Chapter 90: Whispers of Divine Fury

A piercing shriek tore through the calm as raindrops in the courtyard burst into a misty vapor.

Inside the house.

Within, scorching energy surged while his blood qi blazed like an oven—even as a chill seemed to rise.

Inside the incense burner, twisted columns of smoke shot skyward before being torn apart by the high winds.

The three wooden carvings were stained with blood, as if soaked in a pool of it. A dense, iron scent spread, making them seem alive as they emitted piercing, furious wails.

The blood from the three sacrificial animals, five livestock, and eight great bowls appeared to be drained in an instant.

At that moment, the scene grew undeniably bizarre.

Li Che sat cross-legged, his meditative mud pellet at his brow rhythmically opening and closing as the ‘Fen Nu Mi Tuo’ divine aura surged like a raging river, flooding the space around him.

Intertwined by an unseen force, it continuously gathered, amassing without pause.

It felt as though water gurgled around Li Che, threatening to engulf his senses and leave him breathless.

Every inch of his skin was drenched by the divine torrent as his senses soared, clearly perceiving the essence seeping through his pores, into every muscle, bone, and bit of flesh.

Then, as if a gaping maw had opened, the divine aura began to devour his flesh!

Whoosh—

Suck—

All in time with a single exhale.

Li Che could only feel his flesh growing unbearably hot, as the divine essence transformed into countless streams of molten iron that seared his body as if intent on incinerating him completely!

Most importantly…

This was no illusion!

The divine aura was truly consuming his flesh and burning his body!

Blazing with fury!

It scorched his tendons and burned his bones!

Countless strands of divine essence, like malignant growths on bone, pierced through his honed, tiger-like sinews. Frowning, Li Che invoked the ‘Eight Extremes Three-Eyed Fen Nu True Lord Divine Foundation Technique’ to draw the ethereal power back into his inner realm.

Yet, the moment the divine aura retracted into his meditation pellet realm, it would madly surge forth along the divine stream, forcing him to continuously reel it back in.

This process pushed his physical limits; if his flesh couldn’t withstand the burning onslaught, it would be completely overrun, leaving him a puppet of divine force!

A flash of insight struck Li Che—no wonder Li Qingshan had claimed that to forge a divine foundation one needs the blood and qi cultivation of the Xuanmai level and a body refined to that standard to withstand wave after wave of divine impact.

Forging the divine foundation was indeed perilous…

A single misstep could shatter even his grasp on his body, severely depleting his vital energy and leaving the divine essence in tatters.

“I actually feel as though it’s akin to swallowing a dozen martial pills at once—releasing their entire potency in one grueling process.”

It reminded him of the explosion when he first ingested the Python Blood Martial Pill, the surge from within setting his qi and blood ablaze—almost identical to what he now experienced.

Of course, differences remained.

After all, one was divine essence, the other medicinal potency.

Time slipped by as the divine aura eroded his flesh, while his inner qi surged, clashing like two ferocious beasts vying for control within his body.

This relentless collision between divine essence and inner qi was a true trial of his physical endurance.

Buzz—

The mingling forces, carried along his boiling blood through the minor circulation, repeatedly scoured his fragile meridians.

Sizzle…

Gradually, Li Che felt a pain like skin being peeled and muscles cramping, with sweat beading on his forehead.

Deep within, an inexplicable surge of anger began to well up!

Rage erupted from every fiber of his being, like a volcano at its peak, surging upward to pound against his mind!

It threatened to invade his very nerve fibers!

The divine essence… is invading his brain!

It’s trying to penetrate his mind!

This was unbearable!

Alarmed, Li Che realized that his brain was the most intricate and mysterious part of the body!

Any damage there would be unforgivable!

According to the Divine Foundation Technique, this should be the final trial!

If he could endure it, the divine aura would subside and consolidate into his divine foundation wheel.

Hurriedly, Li Che mobilized the qi in his dantian, channeling it before the celestial gateway in his mind to fend off the divine onslaught!

