Chapter 89: A Fateful Night’s Gathering

After the banquet ended, Li Che returned to the courtyard with his family.

After soothing his wife and XiXi to sleep.

Li Che went into the courtyard; Old Chen was completely drunk and had already fallen asleep.

A man in blue sat quietly in the courtyard, absorbed in his book as a gentle night breeze caressed the space.

Though the night was dim, for Li Qingshan—whose eyesight was extraordinarily sharp—even the darkness revealed every detail.

“You’re back?”

Li Qingshan closed his book and remarked coolly.

“Phew!”

Li Che exhaled a strong scent of alcohol, purging the liquor from his body; his eyes were clear with not a trace of inebriation.

Now, his Qi and martial prowess had reached the pinnacle of his energy channels, making even strong drinks hardly affect him.

“After today, even though XiXi will officially join the Qianyuan Divine Sect, the entrance exam in the capital next February’s Vernal Equinox will be nothing more than a formality.”

Li Qingshan said with a smile.

“In five days, I plan to leave Feilei City. Without my deterrence and protection, unforeseen troubles might arise.”

“So, you all should prepare to leave and come with me when the time comes.”

“Five days later?”

Li Che was taken aback. “So soon?”

“I’ve stayed in Feilei City long enough, and now that I’ve revealed my status as the Divine Sect’s Guide, I can’t linger here any longer.”

“Jingguang Prefecture governs many cities, each with a Prodigy awaiting my guidance.”

Li Qingshan lightly patted his copy of Tang’s Mechanism Chronicle, which he had been studying these past days.

“Senior, aren’t you coming with us to the capital?” Li Che asked in confusion.

“Lu Chi will accompany you, but I must visit other cities. By next February’s Vernal Equinox, I’ll reach the capital to take the sect’s entrance exam… See you then.”

“XiXi is exceptionally talented; I’m determined to take her under my wing. I only fear that envious eyes might try to snatch her away. Besides… in the capital, the Imperial Court may also set their sights on her—a top-notch Prodigy indeed.”

“Imperial Court?”

“Exactly. Although the Dajing Temple Authority and the Great Jing Court have loosened restrictions to let noble families cultivate prodigies, when it comes to poaching a genius from the Divine Sect, they show no mercy.”

Li Qingshan let out a cold laugh.

“Poaching talent is normal in both the capital and the prefectural cities. They may promise enormous benefits, but once you’re inside the Temple Guardian Division, you’ll find that while rewards exist, surviving to claim them is what truly matters.”

“The Dajing Temple Authority is formidable—no weaker than any Divine Sect—but its casualty rate is extremely high. Every time they raid temples, gather benefits, and subdue the Temple Spirit, it costs lives.”

“I can only tell you so much; once in the capital, the decision is yours.”

Li Qingshan glanced at the dark night.

“Actually, my decision to leave in five days is calculated. Some are eager for my departure; only when I’m gone will they dare to reveal their true claws…”

“The disappearance of so many prodigies in Feilei City is linked to the Lingying Sect, and the Lingying Sect…”

Li Qingshan cast a sidelong glance at Li Che.

Li Che remained calm. “Related to the City Lord?”

“The City Lord, Cao Guang, is the head of the Lingying Sect… You know, many are already aware of this.”

“Honestly, I’d love to crush him with one blow, but I’m not capable just yet.”

“I keep most of my divine essence in the mountain gate to observe the Temple Spirit’s power, so relying solely on Grandmaster cultivation, I can’t kill Cao Guang. After all, my strongest asset is my divine essence.”

Li Che’s heart skipped a beat.

“Cao Guang… so powerful? Even with a similar Divine Foundation…”

“Divine Foundations vary in strength, depending on the techniques one practices and one’s martial body. Moreover, Cao Guang… is deeply problematic. He is likely tied to the Corpse God Sect, and that ‘Thousand Buddhas Carved Banquet’ shows his enormous ambition and appetite.”

Li Qingshan’s expression grew even more somber.

At his words, Li Che’s heart sank.

“Corpse God Sect? Another bizarre cult?”

“Senior, what exactly is the Corpse God Sect?”

“The Corpse God Sect is an infamous cult sweeping through Dajing. They venerate the practice of the Sanqing Corpse God’s Method of Consuming Essence, which allows one to absorb divine essence from corpses and transform it into one’s own. It is extremely sinister. While the high-level Sanqing divine techniques are never passed on, their simplified Corpse Consumption Technique has corrupted many cultivators…”

Li Qingshan glanced at Li Che, hesitated briefly, then divulged some secrets.

