Chapter 173: A Clash of Mythical Might

The visage of Qi Tian Face…

Could it really pale in comparison to that feeble, counterfeit Dragon God?

Li Che refused to believe it. Besides, Qi Tian Face is a Mythical Weapon too; when two Mythical Weapons meet, sparks are bound to fly.

Not even a single spark appears?

The night was deep and dark.

The small courtyard gradually quieted down.

Under Zhang Ya’s gentle coaxing, XiXi’s boundless energy from the day slowly dwindled as she drifted into sleep.

After Li Che had soothed both the little one and Zhang Ya—whom he had also instructed in the Bone Tempering posture—Zhang Ya fell into a deep slumber.

Li Che left the room, only to reappear as the Ogre, scooping up the sleeping XiXi and departing without delay.

When he reappeared, he was already inside the Fire-Eyed Astonished Spirit Ape Bizarre Temple.

XiXi rubbed her drowsy eyes and slowly opened them.

“Eh?”

Where is this?

XiXi looked around in confusion and, startled, leaped up from the ground.

Her eyes widened as she scanned her surroundings, finally resting on the statue of the Spirit Ape Temple Spirit.

“Little Monkey Temple Spirit?”

She sensed a formidable aura of divine authority radiating from the statue.

Her heart skipped a beat; still groggy, her mind raced to figure out why she was here.

Soon, she noticed the Ogre wearing an adorable Cute Cow Mask, his imposing figure towering like a mountain behind her.

“Master Niu Niu!”

Recognizing the Ogre, XiXi burst into delighted squeals and bounded toward him.

The Ogre’s massive, over-two-meter frame made XiXi seem incredibly small in comparison.

With a sweeping motion of his sprawling hand, Li Che seized the back of XiXi’s neck and lifted her up.

He gently rested her on his shoulder.

XiXi perched happily on the Ogre’s shoulder, her little feet swinging with delight.

“Master Niu Niu, it’s been ages! I thought you no longer cared for me!”

XiXi said with a cheerful giggle.

Wearing the adorable Cute Cow Mask, Li Che patted her head without saying much.

XiXi produced her specially crafted Xiangong Gatling and, as if offering a treasured gift, handed it to the Ogre.

“Master Niu Niu, Yaya’s nearly worn it out—and during my tussle with my little servant, I seem to have damaged the Gatling.”

“Master Niu Niu, fix it!”

The Ogre accepted the mechanism with his fan-like hand, seemingly unperturbed.

With a mere glance, Li Che instantly knew where the repair was needed.

But Li Che decided not to intervene.

Instead, he produced an upgraded version of XiXi’s exclusive Xiangong Gatling and handed it to her.

This time, he integrated the Barrett component into the mechanism, achieving a seamless two-in-one fusion!

The revamped Gatling was fashioned into a massive, ring-shaped Spirit Wood Barrel, crafted from eighth-tier Spirit Wood “Feiyun Liu” found on Shendiao Ridge. Six metal tubes embedded within it spun rapidly with each shot, ejecting one compressed Muduya after another.

Inside the Feiyun Liu barrel was concealed a compact Guanyin Lotus Bullet.

Concealed like a crossbow bolt, once fired the bullet would be propelled outward by a powerful, intricately arranged counterforce!

Delighted, XiXi eagerly accepted the new Xiangong Gatling and hoisted it with joy.

Li Che explained its usage—apparently involving fireworks—and XiXi listened intently, grasping the concept instantly.

“It can even fire mushroom fireworks?”

At the Ogre’s description, XiXi’s eyes shimmered with visions of dazzling displays, her heart filled with wonder.

Mushroom fireworks…

Just the thought of them left her too excited to sleep!

The Ogre chuckled and pointed out a mechanism beside the Spirit Wood Barrel; when activated, its six metal gun barrels interlocked into one.

They transformed into a Xiangong Barrett, complete with an 8x scope!

An 8x scope crafted by Li Che himself.

A three-in-one Xiangong artillery turret!

This brought XiXi immeasurable delight.