Boom—!

The impact roared like the collision of heaven and earth, as if a massive bell had struck right beside his ears!

Dizzy and seeing stars, his vision blurred!

No sooner had he regained composure than the Fen Nu Mi Tuo aura gathered a second surge, crashing at him like a rabid, howling beast.

This impact was even more deafening, akin to a divine thunderclap in spring!

Li Che’s entire body trembled slightly.

Once again, the divine aura gathered like a raging river, launching a third, crushing blow!

It was like a torrent rising three thousand feet high—a mighty, inverted river!

Boom—!

The countless collisions of inner qi and divine essence made him feel as if the heavens and earth were collapsing!

His head buzzed incessantly.

It felt both fleeting and unbearably long.

Li Che slowly opened his eyes; his scarlet body gradually calmed, though the massive tendons on his back still trembled like a restless serpent.

Within his meditation pellet realm, the raging ‘Fen Nu Mi Tuo’ energy vanished, replaced by a smooth, circular platform.

Evenly thick and flat like a compressed cylinder, it was purely formed of divine essence.

Yet the aura radiating from it was far more potent than the earlier power.

A single thread of this new essence equated to ten, even a hundred threads of the old.

Within his inner space, the divine essences of ‘Chencu Baigui’ and ‘Xin E Jing Gang’ were forcefully suppressed.

The ‘Three-Eyed Fen Nu True Lord Divine Foundation’

Eight Extremes Supreme Grade!

A transformation in rank!

……

……

Li Che exhaled, his stream of qi slicing through the air like a razor’s edge.

In that instant, his divine foundation wheel, resembling a grinding millstone, manifested behind his head, inseparable from him.

The wrathful divine aura in the cosmos swirled like moths drawn to light, merging continuously with the wheel to empower it further.

“The forging of the divine foundation wheel is complete—you’ve reached the initial stage of the divine foundation. But do not be complacent. As described in the technique, newly forged foundations can collapse and higher-level ones may backfire on their masters. Time is needed to steady it…”

“A common Ten Capital foundation wheel stabilizes in around ten days, Nine Luminary ones take thirty days, and an Eight Extremes foundation wheel requires a hundred days!”

A slight smile tugged at Li Che’s lips.

He opened his eyes, his gaze gleaming like a spotless mirror reflecting the cosmos.

To his amazement, his senses had sharpened, extending their reach up to an astonishing ten meters.

“Is this what they call ‘Divine Perception’? Is it because the divine essence has impacted the gateway of my mind?”

Li Che gleefully toyed with his Divine Perception, exploring it like a child with a new toy.

It was entirely different from the all-seeing perspective granted by his Chess Sage Dao Fruit’s celestial chessboard.

The Celestial Chessboard offered an overhead view of everything,

requiring only a fraction of divine essence to glimpse its secrets.

Divine Perception, on the other hand, cost no divine essence—it was an evolved extension of his senses, as natural as a bodily function.

Compared to merely nurturing one’s nature, reaching the divine foundation realm was a tremendous transformation.

Then, suddenly, Li Che detected the faint sound of shattering near his ears.

The three spirit-infant wooden carvings, having absorbed the blood of sacrificial animals and livestock, began to crack beneath their desiccated, bloodstained surfaces before shattering completely.

Three surges of divine aura burst forth and flowed into his foundation wheel.

Sensing them, Li Che couldn’t help but be astonished.

They turned out to be three distinct techniques.

One divine secret technique, one divine martial art…

And one that advanced his divine foundation further…

a unified forging method!

……

……

Feilei City, Inner City.

After breaking through his divine foundation, Li Che clutched a divine chess piece as he returned to his study.

Seated in a chair, a smile tugged at his lips.

In just three years—from merely nurturing his nature to forging his divine foundation—few in Feilei City, or even Jingguang City, could match his pace.

He then closed his eyes, linking his mind with his divine foundation wheel, where enigmatic characters seemed to appear.

They were the techniques transmitted by the shattered spirit-infant wooden carvings.

