Chapter 140: The Grandmaster’s Awakening

Grandmaster?

Li Che… has become a Grandmaster?!

Old Chen felt a surge of powerful true qi flooding his body, vaporizing the hidden corpse and death energies within him.

He felt every fiber of his flesh trembling uncontrollably!

These subtle energies could hardly be detected by anyone without Old Chen’s innate perceptive talent.

Old Chen was well aware of the Corpse God Sect – an evil cult he could never ignore.

It was their influence that had forced him to leave his hometown and abandon the city he once called home.

He knew about the Undead Curse Seal – the method the Corpse God Sect used to control its followers.

When Old Chen sensed the corpse energy in his body and realized it hadn’t harmed his flesh, he understood that the attack wasn’t aimed at him.

It was aimed at XiXi!

The moment he understood, Old Chen left the courtyard of Li Che and Zhang Ya, fearful that his own corpse energy might infect them.

As for the source of the energy, Old Chen suspected that the job with the Beggar Gang—recommended by a fellow townsman—had gone awry.

The very next day, once he learned the truth, he secretly went in search of his hometown friend.

To his horror, he discovered that the friend’s entire family had been wiped out.

Old Chen fell silent; the dangers in the Capital were far more chilling than those outside – outside, one might scream in agony, but in the city, death came without a sound.

In his eyes, the Beggar Gang was truly formidable, so he refused to involve Li Che’s family or XiXi.

Quietly, Old Chen left the courtyard and turned down Li Che’s invitation to see XiXi.

No matter how heart-wrenching or reluctant he was…

He had no choice but to make that decision.

It was all for XiXi’s sake.

Even a warrior like Old Chen couldn’t help but feel his eyes well up in the still of the night, filled with sorrow and reluctance.

Today was XiXi’s fourth birthday—a day he remembered all too clearly.

So that night, he drank alone beneath the dark sky.

Yet Li Che arrived.

The troublesome corpse energy that had plagued him was effortlessly dissipated by Li Che.

That stubborn energy vanished in an instant, as if ghostly entities met the blazing sun and evaporated.

Moreover, Li Che’s cultivation had reached the Grandmaster realm!

A level beyond anything he had ever imagined.

After channeling his meridians, he attained Grandmaster status – though Old Chen knew all too well how arduous that state was.

“Old Chen, I’ve become a Grandmaster,”

Li Che said with a gentle smile.

He knew what Old Chen intended, so tonight he came out to dissuade him from seeking a suicidal end.

“How long have you been training?” Old Chen asked, swallowing hard.

What sort of marvel is this?

Although Li Che’s martial training had been only rudimentary—an introductory course taught by Xu Beihu at Xu Ji’s Wood Carving Shop—it had nonetheless been his awakening.

In a way, that teacher had set him on his path.

In less than four years, Li Che had reached the Qi and Blood Grandmaster level!

Old Chen closed his eyes, sensing that the corpse and death energies within him had completely dissipated.

When he opened his eyes, they were slightly moist…

“I…”

“Old Chen, if you ever run into trouble, just come to me. XiXi was raised by you—you are family,”

Li Che added, “Do you understand what it means to be family?”

Li Che picked up a cup from the stove and poured himself a drink.

Then, with a sweeping gesture, he raised it toward Old Chen and downed it in one gulp.

Old Chen exhaled; his tense body relaxed as he collapsed onto the eaves.

“Li Che, someone is using me to target XiXi… they’ve planted corpse energy inside me with XiXi as their goal,” Old Chen said gravely.

Old Chen looked up, his voice somber.

“I know…”

“I know everything,” he continued.

“Today is XiXi’s birthday—let’s keep it bloodless,”

Li Che patted Old Chen’s shoulder.

Old Chen was left speechless…

That remark was chilling.

What do you mean by ‘no bloodshed’?

Li Che chuckled, “I suspect those trying to harm XiXi are from the Beggar Gang. Apparently, someone within the gang has joined the Corpse God Sect and is plotting against our prodigy.”

“As for these Corpse God Sect experts…”

“Just kill them,”

he continued, “anyone who dares injure XiXi must be eliminated.”

Li Che spoke in a gentle, calm tone.

This was his resolve – an unyielding determination.

Old Chen looked at Li Che in disbelief – how could the gentle woodcarving master he knew speak of wiping out the entire Beggar Gang…

Was this still the kindly Li Che he remembered?

“The Beggar Gang… they’re very powerful,” Old Chen cautioned, fearing that freshly minted Grandmaster Li Che might become conceited and act rashly.

