Chapter 93: The Strong Only Need a Single Push; Your Bull Demon Grandfather Comes to Kill — Seeking Monthly Votes!

The Xu family, for Li Che, can be considered a benefactor who helped him.

Although the one who helped him was Xu You, it was ultimately tied to the Xu family's system.

When he was weak, he also leveraged the Xu family's influence to oppose the Lingying Sect and prevent Xixi from being taken by them.

Therefore, Li Che is actually still grateful to the Xu family.

Otherwise, when Xu Beihu first set his sights on Xixi, Li Che might have already donned a Bull Demon mask in the middle of the night and slipped into Xu Beihu's room.

The moment Li Che returned to Fēiléichéng, what he cared about was the Thousand Buddha Carving Feast.

The Thousand Buddha Carving Feast was clearly a sacrificial rite.

He could clearly sense the changes in divinity between heaven and earth.

Now Li Che has forged the Three‑Eyed Furious True Lord Divine Foundation, his spiritual consciousness refined, and his perceptive power increasingly sharp.

Even without the power of the Chess Sage Dao Fruit, he can still clearly capture the fluctuations of divinity.

However, the Thousand Buddha Carving Feast was, after all, something the city lord Cao Guang had been preparing for many years, and since the emergence of the Lingying Sect, it was Cao Guang who began arranging it.

Therefore, Li Che cannot block it unless he recklessly storms the city lord's mansion and kills Cao Guang.

To be honest, after forging his Divine Foundation, Li Che felt a surge of confidence and actually entertained that thought, but soon he suppressed it.

Because he lacked certainty.

Going in recklessly without absolute certainty would easily put him at a disadvantage.

The main reason is that Cao Guang also holds another identity: he is a follower of the Corpse God Sect.

The Corpse God Sect is not the Lingying Sect that Cao Guang fabricated; it is a truly terrifying sect that has swept across Dàjǐng, a force that gives the Temple Administration and the Divine Sect headaches.

Although Li Qingshan said that the Corpse God Sect's presence in Yúnzhōu is not extensive, its experts and main focus are not in Yúnzhōu.

But judging from the wooden carving of the "Desire‑Comparing Corpse‑Flesh Guanyin" belonging to the horse‑faced man killed last night, the Corpse God Sect… may already have begun infiltrating Yúnzhōu.

Cao Guang may conceal the methods of the Corpse God Sect, which is why Li Che has not rushed in.

After all, without a guaranteed kill, he might only alert the enemy.

Since Li Che has taken action, he does not want to fail.

"Before that, let's first deal with the Xu family's matters."

Li Che's body seemed to merge with the rain and earth, leaving no presence, as if he had become transparent.

The breath‑suppression ability of Sleep Dragon Elephant made Li Che's body temperature, breathing rate, and pulse virtually vanish, fully merging him with the natural earth.

It truly is not inferior to the supreme‑level Turtle Breath Technique.

"Our family set out for the capital today; Xu You even promised Xixi would come to see us off… yet he hasn't shown up. Given Xu You's habit of keeping promises, something must have happened."

"But the divine chess piece placed on Xu You hasn't signaled any warning, indicating it does not involve Xu You's life…"

"It may be why Xu You cannot come to see us off; the matter must be serious."

Li Che silently swept across the long street.

He arrived beyond the high wall of the Xu family mansion; having walked through it many times, he moved with ease, leapt like a hawk spreading its wings, and instantly floated into the courtyard.

His body rose and fell without a trace of qi or blood leaking, and he had already slipped into the Xu family's garden.

Artificial mountains and forests rose, and the corridors twisted endlessly; Li Che's qi and blood cultivation has already reached the peak of his meridians, and with the level‑3 Sleep Dragon Elephant, his breath‑suppression ability has become even more formidable.

Even if he walked past ordinary people, they would likely miss him.

Although there is an elderly master of the Xu family within the mansion who has reached the Divine Foundation realm.

However, the spiritual perception at the initial Divine Foundation stage extends only ten meters; beyond that it becomes hazy and cannot possibly discern the breath‑suppression of Sleep Dragon Elephant.

Thus, Li Che moves with complete freedom, as if he were back in his own home.

Strolling through the rain as if merging with the storm, the passing guards vaguely sensed something amiss, but when they looked around, they saw no one.

……

……

The Xu family mansion, main hall.

Delicacies filled the tables, fine wine was displayed, and a strong aroma of alcohol wafted.

Outside, thunder and lightning flashed, yet inside the Xu family mansion, a family banquet was underway.

Xu You sat on his chair with an extremely grim expression, fists clenched, lips pursed.

He rose early today, intending to see off Li Che's family as they left the capital, for once they go to the capital, meeting again would likely be difficult.

Li Che's family probably would not return to Fēiléichéng, so Xu You treated this as the final farewell.

