https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-8-Woodcarving-Prodigy-Inner-Strength-and-Divinity/12983856/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-10-Crossbow-Salvo-A-Mechanical-Murder/12983860/
Chapter 9: Three-Headed, Six-Armed Spirit Infant Statue, and the Mechanical Sleeve Crossbow
Chapter 9: Three-Headed, Six-Armed Spirit Infant Statue, and the Mechanical Sleeve Crossbow
"You want to move into the woodcarving shop?"
"Now that you're a woodcarver, it's only natural... However, there are still some formalities to be completed. I'll have someone expedite the process, and in a couple of days, you can go and take a look at the courtyard."
The third manager, Xu You, greatly admired Li Che's talent.
The wooden sculptures he carved were imbued with profound essence, and such talent was extremely precious and sought after by any woodcarving shop.
Only with such talent could a woodcarver have the opportunity to grow into a master woodcarver!
So, it was natural that Li Che's request would not be refused, and they even felt a sense of eagerness to grant it.
Geniuses deserved the treatment befitting their status.
"Thank you, Third Manager," Li Che said sincerely.
Xu You nodded and, along with Xu Beihu, they slowly walked into the swirling snow and disappeared from sight.
Li Che exhaled a long breath, a smile spreading across his face. With his new position as a woodcarver, the threat from the Spirit Infant Sect would be greatly reduced.
Returning to the shop, he took his conical hat and also received his monthly salary as a woodcarver, totaling five taels of silver.
The third manager had said that from now on, this day of the month would be when the monthly salary was distributed.
Amidst the envious and respectful gazes of the other apprentices, Li Che packed his belongings, ready to return home and share the good news with his wife and daughter.
However, just before leaving, he sidled up to Master Chen with a fawning expression.
"Master Chen, may I take some more scrap wood home to practice?"
Chen Dabao, sipping from his gourd of wine, pulled a face, "Ah, Che, from now on, you're also a woodcarver at the shop. Let's drop the formality, call me Old Chen instead of Master Chen."
"Take as much of this wood as you like, and if you want, you can even go to the courtyard and choose some. As long as they're not too large, you can take them home to practice."
Old Chen had seen Li Che's talent, and he knew it was important to foster a good relationship.
At his age, he was quite a shrewd person and wouldn't offend others easily.
"By the way, when you go to choose a courtyard, call me, and I'll take a look. We can be neighbors." Old Chen said with a smile.
...
Good news brings joy to the heart.
Li Che was in high spirits. After becoming a woodcarver, his wages increased, and his days were filled with new hope. The prospect of wealth and honor was no longer a distant dream, and he could provide a better life for his wife and daughter.
Walking along the long street of Flying Thunder Outer City, he made his way to the shop, bought two taels of wine, and then some pork and beef, and headed home.
As night fell, the streetlights grew sparse.
From a distance, Li Che saw the faint glow of the oil lamp in his family's earthen house.
Thinking of his adorable daughter, Xixi, babbling away, a smile tugged at his lips.
As he reached out to call for his wife, Zhang Ya, to open the door, something caught his peripheral vision, causing him to freeze, as if the air around him had suddenly turned to ice.
His neck stiffened, and he slowly turned his head.
His gaze fell upon a small wooden sculpture, no larger than a palm, resting on the thick snow at the bottom left corner of the door.
A child with three heads and six arms sat cross-legged on a lotus platform, its expression neither smiling nor frowning, with slightly raised lips and eyes that opened and closed.
As he stared at it...
Li Che even thought he heard the sound of a child's laughter and crying in his ears!
"The Spirit Infant Master?!" Li Che's expression darkened, and he quickly scanned his surroundings, his eyes filled with rage.
Had they... set their sights on Xixi already?! She had just turned one month old!
Lea Chunlan! Where are you?!
But all around was quiet, except for the falling snow and Xixi's babbling from inside the house.
Reaching out, he picked up the wooden sculpture, just an ordinary piece...
But it gave Li Che a different feeling, and the joy in his heart instantly withered and froze.
