Chapter 87: The Divine Foundation Technique and Xi Xi's Thoughts on Niuniu Master

Chapter 87: The Divine Foundation Technique and Xi Xi's Thoughts on Niuniu Master

The flickering candlelight cast dancing shadows of countless wooden spirit baby statues, resembling the menacing claws of demons and monsters.

The cute ox mask reflected the firelight, and the temple deity statue gripped his arm, its vertical eye rolling as if emitting a scorching, fiery aura.

In the air, there seemed to be a silent roar, like a wave, crashing in one surge after another.

The temple deity's eyes blazed with anger, all three of them fuming.

It was as if they were glaring at the insatiable Ox Demon in front of them, burning with rage.

That's enough!

Get out of here!

Don't push your luck!

But Li Che remained oblivious.

The eyes beneath the mask's eyeholes burned with a subtle flame, as if gazing into a fire.

...

【Divine Foundation Technique (Octagonal Supreme): Three-Eyed Wrathful Venerable Deity Divine Foundation Technique】

【Origin: Branch of Wrath Divine Nature, the wrath of ten thousand people, absorbing through the three divine pupils, arranging a thousand spirit baby wooden carvings to contain divine intent, bestowed by Langshen True Monarch, leading to the derivation and acquisition of the technique】

【Advancement: If one obtains the Three-Eyed Compassionate True Monarch and Three-Eyed Intimidating True Monarch, they can collectively forge the Seventh Rank Superior Three-Eyed Three-Spirit True Monarch Divine Foundation】

【Condition: Wrath Divine Nature, Peak Tranquility River Cultivation Nature】

...

The radiant text prompts slowly faded away.

A flood of information poured into Li Che's mind, causing him to focus his gaze with a hint of surprise.

Breaking free from the temple deity statue's grip, Li Che instantly shot off the altar and landed on the ground, calming his emotions and silently absorbing the incoming flood of information.

"This is... a Divine Foundation Technique?!"

"And it's an Octagonal Supreme Divine Foundation Technique. The Heart Astonishment Shocking Firmness Divine Foundation Technique I obtained from Old Yang only reached the Ninth Star Inferior level..."

"An Octagonal Supreme Divine Foundation Technique..."

Li Che was pleasantly surprised, feeling quite unexpected.

"Senior Qing Shan once said that strange temples can bestow temple deity gifts, and many divine nature techniques, divine foundation techniques, and more are obtained from these strange temples. Therefore, many wild and unexplored strange temples have attracted numerous cultivators..."

"So, this is what they call a temple deity's gift?"

Although it seemed more like the temple deity's impatient dismissal, Li Che was delighted.

"This temple deity's divine foundation technique seems to be able to advance further!"

"If I obtain the divine foundation techniques of the Three-Eyed Compassionate True Monarch and the Three-Eyed Intimidating True Monarch, I can collectively forge the Three-Eyed Three-Spirit True Monarch Divine Foundation, which is of the Seventh Rank Superior level!"

Li Che pondered, his emotions rising slightly, and his eyes growing brighter.

"As expected, I'm not the only one who has thought about forging the Seven Emotions Divine Foundation. Although it's a collective forging, the idea is somewhat similar."

"I plan to forge seven divine foundations, while they intend to forge three divine natures into a single divine foundation."

The paths may differ, but the essence is the same.

Li Che felt inexplicably happy, with a clearer vision for his future path and a renewed sense of hope.

"Additionally, Senior Qing Shan mentioned that this strange temple is a branch temple of the Four Imperial Strange Temple. Does that mean... that in the future, the divine foundation can be enhanced and modified through the Four Imperial Strange Temple?"

"If this Ten Cities Strange Temple can produce an Octagonal Supreme Divine Foundation Technique... can the Four Imperial Strange Temple produce a Three Pure Supreme Divine Foundation Technique with just a squeeze?"

In his mind, the divine foundation technique was completely absorbed.

Today, he had spent more time in the strange temple.

Li Che's ears twitched slightly, and his senses had improved due to his enhanced martial arts.

