Chapter 10: A Mark of the Spirit Infant

Li Che clenched the Spirit Infant statue as his eyes flickered with uncertainty.

Since his enemy had fixed his gaze on him and even used a sinister Spirit Infant Wooden Carving as a mark, Li Che dared not take any risks. If he went out to work and his foe broke into the Earthen House, he would deeply regret it.

“The safest place… is obviously the wood carving shop!”

“I’m now a woodcarver with my own workshop. XiXi and Xiao Ya can stay there…”

“Yes, steady and safe!”

With his plan solidified, Li Che woke his wife, Zhang Ya.

“Husband, you were too wild last night. You must be stuffed…” Zhang Ya’s pretty face flushed as her eyes nearly overflowed with worry.

Li Che smiled and tousled his wife’s loose hair.

“My dear, get ready—bring XiXi and head to the wood carving shop. You’ll work with me for the next few days,” he said.

Li Che declared.

For a moment, Zhang Ya was stunned. Go to the wood carving shop together?

“Husband, today is your first day as a woodcarver… Would it be a problem if XiXi and I came along? Might the shopkeeper mind?”

Li Che shook his head. “Not at all. A workshop is a woodcarver’s private space; family can be around without issue. Besides, I’ll explain everything to the shopkeeper.”

Hearing this, Zhang Ya said no more. She began packing and took along the playful XiXi, who was already wide awake and frolicking on the bed.

After bundling XiXi up snugly, the family braved the wind and snow, setting off for Xu Ji’s Wood Carving Shop.

Li Che shielded his wife and daughter as the howling wind whipped past. He tightened the cotton jacket around her and wrapped XiXi to keep the cold at bay.

Meanwhile, Li Che’s gaze roamed the surroundings with heightened alertness.

Seeing him so wary, Zhang Ya’s heart skipped a beat. Sensing that something was amiss, she chose not to press him, though worry silently grew.

The couple, with their child, trudged across the snow-covered bluestone street.

“Saint Spirit preaches cleansing from defilement, a path to worry-free rebirth…”

“Gained only by wisdom born without formal teaching…”

The clanging of bells, the collision of copper chimes, and booming drums announced the approach of Lingying Sect followers, their formation strangely hypnotic as they came from afar.

Upon an elevated altar, the three-headed, six-armed Spirit Infant wooden carving appeared even more eerie amid swirling incense smoke.

Li Che felt as if the Spirit Infant Cult Leader’s gaze from the carving was intentionally fixed on his family—a murky stare that made him feel as if a thousand needles were prickling his back.

“Husband…” Zhang Ya looked at the procession with growing anxiety.

“Don’t worry—I’m here.”

“Just keep walking straight ahead.”

Li Che patted his wife’s delicate shoulder and led her directly toward the wood carving shop.

Yet he couldn’t shake off the unsettling feeling that the biting wind was more than just nature—it felt as if a shadow was trailing his family.

Threat loomed like dark ink spreading slowly across a pond, staining everything in its path.

Thankfully, they soon reached Xu Ji’s Wood Carving Shop.

The moment Li Che stepped inside, a weight lifted from his shoulders. Glancing back, he caught sight of a black figure darting around a corner.

“Lei Chunlan?”

Li Che’s chest heaved, and a surge of lethal intent welled up inside him.

“Ah Che?”

Suddenly, a familiar voice rang out. Chen Daba, clutching a gourd and drinking, had noticed Li Che along with Zhang Ya and XiXi.

The scene briefly stunned him, but Old Chen, ever astute, recalled Li Che’s earlier words about the Spirit Infant Cult Leader eyeing his daughter, and he understood the gravity of the situation.

“Come in first,” Old Chen said gravely, ushering Li Che and his family into the shop.

Li Che arranged for Zhang Ya to stay in his workshop before seeking out Old Chen.

Sipping from his gourd, Old Chen glanced at Li Che. “They’ve set their sights on you, haven’t they?”

Li Che nodded and produced the Spirit Infant Wooden Carving that had appeared at his doorstep the night before.

The moment Old Chen saw it, his expression turned severe; he stopped drinking. “You did the right thing by bringing your wife and daughter here. Your home is no longer safe.”

“The Spirit Infant Cult Leader—presenting this carving indicates that the Lingying Sect has judged your daughter as a Spirit Infant!”

Old Chen took the carving, his face grave.

Li Che’s expression darkened.

“They must have been tracking your family all along. This ‘Three-Headed, Six-Armed Spirit Infant Carving’ only appeared last night?”

“It appears they knew you had become a woodcarver at Xu Ji’s and would soon move into Xu Ji’s compound. So…”

Li Che’s face turned grim. “Were they trying to strike preemptively?”

“Yes. Fortunately, you acted wisely by bringing your family here…” Old Chen’s grip tightened on the carving as cracks spread along its surface, splintering it into pieces.

“You mentioned someone was tailing you? Was it that midwife who’s caused the death of so many children?”

“Perhaps… I couldn’t see clearly enough to be sure.”

“For the sake of our budding neighborly ties, I’ll take you to check if it’s that brainwashed midwife…”

Old Chen downed a mouthful of strong old liquor while squinting slightly.

At his words, Li Che felt a surge of relief. He knew Old Chen’s change in attitude was due to the display of his remarkable woodcarving talent—an ability that endowed his craft with profound meaning, proving even more important than he had imagined.

