https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-2-Dao-Fruit-of-the-Master-Craftsman-the-Six-Eyed-Bodhisattva/12831052/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-4-Divine-Craftsmanship-Upgrade-Bad-News-Arrives/12831054/
Chapter 3: Nine Sons Embracing the Lotus, the Technique of Inner Strength
Chapter 3: Nine Sons Embracing the Lotus, the Technique of Inner Strength
The Xu Family Wood Carving Shop was one of the top wood carving shops in the outer city, often receiving orders from the inner city, which required a vast array of wood carvings.
Whether it was landscapes, Buddha statues, Bodhisattva images, or various deities that Li Che had never heard of, the demand was immense.
For the workers, the tasks of moving wood and finished statues earned them a fixed piece rate, which was not much and was incredibly tiring.
But if one could become a certified wood carver, carving a single piece could earn at least ten silver taels!
Even more impressively, Li Che had heard that Master Chen once carved a "Thousand-Armed Bodhisattva Holding a Child" wooden statue, which took nearly a month and earned him a gold leaf, equivalent to a hundred silver taels!
That was a skill capable of making ordinary people fabulously wealthy!
Li Che's heart raced at the thought. In the past, he wouldn't have dared to dream of such a thing.
Wood carving was a craft that needed to be cultivated from a young age, requiring not only talent but also artistic sensibility. Many of the apprentices in the wood carving shop started learning at the age of five or six, their families paying silver for their education.
Li Che had already missed that window, starting his work at the wood carving shop at the age of thirteen.
Although he had once entertained the idea of self-study, he gave up after a few days.
How could he expect to match the years of hard work and dedication of others with just a few days of self-study?
Moreover, watching someone carve was one thing, but actually doing it was another.
"Maybe I should give it a try... The 'Divine Craft' Dao Fruit might have truly bestowed me with a talent for wood carving?"
Li Che couldn't help but feel a surge of anticipation.
A cold breeze blew, bringing him back to his senses. He decided to bury the idea of becoming a wood carver for now and focus on his work.
Moving finished wood carvings was different from moving raw wood; it required extra care to avoid damaging the carvings.
He wrapped the statues in cloth and tied them with hemp rope to prevent damage from friction during transport.
Carrying the Six-Eyed Bodhisattva statue, Li Che took cautious steps toward the inner room.
Arriving at Master Chen's workshop, he carefully placed the Bodhisattva statue down, removed the cloth, and checked for any signs of damage. Finding none, he felt a wave of relief.
"Master Chen, I've brought in the Bodhisattva statue. I'll go get the 'Flowering Willow' wood now. You want a larger piece, right?"
Li Che relaxed his shoulders and smiled.
Master Chen was already seated on his work chair, sharpening his carving knife with a whetstone.
"Yes, hurry up. This time, I need to carve a 'Nine Sons Embracing the Lotus.' It's a complicated process, and the inner city is in a rush."
Master Chen picked up his carving knife, squinted to check its sharpness, and said.
Li Che returned to the snow-covered courtyard, intending to move the piece of Flowering Willow wood he had chosen.
However, as he touched the wood, he felt the 'Divine Craft' Dao Fruit pulse slightly, giving him a strange feeling.
"This piece of Flowering Willow doesn't seem suitable for the 'Nine Sons Embracing the Lotus' statue," Li Che murmured to himself.
Most of the time, wood carvers would choose the wood themselves, but there were exceptions. Some confident carvers would skip the trouble of selecting wood in the cold winter.
But if a worker chose an unsuitable piece of wood...
A good-tempered carver might let it slide, but a bad-tempered one might dock their pay.
In that case, not only would the worker have to move the wood again, but they would also lose money. It would be a significant loss.
Li Che abandoned the piece of Flowering Willow and went back to the wood pile, feeling with his hands until he found a piece that felt right under the influence of the 'Divine Craft' Dao Fruit.
Carrying the heavier piece of Flowering Willow to Master Chen's workshop, he arrived.
"Hmm? Not bad, Li. You have a good eye; this piece of wood is just right!" Master Chen was pleasantly surprised, as the wood matched the 'Nine Sons Embracing the Lotus' statue he had in mind almost perfectly.
With just a few cuts, he could outline the basic shape, saving him a lot of time and effort.
Li Che smiled but didn't boast about his choice.
After praising him, Master Chen began preparing for the carving.
"Li, help me move this piece of wood to the stand. I heard your daughter was born... I'll give you extra pay for this order," Master Chen said, standing up and smiling.
Li Che's eyes lit up, and he quickly agreed. He tied the hemp rope and lifted the heavy piece of Flowering Willow, placing it on the metal stand.
"The inner city is in a hurry. They've been requesting a lot of child statues lately, probably because of the 'Spirit Child Dharma Master' rumors. The inner city nobles' tastes... they change every so often," Master Chen shook his head and muttered.
"I have to finish this in five days. My old bones... I'm going to be busy."
"But they're paying well. Heh, Li, guess how much the client is offering for this order?"
