Chapter 250: Wooden Tower Under the Moon

One week later, in the village.

At a stilt house, Lu Ran stood on the outer corridor of the second floor, hands resting on the wooden railing, gazing up at the full moon in the night sky.

Unlike other demon lairs, within Ghost Moon Mountain, the lodgings were not stone inns but a series of exquisite small wooden towers.

Lu Ran's eyes were somewhat blurred, as if immersed in his own world.

A full seven days had passed, yet he still hadn't emerged from that particular emotional entanglement.

The ice-blue eyes of the Ghost Moon Fox, especially those crescent-moon-shaped pupils...

The lingering effect was simply too strong.

To some extent, the Xie Fa: Moon-Chasing Pupils was a dream jointly woven by the caster and the victim working in tandem.

The caster provided the foundation of the Illusion Realm, serving merely as a trigger.

As for how the illusion world unfolded, it depended more on the inner world of the one struck, originating from that person's desires.

Whether a dashing youth, a beauty capable of toppling cities, a romantic scholar, or a red-cheeked confidante...

The White Fox had every type you could want.

Of course, it didn't necessarily have to be just one type.

With three thousand leagues of water, you could scoop up three thousand ladles and pour them all down your throat.

Lu Ran never expected that within the pupil technique world, the Ghost Moon Fox would appear in the image of Jiangjiang Ruyi.

Thinking back now, he didn't even know when her eyes had transformed into a pair of beautiful and strange fox pupils.

It was truly a gradual seepage, swapping the heavens for the earth without anyone noticing.

"Sigh," Lu Ran let out a deep sigh, a trace of bitter smile rising on his face.

Ever since being struck once by the Moon-Chasing Pupils, he had discovered a problem.

Every time he entered the mountains to train thereafter, every white fox he saw, every pair of crescent pupils he encountered...

... resembled her eyes.

"I've gone mad." Lu Ran covered his eyes with one hand, rubbing them fiercely.

"Brother Lu?"

"Hmm?" Lu Ran turned his head to look, only to see Deng Yutang walk out of the main hall and step onto the outer corridor.

Deng Yutang approached the wooden railing, lifted his head, and gazed at a window on the third floor: "Squad Leader Jiang should be succeeding in her breakthrough soon."

Thick white mist swirled around that window, with energy fluctuations growing extremely intense.

Clearly, Jiangjiang Ruyi was at a critical moment in her advancement.

Over the past seven days, everyone had amassed enough demon crystals, and Jiangjiang Ruyi had made thorough preparations; today was the time for fruition.

"Soon, I suppose," Lu Ran replied casually.

Deng Yutang withdrew his gaze, looked at Lu Ran, and smiled: "Are you still worrying?"

Lu Ran gazed up at the bright moon in the night sky, his tone indeed carrying a hint of sorrow:

"Young Master Red Brocade's will is so firm; how could he possibly understand the love-poison hidden beneath the white fox?"

Deng Yutang: "..."

He didn't know how to comfort Lu Ran, nor how to lead him out of this quagmire.

After a long while, Deng Yutang suddenly spoke: "How about I try it too?"

The Red Brocade Divine Art: Red Brocade Will required a Red Brocade believer to activate it voluntarily; in other words, Deng Yutang could also be struck by it.

Lu Ran's expression turned troubled; as someone who had experienced it, he really wanted to dissuade the other.

But Deng Yutang was a warrior; if he wished to "know yourself and know your enemy," Lu Ran found it difficult to stop him.

After pondering back and forth, Lu Ran finally said: "Be cautious."

"You possess a mental-defense type Divine Art, making it inherently difficult for you to be struck; there's no need to force yourself to endure such bitterness."

Mental-defense type techniques mostly shared one characteristic: defense across realms!

Taking Deng Yutang as an example, he was a River Realm believer, and his Divine Art was also of River Grade.

Even if a River Realm Ghost Moon Fox appeared and cast a pupil technique on him, it would be very difficult for Deng Yutang to be struck.

