Chapter 139: Snowfall and the Dao Fruit Revelation

Cold air gathered the moisture high in the sky, coalescing into drifting, falling snowflakes.

Jingguang City.

Luohua Alley, Workshop Courtyard.

Li Che sat cross-legged in the courtyard, gazing upward as snowflakes gently landed on his cheeks.

A blazing flow of energy surged beneath his skin, its intense heat instantly melting the snow into water droplets.

“My XiXi is four years old.”

Four years old, huh…

Time flies. In the blink of an eye, the tiny girl once swaddled as an infant had grown into a lively little lady.

Li Che’s eyes drooped slightly as a gentle smile played at the corners of his lips.

He watched his daughter grow safely and steadily.

As a father, he felt an inexplicable surge of pride and satisfaction.

Because XiXi was born on a snowy day, every falling flake signaled that her birthday was drawing near.

Today was XiXi’s fourth birthday.

And as XiXi turned four, it also meant that the fifth Dao Fruit was due to appear.

He wasn’t in a hurry—he simply closed his eyes and waited in quiet anticipation.

At the same time, he reviewed his cultivation progress to date.

Within his Mud Pellet inner world, eight Divine Foundations floated, each radiating brilliance. Their formidable divine essence roared like a storm, surging relentlessly.

All his emotional divine essence had been forged into Divine Foundations—seven in all…

It was no small feat; the clashing energies were fierce. Were it not for his ‘Pure Heart’ divine essence, also formed into a Divine Foundation acting as a barrier, chaos would have reigned.

The collisions among the seven Divine Foundations might have overwhelmed Li Che, making them uncontrollable.

Without the Pure Heart essence, the mingling of the seven emotional energies would be as tangled as differently colored yarn—impossible to separate.

In short, by the highest standard of Divine Foundation cultivation, he had reached the mid-level of that realm.

He was training the Six Department-level ‘Suspended Thought: Fearless Golden Heavenly King’ Divine Foundation.

It formed a fused counterpart over the original ‘Suspended Thought Sword’ Divine Foundation he learned from the Flying Thunder Xu Family.

This was to become his primary focus, aiming to perfect his Divine Foundation so he could eventually visualize Divine Appearance.

Every six months he could enter the Golden Divine Hall to observe the Heavenly King’s statue—a prime chance to cultivate his Golden Heavenly King Divine Appearance.

“My innate talent in divine essence is quite average. Even with numerous Divine Crystals aiding me, my breakthrough is still rather slow.”

Li Che shook his head, a hint of resignation in his expression.

The ‘Dragon Elephant Vajra’ had boosted his martial aptitude, turning him into an unparalleled martial prodigy.

Indeed, martial arts had not disappointed this Dao Fruit—it had propelled him into the realm of Furnace Master.

He had also mastered three ultimate techniques. One was his self-created ‘Dragon Elephant True Might,’ which could blend the core principles of other ultimate arts.

The second was the superior ultimate technique passed down by Li Qingshan from the Qianyuan Divine Sect’s Jingguang Branch—the ‘Eight Dragons Overturning the River!’

The third came from the Shangguan Family’s lower-tier ultimate technique—the ‘Canglei Body!’

Upon reaching the Master realm, besides toughening the body, one also had to refine one’s internal organs!

By absorbing true essence into his organs to make them resilient and flawless inside and out, one could challenge the Grandmaster level!

Since true essence can only be birthed from an ultimate technique, most Masters focus exclusively on one.

From beginner to minor, major, master, and transformation—once an ultimate technique reaches the master stage, true essence emerges, and at transformation, it assumes tangible form!

When martial true essence merges with Divine Appearance, it becomes incredibly formidable!

This is the realm where many Divine Appearance Patriarchs dwell in Jingguang City.

Most had spent countless years immersed in martial arts, gradually refining an ultimate technique to its transformation stage.

But that was as far as it went. Breaking through to Grandmaster required more than one ultimate technique reaching tangible form.

A tangible martial form was merely a basic requirement to become a Grandmaster.

“The path of martial arts is endless…” Li Che exhaled deeply.

He was only at the initial Master stage, just beginning to refine his internal organs—and it would likely take several more years to reach Grandmaster.