It was as if a thief had marked the spot before returning to steal something.
Perhaps, the other party had a similar intention.
Li Che's face darkened, and after a moment of thought, he threw the Spirit Infant wooden sculpture into the shed, planning to take it to the woodcarving shop the next day to inquire about the situation.
After finishing everything, he finally regained his cheerful demeanor.
When returning home... it was always better to bring good news than bad.
"Husband, you're back?"
Zhang Ya opened the door, and as the cold wind blew in, she saw Li Che carrying wine and meat, and her eyes lit up with surprise.
She knew that Li Che must have good news to share with her.
When she learned that Li Che had become a woodcarver at Xuji Woodcarving Shop, she couldn't help but exclaim like a young girl, hugging Li Che's waist excitedly, her heart fluttering with anticipation.
"Husband, we must celebrate tonight!" Zhang Ya exclaimed, her chin raised in excitement.
Li Che pulled her close, a mischievous smile curving his lips. "How does my wife plan to celebrate?"
Zhang Ya saw the smile on Li Che's face and instantly understood his mischievous thoughts, her cheeks flushing in response.
Li Che took out the five taels of monthly salary he had received that day and also told Zhang Ya about his plan to move into the woodcarving shop.
Zhang Ya was startled by the news of moving, but she didn't ask any further questions, even though she found it strange.
Wherever her husband went, she and her daughter would naturally follow.
Moreover, Zhang Ya also knew that the woodcarving shop would be much safer than their current home.
After dinner, Zhang Ya quickly put Xi Xi to sleep, and only then did the couple carefully engage in a passionate activity.
On the bed, Zhang Ya's dark hair spread out, and she fell into a deep sleep.
Li Che, feeling refreshed, sat by the lit oil lamp and took out the borrowed Tang Family Mechanism Manual from Old Master Chen.
The Celestial Craft of Dao Fruit trembled once more.
Li Che's eyes shone with focus as he began to read, carefully studying the manual.
It recorded various ingenious mechanisms, some with extremely high lethality...
As Li Che read, the understanding brought by Dao Fruit instantly captivated him, and he was completely conquered by the ingenious designs and creative ideas.
However, the book only recorded twelve mechanisms, nine of which required Inner Strength and Divinity empowerment to create.
Li Che didn't hesitate.
He chose the remaining three mechanisms that didn't require Inner Strength or Divinity, named 'Sleeve Crossbow', 'Bodhimanda Holding Child Statue', and 'Thousand Silk Spider'.
He took out the wood scraps brought back from the shop and began to craft the Sleeve Crossbow.
As the carving knife tore through the wood, the sound of splitting wood fibers filled the night...
When the first ray of light in the east tore through the darkness, covered by thick snow, Li Che finally completed the delicate and exquisite Sleeve Crossbow!
[Dao Fruit: Celestial Craft (lv2, 19%)]
At that moment, Li Che's mind was flooded with knowledge about the use and introduction of the Sleeve Crossbow, and at the same time, a prompt popped up.
Li Che's eyes widened, his spirit greatly lifted. He hadn't expected that crafting the Sleeve Crossbow would give him a 10% increase in Dao Fruit maturity!
Li Che referred to the percentage in the suffix as Dao Fruit maturity, as once the fruit was full, it would improve, sharing a similar essence with Dao Fruit maturity.
"Is it based on the difficulty of the mechanism?" Li Che wondered.
The slow improvement in Dao Fruit had made Li Che curious.
But now, it seemed he had found another way to improve Dao Fruit.
However, the number of mechanisms was limited, and Li Che soon calmed down, feeling a bit disappointed.
"The Tang Family Mechanism Manual records twelve mechanisms in detail. If I craft them all, it will be enough to raise Celestial Craft to lv3!" Li Che's eyes shone with determination, his heart pounding.
There was still a chance!
By crafting the Sleeve Crossbow, Li Che had also mastered its use. If he could master Inner Strength and Qi Blood, the power of the Sleeve Crossbow would be even greater!
But looking at his sleeping wife and daughter, Li Che hesitated.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
