Chapter 563: The Artisan's Dao Upgraded, the Heaven-Aligning Immortal Artisan Armor, and Daughter Xi Xi's Tenth Birthday [Monthly Votes Requested] (Part 1)

## Chapter 563: The Artisan's Dao Upgraded, the Heaven-Aligning Immortal Artisan Armor, and Daughter Xi Xi's Tenth Birthday [Monthly Votes Requested] (Part 1)

Whistling winds echoed through the heavens, perhaps due to the lingering heat from the river of flames, causing the air to become uneven and creating swirling currents within the palace complex.

At this moment, the many divine carvers present in the palace complex were all stunned.

Those who were channeling the essence of the Heavenly King into their wood carvings had their expressions change, a mix of anger and frustration.

Clearly, none of them had expected this new divine carver to be so audacious, swallowing all the Heavenly King's essence in one go!

Indeed, a young bull is fearless, and this one was truly fearless of the consequences!

Originally, they had intended to make this new divine carver, who had used the transformation during his breakthrough to draw a large amount of the Heavenly King's essence, explode in a burst of failure.

But to their surprise, he managed to suppress the surge of the Heavenly King's essence!

Seventy zhang of the Heavenly King's essence!

He had managed to suppress it all, channeling it into his divine carving!

This was no longer a matter of skill; it was a matter of luck!

A newly ascended divine carver could not possibly possess such skill; the only explanation was luck!

Rumbling—

In the center of the arena, only thirty zhang of the Heavenly King's essence remained.

With twenty-five divine carvers to share the remaining thirty zhang, each would receive only about one zhang…

This made the remaining divine carvers, who had persevered until now, feel a sudden tension.

They had intended to surprise the new divine carver but ended up shocking themselves!

Looking at the significantly diminished river of flames, the remaining twenty-five divine carvers' expressions were mixed.

Their previously relaxed demeanor instantly turned tense.

These were all seasoned divine carvers, who had spent long years in the realm of divine carving.

Thus, they could handle such situations with ease.

The new divine carver's suppression of seventy zhang of the Heavenly King's essence put the remaining essence up for grabs, increasing the competition pressure among the divine carvers.

After all, with only one zhang of the Heavenly King's essence per divine carver, even a slight advantage could boost their rankings.

The differences between them were not significant, so the competition naturally became more intense.

The seasoned divine carvers, no longer concerned with the new divine carver, focused entirely on their carvings, refining the details to gather as much of the Heavenly King's essence as possible.

In the central area, Ji Shaohao and the standing Zhaoyuan Daxian couldn't help but laugh.

Seeing the divine carvers become tense and the atmosphere turn tense, Zhaoyuan Daxian shook his head.

"Serves them right."

"Originally, the gap between the divine carvers was quite clear. The difference in the Heavenly King's essence between each divine carving was about a few zhang, making it extremely difficult to surpass each other."

"But now, one new divine carver has taken seventy zhang of the Heavenly King's essence, leaving the remaining essence to be divided. Even a slight advantage can now lead to a ranking boost, so these divine carvers naturally want to give it their all."

Zhaoyuan Daxian stroked his beard and smiled. "By chance, this new divine carver has revitalized the spirit of the Xuanxiao Heaven's divine carvers, who had become complacent."

Ji Shaohao also smiled, his eyes shining brightly.

A talent had emerged, an unexpected joy.

For Ji Shaohao, who wanted to secure a larger share of the Qi Tian Divine Pills, the appearance of a divine carving prodigy in Xuanxiao Heaven was crucial.

"This new divine carver is quite impressive. While his ability to suppress the surge of the Heavenly King's essence is largely due to luck, his composure under pressure and his determination to try and suppress it are truly remarkable."

Zhaoyuan Daxian praised, his admiration evident.

He even had the thought of taking this new divine carver as a disciple.

Ji Shaohao raised his hand, and moments later, he received all the information about Li Che.

"Canglan Village, a middle-rank ancient village, has produced a divine carver, Li Che."

"From a middle-rank ancient village, that's not surprising."

Zhaoyuan Daxian stroked his beard.

