Chapter 6: The Wood Carver’s Journey

Although Chen Daba and Li Che share a good rapport, a laborer who spends his days hauling wood and finished statues shows little promise during the master’s evaluation.

At least from Chen Daba’s perspective, there was no sign that Li Che could ever become an official woodcarver.

Even if Li Che went home after work to collect scrap wood from the shop to practice his carving…

Mastering woodcarving isn’t that easy!

Judging by his performance, Li Che’s interest in woodcarving seems genuine, but he hasn’t received any formal training.

And challenging someone’s livelihood just because of a hobby borders on arrogance.

Li Che didn’t bother to defend himself or argue.

On what basis does he claim anything?

His eyes sparkled with determination as the Dao Fruit [Xian Gong] within his heart pulsed gently, radiating a fierce warmth that illuminated the path ahead.

He’s got it in him…

“Xiao Li, if I were you, this year I’d try to learn some farming moves. Even without real strength, at least you’d be able to stand up and fight when it comes to protecting your child,”

Chen Daba stood up, patted Li Che’s shoulder, and returned to the workshop to resume his woodcarving.

After a moment of reflection, Li Che admitted that Chen Daba had a point…

“Farming moves? To really learn them, you need a proper channel. I have a Dao Fruit [Xian Gong]—perhaps I could design some traps that offer protection.”

“Sure, Old A-Po usually only intervenes a year after a birth, but what if something happens?”

Li Che drew a deep breath, a plan forming in his mind.

Without overthinking it, he resumed work, transporting wood and statues.

Perhaps upon hearing that Li Che would participate in the woodcarving test, many apprentices began to regard him with strange looks and wary eyes, and quite a few even refused to let him handle the finished carvings.

Before he knew it, Li Che found himself with little to do in the shop.

Except for a few senior craftsmen and loyal customers who still sought him out, everyone else largely ignored him. Relishing the peace, Li Che began musing over trap designs.

But after a while of pondering, he ended up with nothing concrete.

It seemed he’d have to consult Old Chen, who probably knew a thing or two about it.

“Traps? So you want to rig some mechanisms to protect your kid? Not a bad idea at all,”

“But setting up traps is an art in itself. I’m no old trap master, yet in my study I do have an ancient book on trap mechanisms.”

Hearing Li Che’s inquiry, Old Chen paused his carving and laughed.

Li Che rubbed his hands together, his eyes lighting up.

Everyone in the shop knew about Master Chen’s private study, rumored to hold many precious ancient texts.

Old Chen shot Li Che a sidelong glance and raised a finger: “I can lend you the book, but I never do business at a loss. This rare volume is extremely precious—one tael of silver per day for its loan.”

One tael of silver a day?

Li Che took a deep breath. It wasn’t cheap, he had to admit.

Yet he nodded decisively and agreed.

“Oh, so decisive! That’s what a good father does—risk it all for his daughter’s safety. But if you try to haggle, it won’t be one tael a day anymore.”

“For the sake of your paternal love, I’ll let it slide—fifty copper coins per day will do.”

Chen Daba stroked his beard with a smile.

Thrilled by this, Li Che quickly thanked Chen Daba. Who would complain about paying extra if it ensured safety?

“Bring it tomorrow, and remember to have enough money,”

Chen Daba said before returning to his carving.

As time passed, the sky gradually turned gray.

Li Che received his day’s wages—only fifteen copper coins—nearly a third less than usual.

But he didn’t mind. After collecting his pay, he carefully wrapped the scrap wood he had selected and carried it out of the shop.

Now, it had become a habit to bring home some scrap wood each day, carving away to gain more experience with the Dao Fruit [Xian Gong].

Today, he had crafted another new woodcarving, which should further boost his experience.

Ever since Old A-Po’s mishap with the midwife, that looming shadow weighed on him like an unshakeable cloud, urging him to improve as quickly as possible.

Hurrying back home, he found his wife, Zhang Ya, sitting with XiXi on the bed, playing with various little toys he had carved from wood. Only then did his tense heart relax.

“XiXi, have you missed your old man?” With a brilliant smile, Li Che opened his arms wide toward the little one.

Barely a month old, XiXi was as delicate and adorable as a carved figurine, her skin soft and infused with the sweet scent of milk, giggling and wriggling about on the bed.

