As a Father, I Just Want to Watch You Achieve Immortality Chapter 3: Nine Sons Embracing the Lotus, the Method of Inner Strength

Xu Ji's Wood Carving Shop held a prestigious reputation within the Outer City, frequently fulfilling requests from the Inner City where the appetite for fine woodwork was insatiable.

The artisans here produced everything from serene landscapes to intricate statues of Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and obscure deities that Li Che had never even encountered before.

For a common laborer, the task of hauling raw timber and delicate finished statues was grueling, backbreaking work that paid a meager fixed piece rate.

In contrast, becoming a recognized wood carving master could change one's life; a single completed piece could fetch at least ten silver coins!

Li Che had even heard rumors of Master Chen earning a Gold Leaf—worth a staggering one hundred taels—for a "Thousand-Armed Guanyin Woodcarving Statue" that took nearly a month to perfect.

Mastery of such a craft was a ticket to immense wealth for any commoner!

Li Che felt a pull of ambition. Previously, he wouldn't have dared to entertain such fantasies.

The art of wood carving usually required a lifetime of dedication, starting from childhood, and demanded both innate talent and a keen artistic eye. Most apprentices were indentured by their families at five or six years old in exchange for silver.

Having started at the shop when he was already thirteen, Li Che had long passed the ideal age for learning.

He had once attempted to teach himself the craft, but after a few days of struggling, he had surrendered to reality.

How could he expect to compete with those who had spent their entire youth honing their skills through just a few days of self-study?

Furthermore, observing the process was simple, but executing the precise cuts was an entirely different challenge.

"I need to find a chance to test this... Could the Dao Fruit of the Immortal Artisan truly have blessed me with a gift for carving?"

A spark of hope began to flicker in Li Che’s heart.

A gust of freezing wind snapped him back to his senses. For now, he suppressed his dreams of mastery and focused on his immediate duties.

Moving finished statues required far more precision than hauling raw logs, as the slightest mistake could ruin a masterpiece.

He carefully swaddled the carvings in protective cloth and secured them with hemp rope, ensuring the fibers wouldn't chafe the wood during transit.

With the Six-Eyed Bodhisattva Statue strapped to his back, Li Che stepped gingerly toward the inner chambers.

Upon reaching Master Chen’s workshop, he lowered the burden, unwrapped the cloth, and sighed in relief after confirming there wasn't a single scratch.

"Master Chen, the Bodhisattva Statue has arrived. Would you like me to bring in a larger piece of Flowering Curved Willow now?" Li Che asked with a polite smile, rolling his stiff shoulders.

Master Chen was already perched on his stool, his carving knife rasping against a whetstone.

"Yes, be quick about it. I have to begin a 'Nine Sons Embracing Lotus,' which is a painstaking task. The Inner City clients are demanding it urgently."

Master Chen spoke without looking up, checking the edge of his blade.

Li Che returned to the snow-dusted courtyard to retrieve the Flowering Curved Willow he had previously selected.

However, as his hand brushed the wood, the Dao Fruit of the Immortal Artisan pulsed within him, granting him a strange, instinctive clarity.

"This specific piece of Flowering Curved Willow isn't right for a 'Nine Sons Embracing Lotus' statue," Li Che whispered to himself.

Typically, masters selected their own timber, but some were arrogant enough—or simply too averse to the winter cold—to leave the selection to the laborers.

But if a worker chose poorly...

A kind master might overlook it, but a short-tempered one would surely dock the laborer's pay for the wasted effort.

Such a mistake meant double the labor for less than half the reward—a devastating loss.

Li Che moved past his initial choice and began searching the timber pile, letting his palm graze the wood until the Dao Fruit signaled a perfect match.

Hoisting the heavier piece of Flowering Curved Willow, he made his way back to the workshop.

"Oh? This is excellent, Li. You’ve got a sharp eye. This timber is absolutely perfect!" Master Chen exclaimed, genuinely impressed. The natural grain of the wood aligned almost perfectly with the vision he had for the "Nine Sons Embracing Lotus."

This selection would allow him to sketch the outline immediately, bypassing hours of mental preparation.

Li Che offered a humble smile, refraining from boasting.

Master Chen, visibly pleased, shifted into his work routine.

"Little Li, help me get this onto the carving frame. I heard you've just been blessed with a daughter... I'll give you a little extra for this task," Master Chen said, standing up with a grin.

Li Che’s eyes brightened, and he eagerly assisted. Using the ropes, he strained to lift the massive Flowering Curved Willow onto the heavy metal frame.

"The Inner City is in a frenzy lately, requesting all sorts of child-themed carvings. It’s likely due to that recent talk about the 'Spirit Infant Master.' The whims of those nobles... they change like the wind."

Master Chen muttered, shaking his head in disapproval.

"They want it finished in five days. My old joints will be screaming by the end of this."

