Chapter 9: The Three-Headed, Six-Armed Spirit Child Statue and the Hidden Sleeve Crossbow

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"You want to move into the Wood Carving Shop?"

"Now that you're a Woodcarving Master, you naturally can… However, some procedures still need to be followed. I'll instruct someone to expedite your paperwork. Come and see the courtyard in a few days."

Third Manager Xu You greatly appreciated Li Che's talent.

The wooden carvings he created were full of meaning and depth. Such talent… was extremely precious and sought after by any Wood Carving Shop.

Because of this, a woodcarver had the opportunity to grow into a Woodcarving Master!

Therefore, for Li Che's request, he naturally wouldn't refuse, and even felt it was a favor he was doing.

Genius deserved the treatment befitting a genius.

"Thank you, Third Manager." Li Che sincerely clasped his fists.

Xu You nodded, and together with Xu Beihu, they disappeared into the snowstorm.

Li Che exhaled a long breath of warm air, a smile involuntarily appearing on his face. After moving into the Wood Carving Shop, the threat from the Spirit Child Sect would be greatly reduced.

Returning to the shop, he took his conical hat and collected his monthly wages as a woodcarver, a total of five taels of silver.

Third Manager had said that from now on, every month on this day, the monthly wages would be distributed.

Amidst the envious and reverent gazes of the apprentices, Li Che packed his belongings, preparing to return home and share the good news with his wife and daughter.

However, before leaving, he approached Master Chen with a sheepish smile.

"Master Chen, can I take some scrap wood home for practice?"

Chen Dabao, sipping from his gourd, pulled a face. "Ache, from now on, you're also a Woodcarving Master in the shop. Considering our friendship, don't call me Master Chen, just call me Old Chen."

"You can take whatever scraps you want, even go pick some from the courtyard, as long as they're not too large, you can take them home for practice."

Chen Dabao naturally saw Li Che's talent, and maintaining a good relationship was important.

At his age, he was naturally a shrewd person, not easily offending anyone.

"By the way, when you choose a courtyard, call me over. I'll give it a look, and we can be neighbors." Old Chen smiled.

…

…

Good news brings a person's spirits up.

Li Che was in high spirits. After becoming a Woodcarving Master, his wages increased, and he had something to look forward to. The dream of wealth and a good life for his wife and daughter was no longer a luxury.

Following the long street of Feilei Outer City, he stepped on the piled snow, arrived at the shop, bought two taels of wine, and then bought some pig head meat and braised beef, heading home.

The sky was growing dark, and the streetlights were sparse.

From afar, Li Che could see the faint oil lamp light from his humble earthen house.

Thinking of his adorable daughter Xixi's babbling, his lips couldn't help but curve upward.

Reaching the earthen house, he raised his hand to call out to his wife Zhang Ya to open the door.

But suddenly, Li Che's peripheral vision seemed to catch something, his breath catching, the air around him seeming to freeze.

His neck, as if stiff, slowly turned.

His gaze fell on the lower left corner of the wooden door, where, on the thick snow, a palm-sized wooden carving was quietly placed!

A three-headed, six-armed child sat on a lotus platform, with a smile that was neither a smile, lips slightly curled, one eye closed and one open.

Looking for a long time…

Li Che even heard the illusion of a child's laughter and crying in his ears!

"Spirit Child Dharma Master?!"

Li Che's face darkened, he suddenly looked around, his eyes full of ferocity.

This… they've come after me?!

Xixi is just a month old!

Lei Chunlan!

Where are you?! Show yourself!

But all around was quiet, only the sound of falling snow and the sound of Xixi's "ya ya" babbling from inside the house.

Reaching out to grab the wooden carving, it was just a regular wooden carving…

But it gave Li Che a different signal, the joy in his heart instantly withered and froze.

Just like a thief who would leave a mark before stealing.

Perhaps, the other party had a similar purpose.

Li Che, with a dark face, thought for a moment, and threw the Spirit Child wooden carving into the woodshed, planning to take it to the Wood Carving Shop the next day to ask about the situation.

After doing everything, he restored his joyful expression.

Going home… should be about sharing good news, not bad.

"Husband, you're back?"

Zhang Ya opened the door, the wind and snow rushing in. Seeing the wine and meat in Li Che's hand, her eyes instantly showed surprise and joy.

