Chapter 102: The World Watches, What is Divine Craft? [Seeking Monthly Votes]

Chapter 102: The World Watches, What is Divine Craft? [Seeking Monthly Votes]



Qin Manor.

Spring Rain was speaking of sorrow.

The entire mansion seemed to be immersed in an ocean of divine essence, with high-level divine essence churning so thickly it was almost suffocating.

And the source of all this divine essence was none other than the hunched old man standing amidst the wounds and the huge crater that had formed.

Qin Di Kun, the Divine Sage Clan's elder, cultivated the Divine Appearance of the Nine Serpents Weeping Heavenly King.

The Divine Appearance of the Nine Serpents Weeping Heavenly King was a mid-tier seven-element Divine Appearance, and it was the Qin family's ancestral art, the foundation of their standing in Golden Light City.

Although Qin Haonan and Qin Leixiao were Essence Energy Masters with Perfected Divine Foundation, under the pressure of the old ancestor's Divine Appearance and its essence, they could only breathe with difficulty.

"Tang Clan's mechanisms..."

"Did the remnants of the Tang Clan make a move?"

Qin Di Kun, the old ancestor of the Qin family, frowned slightly, and his bark-like face trembled. "Using seventh-tier Spirit Wood as material and carving with the skill of a divine axe, such intricate mechanisms are difficult to create without the foundation of Tang Clan's mechanism techniques."

"This object explodes rapidly, shooting from an unknown distance away. With the energy and divine essence between heaven and earth, it still had the strength to kill Yuqing after consuming these energies."

The old man narrowed his eyes, his anger shaking, and slowly calmed down. He turned his hand and collected a strand of Bodhi blood tear.

"This mechanism is extremely vicious. Once it enters the body, it explodes, tearing the flesh and blood into a ball of blood."

Qin Yuqing was mainly blown into pieces; otherwise, with such a vicious mechanism, her flesh and blood would have rolled like blood-red tears all over the ground, a truly pitiful death.

Fortunately, she was blown into pieces... her ugly state was not visible.

"The Tang Clan's mechanisms... was it that old ghost who made a move? But there's no reason..."

"The Tang Clan has already been destroyed, and he's under surveillance by the Great Jing Celestial Court. How could he have made a move?"

Qin Di Kun frowned.

Even he, a Divine Sage cultivator, felt bewildered and confused by this incident.

When he sensed the flash of light in his secluded chamber, it was already too late. He tried to block it with his divine sense, but it was pierced right through.

So, he gave up on rescuing her. After all, Qin Yuqing's own vital energy and divine essence were activated in just a few blinks of an eye, and there was no time to defend against it. He couldn't have made it in time even if he rushed out of his secluded chamber, and he didn't know how to teleport.

"Old Ancestor..."

Qin Haonan and Qin Leixiao greeted the old ancestor when they saw he had stopped thinking.

"Has Yuqing offended anyone recently?"

"First, her subordinate, the gray-faced spy, was shot and killed, and now she's been killed by this terrifying mechanism inside the house..."

"Who did she provoke, someone so cruel and vicious?"

Qin Di Kun asked indifferently.

Qin Haonan and Qin Leixiao were at a loss for words, their faces filled with confusion.

"Yuqing and Cao Guang, the City Lord of Thunder City, had a child named Cao Qingyuan, who died in Thunder City. Old Ancestor, Cao Guang cultivated the Divine Foundation of the Tri-Eye Wrathful Lord..."

"Is it possible that Cao Guang is still alive? Did he secretly come to the city and, because of Yuqing's relationship with Jin Xuan from the Golden Crack Sect, become so enraged that he wanted to kill her?"

Qin Haonan couldn't help but speak up.

For Qin Yuqing to become the core true disciple of the Golden Crack Sect, she must have had some means. With her ordinary talent, she had to consume countless pills to reach the Essence Energy Master realm, and her cultivation was so shallow. How could she have obtained that position without someone backing her?

"Jin Xuan... the Golden Crack Sect's Elder? That old thing..."

