Chapter 85: Crimson Shadows

The biting wind howled as the falling rain turned to ice.

At the mouth of the alley, a thick, intermingled scent of blood permeated the air, strikingly pungent.

Cao Qingyuan charged forward; his formidable aura struck the air with such force that a moaning rush echoed. He landed at the alley’s entrance, catching the acrid smell of blood even before stepping inside.

The pavement lay in ruins—much of Long Street’s blue bricks were fractured, bearing the lasting scars of a fierce battle.

He stepped into the alley.

Underfoot, there wasn’t rainwater but a sticky, crimson pool of blood.

So much blood had been spilled that even the puddles were stained red!

When Cao Qingyuan saw the corpse of Yang Jing, a Divine Foundation cultivator of the Yang Family, his expression darkened even further.

Even a veteran by the sight of corpses couldn’t help but feel a rising surge of revulsion at that moment.

The way Yang Jing died… was simply too horrific!

His body was riddled with countless gaping wounds; his blood had been entirely drained, and his head was blasted to pieces.

The methods alone were chilling, sending shivers down anyone’s spine.

“That Ogre… is truly vicious, utterly ruthless…”

“No wonder he earned that nickname—Ogre! A real demon!”

“He’s not even a hero—he doesn’t deserve any trace of true valor!”

Cao Qingyuan drew a deep breath, resting his hand on the knife at his waist as his aura wavered.

Fighting back his revulsion, he hefted the rotting mass that was Yang Jing’s corpse. He hadn’t even wanted to do this, but his father, the City Lord, had ordered him to retrieve it… so he had no choice.

“How pitiful and tragic—a Divine Foundation cultivator who stood for a hundred years in Feilei City meets such a miserable end…”

“The Yang Family is doomed—every top fighter wiped out, and their Divine Foundation Patriarch perishing in such a gruesome manner. Yang Family… is finished.”

Cao Qingyuan shook his head.

Reflecting carefully, he wondered: what had the Yang Family done wrong?

It didn’t seem like they’d done anything at all…

All it took was agreeing to help the City Lord capture that Prodigy from the Xu Family, and they were set on a path to ruin.

“Ogre single-handedly slaughtered the entire Yang Family!”

“It all began when they went to the Xu Family to capture the Prodigy…”

Cao Qingyuan narrowed his eyes. Li Che’s daughter—the top-tier Prodigy…

“What a pity…”

Boom—!

A surge of energy pulsed as Cao Qingyuan hoisted Yang Jing’s blood-soaked corpse and vanished into the alley.

……

……

Golden light flowed as if his pupils were aglow with molten gold.

His flesh and blood surged and boiled, crashing against him like a raging tide against a rocky bank.

The Dao Fruit [Dragon Elephant Vajra] finally reached LV3, evolving in a metamorphosis that birthed the embryonic form of its divine technique.

The nascent divine technique…

Dragon Elephant Vajra: Ascend the Tower!

This was the transformation Li Che had long awaited. Compared to the Dao Fruit [Xian Gong], the evolution of Dragon Elephant Vajra was much more arduous—it was a slow grind.

It mainly required intense, adrenaline-charged battles.

In the heat of combat, the Dao Fruit matured rapidly!

In fact, Li Che’s swift progress with the [Xian Gong] Dao Fruit was largely thanks to the insights gleaned from Tang’s Mechanism Chronicle.

The chronicle recorded various mechanisms that Li Che internalized and attempted to replicate – a tremendous boost in experience for [Xian Gong].

Hence, his Xian Gong advanced at an astonishing pace.

“The nascent divine technique… Ascend the Tower?”

Li Che’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

Different Dao Fruits yield distinct embryonic divine techniques—but can these nascent forms evolve into true divine power?

Li Che couldn’t help but look forward to the moment when they fully transformed.

“Perhaps once the Dao Fruit reaches LV4 or LV5, the divine technique will finally evolve?”

Li Che pondered silently.

A stirring in his heart sent the Dao Fruit [Dragon Elephant Vajra] pulsing within his chest—each beat like a burst of fierce, blazing flame!

【Nascent Divine Technique (Dragon Elephant Vajra: Ascend the Tower): Boiling Divine Essence, Ascending Flesh, Perfect Transmutation, Let the Gods Stand in Awe】

A line of golden inscriptions materialized before his eyes.

