Chapter 40

The sound of metal halberds buzzed incessantly!

Just as Zhao Chuanxiong felt shock in his heart at this moment!

Because of the spirit child, Zhao Chuanxiong had carefully read Li Che's file once: an orphan who lost his parents from a young age, raised by his uncle.

Before Li Nuanxi was born, he was nothing more than a strong-armed laborer at Xu Ji Mu diao Pu, a mud-leg; besides having some strength, let alone practicing martial arts, he didn't even know basic farming techniques.

But in just over two years, this mud-leg had actually tempered his bones!

Two years of martial arts practice…… he had set foot in bone tempering!

What kind of martial arts talent is this?!

You know, polishing the skin and opening the meridians are both extremely time‑consuming water‑grind kung fu; he, Zhao Chuanxiong, spent a full eight years from polishing skin to tempering bones……

「I never expected…… entering bone tempering, just a mere two years, truly made you this mud-leg into a force to be reckoned with! 」

Zhao Chuanxiong narrowed his eyes, gripping the long blade in his hand, truly revealing killing intent.

After all, he had set his sights on Li Che's daughter, but Li Che's martial arts talent is so high that he might return to kill him, becoming a great disaster!

And the surrounding woodcarving shop folk were dumbstruck.

Zhao Xuan and Wang Zhengpin, who together with Li Che received Xu Beihu's instruction in the skin‑polishing method, were somewhat dazed.

Li Che…… had tempered his bones?

How could it be this fast!

Everyone practiced martial arts together; those two are still struggling with skin polishing, having just finished skin polishing and not yet set foot in opening the meridians.

Li Che actually tempered his bones……

Achieving bone‑tempered martial artist status makes one a notable figure even in Wai Cheng!

Li Che's face was ice‑cold; when he had completed opening the meridians, Xu You passed on the Xu Ji bone‑tempering method to him, and now that he displays bone‑tempering cultivation, there is justification for it.

「Captain Zhao, I yield. 」

「You merely suspect and have no qualifications to arrest me and throw me in jail, right? You said the city lord issued a writ to arrest Chen Lao, and that writ also mentions arresting me? 」

「Sun Changbiao covets my daughter; my family are the victims—how could the victims be guilty? 」

Li Che shook out his arms, qi and blood surging throughout his body, and spoke in a deep voice.

Zhao Chuanxiong narrowed his eyes, killing intent fully revealed, the gripped broad‑bladed saber buzzing incessantly.

He tapped his finger on the blade, the silvery‑white blade reflecting his grim countenance.

「Official business—what right does a lowly commoner have to speak up? 」

「If I insist on throwing you into the Flying Thunder Grand Prison, what can you do? 」

On Zhao Chuanxiong's rugged face lay a sheen of cold; he fears death, therefore…… he must kill Li Che.

Even if Li Che is the popular woodcarver of Xu Ji Mu diao Pu, a seed of a woodcarving master…… what does it matter?

Even in Zhao Chuanxiong's view, Li Che, bolstered by such fame…… deserves death all the more.

Otherwise, once Li Che rises, he will die!

「Xu You isn't here; who in Xu Ji can back you up? Even if they ask later…… Xu Ji wouldn't dare move against me, for my great-uncle is the Divine Constable of Nei Cheng, Zhao Xuanhai……」

Zhao Chuanxiong's blade aura gradually surged wildly; this sword technique was clearly mastered to perfection, already showing a trace of blade intent.

Once he attains the Transformation Realm, blade intent will take shape; at that point he could resist even divine cultivators.

A killing intent, raging amidst the wind and snow.

Before the woodcarving shop, many old masters hesitated whether to step forward to help Li Che.

But provoking a mad dog like Zhao Chuanxiong is clearly no good.

Most people, when faced with trouble, choose to preserve themselves through prudence.

Li Che's eyes narrowed, killing intent surging in his heart, yet he also felt a hint of surprise—Zhao Chuanxiong…… actually has a Divine Constable great-uncle?

That was something he had not known before.

Divine Constable…… cultivating into a divine being, the black‑office Divine Constable of Nei Cheng.

He is truly a divine cultivator!

Li Che's heart sank slightly.

To cut the weeds you must remove the roots, but if Zhao Chuanxiong is killed, this root…… is a bit thick, not easy to pull out.

Facing Zhao Chuanxiong's highly aggressive killing intent, Li Che considered how to respond.

In the distance, a bursting sound rang out, a figure darting swiftly forward.

The wind and snow seemed as if a curtain were being torn apart!

Zhao Chuanxiong furrowed his brow, looking toward Xu You hurrying from afar, a flash of surprise crossing his eyes.

Xu You…… isn't he being restrained in Nei Cheng?

It is obvious that Zhao Chuanxiong underestimated Li Che's standing in Xu You's heart; his plan had just begun, Xu You received the news and actually rushed straight back from Nei Cheng……

Xu You is the direct descendant of the Xu family; his arrival made Zhao Chuanxiong realize he could not kill Li Che today.

Sheathing his blade, Zhao Chuanxiong gave Li Che a deep look, then swiftly retreated, not waiting for Xu You to arrive and question him.

Li Che kept his gaze fixed on Zhao Chuanxiong's retreating back.

Xu You landed, kicking up a wave of accumulated snow; the cold wind howled, his face extremely grim.

