Chapter 131: Xixi's Counterfeit Prince Zusan, Mushroom Fireworks Concept

Chapter 131: Xixi's Counterfeit Prince Zusan, Mushroom Fireworks Concept

Golden light swirled, forming a hint that slowly unfolded before his eyes.

The fourth Dao Fruit gave birth to the fourth Technique Embryo!

The Chess Sage Dao Fruit finally reached LV3!

After absorbing Shangguan Zhengheng's aura, the consumption of a Phantom Realm cultivator's aura brought about a significant increase in maturity.

But Li Che felt the greatest improvement came from within the Golden Temple.

He stretched out his claws towards the Golden Heavenly King Shrine Deity statue.

The black-gold Temple Deity aura chess piece he obtained directly allowed the Chess Sage chess piece, which had been stuck at LV2, to undergo a transformation, reaching LV3 level!

Following Thousand Analysis Hand, Ascend the Tower, and Restrain Divine, another Technique Embryo emerged!

Li Che had always been eager for the Technique Embryo of the Chess Sage Dao Fruit.

In his opinion, the Technique Embryo was somewhat similar to an enhanced version of the aura secret technique, with even greater power and born from the Dao Fruit.

Extraordinarily remarkable, Li Che had always been full of anticipation.

In his chest, the Chess Sage's heart beat with a sudden surge, its frequency of trembling surpassing the past.

Li Che closed his eyes, and his mind seemed to appear on the heavenly chessboard that expanded from the Dao Fruit.

【Chess Sage Snow Avalanche: Chess like a towering mountain, with the might of a tilting heaven, the great snow avalanche god, a sight that even gods dare not behold.】

The description appeared as flowing golden text, slowly flowing before his eyes.

Li Che's emotions calmed, and his eyes shone with divine sense, expanding his perception.

He discovered that with the expansion of his heavenly chessboard, his perception range had widened, and even when the viewpoint was raised higher, the image remained crystal clear.

In other words, the range he could move within using the Flying Thunder Chess Piece had become larger and more flexible, allowing him to move more freely.

Not only that...

Li Che even... vaguely could perceive through the chess pieces placed on others, gaining their perspective.

His mind stirred slightly, and billowing green smoke rose before his eyes, as if a mirror had been washed, revealing a rippling water-like scene.

In the scene, Xixi was being carried by Sang Guan Yin, and the two were slowly walking down the mountain path, with the cold wind blowing.

It was unclear what they were saying, as the scene was present but the sound was yet to be synchronized.

Li Che felt that when the Chess Sage Dao Fruit's maturity increased further, even the sound would be transmitted along with the image.

He raised his hand and wiped, and the scene instantly changed.

His wife, Zhang Ya, was diligently practicing martial arts under the oil lamp in the room, with beads of sweat sliding down her forehead.

To avoid holding back her husband and daughter, Zhang Ya was also working hard to improve herself.

A smile curved Li Che's lips, and with a flick of his finger, the scene completely dissipated.

Closing his eyes, he sensed the effect of the Technique Embryo "Snow Avalanche."

Like the Ascend the Tower and Restrain Divine, he was initially baffled and clueless about this technique.

Even with the description, Li Che might as well not have read it.

However, as the feedback flowed in, Li Che gradually understood the meaning of "Snow Avalanche."

"So that's how it is... a manifestation of momentum?"

"Like a great snow avalanche, an extreme oppression, more like a... positional oppression enhancement!"

Li Che pondered.

Moreover, there was the accumulation and eruption of aura chess pieces...

It could even bestow killing power upon aura chess pieces!

Inside the room, Li Che sat quietly in meditation.

He raised his hand, and two black chess pieces appeared in his palm.

The two aura chess pieces he had obtained from the slain vice leader of the fishing gang, Liu Jinsong, intertwined and hovered in his palm.

"Technique Embryo, Chess Sage Snow Avalanche!"

Li Che's heart stirred slightly.

He lifted his head, and his black hair danced wildly behind him.

And in that instant, his eyes seemed to undergo a transformation.

