https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-29-The-Dreadful-Glow-Who-is-the-Bull-Demon-/12831091/
Chapter 30: Dao Fruit Absorbs Divinity, Xu's Bone-Shattering Spear
Chapter 30: Dao Fruit Absorbs Divinity, Xu's Bone-Shattering Spear
Li Che returned to the wood carving shop as the sky grew dark. During the heavy snow season, the sky always darkens earlier.
Back in his small courtyard, the yard was brightly lit, and his daughter, Xi Xi, was playing with Old Chen.
Old Chen doted on Xi Xi immensely. Whenever they went out to play, he would use his internal energy to create a warm and dry area, dispelling the cold and allowing the little girl to play without catching a chill.
"Back already? How was the inner city? Did it broaden your horizons?" Old Chen asked with a smile.
"The inner city is indeed more prosperous than I could have imagined, far surpassing the outer city," Li Che nodded, admitting the inner city's splendor.
Old Chen chuckled, "The inner city is home to noble families and powerful clans. They naturally ensure their living environment is excellent."
"As for the outer city, it's a mix of everything—refugees, disaster victims, and locals all mingled together. The lords of the inner city don't care about your life or death, nor can they manage it all."
The topic turned heavy, and Li Che, knowing that Old Chen had once fled to Feilei City, decided not to continue.
He handed a jar of fine wine from the inner city to Old Chen.
"This is from the Golden Splendor Pavilion in the inner city. I brought it specially for you. It's not cheap; a jar costs five taels of silver!"
Old Chen's face lit up. "I didn't misjudge you, my boy! You have a heart!"
He eagerly broke the seal and took a large gulp, the strong fragrance of the wine filling the small courtyard.
Old Chen drank heartily, his face glowing.
"Delicious! The wine from the Golden Splendor Pavilion is truly excellent!"
"Grandpa... Xi Xi wants to drink too," Old Chen felt a tug on his clothes and looked down to see the little girl, Xi Xi, with her innocent eyes fixed on him.
Children are curious and want to try everything.
Li Che laughed, picked up Xi Xi, and went back into the house.
Night fell.
Zhang Ya reheated the delicious food Li Che brought back from the inner city and invited Old Chen to join them for dinner. The inner city's cuisine was truly appetizing, and even Old Chen ate two extra bowls of rice.
"Wife, I earned five gold leaves today. Here, take four, and I'll keep one for expenses."
Li Che smiled as he shared his earnings from selling wood carvings with his wife.
Zhang Ya's lips curved into a gentle smile as she looked at her husband in the lamplight, her heart filled with contentment and joy.
Life was finally getting better.
Earning five gold leaves in one day was a dream come true.
After dinner, they put the exhausted Xi Xi to bed.
Night deepened, and the courtyard grew quiet.
Zhang Ya, exhausted from the day, fell into a deep sleep.
Li Che, in a thin robe, adjusted the blankets for his wife and daughter, then slowly walked out of the room to the study.
He didn't start researching or making the other mechanisms from the "Tang Family Mechanism Manual."
Instead, he raised his hand, and under the lamplight, his arm, smooth like jade, emitted a jade-colored mist.
In the mist, it seemed as if fiery red snakes were writhing.
If not for the suppression by the Thousand Analysis Hand, this divine essence would have instantly drilled into his head, eroding his consciousness and driving him into a state of madness and rage.
"Powerful, terrifying... and strange."
Li Che's expression grew grave.
His heart felt heavy. This was just a sliver of the divine essence left by the Spirit Child Law Lord in the wood carving. If this was a glimpse of a leaf, it was hard to imagine how strong the Spirit Child Law Lord must be!
This was even more terrifying than Lei Chunlan, a sword hanging over his head!
He must grow stronger, continuously stronger... only then could he protect Xi Xi from the threat of the Spirit Child Law Lord.
"And the Si family... Lei Chunlan's appearance at the Si family suggests... could the deaths of those infants be related to the Si family?"
"Could it be for cultivating divine essence?"
Li Che frowned, his expression heavy.
This world was far darker and dirtier than he had imagined.
Taking a deep breath, Li Che calmed himself and continued his research.
"These angry divine essences, now condensed in my arm, if I use the martial technique 'White Tiger Chaotic Wind Fist,' perhaps I can unleash the power of the divine essence for my own use!"
Li Che's eyes gleamed as he immediately analyzed the use of the divine essence extracted by the Thousand Analysis Hand.
Closing his eyes, he used his mind to sense the divine essence within the jade-like Thousand Analysis Hand...
Suddenly, Li Che's eyes snapped open, feeling the Dao Fruit [Dragon Elephant Vajra] in his chest pulsating violently!
The sound of dragon roars and elephant trumpets echoed in his ears!
The divine essence absorbed by the Thousand Analysis Hand was being drawn out, like a hot current, by the pulsating Dao Fruit!
Li Che was astonished.
Before him, a notification appeared.
