Chapter 86: The Drained Temple God, the Three‑Eyed Wrathful True Lord

Even if a Divine Foundation cultivator has fallen, their divinity does not dissipate within a short time; it remains.

At this point, if one uses some secret arts, they can devour the divinity in the corpse and make it their own.

Although there may be a mismatch of divinity.

But even if mismatched, one can still refine and extract to remove the mismatched divinity will.

Such secret arts first spread from a high-rank Guiyi Miao, later becoming a major evil sect's supreme doctrine in the Dàjǐng martial world, bringing about one slaughter feast after another.

Cao Guang's eyes flickered, his heart slightly shocked.

He obtained such a doctrine from the sect……

But now, when he tries to use it, he feels no divinity at all from Yang Jing's corpse—this is unreasonable.

"This Ox Demon……"

Cao Guang narrowed his eyes, suddenly seeming to understand something, somewhat enlightened.

"No wonder this Ox Demon's strength grows so rapidly each time it appears; although its martial talent is extraordinary, its divinity also increases just as fast……"

"Turns out it's the same as me; that explains it."

"But who taught the Ox Demon? Why does it appear in Fēiléichéng? Is it targeting me? Or…… to pluck the fruit of my 'Thousand Buddha Carving Banquet'?"

Cao Guang only felt a vague black shadow watching him in the darkness, like the world's most venomous snake.

He finally snorted in laughter.

"No matter what, this Ox Demon…… is inferior to me."

"Even if we are fellow sect members, I am the senior, you the junior—just behave as a junior…… have some soup."

"If you want to pluck the fruit…… you must leave your life behind!"

Cao Guang's eyes turned a bit colder and fiercer.

Afterwards, he glanced at Cao Qingyuan, splattered all over with rotting flesh and broken bones, his eyes full of disgust.

"Clean up these disgusting things."

"Then…… go to other cities, send people to bring back a few spirit children to fill those two vacancies."

"Thousand Buddha Carving Banquet…… must be sped up."

The words fell.

Cao Guang then stepped away, disappearing at the hall's corner.

Cao Qingyuan, however, performed the rites respectfully, daring not to object.

But in reality, Cao Qingyuan's lowered head hid eyes that were also blazing.

Thousand Buddha Carving Banquet……

The temple god's blessing.

He had also long awaited it.

……

……

"Gulug!"

A Python Blood Martial Pill dropped into his belly, as if transmitting the muffled sound of Stone Fall Great Lake.

This is a pill usable only by those at the Meridian Opening Realm.

Qi and blood break through into the meridians, forming a Small Circulation internal qi flow route within the body, penetrating tendons and muscles, covering the five viscera and six bowels.

Each circulation is a fusion of internal strength and qi-blood, forming a surge of greater internal qi.

Li Che could feel the Python Blood Martial Pill rolling in his abdomen, as gastric juices wore it down, slowly releasing its potency.

Boom——!

The moment the pill's outer coating cracked, it was as if a python was churning up the sea inside his stomach!

Qi and blood seemed to ignite instantly, his insides roasting like a furnace!

【Dragon Elephant Vajra】 Path Fruit hummed and trembled, as if a dragon's roar and an elephant's cry, instantly crushing the Python Blood Martial Pill!

Vast medicinal power surged like a gale, driving qi and blood, racing through the meridians, like a raging torrent washing the five viscera and six bowels!

Li Che's whole body emitted a sound like metal grinding, his skin turning crimson.

"How overbearing!"

Li Che's eyes opened wide, as if flames burned within; ordinary people refining a Python Blood Martial Pill must slowly simmer it.

【Dragon Elephant Vajra】 Path Fruit directly crushed the pill, forcefully urging its potency……

Li Che's flesh gave a "thud-boom" sound, expanding a circle, continually swelling; thick tendons like flood dragons on his back twitched, his whole body having a unique rhythm, driving qi and blood, merging internal strength.

The Primordial Small Circulation Meridian Method was almost squeezed out by his flesh to the extreme.

Internal qi kept arising, filling his limbs and bones!

The meridian-opening stage within the Meridian Opening Realm differs from earlier external refinements like grinding discs, opening tendons, tempering bones; it is an internal tempering of the physique, which can be called internal refining of tendons, bones, and the five viscera and six bowels.

Yet while internal refining, one must also accumulate internal qi; the growth of internal qi is the foundation for advancing in the meridian-opening cultivation.

