Chapter 99: Can I Withstand a Shot from Barrett, Cold Arrow, and Demon Face Deity?

Chapter 99: Can I Withstand a Shot from Barrett, Cold Arrow, and Demon Face Deity?

The sun was shining brightly, dispelling the chill of early spring, as willow branches swayed in the streets, and willow fluff danced in the air.

Li Che was dressed in a black suit, looking very spirited. His robust physique, honed by martial arts practice, made him stand out in a crowd.

Stopping his steps, Li Che looked at the three people approaching from afar.

Lu Chi, with his Natacha braid, was very familiar to Li Che, but the two figures beside him caused him a slight confusion.

They were dressed in official uniforms, with the distinctive waist plates of the Temple Guard Service, on which was carved the pattern of a small temple, making them easily recognizable.

Li Che's first thought was that he might have been reported by Lu Chi, the young brat.

However, he quickly dismissed this thought.

Lu Chi had no reason to, and Li Che had always found him to be elegant and amiable.

He waited quietly as the three approached.

"Uncle Li." Lu Chi, seeing Li Che, nodded and called out hurriedly.

Li Che smiled warmly.

He then looked at the other two and said, "These two..."

"Uncle Li, they are from the Celestial Surveillance Agency!" Lu Chi immediately answered without being coy.

Li Che was taken aback. The Celestial Surveillance Agency?

In the Great Jing Dynasty, the Temple Guard Service, the Celestial Surveillance Agency, and the Divine Sect were the three major entities. The first two belonged to the imperial forces, while the Divine Sect was a sect force.

The Temple Guard Service dealt with strange temples, mountain temples, and the suppression of anomalies and the extermination of evils, all of which were done by the Temple Guard Service.

The Celestial Surveillance Agency, within the imperial forces, was akin to a logistics force. Elixirs, divine carvings, divine armaments, and more, all came from the Celestial Surveillance Agency, making it wealthy and powerful.

The "Great Jing Celestial Fury Crimson Serpent Blood Combat Pill" that Li Che had obtained when breaking through the Mystic Vein also came from the Celestial Surveillance Agency.

"It was Mr. Qing Shan who recommended me to the Celestial Surveillance Agency after I returned to the Prefecture City. This recommendation is extremely valuable."

Lu Chi shook his big head and hastily said.

The two men in official uniforms smiled at Li Che. "Mr. Qing Shan recommended you to the Celestial Surveillance Agency, and we are here to contact you."

Li Che cupped his fist in greeting, and the two men returned the gesture.

"Since I am heading to the Fragrant Pavilion, why don't we go there and talk while we eat?"

Confirming that the other party had no ill intentions, Li Che became even more courteous and amiable, inviting them with a smile.

Lu Chi was not interested in eating and chose Xixi without hesitation between the food and the carriage.

Li Che and the three men from the Celestial Surveillance Agency arrived at the "Fragrant Pavilion."

The most prosperous winehouse in the Outer City of the Prefecture City, deeply beloved by the Outer City's nobility, mainly due to the excellent culinary skills, where the dishes were fragrant, colorful, and flavorful.

Wealthy Li Che was not overly frugal now, ordering a table full of fine wine and dishes.

Although the prices in the Prefecture City were high, to the piles of gold bars and silver ingots in his Heaven and Earth Spatial Storage, it was nothing.

"Master Li, you are too kind."

The three men sat in a private room, where a cold-blooded woman musician played the zither, the music lingering.

"I am from the Celestial Surveillance Agency of the Golden Light City, Liu He. This is my colleague, Hai Chuan Ying. We are all third-rank guest scholars of the Celestial Surveillance Agency."

"Guest scholars?"

Seemingly understanding Li Che's confusion, the talkative Liu He smiled and explained, "Guest scholars need to pass an examination to enter the Celestial Surveillance Agency, enjoying the benefits of Celestial Surveillance Agency officials, yet not being actual officials, without official rank."

Li Che was enlightened. It was the difference between a contract worker and a temporary worker in the civil service.

"Mr. Qing Shan, ranked eighth on the Divine Foundation Register of Yunzhou, we naturally value him, hence, personally contacting Master Li."

"Master Li's dossier, we have collected in the past period. In just three years, you learned at the Xu Family Carving Shop in Thunderbolt City, from a woodcarving apprentice to a woodcarving master, able to carve divine carvings, showing remarkable talent."

