Chapter 5: The Spirit Infant Dharma Master, Master One-Knife

Aunt Lei... killing babies?

Specifically targeting the babies she delivered?

Li Che's hair stood on end, and his pupils constricted sharply upon hearing his uncle's words.

"Uncle, where did you hear this?" Li Che took a deep breath, his heart sinking as he hurriedly asked.

The old scholar puffed on his pipe, exhaling a cloud of smoke, his brows furrowed into a "川" shape: "I didn't believe it at first, but since Xi Xi wasn't delivered by Aunt Lei, I went to investigate..."

"It's true. The families who lost their children... have already reported to the outer city government, and the government has issued a warrant for Aunt Lei's arrest!"

"If you don't believe me, you can check the notice board at the government office; the warrant is hanging there."

The old scholar's voice grew more serious.

Although he regretted that Xi Xi wasn't a boy, she was still the Li family's blood, and upon hearing this news, his first concern was for Xi Xi's safety.

"I heard that Aunt Lei... has become a disciple of the 'Spirit Infant Dharma Master' and believes in the Spirit Infant religion. How could she... sigh, it's truly a sin, they were just children."

The old scholar's voice trembled, and he sighed deeply, puffing on his pipe continuously.

Li Che's expression was extremely grave, his heart heavy with worry.

To Li Che, Xi Xi was his precious daughter, the apple of his eye. If anything happened to her, he would be heartbroken and filled with self-reproach.

Protecting his daughter was a father's duty and responsibility!

"Thank you, Uncle. I'll go and investigate to be prepared."

Li Che said earnestly, and the old scholar nodded hurriedly, rubbing his hands: "Since I'm here, I might as well visit Xi Xi..."

Li Che was speechless, looking at the bashful old scholar without saying anything, and led him inside.

The old scholar's face lit up with a broad smile when he saw Xi Xi.

Though he complained that Xi Xi wasn't a boy, his affection for her was genuine.

"Your sister-in-law is about to give birth. Your aunt says the belly is pointed, so it should be a boy... hehe, I hope the little one will be as cute as Xi Xi." The uncle smiled brightly.

His eldest son had married, and this year, a child would be born.

"Wife, while I'm away, you must keep the doors and windows locked, and don't open them no matter who calls..."

After sending off the old scholar, Li Che, before leaving for work, specially instructed Zhang Ya.

Zhang Ya was stunned but didn't ask any questions, only obediently agreeing to follow his instructions.

...

...

Worried all the way, Li Che arrived at the government notice board and indeed saw the warrant for Aunt Lei's arrest.

"Lei Chunlan, killed seven children, all of whom she had delivered a year ago..."

"Hmm? Delivered a year ago... so, do these murdered children need to be one year old?"

Li Che, wearing a bamboo hat, stared at the notice, lost in thought.

But he didn't dare to rely on his own deductions.

What if Lei Chunlan would also target newborns?

Li Che didn't dare to take the risk...

He couldn't afford to.

"It seems I must become a woodcarver at the woodcarving shop... with the protection of Xu's Woodcarving Shop, at least we'll be safe."

Li Che took a deep breath, pressed down his hat, and headed for Xu's Woodcarving Shop.

Upon arriving at the shop, he saw Master Chen, whose hair and beard were white but whose face was ruddy, sitting in a chair, humming a tune and sipping from a gourd of wine.

"Little Li, you're here? I heard you're going to take the woodcarving exam. Ha, you've got guts, only a month of self-study and you're already challenging the exam." Master Chen saw Li Che and teased him with a smile.

Master Chen's full name was Chen Dabao, and he was sixty-eight years old, a senior master at Xu's Woodcarving Shop.

It was said that Chen Dabao had long been qualified to enter the inner city's Xu's Woodcarving Shop, but he was unwilling to go, preferring to stay in the outer city shop.

Not just Chen Dabao, but the other woodcarvers in the shop felt the same.

This puzzled Li Che. Why not go to the inner city?

He had heard that the living conditions and environment in the inner city were far superior to those in the outer city.

"Young man... the inner city may be better, but it's also more dangerous. Nowadays, the world is in turmoil, evil spirits abound, strange temples stand everywhere, and various sects rise. The court's control over many cities has weakened, and each city is controlled by powerful noble families..."

"Powerful families fight for control of the city, vying for huge interests, and conflicts are constant. For an old man like me, entering the inner city is like entering a whirlpool, and I can't afford the turmoil."

"In the outer city... the conditions are worse, but with my internal strength, I can still live comfortably."

Master Chen took a sip of the aged yellow wine in his gourd, smacking his lips as he spoke.

Li Che nodded, understanding Master Chen's thoughts.

When the tiger is away, the monkeys reign... simplicity is key.

Suddenly, Li Che thought of something and asked softly, "Master Chen, have you heard of the 'Spirit Infant Dharma Master'?"

Master Chen paused in his drinking, his brows furrowed, and he glanced at Li Che: "You're a disciple of that thing?"

Li Che quickly shook his head and recounted the news his uncle had told him that morning.

"My daughter was delivered by Lei Chunlan... I'm worried."

Upon hearing this, Master Chen's expression became serious: "It seems... another disciple of a sect has gone astray. Since the Spirit Infant religion, born from the strange temples, spread to Fei Lei City, the number of infant deaths has greatly increased..."

"That midwife must have become a disciple of the Spirit Infant Dharma Master, been bewitched, and used the children she delivered to worship the Spirit Infant."

"Delivery is like a ritual... once targeted, it's hard to shake off."

"That midwife... won't easily let your child go."

With Master Chen's confirmation, Li Che's expression became serious and grim, his fingers clenching into a fist, his breathing heavy.

"However, you mentioned that the dead children were all delivered a year ago. They probably need to be one year old to qualify for the ritual. So, within this year, your child should be safe, but you must be vigilant to prevent the midwife from secretly taking your child and performing the evil ritual when the time comes!"

Master Chen, who had seen many such cases, spoke with a rather calm tone.

All he could do was warn.

For him to help Li Che, not only was it uncertain whether he could, but his relationship with Li Che wasn't close enough.

Li Che, after all, was just a wood mover at the woodcarving shop, nothing more.

Li Che understood this and didn't ask for help.

If he really asked for help and Master Chen refused, their tenuous relationship would be severed.

"Master Chen... if I become a woodcarver at the shop, will the shop take care of it?"

Li Che took a deep breath and asked.

Master Chen took a sip of wine and glanced at Li Che.

"If you can become a woodcarver, all problems will be solved."

"The shop will provide housing for woodcarvers. You can move your family here, under the protection of the shop, within the compound... if that midwife dares to show up, she will be killed."

"We woodcarvers cultivate internal strength. Even if the midwife has the evil powers of the Spirit Infant Dharma Master... we are not afraid."

"If you really become a woodcarver, even the lowest rank of Master One-Knife, I will be your neighbor. If that evil midwife dares to show up... I'll slap her to death for you!"

Master Chen wiped the wine from his beard, baring his yellow teeth in a fierce grin, showing a bit of his ferocity.

However, he quickly reined in his ferocity, tapping his gourd lightly and looking at Li Che with a playful expression.

"The premise is... you must become a woodcarver."

"That's very difficult..."

"Do you think you can surpass the apprentices who have spent a lot of money and started learning woodcarving from a young age with just a month or so of self-study?"

(End of Chapter)