Chapter 399: Ran Sect

At the bottom of the canyon, inside a small cave.

Lu Ran and Deng Deng Yuxiang were resting and recuperating within.

The cave, excavated by human hands, was square inside, giving it very much the feel of a living room.

The cave entrance was rectangular, just like a household door.

This cave was the handiwork of Xia Guang Dao and Zhan Ye Dao.

After all, Ye Mei Yemo Xiesu was still advancing; the Great Da Da Mengyan had difficulty moving, her pair of long legs trembling so much she could not even stand steady, so Lu Ran could not bear to make her dig into the mountain.

After the two had rested for quite a while, Ye Mei Yemo Xiesu finally stabilized within Lu Ran's Sculpture Garden.

"Heh."

Deng Deng Yuxiang sat on the ground, her back leaning against the stone wall, and let out a long sigh.

Lu Ran said with a grin, "Your compatibility with Ye Mei Yemo Xiesu is getting higher and higher."

Deng Deng Yuxiang cast a cold glance at Lu Ran.

Lu Ran pursed his lips and muttered softly, "Why so fierce?"

Deng Deng Yuxiang narrowed her eyes: "Lu Xiao Lu Lu Ran, you—"

Lu Ran hurriedly spoke to change the subject: "Let's pick codenames!

Within the Holy Lingshan Realm, we won't use our real names."

Deng Deng Yuxiang drew out an exquisite dagger and toyed with it casually, saying nothing more.

Rather than being fierce, it was more that she was using anger to mask her embarrassment.

This damn Yemo Xiesu!

If you're going to advance, just advance; why make me tremble along with you?

Lu Ran proposed: "How about your codename is 'Da Da Mengyan'?"

Deng Deng Yuxiang snorted coldly: "Back when we first met, is that what you were calling me in your heart?"

Lu Ran thought of something else: "Or should we add some elements of Ye Mei and combine them?

Dream Charm? Night Da Da Mengyan?"

Deng Deng Yuxiang fell silent for a moment, then turned her gaze to Lu Ran: "At this stage, I am becoming Ye Mei.

But in the future, I will ultimately be myself."

Lu Ran's eyes lit up, and he nodded heavily: "Good, 'Da Da Mengyan' it is."

Deng Deng Yuxiang lowered her head and suddenly shook it with a smile.

Obsessing over a codename felt quite childish.

But Lu Ran had said that not only must she become Ye Mei and replace Ye Mei, but she must also surpass Ye Mei.

That was her ultimate goal.

Perhaps only when she reached that stage could she truly help him and fulfill his grand ambition.

"What should I call myself?" Lu Ran pondered silently.

Mainly because she always called him "Lu Xiao Lu Lu Ran," which sounded very annoying.

Seeing his troubled expression, Deng Deng Yuxiang said casually, "If you can't think of one, I'll just call you 'Mountain Master'."

It involved neither the words "Luo Sister Xian" nor the name "Lu Ran," perfectly meeting his requirements.

A thought stirred in Lu Ran's heart: "Address me as 'Sect Master' instead."

Deng Deng Yuxiang was puzzled: "Sect Master?"

Lu Ran nodded: "Of course, it's the Ran Sect!

From this day forward, you are the First Protector of my Ran Sect."

Deng Deng Yuxiang looked at Lu Ran with a ambiguous smile: "What, heard that there are many factions in the Holy Lingshan Realm, and you want to start one too?"

Lu Ran was too embarrassed to admit that he had harbored this ambition long ago.

He shrugged: "Who knows how long we'll have to fight in this realm; perhaps we might find like-minded companions?"

Hearing this, Deng Deng Yuxiang nodded in considerable agreement.

"Then it's settled!" Lu Ran made the final decision, and took the opportunity to remove the Reincarnation Coin from his wrist, "Today is the auspicious day of my Ran Sect's founding!"

Protector Da Da Mengyan is also the first person to join my sect.

Come, come! Da Da Mengyan, this is a reward bestowed upon you by this Seat."

Deng Deng Yuxiang:???

This Seat?

Counting heads, our organization has exactly two people, and you're already putting on airs?

"Take it!" Lu Ran threw the Reincarnation Coin over.

