Chapter 404: I

At night, deep in the mountain forest.

A pair of man and woman hurried along, finally stopping before a cliff.

"A lake!" Lu Ran exclaimed.

The cliff offered an excellent vantage point, looking out over an endless expanse of forest in the distance.

And in the dense woods, a large, relatively open area was hard to miss.

A lake high up in the mountains?

Lu Ran was somewhat excited, lowering his voice: "We've been heading north the whole time; could this be the Night-Charm Lake that Lady Luo mentioned?"

He strained his eyes, observing the lake surface carefully, as if searching for the Night-Charms frolicking within.

Yet, Lu Ran observed for a long time without seeing any sign of demons on the water.

"Doesn't seem like it," Lu Ran said, disappointed, muttering, "Lady Luo said the Night-Charm Lake is located below a snow-capped mountain.

The surrounding mountains aren't high enough; there's no snow on the peaks."

He was talking to himself, and it took him a while to realize that Deng Yu Xiang hadn't spoken for a long time.

During the battle at dusk, Lu Ran had killed two Master Yu Fu disciples before pulling away.

He and Deng Yu Xiang had communicated constantly through mental messages, finally reuniting in a dense forest over ten kilometers away.

At that time, Deng Yu Xiang had been agitated, grabbing his arms with both hands, looking him up and down, asking if he was hurt.

Lu Ran, wanting to soothe her, had said quite cockily:

"Heh, just a couple of Sea Realms."

Deng Yu Xiang hadn't been amused, nor had she offered any scolding words.

She had simply looked complex, falling into silence.

Then the two traveled north, distancing themselves from the trouble while planning to search for the Night-Charm clan's lair.

Up to this moment, Deng Yu Xiang remained silent, and Lu Ran had forgotten when she last spoke.

"Da Da Mengyan?" Lu Ran turned around, seeing her expressionless face.

His brows furrowed, and he reached out, grabbing her arms.

Just as she had checked him when they reunited, he observed her carefully.

"What's wrong?" Lu Ran asked in a low voice.

Deng Yu Xiang finally spoke: "I don't have night vision; I can't make a judgment."

On this night, clouds churned in the sky, and there were no bright stars to be seen.

The Saint Lingshan realm was pitch black, devoid of any light, so she truly had no vision.

Lu Ran comforted her: "The terrain is so complex along this route, yet you've kept up so closely!

That proves you and the Night-Charm Yemo Xiesu are becoming more compatible; your ability to discern position through sound is becoming increasingly precise."

The Night-Charm clan's ability to listen to the wind didn't come from an Evil Technique, but from their racial traits.

Deng Yu Xiang lowered her head slightly: "Mm."

Lu Ran's smile faded, his eyes filled with concern: "Sister?"

The sudden change in address carried quite a bit of impact.

Deng Yu Xiang smiled helplessly; Lu Ran had always been gentle, and naturally, she could feel the care in his heart.

She hesitated for a moment before saying softly: "I'm fine. It's just that I couldn't help you, and it's frustrating."

More than just not being able to help?

Deng Yu Xiang realized she was a burden.

During the encounter at dusk, only after she left first and confirmed it was safe could Lu Ran fight freely.

Later, while Deng Yu Xiang waited in the forest, the feeling of anxiety and powerlessness made her hate herself!

For someone as proud as her,

it was indeed difficult to accept.

Lu Ran raised his hand and patted her shoulder, his tone playful: "Know your place, Protector!

I am the Demon Lord, and you

are just a little Evil God under my command."

Deng Yu Xiang: "..."

A little Evil God?

An Evil God is still a God, a supreme existence in a certain domain!

Is this title suitable for the prefix "little"?

Why does it sound a bit cute?

Lu Ran continued: "You also need to recognize my strength! It's not just anyone who dares to shout at Sea Realm experts while in the Jiang Jing!

Across the heavens and earth, in the spirit mountains and the human world.

Looking around, there is only one of me!"

Lu Ran raised his hand and ruffled Deng Yu Xiang's hair: "So don't be sad, Da Da Mengyan Protector, you're already very impressive."

Deng Yu Xiang: "..."