"Compared to the divine carvers from the upper-rank ancient villages, the divine carvers from the middle-rank ancient villages are more likely to put in the effort and research to improve their skills for the sake of their village."

"A bit of talent, a bit of luck, and a bit of effort have led to this moment, where one person has taken seventy zhang of the Heavenly King's essence."

Zhaoyuan Daxian laughed heartily, his admiration evident.

"Oh? Zhaoyuan Daxian seems to really appreciate this Li Che", Ji Shaohao teased, looking at Zhaoyuan.

Zhaoyuan stood with his hands behind his back, his robes fluttering in the wind, his eyes filled with nostalgia.

"I was born in an upper-rank ancient village. Although it wasn't a small village, resources were still scarce. To improve the village's living conditions, I traveled far and wide to learn divine carving…."

"The village did its best to provide me with resources… seeing this Li Che, I can't help but think of my own past."

Zhaoyuan sighed.

Ji Shaohao's eyes brightened slightly, taking an interest in this Li Che.

Although he was a new divine carver, it was clear that Zhaoyuan Daxian had taken a liking to him and wanted to take him as a disciple.

"Thanks to Zhaoyuan Daxian's help and support, his village has now become one of the top ten upper-rank ancient villages in Xuanxiao Heaven. The village's investment and efforts have paid off."

Zhaoyuan Daxian laughed. "This is the bond between cultivators and their villages. In this Li Che, I see a bit of my younger self. So, if you want to gain something from this Divine Artisan Conference, you might consider relying on this Li Che… offer him enough benefits, and for the sake of his village, he might give it his all."

Zhaoyuan glanced at Ji Shaohao, hinting at something.

Ji Shaohao's eyes brightened.

...

...

In the palace.

Cang Yuan's eyes were almost overflowing with excitement.

Looking at Li Che, who had completed his carving and suppressed all seventy zhang of the Heavenly King's essence, his breathing quickened.

Li Che put away his carving knife, his expression unchanged.

"It was a matter of necessity."

Seemingly sensing Cang Yuan's intense gaze, Li Che smiled lightly.

"These seasoned divine carvers didn't like the new divine carver and sent so much of the Heavenly King's essence, hoping to see me fail and explode…."

"There was no choice; they were too generous, so I had to take it all."

Li Che shrugged, expressing his helplessness.

Cang Yuan understood that this was not just luck but a demonstration of superior skill!

If it had been someone from their village, they would have failed long ago.

"Li Che, you're too modest. Being able to withstand the pressure and successfully suppress the Heavenly King's essence is a testament to your skill. Luck… is also a part of skill."

Cang Yuan smiled.

"Now, we've unintentionally become the first in the selection…."

With a hundred zhang of the Heavenly King's essence, Li Che had taken seventy zhang, making him the clear first in the selection.

The other divine carvers had no chance of surpassing him.

"Originally, I just aimed to place in the top ten and join the Young Emperor's team. I didn't expect to unexpectedly take first place."

Li Che shrugged again, feigning innocence.

Initially, Li Che had no intention of taking first place; it was too high-profile, given his false identity.

But now… he had taken it, so be it.

If Ji Shaohao recognized him, he could always abandon this identity and find another opportunity to take someone else's place.

Li Che had completed his carving of the Heavenly King's divine statue.

The statue, carved from the fire mulberry wood, stood on the table, radiating divine light, shining brilliantly as if it were a flow of light.

Clang—

As Ji Shaohao struck the ancient divine bell, ripples of sound spread out, distorting the void.

This signified the end of the selection carving.

The other twenty-five divine carvers also completed their carvings before the bell's sound faded.

Perhaps due to the reduced amount of the Heavenly King's essence, their carvings were free from any issues, and no one exploded.

Li Che's black robe fluttered, and he lifted the Heavenly King's divine statue, flying out of the palace toward the central arena.

When Li Che and the other twenty-five divine carvers landed, many eyes focused on him, filled with sharp and cold gazes.

They were all curious about this new divine carver, wondering how he managed to suppress seventy zhang of the Heavenly King's essence with such good luck!

