https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-17-A-Thousand-Spider-Webs-No-Longer-Good/12831069/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-19-The-Nine-Headed-Bodhisattva-of-Wrathful-Crying-and-the-Divine-Art/12831071/
Chapter 18: A Father's Unwavering Love and the Weeping Guanyin Statue
Chapter 18: A Father's Unwavering Love and the Weeping Guanyin Statue
Chen Dabao stood with his hands behind his back, watching as Xiao Liu walked away. Snowflakes drifted down from the sky, settling on his graying hair.
His eyes held a hint of wandering and complexity.
Sun Changbiao was dead, but what Chen truly cared about wasn't Sun's demise. In this era, death was a common occurrence.
What concerned Chen was Li Che's decisiveness.
They had just discovered that the person coveting Xi Xi was Sun Changbiao, a follower of the Spirit Infant Sect. And right after work, Li Che rushed off to kill Sun Changbiao.
Decisive, ruthless, and swift!
Was it really Li Che who did it?
Where did he get the strength to kill Sun Changbiao?
Even Chen felt a bit confused and doubtful.
His leisurely stroll turned into a purposeful walk, and he took a detour to Sun Changbiao's courtyard.
As he approached, he heard thunderous wails.
Outside the courtyard, a crowd had gathered. Chen saw the old steward, Old Sun, his face pale and trembling, his fists clenched in anger and sorrow.
"Who? Who killed my son?"
"My son was kind and honest, always good to others. Who could be so cruel?"
Old Sun wept bitterly, the pain of losing his son piercing his heart.
Beside him, Lady Liu was supported by someone and sat on a chair, tears streaming down her face, sobbing uncontrollably.
Chen pushed his way through the crowd, listening for a while, and felt a strange sensation in his heart.
"Massive and towering like a small mountain, hands like fans, he kicked down the door and stomped Sun Changbiao to death."
"It was a Bone Tempering martial artist who did this... It couldn't have been Li Che, who has just completed his Skin Tempering. He would have been killed if he faced Sun Changbiao."
"How strange, what a coincidence!"
Chen was also amazed.
Looking at Sun Changbiao's decapitated and broken body, he shook his head, feeling a sense of pity.
He turned his gaze and saw Sun Changbiao's four daughters standing in the corner, trembling in fear. The eldest daughter, looking at her father's body, had no trace of sorrow, but instead...
A look of satisfaction.
...
...
The news of Sun Changbiao's brutal murder spread like a storm through the Xu family compound.
It caused a stir.
The third manager had left the city and was not in the shop when this happened, which had a significant impact.
The next day, the inner city Xu family sent someone to investigate, accompanied by the outer city's constables.
Xu Beihu, draped in a fox fur cloak, his massive body radiating a solid blood aura like electric arcs, looked at Sun Changbiao's body in the coffin, his eyes flashing with a strange light.
"A force of a thousand catties, one kick shattered his internal organs. In the fight, he broke Sun Changbiao's arm bones, overwhelming him. Without a doubt, the attacker was a domineering Bone Tempering martial artist. As for the final head severing, the wound is so clean, indicating a very sharp blade... it looks like a sword."
Beside Xu Beihu, the outer city's head constable, Zhao Chuanxiong, was equally imposing, with a broad saber at his waist. He squinted and analyzed.
"Constable Zhao, I'll leave this to you. I never expected that after so many years of peace, there would be such a bold criminal attacking our Xu family shop."
Xu Beihu clasped his fists.
Zhao Chuanxiong laughed and waved his hand. "Perhaps it was one of the other families, trying to scare us by making an example. But it's strange... why choose Sun Changbiao? Why him?"
Xu Beihu was also puzzled and couldn't come to a conclusion.
Zhao Chuanxiong smiled and raised his hand lightly.
"Search the place, see if you can find any clues."
With that, the constables began to search Sun Changbiao's mansion.
Lady Liu, who was sitting on a chair and sobbing, saw the constables searching and her eyes flashed with panic, followed by despair.
A moment later, one of the constables called out, "Found it!"
He then ran back with a "Three-Headed Six-Armed Spirit Infant Statue."
"Spirit Infant Sect?!"
Xu Beihu's eyes widened in anger, his hair flying. He turned to Lady Liu and roared, "You worship the Spirit Infant Sect?!"
Zhao Chuanxiong squinted and clapped lightly. "So it's the Spirit Infant Sect, that makes things clearer..."
He glanced at the four young girls standing in the corner, the youngest no more than two or three years old, with messy hair and wide, confused eyes.
Xu Beihu's face darkened. While the infiltration of the Spirit Infant Sect into the shop was expected, the sudden exposure was embarrassing for the Xu family.
"Now it's clear. Sun Changbiao worshiped the Spirit Infant Sect, and his daughter must have been chosen for their rituals. Sun Changbiao refused to let them take her, so he tried to stop them and was killed."