Although his heart was filled with reluctance, he understood that the capital was the best place for Xixi's development.

Xixi is about to join the Divine Sect for cultivation; in the future she may become a great cultivator, and he should be pleased.

He has even prepared a parting gift.

But before he could step out of the courtyard, his father, who appeared in person, sent someone to call him away.

Xu You thought his father only called him over because he had returned from dealing with the Xiejwei outside the city, and wanted to say a few words.

Xu You went without paying attention, but did not expect that Xu Nanming had prepared an extremely lavish banquet.

At the table, he saw the elderly master he hadn't seen for years, the pillar of the Xu family, the only Divine Foundation cultivator.

Next, there was his elder brother Xu Helì.

However, puzzling him was that his second brother, Xu Beihu, was nowhere to be seen.

"Where's my second brother?" Xu You asked, puzzled.

Xu Helì's eyes flashed with a hint of darkness, but a smile appeared on his face. He poured a cup of wine, drank it, and softly said, "Your second brother went to the capital… saying he has business there."

"What business could there be in the capital…?"

The capital is far from Fēiléichéng, and the Xu family's main trade is a woodcarving shop; woodcarving business cannot reach the capital at all.

Xu Helì said no more, his eyes cold and distant.

Xu Beihu...

That tiger-headed, tiger-brained second brother, who looks extremely honest, actually has such a keen sense of smell, he ran away early, even taking his whole family with him.

Xu Beihu

Really decisive.

But, fortunately...

Xu Heli glanced at Xu You, then slowly drank.

Names: Xu Heli, Xu You.

When the food and drinks were all served.

Old Master Xu personally raised his wine cup, he lightly coughed, his face somewhat unsightly: "The Xu family has stood in Fēiléichéng for over two hundred years; now, in Fēiléichéng, the Si family has declined, the Yang family has been wiped out, the An family has relocated; once the four great Shijia Zhuzu, now only our Xu family remains."

The Xu family's business has completely taken the lion's share, controlling all woodcarving trade in Fēiléichéng, making a profit daily, business booming, worthy of celebration.

Old Master Xu said softly.

Xu You and the others hurriedly poured wine, offering their congratulations.

Xu You, however, felt extremely anxious, already thinking of an escape plan, intending to find an opportunity to leave the banquet and catch up with Li Che's family to see them off.

He swallowed a mouthful of wine.

Xu You, however, did not think too much.

Ah You, your mother passed away early, I haven't paid you much attention; have you ever resented your father?

Xu Nanming poured Xu You a cup of wine; the strong liquor was a transparent red, like diluted blood.

Xu You, however, nervously picked up his wine cup: "How could I resent Father? As the head of the Xu family, Father has too many matters to handle."

In truth, Xu You harbored resentment toward Xu Nanming in his heart; Xu Nanming's attention and concern for Xu Helie and Xu Beihu far surpassed that for him.

Xu You knew that was because his mother was merely a refugee who had fled here.

He had no prominent maternal family, and because his mother died early, Xu Nanming essentially had no feelings for him.

Thus Xu You had long since resigned himself to it.

But the Xu family raised and nurtured him, and this kindness of upbringing was enough to motivate Xu You to strive to serve the Xu family and repay it.

Xu Nanming smiled and glanced at Xu You, his eyes somewhat filled with sigh.

Xu You's temperament… really is not at all like him.

More like his mother, that refugee woman whom he had taken a liking to at first sight, gentle and tranquil; alas… she died early.

If Xu You's mother had not died, Xu Nanming might not have neglected him so much.

"Drink." Xu Nanming said gently.

Together with Xu You, they drained the wine in their cups.

Afterwards, he reached out and patted Xu You's shoulder; this uncommon gesture made Xu You feel an inexplicable flutter in his heart.

"Little You, in the blink of an eye, you've grown this big…"

"Come, have a drink with Grandfather."

The frail Old Master Xu, leaning on his cane against the chair, his cloudy gaze also lifted and fell upon Xu You.

Xu You hurriedly rose in alarm, both hands lifting his wine cup.

The two drank it down in one go.

Xu Helie also poured a cup of wine, walked to his side, patted Xu You's shoulder, clinked cups, and drank it down in one go.

Xu You did not refuse; three cups of wine went down, and the strong alcohol immediately surged.

Although the old master and his father's attitudes were somewhat unusual today, Xu You didn't mind, thinking it likely meant some dangerous task was being arranged for him.

He had long been accustomed to such situations.

Suddenly.

Xu You frowned, and an uncontrollable belch rose from his chest, surging straight to his throat.

The next moment, the belch burst out, an extremely strong bloody smell filling his throat, overpowering the wine aroma, making Xu You's whole body involuntarily tremble slightly.

"This wine…"

Xu You's pupils constricted; he gazed around and saw Xu Nanming, Xu Helie, and Old Master Xu all setting down their wine cups.

