Chapter 289: Xi Xi Watches Her Father Catch Thunder Eels, Father and Daughter Together at the Peach

Chapter 289: Xi Xi Watches Her Father Catch Thunder Eels, Father and Daughter Together at the Peach Blossom Festival

Li Che felt that this was not an illusion!

Lu Tai Bai had specifically set up this rule with such ferocity, as if it were tailored just for him.

Perhaps, Lu Tai Bai had already made a guess about his identity.

The deaths of You Li Qing and the Dragon Queen Consort, coupled with the previous death of Su Huai Ming, the Divine Carving Master from the Su family, could be linked to Li Che if one were to think about it.

Because Li Che's shadow was present in all of these incidents.

Lu Tai Bai's cultivation was too powerful, and his perception was extremely sharp. Regarding the Spirit Embryo Four Divine Transformations and the Embryonic Head Transformation, Li Che had little concept of their existence.

However, Lu Tai Bai had just made a move, and with just a single sword, he had sent the terrifying aura of the Temple Guardian King Demon Ape back into the Mystic Tower.

That move left Li Che in awe.

Such a sword was far beyond what he could withstand at his current level.

Unless the Flying Thunder Chess Piece teleported, or unless he hid in Ink City...

Even without experiencing such a sword strike personally, Li Che wasn't sure if Lu Tai Bai's cultivation could destroy space with a single strike...

If that were the case, even the teleportation ability of the Flying Thunder Chess Piece would be restricted!

However, with the transformation of the Chess Sage's Dao Fruit, the teleportation ability of the Flying Thunder Chess Piece had also improved and optimized. When facing fluctuating space, the teleportation speed would likely increase significantly.

In any case, Li Che's intuition told him that Lu Tai Bai was creating an opportunity for him to obtain this Heartfelt Steel Rod.

Restricting cultivation, the highest level allowed was the First Opening Martial Saint and the Embryonic Breath Transformation Realm.

Exceeding this realm, anyone who dared to enter the Malevolent Temple would face Lu Tai Bai's wrath, and his sword would be stained with blood.

Li Che had no doubt about Lu Tai Bai's determination and intent to kill.

Breathing out slowly, Li Che said nothing, but nodded slightly to show his response to the Sect Lord's trust in him.

Crackle, crackle!

Electric lights raged and intertwined in the sky, perhaps due to the absence of the oppressive divine nature of the Temple Guardian King Demon Ape that had emerged from the Mystic Tower.

Therefore, the brewing Divine Carving Demi-Saint Tribulation Lightning finally began to gather momentum.

Sizzling...

Thunderous power rolled between the clouds, like countless raging dragon-like horned dragons.

The sound of breaking through the air reverberated.

One by one, the powerful cultivators returned.

Inspector Hong Shi Fo, Inner Gate Great Elder Fang Han Shu, and other powerful cultivators returned to the Divine Carving Ridge's courtyard.

Each person's heart had its own emotions, but none of them showed on their faces.

Zhao Fang Zhou, with his tall and sturdy physique and flying hair, couldn't help but look at Lu Tai Bai: "Sect Lord, only Martial Saints at the First Opening Realm can enter, right?"

Lu Tai Bai nodded gently.

Zhao Fang Zhou's cultivation was at the Second Opening Martial Saint, the peak of the Qi Sea Realm, and he was quite interested in finding the mythical armament in the Malevolent Temple during this visit.

Only after reaching the Martial Saint realm and the Embryonic Breath Transformation Realm would one understand the importance of mythical armaments.

It was related to future cultivation, and even to the possibility of opening the Heaven Opening Gate and the Embryonic Head Transformation!"

Without waiting for Lu Tai Bai to speak, Zhao Fang Zhou waved his hand awkwardly, feeling embarrassed for asking such a question as an elder of the Heavenly Origin Sect.

Mainly, Zhao Fang Zhou still had a strong desire for that divine armament.

Boom, boom, boom!

Accompanied by thunder, everyone's attention was drawn to the tribulation lightning of the Divine Carving Demi-Saint that Li Che had carved.

Li Che put Xi Xi down and patted her head.

"Xi Xi, open your eyes wide and watch Daddy catch thunder eels!" Li Che said.

Xi Xi's eyes immediately lit up with a brilliant glow.

