Chapter 281: The Path to Heaven

The night of disaster continues, and one parting after another is staged in every corner of the city.

Lu Ran and his teammates fight in a bloody battle.

Because his skin carries a taunt effect, he always attracts the covetousness of the Yan Zhi Ren.

Therefore, he occasionally lures several Yan Zhi Ren into the commercial building on the southeast side of the plaza, using the dark environment to sneak-kill the Yan Zhi clan.

Repeating the same trick time and again, the effect is extraordinary.

When his brain hums again, Lu Ran suddenly realizes that he has slaughtered a hundred Yan Zhi Ren.

Inside the Divine Demon Sculpture Garden, the Jiang Jing, Fourth Stage Yan Zhi Yemo Yemo Xiesu has advanced to Jiang Jing, Fifth Stage!

Only one step away from the River Estuary Realm, one step away from Lu Ran creating a Yan Zhi Ren.

No, that's not right!

More than a hundred?

Not every Yan Zhi Ren that descends is Jiang Jing.

"Poof~" A shattering sound comes from the pitch-black mall.

The Yan Zhi Ren who died miserably in Lu Ran's arms shatters into mist.

Lu Ran raises the Divine Power Bead around his neck, and together with the energy, he takes the Yan Zhi Ren's dead soul for his own use.

Afterward, while feeling the vibration of the Yemo Yemo Xiesu in his brain, he strides toward the entrance of the commercial building.

When Lu Ran stands at the collapsed entrance and looks toward the plaza, he also notices a difference.

As far as the eye can see, there is only one Yan Zhi Ren.

And she is surrounded and killed by a Moon-Watching squad, eventually dying.

"Is it over?" Lu Ran murmurs softly.

Has the Night of the Wandering Ghosts finally ended?

Not just the Night of the Wandering Ghosts, even the number of demons invading the world has clearly decreased.

Midnight has long since passed.

This exceptionally long battle is also coming to an end.

"Master Xiang Xiang Xianyang, are you there?"

Lu Ran calls out softly.

The inside and outside of the mall are silent, with only the faint sounds of fighting from the distant battlefield.

Lu Ran ponders for a moment and begins to pray to Master Xiang Xiang Xianyang, trying to attract its attention.

"Master Xiang Xiang Xianyang..."

"Hmm." A low voice finally imprints into Lu Ran's mind.

Lu Ran's prayer and call have brought a response.

Lu Ran: "Master Xiang Xiang Xianyang, have I slaughtered too many Yan Zhi Ren tonight?"

"Acceptable."

Lu Ran thinks for a moment and continues: "Now, the Yan Zhi Yemo Yemo Xiesu in the garden has reached Jiang Jing, Fifth Stage.

I can apply for patrol and continue to collect Yan Zhi dead souls along the way.

In this way, we can strike while the iron is hot and cultivate the Yan Zhi Yemo Yemo Xiesu to the River Estuary Realm."

A low transmission sounds: "Do not be eager for quick success, caution is paramount."

"Yes, yes." Lu Ran nods.

Lu Ran's desire for strength is beyond doubt.

At this moment, the huge temptation placed before him is indeed heart-stirring.

As long as Lu Ran patrols a few laps in Rain Alley City, the number of dead souls he can collect will naturally be considerable.

But Lu Ran is not dazzled, which is why he consulted an authority.

Since Master Xiang Xiang Xianyang ordered him to stop, he will stop here.

"Master Xiang Xiang Xianyang." Lu Ran endures and endures, but still asks, "Is there really nothing I can do for those human souls that have died?"

In fact, back when Lu Ran was still very weak, he had asked this question.

At that time, Master Xiang Xiang Xianyang responded with eight characters in a mocking tone:

"Mere Stream Realm, heart higher than heaven."

Pondering carefully, Lu Ran believes this was not a denial.

Since Stream Realm doesn't work, does a higher realm work?

"Master Xiang Xiang Xianyang?" Lu Ran's voice carries a hint of exploration.

The transmission falls, again eight characters: "Mere Jiang Jing, heart higher than heaven."

Lu Ran: "..."

But this time, he keenly notices that Master Xiang Xiang Xianyang's tone carries no mockery.

Lu Ran is silent for a full ten seconds before speaking slowly: "So, it is possible!

So... can I use human souls to reshape flesh and blood for them, just like creating demons?"

Xiang Xiang Xianyang says indifferently: "Using origin power to shape demon souls and build energy bodies is the ability of the demon's own sculpture.

Divine Sculptures cannot summon minions.

Divine Deity Sculptures can only help you summon divine remnants, as you know.

Could it be that you want to pour a demon body for a human soul?"

Lu Ran licks his lips: "At least, people would still be alive."

Xiang Xiang Xianyang asks back: "Do you count that as alive?"

Four short words, deafening.

Does it count?

Does it count as alive?

People are all products of the era.

Especially against this background where contradictions are extremely sharp, everyone carries a very thick color of the era.

You let a human believer, who is incomparably pious and has respected gods since childhood, be reborn as a demon...

How should they conduct themselves?

And does it really count as being alive?

Xiang Xiang Xianyang's tone softens: "Stop thinking, you can't do it."

"Ah?"

"You can treat making demon minions as an evil technique; this technique has strict casting conditions and accurate casting procedures."

Xiang Xiang Xianyang pauses and continues: "The souls within demon minions can only be shaped by the demon's own origin power.