It was like a sacrificial method that rewarded him with new techniques after transcending his foundation.

The divine secret technique ‘Fen Nu True Lord Killing Gaze’ and the divine martial art ‘Fen Nu True Lord Three-Blade Saber’!

The three statues had bestowed upon him three methods!

Additionally, the unified forging method of the divine foundation, already understood through the Thousand Analysis Hand, was now clear.

Both the divine secret technique and the divine martial art were of Eight Extremes lower grade—a fact that utterly delighted Li Che.

Of course, a higher rank meant a tougher cultivation path.

Yet the divine secret technique did give Li Che a headache.

But with his Dragon Elephant Vajra Dao Fruit at hand, the divine martial art posed no threat.

With a joyful smile, he retracted his Divine Perception from the foundation wheel.

His mind stirred.

[Dao Fruit: Pure Heart (LV2 0%)]

He observed the information displayed in shimmering lights.

In high spirits, Li Che forged the ‘Three-Eyed Fen Nu True Lord Divine Foundation,’ which dramatically accelerated the maturation of his Pure Heart Dao Fruit, shattering previous limits to reach LV2 status.

“It seems that besides gradually accumulating Pure Heart divine aura, forging the divine foundation is a rapid way to boost a Dao Fruit’s maturity. Forge a few more rounds, and the Pure Heart Dao Fruit might even reach LV3 and display its nascent divine abilities, right?”

“I wonder what kind of divine ability the Pure Heart will eventually manifest?”

A curious itch stirred within Li Che.

Moreover, with his Pure Heart Dao Fruit at LV2, he discovered it could completely mask the aura of his divine foundation.

The Dragon Elephant Vajra Dao Fruit could harness blood and qi; the Pure Heart could contain divine essence; the Chess Sage Dao Fruit could survey terrain; and the Xiangong Dao Fruit could craft hidden weapons…

What a fine setup!

Summing it all up, Li Che felt he was treading ever deeper along the path of Old Yin Bi.

……

……

As night fell, the temperature plummeted and snow drifted across the land.

Sleeping soundly, XiXi suddenly caught the enticing aroma of a fragrant chicken leg and instinctively opened her eyes.

She found herself in a wood shed.

A towering, mountain-like figure wearing a cute Cow Mask and clutching a chicken leg loomed before her.

XiXi beamed with delight as she fixed her gaze on the leg. “Master Niu Niu! I missed you so much!”

Ogre: “…”

He stuffed the chicken leg into her hands, his qi surging to dispel the cold around her.

Then he produced a specially crafted miniature Nanmu Gatling Muduya, equipped with three thousand Muduya rounds, designed just for XiXi.

“Use it for protection,” he said in a deep, resonant voice.

Seeing the impressive weapon, XiXi couldn’t take her eyes off it—soon, even the chicken leg lost its appeal.

After quickly devouring the leg, she cradled the Nanmu Gatling, delighted beyond measure—now she could happily set off fireworks again!

Ogre squatted his mighty frame and gently patted XiXi’s head.

“Safety is paramount. If you ever face danger, just call Master Niu Niu, and he will appear at once,” he assured her.

XiXi embraced the imposing figure and nodded cheerfully.

“Master Niu Niu, if Dad spanks me when I misbehave, will you come rescue me?” she asked, blinking playfully.

Ogre: “…”

“You’re really going to wear out your dear old father!”

“I’ll make a note of that in my little notebook!”

“Remember, if you don’t call Master Niu Niu when danger strikes, your fireworks will be confiscated!”

Grumpily, he flicked her forehead with his finger.

In the blink of an eye, Ogre vanished.

Yet XiXi was thrilled—she had seen Master Niu Niu once again and now had her very own impressive firework launcher, even if it wasn’t as grand as his.

But for XiXi, that was more than enough.

After stowing the Nanmu Gatling inside the Qian Kun Jade gifted by Li Qingshan, XiXi tiptoed back to her room, quietly lying down in contented sleep.

