Chapter 226: A Fateful Birthday and the Thunder Within

Snowflakes, magnified countless times, looked as if they were meticulously carved by the most patient wood sculptor with his chisel.

Ice crystals, like blossoms, spun and drifted down from the sky.

Cold air rose from the ground, condensing the water vapor into delicate, swirling snow.

Snow piled up on the bamboo hat, gradually forming a thick layer without anyone noticing.

Li Che extended his hand, where a glistening snowflake hovered, controlled by his powerful Qi. It tumbled and roiled within his grasp, untouched by the searing, boiling blood energy.

His eyes held a memory as vivid as returning with frozen fish on a blizzard day, that same excitement and adrenaline he felt when he heard his wife was in labor—so intense that even the pace of blood in his chest quickened.

But now, five years had passed in the blink of an eye.

In these five years, so much had transpired.

His family had left Feilei City, moved to Jingguang City, and then journeyed on to Daocheng.

XiXi, once a tiny, curled-up child, had grown into a lively, energetic little girl with boundless strength.

Even within the Eight-Armed Yulian Furious Third Prince’s Bizarre Temple, she performed exceptionally well, achieving Temple Spirit Resonance and absorbing vast amounts of divine energy to lay a solid foundation.

From a normal child, her progress was truly remarkable.

Although Li Che had received a Dao Fruit [Xian Gong] at the birth of his daughter…

But…

XiXi started off as an ordinary child.

Now, she had reached the level where she could participate in the test for the direct disciples of the grandmaster-level progenitor of Qianyuan Divine Sect.

Keep in mind that the participants were prodigious children from all corners of the world, representatives of every sect and clan.

Each child had an extremely illustrious background and status.

Next to them, XiXi’s origins seemed almost insignificant.

“My XiXi… is five years old.”

Five years old.

She had really become a little young lady.

Li Che’s eyes sparkled as a brilliant smile played on his lips.

For over half a year, he had watched his daughter grow safely and steadily, and his heart had gradually found calm.

It was as if he had received an unexpected cleansing.

Even though Li Che, now capable of facing top martial masters with his Divine Guts and martial prowess, was among the best in Daocheng,

he still took pride in each new move XiXi mastered, each little improvement in her skills.

His eyes softened with affection.

“Today is XiXi’s birthday. I mentioned it to Elder Jiao Shaoqiu long ago, and he kindly arranged for her birthday celebration within the Orthodox Divine Sect… so I need to get home early.”

Li Che gently curled his fingers, sending the shimmering snowflake whirling out from the swirling Qi.

The day of heavy snowfall was the day his daughter was born.

It was a day truly worth commemorating.

For XiXi, for Zhang Ya, and for Li Che himself, it was of paramount importance.

Her birth had changed Li Che’s destiny—gaining him his first Dao Fruit [Xian Gong], lifting him out of poverty, and setting him on the path from obscurity to prominence.

With each safe year of XiXi’s growth, Li Che earned another Dao Fruit.

Now at five, XiXi was on the verge of producing her sixth Dao Fruit.

“Huu—”

“Sss—”

Li Che steadied his breathing as gentle currents of air swirled around him.

He wasn’t in a hurry; what was destined to appear would appear.

He closed his eyes slightly and waited in silent anticipation.

Calm and unhurried, his mind as still as a placid lake.

At the same time, he reviewed his own cultivation progress so far.

In the past half-year, Li Che had made tremendous leaps.

Inside his Mud Pellet cultivation, aside from that Three-Seven Celestial Ape of the Three Pure Ones’ Divine Vision, all the Seven Emotions Foundations had coalesced into a clear Divine Vision.

Next, he had to enhance his Divine Vision further and begin condensing his Divine Essence Golden Pill!

“I have eight Divine Visions… should I condense eight Divine Essence Golden Pills?”

Li Che lowered his gaze, lost in thought.

“Eight pills… I wonder how long it will take for my innate divine talent to successfully condense them.”

He muttered under his breath.

Although his martial talent far surpassed his divine aptitude, Li Che still believed his innate divine talent was at a prodigy level—after all, a 24-year-old prodigy is not named so lightly.

