Chapter 573: The First Appearance of Phoenix Might

"Let's call it the Shadow Guard," Lu Ran decided.

Yan Shuangzi naturally had no objections.

The word "Shadow" perfectly interpreted the positioning of this troop.

Lu Ran turned to look at the three: "The three of you will follow Protector Evil Shadow from now on. When we return to Cloud Sea Cliff, I will change your sect."

"Yes!"

"Yes," the Zhong sisters responded in unison.

He looked at He Qi again: "Let's go, shall we go see the believers? By the way, how many people are willing to join the Ran Sect?"

He Qi stood up: "Eighty-eight people in total."

"So many?" Lu Ran was quite surprised.

He Qi was very satisfied with Lu Ran's reaction and smiled: "These people were all carefully screened by me.

Their temperaments are relatively steady, and there is no lack of timid, cowardly, and submissive people; their understanding of reality is very clear.

It will be easy for you to trick them to Cloud Sea Cliff and then change their sect."

"What kind of talk is that!"

He Qi's expression became slightly more serious, no longer joking: "You can change the destiny of this group of weak deity disciples against the heavens and let them survive better; this is their blessing."

He Qi's expression was sincere, and she added another sentence: "For you, it is also a meritorious deed!"

"Ours."

"Hm?"

"Our meritorious deed," Lu Ran patted He Qi's shoulder lightly.

"Hehe," He Qi laughed dumbly.

Ran dog, oh Ran dog...

Your bright dog eyes really can see through people's hearts, huh?

You really know how to pick what the big sister likes to hear!

Actually, for Lu Ran, this wasn't difficult; after all, he had been wandering the Holy Lingshan for so long and rarely heard the word "meritorious deed."

Now that He Qi brought it up separately, she must care about these things?

Looking at it now, the little Buddhist Monk sister building this Forbidden City must also have the intention of accumulating merit?

"They are already waiting on the drill ground," He Qi took a step forward and stood face-to-face with Lu Ran.

Just as Lu Ran was puzzled, the little Buddhist Monk sister suddenly reached out and straightened his collar.

Lu Ran:?

Not only was Lu Ran a bit dazed, but everyone in the room was also dumbfounded.

He Qi was a Sea Realm powerhouse and the Forbidden City Master.

That wide, golden-brown robe complemented her temperament, setting off her supreme imperial style.

Such a master who dominated the world was now acting gently, carefully straightening Lu Ran's clothes...

Is this really He Qi?

"First impressions are very important," He Qi raised her eyes slightly, looking directly into Lu Ran's eyes, "Bring out the momentum you had when you killed the Jingting Mountain Sect Master!

Benevolence and such are things for later.

Deterring them can save a lot of subsequent trouble."

"Ah," Lu Ran nodded foolishly, "Rest assured, I still have the Tiger Talisman."

He Qi took a step back, looking Lu Ran up and down, and nodded with satisfaction:

"Shall we go, Sect Master?"

"Oh," Lu Ran nodded.

Yu Changsheng followed behind the two, a hint of a smile on his face.

Wind Heaven Emperor... is indeed different from the other generals of the Ran Sect.

She stands at the height of a leader, offering suggestions to Lu Ran and helping him grow.

Yan Shuangzi remained silent and followed as well, with the Zhong sisters close behind.

A group of people walked through the city, and the people they met along the way bowed respectfully.

He Qi's actions were undoubtedly kind; she carried a heart of mercy, taking in refugees and protecting all living beings.

But in her external performance, she had always maintained a posture of looking down on all living beings.

Lu Ran could be considered to have witnessed how respected and supported she was by the people in the city.

After all, when he came here last time, before she could take Lu Ran to visit the city, she had advanced outside the city gate...

The group arrived at the North City Drill Ground.

In the massive venue, over a hundred people stood.

There were 88 believers supporting the construction of the Ran Sect, and also Buddhist Monk believers maintaining order.

On the north side of the venue, a two-meter-high review stone platform was built. At this time, Yin Tianlong was standing on the platform, seeing the City Master walking over from afar.

He tried hard to manage his expression, his heart incomparably lost.

Although He Qi walked closer step by step, Yin Tianlong felt that she was getting further and further away.

Before, when He Qi was still at the peak of the River Estuary Realm, Yin Tianlong wasn't that inferior and still had some thoughts of romantic feelings for the City Master.

But now...

The gap was getting bigger and bigger.

Watching the person he admired ascend to the heavens step by step, Yin Tianlong felt both happy and lost in his heart.

Sigh...

"Brother Tianlong, how have you been lately?" Lu Ran boarded the high review platform and greeted with a smile.

Lu Ran had a deep impression of this Buddhist Monk believer; the other party was at the peak of the River Estuary Realm, and he didn't know when he would be able to advance to the Sea Realm.

Now, the entire Great Wind Hall belonged to Lu Ran.

He naturally hoped that Yin Tianlong would grow faster.

"Cough," before Yin Tianlong could respond, He Qi suddenly gave a light cough and swept a glance at Lu Ran.

I just urged you to bring out your majestic side, and you forgot it again?

Even though the people under the stage were carefully selected by He Qi, the Holy Lingshan had a unique magic!

It would teach every person who "took things for granted" what true evil was!

Before, the Ran Sect took the elite route, and Lu Ran had enough energy to understand every soldier, or even personally screen and recruit them.

But from now on, Lu Ran was taking in believers widely, and it was impossible for him to understand everyone.

Humans are extremely complex creatures.

As the power grows stronger and the internal stability becomes more important, one must never underestimate the power of the individual.

A piece of rotten meat can spoil a whole pot of soup!

This was also what He Qi was worried about; Lu Ran was overly easygoing, and his governing philosophy was incompatible with the Holy Lingshan realm.

