Chapter 117: A Lucrative Pact Amidst Rising Cultivation

A lucrative collaboration?

Li Che raised an eyebrow and shot a glance at Li Qingshan.

He caught a whiff of something unusual. This partnership for great wealth might suit him well—the title had shifted from ‘little Li Che’ to ‘Ogre,’ clearly meaning that Li Qingshan intended to join forces with Ogre rather than Li Che himself.

Li Che could almost guess in which aspect Li Qingshan wanted to work with Ogre.

He sipped his hot tea, savoring the emerald leaves as their bitter tang spread over his tongue.

Li Che laughed, “Senior, just speak plainly. I’m very interested in any venture that brings riches.”

Who isn’t drawn to wealth?

These days, Li Che desperately needed resources. If he could score more Eight-Extremity Divine Essence Crystals, Nine Luminary Martial Pills, or even ancient martial techniques, nothing would be better.

Li Qingshan narrowed his eyes as he regarded Li Che.

To be honest, the awe Li Che inspired was every bit as staggering as XiXi’s fierce three-year Bone Tempering.

After all, Li Che had only been on the cultivation path for three years—his initial foray into martial arts and divine essence cultivation took nearly as long as XiXi’s three-year transformation.

At twenty-two, the Prodigy had gone from a fledgling practitioner to someone capable of dispatching a grandmaster in just three years.

How terrifying!

In real terms, such talent was as if a prodigy could slay a grandmaster at the age of three!

By that measure, his daughter XiXi hardly seemed as miraculous.

Of course, Li Qingshan knew the comparison wasn’t that simple.

But one thing was undeniable—the talents of Li Che and his daughter Li Nuǎnxi were truly formidable!

Li Qingshan pondered deeply, yet he couldn’t fathom the logic—it just didn’t add up…

XiXi, however, was understandable—if Li Che was extraordinary, it made sense for his daughter to inherit that brilliance.

But why was Li Che’s talent so monstrous?

Was it bloodline inheritance? Or a late-blooming genius?

Li Che had once been nothing more than a weakling!

He worked as a laborer at the Woodcarving Shop, eking out a meager living with just a few dozen Da Jingtong Copper Coins a day.

How could he suddenly turn his life around?

Could it be… that there truly exists a moment of epiphany, like a roc spreading its wings to soar into the clouds?

One could only say that Li Che must have inherited some powerful legacy.

Li Qingshan wasn’t interested in such trivialities. Everyone had their own fate; he wouldn’t covet what wasn’t his—he, too, had his destiny to pursue.

Pulling back his peculiar gaze, Li Qingshan took a deep breath. “Ogre…”

“Everything you did once you arrived in the Capital has come to my attention. I can only say… well done!”

“The factions in the Capital are mixed up with ulterior motives. They need a good cleansing—so they stop sitting around causing mischief.”

Li Qingshan sipped his tea and sneered.

“Your massacre of the Fisher Gang—their underlings, all tied to the Corpse God Sect… the nature of the Fisher Gang hardly needs explanation.”

“That Jing Wudao has pinned his hopes on the Corpse God Sect to spearhead the advance into Jingguang Prefecture. In the future, he stands to gain huge benefits—perhaps even the method to refine the Cursed Bronze Corpse, molding his body to that level.”

Li Che’s heart stirred slightly. “Cursed Bronze Corpse?”

He activated Ascending Stance and, with the help of a Temple Spirit chess piece, unleashed power potent enough to kill a Cursed Iron Corpse—even though the enemy’s toughness exceeded his expectations.

How terrifying must a Cursed Bronze Corpse be?

Li Qingshan narrowed his eyes. “A Cursed Bronze Corpse is no ordinary matter. Even a low-grade Cursed Iron Corpse wields grandmaster-level power. A top-notch Cursed Iron Corpse can match a perfected grandmaster warrior—nearly invincible, unyielding, like the ideal death soldier. But attaining a Cursed Bronze Corpse is on par with reaching true grandmaster status!”

“A True Grandmaster?!”

Li Che drew a deep breath.

After circulating his Qi and blood, his martial Dao matured into the Qi Master stage—refining the true essence of combat and fusing it with his own energy to form even more potent true Qi.

