Chapter 66

The raging gust smashed the slowly drifting snowflakes drifting down from the firmament.

Xu He Li tapped the ground with lightning speed, kicking up streaks of snow dust; his whole body shot forward like an arrow released from a bow, swiftly darting toward the courtyard deep in the lane.

When he reached the courtyard gate, he bent his knees fiercely, explosive qi and blood bursting from his body, leaping onto the high wall like a sharp spear and standing atop it.

The wind wailed, howling like ghosts crying.

Xu He Li's qi and blood circulated, filling his limbs, his eyes bright as he gazed into the courtyard.

The cold plum blossoms hung quietly, laden with accumulated snow.

Yet in the courtyard's center, Li Che wore an ox-hide apron, seated on a chair, holding a carving knife, carving a wooden figurine; shavings fell from the sharp silver-white blade, piling up on the ground.

Shush, shush shush…

The sound was a soft rustle, yet rhythmic; the faint divinity of heaven and earth was subtly captured, merging into the wooden carving.

Though the carving marks were rough, the figure faintly came to life.

Xu He Li furrowed his brow, the hand gripping his sword hilt slowly loosening.

It wasn't him……

Li Che was still carving the divine wooden figurine; the gathering and drawing of heaven and earth's divinity required time to brew and the mind to settle.

It was impossible to have just finished killing someone and then immediately slip into the state of carving a divine wooden figurine.

That would risk going berserk.

Yet observing Li Che now, it was clear he had adjusted his state for a long while, immersed in carving, drawing the wandering divinity of heaven and earth.

Even a Nine Luminaries-level wood-carving master would struggle to switch states in such a short time.

Li Che slowly halted his motion, turned his head and frowned, seeming annoyed at the disturbance as he looked toward Xu He Li perched on the walltop.

"Shopkeeper…… barging into my independent workshop like this isn't proper, is it?"

Li Che said lightly.

Upon hearing this, Xu He Li floated down, his eyes still carrying an evaluative gaze.

But…… what a coincidence!

Zhao Xuanhai had just come to seize Li Che, but in the lane where Li Che was, the Ox Demon laid eyes on him and beat him to death……

Could the Ox Demon truly have nothing to do with Li Che?

Or perhaps……

Could the Ox Demon be hiding inside Li Che's workshop?!

"Disturbing Master Li, a murder case occurred in the lane…… the culprit, the Ox Demon, appeared and killed the Divine Constable Zhao Xuanhai; Master Li, at least a Quenching Bone Perfected Martial Artist, surely should have sensed the qi‑blood and divinity battle erupting in the lane?"

Xu He Li's face darkened slightly.

Li Che glanced at Xu He Li as if looking at a fool and chuckled: "What good would sensing it do? Opening the courtyard gate to watch the commotion, only to be silenced by that vicious Ox Demon?"

Xu He Li momentarily stalled.

Indeed, given the Ox Demon's brutal strength, if Li Che truly dared to open the door and peek at its killing, that head‑twisting Ox Demon would surely not hesitate to twist off his head.

Li Che, merely at Quenching Bone, how could he resist an Ox Demon capable of killing one at the Nurturing Like a River realm?!

"Proprietor, just say what you have to say straight out……"

Li Che picked up the wood carving, examined it closely, and said lightly.

Xu Heli stared at Li Che's indifferent look, his eyes narrowing: "I've offended you."

His words fell.

Xu Heli's physique burst with qi and blood, his divine nature surged, and he vanished in a flash on the spot.

After a moment, having finished searching the whole house, he returned to the courtyard.

"Proprietor, do you suspect the Bull Demon is hiding in my courtyard?"

"The Bull Demon is ferocious; I fear that if it hides and Master Li doesn't know, then if the Bull Demon harms Master Li's life, it would be disastrous." Xu Heli said with a smile.

Li Che narrowed his eyes, looking at Xu Heli indifferently.

Without his consent, they searched his private residence……

Xu Heli never regarded him at all, an aloof attitude that made Li Che even more certain that the Xu family had truly sold him, this woodcarving master, to the city lord's manor.

Zhao Xuanhai's appearance here is also no coincidence.

Feeling the rich divine aura of the Suspending Thought Flowing Sword emanating from Xu Heli's body, Li Che lightly licked his lips, feeling the urge to kill Xu Heli and then… drain him dry.

He shook his sleeve, the poisoned sleeve-crossbow primed and ready.

After all, if you are unkind, don't blame me for being unjust.

The Xu family indeed gave him shelter when he was weak, but since you have sold me, the affection is naturally exhausted.

Li Che also didn't understand why the Xu family would push a woodcarving master outward…… According to common sense, it shouldn't be like that.

