The Programmer Cultivator

With the united force of Zhang Buyi and Li Cheng, the Long Sword flew like a streak of light for over ten minutes, propelled by a true Sword Control Skill, before it suddenly stopped.

Then, the Water Dragon emerged from the sword, and the Long Sword reverted to its miniature scroll form.

At this, Zhang Buyi glanced at the scroll with apparent surprise and said, ”Little one, you have a good eye.”

”How could you tell that I was only temporarily suppressing him by unsettling his state of mind?”

Li Cheng emerged from the scroll like a wisp of smoke, slowly coalescing into his form. He bowed to Zhang Buyi and said, ”To answer your question, Senior, I wasn’t entirely sure. But I know that the path of Blessed Fortune, while strange, is extremely difficult to maintain an advantage with for long.”

”It’s also very hard to threaten an opponent’s life with it, because the moment you do, all the Power of Blessed Fortune will instantly vanish, and may even damage your own.”

”So when I saw you suddenly withdraw, Senior, despite having the clear advantage, I was able to guess what was happening.”

Zhang Buyi looked at Li Cheng and nodded in appreciation. ”Not bad,” he said. ”Your foundations are very solid. It’s a shame you chose to cultivate the Painting Dao, only to end up in such a state. A true pity.”

Hearing this, a bitter look crossed Li Cheng’s face, and he didn’t reply for a moment.

Seeing his expression, Zhang Buyi glanced back the way they had come and said wistfully, ”Ah, Blessed Fortune... my greatest strength and my greatest weakness. What right do I have to comment on your choice of the Painting Dao? I didn’t choose my own path well, either.”

”I’ve laid low for so many years and finally struggled through to the point where I can occasionally make a move.”

”But look at what just happened. I appeared to have the upper hand, but only on the condition that I couldn’t threaten his life. If I did, all the Daoist Skills boosting me would have vanished, and I’d have lost everything.”

”After enduring for so many years, my Dao is still like this. Compared to your Painting Dao, am I really any better off?”

When he finished, he saw that Li Cheng also wore a desolate, somber expression.

”Hah, I’m getting old,” Zhang Buyi sighed. ”Once you reach a certain age, you start getting sentimental about everything.”

Li Cheng managed an awkward smile. ”Tell me about it,” he said. ”I’ve had that feeling myself!”

Well... one was genuinely hurt, while the other was putting on an act...

Zhang Buyi glanced at him, then waved his hand. The six Heart-Connected Lotus Roots, still entwined with streams of water, and the unique Lotus Platform floated from behind him to hover in front of Li Shifan.

”I have other important matters to attend to on this trip into the mountains,” Zhang Buyi said. ”Once I leave, I don’t know when I’ll be able to return. Therefore, I must trouble you to deliver this Heart-Connected Lotus Root to that boy of mine.”

Li Shifan was taken aback. ”Senior,” he said hesitantly, ”this Heart-Connected Lotus Root is incredibly valuable, to say nothing of the even more precious Lotus Platform. I’m afraid...”

”It’s fine,” Zhang Buyi said. ”That recent burst of Rapid Speed has already gotten us out of the danger zone.”

”With your Cultivation and that of your ancestor, you two should be fine. If you’re careful, nothing at this depth should be able to stop you. I’m in a hurry, so I won’t idle here and chat.”

With that, Zhang Buyi placed the Heart-Connected Lotus Root before Li Shifan, then floated up and quickly vanished into the forest.

After traveling a short distance, Zhang Buyi’s solid form instantly dissolved into countless motes of light and vanished between Heaven and Earth.

Li Shifan stared in the direction where Zhang Buyi had vanished, sensing his aura disappear abruptly. He turned to look at the lotus roots on the ground and said, ”Ancestor, this...”

Li Cheng’s form dissipated, reverting to a scroll that flew into Li Shifan’s palm. ”Let’s go,” his voice said from within. ”It’s been half a month. Time to leave.”

Li Shifan paused for a moment, then silently picked up the lotus roots, placed them in his pack, and set off in the direction of the Celestial Spirit Sect.

...

「In Huayue City, inside Zhang Deming’s room at the Huayue Spirit Tower.」

Lying on the bed, Zhang Deming’s eyes snapped open. He first scanned his surroundings, and only after finding nothing unusual did he relax slightly.

He removed the Spirit Crystal recovery pendant from his neck and deactivated most of the surrounding Arrays.

Once everything was taken care of, Zhang Deming let out a long sigh of relief.

’I lost 25,000 Experience Points today, which is equivalent to 2,500 Spirit Stones.’

’But I got six sections of Heart-Connected Lotus Root. In terms of Spirit Stones alone, I definitely made a profit. A huge one, at that.’

’As an optional ingredient for advancing to the Duality realm, Heart-Connected Lotus Root can be used in almost any recipe type. A single section could easily sell for three to five thousand Spirit Stones.’

’More importantly, this isn’t something money alone can buy. As a prime optional ingredient, it’s considered a luxury item in recipes—something only the rich can afford to use.’

’So all in all, today’s haul was excellent.’

Zhang Deming mulled it over for a long time. By then, the sky was completely dark. It looked like the matter of the auction would have to wait until tomorrow.

After organizing things for a moment, Zhang Deming activated the few remaining warning Arrays using the methods of the Array Dao and nodded in satisfaction. ’Can’t be too careful when you’re away from home, after all.’

Then, Zhang Deming lay back down on the bed and fell asleep.

...

In the middle of the night, inside Zhang Deming’s room at the Huayue Spirit Tower, Zhang Deming was fast asleep.

The window of the room shimmered faintly, then grew still. A moment later, it shimmered again before falling quiet once more.

The entire phenomenon was completely silent, not causing the slightest disturbance.

After another moment, the window eased open a crack, and a small, snow-white mouse with silky fur squeezed through the opening.