Chapter 338: The Divine Fetus and the Paotao Banquet

“Not enough?”

A deep voice, as if echoing from the netherworld, resounded in his ears, its echo lingering relentlessly.

Li Che exhaled slowly and from the Mud Pellet at his brow, a mighty surge of divine essence roared like crashing waves.

Yet, all that divine essence was contained within the divine fetus of the Luminous True Primate.

“You need more divine essence—or perhaps Temple Spirit divine essence?”

Li Che slowly opened his eyes, a subtle golden gleam flickering deep in his pupils.

In that instant, he felt his soul transform, effortlessly linking with the cosmos and sharpening every perception.

Whether it was the soft caress of a breeze, dust skittering on the ground, or the sound of melting snow outside, he sensed it all with crystalline clarity.

A mere shift in his spirit let him zoom in or out on any area, as if equipped with both a magnifying and a microscopic lens.

“This is the Soul of Heaven and Earth—”

“A human soul merged with the cosmic will is vastly different from the sensory acuity of martial intuition.”

“While that intuition fine-tunes our physical senses, the Soul of Heaven and Earth transforms our inner being.”

Li Che’s heart stirred softly.

Compared to a Martial Saint whose breakthrough is a physical metamorphosis, the divine fetus marks a soul-level transcendence that sets one far above ordinary mortals.

It made capturing the divine essence of the cosmos effortless.

Moreover, Li Che could sense a mysterious cosmic will—something he could detect and even capture.

He knew… this was the Dao Impregnation!

“Dao Impregnation is the vital power for a Divine Nucleus Cultivator to overcome divine tribulations. I have long sensed it, yet I haven’t discovered a clear path to cultivate it.”

Lost in thought, Li Che realized that his rapid progress might be the cause of his dilemma.

In just six years, from nurturing his nature to forming a divine fetus, even Lü Taibai had not prepared him for such swift advancement.

But Li Che was in no rush; entering the divine fetus stage was not the end. Four major transformations must follow to fully mature the divine fetus, nurturing organs, limbs, and features—a long journey ahead.

He scratched his head, feeling a slight ache.

“Temple Spirit divine essence—must be recruited from the Bizarre Temple.”

“However, to satisfy the Luminous True Primate divine fetus, at least a Fifth Elder level Temple Spirit is needed.”

Such Bizarre Temples are guarded heavily by the Temple Guardian Division.

Suddenly, Li Che narrowed his eyes as a sharp glint flashed within.

“Right—the Divine Capital even has a Four-Yu tier ‘Seven Treasure Reliquary Ruyi Golden King Tower Bizarre Temple.’ That temple’s spirit schemed against the Third Prince and even XiXi—XiXi remains in danger! If she challenges either the Divine Essence Golden Pill or her divine fetus, she risks the backlash of the Yulian Fenghuo Jingguang Wheel!”

“The more I think about it, the angrier I get. One day, I’ll be sure to feed that temple spirit to the monkeys!”

Just the thought of XiXi being endangered by that unworthy temple spirit filled Li Che with dread.

He felt no hesitation at the prospect of devouring that temple spirit.

“However, the gap between the Four-Yu Bizarre Temple and the Fifth Elder’s Bizarre Temple is enormous…”

“The Four-Yu Heavenly King Tower in Divine Capital is far more perilous than that of the Qianyuan Divine Sect, and there’s also the Temple Protection Incantation and more to contend with.”

Li Che reined in his divine essence and stretched. “No need to rush. I’ll be staying in Divine Capital for a while. By the time the Paotao Victory Banquet concludes, I’ll have my chance to act on that Heavenly King Tower.”

“To take action on that tower, I might need to recruit more detained subjects from Mo City—”

“Ideally, a few top-tier detained subjects.”

Li Che laughed, a wild ambition sparking inside him.

But the challenge was far from simple.

Even in Divine Capital, the heart of the Great Realm, top-tier talents were extremely rare.

Apart from the recently arrived Divine Sect leaders, every top-tier talent was a person of immense influence.

