https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-14-The-First-Birthday-Feast-and-the-Spirit-Baby-s-Angry-Glare/12831064/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-16-The-Wrathful-Vajra-Not-Innocent/12831066/
Chapter 15: Watching, Guarding, or Killing
Chapter 15: Watching, Guarding, or Killing
"Spirit Infant Statue?"
Li Che's eyes were icy cold. As expected...
Even after moving into the Xu Family Woodcarving Shop and receiving their protection, he still couldn't completely avoid the Spirit Infant Sect's covetous gaze on Xi Xi! Just after her first birthday party, the Spirit Infant Sect reappeared!
"Persistent as a shadow..."
Li Che clenched his fists, his eyes brimming with murderous intent.
However, as he recalled the figure that had just vanished, his brows furrowed.
"This Spirit Infant Statue hasn't appeared since we moved into the Xu Family Compound. Today, it reappeared... The only people who had contact with outsiders were the helpers and cooks we hired from Spring Wind Tower."
"But these helpers and cooks were already arranged by Manager Sun to leave the Xu Family Compound and not linger, so they can be ruled out. There are many skilled masters in the surrounding courtyards, with powerful strength and keen senses... Yet, the other party managed to sneak the Spirit Infant Statue into my courtyard without their notice..."
Li Che took a deep breath, feeling the cold wind and snow chill the air even more.
His dark eyes reflected a fierce determination.
"In other words... this member of the Spirit Infant Sect... is likely someone familiar within the Xu Family Woodcarving Shop!"
The coldness seemed to seep into his body through his pores at the realization.
"This possibility... is very, very high!"
"I was a bit too complacent... there is no such thing as absolute safety."
Li Che shook his head, his gaze fixed on the Spirit Infant Statue on the ground, his face cold. "There's someone from the Spirit Infant Sect in the woodcarving shop... who could it be?"
Images of various faces flashed through Li Che's mind, but he couldn't pinpoint the culprit.
Shaking his head again, Li Che picked up the statue with its wide, angry eyes. Blood and qi surged beneath his skin, and his fingers glowed with a golden light. With a "crack," the statue burst into pieces.
"I will find you..."
"Don't underestimate the determination of a protective father."
...
...
"The Spirit Infant Statue... appeared outside your courtyard?"
The next day, Chen Dabao, who had slept soundly, narrowed his eyes upon hearing Li Che's words.
"You suspect there might be a member of the Spirit Infant Sect in the woodcarving shop?"
Chen Dabao squinted and said in a low voice.
Li Che nodded but couldn't guess who it might be.
"Indeed, there is a significant possibility. Even appearing outside the Xu Family Compound, let alone in the outer city, is not an easy feat..."
"The Spirit Infant Sect has already spread throughout Thunder City. If someone in the shop has become a believer, it's not surprising."
"No, it's inevitable. The Spirit Infant Sect... to challenge the rule of the powerful families in Thunder City, they must plant their people. And faith is indeed the most effective method."
Old Chen said solemnly, "Don't worry, I'll investigate. It's not difficult to find out... becoming a member of the Spirit Infant Sect is not easy to hide. If I find out, I'll tell you immediately. You should also be on guard."
"Manager San was dispatched out of the city to clear out the strange temple's evil entities. During this time... the shop is actually without a main manager, making it the best time for them to act."
"However, even if I find out their identity, I can't take action unless they harm Little Xi Xi."
Old Chen furrowed his brows.
Li Che understood the situation.
The Spirit Infant Sect had spread throughout Thunder City, and becoming a member might be disliked by various factions, but they wouldn't go out of their way to eliminate them.
After all, as long as they haven't caused trouble, it's just a matter of personal belief.
"But at least knowing who it is will give me some peace of mind and allow me to be more cautious."
Li Che said sincerely.
Old Chen nodded, finding it reasonable.
...
...
Old Chen's investigation took three days.
During these three days, Li Che increased his training time, as the cultivation feedback from the Dragon Elephant Vajra Dao Fruit had given him a strong drive to practice.
Three days of intense training pushed the maturity of the Dragon Elephant Vajra to 5%. With the full release of the Dao Fruit's power, it was even more powerful than the peak of the Skin Tempering stage, with a strength of a thousand pounds.
However, he was still at the peak of the Skin Tempering stage.
In the training ground, Li Che was drenched in sweat, his skin glowing a deep red, and the heat made the air hazy.
He put down the stone lock and lowered his eyes.
"To break through to the Meridian Opening stage, I need a cultivation method for Meridian Opening... but I can't go to Xu Beihu. After all, the cultivation level I've shown Xu Beihu is only at the peak of the Skin Tempering stage..."
Two days ago, Xu Beihu came to check on his cultivation, and Li Che had demonstrated his peak Skin Tempering level.
