Cultivation is just so scientific!

Chapter 1748: Chapter 920: Easing Tensions (Part 2)

Grandmaster Hu was not at all surprised that Shi Sha wanted to meet Li Shiming; the only reason the Ten Thousand Beast Sect would warrant a formal visit from a superpower like the Bitao Sect was Li Shiming.

"Arrangements have been made for you; fortunately, he is available!" Grandmaster Hu said with a smile, gesturing for him to proceed.

Shi Sha let out a long sigh of relief; it seems there is hope to complete this mission.

Although Li Shiming is a cultivator of the Ten Thousand Beast Sect, he does not equate to the sect itself.

The Ten Thousand Beast Sect relies on Li Shiming’s prestige to occupy the Dongqi Continent, becoming a major sect second only to the super powers.

Even if Li Shiming were to leave the Ten Thousand Beast Sect, he would still possess unparalleled alchemical abilities, remaining the strongest among Peak Great Cultivators.

Shi Sha couldn’t guarantee Li Shiming would meet with him, given their previous confrontation.

But he had no choice; Li Shiming had ceased cooperation with the Bitao Sect, which was urgently requiring his alchemical assistance during its recovery phase.

When Shi Sha met Li Shiming, he saw only an illusionary clone, not Li Shiming’s true form.

The meeting place wasn’t Li Shiming’s cave mansion but a grand hall of the Ten Thousand Beast Sect reserved for guests.

"Shi Sha pays respects to Senior Li!" Despite facing only an illusionary clone, Shi Sha maintained utmost respect, bowing in a cultivator’s salute.

"Mr. Shi, please sit. Forgive my impoliteness; my true form is comprehending a cultivation technique, and could only send a clone!" The illusionary clone bowed slightly in return, explaining.

"It was presumptuous of me to visit!" Shi Sha accepted the explanation; regardless of truth, it was Li Shiming’s stance he was dealing with.

Had Shi Sha been able to see the mountain where Li Shiming’s cave mansion was located, he would find Li Shiming in a pavilion at the summit, chatting and laughing with Yin Shilan, with no meditation in cultivation technique.

It wasn’t negligence on Li Shiming’s part; he simply had no matters requiring Bitao Sect’s aid, while Bitao Sect sought him out.

One side wanted nothing, while the other carried intent; thus, Li Shiming, with no desires, could treat Shi Sha at leisure.

"There was a misunderstanding between Bitao Sect and Senior Li; I should have visited earlier to explain, but sect affairs delayed me until now!" Shi Sha first nodded to the Ten Thousand Beast Sect cultivator offering spiritual tea and fruit before speaking to Li Shiming.

The spiritual tea offered to Shi Sha wasn’t brewed by Li Shiming but was ordinary fourth-grade spirit tea.

Shi Sha didn’t mind the minor detail, knowing full well that without his role as Bitao Sect’s representative, he wouldn’t even qualify to meet the illusionary clone.

In the cultivation world, countless Great Cultivators sought to meet Li Shiming, yet visiting Great Cultivators would only encounter the Ten Thousand Beast Sect cultivators handling Li Shiming’s affairs, unable to meet even the illusionary clone.

Moreover, fourth-grade spirit tea and fourth-grade spirit fruit are standard sect protocol.

In today’s cultivation world, fourth-grade spirit tea personally brewed by Li Shiming had become incredibly rare and valuable, increasing in price by a dozen-fold.

The reason Shi Sha waited until now to visit the Ten Thousand Beast Sect was that the Guiyuan Sect had previously pressured Bitao Sect, only after resolving matters with Guiyuan Sect did he hurriedly head to the Ten Thousand Beast Sect.

"Senior Li, this is a gift from my sect’s patriarch, hoping to clarify the misunderstanding with Senior Li!" Shi Sha continued.

He placed a jade box before the illusionary clone, mentioning the patriarch, which greatly enhanced the jade box’s worth.

