Chapter 483: Found a Treasure

"Sect Master."

"Hmm?" Lu Ran opened his eyes and turned to look.

He saw Yu Fish Changsheng leading Bai Yan back into the discussion hall.

Lu Ran's eyes lit up: "Elder Bai can walk again."

Bai Yan had already bathed and changed clothes, his spirit and appearance completely renewed!

He was thin, draped in a white long robe, with snow-white hair and a thick white beard, possessing quite an air of celestial grace and Daoist bone.

"Sect Master Lu." Bai Yan located the voice, cupped his fists, and bowed to Lu Ran. "This old man is endlessly grateful!"

Lu Ran turned his gaze to Yu Fish Changsheng and smiled: "Mr. Conglong truly lives up to his reputation as a great physician of the Sea Realm; truly a miraculous hand that brings spring back."

He clearly had not forgotten that one must frequently praise a certain someone.

Otherwise, that certain someone was prone to throwing a tantrum!

"Whoosh~"

Yu Fish Changsheng elegantly unfurled his paper fan, smiling and nodding: "With the Sect Master's command, this subordinate naturally must go all out."

Lu Ran: "."

You're already in your thirties; does a single compliment make you this happy?

"You two, please sit," Lu Ran said.

Yu Fish Changsheng fetched two wooden chairs and guided Bai Yan to take a seat.

Bai Yan's heart was filled with emotion, silently thinking that the ways of the world are unpredictable.

Without the help of the Sea Realm physicians, he feared he would never be able to stand again.

How could he repay such kindness?

Not long ago, he was still a prisoner, confined day and night within a cave cage.

Now, he had been rescued and transformed into an honored guest.

How should he repay such kindness?

"What is Elder Bai's strength and realm?" Lu Ran asked.

"Replying to the Sect Master, this old man is at the fifth stage of the River Realm," Bai Yan answered obediently.

"Oh." Lu Ran nodded slightly and continued asking, "How long has Elder Bai been in this world?"

"I cannot remember," Bai Yan pondered. "This old man only remembers entering Spirit Holy Mountain in '97."

"'97?" Lu Ran grinned, suddenly tilting his head back to look at Deng Deng Yuxiang's upside-down face. "We weren't even born yet, were we?"

Deng Deng Yuxiang was quite speechless; what kind of remark was that!

She applied a little force with her hand, forcibly straightening his head.

Indeed, Lu Ran was born in 2001, while Deng Deng Yuxiang was born in 1998.

Long before either of them was born, Bai Laoyezi had already entered Spirit Holy Mountain to suffer hardship.

"It's been over twenty years," Lu Ran sighed. "Now, in the human world, it is already 2020."

"So long," Bai Yan sighed lightly, saying nothing more.

Lu Ran asked again: "How old is Elder Bai this year?"

With the chronological information provided by Lu Ran, Bai Yan spoke: "Seventy-six."

Seventy-six years old.

It had only been forty years since the Descent of Gods and Demons.

This was a person who had lived through two eras.

"They say having an elder in the family is like having a treasure." Lu Ran looked at the old man. "With Elder Bai joining the Ran Sect, our future base will finally have security guarantees."

Bai Yan said in a deep voice: "This old man will definitely exert all his strength, living up to Sect Master Lu's great kindness."

Lu Ran smiled and then asked: "Elder Bai has stayed in this world for so long; have you ever heard of Cheng Xin? He is a believer of Xiang Xiang Xianyang."

Bai Yan frowned slightly, struggling to recall: "Cheng Xin, Cheng Xin, a believer of Xiang Xiang Xianyang..."

Lu Ran's expression froze.

What did this mean?

Was there hope?

Bai Yan suddenly said: "He was not tall, wore a white Daoist robe, tied his hair in a bun, and was skilled with a long spear..."

Lu Ran scrambled to his feet with a flop—well, he didn't quite stand up.

Just as he was halfway up, Deng Deng Yuxiang pressed him back down into his seat.

"Yes, yes, yes!" Lu Ran, disregarding everything else, nodded repeatedly. "Where is he? Does Elder Bai have any news of him?"

Bai Yan struggled to recall, saying slowly: "I once worked alongside Brother Cheng for a period, but he..."

Lu Ran hurriedly asked: "What?"

Bai Yan shook his head: "That must have been over ten years ago; my memory is somewhat blurry. What left the deepest impression was his eyes."

Determined eyes.

"Although Brother Cheng was a believer of Xiang Xiang Xianyang, he was not the same kind of person as us; he had a goal and was unwilling to hide here and there just to scrape by."

Bai Yan paused for a moment, then continued: "In the end, he still left us to wander alone, and there has been no news of him since."

The small flame that had just risen in Lu Ran's heart was extinguished again.

