The seven Qimen divine seeds almost simultaneously burst forth with radiance, like seven blazing suns, ultimate brilliance dazzling to the eye, and moreover produced an extraordinarily splendid phenomenon!

The spine seemed to creak under pressure, as if about to twist and rupture completely; the divine seed that had just been transferred into the seventh Qimen seemed as if it were about to be torn apart by the will of heaven and earth.

Li Che's eyes involuntarily flashed a hint of surprise.

"I completed the transfer of the seventh Qimen divine seed in Mo City, but Mo City does not belong to this heaven and earth; it is like a minor cave heaven, completely severed from the connection with heaven and earth, so as soon as I returned, it triggered the attention and suppression of the will of heaven and earth!"

Li Che, lost in thought, immediately understood the reason.

Boom!

Phenomena streaked across the sky!

However, it was immediately isolated by Li Che using the Sealing Power of the Heaven-Earth Chessboard, completely sealing it off; he concealed his aura, and with the power of the Slumbering Dragon Elephant, fully restrained his breath.

But that sudden phenomenon still startled many people of the Qianyuan Institute.

In just that moment, Li Che sensed a powerful aura rapidly approaching.

"If eight Qimen divine seeds were transferred…… even with the Heaven-Earth Chessboard's isolation, it might still be impossible to completely sever that mysterious bond brought by the will of heaven and earth……"

"That perhaps…… is the Three Calamities and Nine Tribulations?"

Li Che pondered, his heart slightly stirred, and he involuntarily realized what that unprecedented evil born of the will of heaven and earth actually was.

Divine tribulation…… Martial God……

Li Che's eyes flickered.

Can transferring eight Qimen divine seeds allow one to touch the realm above Martial Saint?

"No…… wrong…… transferring eight Qimen divine seeds can only be done with a pure martial fleshly body, so…… perhaps it differs from the ordinary Martial God?"

Li Che was thinking, but he had never come into contact with the Martial God realm, so he could not give a judgment.

But intuition told Li Che that being able to pass the Three Calamities and Nine Tribulations with the Eight Qimen Technique was absolutely extraordinary.

In his chest, the 【Chess Saint】 Dao fruit trembled, as if playing a game against heaven and earth, isolating the qi mechanism.

Li Che shook off his dark robe, then slowly opened the door that had been sealed for a month.

Creaking sounds echoed.

Thereafter, long-absent sunlight poured down from outside the door, and Li Che narrowed his eyes.

Outside the courtyard.

One figure after another had already gathered and were waiting.

Li Che at once saw his wife Zhang Ya; Zhang Ya stood on tiptoe, gazing eagerly, while Zhang Ya also held Xixi's hand, Xixi being led, likewise on tiptoe, gazing eagerly.

The mother and daughter truly had quite synchronized demeanors.

Seeing them, Li Che could not help but want to laugh out loud.

Besides the wife and daughter eagerly awaiting, there were also the sect master Lü Taibai and the second elder Zhao Fangzhou of the Divine Sect.

Seeing Li Che walk out of the house safe and sound, they all couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief.

Even Lü Taibai truly worried that Li Che, immersed in cultivation and unable to extricate himself, would miss the Peach Blossom Assembly.

Although Li Che's current strength truly does not need the Peach Blossom Assembly to prove anything, yet not taking the freely offered peaches… always makes one feel as if they've lost the whole world.

Of course, even if Li Che participated in the Heroes' Assembly, he couldn't say he had a hundred percent certainty of winning the championship and obtaining that nine-thousand-year peach, but at least there is hope, right?

Even Lü Taibai, in his generation, at the Peach Blossom Assembly, had never won the championship.

Or put another way, the heroes cultivated throughout the ages by the Qianyuan Divine Sect rarely won the championship at the Peach Blossom Assembly.

Because there is a Purple Mansion Sect of the Celestial Master Dao…… this sect, as the foremost sect of Dàjǐng, has historically only had three participants in the Heroes' Assembly, yet among those three, basically one could break into the top three, and even likely win the championship!

Moreover, there have appeared the Three Prodigy Dragons and Three Heroes of the Purple Mansion Sect, who swept the top three in both the Prodigy Dragons Assembly and the Heroes' Assembly.

However, Lü Taibai felt that this year's Li Che was terrifyingly strong……

If Li Che revealed his martial cultivation, winning the championship would truly be hopeful.

Whoosh——

Wind and waves buffeted, Li Che's dark robe fluttered, a gentle smile on his face, as he walked out of the house.

Xixi's eyes instantly lit up; she broke free from Zhang Ya's hand, sprinted over at full speed, and threw herself into Li Che's embrace!