Backed by the power of the Great Jing Court, taking them on was a perilous gamble.

Besides, Li Che wouldn’t act rashly against a top-tier talent without strong cause.

After all, he was not a bloodthirsty man.

“The Mo City Dominator… has indeed made me stronger, but its overwhelming power can intoxicate the mind. Stay calm—the power is a tool, not something to be ruled by.”

Inside the room, silence reigned.

Li Che centered himself, his breathing steady, as if he had merged with calm itself.

He could hear the soft rustling of branches in the breeze, the shaking of fruits, and the delicate sound of leaves brushing together.

In his eyes, a golden glow emerged, drifting like smoke.

【Name: Li Che】

【Bond: Li Nuǎnxi (Daughter)】

【Dao Fruits: 【Xiangong】 (Iv5 70%), Dragon Elephant Vajra (Iv6 10%), Pure Heart (LV5 93%), Chess Sage (LV5 50%), Painted Immortal (Iv5 0%), Thunder Magnetic Conduit (Iv3 70%), Dream Celestial (Iv3 20%)】

【Nascent Divine Power: Immortal Craft: Qianxi Hand, Dragon Elephant Vajra: Ascend the Tower, Pure Heart · Spiritual Confinement, Chess Sage: Great Avalanche, Painted Immortal: Ink Death, Thunder Magnetic Conduit: Divine Xiao, Dream Celestial: Dream Butterfly】

【Divine Powers: Star Plucking, Radiant Rise, Divine Guidance, Wuji, Bai Yujing】

【Dao Induction: Dragon Elephant Furnace】

【Hint: Each year of growth in bonded offspring forms a Dao Fruit on the Dao Tree】

Dao Fruit information manifested before him.

The maturity of each Dao Fruit was displayed clearly, and Li Che’s breath hitched as he focused on the Pure Heart Dao Fruit.

He noted that the Pure Heart Dao Fruit had reached an astonishing 93% maturity!

“As expected—” Breaking through to the Great Realm had significantly boosted the maturity of the Pure Heart Dao Fruit, or perhaps it was because the Luminous True Primate divine fetus entirely devoured that temple spirit!

Li Che’s heart surged with excitement.

If the Pure Heart Dao Fruit reached Iv6, it might even awaken a Dao Induction like the Dragon Elephant Vajra Dao Fruit.

Though Dao Induction might not surpass Nascent Divine Power, its assistance to Li Che was considerable.

Dragon Elephant Furnace boosted his physical strength immensely; once the internal divine essence evaporated, his body reached a state of perfected pure martial form!

A perfected pure martial form was exceptionally resilient, capable of withstanding even more explosive detonation of Qimen Divine Seed energy.

Thus, Li Che eagerly anticipated the Dao Induction of the Pure Heart Dao Fruit.

Besides the Pure Heart Dao Fruit, both the 【Xiangong】 and Chess Sage Dao Fruits—at Iv5 level—had also matured to varying degrees.

Though he’d been on the move for half a month, Li Che spent his time not only cultivating and nurturing his Golden Pill to break through the divine fetus stage, but also practicing carving and mechanism crafting for the Imperial Watch’s special assessment in Divine Capital.

That intricate half-transcendent mechanism beast, the Twin-Winged Little Yinglong King, was exceedingly complex, so Li Che continued studying it. Progress here also improved the maturity of his 【Xiangong】 Dao Fruit.

Moreover, the Thunder Magnetic Conduit Dao Fruit advanced as well. Su Daoling’s Spiritual Confinement had completed the crafting of small Divine Talismans of the Five-Thunder Gods, and Li Che frequently used these talismans to refine his body.

Overall, the maturity of his Dao Fruits steadily increased.

Slowly rising to his feet, Li Che’s body began to shimmer with a golden blood mist, as if draped in a splendid golden cloak.

It reminded him of the Divine Martial Art Mitra Golden Robe he practiced in his childhood—only now, it was purely the result of his vital blood energy.

This revealed that every drop of Li Che’s blood was extraordinarily potent and refined.

Before him, golden light blazed brilliantly.