The illusionary clone did not hesitate, opening the jade box to reveal a jade bracelet composed of twelve jade plaques, each crafted from top-grade fourth-grade spirit jade.

The bracelet’s true value lay not in its composition but in the fact that each jade plaque was a Great Ability Life-saving Jade Talisman.

Indeed, this bracelet was crafted from twelve such life-saving jade talismans, allowing twelve uses—a typical lavish gesture from a great power.

The illusionary clone surveyed the talismans and confirmed that all twelve were solidified Great Power Level Water Escape.

If employed in a water-abundant area, even Li Shiming with Divine Foot Skill might not be able to intercept.

"Please convey my regards to your patriarch; I am fond of this gift. Regarding the previous matter with Yi Xiao, Yi Xiao has since fallen, and the matter is resolved—I will not involve other cultivators!" The illusionary clone smiled, putting away the jade box.

Shi Sha thought privately, if not for the patriarch and the gift, Li Shiming would hardly be so agreeable.

"In that case, our sect will soon have a batch of Great Cultivator Spirit Medicine for refining; we’d seek your aid, Senior!" Shi Sha promptly added, seeing Li Shiming’s change of tone.

"That’s no problem; I’m not too busy lately!" The illusionary clone nodded in agreement.

With the matter settled, the weight in Shi Sha’s heart finally eased.

He intended to inquire about Great Cultivator Hua Ying, but refrained, not wanting to complicate a harmonious meeting or upset Li Shiming, which could alter the achieved agreement.

Shi Sha left without lingering; aware of the vast gulf in status and cultivation level between himself and Li Shiming, ensuring they lacked common ground.

He bid farewell, and the illusionary clone rose to escort him out of the hall.

In the pavilion, Yin Shilan watched the approaching illusionary clone, then glanced at Li Shiming beside her.

"Shiming, nothing happened, right?" Knowing today the representative cultivator from Bitao Sect visited, Yin Shilan was concerned that Li Shiming only dispatched a clone.

Li Shiming had previously been involved in a war with Bitao Sect, afraid of causing further troubles with the sect.

"No trouble; Bitao Sect came to seek peace!" Li Shiming reassured her with a smile.

At that moment, the illusionary clone delivered the jade box, which Li Shiming accepted and placed before Yin Shilan.

"This bracelet is for you; wearing it enables instant activation!" Li Shiming introduced.

The greatest advantage of this life-saving bracelet was its ease of use, allowing activation with a single thought.

Unlike ordinary life-saving jade talismans, which require retrieval from spatial items—most often, such slight delay marks the difference between life and death.

"Shiming, such a life-saving item is better suited for you; you encounter more danger than I!" Yin Shilan suggested upon learning the bracelet’s function.

Yin Shilan knew Li Shiming’s penchant for trouble, recalling when he was forced to flee by a great power.

Even in remote places, Li Shiming made powerful enemies within a short time and was chased again.

Though Li Shiming didn’t detail these past events, Yin Shilan sensed some of it in his words.

She believed Li Shiming was the one who most needed the twelve-time life-saving bracelet.

"Lan’er, I possess Divine Foot Skill; I can always deploy similar life-saving abilities as the bracelet. Don’t worry about my safety; although I have given you two life-saving jade talismans before, this bracelet is more convenient—even if just to ease my mind, you should wear it!" Li Shiming gently placed the bracelet on Yin Shilan’s wrist.

Yin Shilan did not refuse this time, feeling Li Shiming’s sincere intentions.

In his heart, Li Shiming mused that reconciliation between Guiyuan Sect and Bitao Sect was an inevitable choice.

His strength wasn’t matchable with superpowers; if it were, compromise would be unnecessary.

The Guiyuan Sect and Bitao Sect tried to abduct Yin Shilan, touching his reverse scale; unfortunately, his actions were limited to dealing with associated cultivators of the two powers, unable to inflict a heavier toll on them.