Chapter 583: The Dual Qimen Gates Open, Ravenously Devouring Two Hundred Divinity Crystals, the Divine Roc Patriarch Immortal

The azure bull let out a long cry, the fire sea surged!

All the Divine Roc Immortal Hands who were in the meridian fire sea, preparing to locate the Azure Bull Heavenly King's position, saw their expressions change.

They raised their heads and saw above them countless blazing-gold meridian fires coalescing and outlining into a huge bovine phantom.

Without a doubt, someone has already found the Azure Bull Heavenly King!

Palms pressed together, his monk's robe billowing, cutting through the clear wind, the bald and radiant Young Emperor Shì Shàojiā, his expression turned extremely solemn!

On his brows, cicada patterns intertwined, his heart trembled, also feeling a hint of anger.

How…… could someone still be faster than him?

Who is it?

Fù Shǎoxī? Xuānyuán Hào? Or Dōngyáng Immortal Hand?

Only these three could catch Shì Shàojiā's attention; as for the Ba Snake and Jin Míluó, he knew their situation, so he didn't think they could surpass him and find the Azure Bull before him.

Shì Shàojiā's face turned grim, the cicada patterns as if fully coming alive.

As if the sound of cicadas were screaming!

He took a step, the fire sea splitting open as he continually walked toward the Azure Bull's location sensed in his perception.

His steps were swift, his strong will allowing him to navigate the meridian fire with increasing ease.

At this moment, he felt myriad curiosity toward the one who had gotten ahead of him by a step.

This perhaps is the spirit possessed by a Young Emperor, unwilling to be beneath anyone.

……

……

Li Che's perception trembled without cease, the dragon and elephant manifested, spanning both sides.

His drifting perception clearly captured the Azure Bull's will; Li Che stepped forward, utterly indifferent to the burning power of the meridian fire.

After successfully merging the meridian fire with the primordial dragon-elephant flame, elevating a single Qimen immortal seed to Qimen immortal martial art.

It gave Li Che the ease and adaptability of a fish entering the sea, no longer suffering any erosion from flames, very relaxed.

For others it is a torment and trial, but for Li Che it is instead continually strengthening his own power.

The power of heaven and earth's will contained within the meridian fire, though scant, is the fundamental source that gives the meridian fire its terrifying power.

Thus, Li Che's Qimen apertures frenziedly spun, continuously drawing power from the meridian fire, via the primordial fire tribulation's power, to elevate himself.

However, Li Che did not immerse himself in this cultivation.

He was also seeking the Azure Bull, after all concerning the position of the array-forming immortals.

Li Che wanted to secure a good position.

So he would not readily yield, nor need to feign incompetence.

With his mind opened, the dragon and elephant roared, locking onto the Azure Bull's position, he went straight there.

The fire sea was quickly broken open, like a labyrinth sealing off the meridian fires in all directions, erupting from beneath the plaza, the scorching heat further distorting space.

Li Che halted his steps; in the plaza's center, a void appeared.

The scorching heat here was isolated.

An azure bull lay there quietly; it was a wooden carving of an azure bull, not a real bull, yet it seemed to possess vitality.

Sensing Li Che's arrival, the azure bull slowly turned its head to look; in its dark, deep eyes lay a profundity as if gazing down upon the starry sky.

Azure Bull Heavenly King!

He is not a disciple of the Eternal Laozi, yet under Laozi the Eternal's command, he is the strongest heavenly king.

Even the disciple Golden Crane King falls far short of the Azure Bull Heavenly King!

Just this bull lying there makes heaven and earth tremble; the terrifying Nirvana Heavenly King's origin rages and intertwines, suppressed to the extreme.

"It's you?"

The Azure Bull Heavenly King looked at the appearing Li Che, quite surprised.

And Li Che, looking at the azure bull, was equally astonished.

This is a wooden carving, made of quite ordinary wood, yet carved into a lifelike azure bull that exudes a heavenly king's aura!

This is definitely a wooden carving from the hand of a Divine Roc Great Immortal!

Moreover, it is not an ordinary Divine Roc Great Immortal!

Now Li Che himself is also a Divine Roc Great Immortal, but he asks himself he lacks the ability to carve such a Divine Roc.

Even Zhao Yuan Great Immortal cannot do it!

Such an existence might be a Divine Roc Great Immortal-level being standing at the very pinnacle!

Who is it?

