Chapter 927: 284: Who Says We Can't Live for 10,000 Years, Carving Mortal Wood with a Knife for a 10,000 Figure Pilgrimage [Seeking Monthly Ticket]_5

Chapter 927: Chapter 284: Who Says We Can’t Live for 10,000 Years, Carving Mortal Wood with a Knife for a 10,000 Figure Pilgrimage [Seeking Monthly Ticket]_5

Li Che clasped his fists and saluted.

Xi Xi stood beside Lv Taibai, her excitement uncontainable. Her small face flushed red, brimming with exhilaration, as if she could barely resist throwing herself into Li Che’s arms.

“Daddy, good luck!”

Xi Xi clenched her chubby little fists and softly whispered.

The Sect Master’s Wife, Xuan Qisha, glanced at Xi Xi: “Wretched disciple! Does your master not deserve some encouragement too?”

“But Sect Master’s Wife and Master doesn’t carve wood sculptures…” Xi Xi replied matter-of-factly.

Xuan Qisha rolled her eyes.

Truly, competing for favor with this girl’s biological father was no easy victory.

“Darling~ look at Xi Xi!”

Xuan Qisha immediately jumped up, grabbing Lv Taibai’s arm and shaking it vigorously.

Lv Taibai, long accustomed to Xuan Qisha’s antics, smiled and said: “How about I cheer for you instead?”

Xuan Qisha instantly released her grip, acting disdainfully: “I don’t sculpt divine figures—what need is there for cheer?”

Lv Taibai: “…”

Indeed, women are truly enigmatic creatures.

Swish swish swish—

Suddenly, the sound of breaking through the air reverberated, scattering countless droplets of spring rain.

Everyone simultaneously felt an incomparably powerful pressure of heaven and earth descending upon them!

This was an overwhelmingly powerful Heaven and Earth Soul!

Li Che looked upward and saw an elder dressed in the ceremonial robe of the Chief Supervisor of Qintian Observatory, stepping through the air with an ebony chessboard in hand.

“Lord Supervisor, why have you graced us with your presence?”

Yun Haiyang and Zhou Tianshui, being First-Class Guest Officials of Qintian Observatory, naturally recognized the Chief Supervisor and hurriedly greeted him.

“Just here to watch the excitement. Sect Master Taibai, you wouldn’t drive an old man away now, would you?”

Supervisor Hong Shifu said with a cheerful smile.

Li Che glanced at Hong Shifu, then at the chessboard in his hand…

Do all Supervisors… harbor odd obsessions?

The Supervisor from the Golden Light Prefecture, Hu Yingyue, always carried a two-stringed fiddle, and now this one from Qianyuan Dao City walks around with a chessboard…

Were they planning to use the chessboard as a weapon?

However…

Li Che, possessing the [Chess Saint] Dao Fruit, was particularly attuned to chessboards. He couldn’t help but take a closer look.

Hong Shifu squinted: “Li Che, I see you have an interest in the art of chess?”

“Should you have some free time, come visit Qintian Observatory. Let us play a game together.”

“My chess skills—there’s no equal in all of Qianyuan Dao City.”

“Sect Master Taibai, Dao Master Yue Huanglong, and Feng Zhiqi of the Temple Control Bureau have all been defeated by me.”

Hong Shifu stroked his beard with a smile, his eyes glinting with anticipation.

Hearing this, Li Che’s heart tightened. Such chess prowess…

It was truly tempting.

“I have a modest understanding of chess. I would be grateful for your guidance, Lord Supervisor.”

Li Che replied with a smile.

After some courteous exchanges, the group entered the private workshop.

At the Divine Carving Ridge workshop, most woodcarvers and Woodcarving Masters had put down their tools, their gazes filled with fervent curiosity as they looked toward Li Che.

There was no doubt about Li Che’s Divine Sculpture skill, having inherited the Holy Hand Divine Sculpture legacy from Elder Sun…

Even if he failed this time to ascend to the rank of Divine Sculpture Half-Saint, his carving technique was still of immense educational value.

The Sect Master’s Wife hovered mid-air, adhered to a Divine Talisman.

Her arms crossed over her chest.

