Chapter 576: Xiao Ya, I'm Sorry, First Array Formation, Burning the Doushentian Furnace to See Qitian [Monthly Votes]

Chapter 576: Xiao Ya, I'm Sorry, First Array Formation, Burning the Doushentian Furnace to See Qitian [Monthly Votes]

A terrifying gaze, accompanied by boundless Aura of Power, swept down like an ocean, crashing and pressing upon Li Che.

His entire body tensed, feeling a suffocating sensation.

The barrier between heaven and earth offered no resistance, easily torn apart.

Every inch of his muscles and every bit of his flesh trembled!

The gaze of Nuwa!

Li Che's scalp tingled!

He looked at the Qingniu wooden sculpture, which had shed its outer disguise, revealing a graceful human head and serpent body.

What a sculpture! The upper body was breathtakingly beautiful, while the lower body exuded a sacred aura, a supreme holiness as if it were the creator of the world, the originator of the universe.

It resonated perfectly with the Will of Heaven and Earth!

Li Che's movements froze, as if he could sense Nuwa's gaze. His hand, which had been gently caressing the sculpture, hovered uncertainly.

After all, touching the body of a statue in front of Nuwa herself seemed a bit disrespectful and unseemly...

But Li Che gritted his teeth, a determined look in his eyes.

His previously frozen hand resumed its exploration, tracing every inch of Nuwa's wooden form, every strand of hair, every scale on the serpent's body...

His gaze was cold and distant, spanning the void, as if the barrier between heaven and earth was silently crumbling.

Still touching?!

Still touching?!

A cold, piercing gaze swept over, making Li Che's hair stand on end. The Aura of Power in that gaze was truly terrifying and overwhelming, impossible to withstand.

But Li Che felt the craftsmanship of the sculpture, the Divine Engineer Dao Fruit vibrating with joy.

He relaxed a bit.

After all, wasn't this sculpture meant to be touched?

If touching it was forbidden, they wouldn't have set up this test. Now that he had passed the test, how could he abandon the sculpture without exploring it fully?

Since the Golden Crane King said it was allowed, and everyone else had tried and failed, he, Li Che, had succeeded...

He had to touch it to his heart's content!

"Xiao Ya, I'm sorry, my heart is pure, all for the sake of sculpture!"

Li Che muttered to himself.

Buzz, buzz, buzz—

Invisible insights continuously flooded his mind, the Divine Engineer Dao Fruit trembling as if absorbing the intricate craftsmanship of the wooden sculpture.

Time seemed to pass, and Li Che completely ignored the gaze, his heart fully immersed in the understanding of the divine sculpture.

The gaze, filled with reproach, seemed to roll its eyes and gradually dissipated.

When Li Che's mind returned, Nuwa's will and gaze had long vanished.

Li Che's tense body relaxed slightly.

Even his incredibly powerful Mortal Saint Body felt a wave of relief.

The pressure had been immense.

But he had endured it, successfully completing his exploration.

Nuwa... indeed had not targeted him.

Li Che felt quite content. His mind stirred, and countless insights seemed to be absorbed by the Divine Engineer Dao Fruit, which rapidly matured.

Slowly releasing his hand, Li Che exhaled a deep breath.

Only then did he begin to feel the gazes of those around him.

Sharp, piercing gazes, like icy steel blades, seemed to want to peel the flesh from his bones.

The most intense gaze came from Fu Shaohui, the young emperor of Mystic Cavern. He stared at Li Che as if he wanted to tear him apart and devour his flesh!

Why?

Because Li Che's hand had touched the statue of Nuwa!

In broad daylight, he had continuously caressed and roamed over the wooden sculpture of Nuwa, a blatant act of desecration!

Unforgivable!

Damn it!

Fu Shaohui's heart seethed with murderous intent, his eyes blazing with a murderous aura that almost solidified.

Besides Fu Shaohui, the various divine sculptors and immortal craftsmen of Mystic Cavern, including Basi, looked at him with fierce, deadly gazes, their murderous intent overwhelming.

Li Che's actions were seen as a desecration of their faith by the demon cultivators of Mystic Cavern!

Every one of them wanted to kill Li Che!