He heard hurried yet extremely faint sounds coming from outside the strange temple.

Someone's here!

Li Che left behind a Thunder Chess Piece anchor and clenched his fist, disappearing without a trace.

The door to the strange temple opened.

A figure in white, wearing a faceless mask, swiftly rushed in, their mask reflecting the twisted firelight.

"The temple deity's divine nature is in turmoil... Was someone in the temple just now?"

"Who is it?!"

Without even opening the temple door... how did they appear inside the strange temple? What kind of ghostly thing is this!

The white-clad figure's hair fluttered in the wind, and the eyes beneath the mask were intensely focused.

Winter thunder rumbled, and lightning snakes danced.

Suddenly, the white-clad figure's neck stiffened, and they slowly raised their head.

The movements changed!

The temple deity statue... was different from before!

Staring at the statue on the altar, which seemed to be reaching for something...

The white-clad figure felt their divine nature hindered, clearly sensing the temple deity's uncontrollable anger, like a tidal wave crashing down.

He couldn't help but grunt, and strange black patterns seemed to emerge on his body, slowly writhing.

The white-clad figure's body trembled, and then...

Their knees bent...

Slowly, they knelt down.

...

...

Li Che returned to the independent workshop.

His tall figure stood silently, removing his mask and taking off his clothes.

"An unexpected joy! I never expected to obtain a divine foundation technique in the strange temple..."

"Octagonal Supreme."

Li Che raised his head, glancing at the gradually darkening sky as night approached.

The evening sun illuminated the black tiles of the roof, glowing with fiery red.

"Currently, my Wrathful Maitreya has reached the Peak Tranquility River Cultivation Nature, just one step away from the divine foundation... It's the perfect time to give it a try."

Li Che pondered, but forging a divine foundation was clearly not an easy task.

"Forging a divine foundation will undoubtedly trigger intense divine nature fluctuations in the world, making it impossible to hide and leading to exposure..."

"Most importantly, if it's disrupted halfway, there may even be backlash, which is completely different from breaking through martial arts meridians."

Li Che sat in the chair, playing with a carved wooden statue, but his mind was occupied with the preparations needed for forging the divine foundation.

"First, it can't be done within the city. I need to find a peaceful place outside the city... Additionally, I need to set up hidden weapons and mechanisms, and my blood qi martial arts must be strong enough. During these days, I should consume and refine all the remaining Python Blood Combat Pills to enhance my blood qi cultivation."

"I possess the Lion Elephant Vajra Dao Fruit, and my physical body is robust. Even without Profound Meridian cultivation, my physical strength is no weaker than that of a Profound Meridian cultivator and may even be slightly stronger. Forging the divine foundation should be without worry."

After making all the arrangements, Li Che focused his mind in the workshop, taking out the "Blood-Red" spirit wood obtained from Old Yang and crafting a Bodhimanda Tears mechanism.

The power of this thing is immense, posing a significant threat even to Divine Foundation Cultivators.

Unfortunately, its production is challenging, and Li Che only had one, which he had already used. He would need to prepare more.

Fortunately, the large piece of blood-red spirit wood that Old Li Qing had collected was sufficient for Li Che to estimate the creation of three Bodhi Blood Tears.

After working on it for a while, Li Che paused his task.

Noticing the sky had turned completely dark, he decided not to stay in the workshop any longer.

He left the workshop and headed for the Golden Splendor Pavilion. Due to Li Qingshan's relationship, the City Governor's Mansion had completely restrained itself and no longer had any intentions toward Li Che and Xi Xi.

With the Yang Family's downfall, the Si Family's decline, and the An Family's relocation, the only remaining aristocratic family in Thunder City was the Xu Family. For a while, the order within Thunder City became surprisingly good.

Li Che ordered a table of fine wine and dishes and returned to his own courtyard.

Back in the courtyard, Xi Xi was sitting on a bamboo chair under the eaves with Old Chen, big and small, eating fruit.