Li Che's heart involuntarily surfaced a name.

The Guǐyāo Cave, Wāhuáng!

Indeed, Wāhuáng is the strongest Divine Roc Great Immortal of the Guǐyāo Cave; even… his Divine Roc level has already surpassed the Great Immortal tier!

He is a unique existence among the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths!

"Senior." Li Che clasped his fists in salute.

The dragon and elephant around him vanished, his whole body emitting a sizzling heat, steam rising.

However, upon stepping into the area where the Azure Bull resides, a cool sensation swiftly surged, entering through his pores into Li Che's body.

His pores tightened; his flesh seemed bolstered under the dual support of ice and fire, growing considerably—this meridian fire trial, unexpectedly, was also a cultivation.

Evidently, an existence like the Eternal Laozi, who established the Divine Craft Immortal Hand Assembly, certainly does not stint on investing resources.

This icy cool sensation is an immense divinity, moreover coming from the divinity within the divinity crystals, its grade not low.

Li Che felt it; it was the divine power that overflowed after crushing the Upper Purity Three Clears divinity crystals.

Not bad, under the Dark Heaven Court's jurisdiction, Canglan Village's Azure-Clear Immortal Hand, in the first Earth Vein Fire trial, the first to find the Azure Ox Immortal Hand, scored, Jia eighty-one.

The Azure Ox opened its mouth, its voice booming.

Then, a powerful divine force coalesced, gathering beside the Azure Ox into a towering wall of divine crystals.

At its topmost point, a line of inscribed text appeared.

Find a place to absorb and refine divinity; this is a rare opportunity—you have just undergone the tempering of the Earth Vein Fire, your body scorching hot, making your absorption of divinity peak.

The field of divinity surrounding this ox was formed when the Immortal Lord Lao shattered three hundred Upper Purify divinity crystals, coalescing into a top-tier cave-heaven blessed land.

The wooden carving of the Azure Ox's gaze fell upon Li Che, and it spoke.

That vivid vitality looked nothing like a wooden carving.

Li Che's heart filled with awe; not only that, the Immortal Craft Dao Fruit within his chest throbbed violently, as if at this moment he was filled with a yearning to study this Azure Ox wooden carving.

However, wanting to study this Azure Ox is by no means easy.

It seems to possess genuine vitality, with extremely keen perception.

If Li Che were to actually touch it, he wouldn't know what level of danger he might provoke.

But Li Che deeply memorized this Azure Ox wooden carving; if the chance arose… he could take it away to study.

As research into the Heaven-Earth Nine Sigils hit a bottleneck, advancing the Immortal Craft Dao Fruit also became arduous.

The Immortal Craft Dao Fruit has now undergone seven transformations; after seven transformations, further metamorphosis is harder than before.

Before, one could still rely on the Heaven-Earth Nine Sigils, but now perhaps only hope can be placed on this Azure Ox wooden carving.

Li Che found a spot and sat cross-legged.

He wasn't being polite either, with such vast divinity…

Taking a deep breath, it seemed as if condensed, substantive divinity surged into his nostrils.

Three hundred Upper Purify divinity crystals—what a grand gesture!

Truly worthy of the Immortal Lord's hand—extremely lavish!

Li Che raised his hand and tapped his glabella.

The Seven Apertures Exquisite Heart now resides within the Arms-Reaching Heavenly Embrace Armor, aiding the Golden Hooped Staff in transforming the Heavenly Embrace origin.

Thus, Li Che intends to directly absorb all this divinity into the Mystic Gate Immortal Martial just forged in the Earth Vein Fire!

Li Che's eyes gleamed slightly; transforming from Mystic Gate Immortal Seed to Mystic Gate Immortal Martial is a metamorphosis with enormous energy demand.

Now…

It happens to be just the time to top up!

Divinity absorption!

Li Che's whole person seemed to become a vortex, frantically absorbing; the surrounding divinity was instantly drawn in, the divinity from the shattered three hundred divinity crystals condensing into three hundred streams like water, winding like dragons.

One divinity dragon entered the Mystic Gate apertures, instantly sinking like mud into the sea, and absorption continued!

Li Che actually does not reject absorbing divinity, because after the absorbed divinity is refined, it transforms into divinity suited to the body; when reversing to become a Martial Immortal, these divinity will simultaneously transform into qi and blood!

Thus, divinity cultivation can even aid Li Che's Martial Immortal cultivation!