In all of Qianyuan Daocheng, perhaps he was one of a kind.

Yet compared to his dazzling martial talent, his divine aptitude was somewhat lacking.

The Dragon Elephant Vajra Dao Fruit at LV4 had significantly enhanced his latent talent.

He had even mastered the divine seed martial art that refined True Guts to perfection.

The divine seed martial art, Blood Croc Cleave, which he learned from Long Tai, was exceptionally tough to cultivate.

Compared to ordinary martial techniques, it was even more challenging, but with the aid of his Dao Fruits, Li Che’s innate understanding of martial arts was unparalleled.

“If I can reach master level in its practice, I might grasp True Guts even before achieving the perfect synthesis of celestial and human unity.”

Li Che raised his hand, which instantly turned a deep crimson.

In that moment, it seemed as if a ferocious, dominant roar of a bloodthirsty crocodile burst forth, as countless strands of Qi intermingled with his blood energy, compressing like an entire furnace held within his palm.

It was as though a pulsating, crimson seed—entwined by countless blood vessels—was forming right there.

“Divine Seed… condensing essence, spirit, and energy into one martial art, forming a power akin to a divine talisman—this is Divine Seed Martial Art.”

“Set above ordinary martial arts and even transcending the Martial Saint techniques.”

“It’s tougher, more challenging, and requires the refined Divine Seed to be integrated with the body’s complex meridian points to stimulate enhanced bodily functions, unleashing a fearsome power.”

Li Che exhaled deeply.

According to the descriptions of Blood Croc Cleave, to cultivate it to master level, one had to not only master the techniques but also implant the condensed Divine Seed deep into the body’s meridian nodes, where it would take root and eventually blossom.

“According to divine seed theory, each seed planted can trigger latent potential. The human body has eight meridian nodes—as if eight portals…”

“Planting a seed in each meridian node represents an excavation and release of human potential!”

Li Che sat cross-legged as a majestic current of Qi swept around him, whipping through the air like a lashing whip.

“Normally, a Divine Guts Grandmaster who practices a Divine Seed Martial Art, produces True Guts, seeds one in the Eight Extraordinary Portals, and then ascends to the innate Grandmaster level, unlocking one’s full potential and even stimulating the portals’ power in battle…”

“This is one of the key differences between an innate Grandmaster and the cursed golden corpse of the Corpse God Sect.”

“The eight extraordinary portals of the human body are essentially eight convergences, where true Qi gathers…”

Li Che stood up and smashed his palm out, gathering a torrent of blood and Qi in his hand as if a monstrous crocodile were tearing at the heavens and earth!

In an instant, the air in the courtyard shattered as if it had exploded!

“If all eight meridian portals are seeded with Divine Seeds… what then?”

“Could one dare to face the Martial Saint directly?”

Li Che’s eyes glittered as he sensed the faint Divine Seed pulsing in his palm.

Though it had not fully formed, it already possessed an overwhelmingly terrifying power.

If all eight Divine Seeds were planted in the eight portals and unleashed all the body’s potential…

How strong would that be?!

“But… acquiring a complete Divine Seed Martial Art is no easy feat.”

Li Che exhaled another deep breath.

Not even the collections of a Corpse God’s illegitimate child like Demon Child contained any Divine Seed Martial Art.

After all, the Divine Seed Martial Art isn’t a prerequisite for an innate Grandmaster. A Divine Guts Grandmaster, upon shattering through to the innate level, opens up 360 meridian points, creating a grand cycle of Qi and blood!

This cyclical flow of Divine Guts connects with the heavens and earth—a state of true unity between man and nature.

Only then can one condense even the slightest trace of innate True Guts and be considered a true innate Grandmaster.

In fact, for a Divine Guts Grandmaster, forcefully pursuing the Divine Seed Martial Art was hardly wise.

Not to mention the inherent dangers: simply implanting a Divine Seed into one of the Eight Extraordinary Portals was extremely risky.

Only when a grandmaster successfully cultivates a Divine Seed Martial Art does his combat prowess soar and his potential reach new depths.