The white part of his eyes was covered with a black grid of intersecting lines, and the dark pupils transformed into star-position chess pieces on the chessboard.

In an instant, the two black chess pieces in his palm suddenly merged, and the aura contained within seemed to boil like water, bubbling incessantly, restless and agitated!

With a flick of his finger, the chess piece turned into a straight black line and shot out, crashing into the courtyard ground.

An explosive roar reverberated, and the air currents surged and blasted, with rolling smoke and howling debris!

The powerful shockwave spread out in ripples.

Li Che's aura stacked up, forming an aura wall in front of him, blocking all the flying debris.

"It can even explode chess pieces..."

"And its power is quite extraordinary! The aura of a Phantom Realm cultivator condensed into a chess piece carries the pressure of the Phantom Realm, and when it explodes, its power is no weaker than a Phantom Realm cultivator's attack."

"And this is just two chess pieces..."

"What if there were more?"

With this thought, Li Che acted without hesitation.

He raised his palm.

Instantly, all the aura chess pieces he had obtained from Liu Jinsong's body began to gather and condense in his palm.

Countless chess pieces merged into a large black chess piece the size of a fist.

This was the culmination of a Phantom Realm cultivator's lifetime of aura.

The large black chess piece floated in Li Che's palm, its surface occasionally showing signs of restlessness, as if boiling water was flowing within, containing an extremely terrifying destructive power.

If thrown, it could probably flatten his entire courtyard.

No...

Not just his courtyard!

Li Che's heart couldn't fathom the extent of its destructive power.

After all, the lifetime accumulation of a Phantom Realm cultivator's power, when melted together and unleashed...

How terrifying would it be?

And this was just the aura of a single Phantom Realm cultivator. What if it were two, three... or even a hundred, a thousand Phantom Realm cultivators' auras... exploding simultaneously!

"Is this... Snow Avalanche?"

Li Che's eyes narrowed.

In his mind, it was as if a mushroom cloud of shocking proportions was slowly rising...

Shaking off this thought, Li Che exhaled, his expression turning solemn. As he gazed at the chessboard, he felt that controlling this highly compressed chess piece had become extremely challenging.

"Huff—"

Li Che clenched his five fingers, and countless divine essence chess pieces automatically dispersed.

They transformed into chess pieces floating around him.

Li Che's black robe fluttered in the wind that blew through his sleeves.

In the darkness of the night, the divine essence chess pieces hovering around him glowed brilliantly, but their flickering light couldn't compare to the excitement in his eyes.

The dazzling and overwhelming mushroom cloud fireworks seemed to be permanently etched in his mind.

"It seems like the Lingmu Crow can be upgraded again!"

...

...

Jin Guang Peak.

Inside the temple.

The sect master, Nan Li Huo, sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion, facing the temple deity of the Golden Pagoda. Three incense sticks burned in the incense burner, their bluish smoke slowly rising.

Nan Li Huo closed his eyes, his hair loose and unkempt, as he quietly meditated. His powerful divine sense almost enveloped both the interior and exterior of the temple.

"Since you're here, come in and have a seat."

Nan Li Huo spoke softly, his voice gentle.

However, a faint laughter echoed: "Nan Li Huo, this old man's bones won't go in. I'll just enjoy the scenery of Jin Guang Peak from outside the temple."

It was the Imperial Astrologer from the capital city, wearing plain clothes, holding an erhu, and sitting on a small stool.

Beside the Imperial Astrologer was a figure dressed in a black and red robe, standing straight and proper, with a knife sheathed at his waist. His eyes were incredibly sharp, exuding an intense and fierce aura.

As soon as he appeared, countless divine essences seemed to roar.

"The Imperial Astrologer and the Governor of the Temple Administration have come to Jin Guang Peak in the middle of the night... Jin Guang Peak is truly honored."

Nan Li Huo stood up, dusted off his clothes, turned around, and slowly walked out of the temple.

The Imperial Astrologer, the Governor of the Temple Administration, and the sect master of the Jin Guang branch of the Divine Sect.