Frowning in confusion, Li Che found the inscription perplexing.

After a brief sensation, Li Che chose not to activate [Ascend the Tower] in his study. However, feeling the nearly boiling energy in his blood, he speculated that [Ascend the Tower] provided a state boost far stronger than the Dao Fruit’s inherent “Vajra Transformation”!

The Angry Gaze Vajra Transformation was already immensely powerful…

It even allowed Li Che’s qi and blood cultivation to leap from the Qi Vein stage straight into the Profound Vein. So if [Ascend the Tower] activated… might it push him directly into the Divine Vein level?

Li Che couldn’t be sure, but his heart pounded with excitement.

“LV3 Dragon Elephant Vajra… offers a huge boost to qi and blood cultivation. Even without relying on the nascent divine technique, its benefits for me are enormous…”

Li Che’s eyes gleamed brightly.

Yet, he gradually subdued his excitement, moving on from dispatching Yang Family Elder to using the [Feilei Chess Piece] coordinate anchor in his study to return there.

Li Che moved with such speed that he beat Cao Qingyuan and the others back to the courtyard.

He wasn’t rushing out of intent—the killing of Yang Jing took hardly any time; moreover, using the Feilei Chess Piece to escape had been part of his long-set plan.

Whether his identity as Ogre was exposed or not, Li Che no longer cared.

With Li Qingshan—a formidable Divine Sect expert—stepping in, the safety of his 22-year-old Prodigy and the daughter of a top-tier Prodigy was assured.

He pointed his sword skyward in a swift arc, slicing through the air as if tearing it open.

From the tear in the atmosphere, a piece of Qian Kun Jade, etched with intricate patterns, emerged into his hand.

This was the Qian Kun Jade of Yang Family Elder; its superior quality was evident—far surpassing the jade Li Che had previously acquired from Si Mu Bai, Yang Kaihe, and others.

“A higher quality Qian Kun Jade?”

A flicker of interest crossed Li Che’s features. In the next moment, the Dao Fruit [Pure Heart] trembled, its pristine divine essence erupting and engulfing the high-grade Qian Kun Jade.

Rumbling…

Li Che sensed the Dao Fruit [Pure Heart] vibrating at an insanely high frequency before it devoured and refined Yang Family Elder’s Qian Kun Jade, causing his Qiankun Space to expand dramatically!

Once no larger than a modest room, his Qiankun Space had now grown to the size of a basketball court!

A smile tugged at Li Che’s lips as he marveled: how many Gold Leaves would it take to fill such a vast space?

Defeating foes wasn’t the point—the true pleasure was in cataloging their wealth.

After all, this was the hard-earned reward of his skill, and feeling elated was only natural.

“Twenty gold ingots, a thousand Gold Leaves, 5,460 taels of silver…”

Li Che’s eyes shone as he tallied the wealth of a Divine Foundation cultivator—mere trinkets that were enough to astound him.

It was a fortune that ordinary people could never dream of in a lifetime!

Yet now, Li Che had grown far more accustomed to handling such riches.

Shifting his gaze, he began to inventory the rest.

“Huh?”

With a grasp of his fingers, a long spear etched with red patterns emerged from his Qiankun Space and landed in his hand.

The instant he clutched the spear, his head buzzed incessantly!

A bloodcurdling scream echoed in his ears, as if it might pierce his eardrums and shatter his very soul!

“This is…”

“A divine weapon!”

Li Che’s gaze hardened.

Divine Weapon!

Infused with divine essence, it boasted an uncanny sharpness and capabilities that rendered it priceless.

For divine cultivators, nurturing techniques, divine wood carvings, and divine weapons were the ultimate treasures!

Until now, Li Che had never laid eyes on a divine weapon—whether with Si Mu Bai, Yang Kaihe, Zhao Xuanhai, or Zhou Ruoguan, none had ever possessed one.

Even Zhao Xuanhai’s Smooth Iron Long Blade couldn’t be counted as a divine weapon!

Suddenly, his palm glowed with a jade hue—Immortal Craft: Qianxi Hand!

Unexpected information began streaming into Li Che’s mind.