Therefore, Li Che had no reservations whatsoever!

Devour, frenzied devour!

One after another, divinity dragons were devoured by Li Che!

Ten, twenty, thirty…

Li Che was like a bottomless pit, frantically absorbing!

Soon, he reached a hundred!

Li Che took a deep breath; the Mystic Gate Immortal Martial quickly filled up, having swallowed a hundred divinity crystal dragons, and needed to rest awhile to await refinement.

But Li Che did not stop; he still had another Mystic Gate Immortal Martial!

Namely, the Mystic Gate aperture opened by the Heaven-Earth Nine Sigils blade.

Such a once-in-a-thousand-years opportunity—how could Li Che let it pass!

Swallow!

Li Che wasn't in a hurry to refine; he first absorbed all the divinity streams, then would talk.

Another hundred were absorbed by the Mystic Gate aperture, and Li Che finally felt the sensation of being 'full'.

At the same time.

Li Che's jet-black hair flew up, his eyes opened, gazing into the distance as that sea of fire was split apart.

As if a sharp cicada's chirring rang out, like a demon-slaying blade cleaving the fire sea.

A figure emerged with palms pressed together, monk's robes fluttering.

As soon as he appeared, his gaze swiftly fell upon Li Che.

Shi Shao jia was startled, seemingly never expecting that Li Che would be the first to appear here.

He had thought it might be Fu Shao xi, or the Two Saints Ancient Village, or Xuan Yuan Hao of the Emperor Hong Ancient Village, etc.

Yet he never imagined it would be the Azure-Clear Immortal Hand from the Dark Heaven Court.

"How… did he manage that?"

The Azure-Clear Immortal Hand's cultivation is not particularly strong; logically, he shouldn't have appeared here so quickly.

Li Che's gaze also met his; Shi Shao jia quickly regained his composure, the golden cicada markings gradually fading from his face.

He nodded at Li Che, then his gaze fell upon the Azure Ox wooden carving and the ranking list constructed from the condensed divinity beside it.

He stared long at the name 'Azure-Clear'.

After exchanging greetings with the Azure Ox, the ox then etched Shi Shao jia's name onto the ranking list.

"Black Sumeru Lesser Emperor Shi Shao jia, first Earth Vein Fire trial, second place, score seventy-one."

Seventy‑one, ten points shy of first place!

Shi Shao jia's eyes seemed woven with Buddha light as he gazed at the name stamped on his own head, softly chanting the tranquil heart Buddha's name.

As a Young Emperor, to be stepped on the head by an ordinary Divine Eagle Immortal Hand is truly a rare sight.

However, Shi Shao jia did not flare up; he found a spot, sat cross‑legged, and began absorbing divinity to cultivate.

"The divinity from a hundred shattered divinity crystals?"

"Laozi Immortal is pretty generous too."

Shi Shao jia sensed around, then sighed.

The divinity from a hundred Three Purities Upper‑rank divinity crystals is also a grand gesture, yet it didn't startle Shi Shao jia too much.

None exceeded two hundred; Laozi Immortal… is a bit generous, but not much.

Shi Shao jia muttered a complaint to himself, then sat cross‑legged, and indeed did not waste the cultivation state after tempering his body in the Earth Vein Fire.

Li Che stopped absorbing divinity and began slowly refining it.

Time trickled by.

Around the Azure Bull Wood Carving, the space gradually saw more and more Divine Eagle Immortal Hands appear.

Fu Shao xi, Xuan Yuanhao, Dongyang, Bashe, Jin Miro and the others all broke through the Earth Vein Fire and located the Azure Bull Wood Carving.

Naturally, almost everyone's gaze lingered on Li Che for a moment, all seeming amazed that the Cangche Immortal Hand would appear here so quickly.

However, only the top few; thereafter, most Divine Eagle Immortal Hands that found the Azure Bull via the Earth Vein Fire had exhausted themselves, on the brink of death from the fire.

Where would they have the mind to pay attention to Li Che?

But Li Che ranking first on the list still made many hearts surge, feeling that Li Che must have been given some trump cards and backup by Young Emperor Ji Shao hao!

Li Che naturally didn't care what the various cultivators thought, his mind wholly focused on refining divinity.

The divinity from two hundred Three Purities Upper‑rank divinity crystals…

He absorbed them all into two extraordinary immortal martial apertures, almost about to burst.

