"You want to move into the wood carving shop?"
"Now that you are a wood carver, naturally you can... However, some procedures still need to be followed. I've instructed someone to expedite these for you. Check out the courtyard in a couple of days."
Third Shopkeeper Xu You greatly admired Li Che's talent.
The wood carvings he produced were deeply meaningful, such a talent... For any wood carving shop, it was extremely precious and desirous.
Because of this, wood carvers had the chance to grow into woodcarving masters!
Therefore, as for Li Che's request, he naturally would not refuse, even somewhat eager to comply.
Genius, indeed, deserved the treatment for genius.
"Thank you, Third Shopkeeper." Li Che sincerely clasped his hands.
Xu You nodded and, along with Xu Beihu, faded into the snowstorm and disappeared.
Li Che let out a long breath of warm air, and couldn't help but show a hint of a smile on his face. The threat from Spirit Infant Sect would be much less after moving into the wood carving shop.
He returned to the shop, collected his hat, and received his monthly salary as a wood carver, totaling five taels of silver.
The Third Shopkeeper had said, from now on, this day of the month would be the time to distribute the monthly salary.
Amid the envious and awe-struck gazes of the other apprentices, Li Che packed up his belongings, ready to go home and tell his wife and daughter the good news.
However, before leaving, he shamelessly edged closer to Master Chen.
"Master Chen, may I take some scraps back to practice with?"
Chen Dabao was drinking from his gourd, and his face sullened, "A Che, from now on, you too are a carver of the shop. Our friendship aside, don't call me Master Chen anymore, call me Old Chen."
"These materials, you can take as you please, even if you like, you can pick them from the courtyard. As long as it's not too large a piece, you can take it back to practice with."
Chen Dabao had clearly seen Li Che's talent, and knew how important it was to establish good relations.
Being of such an age, he was naturally sharp and would not easily offend people.
"By the way, when you choose a courtyard, call me along. I'll have a look and we can be neighbors," Old Chen said with a laugh.
...
...
Good spirits accompany good fortune.
Li Che was in an excellent mood. After becoming a wood carver, his wages had increased, and he saw a hopeful future. Riches and a comfortable life for his wife and daughter were no longer just a dream.
Walking along the long street of Feilei Outer City, stepping on the piled white snow, he arrived at the shop, bought two taels of liquor, then went on to cut some pig's head meat and marinated beef, heading home.
The sky darkened, and the street lights were sparse.
From a distance, Li Che could see the weak oil lamp light of his family's earthen house.
Thinking of his adorable daughter, Xi Xi, trying to talk at the moment, he couldn't help but lift the corners of his lips.
When he got to the front of the earthen house, he reached out his hand to call his wife, Zhang Ya, to open the door.
But then, Li Che caught something out of the corner of his eye. His breathing halted, and the air around him seemed to freeze.
His neck felt as stiff as if it were twisted slowly.
His gaze landed on the lower left corner of the wooden door; there, on the thick snow, was a quietly placed small wood carving!
A three-headed, six-armed child sat on a lotus seat, his expression seemed to be both smiling and not smiling, his lips slightly raised, one eye open and the other closed.
Looking at it a long time...
Li Che even heard the illusion of a child's crying and laughing near his ear!
"Spirit Infant Master?!"
Li Che's face grew stern, and he fiercely surveyed his surroundings, his glaring eyes filled with ferocity.
So, they were... targeting us already?!
Xi Xi was just a month old!
Lei Chunlan!
Where are you?! Come out!
But all around was silent, only the sound of the falling snow and the babbling from inside the house, Xi Xi's voice learning to talk.
Reaching out, he picked up the wood carving; it was just an ordinary wood carving...
But it had signaled something different to Li Che, the joy in his heart instantly withered and froze.
Just as a thief would scout and mark a place ahead of stealing.
Perhaps, the other party had similar intentions.
Li Che's face clouded with thought, and after a moment, he threw the Spirit Infant wood carving into the firewood room, planning to bring it to the wood carving shop tomorrow to ask about it.
After finishing everything, only then did his joyful expression return.
Coming home... one should always bring good news rather than bad.
"Husband, you're back?"
Zhang Ya opened the door, letting the snow and wind squeeze in, and upon seeing Li Che carrying wine and meat in his hands, her eyes immediately revealed a look of surprise.
She knew her husband must have some happy news to share with her.