Li Che’s eyes narrowed as a buzzing sound filled his mind.

That description…

Why does it sound so familiar?!

The Sanqing Corpse God’s Method of Consuming Essence can absorb the divine essence of a corpse and convert it into one’s own?

How does that differ from his Thousand Analysis Hand absorbing divine essence to forge the Chess Sage Dao Fruit’s chess piece?

Li Che took a deep breath, his teeth grinding as a sour taste spread through his mouth.

“So wicked.”

Li Qingshan was not surprised by Li Che’s reaction; most react similarly upon hearing the Corpse God technique for the first time: “It is indeed evil—after all, it hails from the Sanqing Bizarre Temple’s divine methods. But I’ve heard it’s extremely challenging to master, and one risks losing oneself to become a creature neither human nor ghost.”

“Moreover, consuming divine essence can taint you with cadaverous energy, eventually transforming you into a walking corpse…”

“In short, Li Che, you must avoid the Corpse God Sect’s methods at all costs—once you even dabble in them, your cultivation will be ruined!”

“Once you experience the thrill of rapidly boosting your cultivation by devouring someone else’s divine essence…”

“And then, if you try to settle down and cultivate steadily, you’ll likely lose your resolve—your character will decay, and both your martial and cultivation paths will be forever blocked!”

Li Qingshan’s face grew extremely grave as he spoke with utmost seriousness.

He was advising Li Che, placing high hopes on him and urging him not to stray from the right path.

Cultivating the Corpse God Sect’s Corpse Consumption Technique shows no signs in its early and middle stages; only when cadaverous energy erupts and your resolve is completely eroded do the effects become evident—and by then, it’s too late.

Li Qingshan worried that Li Che might fall onto the wrong path.

But luckily…

Li Qingshan knew that although Li Che was known as the Ogre, his strength lay primarily in martial prowess; his divine essence was rather average.

If his divine essence were to spike dramatically, Li Qingshan would truly fear that Li Che had been seduced by the Corpse God Sect into practicing the Corpse Consumption Technique.

Li Che nodded incessantly like a little chick pecking at grains.

Yet inside, a subtle ripple of uncertainty stirred.

Does the combination of Thousand Analysis Hand and the Chess Sage Dao Fruit equate to the Sanqing Corpse God’s Method of Consuming Essence?

Thankfully, the divine chess piece refined from the Chess Sage Dao Fruit has no side effects and won’t cloud the mind.

Yet Li Che couldn’t shake the feeling that…

the demon might be nothing more than his own illusion.

……

……

Time slipped away like sand through fingers.

Three days passed quietly.

Perhaps upon hearing that Li Qingshan was about to leave, Feilei City visibly grew livelier over those three days.

Even the City Lord’s Residence began staging events for the ‘Thousand Buddhas Carved Banquet’, inviting several performance troupes to put on grand shows.

But Li Che had no time for the theatrics; he visited the black market to fetch the pre-purchased blood of three sacrificial animals and five livestock, then left Feilei City and returned to his Bamboo Tower.

From Yang Family Elder, he had acquired the “Jiuyiao Heart-Stunned and Firm Divine Foundation Method”.

Although Li Che had extracted divine essence from Yang Family Elder to form a chess piece, refining it to the level of Yangxing Ruhe would take several months.

Thus, the Heart-Stunned and Firm Divine Foundation had no chance to be forged for now.

But Li Che’s 【Fen Nu Mi Tuo】 divine essence had already reached the pinnacle of Yangxing Ruhe, so attempting to forge his Divine Foundation was not out of the question.

Grabbing his carving knife, he seized the last piece of ‘Linghua Willow’ spiritual wood. His inner Qi surged through his meridians and flowed into the wood, causing water vapor to rise.

Moments later, a faint glow shimmered on the Linghua Willow as all the water evaporated, fully unleashing the wood’s spiritual essence.

This process consumed a considerable amount of his inner Qi.

No wonder only a master woodcarver using spiritual wood could perform such a feat; most masters, having honed their martial cultivation over decades, possessed enough inner Qi to evaporate the moisture from the wood.

Sitting in his wooden chair, Li Che recalled the woodcarving designs passed down by the Temple Spirit.

In the next moment, his carving knife flashed out as Li Che gripped it tightly; it slithered over the Linghua Willow like a serpent, leaving bright white sparks in its wake.

Wood shavings fell in a flurry, scattering across the Bamboo Tower’s courtyard.

Li Che was utterly focused, his mind sharply attuned as the knife sliced through the wood, etching a few rough lines that revealed the figure’s entire form.