Knowing that her husband must have some good news to share.

When she learned that Li Che had become a Woodcarving Master at Xu's Wood Carving Shop, she couldn't help but cheer like a young girl, hugging Li Che's waist and bouncing up and down, rubbing against him… making Li Che's heart race.

"Husband, we must celebrate tonight!"

Zhang Ya raised her smooth chin, beaming.

Li Che embraced her, a mischievous smile curling his lips. "How does my wife plan to celebrate?"

Seeing Li Che's smile, Zhang Ya immediately understood his mischievous intentions, her face blushing.

Li Che then took out the five taels of monthly wages he had received today and told Zhang Ya about his plan to move into the Wood Carving Shop.

Zhang Ya was stunned. Although she found the move strange, she didn't ask much.

Wherever her husband goes, she and her daughter would naturally follow.

Moreover, Zhang Ya understood that the Wood Carving Shop was definitely much safer than here…

After dinner, Zhang Ya put Xixi to sleep early, and the couple carefully engaged in an enthusiastic activity.

On the bed, Zhang Ya's black hair was scattered, and she fell into a deep sleep.

Li Che, however, was refreshed, sitting in front of the lit oil lamp, taking out the Tang Family Mechanism Records he had borrowed from Old Chen.

The Dao Fruit [Divine Craftsmanship] trembled again.

Li Che's eyes sparkled, and he began to read, carefully observing.

It recorded various ingenious mechanisms, some of which were extremely lethal…

As Li Che read, his understanding brought by the Dao Fruit instantly made him immerse himself, completely conquered by the ingenious designs and creative ideas.

However, the book only recorded twelve mechanisms, nine of which required internal energy and divine power to be made.

Li Che, for now, couldn't consider them.

He chose the remaining three mechanisms that could be made without internal energy and divine power, named "Sleeve Crossbow," "Guanyin Blood Lotus," and "Thousand Thread Spider."

Taking out the scrap wood he had brought back from the shop, Li Che decided to make the Sleeve Crossbow.

Mainly, this was somewhat similar to his original crossbow design, so… he could start making it directly.

The sound of the carving knife slicing through the wood, tearing apart the wooden fibers, continued through the night…

When the first ray of light from the east pierced through the darkness, illuminating the snow-covered ground.

Li Che finally completed the small and exquisite Sleeve Crossbow!

[Dao Fruit: Immortal Craftsmanship (lv2, 19%)]

At the moment of completion, a large amount of information about the Sleeve Crossbow's usage techniques and descriptions flooded Li Che's mind, and a prompt appeared before his eyes.

Li Che's eyes instantly brightened, his spirit heightened, not expecting that making the Sleeve Crossbow would give him 10% Dao Fruit maturity!

Li Che referred to the percentage in the suffix as Dao Fruit maturity, as it would naturally increase when full, similar to the ripening of a fruit.

"Is it based on the difficulty of the mechanism?" Li Che couldn't help but wonder.

Originally, the slow increase in Dao Fruit had made Li Che somewhat anxious.

But now, it seemed he had found another way to enhance the Dao Fruit.

However, the number of mechanisms was a bit limited, and Li Che quickly calmed down, feeling a bit disappointed.

"But, this mechanism manual details twelve mechanisms. If I make them all, I can definitely advance Immortal Craftsmanship to lv3!" Li Che's eyes sparkled, his heart surging.

There's still a chance!

Because he had made the Sleeve Crossbow, Li Che simultaneously mastered its usage techniques. He was eager to try it out, and if he mastered internal energy and blood qi, the power of the Sleeve Crossbow would be even greater!

But looking at his sleeping wife and daughter, he resisted the urge.

Stretching, his entire body made a series of cracking sounds.

Perhaps due to the Dao Fruit, he was refreshed despite staying up all night.

Hiding the Sleeve Crossbow in his sleeve, he made the crossbow body and arrows from wood. The durability wasn't great, but the sharp wooden arrows were still powerful and light, and the advantage was that he could make them at any time.

In the kitchen, Li Che prepared breakfast.

His gaze, however, involuntarily fell on the Spirit Child wooden carving he had placed in the woodshed.

His brows furrowed, thinking for a moment, he shook his head.

"No, I can't leave Xixi and her mother in the earthen house… it's not safe anymore."

(End of Chapter)