Watching her gleefully stomping her high-kicked legs, Li Che’s face—hidden behind his Ogre mask—broke into a smile.

His own daughter…

She must be spoiled!

Absolutely spoiled!

Since his daughter loves firepower and fireworks, that three-in-one turret was an absolute must.

With the turret in position to provide support,

“Yellow-Haired, stand aside!”

Of course, tonight’s priority wasn’t delivering the turret to XiXi,

but rather helping her master the Fire-Tipped Spear hidden in her arm.

“Hand.”

The Ogre said in a deep voice.

XiXi leaped down, lugging the ultralight turret made of Feiyun Liu wood, and glanced at Master Niu Niu in confusion.

Master Niu Niu said little, merely pointing to her arm.

Puzzled at first, XiXi suddenly understood.

“Master Niu Niu, do you want to see the little gun in my arm?”

“But that’s not possible; you can only sense it—it won’t obey your commands yet.”

XiXi shrugged, tilted her head, and sighed in resignation.

The little gun is rather unruly.

“I’ll help you,”

the Ogre murmured softly.

XiXi nodded.

“Here,”

then she extended her chubby, lotus-like arm and handed it over to the Ogre.

Li Che smiled as he watched his daughter in her pajamas, one-handedly carrying the turret—it was utterly adorable.

Reaching out, Li Che’s broad, fan-like hand gently pressed on XiXi’s tiny palm.

Big hand met small hand.

In the next moment…

Li Che’s eyes suddenly narrowed as his spirit stirred; he manipulated the Cosmic Chessboard, summoning two dark golden Heavenly King Temple Spirit Divine Chess Pieces that pressed down the board’s lines.

Rumble!

He activated the dark golden divine chess pieces, which pulsated as if surging through his very flesh.

Finally…

They converged into his palm, bridging the gap between his large hand and XiXi’s small one through their skin.

Buzz——!!!

In an instant,

a surge of overwhelming divine power erupted from XiXi, sweeping through like a raging storm, slicing the air with its force and leaving jagged voids behind.

Purple flames burst forth from XiXi’s arm, one after another, dancing in a pulsing display.

“As expected…”

Li Che’s eyes, hidden behind the Ogre mask, narrowed.

Sure enough, the Heavenly King Chess Piece managed to activate the 【Purple-Flame Serpent Spear Fire-Tipped Spear】!

Suddenly, Li Che noticed an ever-growing blaze erupting on XiXi, surging from within her with titanic force.

It wasn’t controlling her body at all; instead, it manifested outside as a massive purple flaming serpent!

The giant serpent opened its gaping maw, spitting out wisps of purple flame that leapt wildly.

“Divine Manifestation?!”

Li Che suddenly loosened his grip, his form vanishing from that spot.

Bang—!

The ground was hammered as the tail of the Purple-Flame Serpent struck the temple floor, splitting it with spiderweb-like cracks!

The massive Ogre stood at another corner of the Bizarre Temple,

watching the purple flaming serpent with cold detachment.

“Since you’ve chosen a master, you should serve your new master diligently—not act aloof as if you despise him,”

a deep voice emanated from the Ogre.

The Purple-Flame Serpent opened its bloodied maw and roared ferociously!

“You’re ordering me around?!”

Boom!

It tore itself away from XiXi and hurtled toward Li Che at breakneck speed; the Purple-Flame Serpent looked astonishingly lifelike, its scales glistening brilliantly.

Fiery tongues roared as it streaked through the sky with extreme speed, like a lightning spear ready to impale!

Boom!

The Ogre’s eyes shone as his Furnace Master physique erupted into action—even without resorting to Qi Tian Face!

Dragon Elephant Vajra: Ascend the Tower!

In a flash, his hair grew, tinged with a faint golden hue, as golden mists flowed through his eyes like fragrant incense.

Every inch of his flesh swelled mightily, expanding with fierce vigor!

Divine Technique: Vital Radiance!

Vital Radiance transformed instantly into a vast blood-red net, encircling the Purple-Flame Jiao Serpent.

The serpent collided with the net!