Soon, Old Chen saw Li Che smile.

Then—

Old Chen’s eyes narrowed.

In an instant, the accumulated snow in the courtyard melted away as if by magic!

Before him, Li Che transformed into a towering figure, his dense shadow blotting out the sky and completely obscuring Old Chen’s view.

An Ogre Mask now covered Li Che’s face.

He looked down upon him.

Old Chen’s face flushed red as he stood there, stunned like a statue.

After a long moment…

He tugged at a stray beard hair and muttered, “Damn!”

…

…

Old Chen spent the entire night accompanying Li Che to the Divine Sect.

It was his first time entering the Divine Sect, leaving him both anxious and apprehensive, as the deep night, heavy snowfall, and bleak scenery did little to comfort him.

To speed their journey, Li Che carried Old Chen and unleashed Cloud Yao’s Nimbus Leap.

They soared through the air like falcons, their speed astonishing, the roaring wind leaving Old Chen disoriented.

He experienced, for the very first time, just how fast a Grandmaster could be.

At Zheng Lei Peak.

Old Chen staggered into a brightly lit courtyard.

Though heavy snow still fell, the ground was completely clear; even freshly fallen snow vanished before it could settle, leaving the area dry and inviting.

It was a familiar, long-missed sensation.

In the kitchen, Zhang Ya busied herself. Although Li Che had returned with food from outside, she still prepared some of XiXi’s favorite dishes.

She even made a bowl of Dragon Beard Longevity Noodles with an egg on top.

One egg, one bowl of noodles.

Wishing little XiXi a safe and happy new year.

When Li Che arrived at the courtyard with Old Chen, XiXi—who was playing on a Twisty Car with Lu Chi, Gong Yuanliang, and Gongyang Xiu—suddenly screamed.

“Grandpa Chen!”

Excitedly, XiXi leaped off the Twisty Car and dashed toward Old Chen like a caged hamster.

In one bound, she landed in his arms.

The impact, following Old Chen’s high-speed flight, left him momentarily dizzy.

“Little Stinky Xi… you’ve gotten so big!”

Old Chen regained his senses, cradling XiXi as he remarked sentimentally.

At four years old, XiXi had grown taller, yet her chubby cheeks and little belly remained.

Not having seen little Stinky Xi for seven or eight months, Old Chen missed her terribly.

Yet, as is common between elders and youngsters, after a brief moment of affection, they resumed their playful bickering.

“Little Stinky Xi!”

“Old Stinky Chen!”

Playful shouts flew between them as they teased back and forth.

A smile spread across Old Chen’s lined face; he hadn’t felt so happy in a long time.

Zhang Ya emerged from the kitchen, slightly surprised to see Old Chen.

“Husband, Old Chen hasn’t been here for such a long time,” she said.

Unaware of what had befallen Old Chen, Zhang Ya trusted that Li Che’s intervention meant the problem had been resolved.

“It’s a small matter; once your husband and I step in, no problem is insurmountable,” declared Li Che in front of his wife, exuding confidence.

“Make a bowl of noodles for Old Chen as well,” Li Che suddenly suggested.

Zhang Ya paused, puzzled.

“Let’s celebrate his rebirth – his return home,” Li Che said warmly.

Soon, as the meal was about to begin, Li Qingshan arrived with Granny Mu, along with XiXi’s senior martial siblings, Sang Guanyin and Liu Yangyuan.

The elder from Hongyun Peak, Zhu Hongdou, had also joined them.

Shangguan Qinghong arrived, following closely behind Li Qingshan.

In the small courtyard, merriment reigned; not even the winter snow could dispel the laughter.

As the birthday girl, XiXi was overjoyed – delicious food, fun games, the chance to see Grandpa Chen again, and a host of gifts to collect.

She wished every day could be her birthday.

The night wind stirred and snowflakes danced in the air.

After dinner, Li Che and the others gathered in the courtyard to brew tea and chat.

In the area cleared of snow by Li Che’s qi, XiXi and a few friends played happily.

Li Qingshan sipped his tea with squinted eyes, deep in divine meditation; a cup of tea during these moments was a welcome break.

Sang Guanyin and Shangguan Qinghong went off to play with XiXi.

The eccentric and graceful Liu Yangyuan joined Li Che and Li Qingshan for tea.

“Xiao Yuan, where is your master?” asked Li Qingshan between sips.

Liu Yangyuan replied cautiously, “My master has entered seclusion again; he’s been retreating frequently lately.”

