"A top-notch seedling for cultivating the Divine Method?"
Li Che's eyes narrowed, though he was not overly surprised.
He had thought about it before, pondering what was so extraordinary about the so-called Spirit Baby that made the Spirit Infant Sect hold it in such high regard.
*Surely, it must be connected to divinity.*
"The Spirit Infant Sect's methods are likely cruel and vile. If Xi Xi were to fall into their hands, she would be raised, and when she grows older and her divine potential matures, they would forcibly extract and consume it…"
"Becoming one of their captive Spirit Babies would definitely be a fate worse than death…"
Old Chen took a sip of wine and shook his head, speaking in a deep voice.
*That would indeed be terrible, Li Che knew this well. That's why he had been walking on thin ice since Xi Xi's birth.*
Li Che furrowed his brows, contemplating countermeasures, pondering how many years it would take to secretly develop the strength to single-handedly destroy the Spirit Infant Sect.
With the Dao Fruit bound to him and his daughter, Li Che knew he would grow stronger with time.
He gently stroked Xi Xi's little head. The young girl blinked her innocent eyes, sparkling with purity and childlike wonder.
Old Chen exhaled heavily. "Actually, it's not as though there's no way to counteract the threat posed by the Spirit Infant Sect."
Li Che glanced at Old Chen, curiosity flickering in his eyes, signaling him to continue.
"Spirit Babies are rare, but they aren't nonexistent. Those born to commoners are particularly tragic—they're like lambs, often hunted down before they can even grow up. Besides the Spirit Infant Sect, other sects with legacies from Mysterious Temples also hunt Spirit Babies."
Old Chen's expression turned gravely serious.
"However, if a Spirit Baby manages to survive until they're four years old, their chances of living increase drastically."
Li Che froze for a moment.
"Four years old… Is there a particular reason for that?"
Old Chen chuckled. "There's no mystery. The Imperial Court will step in."
The Imperial Court?
Li Che's face showed a faint hint of confusion. He had almost forgotten about the Imperial Court's existence.
In Fei Lei City, most power was divided and monopolized by the Noble Families of the Inner City, rendering the Imperial Court's yamen essentially powerless. Aside from handling disputes among commoners, the yamen was hardly taken seriously by the Noble Families.
Old Chen drank a sip of Old Huang Liquor and shook his head. "Little Li, don't underestimate the Imperial Court. A camel on its last legs is still larger than a horse, not to mention… the Da Jing Dynasty isn't on its last legs yet. Although the court has declined, it remains one of the most formidable powers in the land. Even those Great Divine Sects wouldn't dare disregard it entirely."
"Fei Lei City is remote and somewhat isolated due to the presence of Mysterious Temples nearby, so its connection to the court is tenuous at best—but it's not entirely lawless."
"Just look at the current situation. The yamen seems powerless, but would the Noble Families truly dare to completely defy the Imperial Court?"
"The Imperial Court conducts routine screening and testing every four years. If a Spirit Baby is found possessing divine potential, the court recruits them for training. Currently, these screening rights are delegated to the Noble Families in Fei Lei City by the yamen."
As Old Chen brought this up, he cast a sidelong glance at Li Che.
Li Che nodded slightly. "So, as long as Xi Xi safely reaches four years old and is identified as having Divine Talent, she could train under a Noble Family like the Xu family, cultivating the Divine Method and enjoying their protection and security?"
"Exactly,"
Old Chen said with a smile.
"If the Imperial Court ever regains full control of Fei Lei City, even the Noble Families would have to send the selected divine children back to the court…"
Li Che frowned. "Would the Noble Families willingly hand them over?"
Old Chen took a swig of wine. "Do you think the Imperial Court is unaware of this resistance? What, then, do you think is the true intention behind this policy?"
"The Da Jing Dynasty doesn't entirely disregard the problem; rather, it's simply too weary to handle it directly. Mysterious Temples have emerged everywhere, nearly every city has one or more accompanying it…"
"If the Imperial Court tried to manage every single temple, it would be overwhelmed. So, they delegate power to the Noble Families in various cities, allowing them to handle the issue themselves and deal with the temples as they see fit."
"The divine seedlings identified in the screenings naturally serve to replenish human resources for the Noble Families."
Li Che couldn't help but feel enlightened upon hearing this.
Old Chen squinted his eyes. "Besides that, once every four years, the Divine Sects also conduct screenings to see if there are divine children suitable for training within their sects—essentially competing with the court for recruits. However, their standards are much higher; generally, only the most carefully cultivated offspring of Noble Families can meet their criteria."
Li Che, unfamiliar with the cultivation forces of this world, began to piece things together from Old Chen's explanation.
"If Xi Xi were to qualify for training in a Divine Sect, that would undoubtedly be excellent. However, their standards for selecting disciples are incredibly demanding…"
Old Chen sighed and shook his head, his gaze flickering with a complex expression.
*Li Che sensed a story hidden within Old Chen's words. Pouring him a glass of wine, he held Xi Xi in his arms, her curious eyes blinking brightly as the flames of gossip burned in his soul.*
But Old Chen simply rolled his eyes in response, taking another drink of wine without saying another word.