Deng Deng Yuxiang's expression froze slightly before she realized Lu Ran was not joking.

She caught the ancient coin and said seriously, "This is a Dharma artifact!"

Lu Ran corrected him: "It's a fragment of a Dharma artifact."

"Lu Xiao Lu Lu Ran, you told me this was gifted to you by Lady Lady Wangquan."

"Didn't we agree not to use real names?"

Deng Deng Yuxiang looked at Lu Ran with some helplessness and threw the Reincarnation Coin back: "I cannot accept this."

Lu Ran caught the ancient coin and laughed: "Luckily the Reincarnation Coin has no artifact spirit; otherwise, being tossed back and forth like this, it would probably start cursing in the street."

Deng Deng Yuxiang put on a stern face: "Tie it on. I don't want it."

Lu Ran's expression turned strange: "Are you ordering me?"

Deng Deng Yuxiang stared straight at Lu Ran: "If you continue making such a fool of yourself, indeed, that time is coming soon."

Lu Ran: "."

Good heavens~

You actually think you can command me?

This is simply turning heaven and earth upside down!

Lu Ran stood up, walked over to Deng Deng Yuxiang, and sat down heavily beside her: "I have my reasons."

Deng Deng Yuxiang frowned slightly, allowing Lu Ran to take her wrist as she listened to his explanation.

While winding red thread around her wrist, Lu Ran said, "I need departed souls; whether human souls or demonic souls, I need them all!"

In today's battle, the two of us were briefly separated, forming two distinct battlefields.

In future battles, similar situations are inevitable.

If I cannot return in time, I need you to collect the souls for me."

Only then did Deng Deng Yuxiang understand.

She no longer refused, nodding as she said, "Very well, I understand."

Lu Ran continued, "This is a fragment of a magical tool; it has not formed a complete tool spirit, possessing only a sliver of consciousness."

Now, I will teach you how to activate it."

To be honest, if this were a campaign in the mortal world, even if Lu Ran lost one or two souls, he would not feel too much pain.

Even if the missed soul belonged to Jiang Jing, Lu Ran could accept it.

But inside Spirit Saint Mountain?

He was unwilling to abandon a single soul!

After all, you never know how much Spirit Saint Qi an enemy's soul carries!

Take, for instance, the Night Charm that Ran's Sect just slew.

It directly forced Lu Ran's Night Charm Evil Sculpture into Jiang Jing · Stage Two!

What level of great nourishment is this?

A true Manchu-Han Imperial Feast!

How many nights of the fifteenth would Lu Ran have to slaughter his way through to achieve such an effect?

"Yes, infuse divine power into it," Lu Ran explained patiently.

Within the Xianyangyi Sect, regarding the Divine Art · Pupil of the Death Realm, only Lu Ran knew it.

Deng Deng Yuxiang could not see the departed souls existing in another dimension.

However, through the coin's reaction, she could indirectly judge whether a departed soul had been collected within it.

After a long while, Deng Deng Yuxiang looked at Lu Ran: "This coin still belongs to you; you can come to me for it anytime."

Or, once we return home, I will give you the Rebirth Coin."

Lu Ran nodded perfunctorily and said directly, "Come, let us try it first! Although the Rebirth Coin cannot communicate with you, it can understand your intent."

Now, activate your divine power, transmit your thought, and release one of the souls."

Unwilling to dampen Lu Ran's enthusiasm, Deng Deng Yuxiang did not repeat herself.

She raised her arm, where circle upon circle of fine red thread wound around her slender, snow-white wrist.

The ancient coin threaded through the red thread vibrated slightly.

Lu Ran opened his horizontal pupils and saw Lady Luo flying out.

He spread open his palm, and a ball of black mist rose up.

Lie Hun Mo Xie Fa · Soul Prison!

In Lu Ran's list of Xie Fa, he had hardly ever used techniques for imprisoning or tormenting souls.

Today, however, he intended to have some proper fun.

"You! How dare you!!"

Lady Luo shouted in furious rage, pointing a finger at Lu Ran.

"How dare I?" Lu Ran curled his lip.

Has this woman occupied a high position for so long that she cannot come down?

Come!

Today, I will teach you how to lower your status.

Lu Ran manipulated the ball of black mist, beating the Pupil of the Death Realm to it, and drew Lady Luo inside.