The Ogre sprang into action as well, unleashing his full might—clenching his fist, the Tiger-Leopard Thunder Split Gold Spear materialized in an instant.

In a split second, countless stick silhouettes erupted like a peacock’s display!

They lashed out in tandem, battering the Purple-Flame Jiao Serpent!

Their clashing produced sounds like fine iron striking—a resonant bell-like wave rippling out—as ferocious winds roared inside the temple like violent waves crashing against cliffs.

At the altar, the face of the Spirit Ape Temple Spirit nearly contorted into a twisted mess.

Damn it… it’s happening again!

Layers of stick shadows intertwined and vibrated with fury—Hun Yuan Qi Tian Gun!

The perfected Martial Saint Technique unfurled in Li Che’s hands, bolstered by the aid of his Vital Radiance.

The divine energy emanating from the Purple-Flame Serpent Spear Fire-Tipped Spear was effortlessly subdued by Li Che as one baton after another relentlessly pummeled the head of the Purple-Flame Serpent.

Vast surges of air exploded alongside scalding purple flames.

Gusting winds burst out of the Bizarre Temple, causing the dense mist of the Bizarre Temple outside to tremble.

The dark night grew ever deeper and more impenetrable.

Qi Yanghao, poring over documents, suddenly had his expression change.

“Here we go again? Another outbreak? Is this Fire-Eyed Astonished Spirit Ape Bizarre Temple… with the Temple Spirit acting up again?”

Qi Yanghao remained silent.

But since it involved the Bizarre Temple,

he couldn’t afford to relax; setting aside his documents, he slung a knife over his shoulder and appeared beyond the perimeter.

The other officers gathered, each casting a peculiar gaze at the swirling mist of the Bizarre Temple.

“Boss, should we move in?”

One officer couldn’t help but ask.

Qi Yanghao waved him off, saying, “Not yet. Let’s assess the situation first.”

“If the Temple Spirit is merely acting up, it’ll settle soon—we don’t need to lose our minds over it.”

It seemed Qi Yanghao had gained invaluable experience from it all.

The other officers fell silent too; if they could avoid entering the Bizarre Temple, that was best.

Indeed.

Moments later,

the dense mist of the Bizarre Temple began to settle down.

Qi Yanghao’s lips twitched as he stared at the unfathomable sanctuary, his face nearly drawn into a grim line.

As expected, the Bizarre Temple was up to its old tricks again…

Feigning an uprising?

……

……

The long, gold-and-red baton quivered, parting the air in its wake!

The Tiger-Leopard Thunder reverberated as if a ferocious tiger roared and a cheetah screamed, causing the surging winds to suddenly still.

Bang—!

Countless purple flames exploded.

The void trembled as the Purple-Flame Serpent was pummeled, sending bursts of fire scattering wildly across the temple’s sky.

The Purple-Flame Serpent was the divine manifestation of the Purple-Flame Serpent Spear Fire-Tipped Spear’s energy. Impressive in power, yet not at its peak.

At that moment, as the Purple-Flame Serpent erupted, it also aided XiXi in fusing her martial energy to refine her body.

The power of the Mythical Weapon was influencing XiXi’s very flesh!

However, if Li Che couldn’t withstand it, the serpent would revert into XiXi—and the refinement would end.

The Purple-Flame Serpent Spear Fire-Tipped Spear…

It was, in fact, brazenly answering Li Che!

Li Che’s eyes gleamed beneath his Ogre mask as he burst into hearty laughter.

Then he might as well thoroughly help his daughter refine her martial energy!

A divine weapon… but still, just a weapon!

As the Jiao Serpent charged again, Li Che clenched his fist and, in a flash, a dense flurry of stick silhouettes intertwined to envelop the entire sky over the Bizarre Temple.

Ultimate Technique!

Hun Yuan Yi Gun!

Countless stick silhouettes vanished in an instant, merging into a single baton.

That baton crashed into the Purple-Flame Serpent, shattering the sky and causing the serpent to burst apart!

Infinite ripples swept along, carrying the purple flames in a surging, expansive wave.

Terrifying gusts and shockwaves from the ripples battered the interior of the Bizarre Temple.