When she learned that Li Che had become the woodcarving master at Xu's Wood Carving Shop, she couldn't help but cheer like a young girl, hugging Li Che's waist and jumping up and down, grinding against Li Che... His heart galloped with excitement.
"Husband, we must celebrate properly tonight!"
Zhang Ya lifted her smooth chin, her face full of smiles.
Li Che wrapped his arms around her, a mischievous smile curling up at the corner of his lips, "Wife, how do you plan to celebrate?"
Seeing Li Che's smile, Zhang Ya immediately understood his naughty thoughts, her pretty face blushingly red.
Li Che then took out the five taels of monthly salary he collected today and told Zhang Ya about his plans to move into the woodcarving shop.
Zhang Ya was stunned by the news of the move, though she found it odd, she did not ask further.
Wherever her husband went, her and her daughter naturally followed.
Moreover, Zhang Ya also understood that the woodcarving shop was definitely much safer than here...
After dinner, Zhang Ya coax Xi Xi to sleep early, and the couple then carefully engaged in a session of passionate activities.
In bed, Zhang Ya's black hair was scattered, and she fell into a deep sleep.
Li Che, however, was clear-headed and refreshed, sitting in front of the lit oil lamp, he took out "Tang's Mechanism Essentials," which he had borrowed from Old Chen.
The "Dao Fruit" [Immortal Artisan] trembled once again.
With a gleam in his eyes, Li Che began to flip through, carefully observing.
The book recorded various sophisticated mechanisms, and many were of great lethal power...
As Li Che read, driven by the understanding provided by the Dao Fruit, he instantly became immersed, utterly captivated by the ingenious designs and creative innovations.
However, the book only listed twelve mechanisms, of which nine required Inner Strength and Divinity to be crafted.
At present, Li Che did not consider them.
He chose the remaining three that could be crafted without the need for Inner Strength and Divinity, named "Sleeve Crossbow," "Guanyin Blood Lotus," and "Thousand Thread Spider."
Taking out the scrap wood he brought back from the shop, Li Che planned to make the Sleeve Crossbow.
Mainly because it was somewhat similar to his original crossbow design, so... he could go straight into making it.
The carving knife sliced through the wood, the rasping sound of tearing wood fibers continued all night...
When the first streak of dawn broke through the gloom and covered the snow-laden earth,
Li Che had finally completed the delicate and exquisite Sleeve Crossbow!
[Dao Fruit: Immortal Artisan (lv2, 19%)]
The moment the creation was complete, Li Che's mind suddenly flooded with a mass of details on using the Sleeve Crossbow, and at the same time... a prompt popped up before his eyes.
Li Che's eyes suddenly brightened, and his spirits doubled, not expecting that making the Sleeve Crossbow would grant 10% maturation to the Dao Fruit!
Li Che referred to the percentage in the suffix as the Dao Fruit maturity, for once it was full, the Dao Fruit would elevate, bearing a clever analogy with its ripening.
"Is it based on the difficulty of the mechanism?" Li Che couldn't help but wonder.
His increasing Dao Fruit had been slow, making Li Che somewhat anxious.
But now it seemed he had found another way to enhance the Dao Fruit.
However, the number of mechanisms was slightly disappointing, causing Li Che to quickly calm down, feeling a bit regretful.
"But, the mechanism handbook thoroughly records twelve mechanisms, if I can produce them all, it should be enough to elevate the Immortal Artisan to lv3!" Li Che's eyes sparkled, his heart pounding with excitement.
There was still a chance!
Because he had made the Sleeve Crossbow, Li Che simultaneously mastered the technique of using it, so he was quite eager to try it; if he could master Inner Strength and vitality, activating the Sleeve Crossbow would be even more powerful!
However, after a glance at his sleeping wife and daughter, he resisted the urge.
He stood up and stretched, his bones crackling.
Perhaps because of the Dao Fruit, staying up all night left him feeling refreshed and clear-headed.
With the Sleeve Crossbow hidden in his sleeve, using wood to construct the body of the crossbow and the crossbow arrows made of wood, although the durability wasn't great, the sharpened wooden spike arrows were also not weak in power, and being lightweight, he had the advantage of being able to make them anytime.
After heading to the kitchen, Li Che prepared breakfast.
Yet his gaze involuntarily landed on the Spirit Infant Wood Carving he had placed in the firewood shed.
Frowning, he pondered for a moment and then shook his head vigorously.
"No, I can't leave Xi Xi and her mother in the mud house... It's not safe anymore."