Rather than considering this path, you might as well suck human souls into your artifact.

Borrowing the unique efficacy of the artifact, you can shape a body for them for a short time and control them to fight."

Lu Ran is silent for a long time and lets out a deep sigh: "Sigh..."

Yes, the artifact, Passing Money, can indeed do this.

But it is only for a short time; people are not truly alive.

Lu Ran uses it a few times, and the dead soul will dissipate.

Once a soul enters the Passing Money, even if Lu Ran doesn't refine it, the soul will dissipate over time.

This method doesn't even treat the "symptoms," let alone the "root cause."

Xiang Xiang Xianyang says indifferently: "Human souls after death are only fit to be toyed with.

Either swallowed by the demon.

Or swallowed by the deity."

Lu Ran lowers his head silently.

He naturally knows where souls go after people die.

Except for those intercepted halfway by demons, the souls of all others naturally carry a trace of the deity's "breath" and return to the deity's embrace together.

Lu Ran's artifact, Passing Money, refines demon dead souls, constantly nourishing Lu Ran's own soul.

From this, it is not difficult to deduce: deities are also absorbing human souls to nourish themselves.

Every person, after successfully respecting a god, establishes a connection with the deity.

This connection is equivalent to a path.

When people are alive, they use this path to provide faith power to the deities.

After people die, their souls also step onto this path, rushing toward the deities and nourishing them.

Poor humans,

Truly eaten clean from birth to death.

Perhaps, it is precisely because of this that there are few divine techniques in major deity sects that harm souls.

Deities, of course, want complete human souls.

"Master Xiang Xiang Xianyang." Lu Ran organizes his emotions and says in a low voice, "You just said that my strength is low and my heart is higher than heaven.

In other words, as long as my strength is powerful enough...

When facing the dead souls of human companions, I have the ability to do something."

"Hmm."

For the first time, Lu Ran receives a positive response from Master Xiang Xiang Xianyang.

Although it is just a simple "Hmm," it is enough to make Lu Ran ecstatic.

Xiang Xiang Xianyang says indifferently: "Since it is a path to heaven, one must naturally have the ability to reach heaven."

Lu Ran nods heavily: "This disciple understands!"

The solution to all the world's worries,

Is only the word "strength"!

"Lu Ran!" In the night sky, a beautiful figure falls slowly.

Lu Ran comes back to his senses, looks up, and sees a gentle face.

Ruyi...

She is still as elegant as ever, even after experiencing a tragic battle, even after experiencing life and death.

Is Jiang Ru Yi stronger than Lu Ran?

Not clear.

But she must care about Lu Ran very much to be able to cast all these things behind her.

"Are you okay?" Jiang Ru Yi stands in front of Lu Ran, reaching out both hands to cup Lu Ran's cheeks.

"Sorry." Lu Ran smiles apologetically, "Should have returned to the team earlier."

"It's okay, it's already past midnight, the invading demons are almost gone." Jiang Ru Yi says softly.

Watching Lu Ran's dejected appearance, her eyes are full of heartache.

The few in the squad all saw Hu Dingtian's death; although they were far away, they saw it.

Only Lu Ran actually touched Hu Dingtian's corpse and escorted him into the Wu Lie Building.

In Jiang Ru Yi's eyes, Lu Ran must have suffered a greater impact from witnessing a companion's death up close.

She knows even better that Lu Ran is a very responsible person.

Every time there is a crisis, he takes the initiative to ask for orders; this is the best proof.

Looking back to the Savage Nu Ba's "Night of the Wandering Ghosts," Lu Ran was only in the Stream Realm, yet he stubbornly disobeyed Sun Zhengfang's orders, insisting on following the team to kill the enemy.

Thinking back to the fifteenth of the fourth month that just passed, even though it was a terrifying Demon Lord descending, Lu Ran still stood out without fear of death.

Such behaviors are too numerous to mention.

Perhaps, precisely because of this, Lu Ran is even sadder about the death of a companion.

Jiang Ru Yi clearly saw that when Lu Ran rushed into the Wu Lie Building with the corpse, he was still wearing a hat and a gauze mask.

And when he came out, the disguise had been removed.

The Lu Ran who revealed his true face attracted more firepower.

This action of his also gave other human companions more opportunities to catch their breath, greatly reducing the pressure.

"Lu Ran." Jiang Ru Yi's voice is gentle, "None of this is your fault."

Little did she know that what Lu Ran saw was not just a corpse.

But a "living" soul, a dead soul bitterly pleading with him.

"Hmm." Lu Ran nods lightly.

It is true that Lu Ran has a heart to protect his hometown.

But he is not cheap.

He will not take all the blame on himself, nor does he feel he owes anyone.

The wrong, the sinful one, is this ugly world.

It's just that Hu Dingtian's dead soul kept pleading, telling how his father was waiting at home to hold a graduation banquet for him...

Hearing it made Lu Ran feel very uncomfortable.

Jiang Ru Yi leans forward, forehead against Lu Ran's, brows touching.

Her voice is so gentle: "Will you return to the team with me? This night is about to pass.

It's about to pass."

As she speaks, the girl's soft lips gently print on Lu Ran's dry lips.

"Hmm." Lu Ran responds in a low voice, raising his hand to slowly pull the Jiye Blade from the scabbard behind his shoulder.

Night,

Is about to pass.

Still have to kill!

Begging for some monthly votes.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 282 =====