"Father!"

Xixi's eyes were bright.

Not having seen Li Che for a month, not even once, for Xixi, since birth she had never experienced such a long separation.

Li Che rubbed Xixi's head, his eyes gentle.

Protecting his wife and daughter is his most resolute will in his heart; indeed, his martial will is founded upon this.

"Xixi, have you been lazy? You promised Father that you would win the championship at the assembly and seize peaches for your mother."

Li Che laughed.

Xixi's eyes instantly blazed with fighting spirit!

"Father, don't worry, Xixi hasn't been slacking; I train hard every day! Xixi has now completely solidified my Grandmaster cultivation!"

"With the help of Qiangqiang and Zhuan Zhuan, Xixi's divine gang has grown greatly and increased in number; Xixi is now terrifyingly strong!"

Xixi said seriously.

Even to prove it to Li Che, Xixi's chubby five fingers clenched, and instantly divine gang sparks intertwined and burst forth, raging with a whoosh.

Li Che heard this and couldn't help bursting into loud laughter.

Lü Taibai's silver hair flew as he said: "Ah Che, have you made any breakthrough in divine eagle techniques?"

Li Che thought for a moment, nodded, and did not hide it: "After passing the special-grade guest official examination, I received guidance from the Grand Supervisor, gained some insight, and upon returning went into seclusion... which can be considered as having completely paved the way for my future assault on the Divine Eagle Saint Hand."

"In the future, I should have a ninety percent certainty of attaining the Saint Hand of the Dao."

Li Che laughed.

Lü Taibai and Zhao Fangzhou's eyes almost simultaneously lit up.

Ninety percent certainty!

Is that still just certainty? That's as good as nailed down!

You will surely become a Saint Hand!

If the Qianyuan Divine Sect could produce a Divine Eagle Saintess, perhaps it could return to the glory it once possessed!

In the past, the Tianyuan Divine Sect excelled at divine pills, the Seven Treasures Divine Sect at divine weapons, the Mystic Talisman Divine Sect at divine talismans, while the Qianyuan Divine Sect excelled at divine eagles...

But later, the Qianyuan Divine Eagle lineage declined and was suppressed by the Xiao Lingyin Temple.

This dealt a heavy blow to the Qianyuan Divine Sect's vitality.

Lü Taibai's wide sleeves swept up a spring breeze, his eyes full of agitated color.

He believed Li Che would not be someone who shoots aimlessly; since Li Che said he had ninety percent certainty, it must be very certain.

Lü Taibai was overjoyed; the Qianyuan Divine Sect... would grow strong in his hands!

"By the way, the sect master of the Zhenwu Divine Sect, Shi Jian, has been waiting for you to leave seclusion; he's already waited over a month and is still waiting outside."

Lü Taibai said.

Li Che's eyebrows twitched slightly upon hearing this, but he knew why the Zhenwu Divine Sect's sect master Shi Jian had come to find him.

"He wants the firearm mechanism in Xixi's hands?"

Lü Taibai nodded: "This thing... it's up to you; those martial men of the Zhenwu Divine Sect, although they call themselves a divine sect, are actually no different from an army."

"They are stationed at the frontmost border of the Tongyou Dao at Zhenwu Mountain, blocking the Da Li royal court and facing directly the million barbarian soldiers of Da Li; it's actually... quite difficult."

"If one were to say, when Da Li truly conquers Da Jing, then the Zhenwu Divine Sect... would surely be destroyed before Da Jing."

Li Che frowned: "The Zhenwu Divine Sect is a sect... could it be that they must swear to die defending Da Jing's national gate?"

Lü Taibai shook his head: "I once went to the Tongyou Dao for training, and to the Zhenwu Divine Sect... the ancestral master of the Zhenwu Divine Sect set the rule that, no matter which dynasty rules the Central Plains, the Zhenwu Divine Sect swears to die blocking the barbarians, forever refusing barbarian cavalry from treading the Central Plains."

What the Zhenwu Divine Sect guards has never been Da Jing; even if it were the former Da Yue or Da Sui, the Zhenwu Divine Sect has always been there, guarding the seventy-three thousand six hundred households of Li people behind Zhenwu Mountain along the Tongyou Dao.

Lü Taibai's tone carried a hint of reverence.

Upon hearing this, Li Che's heart also couldn't help but be stirred, arising a sense of admiration.

"The founding ancestral master of the Zhenwu Divine Sect actually made such an oath; he truly is a remarkable person."

Li Che praised.

Lü Taibai glanced at Li Che and gave a light smile: "To be able to open up a divine sect is naturally extraordinary; any founder of a great divine sect is a figure full of legendary color in the present age."