Catch thunder eels?!

Daddy is going to play such a fun game?

Can he really catch the falling thunder?

Xi Xi's five-year-old mind couldn't imagine such a scene, so for a moment, she was filled with anticipation.

The others were also intrigued by Li Che's description of "catching thunder."

Indeed, it was exactly as it sounded.

Crack, crack!

The thunderous roar, the flashing lightning, and the vast spring thunder seemed to be mixed with the Demi-Saint Tribulation Lightning, erupting in an instant like countless hideous spider webs spreading out in the dark clouds!

Li Che's toes tapped the ground.

Holding up the Divine Carving of the Two-Hearted Great Sage, his body transformed into a streak of light and shot out.

Many Divine Carving Masters who were immersed in the process of reviewing, thinking, and sketching the rough drafts of the Divine Carvings all snapped out of their trance, their eyes burning with curiosity as they looked at Li Che.

"Crossing the tribulation... Li Elder's cultivation seems quite ordinary, and this Demi-Saint Divine Carving tribulation won't be easy to pass."

"Many Divine Carving Demi-Saints are Spirit Embryo Cultivators, so they won't have too much trouble crossing the Demi-Saint Tribulation. But for a Divine Carving Demi-Saint created by a Divine Essence Master like Li Elder... that's truly rare."

"Can a Divine Essence Master... pass through this Demi-Saint Tribulation Lightning?"

...

Many Divine Carving Masters in the crowd began to discuss, their hearts filled with questions.

Yun Hai Yang and Zhou Tian Shui, two Divine Carving Masters, were even more nervous than Li Che himself.

After all, Li Che was now a precious treasure, a freshly baked Divine Carving Demi-Saint, and his survival held great significance for the entire Heavenly Origin Dao City.

If he couldn't survive the tribulation lightning, it would be a great loss.

They had even taken out precious healing medicines from their Qiankun Jade to be prepared.

If Li Che was struck half-dead by the tribulation lightning, they would immediately feed him healing pills to keep him alive. As long as he could be saved, it would be a good outcome.

On the other side.

The Sect Lord's wife, with her hands crossed over her chest, floated beside Lu Tai Bai, her delicate face showing a hint of solemnity.

"Husband, aren't you worried at all?"

"What if Elder Li can't endure it, and Xi Xi becomes fatherless?"

The Sect Lord's wife said.

Xi Xi, who was standing next to her, suddenly widened her eyes in disbelief and turned to look at her.

"Xi Xi will never become fatherless! Daddy is the best, and he promised to catch thunder for Xi Xi to see, so he can definitely do it!"

"Daddy never lies to Xi Xi!"

Xi Xi was angry, turning her head away from the Sect Lord's wife with a dissatisfied look.

Even if you are Xi Xi's master, Xi Xi cannot allow you to speak of her father like that!

The Sect Master's wife quickly covered her mouth and began to apologize to Xi Xi. After all, she was an adult and realized that her words were indeed a bit inappropriate.

"Rest assured, if Elder Li truly can't endure it... with so many Martial Saint Spirit Embryos here, and Elder Fang Han Shu present, it would be difficult for him to die even if he wanted to."

Lu Tai Bai chuckled and patted the two little ones on their heads.

Boom—!

His words had just fallen.

In the distance, Li Che had already taken his position, and the sky was filled with rolling thunder, like a deep blue thunder dragon poking its head out from behind the clouds. Its whiskers, nose, eyes, and mouth were all lifelike!

Li Che held the Demi-Saint Divine Crane and landed on a vacant lot outside the Divine Crane Ridge complex.

Then, he looked up and released the Divine Crane.

Boom!

A deafening roar that shook the heavens and the earth, as if the world had dimmed and lost its brilliance in that moment!

Deep blue lightning fell from the sky, its speed reaching an extreme!

Li Che stood beside the Demi-Saint Divine Crane, his eyes shining.

This was the tribulation descended by the heavens upon sensing a skill that had touched the threshold of the Sacred Hand Sect! As for the specific reason, Li Che didn't quite understand why the heavens could sense it and why they would send down a tribulation...

Was it because there was too much divine nature condensed within the Demi-Saint Divine Crane?