A True Grandmaster, however, condenses divine might; every gesture carries the power to move mountains and split rivers!

“Indeed, a divine grandmaster is one who has grasped the path of martial cultivation and the truth of the cosmos. Each can easily brush aside the overwhelming divine aura of even a peak divine cultivator and escape unscathed.”

“Normally, any grandmaster—even one without divine cultivation—can hold sway in a region, standing fearlessly against divine apparitions and dispatching them with ease.”

“Typically, when comparing martial cultivation with divine practice, a pure divine grandmaster roughly equals a top-tier divine apparition cultivator. Compared to a Real Divine cultivator, however, they fall short.”

“After all, to become a Real Divine cultivator… one’s body must also condense divine might to the grandmaster level.”

“No one can become a Real Divine cultivator without being a grandmaster.”

Li Qingshan murmured softly, his eyes alight with both longing and pursuit.

“Only one who reaches the unity of heaven and man among grandmasters can, relying solely on martial prowess, contend with a Real Divine cultivator.”

Pure Qi Martial Dao pitted against a Real Divine cultivator!

Such a state was awe-inspiring, stirring the heart with its grandeur.

“Of course, in these times, a grandmaster who relies solely on martial cultivation is exceedingly rare. Most also cultivate divine essence—seeing the cosmos through that lens is simply easier.”

Li Qingshan laughed, his eyes tinged with melancholy.

“Very few manage to ascend to the grandmaster tier purely through self-cultivation.”

Returning to the matter at hand, he fixed his gaze on Li Che.

“When you slaughter the Fisher Gang, most of your targets bear the Corpse Curse Seal. Can you tell who carries the mark?”

Li Qingshan’s gaze burned into Li Che—or rather… into Ogre.

Li Che furrowed his brows before relaxing them and nodding.

“I can sense it… and thus deliver the killing blow.”

“The Corpse God Sect has its eyes on my daughter. Anyone marked is guilty—kill without mercy.”

Li Che’s tone dripped with a chilling intent.

Li Qingshan clapped his hands, stroking his beard as he burst into hearty laughter.

“Excellent.”

“Your knack for detecting the Corpse Curse Seal gives you a natural advantage. Typically, cultivators marked up close under the cover of divine essence are indistinguishable from ordinary folk…”

“Your clarity is the foundation for our lucrative collaboration!”

Li Qingshan’s eyes gleamed with determination. It didn’t matter how Li Che sensed it; all that was needed was proof that whenever Ogre targeted a Fisher Gang cultivator bearing the mark, it wasn’t by chance—he truly possessed the ability to discern the Corpse Curse Seal. That was enough.

“Senior, how do you propose we collaborate?”

Li Che narrowed his eyes.

“It’s not just that the Fisher Gang is secretly entangled with the Corpse God Sect through corpse forging—the other two major factions, the Five Great Families, and the Five Major Sects… even the Divine Sect Branch might shelter miscreants allied with the Corpse God Sect!”

“This Capital is contaminated, infested with death and decay.”

“Point out the filth to me, and we’ll cleanse it ourselves.”

Li Che instantly understood.

This was an order to pinpoint those marked with the Corpse Curse Seal and then hunt them down!

“It’s a good plan… but isn’t it a bit risky?”

“Take, for example, the Fisher Gang leader, Jing Wudao—he bears the Corpse Curse Seal and is a true divine apparition cultivator. If you and I move in together, we might end up becoming their next victims.”

Li Che spoke plainly.

When he acted alone, he could vanish in a flash using the Feilei Chess Piece—enough to baffle even a divine apparition cultivator.

However, if he acted with his allies…

He could escape, though his companions might not.

Even though Li Qingshan was powerful, facing a true divine apparition cultivator would be extremely challenging.

“Do you really think it’s just the two of us? You think we don’t have any allies… pfft, companions?”

“Our purge must begin at the Illusory Stage…”

Li Qingshan’s eyes flashed with a rebellious glint. “Moreover, give me another year, and divine apparition cultivators…”

“So what?”

……

……

Granny Mu abandoned Li Qingshan and took up residence in Li Che’s courtyard, intent on keeping XiXi company.