Only by leaping another major realm, with a Sea Realm Ghost Moon Fox personally making a move, could one feed Deng Shao a mouthful of love poison.

"I just want to experience it myself, to see what has caused you to become so depressed." Just as Deng Yutang finished speaking, he suddenly lifted his head.

Inside one of the rooms on the third floor, waves of wind surged, and the sound of furniture shifting came one after another.

Has Jiangjiang Meiren advanced?

Lu Ran's mood finally improved slightly; he raised his head and watched quietly.

For a long time, she did not appear at the window.

Hmm... perhaps she was cultivating a new Divine Art.

When a Master Yu Fu believer reaches the third stage of the River Realm, the matching technique is named "Eight Golden-Jade Talismans."

This was a bona fide defensive technique; once activated, eight white jade tablets would surround the user's body.

Furthermore, each white jade tablet would be enveloped in a faint golden light.

The Golden-Jade Talismans possessed quite formidable defensive power.

Each time they were struck, they would emit a unique sound, resembling the striking of a bell or a chime.

Thus, this technique also enjoyed the esteemed title of "Striking Gold and Hitting Jade."

It is worth noting that the River Grade: Eight Golden-Jade Talismans were not controlled by the owner's will but operated autonomously for defense.

Only after this technique advanced to Jiang Grade would the caster gain the ability to cancel the automatic management and manipulate the Golden-Jade Talismans personally.

Moreover, by that time, the palm-sized Golden-Jade Talismans could even expand in size according to the owner's intent!

Not only would the defensive coverage be broader, but they could also be used to destroy buildings, crush enemies, and so on.

Master Yu Fu's believers truly deserve their reputation as "late-game powerhouses" in the eyes of the world.

The further one advances in cultivation, the more breathtaking the improvements in the efficacy and strength of their Qi Shen Fa become.

"What is there to feel?" Lu Ran, having waited in vain for Jiangjiang Ruyi, spoke again, "You also know the uniqueness of the Moon-Chasing Eye."

The Illusion Realms the white foxes project into people's minds are all custom-tailored.

You cannot see what I see."

"Mm." Deng Yutang sighed inwardly, leaning his back against the railing, "You still haven't told us what you experienced."

Lu Ran fell silent, offering no response as was his usual habit.

He could feel the concern in Deng Yutang's heart.

Over the past few days, Lu Ran had witnessed every one of Deng Yutang's actions.

This included his current companionship, as well as Deng Yutang's explicit statement just now that he wanted to try that eye technique.

What a good brother!

Lu Ran lifted his head and murmured, "What I experienced..."

Deng Yutang instantly perked up; he truly hadn't expected Lu Ran to finally open up.

Everyone cared deeply about Lu Ran and had asked before, yet even Jiangjiang Ruyi had failed to pry out any details.

Lu Ran: "Her."

Deng Yutang: "What?"

Lu Ran tilted his head slightly, gesturing toward a window on the third floor: "Her."

Deng Yutang looked up and happened to catch sight of Jiangjiang Ruyi appearing at the window, smiling as she watched the two on the corridor.

Deng Yutang's expression grew somewhat strange.

So, you experienced her?

Such an answer was truly unexpected; once Deng Yutang realized it, he couldn't help but smile.

In the blink of an eye, the figure at the window vanished.

Deng Yutang pushed hard against the railing with his back, using the rebound force to straighten up, then strode back into the hall: "I'm going back to sleep."

Watching Deng Yutang's retreating figure, Lu Ran said softly, "Thank you."

Deng Yutang turned around; though he said nothing, his expression said it all: Is there any need for such words?

Lu Ran was indeed very grateful for Deng Yutang's concern, but he simply couldn't bring himself to say anything mushy.

So he merely shrugged: "Thanks for giving us some space."

Deng Yutang: "..."

The next second, Deng Yutang turned his head and walked away.

He happened to meet Jiangjiang Ruyi coming toward him: "Why are you going back?"