"Mr. Qing Shan's recommendation is also reasonable and justified."

Liu He clinked his glass with Li Che, drinking the wine, but frowned after a sip.

"The wine from the Outer City is ultimately inferior. Although the Fragrant Pavilion is the best winehouse in the Outer City, this wine... is rather mediocre."

"Master Li, if you have the opportunity to enter the Inner City, I will invite you to taste the divine wine at the Cloud Fragrance Barge."

"Beautiful women pouring the divine wine, the divine wine warming the body, the divine essence reviving upon tasting... tsk tsk..." Liu He couldn't help but praise.

Beside him, the man named Hai Chuan Ying said indifferently, "Master Li hasn't even joined the Celestial Surveillance Agency or become a guest scholar, yet you're already thinking about taking him to a brothel to listen to music?"

"Ha ha ha, with Mr. Qing Shan's recommendation, he will surely pass the guest scholar examination. It's only a matter of time."

"After all, the recommendation quota is so precious. Mr. Qing Shan wouldn't waste it."

Liu He laughed.

Li Che invited the three to eat and drink, slowly inquiring and learning more.

"Mr. Qing Shan's recommendation only gives you the qualification for the examination. Whether you can truly become a guest scholar of the Celestial Surveillance Agency depends on Master Li's abilities."

Liu He said, "We, as guest scholars, are not actual officials of the Celestial Surveillance Agency, yet the benefits we enjoy are not bad. Most importantly, we can use the Celestial Surveillance Agency's influence for protection, which is crucial for someone like Master Li, who comes from the Outer City."

"The matters of Thunderbolt City have already reached the Prefecture City. Marquis Cao Guang sacrificed the entire city to elevate the strange temples. Because Mr. Qing Shan was in charge, the plot failed, resulting in Cao Guang's death and the death of his son, Cao Qingyuan..."

Liu He took a sip of wine and narrowed his eyes.

"Cao Guang's death is not significant, but... the death of Cao Qingyuan is not good news for Master Li."

"Cao Qingyuan's mother is Qin Yuqing from the Qin Family..."

Though Li Che already knew this, he still showed surprise, "What does Cao Qingyuan's death have to do with us?"

Liu He swept his gaze around the room and glanced at Hai Chuan Ying, "Brother Hai, why don't you explain..."

Hai Chuan Ying sneered, "Are you still afraid?"

"Qin Yuqing, the third daughter of the Qin Family's head, is also the core disciple of the Golden Rift Sect. On the surface, she is gentle and accommodating, but in reality, she has a malicious heart, enjoying secret Technique: Wrathful Cry Ghost Subjugation. She is known as the Jade Face Poisonous Rakshasa..."

"Perhaps it's due to the influence of the Divine Vein: Prison Hell Wrath Ghost King..."

"But this woman is notoriously malicious, acting as the Qin Family's black glove in handling affairs. Her son's death in Thunderbolt City will surely make her vent her anger on those from Thunderbolt City."

Hai Chuan Ying explained in a deep voice.

"This might also be the reason why Mr. Qing Shan recommended Master Li..."

Li Che heard this and remained silent.

"I and my daughter came to take the Divine Sect Branch examination. Would she dare to provoke us?"

Li Che frowneded.

"But we haven't taken the examination yet?"

examination, Mr't entered the examination yet the Divine Sect.

"Not a single stroke of the eight characters…"

"These people are well-versed in the rules."

"Although the Divine Sect is powerful, the five great aristocratic families and the five great sects in the Capital City have been deeply rooted here for hundreds of years, and they are like local tyrants."

Li Che understood.

The three continued to chat about the specific details and situation of the Celestial Surveillance Agency's Guest Scholar Examination.

After a satisfying meal, Li Che bid farewell to Liu He and Hai Chuan Ying.

...

...

He ordered a table of food and drinks and asked the Fragrant Pavilion's waiter to deliver it to his residence in Flower Listening Lane.

Li Che arrived at another courtyard in Golden Light City.

The courtyard was filled with wood, and the rich fragrance of timber permeated the air.

Sitting on a wooden chair, Li Che's fingertips glowed, tearing through the air. He clenched his five fingers and retrieved a large contraption.

It was the "Generation One Divine Artisan Bodhi Barrett" that Li Che had developed and crafted.