These three were among the strongest in the capital city.

Each of them could shake the city with a single stomp.

"Your new disciple has entered the Divine Gate?"

The Governor of the Temple Administration, Xie Jing, fixed his gaze on Nan Li Huo and spoke in a deep voice.

"Yes." Nan Li Huo waved his wide sleeves, his body swaying slightly, and he nodded.

"What did she gain from entering the Divine Gate?"

Governor Xie Jing asked coldly.

Nan Li Huo tilted his head: "Governor Xie, is that something you should be asking?"

"Do I need to explain to the Temple Administration what my disciple gained from the Divine Gate?"

"Does the Temple Administration have the qualifications to ask?"

Both the Imperial Astrologer and the Temple Administration were court factions.

However, locally, the power of the Divine Sect was no weaker than the other two, so Nan Li Huo did not back down.

Xie Jing placed his palm on the handle of the ancient and unremarkable long knife at his waist. In an instant, above the mountain peak, knife qi raged and roared, as if countless knife experts had suddenly appeared, ready to draw their blades.

Nan Li Huo vigorously rolled up his sleeves, letting them hang behind his back, his hair flying, and his eyes turning cold.

"Both of you, don't be so tense. Let this old man play a tune on the erhu to calm your anger."

The Imperial Astrologer shook his head with a smile and then sat on the small stool, actually playing the erhu.

Xie Jing and Nan Li Huo listened to the sound of the erhu, and their anger immediately subsided, their emotions becoming as calm as a still well.

"Outside the city, in the heart of the Nine Dragons River, the Eight-Armed Prison Lotus Furious Prince Zusan's Bizarre Shrine experienced six unusual occurrences while your disciple was in the Divine Gate. One of them showed signs of the prince's temple deity awakening!"

Xie Jing's voice was extremely cold.

Nan Li Huo's eyes flickered, but he regained his gentle tone and said, "What does that have to do with my disciple entering the Divine Gate? They are nearly a hundred li apart. How could my disciple's opportunity in the Divine Gate affect the Prince's Temple?"

Xie Jing's hand gripped the handle of the long knife, and his veins bulged: "The divine envoys of the Temple Administration are at the forefront of blocking the bizarre temple. They are risking their lives..."

"As their governor, I naturally need to know the situation."

"After all, it concerns the lives of the brothers of the Temple Administration in Jin Guang City."

Xie Jing's voice turned icy: "Nan Li Huo, I don't know what you're up to..."

"But if you dare harm the lives of the eight hundred divine envoys of the Temple Administration who are guarding the bizarre temple..."

Xie Jing lifted his chin, and his veins twisted like coiled dragons beneath his skin.

"I, Xie Jing..."

"Even if I give up this position, I will still kill you, Nan Li Huo!"

Nan Li Huo's gentle expression vanished: "It's as if the disciples of the Divine Sect have never been involved in suppressing the bizarre temple..."

"If something happens to the bizarre temple, will the disciples of the Divine Sect who are guarding it be spared?"

"Xie Jing, can't you speak more politely?"

Xie Jing shook his head, as if to say he couldn't be polite.

Then, he turned and unleashed his divine essence, shooting away like a rainbow.

The Imperial Astrologer didn't continue playing the erhu and laughed heartily: "You two are something else. Every time you meet, you have to provoke each other."

Nan Li Huo spoke gently: "He's just jealous because I have such a precious disciple."

"She's indeed a treasure. At three years old, she's a divine child who can open the Divine Gate of the Golden Pagoda... This time, what did she gain in the Divine Gate that caused the Prince's Temple to stir from hundreds of li away?" The Imperial Astrologer stroked his beard and asked.

Nan Li Huo shook his head: "It's just a Five Elders level Divine Phase Technique."

"Only that?"

The Imperial Astrologer frowned.

"Xixi said it was just that. As for whether there were other opportunities, it's unknown. By the way, Xixi also brought out a butterfly from the Divine Gate. Could it be that butterfly that caused the disturbance?" Nan Li Huo asked, thinking of something.