……

【Divine Weapon (Jiuyiao Premium): Blood-Streaked Dread Spear】

【Craft: Forged from a century-old cold iron, blended with the blood of the demon bird “Dread,” infused with startling divine essence, and tempered through a thousand searing strikes. It channels the “Dread Divine Essence” – with every thrust, all are left in awe!】

【Wielded by: the Dread Divine Essence Technique, Yangxing Ruhe and above】

……

As Li Che absorbed the data parsed by his Qianxi Hand, he was momentarily stunned—he hadn’t expected Qianxi Hand to possess such capabilities.

It could even decipher the divine weapon’s name and forging process.

Perhaps this was the true key to unlocking Qianxi Hand’s potential?

A Jiuyiao Premium divine weapon!

Li Che drew a deep breath; truly, as a Divine Foundation cultivator, his assets far surpassed those of paupers like Zhao Xuanhai.

“When he battled me, why didn’t he use this divine weapon? Was he careless? Or perhaps… because at that time Yang Family Elder’s consciousness had been overtaken by his divine essence, leaving him unable to activate it?”

Li Che’s eyes flickered as the thought raced through his mind.

Had his foe employed the divine weapon, Yang Jing’s strength might have been greater—and he might not have met such a gruesome end.

But that was all hindsight now…

This Dread Spear now bears the name Li!

Besides the divine weapon, Li Che unexpectedly discovered several rare materials. Among them was a piece of the ‘Blood and Flesh Red’ spirit wood needed to craft Bodhi Blood Tears, along with various other types—clearly intended for carving divine wood sculptures.

Even at the Divine Foundation stage, one couldn’t do without divine wood carvings—the only difference being the demand for a higher standard.

Just as martial training requires pills, divine cultivation demands sacred objects.

He secured the divine weapon and the assortment of spirit woods.

Li Che continued his inventory.

“Is that… the Divine Foundation Method?!”

‘Jiuyiao Xin E Jing Gang Divine Foundation Forging Method’!

A Jiuyiao-level method for forging the Divine Foundation!

What a treasure!

Nurturing techniques were precious, but the Divine Foundation Method… was even more so!

It was the hidden gem that every illustrious family guarded—Li Che hadn’t even found it in the Yang Family treasury; it turned out Yang Family Elder carried it on his person!

With this Divine Foundation Forging Method, Li Che felt a surge of certainty—at least he now had a path to forge his own Divine Foundation in the future.

He sensed within the Dao Fruit [Chess Sage] that it had absorbed 81 black Divine Foundation chess pieces from Yang Jing’s corpse.

Additionally, there was a Divine Foundation Fragment infused with overwhelming [Xin E Jing Gang] divine essence—enough to propel him swiftly to the Yangxing Ruhe stage.

After tallying his gains, Li Che found himself surrounded by an array of treasures.

He stored everything in his expanded Qiankun Space, then walked to the window to feel the winter rain mixed with snow spray on his face.

Gradually, his tumultuous emotions subsided and settled into calm.

He returned to his study, intent on testing the enhanced martial talents granted by his upgraded Dao Fruit [Dragon Elephant Vajra].

He took a meditation mat, sat cross-legged, and then tore open his Qiankun Space—allowing a jade bottle to fall into his hand.

“Python Blood Martial Pill.”

He poured out a single scarlet pill. Li Che opened his mouth and swallowed it whole; it descended like a heavy rock, thudding from his throat into his stomach.

Boom—!

In an instant, his stomach transformed into an inferno as his qi and blood began to boil uncontrollably!

The surge spread through his limbs and bones, pounding his acupoints and meridians!

……

……

City Lord’s Residence.

Hot, swirling vapor twisted and rose within the grand hall.

Cao Qingyuan’s great-uncle, Cao He – another Divine Foundation initiate of the City Lord’s Residence.

He had shed his clothes, baring a chest marked by deep palm prints. His overwhelming Master-level True Qi coiled like a venomous snake over his wounds, preventing them from healing.

With his eyes closed, Cao He clutched a Three-Eyed Spirit Child statue. Streams of dark divine essence emanated from it as he ingested them to mend his injuries.

Cao Qingyuan stood by with his eyes downcast.

Before him lay the mutilated corpse of Yang Jing.

Cao Guang strolled with his hands behind his back, admiring the corpse riddled with countless holes—its blood completely drained, leaving scarcely any metallic scent in the air.