【Dragon Elephant Furnace: Pure Martial Purity (88%)】

Li Che arched an eyebrow as his bodily pure martial purity unexpectedly rose by 1%. How could a breakthrough in the divine fetus feed back into his pure martial efficiency?

He had feared that the massive influx of divine essence might drag down his pure martial purity during the breakthrough.

Now it seemed his worries were unfounded.

With a shift in his spirit, a black vortex manifested behind him.

Then, Li Che vanished from the room, only to reappear within Mo City!

Drip, drip.

Rain fell in Mo City; jet-black raindrops struck the ink-washed blue stone pavement, dispersing into transparent splashes.

Li Che snapped his fingers.

Instantly, a stout, rotund figure drifted into view, landing gracefully atop a building’s upturned eaves.

“Old Yue, greetings, my lord!”

As soon as Yue Huanglong appeared, he cried out jubilantly.

But Li Che said no more. His blood erupted as a golden mist spread around him like a vast, living cloak, while divine power trembled violently.

After breaking through the divine fetus, Li Che received feedback that unlocked a secret divine fetus technique.

It was the legendary 【Fa Tian Xiang Di】.

Boom!!!

A torrent of divine power burst forth from the Mud Pellet on his brow!

Countless streams of divine essence radiated outward, coalescing into a gigantic, faint divine image—an exact, ethereal replica of Li Che, formed entirely of pure divine essence.

Li Che’s spirit stirred as the divine image continued to expand…

It grew until it spanned a hundred zhang before halting—this was the furthest he could extend it.

This 【Fa Tian Xiang Di】 could also contract to an almost microscopic scale.

With a hundred-zhang divine image, his clenched fist threw a punch with the force of a giant’s blow.

That colossal punch, driven by immense inertia and divine explosion, was devastating.

Its sheer force would severely injure, if not utterly crush, even a Martial Saint who had just ingested an elemental pill.

Perhaps only a Qi Hai Martial Saint could barely withstand such an onslaught.

“So powerful—this is the secret divine fetus technique of the Three Pure Ones: Fa Tian Xiang Di!”

Li Che’s eyes shone brightly.

Yet, the technique had little effect on Yue Huanglong. Even without expending extra effort, Yue Huanglong’s top-tier abilities allowed him to deflect the nascent force of Fa Tian Xiang Di.

In terms of divine cultivation combat, Li Che’s newly acquired Fa Tian Xiang Di, though immensely powerful and comparable to a level-two Martial Saint’s burst, was limited—

it did not, like Qimen Divine Seed techniques, trigger successive explosions that shatter human limits.

Li Che himself admitted that his divine talent was average, and he harbored no undue expectations.

Moreover, Fa Tian Xiang Di was a technique that struck with both raw strength and divine essence.

It still had ample room for refinement and development.

Li Che continued adapting and researching it.

News spread swiftly that Consort Ji, accompanied by the little prince, had intended to propose to the Young Sect Leader of the Qianyuan Divine Sect—but had been sternly rejected.

From the Ninth City of Divine Capital all the way to the Divine Temple of the Great Jing Court, the news flew.

It was said that Consort Ji had been rejected by the Young Sect Leader’s own father, who granted her not even a scrap of opportunity—even though the proposal was for the little prince.

Before long, noblewomen across the realm burst into laughter.

They mocked Consort Ji for having her face smeared by cold rejection—boldly proposing only to be rebuffed.

Some even argued that Consort Ji lacked sincerity; offering an almost abandoned little prince was tantamount to insulting the Qianyuan Divine Sect.

After all, the Qianyuan Divine Sect was formidable, and Master Taibai was one of the top-tier figures listed alongside legends of the sect and the Heavenly Gate.

His most treasured disciple was none other than the Young Sect Leader of the Qianyuan Divine Sect—

Consort Ji’s scheme to bind the sect with a little prince was as shameless as trying to pull off an impossible gamble.

“If Consort Ji goes with the Third Prince, things might work out. The Third Prince even has a chance at the crown prince title, but what qualifications does the little prince have?”