The 【Xiangong】 Dao Fruit had granted him exceptional skill—crafting intricate woodcarvings was second nature now.

In roughly two hours, Li Che finished carving and polishing the final statue.

“The Third Statue: the Three-Eyed, Furious True Sovereign Spirit Infant Statue…”

Li Che erupted with a thunderous exhalation, sending wood shavings swirling off the statue to reveal its vivid likeness.

With three glaring eyes, it sat composed on a lotus dais, its robes billowing and its hair tied in braids.

The other two statues, equally fierce in expression, assumed different dynamic poses.

Li Che stood up, stretching his muscles as he restored his Qi and expanded his physique.

Within his meridians, Qi roared and surged. His entire aura brimmed with strength as he slowly practiced the White Tiger Turbulent Wind Fist, refining his body with each deliberate movement.

Even without activating Vajra Transformation, his muscles were extraordinarily defined; beneath his tight black attire, they pulsed with explosive power with every move, as inner Qi bulged like scurrying rodents.

As he gradually wound down his movements, his Qi peaked, though his physical conditioning had reached a plateau.

“My Qi and martial arts have reached the pinnacle of my energy channels—there is no further to go…”

Li Che exhaled forcefully, unleashing a gust like a hurricane through the courtyard.

This only reinforced his resolve to forge his Divine Foundation.

Moreover, with his impending journey to the capital—where masters abound and dangers multiply—a breakthrough in his Divine Foundation would bolster his confidence against future perils.

“Tomorrow—one day before leaving the city—come here to forge your Divine Foundation.”

He arranged all his prepared items neatly.

With a flick of his fingers, a white divine chess piece leaped into the Bamboo Tower.

In the next moment, his fingers clenched tightly.

The Feilei Chess Sage returned to the city.

……

……

Night had deepened into silence.

A cold wind was whistling.

A sudden drop in temperature brought a delicate dusting of snow that cloaked the earth in a silvery veil.

The clatter of wheels crushed the snow on the blue stones, kicking up clouds of flakes.

Pulling back the curtain, a weary Xu You in white stepped out of the carriage, exhaling a puff of white vapor.

“Alright, the carriage can stop here. You should head back; I’ll be home tomorrow…”

Xu You instructed the Xu Ji carriage driver.

“Third Shopkeeper, you should also get some rest—it’s been a tiring stretch,” the driver said respectfully before whipping the horses and driving off.

With a sword strapped to his waist and snow dusting his dark hair, Xu You glanced at the now unfamiliar Feilei City and shook his head quietly.

On his way back, the driver had told him about the recent changes in Feilei City.

The Yang Family had been annihilated by the Ogre, even their Divine Foundation Patriarch slain; the An Family, frightened out of their wits, moved out overnight; the Si Family fell into obscurity, and the Xu Family emerged as the leading gentry of Feilei City.

It all felt utterly surreal…

Xu You hadn’t expected so much to unfold in his absence from the city.

Moreover, with the Divine Sect’s Guide arriving, XiXi turned out to be an extraordinary Prodigy—shocking many. And master woodcarver Li Che, at only twenty-two, had completely stunned the city.

Meanwhile, Xu You learned that Li Che’s family was preparing to move to the capital to participate in the Divine Sect’s entrance exam next February’s Vernal Equinox.

“Does this mean we’re parting ways for good?”

Xu You exhaled deeply amid the swirling snow and returned to Xu Ji Courtyard.

No one greeted him; no one cared whether he was back or not.

He entered his own courtyard; thick piles of snow had accumulated exactly as they had been when he left.

There was no sign of warmth or life.

Sitting down, he grabbed the teapot—only to find it empty.

Xu You stared in disbelief; back when his mother was still alive, he’d always returned from the Divine Cultivation Institute to find hot tea and warm meals awaiting him.

He sat alone in his room for nearly half an hour.

He was waiting for his father to call him.

But no one came—his return seemed to mean nothing at all.

With a bitter smile, Xu You wondered what he had really been expecting.

Shaking his head, he got up, locked the door, strapped on his sword, and left.

He departed Xu Ji Courtyard, heading straight toward Li Che’s residence.

At the gate, he could already hear the excited, frantic screams of XiXi at play.

He knocked on the door.

The moment Xu You stepped into the alley, Li Che sensed his presence.

So, as soon as Xu You knocked, the door swung open.

Clad in sleek black attire, Li Che smiled at the tired Xu You. “Back already?”

“Uncle Xu You—!”

A high-pitched scream rang out as XiXi dashed into the courtyard, coming to a stop before Xu You with wide, sparkling eyes.

