Water-Ripple Beast seemed to search his memory, then nodded smartly. He scampered from Wen Xu's palm onto his shoulder, found a comfortable spot, and settled in. Apparently, he was willing to meet them.
Buddha Lotus seemed to sense his wishes too. It carried him, Wen Xu, and the lotus leaf to shore. The moment Wen Xu stepped onto dry land, he met two pairs of eyes tinged with... jealousy?!
Wen Xu was bad with faces and good at playing blind. He blithely ignored those strange looks, greeted the two of them, then headed toward the back to find Chunchou and Chen Zui. With such a commotion here, Chunchou, who loved a spectacle, would never sit still.
Sure enough, Wen Xu soon spotted his two friends among the crowd behind him.
"Wow, Water-Ripple Beast! Hello there! Remember me? Give your uncle a kiss!" Bian Chunchou was delighted. He hadn't expected Wen Xu-Xu to come through so spectacularly and smuggle the little fellow right out.
Water-Ripple Beast apparently recognized him. Not only did he accept Bian Chunchou's affection, he even scampered onto his head and stamped about excitedly.
Chen Zui's concern was much more straightforward. "He reached Core Formation."
Wen Xu nodded. "What, do you want to fight him?"
"If I can, sure." Buddhist Cultivators were troublesome opponents, but Chen Zui had never been picky about a fight. Bushi might behave strangely, yet his talent and combat strength were outstanding. To Chen Zui, he was an excellent opponent.
Normally, Bian Chunchou would have jumped in with a few retorts. But with an adorable beast in his hands, he had no attention to spare for that.
Meanwhile, at the heart of the Lotus Pond, the Tribulation Clouds had dispersed. The last rays of heavenly light descended, and Buddha Lotus soon restored the pond