https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-22-Divine-Craft-Martial-Techniques-Guanyin-Blood-Lotus/12831074/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-24-Dao-Fruit-Evolves-Again-Divine-Power-Takes-Shape/12831083/
Chapter 23: The Bull Demon's Enlightenment, the Divine Spirit Infant
Chapter 23: The Bull Demon's Enlightenment, the Divine Spirit Infant
Thud, thud, thud!
A dense rain of fine, razor-sharp wooden needles fell from the sky like a storm. Zhao Chuanxiong, his long blade stained with blood, swung it furiously, his hair standing on end and his pupils contracting. He had no choice but to raise his blade, creating a whirlwind to block the onslaught of dark weapons.
But there were too many. The blood lotus exploded, and the dense wooden needles rained down like a torrent, piercing his body.
A cloud of blood mist rose as Zhao Chuanxiong's leaping figure fell heavily back into the snow-covered courtyard. Tiny droplets of blood seeped from his pores, quickly staining the white snow red.
"Ah!"
Zhao Chuanxiong let out a low, angry roar, his hair and beard bristling. He quickly channeled his internal energy to stem the flow of blood in his meridians, his face turning a deep red with rage.
"What a treacherous and vicious Bull Demon!"
Zhao Chuanxiong's angry shouts echoed.
Beside him, the martial artist with the girl's mask leaped onto the wall, but the delay was too long, and the Bull Demon was already gone, vanished into the snowy mist.
Looking back at the snow-covered ground, now pockmarked with holes from the fine wooden needles, the martial artist with the Eight Trigram Staff shivered involuntarily.
"Protect me for a moment. This Bull Demon is truly vicious. These needles are so fine that even my Body Tempering skin couldn't block them. They have pierced my body and are now moving through my meridians, trying to pierce my heart. I need to use my internal energy to force them out!"
Zhao Chuanxiong panted heavily, sitting cross-legged in the snow. He instructed the Eight Trigram Staff martial artist and began to focus his internal energy.
A burning heat spread from every inch of his skin.
After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Zhao Chuanxiong's body trembled violently, and he opened his mouth, spitting out a large mouthful of clotted blood.
The clotted blood was filled with fine, blood-stained wooden needles.
"How are you?"
The martial artist with the Eight Trigram Staff, looking at Zhao Chuanxiong, asked in a deep voice.
"No worries, just some meridian damage. I'll need some time to recover. This Bull Demon... is truly vicious."
Zhao Chuanxiong's face was grim. He had set a trap to capture and kill the Bull Demon, but instead, he had suffered a significant loss.
"At least, he didn't poison the wooden needles..." the Eight Trigram Staff martial artist glanced at him and smiled.
Zhao Chuanxiong's lips twitched, and he didn't respond, but he felt a bit of relief.
This Bull Demon, vicious yet not quite poisonous enough...
"Wearing a Bull Demon mask, with a tall and muscular body, and Body Tempering cultivation... such a conspicuous figure should be impossible to hide in the outer city."
Zhao Chuanxiong exhaled, "Could he be from the inner city?"
"Most likely. The inner city's noble families have superior lineages and cultivate profound martial arts. They have rich diets, abundant energy, and robust physiques. Look at the Yang family; each one is as strong as an ox. Almost every major noble family has such powerful, muscle-bound martial artists."
"And the Bull Demon's strength is even greater than that of a Body Tempering martial artist, indicating he has cultivated an extraordinary martial art, likely from a noble family."
"As for those wooden needles... they are probably the work of a woodcarver from one of these noble families. Such skill is likely the result of a master woodcarver's handiwork."
The martial artist with the Eight Trigram Staff nodded and said.
"The Dharma Master went to the inner city and has been maneuvering against those noble families, seizing a lot of their interests. These families are not to be underestimated; it's normal for them to retaliate."
"Yang family? Xu family, An family... or the Si family?" Zhao Chuanxiong slowly stood up, carefully removing the fine wooden needles from the snow.
His rough fingers crushed the needles, his eyes filled with intense killing intent.
"Regardless, this Bull Demon... I will kill him eventually!"
...
...