Bai Yan asked: "Does Sect Master Lu know Cheng Xin?"

"Ah, he is a great senior of our sect," Lu Ran said helplessly.

Bai Yan seemed to have heard something inconceivable; keeping his expression unchanged on the surface, he asked: "Is Sect Master Lu also a disciple of Xiang Xiang Xianyang?"

Lu Ran, still immersed in feelings of loss, gave a soft "Mm."

Bai Yan returned: "?"

A believer of the Ninth-Rank God·Xiang Xianyang?

Currently, Bai Yan did not yet know the specific strength of the Ran Sect, but since the Ran Sect could kill their way through Heaven's Disciple Mountain, their power must be extremely formidable!

Just within this room alone, there were two experts of the Vast Sea!

This undoubtedly confirmed that point.

Although Bai Yan lacked eyes, he could clearly feel the pressure exerted by these powerhouses.

And since these two Sea Realm great experts were both extremely respectful toward the young Sect Master Lu, Bai Yan naturally made his judgment, believing Lu Ran to be a believer of the First-Rank God.

Of course, even if Lu Ran were a believer of the First-Rank God, getting Sea Realm great experts to willingly assist him would still be harder than climbing to the heavens.

Therefore, Bai Yan secretly speculated many things, believing that Lu Ran possessed powerful leadership qualities, personal charm, and so on.

Never did he expect!

Lu Ran was indeed a believer of the First-Rank God.

The very last of the First-Rank Gods!

Bai Yan couldn't help but think of Cheng Xin again, that Xiang Xianyang disciple whose strength was formidable yet who fit in with no one.

This Xianyangyi Sect...

Is there some kind of explanation for this?

"Wow!" Si Si Xianxian suddenly burst in, pointing at Bai Yan seated in the chair, "A Curse Master?"

Lu Ran raised his eyebrows slightly.

If Si Si Xianxian hadn't reminded him, he truly wouldn't have thought in that direction!

The image of the God·Curse Master was that of an emaciated old man, with white hair and beard, draped in a loose white robe, fully displaying an ethereal and Daoist demeanor!

Bai Yan and the God·Curse Master actually bore a few similarities?

Pity that Bai Laoyezi had his eyes cruelly gouged out, leaving his eye sockets sunken.

Moreover, the true body of the Curse Master always held a white talisman paper in hand, upon which were drawn black runes, messy and chaotic like ghostly scribbles.

It was said that this was a magical artifact!

No one knew whether it was true or false.

"Young friend jokes too much," Bai Yan said, unclear who the newcomer was but still advising, "One must not speak recklessly."

"Tch~" Si Si Xianxian pursed her lips, clearly holding no reverence for the god.

Bai Yan remained outwardly calm, yet in his heart, he began to form some calculations.

Seeing one spot reveals the whole leopard!

The newly arrived woman held such an attitude toward the god, yet no one else scolded or stopped her; looking at it this way, the people of the Ran Sect were not blindly loyal believers, but rather a group of quite clear-headed individuals?

Si Si Xianxian turned her head to look at Lu Ran, and upon this glance, something astonishing appeared again!

Lu Ran sat enjoying himself like a grandpa, while the terrifying Great Nightmare gently massaged his head.

This...?

To speak of Deng Deng Yuxiang's actions, there was nothing too excessive about them.

Si Si Xianxian felt she was overthinking it; everyone knew very well the relationship between Lu and Deng.

Furthermore, the two had entered this realm together and stayed alone for so long; if they truly wanted to do something, the raw rice would have long been cooked into a meal.

For an existence like Lu Ran, if he wanted to do anything, outsiders would be impossible to guard against him.

Si Si Xianxian now already knew that Lu Ran possessed a Sculpture Garden, and she knew even more clearly what level of competitors were under his command!

What was called the Thread-Puppet Shadow, and which one was the Sin-Mirror Demon.

Each one more sexy than the last, each one more enchanting than the next!

Si Si Xianxian asked her own heart; even a peerless great beauty like herself had to temporarily avoid competing in terms of looks against the Rouge Paper Dolls.

From this perspective, Lu Ran could even have a chastity archway erected for him.

He shouldn't have joined the Xiang Xianyang Sect at all, but should have gone to become a believer of the Wu Seng; he would surely be able to reach the peak on that track!

Other believers of the Wu Seng, cultivating to the end, would at most become merely a "monk."

But Lu Ran...

Endure a hundred times, and one becomes a true Buddha~

Just as Si Si Xianxian was lost in wild thoughts, she suddenly heard Deng Deng Yuxiang teasing: "Your maid has arrived; do you want to swap and let her take over?"

Lu Ran's face showed shock.

His head was already buzzing, and upon hearing this sentence, his head buzzed even louder!

