Li Che wasn’t as resistant to sending Xi Xi to the Divine Cultivation Institute in the Inner City of Xu Ji as he had imagined.
The child was growing up and couldn’t be kept confined forever.
That would be detrimental to her development.
The Divine Cultivation Institute… It could be considered akin to the kindergarten classes of the past world.
“A Che, does this mean you agree?”
Xu You couldn’t hide his surprise when he saw Li Che agree.
Old Chen, sitting in the rattan chair, also rarely nodded, “Nowadays, the environment in the Outer City has indeed worsened significantly. The Spirit Infant Sect is becoming restless, and there are hardly any Spirit Children left in the Outer City. They have even started targeting ordinary children…”
“The Inner City is indeed much safer than the Outer City, and although Xi Xi is quite young, her spiritual intelligence is exceptionally high. Starting the Divine Method early would be beneficial.”
Old Chen had always stayed out of the Inner City to enjoy some peace in the Outer City, but now he expressed his opinion openly.
Li Che called Zhang Ya over and shared his thoughts.
“Husband, it’s fine for you to decide… But Xi Xi is so young, I’m still quite worried about her.”
Zhang Ya was a bit anxious.
After all, Xi Xi was only two and a half years old.
“Don’t worry, A Che may not enter the Divine Institute, but I can. I’ll keep an eye on her and ensure her safety,”
Xu You spoke up proactively.
Since he suggested it, Xi Xi’s safety naturally concerned him.
Xi Xi was going to the Divine Cultivation Institute.
The whole family started to get busy, even Li Che felt somewhat melancholic and anxious.
He made Xi Xi a wooden bookcase, small and extremely lightweight. It felt weightless when carried.
Zhang Ya, on the other hand, was busy sewing new clothes for Xi Xi, intending to dress her up beautifully for the Divine Institute so that she wouldn’t lose face there.
Three days later.
It was drizzling, with a chilly breeze stirring around, and early spring just beginning, still carrying a bit of cold.
Xu You personally called for Xu Ji’s carriage and together with Li Che, they helped Xi Xi into the carriage.
“Goodbye, Mommy! Wait for me to kick some butt at the Divine Institute and come back chubby!”
Xi Xi, carrying the small bookcase Li Che made for her, leaned on the carriage window and waved goodbye to Zhang Ya, who pursed her lips and looked unwilling to part.
This was Xi Xi’s first time leaving her mother to travel far.
Zhang Ya was indeed very reluctant to let her go.
As the carriage wheels crushed the puddles on the ground and gradually moved away,
Xi Xi, watching her mother shrink in her big eyes, pursed her lips and began to cry loudly.
Li Che held her to soothe her, took out a candied hawthorn stick, and the girl’s missing of her mother dissipated in less than three seconds.
“Grandpa Chen said, when Xi Xi goes to the Divine Institute, she needs to use her little fists to protect herself so that no one will bully her,”
Xi Xi said seriously, clutching her small fist while licking the candied hawthorn stick, her eyes still held undried tears.
Li Che smiled and rubbed her head.
“If anyone bullies you, remember to tell Daddy…”
“Daddy is best at convincing people with reason.”
…
…
After dropping Xi Xi off at the entrance of the Divine Institute, Li Che was prohibited from entering. He asked Xu You to take care of Xi Xi and then went to the Independent Workshop in the Inner City that Xu You had arranged for him.
The facility was well equipped, and Li Che could work there during the day, picking up Xi Xi from the Divine Institute after school.
The Independent Workshop wasn’t big, after all, space in the Inner City was worth its weight in gold. The workshop Xu You arranged was a single-entry yard with a small courtyard and was equipped with stone weights and wooden piles for practicing martial arts in his spare time.
In the following days, Li Che’s days became somewhat routine, sending Xi Xi to the Divine Institute in the morning, working and practicing martial arts in the Inner City Workshop during the day, and picking up Xi Xi from the Divine Institute in the evening to take her home.
Of course, intermittently, Li Che would still put on the cute bull mask, wear a wide-brimmed hat, and go out in the cold, rainy weather to hunt for treasures from the Spirit Infant Sect.
Besides that, Li Che also secretly began to pay attention to and inquire about Si Mubai’s situation.
“Shut himself in for over two months, staying in the deep quarters of the Si Family Mansion… Seems like he’s seriously hurt.”
Inside the workshop, Li Che held a carving knife, working on the wood he found, with shavings falling all around, scattering across the floor like drifting snow.