“
‘Tsk, tsk, what a moving display of fatherly love…’
‘Liu, do you agree?’
Sitting in her chair, Liu, who had been crying, suddenly froze.
Mixed in the crowd, Li Che, who heard the constable’s analysis, couldn’t help but twitch his lips.
Sun Changbiao did indeed die because of fatherly love, but it was Li Che’s fatherly love…
Without lingering any further, Li Che headed to the training ground to practice.
…
…
The training ground was bustling with energy.
The new woodcarvers hired this year, who had just received the Skin Grinding technique, were all brimming with enthusiasm, carrying stone locks and continuously training.
Zhao Xuan, with her long, slender legs, was instructing the newcomers. Upon seeing Li Che, she greeted him with a warm smile, "Master Li, you’re here?"
Li Che smiled gently and nodded in response.
Wang Zheng, drenched in sweat, also stopped his training, "Master Li, have you heard? Master Sun died a terrible death. He was tortured by a villain, his bones crushed, and his head severed. It was gruesome."
Li Che’s lips twitched; the story was getting more and more exaggerated… he wasn’t that cruel.
However, Li Che still joined the conversation with a sigh of sympathy.
The older men chatted, but the newcomers dared not join in. After a moment, Li Che began his training.
His current displayed cultivation was at the Great Success stage of Skin Grinding, which already made many people envious.
Li Che never skipped his daily training, as the Dragon Elephant Vajra Dao Fruit could be cultivated to maturity, and daily practice was essential.
However, while training, Li Che’s mind was preoccupied with thoughts of the Sinew Opening technique and the Internal Energy method.
Just as he was contemplating, Xu Beihu arrived at the training ground.
"Second Manager."
Everyone stopped their activities and bowed respectfully.
Xu Beihu’s expression softened a bit, "I came to the outer city today to investigate Sun Changbiao’s death. I can also take this opportunity to guide your cultivation."
His gaze fell on Li Che, and he nodded in approval, "You’ve achieved Great Success in Skin Grinding in just one year. Your body cultivation talent is excellent. Keep up the hard work and don’t slack off. If you have any needs, feel free to speak up."
Li Che bowed and said, "Second Manager… now that I’ve achieved Great Success in Skin Grinding, may I request a Sinew Opening technique and an Internal Energy method?"
"Today, while passing by Master Sun’s yard, I saw the tragic state of his death. It left me shaken. I’ve heard that Master Sun’s love for his daughter was as strong as a mountain, and he died protecting her. I… I’m afraid."
Li Che’s words were filled with sincerity and concern.
Xu Beihu fell silent, having heard about Li Che’s situation.
Li Che had joined the Xu household due to concerns about the Spirit Infants Sect, seeking protection. Now, with this incident, the Xu household’s reputation had taken a hit, a sign of waning prestige.
However, the rules of the Xu household could not be broken. Xu Beihu shook his head, his face showing regret, "The Xu household’s rules state that you must reach the Perfection stage in Skin Grinding before we can teach you the Sinew Opening technique and the Internal Energy method…"
"Your foundation must be solid before you can advance. Otherwise, a tall building can easily collapse. If I were to teach you prematurely, you might succumb to temptation and start practicing too soon, risking your health. This is for your own good."
Li Che’s face showed disappointment.
Seeing this, Xu Beihu hesitated for a moment, then produced a porcelain bottle and handed it to Li Che, "Here… this bottle contains six Skin Grinding Pills. It’s a reward for your achievement in reaching Great Success."
"Take one pill every five days. With your talent, you should reach the Perfection stage in about a month."
"At that time, you can come to me for the Sinew Opening technique and the Internal Energy method."
Li Che felt a twinge of disappointment but showed a pleased expression, accepting the Skin Grinding Pills. In his heart, he had already decided to visit the market to see if he could buy a high-quality Internal Energy method.
Old Chen had mentioned that since they weren’t part of the Xu family, the Sinew Opening technique and Internal Energy method they were eligible to learn were not very advanced, and the quality was comparable to what could be bought in the market.
Seeing Li Che accept the pills, a smile appeared on Xu Beihu’s rugged face.
"Li Che, I have a job for you."
"Knowing your woodcarving skills are exceptional, a young master from the inner city’s Si family approached me. He wants you to carve a wooden statue, and the reward is five gold leaves."
Li Che’s heart skipped a beat.
Five gold leaves?!
Five hundred taels!
A big client!
But this also meant the client’s demands would be far from simple. This woodcarving job would undoubtedly be extremely challenging.
Li Che’s expression turned serious, and he bowed, "May I ask what the young master of the Si family wants me to carve?"
Xu Beihu, looking at Li Che’s solemn demeanor, smiled.
"A nine-headed Avalokiteshvara statue, weeping to subdue ghosts."
(End of Chapter)
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