Of course, this is also because the Seven Apertures Exquisite Heart was absent, having been placed by Li Che in Mo City Fengdu; otherwise, with the Seven Apertures Exquisite Heart assisting, the refining speed would surely be much faster.

Nevertheless, Li Che still mobilized the power of the Immaculate Heart Dao Fruit to aid refinement.

Because of this auxiliary refinement, the maturity of the Immaculate Heart Dao Fruit actually increased!

Truly an unexpected delight.

Afterward, the Azure Bull Wood Carving basically remained still, just a pair of eyes quietly watching the continually appearing Divine Eagle Immortal Hands.

In the Earth Vein Fire, the last Divine Eagle Immortal Hand could not withstand this power, was burned to nothing, turning into a ray of fire sent out after the Earth Vein Fire formation.

The first round of assessment thus completely fell its curtain.

Chi chi chi—

The void twisted, the air scorched by high heat underwent deformation.

The number of Divine Eagle Immortal Hands who passed through the Earth Vein Fire totaled one hundred fifty‑three!

The divinity from a hundred shattered divinity crystals, supplying over a hundred Divine Eagle Immortal Hands for cultivation, is indeed rather strained.

But many Divine Eagle Immortal Hands instead praised Laozi Immortal's generosity.

Li Che remained silent, if others knew, at the beginning Laozi Immortal had prepared three hundred divinity crystals' divinity for everyone, yet he alone absorbed two hundred……

Likely they'd be furious and beat him to death!

Boom rumble rumble—

When the first round ended, they gave many Divine Eagle Immortal Hands roughly half a day to rest, then started the second round.

The Earth Vein Fire slowly receded, the plaza originally obscured by the blazing golden Earth Vein Fire reappeared before everyone's eyes.

The many cultivators originally waiting atop the bronze city walls had their eyes brighten instantly, they all cast their gazes and senses.

Those eliminated, as well as the cultivators who originally came along, such as Ji Shao hao, etc.

A sweep of their gazes, finally their eyes converged onto the ranking list.

Ji Shao hao clenched his fists, in his heart he actually had little expectation for Li Che, merely thinking that Li Che making it into the top twenty would be not bad.

Li Che was not eliminated, Ji Shao hao's heart was actually quite relieved.

Although he had encouraged Li Che, for Li Che to reach the top three, that difficulty… was truly too great, too great.

But when the blazing golden Earth Vein Fire receded, the scene that appeared gave Ji Shao hao a genuine shock and delight!

First?!

What the heck!

Ji Shao hao was a bit dazed, this completely surpassed his imagination.

Are these two Young Emperors, Shi Shao jia and Fu Shao xi, really that useless?

How could the Cangche Immortal Hand's cultivation be so weak, yet suppress these two?

While Ji Shao hao felt joy, his brows involuntarily furrowed slightly, a hint of doubt surfacing.

Those capable of becoming Young Emperors have meticulous minds; looking at the calm‑faced Cangche Immortal Hand now, doubts arose in his heart.

However, at this moment, the Cangche Immortal Hand had become a member of the Obscure Heaven Court faction, the sole Divine Eagle Immortal Hand to break into the top ten.

The other Divine Eagle Immortal Hands, the best among them, placed in the eighties, receiving only a score of five.

All Divine Eagle Immortal Hands outside the top ten had scores of only five.

Thus, Ji Shao hao could only place his hope on Li Che, because the other Divine Eagle Immortal Hands… are truly useless.

No matter what secrets the Cangche Immortal Hand hides.

As long as it helps him obtain the quota of the next formation Immortal Hand and gain the Equal Heaven Divine Pill, he doesn't care!

Even, he could forgive!

Ji Shao hao had his hands behind his back, white robes fluttering, his eyes gleaming.

As for what malicious intent the Cangche Immortal Hand harbors…

Ji Shaohao doesn't think that a mere deity that hasn't even reached the Cutting Dao realm could cause any trouble in the grand assembly led by Immortal Lao Jun.

What kind of commotion could it possibly stir up!

Even the Dou Tian Palace City, guarded by one Celestial Immortal, three Earth Immortals, and five Nirvana Heavenly Kings, could still be troubled by a single Dao‑merging deity?

Ji Shaohao doesn't believe it.

The surrounding clamor rang on without end.