“Oh? So does that mean our sect leader might soon break through the Divine Essence realm and attain true immortality?”

Li Qingshan squinted.

But Liu Yangyuan shook his head, “The Divine Essence realm is hardly that simple; our master isn’t very confident…”

“After all, our master was injured back in the day,”

Li Che listened quietly from the sidelines without interrupting.

After a while, Liu Yangyuan took his leave with Sang Guanyin by his side.

The swirling snow was shattered mid-air by their piercing aura.

Li Qingshan exhaled deeply.

“Liu Yangyuan and Sang Guanyin – the third and fourth in line – are always a bit lacking compared to the first and second,” he remarked.

Li Che cast a curious glance.

Li Qingshan cleared his throat and continued, “Apart from XiXi, the sect leader has four true disciples…”

“The most gifted was the late first disciple, Zhou Daoyuan, who, like XiXi, was a prodigy with unparalleled talent. By age twelve, he had completed his Divine Root formation, forging the Six-Si Divine Root before joining the main branch of the Qianyuan Divine Sect,”

“He performed brilliantly at the Minor Gods Meeting, securing abundant resources for our Jin Guang Branch,”

Li Che’s eyebrows lifted, “The Minor Gods Meeting?”

Li Qingshan nodded, “Each sect has its own branch – one for each state along Lingnan Path. Besides Yunzhou’s Jin Guang Branch, other states have theirs as well…”

“With so many branches, resource allocation has always been a challenge, judged not just by the number of divine practitioners but also by the quality of disciples…”

“The Minor Gods Meeting is the evaluation of disciple quality,”

Li Che raised his eyebrows, took a sip of hot tea, and glanced toward XiXi happily playing on the Twisty Car.

“Then why did Zhou Daoyuan, such a prodigy, die?”

Li Che squinted.

“That’s what we all wonder. I’ve heard that his death… might be linked to the City Lord’s Residence,”

Li Qingshan asked, “How does it tie in with the City Lord’s Residence?”

“Because Nan Lihuo harbors deep hatred toward the City Lord’s Residence. Though he appears affable, his murderous intent is immense – he truly wishes to kill City Lord Su Huai Li,”

“Perhaps, as the rumors suggest, City Lord Su Huai Li killed Zhou Daoyuan, prompting Nan Lihuo to seek revenge,”

After finishing his words, Li Qingshan fell silent.

“Then why have you always suspected the sect leader? There must be a reason – otherwise, why question a branch leader?”

Li Che asked, genuinely curious.

Li Qingshan looked at Li Che, surprised that he would broach the subject tonight.

Suddenly, Li Qingshan’s eyes lit up. His question revealed that Li Che must have already refined the Seven-Gen Corpse Curse Seal!

“You’ve done it?”

Li Qingshan became excited.

Li Che smiled and nodded in subtle affirmation.

“Good,”

Li Qingshan clapped his hands, then stood and glanced at the children playing in the courtyard.

“The two of us… shall take a covert trip,”

Li Che stood unmoving and asked, “Where to?”

“To Golden Light Peak, to confront the sect leader,”

Li Qingshan rubbed his hands together excitedly, spouting audacious words.

After a long pause, Li Che finally said, “You’re really eager to reverse the natural order, aren’t you?”

Li Qingshan suddenly became solemn, “I just want an answer—that suspicion has tormented me for too long, filling me with trembling, dread, anger, helplessness, and chills…”

“Besides, don’t you want to know who orchestrated the assassination attempt on XiXi?”

“With your nature, you couldn’t tolerate it, could you?”

Li Qingshan leaned back in his chair, squinting at Li Che.

Li Che finished the last sip of hot tea from his cup, patted his ink-black robe, and stood, saying, “You’ve got a keen eye for people.”

“Regarding the hidden threat against XiXi, I say we eliminate them all – not a single one shall remain,”

“No matter who they are.”

…

…

Li Qingshan bid farewell and left, saying he needed to resume his divine observation.

Granny Mu and Lu Chi stayed over in Li Che’s small courtyard tonight, while Gong Yuanliang and Gongyang Xiu also remained, planning to return to their cultivation peaks tomorrow.

It was late at night.

Li Che entered his study, lit a lamp, and began carving wood to create a Living Immortal image.

His physical form, however, left the study, dissolving into a black shadow as it departed.

Li Qingshan, wearing a Cat Face Mask, hunched over and had been waiting outside the courtyard for Li Che.