Li Qingshan’s lament was evident; having just returned to the Capital with too many matters at hand, he had no choice but to follow his old lover’s wishes.

Li Che had no objection to Granny Mu staying at home.

After all, it was just a matter of having extra pairs of chopsticks around.

Besides, with Granny Mu—a strict teacher from the Divine Cultivation Institute—around, XiXi would train more diligently. Her authoritative presence could keep her in line during the upcoming sect evaluations.

Unlike Old Chen, who constantly teased little XiXi and fueled her rebellious streak.

The constant bickering between little XiXi and Old Chen was endless.

In the days that followed, everything gradually returned to normal.

Li Che resumed his regular routine.

By day he served at the Imperial Watch; after his shift, he practiced martial arts, cultivated his spirit, and carved in the Workshop Courtyard while secretly refining himself.

After the Fisher Gang fell, the vast organization was completely devoured by the powers in the Capital. Although the Fisher Gang still existed in name, it had effectively ceased to be.

Perhaps due to the deterrence of its collapse, the lingering aftermath of divine apparition battles, or Li Qingshan’s imposing reputation since his return…

The entire Capital gradually stabilized.

Outside Tinghua Alley, no forces were tailing anyone anymore.

For a moment, even Li Che felt uneasy gazing at the now barren Cosmic Chessboard.

Still, he habitually arranged the Cosmic Chessboard to monitor his surroundings; any anomaly would immediately trigger a warning.

Precision was the key to his survival in this world.

……

……

A gentle spring breeze rustled the willows, carrying warm air.

Ten days passed in silent haste.

Inside the Workshop Courtyard…

the Cosmic Chessboard blanketed the space, isolating it from external influences.

Li Che sat cross-legged in the center of the courtyard; wood shavings from carved sculptures had been swept to a corner by an unseen gust.

His jet-black hair whipped around as the Mud Pill at his brow flickered with a faint light.

The milky Pure Heart divine essence spread out like a vast net, segregating streams of divine energy.

Then came a continuous chorus of ghostly wails…

as if countless specters were crying nonstop, their forms interwoven into a dense tapestry of laments—like vengeful souls returning from the underworld!

Boom—!

Accompanied by a surging, unseen force, concentric ripples spread outward.

They crashed against the barrier of the Cosmic Chessboard, exploding like a burst of waves.

Behind Li Che, a chilling aura of ghostly qi suddenly rose, accompanied by the grinding sound of the Chin Ku Zhen Gui divine foundation!

The divine foundation burst forth with radiant energy, unleashing a nauseating surge of divine might.

Opening his eyes, Li Che exhaled a mouthful of foul air, his gaze calm as a still pond.

“The Chin Ku Zhen Gui divine foundation… it’s complete!”

A slight smile curved Li Che’s lips.

The torrent of Pure Heart divine essence merged into the Chin Ku Zhen Gui divine foundation.

The Mud Pill at his brow split open.

In an instant, two robust streams of divine foundation surged upward.

They were the Suspended Thought Sword divine foundation and the Xin E Jing Gang divine foundation!

“It’s done… everything’s complete…”

“After forging the Pure Heart foundation, constructing other divine foundations becomes far less arduous—the power of Pure Heart can harmonize conflicts from other sources.”

Li Che exhaled as the glow at his brow intensified.

His Seven-Emotion foundation had manifested in four cycles:

Anger, Sorrow, Contemplation, and Astonishment!

Supplemented by the versatile Pure Heart foundation,

Li Che’s Mud Pill inner domain now teemed with five cycles of divine foundation!

Rumbling—

the overwhelming divine essence pounded against the inner domain walls like crashing waves, ceaselessly expanding the space.

Every cycle radiated an energy surge, carving out more room for expansion.

Li Che’s inner domain had grown to nearly ten times the size of an ordinary cultivator’s.

This tremendously bolstered his Divine Perception—extreme strength!

Most importantly, Li Che sensed a distinct change: his divine aura had become extraordinarily potent and fearsome!

His eyes shimmered with multicolored light as his fingers flexed and pressed down forcefully.

Boom—

He unleashed a surge of divine might, and the air in the courtyard was instantly evacuated, forming a massive void!