“Clearly, Consort Ji cares only for the Third Prince. The little prince is abandoned by both His Majesty and her.”

“Ridiculous! Does she think the Qianyuan Divine Sect is like those submissive minor families in Divine Capital? Nothing revolves solely around the Ji family’s face!”

Various voices echoed ceaselessly.

In just half a day, the news spread throughout the Nine Cities of Divine Capital,

and even reached the Second City.

Consort Ji, instead of residing in Lu Chi’s mansion, returned to the Ji family with a sullen face.

Though she was a married daughter, she still held her place in the Ji family, especially since she was currently favored by the Great Jing Emperor.

Ancient noble families were deeply rooted, and being in Divine Capital naturally forged strong ties with the royals.

To endure, these families had to befriend every dynasty’s royal lineage.

Of course, if an empire fell, these venerable families would turn away and seek new patrons, supporting a new dynasty.

Divine Capital boasted three major eternal families: the Ji, Yue, and Gongshu clans.

However, that didn’t mean the Great Realm had only three—the Huang family of Xiling Road and the Fang family of Jiangnan, among others, also carried legacies spanning generations.

But since these families were distant from Divine Capital, their presence was less pronounced.

The Ji family’s mansion occupied a vast area in the Second City of Divine Capital, second only to the Imperial Palace in the First City—a testament to wealth, power, and status.

Countless priceless porcelains lay shattered, fragments flying everywhere.

Consort Ji’s beautiful face burned with anger as she removed her veil, her ample bosom heaving in fury.

She was not only incensed at Li Che, that country bumpkin who dared reject her proposal, but also at Lu Chi, that treacherous son!

She had thoughtfully arranged a proposal for Lu Chi, yet he had the nerve to scold her in front of so many people.

Not even the Emperor had ever scolded her; Lu Chi, the ingrate, dared to do so!

“Fine, fine—”

“Do you think having the National Teacher backing you makes you invincible?!”

After taking a deep breath and venting her anger, Consort Ji called for her maid to clean up.

In her eyes, if Lu Chi dared oppose her, it could only be because he had the National Teacher’s support.

“Could it be that Lu Chi also aspires to the crown prince position?”

Consort Ji’s face turned icy.

Though both the Third Prince and Lu Chi were her sons, she favored the Third Prince above all.

Mainly because Lu Chi’s innate talent was too poor—sent away at a young age, he barely earned her affection.

The Third Prince had perfectly inherited the virtues of the Great Jing Emperor and Consort Ji, excelling in both martial arts and divine talent, and had been raised by her—he was dearly loved.

“Crown prince? Lu Chi wants to chase that title? He has no foundation! No talent, no cultivation—such a waste could never be crown prince!”

Consort Ji’s long lashes trembled as she closed her eyes.

Then she recalled the young man seated on the Huanglong Xuanmu Treasure Ship.

He had coldly rejected her, leaving no room for negotiation—utterly indifferent.

“Li Che!”

Consort Ji opened her eyes. This country bumpkin from Feilei City, who had climbed to his current state by chance after inheriting the temple spirit, was now a major figure.

But without the backing of Lü Taibai and the Qianyuan Divine Sect, who would dare oppose her?

This incident had cost Consort Ji all her face.

Since becoming the Great Jing Emperor’s most favored consort, she had held a revered position in the harem, second only to the Empress—and bolstered by the Ji family, she had nearly equaled the Empress in status.

It was a loss she would never forget.

“With Lü Taibai protecting you, it’s hard to take action—”

Consort Ji was no fool. With a top-tier talent like Lü Taibai shielding her, attacking Li Che would be extremely unwise; any rash move would spark conflicts with disastrous consequences.

The upcoming Paotao Victory Banquet, hosted by the Empress, was of immense importance—it represented not only her will but that of the entire court, so even she dared not intervene.

The banquet’s significance was self-evident. Though Consort Ji seethed, she was merely a consort without the authority to host it.

If she could host the banquet, it would mark a colossal breakthrough in her status.