Qin Di Kun frowned. As the Divine Sage Clan's elder, his current task was to guard the family, so he had let go of many matters and left them for the family head to handle. This was the first time he had heard about Qin Yuqing's affair.

"That old thing is over two hundred years old, right? This girl..."

A flash of disgust passed through Qin Di Kun's eyes.

"We'll wait for Qin Cang to return and let him handle this matter. You two should also investigate. Qin Yuqing is, after all, a member of the Qin family, and she was shot and killed within our manor... It's humiliating if this news gets out."

"Although it's unlikely to be traced, this mechanism was shot from at least twenty li away..."

"But this is the second time, and they clearly don't take our Qin family seriously."

"We need to restore the Qin family's reputation and use this as an excuse to clean up the forces within Golden Light City, removing the spies from other noble families and sects."

Qin Di Kun spoke calmly.

The next moment, he looked into the distance.

The flash of light tore through the air, and although it wasn't loud, the power that exploded the moment it killed Qin Yuqing had already attracted the attention of many.

Many Divine Sage cultivators sensed it and came to inquire out of curiosity.

Qin Di Kun casually picked up a few of the flesh pearls that had been gouged out of Qin Yuqing by the Bodhi silk.

"Such a mechanism that kills from a thousand li away... I should let the other old guys take a look. It can't be that only our Qin family is worried and afraid."

The old man's body shook, and he rose into the air, stepping through the air towards the outside of the manor. With each step, he covered several zhang, moving like a wind god, like an ancient immortal.

"Farewell, Old Ancestor."

Qin Haonan and Qin Leixiao bowed respectfully.

After the oppressive Divine Sage essence receded like a tide, the two of them stood up and looked at the wounds in the manor and their sister Qin Yuqing, who had been torn to pieces.

They both sighed.

"Is it Cao Guang? The Divine Essence of the Tri-Eye Wrathful Lord... only exists in Thunder City. It's said that Cao Guang merged with the Temple Deity, and his divine essence must have skyrocketed..."

"Although the news said he died, torn to pieces..."

Qin Haonan couldn't help but speak.

"We haven't seen his corpse."

Qin Leixiao shook his head. "He might not be dead..."

"But... what does this mean?"

The two looked at each other, their faces filled with worry.

"A mechanism from dozens of li away killed Yuqing..."

"Who dares to investigate this?"

They were both afraid...

of becoming the next Qin Yuqing.

Killed in their own home while enjoying themselves.

...

...

The spring rain fell steadily.

Inside the tower, the warm stove dispersed the chilly spring air.

Shangguan Qinghong removed her shoes and socks, exposing her crystal-like feet. She squatted on the rosewood armchair, cracking sunflower seeds with one hand while reading a book with the other.

Her delicate eyebrows furrowed, and her beautiful face showed a thirst for knowledge. Without moving her eyes, her fingers skillfully found the sunflower seeds, and with a crisp sound, she separated the shells from the meat with her nimble tongue.

As Li Che entered the Divine Treasure Tower of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, he was enveloped in a warm atmosphere, making him feel relaxed and lazy.

His eyes narrowed slightly, showing no signs of the anxiety and unease from the recent assassination attempt.

Exhaling, Li Che realized no one was there to receive him.

After a moment's hesitation, he headed straight to the private room, where he saw Shangguan Qinghong seemingly reading.

Her serious demeanor made Li Che almost believe she was studying some advanced technical issue if he hadn't noticed the romance novel she was reading.

"Miss Shangguan," Li Che coughed lightly, interrupting her.

Shangguan Qinghong's dark eyebrows relaxed as she noticed Li Che, feeling no embarrassment for being caught reading.

As a civil servant, enjoying the security of a government job, this was just her daily routine.

"You're here?" Shangguan Qinghong clapped her hands nonchalantly and, in front of Li Che, began putting socks and shoes on her crystal-clear feet.

Li Che waited silently as she finished, and then, wearing a tight guard robe, Shangguan Qinghong led him deeper into the Imperial Astronomical Bureau.

