Chapter 103: Waves of Divine Craft

After the rain, a gentle chill still lingered; with spring beginning to awaken, the pavilion enjoyed a clear, fresh sky.

The spring rain gradually subsided.

On the second floor of the Imperial Watch’s Treasure Tower.

Inside the examination room, the usual stillness made even the subtle sound of a blade slicing through spiritual wood unmistakably clear.

Li Che focused intently on carving the wooden sculpture. With the embryonic form of the Thousand Analysis Hand already at his command, continuing the carving posed little challenge.

He could almost perfectly replicate the previous carver’s techniques—even capturing the very mindset with which the work was created.

But replication is merely the most basic ability granted by 【Xiangong】.

Building on that, by blending in his own techniques, insights, and even innovations, one could truly tap into the transformative talent of the 【Xiangong】 Dao Fruit.

More importantly, the artistic gift bestowed by the 【Xiangong】 Dao Fruit wasn’t limited solely to wood carving.

Whether it was pills or divine weapons, Li Che believed he could master them all using the peerless artistry of the 【Xiangong】 Dao Fruit.

Rustle, rustle, rustle…

Li Che sat upright in his chair, his body charged with mingling qi and blood, as if he were merging with the celestial divine aura flowing into the fully formed wooden sculpture of the Four-Armed Furious Third Prince before him.

The sculpture was strikingly lifelike, every crease and chisel mark clearly visible.

The angle of each stroke, the depth of every chisel cut, and the way the blade tore through the wood’s fibers unfolded in his mind like an intricate painting.

His fingers moved with exquisite agility as he switched tools—carving, chiseling, hollowing, engraving—with each expert technique blossoming at his fingertips.

Li Che closed his eyes, as if he could sculpt even while blind.

Yet with his eyes shut, he saw even more, sensing layers that would otherwise remain hidden.

He even infused his own sensations into the craft.

From memories of his past life, the image of a child—stepping on a wheel of blazing wind and fire, wielding a red ribbon to stir the four seas—slowly emerged…

Bang—!

A sound, exploding like fireworks, resounded from outside the treasure tower.

Thick steam surged skyward, as if a burst of spring rain had erupted into a hazy mist.

Inside the room.

In the corner, Shangguan Qinghong showed a flicker of emotion. She moved to the carved wooden window and peered out, where white-capped waves were crashing.

“The waves have started!”

Shangguan Qinghong murmured.

Though her voice was soft, in the examination room it rang out like thunder, prompting two junior supervisors to rush over and peer out through the window.

The treasure tower, built right by the riverbank on a sheer cliff, had waves crashing against it that burst into a cloud of steam.

Normally, the waters of the Jiulong River’s tributaries were calm, but this sudden surge was unmistakable—the bursting waves brimming with a palpable divine aura.

“Well, this fellow sure has got something…”

Gongyang Liancheng stroked his beard, a note of admiration in his tone.

He had indeed stirred the divine essence within the Jiulong River’s tributaries, generating ripples. Although the waves weren’t huge, Li Che was, after all, only a ten-cap-level master carver.

“Impressive—the talent is undeniable. His carving continues with the original techniques and insights, though it seems he hasn’t picked up the ‘Divine Eagle Technique’ yet,” remarked Gong Yunli with admiration.

“Pure talent alone.”

The two, with discerning eyes, noted that while Li Che’s skills were nearing transcendence—attaining the level of a ten-cap master carver—he had not incorporated any Divine Eagle techniques.

Furthermore, lacking sufficient qi, blood, and divine aura, he could only reach the ten-cap level.

Had he possessed a proper divine foundation and inherited the Divine Eagle techniques, Li Che would have easily ascended to a nine-luminary-level master carver.

To qualify for second-tier client status with the Imperial Watch, one needed to achieve the nine-luminary level.

This applied equally to pill alchemists, divine painters, weapon masters, or Divine Eagle masters.

Within the Imperial Watch, the various crafts were categorized, but ultimately, status was determined by one’s client rank.

Gongyang Liancheng and Gong Yunli both acknowledged Li Che’s skill, and his attainment of third-tier client status was seen as a foregone conclusion.

Since Li Che hadn’t yet paused his carving, they refrained from interrupting.

How much of his skill would Li Che ultimately pour into this sculpture?

And what towering wave, imbued with the temple spirit’s divine aura hidden within the Jiulong River, would he evoke against the shore?

They were eager to find out.

……

……

Tsk—

Li Che’s demeanor shifted abruptly as he closed his eyes; with one decisive stroke, he completed the final line of the carving.

The entire sculpture on the workbench seemed to spring to life, as if infused with fury, accompanied by roaring sounds and even the murmur of swirling tides.