Picking up the finished component, he closed his eyes and aimed for a while before he was satisfied and packed up.
Si Mubai staying indoors didn’t hurry Li Che, as hunting… was all about patience.
Entering the Si Family Mansion to kill Si Mubai… Li Che was not foolish enough to engage in such a suicidal act.
He would only wait for Si Mubai to leave the house, to find even a slight chance.
Moreover, a prolonged battle could not be afforded, especially not in the Inner City, where there were many mighty figures and help could arrive very speedily.
After organizing the parts he had made, the maturity of his “Immortal Artisan” Dao Fruit continued to increase, and now Li Che’s craftsmanship was also improving, slowly realizing the thoughts and designs in his mind.
He was currently enhancing the “Wood Raven,” planning to upgrade its power.
Li Che was also studying a new mechanism, “Bodhi Blood Tears,” but, the difficulty was immense and it would take more time, as the main material required was a precious pine called “Blood Flesh Red,” said to be a type of Spiritual Wood, and not easy to find.
Li Che placed an order in the marketplace, asking an old acquaintance to search for it. The acquaintance agreed to take the order at the price of one gold leaf per tael, but finding it still depended on fate.
Inner City, Nanming Alley.
In a solitary workshop.
Li Che sat cross-legged on the floor, and with each inhalation and exhalation, the wood shavings around him flowed like a tide, swept across the floor, and piled up against the wall.
In his chest, it was as if an ancient bell were colliding, booming with a distant sound relentlessly.
“Huff—”
“Huff—”
His qi and blood surged like a python under the skin, creating invisible shockwaves that scattered with the strikes of his qi and blood.
This python twisted and coiled around his entire body, transporting his qi and blood through one cycle, two cycles, three cycles…six cycles!
The force continued to stack up, layer upon layer…
Boom!!!
When he opened his eyes, they were like the sharpest of swords, slicing through the air.
Li Che stood up, clenched a fist, and thrust it downward explosively.
Within the courtyard, a wild wind wreaked havoc!
A White Tiger seemed to roar forth from within it, tangible in form, spirit, and intent, gathering some divinity from the surroundings, and formed a White Tiger apparition that surged forward more than half a meter, then dispersed!
Transformation Realm… White Tiger Chaotic Wind Fist!
He had finally mastered a martial technique with transformation skills!
Li Che lowered his fist, his eyes sparkling. He exhaled turbid air, his qi and blood retracting, with sweat steaming off him.
“Qi and blood six shifts, Blood Exchange Perfection… But, this is only the perfection of the Middle Vehicle Six Shifts Blood Exchange Dharma.”
Li Che was not fully satisfied with this, he needed a Nine Shifts Blood Exchange Technique.
[Dao Fruit: Immortal Artisan (Lv3, 10%), Dragon Elephant Vajra (Lv2, 20%), Pure Heart (Lv1, 7%)]
He glanced at the Dao Fruit.
There was growth in all of them, and it was not insignificant for just over a month.
The maturity of Immortal Artisan had risen to 10%, which was an unexpected delight for Li Che, credited to the enhanced “Wood Raven” he had crafted.
With the Blood Exchange reaching Perfection, the maturity of the Dragon Elephant Vajra entered 20%, making Li Che’s horizontal refinement even more formidable.
With a thought, he activated “Vajra Transformation.” Li Che’s entire skeletal structure snapped and twisted, undergoing transformations, as did his skin.
The entire person transformed from a lively young man to a robust middle-aged man.
Having reached Lv2, the “Dragon Elephant Vajra” Dao Fruit’s active ability achieved more intricate variations, allowing for even sculptural changes to the flesh and bones.
Previously, initiating the Vajra Transformation would simply cause him to increase in size, instantaneously expanding his physical form into a towering muscled Bull Demon.
Now, he could minutely control the size of each body part, making it more intuitive.
Rumbling!
Over the skies of Fei Lei City, massive dark clouds rolled in like an encampment.
It was oppressive and cramped.
Li Che did not change back to his original facial features, maintaining the appearance of a robust middle-aged man.
He picked up a wide-brimmed hat, put it on his head, and tucked the newly carved Cute Bull Mask into his chest. Walking into the workshop, he wrapped the enhanced “Wood Raven” in a black cloth and put it in a backpack.
After putting on an enhanced version of the black elastic shirt, he looked up at the dark clouds in the sky.
“It’s going to rain.”
“The earlier I leave, the earlier I return…”
“I still need to pick up Xi Xi from school.”
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