That night, she had a lovely dream.

In her dream, she sat on Master Niu Niu’s shoulders, with dazzling fireworks sweeping her surroundings invincibly!

Below, her father and Lu Da Tou exclaimed in awe on her behalf.

They hailed her as Great Emperor XiXi!

……

……

At the dead of night, dark clouds smothered the sky with not a hint of moonlight.

Snowflakes fluttered down, scattered across the world.

Assuming the guise of Ogre, Li Che delivered a miniature Nanmu Gatling to XiXi, putting one worry to rest.

At least, with the Nanmu Gatling in her possession, XiXi now had the means to protect herself—in the capital, no one would dare bully her.

Gazing at his sleeping wife and daughter,

XiXi kicked off her covers, sprawling in a boastful ‘big’ posture that commandeered most of the bed.

“Bold old man, please call me Great Emperor XiXi!”

In her dream, she mumbled those words.

Li Che was at a loss for words.

This little one… what grand dreams is she having?

“Even Great Emperor XiXi, your dad will always be your dad!”

This girl had not inherited any of Li Che’s refined, easygoing nature.

In a flash, he appeared silently in the courtyard.

That night, Li Qingshan had not returned to the courtyard—Li Che guessed perhaps he had gone to meet an old lover.

The red of the sunset… is a red all its own.

Standing in the courtyard, Li Che’s expression gradually turned icy.

He closed his eyes.

The Chess Sage Dao Fruit trembled subtly as the Celestial Chessboard suddenly expanded, projecting myriad scenes of the courtyard into his mind.

Under the perception of the Gaode Chess Sage, nothing could hide.

Though Divine Perception was powerful, Li Che still favored the all-encompassing view granted by the Gaode Chess Sage.

Within his perception,

about ten miles from the courtyard, a figure stood on a black-tiled roof—a face hidden behind a horse-faced mask, its eyes eerily fixed on Li Che’s family.

……

……

Cao He donned a horse-faced mask and draped himself in black stealth attire.

Over his shoulder, he carried four towering spear shafts as strands of silver hair fluttered in the night breeze.

Tomorrow was the day Li Qingshan—the Divine Sect’s guide—would leave Feilei City.

And Li Che’s family, along with that outstanding Prodigy, would be departing too.

Cao He balanced on the tip of a tile, his body as straight and poised as a divine spear,

though his gaze carried a hint of complexity.

Memories of a conversation with Cao Guang surfaced in his mind.

Originally, Cao Guang’s stance was to avoid complications, focusing solely on a successful ‘Thousand Buddhas Carving Banquet’.

However, he still sought out Cao He and handed him a blood-stained wooden carving.

Cao He accepted it, his gaze hardening.

It was a wooden carving of a woman with a blood-red, bare form—grotesque and twisted in a manner that evoked agonizing death.

Overflowing with malice, just one glance made Cao He feel as if his very soul had been stolen.

“This… this is…”

“Second Uncle, isn’t this the ‘Corpse God’ carving—the ‘Yiyu Bi Shirou Guanyin’ carving, one of the three great Corpse Gods’?”

Cao Guang sat upright in the room, the flickering candlelight casting unpredictable shadows.

Cao He looked up and saw Cao Guang’s shadow twisting relentlessly in the firelight.

Corpse God Cult!

Indeed… Cao Guang was clearly entangled with the Corpse God Cult.

Cao He felt as if his heart were suddenly clenched in a vise.

In truth, when preparing for the Thousand Buddhas Carving Banquet, Cao He should have suspected something was amiss.

Yet when Cao Guang finally revealed his identity, Cao He was left somewhat startled…

The Corpse God Cult is utterly incompatible with the Imperial Court and the Divine Sect—if a court official joined, it would be a capital offense punishable by the extermination of their entire family!

Should the Temple Guardian Division discover it, the entire family would be wiped out!