“Divine Seed Martial Art… my Myriad Transformations of Dragon Elephant, now at Martial Saint Technique level—could it evolve into a Divine Seed Martial Art?”

Transforming from a Martial Saint technique to a Divine Seed Martial Art…

Li Che wasn’t sure what to do; he simply had no experience in this matter.

For now, his priority was to cultivate Blood Croc Cleave to the master level and attempt to guide the first Divine Seed into one of the Eight Extraordinary Portals.

Only by successfully mastering a Divine Seed Martial Art could he then refine and improve it further.

“The road of cultivation is long…”

Even with the aid of the Dragon Elephant Vajra Dao Fruit, the path of Divine Seed Martial Art brought Li Che no small amount of trouble.

Meanwhile, his divine cultivation had entered a phase of accumulation.

Only when he had amassed enough Divine Crystals could he begin to condense his Divine Essence Golden Pill.

“The Celestial Ape of the Three Pure Ones—an immense beast that devours gold—only feasts on Five Elder Divine Crystals. Who knows how many would be required to satiate it?”

Li Che couldn’t help but laugh bitterly.

The Celestial Ape and the Pure Heart Dao Fruit shared a temper; the notoriously good natured rarely turned bad…

As for the other Temple Spirit Divine Visions…

They seemed to follow the Celestial Ape’s footsteps; aside from the Fiery-Eyed Little Monkey, all the other temple spirits from the Seven-Yuan Bizarre Temple only consumed Sixfold Divine Essence Crystals!

Li Che felt utterly stumped.

By standard, each Temple Spirit Divine Vision required at least ten Sixfold Divine Essence Crystals—Li Che would need to prepare at least seventy!

And even the Fiery-Eyed Little Monkey, though an Eight Extremity Temple Spirit, couldn’t be deprived of its Sixfold Divine Essence Crystals, could it?

“There’s a long way to go.”

Li Che sighed.

He once felt quite prosperous, but now, after all this calculation,

he was broke!

Not to mention the Spirit Wood needed to craft mechanical beasts, which required a massive amount of Divine Crystals, not to mention feeding all these temple spirits would leave his coffers empty.

Thankfully…

There were always kind souls willing to finance him.

Boom—

Just as Li Che was lost in longing for resources,

the world suddenly fell deathly silent.

Amid the hushed solemnity was an unparalleled stillness—a silence that bordered on death itself!

Bang bang bang—

Within his chest, five Dao Fruits began to pulsate in rapid succession, powerful and forceful, as if invisible currents of electricity were darting through him…

Li Che felt as if every muscle in his body had suddenly turned to jelly.

The five Dao Fruits [Xian Gong], [Dragon Elephant Vajra], [Pure Heart], [Chess Sage], [Painted Immortal] trembled violently!

They unleashed wave after wave of invisible surges of Qi!

The stillness of the courtyard was abruptly shattered!

It was as if new companions were about to arrive!

They had come!

Li Che abruptly looked up, his jet-black hair whipping wildly in the fierce wind.

Before him, the vast land unfolded in a swirling panorama.

Countless ancient, profound currents of Qi collided and surged!

…

Boom!

It was as if the very sky collapsed in an instant.

Li Che’s mind was yanked away, and he found himself in the midst of an endless, boundless expanse.

Out there in the vast, expansive world, as if some deity stood looming over the land,

a towering, precious tree shot up to breach the heavens, its multicolored leaves trembling as they unfurled and enshrouded the world!

Multicolored fruits clung to the tree’s branches, shimmering with radiance, weighing the boughs down until they sagged and drooped.

Clad in his dark robe, Li Che hovered before the majestic tree,

feeling as small as an insect, gazing up at its dizzying height.

His eyes glowed with anticipation as he exhaled a puff of cloudy breath.

He scanned his surroundings, curious about where this vast land was…

And where had this Dao Tree sprouted?

He recalled that during the transformation of the Chess Sage Dao Fruit, someone had placed a move from beyond the heavens…

Could it be that this world was indeed real?!

But Li Che didn’t dwell on it.

For now, he was still too insignificant—many mysteries were beyond his grasp.