Nan Li Huo described the butterfly, but the Imperial Astrologer, despite his extensive knowledge, was puzzled.

The old Imperial Astrologer had never heard of this butterfly divine beast, and he would need to consult the classics upon returning.

After speaking, the Imperial Astrologer picked up his erhu and small stool, bidding farewell and leaving.

Before departing, the Imperial Astrologer paused, gazing at the solitary figure standing atop the mountain peak. Under the peak's infusion, South Li Huo's clothes fluttered wildly.

"South Sect Master, regardless of your grudge with the City Lord..." At this moment, the Corpse Deity Sect's impending threat looms large. It's best for us, the various powers of the city, to unite."

"Otherwise, the mountains of corpses and seas of blood in Ji Prefecture's cities... that will be the fate of our Golden Light City."

"South Sect Master, please consider the bigger picture."

South Li Huo nodded gently.

The old Imperial Astrologer sighed, then departed.

The mountain wind was cold and desolate.

South Li Huo's wide sleeves were rolled up, hanging behind him, his clothes clinging tightly to his body, outlining an extremely thin figure.

"Consider the bigger picture..."

South Li Huo smiled gently, muttering to himself before turning around and returning to the palace.

Sitting cross-legged on the meditation cushion, he prayed to the gods.

...

...

The Heaven and Earth Chessboard expanded, enveloping a diameter of several li centered around the workshop courtyard.

Inside the house, Li Che took out Shangguan Zhengheng's Qiankun Jade.

Using his Thousand Analysis Hand, he easily tore through the Qiankun Jade's barriers, allowing his consciousness to directly probe within and begin tallying the harvest.

According to Li Qingshan and Lin Xiu, this harvest was to be divided equally with the horse-faced man.

However, since both the bull demon and the horse-faced man were Li Che, he unceremoniously took it all.

He first focused on the Divine Essence Crystals, which, as the collection of a family head, should not be too low-grade.

One by one, Divine Essence Crystals were extracted from the Qiankun Jade by Li Che, far surpassing the wealth of Liu Jinsong, the vice leader of the Fishing Gang.

Although both were Phantom Realm Cultivators, their wealth was not on the same level.

After all, Shangguan Zhengheng had the backing of the Shangguan family.

There were fifty-two Ten Cities Divine Essence Crystals and fifteen Nine Stars Divine Essence Crystals! The only regret was the absence of Eight Extremes Divine Essence Crystals.

Li Che felt it was a pity, but he had expected this.

After all, Eight Extremes Divine Essence Crystals were excellent cultivation resources, and Shangguan Zhengheng would undoubtedly refine and cultivate them upon obtaining them.

However, this harvest was still enough for Li Che to cultivate for a good period, even allowing him to forge the other three Divine Foundation stages and cultivate them all to the Middle Divine Foundation stage.

There were only two Divine Armaments, and according to the analysis of the Thousand Analysis Hand, one was of the Eight Extremes level, and the other... was actually of the Seven Primordial level!

A Seven Primordial Divine Armament!

Moreover, it was a heavy trident measuring eight chi long!

Li Che's eyes sparkled with excitement.

With a clench of his fist, the Seven Primordial Divine Armament heavy trident was instantly extracted from the Qiankun Jade.

Boom—

In an instant, bolts of lightning snakes roared, and countless airflows howled and shot out!

...

The Seven Primordial Divine Armament heavy trident, the Serpent Bone Thunder Gale Halberd, was held in Li Che's hand, its weight of three thousand jin felt just right in his grip.

He lightly brandished it a few times, creating a mournful gale and surging airflow, before putting it away in the Qiankun Space of the Pure Mind Dao Fruit.

As for the other Eight Extremes Divine Armament, it was a Wish Armor that could freely change size, making it extremely durable. Even if it withstood a blow from a Grandmaster, it would remain unscathed.

Shangguan Zhengheng likely wore it daily, but when he sought pleasure in the Cloud Fragrance Pavilion, he removed his armor. As a result, he was surrounded and beaten by a Divine Appearance, a Phantom Realm Cultivator, and a sniper.

