One moved forward, coiling around the turtle’s head.
The other stretched backward, jaws gaping wide, serving as the creature’s tail.
If the sheer visual impact of this turtle-snake monstrosity wasn’t overwhelming enough, the scene upon its body evoked a visceral reaction in Li Fan.
Every inch of the creature’s surface was pierced with broken, jagged swords.
They covered it so densely that it was impossible to tell just how many blades were embedded in its flesh.
At a glance, the monster seemed as though it were entirely constructed of sharp steel.
The small sword forest before Taiyi Hall appeared to be nothing more than a small fraction of the swords that had fallen from its body.
Cloudwater Palace... Patriarch Taiyi? After all these years, is he still alive? Or has he become an Oddity, like Qin Tang or Daoist Chong? Li Fan couldn’t be sure.
In his previous life, there had been no rumors whatsoever about this Patriarch Taiyi.
For now, Li Fan didn’t dare act recklessly. He remained at a distance, observing cautiously.
Once the true form of the patriarch appeared, Baili Chen was overcome with emotion.
He dropped to his knees, kowtowing repeatedly.
An ancient, weathered voice spoke, "You are called Baili Chen? A direct disciple of my Cloudwater Palace?"
The turtle-snake monster lowered its head slightly, as if trying to get a better look at Baili Chen.
"Reporting to Patriarch Taiyi, I am of the Fuyun lineage," Baili Chen replied, his voice trembling.
"Fuyun..." The ancient voice seemed lost in memory.
"Yes, this is the aura of the Fuyun lineage.
"So, that boy actually has descendants remaining in this world?"
The turtle-snake monster faintly sensed something amiss. But it was already far too old, so old that even thinking had become a struggle.
The pain from the countless broken swords piercing its body acted like a vicious curse, constantly clouding its mind.
After a moment of futile pondering, it slowly spoke again: "Then, why have you awakened me?"
Baili Chen seemed to exhale in relief, suppressing his excitement as he hurriedly said, "I humbly request the Patriarch to bestow the Cloudwater Model upon me."
"The Cloudwater Model? What is that? Let me think..."
A moment passed.
"Ah. So it’s that. It’s nothing particularly significant."
The turtle-snake monster’s tone carried a hint of nostalgia. "Back then, Hanhai once said...this item can only be entrusted to a disciple of Cloudwater Palace.
"Since you are a descendant of Fuyun..." Here, the turtle-snake monster hesitated for a moment.
Then it continued slowly, "Then entrusting it to you seems... not entirely improper."
Baili Chen's face erupted with ecstatic joy, and he couldn't stop kowtowing. "Thank you, Patriarch! Thank you, Patriarch!"
Just as the turtle-snake monster prepared to hand over the Cloudwater Model to Baili Chen, a voice suddenly cut through the air.
"Hold it!"
Both Baili Chen and the turtle-snake monster turned to look in the direction of the voice.
They saw Li Fan stepping swiftly atop the sword hilts, moving closer at incredible speed.
Sword shadows pierced through his body continuously, yet the pain seemed to have no effect on him whatsoever.
In three great strides, Li Fan swiftly crossed the sword forest and landed gracefully.
Catching his breath, he cupped his hands in salute toward the turtle-snake monster. "I, Disciple Li Fan, am also a direct disciple of Cloudwater Palace. I too request the Patriarch to bestow the Cloudwater Model upon me!"
As he spoke, he began operating the Cloudwater Dream Illusion Art.