As a father, I just want to quietly watch you live a long life Chapter 2: Chapter 2: Dao Fruit Immortal Craftsman, Six-Eyed Bodhisattva
Previously on As a father, I just want to quietly watch you live a long life...
Closing his eyes, he settled his thoughts and focused inward.
Once again, Li Che witnessed the ethereal vision he had only briefly encountered before.
Before him lay a boundless territory where a titanic tree surged from the earth. Its vibrant canopy swayed gently, bearing a singular fruit that radiated a shifting, iridescent glow.
As if reacting to his prolonged attention, the shimmering fruit detached with a soft "plunk," falling directly into Li Che’s waiting grasp.
"Dao Fruit..."
Li Che whispered the name, his eyes locked onto the prize within his palm.
...
[Your daughter has been born safely; you have obtained a Dao Fruit: "Immortal Artisan"]
[Immortal Artisan (Dao Fruit): An Artisan of a thousand forms, possessing the divine touch and unmatched craftsmanship]
...
The glowing script flickered into existence before his eyes.
Li Che’s focus sharpened, and a surge of adrenaline rushed through his heart.
In the nineteen years since he had transmigrated to this world, a Golden Finger had never manifested. Now, triggered by the birth of his child, his destiny had finally revealed itself in this form.
Was this a blessing brought by his daughter?
Overwhelmed with joy, Li Che realized that a name as grand as Dao Fruit suggested a power that could serve as his foundation for survival in this dangerous world.
While he basked in his excitement, the floating text shifted once more.
...
[Name: Li Che]
[Bonds: Li Nuanxi (Daughter)]
[Dao Fruit: Immortal Artisan (Un-evolved, lv1, 0%)]
[Hint: For every year the bond object survives and grows in safety, the Dao Tree shall yield a Dao Fruit]
...
His breathing grew ragged as Li Che stared at the notification in disbelief, his mind racing.
Every safe year of his daughter's life would grant him a new Dao Fruit...
From what Li Che could gather, the function of a Dao Fruit was to bestow upon him a specific skill or supernatural talent.
Currently, Li Che earned his living at a wood carving shop in the Outer City of Flying Thunder City. He spent his days hauling heavy carvings—backbreaking labor, though the piece-rate pay was at least consistent.
A grueling day of work typically earned him thirty or forty Dajing Cast Copper Coins. It was enough to survive, but the dream of true prosperity in this world remained a distant fantasy.
However, if he could guarantee his daughter’s safety, receiving one Dao Fruit every year would change his life entirely!
"Xi Xi is my flesh and blood. Protecting her and ensuring her well-being is my sacred duty as a father..."
Li Che beamed. Between the joy of his daughter’s arrival and the hope of a better future, his happiness was boundless.
The Dao Fruit in his hand began to fade, dissolving into his body, yet Li Che felt no immediate physical change.
He tried to analyze the [Immortal Artisan] fruit, but its secrets remained elusive.
"Gurgle gurgle..."
The sound of boiling carp soup snapped Li Che back to reality.
He rushed to the stove and ladled out a bowl of the milky, fragrant broth. Taking a deep breath of the steam, a smile touched his lips as he carefully carried the hot soup back into the earthen house.
His wife, Zhang Ya, had finished nursing Xi Xi and was now gratefully sipping the soup Li Che had prepared.
Li Che took Xi Xi into his arms, gently patting her small back under the watchful eye of Grandma Lei to help the infant burp.
After helping out for a while longer, Grandma Lei shared a few final pieces of childcare advice before preparing to depart.
Handing the baby back to Zhang Ya, Li Che escorted the old woman to the door.
"Grandma Lei, my deepest thanks. I don't know what we would have done without you," Li Che said, pressing ten coins into her hand.
Grandma Lei pushed his hand back with a sigh. "Che, I’ve known you since you were a boy. You spend your days hauling heavy timber and statues for Xu’s Wood Carving Shop. That money is earned with sweat and blood; keep it for your family."
"The Outer City has become dangerous lately... births are rare, and many little ones don't make it. You must guard Xi Xi closely and stay alert."
Li Che’s expression turned somber at her warning.
"Grandma..."
Grandma Lei wrapped a cloth around her head and picked up her basket, ready to face the blizzard. "Listen to me: do not take the child out into the streets without reason. Stay far away from the followers of the Child God... those who profit from the offerings..."
"The world is cruel, and children are fragile. As parents, you must be incredibly vigilant."
Li Che exhaled a plume of white mist into the freezing air, nodding with total seriousness.
