As a father, I just want to quietly watch you live a long life Chapter 7: Chapter 7 Four-Armed Bodhisattva Holding Child Statue

It appeared there was something truly precious here!

This ancient tome... it might provide a massive boost to the "Immortal Artisan" Dao Fruit!

Li Che exhaled deeply, fighting to settle the inner turbulence stirred by the Dao Fruit. Though his mind raced with excitement, he refrained from investigating further for the time being.

The heavy toll of a gong suddenly resonated through the air, causing everyone in the wood carving shop to cease their work. Instantly, the mood in the room turned somber.

As the courtyard doors swung open, a gust of wind and snow swept inside, accompanied by a group of approaching figures.

Leading the way were two men draped in fox-fur cloaks and wearing traditional headbands. Their gazes were piercing and authoritative, radiating a powerful presence that felt as though it could seize one's very soul.

Their vitality was so immense that the elements seemed to yield; despite the blizzard, not a single snowflake managed to settle on their clothes as they walked.

These individuals were the Second and Third Shopkeepers of the Xu Family Wood Carving Shop.

Typically, the Third Shopkeeper, Xu You, managed the Outer City branch, while the Head Shopkeeper, Xu Heli, and the Second Shopkeeper, Xu Beihu, stayed within the Inner City. However, for today’s formal examination, the Second Shopkeeper, Xu Beihu, had arrived in person.

The Xu Family Wood Carving Shop was a formidable power in the Inner City, largely due to the exceptional strength and skill of these three masters.

Upon entering, they shed their fur cloaks and took their seats in the Taishi Chairs, their eyes casually drifting over the gathered apprentices.

"Our shop's annual wood carving master examination is held once a year, with only three apprentice spots available each time. Once you achieve the rank of a One-cut Wood Carving Master, you can earn a monthly salary of five taels. Furthermore, for every piece sold, the individual keeps sixty percent of the profit while the shop takes forty," explained the Third Shopkeeper.

"Naturally, an annual review follows your promotion to Wood Carver. For every additional cut you master, your salary will rise, and the shop’s commission will drop by ten percent."

The Third Shopkeeper, Xu You, sat with a calm and refined air, his eyes scanning the room. He possessed a pale complexion and a gentle, scholarly aura.

In stark contrast, the Second Shopkeeper, Xu Beihu, was true to his name—the "North Tiger." He sat with a commanding posture, his back as straight as a bamboo pole and his broad shoulders exuding a fierce, fiery vitality.

Once the Third Shopkeeper finished his explanation, the Second Shopkeeper spoke. His voice resonated like a heavy bell, vibrating through the air and creating a physical pressure that felt like crashing waves.

"Becoming an official Wood Carver of this establishment grants you the right to learn martial arts and develop Inner Strength. If you wish to reach the pinnacle of this craft, possessing Inner Strength is absolutely mandatory."

"The Xu Family Wood Carving Shop has stood in Fei Lei City for two centuries. Without martial prowess, we could never have protected this legacy," he continued.

"Furthermore, by choosing to sit for this exam, you pledge yourself to the Xu Family. You become one of us. Should you ever betray the shop, do not expect any mercy from us."

"I, Xu Beihu, despise nothing more than a traitor!"

His booming, blunt words echoed through the hall, striking fear into the hearts of the apprentices.

Li Che also felt a shiver run down his spine.

"Now, those who still wish to proceed with the test, come forward to sign the register and collect your carving materials."

Following Xu Beihu’s harsh warning, the Third Shopkeeper’s voice returned, sounding as soothing as a warm spring breeze.

The apprentices moved forward in a structured line, signing their names and picking up their wood blocks.

"Go on, Little Li," Old Chen urged with a grin, taking a squinted-eyed sip from his drink.

Li Che offered a respectful cupped-fist salute before heading toward the registration desk.

"Li Che?" Xu You, who was recording the names, looked up with a hint of surprise when he saw Li Che standing there.

He remembered Li Che approaching him a few days prior but hadn't thought much of it. Every year, laborers blinded by the high wages of Wood Carvers would try their luck, only to give up after failing to make a decent cut.

It was quite unusual for someone of Li Che's background to actually follow through with the registration.

Was the man simply overconfident, or did he actually have some hidden talent?

"We have had laborers become Wood Carvers in the past. I hope you can provide us with a surprise. Give it your best effort," Xu You said, offering a kind word of encouragement.

Li Che gave a nod, picked out a block of wood, and took his place at a workstation.