Cao Guang paid no heed to the change in Cao He’s expression…

“Such an exceptional Prodigy… it’s a pity we missed our chance; otherwise, the Thousand Buddhas Carving Banquet would have been even grander. However, an outstanding Prodigy still holds immense value. Second Uncle, conceal your identity and place the carving outside Li Che’s courtyard…”

“The ‘Yiyu Bi Shirou Guanyin’ wooden carving contains the ‘Six Desires Divine Essence’ that will automatically mark itself and eventually seek out Li Nuǎnxi—even if she ends up in the capital. Such a Prodigy could bring enormous benefits.”

“It could serve as a token of gratitude…”

Cao Guang chuckled softly.

“Just because you go to the capital, does that make you safe? In this world, there is no absolute safety.”

“The Temple Guardian Division says my advancement path is dead… What can I do? I refuse to believe that destiny is fixed!”

“The Corpse God is supreme. After the Thousand Buddhas Carving Banquet, I will have a chance to consolidate the Corpse God’s visage!”

“No path is ever truly closed…”

“My Divine Cult has already spread like a wildfire, sweeping across the world… unstoppable, unstoppable!”

Madness flashed in Cao Guang’s eyes.

In the next moment, that frenzy gradually subsided.

Meanwhile, Cao He’s entire back was soaked in cold sweat.

Silently and respectfully, he accepted the ‘Yiyu Bi Shirou Guanyin’ carving—a blood-red wooden figure—and quickly departed into the darkness.

……

As his thoughts calmed, a gentle breeze stirred his silver hair.

Cao He sighed deeply.

Once immersed in the Corpse God Cult, its depths proved as boundless as the sea.

He recalled young, spirited Cao Guang, once hailed as the Cao family’s most talented, destined for a godlike visage.

But then…

A trip to the capital and an encounter with a true disciple of the Qianyuan Divine Sect shattered his spirit in mere moments, leaving him broken.

Even though he inherited the position of Cao Family City Lord,

his inner vigor had long faded, and he eventually joined the Corpse God Cult…

“Kid… you’re so misguided…”

Cao He sighed.

Gazing at the ‘Yiyu Bi Shirou Guanyin’ in his hand, its lifelike wooden expression stirred in him a wild, inexplicable restlessness—as if even an old, half-decayed tree could revive its majestic spirit.

He quickly exhaled and shifted his gaze.

Yet in the next moment, the neck beneath Cao He’s horse-faced mask stiffened suddenly.

And then he saw—

On a distant rooftop,

the swirling snow was ripped and distorted!

Before he knew it, a towering, triangular figure—as massive as a mountain—stood silently.

The figure wore a conical hat and slightly raised its head.

Revealing a cute Cow Mask.

“Ogre?”

Cao He squinted, cold glint in his eyes: “As expected, if you have designs on Li Che’s family, you Ogre will surely appear to protect them… so, who exactly are you?”

“I suppose I should call you… Master Li?”

Ogre regarded Cao He, who wore the horse-faced mask, with calm indifference.

Though his identity was now exposed, he didn’t seem to recognize the other’s true self.

But does it even matter?

“It’s no longer important.”

Cao He paused, then burst into laughter beneath his mask: “It really doesn’t matter. Your family is about to leave Feilei City—you couldn’t care less if your identity is exposed.”

However…

Suddenly, the pupils beneath Cao He’s mask shrank to the size of sesame seeds.

Because, in the next moment,

Ogre, propelled by overwhelming qi, shattered the air and appeared beside him at lightning speed. With a tight grip, an intensely bloody aroma spread as a crimson long spear, marked with bloodstained patterns, burst forth from the torn air and landed in his hand.

A divine weapon… the Liu Xue Stabbing Spear!

Immediately after, right behind Ogre’s head, the dazzling ‘Three-Eyed Fen Nu True Lord Divine Foundation’ materialized!

The terrifying weight of rank crashed down on Cao He, leaving him utterly immobilized, unable to move even a finger!

A cold, lethal voice emanated from beneath Ogre’s mask.

“I say… who you are is no longer important.”

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