Chapter 27: Shadows of Intrigue

Li Che had never intended to let Lei Chunlan slip away. A rare encounter like this left him uneasy if he didn’t finish her off.

He twisted his neck as the powerful tendon along his back snapped taut.

Using the Xushi Nine Tendon Technique, Li Che burst open nine major tendons in succession. With his cultivation now perfected in Tendon Burst, he was just one step away from mastering Bone Tempering.

In just a month, Li Che underwent a dramatic transformation. By activating the Dragon Elephant Dao Fruit’s Vajra Transformation, he was certain he could kill Zhao Chuanxiong and his companion wielding an Eight Trigram Staff!

He had planned to hunt down Zhao Chuanxiong and eliminate this threat once his current task was finished.

But he hadn’t expected that his trip to Inner City would reunite him with Lei Chunlan.

Hiding within Inner City explained why Li Che’s efforts to find Lei Chunlan while disguised had yielded nothing.

With a flick of his sleeve, he revealed his concealed Sleeve Crossbow and Thousand Spider Silk while his masked eyes gleamed with a cold, murderous intent.

With a decisive stomp, his body suddenly darted out of the alley.

……

……

The curtains fluttered gently in the breeze.

They billowed upward then sank as if dancing in time with each breath.

Xu Beihu sat in a chair as the water stove roiled, the surging heat and constant gurgling accompanying his solitary tea brewing, the aroma rich and unrestrained.

Si Mu Bai stood before the Nine-Headed Guan Yin Weeping Statue carved by Li Che—a wood sculpture now so weathered it had lost all semblance of its original form.

On closer inspection, countless fine holes marred the base of the carving, like remnants left by ravenous woodworms.

After a long moment, Si Mu Bai shuddered, stepped back with tears streaming—a mix of laughter and sorrow—as a single slap shattered the decaying statue with a resounding boom.

“Not bad. The flavor is excellent.”

Si Mu Bai stuck out his tongue and licked his lips.

“It may not exude divine essence like a master’s work, nor capture the wandering spirit of heaven and earth, but it’s impressive enough. With a few more successes, it could even accumulate a wisp of divine essence—greatly enhancing my Weeping Statue’s ghost-subduing power.”

Si Mu Bai settled back into his rosewood master’s chair and accepted a cup of premium Pu’er tea from Xu Beihu.

“Your Xu Ji has truly struck gold. This little gem is a genuine talent—a future master sculptor if you’re willing to nurture him.”

Si Mu Bai remarked with a hint of envy.

A smile broke on Xu Beihu’s rugged face as he replied, “He hasn’t even taken his first step. Becoming a master sculptor isn’t easy, and loyalty is key— in over two hundred years, our Xu Ji has trained countless sculptors, yet only a few have ever risen to mastery.”

“If you don’t want him, then let me hand him over to the Si Family,” Si Mu Bai said with a wry smile as he sipped his tea.

Xu Beihu’s smile faded instantly as he remarked coolly, “Is that old hag your doing? She seems tied to the Lingying Sect. With your connections to them, does the Si Family not stand by you?”

Si Mu Bai set his tea down. “Don’t be so adverse to the Lingying Sect. Not everything emerging from the Bizarre Temple is sinister. The Imperial Court, the Divine assaults on temples—they’re all driven by something valuable found in the Bizarre Temple.”

“Divine essence, godly techniques, martial skills, and various legacies—all originate from the Bizarre Temple. Why resist?”

Si Mu Bai laughed as he sipped his tea.

“The Imperial Court has tasked us with recruiting divine essence prodigies and nurturing them to explore those mysterious Bizarre Temples that they themselves can’t reach. I’ve heard from friends in the capital that the great deities are fully engaged in exploring that newly emerged ‘Sanqing Bizarre Temple’ outside the city.”

“When the court embraces exploration, acceptance, and integration, why should we resist?”

Si Mu Bai shook his head in dismissal.

Xu Beihu said gravely, “A Bizarre Temple is a Bizarre Temple, and the Lingying Sect is the Lingying Sect; don’t conflate the two.”

“Putting that aside, I know my responsibilities. Feilei City is governed by our great families—how could I not be concerned?”

Si Mu Bai waved his hand dismissively.

