Chapter 107: The Hat, the Black-Robed Figure, and the Devil Ox's Release

Chapter 107: The Hat, the Black-Robed Figure, and the Devil Ox's Release

In the dimly lit night, moonlight shone down from the high sky dome.

Within the courtyard...

Li Che frowned, setting down the wine cup in his hand.

Auntie Liu Chunming's face was somewhat gloomy.

"Brother Zhengran hasn't returned home for two days now. This has never happened before, so I'm worried that something might have happened to him..."

Zhang Ya hurried over, leading Liu Chunming to sit in a chair, comforting her while pouring her a cup of tea.

After seeing everyone, Liu Chunming's anxiety and panic could no longer be contained. She wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes.

"Auntie, don't worry too much. Perhaps Brother Zhengran has been delayed by something? Do you know what he was doing before he didn't come home?" Li Che asked.

"Brother Zhengran said he was going to the market to look for work. The silver from Flying Thunder City is almost gone, so he wants to find a livelihood. He can't keep relying on your support, Ah Che."

Perhaps it was because of Li Che's current status and position, which were far different from the past, that Liu Chunming's heart gradually calmed down.

"Looking for work in the market?" Li Che nodded.

"It's nothing, Auntie. Finding work in the market is not easy. Perhaps Brother Zhengran has found a job and didn't have time to notify you. I'll go and see what's keeping him." Li Che spoke gently.

Liu Chunming couldn't help but nod in agreement.

"Auntie, why don't you stay for dinner before heading back?" Zhang Ya suggested.

Liu Chunming repeatedly shook her head, as she truly had no appetite.

After Liu Chunming left, Zhang Ya turned her gaze to Li Che.

"Husband, do you think something might have happened to Brother Zhengran?"

Elder Brother Li Liang and his family had been very helpful to them, so Zhang Ya also hoped nothing had happened and wished for everyone's well-being.

"It's probably not a big issue, and... Elder Brother and Auntie might have their suspicions."

Li Che spoke softly, "If Brother Zhengran was truly in danger, Elder Brother would have come sooner."

"Now that Auntie is here... it's likely that Elder Brother feels it's not appropriate for him to show up, or he's embarrassed."

Li Che understood Elder Brother's temperament well; this old scholar valued his reputation.

Brother Zhengran hadn't returned home for two days, possibly because he had done something that made Elder Brother feel embarrassed, so he didn't want to seek Li Che's help and instead avoided him.

"Huh?" Zhang Ya was stunned, not expecting there to be so many underlying reasons.

Li Che couldn't help but pinch her adorable face.

Old Chen, Xixi, and Lu Datou on the side had long become accustomed to Li Che and Zhang Ya's occasional displays of affection.

After dinner, Li Che returned to the study.

Sitting in the chair, his expression didn't show much change.

The Chess Sage's Dao Fruit pulsated, and in the next moment, a small Heaven Earth Chessboard floated in front of Li Che.

He raised his hand, and with a single tap of his finger, a chess piece began to glow.

This was the divine chess piece Li Che had left on Brother Zhengran's body.

With a swift flick of his fingers, the scene expanded, and the entire map provided by the High Virtue Chess Sage covered it, directly locking onto the divine chess piece on Brother Zhengran's body.

"The gambling den?"

Li Che opened his eyes, his brows furrowing even tighter.

Li Che was familiar with Brother Zhengran's temperament; how could he have gone to a place like a gambling den, a place that ruins families?

With another flick of his fingers, the scene expanded again, revealing Brother Zhengran inside the gambling den, his face flushed as he shouted with a group of gamblers, "Big, big, big!"

Li Che was stunned.

Seeing it with his own eyes, it couldn't be fake.

"Someone has led Brother Zhengran astray..."

In an instant, Li Che's mind flashed with this thought.

First of all, Elder Brother Li Liang's family had strict rules, never allowing gambling or other vices. Brother Zhengran had grown up with this uprightness, achieving no great feats but never straying from the right path.

It had only been a short time since they arrived in Golden Light City, and Brother Zhengran had already fallen into gambling.

Logically, if Brother Zhengran was truly a gambling addict, he should have frequently visited the gambling den while in Flying Thunder City.

Li Che sighed, understanding why Elder Brother hadn't come to seek his help personally. Perhaps Elder Brother had been hiding it from Auntie.

"It can change a person, but it's impossible to change so drastically overnight... So, someone deliberately guided him?"

Li Che narrowed his eyes, a chill flashing in his gaze.