A woman of immense pride, she had placed her bet and was determined not to lose.

“Are you ready?”

“Li Che, don’t forget our wager!”

“No holding back! You must give it your all! I won’t stand for being accused of selling favors!”

Sect Master’s Wife Xuan Qisha said matter-of-factly.

She always seemed to possess this straightforward demeanor.

Li Che smiled warmly: “Please rest assured, Sect Master’s Wife. I will give it my all.”

“After all, my Divine Carving Technique carries the heartfelt dedication of Elder Sun.”

Li Che spoke softly.

Whoosh whoosh whoosh—

The winds began to rise.

Under everyone’s watchful eyes, Li Che stepped into the workshop.

A large pile of wood carvings lay in the courtyard, and Li Che scanned the myriad pieces of timber with slow, deliberate eyes.

“Elder Li, would you like me to prepare Fifth-Order Spiritual Wood?”

Gongshu Jingjun inquired.

However, Li Che shook his head.

“That won’t be necessary.”

With those words spoken—

Li Che selected a single piece of timber from the heap, a wooden stump taller than a person.

That stump…

Appeared to be the most ordinary of woods, not even Spiritual Wood.

It was much like when Elder Sun, after gaining profound enlightenment, carved a Divine Sculpture from regular mortal wood at dawn.

Lv Taibai stood with hands clasped behind his back, silver hair flowing, a flicker of peculiar expectation glimmering in his eyes.

Supervisor Hong Shifu stood with the chessboard on his back, stroking his beard and smiling, his gaze radiant.

Li Che selected the wood, and in the next moment, divine energy began to ripple outward.

Boom—!!!

Hiss hiss hiss…

Gripping the timber, Li Che released his torrential Qi-Blood from his palms, evaporating the moisture within the wood and drying it.

Compared to Spiritual Wood, ordinary wood was exceedingly brittle; for Divine Sculpture Masters seeking to carve a high-quality Divine Sculpture, it presented an even greater challenge.

It’s like carving onto tofu—one wrong move and everything collapses.

Yet Li Che’s gaze did not waver to the surrounding crowd, nor did he spare a thought to anyone present.

The Mud Pill within his brow quivered slightly, and then—

A radiant and resplendent Golden Core emerged from behind Li Che!

“This is—!”

Inner Sect Elders Fang Hanshu and Zhao Fangzhou changed their expressions dramatically in shock.

Because the aura radiating from Li Che at this moment…

Was all too familiar!

Lv Taibai, seated upon the Taishi Chair, paused his light tapping motion. Even he couldn’t suppress the astonishment flashing in his gaze.

“This is… the Six Desires Evil Extermination Sword Immortal Pure Yang Golden Core!”

“The legacy of Miao Dao Xiansheng Three-Eyed True Lord from the Strange Temple?!”

Hiss hiss hiss—

Countless individuals drew sharp breaths of air.

Many turned their attention—not just toward legacy prowess—but to something even greater…

Li Che’s cultivation had actually broken through—to Divine Primordial Golden Core!

So that was it!

Li Che’s unwavering confidence stemmed from this breakthrough in cultivation?!

His five fingers gripped a Divine Weapon Carving Knife.

Under the gaze of all onlookers.

Li Che lightly grazed the mundane timber, drawing the knife across its surface.

The carving knife tore through the wood fibers, and a single, seamless piece of wood shavings fell gracefully to the ground!

The second cut, the third cut…

Effortless!

Steady and sure!

Returning to the Original True Self!

Li Che’s technique was not fast, but it was profoundly stable. The depth of the cuts, the angle of entry, the length of the incisions—all were perfectly controlled!

Li Che’s heart settled, his spirit entirely immersed in the act of carving.

Within his chest.

The [Immortal Artisan] Dao Fruit pulsed fervently.

As though celebrating Li Che’s current state!

When Li Che’s ninth stroke landed.

Wood shavings scattered, and the rough outline took shape!

Meanwhile…

Throughout the entirety of the Divine Carving Ridge workshop, all the wood sculptures atop workbenches—unfinished and incomplete—began to tremble!

As if, in this very moment…

They were worshipping!