Made from Seventh Rank Spirit Wood Dragon Fang Yellow Poplar, it took several carving knives to shape it.

The Dragon Fang Yellow Poplar was incredibly slender, resembling dragon teeth, and was more aesthetically pleasing than any craft.

The Dragon Fang Bodhi was the bullet, and Li Che used Seventh Rank Spirit Wood to create it, combining the craftsmanship of the Spirit Wood Crow Technique with Bodhi Blood Tears to produce a single bullet.

Even with just one bullet, Li Che had exerted tremendous effort.

If it weren't for the emergence of divine consciousness after breaking through to the next cultivation level, he wouldn't have been confident in such intricate work.

Li Che realized that although he had the Thousand Analysis Palm to assist him, the significance of divine consciousness couldn't be overlooked.

Patiently polishing the smooth barrel of the Dragon Fang Yellow Poplar, Li Che remained silent, his eyes dark and gloomy.

After a long while, he sighed.

"In this world, I tread as if on thin ice..."

"But this world is too dangerous."

"I want to quietly watch my daughter grow up, but there are always people who won't let me... They want to break the ice beneath my feet and plunge me into an icy pit..."

Li Che raised his head, and the spring breeze caressed his face, but it was bone-chilling.

If this was the case in Thunderbolt City, then it was the same in Capital City...

Without a background, it was too difficult to survive in this world.

Like today, if not for Li Qingshan's face, those two Third Rank Guest Scholars from the Celestial Surveillance Agency probably wouldn't have given him a second glance.

"In the end... I'm still not strong enough..."

Li Che stood up, clenching his fist around the Dragon Fang Yellow Poplar barrel, while his other hand grabbed the remaining components, slowly assembling them together.

The sound of metal grinding against metal filled the air, like the most beautiful melody in the world.

Clank, clank...

Once fully assembled, Li Che held it up with both hands.

He didn't make a scope because it wasn't necessary...

If he did make a scope, it would be like looking down on the "Chess Sage" himself.

"Qin Family... Qin Yuqing?"

Li Che's congealing bubble trembled, and divine consciousness surged forth. The gun body crafted from Dragon Fang Yellow Poplar was activated, and patterns flashed as divine essence slowly flowed into it.

A terrifying aura emanated from the contraption, spreading throughout the courtyard.

The wind... raged, and the air currents stirred! Wood shavings flew uncontrollably in the small courtyard.

"Qin Yuqing... the Golden Rift Sect's core true transmission?"

"I don't know... can she withstand a Dragon Fang Bodhi bullet?"

"But I... only have one bullet."

Li Che exhaled, continuing to focus on polishing the Dragon Fang Bodhi to ensure precision and guarantee a flawless first shot.

He aimed for perfection with a single shot.

"You, Qin Yuqing, are vicious and cruel, a Jade-Faced Poisonous Rakshasa, but I, Li Che, will face you with pure passion... and snuff you out of existence."

In the small courtyard.

Li Che exhaled, and his qi and blood roared.

Being targeted by such a venomous woman, he couldn't find peace.

Especially with Xixi still so young, so cute, and so small, if she fell into the hands of that venomous woman and suffered inhumane torture, Li Che, as a father, couldn't bear to think about it. The mere thought twisted his internal organs, and he felt he had to...

"Snuff her out..."

...

...

"I need to accelerate my cultivation progress... I'm still too weak. I'll strive to cultivate the Divine Vein as soon as possible. Senior Qing Shan mentioned that the Divine Sect has exclusive secret formula pills, but I can't obtain them without joining the sect. I'll have to go to the Celestial Surveillance Agency to look for good pills."

"Additionally, I should prepare for the Guest Scholar Examination at the Celestial Surveillance Agency."

"Senior Qing Shan probably anticipated the unrest in Capital City, so he gave me this recommendation."

"I can't let down his expectations. This tiger skin from the Celestial Surveillance Agency is indeed valuable."

In the small courtyard, Li Che formulated his cultivation plan for the upcoming period.

The moon climbed into the sky.

Li Che finally finished his work in the courtyard.

The surging qi and blood within him blossomed like a Hell Lotus, and it slowly retracted into his body.

Li Che's eyes flashed with a spark of electricity in the dim courtyard.

After reaching the Mystic Vein, the speed of his qi and blood cultivation hadn't decreased much. The main reason was that after his [Dragon Elephant Vajra] reached LV3, his horizontal cultivation talent had greatly improved.

