Chapter 58: Thunder of Fate

Rain poured down from the heights, icy and relentless.

Just like Li Che’s state of mind—so cold it could kill.

Li Che’s smile faded as he fixed a deep, intense gaze on Xu Beihu. Even though Xu Beihu was his martial arts mentor, how dare he set his sights on XiXi!

XiXi is only two and a half… How dare he plan to treat her like a child bride?!

It wasn’t just her charm; he was clearly after her extraordinary divine talent, intending to shackle her future.

How could any father be so ruthless as to plunge XiXi into peril?

Li Che’s face grew colder, erasing even the slightest trace of warmth toward Xu Beihu.

“Second Shopkeeper must be joking. XiXi is too young—it’s far too early for such discussions.”

“Besides, XiXi’s future will be decided by her own heart. I won’t meddle in her marriage plans,”

Li Che replied flatly.

Sensing the chill in Li Che’s words, Xu Beihu narrowed his eyes and countered, “Master Li, a child’s marriage is inseparable from parental authority. Our word must carry the utmost weight.”

Li Che didn’t bother replying.

However, Xu Beihu felt a stir of indignation, as if he had seen a hint of contempt in Li Che’s expression.

It was as if that look questioned, ‘What right does your son have to be worthy of XiXi’s exceptional divine talent?’

“Master Li, Feilei City is far from safe these days. With Lingying Sect’s threat intensifying, you—never truly one of the Xu Family—cannot guarantee XiXi’s protection under your care. But if she were wed to one of us… then she would truly be one of our own,”

Xu Beihu said coolly.

Li Che fixed a calm gaze on Xu Beihu and asked, “Second Shopkeeper… Are you threatening me?”

His calm words seemed to still the very air around them.

The sound of raindrops hitting the tiles and cobblestones grew deafening.

Suddenly, Xu Beihu felt a chill down his spine as his divine aura simmered, as if a terrible threat loomed closer.

“Second Brother, XiXi is like a goddaughter to me. As long as I, Xu You, draw breath, I will give her the utmost protection.”

Suddenly.

From within the Divine Cultivation Institute at the rear, resounding, forceful words filled the air.

There, Xu You was gently leading XiXi, who carried a small satchel on her back.

“Daddy!”

Upon seeing Li Che, XiXi chirped joyfully, her soft, shy voice filling the air.

Li Che immediately turned to XiXi, his face softening with tenderness. “Daddy’s here to take you home. Your mother, Zhang Ya, made your favorite braised prawns today. Let’s head back early,” he said.

Greedy XiXi’s mouth watered uncontrollably at the thought.

Yet, wanting to keep up appearances, she quietly covered her mouth.

On the other side, Xu You stood in confrontation with Xu Beihu.

Gazing at the uncharacteristically irate Xu You, Xu Beihu smirked without completely burning bridges. “Alright, it was only a suggestion. My stance is sincere, Master Li… just think it over,” he remarked.

Xu Beihu said no more, merely casting a glance at Li Che before turning and leading his group away.

‘Second Brother’s children… they practically lack divine talent, and his son is already eight—too old,’ Xu You grumbled with righteous anger as he looked at Li Che.

He was visibly angrier than Li Che himself.

While Li Che silently seethed with murderous thoughts, his expression remained unreadable, yet Xu You’s anger was unmistakable on his face.

“XiXi’s future belongs with Divine Sect. Let’s not let the Xu Family hinder it.”

Finally, Xu You turned to Li Che with earnest resolve.

“As parents, it’s our duty to safeguard our children’s future!”

Li Che smiled warmly and said, “Rest assured, my daughter is my little treasure. Anyone who dares covet her will face my wrath.”

Xu You heaved a sigh of relief.

Meanwhile, XiXi skipped joyfully and leapt into Li Che’s open arms.

Li Che pressed a soft kiss onto XiXi’s tender cheek.

“XiXi, have you been well-behaved at the Divine Cultivation Institute? Did you listen to Granny Mu today? Have you caused any trouble? Hm? Old Xu—who is he?”

Li Che shot a look at the big-headed boy with Nezha braids trailing behind XiXi.

That boy, with his Nezha braids, seemed oddly familiar. Was he not the child beside that mysterious Old Man?

Earlier at Jinhuang Pavilion, Li Che had wondered where the boy had disappeared to…

Unexpectedly, the boy had edged close to XiXi!

A strong, ominous aura emanated from Li Che.

Two words slowly surfaced in Li Che’s mind.

Yellow Hair?!

XiXi is just two and a half. How dare someone like Yellow Hair appear before an old father like him?

Lu Chi, who normally wore an expression of simple cheerfulness, suddenly sensed an overwhelming killing intent, making his hair stand on end.

Following close behind the mysterious Old Man, Lu Chi knew Li Che’s real identity.

That fellow… is none other than the celebrated lone hero of Feilei City, Ogre!

