Chapter 23: The Bull Demon Has an Epiphany, The Spirit Baby's Divinity

Thud, thud, thud!

The densely packed, razor-sharp wooden needles, as fine as ox hair, shot out in an instant, raining down like a storm that blanketed the sky!

Zhao Chuanxiong's long blade, already stained with blood, swung up violently. At the sight of this barrage, his hair stood on end and his pupils contracted tightly. He had no choice but to whirl his blade, creating a gust of wind to block the relentless onslaught of these hidden weapons!

But there were too many. As the blood lotus exploded, the dense storm of wooden needles, like torrential rain, inevitably pierced into his body!

Blood mist erupted. Zhao Chuanxiong's airborne form crashed heavily back into the snow-filled courtyard, where dense blood droplets seeped from his pores, staining a vast expanse of snow crimson in an instant.

"Ah!"

Zhao Chuanxiong let out a low growl of fury, his hair and beard bristling. He hastily activated his Inner Strength to hold back the flow of Qi and blood in his meridians, his face flushed crimson with anger!

"So treacherous, so venomous! What a wicked Bull Demon!"

Zhao Chuanxiong roared furiously.

Nearby, the Bagua Staff martial artist, who wore a girl's mask, leapt onto the courtyard wall. Yet, this pause had cost him dearly—there was no longer any trace of the Bull Demon.

Amidst the hazy snow and wind, the figure had disappeared without a trace.

Turning to glance at the dense array of wooden needles that riddled the snow, the Bagua Staff martial artist couldn't help but shiver in dread.

"Guard me for a moment. That Bull Demon is truly insidious and exceptionally poisonous. These wooden needles are so fine that even my Body Tempering Realm skin membrane couldn't stop them. They've burrowed into my body, now traveling along my Qi and blood in my meridians, threatening to pierce my heart. I must use my Inner Strength to force these needles out!"

Breathing heavily, Zhao Chuanxiong immediately sat cross-legged on the snowy ground. Without delay, he addressed the Bagua Staff martial artist and began concentrating on channeling his Inner Strength.

Scorching heat rose from every inch of his skin.

After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Zhao Chuanxiong's body shuddered violently as he opened his mouth wide and spat out a large mouthful of clotted blood with a guttural sound.

Within the clotted blood were countless tiny, blood-soaked wooden needles.

"How are you?"

The martial artist holding the Bagua Staff looked at Zhao Chuanxiong and asked in a deep voice.

"It's no big deal, but my meridians are damaged. I'll need some time to recuperate. That Bull Demon… truly insidious."

Zhao Chuanxiong's expression was grim. He had set a trap to capture and kill the Bull Demon.

But he hadn't expected such a disastrous outcome.

"At least he didn't poison those wooden needles…" The Bagua Staff martial artist glanced at the needles and chuckled.

Zhao Chuanxiong's mouth twitched. He didn't bother to respond, though inwardly he felt a sliver of relief.

This Bull Demon was ruthless, but not ruthless enough…

"Wearing a Bull Demon mask, with a large and muscular body, and possessing Bone Tempering Cultivation… Such an obvious frame would be impossible to hide in the Outer City."

Zhao Chuanxiong exhaled deeply. "Could he be from the Inner City?"

"Most likely. The noble families and clans of the Inner City possess superior legacies; the martial arts they cultivate are profoundly deep. They eat nutrient-rich food, resulting in vigorous Qi and blood, and robust physiques. Take the Yang Family, for example—they're all built like bulls. Almost every great noble family has horizontally-refined warriors with such physiques."

"Moreover, the Bull Demon's strength surpasses that of a Bone Tempering Minor Accomplishment martial artist. The martial arts he cultivates must be extraordinary and likely originate from a noble family."

"And those wooden needles… they're probably connected to the woodcarvers under those noble families. Such craftsmanship might be the work of a Master Woodcarver."

The Bagua Staff martial artist nodded as he spoke.

"The Dharma Master went to the Inner City and negotiated with those noble families, seizing quite a bit of profit. Of course, those families wouldn't take it lying down; it's natural for them to retaliate."

"The Yang Family? The Xu Family, the An Family… or perhaps the Si Family?" Zhao Chuanxiong slowly stood up and began pulling out the fine wooden needles, as thin as ox hair, embedded in the snowy ground.

His rugged fingers crushed the needles, his eyes burning with murderous intent.

"No matter what, this Bull Demon… will die sooner or later!"

…

…

Li Che, wearing a bamboo hat and a tattered cloak, returned to the rented courtyard.