Or was it because the Demi-Saint Divine Crane simulated too much of the divine aura of the mysterious temple deities, and since those deities were confined to the mysterious temple and couldn't appear in the mortal world, did the Demi-Saint Divine Crane effectively bring them into the human realm?

Was this why it had attracted the punishment of the heavenly tribulation?!

Regardless of the reason, Li Che was now facing the thunder tribulation!

Contrary to everyone's imagination of terror and solemnity, Li Che's heart was filled with joy, every inch of his skin trembling, every cell seemingly cheering.

Within his chest.

The Thunder Magnet Body Fruit even began to tremble and jump vigorously.

However, Li Che still needed to conceal his cultivation to some extent, not wanting to be too shocking.

Although, with his current physical strength, he could easily withstand heavenly thunder, and this not-too-powerful Demi-Saint Tribulation Thunder was not a problem at all!

His Niwan Palace pulsed, and a golden pill emerged.

It was the same Six Desires Exorcist Sword Immortal Pure Yang Golden Core that he had displayed before!

The golden pill spun, emitting a powerful divine nature.

Li Che's eyes sparkled, and his entire body suddenly burst forth with dazzling thunder light, transforming into a thunderbolt even more radiant than the one that had descended from the heavens!

...

The crowd watching Li Che's Demi-Saint Tribulation Thunder from a distance suddenly froze, each person showing a hint of astonishment.

Even Lu Tai Bai's eyes flashed with a hint of surprise.

"Is this the Thunder God Body among the Five Elements Bodies?!"

"It's very similar, so let's go with that."

Lu Tai Bai's silver hair fluttered in the wind created by the crashing thunder.

"Li Che's golden pill is actually the Six Desires Exorcist Sword Immortal Pure Yang Golden Core! As a second-class guest of the Heaven Divination Bureau, he only entered the Mysterious Temple of the Sword Immortal once, during an event organized by the bureau. Could he have obtained the Sword Immortal's inheritance during that visit?" Hong Shi Fo, the Supervisor of the Heaven Divination Bureau, also showed a look of surprise.

Many people had already noticed Li Che's golden pill, and now, everyone could clearly sense it.

"A Four Guardians Golden Core... it's a top-tier golden core within our Divine Sect."

"Elder Li Che is only twenty-four years old, right? If we go by disciple seniority, he might even be able to challenge the Inner Sect's True Transmission Manual!"

"Hey, let's not forget, Elder Li is so young. For this session of the Peach Blossom Banquet hosted by the Empress Dowager, can he represent our Heavenly Origin Divine Sect? Xi Xi represents those below ten years old, and Elder Li can represent our True Transmission Manual..."

"A father and daughter participating in the Peach Blossom Banquet together? That's indeed quite rare!"

The surrounding voices echoed.

This made the few elders of the Heavenly Origin Divine Sect slightly dazed.

Elder Fang Han Shu's eyes flashed, and he turned to look at Lu Tai Bai, as if asking if this was possible.

Second Elder Zhao Fangzhou furrowed his brows, then relaxed them. "Elder Li's Divine Crane skills are not bad, but his strength is not up to par. Moreover, he's honest and devoted, immersing himself in researching Divine Cranes, and he's extremely lacking in combat experience..."

"The Peach Blossom Banquet isn't about testing Divine Crane skills. Elder Li..."

Second Elder Zhao Fangzhou's words made perfect sense.

However, no one responded to his words.

Zhao Fangzhou: "..."

Pay attention to me, everyone!

Lu Tai Bai's silver hair fluttered, and a thought crossed his mind.

"A father and daughter participating in the Peach Blossom Banquet together? That's indeed quite rare. If they both win honors and obtain the Peach, it would be a great benefit."

Lu Tai Bai nodded, and the thought took root in his mind.

Boom—!!

In the distance.

The thunder exploded, and Li Che and the thunder dragon officially collided! The ferocious thunder dragon struck down, accompanied by wind and electricity, with every detail so exquisite, as if the thunder dragon was carved by the divine craftsmanship of nature itself. Every scale seemed to be encircled by deep blue light!

Li Che spread his five fingers like five divine spears, pulling the air and creating five white scorching paths!

His entire body's Thunder Magnet Body Fruit was driven to the extreme!

His fingers resembled dragon claws, patting the thunder dragon. The gentle motion seemed like a soft caress, as if even a slap would be too harsh.