The bloodthirsty Ogre, whose hands have claimed countless lives!

“He? Granny Mu, a close acquaintance, left him at the Xu Ji Divine Cultivation Institute to cultivate his divinity. He’s considered one of XiXi’s little companions…”

“My XiXi is so adorable—there’s no way she’d be buddies with a big-headed fellow like that!”

As a father, it’s unbearable to see a boy acting like an incessant follower, clinging to my daughter.

Moreover, this boy’s origins are anything but ordinary; he travels with an Old Man known to defeat even Divine Foundation cultivators.

Xu You’s lips twitched; it was clear he understood Li Che’s cautious, protective nature as a father.

“It’s not that bad… not really,” Xu You murmured.

Xu You almost laughed out loud.

“This kid is quite well-behaved with impressive divine talent… Granny Mu, too lazy to care for him, just handed him over to me. I’m thinking of crashing at your house for a meal with him,” Xu You joked.

But as his laughter subsided, he fell silent.

Li Che glanced at him, then at Lu Chi with the Nezha braids.

“Uncle, I…”

Lu Chi forced himself to speak.

He couldn’t fathom why his divine aura was surging as if targeted by a fearsome demon.

That Ogre… is nothing but a petty Blood Exchange warrior!

Once Lu Chi unleashes the Furious Third Prince, one slap could take out a large group of adversaries!

Why should he be afraid?

“Quiet, come here,” Li Che ordered flatly.

Li Che said calmly.

“Alright.”

Lu Chi obediently stepped forward. Li Che cradled XiXi in one arm and lightly patted Lu Chi’s head, saying, “Not bad, your head is quite large. It should prove handy in a twist.”

Lu Chi: “…”

Xu You could no longer hold it in and broke into hearty laughter.

Oh dear—seeing the usually approachable Li Che suddenly act so cold and protective was truly comical.

And that whole ‘twisting heads’ thing really suited him…

You, Li Che, have never even killed anyone—yet you sure can put on a frightening act.

…

…

In the end, Lu Chi was dragged off to tag along for a meal, even though he didn’t really want to go.

Yet, for reasons unknown, Li Che insisted he come along.

After dinner, heavy rain pounded the courtyard, where XiXi and Lu Chi played together. It was the first time XiXi had brought a friend home, and the little girl reveled in the fun.

Yet, Lu Chi couldn’t shake the feeling that Li Che, sitting under the eaves and slicing wood with his carving knife, was almost demonstrating something about his own physique with every deliberate stroke.

After dinner, Xu You discussed the Divine Foundation battle with Li Che before taking his leave to return to the Xu Family for further business.

Even though the Xu Family hadn’t mentioned anything of this magnitude, he was, after all, a true member of the Xu Family and needed to return to help.

Li Che didn’t try to stop him; he merely felt pity for Xu You, a true blood of the Xu Family.

Xu You, Xu Beihu, and Xu Helil were half-brothers. With Xu You having lost his mother early and his patriarch undervaluing him due to his inferior divine talent, his prospects of breaking into the “Yangxing Ruhe” remained uncertain.

Moreover, Xu You’s overly gentle and obedient nature led his parents to believe he was well-behaved, making them invest even less attention in him.

Xu You’s standing in the Xu Family was truly low, and sometimes Li Che looked at him with a pained pity.

After Xu You left, Lu Chi, staying behind overnight, felt as if the lone pillar in the courtyard had fallen.

Fortunately.

Li Che, however, had not donned that bloodstaining, unflinching Cute Cow Mask.

Night had fallen.

The night was deep and heavy with rain, the dark clouds so dense they almost merged.

After tenderly putting XiXi to sleep and delivering the provisions to his wife, Zhang Ya, Li Che arranged for both of them to rest.

Then he rose from the master bedroom, confirming that every one of its hidden devices was perfectly in place.

Li Che entered the study and, cloaked in darkness, changed into a fitted black outfit. Then he donned the Cute Cow Mask, freshly crafted to cover his face.

After donning a bamboo hat, he vanished in a flash.

In the adjacent side chamber…

Lu Chi, sporting his Nezha braid, sat cross-legged on the bed with his eyes half-closed as he nurtured his divine power. The quilt Zhang Ya had arranged neatly in tofu-shaped blocks lay untouched.

Suddenly,

Lu Chi suddenly opened his eyes wide.

Booming thunder!

Behind the dense, dark clouds, fierce bolts of lightning clawed through the sky.

Lu Chi’s gaze shifted to the suddenly open windowsill.

There, a figure clad in a bamboo hat and black attire stood motionless.

The wind howled relentlessly as turbulent gusts whipped around.

Flickering lightning lit the sky intermittently…

Illuminated by the transient flashes, the enigmatic, charming Cute Cow Mask beneath the bamboo hat was briefly revealed.