"Additionally, the Yang Family's [Heart-Shaking Vajra] and the Xu Family's [Suspensive Thought Flowing Sword Divine Energy] Divine Essence have reached LV2 due to the [Chess Sage] Dao Fruit. The speed of refinement has increased, and now the refinement of Divine Chess Pieces has been completed, reaching the Cultivation Nature Like Stream Divine Energy. Zhou Ruo Guan's [Chaotic Joy Confusing Spirit] has also barely reached the same level, as Zhou Ruo Guan's strength is not strong."

"Now, I have four Divine Essences at the Cultivation Nature Like Stream level, and one Divine Essence has condensed into a Divine Foundation."

"There's still much room for improvement in the path of Divine Essence. Once the Divine Essence is sufficiently nurtured, I'll start condensing the other two Divine Foundations..."

Li Che's eyes shone with divine light.

Within his congealing bubble, he separated five regions with the [Pure Heart] Divine Essence, nurturing five Divine Essences.

Joy, anger, thought, sorrow, and fear—these five Divine Essences were stored in the congealing bubble.

He only lacked the worry and grief Divine Essences of the Seven Emotions Divine Nature.

He should have obtained them in Thunderbolt City, but unfortunately, the An Family fled, and Zhang Xiangyang took the opportunity to escape as well.

However, it wasn't a big problem. The chances of obtaining these two Divine Essence Techniques in Capital City were much higher.

With more attention, he would surely find them.

"My talent for cultivation in the path of Divine Secret Techniques is indeed average compared to horizontal cultivation."

"Since obtaining the [Wrathful True Monarch Soul-Killing Eye] from the Mysterious Temple, I've barely entered the door. As for the Divine Essence Combat Technique [Wrathful True Monarch Three-Blade Sword], it has already been partially mastered. This is due to the fact that I haven't practiced it much."

"As for the Dragon Serpent Cannon, Cloud Soaring Falcon, they have both reached the Great Accomplishment level..."

"Divine Essence Combat Techniques are indeed more suitable for me."

After summarizing his own situation, Li Che stretched lazily, and his body felt as relaxed as if he had set off firecrackers.

After tidying up, Li Che snapped his fingers before leaving, and a [Pure Heart] white Divine Chess Piece floated into the courtyard.

This was the coordinate point of the Thunderbolt Chess Sage, and he habitually left one behind as a precaution for escape.

(End of Chapter)

In the aftermath of all this, Li Che finally calmed his qi and blood, leisurely strolling home.

He planned to guide his wife, Zhang Ya, in the new version of the Opening Meridians posture she had been developing.

...

...

The next day, dawn broke.

The sky was overcast, thick clouds looming over the firmament.

Spring thunder rumbled, occasionally flashing with lightning.

Spring rain brings warmth; with several showers, the earth would awaken.

But the early spring rain was still bone-chilling.

Zhang Ya, who had been guided by Li Che throughout the night in the new Opening Meridians posture, lay lazily on the bed like a soft white snake, lacking the energy to get up.

With the surname Zhang, she was ultimately arrogant...

Daring to let Li Che use a little strength, his terrifyingly refined physical body was truly fearsome.

Feeling refreshed, Zhang Ya got up, and Li Che guided her in her daily martial arts cultivation.

He then planned to go out to the Celestial Surveillance Agency to inquire about the specific details of the upcoming examination.

Yesterday, Liu He and Hai Chuan Ying had only informed him of his eligibility for the examination, so naturally, they wouldn't elaborate much further.

The sky was overcast, and the fine rain fell like cow hair.

Li Che wore a clean and tidy black tight-fitting outfit, holding up an oil-paper umbrella as the spring rain splashed on its surface, with raindrops clinging to it.

The willow branches swayed in the wind, and the spring atmosphere was thick.

Li Che left Flower Listening Lane, stepping onto the incredibly spacious bluestone street of the Prefecture City.

Suddenly, his footsteps paused, and the Chess Sage's Dao Fruit in his chest cavity vibrated slightly, sensing someone spying on him.

Li Che's expression remained unchanged as he walked leisurely with the umbrella in the rain.

His mind stirred slightly.

The Heaven Earth Chessboard suddenly unfolded...

Half of the Golden Light City appeared in his perception, abruptly shrinking, and presented itself in his mind, gradually consuming his divine essence.