"You're quite early. The preparations for the assessment are ready. I'll take you up; the assessment room is on the third floor."

"The assessment for the Third Rank Guest Scholar in the Imperial Astronomical Bureau isn't presided over by the Supervisor himself but by two Junior Supervisors."

"You need to gain the approval of both Junior Supervisors to obtain the Third Rank Guest Scholar position."

Shangguan Qinghong explained with a smile.

The second floor was spacious, with transparent crystal boxes containing elixirs, divine wood carvings, and other items.

"The items displayed on the second floor are all high-quality divine objects from the Ten Capital Cities or of Ninesuns rank..."

"Since you were recommended by Senior Li Qing Shan, the two Junior Supervisors have specially arranged this Third Rank Guest Scholar assessment for you. Normally, the assessment for Third Rank Guest Scholars is only conducted when there are enough applicants."

Shangguan Qinghong continued to talk, chattering non-stop.

Li Che nodded. The Imperial Astronomical Bureau had a clear hierarchy: the Supervisor was the highest rank, followed by the Deputy Supervisor, then the Junior Supervisors, the Imperial Astronomical Deputy, and the Clerks.

The Third Rank Guest Scholar was equivalent to the Clerk position in the Bureau.

However, becoming a Third Rank Guest Scholar was a highly sought-after position, with many woodcarving masters eager to compete for it.

When they reached the inner private room on the second floor, Li Che was surprised by its size. The room was filled with a rich scent of wood. Two figures in white robes sat there, deep in conversation.

As Shangguan Qinghong and Li Che entered, the conversation paused, and their gazes turned towards them.

Li Che felt a powerful divine sense descend upon him, causing his heart to jump in surprise.

Divine Appearance?!

The power of this divine sense was almost on par with the divine sense released by the Qin family ancestor when he had shot down Qin Yuqing.

However, Li Che quickly dismissed this thought. The divine essence exuded by the two Junior Supervisors did not give off the oppressive aura of a Divine Appearance cultivator.

So, they had a powerful divine sense but hadn't reached the level of Divine Essence?

Li Che's mind raced with thoughts, and he finally bowed respectfully, "Li Che greets the two Junior Supervisors."

The two Junior Supervisors, a middle-aged man and woman, had a mature air about them. The woman, still maintaining her youthful charm, had a goatee, and his eyes were narrow and long.

"You were recommended by Li Qing Shan of the Primordial Origin Divine Sect's Branch Leader Lei Feng. We have specially arranged this Third Rank Guest Scholar assessment for you..."

"However, we won't go easy on you just because Li Qing Shan recommended you. In fact, we'll be even stricter."

Li Che bowed again, "As it should be."

The two nodded. The charming middle-aged woman glanced at Li Che and said, "Li Che, a native of Thunder City, began woodcarving three years ago and displayed remarkable talent. Within three years, he became a woodcarving master at Xu Family Woodcarving Shop in Thunder City..."

The woman recounted Li Che's background.

Li Che remained silent, waiting for her to continue.

Shangguan Qinghong sat on a small stool in the corner, took out a bag of melon seeds from her pocket, and started eating them as she watched Li Che's assessment.

"Your background is quite clean. Show us your blood essence and divine essence cultivation."

The other white-robed middle-aged man spoke.

Li Che stood up, clenched his fists, and his blood essence surged. He displayed his martial arts cultivation, having undergone three Blood Exchanges.

In terms of divine essence, he demonstrated the Xu Family's Suspended Thought Flowing Sword Divine Essence, with a Streamlike Cultivation level.

The middle-aged man gripped a wolf-hair brush, his eyebrows furrowed slightly, and he wrote on the paper with a light touch, "Three Blood Exchanges, Streamlike Cultivation... Your cultivation is a bit weak for a Third Rank Guest Scholar assessment."

"Most Third Rank Guest Scholars have reached the Divine Foundation level."

"However, the Guest Scholar assessment focuses more on skills. There are also those who become Guest Scholars without reaching the Divine Foundation level. Li Master, prepare yourself, and the assessment will begin."