As for training in ultimate techniques, Li Che wasn’t worried. His talent was impressive, and in time he would surely achieve tangible form!

Moreover, with Dragon Elephant True Might integrating various tangible forms, who could tell what power might eventually be unleashed?

Li Che felt a surge of anticipation and curiosity.

He held high hopes for this self-created ultimate technique, born from the ‘Dragon Elephant Vajra’ Dao Fruit.

A sudden thought flickered in his mind.

A stream of light appeared before his eyes.

……

[Name: Li Che]

[Bond: Li Nuǎnxi (Daughter)]

[Dao Fruits: Xiangong (Lv3 88%), Dragon Elephant Vajra (Lv3 55%), Pure Heart (Lv3 15%), Chess Sage (Lv3 10%)]

[Preliminary Divine Abilities: Xiangong – Qianxi Hand, Dragon Elephant Vajra – Ascend the Tower, Pure Heart – Spiritual Confinement]

[Hint: For every year the bonded one grows safely, a Dao Fruit is produced from the Dao Tree.]

……

A long-missed interface materialized before his eyes.

His calm, steady cultivation had improved remarkably; the maturity of his ‘Xiangong’ Dao Fruit had reached Lv3 at 88%, nearly at Lv4.

During this period, he managed to craft five ‘Dragon Tooth Bodhi’, each engraved with swirling patterns to hasten the convergence of divine power.

This enhanced both the bullet’s penetration and its capacity to explosively channel divine power!

But that alone was not enough to significantly boost the maturity of his Xiangong.

Moreover, crafting ordinary divine wooden sculptures did little to improve his Xiangong—unless one visited the Bizarre Temple to capture the temple spirit’s essence into the wood, which could accelerate its progress.

Li Che planned to finish his upcoming tasks before turning his attention to advancing his ‘Xiangong’ Dao Fruit to Lv4.

In truth, Li Che cherished this stable way of life.

Every day spent cultivating, carving, and nurturing his divine essence was pure bliss.

It was tranquil and beautiful.

Alas, even when the tree longs for stillness, the wind never ceases. This world was never truly calm.

Even Jingguang City teemed with hidden undercurrents.

Gangs clashed openly, the Five Major Sects engaged in covert power struggles, and prominent families constantly vied for advantage.

The Temple Guardian Division had its attention fixed on the three Bizarre Temples outside the city, each on the verge of catastrophic eruption.

The City Lord’s Residence, the Temple Guardian Division, and the Imperial Watch were not united, all eyeing the Divine Sect with covetous intent.

Within the Divine Sect, sinister elements of the Corpse God Sect lurked.

The Corpse God Sect was corrupting top figures across Jingguang City like a venomous snake with a gaping maw, intent on devouring the entire city.

The world had never known peace.

Only when one’s own strength becomes formidable enough to uphold stability…

Can one truly live carefree, watch the shifting tides, and savor life.

Li Che opened his eyes and exhaled a mouthful of stale air.

The prolonged calm was merely the eye of the storm.

As the Four Sovereigns’ Eight-Armed Furious Third Prince Bizarre Temple trembled and its eerie structure expanded, elite figures from the Qianyuan Main Sect arrived to initiate the temple spirit resonance test…

It seemed the storm could no longer be held at bay.

During the sect entry exam, Li Qingshan had said the temple spirit resonance test would occur about a year later—so after XiXi’s birthday, it was likely time for the test.

“The temple spirit resonance test… According to Li Qingshan, this time it’s going to be massive. Unlike before when the Qianyuan Main Sect would gather top prodigies from Yunzhou’s four prefectures and the capital for the test.”

“And this time, it seems that besides Yunzhou, even the ten provincial branches under Lingnan Path’s Daocheng—and Daocheng itself—will send formidable figures accompanied by prodigies…”

“For the legacy of the Eight-Armed Furious Third Prince!”

Li Che’s eyes sparkled with interest.

That Eight-Armed Furious Third Prince Bizarre Temple outside Jingguang Mansion was of an exceedingly high rank—among the elite Four Sovereigns’ Bizarre Temples, it stood at the very top.

Thus, as the eerie structure trembled and the Third Prince’s legacy emerged, various factions were bound to be intrigued.