Although Li Che's primary concern was his wife and daughter, Elder Brother and his family had treated him well, and he owed them a debt of gratitude. It's one thing to target me, but it's another to use underhanded methods to influence those close to me."

"After becoming a Third Rank Guest Scholar in the Celestial Surveillance Agency, the Qin family, and the Temple Guard have all become more cautious towards me. According to what Zhang Lianhao said, the Golden Rift Sect doesn't have a motive to target me..."

"In fact, they only have suspicions and guesses about my identity. Without solid evidence and considering my position as a Third Rank Guest Scholar and Xixi's status as a designated Spirit Child within the Divine Sect's Branch Sect, they naturally dare not act rashly."

Li Che thought about how Zhang Lianhao had provided information about him to the Temple Guard, but the impact wasn't significant.

Although they still had suspicions, they couldn't take action.

If not, they wouldn't have secretly dispatched two Divine Enforcers to keep an eye on him.

"In truth, they don't really care about the identity of the Devil Ox... What they care about... is the masked cultivator who shot Qin Yuqing."

Li Che's gaze shifted between Qin Haonan, the Temple Guard Service, and the Golden Rift Sect.

In reality, what they were concerned about wasn't Qin Yuqing's death or seeking revenge for her.

More so, they were apprehensive of the mysterious cultivator who could shoot and kill a powerful expert from a distance.

As long as the masked cultivator's identity remained hidden, many people would live in constant fear, worrying that they might become the next target to be hunted down.

Who would want to experience such anxiety day after day?

"So, you want to start with the people around me? Force me to take action? And then expose my identity?"

"Today, they may hold back because of my status as a Guest Scholar of the Celestial Surveillance Agency, but once it's confirmed that I'm the Devil Ox, or even if my identity as the masked cultivator is exposed, they will undoubtedly face a thunderous attack, and everyone will join forces against me."

Li Che narrowed his eyes.

The flickering candlelight illuminated his face, revealing a sudden smile.

"Today, you moved against my cousin, Li Zhengran. Tomorrow... will you go after my uncle? And then my daughter?"

"Step by step, pushing their luck..."

Li Che closed his eyes, opened them again, and his expression turned cold, devoid of any emotion.

"Are you all so eager to meet the Devil Ox?"

"You're not satisfied unless the Devil Ox appears?"

"Since that's the case..."

"As you wish."

Li Che was a low-key and reserved person who only sought a peaceful life.

But the Devil Ox was different.

...

...

In a long street stretching for ten li, within the Fragrant Pavilion.

In a private room, Qin Haonan sat quietly, sipping the finest wine of the Fragrant Pavilion. One cup after another found its way into his mouth.

In the room across from him sat two Divine Enforcers wearing the red cloud-patterned robes of the Temple Guard Service.

They were the same two Divine Enforcers who had initially escorted Li Che to the Temple Guard Service—Hong Yong and Shi Lei.

Both sides had a tacit understanding and had never met face to face, although their tasks seemed similar—keeping an eye on Li Che.

However, there was no verbal communication between them.

Qin Haonan's eyes flashed, as he had been observing Li Che for half a month without finding any incriminating evidence.

"He's so cautious... His life is so regular. He goes to work at the Celestial Surveillance Agency during the day, and after work, he heads to a small courtyard workshop to craft wooden sculptures..."

"For half a month now, almost every day has been the same routine, incredibly dull and tedious!"

"Yun Fang just wants to stay at home with his wife and kids..."

"Could such a person be the Devil Ox described in the intelligence, a ruthless killer who doesn't blink when taking lives?"

Qin Haonan held the wine cup, and his entire being seemed a bit dazed.

This was the first time he had encountered such a pure and upright cultivator, someone who was self-disciplined, steady, never caused trouble, and had a fixed and predictable routine.

"That old thing from the Golden Rift Sect... He took advantage of Qin Yuqing so much, and now that Yuqing is dead, he doesn't even have the slightest thought of revenge!"

"Yuqing's taste in men is as poor as ever."

Qin Haonan shook his head and finished the wine in his cup, slowly exhaling.

"This Li Che... it seems there's an 80% chance that he's not the Devil Ox."

"The Devil Ox is probably Li Nuan Xi's master, which is why he has such a close relationship with Li Che's family."

"But Li Nuan Xi can't be touched. She's the Divine Sect's designated top-grade Spirit Child, so she's off-limits."

Qin Haonan shook his head.

"A cultivator with an Illusory Visionary body was crushed by Li Qingshan, and his True Energy was ruined. What a waste." Disdain flashed in Qin Haonan's eyes.