Li Che met the sect master of the Zhenwu Divine Sect, Shi Jian, a burly, thick-browed, big-eyed man; his eyes were full of ferocity and killing intent, the killing intent honed from slaughter on the frontier.

However, this person, who ranks fourth at the Heavenly Gate Pass and is a top-tier expert who kills without blinking, is now somewhat nervously rubbing his hands.

His eyes held a mix of embarrassment and anticipation as he looked at Li Che.

co

"Li Half-Saint, no, Li Special Grade... that mechanism of Xixi's, I wonder if we could produce more and equip it to the disciples of my Zhenwu Divine Sect?"

The power of the Immortal Craft Gatling is now no longer small.

Although facing a Martial Saint, one must fuse the two divine abilities of Black White Extreme Collapse and Great Snow Avalanche to produce a threat.

But the Immortal Craft Gatling, when faced directly by a Martial Saint, can still exert tremendous suppression on a Grandmaster.

This means that if a Master is equipped with the Immortal Craft Gatling, they can possess the power to face a Grandmaster head-on.

This meaning can be vastly different.

"That mechanism in Xixi's hands was a gift from a close friend... however, with my current divine eagle techniques and my research on the Way of Mechanisms, replicating it is not at all difficult."

"I don't know how many Sect Master Shi needs."

Li Che's face bore a gentle smile, giving one the feeling of basking in a spring breeze.

Shi Jian never expected that Li Che would toss the choice back to him; for a moment, Shi Jian couldn't help but feel a headache.

Finally, hesitating, he spoke: "One hundred units?"

One hundred units... that would mean being able to suppress a hundred Grandmasters with a hundred Masters...

Although the battlefield cannot be calculated exactly like this, it can be used as an estimate.

Li Che laughed; his ability to duplicate the Immortal-in-the-Painting Dao fruit has now reached a higher level, and the duplicated Immortal-in-the-Painting avatars can exist for a long time.

If it were the Black White Extreme Collapse Great Snow Avalanche Guanyin Lotus Bullet, Li Che might not be able to duplicate too many.

However, the Immortal Craft Gatling poses no problem at all.

"The Zhenwu Divine Sect..."

Li Che glanced at Shi Jian.

Lü Taibai has walked through the Zhenwu Divine Sect, and even fought side by side with its martial warriors against the experts of Da Li.

Da Li also has many powerful individuals.

The Divine Register and Heavenly Gate Pass arranged by the Grand Director are merely within the scope of the Da Jing dynasty.

Da Li's national strength may not match that of Da Jing, and it is suppressed by the Wu Shen Mountain, yet domestically there are still many top-tier experts.

Just like the great Wu God of Wu Shen Mountain, he is roughly on par with the Grand Director, and thus certainly a Divine Tribulation powerhouse.

The True Martial God Sect has guarded the nation's gate for generations, laying down their lives for the over seventy thousand households of the Tongyou Dao Li people...

Li Che also feels a surge of admiration in his heart.

Of course, the purpose is also to forge a good karmic bond.

Born in this world, he must protect his wife and daughter, treading on thin ice.

Having friends naturally opens many paths...

Unless everyone is turned into his Bound Gods, having more friends is always better than having more enemies.

"One thousand units, plus another hundred thousand rounds of Spirit-Wood Passenger Raven ammunition."

"This first time, let it be my Li Che's tribute to the True Martial God Sect for protecting those seventy thousand people and swearing to repel the barbarian cavalry."

"Afterward, each year the True Martial God Sect may send personnel to the Qian Yuan Divine Sect to maintain and purchase new mechanisms, as well as buy Spirit-Wood Passenger Raven ammunition."

Li Che said.

"Spirit-Wood Passenger Raven ammunition is consumable, and the mechanisms also wear out, requiring maintenance and repair; of course, your True Martial God Sect can find mechanism masters to fix them, which is no problem."

Li Che's words caused the True Martial God Sect sect master Shi Jian to spring up abruptly, his eyes gleaming, his overwhelming crimson-gold qi-blood barely containable.

Crimson-gold qi-blood... True Martial?

True Martial, lying between Divine Martial and Pure Martial.

It is not as pure as Pure Martial, nor does it rely on divine power like Divine Martial...

It is the true martial way created by the founding ancestor of the True Martial God Sect, who integrated the balance point between the two.

If it were earlier, Li Che might have been interested, but now that he has attained Pure Martial Saint, he has little curiosity left for True Martial.

"Many thanks, Li Te and company!"