[Dao Fruit: Dragon Elephant Vajra (Lv1, 60%)]
Lee Zhi's breath hitched, his eyes gleaming with intense excitement!
The Dragon Elephant Vajra Dao Fruit can actually consume divine essence to mature?!
Divine essence...
It's such a powerful nourishment!
...
...
The next day.
Lee Zhi arrived early at the Xu family's training ground.
He currently displayed the cultivation level of Perfect Skin-Tempering, striving to advance to Muscle-Tempering.
The training ground was as bustling as always.
After practicing for a while, Xu Beihu arrived, stepping through the snow.
"Master Lee, come with me."
Xu Beihu's gaze fell on Lee Zhi, and he spoke in a serious tone before entering the inner room.
Lee Zhi understood why Xu Beihu had come, but he maintained a calm demeanor.
Inside the inner room, a charcoal stove burned, and the boiling water whistled as tea leaves danced in the water.
After the water boiled and the tea was steeped three times, a rich aroma filled the air.
Xu Beihu pushed the teacup towards Lee Zhi with two fingers.
"Master Lee... Lei Chunlan is dead."
Xu Beihu sipped his tea and whispered.
Lee Zhi, who had just taken a sip of tea, suddenly choked, fumbling with the cup before his eyes lit up with surprise: "What? Lei Chunlan... is dead?"
"Yesterday she was fine... how could she die so suddenly?"
Xu Beihu watched Lee Zhi closely, noting his genuine reaction, and furrowed his brow.
Sun Changbiao's death... was related to Lee Zhi, as he had set his sights on Lee Zhi's daughter.
Lei Chunlan's death was also related to Lee Zhi, but the murderer was the mountain-like brute, the Bull Demon.
The Bull Demon could easily kill a Muscle-Tempered guard, indicating a Bone-Tempered level of strength, which was far beyond the capabilities of the simple, steady, and honest Lee Zhi.
Lee Zhi lowered his voice, looking around, and whispered, "Second Manager... Could it be that Master Si killed Lei Chunlan?"
"I heard Lei Chunlan did many evil deeds, killing many children who were just a year old... Master Si cultivates the divine essence of Anger and Crying..."
Xu Beihu: "..."
"Stop talking nonsense!"
"Don't say such things outside. Si Mubai has no reason to kill Lei Chunlan."
Xu Beihu was truly speechless. He had intended to test Lee Zhi, but he didn't expect Lee Zhi to directly guess it was the Si family.
The Si family definitely wouldn't do such things, but...
Xu Beihu fell silent, feeling a chill run down his spine. The Si family wouldn't... the Xu family wouldn't... but other noble families might.
Xu Beihu shook his head, his expression growing more serious. This issue needed to be discussed with the elders back in the inner city.
Xu Beihu's main purpose for visiting today was to teach Lee Zhi the Muscle-Tempering technique because Lee Zhi had just broken through to Perfect Skin-Tempering.
"Thank you, Second Manager!" Lee Zhi's face lit up with excitement as he accepted the Muscle-Tempering technique and the Inner Strength technique from Xu Beihu.
Both were of middle-grade quality, not much different from what Lee Zhi had bought in the market. Old Chen had said that unless one was willing to join the inner city's Xu family, it would be difficult to obtain high-quality martial arts.
An unexpected joy was that, in addition to the Muscle-Tempering and Inner Strength techniques, Xu Beihu also taught him a martial skill.
"The Eight-Strike Bone-Shattering Spear of the Xu Family!"
It was a spear technique that required a weapon, but if the body was sufficiently toughened, it could also be performed with the arms.
Lee Zhi examined the technique repeatedly, unable to put it down.
Seeing Lee Zhi's delight, Xu Beihu smiled, patted his shoulder, and encouraged him to work hard on his woodcarving skills to prepare for becoming a master woodcarver in the future.
After Second Manager Xu Beihu left,
Lee Zhi practiced the Eight-Strike Bone-Shattering Spear of the Xu Family in the training ground. Thanks to the enhancement from the Dragon Elephant Vajra, Lee Zhi's martial arts comprehension had improved, and he managed to master the middle-grade spear technique after just one morning of intense practice.
Back at the workshop, he took on a woodcarving job and went to the courtyard to select the wood.
Lee Zhi was accustomed to choosing the right wood for his carvings himself, and then the laborers would move it for him. He didn't do the moving himself, as it was the laborers' livelihood, and there was no need to take it away from them.
Snowflakes drifted down from the sky, swaying in the air.
Lee Zhi was directing the laborers to move the wood and was about to return to the workshop when he saw his uncle, Li Liang, dressed in a scholar's robe and a long coat, being led by a guard, bowing and hurrying over.
"Uncle?"
Lee Zhi called out, surprised.
The old scholar looked up sharply, his eyes sunken and bloodshot, on the verge of a mental breakdown.
Upon seeing Lee Zhi, the old man could not hold back his tears.
"Ao Che, please help Uncle..."
(End of Chapter)
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