Li Che sensed that the divine aura within the sculpture was draining his qi and blood, even greedily drawing on the concealed energy of his Dragon Elephant Vajra Dao Fruit.

Deep within his chest, the 【Dragon Elephant Vajra】 Dao Fruit trembled like a mighty blade, slicing away any surreptitious intrusion.

All of Li Che’s qi and blood used for the Blood Exchange was completely drained.

The nurturing divine aura was utterly exhausted.

Li Che staggered back several steps, sweat surging from his body, clearly showing the strain of tremendous exertion.

For a master carver, sculpting a divine wooden figure not only drained physical strength but also sapped his divine aura and spirit.

After all, carving a divine sculpture was far from ordinary woodworking.

It was as if phantom flames erupted—the mingling of celestial divine aura. After the Jiulong River’s water evaporated, the temple spirit’s essence soared and was drawn near in an extraordinary spectacle.

“It’s done!”

Inside the room, both Gongyang Liancheng and Gong Yunli’s eyes lit up. They quickly gathered by the carved window to gaze out at the now-calm Jiulong River.

A light drizzle of spring rain fell while the river lay smooth and undisturbed.

They were stunned: “Not a ripple?”

Even Shangguan Qinghong peeked out, “That shouldn’t be…”

Suddenly.

Shangguan Qinghong’s eyes narrowed as she gazed toward the far end of the Jiulong River. There…

a white serpent of water roiled across the river, a tidal line severing heaven from earth!

“It’s coming…” Gong Yunli inhaled deeply, his whole body trembling with awe.

Such might…

Could this be the tidal force summoned by a ten-cap-level master carver?!

They watched as the wave surged from the river’s end, water billowing and suddenly plunging several meters down.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—

Accompanied by a furious roar, it crashed as if a thousand armies were advancing.

The spring rain abruptly turned tempestuous, with hail-sized droplets merging with the river’s energy and pelting the earth.

One could even hear, beneath the tumult, sounds of angry roars, soft whimpers, and mournful cries.

It was as if an awakened deity stood atop a boundless sea, gazing around in bewilderment, then lifted its head in a long, sorrowful howl!

Uncountable divine tears transformed into waves of ancient, seething rage!

Bang—!

The enormous wave crashed fiercely against the cliff beneath the Imperial Watch’s Treasure Tower along the Jiulong River.

Rumbling!

The three gathered by the carved window watched in astonishment as the white waves soared high, leaping above the window’s height and cascading like a water curtain.

Silence. Not a sound.

Yet, a trace of awe lingered!

The overwhelming divine aura, combined with the surging river torrent, filled the heavens with an intensity nearly 40–50% higher than usual!

Gongyang Liancheng was the first to react; his expression shifted as his divine perception flared. Behind him, a halo of divine foundation began to glow, hinting at a vague celestial visage emerging.

With a sudden wave of his hand, he expelled the thick divine aura shrouding the treasure tower, yet the essence within the waves persisted as if evaporated by intense heat.

Gong Yunli joined in to help suppress it.

The two junior supervisors of the Imperial Watch combined their efforts, barely containing the surging divine aura.

The main issue was that the temple spirit’s divine rank was simply too high…

Shangguan Qinghong’s fair, delicate face turned rosy from the impact.

Li Che panted, his face growing pale from overexertion as he stepped back twice.

He exhaled deeply.

Was that… the temple spirit’s divine aura, merged with the river’s water?

Or the divine aura of the 【Eight-Armed Yulian Furious Third Prince】 temple spirit?

After a brief tug-of-war, the tide subsided and the divine aura melded back into the river, restoring calm.

Gongyang Liancheng and Gong Yunli both let out a long sigh.

They had nearly caused a disastrous mishap during the examination.

The two returned to the wooden sculpture, their eyes reflecting a strange gleam.

“How complete is it?”

“Seventy percent? No, it’s far beyond that… Ninety percent? To summon a wave of this magnitude and stir the temple spirit’s divine aura so fiercely—even the exam setter might struggle to achieve it,” Gong Yunli remarked.

“Master Li, congratulations—you have passed the third-tier client examination.”

Gong Yunli looked at Li Che, her long lashes fluttering and her eyes shining with keen interest.

“Hand over your identity token. I’ll activate its divine aura, and once you infuse it with your own essence or qi, it will serve as your credential for third-tier client status.”

Li Che retrieved his token and handed it to Gong Yunli.

Gong Yunli accepted it; a wisp of divine aura shimmered briefly from her palm before vanishing as she returned it to Li Che.

Li Che could only feel that the small temple motif on the token grew increasingly vivid.