“Phew—”

“Even the combined pressure of the four cycles of my Seven-Emotion foundation would paralyze a cultivator at the divine foundation stage. A post-foundation cultivator would break out in sweat.”

“It should match the divine aura of those at the Illusory Stage.”

Li Che’s eyes flickered, light dancing within them.

“Four cycles alone—if I can perfect a full Seven-Emotion foundation, perhaps… I could hold my own against a true divine apparition cultivator at the foundation stage!”

Li Che looked upward as the glow of his Mud Pill abruptly contracted.

In an instant, the four cycles receded into his inner domain; the Pure Heart Dao Fruit pulsed as the divine aura gathered and then vanished without a trace.

“Joy, Sorrow, Fear… and three more divine essences remain to be forged into foundation.”

“Now is the time to begin.”

For the divine essences of Sorrow and Fear, Li Che still lacked the forging method. But that wasn’t a major setback; given his current status, he could always seek out Li Qingshan.

He planned to gradually modify his foundation—even though altering it was easier than creating one from scratch, it all depended on acquiring the method.

Over ten days, Li Che’s relentless practice yielded not only three new foundation cycles but also a major breakthrough in martial arts.

He produced a pill reeking of decay, opened his mouth, and swallowed it.

Glug!

The pill plummeted into his stomach with a dull thud, and his stomach churned under his Divine Perception as a surge of immense power shattered its casing—the potent medicinal energy flooding forth.

Li Che stood up, his body erupting with Qi and blood, as if a dragon and an elephant roared in unison.

His self-created ultimate technique, Dragon Elephant True Force, had now taken its first solid form. With his Qi and blood surging like a dragon and an elephant, even without activating Ascending Stance, Li Che could unleash a force rivaling that of a deity!

Each step sent an intricate web of Qi and blood swirling behind him, like a hawk unfurling its wings to soar upward.

He darted through the void, scattering innumerable phantom afterimages around the courtyard!

Finally, he landed lightly, his toes tapping on the blue bricks and stirring up a halo of dust.

“Cloud Yao’s Nimbus Leap—Transcendent Stage achieved!”

This divine martial art had finally transcended, fusing its essence into his divine Qi and blood and transforming his divine meridians completely.

Li Che now commanded three martial arts through the metamorphosis of his divine Qi and blood!

He was now qualified to challenge the grandmaster realm!

But Li Che’s ambition ran deep. With a Dao Fruit like Dragon Elephant Vajra enhancing his martial aptitude, he couldn’t break into the grandmaster realm on the weakest divine meridian breakthrough.

He aimed to achieve the Nine Transmutations of the Divine Meridian, and then assault the grandmaster realm!

Mitrā Golden Garment, Hundred Ghost Wind and Thunder Arrows, Python Dragon Cannon, Corpse God Death Smoke Finger, Furious Three-Edged Dagger, and Thousand-Hand Divine Eagle—apart from the ultimate Thousand-Hand Divine Eagle still at its peak, his other six martial arts had reached master level.

Especially the Corpse God Death Smoke Finger, boosted by a large supply of top-grade Corpse God’s Deathly Aura Martial Pill and his own exceptional talent, which reached master level in just ten days!

Even though his supply of necrotic martial pills had been exhausted—making a breakthrough to the Transcendent Stage difficult in the short term—for Li Che this progress was more than gratifying.

After the pills were crushed, the overwhelming surge of necrotic energy battered his skin. Li Che activated Dragon Elephant True Force to suppress the decay, fortifying his physique with astonishing results!

It was even more effective than ordinary Flooded Blood Martial Pills!

“The Corpse God Sect truly deserves its reputation for pioneering the ‘Corpse Cursing Art.’ Their research into the body runs deep. This necrotic pill… for those who can resist decay, it works wonders!”

“But alas, both the Corpse God Envoy and Liu Jinsong have exhausted their supplies of Necrotic Martial Pills… we must find a way to restock.”

Li Che reined in his Qi, and the lingering afterimages of Cloud Yao’s Nimbus Leap gradually faded away.

“Senior Qingshan… what about that lucrative venture? When do we start?”

“If we delay any longer…”

“I won’t hesitate to go it alone.”

……

……

February 20 (lunar) – Early Spring Equinox.