Their gazes fixed on him, unwavering.

An inexplicable chill suddenly rose from the crown of his head, instantly spreading throughout his limbs and bones, as if it would freeze his entire body.

Buzz—

A buzzing sound rang from his eardrums, sharp and piercing, assaulting his mind.

"You…"

Xu You felt the extremely strong bloody taste in his mouth.

He seemed to have understood something; so-called familial affection, so-called brotherly love, were nothing but a dream!

He stared at the wine resembling blood, his facial muscles twitching incessantly.

"You… have you gone mad?!"

Xu You staggered to his feet, the chair beneath him instantly overturned.

Thud—

A muffled bell rang, instantly shattering wind and rain, echoing from the direction of the lord's manor; its penetrating power was extremely strong, the sound waves rippling outward in all directions.

Xu You only felt his head about to split, a cold sensation spreading over his body.

"This is…"

Old Master Xu gazed wistfully outward, listening to the bell's resonance, and exhaled.

"The Thousand Infant Carving Feast has begun…"

"The Thousand Infant Carving Feast?"

Xu You's mind was hazy; wasn't it the Thousand Buddha Carving Feast?

Xu Nanming stood up, walked to the dark place, violently tore off the black cloth, and wax torches flickered one after another thereafter.

Instantly, it illuminated the scene inside the house thereafter.

It turned out to be arranged with one spirit infant wood carving after another, varied in appearance, there were Buddhas and spirit infants, boys and girls, joy, anger, sorrow, pleasure, grief, and thought — all seven emotions present!

Xu You only felt the world spin, accompanied by a deafening buzzing that resonated beside his ears.

He felt that the spirit infants and Buddha statues illuminated by the burning wax torches seemed as if they had come alive, with various laughter, weeping, and angry sounds echoing without cease.

Strand after strand of divine energy, twisted and winding, seeped out from these wood carvings, like a poisonous snake spitting its tongue, crawling down the wood carvings, twisting its body, dragging across the ground.

Hiss—hiss—hiss, hiss—hiss—hiss…

Constantly approaching Xu You.

Xu You felt his heart as if being clenched by an invisible hand.

He even vaguely seemed to see an ancient and dilapidated temple, breaking through the blue bricks and growing out; inside the temple was a spirit infant of extreme wrath, its eyes wide open, a vertical eye on its forehead suddenly opening, and the spirit infant's mouth also opening accordingly, emitting a silent scream!

Then.

Countless strands of divine energy, like poisonous snakes, drilled into Xu You's body.

……

……

Dong—

Dong—

The ancient bell sound, like an ancient temple that has endured three thousand years of tides, the hung dusk bell was struck heavily.

The flood of time, the dust of ages, all boiled within the bell's sound.

A stooped figure, wearing a cat-face mask and carrying an inconspicuous goat-horn hammer at his waist, floated over the high wall of Fēiléichéng.

He stepped on the blue-brick ground of Wai Cheng.

The whole city fell into a deathlike silence, dark clouds roiled above the firmament, thunder rumbled repeatedly, and electric snakes intertwined.

Beneath the cat-face mask, a pair of eyes narrowed slightly.

"That's also decisive; if it were any slower, I wouldn't keep you company…"

A faint voice came from beneath the mask.

Cao Guang also accurately seized the opportunity, immediately began the sacrifice, and gained power.

"Three-Eyed Wrathful True Lord Spirit Infant Guiyi Miao…"

"Ten Metropolises Guiyi Miao."

"You, Cao Guang, sacrifice with the 'Thousand Buddha Carving Feast', using the lives and blood of a thousand spirit infants as the cost, seeking to push this Guiyi Miao to the Nine Luminaries level…"

"Nine Luminaries Temple God…"

"I really do have a bit of anticipation."

"The temple god is proclaimed invincible among peers; any peer temple god can crush divine cultivators of the same realm; to kill a peer temple god, at least five or more same-realm cultivators are needed to slay the god."

"I… actually want to try, with a goat‑horn heaven‑shattering hammer, whether I can smash the temple god to death!"

Boom—rumble—rumble!

Thunder roared and exploded, the heavy sky instantly brightened.

Wind and rain lashed, ice and snow fell continuously, as if the heavens were wrathful, countless raindrops mixed with hail-like ice pellets slammed down onto the world!

Li Qingshan, wearing a cat‑face mask, his body gave a shake, like a straight arrow, shot out explosively, in the sky‑full rain curtain, kicking up a white wave, he charged straight toward the direction of Nei Cheng!

After a few leaps, he had already passed Wai Cheng and slipped into Nei Cheng!

That lightning‑fast speed left the Nei Cheng city‑guard soldiers no time to react!

Concealment?

Cover?

Li Qingshan's face beneath the mask was full of sneers.