Young Emperor Shi Shaokai, his eyes flickering, gripped his carving knife and stared at Li Che.

The statue of Nuwa... actually appeared!

He turned his head to look at the blurred wooden sculpture, obscured by an invisible force, but he could still see the outline of the Nuwa sculpture!

When Li Che touched the Qingniu divine sculpture, causing it to shed its disguise and reveal the statue of Nuwa, everyone had clearly seen the gaze of the Nuwa statue.

Thus, they realized that this divine sculptor from Obscure Heavenly Court had accomplished something they had not!

"Coincidence?"

"First round, second round... each time, he surprises us in such astonishing ways!"

Shi Shaokai narrowed his eyes, his gaze flickering, his thoughts racing.

At this moment, Shi Shaokai's heart was filled with renewed doubt and curiosity.

Not only Shi Shaokai, but Ji Shaohao, who was watching from atop the city tower, was also inwardly shaken.

This Cangche Divine Sculptor from the Obscure Heavenly Court...

Born in an ancient village of a Middle Ranked Four Deities, how could such an ancient village possibly nurture a Divine Sculptor of this caliber?

How could someone possess such astonishing talent in divine sculpture?

There must be something strange going on!

However, Ji Shaohao didn't care. A certain emotion stirred within him.

As long as this Cangche Divine Sculptor could help him obtain a Qitian Divine Pill, Ji Shaohao wouldn't mind anything else.

Li Che, under the watchful eyes of the crowd, didn't seem particularly uncomfortable.

He slowly returned to his position, where a piece of Lower Ranked Two Deities divine wood was quietly floating.

Li Che clenched his fingers, and a carving knife fell into his hand. He began to carve the Nuwa divine statue based on the rapid vibrations of the Divine Engineer Dao Fruit!

Having felt it all over, he naturally intended to carve a complete Nuwa divine statue!

He couldn't let this opportunity for tactile exploration go to waste!

...

...

Deep within the Doushentian Palace City.

Three Immortal Gods sat in meditation, with seven-colored wheels slowly rotating and changing their luster and form behind them.

"Really succeeded?"

"Is there really a Divine Sculptor who can see through Nuwa's disguise and touch the Nuwa statue?"

"How did this young man manage to do it?"

...

The three Immortal Gods were utterly astonished.

After all, even they, if asked, would not have been entirely confident in their ability to see through Nuwa's disguise and behold the true form of the Nuwa statue!

Because, Nuwa...

As one of the supreme rulers standing at the pinnacle of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, her power was so formidable that many Immortals would bow in submission!

Laojun Immortal narrowed his eyes, and the wheel behind him seemed to slowly change its form.

"Interesting... To see through Nuwa's test, this young man must have comprehended the Ancient Heavenly Rune and penetrated the disguise. That's how he managed to do it."

"This is no easy feat, indicating that if this young man survives, he might have a chance to reach the Immortal realm in the future! The possibility is great, even surpassing that of a Lesser Emperor!"

Laojun Immortal's voice rumbled like a great bell.

The other three Immortal Gods had no doubt about this statement.

To comprehend the Ancient Heavenly Rune—this was something only Immortals could achieve!

For it to appear in an ordinary god, the implications were clear.

"It seems... Laojun Immortal will have a greater chance of refining the Qitian Divine Pill this time!"

"With such a Divine Sculptor's assistance, the alchemical array will surely function at its best!"

The Immortal Gods conversed with smiles on their faces.

"But what's even more interesting... this young man is so brazenly touching the Nuwa statue, yet Nuwa hasn't shown any anger?"

"Given Nuwa's authority and will, it's no small feat to project an Aura of Power across the barriers of heaven and earth."

Truly strange!

The three Immortal Gods were filled with doubt.

Nuwa's authority was such that even they, the Immortal Gods, dared not offend her. Yet today, she remained unmoved despite being so defiled by a Divine Sculptor...

Laojun Immortal's eyes flickered, and he, too, found it hard to understand. His white hair fluttered, and he chuckled softly, explaining:

"Nuwa is benevolent, the mother of heaven and earth."

"How could she feel anger over the touch of an ordinary god?"

"The mother of heaven and earth naturally has a compassionate heart."