*Li Che felt a slight pang of regret.*
He turned to ask, "Old Chen, do you happen to have any Martial Techniques for sale? If you do… how about selling me a few?"
Old Chen had just taken a sip of wine and nearly choked in surprise.
"Do you think Martial Techniques are as common as cabbages? A few…? Strictly speaking, they're far more valuable than things like the Skin Grinding Technique or Meridian Opening Method. While I do have a few stored in my study, they're not abundant."
Li Che's eyes gleamed with interest, growing increasingly fascinated with Old Chen's study.
"Martial Techniques have distinct styles. Techniques from the Noble Families naturally can't be passed on freely. If you learned one without proper authorization, you'd face severe consequences. But tell me… what type of Martial Technique are you looking for?"
Old Chen pounded his chest and steadied his breath before responding, clearly annoyed.
"Anything works. As long as I can train with it… Whatever you think is suitable to sell, I'll take it."
Li Che, holding Xi Xi, smiled in unison with his daughter as their faces lit up with synchronized grins.
…
…
The passage of time was relentless, and seasons flowed like water.
A month later.
Fei Lei City, Spring Breeze Alley.
Within a tightly shut courtyard, the snow had entirely melted away. Intense streams of heat coiled and roiled like dragons, causing the loquat tree in the yard to tremble constantly.
Li Che stood bare-chested. Beneath his bronze skin, his Qi-blood surged furiously, roaring like thunder as it reverberated against his skin, producing drum-like booms akin to lightning behind cloud cover.
Thick, tightly drawn tendons resembling coiled dragons appeared across his body, moving and stretching like taut bowstrings.
Boom!
Qi blasted outward, instantly scattering the remaining snow into a hazy mist.
Slowly, Li Che withdrew his Inner Strength and calmed his Qi-blood. His sharp gaze cut through the mist like twin blades.
The taut tendons across his body gradually relaxed as his tangled hair flew wildly in the air.
Donning a light shirt, he swung his arms with a satisfied smile at the corner of his lips.
His eyes focused as a prompt appeared before him.
[Dao Fruit: Dragon Elephant Vajra (lv1, 50%)]
Li Che rotated his neck, his spine crackling as immense vitality coursed throughout his body.
"One month, nine great tendons activated. The Xu Family's Tendon Activation Technique has reached perfection… not bad, better than I anticipated. Truly, everything comes down to my hard work and dedication."
Raising his hand, Qi surged violently as nine threads of serpent-like Inner Strength coiled and danced around his palm.
"The Si Serpent Inner Strength has reached Second Heaven, just enough to extend outward."
"Indeed, the Dragon Elephant Vajra Dao Fruit's boost to martial cultivation is substantial…"
"The [Immortal Artisan] Dao Fruit enhanced my wood-carving skills, while the Dragon Elephant Vajra Dao Fruit bolstered my Martial Arts Talent. Very good. I wonder what the third Dao Fruit will be like?"
*Li Che couldn't help but anticipate the arrival of his daughter Xi Xi's third Dao Fruit when she turned two.*
"Also, the Middle Vehicle Martial Technique I acquired from Old Chen, [White Tiger Chaotic Wind Fist], has reached Minor Accomplishment. Horizontal Cultivation Martial Arts are practically effortless for me to refine."
"Still, one Martial Technique isn't enough. After completing tomorrow's wood-carving trade with the Si Family's young master and obtaining some Gold Leaf, I should visit the marketplace to see if I can acquire another Martial Technique to enhance my offensive abilities."
Li Che, clad in a light shirt, began practicing a series of punches in the courtyard. The wind roared fiercely, akin to a ferocious tiger creating waves, scattering and melting the white snow before freezing again upon contact with the ground.
After finishing the set of punches, Li Che was finally satisfied and withdrew his energy.
The Minor Accomplishment level for White Tiger Chaotic Wind Fist paired with Vajra Transformation generated an extraordinarily devastating force.
*But… it still wasn't enough.*
Returning indoors, Li Che cleaned himself thoroughly with hot water before purchasing a box of osmanthus cakes—his wife's favorite—then headed back to the wood carving shop.
Wearing a leather apron, Li Che sat at his workbench. Before him lay the [Nine-headed Guanyin Angry Cry Town Ghost Statue], a work painstakingly crafted over the course of a month.
Picking up his tools, the [Immortal Artisan] Dao Fruit quivered slightly as he centered himself, fully immersing in the carving process to meticulously finish the final touches.
Within the workshop, only the soft scraping sounds of carving greeted the air.
When the last procedure was complete,
A glint of golden light flashed before Li Che's eyes.
Moments later, a prompt appeared.
[Dao Fruit: Immortal Artisan (lv3, 0%)]
[Dao Fruit lv3 evolves further, gaining prototype of Divine Skill: "Immortal Worker: Thousand Analyzing Hands"]
ps: Tuesday's follow-ups are critical—they determine next week's recommendations. Please support this, don't stockpile chapters. Old Li thanks you sincerely!