They made the altar’s Temple Spirit statue sway precariously…

Many of the white candles inside were snuffed out in an instant!

The Purple Serpent exploded and vanished.

Li Che’s tower-like sinews trembled relentlessly; his reformed body now radiated unmatched might.

As the ultimate move of the Hun Yuan Qi Tian Gun was unleashed…

the power was overwhelming!

It utterly shattered the divinely bound Purple-Flame Serpent!

After the serpent exploded, it dispersed like countless flames, refining XiXi’s physique.

Even the arm that once concealed the divine weapon underwent tempering.

Now, XiXi’s entire body was being refined!

With her eyes closed, her tiny frame suddenly surged with overwhelming vitality!

Blood Exchange… Six Moves!

XiXi bypassed the Five-Ban Blood Exchange, instantly completing a full Vital Exchange!

The Bizarre Temple fell quiet.

The white candles, previously snuffed out, suddenly flared back to life with a buzzing spark.

Li Che stood motionless in his black robe, his remaining attire supporting his formidable physique.

“Looks like I’m going to be completely worn out,” he murmured.

“If I can’t shatter the divine manifestation from this Fire-Tipped Spear, XiXi will never harness the power of a Mythical Weapon to refine herself…”

“This Fire-Tipped Spear… really deserves a good beating.”

Li Che muttered as he put away the Tiger-Leopard Thunder Split Gold Spear.

XiXi drifted back to sleep, her body subtly transforming as her muscles and bones gradually grew stronger.

Too tired to wake her, Li Che simply carried her back into the house.

Zhang Ya, exhausted, slept soundly.

After setting XiXi down and tucking her in, Li Che left the house.

He didn’t even lie down to sleep.

Instead, he went to his study, shed his Ogre disguise, and changed into a clean ink robe.

He took out a Sixfold Divine Essence Crystal and began drawing on its power for cultivation.

As more Grandmasters and Divine Practitioners appeared in Jingguang Prefecture, Li Che increasingly felt the pressure.

After assisting XiXi with her training, Li Che knew his own cultivation couldn’t be neglected.

……

……

The next day.

Still bleary-eyed, XiXi opened her eyes, sat up, and let out a big yawn.

She glanced at Zhang Ya, who was still in a deep sleep.

“Mother is sleeping in again…”

“Mother just loves to sleep in,”

Like a little grown-up, XiXi shook her head and jumped off the bed.

Suddenly, her eyes widened.

She raised her arm—and the pattern of the Purple-Flame Serpent Spear emerged on her brow. She could actually feel the little gun in her arm!

She even sensed the little gun’s deeply aggrieved emotion.

“Little gun, who hurt you? Tell me, and I’ll sort him out for you!”

Standing with her hands on her hips and her little belly out, XiXi declared confidently.

The Fire-Tipped Spear trembled even more, as if protesting something.

But tilting her head, XiXi couldn’t figure out whom it was complaining about.

All she could do was pat her chubby arm to comfort it.

A small gesture of reassurance.

Li Che pushed open the door and found XiXi already awake.

“Wake up, freshen up, and get ready for breakfast—Daddy brought your favorite meat buns.”

Li Che gently ruffled XiXi’s head.

The Fire-Tipped Spear in her arm fell silent, leaving her puzzled until she gave up on pondering it.

Totally captivated by the meat buns,

after breakfast Li Che led XiXi out of the courtyard toward Golden Light Peak for training.

XiXi changed into a red bellyband, donned a Vajra collar, and tied her Nezha braid before Li Che sent her off to Golden Light Peak.

The moment they arrived, XiXi darted off gleefully.

Not even Sang Guanyin could catch her.

Eager to share with her little friends the miraculous event of undergoing a Blood Exchange in her sleep,

Li Che watched indulgently as his tiny daughter skipped away.

After bidding farewell to Sang Guanyin who’d come to pick her up, he turned with his hands behind his back.

His ink robe fluttered in the winter rain,

as he stepped along the rain-soaked mountain stone path toward the Capital.

……

……

Zhang Ya lazily stretched, her graceful figure barely visible.