...

...

Li Che closed his eyes, and the image of the Nuwa statue appeared in his mind.

The graceful figure seemed etched into his consciousness. His carving knife spun, divine energy surging and intertwining with it.

One strike, and the Lower Ranked Two Deities divine wood, as tough as steel, proved extremely difficult to cut through!

At this moment, cultivation was crucial. If one's cultivation was insufficient, even a Divine Sculptor would struggle to handle the divine wood.

Without the ability to cut the divine wood, how could one even begin to carve?

However, Li Che's cultivation was more than sufficient. Moreover, he didn't even need to display his cultivation.

With a slight mental command, the power of the fifth Ancient Heavenly Rune, which he had comprehended by touching the Nuwa wooden sculpture, slowly released, forming a blade of energy in his palm.

The blade of energy slowly descended, and the tough divine wood, like tofu, was easily sliced.

The surrounding gazes converged, and all sensed that Li Che had used the technique he had comprehended from touching the Nuwa divine sculpture. They were deeply shocked, not expecting him to apply it so quickly.

"I, the Lesser Emperor, will not lose!"

"No matter how strange you are, so what?!"

"My divine sculpture technique from the Hei Xumi lineage is different from Nuwa's!"

Shi Shaokai exhaled, calmed his mind, and continued carving.

Even though he hadn't touched the Nuwa statue, so what?

That slight perception was enough for him to complete the carving. He was confident that his divine sculpture would surpass Li Che's!

Because... he was the Lesser Emperor of Hei Xumi!

Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh—

The entire square fell silent.

No Divine Sculptor continued to walk towards the Qingniu wooden sculpture; all were immersed in their carving.

Despite the varying perceptions of each cultivator, in the realm of sculpting, those who achieve the title of Divine Sculptor are undoubtedly highly skilled.

Wood shavings flew like drifting sparks, and the divine wood emitted a resounding sound.

One by one, divine sculptures began to take shape, with the sculptors outlining and polishing, showcasing a variety of techniques in a visually pleasing manner!

Rumble—

Li Che's heart was completely immersed in his sculpting.

As he sculpted, the Divine Engineer Dao Fruit in his chest also gradually matured.

However, even with special opportunities, the maturation of the Divine Engineer Dao Fruit at the 9th level was not an easy task, and the process was quite slow.

After an unknown amount of time had passed,

When the first Divine Sculptor completed their work,

The sounds of success from the other Divine Sculptors began to echo in quick succession.

It was as if everyone had agreed to complete their sculptures at the same time.

Various divine sculptures, each with unique postures, stood in the square, their divine auras converging and illuminating with brilliant divine light, creating a dazzling spectacle.

Ji Shaohao squinted his eyes, a look of amazement in them as he surveyed the scene.

Hundreds of divine statues of Nuwa appeared, their divine light seemingly piercing through the vast sky!

It was truly a breathtaking sight!

When Fu Shaohui's sculpture was revealed, it seemed as if a shadow of Nuwa herself emerged, and all the divine light around it dimmed, losing its luster.

Fu Shaohui was extremely familiar with Nuwa, and even though he had never touched her, a fleeting glimpse was enough for him to carve out her posture and image from memory.

Subsequently, Basi, Jin Miro, Xuan Yuanhao, and other Divine Sculptors also completed their works.

The shadows of their sculptures seemed to stir the will of heaven and earth.

However, none of their Nuwa auras could match the intensity of Fu Shaohui's sculpture.

When the Dongyang Sculptor's sculpture was revealed, it stood up against Fu Shaohui's work, turning the scene into a contest between two greats!

Buzz—

The auras emanating from the various divine sculptures continuously clashed.

On the bronze walls, the numerous onlookers felt their hearts surge with excitement and tremble. They knew that the results of the second round would soon be announced!

Who would earn the highest score!

Over a hundred and fifty Divine Sculptors were vying for eighty-one spots, which wasn't a particularly difficult challenge.

However, the real difficulty lay in the ranking of the Divine Sculptors!

The greatest challenge was to secure a place at the forefront!

Shi Shaokai took a step back, reciting a Buddhist chant, and the flame-light patterns on his body slowly faded.