And since the original temple spirit of the Third Prince was that of a child, his temple spirit resonance was naturally held in high regard by all.

This temple spirit resonance test had captured the attention of the entire Lingnan Path.

The Corpse God Sect had long schemed in Jingguang Mansion, drawn by the fame of the Eight-Armed Furious Third Prince Bizarre Temple.

Just as Li Che was wrapping up his reflections on his own cultivation…

Buzz——

Li Che suddenly sensed an eerie silence descend over heaven and earth!

Bang! Bang! Bang!

A violent surge pulsed within his chest—it was the extraordinary reaction of each Dao Fruit manifesting!

The four Dao Fruits—Xiangong, Dragon Elephant Vajra, Pure Heart, and Chess Sage—were all pulsating fiercely!

It was as if they were welcoming new companions!

Before his eyes, familiar images flowed like a mirror surfacing, gradually reflecting back!

……

Roar——

The vast, ancient earth seemed to roar like an ancient deity, as a towering sacred tree shot up from the boundless expanse!

Countless leaves trembled, flashing myriad streams of light!

A multicolored fruit, accompanied by iridescent light, hung atop the tree.

Scenes of XiXi’s growth over the past year flashed by like a rapid slideshow across the vast land!

Li Che’s jet-black hair framed his gaze as he looked out.

His eyes shimmered with crystalline brilliance, filled with curiosity and anticipation.

XiXi’s birthday was the day Li Che would open his Dao Fruit blind box…

Naturally, he was filled with anticipation!

A year of guardianship had finally borne fruit today.

XiXi is four, and the fifth Dao Fruit has arrived!

At last!

……

[Your daughter, at four, faced setbacks yet persevered safely to obtain the Dao Fruit ‘Painted Immortal’]

……

The hints converged into dazzling golden light, brilliantly radiant.

The fifth Dao Fruit!

Li Che knew that as long as his daughter stayed safe, his future would see an ever-increasing number of Dao Fruits.

Yet he could neither determine nor predict their exact attributes.

It was like opening a blind box—it was utterly thrilling.

Just as he had once felt bewildered upon seeing the ‘Chess Sage’ Dao Fruit, he now felt the same when he read the name of the fifth Dao Fruit.

Painted Immortal?

Was this suggesting he should become some sort of calligrapher with a brush?

He furrowed his brows slightly.

It seemed he was contemplating a different meaning behind this Dao Fruit.

“A career?”

“Are these Dao Fruits meant to have me achieve divinity as a full-time profession?”

Li Che smiled with interest.

Of course, not necessarily—since the ‘Pure Heart’ Dao Fruit isn’t a professional type, probabilities still played a role.

The interface granted him opportunities that bonded him with his daughter: for every year she lived safely, he would receive a Dao Fruit.

This Dao Fruit was newborn, lacking maturity—it needed time for that to accumulate.

The origin of this opportunity carried profound significance.

As his cultivation advanced, his interactions with the world deepened considerably.

He had witnessed the temple spirit and the overlapping myths of two lifetimes; in those trembling moments, he couldn’t help but wonder…

Were the Dao Fruits he received, bonded to his daughter, a sign of her unique destiny?

My dear XiXi…

Could she be the reincarnation of a great power?

Li Che closed his eyes, his soul trembling violently; the thought would haunt him for life, as if a chill suddenly enveloped him.

He dared not dwell on it, nor probe any deeper.

He slowly opened his eyes.

“Even if she were the reincarnation of a great power… so what?”

“The Dao Fruits belong to me, and I, Li Che, am XiXi’s biological father!”

“Even if sinister schemes lurk behind it all, I only wish for my daughter’s safety.”

Li Che’s gaze steadied, the chill within him dissipating as if a furnace roared in his chest, radiating heat.

“I just need to become strong enough…”

“Then I won’t fear any monsters or demons!”

Strengthen!

Only then can I protect my daughter, my wife, and the family that is mine!

[Painted Immortal (Dao Fruit): Blood and Qi as Ink, Divine Essence Congealed, an Immortal within the Painting, Creating Life Within It]

His spirit trembled slightly.

The description for the new Dao Fruit, ‘Painted Immortal’, appeared before him.