"I, Shi Jian, on behalf of the tens of thousands of disciples of the True Martial God Sect, thank Li Te and company for their generosity!"

Li Che laughed, waved his hand, and then discussed with Shi Jian the matter of mechanism and Spirit-Wood Passenger Raven pricing.

"After the Peach Blossom Victory Assembly concludes, I will hand over these mechanisms and the wood passenger raven ammunition to you."

Shi Jian left, satisfied and content.

……

……

A month's time has brought about significant changes for the entire Divine Capital.

The most obvious feeling is that the already bustling Divine Capital has become even livelier, with nearly martial artists from the Eleven Dao of Da Jing rushing in and entering the city.

This has made inns within the Divine Capital extremely hard to book, their rooms worth a fortune.

Because the day of the official start of the Peach Blossom Victory Assembly is drawing ever closer.

Splash-splash.

Continuous spring rain drizzles, swaying the willows lining the streets.

A splendid carriage, bearing the character 'Qin', shatters the spring rain; its wheels crush the puddles on the ground as it proceeds down the wide avenue amidst the populace's fear and awe.

That is a carriage of the Imperial Astronomy Bureau; the Divine Capital houses the bureau's headquarters, so only high-ranking officials of the bureau can use such a carriage in the capital.

Inside the carriage, the curtain is slowly drawn back, and Xixi pokes out her little head.

Her eyes are full of excitement, her tiny face beaming with joy.

Empress Xixi finally has a chance to go out again!

Since arriving in the Divine Capital, she has been confined to the Qian Yuan Institute, forbidden to go anywhere, under total house arrest.

Within the Qian Yuan Institute, aside from cultivation there is cultivation; after the preliminaries begin, there are also some entertainments, allowing entry into the Queen Mother of the West's divine hall to duel opponents.

But once Xixi obtains the qualification for the main banquet, she can no longer enter the Queen Mother of the West's divine hall, and her days become dull.

Each day she can only bully old acquaintances like Lü Qingxuan, Yang Yi, Jin Tai Sui, Zhou Peng, and so on.

After beating them up repeatedly, Empress Xixi also feels embarrassed.

But today, her father actually promised to take her to the Imperial Astronomy Bureau!

Xixi is overjoyed; her tiny body trembles incessantly from excitement.

Xixi clutches her tiny fists, like a country girl who has never seen the world, gazing at the capital's splendor and occasionally exclaiming 'Wow!'

Nie Yang drives the carriage, while Li Chengzhou follows quietly; his swordsmanship has also made some progress, perhaps because being constantly with Xixi brings great pressure, and under that pressure his sword technique has grown rapidly.

Now Li Chengzhou exerts his full effort, even capable of bursting forth with master-level combat power.

Know that Li Chengzhou does not possess Xixi's monstrous talent.

Amid countless solemn and respectful gazes, the splendid Imperial Astronomy Bureau carriage departs the Fourth City and enters the Third City of the Divine Capital.

After clearing the way with the Imperial Astronomy Command, the carriage enters the Second City and then proceeds unhindered to the eight-eaved, dripping-water Imperial Astronomy Treasure Tower.

The Divine Capital's Second City is relatively tranquil, with few pedestrians on its streets, mainly because only those of status and position can reside there.

What one sees on the streets are mostly luxurious carriages passing by.

When the carriage comes to a stop before the ninety-nine-tier white jade steps of the Imperial Astronomy Bureau...

There already awaits an exceedingly luxurious carriage.

It seems they have seen Li Che's carriage arrive; the attendant in blue robes guarding the carriage dismounts, lowers his gaze, and hurries forward in small quick steps.

"Hee~" (sound)

Nie Yang grips the reins, his face solemn as he eyes the carriage and the approaching attendant.

One look and you can tell this is the origin of the First City's Imperial Palace Temple.

But Li Te and company's carriage.

That weasel monk was very courteous, without the arrogance Han Sishi had when he first appeared.

However, this young weasel monk and Han Sishi, who are of the same rank as the senior weasel monks stationed at Heavenly Gate Pass, are truly incomparable.

What's the matter?

Inside the carriage, Li Che asked calmly.

His voice immediately floated out.

The weasel monk grew even more respectful: 'I am a servant of the Eldest Prince, acting on his orders to invite Li Te and company to be guests at the Eldest Prince's residence.'

The Eldest Prince?

Li Che heard this and raised his eyebrows.

The Eldest Prince……

That Eldest Prince who, despite having lived for two sixty-year cycles, has never been made crown prince?

They must have gotten the news and deliberately come to wait at the gate of the Imperial Observatory, hoping to win me over as a pawn in the struggle for the crown prince's position?