"Do you know who I am? You! You!!"

Finally, Deng Deng Yuxiang heard the woman's angry scream.

When a human soul was drawn into the Xie Fa · Soul Prison, Deng Deng Yuxiang and the departed soul existed in the same dimension.

"See?" Lu Ran held the ball of black mist in one hand and slowly lowered it.

On the surface of the black mist ball, Lady Luo's face appeared.

The scene was horrifying and bizarre!

"Mm." Deng Yu nodded lightly; looking at the gnashing-teeth Lady Luo, she said, "It seems this person has not yet grasped the situation."

Lu Ran leaned against the stone wall, bending one leg with his elbow resting on his knee, as he weighed the ball of black mist in his palm.

He teased, "You've lost face, Lady Luo! Having your scheme exposed must be quite embarrassing, yes?"

When the two parties first met, Lady Luo had always been pleasant, gentle, and polite.

Everything was done to lure the two of them into the trap.

Now that she had fallen to this state, she finally revealed her true colors.

Hatred surged in Lady Luo's eyes as she cursed angrily, "Dog man and woman!"

"You vile spawn of male thieves and female prostitutes! May you die a horrible death!"

"If I do not return within three days, my husband will surely come searching! He will definitely tear you all to pieces!"

"Whoa~~~" Lu Ran was shocked!

Facing extreme situations, all kinds of people will have all kinds of reactions.

And Lady Luo's reaction truly stunned Lu Ran!

Did she know her life was nearing its end, with not the slightest possibility of survival, so she had completely let herself go?

Yes, I indeed cannot let you live.

But I can make you beg me, and allow you to die!

Deng Deng Yuxiang's face was covered in frost; since childhood, when had He Ceng ever heard such filthy language?

"Gulp." Lu Ran's Adam's apple bobbed as he felt the terrifying aura of the woman beside him.

"Lu Xiao Lu Lu Ran."

"Here!" This time, Lu Ran did not fuss over the address.

"Soul Fire." Deng Deng Yuxiang's thin lips parted slightly.

Lie Hun Mo Xie Fa · Soul Fire is the primary method Lie Hun Mo uses to torment human souls.

This technique is specifically used to scorch departed spirits!

"Whoosh~"

Within the black mist sphere in Lu Ran's hand, a black flame ignited.

"Filthy, despicable spawn! Vile aaaaaah! Aaaaaah!" Lady Luo's curses came to an abrupt halt.

In their place came her piercing, mournful screams.

People always say that death is by no means the most terrifying thing.

The scene before their eyes was the perfect example.

"Aaaah, stop! Make it stop, aaaaah!" Lady Luo's features were extremely distorted.

Whenever she occasionally opened her eyes wide, her bulging eyeballs looked as though they were about to fall out.

The Xie Fa · Soul Fire is rather special.

It cannot harm people's flesh and blood; while people are still alive, it cannot directly harm human souls either.

Only after people have died does this technique find its use.

Deng Deng Yuxiang actually reached out, gently touching Lady Luo's "black mist face," watching her suffer and be ravaged by the burning of the Soul Fire.

"No, please, I beg you, aaaaah!"

"Stop! Boohoo~~~ I know I was wrong, please, you, sto. p"

"Let me die, aaaaah! Kill me, kill me! I beg you to kill me, aaaaaah!"

The human souls within the Soul Prison wept bitterly, yet not a single teardrop could flow.

From threats and insults to complete breakdown, admitting faults and begging for mercy, took merely half a minute.

Looking at the soul in his palm, subjected to extreme torment, Lu Ran could not help but sigh inwardly.

Over the past forty years, countless people had been tortured by evil demons beyond recognition.

"Sect Master."

"Hmm?"

"You may ask now." Deng Deng Yuxiang looked coldly at Lady Luo's miserable state; though anger stirred in her heart, the mission still took precedence.

"Oh." Lu Ran came to his senses and extinguished the Soul Fire.

He looked at the distorted face upon the black mist sphere and said in a deep voice, "Now, whatever I ask, you will answer."

"Mm! Boohoo" The departed spirit in the prison nodded repeatedly, sobbing uncontrollably.

(End of Chapter)