Consort Ji kept a keen eye on the banquet, well aware of its importance.

With heads of various Divine Sects and prodigies from noble families gathered in Divine Capital, any mishap would only escalate tensions between the court and the Divine Sect.

Thus, Consort Ji sought not to stir trouble—she hoped to eventually replace the Empress and preside over the Paotao Banquet.

Though she was truly angry now, a woman never forgets a slight for long.

Soon enough, she would exact her revenge.

Li Che and Li Nuǎnxi were insignificant compared to the might of Qianyuan Divine Sect’s leader, Lü Taibai—a top-tier talent second only to Prince Ji Mo Li.

The mere thought of Ji Mo Li made Consort Ji’s body tremble.

After a long moment, she finally regained her composure and exhaled slowly.

“According to records, Li Che’s family is closely linked with the emerging power in Daocheng’s Underworld.”

“The Su Family of Daocheng—it seems they were completely wiped out by the Underworld, their direct descendants perishing, not sparing even the infants…”

“Tsk tsk, the Underworld is ruthless.”

“The Su Family—”

“Bring someone to the Third Prince’s residence; send Su Yunji to meet me.”

Li Che returned from Mo City, slowly opening his eyes as he brushed off the ink-dark raindrops clinging to him. He exuded a rich scent of ink.

Li Che was deeply focused on researching the Fa Tian Xiang Di divine technique.

After all, he was soon to represent the Qianyuan Divine Sect at the Hero Banquet to contend for the thousand-year Paotao.

A thousand-year Paotao—he craved it. Until he discovered the secret of immortality, every treasure that could extend life was immensely valuable.

Moreover, Paotao held special importance for his wife, Zhang Ya.

Zhang Ya’s innate talent was poor; even with Pure Heart divine baptism, her progress was too slow.

The life-extending effects of a thousand-year Paotao were irresistible—at least to secure a better future for her.

As for XiXi’s upcoming Dragon Child Victory Banquet, Lü Taibai explained that the difficulty would far exceed expectations, for XiXi was still very young.

Though she had broken through to Divine Vision, the prodigies of various Divine Sects, princely heirs, and the children of Divine Capital’s noble families were born with abundant resources—it would be no easy task.

Thus, XiXi might not have a hundred-percent chance of obtaining the thousand-year Paotao, so Li Che must give his all at the Hero Banquet.

“Now that everyone knows I’ve broken through the divine fetus stage—as a refined Divine Nucleus Cultivator—my primary strategy will be to rely on my divine fetus techniques. If necessary, I’ll even reveal some martial prowess.”

Li Che pondered thoughtfully.

Though he planned to make a splash in Divine Capital, he would hide whatever needed to be concealed.

To win at the Paotao Hero Banquet, he had to catch his opponents off guard.

After six years of cultivation and merging with the divine fetus, his achievements already shone brilliantly.

The Heavenly Chessboard converged into his brow.

After a day of cultivation, Li Che opened the door and stepped out into a bustling courtyard.

Crowds gathered—prodigies from noble families of Daocheng and disciples from the Qianyuan Divine Sect’s Dragon Child Register.

XiXi was among them, and Li Che spotted her immediately.

“Daddy!”

Seeing Li Che emerge, XiXi waved excitedly while brandishing a leafy branch.

It was a peach tree branch.

Li Che raised an eyebrow.

Just then, Lü Taibai, clad in white and almost ethereal, approached.

“This peach branch was sent by the Empress. It comes from the Xi Wangmu Bizarre Temple at the Three Pure Ones level, imbued with unique temple spirit divine essence.”

“Once you channel your divine essence into it, you’ll qualify to participate in the Paotao Hero Banquet—

and you’ll also be eligible to attend the preview feast.”

Lü Taibai smiled as he handed the peach branch to Li Che.

“Give it a try.”

“This peach branch is linked to the Xi Wangmu Bizarre Temple. Your divine essence will reveal your true age and match you with opponents for the preview feast.”