Indeed, as a Special Guest Official of the Imperial Observatory, I already have the qualifications to be such a pawn.

But if they want to compete for this pawn of mine, yet they don't even show up in person, sending only a lowly weasel monk to invite me, all I feel is the arrogance of the imperial family.

Please convey my thanks to the Eldest Prince for the invitation, but the Flat Peach Assembly is imminent; I must strive in my cultivation, hoping to win a life-extending flat peach for my wife at the Flat Peach Assembly.

Li Che said gently.

The young weasel monk instantly lifted his head in surprise; Li Che's words naturally amounted to a refusal.

The carriage curtain was lifted, and Li Che led Xixi down.

The weasel monk opened his mouth to say something, but seeing Li Che pay him no heed, he led his daughter up the white jade stairs and walked toward the Imperial Observatory Treasure Tower.

The weasel monk pursed his lips, could only resign himself to regret, and pondered how to explain things to the Eldest Prince upon his return.

The spring rain fell silky and fine, like cow's hair, extremely delicate.

It felt cool and refreshing on the skin.

Li Che didn't even hold an umbrella for Xixi; father and daughter simply bathed in the spring rain as they arrived at the Imperial Observatory Treasure Tower.

Li Che deliberately brought Xixi today; besides wanting to test the cultivation house, he also sought the Senior Director to see if the Senior Director could resolve the Hell Lotus Fire hidden in Xixi's brow—a ticking time bomb.

Before the Imperial Observatory Treasure Tower, the gate was sealed.

Li Che took out the Imperial Observatory Command; on it, divine power suddenly burst forth, transforming into seven rapidly spinning divine seals.

With a series of clicks, the divine seals struck the gate, activating the formation woven from the seals, and divine power surged.

The gate slowly opened.

Just as the gate opened, Director Deputy Fang Shangzhen, wearing a wide, flowing white Daoist robe, was already waiting.

Li Te and company, it's rare for you to come here?

I heard you returned to the Qianyuan Institute and entered seclusion; it seems that the Senior Director's guidance then gave you great gains, and perhaps in the future there will be a chance to see Li Te and company promoted to Senior Guest Official.

Fang Shangzhen said with a smile.

Afterward, his gaze swept past Li Che and landed on Xixi, his eyes instantly lighting up.

Director Deputy, this is my daughter Xixi.

Li Che smiled and introduced her.

Xixi, this is the Director Deputy of the Imperial Observatory, noble in status and powerful in strength……

Xixi's big eyes blinked, her chubby face instantly breaking into a smile: 'Director Deputy sister!'

Li Che paused.

Director Deputy Fang Shangzhen froze for a moment, then his smile grew even more radiant.

She covered her mouth and laughed: 'Truly articulate; my brother's letter praised this girl's cleverness, and he was not wrong.'

Xixi furrowed her brow.

Li Che rubbed Xixi's head: 'The younger brother of Director Deputy Fang is the Grand Elder of our Divine Sect… you know him, right?'

Xixi's chubby cheek twitched.

Ah?!

The sister of the Lord of the Demon Cave?!

Seeing Xixi's wilted face, Li Che couldn't help but laugh.

The three entered the Imperial Observatory.

They then planned to go straight to the cultivation house.

However……

Boom—!!!

When Li Che led Xixi to set foot on the central circular stairs of the Imperial Observatory,

the entire Imperial Observatory suddenly trembled!

Boom boom boom!

One after another, white radiance flowed and surged, like falling, wildly swinging silk curtains, pouring down beside Xixi.

Xixi's little skirt instantly billowed, and her hair swayed in the wind.

Her whole person was enveloped by this white light, like a fairy.

Such an abnormality made Li Che unable to help but be startled.

What's going on?

Why did this white divine power suddenly surround Xixi?

Li Che's eyes narrowed, his heart involuntarily filling with vigilance as he held Xixi's hand, his expression turning grave.

Fang Shangzhen's expression also revealed a look of shock; such a situation has never occurred in the Imperial Observatory before.

What happened?!

Then, the vast divine essence intertwined without cease, actually forming a pair of double-pupiled eyes.

The double-pupiled eyes swept over.

Finally, it landed on Xixi.

Xixi tilted her head, gazing into those double pupils.

The double pupils formed of divine essence, at this moment, underwent violent fluctuations and then shattered with a boom.

In the instant of the shattering.

Fang Shangzhen then heard a vast sound, mixed with urgency, reverberating throughout the Imperial Observatory's treasure tower.

"An honored guest has arrived!"

"I will return at once!"

"Why haven't you quickly summoned them to the ninth level yet?!"