Gazes shot toward Ji Shaohao, clearly all seeming to think that Li Che could take first place, and that it was related to Ji Shaohao, the Young Emperor of the Dark Heavenly Court.

Perhaps they had already known the first round's assessment, so they gave Li Che special training.

Buzz—

Golden wings flared open violently, countless currents burst forth like sharp sword Qi, clanging.

The Golden Crane King hovered above the Qing Niu wooden sculpture, slowly folding his wings to descend.

The powerful Heavenly King's aura spread and swept.

"Silence!"

The cold voice rippled outward like a ripple, causing every cultivator to fall silent.

No one dared idle chatter; the Nirvana Heavenly King, already angry, was now untouchable.

"The first round results are out; now the second round begins."

The Golden Crane King said lightly.

The Ruyi Golden Cudgel is gone, and he already feels a certain lifelessness.

A sour expression, as if someone had offended him, he would take up his sword and strike at anyone's stance, his once flamboyant banquet spirit completely extinguished.

The many Divine Eagle Immortal Hands, seated in meditation refining their divinity, opened their eyes one after another.

Li Che also finished his refinement, exhaled, and looked at the Golden Crane King.

"The second round's rules are equally simple; after that comes the second round. The rules of the second round, this Heavenly King can tell you in advance; they are not set by Immortal Lao Jun."

"Rather, Immortal Lao Jun specifically went to the Strange Demon Cave and asked the River Empress to descend, setting the rules."

The Golden Crane King said indifferently.

River Empress?!

As a Divine Eagle Immortal Hand, there is one being that cannot be bypassed: the River Empress of the Strange Demon Cave.

She is hailed as the most powerful Divine Eagle Great Immortal across the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, even a being above the Great Immortals!

She is called the Divine Eagle Ancestor Immortal!

She truly stands at the pinnacle of Divine Eagle skill!

Just as Immortal Lao Jun is a Pill Refining Ancestor Immortal.

"The second round's rules... actually there are none."

"Everyone, this wooden sculpture of the Qing Niu Heavenly King was carved by the River Empress; you should have already seen it."

"And the River Empress's rule is simple."

"Observe the Qing Niu Heavenly King wooden sculpture, then carve... a River Empress statue!"

The Golden Crane King's expression softened a bit, his tone showing some respect for the River Empress.

When his rule finished, the entire plaza erupted in clamor; over a hundred Divine Eagle Immortal Hands all showed looks of bewildered doubt.

"Carve the River Empress?"

"No... looking at a cow, how can we carve the River Empress?!"

"Is the River Empress hidden within the Qing Niu wooden sculpture?"

…

This rule is somewhat vague, leaving the Divine Eagle Immortal Hands bewildered.

Li Che's face also couldn't help but show a strange hue.

"Observe the Qing Niu and carve the River Empress?"

This River Empress is a bit mischievous!

But Li Che's heart couldn't help but thump, stirring a few excited emotions.

This Qing Niu wooden sculpture was indeed carved by the River Empress; since that's the case, observing the Qing Niu... might bring him a different reward.

At least it could improve the maturity of his Dao fruit of celestial craftsmanship.

The River Empress, with the Divine Eagle Ancestor Immortal's skill, should not disappoint his Dao fruit of celestial craftsmanship.

"Now, everyone may begin preparations; the divine wood material will all be the same, carving time is unlimited. Once finished, the Qing Niu wooden sculpture will give a score, and based on the two-round scores, the ranking of the eighty-one formation Immortal Hands will be decided."

The Golden Crane King said.

When his words ended, the Golden Crane King flicked his sleeve sharply.

Sword Qi, like a celestial maiden scattering flowers, whistled out, slicing the void; the void cracked open, and piece after piece of blue divine wood fell from the fissures.

Guided by the sword Qi, they landed before each Divine Eagle Immortal Hand.

A piece of blue divine wood also hovered before Li Che.

"This is... the Second Saint's lower-tier divine wood!"

Li Che took a deep breath.

Stars plucked from his brow reflected brilliance, discerning the divine wood's grade.

Handling such divine wood is no easy task.

Without sufficient cultivation, one cannot even cut the divine wood, let alone carve upon it!

Thus, the invisible ladder is actually a test of cultivation!

He spread his five fingers wide and pressed them onto this exceedingly precious lower‑tier divine tree of the Two Saints!

Boom.

The divine tree was then smashed hard onto the ground by him.