“For instance, XiXi, being only six, will be matched with opponents from the Dragon Child Victory Banquet, and the feast prepared by the Xi Wangmu Bizarre Temple is perfectly suited for children.”

With a reminiscent look, Lü Taibai said, “You know, the Imperial Banquet’s Paotao Hero Banquet has always drawn major Divine Sect participants largely thanks to these preview feasts.

“Not only do they temper the disciples, but there’s also a chance to gain rewards—all without excessive danger.”

“And, of course, the delectable Paotao is a major allure for the mighty.”

Li Che took the peach branch; a faint, pleasant fragrance wafted from it.

He gazed at it as if it had just been plucked fresh from a peach tree.

A profound, high-tier divine essence swirled within the branch.

Li Che could clearly sense nearly three distinct streams of divine essence interwoven inside.

“Three threads of divine essence?”

He looked at Lü Taibai.

Lü Taibai’s robes billowed as he laughed, “Yes. Each peach branch holds three threads of Xi Wangmu divine essence.

Each visit to the Xi Wangmu Bizarre Temple consumes one thread.”

“If you win, you not only enjoy the preview feast but can also strip an opponent of one thread, adding it to your branch.”

“When the divine essence in your branch reaches eighteen threads, you’ll be directly advanced to the main Paotao Hero Banquet. Given such rules, unless fortune is overwhelmingly in your favor, a weak contender won’t break into the main feast.”

“The entry rules for the Paotao Hero Banquet are fair—the precious treasures and peaches are extremely limited.”

“With thousands from various Divine Sect leaders, noble families of Daocheng, princely heirs, and family prodigies in Divine Capital, not everyone can be admitted.”

Li Che mused, finding the whole system quite fascinating.

He was primarily curious about tasting the preview feast; Lü Taibai explained that more victories led to a richer preview, and Li Che was eager to see just how sumptuous it would be.

Of course, he had no intention of missing out on the main feast’s delicacies either.

A subtle tremor passed through his divine fetus; the Mud Pellet at his brow stirred.

One thread of divine essence was drawn forth, entwining and merging with the peach branch. In that moment, Li Che felt an inexplicable connection.

A low humming filled his senses as he seemingly glimpsed an opulent palace—a golden, radiant structure glowing like a sunset, bursting with celestial splendor!

Countless streams of ethereal light swirled as if tables were set in perfect order for an immortal banquet.

Suddenly, Li Che noticed that the divine essence on the peach branch interwove into ancient, unmistakable characters:

【For Participants: Li Che】

【Xi Wangmu Divine Essence: Three Threads】

【Qualification Verified—Admitted to the Hero Banquet】

【Preview Feast in Three Days】

These three lines flashed in Li Che’s mind, almost making him think his Dao Tree was revealing his Dao Fruit information!

“It seems—no, it appears—”

Li Che took a deep breath.

The method of this prompt was eerily reminiscent of how his Dao Tree revealed Dao Fruit data.

A fierce curiosity surged within him.

What exactly was the origin of this Xi Wangmu Bizarre Temple?

Could it be linked to the bond-tree shared with his daughter?

Or was it simply a similar method in display?

His focus then shifted as he looked to Lü Taibai.

“Your divine essence has been channeled. You understand what it means, right?”

“If you choose to participate, the thread within the peach branch—imbued with both spatial and Dao essence—will trigger, whisking you into the Xi Wangmu Bizarre Temple where your opponents are randomly matched.”

“If you prevail, you not only strip your opponent of their Xi Wangmu divine essence but can also use it for your own cultivation. Its quality is high—comparable to that in the Four-Yu Lower Divine Crystals—but its quantity is limited and its effect might not compare.”

“The real issue is losing face.”

Lü Taibai laughed.

Li Che chuckled in return. Indeed, facing such disgrace was the main concern given the significance of that divine essence.

To cultivate divine essence was essentially to forgo a chance at the preview feast.

“The preview feast begins in three days. XiXi will be competing in the first round, so you likely won’t get to attend. As the sect leader, however, I can attend every feast.”

Lü Taibai laughed, and Li Che then urged, “Please keep a close eye on XiXi.”

