Chapter 378: Chapter 54: Heart-Connected Lotus Root
Li Shifan fell silent at his words, gazing quietly at the sky.
However, the silence was short-lived.
"He’s here!"
As Li Shifan’s expression flickered, Li Cheng’s voice echoed in his mind, and the miniature scroll plunged into the palm of his hand.
Li Shifan rose to his feet and looked up at the distant sky.
A transparent streak of light, moving at a steady pace, flew in from the distance, arriving before Li Shifan in moments.
When he got a clear look at the newcomer, Li Shifan’s expression sharpened.
He was a young man who looked to be in his early thirties. He had a refined face and an aura as pleasant as a spring breeze. Surprisingly, he bore a slight resemblance to Zhang Deming.
He stood atop a transparent Water Dragon. The creature had the body of a snake and the head of a dragon, with four claws, each bearing three toes. It resembled a Three-Star Snake-Attribute Chi Dragon, but it also had a single horn.
It wasn’t enormous, only a few dozen feet long.
In terms of sheer presence, it was only at the level of a Tier Three Technique. But with a Three Talents Great Cultivator at the Peak of the Celestial Realm standing on it, the effect was completely different.
Zhang Buyi stood on the Water Dragon’s head, his hands clasped behind his back. A gentle breeze rustled his robes, making them dance. He looked at Li Shifan and asked, "Are you Li Shifan?"
Li Shifan immediately bowed and nodded. "Yes, Senior. My name is Li Shifan. I’m just not sure if I’m the person you’re looking for."
Zhang Buyi nodded. "Then it must be you. It’s unlikely there would be two people named Li Shifan in a place like this."
Zhang Buyi looked at Li Shifan, who appeared both respectful and apprehensive. "I am Zhang Buyi," he said. "The seventh-born in my family. That boy, Deming, calls me Seventh Uncle."
"I hear from that boy that you two get along exceptionally well and are the closest of friends. Since that’s the case, you should call me uncle as well."
Li Shifan faltered. After a moment’s hesitation, he stammered, "Sen... I mean... Sev... Seventh Uncle. This junior understands."
Even though he was originally a young master from a Noble Family, the Li Family had been gone since he was a child.
As a result, he was used to the Sect’s hierarchy, where seniority was based on one’s cultivation level. Suddenly being addressed with such familial terms felt somewhat unnatural to him.
Zhang Buyi looked at Li Shifan. "Where is the Alien Species Demon Beast with the Chenghuang Bloodline?" he asked.
Li Shifan paused. "I was afraid of being discovered, so I didn’t dare linger near it. Sen... Seventh Uncle, this way, please."
Zhang Buyi nodded. "Very well. Lead the way."
Hearing this, Li Shifan turned and sped off in one direction. However, he was still using a Tier One Sword Step, so his speed wasn’t very fast.
Seeing this, Zhang Buyi waved his hand. A nimble stream of water wrapped around Li Shifan, lifting him up to float beside Zhang Buyi.
"Just point the way," Zhang Buyi said to Li Shifan beside him. "I have much to do on this trip into the mountains, and I’m short on time."
Li Shifan’s body tensed slightly. He then pointed in a direction and said, "That way. It’s not too far. We can be there in about ten minutes."
Zhang Buyi nodded. The Chi Dragon beneath his feet flicked its tail and shot off like a bolt of lightning in the direction Li Shifan had indicated.
"Do you know the Demon Beast’s specific Cultivation level?" Zhang Buyi asked from the dragon’s back. With his hands clasped behind him, he looked at Li Shifan, who was suspended beside him in the stream of water.
Li Shifan shook his head. "I’m not entirely sure. My ancestor said it might be a Three Talents Great Demon, so I only glanced at it from a great distance and didn’t dare approach."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Buyi glanced at Li Shifan’s left hand. It seemed Li Cheng was remaining quiet for now, not trying anything sneaky right under his nose.
Zhang Buyi nodded. "With your level of Cultivation, it’s wise to be cautious in a place like this."
In the time it took to exchange a few words, they had already traveled a great distance. Ahead of them, a lake nestled within the endless primeval forest was now faintly visible.
"Seventh Uncle, it’s just ahead," Li Shifan said. Seeing that Zhang Buyi showed no intention of letting him down, he couldn’t help but remind him.
"Mm," Zhang Buyi replied faintly, continuing onward.
Li Shifan: "...Seventh Uncle, I’m just a Tai Chi Cultivator!"
"Mm," Zhang Buyi replied again, just as faintly.
Li Shifan: "..."
As they drew ever closer to their destination, Li Shifan couldn’t help but start to panic. ’Was I not clear enough?’
’Or was there something wrong with how I said it?’
’With my level of cultivation, if I get too close, any stray impact could kill me on the spot!’
Just as Li Shifan was about to lose his nerve and speak plainly, Zhang Buyi came to a stop.
He noted they were now quite close to the lake. ’From this position, my Incarnation’s combat abilities shouldn’t be affected by the distance to the Dao Mark.’ He then asked, "Do you have any vision-enhancing techniques?"
Li Shifan paused for a second. "I haven’t specifically trained in any Spiritual Eye Techniques, but I have learned the Sword Control Skill. Its Body Sword Techniques greatly enhance one’s vision."
Zhang Buyi nodded. "That’ll do. This distance should be sufficient. You can watch the combat from here. The shockwaves shouldn’t reach you."
"As a Sword Cultivator, even though you must pursue extreme focus in your methods, it is still good to observe. Opportunities to safely watch a battle so far beyond your own level are rare."
Li Shifan froze, staring at Zhang Buyi in astonishment. ’So he was being considerate of me after all? This Seventh Uncle really is just as his appearance suggests—as pleasant as a spring breeze!’
Li Shifan nodded. "Understood. This disciple will remember. I will be sure to watch carefully."
Seeing this, Zhang Buyi waved his hand. The nimble stream of water around Li Shifan gently carried him onto the branch of a massive, ancient tree.
After setting him down, the stream of water slowly dissipated.
Zhang Buyi gave Li Shifan a nod. Then, with his hands clasped behind his back, he stood atop the Water Dragon’s head and flew toward the lake, meeting the gentle breeze.