“Alright, Client Li. From today forward, you are a member of the Imperial Watch’s client corps, entitled to steward privileges. With your client token, you can purchase resources within the Imperial Watch at an 80% discount.”

Gong Yunli smiled softly.

“In addition, you are a third-tier Divine Eagle master client. You will receive a copy of “The Great Jing Imperial Watch Seven Yuan Thousand-Hand Divine Eagle Technique (Volume I)”—do not disclose or pass it on. You can also take on divine sculpture commissions from the Imperial Watch; they only pocket 20% of the commission.”

“As for other benefits and perks, Deputy Shangguan and the others will brief you later.”

Upon hearing this, Li Che nodded.

“We’ll now remove this sculpture, Client Li. We look forward to the day you rise to second-tier client status.”

Gong Yunli gave Li Che a gentle smile.

Then, accompanied by Gongyang Liancheng, she left with the carved sculpture.

……

……

Shangguan Qinghong’s small face turned rosy, her fair skin flushed with a lingering blush.

Li Che gave her a peculiar glance, his face reddening as he watched the surging tide.

“Miss Shangguan, you’re something else.”

“You seem almost allergic to divine aura.”

“Congratulations, Client Li. From now on, you and I are colleagues,” Shangguan Qinghong said with a bright, flushed smile reminiscent of General Guan Yu.

Shangguan Qinghong then escorted Li Che out of the second-floor examination room.

Along the way, she explained the benefits and privileges of becoming a third-tier client.

When they returned to the first floor, two individuals—Liu He and Hai Chuanying—were already waiting, clearly aware of Li Che’s examination results.

Upon seeing the token tied at Li Che’s waist, they couldn’t help but smile.

“Congratulations, Brother Li, on becoming a client of the Imperial Watch. We look forward to your continued support.”

They exchanged respectful salutes, with Li Che returning the gesture.

“Ha ha ha! With Senior Qingshan’s recommendation, how could you not become a client, Brother Li? Tonight, let’s head to Yunfang Fang to celebrate!”

Liu He was exuberant—after all, he excelled at enjoying music in the entertainment district.

Besides, for an Imperial Watch client, enjoying music was just a basic skill.

Shangguan Qinghong playfully kicked Liu He, “Don’t spoil Brother Li!”

“Brother Li has a family, you know!”

“Ha ha ha, just kidding… By the way, I have some great news for you, Brother Li,” Liu He chuckled, then turned to Li Che. “On my way here, I heard an explosive piece of news.”

“That Qin Family’s Qin Yuqing—the Poisonous Lady with a Jade Face—has angered the wrong people. She was shot dead in the Qin Mansion in a tragically gruesome manner!”

“With the Poisonous Lady dead, Brother Li can finally sleep well. That woman was incredibly malicious and had planned to take her revenge on everyone from Feilei City. Now that she’s gone, it’s a huge relief.”

“But I heard that some expert, even from dozens of miles away, could one-shot her! Simply staggering!”

Liu He shook his head in disbelief.

Killing a sect master from dozens of miles away—even a weak one on stimulants—was nothing short of extraordinary.

Li Che’s expression turned to astonishment, yet his heart relaxed as if a massive weight had been lifted.

After all, he only had one chance with his “Xiangong Barrett” strike; after that single blow, Qin Yuqing’s fate would be left to destiny.

Now it seemed that Qin Yuqing’s fate had been sealed—a swift, satisfying death.

Shangguan Qinghong, having just heard the news, was stunned, “But the Qin Family has the Patriarch of Divine Appearance at its helm—didn’t he intervene?”

“No, he didn’t. I heard the Qin Family’s Patriarch of Divine Appearance was furious; his killing methods involved secret mechanical arts. That’s why he contacted the Temple Guardian Division to investigate all factions. Since Qin Yuqing was a core member of the Qin Mansion, she was ruthlessly shot dead inside… even his weathered face ended up swelling,” Liu He explained, tempering his laughter.

Mentioning the Patriarch of Divine Appearance, he knew better than to laugh too loudly.

Hai Chuanying, usually silent, couldn’t help but give Li Che a curious look.

They had mentioned Qin Yuqing’s threat to Li Che just the day before, and now, the very next day, she had been shot dead at home.

Of course, Hai Chuanying didn’t suspect Li Che; after all, what cultivation did he have compared to Qin Yuqing?

The gap between them was astronomical.

Even if Li Che became a third-tier client of the Imperial Watch, his status could never compare with Qin Yuqing’s.

He merely thought that Li Che’s luck was exceptionally good.

“With Qin Yuqing’s death, Jingguang City is bound to descend into chaos. Before the Divine Sect’s Prodigy examination, the major factions in the Capital had already been restless, and the Qin Family will likely seize this chance to press their advantage—snatching benefits from other prominent families. At the very least, a few market districts and gangs may change hands.”