Li Che remained calm, his expression unchanged, unaffected by their gazes, which earned him silent admiration from many seasoned divine carvers.

"What are you all looking at? Instead of focusing on your divine carving skills, you're trying to bully the new divine carver!"

"Your behavior will only embarrass Xuanxiao Heaven at the immortal divine artisan conference hosted by Laojun!"

Zhaoyuan Daxian stepped forward, his powerful aura overwhelming.

It wasn't just the pressure of his cultivation but also the natural authority of his position as a divine carver.

The divine carvers couldn't help but lower their heads.

Zhaoyuan, however, smiled at Li Che, lavishing him with praise. He was genuinely impressed by this new divine carver, who reminded him of his younger self.

Ji Shaohao also walked over, smiling as he announced the rankings.

"There's no need for much debate. Based on the strength of the Heavenly King's essence contained in the divine carvings, this Li Che from Canglan Village is the first in this Divine Artisan Conference."

Ji Shaohao's words were met with some dissatisfaction and resentment from the other divine carvers.

But Ji Shaohao's smile faded, and he cast a cold gaze.

"The essence of the Heavenly King, which I provided for you to use as an exam, was meant to help you gain insights and make breakthroughs during the carving process, not to play tricks on the new divine carver."

"Now that your tricks have failed, the new divine carver has seized the opportunity to break through. Why shouldn't Li Che be the first?"

Ji Shaohao's words were like thunder, leaving the divine carvers speechless.

As the Young Emperor of the Dark Heavenly Court, his power and status were undeniable.

The divine carvers of the Dark Heavenly Court were well aware of their gap in skill compared to those from the Deceptive Demon Den and the Black Mount Sumeru.

Ji Shaohao had invited a Heavenly King's essence not just for the exam but to help them improve and break through during the process.

So, being called out directly left many of them with red faces.

Zhaoyuan Daxian approached, and Li Che felt a growing curiosity about this divine carver.

The Dao Fruit of the Artisan in his chest vibrated, sensing a strong stimulation from Zhaoyuan Daxian.

"Your divine carving shows the transformation from a divine carver to a divine artisan, but your foundation in carving is very solid, allowing you to adjust and stabilize the Heavenly King's essence, preventing it from overwhelming your divine carving."

Zhaoyuan Daxian critiqued Li Che's work, pointing out both strengths and areas for improvement.

From the perspective of a divine artisan, his suggestions were very insightful, though the flaws he pointed out were those Li Che had deliberately shown.

Ji Shaohao's gaze fell on Li Che, his brows furrowing slightly.

Somehow, he felt a sense of familiarity from this Li Che, as if he had seen him somewhere before.

Sensing something amiss, Ji Shaohao's forehead split open, and ancient runes began to spin, projecting light onto Li Che.

Buzz, buzz, buzz—

The light illuminated Li Che, but there was no feedback.

This allowed Ji Shaohao to relax, suppressing the sense of familiarity. Perhaps it was just that Li Che shared some similarities with Zhaoyuan Daxian, giving him this feeling.

"Li Che, I apologize for any offense."

Ji Shaohao politely apologized, his demeanor very courteous.

Li Che simply waved his hand, saying nothing.

"I was just a bit worried, but I'm willing to offer some compensation. What kind of compensation would you like?"

Ji Shaohao asked, his attitude very friendly.

His goal was to win over this young Zhaoyuan Daxian…

Receiving such praise from Zhaoyuan Daxian, Li Che might become his disciple in the future. As a rare divine artisan in Xuanxiao Heaven, Ji Shaohao wanted to cultivate a strong relationship with him.

So, courting a future disciple of a Daxian was not a bad strategy.

Li Che, however, was not shy, bowing respectfully. "I would like to observe and learn from some of the divine carvings of the divine artisans."

Zhaoyuan Daxian immediately stroked his beard and laughed heartily.

His eyes shone with even more admiration. This spirit of dedication was something most divine carvers in Xuanxiao Heaven lacked.