"You have applied for the Third Rank Woodcarving Master Guest Scholar assessment, which consists of a single test."

The middle-aged man stroked his goatee, and the Qiankun Jade at his waist, after a quick guidance, emitted a shimmering light.

A half-human-sized wood carving suddenly appeared on the table.

The wood carving was made from spirit wood, with rough lines and crudely carved textures, only outlining the basic shape.

It was vaguely discernible that the wood carving depicted a child-like figure, although it was rough and simple, the form was still somewhat discernible.

Barefoot, he stood on a ferocious dragon snake, his eyes filled with wrath, and behind him were four arms. He wore a red bellyband, with scarlet silk swirling around him. In his hands, he held a jade bottle, a jade scepter, a collar, and a short gun! Due to the preliminary outlining of the lines, it appeared quite rough, but it already possessed a hint of divine essence.

Li Che's eyes were instantly drawn to it.

"This is a divine wood carving with only 30% completion. Li Master, you will continue carving for three hours. When the time is up, you will stop and the assessment will be based on the completion of your continued carving."

The middle-aged woman, a Junior Supervisor, explained.

"This is a 'Four-Armed Wrathful Third Prince' divine wood carving. The original figure is the temple deity of the Four Imperial Wrathful Trinity Prince Temple outside the city, the 'Eight-Armed Hell Lotus Wrathful Third Prince'."

"The divine essence contained in the Nine-Dragons River that flows through the capital city is derived from the divine essence of this Trinity Prince Temple deity, and it is the divine essence vein for cultivation by divine essence cultivators in Golden Light City."

"Once the Four-Armed Wrathful Third Prince statue is completed, it can stir up the waves in the Nine-Dragons River. Even though Li Master is continuing the carving, if he can cause the waves to rise, the assessment will be considered a success."

The young supervisor with the goatee spoke calmly.

As soon as his words were spoken, both the beautiful woman and Shangguan Qinghong, who was sitting in the corner cracking sunflower seeds, paused in their actions.

"Supervisor Gongshe... when did the Third Rank Guest Scholar assessment require the candidate to invoke the waves of the Nine-Dragons River by continuing the divine sculpture?"

The beautiful woman frowned, clearly displeased.

The middle-aged young supervisor with the goatee smiled. "Supervisor Gong Yun Li, this person was recommended by Li Qing Shan. If he can't even invoke the waves of the Nine-Dragons River... isn't Li Qing Shan just playing with us?"

"Besides, my assessment criteria are still within the range. This divine wood carving is already 30% complete. If he can continue it to 70%, it should be able to invoke the waves. If he can't even reach 40%..."

"The threshold for guest scholars in the Heaven-Enraged Bureau isn't that low."

His calm words lingered in the room.

The beautiful woman frowned but said nothing more.

Shangguan Qinghong, sitting in the corner, looked at Li Che with some sympathy and muttered, "Senior Li Qing Shan's recommendation did take some shortcuts, but the supervisors' requirements will be even stricter... it requires genuine talent and skill."

"Master Li, becoming a wood carving master in three years... does he have genuine talent and skill?"

The room gradually fell silent, and the beautiful woman, Gong Yun Li, said nothing more.

"Supervisor Gongshe is right. I am willing to give it a try."

Li Che was refined and amiable, his face full of kindness, as he bowed and said.

The beautiful woman's expression softened, and she looked at Li Che with admiration.

What a refined and amiable person.

Calm and composed, with a peaceful mindset, he is indeed a candidate for a wood carving master.

Gongshe Liancheng stroked his beard, his eyes sparkling, and smiled. "Then let's begin."

Li Che bowed in acknowledgment.

He then walked to the wood sculpture, held the half-human-sized sculpture with both hands, and moved it to the carving workbench, his blood and qi flowing.

The workbench was equipped with excellent carving knives, far superior to Li Che's own tools.

