Seeing the treasure about to fall into his hands, only for unexpected complications to crop up at this critical juncture, Baili Chen could not help feeling shocked and furious.
Looking at Li Fan, he shouted in anger, "Where did this fraud come from! The disciples of the Cloud Water Heavenly Palace all died—"
Halfway through his sentence, Baili Chen realized the impropriety of his words and stopped abruptly.
"Patriarch Taiyi, discern the truth! There is no way this man could be any personal disciple!" he said through gritted teeth to the turtle-serpent creature.
The turtle-serpent creature paid no attention to his words, instead carefully discerning the aura of the technique circulating within Li Fan.
"Mmm... the Cloud Water Illusory Dream Technique. Who would have thought that kid Qin would have a successor after all."
"Good, wonderful."
Seemingly overcome with emotion, the creature's colossal body trembled slightly, and its ferocious countenance softened a bit.
"Indeed. My technique was personally imparted by Senior Brother Qin Tang. Naturally, I count as a disciple of the Cloud Water Heavenly Palace," Li Fan said with a nod, his expression unchanging.
Never expecting Li Fan's words to actually be true, Baili Chen's face darkened instantly.
He and Sikong Yi glared fixedly at Li Fan, killing intent surging in their eyes.
Feeling the killing intent rapidly swelling from them, Li Fan merely smiled faintly in response.
"Mm, you are a personal disciple, and this lad is also a personal disciple. Both of you want the *Cloud Water Chart and Talismans*..."
"This truly gives me a headache..."
The turtle-serpent creature appeared somewhat confused, its gaze shifting back and forth between Li Fan and Baili Chen.
After a while, with its sluggish mind, it finally came up with a solution.
"Since that is the case, according to sect rules, why don't the two of you spar against each other?"
"Whoever wins, I will give the *Cloud Water Chart and Talismans* to him."
The turtle-serpent creature seemed very satisfied with this idea.
It shook its frame, loosening its stiffened body.
Broken swords fell from its body one after another, drifting down along unusual trajectories to land at the edges of the Forest of Swords below, expanding its boundaries.
"Disciples of the Cloud Water Heavenly Palace respect and care for one another. In your sparring, remember to exercise restraint," the turtle-serpent creature admonished in its aged voice.
Then, countless broken swords flew out from its body.
They drove into the ground all around Li Fan and Sikong Yi, leaving only a blank space in the center, forming a natural arena.
"Alright. Begin!" the creature rumbled.
Li Fan gave a light chuckle. "Rest assured, Patriarch. I will definitely spare Junior Brother Baili's life."
Baili Chen did not reply, but the killing intent in his eyes had already reached its peak.
Above his head, twenty-one spinning blue water swords abruptly manifested.
Arranging themselves into a sword formation, they whistled through the air toward Li Fan in an instant.
Li Fan merely stretched out his right hand and made a light grasping motion toward Baili Chen.
The dust settled.
Even if he had a thousand methods left, he could no longer use any of them.
As if trapped under an invisible giant net, Baili Chen was instantly bound in midair, unable to move a muscle.
Those twenty-four water swords also dispersed midway through their flight.
Taiyi, who had slept for thousands of years, was now enthusiastically providing commentary.
Even though his rusty mind made his commentary consistently a beat too slow.
Li Fan had already subdued Baili Chen by the time his voice slowly drifted over.
"Mm, not bad. It's the Sea Settling Sword Art! He's already cultivated twenty-one swords, not far from grand accomplishment..."
"Eh? Isn't this that little bug's self-binding art? Who would have thought he'd pass it to an outsider..."
Amid the creature's commentary, expressions of utter horror appeared on the faces of both Baili Chen and Sikong Yi.
They naturally recognized what method had subdued Baili Chen with such ease.
It was identical to the technique used by that bizarre Daoist in the Demon Refining Tower!
Escaping from that bizarre Daoist was one thing, but he could even learn his divine ability?
How had he done it?
Could it be that this man really was a disciple of the Cloud Water Heavenly Palace?
Otherwise, none of this made any sense!
Yet the disciples of the Cloud Water Heavenly Palace had clearly been wiped out in the great calamity thousands of years ago!
Who on earth was he?
Boundless doubt and dread welled up in Baili Chen and Sikong Yi's hearts.
*No, this person is too mysterious. If we fall into his hands...*
Looking at Li Fan's "amiable" face, the two could not help but shudder.
Flee!
And so, under the watchful eyes of the turtle-serpent creature and Li Fan, a bizarre scene unfolded.
Baili Chen, who had been immobilized by Insect Binding, shifted his form and turned into Sikong Yi in the blink of an eye.
Meanwhile, Sikong Yi, who had been watching from the side, now took on the appearance of Baili Chen!
Not only did their appearances swap.
Their auras, cultivation, and even Li Fan's lock via Formless Killing Intent were all exchanged in an instant.
Li Fan's expression shifted, but then he heard Baili Chen shout: "My skills are inferior, and I willingly concede! I surrender! I yield the *Cloud Water Chart and Talismans* to Senior Brother! Patriarch Taiyi, please send me out of the Cloud Water Heavenly Palace!"
"Eh... what is this..."
The turtle-serpent creature was somewhat curious about the scene before it. Just as it began to ponder, it was interrupted by Baili Chen's shouts.
"You want to leave?"
"Mm, leaving is good. Leaving is good..."
Amid the creature's musings, a layer of blue light enveloped Baili Chen.
His figure twisted, and after casting a venomous glare at Li Fan, he vanished without a trace.
Meanwhile, the Sikong Yi bound by Li Fan lost all signs of life in an instant.
Under Li Fan's gaze, he slowly turned into ashes.
Just like what had happened not long ago in the Demon Refining Tower.
Within Li Fan's perception, outside the Cloud Water Heavenly Palace, Sikong Yi reappeared beside Baili Chen.
The two of them were fleeing with all their might at top speed.
"Hmph, trying to escape? It won't be that easy!"
Locked onto by Formless Killing Intent, as long as the distance was not too vast, they could never escape Li Fan's palm no matter what.
Not in a rush to give chase, Li Fan turned to question the turtle-serpent creature before him.
"Patriarch Taiyi, what technique was Junior Brother Baili Chen using? Swapping one living person for another was quite miraculous."
"Mmm... It looks somewhat familiar. Seems like I've heard of it somewhere."
After a moment, he said regretfully, "I'm old, and my memory isn't what it used to be. I can't recall."
"Well, while I still remember, I'll give you the *Cloud Water Chart and Talismans*."
The black snake coiled around Taiyi's head opened its mouth.
A miniature Cloud Water Heavenly Palace glowing with multicolored light floated slowly toward Li Fan.
Taking it in his hand, Li Fan sensed the information welling up in his mind and could not help feeling dumbfounded.
*That's it?*
*This is worth a hundred thousand contribution points?*
As it turned out, the *Cloud Water Chart and Talismans* was truly just what it looked like: a miniature model of the Cloud Water Heavenly Palace.
Down to the finest detail, every building and scene of any size within the Cloud Water Heavenly Palace was faithfully recreated.
Furthermore, hidden inside was a trace of the divine sense left behind by the sect's disciples from back then.
Preserved in a special manner, they became miniature figurines moving about within this miniature Cloud Water Heavenly Palace.
Chapter 87