Deng Deng Yuxiang's lips curled up slightly as she looked at Si Si Xianxian, whose expression kept changing, as if she knew exactly what the other was thinking.

Si Si Xianxian felt somewhat uncomfortable under that gaze, yet it was not good for her to lose her temper.

She simply ignored Deng Deng Yuxiang, her face filled with concern as she walked over quickly:

"What's wrong with you?"

"My head hurts."

Si Si Xianxian's eyes lit up; showing proper discretion, she switched to voice transmission: 【Is the Divine Sculpture leveling up?】

Lu Ran nodded gently.

Si Si Xianxian looked at Deng Deng Yuxiang's position, eager to try: "Then can I...?"

"Absolutely not!" Lu Ran was startled and quickly waved his hand, "You have no sense of proportion; don't crush my head open again."

Si Si Xianxian immediately rolled her eyes.

This ungrateful fellow; who cares about serving you!

"Hurry and sit down," Lu Ran said casually, then looked across, "Has Bai Laoyezi ever heard of Qin Lady Yanzhi?"

After he described the situation, this time, he failed to obtain the answer he desired.

Lu Ran sighed inwardly, then said, "Let us formulate a battle plan; Bai Lao has maneuvered against Luo Luo Tiantu and Shanzhai for a long time—do you have any good ideas?"

Bai Yan slowly spoke: "Luo Luo Tiantu possesses a remarkably high cultivation realm and formidable strength, but this man is one who appears fierce outwardly yet is cowardly within!

Our side can fully exploit this weakness."

"Oh?" Yu Fish Changsheng, who had remained silent until now, finally showed interest.

Exploiting personality to crush the opponent?

Interesting.

Bai Yan nodded and said, "Luo Luo Tiantu is narrow-minded and covets life while fearing death; if he encounters a fierce assault that endangers his life, he will most likely abandon his companions and temporarily detach from the group."

Yu Fish Changsheng asked, "On what grounds do you say this?"

Bai Yan said in a deep voice, "Previously, the reason Wu Zui Valley was able to inflict heavy casualties on Luo Luo Tiantu and Shanzhai was precisely because we set a trap; using thunderous methods, we startled Luo Luo Tiantu.

Luo Luo Tiantu's first reaction revealed this person's true nature.

Disregarding his comrades' lives, he activated the Lightning Shackling Talisman while fleeing for his life, placing his companions in peril."

Lu Ran and Yu Fish Changsheng looked at each other in surprise.

Bai Yan continued, "Therefore, Wu Zui Valley was able to slay many skilled experts of Luo Luo Tiantu and Shanzhai.

Later, when Luo Luo Tiantu and Shanzhai finally captured us, although Luo Luo Tiantu could have enslaved more Weak God disciples to enhance the comprehensive strength of Luo Luo Tiantu and Shanzhai, he stubbornly insisted on executing us."

Yu Fish Changsheng said softly, "Having lost all face, he became enraged out of shame."

"Indeed!" Bai Yan, suppressing the grief in his heart, said with a serious expression, "When he executed the captives, his methods were exceptionally cruel!

On one hand, it was to vent his anger; on the other, he was likely establishing authority before the mountain stronghold's crowd, using such a method to make up as much as possible for the prestige he had previously lost."

Bai Yan turned toward Lu Ran: "Sect Master Lu, our side possesses formidable strength, commanding several great experts at the Wei Hai Jing realm!

If we set an ambush along Luo Luo Tiantu's return route and launch a deadly attack head-on..."

Yu Fish Changsheng, lost in thought, mused, "Luo Luo Tiantu might flee in panic, abandoning his team without a second thought.

He might even throw his own formation into chaos, helping us deal with his own squad?"

Bai Yan's voice was hoarse: "As the saying goes, old habits die hard! Luo Luo Tiantu is middle-aged; whether in personality or combat habits, he is already completely set in his ways.

As long as our side strikes by surprise with sufficient lethal intensity, Luo Luo Tiantu's subconscious reaction should not change."

"What Elder Bai says makes sense," Yu Fish Changsheng agreed wholeheartedly.

Watching the two constantly exchanging ideas, Lu Ran suddenly realized that he had recruited another military strategist!

This strategist was once a leader of a region himself!

Lu Ran still did not know what kind of combat achievements this leader had accomplished over the past twenty-plus years.

At the very least, the fact that he has survived until today is itself an extremely difficult feat!

In his most recent combat achievement, Bai Yan commanded a group of Weak God disciples to constantly maneuver against the crowd of Luo Luo Tiantu and Shanzhai, and even when driven to the brink of destruction, he managed a limit counter-kill against several Strong God disciples...

Lu Ran felt secretly delighted.

Ran Sect has found a treasure!

(End of Chapter)