But that thunder dragon was caught by Li Che's gentle claw!

The raging thunder intertwined, countless tiny arcs of lightning danced and struck the surrounding air, turning the rain into steam that enveloped the area.

Li Che's every pore seemed to have transformed into a vortex, greedily devouring the thunder!

Perhaps it was the frenzy of the Thunder Magnet Body, which made his entire body feel refreshed. Li Che no longer bothered to conceal his strength.

His qi and blood erupted explosively!

Boom!

The collision between the thunder dragon and Li Che unleashed a powerful blast, as if the thunder dragon had been torn apart by Li Che's five fingers.

In mid-air, a dazzling azure firework burst forth.

It was as if Li Che had captured a thunder dragon and squeezed it to pieces! Ripples spread through the void, and the quivering thunder power swept through, causing the raindrops to explode and scatter, creating a hazy mist.

The sound of the exploding thunder spread in waves, and Li Che's body stood amidst the crackling arcs of lightning.

He resembled a thunder god!

Refreshed!

Li Che's hair fluttered in the wind, and the thunder quietly absorbing into his flesh, created a scene of dissipation between heaven and earth.

In the distance...

Exclamations of surprise echoed back and forth.

Many Divine Crane Masters were stunned!

"A Great Master of Divine Aura! His martial cultivation is truly exceptional!"

"A Divine Essence Master, a Great Master of Divine Aura... Truly formidable! This tribulation thunder is challenging for him, but he managed to pass through it unscathed!"

"Now, no one can stop Elder Li from officially becoming a Divine Crane Demi-Saint!"

...

After the initial exclamations, various expressions of joy and celebration followed. For the Divine Crane Masters, the birth of a new Divine Crane Demi-Saint was a momentous occasion, a blessing for them. Perhaps they would have the opportunity to receive guidance from the Demi-Saint, provided they could join the Divine Crane Ridge.

In an instant, many Divine Crane Masters eagerly anticipated the Elder Examination of the Divine Crane Ridge three years later, rubbing their palms in excitement.

"Wow!!!"

"Fireworks! Catching eels! Daddy is so amazing, playing with things Xi Xi has never played with before!"

"Xi Xi wants to play too, and catch eels like Daddy!"

Xi Xi cheered with excitement.

Xi Xi, who loved fireworks, was completely captivated by this moment.

Standing silently behind Xi Xi, Golden Taisui's mouth twitched, but his eyes also flashed with awe.

Could this tribulation thunder be so easy to pass?

Although the difficulty of the Demi-Saint tribulation thunder was indeed not high, the skill Li Che displayed in passing through it was as effortless as eating and drinking!

As expected, both father and daughter are monsters!

After the tribulation, Li Che suppressed the tremors and feedback from the Thunder Magnet Body Fruit within his body.

Wearing a simple Elder's robe, he floated over, holding the Divine Crane Demi-Saint statue that had just passed through the tribulation of heaven and earth, emanating a unique aura of the world.

Li Che seemed deep in thought, realizing that this unique aura floating between heaven and earth was the symbol of the Divine Crane Demi-Saint.

"Did you sense it?"

"

The Sect Master's wife, seeing the astonishment in Li Che's eyes, understood what he was thinking and explained with a smile.

After all, she had witnessed Li Che's journey to the Demi-Saint realm for too many years, and although she was a Demi-Saint of Divine Talismans, the feeling of the will of heaven and earth was the same.

"In fact, your attainment of the Divine Crane Demi-Saint is equivalent to having one foot in the Divine Embryo realm."

The Sect Master's wife's eyes shone as she looked at Li Che.

"Since you have already sensed the will of heaven and earth, in the future, your chances of becoming a Divine Embryo Cultivator are almost certain, unless you die before then."

The Sect Master's wife shrugged.

"Pft! Pft! Pft! Pft!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Xi Xi, standing beside her, put her hands on her hips and stuck out her little belly, spitting in disgust.

"Sect Master's wife, you're talking nonsense again!"

Xi Xi was angry and dissatisfied. You're saying Xi Xi's daddy will die!

That's so inauspicious!

Xuan Qi Sha couldn't help but feel helpless, what a protective daughter!

"The Divine Embryo... that's still a long way off, but I'll work hard. Thank you for your blessing, Sect Master's wife."