The founding of the Divine Sect.

In a misty drizzle, with mysterious birds arriving and day balancing with night,

Spring Equinox signified the time when wheat begins to sprout and fertile water follows suit.

Every spring rain brought warmth, yet the lingering chill of late spring made the drizzle carry a hint of cold.

Today marked a major event for the entire Jingguang City.

On the spacious blue-paved boulevard of the Capital—wide enough for ten carriages to ride abreast—a traffic jam had unexpectedly formed.

Amid the ceaseless flow of carriages and throngs of people, oil-paper umbrellas bloomed along Long Street like spring flowers.

The official road in Jingguang City, stretching nearly a dozen miles to the gate of the Qianyuan Divine Sect Branch, was gridlocked.

Dense crowds from Jingguang’s Thirteen Districts had converged outside the Divine Sect’s mountain gate today.

The clamor nearly tore the sky apart.

Every carriage brimmed with hopeful parents and anxious children, all dreaming of becoming prodigies.

For many, passing the entrance exam of the Divine Sect Branch and entering the Divine Sect to cultivate was a life-changing opportunity.

Besides the chosen prodigies, disappointed parents and others—those lacking in prodigy potential but endowed with martial talent—had come to take their chances.

A multitude of people swarmed along the highway.

Tinghua Alley.

The courtyard.

Zhang Ya hurriedly changed the clothes of the drowsy XiXi, dressing her in a new outfit she had just bought and braiding her hair beautifully.

In the courtyard, Old Chen paced with his smoking pipe; his clenched fists betrayed his nervousness.

Uncle and his family had also arrived, while Cousin-in-law Liu Chunming held Li Chengzhou’s hand, her face full of anxiety. The Corpse Curse Seal on Cousin Li Zhengran had long been shattered by Li Che using the Eight Extremes Corpse Curse Seal.

Now, reinvigorated and with a good job thanks to Li Che, Cousin Li Zhengran had regained his vigor.

Granny Mu paced anxiously too, her tension matching Zhang Ya’s.

Li Che, however, sat in a chair with a cheerful smile.

“As long as Li Chengzhou stays nervous, our XiXi will be just fine.”

Li Che remarked with amusement.

After all, XiXi was an exceptional Prodigy—essentially guaranteed entrance into the Divine Sect. The only uncertainty was whether she’d enter the inner doors of the Divine Sect Branch or receive true transmission.

Thus, today’s exam was largely a formality, even though Li Qingshan mentioned trials and contests.

Li Che was confident in XiXi’s training.

In real combat, this girl was immensely powerful.

And if need be, pulling out a small Nanmu Gatling wouldn’t hurt—but only against older adversaries.

She was undoubtedly the brightest star in this entrance exam.

Yet Li Che recalled Li Qingshan saying that this exam would not be easy for XiXi.

After all, XiXi was the youngest candidate.

The prodigies nurtured by the Five Great Families and the Five Major Sects were mostly eight years old or older—many had even reached the Blood Exchange stage.

So Li Che couldn’t guarantee XiXi an absolute victory given her tender age.

But Li Qingshan had promised that XiXi’s three-year Bone Tempering was enough—even ensuring her entry into the inner doors.

As for true sect transmission, her chances exceeded seventy percent!

Sect transmission…

Joining Li Qingshan’s sect wasn’t considered true transmission; real transmission was handed down directly from a divine apparition cultivator as a core legacy with ample support!

Li Che watched as XiXi strode out with an arrogant swagger, her hair perfectly styled.

His gaze softened.

His cherished Empress XiXi was finally ready to begin expanding her dominion.

While helping her into the carriage, Li Che quietly advised, “Unless absolutely necessary, don’t use the small Nanmu Gatling—that’s just bullying little kids, though it’s fine with older ones.”

He added, “You can even combine it with the Muduya for extra punch.”

When it came to a contest between XiXi getting hurt and someone else’s child taking a blow, as a parent Li Che would never hesitate to choose the latter.

Cradling XiXi’s head, Li Che’s gaze was tender.

“Safety first, exams second. Whether there’s a contest or not doesn’t matter…”

“Just make sure you stay unharmed—being safe is all that matters.”

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