She reveled in the lively atmosphere, a stark contrast to her own cold, empty home.

Xu You’s lips twitched into an unconscious smile.

“Haven’t eaten yet? Perfect, Old Chen is here too. Let’s have a drink together.”

“Sure!” Xu You replied cheerfully.

Shaking the snow off his clothes, he stepped into the neat, tidy courtyard.

Under the eaves of the courtyard,

a charcoal stove radiated warmth as it boiled water with a gentle gurgle.

Old Chen, carrying a jar of prized wine, stepped out of the house and waved at Xu You.

……

……

Xu Ji Courtyard.

The Xu Family Old Master sat upright in a grand chair, her aged face flushed with a sickly rosy tint as she coughed intermittently.

A whiff of decay emanated from her.

Below,

Xu Nanming stood respectfully, with Xu Helil silently bowing by his side.

“Is Xu You back?”

the Xu Family Old Master whispered.

Xu Nanming nodded. “The forces sent out to cleanse the evil spirits born from the dissipated divine essence of the Temple Spirit at the Bizarre Temple have just returned.”

“Won’t you, as his father, comfort him a bit? After all, he is your son,” the Old Master chided with a glance.

Xu Nanming’s expression remained unmoved.

“He was merely a sacrificial pawn; there’s nothing to console. His fate was sealed long ago…”

“Just as you, father, never comforted your elder son back then…”

Xu Nanming’s tone was calm.

Xu Helil dared not utter a word, remaining silent.

This secret was being heard by him for the first time.

“Your elder brother… I failed him…”

The Xu Family Old Master’s eyes clouded as she softly sighed.

Xu Nanming shook his head. “No, it isn’t that I failed him—I couldn’t break through to a Divine Foundation… all the fault is mine.”

Xu Helil trembled slightly at his words.

Xu Nanming turned to look at Xu Helil.

“Helil, don’t follow in my footsteps. You must honor your third brother by breaking through to a Divine Foundation…”

“Only then will you not let him down.”

“Understood?”

His clear words echoed through the room.

Xu Helil looked up and exhaled a heavy breath.

His body steadied as he nodded.

“Father, I understand.”

……

……

The next day.

The mountains on the horizon were shrouded in veils of white mist.

A light, hazy rain mingled with flakes of winter snow.

After a well-rested sleep, Li Che rose and went straight to his study. Gripping a key chess piece, he headed to the bamboo tower outside the city.

The bamboo tower was serene; a gentle breeze mixed with winter rain rustled the bamboo leaves incessantly, like the sound of rolling waves.

After a night of recuperation, Li Che’s spirit, energy, and vitality were at their peak.

First, braving the misty rain and snow around the tower, he recalibrated the numerous hidden traps and mechanisms before returning inside.

He fetched a censer, lit incense, and watched as the curling smoke merged with the air.

Then, he used his inner Qi to liquefy the prepared blood of three sacrificial animals and five livestock, neatly pouring it into a white bowl.

Li Che brought out the three carved statues of the Three-Eyed, Furious True Sovereign Spirit Infant.

They were arranged at three points, forming a triangular setup.

After setting everything up, Li Che sat cross-legged at the center.

The moment he sat down, he felt a profound shift. The divine essence in the universe seemed to boil as an unseen force pulled it toward him.

“Is this… a formation?”

Li Che couldn’t help but feel curious.

It resembled a ritualistic formation used in ceremonies; once established, it would draw in divine essence.

His mind stirred.

He projected the celestial chessboard of the 【Chess Sage】 Dao Fruit, ever alert to his surroundings so that any intruder would be detected immediately.

Having set everything in place, Li Che slowly exhaled a breath.

Seated on his meditation cushion, his mind replayed the intricate details of the Three-Eyed, Furious True Sovereign Divine Foundation Method.

Moments later, Li Che abruptly opened his eyes.

Qi and blood surged as his muscles tensed and bulged, as if his very body expanded.

His formidable physique was shrouded in a blood-tinged mist.

Li Che’s eyes flashed like lightning; his dark hair flowed wildly as he assumed a fierce ‘Furious’ stance!

He raised his hand, tapping his forehead at the center.

An image of a swirling mud pellet exploded into view!

A torrent of divine essence surged forth like a raging river, accompanied by the clamor of crashing water!

The blood in the bowl began disappearing at a noticeable pace, as if being sucked dry by an invisible force.

And the Spirit Infant wooden carving placed at those three points

suddenly turned blood-red!

Then, it erupted with a piercing, furious roar!

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