Master Chen rubbed his hands, chatting with Li Che while walking over to the Flowering Willow wood, now damp from the snow.
Li Che wiped the sweat from his forehead and exhaled, "If it's a five-day delivery... it should be at least fifty silver taels, right?"
The Nine-Armed Lotus Statue was less intricate than the Thousand-Armed Guanyin, so Li Che cautiously estimated the price.
"Fifty taels? Ha... That's too low, it’s worth at least a whole gold leaf!"
Master Chen laughed heartily, then slapped his palm on the wood. His arm seemed to take on a reddish hue, and a wave of heat rose from his palm, seeping into the wood and driving out the moisture!
The scorching heat rolled over, and standing next to Master Chen felt like facing a boiling furnace. Li Che took a deep breath, amazed that this wooden carving could be worth 150 taels, and even more amazed by Master Chen's extraordinary skills!
These wooden carving masters weren’t just skilled artisans; they also possessed legendary martial arts abilities. Those who became wooden carving masters all had internal energy, which they could use to dry wood, saving a lot of time.
Moreover, when internal energy was infused into the carvings, they carried a certain essence. This essence was what truly made the inner city nobles willing to pay for the carvings.
Master Chen glanced at the astonished and envious Li Che, teasing him, "Want to learn?"
"Learning costs money. While you won’t learn the highest-level internal energy techniques, you can learn some of the ordinary ones that Xu’s Workshop has left in the outer city."
"Spending a few decades in diligent practice, you might develop internal energy."
Li Che’s heart stirred. "Master Chen, how much do the internal energy techniques cost?"
"The highest-level techniques can’t be bought with money; you’d have to learn them at Xu’s Workshop in the inner city, and most people can’t do that."
"For the ordinary techniques in the outer city, you can buy them for money. The cheapest one... costs thirty taels. What? You’re really considering it?" Master Chen continued to dry the wood with his internal energy, glancing at Li Che with a knowing smile.
"Your child just born, you should save your money... Buying the technique is one thing, learning it is another, and mastering it is yet another."
Master Chen shook his head, offering some well-intentioned advice. Seeing that Li Che seemed genuinely interested, he raised an eyebrow.
"You’re a meticulous young man, but it’s a pity you didn’t try learning wooden carving when you were younger. If you want to buy the internal energy technique, come to me. I have one for twenty taels, and you can learn it."
Li Che didn’t immediately agree, just smiled and said he’d think about it.
He then left Master Chen’s workshop.
Over the next few days, Li Che was busy again, helping other wooden carving masters transport wood and finished carvings. He also helped the apprentices with smaller pieces of wood, earning his wages.
The shop provided lunch, which was simple but hot, and it kept him going for the rest of the day.
In the evening, after receiving his thirty-five large Jing copper coins for the day, Li Che left work, feeling exhausted. Wearing a bamboo hat, he braved the snow, bought some charcoal, and headed home.
By the time he reached the narrow, crisscrossing alleys, it was completely dark. The dim oil lamp light from his humble home made him quicken his pace through the snow.
"Wife, I’m back."
He quickly opened and closed the door to prevent the cold, snow-laden wind from entering and stealing the warmth inside.
He added some charcoal to the brazier, then tiptoed to the bed where his daughter, Xi Xi, lay with wide, bright eyes.
Seeing Li Che, Xi Xi giggled, and his heart melted. He picked her up and gently rocked her.
Zhang Ya, with a gentle gaze, watched this scene and brought out the dinner she had prepared for Li Che from the pot.
The steaming noodles filled the air with a mouthwatering aroma.
For poor families, there was no such thing as a lying-in period.
Zhang Ya didn’t need to work in the fields; preparing dinner was enough of a lying-in for her.
After dinner, Li Che told Zhang Ya to rest while he washed the dishes. Then, he took a small piece of wood and a carving knife back into the house.
Zhang Ya, holding Xi Xi and gently patting her, watched Li Che curiously.
"Dear, what are you doing?"
Li Che, under the dim light of the oil lamp, stretched his fingers, making them crack, and smiled. "I’ve learned a new skill at the wooden carving shop."
"Wife, watch closely!"
Zhang Ya couldn’t help but laugh. "Dear, over the years, you’ve learned several skills, but after a few days, you always say it’s better to let them go..."
Li Che’s lips curled into a smile. "Wife, don’t mock me. Have you heard of the saying, ‘Thirty years on this side of the river, thirty years on the other’?"
"I’m different now; I’m a father!"
Zhang Ya’s lips twitched, her eyes filled with a soft smile.
How does being a father relate to learning wooden carving?
Li Che smiled, not responding further.
He closed his eyes, and the carving techniques and methods for the Six-Eyed Bodhisattva statue flooded his mind, like water seeping from a squeezed sponge...
Opening his eyes again, a faint light seemed to flash in his gaze.
With a calm demeanor, he firmly gripped the carving knife and began to make the first cut on the wood...
(End of Chapter)
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