https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-13-Little-Odor-Unrivaled-in-Physical-Training/12831063/
Chapter 14: The First Birthday Feast and the Spirit Baby's Angry Glare
Chapter 14: The First Birthday Feast and the Spirit Baby's Angry Glare
"Master Li, congratulations! Happy first birthday, Xi Xi!"
Snowflakes as pure as freshly fallen snow danced in the air, landing on the black tiles, creating a striking contrast.
The courtyard gates were wide open, and the sound of footsteps crunching through the snow was continuous, accompanied by endless well-wishes.
One by one, guests entered the courtyard, each presenting their birthday gifts.
They were all familiar faces from the wood carving shop. Li Zhi and Zhang Ya, dressed in their finest attire, stood at the entrance, warmly welcoming their guests.
Inside the courtyard, the staff from Chunfeng Tower had already set up a large tent and arranged the tables and chairs. The head chef had set up his kitchen in a corner and was already cooking, the scent of the appetizers wafting through the air and filling each table.
There were a total of nine tables, which wasn't a small number, considering many of the older masters from the shop had brought their families along, making the celebration lively and festive.
Chen Dabao held Xi Xi, who was dressed in a red dress, looking like a little doll, and was proudly showing her off to a few old friends, his face beaming with joy and love.
Uncle and Auntie also arrived. The old scholar, holding an unlit pipe, was accompanied by a young couple carrying a baby boy, chubby and curious, wide-eyed and taking in the surroundings.
"Uncle, Auntie, Cousin, and Cousin-in-law, please come in!"
Li Zhi saw them and greeted them with a warm smile.
He was deeply grateful to his uncle's family. If it weren't for their adoption and care, Li Zhi wouldn't have lived such a comfortable life in this chaotic world. Moreover, his marriage to Zhang Ya had been arranged with the help of Auntie.
The old scholar's face was creased with smiles as he looked at Li Zhi, now a successful man.
"You've done well, Zhi."
"Your parents would be proud."
The old scholar patted Li Zhi's shoulder, his eyes filled with warmth.
Auntie then took out a set of silver jewelry wrapped in a red cloth and handed it to Li Zhi. "Zhi, please accept this as Xi Xi's first birthday gift."
Li Zhi didn't refuse, accepting it with a serious expression. He then turned to his cousin, Li Zhengran, and his wife, Liu Chunming, who was holding their baby boy.
"Zhou Zhou is a bit younger than Xi Xi, right? He'll be a year old soon. Can he flip over easily now?" Li Zhi asked with a smile.
"He's very agile. His little legs kick like a windmill, and he flips over so smoothly and energetically!" Liu Chunming replied, her face lighting up.
Being a wood carving master at the Xu Family Wood Carving Shop, Liu Chunming knew the weight of her position and was much more enthusiastic now.
After a brief exchange, Li Zhi led his uncle's family to their table.
As the time for the feast approached, the staff from Chunfeng Tower announced the dishes, and one by one, the delicious meals were served to the tables.
Li Zhi now possessed the Dao Fruit of Master Craftsmanship, and the wood carvings he created, rich in meaning, were highly sought after. Though not as skilled as Master Chen, he had sold a piece for as much as fifty taels! His wealth had grown significantly, and he could easily afford the expensive feast at Chunfeng Tower.
Moreover, the older masters from the shop who attended the feast would also bring gifts, so the first birthday celebration not only didn't cost him but even brought in a profit.
"Brother Zhi, Third Manager has arrived!"
Li Zhi, who was toasting with a few older masters, heard the news and quickly picked up Xi Xi, taking Zhang Ya with him to welcome the guest.
"Ha ha ha, I came specially to see Xi Xi on her first birthday. Here is her gift."
Third Manager Xu You was a humble and well-respected man in the shop, and he likely had the intention of cultivating a closer relationship with Li Zhi. After all, Li Zhi's wood carvings, full of spirit, had become highly sought after in the inner city.
"Thank you, Manager. Xi Xi, come and thank Uncle Xu." Li Zhi held the adorable Xi Xi and called out with a smile.
Xi Xi's eyes sparkled, her long lashes fluttering, and her skin was as smooth as jade. Xu You, upon seeing her, was equally delighted. He took her from Li Zhi, played with her for a while, and even hesitated to give her back.
