As a father, I just want to quietly watch you live a long life Chapter 5: Chapter 5: Spirit Infant Master, One-cut Master

Grandma Lei... a murderer of infants?

Could she truly be hunting the very newborns she helped bring into the world?

Chills surged down Li Che’s spine as his uncle’s revelation took hold, his pupils shrinking in sudden shock.

"Uncle, where did this news come from?" Li Che asked urgently, his heart plummeting as he forced himself to breathe steadily.

The Old Scholar, clinching a smoking pipe between his teeth, exhaled a cloud of gray mist. His brow was drawn tight into the shape of the character "Chuan" as he frowned deeply. "I dismissed it as rumor initially, but then I remembered Grandma Lei delivered Xi Xi, didn't she? That prompted me to do some digging..."

"It is no mere hearsay. The grieving families of those lost children have caused a massive stir at the Outer City government office. An official warrant has been posted, and the authorities are in pursuit of Grandma Lei!"

"If you doubt my words, go see the notice board at the magistrate's office yourself. Her wanted poster is pinned right there for all to see."

The Old Scholar’s tone had turned grimly serious.

While he harbored traditional regrets that Xi Xi wasn’t a male heir, she was still a descendant of the Li bloodline. Upon hearing such terrifying news, his immediate instinct was to fret over the little girl's safety.

"Word is that this Grandma Lei... was a devotee of the 'Spirit Infant Master.' She followed the twisted tenets of the Spirit Infant Sect, and just like that, she started killing... sigh, what a tragedy. They are only innocent children."

The Old Scholar’s voice shook with a slight tremor. He heaved a heavy sigh, taking long, rhythmic draws from his pipe.

Li Che’s face darkened with extreme gravity, his heart dangling by a thread of anxiety.

To the current Li Che, Xi Xi was his world, his most precious daughter. If any harm befell her, the guilt and heartbreak would be unbearable.

A father’s fundamental duty was to shield his child; it was a burden he accepted with every fiber of his being!

"I appreciate the warning, Uncle. I will investigate further and prepare accordingly," Li Che said with deep sincerity. The Old Scholar nodded quickly, rubbing his palms together. "Since I have already made the trip, I should at least see Xi Xi..."

Li Che found himself momentarily speechless. Looking at the suddenly bashful Old Scholar, he simply stepped aside and ushered him into the residence.

The moment the Old Scholar laid eyes on Xi Xi, his aged face lit up, his wrinkles softening like a flower in bloom.

He might grumble about her not being a boy, but his affection for the girl was unmistakably real.

"Your sister-in-law is nearly due. Your mother claims her belly is pointed, which usually signifies a boy... heh, I only hope the little one is as endearing as Xi Xi," the Uncle remarked, his face glowing with anticipation.

His eldest son’s marriage had been fruitful, and a new life was expected in their household later this year.

"Wife, while I am away from the house, you must keep the doors and windows securely bolted. Do not open them for anyone, regardless of who might be calling out,"

Once the Old Scholar had departed, Li Che gave Zhang Ya a firm warning before leaving for his shift.

Zhang Ya was caught off guard, yet she asked no clarifying questions, merely nodding in obedient agreement.

...

...

Consumed by worry, Li Che made his way to the government notice board. Sure enough, the wanted poster for Grandma Lei was prominently displayed.

"Lei Chunlan, accused of murdering seven infants, all of whom she delivered one year ago..."

"Wait... delivered a year ago? Does that mean the victims must reach their first birthday to be targeted?"

Tugging his conical hat lower, Li Che stared at the text, lost in calculation.

However, he didn't dare gamble on his own assumptions.

What if Lei Chunlan decided to prey on a child who had only just reached their first month?

Li Che could not take that chance...

The stakes were far too high.

"I have no choice but to attain the rank of wood carving master at the shop... With the backing of Xu's Wood Carving Shop, I can ensure our safety."

Taking a stabilizing breath, Li Che adjusted his hat and walked toward Xu's Wood Carving Shop.

Upon arrival, he found Master Chen—a man with snowy hair and a beard but a vibrant, healthy complexion—lounging in a chair. He was humming a low melody while sipping from a wine gourd.

"Little Li, you've arrived? Word reached me that you intend to sit for the wood carving assessment. Haha, you have quite the nerve, attempting the exam after only a month of teaching yourself," Master Chen chuckled upon spotting him.

Master Chen, whose full name was Chen Dabao, was sixty-eight years old and served as a veteran master at the Outer City branch of Xu Ji's Wood Carving Shop.