Old Chen adored Xi Xi and often bought her many delicious treats. Even in winter, when fruit was expensive, he was willing to spend money to buy some for Xi Xi.

"Daddy!"

Xi Xi, excited to see Li Che return, jumped up from the chair.

She ran towards Li Che with quick steps and jumped into his arms.

"Daddy, are we moving? Can we take Grandpa Chen with us?" Xi Xi's eyelashes trembled, and her big, watery eyes were filled with reluctance.

Old Chen, sitting on the chair, was momentarily stunned. His eyes softened, and he picked up the gourd, removed the stopper, and took a sip of wine, "This little girl..."

"You're going to the capital city to cultivate, what does Grandpa Chen have to do with it?"

Li Che smiled at his words, "Old Chen, don't be shy. Come with us. Xi Xi has been learning martial arts under your guidance since she was young. When we get to the capital city, she'll still need to undergo an assessment. Don't you want to see Xi Xi suppressing the spirit children of various cities and forcefully entering the Divine Sect?"

Upon hearing this, Old Chen was momentarily speechless, "This little girl is indeed cute and sweet, but her strength is as mighty as pulling mountains and covering the sky..."

"At this age of three, no one can match this little stinker!"

Old Chen burst into laughter, as if he had already witnessed Xi Xi's dominance in suppressing the spirit children of various cities in the capital city.

Xi Xi wrapped her arm around Li Che's neck, frowned slightly, and said with dissatisfaction, "Grandpa Chen, I'm Xi Xi, Li Nuanxi, not little stinker!"

"Haha, okay, Grandpa Chen knows, little stinker."

Old Chen responded with a laugh.

Xi Xi was so angry that she pouted and stopped talking.

"Old Chen, prepare yourself. In a couple of days, come with me to resign from my position as a woodcarver for the Xu Family..." Li Che said.

Old Chen still hesitated, "A spirit child can only bring along family members, right? Is it appropriate for me to go?"

"Don't worry, it won't take up your spot." Li Che pursed his lips and said.

Hearing this, Old Chen did not resist further.

After a couple of days, when the spirit child selection at the Golden Splendor Pavilion was over, Li Che planned to also inform his uncle and ask them to relocate to the capital city.

The main reason was that Thunder City... was no longer safe.

Night fell.

Li Qingshan returned with a radiant face, walking with a gust of wind.

Lu Chi, who was competing with Xi Xi for the twist car, looked up in confusion. He was a young child who had already uncovered many of the adults' secrets.

Rolling his eyes, Lu Chi continued to compete with Xi Xi for the twist car.

"I'm done playing, Lu Chi brother, you play."

Xi Xi was very generous and let Lu Chi have the twist car. She walked to the eaves and sat down, supporting her chin with her plump little hands. She looked slightly melancholy.

From a distance, Li Che, who was instructing Zhang Ya in martial arts techniques, glanced over.

Lu Chi's body trembled, and he quickly jumped off the twist car, feeling as if it had burned his buttocks. Li Che's gaze was like a thousand knives cutting through him.

Feeling like crying but with no tears, he hadn't provoked Xi Xi.

Li Che walked over to Xi Xi's side.

Xi Xi pouted, "Xi Xi is sad."

"Xi Xi misses Niuniu Master. He hasn't come to see Xi Xi for several days, and she misses him."

Li Che paused.

The Ox Demon looked like a bad person at first glance, but why do you, a young girl, miss him so much?

However, Li Che would fulfill his daughter's wishes.

"Don't worry, maybe your Niuniu Master knows you're moving and is preparing a gift for you?" Li Che pinched Xi Xi's chubby cheeks.

Xi Xi's eyes lit up instantly.

Lu Chi, standing nearby, secretly rolled his eyes in a direction where Li Che couldn't see his face.

He had already cleverly seen through the adults' secrets.

An old man deceiving an old lady, a late-blooming romance.

A father comforting his daughter, pretending to be a master.

The world of adults was all fake.

...

...

The next day.

Dark clouds piled up, and winter thunder rumbled within, flashing with electric lights.