"It seems like the Black Snake Gang... has the intention to move against Li Che's family."

Qin Haonan narrowed his eyes, listening to the changes in the merchants and customers in Flower Listening Lane over the past half month.

Aside from the Qin Family and the Golden Rift Sect, were there other forces planning to make a move?

"The Black Snake Gang... isn't under the jurisdiction of the Five Great Clans. They're from the Fishermen's Gang..."

Qin Haonan poured himself more wine as he pondered.

"The Fishermen's Gang, the Black Dragon Gang, and the Beggar Gang are the three major gangs in Jin Guang City, but their overall strength is inferior to the Five Great Clans and the Five Great Sects, placing them in the third tier of power."

"But we can't interfere in their internal affairs... Why would the Fishermen's Gang send a gang to keep an eye on Li Che's family?"

"What's their reason?"

As a strong contender for the next head of the Qin Family, Qin Haonan was well-acquainted with various factions.

He had already investigated the Black Snake Gang and knew that their backing wasn't the Black Dragon Gang, as their names might suggest, but the Fishermen's Gang.

The Fishermen's Gang was adjacent to the Nine Dragons River, and most of the aquatic products were connected to them, making them the most influential among the three major gangs.

However, he hadn't figured out the specific reason why the Fishermen's Gang, through the Black Snake Gang, was keeping an eye on Li Che's family.

Suddenly, a glint of insight flashed in Qin Haonan's eyes.

He seemed to have figured something out...

The wine in the cup trembled slightly.

...

...

The night deepened, and the bright moon hung high.

In the gentle spring breeze that blew through the night, willow branches swayed.

Inside the tea room of the Temple Guard Service.

In the fragrant tea mist, Divine Enforcer Shi Lei was reporting the situation to Senior Enforcer Zhang Lianhao.

"Li Che's day was as usual. He went to work during the day, carved after work, and returned home in the evening... His routine is as regular as ever."

Shi Lei spoke with a sense of admiration.

It was said that the Guest Scholars of the Celestial Surveillance Agency enjoyed the pleasures of the red-light district, but Li Che was clearly not one of them. He was a pure and upright person, with only his wife and daughter in his eyes.

Zhang Lianhao raised his eyebrows in surprise.

For half a month, it's been like this? He truly is a disciplined man, so disciplined that he constrains himself. If he weren't an honest and dutiful person, he'd be extremely terrifying."

"Sir, do we continue the surveillance?"

Shi Lei asked.

Half a month... Every day has been the same. Li Che hasn't felt bored, but he's almost gone cross-eyed from the repetition.

"Let's keep an eye on him for another half a month. Although Zhang Xiangyang's words are just one person's account, we can't fully trust them, but the feedback from the investigation in Flying Thunder City mostly matches what Zhang Xiangyang said..."

"The results should be out in a few days."

"Also, the faction tailing Li Che is the Black Snake Gang. As a part of the Fishermen's Gang, why are they suddenly targeting Li Che's family?"

Zhang Lianhao took a sip of tea, narrowed his eyes, and pondered.

The Fishermen's Gang and Li Che's family...

There's no connection.

The Fishermen's Gang isn't affiliated with the Qin Family, nor is it under the control of the Golden Rift Sect. There's no apparent reason for them to act, so there must be another force involved.

Shi Lei, standing by, was equally perplexed. After half a month, he felt that Li Che was a purebred good man. This made Shi Lei, who occasionally indulged in the pleasures of the red-light district, feel ashamed of himself.

Work hard, love your family, and stay away from the red-light district!

Isn't this Shi Lei's dream for himself? Unfortunately, he had been polluted by society's temptations.

"Alright, you can go. Keep an eye on him, and report any unusual activities to me."

Zhang Lianhao spoke calmly.

The divine enforcer, Shi Lei, immediately bowed and retreated.

Zhang Lianhao narrowed his eyes and raised his hand, revealing two bloodstained Bodhi wood strands in his palm.

"One of these appeared in Flying Thunder City, and it killed Cao He, Cao Qingyuan's second son. And the other one..."

"Is the Devil Ox the one who killed Qin Yuqing?"

"If it wasn't the work of these two, could it be some unknown force?"

"Mechanical arts... Could the remnants of the Tang family be trying to rise from the ashes?"

Zhang Lianhao suddenly smiled.

"Regardless, there's definitely a connection between this Devil Ox and the one who shot Qin Yuqing."

"Finding the Devil Ox will lead us to the killer of Qin Yuqing."

"That terrifying life-binding mechanism, if it could be used by the Temple Guard Service..."