"But the pay is handsome. Hehe, Li, take a guess at what they're paying for this piece?" Master Chen rubbed his palms together, approaching the snow-chilled timber.

Wiping sweat from his brow, Li Che exhaled a cloud of steam. "For a five-day rush... it must be worth fifty taels?"

Assuming the Lotus statue was simpler than the Guanyin, Li Che gave a modest guess.

"Fifty taels? Hehe... You’re off by a Gold Leaf!"

Master Chen let out a hearty laugh and struck the wood with his palm. Suddenly, the skin of his arm took on a reddish glow, and visible steam began to pour from his hand into the timber, instantly evaporating the moisture!

The resulting heat was so fierce it felt like standing before a roaring furnace.

Li Che gasped, stunned by the revelation that the piece was worth one hundred and fifty taels, and equally awestruck by Master Chen’s display.

These elite wood carving masters weren't just craftsmen—they were, as the rumors suggested, martial artists!

To reach the rank of master, one needed Inner Strength to dry the timber instantly, saving weeks of seasoning time.

Furthermore, the Inner Strength infused into the wood gave the carvings a spiritual depth.

It was this unique essence that compelled the Inner City nobles to pay such exorbitant prices.

Noticing Li Che’s wide-eyed envy, Master Chen asked with a playful smirk, "Interested in learning?"

"If you want to learn, it isn't free. You won't gain access to Superior Internal Strength Techniques, but the standard Internal Strength Techniques provided by Xu Ji in the Outer City are available to anyone who can pay."

"With a few decades of dedicated Cultivation, you might actually manifest Inner Strength yourself."

Li Che felt a surge of excitement. "Master Chen, what does an Internal Strength Technique cost?"

"Superior Internal Strength Techniques aren't for sale; you have to go to the main Xu Ji branch in the Inner City for those, and they don't take just anyone."

"For the common Internal Strength Techniques out here, the cheapest will run you thirty taels. Why, are you actually considering it?" Master Chen asked, his hands still steaming as he worked.

"You have a newborn to feed. Better to keep your silver... even if you buy the scroll, learning it is hard, and mastering it is nearly impossible."

Master Chen offered the advice kindly, seeing the boy was serious.

He raised an eyebrow. "You're a careful lad, Li. It's a shame you didn't start the craft as a child. If you truly want a technique, come to me. I have one for twenty taels that might suit you."

Li Che didn't commit, simply smiling and saying he would think it over.

He then departed from the workshop.

For the rest of the day, Li Che remained busy, assisting other carvers with their materials and helping apprentices move smaller logs to earn his keep.

The shop provided a basic lunch—simple, but hot and filling enough to sustain his labor.

As evening fell, Li Che collected his daily earnings of thirty-five Dajing Cast Copper Coins and left, exhausted.

Donning his conical hat, he fought through the biting wind and snow, stopping to buy charcoal on his way home.

By the time he reached the winding back alleys, the world was cloaked in darkness. The faint, warm glow of an oil lamp from his humble earthen house made him quicken his pace through the drifts.

"Wife, I've returned."

He slipped inside and shut the door tight, blocking the freezing gale from stealing the indoor warmth.

After stoking the brazier with fresh charcoal, he tiptoed to the bed where Xi Xi lay, her round eyes wide and alert.

At the sight of her father, the infant let out a delighted giggle.

Li Che’s heart swelled with affection as he cradled her, rocking her gently.

Zhang Ya watched them with a soft smile before bringing Li Che a bowl of hot noodles from the stove.

The savory steam filled the small room.

In a poor household, there was no such thing as a true maternity leave. For Zhang Ya, simply staying home to cook instead of working the fields was considered rest.

Once they finished eating, Li Che insisted his wife sleep while he handled the cleaning.

Afterward, he brought a small block of wood and a sharp knife into the main room.

Zhang Ya sat up, patting the baby, and watched him with curiosity.

"Husband, what are you up to?"

In the flickering lamplight, Li Che cracked his knuckles and smiled. "I’ve picked up a few tricks at the shop lately."

"Wife, just watch!"

Zhang Ya couldn't help but giggle. "Husband, you've 'learned' many things over the years, only to tell me a few days later that it's best to give them up..."

Li Che’s lips curled into a confident smirk. "Don't tease me, wife. Have you heard the saying, 'thirty years in the east, thirty years in the west'?"

"Things are different now. I am a father!"

Zhang Ya bit her lip, her eyes dancing with amusement.

She failed to see how fatherhood translated into woodworking skills.

Li Che remained silent, only smiling. He closed his eyes for a moment, and the intricate details and carving methods of the Six-Eyed Bodhisattva flooded his consciousness like water being wrung from a sponge.

When he opened his eyes, they held a sharp, focused intensity.

With a steady hand and a firm grip, he pressed the blade into the wood, making the very first cut.