Hai Chuanying said in a doleful tone.

“Moreover, Qin Yuqing was the mistress of Jin Xuan, the senior of Jin Lie Men. Having been intimate with him—he was a pseudo-spiritual cultivator of Divine Appearance who had lived for two centuries—he adored her so much that he even promoted her to the core texts, devoting lavish resources to her training.”

“Now that she’s died like this, that Divine Appearance cultivator will likely be even more incensed than the Qin Family and investigate thoroughly.”

Hai Chuanying’s words made Li Che’s heart tighten slightly, though he didn’t dwell on them too much.

After all, having killed Qin Yuqing would offend the Qin Family, and another Jin Lie Men wouldn’t be too burdensome.

Debts are better than burdens, after all.

In any case, these were forces far beyond his reach.

The group chatted a while longer before Shangguan Qinghong went to fetch Li Che’s client robes and the accompanying benefits.

Moments later, Li Che received the perks of his new client status.

He was granted a set of client robes, a bottle of Ninth-Tier Martial Pill, and a copy of “The Great Jing Imperial Watch Seven Yuan Thousand-Hand Divine Eagle Technique (Volume I)”.

“This is the Ninth-Tier ‘Imperial Fury Xuanyuan Jiao Martial Pill’, made from the true blood of the Xuanyuan Jiao. Its potency far exceeds that of the lower-tier version. Because it’s so powerful, Brother Li, when you take it, grind it into three parts… it can accelerate your Blood Exchange.”

“About three of these should be enough for you to complete nine cycles of Blood Exchange—roughly in two months.”

“By then, Brother Li, you can collect the Great Jing Tongmai Technique—these are bestowed free with your client status.”

Shangguan Qinghong handed each item to Li Che, explaining their uses as she went.

“What’s this?”

Li Che picked up a black, amber-like crystal.

“This is a Tendu Divine Essence Crystal. As a third-tier client, your monthly salary consists of ten of these crystals. Brother Li, are you still cultivating your essence? Refining one can speed up that process…”

Li Che inhaled deeply, “Divine Essence Crystal? This is a real resource!”

Such resources were only available in major cities—Feilei City had never even heard of Divine Essence Crystals, not even Cao Guang, its city lord.

Perhaps they had existed once, but all had been refined by him.

“Divine Essence Crystals are mostly produced in the mysterious corridors of the Bizarre Temple… only the Jiuyue Bizarre Temple can yield them,” Shangguan Qinghong explained as if she knew what Li Che was thinking.

Li Che held the Divine Essence Crystal tightly and tried to sense it with his divine perception.

In the next moment, his eyes involuntarily narrowed.

Because…

what lay within the Divine Essence Crystal was a pure, white divine essence akin to that of the 【Pure Heart】 Dao Fruit!

……

……

Gong Yunli and Gongyang Liancheng, the two junior supervisors, carried Li Che’s carved “Four-Armed Furious Crown Prince” statue as they ascended to the upper levels of the Imperial Watch Treasure Tower.

Upon reaching the seventh floor, they stopped, circled along the corridor, and arrived at a tea room.

A subtle tea fragrance wafted out from the room.

“Deputy Supervisor, today you are tasked to examine the work—a third-tier client piece, recommended by Li Qingshan, has arrived for your reevaluation.”

Gongyang Liancheng, holding the sculpture, bowed slightly and said respectfully.

“Please, come in.”

Moments later, a soft voice echoed from within the tea room.

Gong Yunli and Gongyang Liancheng stepped into the room.

There, on a yellow pearwood tea table, a refined figure in a simple white robe sat quietly, skillfully preparing tea.

“Just place it on the table by the door; do not disturb my tea brewing.”

“Yes,” replied Gongyang Liancheng as he placed the sculpture on the small table by the door.

The elegantly attired tea maker finished a cup of tea, took a small sip, then poured it out entirely.

She then wiped her hands with a cloth.

Her eyes slowly opened and lifted to rest upon the sculpture by the door.

In that single glance, the figure in the white robe suddenly narrowed her eyes.

“Hmm?!”

“Bring it closer—set it on the tea table.”

Gongyang Liancheng paused in surprise.

He picked up the sculpture and placed it on the tea table.

The Deputy Supervisor scrutinized it carefully, a flash of intrigue lighting his gaze.

“This one has entered that Siyu Bizarre Temple…”

“Has observed the temple spirit?”

PS: Today’s update spans 10,000 words. Please vote for monthly and recommendation tickets for support! Old Li will keep striving! Don’t stop reading, everyone!