Li Che, wearing a straw hat and a cloak, returned to the small rented courtyard.
His body instantly deflated, returning to its normal size.
"Escaping from two Body Tempering martial artists... not bad, but I've used up all my trump cards.
“
The sleeve crossbow, the Thousand Spider Threads, and the Guanyin Blood Lotus—three ingenious mechanisms all came into play... Pity, though. If only my Inner Strength were fully developed, I could have doubled the explosive power of the Guanyin Blood Lotus, leaving Zhao Chuanxiong either dead or severely injured.
Right now, I can only inflict some minor, harmless injuries on him."
"Hmm... If I had coated the wooden needles with poison, the Guanyin Blood Lotus would have pierced his meridians, causing the toxins to explode, doubling the damage..."
Li Che exhaled, his eyes brightening as he clapped his hands together, feeling a sudden epiphany.
What a miscalculation. Otherwise, I could have killed Zhao Chuanxiong this time.
"Leaving aside that Bagua Staff martial artist, in a one-on-one fight, even with the activation of the Dragon Elephant Vajra, I am no match for Zhao Chuanxiong. His Inner Strength is at the Third Heaven, higher than mine, and he has trained in martial techniques..."
Li Che reviewed the brief but intense clash with Zhao Chuanxiong.
Without relying on the divine mechanisms, I would have surely been defeated and suffered a great loss.
"Martial techniques... I need to find a martial technique. I have the Dragon Elephant Vajra Dao Fruit, which accelerates my martial training. Learning a martial technique will be even faster, and it might even provide additional enhancements." Li Che had a plan in mind.
"Will the Second Manager teach me a martial technique? Hmm, even if he does, it will be in the Xu family's style... Looks like I'll have to go scavenging for one, or maybe visit Old Chen."
Li Che stretched, his bones cracking.
This battle has given me a good estimate of Zhao Chuanxiong's strength and a bit more confidence in killing him.
He took off his clothes and tidied up his appearance.
Leisurely, Li Che went out and visited a meat shop in the western part of the city, where he bought a pound of braised beef and half a pound of pig's ears. He also picked up a jar of old yellow wine and a box of osmanthus cakes before strolling back to the Xu family woodcarving shop.
"Daddy!"
As soon as he pushed open the gate, Xixi, with her nose red from the cold, wobbled through the snow toward Li Che.
Li Che's heart warmed at the sight. He set down the meat and wine, scooping up the chubby Xixi.
The little girl, with her delicate features and bright red lips, wrapped her small arms around his neck as he lifted her.
"Daddy... hold me."
The little girl was remarkably intelligent, even at just over a year old, showing signs of exceptional ability.
Now, she could walk smoothly without a walker.
Old Chen, sitting under the eaves and sipping from his gourd, saw Li Che and Xixi and couldn't help but smile wistfully, "This little stinker is something else. She seems to sense your footsteps from far away..."
"Truly a spirit infant."
Zhang Ya emerged from the house, noticing the items Li Che had brought. She quickly came over to take them inside.
"Husband, you brought osmanthus cakes again. Isn't this a bit too extravagant?" Zhang Ya smiled sweetly. Since moving to the Xu family, their life had improved immensely, and the future looked brighter.
Li Che smiled, "If my wife wants to eat them, we can have them every day."
They could truly afford it now.
With Li Che's exceptional woodcarving skills, each piece he crafted earned at least fifty taels, ensuring they lived without worry.
Zhang Ya took the items inside.
Li Che, still holding Xixi, took the old yellow wine and sat down next to Old Chen.
"Old Chen, what exactly is a spirit infant?"
Li Che asked.
The Spirit Infant Sect had determined that Xixi was a spirit infant, but Li Che was unclear about what that meant.
Old Chen put away his gourd, gesturing for Li Che to pour the wine. Li Che filled a cup, and Old Chen's face lit up.
Taking a sip of the old yellow wine, Old Chen became serious, looking at Xixi with a hint of tenderness in his eyes.
"Ah Che, you know about divine techniques, right?"
"A spirit infant... is someone born with divine essence, making them an excellent candidate for training in divine techniques!"
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(End of Chapter)
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