Perhaps, in his eyes, even the mightiest things far exceeded his imagination; like a frog gazing at the sky, only upon reaching a certain realm would he realize… he wasn’t a frog at all, but merely a fleeting mayfly.

A multicolored fruit fell from the treetop!

The sixth Dao Fruit!

Li Che’s eyes shone as he emanated a crystalline glow throughout his body.

The dazzling light of the Dao Fruit reflected a montage of XiXi’s experiences over the year.

There were flashes of her ordeals in the Temple Spirit Resonance, and of her determined training after arriving in Daocheng.

Indeed, after entering the Orthodox Divine Sect, XiXi trained seriously, diligently completing every task set by Elder Jiao Shaoqiu.

Because she believed that by growing strong quickly, she would be able to take on tasks sooner and leave the Divine Sect Mountain Gate!

Her efforts were truly admirable.

Li Che’s heart ached to see it.

Though XiXi suspected her parents visited late at night, she never managed to catch them in the act.

With his dark robe billowing, Li Che’s eyes sparkled as one Dao Fruit floated before him.

Every birthday of XiXi was like unwrapping a blind box.

In truth, Li Che worried that with so many Dao Fruits, he might not be able to enhance every single one.

But gradually, he came to terms with it.

He believed that as time passed, the maturity of the Dao Fruits would naturally improve.

After all, his ultimate goal was simply to watch his daughter live forever.

As long as she survived safely, there would be no shortage of Dao Fruits.

And now…

Li Che had also caught a glimpse of one corner of this world…

Eternal life—so elusive!

Even the founding patriarch of Qianyuan Divine Sect, the top Martial Saints who first encountered the Bizarre Temple, and even legends who broke through divine calamities… none could truly achieve eternal life.

Can XiXi live forever?

Can I, Li Che, live forever?!

So difficult!

And if immortality wasn’t possible…

If XiXi died, the Dao Fruits would cease to grow.

Li Che couldn’t be sure if, upon her death, all the Dao Fruits he had attained would wither and perish.

Everything was uncertain…

The future was shrouded in a dense fog.

Clenching his fist,

he felt as if that very Dao Fruit had landed in his palm, lifted high.

One year of guardianship, a fruit finally matured today!

XiXi is five years old!

The sixth Dao Fruit has ripened.

It’s time to bear fruit!

…

[Your daughter, now five, has braved hardship and separation, grown strong and thoughtful, and safely attained the Dao Fruit ‘Thunder Magnetic Conduit’]

…

It appeared as if golden lightning surged in unison, coalescing into a line of golden text:

The sixth Dao Fruit!

At last, it had appeared!

The blind box had revealed a Dao Fruit beyond Li Che’s expectations!

Thunder Magnetic Conduit?!

This Dao Fruit… represents a special constitution?!

Will receiving it change his physique?

Transform him into a man who commands thunder?!

Li Che was filled with endless doubts.

Zzzzz—

He watched as the Dao Fruit unleashed arcs of lightning, resembling countless divine bolts from the heavens converging into the fruit, brimming with terrifying heat and destructive power!

Thunder Magnetic…

Li Che pondered, yet had no clear answer.

But he knew this Dao Fruit…

was clearly of a combat type.

Li Che began classifying all his Dao Fruits by their functions.

[Xian Gong], [Chess Sage], [Pure Heart], [Painted Immortal] Dao Fruits were mainly supportive or semi-combat in nature.

While the [Dragon Elephant Vajra] was a combat Dao Fruit, its activation via the Dragon Elephant Vajra Transformation could trigger one’s full potential as if divine seeds were planted in the Eight Extraordinary Portals!

With a thought, thunder and magnetism surged!

[Thunder Magnetic Conduit (Dao Fruit): Divine Thunder from the Heavens, Forge the Dao Body, the Profound Magnetism is Mine, the Heavens and Earth Overturned!]

It had arrived!

The introduction of the new Dao Fruit [Thunder Magnetic Conduit] appeared before him with a dominating energy.

“Divine Thunder from the Heavens, Forge the Dao Body!”

Li Che took a deep breath, his demeanor commanding.

He knew that the power of heavenly thunder was utterly fearsome. According to ancient texts, one of the most renowned calamities for divine beings was the ‘Divine Cloud Thunder’ trial!