The chessboard crisscrossed, and the streets and alleys were outlined, revealing the entire city.

The spying presence was also extremely obvious on the chessboard, leaving no escape.

After the Chess Sage's Dao Fruit reached LV2, his perception became increasingly sharp, even allowing him to form various colors based on the hostility or lack thereof in others' auras.

Jet-black represented intense hostility.

Grayish-black indicated some hostility but not much.

Pure white meant no hostility.

But in his perception...

The spying presence... showed grayish-black, indicating some hostility but not much.

However, even a little hostility was already problematic.

Li Che had entered the Prefecture City, always keeping a low profile and acting politely.

Why would someone have hostility towards him without reason?

Li Che's eyes shone with a faint light, and as the perspective zoomed in, he suddenly saw the person emitting hostility.

Hidden in an alley, they were concealing their aura with no leaks, wearing a gray mask, their eyes deep beneath it, staring in his direction.

"Who is it? Someone from Qin Yuqing's group?"

"Can't determine yet... but it's not a big issue."

Li Che thought to himself.

The next moment, the Sleeping Dragon Elephant of the Chess Sage's Dao Fruit was fully activated, and the spring rain continued to drizzle.

In the alley.

The figure wearing the gray mask suddenly started, shook his head, but found that his target had disappeared...

That's right, they had vanished right before his eyes?

"Where is he?"

"How did he suddenly disappear?"

"I can't sense him anymore, even though I had him under my perception?"

What was going on? The figure's eyebrows beneath the mask furrowed tightly.

"How will I explain this to the young miss?"

The figure blurred and instantly appeared on the street, but no matter how he released his spiritual sense, he couldn't perceive Li Che's departure.

"Damn... Is this a ghost?"

"This person is indeed problematic!"

He was sure he wasn't the one with the problem; it was Li Che, the Thunderbolt City native who looked gentle and kind, who had an issue!

"I'll go back and report to the young miss..."

The figure blurred and sped off into the distance.

After he left, he didn't know that...

Behind him, Li Che donned a black outfit, put on a Horse Face mask, and his eyes beneath it were deep, as if piercing through the netherworld and penetrating the human realm.

Bull Demon?

No, Bull Demon is temporarily closed.

Now, he was Horse Face! With the Chess Sage's extreme perception and counter-perception, no one could match him.

With his aura extremely restrained, Li Che quietly followed the gray-faced figure.

When he saw the gray figure in front of a mansion, Li Che didn't approach.

His gaze shifted and landed on the mansion.

"Qin Mansion."

"Heh heh heh..."

"I, Li Che, entered the Prefecture City, kept a low profile, acted politely, and yet I'm still being watched... Truly a venomous woman."

"It's a pity I've never seen this venomous woman's appearance..."

"Just one look, and she'll be on my Horse Face's harvest list..."

Li Che had this thought, but his hands were already in motion.

His fingers pinched together, tearing through the air.

A longbow woven with electricity fell into his hand, and he nocked a spiral wooden arrow made from Spirit Flower Willow Spirit Wood onto the Eight Extreme Lower-Grade Divine Weapon, the Mystic Thunder Fury Serpent Bow.

His fingers clenched, and a Divine Foundation suddenly rose behind his head!

The Three-Eyed Wrathful Vajra's Divine Foundation!

The Horse Face mask's eyebrows split vertically, as if a red eye was rolling within.

The Three-Eyed Wrathful Vajra's Soul-Killing Eye!

A stream of divine essence shot out from the vertical eye, as if charging and igniting the entire arrow!

The countless air currents roared, and the spring rain curtain was torn apart!

Like a furious serpent having its tendons torn, it roared! The gray-masked figure about to enter the Qin Mansion had its hair stand on end, and a Divine Foundation suddenly emerged behind him.

"Who?"

This person was a Divine Foundation Novice! But the arrow's arrival brought a terrifying rank pressure and a sense of oppression as if seeing a three-eyed deity with a vertical eye emitting deadly light, causing his divine essence to stir and fall into a brief stagnation...

Just as he turned his head, a terrifying yet abrupt arrow suddenly pierced through his vertical eye.

The powerful arrow pierced through his skull.

Dragging his body along.

Nailing him to the Qin Mansion's gate.

Qin Mansion.

After a brief stagnation, a terrifying aura suddenly erupted!

End of Chapter.

Chapter end