“An immortal lies within the painting, creating life from it…”

Li Che squinted, still somewhat puzzled by the description.

But one thing was clear—this Dao Fruit was deeply tied to both blood-Qi and divine essence.

“I’ll try it out and see.”

[Dao Fruit (Painted Immortal): Lv1 0%]

Li Che glanced at the pulsating Dao Fruit within his chest.

He closed his eyes and felt electric currents surge from his mind, gradually revealing the true meaning of the Painted Immortal Dao Fruit.

One word: “Painting”!

In the courtyard, heavy snow fell.

After roughly ten breaths with his eyes closed, Li Che suddenly opened them wide.

“So that’s it…”

A surprised smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

He raised his hand and tapped his brow at the Mud Pellet Palace.

In an instant, within his inner world, the eight Divine Foundations trembled.

The ‘Suspended Thought: Fearless Golden Heavenly King’ Divine Foundation roared and churned like a grinding mill, drawing forth bursts of divine essence.

His meridians roared as the immense energy of a Furnace Master surged from his palms, merging with divine essence to form a dense black ink midair.

The Painted Immortal Dao Fruit pulsed once more, and a pristine white sheet of paper appeared before him.

The gentle breeze in the courtyard made the paper’s edges flutter softly.

Li Che stared at the paper, his eyes sparkling—it was crafted from his ‘Pure Heart’ divine essence.

It consumed an almost negligible amount of energy.

However, merging divine essence with blood-Qi to form the ‘blood essence ink’ did incur some cost.

But it wasn’t significant.

“But to paint…”

Li Che hesitated, gazing at the paper and the divine ink in his hand.

Because when it came to painting… he really wasn’t skilled.

Art required dedicated time and passion to master.

Even though he possessed the ‘Xiangong’ Dao Fruit, it was more about enhancing his craftsmanship.

Ask him to carve or craft anything—even hand-roll a Desert Eagle—and he could do it.

But to paint… that was another story.

Suddenly, Li Che’s furrowed brow relaxed as he mused, “Painted Immortal… the key isn’t about painting.”

“The process isn’t what matters; it’s the result.”

Li Che thought of the Golden Third Prince he had faced in the Golden Divine Hall against XiXi.

He suddenly splashed the thick ink from his hand.

Splash…

The dense ink was absorbed like a dragon drinking water by the pristine paper, quickly revealing an image of the Third Prince wearing a Vajra Halo, stepping on a wind-fire wheel, draped in golden Silk of Chaos, and wielding a Fire-Tipped Spear.

Li Che blinked as he took in the lifelike Third Prince depicted in the painting.

The painted Third Prince also blinked at him.

Then, to his astonishment, the Third Prince leapt from the painting—entirely formed of black ink, becoming the Black Ink Third Prince.

A living painting—a Painted Immortal!

He stepped out of the painting into reality!

Boom——

The Black Ink Third Prince, striding on an ink-dark wind-fire wheel, darted across the courtyard.

Li Che crossed his arms and scanned the scene, his eyes shimmering with unusual colors.

After taking it all in, he clicked his tongue.

“Not bad at all.”

“Though my blood-Qi isn’t yet at Furnace Master level and my divine essence is only mid-level—since I painted him with my own essence, isn’t he nearly on par with me?”

Li Che snapped his fingers, and instantly the Black Ink Third Prince exploded midair, scattering countless droplets of black ink that soon evaporated into dark mist.

Undeterred, Li Che tried again—this time extracting the divine essence from all seven Divine Foundations and merging it with his blood-Qi to form ‘Blood Essence Ink.’

“Now, paint a self-portrait.”

Li Che’s eyes flickered with anticipation.

The paper floated as seven-colored ink splashed out.

The colored ink diffused like shimmering rainbow light, and the paper trembled as an image of Li Che, rendered in detailed brush strokes, materialized.

The Li Che in the painting smiled, stepped forward, and leapt off the paper in lifelike form.

Strangely, Li Che felt an immediate connection with his Painted Immortal self.

It had drained most of the Furnace Master’s blood-Qi and a large part of the divine essence from his seven Divine Foundations…

The Painted Immortal Li Che possessed roughly seventy percent of his own strength.