He hadn't fully revealed his peak Skin Tempering strength.
Despite this, Xu Beihu was already quite astonished. In just one year... reaching the peak of Skin Tempering was a feat that even Xu Beihu found surprising.
Unfortunately, Xu Beihu explained that to open the meridians and practice Internal Qi techniques, one needed to achieve the completion of Skin Tempering.
Li Che didn't want to reveal his completed Skin Tempering, as reaching the peak in one year could be explained by exceptional talent, which was the level Xu Beihu had once been at.
But if he had achieved completion in just one year, it would be too outrageous...
"So, I'll have to find the Meridian Opening cultivation technique and the Internal Qi method myself."
Li Che changed into a clean set of clothes, his eyes flickering as he pondered.
"I have saved up quite a bit now. I can go to the market in the outer city and see if they have any cultivation techniques for sale, but I'll need to keep my identity hidden."
After finishing his cultivation, Li Che returned to the workshop of the wood carving shop.
A few days ago, he had taken on a wood carving job to sculpt a "Eight Treasures Luminous Maitreya Statue." The client requested that it be rich in meaning, and the price offered was a gold leaf, equivalent to a hundred taels!
This was the highest-paying wood carving job Li Che had ever taken!
Gripping the carving knife, he gently pressed it into the wood, tearing through the fibers as wood shavings fluttered down like snowflakes.
The Dao Fruit of Master Craftsmanship pulsed slightly, and Li Che's gaze became focused. Everything around him seemed to vanish in that moment, and all the techniques for carving the Maitreya statue flooded his mind.
Old Chen, with a wine gourd hanging from his waist, knocked on the carved wooden door of Li Che's workshop with a serious expression.
"Old Chen?"
Li Che, holding a file, asked softly as he continued carving.
"I found out." Old Chen took a seat, uncorked his gourd, and took a swig of wine, his voice grave.
"Who is it?" Li Che's eyes turned cold, and his hand paused mid-carving.
"Xu's Wood Carving Shop in the outer city. Over the past year, quite a few wood carvers and their families have been influenced by the Spirit Infant Sect. I was quite shocked when I found out."
"But on the day of Xiao Xi's first birthday, only one person at the banquet was secretly a follower of the Spirit Infant Sect."
Old Chen shook his head, a trace of horror in his eyes.
The expansion of the Spirit Infant Sect... was faster and more terrifying than he had imagined.
Li Che didn't care about that; he was more concerned about who was targeting Xiao Xi.
"Who is it?"
Li Che asked again.
Old Chen sighed, "Sun the Steward's second son, Sun Changbiao. He's been married for four years but has no son, which has made him anxious. His wife was lured by the Spirit Infant Sect, who promised that worshiping them would grant her a son. Sun Changbiao followed suit."
Sun Changbiao?
Li Che was taken aback, recalling Sun the Steward, who had smiled warmly as he showed them around the courtyard.
Sun Changbiao was his second son and a wood carver at Xu's Wood Carving Shop, a Three-Blade Carver who was usually gentle and kind. Li Che never imagined he would join the Spirit Infant Sect, much less target Xiao Xi.
Li Che took a deep breath.
"What is Sun Changbiao's strength?" Li Che asked, his face expressionless.
Old Chen raised an eyebrow, "Average talent. He has been skin tempering for three years, completed Bone Tempering two years ago, and is now practicing Internal Qi techniques..."
"Thank you, Old Chen. I understand."
Li Che's face broke into a smile as he thanked Chen Dabao.
"Don't act rashly. You just reached the peak of Skin Tempering, and you can't defeat Sun Changbiao. Besides, you have no evidence. Acting rashly will only give them a reason to talk, and it won't look good with Old Sun."
Chen Dabao warned Li Che, then took another sip of wine. "Now that we know who it is, we just need to be cautious and keep an eye on him."
"I'll watch over Xiao Xi. Sun Changbiao won't have a chance."
Li Che nodded silently.
Chen Dabao said no more, got up, and hummed a little tune as he left, not heading to his own workshop but to Li Che's small courtyard to play with Xiao Xi.
"Little stinky Xi, Grandpa Chen is here!"
Meanwhile, Li Che continued his work on the Eight Treasures Luminous Maitreya Statue.
After finishing the day's work, Li Che stood up, put on a hat, and took a black cloak, watching the snowflakes fall from the sky.
"I said it before... don't underestimate the resolve of a protective father."
"Even with so many daughters, just because he doesn't have a son, he plans to take my daughter for a son?"
"Truly... incomprehensible."
Reaching out, he caught a snowflake.
Li Che's face grew cold. Old Chen said to watch and be cautious.
But in Li Che's view...
Watching and being cautious were not enough...
He would rather...
Kill.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