After helping his wife Zhang Ya with a thorough bone-reading the night before, Li Che felt refreshed.

In the courtyard.

Li Qingshan, dressed in a blue robe, sat upright in a wooden chair, flipping through a book. Next to him, a hot stove boiled water for tea, and the air was filled with steam.

Lu Chi sat cross-legged below, cultivating his divine nature.

The book Li Qingshan was reading was the Tang Family Mechanism Record, which he had obtained from Old Chen.

The old man frowned as he looked at the book and said to Li Che, "Mechanisms... Did you use the mechanisms in this book to kill the Yang Family's Divine Foundation Cultivator?"

"Tang Family Mechanisms are indeed powerful, but they are also complex. This book is just a fragment, and the mechanisms recorded in it... are mostly ambiguous. How did you manage to create them? Your craftsmanship is truly impressive..."

Li Qingshan glanced at Li Che and laughed, with a hint of strangeness in his eyes.

The Mechanism Dao... required talent.

It wasn't something that anyone with a bit of craftsmanship could handle.

In the past, the Tang Family of the Great Jingtang was extremely glorious. However, after the family's divine fetus met its demise, there were rarely any mechanism geniuses born, and gradually, the Tang Family declined.

Because many Tang Family mechanisms, even with a diagram, couldn't be created without the necessary talent.

"Your talent in the Mechanism Dao shouldn't be wasted. After you enter the Divine Sect, I'll introduce you to someone who can teach you a lot about the Mechanism Dao."

Upon hearing this, Li Che didn't refuse. He was still very interested in the Mechanism Dao, and if he could learn more mechanisms, it would be beneficial for his Immortal Craft.

The ripening of the Dao Fruit had been a great help.

After chatting with Li Qingshan, Li Che went to fetch Old Chen, intending to go to the Xu Family to resign from his position as a woodcarver at their woodcarving shop.

"You're going to the Xu Family? I'll come along, it's on my way."

Li Qingshan rose lazily.

Li Che was taken aback. What way was he talking about?

However, he didn't say anything more. Li Qingshan's public identity allowed him to walk with authority in Thunder City, even the Xu Family treated him as an honored guest.

Soon, the three of them arrived at Xu Ji's inner city woodcarving shop, and Li Qingshan wandered off on his own.

Li Che and Old Chen explained their purpose, and soon, Xu Heli, dressed in white, and Xu Beihu hurried over.

"Master Li, are you here to resign from your position as a woodcarver at Xu Ji?"

"Is it because Miss Li's Spirit Child identity has been acknowledged by Senior Qing, and you're going to the capital city with her?" Xu Heli smiled at Li Che.

His expression was complex, unable to fathom how a commoner could rise to such heights in just three years.

As for whether Li Che was the Ox Demon, Xu Heli couldn't be sure.

When Cao Qingyuan and Zhang Xiangyang went to Li Che's courtyard, they had also observed from a distance.

During the Ox Demon's battle with the Yang Family's Divine Foundation, Li Che had appeared in the courtyard.

So, they ruled out the possibility of Li Che being the Ox Demon.

Moreover, whether Li Che was the Ox Demon or not... it no longer mattered.

With a strong cultivator from the Divine Sect backing Li Che and his daughter, no one in Thunder City dared to harm them.

Even if they confirmed Li Che was the Ox Demon, what could they do?

The Ox Demon's killing of the Yang Family's Divine Foundation had already shocked the entire Thunder City.

When Xu Heli heard this news, he was stunned. Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine that the Ox Demon could counter-kill the Yang Family's Divine Foundation.

Xu Heli immediately dismissed the idea that Li Che could be the Ox Demon.

How could Li Che, with only three years of cultivation, reach the level of killing a Divine Foundation cultivator?

"Manager Xu, let's forget about the nominal position... We're not in Thunder City, yet we're still receiving wages from the Xu Family. It doesn't feel right."

Li Che shook his head, declining Xu Heli's offer.

Naturally, Chen Dabao, standing beside him, also refused.