...

...

The next day, a fine drizzle blurred the sky. Spring is a season of frequent rains.

The clouds in the sky seemed like sponges soaked with water, and the heavens occasionally squeezed them, causing a relentless drizzle.

After breakfast, Li Che supervised Xixi and Zhang Xiangyang's martial arts practice. Then, he left home with an umbrella.

As soon as he stepped out, the various factions secretly tailing him became alert.

Qin Haonan, Hong Yong, Shi Lei, and the members of the Black Snake Gang finally showed interest. It seemed like Li Che was about to take some new action today.

Following Li Che, they saw him in a black robe, holding an umbrella, asking around. He walked through the spring rain and arrived at the Million Gamblers' Den.

After reporting, they waited for a while, and then Li Zhengran, with a dejected expression, was escorted out of the gambling den by several burly men.

"Ah, Che..." Li Zhengran saw Li Che and immediately felt ashamed. His unkempt appearance was a far cry from his former self.

Li Che looked at Li Zhengran, his face slightly moved, and he sighed softly.

"Brother, you..."

"Let's go home."

Li Zhengran nodded, unable to meet Li Che's gaze.

He clenched his fists, his emotions were complicated. He never expected that his cousin, who used to work at the woodcarving shop, would grow to such an extent.

Now, at home, whether it was his father, Li Liang, or his wife, Liu Chunming, nine out of ten sentences were about praising Li Che. They boasted about Li Che's excellence and how he had become a distinguished guest scholar at the Celestial Surveillance Agency, bringing glory to the family.

But Li Zhengran had been in the city for so long and still hadn't found a job.

Hearing these words, he felt a mix of emotions.

He also wanted to achieve wealth and status, to make his family proud.

He came to the market to look for a job and met a fellow from Flying Thunder City. He was brought to the Million Gamblers' Den. Li Zhengran had initially refused, but he remembered his father's teachings deeply.

However, his fellow townsman told him that to achieve wealth and status, he had to take a gamble. How else could he become rich and powerful? So, Li Zhengran stepped into the gambling den, thinking he would just try once and then leave.

But once he tried, he couldn't pull himself out.

"Leave? This kid owes our gambling den five hundred taels. Do you think he can just walk away?"

A man with Blood Transformation cultivation coldly stared at Li Che.

Li Zhengran shrank back, filled with grief and anger. "I only borrowed fifty taels!"

"It escalated to five hundred taels in just two days... Unbelievable!"

"The contract clearly states the terms, and we didn't force you to leave your fingerprint, did we?"

The burly man's face, covered in thick flesh, twitched.

Li Zhengran was stunned and couldn't speak due to the man's intimidating aura, but his eyes showed increasing grief and anger.

Li Che sighed, "I'll pay it back. I'll pay the debt."

He then took out five hundred-tael silver notes and handed them to the gambling den's thugs.

Paying the money and redeeming the person was that simple.

Everything seemed as if Li Zhengran had truly been set up in the gambling den, cheated out of some money.

But in reality, within Li Che's chest, the Chess Sage's Dao Fruit couldn't help but tremble. The strand of the Corpse Curse Seal he had suppressed on the Heaven Earth Chessboard was shaking vigorously, as if it was overflowing with excitement.

Li Che also felt the Corpse Curse Seal on Li Zhengran's body.

Therefore, Li Che also understood that Li Zhengran had indeed been affected.

The other party... was coming for him!

"Cousin, it's okay, let's go home... Your wife and uncle are waiting for you there."

Li Che comforted Li Zhengran.

Li Zhengran dejectedly lowered his head.

"These past few days... I lost one hundred and seventy taels of silver, which is almost all our family's savings."

Li Zhengran clutched his head, and bloodshot eyes appeared, his emotions seemed somewhat agitated.

"I just need to win two hands, no... one hand is enough to recoup my losses and win back our savings!"

"Cousin, gambling is harmful, don't do it again, quit it."

Li Che patted Li Zhengran's shoulder, his divine essence surged, calming his emotions.

"In a couple of days, I'll take you to the Celestial Surveillance Agency to see if there's suitable work I can introduce to you."

Li Che said with a smile, his voice very gentle.

Upon hearing this, Li Zhengyang's agitated emotions gradually calmed down.

The spring rain was hazy, slanting like a curtain.

Li Che took Li Zhengran and headed towards Uncle's house.

In a hidden corner.

The divine enforcers, Hong Yong and Shi Lei, materialized, and they clearly heard Li Che's words of comfort to Li Zhengran.