When Li Che appeared wearing an Ogre Mask, the Blue Ox Duo met him in the dark. After a brief nod, they transformed into streaks of light and vanished into the night.

At the foot of Golden Light Peak,

the two of them whooshed down, landing on a towering tree as they gazed at Golden Light Peak.

“After all, the sect leader, a Yuan Stage cultivator, is just one step away from attaining his Primordial Spirit. Once achieved, he can leave his mortal body to roam the world freely and silently. Perhaps his primordial spirit is even right beside him, unnoticed.”

Wearing his Cat Face Mask, Li Qingshan murmured these words.

They startled Li Che; the Chess Sage Dao Fruit in his chest trembled, and the Cosmic Chessboard expanded to envelop him.

After ensuring no primordial spirit was spying nearby, he exhaled in relief.

“The Cosmic Chessboard of the Chess Sage Dao Fruit should be able to detect a primordial spirit, right?”

Li Che pondered, “Is it here… perhaps too close, or might it be detected if it’s nearer?”

Li Qingshan exhaled, and Li Che nodded, then slowly asked, “Now, can you tell me… why do you suspect the sect leader?”

Li Qingshan fell silent for a moment.

Beneath his Cat Face Mask, his eyes burned as he stared above Golden Light Peak.

“Because… the clues I’ve uncovered indicate that Zhou Daoyuan’s death is actually related to Nan Lihuo,”

No sooner had he spoken than Li Che narrowed his eyes.

In the next moment, Li Che fell silent, his mind plunging into the Cosmic Chessboard.

Within the Chessboard, one by one, pure divine chess pieces surged forth, surrounding the pitch-black Seven-Gen Corpse Curse Seal that hung like a black hole.

Now, the Seven-Gen Corpse Curse Seal had been completely refined – docile and obedient.

Li Che’s phantom floated within the Chessboard, hands behind his back, and with a flick of his finger…

a pure divine chess piece shot forth, exploding under his command.

The avalanche-like shockwave from the explosion crashed into the Seven-Gen Corpse Curse Seal…

In an instant!

Like a calm sea suddenly roiled into furious waves!

The Seven-Gen Corpse Curse Seal shuddered as an invisible, concentric, fan-shaped storm ripple spread toward Golden Light Peak.

Li Che, his imposing figure standing atop the tree, fixed his gaze firmly.

The shockwave, if it swept over anyone bearing a Corpse Curse Seal, would leave them utterly exposed in his eyes.

It seemed he had subdued the Corpse God Sect’s secret methods – not merely by the Chess Sage Dao Fruit, but through his own prowess overcoming the curse.

The black shockwave erupted again and again.

Li Che’s eyes glimmered with deep insight.

The Cosmic Chessboard expanded, covering all of Golden Light Peak, even revealing Nan Lihuo in seclusion within the Divine Temple.

Inside the Divine Temple, Nan Lihuo sat in meditation atop a cushion, his body exuding a potent, molten divine aura.

The surge from the Corpse Curse Seal swept over him.

Nan Lihuo suddenly opened his eyes wide, and his formidable divine perception burst forth.

Yet he couldn’t detect any anomaly.

He sensed someone spying on him but couldn’t pinpoint who.

Li Che dared not let the Cosmic Chessboard linger; only after confirming that Nan Lihuo showed no trace of the Seven-Gen Corpse Curse Seal did he retract his observation.

Inside the Divine Temple, Nan Lihuo’s eyes burned like twin golden flames as his body radiated a divine essence like molten gold.

“Who’s spying on me? To do it so silently… is that a primordial spirit?”

“Su Huai Li… has he broken through to Primordial Spirit?”

Nan Lihuo’s eyes narrowed, and an intense urgency surged through every muscle in his body.

A fierce killing intent flashed briefly in his eyes.

Then, a trace of sorrow and pain silently concealed itself.

“Am I destined to always be one step behind?”

…

…

A cold breeze stirred as snowflakes drifted in the biting air.

Thick snow clung to the branches, and as it fell, it made a clattering sound.

Li Che opened his eyes, and Li Qingshan immediately fixed his gaze, waiting for an answer.

But Li Che said nothing, only shaking his head slightly.

“Nothing?”

Li Qingshan asked earnestly, “Really nothing?”

He repeated his question for confirmation.

Li Che nodded, affirming there was truly nothing.

“Unless the enemy’s Corpse Curse Seal reaches the Six-Si level, any hint of a Seven-Gen Corpse Curse Seal leaves them utterly exposed,”

Li Che said confidently.