To be honest, it was quite a humiliating defeat.

The number of pills was extremely high, giving Li Che a genuine feeling of sudden wealth. As he cultivated the Cursed Copper Corpse, his demand for the Corpse God Ten Ghosts Death Qi Condensing Martial Pill was immense.

After analyzing these pills with his Thousand Analysis Hand, Li Che discovered that they were not made from human flesh and blood as he had imagined. Instead, they were crafted from various precious medicinal herbs, combined with the blood of demonic beasts and collected death qi.

In essence, they were still medicinal pills made from herbs, not evil pills.

The reason Li Che could consume them without worry was that they were not made from human flesh and blood, which would have significant side effects. The cost-effectiveness was incomparable to pills made from demonic beast blood and precious medicinal herbs.

Li Che tore open the air with his fingers, storing all nine bottles of pills in the Primordial Space.

He wondered if these pills would be enough for him to cultivate to the Breath and Blood Grandmaster level.

Calming his emotions, Li Che continued to tally the harvest.

Regarding Divine Essence Techniques, he finally found the Fear Aura Divine Technique he had been seeking.

It was quite comprehensive, covering the entire cultivation process from Temperament Cultivation to Divine Foundation, Phantom Realm, and Divine Appearance.

"Seven Primordial Extreme Fear Divine Slayer Birth Death Divine Phase Art. This is the root of the Shangguan family's Divine Phase Art. Seven Primordial Divine Phase Art means that the old ancestor of the Shangguan family had cultivated the Seven Primordial Divine Phase!"

Li Che's eyes sparkled as he flipped through the Divine Phase Art for a while before putting it away.

Next, he selectively browsed through the Divine Essence Secret Techniques and Martial Arts.

Finally, his gaze settled on a blue booklet.

Supreme Skill!

Azure Thunder Body!

This was the Shangguan family's Supreme Skill!

Li Che's smile at the corner of his lips could no longer be contained, and he laughed heartily.

Supreme Skill!

For Li Che, it was of great importance.

Li Qingshan had passed on the Divine Sect's supreme skill, the Eight Serpents Swirling River Technique, which was a mid-tier supreme skill!

Now, with the Azure Thunder Body from the Openg Clan, and a second supreme skill in hand, it might have a stimulating and enhancing effect on the Dragon Elephant True Strength he had created.

"It's not... it should be said as devouring. My Dragon Elephant True Strength can fuse all the true intentions born from these supreme skills into the Dragon Elephant True Strength."

"In other words, the Dragon Elephant True Strength I use might contain the true intention of the Azure Thunder Body, and also the true intention of the Eight Serpents Swirling River Technique!"

"After reaching the Master Level, cultivation should focus on supreme skills... The stronger the true intention, the more likely it is to refine Divine Wind, and only then will one be qualified to step into the Grand Master level..."

Inside the house, Li Che held the Azure Thunder Body, his eyes shining brightly.

He gradually sorted out his future path.

Now that he had reached the Fourth Transformation of Divine Vein, he was not far from the Master Level.

...

...

Shangguan Zhenheng, the head of one of the five great clans in Golden Light City, was personally killed on the Nine Dragon River!

This news swept through the city like a storm.

For an entire month, it refused to die down.

He was the head of a great clan, an identity of utmost nobility. Moreover, he was a high-level cultivator of the Phantom Realm, yet such a powerful figure had met a tragic death.

Although the Openg Clan tried their best to cover it up, the news of Shangguan Zhenheng cultivating the Cursed Copper Corpse and colluding with the Corpse Deity Sect still leaked out.

Therefore, although many sighed, there weren't many who sympathized.

The Corpse Deity Sect was associated with rebellion. Once tainted by it, one might be branded as a rebel, so who would dare to openly take sides?

The combination of Lin Xiu, Li Qingshan, and the mysterious Divine Archer had killed Shangguan Zhenheng's death, causing many major powers to feel uneasy.

Many people seemed to see the initial days when they had independently challenged a fishing gang, killing many of the Corpse Deity Sect's rebels.