"I won't stay for the feast. I have some matters to attend to. Recently, the outer city's mysterious temple has been restless, and many evil entities have been emerging. The inner city's major families have organized teams to clear them out, and I need to go as well."
Xu You explained briefly before taking his leave.
"Manager Xu is such a good person..." Zhang Ya whispered beside him.
Li Zhi nodded in agreement. Xu You was indeed a good man, humble and down-to-earth, without the arrogance often seen in the wealthy and powerful.
However, Li Che had heard that in the inner city, Xu You was not favored and had been dispatched to manage the Xu family's shop in the outer city. This move effectively sidelined him from the family's power center.
Compared to the businesses in the inner city, the Xu family's wooden carving shop in the outer city was not a significant enterprise.
"In this world, the more gentle you are, the more likely you are to suffer. The wicked always prey on the honest."
Old Chen held his wine cup, walked over, and shook his head with a complex expression.
"Take the dangerous task of clearing out the eerie temple outside the city, for example. Who among the major families would send their core descendants on such a mission?"
"The powerful Xu Beihu wasn't sent, but the weaker Xu You was. Isn't it because Xu You is not favored in the clan?"
Old Chen sighed.
Li Che, holding Xixi, watched Xu You's lonely figure disappear into the snowstorm, remaining silent.
...
...
After a night of drinking and merrymaking, Old Chen, in an exceptionally good mood, drank himself into a stupor and fell asleep early.
Zhang Ya took Xixi to the inner room to put her to bed.
Li Che wiped the cold snow from his face to sober up, then sat in the workshop of the side courtyard, lit the oil lamp, and continued working on his mechanisms.
A thought crossed his mind, and information appeared before his eyes.
...
Name: Li Che
Bond: Daughter (Li Nuaxi)
Dao Fruits: Master Craftsman (Level 2, 89%), Dragon Elephant Vajra (Level 1, 2%)
...
His gaze fell on the Master Craftsman Dao Fruit. After a year, its maturity had reached 89%, and it was almost ready to advance to Level 3.
He just needed to complete one more mechanism.
Standing up, he walked to a corner of the workshop and gently turned a wooden carving, revealing a hidden compartment.
From it, he took out a statue of Guanyin sitting on a blood-red lotus mountain.
Guanyin's face was kind and benevolent, but a closer look revealed that the statue was made of thousands of fine wooden needles stacked together!
This was one of the three mechanisms in the Tang Family Mechanism Records that required no internal energy: the Blood Lotus Guanyin.
Besides the Blood Lotus Guanyin, there were two square matchboxes beside it. Li Che took one, held it in his palm, and instantly, a faint mechanical sound came from inside. Eight long spider legs sprouted and embedded into the skin of his palm.
With a light wave of his hand, countless fine silver threads shot out silently, slicing through a piece of wood several meters away with perfect precision, leaving a smooth, polished cut.
As his fingers danced, the silver threads swirled around the room, whistling through the air as they cut through the air.
After a while, the countless silver threads returned to the matchbox in a flash.
"An impressive Thousand Silk Spider. Even a regular Bone Opening martial artist would find it difficult to resist the spider silk's strangulation with my Minor Success in Skin Tempering."
"But martial artists who reach the Bone Opening realm will cultivate internal energy. According to Old Chen, their strength increases by three to four times when augmented with internal energy, and with internal energy techniques, their killing power is even greater."
"Complacency is not an option."
"The key is to enhance my own martial prowess. Once I can cultivate internal energy, using it to drive the Thousand Silk Spider will make it even more powerful!"
Li Che put the Thousand Silk Spider and the Blood Lotus Guanyin back into the hidden compartment.
He sat back down by the oil lamp and began trying to create other mechanisms from the Tang Family Mechanism Records.
Due to his lack of internal energy and sufficient vitality, all his attempts at creating other mechanisms had failed so far.
However, it wasn't a big problem. Each failure was a learning experience. Once he cultivated internal energy, he would be able to complete them in one go.
Suddenly.
Li Che, who had just picked up a carving knife, furrowed his brow.
He left the workshop and took a few steps to the courtyard gate, looking into the distance. He saw a dark figure, moving as fast as lightning, shattering the darkness and vanishing into the night.
Li Che's eyes sharpened, and he slowly looked down.
There, he saw a familiar...
Three-Headed, Six-Armed Spirit Infant Statue.
But this time, the statue's eyes were wide open, glaring at him fiercely.
As if it were staring him down!
(End of Chapter)
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