A single Python Blood Martial Pill's efficacy lasted hardly half an hour before Li Che completely exhausted and absorbed it.

Li Che's skin steamed, hissing; the internal qi of the Small Circulation grew from a thin snake to a swimming dragon.

Li Che rose, his gaze sweeping.

【Path Fruit: Dragon Elephant Vajra (LV3, 5%)】

One martial pill directly increased the maturity of Dragon Elephant Vajra by 5%; this speed is truly astonishing.

However, Li Che could understand; this was his first time taking a pill, so a better effect is normal.

Afterwards, continued consumption will certainly not have such a rapid increase.

"Then just take a few more……"

Li Che sweat poured down, he sensed his fleshly condition, finding nothing amiss, then he pulled out another pill and swallowed it.

Since these martial pills were scavenged from the Yang family's treasury, taking them doesn't hurt; the only drawback is their limited quantity—once they're gone, I may have to find another way to obtain martial pills.

Feeling the pill's medicinal power dissolve once more in his abdomen.

Li Che's eyes grew slightly deeper.

"With the Dragon Elephant Golden Body Dao Fruit's ability to squeeze out a pill's medicinal potency, my meridians should soon be able to assault the profound meridians—but… the Primordial Origin Profound Meridian Method, Senior Qing Shan said, can only be obtained after entering the Divine Sect."

"But I suppose it won't be long."

"Senior Qing Shan has now revealed his identity, which is probably also a sign that he'll soon return to the Divine Sect."

"Then I'll… hold back a bit longer."

"I possess the Yang family's Divine Foundation Forging Method; Senior Qing Shan said that higher-tier Divine Foundation Methods can override lower-tier ones…"

"So martial arts can be held back…"

"But the path of divinity, I wonder if I can try…"

"Forging a Divine Foundation?"

……

……

The sky was faint with dawn, the winter rain had just ceased.

The morning chill grew ever more intense.

Distant mountains were wrapped in a ribbon-like thin mist; from afar they looked like ink blots diffused in a blank landscape painting.

The Xu family, Divine Cultivation Academy.

Granny Mu had regained her tranquility; without the children's clamor, she seemed a touch lonely and austere.

She gripped a snake-headed wooden crutch, while her other hand held scissors, trimming the flowers in the courtyard whose leaves were dotted with winter rain droplets.

Suddenly.

A figure in green robes appeared, drifting down into the courtyard, gazing at Granny Mu across the flowers.

Granny Mu stared for a moment, then ignored the newcomer, squeezing the scissors harder; snippets of flower stems and leaves fell away.

"Still throwing a tantrum…"

Li Qing Shan looked at Granny Mu and couldn't help but grin.

He reached out, instinctively intending to ruffle the girl's head.

But the sharp scissors rang out, flung wide, blocking the path of Li Qing Shan's palm.

"I'm no longer the little girl I was—don't touch me, or I'll cut you!" Granny Mu glared, brandishing the scissors as a threat.

"Hahaha, I'm hard and fierce now—go ahead and try to cut me!"

Li Qing Shan's lips curled upward as he burst into laughter.

"This girl still has that familiar spoiled streak, unchanged after all these years."

Granny Mu snorted, set down the scissors—Li Qing Shan is now a renowned expert on the Divine Foundation Register.

She naturally knew his body was formidable.

"Can't be bothered to cut; it'd just ruin the scissors for nothing."

"What business does a great expert of the Primordial Origin Divine Sect have coming to see an old woman like me? That grandson… Li Shifu took him away—go find him at Li Shifu's." Granny Mu pursed her lips, giving a sideways glare.

Li Qing Shan's palm landed as he wished on Granny Mu's head, gently rubbing: "That big-headed brat isn't my grandson; he's merely my disciple."

"Back when I dumped this brat on you, besides teasing you, it was also to find an excuse to protect Xixi—that girl has outstanding divinity talent; I'll take her to the prefectural city, where her talent should let her pass the sect entrance exam easily."

Granny Mu's eyes lit up at the words, but soon dimmed again, her expression turning cold.

"All right, old lady, I understand—you may go."

Having said that, she leaned on her crutch and walked into the courtyard.

Li Qing Shan watched the old woman's staggering back, sighed softly: "Mu Mu, come with me; though I'm observing divine appearances, I specially seized this chance to descend the mountain in my mortal form just to see you…"

"This time, I'll see who dares to block me… then I'll smash them."

Granny Mu paused her stance.

