Chapter 31: Low Profile and Brutal Killing
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The wailing wind and snow were swirling in the fierce gusts.
Seeing the old man in front of him, mentally exhausted, eyes bloodshot, and tears streaming down his face, Li Che's heart softened. He quickly pulled Uncle Li Liang into the warm workshop.
He poured a cup of hot tea for Uncle Li Liang, and Li Che's expression turned serious.
"What happened? Uncle, take your time and tell me," Li Che asked in a solemn voice.
His uncle's family had raised him, never mistreating him. The favor of raising him was not something that could be easily repaid.
If there was anything he could do, Li Che would not stand idly by.
The old scholar was trembling all over, the snowflakes on his body gradually melting in the warmth of the workshop. He held the cup of hot tea with his frozen red hands, and his expression seemed to relax slightly.
The old scholar exhaled, looked at Li Che, his eyes full of bloodshot, thought for a moment, and shakily pulled out a palm-sized wooden carving from his chest.
The moment Li Che saw the wooden carving, his eyes suddenly narrowed.
"Spirit Infant Statue?"
Li Che was naturally not unfamiliar with this wooden carving! Before moving into the wooden carving shop, a Spirit Infant Statue had appeared in their courtyard, causing Li Che to be on edge, forcing the family to move into Xu's Wood Carving Shop.
Li Che took the wooden carving from the old scholar's hand, noting it was different from the one placed at his doorstep.
It was not the three-headed, six-armed Spirit Infant Statue but a normal one-headed, two-armed Spirit Infant Statue, with one eye open and one eye closed. However, it was undeniably a Spirit Infant Statue.
As a woodcarver, he was extremely sensitive to the expressions of wooden carvings.
"Priority distinction?" Li Che muttered to himself.
"Uncle, hasn't Zhouzhou turned one year old?" Li Che asked, furrowing his brows.
Uncle Li Liang nodded repeatedly, "Yes... In three days, it will be his first birthday banquet. I wanted to keep it simple, but now... I dare not, I completely dare not."
"These past few days, your cousin hasn't even dared to go to work, staying at home all the time, holding a chopping knife, afraid..."
Uncle Li Liang sighed deeply.
He knew very well that if the Spirit Child Sect really targeted his grandson, Li Chengzhou, with their ordinary strength, how could they resist?
For the past few days, fear and anxiety had completely enveloped them.
Thinking of the children who had died tragically, the old scholar had nightmares every night.
"Your cousin and his wife haven't dared to sleep for three days... Afraid that while they sleep, the Spirit Child Sect members might harm Zhouzhou."
Li Che clutched the Spirit Infant Statue, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"So, Uncle, you want your daughter-in-law to bring Zhouzhou here to seek refuge... Xu's Wood Carving Shop still has some deterrent power."
The old scholar looked at Li Che hopefully, as if grasping the last straw.
"Uncle, don't worry. It's no problem for Zhouzhou to stay at my place; my home will be much safer."
Li Che had no reason to refuse.
The appearance of the Spirit Infant Statue brought such intense pressure and anxiety that Li Che, having experienced it, could feel Uncle's current fear and despair.
It was a feeling of helplessness as death drew closer to his grandson.
Ordinary people were indeed powerless against the Spirit Child Sect, like lambs waiting to be slaughtered.
"Good, good, good, A Che... Thank you, Uncle thanks you..."
The old scholar was extremely grateful, his expression relaxing.
"I'll go back and make the arrangements, and have Zhengran and Chunming bring Chengzhou to your place..." The old scholar, holding the teacup, was about to leave the shop.
Li Che quickly called out to him, "Uncle, don't, have your cousin and his wife protect Zhouzhou at home, don't go out to prevent any accidents on the way. I'll go and pick them up myself; I've been practicing martial arts recently, so it will be safer."
"Good, good, good..." Uncle Li Liang nodded hurriedly.
"I'll take a leave from the shop and come over. You go back and protect Zhouzhou with your cousin and his wife."
Li Che said.
A hint of relief finally appeared on the old scholar's face. After putting down the teacup, he bid farewell and rushed into the wind and snow.
Li Che sat in the chair, holding the palm-sized Spirit Infant Statue, his eyes showing a thoughtful expression.
"Spirit Child Sect..."
"A menace."
Li Che exhaled.
However, the Spirit Child Sect was a massive entity to him, especially considering its connections with the powerful families in Feilei City...
"Moreover, the government is also involved with the Spirit Child Sect; that constable Zhao Chuanxiong is a member of the Spirit Child Sect..."
...
...
Li Che didn't take leave from the shop. As a woodcarver, he had the freedom to come and go as he pleased, as long as he delivered the goods on time.
