Chapter 104: Echoes of Divine Craft and Rising Fate

“Has this kid ever been to that Third Prince Temple just outside the capital?”

The Deputy Supervisor, clad in billowing white, narrowed his eyes as he gazed at the divine statue quietly arranged on the tea table.

Though it was only of the Ten-Du caliber, its divine aura was remarkably weak.

But for a master woodcarver, a single carving could reveal the artisan’s very intent—a tapestry woven from skill, strokes, and texture.

Great masters earn their title by perfecting their craft; any breakthrough comes only from reinterpreting and expressing their inner vision in fresh ways.

Some ink painting masters use just a few seemingly random strokes, yet on closer inspection, a unique, profound beauty emerges.

Carving… is no different.

Both Gongyang Liancheng and the elegant Gong Yunli were utterly baffled by the Deputy Supervisor’s remark.

“Deputy Supervisor, are you saying… that bizarre temple outside the city, the ‘Eight-Armed Yulian Furious Third Prince’?” Gong Yunli couldn’t help but ask.

Dressed in flowing white and as fresh as a seventeen-year-old, the Deputy Supervisor shot Gong Yunli a disapproving glance. “Little Gong, don’t let that big chest dull your wit…”

“Are there any other Prince Temples outside the city?”

At those words, Gong Yunli blushed and glanced down at her prominent bosom. The Deputy Supervisor… always so brutally honest.

“That means you haven’t been inside—haven’t seen the temple god…”

“Li Che’s cultivation is merely at the Blood Exchange stage, and his divine aura is barely like a gentle brook… he can’t even enter the Ghost Forbidden, let alone that bizarre temple.”

“Even if we were to barge in wielding the temple god’s authority, we might not even reach the altar to glimpse that ‘Eight-Armed Furious Third Prince’ deity.”

Off to the side, Gongyang Liancheng spoke in a low, measured tone.

“That’s roughly the case…”

“Even if that little fellow conceals his cultivation, he simply can’t hide that much.”

The Deputy Supervisor nodded and stepped over to the wood carving, his raised finger delicately caressing the engraved lines.

With his eyes closed, every inch his finger traced sent an uncanny shiver through him.

“I set this wood carving challenge. I spent just a few breaths roughing out the form, but this kid… not only did he flawlessly follow my carving concept and technique, he even infused it with his own understanding and emotion in the latter part.”

“He surely has never witnessed the true deity, yet with his own imagination he managed to sketch something nearly identical.”

“This kid… is like me.”

The Deputy Supervisor slowly opened his eyes, a gentle smile playing at his lips.

He added, “This kid… has the talent of a Special Grade Guest Official.”

At these words, both Gongyang Liancheng and Gong Yunli were taken aback.

That evaluation… is far too high!

Guest Officials are normally ranked in three tiers—from third to second to first; first-tier Guest Officials, when placed in the Capital’s Imperial Watch, even outrank these junior supervisors.

After all, the status of a First-Tier Guest Official is recognized even at Imperial Watch towers in other capitals and prefectures.

Meanwhile, they merely serve as Junior Supervisors in the Jin Guang Mansion’s Imperial Watch Tower. Leave Jin Guang Mansion, and in other cities they drop a tier; in prefectures or even in the Grand Pantheon, they fall two or three tiers lower!

Not to mention… Special Grade Guest Officials!

Gong Yunli shook her head in disbelief, her ample bosom visibly trembling.

“Deputy Supervisor, you’re killing this newcomer with your over-the-top praise! Just because Li Qingshan recommended him, you can’t be so sarcastic in your flattery!”

Gongyang Liancheng snapped back to reality, his face darkening.

“Oh, little Yunli, how can you talk to your superior like that? Can you really say such things?”

“You’re not just meant to get fat—you’ve got to grow a brain too.”

Sure enough, the Deputy Supervisor frowned. “Overpraise? You think I’m overdoing it with a newcomer just because of Li Qingshan?”

“Little Gong, do you remember exactly how many official regulations for Imperial Watch officers were jointly drafted by the Chief and Deputy Supervisors of the Divine Metropolis Watch Tower?”

Gong Yunli replied, “A total of 108 Imperial Watch regulations.”

“Good memory! Now go copy them twenty times and bring them to me tomorrow. Every single error will cost you one Ten-Du Divine Crystal’s worth of salary.”

Gong Yunli was instantly shocked, gritting her teeth. “This is nothing but public vendettas—old man trying too hard to act young!”

The Deputy Supervisor’s eyes narrowed as he glared at Gong Yunli.

“Thirty times!”

Immediately, Gong Yunli lowered her head in reluctant defeat, forgetting that this old fellow possessed a mind-penetrating divine technique just like hers.

“Deputy Supervisor, I still say that boasting about a Special Grade Guest Official shouldn’t be taken lightly… you’re smothering the newcomer with praise!”