The divine sculpture in front of him immediately shed an endless cascade of wood shavings, like a sandstorm pouring down.

Then, an immense and solid shadow emerged, swaying between heaven and earth, instantly overpowering the auras of Fu Shaohui's and the Dongyang Sculptor's sculptures.

Fu Shaohui's face turned extremely grim, his fingers clenching into a fist, his eyes filled with fierce determination and defiance.

Perhaps he was frustrated that his passionate dedication to Nuwa could not surpass these people, simply because their sculpting talents were greater than his.

The Dongyang Sculptor sighed. Both he and Shi Shaokai had touched the divine Qingniu sculpture, but the image he perceived was not as vivid as Shi Shaokai's.

This difference led to the disparity in their sculptures.

What a regrettable outcome!

Shi Shaokai's gaze remained calm, and after the flame-light patterns faded, he appeared benevolent and kind.

In Shi Shaokai's eyes, no one was his match.

His only rival was the Cang Che Sculptor from the Mystic Cavern!

His gaze shifted to Li Che's sculpting area.

There, countless wood shavings flew and swirled, completely enveloping Li Che, obscuring him from view and making it impossible to see what he was sculpting.

Shi Shaokai's gaze grew heavy as he focused on this area.

Although he had surpassed most of the Divine Sculptors present, he did not feel any sense of ease.

When a sharp blade of light cut through,

It sliced through the countless wood shavings surrounding Li Che!

A vast and overwhelming will of heaven and earth erupted like a flood, as if boundless holy light was bursting forth, blindingly bright and dazzling!

"Heaven and Earth Will?!"

The faces of the Divine Sculptors changed in shock!

What kind of monster is this?!

To actually sculpt a work containing the will of heaven and earth?!

Could this Obscure Heavenly Court's Cang Che Sculptor already be a Grand Divine Sculptor?

Only a Grand Divine Sculptor, exerting all their effort and pouring their heart and soul into their work, could create a sculpture containing the will of heaven and earth, right?

"No… It's the will of heaven and earth inherent in the sculpture itself."

"It seems more like a unique technique! Not the result of a Grand Divine Sculptor invoking the will of heaven and earth."

"It's different; not a true Grand Divine Sculptor, just a characteristic of the sculpture…"

"However, the Nuwa statue sculpted by Cang Che is too lifelike! So lifelike that it even simulates the will of heaven and earth of an immortal!"

"The outcome has been decided."

...

All the Divine Sculptors were watching intently.

The moment the blade struck, the Will of Heaven and Earth surged forth like a tidal wave.

Everyone knew that the outcome of this Divine Sculptor Conference had been decided!

The result was clear!

Boom, boom, boom—

The moment the Will of Heaven and Earth was unleashed, all the divine sculptures paled in comparison. Even Shi Shaokai's divine sculpture seemed to lose its grandeur, plummeting to the ground and descending into the mortal world.

The Golden Crane King flapped his wings, sending countless sword auras clashing. He drifted down gracefully.

His eyes sparkled with brilliance as he scanned the scene, his gaze filled with amazement as he looked at the Nuwa statue carved by Li Che.

Behind the Nuwa statue, a seven-colored divine halo swirled and coiled!

He respectfully clasped his fists, his eyes filled with a mix of fervor and reverence.

Although he was the Nirvana Celestial King of Obscure Heavenly Court, he had the blood of the demon race flowing through his veins, and thus held the demon race's Nuwa in high regard.

He straightened up and glanced around.

"Ladies and gentlemen, since the carving is complete, please step back one hundred meters from your wooden sculptures."

The Golden Crane King spoke.

"After stepping back one hundred meters, the divine sculptures you carved will be stimulated by the array, releasing their divine auras. These auras will collide with each other, and ultimately, the eighty-one sculptures that remain will be the ones who advance."

"The ranking will be determined by the amount of divine aura left!"

The Golden Crane King explained the final method of divine aura clash.

This was a basic method, as the direct and intuitive way to determine the strength of divine sculptures was through their divine aura clashes.

Li Che's feet touched down, his ink-black robe fluttering as he floated back one hundred meters.