“Husband… you’re growing even stronger,”

“Even Bone Tempering is starting to fall short,”

“I need to get stronger quickly,”

Combing her cascading hair, Zhang Ya’s gentle eyes shone.

After getting up and freshening up, she went to the kitchen and saw the meat buns Li Che had kept warm in a pot.

They were from a small eatery in Luohua Alley.

Delicious and exactly to her taste.

After breakfast, Old Chen had already left for work—he’d found a job at Zheng Lei Peak and was enjoying it.

There were so many disciples at Zheng Lei Peak that they had formed a town-like community.

After rising and practicing martial arts for a while, Zhang Ya changed into clean clothes, grabbed an oil-paper umbrella to shield herself from the drizzling winter rain, and stepped out of the courtyard.

She then locked the courtyard.

With a basket slung over her shoulder, she planned to head to the market to buy ingredients so that, when XiXi returned, she could cook her favorite dishes—

red-braised pork, sweet and sour pork tenderloin; all her specialties.

Zhang Ya cherished these carefree days: no worries about food, with her daughter training at the Divine Sect’s finest Golden Light Peak and her husband holding a stable, powerful position.

She felt like a true winner in life.

Recalling the days from three years ago, it all seemed like another lifetime.

Back then, she and her husband had struggled just to make ends meet.

Her husband was merely a laborer at a woodcarving shop, and she worked small handicrafts at a tailor’s to support the family.

Who would have thought they’d one day live so comfortably?

The Jin Guang Branch was vast, with countless disciples.

Zheng Lei Peak had even transformed into Elder Peak, with the mid-mountain disciples’ town expanding significantly.

The number of outer sect disciples was growing steadily.

Many inner sect disciples’ families even settled in the town.

The town boasted a variety of supplies for everyday needs.

She arrived at the market.

Suddenly, Zhang Ya halted in her tracks.

She was no novice in the martial way anymore.

Now at the Bone Tempering stage, with her spirit refined and perceptions keen,

she may have had average innate divine aptitude, but she nurtured her nature like a flowing stream.

She was a force to be reckoned with!

And today, as she stepped into the market, she instantly sensed that something was amiss!

Danger was looming!

……

……

Li Che descended the mountain.

After greeting an elderly guardian of the mountain, he set off along the stone-paved path toward the Capital.

His ink robe fluttered in the wind.

He was pondering how to perfect the mechanism for the Guanyin Lotus Main Battle Tank.

Mainly, how to deploy a massive amount of Guanyin Lotus Bullets using the battle tank as a launcher.

If mishandled, a detonation could harm him, making it not worth the risk.

The Capital was bustling with life.

Winter rain fell in a steady drizzle.

It pattered on bamboo hats with a buzzing sound as hurried pedestrians splashed through puddles.

Li Che eventually reached Luohua Alley.

He planned to visit the Private Workshop for research and cultivation before heading to the Imperial Watch.

He had just stepped into an alley of Luohua Alley.

Tall walls lined both sides, blocking out the light and plunging the passage into momentary darkness,

accompanied by drifting dust.

This is…

Divine Crystal dust!

Li Che halted in his tracks.

In that instant, the 【Chess Sage】 Dao Fruit in his chest began to throb.

In the next moment,

the Cosmic Chessboard expanded, enveloping everything within its perception.

With his bamboo hat raised, Li Che’s face remained stoic and unreadable.

“Lie Shen Pavilion?”

His eyes betrayed no emotion.

He hadn’t expected…

the Lie Shen Pavilion would dare to target him, Li Che.

He wasn’t the Ogre now…

nor Ma Mian, nor Divine Monkey!

He was the respectable Second Rank Guest Official of the Imperial Watch!

The harmless, gentle Master Li!

But…

why would the Lie Shen Pavilion strike him?

From the shadows of Luohua Alley,

there came a strange, questioning sound;

as if they never expected Li Che to uncover their hiding place.

With Divine Crystal scattered about, his Divine Perception was obstructed and his divine power couldn’t manifest…

How could he possibly sense their presence now?