Li Che picked her up with a laugh, strolling around their small room and delighting the giggling child.

After playing with XiXi for a while, Zhang Ya readied dinner.

After dinner, Li Che sat by the oil lamp, took out the scrap wood, and began his daily carving.

In truth, the types of woodcarvings in the shop were few, and as Li Che ran through each piece, it now took several days to discover a new skill from a master woodcarver.

However, with his Dao Fruit [Xian Gong] having reached Lv2, his carving speed had improved considerably.

[Dao Fruit: Xian Gong (Lv2 9%)]

A bit more experience was gained.

With a sly smile and a determined glint in his eye, Li Che decided to try creating a trap.

Yet having little concept of traps, he instead thought of creating a highly lethal crossbow and began sketching designs on paper.

……

……

At dawn, the eastern sky began to lighten with a faint glow.

Outside the gloomy mountains, swirling clouds and large flakes of snow danced down, cloaking all of Feilei City in a blanket of white.

Li Che had risen early. After his morning routine, he prepared breakfast. When Zhang Ya got up to help, Li Che gently shooed her back.

“The little one is restless in the middle of the night. You need to soothe her back to sleep. Rest a bit more, and you can join me at breakfast later,”

Li Che softly patted Zhang Ya’s disheveled hair. Still half-asleep, she pressed her lips together and lay back down.

Once everything was set, Li Che placed breakfast in a still-warm pot.

Then he left the Earthen House, treading heavily on the thick snow as he made his way to Xu Ji’s Wood Carving Shop.

The long street paved with blue stone lay under a roaring blizzard, though the clinking sounds of trumpets and suonas playing in the wind could still be heard.

“The Holy Spirit instructs, cleansing the dust; the Reincarnation Technique ensures a worry-free rebirth; only the wise can achieve it without teaching…”

Chanting echoed down the street amid the relentless footsteps crunching on the blue stone and packed snow.

Squinting his eyes, Li Che stood at the roadside, lowering his bamboo hat as he glanced at the narrow line of devotees huddling around a bright red shrine.

Inside the shrine stood a striking three-headed, six-armed child statue, vivid and lifelike, its eyes gleaming as if crafted by a master.

Following that line, a group of white-robed believers—men, women, young and old—with gaunt, almost crazed faces trailed behind.

“Lingying Sect…” Li Che took a deep breath, his eyes hardening for a moment.

Forget about their Lingying teachings. XiXi is his treasure—his everything. His wife, his child, that warm home are what he must protect.

If they dare to harm XiXi, no matter the cost, Li Che would make them pay—even if it meant taking a piece of them with his last breath.

Clenching his fist, Li Che trudged through the wind and snow straight toward Xu Ji’s Wood Carving Shop.

At that moment, his determination to become an official woodcarver burned stronger than ever.

It wasn’t just about the house and the security the shop offered, but also about earning the chance to learn the Inner Strength Technique and martial skills passed down by the shop…

[Xian Gong] Dao Fruit had indeed given Li Che a significant boost, but it only enhanced his craftsmanship.

In terms of personal combat, it offered little help.

Entering the shop, the atmosphere was tense. Most apprentices were idle, conserving their energy.

It was clear that today’s woodcarving test was about to begin.

Chen Daba, sipping his old huangjiu from a gourd, sat on a distant bench with one leg crossed over the other, humming happily and clearly in high spirits.

“Xiao Li, come here.”

Old Chen beckoned when he saw Li Che.

Li Che’s eyes lit up as he quickly brushed aside the gloomy mood stirred by the Lingying devotees and hurried over. Old Chen pulled out a yellowed, timeworn book from his bosom.

“This is ‘Tang’s Mechanism Chronicle’—one of my prized ancient texts. I haven’t studied it deeply, but it’s full of trap secrets. Some techniques even require inner strength and martial skills. Of course, you can try out the simpler tricks if you aren’t an inner strength fighter.”

“Thank you, Old Chen.” An excited Li Che handed fifty copper coins to Chen Daba before accepting the book.

The moment his fingertips brushed the ancient pages,

the Dao Fruit [Xian Gong] deep within his chest…

beat wildly!

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