However, since the day Lin Xiu, Li Qingshan, and the mysterious Divine Archer Ma Mian had taken action and killed Shangguan Zhenheng, they had never made another move.

...

Listening Flower Lane.

Li Che, dressed in a black martial robe, sat quietly on a stone chair in the courtyard, drinking tea with Old Chen. After taking a sip, he glanced inside the house with a helpless look.

"Wife, are you done?"

Li Che called out. He had been waiting for almost half a day!

Today, they had planned to visit Jin Guang Peak to see Xixi, and the couple had started preparing early.

Zhang Ya had been busy since yesterday, going to the market to buy many ingredients. She woke up early today to cook, preparing over a dozen dishes and placing them in lunch boxes.

She had also specifically instructed Li Che to use Vital Energy Bake to keep the dishes warm.

"Old Chen, aren't you going?"

Li Che looked at Old Chen, who was smoking a dried tobacco pipe.

Old Chen shook his head, "I can't go up Jin Guang Peak... so I won't go."

"Xixi can come down the mountain every six months, right? We can see her then."

"I should also find something to do in the city."

Old Chen smiled.

He had learned to smoke dried tobacco with his great-uncle, and with Xixi not at home, Old Chen didn't have as many reservations.

Previously, when Xixi was at home, Old Chen rarely smoked.

Smoking and drinking made Old Chen feel relaxed, but it also made him feel a bit bored.

Upon hearing this, Li Che couldn't help but ask, "Do you need my help?"

Li Che was now a third-rank guest minister in the Imperial Astrologer, and he had taken on many tasks, getting to know many people. His gentle temperament had helped him build a vast network.

If he was willing, finding a job for Old Chen was no problem.

"No need, I'm just casually looking around. It's not easy to live in the city, and I can't keep freeloading, right?"

Old Chen joked.

"You can eat as much as you like. If you can eat me bankrupt, you're amazing."

Li Che couldn't help but laugh.

Old Chen had protected them when their family was in a difficult situation, and Li Che would never forget his kindness.

Old Chen nodded and took another puff from his pipe.

After two puffs, he stood up, "Alright, I've made an appointment with a friend in the city to learn more."

"Let's go."

Old Chen held his pipe, took a few steps, waved his hand, and hummed a tune as he left the alley.

Inside the room, Zhang Ya finally finished dressing up.

"Husband, let's go quickly. Don't let Xixi wait too long. I really miss Xixi."

Zhang Ya pulled Li Che, hurrying him along.

Li Che was speechless. You were the one who kept delaying, and now you're the one urging us to leave.

"Today is the monthly challenge for inner sect disciples to challenge the Sect Lord's Direct Disciples."

"Qin Fenghuo from the Qin family seems to have reached Bone Tempering Perfection, and he boldly declared he would challenge Xixi..."

"Xixi's strongest skill is her use of mechanisms, right?"

"I wonder if Xixi's cultivation over this month will be enough to withstand..."

Zhang Ya started talking more when she was nervous.

"Moreover, Qin Fenghuo requested that Xixi not be allowed to use mechanisms. Is he even human? He's like a little rascal! He's bullying our Xixi! No martial morality!"

Li Che opened his mouth, feeling a sense of shared enmity!

That's right! If one has mastered hidden weapons, why shouldn't they be allowed to use them?!

However, Li Che wasn't worried about this challenge at all.

After all, with the upgraded Chess Sage Fruit, he could observe Xixi's situation in real-time. How could he not know his daughter's current strength?

It had only been a month, and Xixi's improvement was astonishing!

The current Xixi...

She was like the Supreme Elder's Extreme Grief Wind Fire Dragon Prince, flipping rivers and overturning seas!

It would be good enough if she didn't kill anyone!

500,000 words! It hasn't been easy, sitting in front of the computer every day, writing 12,000 words until my butt went numb. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to compete for the top-ranked recommendation yet. I seek monthly votes, recommendation votes, and followers. Old Li will continue to update! Keep going!

(End of Chapter)

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