「Chen Lao was taken away? 」

「This Zhao Chuanxiong…… still wants to take you away? 」

Xu You clenched his fist, veins bulging: 「Simu Bai has gone too far…… too blatant. 」

Li Che startled: 「Simu Bai? 」

「The Spirit Infant Sect launched an attack on Xu Ji's 'Divine Cultivation Academy', seeking to seize Xu Ji's spirit child spirit infant…… I have been urgently recalled to Nei Cheng to stand guard; during this time I cannot remain in Wai Cheng……」

Xu You looked at Li Che, speaking solemnly.

The Spirit Infant Sect dare not touch the 'Divine Cultivation Academy'; this is the foundation of the divine cultivators of the aristocratic clans of Fēiléichéng, but…… we cannot afford to be unprepared, so it is an open plot—I must return……

Zhao Chuanxiong again took Chen Lao away at this moment; I suspect the Spirit Infant Sect's goal…… is Xixi.

Xixi's spirit-child rank is too high; Si Mubai wants to forge a divine foundation, he needs a primer—a top-grade spirit-child primer.

Xu You's voice was icy cold, yet also helpless.

How can the Si clan behave like this…… joining forces with the Spirit Infant Sect, do the other households in Nei Cheng not care? Li Che lowered his eyelids, lightly stroking the veins that bulged on his fist.

Si Mubai is after all the Si clan's direct line, and he is among those hoped to forge a divine foundation; the Si clan will surely protect him firmly, and without evidence, the other clans also cannot say much……

After all, the Si clan's elder who has reached the Divine Foundation realm is still alive.

Xu You exhaled a breath.

Although Si Mubai says he is a divine-foundation seed, …… forging a divine foundation is also extremely difficult, with little hope, so he allied with the Spirit Infant Sect, hoping to rely on the Spirit Infant Dharma Master's 【Nurturing Divine Eagle】 to break through……

The Nurturing Divine Eagle…… needs the divinity of a spirit-child as a primer, so……

Xu You said this much, and Li Che basically understood.

So that's how it is……

Back then, the cooperation that Lei Chunlan and Si Mubai discussed was exactly this.

In other words, back then…… Si Mubai had already set his sights on Xixi.

Si Mubai……

Li Che narrowed his eyes…… a scion of an aristocratic clan?

Not easy to kill……

A cultivator at the peak of Yang Nurturing…… even if Li Che now encounters him, even if he activates the【Dragon Elephant Golden Vajra】, could he kill him?

It's a bit difficult.

But…… it's not impossible to kill!

Even an aristocratic scion can be killed!

You don't need to worry about Chen Lao's side; he'll be fine—Zhao Chuanxiong doesn't dare move him, his aim is merely to transfer him away.

Tonight, you will stay in the courtyard, watch over Xixi, don't go anywhere…… if the situation turns bad, take Xixi and flee, making evasion the priority, buying time!

I can return tomorrow; as long as I hold out until dawn, I will rush back immediately……

I have mentioned your matter to my family as well; unfortunately…… my words carry little weight, otherwise the Xu Firm should have sent a Blood‑Exchange martial artist to protect you and Xixi.

Xu You gave a self‑mocking laugh.

To be unfavored is just this sad.

Xu You has already demonstrated Li Che's excellence, yet he still isn't valued……

Li Che, on the contrary, began to comfort Xu You.

Without many words, Xu You patted Li Che's shoulder, then clasped his fists toward the several senior craftsmen in the shop, uttering a few requests, turned and left, swiftly heading toward Nei Cheng.

Li Che also said little, bade farewell to the people in the shop who were still doubtful of his martial cultivation, turned and returned to the Xu Firm's great estate, back to the courtyard.

The courtyard gate was shut tight; Zhang Ya held Xixi, standing in the room, her face slightly pallid.

As soon as Li Che returned, Zhang Ya immediately found her backbone.

'Husband, Uncle Chen was taken away; …… is he alright?'

Her backbone had returned, but Zhang Ya instead felt less strong, beginning to panic.

Li Che took Xixi from her arms; the little girl was in deep slumber, drooling, as if dreaming of the taste of candied hawthorn.

'It's fine, Chen Lao is fine, just a minor issue……'

'Wife, come here, I'll teach you something.'

Li Che held Xixi in one hand and took Zhang Ya's hand with the other.

After arriving at the study, Li Che opened a chest and took out a palm‑sized black nanmu wooden bird.

'This is the mechanism【Wood Ferry Crow】 I crafted; its power is somewhat strong, and in danger it can protect you and Xixi—I will teach you to operate it……'

Li Che instructed Zhang Ya on operating the【Wood Ferry Crow】; she listened attentively and soon memorized it.

'Take care, do not expose it to open flame……' Li Che cautioned.

Zhang Ya nodded repeatedly, carefully stowing the【Wood Ferry Crow】, then glanced at Li Che with some curiosity.

'Husband…… you said this little wooden bird's power is somewhat strong; just how strong is it?'

The Wood Ferry Crow is the eighth‑ranked mechanism hidden weapon in the Tangji Jianji Yaowu; Li Che, using the talent of the【Immortal Craftsman】 Dao fruit, made slight modifications.

Li Che pondered a moment, then, combining his own strength, weighed and gave an answer.

Power……

'If operated properly, the power is roughly…… like a martial artist such as Chen Lao, a moment's inattention……'

'It could cripple him half‑to‑death.'