"Master Li... He's truly a good man, so gentle-tempered. Gamblers are the most despicable, and those who gamble away their family's fortune are like maggots."

"Only Master Li has a good temper..."

Divine enforcer Shi Lei shook his head.

Such a good-tempered and gentle person, how could he be the same as the information that described a ruthless killer, twisting heads and shattering corpses, the extremely evil Devil Ox? Shi Lei felt that his speculation about Li Che was an insult to the noble character of this master!

"Let's go, keep following."

Divine enforcer Hong Yong glanced at Shi Lei, who seemed to be captivated by Li Che, and he scoffed.

...

...

Li Che sent Li Zhengran back home.

Hearing that he owed the gambling den one hundred and seventy taels, Uncle Li Liang was so angry that he picked up his tobacco pipe and started beating Li Zhengran, who didn't dare to dodge.

Liu Chunming stood by, tears streaming down her face, not knowing what to say, feeling a bit disappointed in her husband.

Li Che comforted them with a few words, saying that he would take Li Zhengran to the Celestial Surveillance Agency to inquire about suitable work, which helped ease the atmosphere a little.

"Ah Che, we owe you so much..." Uncle Li Liang held Li Che's hand and sighed.

It was his fault for not teaching his son properly.

Declining the invitation to stay for dinner, Li Che excused himself, saying he still had to go to the Celestial Surveillance Agency for work.

After leaving Uncle's house, Li Che's face turned cold and lonely.

"Corpse Deity Sect..."

Li Che's eyebrows relaxed, as he sensed the Corpse Curse Seal suppressed by the heavenly chessboard, as well as the Corpse Curse Seal within Li Zhengran's body. His eyes seemed to be filled with murderous intent.

The "Desire Compared to Corpse Meat Guanyin" statue that Cao He had obtained contained the Corpse Curse Seal, which was aimed at his daughter but was intercepted by Li Che.

Now, they were coming again...

Li Che even sensed that the target of the Corpse Deity Sect... might be his daughter.

In Golden Light City, the various great clans and sects might be wary of the Divine Sect and wouldn't dare to harm Xi Xi.

But the Corpse Deity Sect wouldn't...

Because the Corpse Deity Sect itself was a colossal force.

It was rumored that in the remote regions of the Great Jing Dynasty, the Corpse Deity Sect had almost swept through an entire state!

Li Che exhaled, slowly heading towards the Celestial Surveillance Agency.

All around, Qin Haonan, the divine enforcers Hong Yong and Shi Lei, and the spies from the Million Gamblers' Den, secretly followed, tracking his movements.

Li Che went straight to the Treasure Tower of the Celestial Surveillance Agency without stopping anywhere else.

As he walked, the spring rain fell on the calm river surface, creating ripples.

The smoke and rain shrouded the multi-arched, multi-eaved treasure tower standing tall on the cliff by the riverbank.

Amidst the poetic scenery, Li Che, dressed in black, stepped into the Treasure Tower of the Celestial Surveillance Agency under the resentful gazes of Qin Haonan, Hong Yong, and Shi Lei.

Qin Haonan: "Hmph."

Divine enforcer Hong Yong: "Boring."

Shi Lei exclaimed: "Master Li... He's always punctual for work, he's so disciplined."

...

...

The moment Li Che stepped into the Treasure Tower, he immediately activated the breath-restraining ability of the Dragon Elephant Vajra, and in a moment when no one was paying attention, he grasped the divine chess piece.

Flying Thunder Chess Sage.

Shift and change!

The sound of spring rain pattering echoed in an alley outside the Million Gamblers' Den.

The chess piece Li Che had left behind instantly transformed into his figure.

He brought his two fingers together, tearing through the air.

Hat and black robe.

A muffled "weng bang" sound rang out.

His body suddenly expanded, becoming tall and sturdy, his back muscles bulging like a dragon, trembling like thunder, his muscles knotted, resembling thousand-forged fine steel.

"Since you all want to see me so badly..."

"Then you Devil Ox..."

"Come!"

His five fingers, like a fan, slowly slid down, and his face was soon covered by that cute ox mask, which had been sealed away for some time.

The next moment, a surge of wild, crazy, domineering, and agitated emotions erupted from his body.

With the mask on, Li Che seemed to... liberate himself!

Like a freed wild ox!

Bad news, the next chapter is forced, announcing the new book period, and I don't know when I'll get recommendations. Keep reading, don't stop! Your continued reading will help with the recommendation PK! I need your support, dear readers! Please support with monthly tickets and continued reading! Li is grateful!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end