“Speaking of Li Che, he’s remarkably pragmatic and steady. I heard that Lei Chunlan has her eyes on his daughter, yet he managed to hold back… truly a timid soul.”

Si Mu Bai remarked.

“That’s caution at its best. Though he has the Xu Family behind him, there’s no guarantee they’ll always support him. He surely despises Lei Chunlan, yet he remains rational, knowing that with the Si Family shielding her and his own limited strength, any conflict would end disastrously. So he wisely chose to step back for stability.”

Xu Beihu commented evenly.

“All in all, this guy… steady and cowardly. Not someone to worry about.”

……

……

Jinhuang Pavilion.

Li Che melted into a shadow, silently approaching. With the Dragon Elephant Vajra activated, his perfected Tendon Burst unleashed a force equivalent to tens of thousands of pounds.

In truth, he was only at the peak of his Tendon Burst power.

But the Dragon Elephant Vajra could trigger a phenomenal leap in strength—a true force across realms.

The strain in his back tendons released an invisible force that silently kicked up snow as Li Che glided by.

Skimming along the wall, he slipped into Jinhuang Pavilion with well-practiced ease.

Inside, Jinhuang Pavilion was vast and expansive, reminiscent of a grand family courtyard woven with intricate alleys.

Patrolling guards, all skilled in high-level Tendon Burst cultivation, roamed the area.

Hidden in the darkness, Li Che observed impassively.

Behind Jinhuang Pavilion, several great clans shared ownership, so few dared to cause trouble. The security, though present, exuded a hint of lethargy.

Effortlessly bypassing the patrols, Li Che recalled the route Lei Chunlan had taken after departing.

His body moved with undulating precision; the power of perfected Bone Tempering allowed him to move so swiftly that ordinary eyes could scarcely detect him.

Li Che remained oblivious to the relationship between Si Mu Bai and Lei Chunlan, or any dealings between the Si Family and the Lingying Sect…

He cared little about such matters.

If Lei Chunlan intended harm for his daughter XiXi, Li Che had only one objective.

To kill her!

……

……

In a lavish courtyard.

Artificial rockeries towered amidst hazy tree shadows.

Lei Chunlan, clad in a pristine brocade outfit, leaned against a railing as she surveyed a Si Family guard in her courtyard, then glanced around at the scenery; wrinkles on her aged face softened into a smile.

“This is truly the epitome of luxury in Inner City—Jinhuang Pavilion is a paradise. After a lifetime of hardship, I finally get to live like this.”

“Now, this is the life.”

Lei Chunlan beamed radiantly, as brilliant as an old chrysanthemum in bloom.

The Lingying Sect had given her pleasures she had never known.

“Once the Si Family agrees to the deal with the Dharma Master, I’ll become their honored guest—enjoying endless splendor and wealth.”

Lei Chunlan trembled with excitement.

She had ushered those infants into the world in exchange for her own fortune and glory… was it not only fitting?

“What a pity Li Che is so cautious. Knowing of my ties to the Lingying Sect, he moved into Xu Ji’s Wood Carving Shop… what luck! That mere laborer managed to become a sculptor at Xu Ji’s.”

“And what a waste of that Lingying’s abundant divine essence… if only he could offer it to the Dharma Master, I might even inherit the Divine Essence Technique and rise above the rest!”

Lei Chunlan clenched her fists, her old eyes widening in indignation.

“It matters not—I’ve now aligned with the Si Family. Sooner or later, I’ll get that Lingying under my control…”

“A mere woodcarver from Xu Ji’s Wood Carving Shop is nothing more than an ant before the colossal might of the Si Family.”

Whoosh—

As if sensing the world’s chill, the heavens paused before unleashing a heavy snowfall.

Snowflakes drifted, blurring the view.

Lei Chunlan rubbed her hands and exhaled warm breath, “This blasted weather.”

She turned and began tending to the furnace, adding fresh coal.

Suddenly, her movements stiffened as she raised her neck in alarm.

Her gaze fixed on a cluster of rockeries in the courtyard.

There, a towering figure wearing a conical hat and a Cute Cow Mask stood as tall as a small mountain—resembling a Fangtian Huaji ready to pierce the heavens amidst the swirling snow and wind.

His eyes blazed with a demonic, soul-snaring intensity.

They burned with chilling, murderous intent as he fixed his gaze upon her.