His heart grew heavy. He had heard rumors of child deaths recently, but they had felt distant. Now that he was a father, the danger felt immediate and terrifying.
"I understand, Grandma Lei. I'll be careful."
Li Che replied with a heavy tone.
With a final sigh, Grandma Lei pulled her coat tight and vanished into the swirling snow of the dark alleys.
Once she was gone, Li Che retreated inside and sealed the door cracks to trap the warmth. He added fresh charcoal to the burner and brought the remaining soup in from the kitchen.
After they had both eaten, Li Che climbed into bed.
He gently stroked his sleeping daughter, unable to hide the grin on his face. He spoke in low, energetic tones to Zhang Ya, but the exhaustion of childbirth soon lulled her to sleep.
Left alone with his thoughts, Li Che whispered to himself.
"We’re almost out of charcoal. I’ll have to visit the vendor tomorrow. Xi Xi is so small; we can't let the cold get to her."
"My wife needs a proper recovery period, or she might face health issues later..."
"I’ll take on more statue deliveries tomorrow. Demand in the Inner City is spiking, so there’s plenty of work and good coin to be had."
"I’ll work until I’ve saved enough for a real manor, somewhere warm enough to ignore the winter."
"Don't worry, Ya'er. Our lives are going to change for the better..."
Holding his wife and child close, Li Che finally allowed his eyes to close, the house falling silent save for their steady breathing.
...
...
Morning arrived.
Li Che rose before the sun. He ensured Zhang Ya had her breakfast and helped Xi Xi burp after her feeding. Then, donning his bamboo hat, he stepped out into the frozen world.
The landscape was buried in white. Snowflakes the size of a man's palm fell through a biting, knife-like wind.
The storm showed no mercy, piling drifts high throughout the Outer City of Flying Thunder City.
After a long trek through the dim, snowy dawn, he reached Xu’s Wood Carving Shop.
The "shop" was actually a sprawling estate, filled with massive stockpiles of timber awaiting the craftsmen's tools.
Li Che and the other laborers were hired to move raw wood to the carvers or deliver finished products to clients.
While the weight of the carvings varied, the pay was fixed: five Dajing copper coins for a finished piece, while hauling raw logs paid only one. The delivery of finished statues paid more because it was risky—one slip or scratch could cost a worker their entire week's wages.
Brushing the frost from his clothes, Li Che hung up his hat and entered the main workshop.
Inside, the air was warm from charcoal fires and thick with the pleasant aroma of cedar and pine.
"Little Li, I need a large piece of Curved Willow. Also, move that Six-Eyed Bodhisattva statue I finished recently into the back room. A client from the Inner City is coming for it soon; I don't want the dampness ruining the finish."
An elderly man with a healthy, ruddy face and white hair called out. This was Master Chen, who was currently taking a sip from a wine gourd filled with aged yellow wine.
"Right away, Master Chen!" Li Che replied with a bright smile.
Because of his reliability and steady hands, Li Che had never damaged a single piece, making him a favorite among the senior craftsmen.
Master Chen was one of several masters who specifically asked for him.
Li Che headed out into the courtyard, where the heavy snow had partially buried the logs. It took some digging to find the Curved Willow section.
He selected a substantial piece and dragged it out, securing it with hemp rope. After checking the weight, he headed toward the storage area for finished works.
He found the Six-Eyed Bodhisattva exactly where Master Chen had indicated.
The statue was nearly the size of a man, carved from the same Flowering Curved Willow. As Li Che reached out to brush the snow from its surface, a strange sensation washed over him.
For a fleeting second, the statue felt alive. Its six eyes seemed to track him, blinking in the winter light.
Suddenly, a flood of memories and images rushed into his mind.
He saw Master Chen working, every strike of the chisel and every shave of the blade. It was as if Li Che were standing in the master’s place, his hands moving in perfect synchronization with the memory.
The intricate techniques and secret methods used to create the Six-Eyed Bodhisattva began to bake themselves into Li Che’s very instincts.
"What was that?"
The vision vanished, and the statue returned to its wooden stillness. Li Che’s heart hammered against his ribs.
By simply touching the carving, he had absorbed Master Chen’s lifelong expertise.
This had to be the power of the [Immortal Artisan] Dao Fruit he had gained upon Xi Xi's birth!
"Unparalleled skills... the hand of genius..."
"With the Immortal Artisan fruit... I could actually become a master wood carver myself!"
Li Che’s eyes sparkled with newfound ambition. Becoming a recognized carver at Xu’s would be a massive step up from being a mere laborer.
Providing a life of comfort and safety for his family was no longer just a dream—it was within his reach.