Zhaoyuan was very pleased and patted Li Che on the shoulder, promising to take him as a disciple after the Divine Artisan Conference and personally teach him the skills of a divine artisan.

Ji Shaohao was also generous, retrieving some divine carvings from his spatial realm and lending them to Li Che for observation.

As the Young Emperor of the Dark Heavenly Court, he had a collection of divine carvings from various divine artisans, including those from the Deceptive Demon Den and Black Mount Sumeru.

Now, thanks to the help and support of Daxian Zhaoyuan, his village has become one of the top ten Upper-Rank Ancient Villages in Xuanxiao Heaven. The village’s investments and efforts have truly paid off.”

Daxian Zhaoyuan laughed. “This is the bond between cultivators and their villages. In this divine carver, I see a bit of my younger self. So… if the Young Emperor wants to gain something from this Divine Artisan Conference, you might want to rely on this divine carver. Offer him enough benefits, and for the sake of his village, he might give it his all.”

Daxian Zhaoyuan glanced at Ji Shaohao, hinting at something.

Ji Shaohao’s eyes brightened.

…

…

In the palace.

Cang Yuan’s eyes were almost overflowing with excitement.

Looking at Li Che, who had completed his carving and suppressed all seventy zhang of the Heavenly King’s essence, his breathing quickened.

Li Che put away his carving knife, his expression unchanged.

“It was a matter of necessity,” he said, seemingly sensing Cang Yuan’s intense gaze and smiling lightly.

“These seasoned divine carvers didn’t like the new divine carver and sent so much of the Heavenly King’s essence, hoping to see me fail and explode… There was no choice; they were too generous, so I had to take it all.”

Li Che shrugged, expressing his helplessness.

Cang Yuan understood that this was not just luck but a demonstration of superior skill! If it had been someone from their village, they would have failed long ago.

“Li Che, you’re too modest. Being able to withstand the pressure and successfully suppress the Heavenly King’s essence is a testament to your skill. Luck… is also a part of skill,” Cang Yuan said with a smile.

“Now, we’ve unintentionally become the first in the selection… With a hundred zhang of the Heavenly King’s essence, Li Che has taken seventy zhang, making him the clear first in the selection. The other divine carvers have no chance of surpassing him.”

“Originally, I just aimed to place in the top ten and join the Young Emperor’s team. I didn’t expect to unexpectedly take first place,” Li Che shrugged, feigning innocence.

Initially, Li Che had no intention of taking first place; it was too high-profile, given his false identity. But now… he had taken it, so be it. If Ji Shaohao recognized him, he could always abandon this identity and find another opportunity to take someone else’s place.

Li Che had completed his carving of the Heavenly King’s divine statue. The statue, carved from the fire mulberry wood, stood on the table, radiating divine light, shining brilliantly as if it were a flow of light.

Clang—

As Ji Shaohao struck the ancient divine bell, ripples of sound spread out, distorting the void. This signified the end of the selection carving.

The other twenty-five divine carvers also completed their carvings before the bell’s sound faded. Perhaps due to the reduced amount of the Heavenly King’s essence, their carvings were free from any issues, and no one exploded.

Li Che’s black robe fluttered, and he lifted the Heavenly King’s divine statue, flying out of the palace toward the central arena.

When Li Che and the other twenty-five divine carvers landed, many eyes focused on him, filled with sharp and cold gazes. They were all curious about this new divine carver, wondering how he managed to suppress seventy zhang of the Heavenly King’s essence with such good luck!

Li Che remained calm, his expression unchanged, unaffected by their gazes, which earned him silent admiration from many seasoned divine carvers.

“What are you all looking at? Instead of focusing on your divine carving skills, you’re trying to bully the new divine carver! Your behavior will only embarrass Xuanxiao Heaven at the immortal divine artisan conference hosted by Laojun!”

Daxian Zhaoyuan stepped forward, his powerful aura overwhelming. It wasn’t just the pressure of his cultivation but also the natural authority of his position as a divine carver. The divine carvers couldn’t help but lower their heads.

Zhaoyuan, however, smiled at Li Che, lavishing him with praise. He was genuinely impressed by this new divine carver, who reminded him of his younger self.