What is this action?

It's simply turning the world upside down!

Deng Yu Xiang swatted Lu Ran's hand away, just about to say something, when she heard his detestable voice:

"Yo! You're alive~"

Deng Yu Xiang was both angry and amused, raising a long leg and kicking at the shadow in front of her.

I dodge~

Lu Ran retreated a few steps, standing at the edge of the cliff.

He turned around again, his gaze piercing through the thick night, looking at the calm lake surface in the forest far below.

"Do you blame me for not letting you bind with the Evil Dog Yemo Xiesu?"

In the darkness, Lu Ran's voice came.

Deng Yu Xiang said irritably: "You are the Demon Lord; naturally, I listen to whatever you say."

Lu Ran was silent for a moment, then added: "Actually, it was the Saint Sheep's intention for you to bind with the Night-Charm Yemo Xiesu."

Deng Yu Xiang raised her brows slightly, which was somewhat unexpected.

She had thought this decision was Lu Ran's consideration.

The Night-Charm clan's techniques were similar to the North Wind faction's; the combat style of one person and one charm was quite compatible. Deng Yu Xiang didn't even need to adapt or adjust, she could pick it up directly.

Lu Ran making such a decision naturally wasn't a problem.

She just hadn't expected this decision to be instructed by the God?

Deng Yu Xiang thought for a moment, her thin lips parting: "Since the Saint Sheep made such a decision, it must have its reasons."

Lu Ran nodded lightly: "Mm, then it's settled. You can't blame me in your heart anymore.

Every debt has its debtor, right?

Since you can't teleport, don't have Evil Agility or Evil Perception, and can't jump and shout at Sea Realm experts, you'll have to go ask the Saint Sheep for an explanation."

"You!" Deng Yu Xiang lowered her voice, laughing and scolding, "Show some respect."

Lu Ran shrugged: "Actually, I'm also a bit curious why the Saint Sheep insisted on you... Never mind, the boat has already sailed, I won't say anymore."

Deng Yu Xiang's voice was serious: "There is indeed no need to mention this again.

I am very suited to the Night-Charm, and I don't regret binding with the Night-Charm Yemo Xiesu."

"Good!" Lu Ran nodded, "Let's rest for a bit. When the night gets deeper, we'll go to the lakeside to take a look."

"Yes!"

The two retreated from the cliff area and came under a large tree, sitting down on the ground.

Lu Ran focused his attention on his mental world, entering the God-Demon Sculpture Garden.

Soon, he found the God Statue: Master Yu Fu.

In the mist-filled sculpture garden, Lu Ran stood quietly before Master Yu Fu, looking up at his majestic appearance.

Lu Ran's emotions were incomparably complex.

After all, during his childhood, he had knelt and kowtowed to the God Master Yu Fu under his father's guidance.

The obsession of his youth had plagued him for a long time.

He had fantasized about following in his father's footsteps, completing the cause his father had left unfinished.

Alas, it was all his own wishful thinking.

The God Master Yu Fu had never looked at him properly.

Lu Ran gradually revealed a smile, looking at the solemn and dignified God Statue.

So you won't look at me properly, huh?

Fine, you just wait for me, Master Yu Fu.

I've come to see you!

Through this fake god statue, Lu Ran's mind was filled with the image of the small Master Yu Fu statue in the little shrine at home during his childhood.

Now Lu Ran knew that none of the gods in the sky were good things.

The gods joined forces with demons, hovering over the heads of the human race, refusing to allow any change to the status quo, forever oppressing all living beings, utilizing all living beings, making the human race slaves and servants for generations.

Therefore, whenever Lu Ran thought of himself kneeling before the Master Yu Fu shrine, praying devoutly day and night...

he felt even more ironic!

"Hum!"

The Master Yu Fu God Statue trembled abruptly.

Successfully activated!

Mist Realm Stage 1... Stage 2... Stage 3...

Stream Realm Stage 1... Stage 3... Stage 5...

Under the large tree, Lu Ran opened his eyes abruptly, both surprised and happy.

Mei Ling'er was only a Jiang Jing believer, and Yuan Ying was a Jiang Jing believer.