"Li Qing Shan, I'm already old…"

"Old, huh."

Li Qing Shan walked lightly to Granny Mu's side.

Just as before, green mountains and clear waters.

Gently ruffling the girl's head.

He, Li Qing Shan, could smash countless heads, but only before a girl does he show tenderness.

Gazing at the distant mountains.

Li Qing Shan spoke softly, his words gentle.

"No problem; we can still watch the sunset together."

……

……

The Primordial Origin Divine Sect's emissaries for selecting spirit children have arrived.

City Lord Cao Guang personally welcomed them, and per custom, will host a banquet at the Golden Splendor Pavilion in three days, also summoning the great clans to bring the children from the Divine Cultivation Academy to test their divinity talent.

The great clans of Nei Cheng in Feiliecheng will all attend, even those divine foundation elders who usually stay in seclusion will show up.

This counts as a major city event that occurs only every few years.

It's merely a formality for both the Divine Sect and the imperial court to go through the motions.

"Is the An clan moving out of the city? Heading to Golden Light Prefecture City?"

In the courtyard, Li Che was guiding Xixi in martial practice while listening to Chen Lao's return from his outing and the news he brought; he instantly froze.

This An family...

So decisive?

Yesterday the Yang family patriarch was just killed, and today the entire clan immediately left the city, making a clean escape.

The An family patriarch's talent for evasion lives up to its reputation, and he even brought the whole family along in a swift getaway.

Chen Lao also smacked his lips, repeatedly marveling.

Deep in Li Che's eyes, a hint of regret and pity flickered.

His Wrath divinity... has run away.

Now, to obtain a cultivation method for the Wrath divinity, I may have to seek another path; such methods are precious but not easy to find, after all they might not even be available on the black market.

After finishing guiding Xixi and his wife Zhang Ya in martial practice, Li Che then headed to the independent workshop.

Sitting on the wooden chair in the workshop, Li Che held the bright white carving knife, carving a divinity wooden sculpture.

The rustling wood shavings fell, accompanied by the winter breeze, floating up.

Moments later, a vivid wooden sculpture took shape.

Capturing the divinity between heaven and earth, it was stored within the wooden carving.

Before his eyes, a flowing light prompt appeared.

【Dao Fruit: Immortal Artisan (LV3, 29%)】

The progress of Immortal Artisan is very slow.

"Looks like I need to make more new mechanisms; the Tangji Jianji Yaowu still has some mechanisms I can craft. Besides... my conceived 'Namo Immortal Artisan Barrett' could also be tried, as the penetrative power of bodhi blood tears fits well."

"Also, the power of the Wood Transit Crow needs improvement..."

"Indeed, handicraft becomes harder to improve the further along you go."

Li Che's fingers danced, the knife constantly fluttering over the wood as he began crafting a smaller 'Namo Immortal Artisan Gatling', prepared for Xixi; this girl... has been nagging incessantly lately.

Of course, he will deliver it to her in the form of the Ox Demon, and also give her a Qiankun Jade to store the Gatling.

This can also be considered a means of self-defense for Xixi.

Li Che felt somewhat busy; he needs to cultivate martial arts, work on Immortal Artisan, and refine divinity...

Upon standing, his bones and joints crackled all over.

Dominant qi and blood surged.

Li Che casually drew out and placed on his face an adorable bovine mask.

Before his eyes, the flowing light flickered.

【Dao Fruit: Chess Sage (LV1, 89%)】

The advancement speed of the Chess Sage Dao Fruit... exceeds Li Che's expectations somewhat.

Yet it is also within expectations.

After all, condensing the divinity of a Divine Foundation from the Yang family patriarch into chess pieces directly boosted maturity by a large margin.

With a clench of his fingers, the divinity thunder chess pieces left in the 'Three-Eyed Wrathful True Lord Spirit Infant Guiyi Miao' outside the city were instantly grasped in his hand.

Opening his eyes again, he found himself already inside the Guiyi Miao where candlelight swayed.

During this time, Zhao Xuanhai's Wrathful Amitabha divinity had long been exhausted; Li Che substituted it with the temple god's wrathful divinity, which worked surprisingly well, with basically no rejection.

Now, the Wrathful Amitabha divinity has reached the peak of nurturing nature like a river.

The forging of a Divine Foundation is not far off either.

"However, I have yet to master the Divine Foundation method of the Wrathful Amitabha."

"This method... should be available at the lord's manor."