With a thought, Li Che commanded his Painted Immortal to attack him.

The two clashed in the courtyard.

Li Che severed his control over the Painted Immortal, who surprisingly fought on his own, mimicking Li Che’s fighting style.

Even his hidden weapons—Thousand Spider Silk, Bodhi Blood Tears, and the like—were available for use.

He had even drawn them into existence as he painted.

“Bang——”

Li Che snapped his fingers.

The Painted Immortal Li Che instantly dissolved into a burst of seven-colored, dense ink mist.

A subtle change passed through his eyes, a flash of something unusual.

Memories surged into his mind—memories of battling himself.

And also…

All the blood-Qi and divine essence used for the painting were reabsorbed into him.

“This…”

“If I train using my Painted Immortal clone… wouldn’t the divine essence and blood-Qi I cultivate merge back into me?”

“It’s like having another version of me training?”

Emotion welled up in Li Che; he had once fretted over his weak divine talent, knowing that uniting his seven Divine Foundations might take years.

But now…

If talent is lacking, then sheer numbers will make up for it!

Paint seven versions of myself, each imbued with a different divine essence, and gradually cultivate them!

“But based on feedback from the Painted Immortal Dao Fruit, if I don’t actively disrupt or fight—thus not consuming divine essence—the clone can last up to three days.”

“Since battle depletes blood-Qi and divine essence, their existence is limited. With training to supplement these, their lifespan might extend by a day…”

“But still, at best, just four days…”

Li Che exhaled deeply.

“That makes sense. Since this is a freshly born Dao Fruit, as the Painted Immortal matures, its clones will last longer and allow me to train more.”

Li Che felt elated.

“Aside from the Painted Immortal clones… creating life through painting…”

“I’ll try once more.”

Li Che concentrated his divine essence and blood-Qi, then painted a martial pill.

He swallowed it, then crunched it with a snap.

Mmm…

It tasted a bit sweet.

But it was useless.

It was fake.

It had only the appearance—no medicinal properties, so it couldn’t sustain itself.

Li Che’s heart stirred as he painted a ‘Dragon Tooth Bodhi’ bullet.

Instantly, a brand-new Dragon Tooth Bodhi bullet appeared in his hand, indistinguishable from the one he had personally crafted!

The only flaw was…

It was too perfect.

Even though it consumed blood-Qi and divine essence, was that really a flaw?

Could that minimal consumption truly be a downside?

The genuine Dragon Tooth Bodhi required spirit wood—’Dragon Tooth Poplar’—and Li Che’s utmost dedication!

Even with the aid of the ‘Xiangong’ Dao Fruit, crafting a Dragon Tooth Bodhi would take ten to fifteen days, and one small mistake would ruin the entire bullet.

Even skilled artisans sometimes slack off—if something can be produced from nothing, why bother with meticulous carving?

The Painted Immortal… it’s practically an armory!

Li Che grinned from ear to ear.

This Dao Fruit was absolutely awesome.

Suddenly, another thought stirred in his heart…

He thought of the Four Sovereigns’ Divine Weapon hidden in XiXi’s arm—the ‘Purple-Flame Serpent Spear Fire-Tipped Spear’…

His blood-Qi surged and his divine essence erupted!

Grind the ink!

Bring the paper!

On the spot, Li Che painted a spear…

And then, nothing followed.

The painted Purple-Flame Serpent Spear Fire-Tipped Spear looked impressive but lacked any true rank or aura.

It was as feeble as a pill.

It needed not just an external appearance, but true substance.

Li Che felt like an excited child with a new toy, reveling in it.

He painted this and that…

He even painted his wife, Zhang Ya, who leapt off the paper—her appearance lighting up his eyes as he envisioned a new bone-tempering posture.

Glancing at the sky, dark clouds swirled while snow fell thickly.

Winter had arrived, and darkness fell swiftly.

Li Che decided not to further experiment with the ‘Painted Immortal’ Dao Fruit, mainly because his divine essence was nearly exhausted.

Painting uniquely drained divine essence, though his blood-Qi recovered rapidly thanks to his Furnace Master physique.