Shi Shaokai, Fu Shaohui, and the Dongyang Sculptor, along with the other Divine Sculptors, also moved away.

The Golden Crane King clenched his fingers, and a sword aura shot out from his palm, piercing the ground and activating the array!

Boom, boom, boom!

Immediately, radiant light erupted, and as the array activated, the divine auras within the numerous divine sculptures coalesced into the form of Nuwa, beginning to collide uncontrollably!

The pressure from the array intensified, and the divine auras of the Nuwa statues began to collapse.

Out of the more than one hundred and fifty Nuwa statues, only one hundred remained with their divine auras intact.

The Golden Crane King's eyes flashed, and he flicked his finger, sending another thread of sword aura into the array.

The sword aura merged, enhancing the array's power!

It was as if a brilliant sword chant was stimulating the array.

One hundred Nuwa statues, with their divine auras collapsing, were reduced to ninety.

The Golden Crane King continued to flick his fingers, sending more sword auras into the array.

The Nuwa statues continued to collapse and shatter one by one.

When only eighty-one Nuwa statues remained, the Golden Crane King stopped his actions.

"Remember your rankings; you will receive corresponding scores. The final ranking will be determined by the combined scores from both rounds, with the higher score advancing."

The Golden Crane King said solemnly.

He then continued to enhance the array with more sword auras.

Bang, bang, bang—

The Nuwa statues continued to shatter. When only ten remained, the atmosphere in the arena became tense.

Everyone's breathing quickened, knowing that the real highlight was about to begin.

The key to determining the final rankings of the Array Sculptors was approaching!

Li Che couldn't help but focus his gaze, despite his confidence in his wooden sculpture. What if the two young emperors had some hidden tricks up their sleeves?

However, the outcome took Li Che somewhat by surprise.

As countless sword auras exploded from the Golden Crane King, it seemed that the Will of Heaven and Earth coalesced into a tangible form, merging with the array.

Li Che's Nuwa statue also erupted with the Will of Heaven and Earth, holding out until the very end!

Shi Shaokai closed his eyes.

He had lost.

Fu Shaohui clenched his fists, his teeth grinding. What was so special about this Qingche Sculptor, who had won?

His hands had touched Nuwa!

On the city wall.

Ji Shaohao let out a long breath, his face breaking into a radiant smile, one he couldn't control.

"Ha ha ha! We did it!"

"Even in the second round, he came in first! This Qingche Sculptor is truly incredible!"

Ji Shaohao's smile was bright and warm.

Even if there was something peculiar about the Qingche Sculptor, Ji Shaohao didn't delve too deeply, considering the help he had received in securing a Qitian Divine Pill.

In fact,

At this moment, everyone had already calculated their scores.

Li Che was undoubtedly the first.

Shi Shaokai came in second, the Dongyang Sculptor third, and Fu Shaohui fourth...

Despite Fu Shaohui's status as a young emperor, he didn't even make the top three, which left him with a very grim expression, his gaze on Li Che filled with fierce and deadly intent.

His murderous intent was almost unmasked!

Blaspheming Nuwa, the crime was unforgivable!

Li Che gave Fu Shaohui a silent glance. Nuwa herself had no objections, so why was this young emperor from the Mystic Cavern so concerned?

The Golden Crane King withdrew his sword aura, and the Nuwa statue carved by Li Che stopped emitting the Will of Heaven and Earth.

Li Che didn't hesitate to collect the statue.

This thing was too precious, capable of enhancing the Divine Engineer Dao Fruit. Li Che wouldn't leave it behind so easily.

King Golden Crane glanced over, his heart stirring slightly with renewed hope.

Though it was a last-ditch effort, it was still worth a try.

After the Ruyi Golden Cudgel was taken from him, King Golden Crane had fallen into despair. Now, a glimmer of hope had returned.

If he could obtain the statue of Nuwa from Li Che, he might have a tiny chance to break through his bottleneck.

The Divine Sculptor Conference had concluded the second round of assessments, and King Golden Crane officially announced the rankings of the eighty-one Sculptors.

The faces of the eighty-one Sculptors were filled with excitement.

"Next, the eighty-one Array Sculptors will follow me into the depths of the Doushentian Palace."