Having finished drawing divinity, Li Che leapt down from the altar.

He glanced around at the ever-increasing variety of Spirit Child wooden figurines arranged about.

Li Che's brows furrowed slightly.

"Lord... or rather, the Thousand Buddha Carving Feast of the Spirit Infant Sect's sect master?"

"The purpose of the Thousand Buddha Carving Feast should be sacrifice; through sacrifice... to awaken the temple god? And how exactly is it carried out?"

Li Che glanced and felt that countless Spirit Infant wooden figurines seemed to flow with various emotions, making his heart involuntarily irritable and angry.

【Immaculate Mind】 Dao Fruit within, pure white divinity surged, his heart became calm and tranquil.

He restrained the urge to destroy these Spirit Infant wooden figurines, for Li Qingshan had said these wooden figurines worship the temple god, creating a special bond between them.

Even destroying just one Spirit Infant wooden figurine would cause the temple god to sense it and then awaken.

Regarding the unknown temple god, Li Che still felt some apprehension, unwilling to face it lightly.

He only wanted to quietly draw the temple god's divinity; as for fighting the temple god, he had no such intention.

He exhaled a breath.

Li Che glanced at the Three-Eyed Wrathful True Lord Spirit Child placed on the altar.

Smiling, Li Che donned the Ox Demon mask, leapt onto the altar, steady and unmoving.

Gazing at the temple god wooden figurine's glazed head, Li Che reached out his hand.

His palm covered the wooden figurine's head.

His palm suddenly turned jade-colored, as if a thin jade mist wrapped around his arm.

Like a jade carving, it was exquisite and splendid.

Boom!!!

A powerful suction force erupted from the Thousand Hands, beginning to draw in the divinity contained within the temple god wooden figurine.

One by one, pitch-black divinity chess pieces slowly floated up around Li Che.

Blackish qi drifted away.

The temple god wooden statue seated high on the altar grew ever more furious in expression, like a child whose treasures have been snatched away.

The vertical eye between its brows seemed almost to spin with anger.

Unfortunately, it always fell just short.

Li Che sank into concentration as the Dragon-Elephant Golden Body Dao Fruit reached level 3, and the Thousand Accord Hand's devouring power seemed to have grown stronger.

The speed of devouring divinity grew ever faster!

Originally, in two hours, only half a temple god divinity chess piece could be devoured.

Now…… Li Che, in half an hour, managed to condense one.

One after another, chess pieces exuding black qi floated; every two hours, a set of four pieces drifted around his body.

Adding the previously condensed pieces, there were a total of nine temple god divinity chess pieces.

Perhaps feeling somewhat unsatisfied, when Li Che still intended to devour the ninth temple god chess piece.

The Thousand Accord Hand's overbearing devouring power burst forth……

But……

Causing Li Che's pupils to contract; to his astonishment, no divinity was devoured at all.

The temple god…… seemed to have been sucked dry by him!

No…… can it still be sucked dry?

However, soon Li Che felt the temple god wooden statue erupt with an extremely scorching, burning sensation.

Yet he saw that the temple god wooden statue, whose head Li Che had covered, the third vertical eye on its forehead……

Its eyeball actually began to roll around with a gurgling sound.

"Pa!"

Abruptly.

One hand of the Three-Eyed Furious True King Infant Spirit temple god wooden statue suddenly sprang up, fiercely grabbing Li Che's hand that was slick and bald on his head.

Boom——

Outside the Guiyi Miao, winter thunder seemed to roll, electric snakes wandering.

Inside the Guiyi Miao, all candlelights flickered, casting the shadow of the infant spirit wooden statue askew and twisted, like myriad demons and gods dancing wildly.

The atmosphere seemed to fall into an instant chill.

Between heaven and earth, a moment of silence.

It seemed only the sound of the heart pounding in the chest could be heard, like a thunderclap, like a great bell.

But none of that mattered…… What mattered was that Li Che felt a surge of scorching heat flow from that temple god wooden statue into his Thousand Accord Hand.

The Thousand Accord Hand's jade hue flowed.

Information was transmitted via the Thousand Accord Hand, slowly unfolding in Li Che's mind.

……

【Divine Foundation Law (Eight Extremes Supreme Grade): Three-Eyed Furious True King Divine Foundation】

Today's first update, begging for monthly tickets, recommendation tickets, and subscriptions! Old Li continues writing, or a ten-thousand-character update!