Brushing past Jiangjiang Meiren without even turning his head, Deng Yutang replied, "I'm sleepy."

"Hehe~" Jiangjiang Ruyi couldn't help but let out a soft laugh.

She stepped out onto the corridor beyond the second floor and looked at Lu Ran: "Did you make him sleepy?"

"Deng Shao is sensible; he made himself sleepy." Lu Ran reached out and directly pulled the young girl into his embrace.

"Oh." Jiangjiang Ruyi's body stiffened; she hadn't expected Lu Ran to make such a move.

Perhaps it was the quiet of the moonlit night, or perhaps the fact that no one else was around.

In any case, after hesitating for a moment, Jiangjiang Ruyi still nestled into someone's arms and did not leave.

"Congratulations on advancing," Lu Ran said softly, holding the warm, fragrant, soft jade in his embrace as he smoothed her long hair.

"It used a lot of demon crystals," Jiangjiang Ruyi whispered, her voice tiny and light.

"Then we'll just kill more," Lu Ran said indifferently, "There are white foxes everywhere here."

Jiangjiang Ruyi lifted her eyelids slightly, a hint of mischief in her beautiful eyes: "Can you bear to do that?"

Lu Ran: "..."

Indeed.

On a rational level, Lu Ran knew very well that the Ghost Moon Fox clan were evil demons, cruel fox spirits who ate living humans raw.

But on an emotional level, with every slash Lu Ran delivered, he felt some indescribable, ineffable sensation in his heart.

This was what people called the "lingering aftereffect."

"Dong~"

Suddenly, a peculiar, low-pitched sound rang out.

Though the sound was not loud, it resonated right beside Lu Ran's ear, startling his spirit!

Only then did Lu Ran realize that several palm-sized white jade tablets had formed a "Talisman Stone Ring," slowly rotating around the two of them.

Shen Fa Gong · Jin Yu Eight Talismans!

"You learned it this quickly?" Lu Ran examined the Jin Yu talismans.

"I mastered the method long ago and have practiced it countless times; I was just waiting to advance," Jiangjiang Ruyi said, picking up a Jin Yu talisman and extending it sideways.

The Jin Yu talisman stone returned to the Talisman Stone Ring, continuing to follow the main group as it slowly drifted around its master.

Jiangjiang Ruyi smiled and said, "In the future, when facing the Ghost Moon Fox clan, if you feel conflicted or too soft-hearted, I'll just ring the bell for you."

"Alright." Lu Ran smiled as well, "By the way, there's something I need to tell you."

"What is it?"

Lu Ran: "When you returned, you rushed off to advance and didn't receive the notification."

The hotel front desk informed me that the military has selected a suitable mission and can upgrade our training assignment."

Jiangjiang Ruyi: "What mission?"

Lu Ran: "The military has tasked us with clearing out a mountain."

"It is said that a clan of Ghost Moon Foxes resides within, many of whom are high-stage River Realm cultivators."

Jiangjiang Ruyi frowned slightly. "Are you certain there are no Jiang Jing foxes?"

Lu Ran explained, "Rest assured. The military has been hunting and blocking this clan for a long time; their intelligence on the enemy is thorough."

"Besides, military personnel will be operating alongside us."

Jiangjiang Ruyi felt slightly reassured, yet still spoke up: "Ghost Moon Foxes at River Realm stage three or above possess the art of invisibility."

Lu Ran smiled. "But you have me!"

"The military values my abilities; they know my hearing is exceptionally keen, which is why they've given us this opportunity to participate in the operation."

As he spoke, Lu Ran gently stroked the young woman's long hair with one hand.

Feeling Lu Ran's tender motion, Jiangjiang Ruyi let out a soft "Mm."

Lu Ran said, "Let's make the trip. It's a full twenty minutes; we'll see our teammates off."

"Mm, alright." Jiangjiang Ruyi rested her head on his shoulder and slowly closed her eyes.

(End of Chapter)