"You will have the opportunity to listen to the teachings of Immortal Laojun and gain insight into the array formations required."

King Golden Crane said.

As he finished speaking, he turned to face the void.

Clapping his hands together, a surge of sword qi erupted, slowly tearing the void apart as if opening a tightly closed gate!

A path extended from the tear, branching out to the feet of each Divine Sculptor.

Li Che glanced at the words formed by the interwoven power beneath his feet.

A "one" was marked on it, indicating that he was the first among the Array Sculptors.

Finally, he had made it!

He had successfully secured a spot in the Divine Sculptor Conference's Array Sculptor category.

He could now attempt to rescue the Qitian Temple deity!

Li Che's eyes flickered with determination. Without hesitation, he stepped forward, striding onto the path formed by the interwoven power.

The massive crack in the void, like an open portal, revealed endless rays of light, like a dazzling aurora at the edge of the world, incredibly brilliant!

Li Che stepped onto the path, leading the way as the first Array Sculptor.

Following him was the young emperor Shi Shaokai, his monk's robe fluttering as he gazed at Li Che's back.

The eighty-one Sculptors followed in order.

As they passed through the crack and entered the depths of the Doushentian Palace, everyone’s gaze lifted.

They looked up at the enormous Bronze Tripod Alchemical Furnace floating in the sky above the Doushentian Palace City!

The furnace bore a striking resemblance to the entire palace city!

Or rather, the entire Doushentian Palace City was built in the image of this furnace!

An overwhelming aura of power poured down from the furnace, pressing heavily on the hearts of each Divine Sculptor.

Below the furnace, pillars of fire, like writhing dragons, burned in Blazing Gold.

All of them were geothermal fires!

They roasted the furnace, turning the lower half red and making the patterns on it seem to come alive!

"Heavenly Immortal Artifact, the Doushentian Furnace!"

Li Che's heart pounded with intense emotion, the Flame Light scorching the air, causing the ink-black robe on his body to flutter in the breeze.

Li Che lifted his head and gazed at the furnace floating in the depths of the Doushentian Palace City, his lips parting to speak the name with solemnity.

"The Doushentian Furnace is the Divine Armament that Immortal Laojun used to achieve Heavenly Immortality, one of the supreme Heavenly Immortal Artifacts of the Jiu Tian Shi Di, immensely revered!"

Behind Li Che, Shi Shaokai clasped his hands together, his eyes filled with fervor.

"Legend has it that this furnace can refine Heavenly Immortals, even entire worlds!"

Shi Shaokai's gaze fell on Li Che.

"The Qitian Monkey is now sealed within this furnace..."

"Truly at the end of his rope, especially since Immortal Laojun has summoned both the Heavenly Fire and the Geothermal Fire, combining them into the ultimate fire of Heaven and Earth!"

"Qitian is doomed!"

Shi Shaokai stared at Li Che, speaking each word deliberately, trying to gauge Li Che's reaction.

However, Li Che remained calm, his expression as still as an ancient well, completely unaffected by Shi Shaokai's words.

"Truly impressive", Li Che said.

The furnace was indeed impressive!

It was truly remarkable!

If he could place it in the Sunbird Carriage, it might significantly enhance its quality!

Seven Transformations? Eight Transformations? Nine Transformations?

Achieving Nine Transformations with Dao Fruit might be difficult, but this was Li Che's first thought upon seeing the Doushentian Furnace.

Buzz, buzz, buzz—

Suddenly.

Everyone's attention was drawn to three figures floating around the Doushentian Furnace.

They were three Immortals!

With seven-colored halos behind them, the Will of Heaven and Earth enveloped them like a gentle breeze.

Their cold, indifferent, and superior gazes swept over the eighty-one Sculptors, making their hair stand on end.

Three Immortals!

The three Immortals only glanced at the numerous Sculptors briefly.

Then, they retracted their gazes, looked at each other, and raised their hands.

Boom, boom, boom—

It was as if invisible palm strikes struck the floating Doushentian Furnace.

The fire below the furnace intensified, becoming almost transparent.

Li Che's eyes narrowed.

He saw the figure of Qitian, red and transparent, jumping around inside the furnace!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end