Gong Yunli was quite fond of Li Che—a skilled woodcarver with an easygoing and gentle nature. She truly liked him.

But claiming Li Che had the talent of a Special Grade Guest Official… might actually crush his future.

With that, Gong Yunli lifted her white robe and quickly slipped away.

The Deputy Supervisor was left speechless.

He then turned his gaze to Gongyang Liancheng.

“My discerning eye is indeed justified. I, too, believe this kid’s future is limitless—he truly has the makings of a Special Grade Guest Official!”

Gongyang Liancheng loudly echoed his approval, determined not to be as brainless as Gong Yunli, whose head seemed stuffed with metal.

Why defy your superior?

Gongyang Liancheng summed it up with one thought…

When the flattery flows, gold comes in heaps!

“Remind little Gong not to let this evaluation leak out—always talking about overpraising… I’m just afraid she might spill the beans first.”

The Deputy Supervisor was exhausted by his two subordinates—one as stubborn as they come and the other a relentless flatterer…

Truly, they were both endearing and infuriating.

Gongyang Liancheng nodded knowingly and emphasized, “The Deputy Supervisor’s foresight is remarkable—no wonder we all hold him in such high regard…”

“Shut up, there’s nothing more. Let’s go.”

Gongyang Liancheng bowed deeply, hands lowered, and slowly withdrew.

Inside the tea room, the aroma of tea lingered gently.

It was as serene as ever.

The Deputy Supervisor’s fingers caressed the statue, and for a fleeting moment he imagined a figure with scarlet ribbons swirling like storms in a vast ocean…

“The one recommended by Li Qingshan…”

“Such talent—why send him to the Divine Sect when he’s placed as a Guest Official at the Imperial Watch? In another five years, it’ll be time for the Furious Third Prince Temple’s bizarre calamity to shake everything again…”

“Corpse God Sect…”

“What an eventful time these are.”

The Deputy Supervisor withdrew his hand from the statue, closed his eyes, and massaged his temples.

Suddenly, his finger halted and his narrow eyes snapped open.

“Or perhaps… Li Qingshan is questioning the Divine Sect Branch?”

……

……

After the rain, the sky cleared, and the rare sunlight broke through the heavy leaden clouds, casting a shimmering glow upon the world.

Li Che left the Imperial Watch Tower in high spirits.

Now a Third-Tier Guest Official at the Imperial Watch, he not only enjoyed its resources but also reaped many fine perks.

Most importantly, he secured a connection—a ‘tiger’s hide’—that made many powerful factions in the capital take notice, ensuring his modest family’s safety for years to come.

For Li Che, that was enough.

He didn’t ask for much—just a life of peace and tranquility.

To quietly watch his daughter grow up and master her cultivation.

It was the simple, heartfelt wish of an old father.

In high spirits, Li Che stepped out of the Imperial Watch and strolled along one of the wide boulevards in the capital—big enough to accommodate ten carriages side by side—glittering after the rain.

He inhaled the fresh air and basked in the rejuvenating spring breeze.

Li Che planned to head to Liu Xiang Pavilion to book a feast with exquisite wine and dishes—especially plenty of roasted duck, as both XiXi and his wife adored it.

However, Li Che remained vigilant; after all, Qin Yuqing… was someone he had killed.

Though he believed he left no trace linking him to the incident, if the Qin Family were to come knocking and lacked evidence, his status as an Imperial Watch Guest Official would deter any action against him.

But nothing is absolute. What if the Qin Family produced another treacherous woman like Qin Yuqing?

The type who, once set on you, will kill without hesitation—a person so ruthless that even stray dogs wouldn’t be spared.

So Li Che had to stay alert and never let his guard down.

Even in the capital, the world wasn’t safe; he might have to tread on eggshells for a long time.

By the way, Li Che’s mind stirred as his Chess Sage Dao Fruit trembled, its influence rippling across the celestial chessboard.

Sure enough, the three gray-faced undercover agents from the Qin Mansion who had been trailing him had vanished without a trace.

With Qin Yuqing dead, those three were likely back to report to the Qin Mansion.

After all, they had provided him with the proof for entry into the Imperial Watch—the very evidence that he hadn’t harmed Qin Yuqing.

After all, he had shot Qin Yuqing from another direction within the Imperial Watch Tower.

Having arranged the feast, Li Che didn’t immediately return to his own courtyard; instead, he went first to another courtyard he had purchased—the Workshop Courtyard.

Sitting in a chair, he boiled water and brewed a pot of tea.

As the spring breeze stirred, a sip of the fine tea made his mood even more delightful.

Then he began to sort through the gains he had made since becoming a Third-Tier Guest Official at the Imperial Watch.

His mind stirred.