Ji Shaohao also walked over, smiling as he announced the rankings.

“There’s no need for much debate. Based on the strength of the Heavenly King’s essence contained in the divine carvings, this Li Che from Canglan Village is the first in this Divine Artisan Conference.”

Ji Shaohao’s words were met with some dissatisfaction and resentment from the other divine carvers.

But Ji Shaohao’s smile faded, and he cast a cold gaze.

“The essence of the Heavenly King, which I provided for you to use as an exam, was meant to help you gain insights and make breakthroughs during the carving process, not to play tricks on the new divine carver. Now that your tricks have failed, the new divine carver has seized the opportunity to break through. Why shouldn’t Li Che be the first?”

Ji Shaohao’s words were like thunder, leaving the divine carvers speechless.

As the Young Emperor of the Dark Heavenly Court, his power and status were undeniable. The divine carvers of the Dark Heavenly Court were well aware of their gap in skill compared to those from the Deceptive Demon Den and the Black Mount Sumeru. Ji Shaohao had invited a Heavenly King’s essence not just for the exam but to help them improve and break through during the process. So, being called out directly left many of them with red faces.

Daxian Zhaoyuan approached, and Li Che felt a growing curiosity about this divine carver. The Dao Fruit of the Artisan in his chest vibrated, sensing a strong stimulation from Zhaoyuan Daxian.

“Your divine carving shows the transformation from a divine carver to a divine artisan, but your foundation in carving is very solid, allowing you to adjust and stabilize the Heavenly King’s essence, preventing it from overwhelming your divine carving.”

Daxian Zhaoyuan critiqued Li Che’s work, pointing out both strengths and areas for improvement. From the perspective of a divine artisan, his suggestions were very insightful, though the flaws he pointed out were those Li Che had deliberately shown.

Ji Shaohao’s gaze fell on Li Che, his brows furrowing slightly. Somehow, he felt a sense of familiarity from this Li Che, as if he had seen him somewhere before. Sensing something amiss, Ji Shaohao’s forehead split open, and ancient runes began to spin, projecting light onto Li Che.

Buzz, buzz, buzz—

The light illuminated Li Che, but there was no feedback. This allowed Ji Shaohao to relax, suppressing the sense of familiarity. Perhaps it was just that Li Che shared some similarities with Zhaoyuan Daxian, giving him this feeling.

“Li Che, I apologize for any offense.”

Ji Shaohao politely apologized, his demeanor very courteous.

Li Che simply waved his hand, saying nothing.

“I was just a bit worried, but I’m willing to offer some compensation. What kind of compensation would you like?”

Ji Shaohao asked, his attitude very friendly. His goal was to win over this young Zhaoyuan Daxian…

Receiving such praise from Zhaoyuan Daxian, Li Che might become his disciple in the future. As a rare divine artisan in Xuanxiao Heaven, Ji Shaohao wanted to cultivate a strong relationship with him. So, courting a future disciple of a Daxian was not a bad strategy.

Li Che, however, was not shy, bowing respectfully. “I would like to observe and learn from some of the divine carvings of the divine artisans.”

Zhaoyuan Daxian immediately stroked his beard and laughed heartily. His eyes shone with even more admiration. This spirit of dedication was something most divine carvers in Xuanxiao Heaven lacked.

Zhaoyuan was very pleased and patted Li Che on the shoulder, promising to take him as a disciple after the Divine Artisan Conference and personally teach him the skills of a divine artisan.

Ji Shaohao was also generous, retrieving some divine carvings from his spatial realm and lending them to Li Che for observation.

As the Young Emperor of the Dark Heavenly Court, he had a collection of divine carvings from various divine artisans, including those from the Deceptive Demon Den and Black Mount Sumeru.

So, when they were directly called out, their faces turned somewhat difficult.

Zhaoyuan Daxian walked over, and Li Che found himself quite curious about this Divine Carver.

The Dao Fruit of the Artisan in his chest vibrated continuously, clearly sensing a strong stimulation from Zhaoyuan Daxian.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end