“What a sight—Ogre, with so little cultivation, can slay a Divine Foundation cultivator… and poor Yang Jing, reduced to nothing more than a stepping stone for this Ogre.”

“A technique that uses mere cultivation to kill Divine Foundation—no wonder tales of the Ogre will spread across the martial world.”

Cao Guang exclaimed in admiration.

Cao Qingyuan suddenly looked up, his eyes flickering as he asked, “Father, is that Ogre… Li Che?”

“Whether he is or isn’t is no longer important…”

“Li Che—and his daughter—we can’t touch them for now…” Cao Guang shook his head slightly.

Is Li Che really the Ogre?

That question no longer held any meaning for Cao Guang.

“Is it because of the newcomer from the Qianyuan Divine Sect?”

After a moment of silence, Cao Qingyuan asked.

“Even though it was only a master from a branch, after all, it is the Qianyuan Divine Sect—the top sect on Lingnan Path. Their status needs no introduction.”

“And the newcomer is none other than Li Qingshan…”

Cao Guang reached out and gently touched the corpse of Yang Jing, riddled with wounds.

“Is Li Qingshan… really that famous?”

Hearing Cao Qingyuan’s inquiry, Cao Guang took a deep breath and shot him a look.

“I should have sent you to Yunzhou sooner to broaden your horizons… then you wouldn’t be asking such questions.”

Cao Guang shook his head slightly.

Cao Qingyuan paused.

“Just say I lack experience—the roundabout criticism is a bit hurtful.”

“Have you ever heard of the Yunzhou Divine Foundation Register?” Cao Guang, his fingers probing a spot on Yang Jing’s corpse, asked coolly.

Divine Foundation Register!

Cao Qingyuan took a deep breath: “Is Li Qingshan among the elite on the Divine Foundation Register?”

“The Divine Foundation Register is issued by the Great Jing Court’s Imperial Watch, ranking the martial world’s elite across the lands. It even includes a Divine Image Chart—those listed have forged their Divine Foundation and nurtured their Divine Image to at least the Four Emperors level…”

“Li Qingshan is among Yunzhou’s top ten cultivators in the Divine Foundation Register—a master with a perfect Divine Foundation, now preparing his Divine Image!”

Cao Guang, eyes closed, murmured, “I never expected that this year’s envoy from Yunzhou’s Qianyuan branch would be Li Qingshan…”

“To shatter through the Divine Foundation and perceive one’s Divine Image requires pooling divine essence to view the temple god’s true form. During that period, divine essence must remain undisturbed. Li Qingshan’s Divine Image never descended—without extra essence, he must rely on his Master-level body. No wonder…”

“We are lucky… or else we would have been crushed long ago.”

“This Li Qingshan, known as the Yunzhou Hammer King, wields the Divine Weapon Purple-Gold Hammer—he’s shattered countless opponents’ skulls. His reputation is fearsome indeed.”

“Lucky break, I guess.”

Cao Guang exhaled.

“So, Li Che and his top-tier Prodigy daughter are untouchable for now.”

“Whether Li Che is the Ogre or not, since Li Qingshan has revealed himself to protect him, we dare not make a move.”

“The Thousand Buddha Carving Banquet must be expedited…”

“I worry that Li Qingshan is plotting to hammer my head.”

Suddenly.

Cao Guang abruptly opened his eyes, his brows knitted into a ‘river’ shape.

“Huh?!”

“Something’s not right!”

“What about Yang Jing’s divine essence? Why is there not a drop left in his body?!”

Cao Guang’s divine essence surged, battering him as his five fingers clenched tightly.

With a resounding ‘bang’…

Yang Jing’s massive, contorted corpse exploded into fragments—flesh and bone scattering throughout the hall.

Nearby, Cao Qingyuan was splattered with debris, leaving him momentarily stunned.

Meanwhile, Cao Guang appeared visibly enraged.

“Who did this?”

“Who devoured every drop of divine essence from Yang Jing’s body?! Could there still be one of our sect in Feilei City?! No… this shouldn’t be…”

“Is it the Ogre?!”

“Could this Ogre possibly be one of our own?!”

Third Update—12,000 words. Please subscribe and support with monthly votes! The new book phase is over; next up will be recommendations for new releases and a PK battle. Old Li’s explosive update—everyone, help him keep the streak going!