However, before leaving the Workshop Courtyard…

Li Che painted seven Painted Immortal clones, each created with ink blended from a different divine essence to display seven distinct colors—each version of him wore a different expression.

Anger, sorrow, extreme fear, suspended thought, fury, chaotic joy, startled strength, anxious spirit…

Seven divine essences, seven Divine Foundations.

He made them sit cross-legged in the room to quietly cultivate their essence, even thoughtfully handing each clone a Jiuyue Divine Crystal.

With that, the Jiuyue Divine Crystals he had received from Shangguan Zhengheng were completely exhausted.

He still had plenty of Tendu Divine Crystals left, but their efficiency, compared to the swift Jiuyue ones, left him a bit dissatisfied.

He clapped his hands.

He looked on at the seven neatly seated Painted Immortal clones diligently cultivating.

Li Che was very pleased.

His innate divine talent was indeed weak, but… he had many of them!

Moreover, in battle, if his divine essence was nearly spent, a single thought to trigger a clone’s explosion could rapidly replenish it…

Though battles that drained all his divine essence were rare, it still served as a reliable backup.

Satisfied, he locked the door.

Leaving the Workshop Courtyard behind, Li Che ventured deep into Luohua Alley until he reached the fly-infested diner he frequented.

A large black dog at the door lazily glanced at him, yawned, and resumed its sleep by the heater.

Li Che had ordered XiXi’s birthday meal there and came to pick it up.

The chef’s skills were exceptional; XiXi especially adored the sweet and sour pork ribs.

Li Che packed the freshly cooked birthday meal into his Qiankun Space and took his leave.

The big black dog grumbled as it watched him depart.

Snow-laden winter blossoms and icy willow beads adorned the verdant hills.

Li Che stepped out of the alley, his dark robe billowing in the winter storm.

Snow flurries danced on his shoulders, seemingly evaporated by the swirling energy of his blood-Qi.

The long street lay blanketed in white, sparse of people.

Rather than heading straight to Zheng Lei Peak of the Divine Sect, Li Che stopped at a quiet courtyard in an alley.

Inside the courtyard.

Under the soft glow of the snowy dusk, a solitary lamp burned quietly.

Today was, after all, XiXi’s fourth birthday—Old Chen’s presence was essential.

This courtyard was where Old Chen had relocated after leaving his former home in Tinghua Alley.

Originally, XiXi was meant to see Old Chen every six months, but Old Chen had sensed something was wrong with himself.

Thus, at the six-month mark, Old Chen had declined Li Che’s request to visit XiXi.

At that time, Li Che had planned to help Old Chen eliminate the corpse curse’s miasma within him.

However, upon realizing he was afflicted by corpse miasma, Old Chen seemed to have his own plans, so Li Che halted his efforts.

Now, Li Che had come to understand Old Chen’s true intentions.

In the glow of the lanterns.

Old Chen sat alone under the eaves, warming a pot of hot wine.

He absentmindedly clutched his wine cup, facing toward the Divine Sect’s Jingguang Peak.

A smile occasionally graced his face, as if reminiscing about playful quarrels with little XiXi.

With a sigh, Old Chen shook his head.

“Little XiXi, today you’re four years old.”

“Grandpa Chen gives you one final birthday wish.”

Old Chen raised his wine cup.

“Drink up, as I do—and it’s up to you.”

Old Chen smiled and downed the warm wine in one gulp.

“Drinking alone and not calling for me?”

Li Che appeared in the courtyard with a smile.

Old Chen was taken aback.

Then his expression changed: “A Che? Stay back!”

“I’m contaminated with corpse miasma from the Corpse God Sect…”

But in the blink of an eye, Li Che was before Old Chen, his palm gently landing on the old man’s shoulder.

The burst of Furnace Master blood-Qi emanated, completely evaporating the corpse miasma within Old Chen.

“See? The corpse miasma is gone.”

Li Che said gently with a smile, “Come on, how can XiXi’s birthday go on without you, Old Chen?”

Old Chen, feeling his miasma vanish under that overwhelming force, was stunned.

Soon, his scalp went numb with shock.

“You… have you become a Master?!”

Please vote for monthly support, recommend, and follow-read! Your support is crucial. Many thanks from Old Li for his relentless updates!