As the saying goes: Small people fear power but do not fear virtue.

Well... fortunately, among the high-level Ran Sect, there were wise and tough types like Mr. Conglong and Protector Nightmare.

*Whoosh~*

He Qi thought secretly, flicking her sleeves.

She faced the sand field, and wherever her gaze reached, all living beings lowered their brows.

She spoke slowly: "This is the Sect Master of the Ran Sect, and also the number one genius of Da Xia."

The drill ground was silent.

"My Forbidden City has formed an alliance with the Ran Sect, sharing life and death. After you all follow Sect Master Lu back, you must obey commands, complete the construction of the base well, and must not be slack!" He Qi said in a deep voice.

"Yes!"

"Yes!" Dozens of people responded one after another.

He Qi turned her head and nodded lightly to Lu Ran.

Lu Ran stepped forward, and as Wind Heaven Emperor wished, his aura was fully unleashed.

He was already a Sea Realm powerhouse, and the Tiger Talisman hidden under his collar helped its master wildly boost his momentum!

Waves of terrifying momentum, invisible yet real, surged out like sea waves.

"Gulp," Yin Tianlong swallowed his saliva, looking at Lu Ran's back, his legs trembling.

He Qi was getting further and further away from him, and wasn't Lu Ran the same?

Thinking back to their first meeting, everyone was at the River Estuary Realm! Now, both Lu and He had become Sea Realm kings...

Everything that happened in just a few months made Yin Tianlong feel a bit dazed.

"Thank you all for your trust in me," Lu Ran's momentum was terrifying, but his tone was still gentle, "I swear in the name of a genius that I will definitely give you a future."

Inside and outside the sand field, all living beings were trembling, but He Qi was as steady as Mount Tai.

The Tier 2 Dharma artifact · Ink Jade Tiger Talisman could not only boost momentum but also objectively offset the pressure of strong powerhouses.

She was more than just standing steady;

In the eyes with which she looked at Lu Ran, there was even a hint of admiration.

That's right,

This is the Sect Master I follow!

Lu Ran turned his head, and his gaze happened to intersect with He Qi's.

He Qi didn't hide anything, still looking at Lu Ran with burning beautiful eyes and a smile: "Let's go, I'll send you out of the city."

Lu Ran's Wicked Mirror Evil Technique · Mirror Flower Water Moon naturally couldn't be used in the city.

"No need," Lu Ran reached into his waist and took out the Little Chifeng-patterned gourd.

"Hm?" He Qi was quite curious; she naturally recognized this Dharma artifact.

It was precisely because the number one genius took away the little Little Chifeng that she had to settle for second best and take the Wind Barrier Precious Pearl.

"I've wronged you," Lu Ran said softly, tilting his head back for a big gulp.

*Hum~*

The little Little Chifeng vibrated lightly, pouring the divine power it had painstakingly collected into Lu Ran's mouth.

"Gulp, gulp..."

Everyone was confused, watching the Sect Master tilt his head and drink boldly.

Until he couldn't drink anymore, Lu Ran looked at He Qi beside him: "Do you want some too?"

He Qi raised an eyebrow slightly.

"Here," Lu Ran shook the gourd, and the divine power in the form of a water flow surged out from the gourd mouth, rushing straight at He Qi's body.

"Don't need to drink?" He Qi accepted the gift and absorbed the energy wildly.

Lu Ran smiled: "I'm just used to it; I feel it's very refreshing to drink it like this."

"Then I'll try it too," He Qi immediately took the gourd, raised her hand above her head, tilted her face, opened her mouth, and felt the divine power entering her throat.

The people of the Forbidden City were quite surprised.

Their City Master had always been solemn and dignified; it was rare to see such a heroic side.

"Gulp, gulp..."

After drinking for a while, Wind Heaven Emperor stopped.

She wiped the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand, handed the gourd back, and nodded in agreement: "It is indeed refreshing."

"Right~" Lu Ran shook the precious gourd, as if estimating how much divine power was inside.

After he transported quite a bit of divine power to Conglong and Evil Shadow, a strange phenomenon occurred!

Under the astonished gaze of the people, Lu Ran was sucked into the Little Chifeng-patterned gourd.

He Qi remained calm on the surface, but her heart trembled violently!

This...?

The Little Chifeng-patterned gourd developed a new function—it can absorb living people?

It advanced to a Tier 2 Dharma artifact?

A few seconds later, Lu Ran flew out from inside the gourd.

He was testing, and also giving everyone present a reassurance.

Inside and outside the venue, everyone was dumbfounded, watching the Sect Master's terrifying methods.

*Whoosh~*

Lu Ran sent his hand forward, and the Little Chifeng-patterned gourd hung upside down, flying toward the sand field below the platform.

"The journey is dangerous; everyone stay inside the Dharma artifact for a while," Lu Ran said.

Following his thought, the Little Chifeng-patterned gourd began to eat people!

Believer after believer trembled, and although they were terrified in their hearts, under the pressure of Lu Ran and He Qi, no one dared to move a muscle.

Soon, the drill ground was empty, and nearly a hundred believers had been eaten clean by the little Little Chifeng!

Lu Ran raised his hand to catch the exquisite precious gourd that flew back and looked at He Qi: "Let's go back."

He Qi looked at Lu Ran, then looked at the Little Chifeng-patterned gourd in his hand.

Nearly a hundred lives were in his palm.

If he wanted to, he could probably refine this group of people, right?

"He Qi?" Lu Ran called out softly.

"Hm," He Qi came back to her senses and gave Lu Ran a look that was neither light nor heavy.

Lu Ran:???

What's going on, why are you glaring at me?

Is it because... I showed off again?

Hehe~

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 574 =====