Would this mean that once the [Thunder Magnetic Conduit] was forged, he could directly become immune to the Divine Cloud Thunder calamity?

Even if not immune, it would certainly reduce many threats and hassles.

“Not only thunder, but magnetism as well…”

“A man who manipulates magnetic fields?”

Li Che’s lips curled into a suave smile.

“But how is the Thunder Magnetic Conduit forged?”

“Does it require being struck by lightning?”

Li Che muttered to himself.

“Let’s give it a try.”

His eyes snapped open as Li Che sprang from the courtyard, an explosive burst of blood and Qi erupting from him.

[Dao Fruit (Thunder Magnetic Conduit): LV1 0%]

Within his chest, the Dao Fruit pulsed!

It was as though a mighty current of electricity surged through every muscle, rapidly spreading through his limbs and sinews.

Standing in the center of the courtyard, Li Che closed his eyes.

In his mind, information about the Thunder Magnetic Conduit swirled incessantly.

Snow as large as hands drifted down from the sky.

It fell on his head and shoulders.

With each breath, the wind and snow roiled!

After about twenty breaths, Li Che finally finished his mental research.

He abruptly opened his eyes.

His pupils shone a brilliant deep blue, with delicate electric arcs dancing within them!

He stretched out his palm and spread his fingers wide!

With a thought, an invisible field radiated outwards from his body!

It solidified. It froze!

Li Che’s mind stirred again.

Suddenly, his feet lifted off the ground as he soared upward.

It was as if he had severed ties with the earth’s magnetic pull, effortlessly floating in the air.

Without using his Qi or divine energy, he was simply controlling his [Thunder Magnetic] Dao Fruit to fly at will.

“Coupled with the Martial Saint Technique, Lingxu Baqi Steps…”

“I’ve practically become the coolest guy in the sky.”

Li Che laughed.

He landed gracefully, blood and Qi surging as he executed the Lingxu Baqi Steps. His figure left seven fading afterimages as he tore through the void.

He shifted positions continuously, each phantom image gradually fading away.

Suspended in midair, it was as if he and the heavens were one.

“Could this be called a different kind of man-heaven unity?”

Li Che opened his eyes as faint electric currents flickered in his pupils.

“The force of Thunder Magnetic…”

“Right now, it’s just a newborn LV1 Dao Fruit yet to be perfected…”

“If I endure the trial of Divine Cloud Thunder, I can forge the Thunder Magnetic Conduit—and even create a Thunder Magnetic Clone!”

“As long as there’s any magnetic field in nature, whether a hundred, a thousand, or ten thousand miles away… I could tap into it and control it!”

“That’s far superior to the Painted Immortal Clone.”

Li Che’s eyes brightened even further.

“Thunder Magnetic, divided into Thunder and Magnetic… both serve as primary offensive power.”

“I can develop it gradually!”

“At present, the magnetism field I can form extends roughly ten zhang around me, limited by the immature state of my Thunder Magnetic Dao Fruit.”

Li Che gently floated down to the ground. A magnetic force churned in his veins, cleansing his body.

As for the offensive potential of Thunder Magnetic…

Just try it and see.

With a snap of his fingers, a black chess piece shot out.

It rapidly expanded in the air.

Transforming into the masked Bai Wuchang Xue Dufu!

Xue Dufu swelled as he landed; the hatchet at his waist instantly morphed into a crescent blade!

“Come on, my lord! Let me feel your dominance and might!”

Xue Dufu swept his crescent blade with fierce momentum as wild Qi tore through the air!

Li Che silently watched as Xue Dufu’s attitude became increasingly unserious; it seemed the guy had overindulged in Spiritual Confinement, clouding his judgment.

“Wah-ya-ya—”

Xue Dufu bellowed.

With his feet landing, the entire courtyard trembled. Countless snowflakes inverted and clung to the sky, only to be shattered into splatters of watery pigment by the overwhelming Qi.

The crescent blade danced violently, exuding unmatched dominance!

Li Che gently tapped the ground with his toe.

His eyes glittered.