……

[Name: Li Che]

[Bond: Li Nuǎnxi (Daughter)]

[Dao Fruits: Dao Fruit [Xian Gong] (lv3 68%), Dragon Elephant Vajra (lv3 13%), Pure Heart (Lv2 18%), Chess Sage (Lv2 7%)]

[Preliminary Divine Technique: Immortal Craft: Qianxi Hand, Dragon Elephant Vajra: Ascend the Tower]

……

Huh?

Li Che glanced at the Dao Fruit feedback and discovered that the maturity of his Dao Fruit [Xian Gong] had surged by 20% all at once.

A spark of astonishment flickered in his heart. Could it be that the statue he carved in the Imperial Watch yielded such significant feedback?

No—it must be due to completing “Namo Xian Gong Bodhi Barrett” in conjunction with carving that statue.

Li Che had carved deities of the Ten-Du level before, but such a boost in maturity was puzzling; there had to be a reason.

Could it be linked to that deity image he envisioned—a figure with golden wheels underfoot and scarlet ribbons dancing across the four seas—imbued into the carving?

His eyes sparkled as a fiery gleam ignited within him. If so, he might have discovered a shortcut to rapidly mature his Dao Fruit [Xian Gong].

He didn’t rush to experiment, for night had fallen—and crafting another divine wood carving of the Four-Armed Furious Third Prince might simply take too long.

Clenching his fist, he retrieved other rewards earned after becoming a Third-Tier Guest Official from his Qiankun Space.

A glimmering crystal stone fell into his hand.

A gentle warmth flowed from the stone.

“Divine Crystals… those items imbued with divine essence that can only be found in the Ghost Forbidden. Miss Shangguan says that for higher-tier divine items, elixirs, divine weapons, and such, you trade not in gold or silver, but in… Divine Crystals!”

Li Che held the crystal, yet what stirred him most was the divine aura contained within it…

It seemed to share the same source as Pure Heart—a milky, pristine divine essence!

“Same source? Both are flawless divine essences?”

His eyes narrowed as his divine perception surged forth, drawing the essence from the crystal. The moment his perception touched it, his Pure Heart began to beat rapidly!

It was as if something ravenous suddenly opened its mouth wide.

The divine aura within the Ten-Du Divine Crystal…

It was drawn out in an incredibly smooth flow, all merging into his Pure Heart.

[Dao Fruit: Pure Heart (lv2 20%)]

Li Che: “!!!”

There was no need for Qianxi Hand; he simply absorbed the divine aura from the crystal, indulging in a smooth, vigorous feast!

The maturity of his Pure Heart Dao Fruit increased by 2% immediately!

Unbelievable!

One Ten-Du Divine Crystal boosts maturity by 2%—so with forty of them, his Pure Heart Dao Fruit could easily reach level 3!

What a shortcut!

In his courtyard, Li Che’s eyes lit up; this was truly the proper way to unlock the potential of Pure Heart!

In Feilei City, he had no access to Divine Crystals and could only rely on arduous self-cultivation to absorb the essence of heaven and earth to nurture his Pure Heart.

But in the capital… when resources abound, the game changes.

Sadly, as a Third-Tier Guest Official, his monthly salary was just three Ten-Du Divine Crystals.

Collecting forty Divine Crystals would take an entire year…

Li Che exhaled, “No worries… take it slow, no rush.”

With his mind at ease, Li Che felt remarkably calm.

“Besides, now that I’m a Third-Tier Guest Official, apart from my monthly salary, I should also be able to earn Divine Crystals through divine wood carving…”

Li Che smiled, feeling that the future was only getting brighter.

“Now, the divine essence of my Pure Heart has reached a state akin to nurturing like a river—if I want to consolidate its divine foundation, I must probably hit lv3…”

In the past, Li Che had no idea how long it would take, but with Divine Crystals at his disposal, progress would no doubt be much quicker.

He took out a second Divine Crystal and urged his Pure Heart to absorb its essence.

Within just three or four breaths, the divine aura in the Ten-Du Divine Crystal was completely devoured, leaving behind only a dull, lifeless stone.

“This was just a Ten-Du Divine Crystal. There are higher quality ones…”

Li Che couldn’t help but feel even more excited.

The process of smoothly absorbing the divine aura from the crystal made his pores open wide—a sensation of unparalleled comfort.

The absorbed divine essence not only nourished his Pure Heart Dao Fruit but also purified his body!

Three Divine Crystals were quickly consumed by Li Che.

The maturity of his Pure Heart Dao Fruit soared to 24%—a rapid growth that filled him with joy.

Staring at the three now-empty crystals, Li Che felt a twinge of loss.

“Without divine essence, a Divine Crystal loses its value and becomes just an ordinary stone.”

“But…”

Suddenly, a thought crossed Li Che’s mind. He grabbed another Divine Crystal, deep in contemplation.