Lü Taibai rolled his eyes. “XiXi is my most cherished protégé. Why would I need you to watch her? I already do!”

With that, Lü Taibai moved towards XiXi, ready to begin her special training for the preview feast.

“It’s a pity XiXi hasn’t broken through to Grandmaster yet. If she did, she’d have a serious chance in the main banquet.”

Lü Taibai remarked.

Li Che’s eyes sparkled. “No rush—XiXi is still young. Let nature take its course. Overprotecting her won’t help.”

Lü Taibai nodded in agreement; he understood all too well.

But he had to devise a rigorous training regimen.

If his disciples couldn’t breach the main banquet, it wouldn’t just ruin his reputation—it would disgrace the entire Qianyuan Divine Sect and even the Ancestral Patriarch.

“Rest assured, Dad! XiXi will work hard and never bring shame upon you!”

“XiXi will strive to win the Paotao for Mother!”

XiXi, standing atop the Yulian Fenghuo Jingguang Wheel, hovered midair. With her hands on her hips and a determined little belly, her spirit shone with resolve.

A satisfied smile softened Li Che’s face.

How understanding his little XiXi was.

Lü Taibai rolled his eyes. If XiXi were to fail, it would be Li Che’s loss—not his own. No one cared about Li Che’s pride.

Zhang Ya’s eyes brimmed with emotion as she wrapped an arm around Li Che. “Husband, our XiXi is so sensible.”

“You were truly mad earlier—did all your maternal love just vanish in an instant?” Li Che added with a chuckle.

Zhang Ya blushed and playfully smacked him.

Li Che burst into laughter, taking Zhang Ya’s hand as they left for a stroll around Divine Capital.

Only XiXi remained in the courtyard, staring dumbfounded as she underwent Lü Taibai’s special training.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

In the Fourth City of Divine Capital, at the Qianyuan Courtyard,

inside a beautifully carved building, Li Che sat cross-legged as the Heavenly Chessboard soared skyward, enveloping everything in its expanse.

In his hand he held a Four-Yu Upper Divine Crystal.

Within the inner realm of his brow’s Mud Pellet—perhaps triggered by the transformation of the Fa Tian Xiang Di Luminous True Primate Golden Pill into a divine fetus—a unique reaction was set off.

The Seven-Desire Golden Pill and that Lv Xuan Sword Immortal Golden Pill were extraordinarily active, and the rate at which he absorbed divine essence from the crystal soared severalfold.

In nearly one day, a Four-Yu Lower Divine Crystal was entirely absorbed.

For three consecutive days, Li Che absorbed three Four-Yu Lower Divine Crystals with unprecedented efficiency.

This pace… was truly astonishing.

Previously, even when Li Che’s absorption was swift, increasing the number of crystals would slow the process.

In the past, refining three Four-Yu Divine Crystals took at least a month and a half.

Now, the process was shockingly rapid.

It was as if lazy workers had suddenly become industrious.

【Dao Fruits: Pure Heart (LV5 96%)】

Three consecutive Four-Yu Lower Divine Crystals were completely absorbed!

The enhancement was spectacular.

Li Che’s breath quickened.

With his two fingers, he tore open Qiankun Space,

retrieving the Four-Yu Upper Divine Crystal treasured by Yue Huanglong.

A vast surge of divine essence instantly filled the room.

But as Li Che gripped the Four-Yu Upper Divine Crystal, ready to channel it for his Dao Fruit breakthrough, his mind shifted.

A thought: “XiXi’s first preview feast matchup—has been set!”

At Qianyuan Courtyard.

Wind and snow roared, a howling gust piercing the air.

XiXi, Lü Qingxuan, Yang Yi, Zhou Peng, and Yun’e—prodigies from the Qianyuan Divine Sect’s register—sat cross-legged in the center of the courtyard,

each clutching a peach branch.

On the peach branch, waves of Xi Wangmu divine essence, like tangible blue breezes, continuously fluttered.

Suddenly,

XiXi opened her eyes, her gaze sharp and determined!