This unexpected complication arose at the critical moment when the treasure was just within reach, filling Baili Chen with both shock and fury.
He glared at Li Fan and couldn't help but roar angrily, "Where did this fraud come from! The disciples of Cloudwater Palace have long since perished..."
Halfway through his words, Baili Chen realized the impropriety of his statement and abruptly cut himself off.
"Patriarch Taiyi, please discern the truth. This person absolutely cannot be a true disciple!" he said through gritted teeth.
The turtle-snake monster, however, paid no attention to his words, instead carefully examining the aura of the technique Li Fan operated.
"Hmm... The Cloudwater Dream Illusion Art. I never thought that Little Qin would also have a successor."
"Good, very good." As if deeply moved, the turtle-snake monster's massive body trembled slightly, and its ferocious expression relaxed a bit.
"Indeed, this technique was personally passed down by Senior Brother Qin Tang. Naturally, I can be considered a disciple of Cloudwater Palace," Li Fan nodded, his expression unchanging.
Never expecting Li Fan's words to actually be true, Baili Chen's face instantly darkened.
Both he and Sikong Yi fixed Li Fan with deadly stares, killing intent surging in their eyes.
Sensing their rapidly swelling murderous aura, Li Fan merely responded with a faint smile.
"Hmm, you are a true disciple, and this young one is also a true disciple. Both of you desire the Cloudwater Model...
"This is truly a headache..."
The turtle-snake monster’s brain seemed to be working overtime, its gaze shifting back and forth between Li Fan and Baili Chen.
After a while, it finally devised a solution.
"In that case, according to the sect's rules, the two of you shall spar with each other.
"I will give the Cloudwater Model to the winner."
The turtle-snake monster appeared quite pleased with its own idea.
It shook its body, moving its stiff limbs.
One broken sword after another fell from its body, drifting down in an eerily unnatural trajectory. They landed at the edge of the sword forest below, expanding the forest's boundaries.
"Disciples of Cloudwater Palace respect and care for one another. As you spar, remember to exercise restraint and know when to stop," the turtle-snake monster instructed in its ancient, raspy voice.
Then, countless broken swords flew from its body.
They embedded themselves into the ground around Li Fan and Sikong Yi, leaving only a blank space in the center, forming a natural arena.
"Well. You may begin!" the turtle-snake monster grunted.
Li Fan chuckled softly. "Rest assured, Patriarch. I will certainly 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 suddenly materialized. Forming a sword array, they whistled through the air as they shot toward Li Fan.
Li Fan simply extended his right hand and made a gentle grasping motion toward Baili Chen.
The outcome was decided in an instant.
Even if he had a thousand techniques left, Baili Chen could no longer use any of them now. He was instantly bound mid-air as if trapped in an invisible giant net, completely immobilized. The twenty-four water swords also dissipated mid-flight.
Taiyi, who had been slumbering for thousands of years, began commenting on the fight with great interest.
However, his rusted mind caused his commentary to lag a beat behind.
By the time his voice caught up, Baili Chen had already been subdued by Li Fan.
"Hmm, not bad. The Sea-Calming Sword Art! He's already manifested twenty-one swords, not far from a large degree of mastery...
"Eh? Is that Little Chong's binding art? Never thought he'd pass it on to an outsider..."
As the turtle-snake monster provided commentary, both Baili Chen and Sikong Yi's faces simultaneously revealed expressions of utter horror.
They knew exactly what this method that had so effortlessly restrained Baili Chen was.
It was unmistakably identical to the technique used by that Daoist Oddity inside the Demon-Refining Pagoda!
Escaping from that Daoist Oddity was one thing, but learning his divine ability too? How was that possible?
Could this person truly be a disciple of Cloudwater Palace? Otherwise, none of this made any sense!
But all Cloudwater Palace disciples had clearly perished in the calamity millennia ago!
Just who was he?
Endless doubt and fear surged within Baili Chen and Sikong Yi.
Not good, this person was far too mysterious. If they fell into his hands...
As they looked at Li Fan's "kind" face, they couldn't help but shudder. They had to escape!
And so, under the gazes of both the turtle-snake monster and Li Fan, something bizarre occurred.
Baili Chen, who had been immobilized by Insect Binding, underwent a sudden transformation. In the blink of an eye, he became Sikong Yi.
Meanwhile, Sikong Yi, who had been observing from the sidelines, now took on Baili Chen's appearance!
It wasn't just their appearances that had swapped.
Their auras, cultivation levels, and even Li Fan's lock on them via Formless Killing Mechanism had been exchanged instantaneously.