It was all too surreal, too surreal…
Xu You had not expected that during his absence from the city, so many significant events had unfolded.
For one, an envoy from the Divine Sect had arrived, and Xi Xi was identified as a supreme spiritual child, astonishing many. And woodcarving master Li Che turned out to be a spirit child of only twenty-two, which was a shock to the entire city.
From all this, Xu You learned that Li Che’s family was preparing to move to Mansion City to partake in the Divine Sect’s enrollment assessment at the vernal equinox in February next year.
“Is it that upon seeing each other again, we’re destined to part ways?”
Exhaling a breath, Xu You returned to Xu’s Courtyard amidst the swirling snowflakes.
No one was there to greet him, nor did anyone care about his return.
He made his way back to his own courtyard, pushed open the door, and found thick snow piled up just as it had been when he left.
Not a trace of human warmth.
Seated in a chair, he reached for the teapot, which was utterly empty.
Staring blankly, Xu You remembered how, when his mother was still alive, warm tea and food always awaited him after he returned from training at the Divine Cultivation Institute.
He sat alone in his room for nearly half an hour.
He was waiting for his father to summon him.
Yet, the summons didn’t come, as if no one cared about his return.
Xu You let out a bitter laugh. What was he expecting?
Shaking his head, he stood up, locked the door, and left with his sword in hand.
He walked straight out of Xu’s Courtyard and headed towards Li Che’s home.
Approaching the courtyard gate, he could already hear Xi Xi’s high-pitched screams of glee from within.
He rapped his knuckles on the door.
Li Che sensed Xu You’s presence the moment he stepped into the alleyway.
So, just as Xu You knocked, the door swung open.
Dressed in black, Li Che smiled at the visibly exhausted Xu You, “You’re back?”
“Uncle Xu You——!”
From the courtyard came Xi Xi’s excited scream as she ran wildly towards him, standing still in front of him, tilting her head back, blinking her eyes.
Feeling the completely different atmosphere compared to his own empty and desolate courtyard,
an involuntary smile crept upon Xu You’s lips.
“Haven’t had dinner yet, right? Just in time, Old Chen is here too, let’s have a drink together.”
“Sure.” Xu You replied with a smile.
Brushing the snow off his body, he stepped into the clean and tidy courtyard.
Under the eaves of the courtyard house,
a charcoal stove radiated warmth, bubbling with boiling water.
Old Chen, Chen Dabao, holding a jug of treasured wine, walked out from the house, waving at Xu You.
…
…
Xu’s Courtyard.
Old Master Xu sat upright in the Taishi Chair, his aged face showing a few flushes of sickness, intermittently coughing.
A scent of decay wafted from him.
Below,
Xu Nanming stood respectfully, with Xu Heli bowing his head by his side.
“Xu You is back?”
Old Master Xu asked softly.
Xu Nanming nodded, “He just returned from being sent to eradicate the evil spirit that had escaped due to the dispersal of the temple god’s divinity at the Mysterious Temple.”
“Aren’t you going to comfort him as his father?” Old Master Xu glanced at him, “After all, he is your son.”
Xu Nanming’s face showed little emotion.
“He’s just an expendable piece, what’s there to comfort? His fate was already sealed…”
“Just as you, father, have never comforted my older brother…”
Xu Nanming’s tone was calm.
Xu Heli dared not let out a breath on the side, having said not a word.
This secret… it was his first time hearing it.
“Your eldest brother… it’s me who let him down…”
Old Master Xu’s eyes were clouded as he let out a soft sigh.
Xu Nanming shook his head, “No, it’s me who let down my elder brother, I failed to achieve a breakthrough in the Divine Foundation… the failure is mine, all faults are on me.”
Xu Heli’s body couldn’t help trembling for a moment on the side.
Xu Nanming turned his head to look at Xu Heli.
“Heli, do not follow in my footsteps. You must make it up to your third brother; you must break through the Divine Foundation…”
“Only then will you not let him down.”
“Do you understand?”
The clear words echoed within the room.
Xu Heli raised his head and exhaled a breath of impure air.
His body no longer shook, and he nodded his head.
“Father, I understand.”
…
…
The next day.
The mountains at the edge of the sky were wrapped in white misty veils.
The fine rain was hazy, mixed with bits of winter snow.
Li Che, having slept and woken up refreshed, entered the study straight away, grabbed the chess piece anchor, and went directly to the bamboo pavilion outside the city.
The bamboo pavilion was quiet, the winter rain carried by the breeze fluttered around, rubbing against the bamboo leaves, rustling like a never-ending wave.
After a night of rest, Li Che’s essence, qi, and spirit were all tuned to their peak.
First, braving the hazy rain and snow, he went around the bamboo pavilion to reconfirm the many mechanisms and hidden weapons he had set up, and then he returned inside the pavilion. Discover more content at m,v l’e-NovelFull.net
He took an incense burner, lit an incense pillar, and the faint smoke twisted and blended into the air.
Next, he took the blood of three animals and five livestock, dissolved it with inner qi, placed it in white bowls, and set them up.
Li Che took out three carvings of the Three-Eyed Fierce True Lord Spirit Infant Statue.
Each was positioned in three different directions, forming a triangular arrangement.
After all these arrangements, Li Che sat down cross-legged in the very center.
As soon as he sat down, Li Che felt a tremendous difference; the divinity between heaven and earth seemed to boil over, drawn by an invisible force, converging towards his position little by little.
“Is this… a formation?”
A hint of curiosity couldn’t help but arise in Li Che’s mind.
It was somewhat like a ritual formation; once the formation was completed, it would attract divinity.
With a thought,
He spread out the [Chess Saint]’s Heaven and Earth chessboard Dao Fruit, always alert to the surroundings, ready to react immediately if someone intruded.
Only after all this did Li Che slowly exhale a breath.
Sitting on the meditation cushion, the many details of the “Three-eyed Wrathful True Lord Foundation Technique” flowed through his mind.
The next moment, Li Che suddenly opened his eyes.
His blood surged, intertwining as the big muscles of his flesh suddenly tensed, his muscles bulging, his entire body expanding a size.
His strong physique was shrouded in a mist of blood.
Li Che’s eyes were electric, his black hair wildly flying, as he assumed a “fury” posture!
He raised his hand, placing it upright on his forehead.
The Inner Scene of the Energy Center burst forth resoundingly!
Torrents of divinity flowed out like rivers, bringing the sound of rushing water colliding!
The blood of the three animals and five livestock in the bowls began to dissipate at a visible rate, as if being consumed by an invisible being.
And the Spirit Infant Wood Carving placed in three different directions,
All turned into a bloody color!
Suddenly, they emitted roars of extreme fury that pierced the heavens!