Muted sounds echoed continuously around, as one divine tree after another hit the ground, yet the Divine Eagle Immortals furrowed their brows, their hearts stirred.

For the task set by Empress Nüwa, they all wore a few lines of worried brows.

Of course, you could choose to carve haphazardly, but could you truly carve Empress Nüwa's likeness?

The Divine Eagle Immortals present, most of them… probably have never seen Empress Nüwa.

Even the Divine Eagle Immortals from the Cunning Demon Cave have never had the chance to see Empress Nüwa; however, Fu Shaoxi, as the young emperor of that cave, sees her often.

But…

Even if they see her often and know her form, they cannot carve her casually.

Who knows what Empress Nüwa hidden within the Azure Ox looks like!

Difficult!

The difficulty of this second round has risen far beyond that of the first.

Although the rules are simple, they heavily test insight, skill, and so on.

Observe the Azure Ox!

Shi Shaojia pressed his palms together and loudly recited a Buddha's name.

Then, sitting cross‑legged, golden cicada patterns rose above his eyes, and his gaze fixed on the lifelike, vibrant Azure Ox statue, studying it closely.

Fu Shaoxi also squinted, his whole body swarming with demonic aura, staring intently at the Azure Ox.

The entire venue fell silent; on the bronze city walls surrounding them, the cultivators watching the second‑round assessment held their breath, daring not to speak loudly.

Ji Shaohao clenched his five fingers, his white robes fluttering; he appeared calm, but his heart roiled like stormy seas.

…

…

At this very moment.

Deep within the Doutuian Palace City.

Three seated figures, each surrounded by rotating multicolored halos, their eyes deep as if a world flickered within.

In the center of the three immortal guardians, Lao Jun Immortal gradually manifested his form.

He was an elderly man with white hair and beard, squinting, eyes crescent‑shaped, complexion rosy, and a multicolored halo perpetually rotating behind him.

"Empress Nüwa's test… the difficulty truly isn't low."

"These Divine Eagle Immortals, I fear it will be hard for them to succeed."

An immortal smiled and said, "To carve a complete Empress Nüwa statue, perhaps no one can achieve it."

"Shi Shaojia, I don't know if you can succeed…"

"Difficult."

"The Empress Nüwa statue isn't the point; the point is to discern the Azure Ox wooden carving, for the carving of Empress Nüwa must have employed the power of the will of Heaven and Earth…"

"They turned ancient talismans into carving divine patterns, merging them into the cuts of the Azure Ox wooden carving… extracting them like pulling silk from a cocoon, difficult indeed."

Another immortal added.

Lao Jun Immortal opened his eyes, his gaze curved like a crescent moon.

"Empress Nüwa knows my purpose is to refine the Qitian Demon Monkey; that demon monkey… does not belong to this realm, and to refine it one must rely on the power of the ancient talismans of Heaven and Earth."

"The alchemy array we set up also must draw on the ancient talisman's power…"

"Therefore, this round of Empress Nüwa's assessment selects for sensitivity to the will‑of‑Heaven‑and‑Earth ancient talismans."

"The more one is sensitive to the ancient talismans of Heaven and Earth, the sooner one's position in the formation, which better activates the divine alchemy array to refine the demon monkey."

"Empress Nüwa remains as considerate as ever, truly moving this old Daoist."

Speaking of Empress Nüwa, Lao Jun Immortal's smile shone brightly.

The other three immortals responded in kind.

…

…

Li Che sat cross‑legged, his five fingers pressing on the lower‑tier divine tree of the Two Saints, his jet‑black hair fluttering.

His gaze fell upon the Azure Ox wooden carving.

"Heavenly King, may I approach and touch the carving?"

As Li Che was pondering,

from afar, Shi Shaojia's eyes, patterned like cicada wings, trembled as he opened his mouth to ask.

The Golden Crane Heavenly King's sharp gaze swept over, bearing a hint of peculiarity.

"Allowed."

"If you can actually touch it."

As soon as the words fell, Shi Shaojia rose, first pressing his palms together and bowing toward the Azure Ox wooden carving.

Then, stepping out in his mud‑free monk shoes, he advanced step by step toward the Azure Ox carving.

Li Che, seeing this, exhaled slowly.

In his chest, the Immortal Craft Dao Fruit bounced wildly.

Li Che's eyes shone brightly.

The ox… can actually be touched?!

(End of chapter)