Li Che smiled gently, appearing harmless and honest.

The Sect Master's wife was pleased, seeing that Elder Li's words were so pleasant and his demeanor so refined, how could he have such a crude daughter like Xi Xi? She must take after her mother!

Li Che's successful tribulation to become a Demi-Saint instantly made him the center of attention, and many Divine Crane Masters surrounded him with congratulations.

The Ridge Master, Gongshu Jingjun, couldn't stop smiling.

As wealthy and generous as he was, he waved his hand grandly.

"This is a joyous occasion for our Divine Crane Ridge! For the next three days, we will host a three-day banquet, and all Divine Cranes in the Ridge will have a 20% discount!"

"Congratulations to Elder Li!"

"Congratulations to the new Divine Crane Demi-Saint of the Heavenly Origin Dao City!"

"Congratulations and best wishes!"

...

...

The enthusiastic Divine Crane Masters made Li Che feel overwhelmed by their warmth.

Lu Tai Bai, accompanied by Xi Xi and the Sect Master's wife, departed on flying swords.

Before leaving, Lu Tai Bai mentioned the "Peach Blossom Banquet" to Li Che.

"The Peach Blossom Banquet is an event hosted by the Empress Dowager, which has been held since the founding of the Great Jing Kingdom. This will be the seventh edition, and it is called the Peach Blossom Banquet because it is related to the mysterious temple of the Queen Mother of the West in the Divine Capital, which is of the Three Purities rank."

Lu Tai Bai's silver hair fluttered as he stood on a sword beam, addressing Li Che.

"The Peach Blossom Banquet gathers the top talents of the Great Jing Kingdom in two age groups. From five to fifteen years old, it is known as the Dragon Hatchling Banquet, and from fifty to fifteen years old, it is the Heroes Banquet... The winner of the banquet will receive a reward of the Queen Mother's Peaches, a heavenly treasure plucked from the mysterious temple of the Queen Mother of the West."

Lu Tai Bai turned to Li Che and smiled, "So, if you and your daughter participate together and showcase your talents in these two banquets, it will be a unique and remarkable achievement, and it will also become a legendary tale."

"Of course, the main reason is to obtain the Queen Mother's Peaches. Even if we lose, it's not a big deal. Participating and trying is not a loss, and it will broaden our horizons. With your age, you can even participate in the next Peach Blossom Banquet."

Lu Tai Bai's words caused Li Che's eyes to light up.

Whether there was a reward or not...

Li Che didn't really care about that.

Most importantly, being able to bring Xixi and showcase their talents at the Peach Blossom Banquet was indeed a... refreshing thought.

Of course, the reason Li Che decided to participate without hesitation was still Lu Tai Bai's last words.

"You may not have a clear concept of the Heaven-Earth wonder that is Queen Mother Xi's peach..."

"Then let me put it another way..."

"A single peach can prolong life by sixty years."

...

...

Inside the luxurious carriage, Li Che leaned back in the soft interior.

Across from him, Yun Haiyang and Zhou Tian Shui, two Divine Crane Masters, were enthusiastically conversing with him.

However, while Li Che smiled and responded, he couldn't help but start pondering the effects of the peach.

Prolonging life by sixty years, even though the second peach's effect was halved, and the third further reduced... the fourth becoming ineffective, but this Heaven-Earth wonder that could prolong life was already an extremely rare and precious item!

"If I can prepare a peach for my wife, Zhang Ya..."

Li Che's eyes sparkled.

Li Che was confident in his and Xixi's talents, and he was certain that in the future, he would be able to attain longevity. However, when it came to Zhang Ya, it was a different story.

If Zhang Ya had more time, Li Che would also have more means to prepare.

Therefore, the peach was indeed important to Li Che!

Nevertheless, winning the top spot at the Peach Blossom Banquet was no easy feat.

Whether it was Xixi's Dragon Festival or the Hero Festival that Li Che could participate in, the competitors were all the proud geniuses of the various Dao sects, feudal kingdoms, and ancient families of Great Jing!

As Li Che rode in the carriage, he contemplated, and since there were two Divine Crane Masters present, he didn't attempt to undergo the transformation of the Thunder Magnet Body.

Nie Yang drove the carriage, bringing Li Che back to Heavenly Origin Dao City.