Suddenly, Li Qingshan let out a low laugh; he felt as if a massive weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

“Ha ha ha… That’s not it? Well then, that’s good…”

Li Qingshan felt as if the heavy mountain on his shoulders had finally crumbled away, like a bird freed from its cage or a stone monkey breaking free from oppression.

Li Che even sensed a change in Li Qingshan’s divine aura.

“I merely misjudged you by projecting my doubts onto a noble man,”

Li Qingshan said, glancing at Golden Light Peak, clasping his hands in a formal salute as if venting years of repressed frustration.

Li Che watched silently.

“With a clear mind, that lingering unease has been completely erased. As long as it isn’t the sect leader, those vermin hiding within the Divine Sect are nothing to fear!”

Li Qingshan chuckled, feeling rejuvenated.

An obsession can indeed transform a person.

“Li Che, I’m about to break through – in three days, I will attain Divine Vision…”

“I must break through. The Temple Spirit Resonance is about to commence; when that happens, the city, the provinces, the branches, and even the experts of the Corpse God Sect will converge on the Capital. My breakthrough will be perilous.”

“And I must enter Divine Vision sooner to have the confidence to compete in the upcoming Temple Spirit Resonance!”

Li Qingshan’s voice brimmed with unrestrained exhilaration.

“Three days from now?”

Li Che squinted.

“It will still be dangerous, won’t it?”

That hidden Corpse God Sect expert had yet to reveal himself; breaking through now remained extremely risky.

“This is bait… real bait,”

Li Qingshan said coldly, “Lure them out, and they will die!”

His tone was laced with murderous intent.

“Li Che, what did Ma Mian say over there? Remember to contact him!”

With that, Li Qingshan, unable to contain himself any longer, exchanged a few words with Li Che before dashing off, leaving no trace in the snow as he disappeared into the night.

Atop the treetops, thick layers of white snow had accumulated.

Li Che, embodying the formidable presence of an Ogre, stood silently on the snow-covered plateau without bending any branches or dislodging a single flake.

“If not the sect leader… then who?”

Li Che’s eyes glowed mysteriously.

“Tonight, a resolution must be reached.”

“You can’t hide forever.”

“XiXi’s birthday is over… it’s time for blood to be shed.”

Li Che, hands behind his back, felt the throbbing of the Dragon Elephant Vajra Dao Fruit in his chest as if his entire body had become a silent furnace.

Then, with a forceful descent, he landed on a snowy plateau and began walking slowly.

Each step left no trace on the snow.

Dark clouds gathered thickly, blanketing the sky.

Snow fell from above in cascades.

Li Che, clad in a black robe, wore a bamboo hat and a Cute Cow Mask.

With broad shoulders and a towering frame, he moved silently within the Divine Sect Mountain Gate, treading every inch.

He walked slowly, as if merging with the darkness.

Even disciples returning from missions in the snowy night brushed past him without noticing his presence.

The Cosmic Chessboard enveloped him in a hundred-foot radius, shifting with every step.

Within the Chessboard, Li Che concentrated his divine perception and, with a flick of his finger, detonated one pure divine chess piece after another using his nascent Great Avalanche.

The resulting shockwaves slammed into the Seven-Gen Corpse Curse Seal, forming ripples that expanded in concentric circles.

It was as if he were walking on a still pond, each step sending out ever-expanding ripples.

Then, like a surging river roaring to life,

this was Li Che’s first time acting unrestrainedly within the Divine Sect.

The Furnace Master’s cultivation had forged the Seven Emotions and Seven Honored Divine Roots…

a confidence born of his elevated cultivation.

When it came to his daughter, the enemy remained hidden in the dark.

Then Li Che…

like a deity patrolling his mountain, he would personally root out those cowering like rats in hiding!

He would kill them!

Boom——!

Li Che targeted the Four Elder Peaks.

Clasping his hands, he merged with the night.

One peak after another was swept away under his perception.

Suddenly, Li Che halted abruptly; his stomp on the snow-covered plateau caused the ground to collapse, sending countless snowflakes swirling into the air.

His black robe whipped wildly amid the gusts.

He adjusted his bamboo hat and slowly raised his head.

Snow flurries danced as his piercing gaze from behind the Cute Cow Mask burned like embers.

He stared into the distance.

The corpse and death energies drawn by the Seven-Gen Corpse Curse Seal twisted and burned like a ball of black flame in the cosmos.

“I’ve found you.”

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