Xu Heli wasn't surprised, as he had anticipated Li Che's response.

Xu Ji hadn't shown much enthusiasm after Li Che became a Woodcarving Master, and Li Che had only worked there for three years, one of which was as a laborer. It was normal for him to have no emotional attachment.

After a symbolic attempt to persuade them to stay, Xu Heli agreed to Li Che and Chen Dabao's resignation.

"Manager Xu, has the Third Manager not returned yet?"

Before leaving, Li Che turned to Xu Heli and asked.

Xu Heli narrowed his eyes, "The Third Brother went outside the city to lead a team to eliminate evil spirits. It's normal for him to be gone for half a year or more."

Li Che nodded and didn't say anything further.

The two of them left the woodcarving shop.

Winter rain pattered on the oil-paper umbrella.

Old Chen felt his muscles and bones relax, experiencing an unprecedented sense of freedom. However, being semi-retired, he didn't have much attachment to Xu Ji's woodcarving shop.

"Ah Che, let's go, I'll treat you to some wine."

...

...

Xu Family Compound.

Xu Heli informed the family head, Xu Naming, that Li Che and Chen Dabao had resigned from their positions as woodcarvers at Xu Ji.

"It's normal. Li Che plans to accompany his Spirit Child daughter to the capital city. As for Chen Dabao... these past few years, his heart hasn't been in his work. If he wants to go to the capital city, he's being too presumptuous, thinking that by holding onto Li Nuanxi, an Upper Rank Spirit Child, he'll be able to enter the Divine Sect once he's there."

Xu Naming was busy handling numerous documents, dealing with the Si Family, the Yang Family, and the An Family. Some were toppled, some faced extermination, and some relocated... The Xu Family had suddenly become the largest aristocratic clan in Thunder City.

With so many businesses suddenly under their management, Xu Naming had been extremely busy during this time.

He had given up on breaking through to the Divine Foundation, so he focused all his efforts on expanding the family's businesses.

Now, his wish had come true. Xu Ji had grown to its greatest size in two hundred years under his leadership, and he couldn't help but feel proud.

Even if it was a case of lying down and winning, it was still his, Xu Naming's, achievement.

"Where's Xu You? Is he still outside the city hunting evil spirits? Send him a message to return... The City Governor's Mansion sent word that as soon as the Divine Sect's Guide leaves, they'll hold the Thousand Buddha Feast, so call Xu You back..."

Xu Heli paused upon hearing this.

"Why call the Third Brother back?"

Xu Heli furrowed his brows.

With the Si Family, the Yang Family, and the An Family gone, the Third Young Master of Thunder City was the only one left. Once the Thousand Buddha Feast was held, he would undoubtedly become the biggest beneficiary.

He might even have a chance to break through to the Divine Foundation. At this moment, calling Xu You back to share the benefits was something Xu Heli was reluctant to do.

However, Xu Naming merely looked at him with a faint gaze.

"Do you think your chances of successfully casting the Divine Foundation are high?"

"Grandfather has high hopes for you... If our Xu Family can produce another Divine Foundation cultivator, then after the Thousand Buddha Feast, when we go to other cities, we can continue our two-hundred-year legacy."

"So, when it comes to your attempt at the Divine Foundation, you must succeed, and failure is not an option."

Xu Heli replied, "I know, I'll try my best..."

"Try? Ridiculous... Your Vital Energy cultivation has barely reached the Qi Meridian stage. Your chances of failing to cast the Divine Foundation are extremely high..."

"During the Thousand Buddha Feast, with the help of the Temple God's Divinity, let Xu You and Beihu become your assistants... Only then can you succeed. Do you understand?"

"This is Grandfather's wish."

Xu Heli was taken aback, suddenly feeling his hair stand on end.

Xu Heli swallowed, his mouth dry.

"How... how can they assist?"

Xu Naming paused in his work and looked up from the pile of documents, revealing a chilling smile with his white teeth.

Second Update, 5000 words, 10,000 words total. Support with monthly tickets and recommendations! Let's keep the momentum going for Old Li!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end