Now he, does not need…

Only the weak need concealment and cover.

The strong… have found a reason, what they need to do…

Is to sweep aside!

The Thousand Buddha Carving Feast, actually… should be called the Thousand Infant Carving Feast!

Using the lives of a thousand spirit infants as the cost, to awaken the temple god and feed the temple god!

Monstrous beast—!

Should be killed!

Boom—

Li Qingshan stepped down heavily, his whole body's bones and tendons vibrating, his waist suddenly straightening, a scorching heat evaporating everything's qi and blood, like a flood dragon coiling around his body, he roared angrily.

This is the grandmaster's qi and blood, released without reserve, the five viscera and six bowels to the spinal great dragon, like being forged through a thousand hammerings.

Overbearing and blazing true qi spewed from outside his body!

In the distance, more than ten who had early received the city lord Cao Guang's order, guards with blood‑exchange cultivation, came roaring to kill, their long sabers vibrating, shattering raindrops.

However, Li Qingsong didn't even glance at them, flicked a finger, and the goat‑horn hammer at his waist whistled out as a spinning bolt.

Bang bang bang!

More than ten bursts of blood blossomed in the rain curtain; more than ten blood‑exchange martial artists, unable to resist, were directly hammered to explode their heads, turning into cold corpses.

He clenched his five fingers, with a snap, the goat‑horn hammer was grasped by the cat‑faced old man.

On the hammerhead, fresh blood mixed with rainwater dripped down.

He stepped slowly, as if splitting the rain curtain in two.

Unstoppable!

……

……

Outside the Xu Ji manor.

Li Che stood upon the artificial hill, his breath blending with heaven and earth, completely undetectable.

His eyes flashed like lightning, and he clearly saw the scene in the hall.

The wine Xu You drank was clearly laced with a drug, a drug that plunged Xu You into a coma.

Since it posed no mortal danger, the divine chess pieces gave no warning.

So Li Che temporarily held back, wanting to find out what the Xu family really intended.

Why would they act against Xu You?

Then he saw Xu Nanming, who pulled aside the cloth, revealing a display of over a hundred various spirit infant wood carvings.

"Xu Ji also plans to get a share in the Thousand Buddha Carving Feast..."

"Indeed, they all tacitly allowed the lord's manor to take the spirit infants."

Beneath his cute ox mask, Li Che's visage was icy cold, devoid of emotion.

Perhaps at first Xu Ji still held to the purpose of resisting the Spirit Infant Sect, but in the end… they chose to cooperate, offering up the spirit infants.

Those spirit infants… how innocent they are!

Having just been born, they became mere pawns in these powers' schemes simply because of their good talent.

Life and death lay only in a single thought of theirs.

Li Che lowered his eyelids, involuntarily thinking of Xixi—if he had never obtained the Dao fruit…

What fate awaits Xixi?

She likely will end up like those spirit infants seized and sacrificed.

The rain falling between heaven and earth was bitterly cold, piercing to the bone.

When Li Che stood upon the artificial hill and saw a massive iron cauldron erected in the hall, boiling water bubbling within, various herbs tossed into it…

When he saw Xu Heli trembling all over as he grasped a gleaming bone‑cleaving knife and approached the comatose Xu You…

Beneath his ox‑demon mask, Li Che's eyes flickered with astonishment.

"Really… gone mad."

"Aristocratic clans, man‑eating clans—this is a man‑eating world."

Li Che shook his head, inhaling and exhaling the icy current, murmuring softly.

The next moment, the burly figure on the artificial hill blurred and distorted, then vanished.

Inside the hall.

He narrowed his eyes, leaning on a cane, staring at Xu Heli's trembling step‑by‑step approach toward Xu You.

Suddenly, his expression changed abruptly.

"Who?!"

His narrowed eyes snapped wide open!

Yet he discovered that, in the dark corner of the hall less than ten paces away, a figure wearing a cute ox mask had at some point appeared, breaking through the darkness.

"Thud—" a dull sound rang out, as if a blood‑colored silk sash coiled around his body.

The ox‑demon's figure suddenly swelled, layer upon layer!

His back formed an inverted triangle, dragon‑like knotted muscles bulging and trembling, roaring like a flood dragon!

"You ox‑demon gramps, I've come to kill—!"

A roar of blazing fury rang out, accompanied by a wind‑rushing, lightning‑swift howl!

The blood‑colored glazed lance of flowing blood surged forth like a bolt of blood‑red lightning.

Suddenly he spanned ten paces.

He launched a sneak‑attack strike!

Pfft——!

In an instant, the spear pierced the heavenly spirit cap of the Xu family elder.

It ran through his entire body, pinning him to the ground!

Second update, ten‑thousand‑word chapter—seeking monthly votes, recommendation tickets, and readership! Old Li gives thanks!