Li Che’s cultivation was only at the initial Divine Foundation stage—completely suppressed by the Divine Crystal.

And his martial prowess was merely at the Xuanmai stage…

while the high price for his assassination stemmed from his status as a Second Rank Guest Official of the Imperial Watch.

Yet that title did nothing to augment his strength.

This path through Luohua Alley,

he walked every day.

Thus, defenses were lax.

The Lie Shen Pavilion’s assassins waited for those off-guard moments to launch a surprise strike.

Assassination…

The Lie Shen Pavilion were pros at it!

But alas, they had encountered an even more skilled peer.

Since his identity was exposed,

in an instant, a half-transparent figure slid down from a wall in Luohua Alley.

A razor-sharp black knife, as if one with the darkness, lashed out at Li Che’s neck.

“You’re really courting death!”

Under his bamboo hat, the warmth in Li Che’s eyes vanished, replaced by cold, merciless intent and surging killing energy!

The Lie Shen Pavilion assassin was battle-hardened.

The sudden assault, combined with pre-set Tenfold Divine Essence Crystal dust, forced Li Che to rely solely on his Qi and martial cultivation.

Moreover, the assassin himself was a master warrior—a post-Divine Foundation cultivator immune to the Tenfold Divine Essence Crystal dust while still harnessing divine power.

Such a combination made facing Li Che, whose cultivation was only at the Xuanmai stage, a guaranteed deathblow!

But then, the assassin suddenly froze.

Because in the air…

somehow, Eight Extremity Divine Essence Crystal dust began to rise again, rendering his divine abilities utterly useless!

Apart from the Divine Crystal dust,

the air also carried various poisons and Jianshouqing Powder!

The assassin’s expression behind his black iron mask changed drastically.

Oh no!

He had encountered a peer!

In the next moment, a searing pain burned his throat—was the poison really that potent?!

He forcefully planted his toe, ready to retreat!

But then…

a terrifying, paralyzing pressure washed over him, rendering him completely immobile…

It surged forth from the seemingly harmless woodcarver Li Che!

That woodcarver…

whose black ink robe suddenly swelled as his flesh writhed and twisted, his form rising like a dark, towering wall!

His boiling, scorching Qi and blood, filled with an oppressive, terrifying force…

struck the assassin like a mountain crashing down.

The assassin’s eyes narrowed in disbelief as his body trembled in terror!

In mere moments, the harmless woodcarver transformed into a colossal, fearsome demon, its towering presence casting an even more suffocating shadow!

Scorching, oppressive blood and Qi!

A suffocating sensation as if facing gods and demons!

Horrifying!

Absolute terror!

At that moment…

The Lie Shen Pavilion assassin’s mind cleared like never before!

“Ogre… Ogre?!”

“Li Che is Ogre?!”

However,

that was the only thought that managed to surface in his mind.

Moments before his death, as if he had glimpsed the truth of the world,

without uttering another word, Li Che struck him—obliterating him into shards of meat and swirling blood mist!

Flesh, blood, even bone!

Except for the Qian Kun Jade,

everything was utterly shattered!

Even the air vibrated, rippling with undulating transparent waves!

Thick mist rolled and blood Qi churned.

The overpowering stench of blood refused to dissipate.

Li Che slowly straightened, his massive back sinews quivering and roaring like a jiao dragon!

“You not only tried to assassinate me but also to kill my wife?!”

“Is this your plan to turn XiXi into an orphan?!”

“How can you bear to let a four-year-old girl become an orphan?!”

“Unforgivable crime!”

His cold, deep voice echoed through the heavens.

Clenching his fist,

as he gripped the Qian Kun Jade taken from the slain Lie Shen Pavilion assassin,

an Ogre Mask was suddenly slammed onto his face.

Then,

his massive form vanished into Luohua Alley.

Thought to be just a bronchial infection—a cough that lingered for half a month—turns out to be mycoplasma pneumonia… I’m exhausted, need a blood test and IV drip. I’ll update later. Sorry, please vote for monthly tickets, recommend, and keep reading! Old Li is risking everything for updates! Your support means everything!