Under normal circumstances, just these two souls wouldn't even be enough to activate the Master Yu Fu God Statue.

After all, 2 Jiang Jing souls were only equivalent to about 2000 Mist Realm souls.

But this was the Saint Lingshan!

The souls of Mei Ling'er and Yuan Ying had collected a large amount of Saint Spirit Qi.

These original energies surged into the Master Yu Fu God Statue along with the two souls.

Jiang Jing Stage 1!

Two souls were actually enough to push the God Statue to Jiang Jing Stage 1?!

Of course, God Statues were relatively easy to cultivate in the early stages.

For example: assuming the God Statue was activated, just one Jiang Jing soul was enough to raise it from Mist Realm to Stream Realm!

However, the difficulty of cultivating the God Statue further would increase tenfold.

"Heh." Lu Ran sighed deeply, calming his excited mood.

Tsk~

This little maid Mei Ling'er really had latched onto a big thigh!

Following the Sea Realm expert Lady Kong, she had drunk quite a bit of soup, hadn't she?

Lu Ran licked his lips, feeling increasingly expectant.

If one day, he could capture Lady Kong's soul into the God-Demon Sculpture Garden...

wouldn't he just take off?

Besides Lady Kong, there was also the main character, Luo Tiantu!

How much Saint Spirit Qi was stored in their souls?

"Hum~"

A burst of energy surged, and faint light lit up in the pitch-black mountain forest.

Deng Yu Xiang's eyes narrowed!

She saw Lu Ran sitting cross-legged under the tree, with 4 white jade tablets appearing around him.

Master Yu Fu God Technique: Master Yu Fu Grand Array!

The four white jade tablets were the Electricity-Locking Talisman, Explosion-Flame Talisman, Frost Talisman, and Quicksand Talisman.

And the faint light came from the Electricity-Locking Talisman and the Explosion-Flame Talisman.

After all, these two white jade tablets were surrounded by fine, dense blue-purple electricity and beautiful sparks, respectively.

"So, after Lie Tian, it's Master Yu Fu?" Deng Yu Xiang said in a low voice.

Although Lu Ran was still in the starting stage of growth, his wolfish ambition was self-evident!

As the saying goes: The sky cannot have two suns!

In the same domain, naturally, there couldn't be two supreme gods.

"Depends on the situation; these two gods belong to the same priority level," Lu Ran said casually.

That calm voice didn't sound like he was discussing the matter of slaughtering gods.

The powerful aura he displayed inadvertently made Deng Yu Xiang secretly palpitate.

Deng Yu Xiang nodded lightly, adding: "With this, you don't have to fear Master Yu Fu believers anymore."

Electricity-Locking Talisman, Explosion-Flame Talisman, Frost Talisman, Quicksand Talisman...

In front of the Master Yu Fu Grand Array, they could all be absorbed!

If Master Yu Fu believers wanted to defeat Lu Ran, they would have to use their ultimate techniques.

Or rely on absolute suppression of realm and technique grade, supplemented by divine weapons, artifacts, and martial arts to fight Lu Ran.

Lu Ran reached out and grabbed a jade tablet wrapped in electricity:

"Currently, the Master Yu Fu God Statue is only at Jiang Jing, and the Master Yu Fu Grand Array is only at River Grade; it still needs more cultivation."

Deng Yu Xiang suggested: "The people of Heaven-Treading Mountain are wicked and commit all kinds of crimes.

We can go bandit-hunting, which happens to cultivate your Master Yu Fu God Statue, weaken the enemy, and improve ourselves.

Of course, the premise is to avoid those two Sea Realms."

Lu Ran waved his hand, and the four white jade tablets disappeared.

He looked at Deng Yu Xiang, whose eyes were cold and filled with killing intent, and advised:

"No rush!

Such a thing happened today; Heaven-Treading Mountain will inevitably be on guard.

Let's go find the Night-Charm Lake first and properly cultivate you."

In the pitch-black environment, she listened to his soft whispers.

Her cold eyes gradually faded, her heart becoming increasingly soft, responding in a low voice:

"Mm."