After the rain, the lingering chill had yet to dissipate, with only a hint of spring’s warmth seeping through the newly cleared pavilions and towers.
The spring rain gradually subsided.
In the second floor of the Qintian Observatory Treasure Building.
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Within the examination room, the tranquility was usual, making the faint sounds of a carving knife splitting the fibers of the Spirit Wood organization distinctly clear.
Li Che was carving the wood with intense concentration; continuing the Wood Carving for someone like him, who possessed the prototype of Divine Powers, the Thousand Analyzing Hands, was not particularly difficult.
He could almost perfectly continue the technique of the previous Wood Carver, even managing to replicate the other’s mood while carving the wood.
And replication was only the most fundamental ability of an Immortal Artisan.
On that foundation, integrating one’s own techniques, understanding, and even creating something new, were the changes in talent brought about by the Immortal Craft Dao Fruit.
Most importantly, the artistic talent brought by the Immortal Craft Dao Fruit was not limited to wood carving.
Elixirs, Divine Weapons, and the like—Li Che felt that he should be able to master them through the unparalleled artistic talent of the Immortal Craft Dao Fruit.
Rustle, rustle, rustle…
Li Che sat upright in his chair, his spine straight as an arrow, his vigor and blood interwoven, subtly merging with the Divinity scattered between heaven and earth into the “Four-armed Angry Third Prince” wood carving in front of him, which had now been completely shaped.
The wood carving was lifelike, with the wrinkles and creases between the fingers clearly visible.
The angle at which the carving knife fell, the depth of the cuts, the tears in the wood’s fibers under the sharp knife—all spread out in his mind like a scroll.
His ten fingers were incredibly agile, constantly changing tools, carving, engraving, chiseling, gouging, hollowing out… a variety of skilled techniques bloomed at his fingertips.
Li Che closed his eyes as if he were carving blind.
But with his eyes closed, he could see even more, perceive even more.
He even incorporated his own feelings.
The image from his past life memories, of the apprentice who rode the Wind Fire Golden Wheel and stirred the seas with the Red Silk, slowly emerged…
Bang—!
A sound like fireworks exploding rang out from outside the Treasure Building.
A dense mist of vapor shot into the sky as if the spring rain had suddenly burst into myriad droplets, forming a hazy fog.
Inside the house.
Shangguan Qinghong, who sat in the corner, was moved, she approached the carved wooden window, looked outside, and saw white waves crashing against the shore.
“There are waves!” Shangguan Qinghong spoke softly.
Her voice was not loud, but at that moment within the examination room, it was like thunder, and the two Minor Supervisors promptly came over and looked out through the window.
The Treasure Building was built beside the riverbank, its foundation a cliffside boulder, the spray of the waves striking it and bursting into a mist that soared skyward.
Because the waves in the Nine Dragons River running through the city were usually very calm, such a sudden wave was very noticeable, and the Divinity contained within the splashing waves was even more evident.
“Goodness, this young man truly has something…” Gongyang Liancheng stroked his beard, partly in admiration.
He was indeed able to draw upon the Divinity within the tributary of the Nine Dragons River to stir up waves. Although the waves weren’t big, Li Che was, after all, only a Tenth Capital Level Wood Carving Master.
“Not bad, the talent is indeed good, continuing the carving based on the original Wood Carver’s remaining techniques and thoughts… It’s a pity that he seems to lack any ‘Divine Sculpture Method’.” Gong Yunli also offered praise.
“Purely on talent.”
The two of them naturally had discerning eyes; the skill exhibited by Li Che belonged to mastering the techniques that ordinary Wood Carvers could grasp, almost reaching the Transformation Realm and achieving the Tenth Capital Level Wood Carving Master. However, he had not acquired any legacy of Divine Sculpture Techniques.
Also, due to insufficient vigor, blood, and Divinity, he could only reach the Tenth Capital Level.
With Divine Base Cultivation and the inherited Divine Sculpture Technique, Li Che would easily become a Nine Luminaries Level Wood Carving Master.
To qualify for the Second-Class Guest Official examination of the Qintian Observatory, one needed to reach the Nine Luminaries Level.
Whether as an Alchemist, Divine Painter, Divine Armaments Master, or Divine Carver, it was all the same.
Within the Qintian Observatory, though the crafts were categorized, they were ultimately differentiated by the rank of Guest Official.
Gongyang Liancheng and Gong Yunli had more or less approved Li Che’s level; the spot for the Third-class Guest Official was virtually assured for him.
However, Li Che had not yet stopped carving, so they did not interrupt him.
Eventually, to what degree could Li Che finish the wood carving?
And to what height could he incite the Divinity-infused waves from the Temple God in the Nine Dragons River outside the building to splash against the shore?
They wanted to see.
…
…
Hisss—
Li Che’s eyes suddenly snapped open, his posture shifting dramatically; with the last stroke of the knife across the wood carving completing the final details.
The entire wood carving on the working platform seemed to suddenly come to life, with the sound of roaring anger spreading through heaven and earth, and even the sound of stirred tides.
Li Che felt the Divine Wood Carving continuously drawing his vitality and blood, so greedy it even attempted to draw in the Mystic Veins Inner Qi he had hidden away with the Dragon Elephant Vajra Dao Fruit.
Within his chest cavity, the Dragon Elephant Vajra Dao Fruit trembled, like a broadsword cutting off the other’s stealthy hand.
Li Che’s blood vitality from the Blood Exchange was completely drained.
The Divinity of his Nature-nourishing Like a Stream was utterly exhausted.
Li Che staggered back several steps, sweat pouring from his body, looking extremely exhausted and drained of physical strength.
A Wood Carving Master’s carving of a Divine Carving involves not only physical strength but also consumes Divinity, greatly depleting both the body and mind.
After all, carving a Divine Wood Carving is no longer ordinary woodwork.
It was as if ethereal flames were rising, as the Divinity wandering between heaven and earth, the Divinity of the Temple God from the Nine Dragons River evaporated and ascended, was drawn in, creating this supernatural sight.
“It’s done!”
Within the room, Gongyang Liancheng and Gong Yunli’s eyes suddenly brightened. In an instant, they appeared beside the carved wooden window, their gazes falling outside toward the Nine Dragons River, which had calmed down.