Dabao had long possessed the credentials to move to the Inner City branch of Xu Ji's, yet he had always declined, choosing the relative squalor of the Outer City instead.

He wasn't the only one; several other masters in the shop shared this strange preference.

This had always perplexed Li Che. Why would they shun the Inner City?

By all accounts, the quality of life and resources in the Inner City far surpassed anything available in the Outer City.

"Young man… despite its luster, the Inner City is a den of peril. The world is currently in a state of upheaval; malevolent spirits wander, the Mysterious Temple looms over us, new Sects are sprouting everywhere, and the Imperial Court is losing its grip. The central government’s influence over the provinces has crumbled, leaving cities to be carved up by local noble clans..."

"These nobles are locked in a perpetual cycle of conflict over territory and wealth. For an old man like me, entering the Inner City is akin to jumping into a whirlpool. I wouldn't survive the currents."

"Out here in the Outer City… though it's a bit rougher, I can rely on my own Inner Strength to live a peaceful life."

Master Chen took a satisfied gulp of aged yellow wine, smacking his lips with a grin.

Li Che nodded, beginning to grasp Master Chen’s philosophy.

When the tiger is away, the monkey rules the hill... sometimes, staying small is the best way to stay safe.

An idea suddenly struck Li Che, and he lowered his voice. "Master Chen, have you ever heard of the 'Spirit Infant Master'?"

Master Chen froze, his gourd mid-air. He narrowed his eyes at Li Che. "Boy, you aren't worshiping that foul thing, are you?"

Li Che shook his head vigorously and explained the terrifying news his uncle had shared.

"My daughter was delivered by that woman, Lei Chunlan... I am fearing for her life," Li Che admitted, his voice tight with dread.

Master Chen’s jovial mood vanished, replaced by a stern mask. "It appears… another practitioner has succumbed to the dark path. Ever since the Spirit Infant Sect, a splinter of the Mysterious Temple, moved into Fei Lei City, the death toll of newborns has skyrocketed…"

"That midwife has clearly become a devotee of the Spirit Infant Master. Her mind is likely warped, leading her to offer the very children she delivered as sacrifices to the Spirit Baby."

"The act of delivery... to them, it is a ritualistic bond... Once a child is marked, it is difficult to break the connection."

"That midwife... she will not easily abandon her claim on your child."

Hearing Master Chen confirm his fears made Li Che’s face turn pale. His knuckles whitened as he balled his hands into fists, his breath coming in heavy, jagged bursts.

"However, according to what you saw, the victims were all born a year ago. It seems the ritual requires the child to be nearly a year old. This suggests your child might be safe for the time being. Still, you must remain vigilant. That midwife might try to abduct the child in secret, hiding her away until the proper time for the dark sacrifice arrives!"

Master Chen spoke with the detached air of someone who had witnessed too many tragedies.

He could provide information, but that was the extent of his involvement.

As for intervening on Li Che’s behalf—even if he had the power to stop a cultist—their relationship simply wasn't close enough to warrant such a risk.

To most, Li Che was just a common laborer who hauled timber for the shop, nothing more.

Li Che understood this reality perfectly and did not beg for assistance.

If he asked and was turned down, the fragile rapport he had built with the master would be destroyed.

"Master Chen... if I managed to become an official Wood Carver here, would the shop provide any protection?"

Li Che took a deep breath, seeking a way forward.

Master Chen took another sip of wine, eyeing the young man.

"If you attained the rank of Wood Carver, your troubles would vanish."

"The establishment provides housing for its Wood Carvers. You could relocate your family to the compound, where they would be under the shop's banner. Within these walls... if that midwife showed her face, she would be executed instantly."

"We Wood Carvers possess Inner Strength. Even if that midwife uses the Spirit Infant Master’s dark arts... we have the means to crush her."

"If you actually became a Wood Carver, even a basic One-cut Master, you would be my neighbor. If that hag dared to strike... I would personally slap the life out of her for you!"

Master Chen wiped the wine from his chin, baring a set of yellowed, intimidating teeth in a fierce grin.

But the intensity soon faded. He began tapping his wine gourd, looking at Li Che with a touch of amusement.

"The catch is... you actually have to be good enough to earn the title."

"It is a steep mountain to climb..."

"What makes you think that a few months of hobbyist self-study could allow you to outshine the apprentices who have spent years—and a fortune in silver—learning this craft since they were children?"