Once everyone was settled, the Third Shopkeeper stood with his hands behind his back. Surveying the group, he announced calmly, "The objective for this examination is to carve a statue of a Four-Armed Bodhisattva holding a child."

As he spoke, he pulled back a red cloth from the table, revealing the reference model.

The statue featured a Four-Armed Bodhisattva with its limbs in various sacred poses: one hand formed a Sealing Technique, another held a Pure Jade Vase, a third was pinched in a wish-fulfilling gesture, and the final arm cradled a laughing young boy with a traditional topknot.

"Hiss—"

A wave of shocked gasps erupted from the apprentices.

Was this year's test really going to be this grueling?

Even the veteran masters watching from the sidelines looked stunned.

In previous years, the exam usually featured a standard Bodhisattva. Adding a child and two extra arms significantly increased the complexity.

In wood carving, every extra limb exponentially raised the difficulty of maintaining proportions and increased the risk of a fatal mistake. It was a brutal test of skill.

Difficult, incredibly difficult!

Master Chen clicked his tongue and muttered, "Li Che’s luck is truly abysmal... there is no faking your way through a prompt like this."

However, as Li Che looked at the Four-Armed Bodhisattva, a sense of relief washed over him.

How fortunate!

This was something he had experience with!

Success was within reach!

Li Che had previously "felt" Old Chen’s "Nine Sons Embracing the Lotus" masterpiece, which had taught him how to sculpt children. Furthermore, the Six-Eyed Bodhisattva statue he had worked on had given him the necessary skills for the deity itself.

The only new variable was the specific arrangement of the four arms.

But as a Level 2 "Immortal Artisan" Dao Fruit holder, Li Che was certain he could execute it.

"I should focus my efforts on the artistic conception," Li Che thought, planning his approach.

He didn't need to suppress his skills entirely, but a profound artistic essence could be explained away as raw, natural talent.

After all, it would be suspicious if a mere laborer displayed technical carving precision equal to a veteran master without a good reason.

"You have four hours. When the time expires, you must stop immediately. Anyone who continues will be disqualified. Is that understood?"

Second Shopkeeper Xu Beihu stood up, his voice booming with authority as he issued the final warning.

Li Che and the other apprentices shouted their understanding in unison.

"The Outer City Xu Ji apprentice examination begins now!"

With a grand sweep of his hand, Xu Beihu’s powerful Qi surged throughout the room.

Completing such a complex statue in only four hours was a daunting task with no room for error.

The apprentices wasted no time, grabbing their ink brushes to begin sketching the outlines on their wooden blocks.

Since the wood had already been dried, they could skip the preparation phase.

Li Che placed his block on the bench and ran his hands over it, visualizing the internal structure and final form. After a moment of meditation, he dipped his brush and began marking the wood with precise lines.

A variety of tools—axes, mallets, saws, and files—sat ready for the rough shaping process.

This initial stage was crucial, as it required condensing complex forms into basic geometric shapes while considering layers, movement, and the center of gravity. It was the ultimate test of a carver's vision.

Soon, the rhythmic sound of hammers and chisels filled the shop as the apprentices began to carve.

The [Immortal Artisan] Dao Fruit pulsed within him. Li Che closed his eyes for a second, and when he reopened them, his entire aura had shifted.

Old Chen, who was about to take another drink, froze. He watched as Li Che’s demeanor transformed the moment he gripped the carving knife. For a second, it was like he was looking at a younger version of himself.

"That lad... he certainly knows how to look the part," Chen Dabao whispered to himself.

However, as Li Che began the rough carving, Chen Dabao’s eyes narrowed in focus.

Wood chips flew like falling rain. The sharp blade sliced through the grain effortlessly, severing the fibers to leave clean, deliberate marks.

The basic silhouette of the statue was already beginning to emerge from the block.

Time trickled away like sand in an hourglass, marked by the constant rustle of wood shavings.

Third Shopkeeper Xu You strolled through the aisles with his hands behind his back, moving at a leisurely pace as he evaluated the progress of each candidate.

Suddenly, he stopped.

Xu You noticed Chen Dabao standing perfectly still, staring intently at a single workstation. He was slightly taken aback by the veteran's focus.

Following Chen’s gaze, he saw the laborer, Li Che.

"What has caught your eye so intensely?"

Xu You felt a spark of curiosity. What could possibly make a Four-cuts Master like Chen Dabao stand there like a statue?

Could this laborer actually be something special?

With his hands still clasped behind him, Xu You walked over. His gaze drifted down to the focused Li Che, and then finally settled on the wood carving taking shape on the workbench...