He changed into a set of sturdy clothes, picked up a thin piece of wood, put on a hood, and left the wooden carving shop, rushing into the wind and snow.
Growing up at his uncle's house, Li Che naturally knew the way to his uncle's home.
However, Li Che did not head there immediately but chose to be cautious.
"Could it be a trap set by the Spirit Child Sect, deliberately luring me there?"
"If I were harmed, losing my identity as a woodcarver, we might have to leave Xu's Wood Carving Shop, and Xiao Ya and Xi Xi would have to move out..."
"After leaving Xu's Wood Carving Shop, the Spirit Child Sect could easily harm Xi Xi."
"A widow and her child would be at their mercy!"
Pressing down on his hood, Li Che pondered, this possibility was not non-existent.
However, it was not certain. After all, he often left Xu's Wood Carving Shop in recent days. If they wanted to act, they could have done so already...
There was no need for such a roundabout way to trap him.
"But, I can't be too cautious..."
Li Che thought as he walked down the long street. The wanted posters on the bulletin board had been updated. He paused, seeing his identity as a Minotaur prominently displayed, with a bounty of 500 taels...
"500 taels... That's five gold leaves!"
"Just the price of a nine-headed Guanyin statue."
Li Che muttered.
However, this 500 taels... was enough to make many people take risks.
"It seems I need to be a bit more low-profile for a while."
Li Che smiled, pressed down on his hood, and braved the fierce wind and snow, heading to the rented courtyard he had outside.
He took out a black robe soaking in a vat in the courtyard. With an internal energy surge, he shook it, and the heat made the clothes dry quickly.
This was a highly elastic robe, which he had specially made using his skills. The improvement from the Immortal Craft Dao Fruit was not limited to woodcarving; he could excel in any craft.
With this robe, he wouldn't have to worry about his clothes bursting during the Vajra Transformation.
He changed into the robe skillfully, put on the Cute Ox Mask, and dashed out of the courtyard under the hood.
...
...
Feilei City, Peaceful Lane.
A courtyard with a yellow earth wall, the door tightly shut.
Inside the house.
The old scholar Li Liang smoked his pipe, puffing away.
Li Zhengran clutched a chopping knife, his eyes bloodshot, pacing back and forth, listening carefully to the sounds outside the house.
Liu Chunming held her son, Li Chengzhou, her hair disheveled, clearly not having taken care of herself.
"Father, hasn't A Che arrived yet?"
"Is he... just trying to get you to come back?"
Liu Chunming, holding her child, was comforted by her aunt. Her eyes were red, her voice hoarse, as she said.
A woman, under the constant pressure of possibly losing her child, was on the verge of breaking down.
"No, A Che wouldn't deliberately deceive me. If he said he can help, he definitely can..."
"He is now a woodcarver, a respected figure. Helping us hide in his courtyard for a while, he wouldn't lie about it."
The old scholar puffed on his pipe, shaking his head.
He trusted Li Che and understood his nephew's character!
"Don't say such things, A Che will come!"
Li Zhengran also spoke firmly.
The room fell into a deathly silence, only the heavy breathing could be heard.
Suddenly, a rustling sound came from outside the house.
The three people inside instantly tensed up.
Li Zhengran clutched the chopping knife, sweat beading on his forehead. He walked to the door, peeking through the crack, and saw the figure outside.
Outside the house.
The wind and snow raged, the sky dark.
A slender figure, carrying a Bagua Staff, wearing a Girl Child Mask, squatted on the ground, holding a Spirit Infant Statue, placing it on the ground, and moving it back and forth, positioning it directly in front of the closed door.
The wailing wind seemed like the cries of ghosts.
Seemingly aware that Li Zhengran was watching through the door crack, the figure suddenly raised its face. Under the Girl Child Mask, a pair of eyes full of mockery.
It was that nightmare-inducing face again!
Li Zhengran couldn't help but tremble all over, his hand clutching the chopping knife shaking uncontrollably...
Suddenly.
Li Zhengran, peering through the door crack, his pupils suddenly constricted, and he froze.
Because...
Behind the figure wearing the Girl Child Mask, squatting in the snow.
A towering, mountain-like figure appeared almost instantly in the wind and snow, the black robe clinging to his body, perfectly outlining the chiseled muscles.
Wearing a hood, covering the Cute Ox Mask, his eyes gleaming with sharp light.
He raised a hand.
Bang!
The figure carrying the Bagua Staff, wearing the Girl Child Mask, just as it reacted and leaped up, was struck by a palm, flying sideways...
A spray of blood mist followed.
pS: Good news, I've advanced to the second round of the PK. Bad news, the second round is even more intense. Please don't hold back and continue to support me by reading and following!
(End of Chapter)