He unleashed the divine aura from his [Three-Eyed Furious True Lord] foundation.

But he discovered that this inherent aura, when directed at the crystal, seemed almost blocked—its release was significantly hindered.

“The empty shell of a Divine Crystal… is an excellent conduit for Pure Heart divine essence. If incorporated into Muduya, it can trigger divine explosions and amplify power…”

“Moreover, if you detonate the powdered remains of a Divine Crystal, you can even create a field that weakens an opponent’s divine aura…”

Ideas began to flood Li Che’s mind.

His eyes gleamed, for the strength of a Divine Cultivator lies in the suppression of divine aura hierarchies.

If divine essence is curtailed and one battles solely on physical cultivation…

Li Che, with his Dragon Elephant Vajra Dao Fruit—cross-training like no other—and his Ascend the Tower technique…

Even an ordinary divine vein might be shattered with ease, though a Patriarch could still prove formidable.

After all, his martial cultivation was still only at the Tao Xuan Vein stage—it was rather weak. He needed to quickly advance to divine veins and even break into True Qi Master level.

If cross-training alone couldn’t suppress an opponent, and if their inherent divine aura was weakened within a Divine Crystal field, then Li Che—with his Pure Heart—could still unleash his power.

“It can be considered a modest trump card.”

Li Che smiled.

Then, with a firm grip, he crushed the resilient divine crystal into tiny fragments, retrieved his Nine-Sun Liuxue Stun Spear, tinkered with it, and ground it into a fine, chalk-like powder.

“This can be combined with the craftsmanship of Muduya to embed the Divine Crystal powder, which when thrown in battle detonates into a crystal powder field…”

“Ha… let’s call it ‘Crow Grenade.’”

……

……

The sky had just darkened to a gloomy gray.

Li Che returned home to find XiXi sitting listlessly under the eaves, having grown tired of playing with her Twisty Car.

She longed to set off fireworks, but her father would surely never allow it.

Looking up, little XiXi’s face was curiously filled with a melancholy far beyond her years.

“I wish school would start already.”

XiXi missed the days at Xu Ji’s Divine Cultivation Institute.

When Li Che came back, he saw XiXi deep in thought under the eaves and couldn’t resist taking out some candied fruit skewers he had bought.

At the sight of them, her eyes lit up and she dashed over to her father, chattering excitedly.

Li Che scooped her up and handed her a candied skewer—if she had these every day, she wouldn’t miss school so much.

As night fell, the staff at Liu Xiang Pavilion delivered a sumptuous feast.

Old Chen, clutching his wine gourd in astonishment, said, “Kid, ordering food out again? So extravagant! The capital isn’t easy—save your spending.”

His wife, Zhang Ya, was also surprised, but upon seeing the lavish spread, she figured her husband had reason to celebrate.

Li Che even called Uncle’s family; they lived in a small courtyard not far from his, which he had purchased so Uncle and Cousin Li Zhengran’s family could move in.

Given Li Che’s current wealth, it was hardly a sum—it meant little compared to what Uncle’s family had sacrificed raising him.

Uncle, Aunt, and Cousin Li Zhengran’s family all attended the banquet.

Midway through the feast, Li Che raised his glass to announce his appointment as a Third-Tier Guest Official at the Imperial Watch.

After the announcement, everyone was momentarily stunned.

Old Chen nearly choked on his drink, exclaiming, “Imperial Watch? A Third-Tier Guest Official?!”

“Little Li Che, you’re now eating from public funds?!”

Uncle Li Liang was overjoyed and deeply excited. As a man of scholarly achievement, he was thrilled that Li Che had entered the Imperial Watch.

This was worlds apart from Li Che’s days as a woodcarver at Xu Ji’s Wood Carving Shop!

After all, that was a force of the court. Although Guest Official isn’t a formal rank, it still counts as half an official.

For Uncle, a dedicated scholar, the idea of holding office was paramount!

“Alright, alright, alright!” Uncle exclaimed, downing several cups of fine wine in his excitement until he grew tipsy and his eyes welled up.

“Second brother, your son has truly made it!”

After his announcement, Li Che also offered XiXi a roasted duck leg before quietly enjoying the food and wine.

By candlelight, the atmosphere was harmonious and joyful.

Li Che smiled gently, but soon his brow furrowed.

Because, within the perception of the Celestial Chessboard of Heaven and Earth…

Two powerful auras were rapidly approaching.

A knock soon echoed through the courtyard, and silence fell.

“I’m here, I’m here…”

“I’ll get the door.”

Uncle dabbed the grease off his mouth, staggered to his feet, and moved to open the door.

Before he could act, Li Che appeared by his side and gently pushed him back into his chair.

“Uncle, take your time drinking—I’ll handle it.”

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