The news of Li Che becoming a Divine Crane Demi-Saint spread like a storm, sweeping through the entire city in an instant!

"Elder Li Che?"

"Is that the Elder Li whose daughter was just accepted as the last true disciple by Master Lu of Tai Bai Peak?"

"This... their family is about to soar to great heights! The daughter is exceptional, and now her father is also such a monstrous talent! A Divine Crane Demi-Saint at the age of twenty-four, what a shock!"

...

All the major families were stunned.

In the Su family, Su Daoling abruptly stood up, his eyes filled with astonishment.

"A Divine Crane Demi-Saint at twenty-four?"

"A monster, a monster..."

Su Daoling took a deep breath, but his eyes couldn't help but glow with brilliance and fervor.

With such a talented daughter, her bloodline must be extraordinary. If the Su family could marry this Li Nuanxi, without even mentioning Li Che's exceptional bloodline essence, it would be enough to revitalize their family!

"Su Li, go call Su Li over!"

"Also, bring Su Chuyang along!"

"Additionally, prepare a congratulatory gift for Elder Li, to celebrate his attainment of the Divine Crane Demi-Saint realm!"

...

It wasn't just the Su family that made a move.

The Yun, Zhou, Zhong, Sang, and other major families all took action, having learned the news early and starting to prepare gifts.

But when Li Che returned to the courtyard in Fragrant Lane, he announced his seclusion.

Nie Yang stood at the courtyard gate, his sword drawn, its sharp intent soaring into the sky. The aura of a Three Plumes Supreme Master, one of the top three in the world, surged and clashed!

The relentless sharp sword intent ravaged the surroundings, as if declaring, 'Whoever comes, dies!'

For a moment, many visitors were indeed deterred.

However, Li Qingshan rushed over, his face beaming with a smile, effortlessly interacting with the various family members who had come to offer congratulations, collecting all the gifts.

Li Qingshan understood Li Che's temperament well; how could he refuse these gifts from others?

After returning to the courtyard in Fragrant Lane, Li Che clenched the Flying Thunder Chess Pieces, and in an instant, he vanished.

...

...

Heavenly Origin Dao City.

Listening Thunder Lane.

Independent Workshop Courtyard.

Li Che returned to the small courtyard, where spring rain pattered on the black tiles, creating crisp sounds.

Seated in the center of the courtyard, heat surged around him, distorting and evaporating every drop of falling rain.

"Huff—"

"Suck—"

With each breath, the rising steam followed, curling upwards.

Li Che's eyes flickered, as if golden light slowly flooded and shimmered in his pupils.

All over his body, azure lightning arcs constantly danced, crackling in the air and causing the courtyard's airflow to howl incessantly.

The sound of the lightning arcs seemed to stir up a thousand birds, creating a cacophony.

Yet, Li Che's mind sank into profound tranquility.

Within his chest, the Thunder Magnet Body Fruit pulsated, its beating gradually breaking the serenity of his heart, like the sound of an ancient temple bell ringing on an ancient peak covered in eternal snow!

The bell's vibrations shook his heart, like an endless avalanche of snow!

Li Che felt as if his entire being had transformed into a composition of thunder, with every inch of his flesh and skin emitting electric light.

Most importantly, the surrounding field seemed to rotate, twisting the direction of the falling rain and blowing wind, preventing them from touching Li Che.

Li Che sat cross-legged, as if countless invisible threads connected him to the heavens above and the earth below, forming a complete closed loop!

Li Che slowly raised his hands, and his palms suddenly clapped together.

His entire body freely floated into the air.

The ancient-style elder robe's wide sleeves fluttered in the wind.

In Li Che's eyes, currents of electricity danced.

Before him, the flowing light resembled flowing fire.

Suddenly, it flashed.

[Dao Fruit: Thunder Magnet Body (lv3, 0%)]



[Dao Fruit: Thunder Magnet Body, upon transformation, gains Incipient Divinity "Thunder Magnet Body · Celestial Thunder"]



The second chapter is here. I had to deal with my daughter's tantrum for a while, maybe she was in pain and kept crying, but now I'm back in the writing zone, thanks to the first patron of the book, [Perished]. Thanks for the reward, I can't add more to Li Che, but tomorrow I'll try to write more in the two chapters! Thanks!

(End of Chapter)

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