Even if he knows he will leave Fēiléichéng and is unwilling to make connections for resources, he shouldn't offend to the point of death, right?

This does not conform to the usual conduct of the Shijia Zhuzu.

Just as Li Che hesitated whether to act, his pupils suddenly narrowed slightly.

He only felt the Flawless Heart Dao fruit in his chest beating violently, a strong warning that made him dispel the thought of acting.

Yet on the courtyard wall, a palm-sized, lifelike wood carving appeared at some unknown time, the carving standing on the black tiles, as if it had become a living person, coldly observing the scene inside the courtyard.

Xu Heli caught sight of the wood carving person, slightly startled, he clasped his fists in a bow.

"Old Sir."

The Xu family's ancient ancestor……

A Divine Foundation cultivator!

Li Che's heart was greatly shocked.

"Heli, come back; the Bull Demon isn't hiding in Master Li's courtyard. Apologize to Master Li—after all, a master is a master, and our Xu family must give him the respect he deserves."

A faint voice came from the wooden carving's mouth.

"Yes." Xu Heli replied respectfully.

That wooden carving glanced at Li Che; though its eyes were carved, they were vividly lifelike, as if a real person had cast their gaze.

This craftsmanship… is extremely exquisite!

Such a wooden carving undoubtedly comes from a master's hand!

But mainly, it's the divine nature imparted to the wooden carving, making it lifelike, that is even more terrifying.

And it was precisely because he sensed the wooden carving's appearance that Li Che dismissed the idea of moving Xu Heli.

Watching the silently departing Xu Heli and the divine foundation wooden carving, Li Che's eyes flickered.

"Using a divine-nature wooden carving as a vessel, the powerful divine-nature infusion of a Divine Foundation cultivator is like controlling an avatar?"

"This should be a kind of divine-nature secret art…"

"Divine Foundation cultivator… just a wooden carving bearing divine nature, yet it gives me such great pressure…"

Li Che exhaled a breath, his heart shaken, and he began to regard Divine Foundation cultivators even more seriously.

According to the Nine Luminaries Resentful Weeping Suppress Ghosts Nurture Nature Record obtained from Si Mubai's hands, between divine-nature cultivators, minor realms might possibly achieve cross-realm combat.

But the gap between ranks is like a heavenly chasm.

Even if one practices a Four Emperors-level divine-nature art, as long it remains nurturing nature, facing a Divine Foundation cultivator who practices a Ten Metropolises divine-nature art will still be suppressed.

This is what is called rank suppression.

And a divine-nature art capable of breaking rank suppression… is already a top-tier method in the world.

Li Che slowly exhaled a turbid breath, rubbing the marks on the wooden carving, pursing his lips.

"The divine nature contained within that divine foundation wooden carving must be immensely vast; it really makes one a bit… hungry."

……

……

Independent workshop courtyard.

Floating snow flutters.

Li Che once again immersed himself in carving…

After half an incense stick's time passed, it was confirmed that Xu Heli and the divine foundation wooden carving would not return.

Only then did Li Che rise, stretch, his bones cracking all over, he used divine nature to activate the Chess Saint Dao Fruit, the chessboard intertwined, enveloping the small courtyard, ensuring no surveillance remained.

Only then did he take out Zhao Xuanhai's Cosmos Jade from the Cosmos Space, preparing to tally the gains from this slaying of Zhao Xuanhai.

Besides the Cosmos Jade, there was also Zhao Xuanhai's eight-hundred-catty refined iron great blade, which Li Che had already taken.

Upon divine-nature infusion, the Cosmos Jade pendant was instantly broken.

The treasures inside were instantly exposed to Li Che's perception.

After carefully counting the silver notes, silver ingots, gold leaves, gold ingots, and other wealth-bringing items…

Li Che raised his hand, after the Cosmos Jade was pulled for a few seconds.

Two gold-leather-bound volumes fell into Li Che's hands.

One volume of divine-nature art, one volume of… divine-nature secret art!

The first volume before his eyes:

Dàjǐng Town Temple Eight Extremes Wrathful Maitreya Nurturing Nature Method

Li Che grasped the volume, his eyes blazing.

According to common knowledge of divine-nature cultivation, the Seven Emotions divine-nature art refines the spirit through emotion; choosing one emotion to nurture the divine nature, excess leads to loss of emotional control and spirit-soul split…

Feeling the Immaculate Heart throbbing in his chest, Li Che's breath grew hot.

"Then I… can I cultivate two divine-nature arts at once?"

ps: Please keep reading, please keep reading, please keep reading, daily three reflections, please support monthly tickets and recommendation votes!