He took a deep breath to calm his mind and began to carefully examine the "Four-Armed Wrathful Third Prince." Although it was a simplified version of a temple deity statue, it still possessed a unique essence.

The carving was already 30% complete. According to Supervisor Gongshe, he needed to continue it to 70% to invoke the temple deity's divine essence from the Nine-Dragons River, causing the waves to rise.

The Treasure Tower of the Heaven-Enraged Bureau was built along a branch of the Nine-Dragons River that runs through Golden Light City. Looking out through the carved wooden windows of the tower, one could see the calm and gentle river surface outside.

To continue the carving meant to complete the work based on the existing sculpture.

In reality, setting conditions was necessary because the techniques and methods used by the original carver would affect the final result. He needed to connect with the original carver's skills as much as possible; otherwise, the work would feel disjointed and might not qualify as a divine wood carving.

For Li Che, this was not a problem.

What Li Che needed to consider was...

How much of the work to complete.

Hide his true abilities?

No, Li Che shook his head. He didn't need to hide his true abilities for this guest scholar assessment.

His family had just arrived in the capital city and needed a powerful backing. At least until Xi Xi entered the Divine Sect, they needed to find another patron. Moreover, they had offended the Qin family and had already taken action against Qin Yuqing.

If Qin Yuqing were to die, the Qin family would surely be enraged. Although Li Che was confident that he left no traces, it would be difficult for them to trace it back to him from a distance of dozens of miles.

However, to be on the safe side, he needed to wrap himself in a tiger's skin to stand firm in the capital city.

Li Qing Shan was a good patron, but he was not currently in the capital city, and the Divine Sect's influence was not enough.

So, Li Qing Shan's recommendation to the Heaven-Enraged Bureau might have this consideration in mind.

Li Che's mind was set. He no longer chose to hide his true abilities.

Divine Art Thousand Analysis Palm.

The jade-like light flowed, and Li Che's hand gently brushed over the wood sculpture. Information about the sculpture flooded his mind.

The carver's technique, the angle of the carving knives, the force applied, the style of the cuts... all of it entered his mind.

When he opened his eyes, an invisible wave of energy surged within the building.

Li Che's demeanor changed completely. His eyes became cold and calm, and the wood sculpture seemed to come alive in his eyes, with countless lines rising and falling. Gripping the carving knife, the flashing blade instantly struck a line, tearing through the spirit wood with a smooth, sharp sound, and wood chips fell.

The knife rose and fell, the blade moving like a dragon.

Gongshe Liancheng and Gong Yun Li only needed one glance to understand that this Li Che had genuine talent and skill, not someone who relied on connections.

The room was extremely quiet.

Even Shangguan Qinghong, who was idly cracking sunflower seeds in the corner, stopped, afraid of disturbing Li Che's... performance.

Her plump red lips parted slightly, and her eyes showed a hint of surprise.

The divine essence in the air began to slowly gather.

As the divine wood carving took shape and the movements and postures were perfectly outlined...

The "Four-Armed Wrathful Third Prince" seemed to come to life.

Barefoot, he stood on a dragon and snake that roared, his four arms waving, red silk fluttering, eyes glaring, vividly capturing the scene of stirring the river and suppressing demons.

The divine essence in the air began to be voraciously absorbed by the divine wood carving, and...

Through the carved wooden windows, the water near the Treasure Tower of the Heaven-Enraged Bureau began to ripple, white waves crashing, divine essence spreading...

The white waves were just beginning to form, as if the divine essence in the water was being drawn by an invisible force!

A wave crashed against the foundation of the Treasure Tower, splashing crystal-clear water in the sunlight!

Bang!

The sound of the wave crashing against the Treasure Tower was deafening!

Inside the Treasure Tower.

Li Che's eyes were intense, his blood and qi surging.

The carving knife flipped between his fingers, wood chips flying.

The [Immortal Craft] Dao fruit in his chest throbbed, as if sensing Li Che's current surge of energy, eager to become a capital for his family to settle down in the capital city.

He wanted the world to see.

What it means to be...

an Immortal Craft!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end