His body instantly deflated like a leaking balloon, reverting to a normal size.

"Escaping from two Quenched-Bone Warriors… not too bad, but I've used up all my trump cards."

"The sleeve crossbow, the Thousand Spider Threads, and the Guanyin Blood Lotus—all three mechanisms have been revealed… Tch. What a pity. If only my Inner Strength were complete, I could have used it to amplify the explosion of the Guanyin Blood Lotus, doubling its power. Even if Zhao Chuanxiong didn't die, he'd have been severely injured."

"As it stands now, he's probably only suffered some superficial wounds."

"Hmm… if I had tempered the wooden needles with poison, combined with the Guanyin Blood Lotus, the needles piercing into his meridians would release their toxins. The killing power would've doubled…" Li Che let out a breath, his eyes brightening as he clapped his hands together. *A wave of enlightenment surged within him.*

*What a miscalculation. Otherwise, I could've taken Zhao Chuanxiong's life this time.*

"Excluding the Bagua Staff martial artist, in a one-on-one fight, even if I activated 'Dragon Elephant Vajra,' I still wouldn't be Zhao Chuanxiong's match. His Inner Strength has reached Three Heavens and he has mastery over martial techniques…"

Li Che mentally reviewed his brief and fleeting clash with Zhao Chuanxiong.

*If not for the Fairy Mechanisms, prolonged combat would've inevitably ended in my defeat.*

"Martial techniques… I need to acquire one. With my 'Dragon Elephant Vajra' Dao Fruit, my martial cultivation will progress quickly. I'd likely learn horizontal refinement techniques even faster, perhaps with some added benefits as well." Li Che began to devise a plan in his mind.

"Will the Second Shopkeeper teach me a martial technique? Hmm, even if he does, it'll undoubtedly carry Xu Family characteristics… Looks like I'll have to search on my own or maybe try my luck with Old Chen."

Li Che stretched lazily, the sound of his bones cracking audibly.

This battle gave him a solid understanding of Zhao Chuanxiong's capabilities and some confidence in his ability to take him down in the future.

After changing his clothes and tidying up,

Li Che leisurely headed out, stopping at a marinated meat shop in the western part of the city. He bought a pound of stewed beef and half a pound of pig ears, grabbed a jug of Old Huang liquor, and purchased a box of osmanthus cakes before strolling back to Xu's Wood Carving Shop.

"Dad!"

As soon as he pushed open the courtyard's gate, Xi Xi ran across the snow, her little nose red from the cold, stumbling toward Li Che.

At her shout, Li Che's heart warmed. He set down the marinated meat and wine, scooping up the chubby Xi Xi in one motion.

The little girl was carved from jade, with rosy, adorable lips. As Li Che picked her up, her tiny hands instinctively wrapped around his neck.

"Daddy… hug me."

The little girl was exceptionally bright. Though just over a year old, she already stood out as special.

She didn't even need a walking aid and could walk smoothly on her own now.

Old Chen sat under the eaves, happily sipping from a gourd of wine. Seeing how tightly attached Li Che and Xi Xi were to each other, he couldn't help smirking enviously. "That Little Stinky Xi is something else. She seems to sense your footsteps from miles away…"

"No wonder she's a Spirit Baby."

Zhang Ya stepped out from the house. Spotting the items Li Che had placed on the ground, she quickly walked over to bring them inside.

"Husband, osmanthus cakes again today? Isn't this a bit extravagant?" Zhang Ya smiled sweetly. Ever since moving to Xu Ji, their days had grown better and more hopeful.

Li Che chuckled. "If my wife wants it, we'll have it every day. No problem at all."

Their family could now afford it comfortably.

With Li Che's skill, his carvings sold for an enormous profit. Each woodcarving was worth at least fifty taels, ensuring they were able to live without worrying about food or clothing.

Zhang Ya carried the items inside.

Li Che, cradling Xi Xi and carrying the Old Huang liquor, sat down next to Old Chen.

"Old Chen, this Spirit Baby… what does it mean?"

Li Che asked.

The Spirit Infant Sect had identified Xi Xi as a Spirit Baby… but Li Che still didn't understand what it entailed.

Old Chen put away the gourd and gestured for Li Che to pour some wine. Once the cup was filled to the brim, Old Chen grinned happily.

Taking a sip of Old Huang liquor,

Old Chen grew serious. Looking at Xi Xi, a trace of pity flashed in his eyes.

"A Che, do you know the Divine Method?"

"The so-called Spirit Baby… is born with innate Divinity, making it an exceptional candidate for cultivating the Divine Method!"

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