Raising his fingers, he suddenly slammed his palm down on the ground.

“Tenfold Gravity.”

Boom!

Xue Dufu’s eyes behind the Bai Wuchang mask shifted abruptly as an overwhelming gravitational force gripped him, leaving him momentarily disoriented!

His speed faltered; the arc of his crescent blade began to collapse!

But Xue Dufu was a 36-Dao Divine Guts Grandmaster—his adaptability was beyond imagination. It was only a brief pause before his long blade resumed its strike!

Li Che soared through the air, weightlessly wandering, carefree.

He extended a finger and tapped downward once more.

“Hundredfold.”

Boom!

Within a ten-foot radius, the air around Xue Dufu was pressed so hard to the ground that the courtyard’s surface seemed about to cave in.

Were it not for Li Che’s Cosmic Chessboard shielding the area, the ground might have shattered long ago!

Xue Dufu’s masked face twisted in agony as the pressure built up—in his body, muscles tightened like reinforced steel!

Every tendon seemed to vibrate, as if a dragon were roaring in protest!

Li Che’s eyes flashed with a strange light.

Hundredfold magnetic control!

This was the pinnacle achievable by his newly born Dao Fruit…

“There’s tremendous potential…”

“Maybe, with integration with [Xian Gong], I could even craft a superconductive magnetic cannon by hand.” Li Che laughed.

In the next moment, his palms clapped together with a resounding smack.

Xue Dufu felt the air around him suddenly compress with an unmatched force, crushing him like a plaything arranged in various poses, completely at his mercy!

“My lord—take it easy!”

Boom!

Li Che released his palms and snapped his fingers.

The magnetic field rapidly expanded and diffused…

Xue Dufu felt as if he couldn’t even touch Li Che’s garments, being toyed with as though he were a mere trinket!

He couldn’t resist at all…

Absolutely no resistance!

“My lord—I’m on my way!”

Boom!

Xue Dufu instantly burst into black mist, transforming into Spiritual Confinement that Li Che pinched between his fingers.

“Not bad…”

Li Che floated in midair, his robe billowing. Without tapping into divine energy or his Qi, he simply stood in the air.

With a thought, he manipulated the magnetic field to settle on his shoulder.

Then Li Che gracefully landed on the ground.

It seemed as if the ground itself sank slightly under his weight.

Thus, he honed his body with the power of Thunder Magnetic.

“Now… all that’s left is for the Divine Cloud Thunder to strike me so I can capture it…”

Encircled by the ever-present magnetic field, Li Che stretched and suddenly his muscles buzzed with a cacophony of crackling sounds!

In high spirits, Li Che sent his Painted Immortal clones each a Divine Crystal, devotedly feeding them divine energy.

Then Li Che left the courtyard of Tinglei Alley.

“Time to go celebrate XiXi’s birthday.”

Elder Jiao Shaoqiu wouldn’t allow XiXi to leave the Orthodox Divine Sect, but he had arranged for them to join the celebration within the sect.

Locking the door and stepping onto a thick layer of freshly fallen snow in the alley,

he walked deeper into the passage.

In front of the restaurant, the atmosphere was cool and serene.

A large black dog lay on the ground.

Glancing at Li Che, who had come alone, it disdainfully stuck out its tongue before settling back down.

The boss sat beneath the eaves, quietly watching the snowfall.

Seeing Li Che arrive alone, he didn’t even bother to meet his gaze.

“Sir, we are closed.”

The boss drawled lazily.

Li Che’s face fell—when he came with XiXi he was greeted as Old Li.

Without XiXi, he was treated merely as a customer?

Really…

This man and his dog were far too realistic!

Li Che rolled his eyes. Today was XiXi’s birthday; he wasn’t going to quarrel over such trivialities.

“Boss, and Old Hei, today is XiXi’s birthday. I’ve come to invite you to celebrate her birthday within the Divine Sect…”

“Interested?”

Li Che said warmly.

The black dog sprang to its feet, shaking off the snow, energized as if its tongue steamed with vitality.

The boss flicked away his cigarette ash, raising an eyebrow.

“Oh?”

“To the Divine Sect Mountain Gate?”

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