Li Che settled his wife and daughter in the workshop, warning Zhang Ya not to wander off, while Old Chen had a master craftsman keep watch. Then, he and Li Che left the shop.

Both donned straw hats and stepped into the raging wind and snow.

Outside the shop, Old Chen tossed Li Che a cloak. Wrapping himself up and fastening the gourd at his waist, he led the way to a corner of the alley.

There, on a mound of snow at the corner, stood a “Three-Headed, Six-Armed Spirit Infant Statue.”

“Wow, bold move—marking right in front of Xu Ji’s shop… Do they think Xu Ji’s made of clay?”

Old Chen narrowed his eyes and stomped. In a flash, the Spirit Infant Wooden Carving shattered into splintered pieces with a crisp crack.

Clang!

Meanwhile, a black shadow, seemingly startled, dashed across the snow.

“Got him,” Old Chen murmured, glancing at Li Che.

“Follow at your own pace. Stay safe,” he added.

With that, Old Chen’s exposed skin flushed as red as burning embers. His muscles tensed like a drawn bowstring.

The snow beneath his feet melted into water as a searing heat radiated around him. Each step felt like a red-hot branding iron shattering the swirling snow as he chased the fleeing figure.

Watching Old Chen surge off, Li Che’s heart trembled with anticipation.

Skin polished, muscles relaxed, bones tempered, and blood coursing strengthened—Old Chen had reached an unfathomable level, and his internal strength was formidable.

Exhaling hot breath into the snowy gale, Li Che pressed the hidden Sleeve Crossbow closer to his heart, his face cold as ice.

“It’s not theft we fear; it’s the thought of a thief’s fixation…”

The thought of his beloved XiXi being targeted by these villains ignited a fierce, violent wrath within him.

“If they dare to harm my daughter, I… kill you all!”

“Kill you all!”

…

…

Li Che quickly pursued them along the bluestone path.

From afar, he spotted Old Chen leaning against a wall at the alley’s corner, savoring the fine wine from his gourd.

Behind him, a black shadow lay curled on the ground, its blood staining the white snow.

“It isn’t that midwife—it’s a tough fellow from the Polishing Sect, a devoted follower of the Lingying Sect,” Old Chen remarked coolly as he noticed Li Che approaching.

Li Che’s heart sank with disappointment.

“Not Lei Chunlan… that’s a pity.”

The burly man, with weathered dark skin that spoke of sun and wind, now looked utterly defeated—blood trickled from his mouth and nose as he lay panting and coughing.

Clearly, he had not survived more than a few strikes from Old Chen’s blows.

After finishing his beating, Old Chen sipped his wine, exuding a nonchalant air.

Li Che glared at the man with his head buried in the snow, his fist clenching and eyes turning icy.

“Where is Lei Chunlan?” Li Che asked in a hoarse tone.

“I… I don’t… know…” the man mumbled, his head bowed.

In an instant, Li Che landed a fierce kick to his head, smashing it against the bluestone ground with a dull thud.

Li Che continued with successive kicks; the man only grunted silently, enduring each blow without complaint.

Old Chen watched with a faint, knowing smile.

Moments later, the two walked silently along the street. Old Chen strolled leisurely with his hands behind his back.

Meanwhile, Li Che turned to Chen Daba and said, “Old Chen, you head back to the shop. I’ll go buy a pound of pork head meat and two taels of yellow wine to thank you…”

Old Chen grinned broadly. “Don’t mention it. Hurry up—I’m heading to that marinade shop in the west of the city.”

Li Che smiled and dashed into the swirling snow.

Old Chen watched Li Che’s retreating figure, clicked his tongue, picked up his gourd, removed the strainer, and gulped down a long swig.

“This kid… truly a devoted father.”

“But without martial training, taking on a tough fellow from the Polishing Sect isn’t so easy,” he added.

…

…

In the alley, snow swirled chaotically—scattered, piercing, and bitterly cold.

The heavy stench of blood permeated the air as the beaten dark-skinned man from the Polishing Sect wavered, leaning against a wall.

Old Chen’s overwhelming strength had left the newly polished fighter utterly defenseless.

To a man of his caliber, Li Che’s kicks were nothing more than a humiliating slight.

“For the Spirit Infant marked by the Cult Leader… none will escape. Not even Xu Ji’s can truly protect you…”

The man panted and groaned.

Suddenly, his body stiffened as the light at the alley’s entrance was blocked by a figure.

Straining to lift his head, he saw a lean figure wearing a straw hat standing at the entrance.

The figure raised his arm.

Whoosh!

A ripping sound split the air amidst the howling snow.

Thump!

It seemed as if something had exploded…

The dark-skinned man felt a sharp sting in his eyes as a wooden crossbow bolt, imbued with tremendous force, pierced his eyeball; blood blurred his vision instantly.

He howled in agony as searing pain surged through his nerves!

Like an enraged tiger, he roared and lunged toward the figure at the entrance.

Li Che, still wearing his straw hat, watched impassively as another crossbow bolt flew out amid the howl.

Bolt after bolt found its mark in the man’s eyes.

Li Che unleashed the first wave of nine bolts from his Sleeve Crossbow.

It wasn’t until the dark-skinned man knelt, his head transformed into a spiky mass, that he finally breathed his last.

Li Che then casually shook his sleeve, stowed his crossbow without emotion, pulled down his straw hat…

And headed toward the marinade shop in the west of the city.